Battle Begins

D was yanked off to the side for a second time that day. 'Damn it!' He found himself glaring up at Larian as the mage pulled him aside.

"There you are. Where have you been? Off making out with a cutie right?" Larian burst out laughing at his own impossible joke. "Anyways we need to talk, it took forever to lose all those jackasses following me. Do you have a ward ready for tomorrow?"

D shrugged "Yes, but I don't have a catalyst. That thing is so huge I'm not sure it will hold."

"Fair enough boy, the worst that can happen is everyone else dies but I'm sure we can get away. Speaking of getting away, do you have a plan for tomorrow… Ya know incase you get a bit peckish?"

D just shrugged. "No."

Larian sighed, shaking his head. "D my boy what would you do without me! Here take these." He shoved a set of robes into his hands. "Just wear these tomorrow. If things go bad just do your poof gone trick. Just remember not to wear undies! Not that I ever do when wearing robes! My boys enjoy the breeze!" D made a face that screamed too much information.

"There you are, Arch-Mage Larian. We had a few things we needed to go over before tomorrow's battle. Please come this way." Larian gave D a look that clearly said "Bull shit!" But went along with the soldier that rushed up to them.

D headed towards the battlefield to further refine the ward for tomorrow's battle. There were men everywhere digging trenches and raising fortifications. Mages moved along with them assisting with moving huge amounts of earth with magic creating new hills and deep trenches. Soldiers were busy assembling ballista or making other preparations. Most people ignored him and the few that didn't simply snickered at him, what could a child do on a battlefield after all.

There was one exception, Geev spotted the boy marching to the battlefield and decided to follow. 'Larian is a legendary mage! Descended from the genius who gave birth to the world's first new god. What is it about this boy that interests him so much? Is he really that gifted?'

Geev watched as the boy set to work, calling into existence an already impossibly complex ward before starting the slow process of altering it. Watching D work, the evoker grew more and more impressed. Wards were in their own way more complex and powerful than incantations. Their long set-up time and static nature were their main drawbacks. But in a fight like this one where the battlefield could be prepared in advance, a Ward could turn the tides of battle. Many were already being placed all around both offensive and defensive in nature but Geev knew for a fact none would compare to the grand work being done there. 'Where did Larian find this boy?! He can't be that old, how many years has he been studying to gain such proficiency?' Geev watched on, excited by what he witnessed and growing more curious by the mystery that Larian's young apprentice was.

**********

Dawn came early the next day and yet the proposed battlefield was already swarmed with men making last-minute preparations. D was trying not to fidget thinking the robes combined with the lack of underclothes was an odd combination. "Don't worry once you get used to it you will never want to go back!" Larian laughed beside him, the only person on the entire battlefield who wasn't deathly serious.

Several nearby soldiers gave him a disgusted look but said nothing as the mad mage started humming to himself. D grimaced next to him but only partially because of his off-key humming, his stomach was already starting to hurt. When the first tremor was felt the atmosphere became tense. With each successive shockwave, the tension only continued to grow. Royal Ranger Dean was nearby keeping an eye on the cheery mage wanting to make sure he didn't try anything. Still, even he was a bit nervous. Heretics were one thing but an ancient weapon designed to fight gods was another.

Soldiers ducked down in trenches and braced behind recently formed walls as the beast came into view. Dull brown scales as thick and large as tower shields flexed over its stocky form as it marched one heavy stomp after another forward. Out came a forked tongue tasting the air after each step as if it was impatient to get where it was going. Besides, D Geev swallowed hard, wondering if even the ward he'd witnessed could hold such a monster. D for his part was grinding his teeth so hard Larian glanced down hearing it.

"Just a little more D. Just wait a little longer." Geev heard the mage speak as did Dean who had moved closer. Both thought the mage was trying to reassure his apprentice. D hunched down into his robe and pulled the cowl up hoping no one noticed the odd ripples running through his flesh or the scales that appeared then disappeared in their wake.

Finally, after what felt like hours to D the creature took the half a dozen huge steps to get it into position. With a low tone thump felt in everyone's chest the ward activated and the beast let out a cry. Its legs sank into the packed earth and its body strained. Not because of any change to the land beneath it but due to the sudden increase in gravity in the entire valley. Barely able to control himself D turned and dashed away. Many of the soldiers tsked mockingly as the boy ran away apparently in fear. Still, he'd done his part.

Elemental attacks were launched, countless bolts of lightning, blades of wind, or balls of fire rained down on the trapped beast. Balita bolts, arrows, and even huge stone boulders were lobbed in only to crash down even harder when affected by the ward's gravity field. Yet for all the destruction they rained down the beast showed little reaction. Until a lance of golden light smashed into the side of its head knocking it sideways. Only then did the beast react slowly, turning its huge maw towards the offender.

Larian was already gathering up power for another attack, a mocking smile on his lips when the beast opened its mouth. Letting loose a roar, the ground in front of it in a growing cone turned to sand. Larian's golden lance of light shot forward only to dissipate in the cone-like everything else. Even as he hurriedly conjured up a barrier the arrogant mage felt the rare sensation of fear. Dean leaped forward spinning head over heels with his sword ripping through the air. When the destructive roar collided with him it was the roar that was blown apart, it's devastating energies split to pass on either side of the primary attack group.

Landing on the ground and looking at the swath of destruction, the land turned to sand, that passed on either side of him Dean's hands trembled. His arms felt like jelly and his grip was limp on the hilt of his Hex Cutter. "By the king. What was that?"

Slowly the beast lifted one huge clawed foot out of the hole it was sunk into and took a small step forward. Its body pushed through the crushing weight of the ward as it twisted to line up perfectly with the attack group Dean had just protected. Larian was already gathering up a massive amount of energy hoping to do some damage but started to seriously consider fleeing. With an almost lazy pace, the beast lowered its head to eye the group before opening its mouth a second time.

Dean stood up lifting his Hex Cutter that wavered in his hands some but otherwise fearlessly faced the monster. "For the KING!" He shouted out in the face of certain death.

A black streak descended from the skies to slam into the top of the huge lizard's snout with ample force further enhanced by the gravity ward to cause its huge head to bounce off the earth. Standing on the creature's snout was a figure that looked diminutive in comparison as it lashed out with twin tails. Both stingers snapped out only to bounce harmlessly off the thick scales. With a growl, it sucked in a huge bout of air before unleashing an acidic breath attack, sweeping it along the top of the creature's face until it blasted it right in the left eye.

With a thunderous scream, the creature despite the ward's effect snapped its head up impossibly fast flinging the smaller-scaled monster up. With a snap it closed its jaw on the dark figure, seeming to swallow it in a single bite.

**********

Pena rubbed her arms feeling both feverishly hot and freezing cold as she paced around the now deserted camp. In the distance, a terrifying roar split the air yet it barely made her flinch. "What is taking them so long. Why aren't they back? Where is D. I need D. He has to come back soon. I don't know why he yelled at me. He said I could have some. I don't know why a little more is such a big deal. Just a little. I just need a little." Movement caught her attention, making her head jerk to the side. She spotted Jane with a sack over her shoulder slinking out of the empty camp.

"Where is D's little pet going? She isn't running away, is she? Not that I care… but… If she went away he might be upset…. And if I caught her… he would be happy. Then maybe he'd let me have just a little more. Just a little more."

Jane gritted her teeth steeling her resolve. "This is how it should be. I was just using them. Now I have plenty and there is no reason I should stay. They didn't want me anyways…" She adjusted the pack of stolen goods just before she was tackled.