A Monster Life Ch. 73-75

Queen Giuang looked at her daughter sitting beside her and put her hand on her shoulder. 'Be careful.'

Yingshien gave her a tight hug, then let go and smiled briefly. 'I will.' She gave the messenger a stern nod. 'Let's see what we're up against.'

The girls and Ulric joined her and the top officers on the way to the main gate, and received some surprised looks from dragons they passed. Elzbieta noticed some of them glaring as they ran. 'Seems it's highly unusual for our species to walk around here. And the demon army attacking isn't helping in making friendly impressions.'

Ulric glanced left and right. 'Hopefully they'll trust us when we help them in this battle.'

They arrived at the manned top of the high but relatively thin stone walls when the front of the demon army on the main road almost reached the edge of the forest, and peered down the length of the mass of demons following the bulk of their war machinery. Yingshien turned to the gate commander, a dragon who was even very broad for their kind. 'We should be able to defeat that many of them.'

He hummed and nodded. 'Even with all the weapons they brought.'

Ulric sniffed the air. 'I don't think that's all of them. Their stench is too strong for that many.'

Conchim pointed at flocks of birds frantically taking to the sky above the forest. 'I don't like the looks of that.'

Elzbieta watched the ripples through the foliage. 'I agree, what we see is not all there is.'

Curses rose left and right when the front ranks of the demon army left the forest, along with the ones who had trekked through the forest itself. The large weapons in front of them moved to the sides and revealed the demons holding high the dragon corpses.

Roars thundered along and trembled the walls from the dragons at the sight of their mutilated kin carried as trophies on the stakes.

Yingshien gripped the parapet in front of her as she glared at the dead paraded like flags before them. 'No! I'll tear them apart for this!'

Ulric grumbled as the demon ranks formed and their drums and horns sounded the call for war. 'We're in serious frigging trouble.'

Yingshien climbed on top of a low tower, looked left and right along the raging dragons, and blew long and hard on the signal horn to silence them. She took a deep breath when all the attention was directed at her. 'They may be with greater numbers, but we are the swift rulers of the skies! We will rain our powers down on them and obliterate them! We will make them pay for their sick acts! We are the mightiest of all! We are dragons!' Cheers broke out and the initial shock at the number of enemies subsided fast. 'Commanders! Prepare for the first assault!'

She returned and looked up at commander Tiambo, captain Garlac, and Ulric. 'Everyone ready?' The three returned a resolute nod, and she took a another deep breath to quell her own rage. 'Then we'll wait until they're close enough.'

***

Lagch, the commander of the demons looked along the length of the wall. It seemed the information of the traitor was true, the wall wasn't built for a large scale assault thanks to the hubris of the dragon nature. They never anticipated the need to fight of an army like his, or even that it could arrive at their doorstep. He grinned in amusement and raised his arm. 'Break down that wall!'

Trebuchets and catapults launched large boulders at the city at once.

'Incoming!' shouted commanders along the wall, and Valdys raised shields within her reach of power.

Lagch observed the boulders bouncing away near the main gate and others farther to the sides crash into the wall. 'Fire at the damaged parts of the wall! Take it down!' he shouted, and the closest trebuchets and catapults rotated away from the main gate while the others continued their bombardment of the wall.

***

'Attack the catapults!' shouted Tiambo, and one dragon unit flew up.

They sped towards the closest part of the line of catapults while charging their fire breaths.

Lagch expected them to come. 'Shoot down those dragons!'

Tens of ballistae partially hidden between the troops discharged their loaded steel arrows into the air like a deadly rain at the oncoming enemy.

Conchim shot forward from behind the dragons and swept her wings through the air with a fierce swing. The closest arrows went down fast with her blast of wind, but the rest still flew on towards their targets. A couple of dragons couldn't dodge the amount and roared out when the arrows pierced their wings. They spat out their rage as fire on the scattering demons in front before returning to the wall.

The unhurt dragons flew over the front ranks, then spat out their fierce fire breaths against the trebuchets and catapults and the troops around it.

Demons cried out and fired their bows at the masters of the sky, but the simple arrows did nothing to their thick scales.

The dragons turned around while more steel arrows flew at them, which Conchim blew down again into the surprised demons below.

