Tales of the Lorekeepers 01 - Rise of the Red Dragon

just in time to see two dragons collide, biting and clawing at each other.
    “Oh no,” he said. “We’re too late.”

CHAPTER 16

    Samuel and his companions stood next to the crumpled tent. The rain was coming down harder than ever, the thunderstorm apparently at the pinnacle of its power. The small group, however, did not heed the wind howling in their ears and the cold water running down their face. Their eyes were all turned toward the sky, witnessing in disbelief an impossible battle. A few days ago, none of them would have thought creatures such as these were even real, but there they were, two dragons, mercilessly biting and clawing at each other.
    The uncanny beasts were enormous, much bigger than they had first appeared to be. It was as if some magical power had allowed them to reshape their bodies in order to fit the available space. Now that they were out in the open again, battling in an arena as vast as the sky, both fiends had regained their imposing size, clashing with the force of landmasses colliding.
    The thunderstorm over Dinas Ffaraon was reaching epic proportions, unleashing the full fury of nature on the world below. Incessant lightning scarred the dark sky and continuous rolling thunder shook the earth. The raindrops were like small projectiles, propelled horizontally by the fierce wind.
    Samuel could not believe the scene he was witnessing. Even in his wildest dreams, he could have never envisioned such a nightmarish image, seeing these ancient creatures clash in the midst of a violent thunderstorm.
    “Sam!” he heard Angeline yell. “Sam! Snap out of it!”
    The boy shook his head and looked at the fairy. She had been tugging on his shirt for a few moments now, trying to get his attention.
    “What do you mean, we’re too late?” she asked. “Sam! By the gods, answer me!”
    Samuel finally focused all his attention on the fairy. This was not a wild dream or a vivid movie. The events were real, and he was a part of them.
    “Look,” he said, pointing to the mound on the northern part of the plateau. “We’re too late. The Yfel’s emissary is ready to use the cross. He’s going to fire at the red dragon, any second now.”
    “We have to stop him! We can’t simply let him win.”
    “How do you want me to do that? He’s too far away,” yelled Samuel, barely hearing his words over the rain and wind. “Even if we run, we’ll never make it on time. I can’t prevent him from shooting down the dragon. We’ve lost, Angeline. It’s over, I failed.”
    Angeline slapped him, her tiny hand smashing against his wet cheek.
    “Shut up, Sammy! Stop being such a whiny brat!” she screamed. “Don’t you dare give up. You’re the Lorekeeper. You’re my Lorekeeper and you better remember it. I never give up and neither will you. Do you hear me? There is always a way, we only need to find it. You will find it, Sammy, if you truly wish it.”
    He looked at the distant mound, now clearly seeing the ball of light growing and expanding, a mass of primal energy, ready to be used as a weapon against the red dragon.
    He looked up at the two creatures battling each other, oblivious to their surroundings and unaware of the danger below. If only there was a way to warn them, thought Samuel. Alas, the beasts were so high up in the sky, out of reach of any arrows, that it was impossible to attract the attention of the red dragon.
    Unless …
    Of course!
    “Angeline!” exclaimed Samuel. “Dragons are ancient and legendary beasts, but are they still animals? Or are they considered something else?
    “What? Of course they’re animals, but I don’t think this is a good time for a biology lesson, Samuel!”
    “I think I can warn it. Maybe I can get into its head, connect with it in some way, just like I did with the horse a few days ago. If I can only make it turn around and look below, maybe it will see the ball of energy aimed at it. With some luck, maybe I can make the Yfel’s man miss his one and only shot.”
    The fairy’s eyes open wide.
    “Why didn’t I think of that?” she said. “But there is one problem. Will you have enough juice to reach it or even make it realize you are trying to contact it? Even though it is an animal, this is still a being of immense power, ancient, and magically protected. This is not a simple horse. You might need more power than you possess.”
    Samuel turned around and quickly found the person he was looking for.
    “Maybe he can help me,” he said,