Before Minx could shout back at Alla, her father started toward the gate. He cleared his throat and gave the official reply. “We will do no such thing. These are the lands of the Fae, and Torrent has no claim here. We will never submit to his rule. If you value your lives, turn away immediately. We have claimed many of your kind in recent weeks; it would be foolish to join them, no? Leave this place, immediately!”
Alla frowned, drawing her sword with a scaly fist. “So be it.” Holding the blade out before her, she gave the men under her command the signal and they began sprinting past her, rushing headlong toward the walls of the Trading Center. There were weapons of every style amongst this first wave—swordsmen, hammer-wielders and archers were all represented, and they surged forth like water bursting through a crack in a broken dam.
On the flight in, Minx had glanced over the walls of the Trading Center, and had found them in a pitiable state. Once, they'd been tall and orderly—solid. This was no longer the case, with large swaths of wall now covered in cracks and gouges made by relentless attackers during recent raids. Certain walls had been reinforced from the inside with beams of lumber, but whether these wooden fortifications would hold in the event of a sustained push remained to be seen.
Today, we may just find out what these walls are really made of, thought Minx as she nocked her first shot. Turning to her fellow archers, she made certain that all were prepared. Once again she was protecting the wall with a handful of young novices. They'd grown much over the course of the campaign against the dark army, but still required the direction of those more skilled. “Aim!” ordered Minx, raising her bow and singling out Alla.
The Fae archers loaded their bows and prepared to fire.
“Let them fly!” Minx loosed her arrow, sending it streaking past the hordes of rampaging warriors and planting it in the soil directly before Alla's feet. The half-Fae staggered back, looking to the top of the wall for her assailant, and locked eyes with Minx. Consider that a warning shot, a courtesy. You and I have a score to settle, Alla. Swiftly nocking another shot, Minx began to mow down the oncoming foot soldiers.
A great roar sounded from overhead as Kaleb donned his dragon form and took flight. The jagged shadows of his wings blotted out the paltry light of the fading day and inspired fear in those below. Above the stench of steel and sweat, a new scent arose—that of sulfur.
Kaleb belched out a column of molten fire, strafing the vanguard and creating a smoldering crater near the wall that forced the rushing warriors several paces back. Another fire blast crashed into the earth from high above, making the field tremble with its fury and spreading the flames. With a mere two blasts, Kaleb had created a sizzling trench before the wall, effectively driving off would-be wall-breakers and keeping them at arm's length.
Minx and her fellow archers capitalized on the confusion and fear that these fire blasts caused, sending a rain of arrows upon the now disorganized vanguard and felling many Wuffs. Alla continued to marshal her forces, but had been unprepared for the chaos caused by Kaleb's intrusion, and was now actively pulling away from the Trading Center to avoid being consumed by the flames.
Mau patrolled the square, walking between the rows of shuddering Fae swordsmen. In the event of a breach, the Faelyr would be the first line of defense—a swift attacker who could subdue just about any Wuff, Krah or Plurn in the enemy's ranks. It seems they weren't ready for that, huh? said Mau with a laugh. We were worried that we didn't have enough dragons on our side, but maybe one was enough!
Minx grinned, emptying her quiver across the teeming field. It was too early to celebrate, but Kaleb's tactic had been effective. Protecting the wall with a bit of flame would help to fortify the Trading Center's faltering defenses. The Fae archers were subsequently free to pick off those bold enough to risk the fire.
Something unexpected happened as Minx turned to refresh her quiver, however. When she returned to the field, ready to send forth another volley, she realized she'd lost sight of Alla. The half-Fae, only moments ago falling back due to the raging flames, had disappeared. That's not good. Of the many adversaries on this field that Minx didn't care to lose sight of, Alla was near the top of the list. Having faced her in battle, Minx knew that the half-Fae was no slouch. She scanned the mobs below, seeking out her silvery hair or cloudy eyes, but found no trace of her.
Kaleb haunted the foremost legions of the dark army, hovering just out of reach of their arrows and sending down one fire blast after another. Wuffs and Plurn dove to the ground as glowing meteors descended from the dragon's maw. He glided effortlessly through the sky, and to Minx's eye, seemed to be rather enjoying himself. Probably, after all the tension he'd faced back at the Talon Range, he was thankful for this opportunity to blow off some steam. His every roar, his every turn in the sky, was enough to send the dark forces below into a panic.
This made Minx's job far easier. Soldiers that were too busy watching a dragon overhead couldn't dodge her arrows. She cut down a handful of Krah near the fire-line before resuming her search for Alla amidst the chaos.
In the end, though, it was Alla who managed to find Minx.
The half-Fae, having broken away from her men, had snuck round to the other side of the Trading Center and hastily climbed the wall. She stood now on another cobblestone ridge, perpendicular to Minx's, and announced herself. “Minx!”
The other archers, too distracted by the battle going on down below, didn't notice the half-Fae's presence. Minx,
