Larger scale battles are coming your way. Rest of the story is uploaded as well, hope you enjoy.
Chapter 10: The Raid
Four days had passed and the rain finally lifted. Nell was standing on the highest level and watched over the landscape. The fresh air after the rain was welcome to him and the still wet landscape was beautiful. The green rolling hills spread as far as he could see and here and there stood a copse of trees. In the miniature valleys between the hills lay pools of rain water. Birds fluttered everywhere and on the ground below a multitude of animals could be seen, ranging from wolves to kodos.
He let the planning of strategy to those interested in it. Right now he was more interested in looking at the landscape. Jack had brought his chair with him in his backpack and Nell didn't think Jack would mind if he borrowed it for a moment. He set up the chair and sat down on it. He leaned back and admired the sky. He enjoyed the sun for a few minutes.
A form passed over, casting a shadow on Nell for a moment. He followed it with his gaze for a moment and saw the flying figure land on the middle tower. It had a lion like head and the body behind it also resembled one. The tale however looked more like that of a scorpion. It had bat like wings, which it now used to slow it's speed. It was a wyvern, and on top of it was the rider, an orc, probably carrying messages for ThunderBluff.
The wyvern landed softly and the rider got of. He handed a bag of, probably, messages and received a bag from the tauren on guard. He intended to fly of again but was stopped by another tauren rushing up the stairs. It was the warlord and he carried a bag to. He began relaying urgent news about recent events at ThunderBluff and handed over the bag, which probably contained more information on the matter. They saluted and the rider took of again and sped back to The Barrens.
Nell returned to staring at the sky again. Slight breathing to his right caught his attention. He turned to it and stared into the face of the raptor. Since the raptor wasn't much of a talker she had to stay away from the meetings regarding the demons. In that time she had been walking ThunderBluff up and down multiple times. The raptor stared at Nell and he felt up uncomfortable by it, which was rare feat. The raptor turned and lay down besides Nell and stared at the landscape unfolding before them.
Something in her eyes had stirred something within him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what exactly.
New sounds to his left demanded his attention. Grisha came walking up to him. "Nell, they have made a strategy and they are leafing within minutes. We should join them."
Nell got up and the raptor followed his example. They walked with Grisha to one of the elevators that was the destination. A lot were gathered there, mostly tauren, but also a few orcs and the blue bent over creatures Nell knew as trolls. There were also female trolls present, these were more slender and shorter of build and didn't bent forward like the males. Like the males the also sported tusk, although they were smaller.
In the midst of it all he saw Warrick talking to a tauren. They walked over to him and joined in his conversation. "Good morning Warrick." Nell began. "Who are you talking to?"
"This is the scout that returned so quickly, remember that?"
"Yes, I do. What is his name?" Nell asked.
"Palkor, he is also going to be the guide while inside the cave."
Unlike most tauren, Palkor wore full body armor. It covered him completely, except on the arms and head. Where fur was visible, it was grey on the back and white in the front. His face bore scars and one tip of a horn was oddly blunt. On his back he was carrying a massive sword, almost as long as himself. It glowed with all kinds of ruins engraved in it. A large brown gloved hand reached for Nell. "Greetings, and you are?" Palkor asked kindly.
Nell took the much larger hand and shook it. Palkor bore a sign on the right side of his chest armor that reminded him of something. "Nell. And what brought you to ThunderBluff?"
Palkor smiled as he answered. "Family visit. Although I did not quite expect to be nearly killed by demons. I suppose I should thank you for rescuing the whole of ThunderBluff." He turned his attention to Grisha and told her. "We have already met a few minutes ago, Grisha"
"So what is the plan?" Nell asked.
Palkor's face turned serious as he answered. "A two pronged assault. One through the main entrance on land and one through the air. Through the cavern system that those demon's have occupied streams a river. The river ends in a water fall. Those that go through the air will land where the waterfall begins and then push inwards creating so much disturbance that those inside will think they are being attacked by all the tauren. They will most likely try to flee and come out at the main entrance where the main force will be waiting for them."
