Shadowheart

Hirad slithered to a halt by his head and looked into a slowly blinking eye. He didn't have to ask after the dragon's condition, he could feel everything. Sha-Kaan couldn't shield the agony from him. The spell had blistered him where it struck, the cold hail prising up scales that had torn free when he crashed. He seemed to be bleeding from every part of his body.

Hirad placed a hand on the dragon's head, fighting back panic. Around him, he could hear running feet and cries from those who had sheltered in the wrong places. He sent a short prayer that few had been badly hurt and turned his full attention to the ailing beast.

'It was not my best landing,' said Sha-Kaan, his voice choked and pained. 'It was the landing of a newly weaned birthling.'

'This is not the time for jokes,' said Hirad. 'You've got to hang on.'

'You have told me that there was always time for jokes,' responded Sha-Kaan.

'Not now, not now,' said Hirad. 'What can I do? Gods, but you are a mess.'

The startling blue eye blinked very slowly, the lid seeming to struggle on its way back up. 'There is little you can do,' he said. 'I have overstayed my welcome in your dimension.'

'So we'll send you home. Now,' said Hirad, turning. 'Denser! Denser get over here!'

'Hirad, I don't think I have the strength to get up on my feet, let alone fly inter-dimensional space back to Beshara. Keep your mage's strength, you need it more than I.'

'No way,' said Hirad. 'No way. Hold on.'

He felt the surge of pain that ran up and down Sha-Kaan's body. Ribs were cracked, wing membranes torn, neck sprained and tail broken. He turned and opened his mouth to shout throught the dust cloud that still swirled around the Heart pit.

'D-'

'I'm here,' said Denser, running up, Erienne with him. 'Oh dear Gods, is he all right?'

'Of course he's not bloody well all right! He's dying.' Hirad swallowed. 'Please Denser, it has to be now. We won't get another chance. Before the Xeteskians get themselves reorganised. Please.'

But the Xeteskians were already reforming. Darrick was issuing orders and a quick glance told him that die next spell against the gates was only moments away. The General himself was clearing the gatehouse and a defensive line was in position beyond any backwash when the gates gave way.

'Don't do it, Denser,' said Sha-Kaan. 'Finish what I started. Keep them away. Raise the Heart. I will wait.'

The eyes were closing.

'Don't listen to him, Denser, please.' Hirad grabbed his shoulders, shook him while he spoke. 'We could all die here. It looks like we will. But if there's one we can save, we can't miss the chance. Sha-Kaan is that one. For everything he has done. Please.'

Denser nodded. Hirad dragged him forwards and kissed his cheek.

'Don't-' began Sha-Kaan.

'Now you listen to me, Sha-Kaan,' said Hirad, rounding on him. 'You are not going to die here. I promised that you wouldn't and I keep my promises. You cannot let it end like this. You have work, we have work and yours is on Beshara, leading the Brood Kaan.

'You've had your rest and now is the time to roll back on to your feet, test your wings and be ready. Got that?'

Sha-Kaan's nostrils flared. 'Frail human, I am not so weak I cannot snuff out your life.'

Hirad grinned. 'That is what I like to hear. But you'd better be standing up first or I'll outrun you. Denser, make sure whatever it is you open, it is right in front of his face.'

'No problem,' Denser's voice was faint with concentration.

'Hirad!' Darrick's voice carried to him. He could see the General running over.

'Bight with you.'

'Now, Hirad,' said Darrick. 'They're coming through any moment.'

'Right with you,' repeated Hirad. 'Erienne, that Heart has to come up.'

‘Iknow,' snapped Erienne. 'It was happening until he dropped in.'

'No time for argument, get it done,' said Hirad. He caught her expression. 'Shout all you want but we're on borrowed time here.'

'Can it work?' asked Darrick. 'The Heart raise?'

'Of course it can.' Erienne led their gaze to the pit to which elves and Julatsans were already returning, some being supported by their friends.

'But will they have anything left when they've done it?' he pressed. 'Anything at all?'

Erienne smiled at last. 'Enough,' she said. 'Perhaps.'

Hirad barely concentrated on the exchange. Darrick was already running back to his defensive postion. He felt an impact through the ground and heard timbers giving way.

'Hurry, Denser,' he said quietly.

He placed a hand on Sha-Kaan's head again. The eye opened and fixed him with an unblinking stare.

'Move aside.'

Hirad moved and so did Sha-Kaan. Slowly, painfully, he rolled, pushing with a twisted hind leg and feebly flapping a free wing. But he moved upright, his neck still dragging on the floor, he without the strength to lift it or his head. With his legs finally beneath him, he pushed and relieved the pressure on his chest and torn underbelly. Blood ran from the hundreds of puncture wounds and he sighed.

'Next time you touch down, it'll be in your own Broodlands,' said Hirad. 'Think on that and keep yourself strong.'

Sha-Kaan said nothing, merely concentrated on breathing that was getting more and more ragged.

Denser was lost within himself, picking at the air with deliberate movements. Once again, Hirad found himself wishing he could see what a mage took as read, the mana flow, the structures it made and the wonder of it all. Next to him, Sha-Kaan twitched violendy and his snout picked up off the ground.

Hirad jumped, made to ask what was wrong but instead felt the warmth of rediscovery flood through him. Around Denser's head, a tiny slit had appeared and emanating from it was a line of blue light, hair-thin and rippling in one direction.

'Follow your path, Sha-Kaan,' Denser said, his voice hushed. 'It will take you all the way home.'

Hirad felt the Great Kaan move and that head nudge him gendy, almost knocking him from his feet. He twisted his neck and looked one more time into the deep blue pupil.

'Don't you dare die,' said Hirad. 'Not now.'

'Thank you,' said Sha-Kaan, the simple words burning into Hirad like the gratitude of thousands.

The Great Kaan shifted out of Balaia.

Behind Hirad, the gates of Julatsa were sundered.

Chapter 43

Izack moved his cavalry forward but he was not going to enter the city from anywhere but the south this morning. He had half of his shield mages in the air, spotting ahead, one having reported back on the attack by Sha-Kaan. For a few glorious moments it had seemed that the dragon had singlehandedly broken the enemy but die mages from the rear of the college had gathered, having driven him away, and now they assaulted the gates once more.

He led his men in at a gentle canter, watching for the signs in the sky. Darrick had instilled in him the importance of not making a hasty move and he had been proved right already today. His spotters had been chased by familiars and harried by Xeteskians but they had seen enough to stop him sacrificing himself in front of the walls at dawn. Nor had the TaiGethen been drawn to attack, but now the situation would change.

Izack waited his moment. They were very much alone. No support was coming. The Xeteskians had destroyed the relief force completely and all that was left was Blackthorne and he had gone his own way. High up the three spotters circled, diving and climbing to avoid the menacing familiars. The demons were the only immediate threat now that every available Xeteskian mage was presumably at the college gates.

While Izack watched, the flight pattern changed. The slow circling and diving switched to the figure of eight, each mage describing his own. Simultaneously, new smoke rose above the city. The spotters, their job done, dropped into the college to provide support.

'Lystern, let's move!' shouted Izack. He snapped his reins and the cavalry accelerated. He had two miles to travel and the gates of Julatsa were down. The next stage of the fight relied on The Raven.