Chine let loose a tumult of ether fire as he flew over the creatures. The rest of the riders were doing the same—flying overhead and unleashing attack after attack on the defenseless monsters.
The mech riders had set themselves the task of containing anything trying to escape. They formed a large circle around the monsters, slowly closing it as they fired missiles at the monsters, who lashed out with their fangs and tails.
The attacks meant nothing to the mech riders. What the mechs lacked in speed and maneuverability, they made up for in defenses. They continued to push the circle tighter, undeterred by attacks, fighting their way toward each other as the numbers of the monsters dwindled.
Toppinir and his dragon rose into the air, silhouetted in the glow of the meteor above, before rocketing into the middle of the circle. The dragon hit the ground, sending a concussive force through the air along with a wall of flame, incinerating the remaining monsters.
When the smoke and flames cleared, there were only ash and bone. The day was won.
Chapter Four
The battle was over. The creatures that hadn’t been obliterated by the meteor’s green beam had been killed by the dragonriders. There were a few of those riders walking amongst the corpses, finishing off whatever had survived.
The rest of the dragonriders had removed themselves from the battlefield, making sure they were a good distance from the meteor’s range. Many of them gazed up at the object, their hearts still racing from the battle, fearful of the meteor’s power.
Despite having been in the atmosphere for some time, the meteor hadn’t moved any closer. It hung in the same place it had since originally entering the atmosphere. This was cause for concern and had prompted a heated discussion amongst the riders.
Team Boundless had instantly gone to service their dragons, Alex trying to drive home the point that the comfort and safety of their dragons were the priorities outside of battle. She reminded her squad that this would put them in the position to fight again as quickly as possible.
No one from Boundless had a problem with that logic, and they broke off from the main group of riders, who were busy celebrating their victory, their dragons patiently waiting to be drained of draconian fluid.
Alex was elbow deep in Chine’s spine, both of them wincing and trying to ignore their pain when Roy approached from the other dragonriders’ camp. “You guys like to keep to yourselves?” Roy called to her.
The dragonrider ignored Roy at first, preferring to pay attention to the task at hand. Once Chine’s fluid had been drained, it started to absorb into her body. She sat down, gritting her teeth through the pain, waiting for it to pass.
Pain, like all things, does pass. Once Alex was finished absorbing the fluid, she playfully slapped the back of her dragon’s head and leaped off, sending her thoughts. All right, gotta go see how much trouble I’m in this time.
Chine didn’t show any physical signs of having heard Alex, but she could feel the dragon chuckling inside her head. Your strategy won the battle. Today might not be the day to ask for forgiveness.
Roy was waiting for Alex, admiring Chine from afar as she lazily walked up. “Keep to ourselves?” Alex repeated. “Not really. We’d love to be hanging out with the big kids, but I have the sneaking suspicion we aren’t wanted.”
It was Roy’s turn to act awkward. The man reminded Alex of a child trying to muster up the courage for an apology. Finally, Roy spoke. “Can’t see why they wouldn’t want you,” he nearly whispered. “Good plan, by the way. Worked like a charm. Got a good head on you. Glad to see it still attached too.”
“I’m planning to keep it that way. Besides, these suicide missions are starting to look more survivable. I’ll probably need a head if I’m going to be doing any more.”
“You were right about there being something else in the meteor as well. I give credit where it is deserved. There must be something operating that beam.”
Alex couldn’t stop herself from looking up at the meteor. The hunk of rock had become something else in her eyes over the last few hours. She could see why Myrddin had been so obsessed with stopping this thing.
Regardless of what was inside the meteor, its energy beam weapon was cause enough to try to blow the damn thing up. That beam could easily take out a city. “It could all be automated,” Alex suggested to Roy. “The same way the drones and those monsters were.”
Roy scratched his chin as he pondered Alex’s words. “True,” he agreed. “Either way, a defense system implies something to defend. By the way, we’re getting a squad of reinforcements and supplies. Your pal Manny is going to be there. Care to join?”
“Join what?”
“Our little war room on the ship.”
“Sure. I don’t have anything better to do.”
Roy laughed as he headed back to the main squad. “Glad to see you have a sense of humor. We don’t have enough riders with that asset. You’d think constantly risking your life would help you see the ludicrousness of life, or at least give you something to laugh at. Not these guys. Wouldn’t know a joke if it walked up and punched them in the face.”
“Maybe you just aren’t very funny.”
Roy stopped in his tracks. His face was grave as he turned to face Alex. He looked as if he had just been slapped. “Me, not funny?” he asked. “Now that’s a good joke.”
The two of them joined up with Toppinir, who was watching his team finally get to their dragon maintenance. Toppinir politely bowed in Alex’s direction and repeated many of the accolades Roy had just stated. “The ship should be here in twenty minutes or so,” he informed Alex.
The dragonriders in Toppinir’s squad were talking and joking with each other. The mood in the air was almost cheery, despite the giant