"How will they reach the top of the waterfall?" Grisha asked.
"As I said, they will fly."
"How many have been chosen for that part?" Warrick requested curiously.
"Two Dozen and there is still room for you if you want to come."
"Only a few wyvern have returned yet. A large wyvern can barely hold one tauren, what is going to carry the others?" Grisha asked again.
Palkor smiled some more. "My mount."
At that moment the warlord demanded attention. "Those gathered here have been chosen for a extremely dangerous mission. Some of you may not return. But if anybody would die, they would in the process help scour this filth from our lands!" Cheer arose amongst the tauren but the warlord wasn't done yet. "You have all had your instructions, but something will change. I will personally lead the strike force set to at the main entrance, waiting for them to come out." Even more cheers arose, praising the warlord and their god: the earth mother. "The main force will move out now!" The warlord added as an after thought.
An army of tauren began lowering themselves to the ground by use of the elevators. Only two dozen remained above and waited for their mounts. A small form suddenly darted across the square and headed straight for Palkor. It clung to his leg and refused to let go. Nell saw it was a child tauren no more than four years old. "Uncle Palkor don't go!" It began in the tauren language.
Palkor looked down surprised at his hoof, on which the child was now standing. He picked it up and began talking to it in his own language. "Uncle? I don't remember you from my visit. Who spawned you?"
And as in answer a female tauren came running towards him. She took the child from him and then focused on Palkor. "I am sorry Palkor. He was sitting in the back when you were telling your adventure stories. I am not surprised you didn't notice him. He apparently likes you."
"I will come back." Palkor told the little child.
As he said so Cairne came towards him. "Greetings." He kindly told the woman, and then turned to Palkor. "It is time. The wyverns are coming and every wyvern rider will be mounted soon. We are waiting for you." Cairne then walked away again towards his duties as high chieftain.
Palkor nodded to the already leafing Cairne. From the sac he had by his feet he pulled a long curled horn. He brought it to his mouth and blew all the air in his lungs into it. A low and extremely loud sound reverberated across Mulgore. Palkor then secured the horn on his belt and walked to the end of what could be described as a docking plank, only this one for the elevators. The elevators had been stopped so they could be used for getting on flying mounts.
In one hand Palkor held the sac. He waited patiently for what he had just called.
In the distance Nell saw a spot spring into being. It closed rapidly and grew in size. As it got closer roars could be heard. But nor roars of anger, more like glee. Long wings could now be identified. As it got closer more features could be seen. From the back of the large scaled head jutted short spikes of bone. On top of the spine also ran spike. Four large legs hung underneath the body. Every paw having massive claws. A long tail spun around keeping the flying form stable. As it got even closer teeth could be seen in the mouth. Large teeth capable of biting through nearly anything. The whole form was covered in large scales. It came closer and closer.
Palkor threw the rest of the sac as far away as could from ThunderBluff and the beast immediately went for it. When it got within range it let loose a stream of fire from it's mouth. The fire engulfed the sac and vaporised it, not even charred remains fell to the ground. It then turned around and came for Palkor. But instead of letting loose another stream of fire it slowed down before Palkor and let it's head be patted.
Every entity present, be they tauren, orc, human or otherwise, stared at the display. The only two who weren't really affected were Palkor himself and Nell. Even Cairne did not know what to think of it. Nell ran towards Palkor. "You tamed a dragon!"
Palkor turned from patting the dragon and focused on Nell. "I didn't tame him, I befriended him."
Now Nell's mouth did drop open. He somehow befriended a dragon, a black dragon. The whole dragon was covered in black scales, indicating from which dragon flight it came. The black dragons were not known for their kindness towards anything that wasn't one of their own. Almost every single one of them followed in the footsteps of their crazed aspect. Neltharion was his name in the old days. Now it was just Deathwing, The Destroyer. Neltharion wasn't welcome anymore, even with the other dragon flights, they would give anything to bring him down.