'Keep firing!' shouted Lagch, who hadn't expected a powerful harpy to aid the dragons. 'Shoot them down at any cost!'

Conchim and the dragons flew once more across the army and blasted fire at their weapons, but arrows came from all sides and she couldn't deflect all of them.

One dragon went down when two arrows pierced his side and he landed hard into the demons below. They bellowed their war cries and attacked at once and the dragon swept his fire breath around, but the wild demons overran him and he roared out until he was silenced.

Conchim cursed loud as she flew back with the other dragons, and landed unsoft on the wall with clenched fists.

Captain Garlac stepped towards the angry harpy, knowing full well how she felt. 'There was nothing more than you could do. You saved the others, for which I thank you.'

'I know.' she said. 'But it's still frustrating to lose someone.' She looked at Ulric, and he pulled her in for a comforting hug.

'I'm proud of you flying out there and protecting those who returned, my love.' he whispered.

She squeezed him lightly before pulling back. 'Thank you.'

The loud bangs of stone against stone became loud cracks, and from both sides came shouts that the points where the wall was under attack, it broke apart. Yingshien turned to Tiambo. 'We'll all charge at once!'

Tiambo gave the signal to the dragon at the horn on the tower, and he blew the order to attack in full. All the dragons rose to the sky and dove towards the demons.

Lagch grinned at the sight. 'Pull out the extra ballistae! Shoot all we have!'

Demons around carts in the back flung away the coverings and unloaded many more of the weapons and their special arrows, and the teams manning them moved aside, planted their ballista in the ground, and rapidly launched one arrow after the other.

The dragons unleashed their blasts of fire and ice and venom as they flew low over the heads of their enemies and returned the favour of death. Conchim had flown out to battle again with the dragons, but she could only deflect a small amount of the many arrows flying through the air this time. Many fell victim to the torrent of steel. Some fell dead from the sky, some were wounded enough to lose the strength to fly. They hit the ground hard and rolled over, with some luck taking a few of the demons down with them. The ones who could still fight didn't last long at the onslaught of the ferocious demons.

The attack by the dragons was too late to bring down enough of the catapults and trebuchets, and the last boulders coming down at the weakened sections of the wall shattered it into rubble. 'To the wall!' shouted Lagch, and hordes of demons with bloodlust in their eyes rushed at the crumbling breaches into the city.

Yingshien looked up at the tower. 'Block the enemy!' she shouted, and the horn dragon blew the defence signal.

Ulric, Iphigenia, and Elzbieta ran to one side with the dragons. 'Keep them outside the wall!' he shouted. 'Don't let them set even one foot into the city!' They arrived just in time outside the hole to clash with the fastest demons.

Valdys ran with Isazea, Caylais, and Tipper to the other breach, and she put up a shield barrier just before the demons ran into it. Caylais lashed out with lightning to take down the demons at the front and make room for the three large stone golems Isazea had constructed. They rammed against the relentless push of the enemy. Tipper took position at a large pile of the stone rubble, and used her spade to hit sharp pieces of rock into the faces of the demons in front.

Yingshien looked down at the street behind the wall at Kaui, who came running with Susi and the two carts they pulled. 'Did you succeed!?'

Kaui pulled the lids from the carts to reveal the jars they were filled with. 'I made what I could!'

Yingshien called on the dragons in the air close by. 'Grab what you can from those carts and drop them onto the demons!'

The dragons drifted down and Kaui filled their arms with what they could hold. 'Throw them down hard to make them explode.'

Although puzzled by what she meant, they flew up and threw the jars. The loud bangs at the devastating explosions and the carnage they caused startled both friend and foe.

'Keep fighting!' shouted Ulric and pierced a surprised orc's throat with spikes on his fist.

The dragons quickly recovered from their daze and continued the fight, but the demons reacted immediately and hid under their shields while shooting arrows at the enemy's eyes.

Garlac noticed the movement of the demons on the battle field. 'They're bringing in the siege towers!'

Lagch was pleased to see the progress of the war, but not as much as he liked while there were others who fought alongside the dragons and were too strong for his liking. 'They're killing too many of my men.' he grunted. 'I'll still need enough to keep a grip on the capital after we overthrow it.'

Tarrence stepped up to his side. 'We'll give you a hand.' he said, and navigated with Muni through the troops fighting with dragons and the attacks from the air on the battlefield to the gap in the city wall where Ulric fought, while Gigacks and Elyta went to the other side.

