“Interesting,” Khollo muttered. “Do you have a map of those currents?”
Ezraan turned back to the bookshelf and extracted another scroll. “This is a close up of the island and the sea, all the way to the continent,” he explained, handing it to Khollo.
The young warrior unrolled the scroll and spread it above the world map. On the second map, a series of paths were marked in dashed lines between Ethgalin and the continent. There were four of them, one ending just south and West of where Narne now stood, one at the mouth of the Lanis River, one halfway between the Furnier and the Lanis. The fourth was a little apart from the others and ran nearly east to west, ending near the inlet that Ishkabur occupied.
“The one to Ishkabur looks shorter,” Khollo observed.
Ezraan nodded. “But it’s more dangerous. The air currents aren’t as strong this far south and it’s a risky path to attempt, especially with a young dragon.”
“It may be our only choice, though,” Khollo murmured. “Remember, Ishkabur was under siege when Kanin brought me here, to Ethgalin.”
“But they were holding out, correct?”
“For the time being,” Khollo confirmed.
Ezraan grunted. “Well, keep my warning in mind. It’s not the sort of thing you can change your mind about halfway through, you know.”
Khollo studied the maps a moment longer, then stood. “Okay. So, we know where we’re going. Now, training. Where do we start?”
Ezraan grinned wolfishly. “With the basics, of course. Let’s go and join Kanin up above.”
Khollo led the way back to the surface, where they found Kanin waiting expectantly, curled up beside the central well. You found maps?
Yes, Khollo replied. Ezraan found them almost immediately. Did you know there are air currents from here to the continent? Or did we just get lucky that you found one?
I can sense the wind and heat, Kanin replied. I knew that warm air currents would make the journey easier. But I didn’t know there were constant currents from one place to the other.
Interesting, Khollo mused. Ready to start training?
Kanin reared back and spread his wings. More than ready.
“It seems your dragon is as eager to learn as you,” Ezraan observed. “We’ll stay on the ground for now and practice some simple drills. But you should still climb up on his back there to get used to the perspective.”
Khollo scrambled up onto Kanin’s back and sat there, waiting expectantly. Ezraan tugged at his unruly beard thoughtfully, then began to speak.
“In my readings, I found that dragons spent a fair amount of time on the ground during battles, almost as much time as they spent in the air. They could cause more damage on the ground, like a battering ram that could breathe fire, really, but in the air they could evade arrows and siege engines much easier.”
“Makes sense,” Khollo agreed. “Dragons are faster and more maneuverable in the air.”
“So,” Ezraan continued. “We’ll work on the ground today. Imagine there’s an army of vertaga in front of you. You’ve forged ahead in the battle lines a little bit – it happens – and you have enemies to the left and right as well. Your own army is lined up just behind Kanin’s front legs.”
Khollo pictured the scene. It was a truly terrifying experience. Without walls or fortifications, he could see how the advantages would be entirely with the vertaga. The men in the battle lines would be smaller and weaker, maybe locking shields to defend against the vertaga’s brute strength.
“Now, Kanin,” Ezraan said. You have allies behind you, so mind the tail. You can bite and snap, of course, and flame. Those will be your best attacks in this situation.”
Kanin stepped forward and Khollo imagined that a vertaga had just been kicked high in the air. Then, the massive jaws jutted forth and clamped down on an imaginary foe. Kanin backed away, then flamed the space he had just occupied, turning vines and bushes to a crisp.
Ezraan was shaking his head. “Too slow,” he announced. “Far too slow. Especially if the enemy has spearmen among their forces. Again.”
Kanin snorted and repeated the sequence of movements. Ezraan, still unsatisfied, asked him to repeat them a third time, then a fourth. Finally, the older man paused, chewing his lip thoughtfully.
“We need a new strategy,” he decided. “Try following my orders. Ready?”
Ready.
“Ready!” Khollo called.
“Forward!”
Kanin lurched forward, then waited expectantly for the next order.
“Flame . . . bite, back! Flame again . . . forward . . . bite, bite, back!” Ezraan shouted.
Kanin did exactly as the older man requested, biting and snapping, advancing and retreating, pausing to flame every few seconds. Ezraan began having Kanin follow the flames with lightning charges designed to scatter an enemy and break their defensive line. Khollo clung grimly on as the dragon lurched to and fro beneath him. After fifteen minutes, Ezraan called a halt.
“I’m feeling rather useless up there,” Khollo told him as he slid down Kanin’s leg to the jungle floor. “Is there something I should be doing?”
“In a real battle, you’ll be his eyes to the left and right,” Ezraan explained. “Protecting his flank, as it were. You tell him when you’re too extended, when you’re in danger of being surrounded. And protect his wings.”
“But I don’t take part in the fight?”
Ezraan shook his head. “No, can’t reach anything from up there.”
“I can shoot though.”
Ezraan’s expression brightened. “Really? You’re an archer? I used to be,” he added, and a far-away look came over him, remembering a different time.
Khollo nodded. “I know.” He produced his bow and strung it