Nell knew that most humans, orcs and otherwise thought dragons were just overgrown beasts, only seeking destruction. Quite the opposite was true. They were some of the most intelligent beings ever to be upon the mortal plane, and beyond it in the case of the green dragons.
"You befriended a black dragon!" Nell asked again.
"Yup."
"How!"
Palkor briefly turned his eyes to the black dragon, and then turned his eyes back to Nell. "I raised him." With that he walked past Nell, and to the crowd that was still in awe, and in some cases fear. "Don't worry! He wont harm you!" And to himself he added. "Unless you hurt me or him."
Wyverns began landing and those present turned from being in awe to their tasks. All the wyverns were mounted within seconds. Those left would have to take place on top of th dragon. They would fit easily, but the more on the dragon would increase the chance that someone would fall of. Palkor turned to Warrick and Grisha. "You can come to if you get your weapons now."
Warrick lifted his axe from the ground as in answer and Grisha pointed at her axe on her back.
"So, you're coming?"
They just silently nodded, still in awe by the very presence of the dragon.
"Follow me then."
They followed him and Nell followed their example. Palkor mounted the dragon and helped the others on it. The dragon was big enough so two could sit besides each other. Palkor walked over the back of the dragon like it was something he had done a lot, which was probably true. Some how he found enough grip on the hard scales with his hooves to pull the others on. Every single person on the back of the dragon clung to the spikes like his, or her, life depended on it.
Walked back to the head of the dragon and sat down on the neck, between the multitude of horns jutting from the head. He had to adjust his sword so it wouldn't sting the dragon. "Everybody ready!" He shouted. Rather silent positive answers greeted him. He then bent even closer to the dragons head and whispered something to the dragon, probably the destination or a comment about the passengers.
The dragon took of and the wyvern followed suit. As the wyvern went in the direction of the destination, the dragon made one full circle around ThunderBluff and then followed the wyvern. Underneath them passed the landscape and at halfway point they passed the tauren main force.
Nell slowly made his way forward, towards Palkor. The dragon noticed and let out a short tone. Palkor turned and asked. "And what brings you here?" The wind threatened to drown out the sound but he spoke loud enough to hear.
"Him." Nell said while pointing at Warrick. "And one more who has been captured and taken in to the mountain." Nell paused for a moment to catch his breath, the altitude at which the dragon was flying did not permit long sentences. "How exactly did you befriend the dragon?"
Palkor did not seem to be affected in the same way by the altitude and had no problems with longer sentences. "I found him as an egg in dragon territory eighteen years ago and decided I might be able to raise it so that wouldn't be like the other black dragons. . . So far I have succeeded."
Nell looked at the complete length of the dragon and saw it no hint of the madness the other blacks had and it was much larger than any dragon he had seen of that age. The dragon was also in peak condition. "What is his name?"
"Magmaradon."
Nell knew that besides having great physical skills to damage opponents, dragons also had devastating spells. "does he know any spells?"
"Yup." Palkor answered. He then turned around again, making an end to the conversation, and made Magmaradon alter course slightly.
Nell had wanted to ask more about why Palkor was in dragon territory and how he knew the cave where they were going but he also knew Palkor was busy now, so he slid back down in place and held on as best as he could.
Jack woke up again. His head pounded like infernals were bashing it with their fiery hands. Infernals? What are those? He thought. And immediately an image sprung into his mind, an image of something that looked like massive boulders piled on top of each other. Together they formed a humanoid shape and green fire burned between the boulders. The image receded again and left a startle Jack. What was happening to him?
He tried to move into a sitting position. He succeeded, but the head ache worsened. Through blurry eyes he saw Krasgall sitting in a chair by the table. He was holding his head in his hands and seemed to be intensely thinking about a problem. Now and then Jack heard him whisper about stupid orcs. Jack remembered the orc that shot a ball of black fire at him. Jack had also seen how Krasgall had used a spell to squeeze the life out of the hapless orc.
