The Journey 13.

Autumn. Central Terrindim.

Onboard the battlecruiser the Dragon Flame. Captain Jarmic Komav looks ahead and watches the battle play out.
Their wing led by fleet admiral Halmack haven't engaged with the enemy yet. Apart from some of their smaller picket ships who were at the front of the Balford fleet.
Though that all changes when an enemy dragon suddenly appears amongst the wing that's to the rear, just infront of the supply and support vessels.
The only thing that stops the dragon from dishing out mass destruction amongst the rear most of the Balford wings.
Is that admiral Halmack ordered them to fly at different altitudes, and not in rows of two. Like the rest of the fighting ships in the Balford fleet did as they flew towards the enemy.
Captain Jarmic Komav grimaces as he sees a frigate further ahead in their fleet, and a good thousand feet lower down in the sky than he's flying the Dragon Flame.
Shatter apart from a spell cast by the dragon, while the war galley closest to the frigate that's breaking apart, goes up in flames as the enemy dragon spews fire at it.
Spells cast by practitioners of magic on other warships in the wing, bounce harmlessly off the bright red coloured dragon from the Golmard faction.
As it swipes one of it's front claws, ripping off the top of a mast of another of the frigates in the wing commanded by admiral Halmack.
Then the enemy dragon goes turns in midair and dive down at one of the battlecruisers flying lower down in the formation infront of the Balford support and supply ships.
As it does, a spellcaster onboard a war galley, infact two of them on that particular airship, cast a spell in unison.
A fair chunk of the frigate that's broken apart and falling out of the sky. Suddenly goes down and sideways a hell of a lot quicker than the rest of the warship that's been destroyed.
The broken part of the frigate, it's the bow section and a further thirty feet or so of the starboard side hull, slams sideways into the enemy dragon that's diving down at one of the battlecruisers in the wing, lower down in the formation.
Jarmic Komav clenches a fist in satisfaction as the Golmard dragon lets out a scream of both pain and anger after it's hit in the right side and wing.
The captain of the Dragon Flame has been told a number of times by his cousin Daeliss Komav the dragon rider, and the dragon Sunbeam.
That quite a few dragons in battle, don't bother to put up any physical wards to protect themselves from physical attacks.
As pretty much most physical attacks of any kind are useless against a dragon.
So he's not entirely surprised the bright red dragon from the Golmard faction, pulls out of it's dive, and turns away from it's attack on the wing led by admiral Halmack.
The wings of any dragon are it's most vulnerable spot apart from their eyes. And it's clear to see that the Golmard dragon's right wing isn't working properly as it flaps away.
The next moment the bright red enemy dragon vanishes as it teleports away.
"That got rid of that one" says Sarvon the sorcerer as he stands next to the captain of the Dragon Flame.
Nodding in agreement, captain Jarmic Komav says "Hopefully no more of them bother us back here, before we get to engage with some of the enemy ships".
The sorcerer nods to that, and quietly says "Hopefully" as he looks around at the surrounding sky, watching the early morning battle unfold.
"I spoke too soon" sourly says the warship captain who is from the western province of Halvarc.
Captain Jarmic Komav points away to port, as in the distance, there's an enemy dragon, crimson in colour. Circling around the airborne battle, occasionly biffing spells, at either the Balford fleet, or down at the Balford army on the ground.
It's flying in a wide arc, more than half a mile from the nearest airship, as it circles around the aerial battle, where it's path will see it end up near the rear of the Balford fleet.
Most likely amongst the supply and support ships. Which the Dragon Flame and number of other warships in the wing led by admiral Halmack. Have been tasked to protect.
Captain Jarmic looks quickly around and up to see if his cousin Daeliss and the dragon Sunbeam have returned.
They haven't, so he starts issuing orders to his crew, as he does, he glances at Sarvon the sorcerer, who is one of his senior officers onboard.
He sees the spellcaster, who is around the same age as he is, has a slight frown upon his face, as he looks away to starboard.
Since the Dragon Flame is quite high up in that sky compared to the rest of their fleet, as well as most of their wing.
They've got an unobtrusive view of pretty much everything in the morning sky, on this cool, crisp autumn day in the province of Smalsare in central Terrindim.
Captain Komav who has just called for the tightening of the sheets on the stay sails of the rear mast, and told the helmsman to turn one point to starboard.
Looks away to the north as Sarvon is doing, and quietly asks the sorcerer "What is it?".
The battlecruiser captain then slightly frowns as he thinks he sees something in the sky away to the north in this district of the province.
Next to him, the sorcerer Sarvon casts a spell, after he does, he hisses out a breath, then says "Fuck".
"What is it?" asks admiral Halmack onboard his flagship the Dragon's Revenge.
"Sarvon on the Dragon Flame says there's something to the north" is the reply from the wizard Morsen, one of six spellcasters onboard the admiral's flagship.
Standing not far from the fleet admiral, able airman Orvick who has been looking away to port. Where in the distance to the south, there's an enemy dragon, crimson in colour that he's been watching. That's circling the battle, and is on a course for the rear of the Balford fleet.
