It was that reason that made Wilder momentarily doubt his rash decision to race toward the giant bird and make himself more vulnerable than ever before.
He felt Simi doubting his decision as well as they approached the monster, which opened its beak and screamed across the lone ten yards that divided them. The simurgh extended its talons as it righted itself in the air, its large wings flapping in the wind.
Wilder smiled despite the rush of adrenaline seeking to steal his breath. We’re not out of options, he said to Simi in his head.
He gathered his strength and lifted his hand into the air, although the force rushing at him would usually have required both hands for balance. He’d sheathed his sword, but only for the moment. There would be a time for that—if the next part didn’t kill him.
Wilder sent out a shockwave of wind, and forced all his gathered energy combined with Simi’s elemental power at the simurgh. The gust hit the bird like a wall and made it tumble backward into a series of flips. Its neck jerked back at an odd angle and the creature lost height as it shrieked with real pain in its voice.
Wilder would have felt bad for the monster if he hadn’t witnessed how cruel it could be if left unchecked. It was better for the world if they rid the Earth and its peaceful skies of such an unreasonable beast.
The gust of wind sent the simurgh back several dozen yards, but it recovered too quickly, then flapped its wings and rose level with Wilder once more. Although its feathers were disheveled and its eyes flustered, the monster wasn’t harmed. It only appeared angrier, which would make the next part more interesting.
Wilder had played his card. Now he couldn’t rely on his elemental power. It was time for brute force.
Chapter Sixty-Seven
The blast of fire when Lunis opened his mouth radiated off the leviathan, and cast its back in a glow of sparks and flames. The beast screamed its protests, and its head shot up toward the heavens.
Evan knew that he couldn’t wait around to see what happened next. This was his and Coral’s opportunity to end things, and hopefully on their terms.
He whipped his axe out of his sheath and sucked in a gulp of air. With Coral’s elemental magic, he could last underwater longer than most. They had enhanced strength and speed in the waters, much like the sea monster. But the sea they were entering was unlike any other.
Evan had no idea what they’d find in the Mediterranean waters. The dangers would no doubt be vast. Whatever happened had to be fast because it was unlikely that Sophia could distract Carl for long.
The beast wasn’t looking, its attention stolen by the attack on its back. This was their chance to end things on their terms. Hopefully they killed the monster before it ended them, and went on to destroy the world.
Evan held his breath before Coral plunged into the undulant waters of the sea.
Chapter Sixty-Eight
What happened next between Wilder and the simurgh wasn’t what Mahkah had expected to witness. He’d expected his fellow dragonrider to use his elemental wind magic to weaken the monster. He thought the attack would be devastating for a creature who relied on the wind. However, he didn’t think the giant bird would recover so fast.
Not only that, the animal looked enlivened by the attack, like it was what it needed to feel charged about killing the dragonriders.
Wilder didn’t appear deterred though, to Mahkah’s surprise. When the beast sped forward, Wilder and Simi did too, flying toward the open talons of the simurgh as it let out a piercing call.
Mahkah never believed in anyone like he did his friends in the Dragon Elite. They were his whole life now, and he didn’t want it any other way. However, he knew acutely that they were all in danger of extinction. One false move, and these beasts would swallow them whole with little effort.
Whoever had unleashed these monsters on the Earth wanted one thing, and it was very clear at that moment—the destruction of the Dragon Elite. They were the only ones in a position to take down forces like these. The Warriors for the House of Fourteen wouldn’t stand a chance, as powerful as they were. A magitech army wouldn’t survive very long. No, the only way to take down a simurgh and a leviathan like this in close proximity was with the chi of the dragons.
However, that was still asking a lot. That’s why Mahkah started the work on his spell, enchanting the arrow he had nocked into the bow. Wilder didn’t have long once he collided with the simurgh. After that, none of them would have long.
The seconds were counting down for the Dragon Elite.
It was do or die.
Chapter Sixty-Nine
Planning the distraction had been easy for Sophia and Lunis. Maintaining it had been exponentially more dangerous.
As soon as Lunis fired on the leviathan, it spiraled around and sent attacks at them. All its tentacles whipped in their direction, which made Lunis have to stop firing on the beast. However, Sophia had quickly spied that it had given Evan the chance to slip into the waters around Carl. All they had to do at this point was maintain the distraction, which pretty much meant darting around and avoiding near death.
Unsurprisingly, the monster didn’t like fire. It appeared to like Sophia and Lunis even less, and swatted at them like they were pesky houseflies instead of a regal dragon and rider streaking through the air in front of its face.
Taunting the beast seemed like the best way to keep its attention off the fact that Evan was swimming somewhere underneath it.
Sophia desperately hoped that Evan was quick with whatever he had to do. However, communicating with him wasn’t an option anymore. The dragons could technically communicate amongst themselves and therefore with their riders. However, this required energy that none of them wanted to expend in battle. That’s why they’d instituted comms.
Too many times, Lunis had nearly been swatted across the seas. Sophia held her breath when the beast swung to the side and used its head, the largest target, to try and take them out. Lunis had to dive and roll across the surface of the roiling seas to avoid being assaulted.
Sophia swallowed a ton of water as she clung on for dear life, afraid of getting sucked into the turbulence. Thankfully, Lunis sprang straight back into the air, moving faster than the large monster who seemed to be losing steam.
Her chest burned as she coughed up the saltwater in her lungs and tried to suck in a breath. She thought she’d double over and fall off Lunis as he soared higher into the air. However, Carl stole her attention by glancing down with alarm at the waters around him. He knew that Evan was under there. That wouldn’t do.
We’ve got to distract him, Sophia said in Lunis’ head.
I’m on it. The undeterred dragon sped in the direction of a tentacle that was stuck straight into the air, obviously frozen from speculation as the leviathan tried to determine what was happening underneath him.
Good thing I forgot to eat earlier. Lunis opened his mouth wide. Also thankfully, I’m in the mood for seafood.
Sophia shook her head and watched as her dragon brazenly streaked by the tentacle that could whip to the side at any second and take them both out. She held her breath and prayed to the angels as Lunis took a bite out of the appendage and made Carl howl with sudden pain.
Thankfully, the beast’s attention was no longer on Evan under the water. Unthankfully, it was solely on Lunis and Sophia.