After the initial slaughter the remaining occupants seemed to vanish without a trace. It became eerie quiet as they searched for anyone else but only found numerous tunnels that drove straight down into the earth. The dirt worshippers were apparently quite comfortable living underground, and David knew from experience that the kobolds were as well. Noone seemed eager to chase them, and most of them couldn’t fit if they wanted.

  “We will rest here to gather our energy before continuing.” Snarled Muansi’docar as he chewed on the remains of his kill. He seemed quite unwilling to share as he greedily hoarded the meat and whatever traits resided in the flesh of the enemy dragon. Despite the poor condition of the dragon David was able to get a good view of it. Muansi’docar had called it a Lindworm and it's half worm and half dragon appearance was fitting to the name. David wondered to himself what the advantages of this form were. Did it solely provide jumping abilities or was it the dragon’s traits? He might never know since he hadn’t seen any Lindworms among the forces of the Queen.

  David made sure to ask Muansi’docar for permission before he spared another breath to patch up the other two lesser dragons. They both appeared happy as their wounds mended but they didn’t spare him a thanks. Muansi’docar’s watchful glare from across the square probably didn’t help. Sleep came quickly but they were awoken by the massive red dragon’s snarls and tail whips to get going. Serth had already disappeared and was probably coordinating the other lesser wyverns or gathering intelligence himself.

  “We will be moving quickly to our next target. Be prepared to accept death as there could be another one of their pack masters about.” Hissed Muansi’docar as he took off.

  After they had all joined him in the air he turned and let loose his blazing breath, setting the entire fortification on fire. Already bone, stonework, and other materials were cracking, snapping and melting under the intense heat of the red’s breath. David was again struck by the sheer power of the fire breath and before long much of it collapsed upon itself. A lesser wyvern approach as they departed and had a brief word with Muansi’docar before speeding off. They then pressed forward once more with all speed.

  They keep their pace up with no breaks, like before, with David now periodically refreshing the group as they push on through night, day and night again. Nurdiangarh’s territory was surprisingly timid compared to what David had in his mind. He envisioned a land filled with haze, and barren of all life. Contrary to that, the lands were very much like those of the Queens except the hostility it held towards David’s group. The smell of the dead did still linger and new packs of corpses could be seen periodically charging outwards towards where Ambass was hopefully still holding the defensive line. Maunsi’docar seemed uninterested in thinning their numbers as they moved onward.

  Their newest target wasn't as exotic as the fortress but instead was some kind of gathering grounds. The four of them hovered at the mountain’s clearing where the beginnings of a long plain materialized. The long uninterrupted plains were filled with equipment and the living dead. The centerpiece of the enemy were two massive dead, full grown dragons standing guard. They remained completely motionless near a temporary arrangement of tents and rough, dirt buildings further in the plains.

  The sight of the two dragon corpses seemed to generate a rise out of Maunsi’docar. He cursed under his breath as he began to snarl and then muttered something that caught David’s ear, “Those damned brothers got themselves killed…”

  David examined the two large corpses in the distance, “Friends…?”

  David winced almost immediately as Maunsi’docar snarled in his direction, the other two lesser dragons immediately creating as much distance away from him as they could, “Rivals. Fools that are now our issue…”

  “I have a means of dealing with them from a distance. You are familiar with my ability…” David murmured as he carefully navigated his leader’s temperament.

  The giant red dragon seemed to seeth as he turned and David knew he was going to attack when suddenly he began to twitch and then stopped. The familiar signs of their common binding bond worked its enigmatic powers across Muansi’docar’s face. Their mother's own directive now forcefully calmed and guided the massive red back on task. David couldn't help but sigh in relief and thought. Qazayss is the glue that keeps everything together. What would happen if she was dead? In fighting? Probably far worse.

  David kept quiet till the red calmed enough to reply, “You have my permission.”

  David dipped his head and responded to the still seething dragon in a curt but respectful response, “As you command Maunsi’docar”

  The other two lessers slowly returned but refused to make eye contact with either of them. David grinded his teeth in frustration. His kin were always hostile or cowards. This world might have made dragons powerful but their flaws were obvious. Despite being an introvert in his past life, he still craved and missed the social dynamics of his human origins. He missed Red, Blue and the rest of his clan. He had to survive and had to at least make changes where he could. As his resolve hardened he turned and began to pull affinity into a ball near his mouth and he aimed it forward. His Healing Orb materialized in front of him as he dumped five charges into it in total just to be certain. The orb was larger than it ever had been and the screech and then loud crack it produced when released startled even Maunsi’docar.

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  It soared into the distance and before long a massive flash followed its impact. The shock wave from the explosion was delayed but when it did hit it caused them all to correct themselves mid air. Rako finally spoke up for once, “What… is you?”