Krasgall slightly touched his throat with one hand. Through less and less blurry vision Jack could see bruises on Krasgall's throat. Krasgall looked over to him and was surprised to Jack sitting. "You are almost more trouble than you are worth." Krasgall told Jack.
"good." Jack returned
Krasgall jumped from his chair, anger plain on his face. He then cooled himself down. Taking a deep breath he walked to Jack's cage. "Do you hate orcs? Jack? I do hate one. He is dead. He tried to kill you. Do you hate him?"
"He tried to defend himself, he can hardly be blamed for trying to defend himself."
"You are a real good guy huh? There may still be a reason for the both of us to hate him. Let me tell you. That spell of his caused that demon's mind, spirit or whatever you want to call it, to blend slightly with yours. Only a little bit, but still. Now you have a part of him, and he has a part of you. You know what I don't like about this? It makes him weaker in his way. But it makes you weaker in your way."
Jack tried to cut in but failed.
"I don't want that, but it is irreversible. I would say this is a reason for both of us to hate him. Now I ask again, Do you hate him?"
"If you look at it that way, yes. I do hate him. As I hate you."
"Me? Why do you hate me?" Krasgall asked surprised. "I didn't try to kill you, I even tried to preserve you as you were."
"So you could get the demon, whole."
Krasgall started losing his patience. "Now you listen to me you little rat. Without me you wouldn't even be alive anymore. And I can finish it in the blink of an eye. If I would want that of course."
"Then why don't you finish it now? Scared?"
"Are you calling me a coward?" Krasgall stepped closer to the cage as his anger magnified. "You want me to finish it here and now? I can, but I wont, we need you still."
"Sounds like a coward to me."
Krasgall twisted his arm to Jack and pain engulfed him. He was lifted from the ground by the power of the spell. He hung there in magical orange flames. "Don't you dare call me a coward again, because you wont live to regret it, no matter what my masters want of you." He pulled his hand back, so Jack fell back to the ground, and then he turned and walked out the room.
Jack burst into laughter like what had just happened was something extremely funny. His laughter came in deep bellowing booms, not unlike he had heard the demon do on occasion.
They approached the waterfall. Warrick could see it in the distance, and they were closing in fast. It did not quite sit well with him that he was sitting on a dragon. The largest creature he had ever seen, and he was sitting on it, without it trying to shake him of. From the faces of the tauren, except Palkor, He saw that they did not like it either, but found it necessary. Grisha had a similar look on her face. The only one besides Palkor who didn't have it was Nell. He looked as if he belonged here. As if it was his destiny to do this. Didn't really surprise warrick because of all of Nell's studies towards dragons.
The dragon halted just before the ledge to let it's riders of. They dismounted easily and the Wyvern riders followed suit. Magmaradon clung the mountain wall as he listened to what Palkor was whispering to him. Magmaradon nodded and flew of again.
"What did you tell him?" Warrick asked Palkor.
"I told him to go back to the main strike force and stay with them, and that he should listen to what the warlord has to say."
Warrick nodded as he understood. Since he was afraid of heights He had been keeping his head down as much as he could and closed his eyes the whole trip. He walked to the edge of the outcropping they were standing upon and peered over the edge. He immediately pulled back and sank to the ground as he saw how high it was. He saw Grisha ready the axe as if she expected to see enemies popping out of every possible hiding spot. He grabbed his own axe that he had kept since their little ordeal with the centaur.
They inched carefully through the caverns and whispered to each other as silent as they could. Nell walked next to Palkor and silently asked him: "So how do you know these caves?"
"A dragon with a bad reputation resided here a while."
That did no quite make sense to Nell yet. "What does that have to do with you?"
"I was hired to slay it."
Now Nell remembered what the symbol on Palkor's chest armor meant, it meant he belonged to a society of dragon layers. Dragon slayers usually didn't life very long, they mostly got eaten or burned by their prey. And this information combined with the fact that Palkor told stories to the children of his family lead Nell to believe he heard of Palkor's doings before, he just didn't remember them until now. Than this was one of the few very successful dragon slayers in the world. A name a dragon popped into Nell's mind. "You are the one who slew the black dragon Blacklash?"
