Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 04

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Juna 24th 7406

373 years to the day the dragons returned. The alarm woke them up and they quickly mounted their horses and went outside. She got on a Crystal "How high did it come in at?"

Traxxa responded, "Ten times higher than the predicted maximum height. It hovered for a full 2 minutes before it started to fall. It has busted through the first blocks and is headed for the second set. They will not hold long at that speed. Then it will hit the bottom of the sphere. The King said as soon as you give the word to engage!"

She looked at her new horse, Cretox, that meant fire, and thought to him, "Repeat this to our horses, "To all chromatics, your days are numbered in minutes now. The Shadow Rider and the Knights are here in force to bring an end to your existence. The chromatic forces you left behind are all but decimated in the 372 years you have been gone. Prepared or not, death comes for you!"

All of the elven war horses jumped down as did her Dragon riders and Dragon Mages. They had 100 dragons coming toward them and they turned and took turns sending them into slow motion or dropping to the surface. As the force webs got them, Jazzia had one tailing her group, She thought, "In three Omega."

She jumped off Cretox and changed forms. The dragon focused on her as it was red. She took him toward the ground turned and cast wing lock on him. Then they turned sharply away. She watched him slam into the bodies on the ground. She called out aerial assignments and regrouped. As the next wave came at them from the building; likely from the lower levels. Her mount having gone to the rally point.

Several bodies dropped from the shelters minus their heads. She saw three silver dragons from the dragon riders fall including the Countess. She swooped in changed forms and used a teleportation circle to get Traxxa with his saddle and herself back to the ledge of her shelter, "Saddle me up!"

She changed forms. He did it in a hurry. They went straight back into it as the third wave of a hundred came at them. They found a red and breathed on him and circled under him as he turned. Traxxa buried a lance into the side of him.

Traxxa drew another and Jazzia did a wingover and brought them in for a second strike on the fleeing dragon. She turned and inverted so Traxxa could strike. He put the second one into the side of the dragon and they watched him slam into the side of the sphere and fall.

She turned them in time to see a large black she hit him with a force web slowing him to let her get above him. Traxxa got another lance ready. Metallics started emerging from the palace.

She looked at one of them, "Look for the Knight heraldry. Those are allies metallics."

She heard back, "Who says so?"

She thought back, "Commanding General Jazzia Silvertree. Traxxolanaxxna was the name of the Silver Queen. Traxxa, who is a gold half-dragon and Lord Regal's grandson is riding me. Traxxolanaxxna fell in the first wave, Lord Regals name is Vrinexxalaraxxa. Confirm you will comply, those are elven mages in rings with captured chromatic bodies!"

Jazzia heard a reply, "We will follow your lead on this Silvertree."

They put the last of the chromatics down and landed. She changed forms. She saw a red twitching she went over and cut his throat open. She looked and they had one silver dragon from the riders remaining. She was hurt pretty bad. Lady Charlemagne. She noticed her ring and knew Grandaxxa was dead in this battle.

Jazzia looked at her, "Rally point and get healed. I know Grandazxxa fell in this fight."

She nodded to Jazzia and thought, "We had three swarmed us, two crossed over, he got a lance into one and the other ripped him from the saddle while I fought the third one. They snapped him in half." She teleported up to a shelter to get healed. A massive gold landed in front of Jazzia and changed forms.

She looked at him, "Of the 7 single female silver Dragons only Lady Charlemagne is alive the others fell in the fight."

He looked around at the 150 or so half-dragons still standing at this location.

She looked at him, "Lord regal I take it." He nodded. "There are two silver couples who are working from the elven front line. Another 53 Half-dragons on another front working from elven War Horse or the ground. Well, one and a half couples. One female is watching all the silver young. We should go to our rally point follow me."

Jazzia changed forms and flew up and she heard with a note of disdain, "A Silvertree. I should have suspected."

She thought back, "Many of the half-dragons here are Silvertree including your grandson. Your daughter is fine by the way watching over her gold dragon children."

He thought, "A mate took her after mating with an elf?"

She thought, "She was one of the wives of my father. The only gold dragon left behind. My father was a Knight Paladin. There were no single male golds alive to have her mate with. After my father died an elven mage managed to bond with her using a gold dragon body captured in one of those fucked necromancy rings.

