Chapter 15
"Good people of Corona, I know what has been spreading around has most of you concerned. You have every right to be, what we are about to face will be something most of us have never faced before and hopefully never will again. I know that most of you find it disconcerting that I am about to lead us into battle but I promise you to do the best I can do to protect this great city.
"Now this is the plan. I need all available archers at the Palace walls. All those good with a sword or an axe, report to General Webster. Sailors report to Admiral Oates. The rest of you report to Generals Boles and DeWitt. It is an honor to be serving with you today. Godspeed and good luck," Eugene finished his speech and disappeared back into the Palace. The men dispersed with little fanfare and almost no words between anyone. Eugene had done little to dispel the rumors of dragons and this to most meant that they were just not rumors. The Generals and the Admiral prepared everyone for battle as the forces of Malik drew near.
"Let me ask you something," Eugene turned to Merlin once he was inside the palace.
"What is on your mind?" The wizard asked as they started to head toward the stables.
"How exactly are we going to defeat the dragons? I mean we can catapult flaming things all day long and they won't be affected by them," the Prince Consort said.
"Well I figure all we have to do is kill one of them. When the others see that, they may turn tail and leave," Merlin told him.
"May?" Eugene asked.
"Well if they don't then they will come after us with more rage than you've ever seen and we'll all be dead," he was frank and the expression on his face did not change.
"Good to know," the former thief swallowed hard and adjusted the chin strap on his helmet. The royal armory had contained an old coat of armor that had once belonged to the King when he was younger. The fitter had managed to tighten it on him but Eugene felt incredibly uncomfortable and could barely move. So after they took it all off, he went with something more along the lines of a Palace Guard uniform which wasn't as tight but still didn't allow completely free movement. He slightly clinked as he walked and that bothered him.
"You want to know how we're going to kill a dragon?" Merlin asked after they had fallen into silence.
"I do actually since it might be the last thing I do," Eugene nodded.
"I found a weapon in the armory that would do the trick and with any luck, we can aim it appropriately but the dragon needs to get close," Merlin explained as they exited the Palace and headed toward the stable. He pulled out a sketch from his coat pocket of a large arrow mounted on what looked like a large crossbow.
"Close? How close?" The former thief wanted to know.
"About a hundred yards ought to be close enough," the wizard shrugged.
"Oh that makes me feel so much better as they can still scorch me to death from there," Eugene said.
"Well I'm hoping that they only go for you. If we clear the way and you head out of the city, Malik will send a dragon to retrieve you. After all he needs you dead if he is to take over. Now if you and Maximus are out on the bridge, we can use the weapon and kill the dragon before he has roasted human and pony for dinner," Merlin said this all with a straight face and Eugene nearly passed out.
"You're nuts," he said.
"I'd prefer to think of it as crazy as a fox. Besides with my magic there is no way, we'll miss," the wizard said confidently.
"Oh you better not or I'm coming after you in the next life," Eugene said.
To Be Continued…