"Yes, that is me."
"Why in the world would you turn to such a profession? Don't you know dragons are noble and magnificent creatures?"
"If know about Blacklash you will probably also know that he had neither of those properties. And I only accept jobs that involve slaying dragons that have turned what they should be. Over the years that I spent have been chasing those dishonourable dragon I have picked up a lot of information about their history dating back more than ten thousand years. I know more than enough to know that only a small portion of all the dragons could truly be called evil. Magmaradon is a perfect example." Palkor explained slightly irritated.
"True, all very true. So you know how dragon society works more or less?"
"Aspects, consorts, elder dragons and from their the younger ones. That is about their chain od command, isn't it?" Palkor said naming the different layers in dragon society.
"Ever seen one of the aspects?"
"I think I have seen one, it was the largest red dragon I have ever seen. Several times bigger than Blacklash."
"So how do you slay a dragon if you are not one of them?" Nell felt like he was interrogating Palkor, but Palkor would surely stop when it became to personal or something he just wouldn't talk about.
"Once you know how they don't seem so invincible anymore. Every dragon slayer has his own technique. Many die from using the wrong one. The trick is to not be seen or sensed by the dragon before it is to late. And it is to late when you are sitting on it neck and have your sword in the right position to slide it between the thick overlapping scales on the neck and into the spine. Once that is done you have already won, unless you get trapped under the body as it falls down."
Nell nodded and kept silent for the rest of the trip until they would find what they were looking for. He found it a bit ironic that one of the few really good dragon slayers uses a dragon for transport.
Krasgall came barging back into the room. He ran to the table and began putting all objects of value into a sac he had brought with him. "What is wrong?" Jack asked not really caring about Krasgall.
"Your friends are here. They apparently found where we are hiding." Krasgall finished packing and turned to Jack. "It is my opinion that we shouldn't leave a valuable person for the enemy." With that He conjured a ball of black fire and threw it in the direction of the cage. Jack got out of the way just in time when the ball struck.
When he got back up he could see the explosion had blasted a hole in the cage's bars. While smoke and dust where still in the whole room Jack got out of the cage as fast as he could. He could make out the silhouette of Krasgall in the smoke. Krasgall saw him as well and conjured another ball of fire, this one the normal color of flame. Jack jumped forward and put his whole horizontal in the air and let the ball pass underneath. The jump made him crash in Krasgall. As he hit Krasgall's chest with full force he heard a rib crack.
Krasgall lay on the ground gasping for air and groaning in pain at the same time. Instinctively Jack's hands went for Krasgall's throat. His closed around as if they were made to do this. He squeezed a little bit and saw panic enter Krasgall's eyes. With effort Krasgall tried to speak. "You wont do it. You are just as weak as those charging into the caves. You couldn't kill any of those that attacked you when you tried to escape the first time."
"You think I wont do it?" Jack thumb pushed a little harder on windpipe. "You think I wont?" He pushed another bit harder. More panic entered Krasgall's eyes. Breath rasped through Krasgall's throat as the wind pipe was narrowed more and more. Jack continued pushing more and Krasgall began gurgling. Jack became filled with a strange sense of joy while doing this.
They had engaged the enemy and were throwing everything they had into the fight. The few defenders that were left when the demon leader left were fighting without true command leading them. Those that turned to worship the demons were filled with a sense of bloodlust in which they could easily get lost. Those that went beyond that point didn't care about anything else except the fighting. A small line of defenders lost in the bloodlust were holding of the invaders while those that had a little bit more self-control fled the scene.
The raptor had been carried in Magmaradon's paws and was now also joining the fight, slahing with her talons and snapping at throats with the many sharp teeth. Warrick was holding of those charging him or Nell while Nell blast them from behind Warrick. Palkor was leading a small band if tauren and barged through a group of enemies, leafing many with caved in skulls or just decapitated. Grisha was battling like a pro while an orc utilizing a bow tried to take down those that were blindly attacking Grisha.
