From the Ashes (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #3)(142)

“Quite,” Ash murmured with a quick nod.

“Wisp, I want you to divide your archers into two companies. Place them at each side of our lines to watch for Blights. Sovann, Neph you are with Wisp. I want one of you with each Archery regiment. Make sure you get the Blights stopped before they reach our archers. Ash, once the shamans have the dragon down, their only duty is to keep our people from passing onto the Darklands,” Jala continued, the orders flowing out of her as naturally as if she were discussing the weather. “Valor, wait until the signal and then charge. Ash, have your Soulblades ready to back up the knights. Badger, you have command of the militia. They know you better than the rest and they will take commands from you better. Use them as you see fit. Jail, you are with me,” she finished turning on her heel to head for her horse.

“Jala,” Valor called behind her, a bit of amusement in his voice. She turned back to look at him and raised an eyebrow at the smile on his face. “What is the signal?” he asked cocking his head to the side with a questioning look on his face.

Jala walked backwards a few steps and pointed her finger toward the dragon with a smile. “That ugly bastard falling out of the sky, Val. Should be pretty hard to miss.”

“Got it,” Valor said already turning to jog back to his waiting knights.

“Impressively handled,” Jail said as they remounted. “Think we will win?” he asked with a smile.

“Always,” Jala replied, her gaze locked on the dragon. Pulling on her magic she held it ready as she waited for the Shamans to start the fight. “Jail, they are protected from most mind magics right?” she asked quietly, her eyes locked on the Avanti camp.

“Fear, despair, such as that? Yes it is standard for all armies to have wards against such common tricks,” Jail answered with a shrug.

“What about discomfort?” Jala asked turning to look at him.

“Pain you mean?” Jail corrected with a frown and started to shake his head.

“Nope. I mean like say a very full bladder. I doubt anyone but a woman that has carried a child can realize exactly how distracting it is when you truly have to piss. Whenever Legacy would so much as shift in my womb when I had to go it was like hell itself. You can’t think, you can’t focus on a task,” she paused and smiled at him. “Are they protected from that Jail?” Jala asked.

Jail shook his head slowly and then burst into laughter. “No, Jala I’m positive they are not,” he replied with a wide smile. “Dirty trick. I approve,” he added with a nod as he began his own magic.

Nodding, Jala turned her gaze back toward the field. The dragon was just finishing another pass and was close to the Avanti camp once more. “Get the horses, too, Jail,” she added with another smile.

Jala’s smile widened as the dragon bellowed and faltered in the air. Its wings convulsed once and then the entire creature shuddered as it began to plummet.

“Merrodin!” Valor’s bellow echoed through the camp as the Knights of Arovan thundered past. It would be a long charge at this distance, but the Arovan horses were not typical beasts. They would not tire before reaching their target, and there had been no way to move them closer without losing the element of surprise. Jala could see Jexon stepping from his tent in confusion as the horses thundered by. It was too late for him to stop them though. The attack was already underway.

“You know, it’s considered bad form to attack your enemy during a parlay,” Jail said casually as Jala began casting her spell.

“You know my reputation means nothing to me when compared with the survival of my people,” Jala replied through clenched teeth.

Jala wasn’t entirely sure about the spell she was casting. It wasn’t one she had learned from Neph or Sovann. Really it wasn’t one she had learned at all. It was an impulse and she was praying that it would work. Closing her eyes she focused with everything she had trusting the Bendazzi and Jail to keep her safe.

Jala’s stomach lurched painfully as her magic took hold and she slowly opened her eyes. Vertigo washed over her as her magic spread through the dragon’s broken body giving her full control over the massive creature and double vision from her human body as well as the dragon. Closing her human eyes once more she focused only on what she could see through the dragon’s eyes and forced the body to move with her magic. The massive scaled body lurched to the side and rose unsteadily to its feet as Jala tested her control of its movements. She could see the Avanti scrambling back from the thing, looks of terror on their faces. They knew the dragon had been dead moments before, and nothing was more terrifying to those without magic than Necromancy.

“Very impressive indeed,” Jala heard Jail whisper beside her and she smiled her eyes still closed tight.

“Haven’t seen nothing yet,” Jala murmured as she willed the dragon to attack. Screams filled the air as the massive tail tore through the ranks of reserve soldiers closest to her. Spinning the Dragon back on its haunches, Jala tore through another regiment with a swipe of its claws as Valor’s knights crashed into the front lines. Chaos spread through the camp as death closed on them from both sides. Faintly, Jala could hear the Avanti commanders bellowing commands in a desperate attempt to restore order. The damage was done, though. Already, Jala could see the Soulblades moving in to join the battle. Avanti had no prayer now. Turning her attention back to the dragon, Jala tore through another rank of Avanti soldiers with all of the fury she had been holding inside for the past few months. “Thank you Jexon for giving me fuel for the fire,” she whispered.