Volume 1 Chapter 28: A Fatal Frenzy

Hiram's group continued northward to the dragon roost. Aldrich had already gathered much of the villagers in this path and sent them away first already so there weren't any stragglers left on their way to the giant tree. All they needed to do was to escort the villagers back. What they didn't expect was a group of villagers coming from behind them.

Addressing some of the young men that stayed behind with Aldrich, Hiram asked

"Where is Aldrich?"

"The young lord stayed behind."

"And you left him?"

"It was his order."

Hiram grabbed his head. He knew on some level that this might happen. Danjela spoke next.

"So what happened to the black knights? Are they still following?"

"As soon as the young lord showed himself, the knights chased after him off to the western side of the village."

Leah exclaims,

"We have to go after him. He needs our-"

"No."

Hiram interrupts Leah. Aldrich had left this task to him. Aldrich believed that he would be able to protect these people and get to the dragon roost safely so that is exactly what he'll do. No longer would he hesitate like before.

"If they're chasing after Aldrich then we continue our escort. These people need our help more than Aldrich does."

"You don't actually believe that do you?"

Hiram's face contorts, but Danjela steps in.

"Aldrich will be fine. Do you not trust him?"

"Regardless of whether I trust him, he still needs our help. He's just one being."

Hiram reasserts himself.

"Leah, and everyone who is listening"

Around Hiram are a gathering group of villagers, including those who Aldrich left behind.

"We will not go back for Aldrich. He has bought ample time for us and for the villagers who have returned. They are injured and the best place to receive treatment and protection would be at the dragon roost. I believe that Aldrich would be able to hold on his own for now. When we've finished here, I'll be recruiting whoever to go find him if he isn't already at the dragon roost."

With that semi-speech, Leah and the villagers were satisfied enough to leave.

Within several minutes the base of the dragon roost was in sight between the various houses and buildings. The villagers rejoiced, but were interrupted by Kyrie who was in the sky.

"Hey everyone there seems to be a lot of humans converging on us."

This scared the villagers and encouraged them to quicken their already hurried pace.

Hiram shouted to Kyrie.

"How much time do you think we have?"

"Probably not much. They're all running in. I'm not sure if they actually know we're here, but they're coming."

"Damn."

Looking to the villagers and then to Kyrie he says,

"Kyrie, you have to lead to the rest of them back."

"Wait but,"

"Kyrie, you're the only one who can fly here. I need you to guide the villagers on the fastest path from above, then get help from the dragon roost if you can."

Kyrie looks to him and then back at the encroaching humans in the near distance.

"Alright."

Taking lead, Kyrie exclaimed,

"Everyone, follow me."

With that most of the group left. Left behind were Hiram, Leah, Danjela and the villagers who were previously with Aldrich had stayed behind. Addressing the elderly canine-kin that seemed to led the villagers, Aldrich asked,

"We need to stall for time. Elder, what did Aldrich do before?"

"He cut down the buildings and set fire to them."

"Smart, but I can't use magic right now. What do you suggest, Danjela?"

Before she could open her mouth however, yelling and hollering of wild, but exhausted humans can be heard close by.

"Damn they're already here? This is even faster than the knights!"

Coming from behind buildings and houses were ragged humans, staggering in their run towards them. They looked surprised to see the ad hoc militia, but charged at them nevertheless.

"Quick, ready your weapons."

As soon as Hiram had drawn his long sword, they were upon him. With a mighty swing, he cleaved through the initial invaders. They hardly put up a resistance with their skin and bones of a body, but they made up for it with their numbers. Dozens of more claimed their space as Hiram was then backed up by Danjela's superb command over the villagers. They thrust their weapons quick and fast into the hoard of humans before Hiram readied another swing. Normally he would be using magic at any point of this, but the anti-magic made it hard for anything to be casted. That didn't stop the villagers and himself from materializing small simple shield spells to push back the humans.

With each second of battle, the villagers would thrust and step back, inching their way closer to the dragon roost. They become quite exhausted, but not as much as the invaders. Hiram didn't have much time to think why they were so desperate to cut through them even up to the point of throwing their exhausted bodies at his now blunted blade, but it was at this moment that he realized why.

Coming into view, surrounded by trolls and hundreds of knights, was a very large cannon. Kyrie didn't report it earlier so it couldn't have been there or at least in view yet.

"STOP!"

With a simple command, the human invaders immediately halted their advance like an obedient dog and its master, even when Hiram lopped off the head of one. Standing to the side of the great cannon was a small human wearing shiny gold plate armor.

"This is what is stopping us from getting to the village?"

An elderly elf male speaks up to him.

"No, that was the dragon. These here seem to be just a ragtag group of survivors."

"Damn that dragon. He killed the knights that were supposed to secure the staging point."

"We have already driven him off. Remember he is our capture target, this will serve to exhaust him and we'll secure him later."

"If he doesn't escape."

"He won't. He'll come back. All we need to do is take the detested tree. We have more than enough here to envelop the tree in bodies."

Turning his attention back to Hiram and the others, who seem to be trying to escape quietly, the prince exclaims,

"Regardless, I had to spend a precious scroll to cast that "Frenzy" spell in this anti-magic field and I expect to be at the dragon roost RIGHT NOW! All troops, CAPTURE THESE FOOLS. I SHALL PERSONALLY TORTURE THEM!"

Hiram could only look to his sibling and cousin before saying,

"Run!"