One troll sat down next to one of the dead bodies left by Palkor's killing spree and inspected the body for any indications as to what group they belonged. The troll jumped up as he recognised the markings and began shouting his finding to those within earshot. "They be tha burning blade mon, it is tha burning blade we be fighting here!" The troll shouted with a heavy accent.
The burning blade were being routed. Warrick looked at his axe. It bore the blood of three different species, troll, humans and orcs. He looked around and for the first time truly saw the horrifying fact that he had joined in creating this slaughter. Bleeding bodies were lying around. Every dent in the floor was filling up with blood. Black burned bodies were lying along the others. Here and there Warrick could see a head bouncing of the floor. He looked at his clothing and noticed he had been almost completely covered in blood. Like his nose only now began to work he smelled death like he had never smelled before, even when witnessing the battle between the orcs and centaur. In here the smell wasn't carried away by the wind, in here it lingered in place. Here and there brain matter was splattered against the wall or floor. He felt like he was about to be sick. He felt his breakfast rising in his throat but he calmed himself and forced it down.
A shout brought him back to what he was supposed to do here. He recognised the shout, it was Grisha's. She bore a cut on her right flank and blood was pouring from it. The orc with the bow lay dead on the ground not far away, his stomach split open and spilling guts over the floor. One orc and one troll were harassing Grisha but she stood defiantly and deflected all of their blows. She couldn't do anything to increase her chances since she had to deflect blow after blow.
Warrick saw a chance to help her and took it. He ran forward until he was within range. He threw his axe as hard and accurately as he could. Were it the kind of axe Grisha was using he could never have done it, but his was smaller and lighter making it more possible. The spinning axe buried itself in the back of the orc and narrowly missed the spine. Still blood and fragments of bone went sailing through the air.
In an attempt to pull the axe from his back the orc dropped his weapon and clutched his back. Grisha was no fool and immediately saw her chance. She swung her axe horizontally, hoping to leave a deep cut but not let the axe get stuck in the flesh and bone. She succeeded and at the moment before the axe would erupt from the other side she jerked it up slightly, damaging the ribcage. She then brought the axe around and deflected a blow from the troll.
The orc dropped to the ground and attempted hold his entrails inside with his hands. He failed as the intestines began pouring over the fingers. Blood was seeping along with it and between the thick fingers, covering his whole midsection and hands in blood within moments. The orc cried in immense agony. Blood loss was sapping his strength and when he lacked the strength to cry out more he removed his hands from his stomach and let all of it flow freely out. His body went limp and the axe in his back forced him to lay face down.
Grisha held herself against her now enraged foe. The troll went completely beyond the point of rational thinking because of his comrade's death. The troll rained down blow after blow. Grisha deflected them all because it was easy to predict where the troll would strike next. Because of the sheer force of the blows Grisha couldn't dare try and strike the troll. Blood loss was taking it's toll on Grisha and her movements became less calculated and she nearly tripped once.
Warrick saw he was the only one not busy fighting others. Even Nell was busy, acting like a real magnet because of all the burning blade that seemed to think he was the major problem. Warrick knew he would be alone in his attempt to help Grisha. He decided he had to help her and ran to collect his axe from the orc's back.
Grisha saw him coming in and manoeuvred the troll in between them. As Warrick tried to strike down at the troll, the troll suddenly whirled around and deflected Warrick's blow. Something that left him open for Grisha's heavy axe that came down on his lower back. The troll stiffened and fell over.
Grisha took the axe up again and looked at her injury. She winched as she tore it open more by gently touching the sides of it. "You should let someone take a look at it." Warrick suggested.
Grisha gave him a thanking look and said: "Thank you for helping me out, Warrick."
"Thanks are for later, that is a serious injury if you leave it like that. At least put on a bandage or something."
"I will as soon as I find someone who can bandage or heal it." With that she stumbled to the nearest healer, while being supported by Warrick.