The lich an succubus arrived at the back of the fighting demons, and he pulled out a mana stone. Muttering his spell, he aimed his hands to cast it at the murky barrier. A clear hole the size of a man's torso grew into the barrier and Elyta shot her arrow through it at the feline unleashing her lightning a little way behind it.

Valdys sensed the disturbance interfering with her shield spell and saw the hole. Then she noticed the succubus shooting her arrow. 'Watch out!' she shouted and conjured up another shield behind the hole. The arrow narrowly hit the second shield but the slight ricochet still hit Caylais in the arm. She yelped as she spun away and clutched her arm.

Tarrence manoeuvred deftly and unseen through one side of the demon forces fighting at the gap, and jumped up in front of Ulric and stabbed at him.

The startled Ulric stepped aside and countered at once with a punch to the canine's face, but it didn't hit hard enough due to the demon's reflexes. He glared with murderous intent at the canine assassin. 'I knew you'd show up!' he growled.

'I can say the same.' said Tarrence and jabbed at Ulric again.

Muni slipped through the demons fighting Iphigenia and Elzbieta, and grabbed a demon from behind as a shield, and slashed at the elf knight.

Elzbieta didn't hold back and stabbed straight through the unlucky demon in front of Muni, and forced the feline back. 'Coward!'

'Opportunist.' said Muni and pushed another demon towards her, then took a stab at an opening in Iphigenia's defence.

She dodged his attack and slashed at him, but he pulled someone else in front of him and attacked Elzbieta again while another demon already distracted her.

Dragons attacked the siege towers with their breaths and rammed into them from above, but they still arrived at the wall on both sides of the main gate, and demons sprang from the doors as they crashed down onto the parapet. Yingshien, Tiambo, and Garlac jumped down on the intruders with the rest of the guard and hit anyone close from the wall again.

Gigacks punched more holes in the barrier just before Elyta's arrows pierced through and Valdys could block the hole again, and Isazea used her golems as a shield while the demons used the opportunity to push harder against them and the gap in the wall crumbled into a larger size. Tipper hit rocks towards Elyta, but Gigack's shield spell protected her. Valdys attacked them with her own fire and ice blasts along with the dragons, but it didn't stop the tide. 'We're in trouble here, my love.'

Ulric dodged and lashed out at Tarrence. 'It's not much better here.'

Elzbieta noticed Yingshien and the others struggling against the flow of demons through the towers. 'I don't think we can stop them here. We have no choice but to retreat soon.'

The dragon commander roared when he pushed three demons from the wall. 'This is going nowhere!'

Yingshien burned several of the enemy back behind their fireproof shields before her fire died down. 'I don't want to give up, but how can we hold them off for a safe retreat!?'

'We can use these!' said Kaui and opened a separate chest of jars. 'It creates a smoke screen!'

Yingshien glanced back at her. 'All right! Do it!'

Kaui gave several to three dragons, who flew up above the gate and the breaches. As soon as the signal to retreat blew, they threw the jars at the demons in front, and thick smoke spread with each explosion.

Ulric used the opportunity to punch Tarrence back while Iphigenia forced Muni back with a couple of swift slashes at his face. She, Elzbieta, and the dragons pulled back fast while Ulric filled his lungs, and pelted the demons with a deafening roar.

Valdys threw a temporary but powerful barrier against the demons, which Isazea followed up with the final order for her golems, to smash the demons until they ceased to exist themselves. One dragon picked up the wounded Caylais, and they all fled deeper into the city.

Yingshien grumbled deep when she hurried after everyone else with her commander and captain. 'What are we going to do?'

They reached the gate of the palace and the guard closed it at once behind them. Yingshien looked around at her tired and wounded kinsmen. 'I see no other way but to abandon the city and find a safe place to recover our strengths.'

'Not before we make sure the demons won't lay their hands on what they're looking for.'

Yingshien spun around to face her mother. 'What do you mean?'

The queen looked at Ulric and Valdys. 'Come with me.'

Ulric looked at Kaui, who bandaged Caylais's wound. 'She'll be fine, Master.'