Looks away to starboard, and the north. As he stands with two more of the admiral's aides, here on the stern of the Dragon's Revenge.
Also standing here on the stern deck, is lord Ganulf, the lord of Highsun, who is the advisor to the prince.
The nobleman from the city of Highsun who is leaning back against the aft rail, stands upright, and looks starboard, away to the north too, frowning as he does so.
Then the advisor to the prince looks sharply at the wizard Morsen, who he hears mutter an oath, before he tells admiral Halmack "Sir there's another fleet to the north".
There's a pause, before the fleet admiral asks "Whose?" followed by "Their's?".
After glancing at lord Ganulf, the wizard Morsen says "No sir, it's from the Salmain faction".
The colour drains from the face of the tall nobleman who is the advisor to the prince as the wizard continues with "At least forty five fighting ships, and nearly twenty support vessels" the spellcaster, an older man in his early fifties who came up in the ranks with admiral Halmack then adds "And three of their dragons".
Lord Ganulf moves forward and joins the fleet admiral and the wizard just behind the wheel and helmsman.
Orvick, and the two other aides to the admiral with him glance at one another, then they quickly step forward too, so that they can hear what's being said by the three standing just behind the helmsman.
"If that idiot Yammick continues with this battle, then he'll doom us for sure, and most likely our war too" says lord Ganulf in an angry tone of voice.
Then as he gestures away to the north, the lord of Highsun dryly adds "For some reason i don't think they're flying to our aid".
Both the fleet admiral and the wizard nod in agreement with the nobleman who is the prince's advisor.
"They'll either wait until we're on the cusp of victory or defeat, then attack us" states the lord of the city of Highsun, who continues with "Or join in straight away and help the Golmard's" he then adds "Though i don't think my family's faction will actually do that".
"I agree" says admiral Halmack, who pauses as there's the sound of a large explosion that echoes across the sky, from out in the front where the two fleets are mixed up with one another.
"They'll definitely do the former" continues the fleet admiral who is in command of the rear wing of the Balford fleet "Because it's what i would do" adds the nobleborn admiral.
After a moment as he quickly contemplates something, admiral Halmack looks at the lord of Highsun, who is a rather accomplished airship captain in his own right, and says to him "What do you suggest?".
"You're a hell of a lot better at flying a warship, and in tactics when it comes to fleet battles than me Halmack" says lord Ganulf, who continues with "At lets face it, if you came from a more important family, you'd be the one in overall command of this entire fleet instead of that idiot Yammick".
From the bitter tone in his voice, the lord of Highsun makes it fairly obvious what he thinks about the prince's relation, senior admiral Yammick.
"So tactically I'll defer to you" says the lord of the city of Highsun, who follows that with "But whatever we do, and whatever the outcome, I'll take full responsibility for it" he then adds "You have my word on that, whatever that's worth".
The fleet admiral shoots a glance at the wizard who he's known for nearly thirty years. The wizard Morsen slightly nods his head yes.
"Very well then" says admiral Yammick, who after a pause asks the advisor to the prince "Your suggestions?".
Able airman Orvick refrains from gulping as he listens to lord Ganulf, who is basically talking treason as he suggests what they should do. Which might see them survive to fight another day against the Golmard faction.
Because if not, they, and the rest of the Balford fleet and army here in the province of Smalsare, could very well be wiped out in this morning's battle.
Daeliss Komav the dragon rider keeps low in the saddle as Sunbeam the dragon spews fire, torching an enemy cutter from stern to bow.
The large, burnt orange dragon in the Balford faction is flying through the thick of the Golmard fleet.
Now chased by just one of the enemy dragons. As the other one that was pursuing it, realised that all Daeliss and Sunbeam were doing, was keeping it out of the battle. Stopping them from destroying and damaging airships in the Balford fleet.
The rider Daeliss feels and hears a spell of some kind explode behind her. She grins as she realises that the dragon chasing them, would only do something like that if it was frustrated.
Because casting spells directly at a dragon is absolutely futile, considering they're immune to magic.
After Sunbeam whips his tail to one side, snapping a mast of an enemy war galley in two.
Daeliss Komav looks quickly away to her right, to the south after her dragon says into her mind to look that way.
The lean, blonde haired teenager from the western province looks further east too, back towards the direction of their own fleet.
And when Sunbeam sprays fire at another enemy warship, and hurls an energyball of some kind at one of their battlecruisers. Daeliss spots what her dragon has already spotted.
It's one of the Golmard dragons, crimson in colour. Way south of the battle, more than half a mile away by the looks of it and getting further away. As it circles around to the rear of the aerial battle, to get to the rear of the Balford fleet.
"Lets get it" says Daeliss Komav the dragon rider.
Her dragon Sunbeam wholeheartedly agrees, though he does say "Have to get rid of this other one first". Referring to the enemy dragon chasing after them as they fly through the Golmard fleet.
Both Sunbeam and Daeliss who are glad that the enemy fleet for the most part, are flying level and pretty much in even rows. Making them easy targets for a dragon on the rampage.