She has had several clutches since then. In the last count, she had 80 dragon children born or on the way. She had 6 half-dragon children from my father. One is the current Queen of the elven empire. Another is a sovereign prince for the half-dragons in our lands. All of this was the Countesses doing. Wait you would think we call her Lady Silver Hair. Several of the half-dragons here are hers as well. Some died here."

She changed forms and walked toward the portal opening and drug a green dragon head with holes out and threw it over the edge. She walked inside and he followed. They had a lot of wounded.

She looked at him, "I know you are a King but those ladies spent 372 YEARS working to save your collective asses. You better find Lady Charlemagne a good mate because of those 7 silver dragons she is the only one alive. The Copper and Bronze single females also died in this battle.

Of the bonded couples only three are left that I know about, all silver dragon couples. One of those pairs died here. Have a seat. Ask your questions, you are in my home. Traxxa you want to let King Goldeagle know the status here. Find out what he wants us to do to reinforce the front. If their fighting has started. Let him know the land has not hit yet but we will have to start lowering it soon or it will crumble."

Traxxa left.

Jazzia looked at the King, "You really are an asshole. That half-dragon grandson of yours led the dragon riders and trained them. Put the killing blow into Matroxxxa; who escaped the day you departed. My father took several God's champions off the field. Including an ancient shadow dragon champion and his half-dragon half-drow son that plagued Bahamut for 5 millennia. Trust me, I know!"

He sat there and stared down, "We have been fighting for just over a week since I activated the device."

She looked at him, "372 years today and you came in 10 times higher than the Countess expected your max altitude would be at. She calculated 1,000 feet maximum. You came in at 10,000 feet. You have an expanded peace treaty with the elves by the way. Any adult dragons born died in that battle if they were here except one.

Including the one mated pairs of silver dragons I mentioned. there were 11 females without mates including your daughter who stepped up to create this half-dragon army we used to help save your stubborn ass. Her husband died here in this fight!"

Jazzia saw several other metallics coming inside. Jazzia looked at them, "Do not be shy come on in. Another one who is dead is my husband. He was a half-silver elf-blooded with the Silverbar family name."

Wendia nodded and held her, "One of his wives. He had three including me. Vivia is the one who will be hurting as she is carrying the last of his children."

He finally sighed, "I am sorry. I had not thought to consider the possibility of what you have been dealing with."

She looked at him. "You had one mated pair of copper dragons, three of silver dragons, and HAD 10 unaffiliated metallic in elven lands. Also, Amy Tryst or Amy Silvertree as she is now known. She married John Silvertree. A couple more in human lands for as long as they lasted.

Which was not long, a couple of years at most with the children killed. We estimated there was over 1,000-1,500 chromatics we took out before you returned. They have less than 200 now and half are just barely adults. We also have the one Draco-lich from the island to deal with."

He looked at Jazzia, "We killed those Draco-liches!"

She shook her head. "They tried 3 that day. The journals my grandfather recovered stated they were waiting for ONE successful test before doing 3. That Draco-lich is the leader of a cult. You knew of it. Lady Silver Hair collected the intelligence from the island like she was supposed to do with my Grandfather.

You knew it, but had no place to start looking for it. You knew it was out there, so don't try and play dumb with us about it. We have known for almost 100 years and we expect it to be coming into this upcoming fight!

We have killed most of his followers and kept any artifacts out of his hands from creating more. He left a month or two prior to your invasion of the island. My grandmother gave birth to three including a Paladin. She switched deities and the elves created a paladin order.

My father's taking out of that ancient shadow dragon champion drew the attention of Bahamut. I am a dragon-blooded sorceress blade-singer gestalt who was a hair's breadth from being turned into Bahamut's champion! Because of my battle prowess. That is why I could even outfly you. I work for my Gods while doing part of his bidding. I can also cast draconic magic including mythic magic.

That is why this shelter still exists. My teaching selected spells to elven mages helped in that battle."

He looked at Jazzia, "Elven mages cannot..."

Jazzia cut him off, "They can if they are in dragon bodies. Those necromantic rings. There have been many variants that we encountered. We used what as available to balance the fucking field."

