Deadly Measures by S.C. Stokes

Author:S.C. Stokes [Stokes, S.C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Prescient Publishing
Published: 2024-04-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Great gouts of dragon fire poured from Tariyon’s mouth, raining down on the assembled sentinels in fiery reprisal.

Their magical shields might have stopped the flames, but the unrelenting heat cooked them alive regardless.

Through it all, Kasey was focused on the glowing stone clutched in its claw. If they could retrieve it, perhaps the damage, at least to the barrier, could be undone.

“We need that crystal.” Kasey pointed at Tariyon’s claw. “It can’t be allowed to leave.”

“It doesn’t seem to be going anywhere,” Strang replied, hurling bolts of raw arcana at the dragon’s head.

“Delta, fire!” Flint shouted.

The heavy weapons teams opened fire, bullets ricocheting off the dragon’s thick hide. It may as well have been steel for all the effect the bullets had. The massive dragon turned, and he made straight for the weapon emplacement. The fifty-caliber machine gun peppered the creature’s head, but Tariyon closed his eyes, protecting the vulnerable target from the weapon fire.

Marissa sat astride the dragon just above its wings.

Kasey hurled a bolt of crimson power at her, hoping to land a lucky blow. After all, the Sidhe wouldn’t be nearly as indestructible as her mount. Tariyon banked to avoid the incoming weapon’s fire, but shrieked as the orb of power singed through the muscle and ligaments near where its wing joined its serpentine body.

“Target the wings,” Kasey shouted. “They are much thinner than the hide.”

The weapon’s team couldn’t hear her over the howling beast.

Machine gun fire stitched across the creature’s open mouth and splintered two of its ivory colored teeth, the bone proving not nearly as resilient as his toughened hide.

Marissa bellowed something from atop her steed, the magic in her words causing them to carry through the skies. Kasey couldn’t recognize the language, but a hail of icy shards, six feet long and honed to wicked stakes, buffeted the first machine gun nest.

The weapon went silent, its crew falling before the Sidhe’s wrath.

Tariyon dove for the other. As the weapon pit was drowned in a torrent of dragon fire, Tariyon wheeled about, heading right for Flint, Strang, and Kasey.

Sweat poured down Flint’s brow as he hurled a ceaseless fusillade of raw arcana at the mighty dragon. No two of his spells were alike; one was crimson, the next sapphire, the third a swirling orb of shadows as the Watchman desperately tried to find a weakness.

Kasey and Strang added their power to his.

“Take out its eyes,” the watchman bellowed. “It’s our only chance.”

Kasey caught her breath. “Saying it and doing it are two wildly different things.”

The Forest Lord had a knack for ensuring its vulnerable eyes stayed out of the firing line. Attempting to hit a dragon mid-flight was already difficult. When it was wheeling and banking, and spewing fire in every directions, it was all but impossible.

“The wings,” Kasey said. “They’re bigger targets and if we can ground it, we might have more luck.”

She scored another hit, sending a streak of arcana through Tariyon’s left wing. Her follow up was blocked by a blast of sapphire light from Marissa that obliterated it mid-air.

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