Look back at the enemy dragon, though Sunbeam doesn't actually turn his head to do so, as he doesn't have to.
And see that the dark red dragon, a female one, has a look of pure anger upon her maw as she tries to catch up to the larger, burnt orange coloured dragon from the Balford faction.
Daeliss catches sight of the enemy rider too. A man at least twice her own age. Who looks just as angry as his dragon.
The commonborn dragon rider from the western province of Halvarc flashes a tight grin, as Sunbeam explains straight into her mind, what he's about to do.
"Do it Beam!" calls out the rider Daeliss as they get closer to the frontline, where warships from the two factions are all mixed up with one another. As their spellcasters trying to bring down opposing warships.
The large burnt orange coloured dragon that's been in the Komav family since the egg.
Lifts up, then drops down, and swoops over an enemy frigate. And with his front claws, Sunbeam grabs the mast of the warship, and rips it out.
And as the crew of the enemy frigate scream in horror at what's just happened, and as their airship starts to drop and tilt to one side.
And as the pursuing Golmard dragon lets out a roar of anger and what it's just seen.
Sunbeam the dragon with the mast still in his claws, along with the sails and lines still attached to it. Disappears in midair as he teleports away.
Daeliss Komav and her dragon Sunbeam reappear nearly two thousand feet above the aerial battle between the Balford and Golmard fleets here in the province of Smalsare.
When he does reappear, Sunbeam twists in midair, and throws as hard as he can the mast, and everything still attached to it. Back down behind him as he climbs higher into the sky.
The enemy dragon pursuing them suddenly appears in the air just a few hundred feet behind and below the Balford faction dragon.
The dark red female dragon lets out what can only be described as a rather undignified sounding squawk just before the mast hits her in the snout.
The enemy dragon lets out a howl of pain and anger. As she like a lot of dragons in combat, she doesn't bother to put up physical wards. They really only do so, when they go tooth and claw at another dragon.
The Golmard dragon quickly turns aside, then lets out a yelp of fright, as it's rider is knocked out of the saddle by a broken spar on the mast, which rolled down it's head, then back after it hit her in the snout.
The enemy dragon tucks and dives, to retrieve it's rider, who is alive but unconscious as he falls out of the sky.
By then, Sunbeam and his rider have already disappeared, as they've teleported to somewhere else in the sky, here in the central districts of the province of Smalsare.
Daeliss and her dragon are now even higher in the sky, far above anyone else, so much so that Sunbeam has to cast a spell so that his rider doesn't feel the cold and that she can breathe properly.
Even from this height of nearly twenty thousand feet. The commonborn dragon rider from the west of the kingdom. Spots the crimson coloured dragon they've targeted as it circles in a wide arc around the battle.
The rider Daeliss is just about to tell Sunbeam to dive at the enemy dragon they're going to go after, when he suddenly goes completely still.
His wings don't flap, and his tail is stiff, though his head jerks to one side, and down, and a rumbling growl comes from the large, burnt orange coloured dragon that's been in the Komav family since the egg.
"What is it?" asks Daeliss who immediately knows something is seriously wrong, as her dragon only acts like this when there's a clear threat about.
Sunbeam quickly tells his rider that there's another fleet quickly approaching from the north.
The dragon rider quickly looks that way, and from the advantage of being close to twenty thousand feet above the ground, she easily spots the fleet in question.
"Hell" mutters the attractive nineteen year old dragon rider from the province of Halmack in the west of the kingdom.
Her eyes go wide in surprise when Sunbeam tells her that it's from the Salmain faction.
Then she's even more surprised when her dragon tells her what fleet admiral Halmack has ordered their wing to do.
And though Daeliss along with Sunbeam can do whatever they please in battle.
They do tend to look after the fleet, in this case this morning, the wing they're part of.
Daeliss can immediately see the reasoning for admiral Halmack's orders.
And she looks straight down, and already sees some of their wing, turning to port, and heading south.
Some of the following supply and support ships are doing that too. But most importantly, she sees the prince's command ship which is at the rear of their wing, is heading in that direction too.
"We have to make sure they've got a clear path south" says Daeliss Komav, who figures the oncoming Salmain fleet from the north will attack the Balford fleet when they're completely engaged with the Golmard fleet. Which will be totally disastrous for her faction.
"That means we've got to deal to that one as we intended" says the commonborn dragon rider pointing at the crimson coloured dragon from the Golmard faction. Which has turned sharply, as some of the Balford fleet is now heading south towards it.
"I know" says Sunbeam, who almost jumps up from a crouch in midair, and tucks forward and goes into a dive, when Daeliss Komav shouts "Do it!".
With his wings now tucked in close to his sides, and his rider holding on to the saddle for dear life as they drop from nearly twenty thousand feet above the ground.
Sunbeam the dragon hits terminal velocity as he shoots down out of the sky, the large, burnt orange coloured dragon goes even faster, and faster, picking up in speed as he and his rider divebomb their intended target . . . . . .