Not According to Plan

“I hear something!” Aesandoral warned. “Heading your way.”

With a sweeping glance of the area, the distant fog parted as a long, obsidian-scaled neck hoisted a hulking head high. And though it was too far from my current position to strike, I was going to try.

I began to run, watching as the dragon turned to look at me. Its glowing eyes met my gaze before the head shifted in another direction and reared up.

Something was wrong. It wasn’t aiming at me.

Can it tell I’m protected?

I panicked as, instead, the wyrm targeted the alcove where Sharzin had gone to hide.

No! Attack me!

I watched as the fog burned away from the jet of steaming acid that cut through the air. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught it splash against the rockface, carving away at the limestone wall and creating pockmarks on the floor where it rained down.

Sharzin, who had been at that location a moment earlier, managed to dodge to the side, only being hit on her shoulder. But, for the girl who never took damage, that was enough to cripple her.

“AHHHH!” Her pained screams echoed through the cavern.

With the fog now parted, I could see her clearly as she writhed on the floor in agony. Sharzin continued to cry out loudly as the acid burned through her clothing and ate away at the flesh with an audible sizzle.

“Zin!” I yelled out, shifting away from the dragon as it disappeared back into the fog.

Racing over the sand, I felt myself struggling against the uneven surface. I couldn’t get the traction I typically used for speed, meaning that I was slower than I had anticipated.

I should have thought about this. I should have anticipated the difficult terrain. Damn it.

A pair of arrows flew over my shoulder.

I watched as they cut through the fog, impacting the faintly visible dragon’s head before bouncing harmlessly off the scales. Even at her distance, Aesandoral should have been able to do at least some damage. But it seemed that our plan had another flaw—

Based on the dragon’s ability to acknowledge that I had been protected and pivot targets to Sharzin, that meant it had more intelligence than previously assumed. Then there was the fact that the scales of its head were more developed, capable of withstanding a strike from the naturally accurate and precise Aesandoral.

Those together were enough to determine that this dragon appeared to be older than anticipated. While it wasn’t yet an adult, it was older than the youthful target we had prepared for.

“The scales are harder than expected. I need to get closer.” Aesandoral spoke up.

“Aes, be careful,” I warned, watching as the dragon looked in the direction of the archer. “It’s older than we anticipated!”

Glancing my way, the creature locked eyes with me before it slinked back into the fog and sand.

Wait, can it understand me? Crap! I looked around as I continued my sprint towards Sharzin. Double crap! Triple crap!

“Sharzin!” I cried out as I slid into place beside her and popped a healing potion from my bag.

After feeding her the elixir, I watched as she poured water over her acid wounds, diluting the concentration enough to allow the potion’s healing effects to take hold.

“Get to cover,” I ordered her. “I’ll try and lure it—”

“Iz!” She screamed.

I turned quickly, catching sight of the massive head rising from the sand. The dragon had not gone after Aesandoral as I thought it would, but had chosen to take another pass at us.

It was recognizing me giving orders. Clever girl!

Exposed, I knew the beast was hoping to snatch a two-for-one deal as it again reared its head in preparation for a corrosive spray. Taking advantage of the potion of strength, I grabbed Sharzin and threw her out of danger before slipping into a defensive position.

I readied myself as a shield, charging my forearms with my own protective magic.

The stream raced towards me, splitting the fog as it came forward like—well—like a beam from a laser tag gun. A really painful laser tag gun.

The blast hit me, splashing over Rionriv’s shield, causing it to flare a brilliant neon green. The magical barrier flickered as the acid clung to it before finally shattering.

“GYAAAAH!” I yelled out in pain as some of the acid, not completely neutralized by the magic, coated my arms and chest.

But I still stood.

Sharzin was back at my side, quickly rushing to my aid. She splashed water over my wounds as I popped the cork on another elixir of peppermint schnapps healing.

I’m really beginning to wish I had gotten some different flavours.

In the distant fog, I could see the dragon’s head disappear into the sand as it once again deflected Aesandoral’s arrows.

“Sharzin, get to cover. I need you to get shooting. Aim for the acid dewlap on the under-throat; it looks like a little skinfold. That or the eyes. Those are the squishiest bits. Hit the squishiest bits!”

“Okay. Don’t die,” She turned to leave but stopped. Looking at me, I could see a fleeting glance of genuine compassion in her gaze. “Please.”

I nodded with a smirk.

“Obviously.”

Scanning the space, my attention was immediately drawn towards Aesandoral’s pained shrieks. I looked back towards the docks, where the fog had burned away and the steaming archer lay crumbled on the ground.

To the edge of the stone pier, the dragon had decided to seize the rare opportunity of food to crawl its way out of the sand. With its long, toothy snout open, it lumbered forward, eager to consume its stunned prey.

“No! No! No!” I yelled, throwing my staff to the ground.

Channelling magic into my feet, I began to run. Unlike before, it suddenly felt as though my steps barely touched the sand. As though I was no longer sinking with every movement but soaring over the surface as easily as running through the streets of Dwindlefyre. I could feel my power quickly draining as it transferred to the bottom of my shoes, allowing me a freedom of movement in this once-difficult terrain.

I was in a full sprint, arms reaching out for her—for Aesandoral—giving it my all.