Nell was being swarmed by burning blade but now it seemed to lessen a bit. No more burning blade were coming out of the corridors to attack him. He was being protected while he cast his spells by the raptor, who had an completely blood covered maw, and two tauren and one troll at this moment. Just as he saw an end coming to the fight one of the tauren collapsed with split skull. The fellow tauren immediately sought vengeance and swung his immense axe, hitting the one who killed the first tauren and two others.
The room was cleared of enemies and Palkor's group charged forward to chase the burning blade into the main strike force. Palkor stayed behind and walked to Nell who was sitting next to the shaman currently healing Grisha's injury. When the shaman was done Nell began. "Aah Palkor, where could they be holding Jack?"
They all looked at Palkor as if they agreed with the question. Palkor frowned and stared of while thinking. "Follow me." He finally said.
The shaman began tending to other injured soldiers as the group went into a tunnel. The raptor followed close behind, not wanting to be left behind. Sounds of an angry conversation echoed through the tunnel. They arrived at a tunnel that was partially filled with smoke. "This just be the right way!" Warrick said as he raced ahead.
The smoke and dust began to settle down as thy entered a new room. They saw Jack hunched over another human. A cage with a hole in the bars on the other side of the room. Jack had completely crushed the windpipe now and looked up. What they saw was some much different from what Jack used to look like. His hair had turned completely white, almost silver, because of the spell work cast on him. Deep wrinkles lined his face around the eyes and two immense scars ran from his left eye all the way back as if something ripped it open and wasn't properly healed. The eyes were what startle them most. The pupils were still normal, but the white around it had turned red. As Jack recognised them the glow fanished from his eyes, but they still remained red as if the veins that line the eyes had been bleeding.
"About time you showed up." Jack said while getting up, leaving the human to struggle with his crushed windpipe.
"We must get back to the warlord." Palkor said. The rest nodded and half dragged Jack along. As time progressed strength was sapped Jack and he nearly fell down.
Jack and Nell seemed to have a silent conversation of glances. Exchanging one weary look for another. Nell nodded to Jack and Jack nodded back as if they agreed about something.
Warrick pulled something from his pocket. "Here you left it on the table." He said handing Jack's hat over.
Jack took it and put it on. "Thanks." He said in a strained voice. "Who is he?" He said indicating Palkor.
"I am Palkor."
Jack just nodded at him.
The trudged their way through the room filled with dead bodies and into the corridor leading outside. The corridor didn't have the same amount of dead bodies, but still here and there lay a body. When they got out side the sun forced their eyes to adjust since the cave wasn't well illuminated.
The cave exited along a cliff wall and trees lined the cliff. Grass was plentiful, but was trampled under the many feet and hoofs that had walked over it. A few of the burning blade were being shoved along by captors for interrogation. In the distance the black dragon Magmaradon could be seen toying with rocks falling of the cliff. The warlord was over seeing the recovery of the dead and injured. They walked over to him.
The warlord turned to them and said: "Aah, I see you found what you were looking for."
Nell answered before anyone else could. "He is hurt beyond the physical, he needs to be brought to ThunderBluff now if he is to be properly treated."
"I have heard you have fought along side us well, humans." He didn't say it with contempt. "You have my permission to take the dragon, he is not immediately needed now."
They nodded their thanks and moved to the dragon. Magmaradon sensed the group approaching before he saw and began thundering towards Palkor with glee to see him again. Jack stared up ad the ebony dragon as it lowered it's head so it could be patted. Palkor caught sight of his astonishment. "Don't worry, he wont bite." They mounted Magmaradon. Warrick did so with a bit of reluctance, still not keen on heights.
Under Palkor's guidance Magmaradon pushed of and flew to the distant ThunderBluff. The green waving hills passed again and this time they were dryer. No more small puddles of water marked the lower parts of the hills and the trees didn't glister from raindrops on the branches anymore. Halfway there Nell put Jack to sleep so Jack could conserve his strength a bit.