Traxxa came in, "The last of the supports have hit. The tower lowered as you expected. The King said to let us know when we bring it down."

Jazzia stood, "Follow me for a moment and I will show you what you are in. You remember the shield over the island? You are inside of it. Two hemispheres one up and one down. The one down has your landmass sitting in it. Our way of working to stop you from totally destroying this world with that foolish device of yours."

She walked out and flew up, "Get lances recovered Traxxa, any that can be salvaged. Help with evacuations from down below. No telling if those structures will remain when it hits. Get them to the shelters."

He nodded as Jazzia took them up to the tower and they went inside, "Controls that work the upper and lower shields. This tower is flying. It is being pulled down by the weight of your land." She walked back outside. "That wall of force is all that is holding it up."

She got on a crystal, "Give me 6 casters with a wall of force left."

She had eight that showed up. "Every five feet. Set one."

One cast the spell. Jazzia disintegrated the permanent one. The tower went down and the others were set. They took them and they lowered it 50 feet as Jazzia cast one and made it permanent.

She contacted the King, "We lowered it 50 feet today. We should hit the ground tomorrow morning. Enough time for you to pull what resources you want back. We are still a good 60-80 feet up.

I need seven casters to remain with me. The Dragon Riders are all but eliminated. They are cleaning the field at the moment and evacuating the dragon land that returned. Several buildings were destroyed in the fall so far as it broke through the blocks. They have maybe 12 riders left with 8 dragon mages and one dragon, Lady Charlemagne, is the last one standing here. We have around 100-150 half-dragons remaining, most are my forces with the shadow Riders."

She opened another crystal, "Cousin I need you to go and see Vivia. She likely already knows Grandaxxa fell in combat, but she might need a shoulder to cry upon and she should be checked on as she is still expecting.

Wendia and I are fine at the moment. Lady Charlemagne is the last of the true dragons we brought with us who is alive. She is in medical being treated for extensive injuries. Pass the word, The Gold King lives so let his daughter know and let her know her mage mate died as well."

The Dutchess groaned, "I will pass the word. How many dragons are left in the dragon homeland?"

She looked at the Gold King, "He sighed, "Less than 100. We have two mated pairs of each in seclusion."

Jazzia looked at him, "Bring them up here to the shelters, the upper ones are set for dragons and half-dragons to gain access. I have no control over those top shelters. The lower ones I have complete control over, they are tied to my blade instead of me. The top ones were configured by Staria, the only Master enchanter you had left behind, besides myself who god locked them to make them permanent. She god-locked the set I created.

No telling what that palace is going to do when it drops the rest of the way. Any copper, bronze, gold, and brass left? Any neutrals left?" He shook his head, "Metallics yes. No neutrals. Not here."

She sighed, "Let Amy know she is the last of the neutrals as well. At least on this plane."

She heard her groan again. "Will do."

King Goldeagle responded back, "Sounds like they are not in much of a shape to help us."

Jazzia nodded, "True, Your Majesty. No chromatics escaped the sphere It has at least held through the fighting. We have to bring this thing down tomorrow or risk losing the tower which has the controls. The lower blocks are showing signs of stress. They should hold the night, I hope."

Jazzia heard the King sigh, "Traxxa said you are down to around 100 Shadow riders."

Jazzia thought for a second before replying, "I am not surprised, Your Majesty. We have maybe 50 more, just missing mounts for them at the moment. There were a lot of old and very old dragons on the field. We came in with 300. The first wave of chromatics was 100 strong ancients to olds. Then they had 2 more waves after that about the same size but younger in age. All in all, we did better than holding our own."

She went back into the tower and Lord Regal followed her inside, "You hold the wills for the true dragons?"

Jazzia heard King Goldeagle sigh, "Yes as well as most of your riders including you."

She chuckled, "I am not dead yet. I will get two of my guys without mounts to man the tower."

She looked at the controls. "Ficka hells! Your Majesty, the tower might survive past tomorrow but the land may come crashing down sooner. We need to bring it down now!