He gave her a nod. 'Thank you, my cutie.' he said and turned to Giuang. 'I guess you're ready to reveal the artefact now. We know now that it had been brought here a long time ago for safekeeping.'

She gave him a nod and beckoned at her daughter. 'We must hurry.' she said, and walked quickly back into the palace.

The three followed her down to the treasure chambers. 'Mother! Are you sure we can let them in here?'

Giuang glanced at her. 'Even if I wasn't, I see no alternative but to trust them and their fate.' she said, and stopped at the smaller corridor leading to the special door. She looked at Valdys. 'You were correct. The piece you're looking for is here.'

She placed her pendant in the door lock, pressed the two knobs on the side, and turned it. The door opened and she stepped inside. The others looked on as she picked up the small chest with magical stones. She put it aside and pressed against the two eyes of the dragon face carved into the front of the pedestal, and the top sprang open. From the revealed compartment, she took the artefact and held it out to Valdys. 'Here it is.'

Valdys took it from her, placed it on her palm, and recited the location spell. The artefact trembled, then turned into the direction of the next piece. 'It is real.'

'I will give it to you on one condition.'

Ulric looked up at her. 'Name it.'

The queen looked at her daughter. 'Take Yingshien with you.'

Yingshien gasped. 'What are you talking about!? I'm not gong anywhere!'

Her mother took her by her shoulders. 'You must go. We were entrusted to keep the artefact safe, and now this is your task. Go with them and protect them and the artefact so they can fulfil their quest. I sense it's the only way to save us all in the end.'

'But mother!'

'Hush! We can't give up by fighting to the bitter end and let those demons grab what they want in the first place.' Giuang looked at Ulric. 'What do you say?'

'I swear upon my life I will do whatever it takes to keep her as safe as my beloved ones.' said Ulric.

She gave him a warm smile. 'I believe you will.' she said. 'Thank you.' Yingshien opened her mouth to protest again but her mother laid her finger on her nose. 'Go and ensure the honour of us dragons. What you have to do now is more important than anything else.'

Yingshien sighed and gave her a nod. 'I will go.' she said. 'But what about you and the others?'

'We'll hold off the demons for as long as possible to give you time to escape. Then we'll go to a safe place.'

Yingshien hugged her mother tight. 'I love you.' she whispered.

Her mother hugged her back tight, then pushed her back. 'Go quickly.'

'We're leaving.' said Ulric while they went back up. 'We received the artefact, and the dragons are going to keep the demons busy so that we can escape. Head for Cat now.'

Yingshien looked back at her mother one more time at the back entrance, and Giuang waved her goodbye before heading to the others out front.

The girls and Ulric met up with the rest of the party at Cat, and Ulric turned to Yingshien. 'What's the best route out of here?'

'There's a back gate, we can then follow a road leading to the gate in the city wall at the far end.'

Ulric nodded. 'All right, let's put as much distance as we can between us and the enemy.'

***

Tiambo and Garlac watched Queen Giuang exit the palace wearing a golden chest piece, collar, tail ring, and braces around her wrists and ankles. They stood up straight as she stepped in front of them. 'The time has come?' said Tiambo.

She gave him a determined nod. 'Evacuate everyone and seek out help for the wars that will inevitably come. I will stand here.'

Tiambo stood up straight and proud. 'I will not allow you to stand alone.'

Garlac gestured for his second in command to come closer. 'This is your last order from your queen. Take everyone quickly away and keep our people safe. I believe you will find a place protected by the lay of the land near the border where you can stay until you find help from one of our neighbours.' The second saluted, and gave out orders to his men. Garlac looked at Tiambo and Giuang. 'I will use my sun ability as well and take my stand here alongside you.'

Giuang gave them both a grateful smile, and led them towards the main gate.

The demon army spread out at the front of the city after they cleared the wall and gate, and Lagch rode his scaled and horned monster mount down the main road leading to the palace. He halted when he saw the three dragons standing at the front gate of the palace wall. 'Looks like they're willing to surrender now.' he said to Tarrence riding his nasr close behind him.

'That would make things easier.' Tarrence said while an eerie feeling grew in his gut. 'I will leave the negotiation up to you, while my associates and I stand back.'

Lagch smirked as he thought the canine knew his place, and rode farther up front and stopped at a short distance from his soon to be captives. 'Finally understood you can't win against us, eh?'