Maxi snapped her eyes back ahead. True to Ulyseon’s precaution, a precipitous cliff soon came into view. The company led their horses along the edge and stopped next to a steep slope. At the foot of the road that plunged down was a deep, rocky valley.
“I suppose we’ll have to get rid of those pests first,” Hebaron grumbled, grabbing the hilt of the claymore slung over his back. “We turn our backs on a flock of harpies and they will start slinging boulders down on us.”
Riftan raised his hand at the burly knight. “It is not them we should be concerned about.”
The knights followed his cold gaze to the bottom of the cliff. From the rear, Maxi was unable to see what had captured their attention. She strained to hear their conversation when Riftan turned and gave his command to the full company.
“There are five drakes at the bottom. The first two—no, three rows will prepare for battle. The rest shall cover us from the ridge and keep an eye on the harpies.”
The knights drew their swords in unison. Maxi stared open-mouthed as twenty knights stirred their horses down the steep and rocky path in unison, as nimble as acrobats and as swift as the wind. The remaining knights drew their bows and divided their aim between the harpies and cover for the attack party.
Maxi was half out of her mind with panic at the sudden reality of her first skirmish. “Wh-What should I do?”
“Just stay put until everything is over, my lady, and be prepared to cast your barrier,” said Gabel, drawing his sword.
The harpies suddenly let loose a chorus of horrifying screeches that had Maxi’s hands flying up to cover her ears. Somehow, the flock had grown by at least twenty in the span of seconds. Maxi took a deep breath and followed Gabel’s advice, focusing on flowing her mana along the lines of the defensive rune.
She was distracted by a cry even louder than the harpies coming from down the slope. What she saw at the bottom of the cliff turned the blood in her veins to ice.
Monsters.
The creatures were massive, over twenty kevettes at least. They were covered in scales that gave them the appearance of roughly hewn stone. The sharp horns, the razor-sharpteeth, Maxi knew there was only one kind of monster they could be.
So that is a drake….
Illustrations did not do the drakes’ ferocity justice, but the knights did not seem intimidated by the yellow glinting eyes or stomping heavy enough to shake the ground. The knights did not look concerned as they scattered among the rocks to confuse the beasts.
The knights cantered about the rocky terrain as though they were one with their horses, nimbly scattering among the rocks to confuse the beasts. Skillfully, the party lured the gigantic creatures together until they were cornered, making it look as easy as an afternoon boar hunt.
“Commander!”
One of the knights dodged a massive tail and wrapped an iron chain around the monster’s leg. Riftan seized the opportunity and plunged his sword into the drake’s throat, spraying dark red blood in every direction. Maxi stared aghast at the carnage.
“My lady!” Ulyseon called. “Please do not stand so close to the cliff! The harpies might charge and knock you off.”
Startled, Maxi hastily moved away from the edge. The harpies were now close enough that she could clearly see their faces. The knights took aim, but Gabel waved them off.
“Not yet. We will be outnumbered if they join the fray this early.”
“But they are—”
“It is not us they are after.”
His calm voice was drowned out by the cries of the drakes. Beside herself with worry for Riftan, Maxi prayed quietly. The knights’ shouts, the drakes’ stomping, the clang ofswords rang in her ears for far too long before a shout from below finally announced the end of the battle.
“It should be safe now, my lady,” Gabel instructed. “Follow the junior knights. They will lead you down.”
Maxi dismounted and carefully led Rem down the slope. She was not a skilled enough rider to gallop down as the knights had done. When she finally reached the foot of the cliff, one of the knights clearing the drake carcasses rushed over to take the reins from her.
“Are you hurt anywhere, Lady Calypse?”
“I-I should be the one…asking you. Has anyone been i-injured?”
“Sir Edon Crude has a burn from drake gastric fluid. He could use your help.”
Maxi nodded and rushed to Sir Edon, who was removing his breastplate and tunic with the help of his comrades. She stifled a gasp as his ghastly wound was revealed. The skin from his left shoulder to his chest was as raw as if it had been drenched in sizzling oil.
Hebaron merely clicked his tongue at the gruesome injury. “Good job getting yourself hurt in our first battle, Sir Edon. Why did you let a drake puke all over you like a fool?”