The control crystals for the lower part of the tower are fracturing under the stress. No way of knowing this would happen but it is not looking good. Lord Regal better send out a message to get his people to evacuate to the upper section shelters now and quickly. I am bringing this down in thirty minutes, Your Majesty."

King Goldeagle groaned, "I am putting our forces on alert. Start when you have to. I trust you, you put together one hell of a force to take out that many dragons."

She got on the crystal to Traxxa, "Get your half-dragons to help evacuate the land below it is coming down in thirty minutes. They have no choice but to evacuate now! We got stress fractures on the crystals forming. The shelters have environmental controls set for all eggs and hatchlings, get them pointed to the right ones!"

Jazzia looked at Lord Regal, "You have someplace to be, to help your own kind to survive!"

He took off and went down, she opened up her book of scrolls and pulled out 30 'wall of force' scrolls. Then a permanency scroll. She stuck them into the top of her bag as her horse came in for support.

She looked at the tower and started casting the next wall of force spell, threw her last disintegrate spell. As soon as she got an all-clear from the Gold King. Jazzia dropped it every five feet. About 20 from the bottom and the lower shield collapsed. She got on the crystals, "BRACE!"

They felt the force of it. She cast permanency on the wall of force. She waved two riders over, "You got the tower! Give us 2 minutes. Then drop teleport for 2 minutes."

She got to the shelters, "TELEPORT OUT NOW to Fort Ash! Clerics stays here until the healing is done with all of the wounded!"

She thought, to the Gold King, "You can have your men join the fight or stay here. We saved the metallic. My men have the tower secured. They will lock it in 1 minute."

She got next to Traxxa and the gold King came in with them as did several others in different circles. They teleported to the outskirts of Fort Ash. She got in the air and watched the barrels get dropping into the valley upon the orc, ogres, and giants that had amassed against the walls.

She saw the ground shaking and a fault ran through the middle of Fort Ash all the way through the wall in the valley. A good five-foot drop She looked back and it went at an angle. The Keep and inn got hit. Split the Keep in two but dropped one outer wall on the edge of the inn. The church stood tall and proud.

She turned around, "Your Majesty, explosives are falling in the valley we are by Fort Ash, what is left of it. There is a five-foot drop in half of the walls, including the valley wall and through Fort Ash."

She looked off to the left, "The volcano just went up in the dwarven Kingdom; Evacuate now would be recommended!"

She went down to the wall and cast up a force-wall and pulled another permanency scroll and cast it to seal the breach in the wall. She looked across and she pulled a crystal and thought to her horse at the same time, "100 inbound dragons. At least! Including the Draco-lich!"

She saw the mountains to the left blow out and lava poor into the valley. She flew below, "Evacuate back to the town now! The volcano is pouring into the valley!"

She got to the end of the valley and started casting wall of force up and making them permanent as the troops rode out she sealed off the valley toward elven lands, "Your Majesty! The valley is lost! Were the dwarves and forge saved?"

King Goldeagle responded, "The forge is secured; we got most of the craftsmen, others will be coming out through the trade route. The royal families are here! Their shelters fell when Staria died. They were left with just the platforms they got ejected upon."

She looked over and silently cursed that they never got around to god locking those shelters. She responded, "We need to hold the forces away from the road!"

She told Cretox, "Time to head for the pasture. Take my package to the keep first. Tell my Cousin, I'm sorry."

She put her sword with her bag of holding, but not in it. As she tied them to the saddle horn. Along with her fallen sister's bow that she recovered from the field that was in the bag.

She jumped off and switched into dragon form leaving Cretox to deliver them.

She thought, "Lady of dreams if this kills me, I pray the explosion will kill him. The dwarves are out of position, the metallics are too few in number to be of any true aid. I take this copy of the Draco-lich off the field and we will likely break the cult and their morale."

She did not get an answer. She flew off ahead of the 80 larger metallics. Traxxa was up on the gold King with a dragon lance at the ready.

Epilogue

Only 60 metallic dragons returned from over the 'lava field.' What information they provided was a scene of chaos. The champion flew well ahead of the group. While the dragons fell left and right some had problems breathing the ash from the volcano. The last they saw of the champion she had flown past and made a hard turn back into the Draco-lich. She grabbed It and worked to drive it into the lava.