  David just spread his wings wide and flew forward leaving the others behind. They all quickly hurried into action and Maunsi’docar took the lead in his usual fiery fashion. The devastation that David had caused was impressive and patted his ego more, but all he had to do to keep it in check was simply glance forward at their leader for comparison. The dead dragon that was his target was in pieces, and the second one that stood nearby was damaged but still quite functional.

  Maunsi’docar’s voice boomed, “I will finish off the other abomination. The rest of you kill anything that moves.”

  Maunsi’docar’s affinity flared and his extraordinary flames overwhelmed the remaining dead dragon. Its remaining flesh, and bones instantly began to boil, bubble, pop and then char. His massive bulk then tackled the dead dragon as he let off a colossal roar. David, Usag, and Rako all flew overhead and then dived towards the encampment. The explosion had done its fair share of damage to the tents, and rough buildings as well. Grey corpses were scattered everywhere and a few were busy attempting to turn over some boxes, and other devices that David couldn’t quite place. Large and all too familiar stone beasts were already crawling out of the woodworks and David immediately pivoted upwards and broke free from his dive.

  “Stay in the air! Those dirt worshipper’s stone creatures will tear you apart.” David hissed out to the pair. They both glanced at David before heeding his advice and breaking free from their dives.

  Rako and Usag weren’t completely useless as they kept to the air and periodically dived down to briefly attack the remaining dirt worshippers. Rako’s gas affinity quickly dropped the remaining grey creatures that attempted to stand against them as the wiser ones had already fled. Usag used his sand to obscure and blind the stone constructs and David used his size, and muscularity to isolate them one by one. He aimed for the weakened ball joints that were expertly carved by their creators and picked apart their limbs and heads. By the time the battle ended the trio were bloody, exhausted and fighting to keep in the air. The worst damage was David’s jaws, teeth and claws where blood leaked from the deep fissures caused from cracking the hardened stone apart.

  Maunsi’docar eventually joined the tired trio appearing to have fared much better than them. He had fought the massive dead dragon and a massive concentration of dead humanoids and beasts that flocked to the area once the battle had started. If anything he seemed energized as fire fumed from his mouth and the overpowering smell of cooked meat filled the air around them.

  Usag whispered so light that David’s dragon ears struggled, “Some got away… we pursue?”

  Maunsi’docar huffed and let off a fiery laugh, “No. We want survivors for our distractions to succeed.”

  The two lessers simply nodded but David considered the implications. Ambass or maybe the Queen herself was smart. They were using us to divert the enemies attention or perhaps pull some of their undead away from their leader? David’s suspicions would be confirmed in time.

  They inspected and cleared the rest of the encampment and David was horrified at their discovery. In one of the crude tents they found a very dead lesser dragon pinned to the ground, and a few of its limbs were in the process of being crudely reattached. The strong smell of acrid, medicinal-like substances struck David's strong nose and reminded him of his past life. David simply shook his head in sympathy as he finally recognized who the dead dragon once was. The faded, bloody yellow hide and the broken, large singular horn on the corpse's head said it all.

  “Scorch. The fool…” David murmured.

  The massive red eventually appeared, towering above them as he stared down at the corpse. Fire escaped his mouth as he growled in annoyance, “This one was always eager, strong but clearly a failure.”

  “Maunsi’docar what were they doing?” David asked, letting his curiosity get the better of him.

  Maunsi’docar snarled down at David but surprisingly just gave him a full response, “Nurdiangarh’s influence at work. The great enemy uses affinities unknown to us to preserve those he slays. This.. Scorch would have become another living corpse in time.”

  David simply nodded his large head. Enslavement, reanimation or death seemed to be the only options this world offered. Ambass’s words echoed in David’s mind once more about the Queen’s gifts. David couldn’t continue doing this and he knew now that the hardest path forward was going to be the best option when the time came.

  The next solid week of activity was hectic as they hit another three sites. Most of these encampments were more dead than living, and the further out they went the less grey folk there was and the more kobolds seemed to replace them. David quickly realized that they had been traveling perpendicular to where Nurdiangarh’s location was suspected since their initial assault on the bone fortress. After clearing the last location and making sure a pair of kobolds escaped they hunkered down in a nearby mountain out of the way. Communication between them and the wyverns had increased but now only the smallest wyvern Rydross snuck in to communicate with Maunsi’docar in hushed tones.

  They slept well and ate what they could catch without drawing attention and watched as hordes of corpses, caravans of grey folks, and even masses of hurried kobolds pass by them day after day. David spoke with Usag and Rako when he could but was always left feeling like he was speaking with rabid beasts rather than intelligent hunters. When Serth arrived in his usual stunning fashion David knew it was finally time.

  “They have diverted the other pack masters to intercept you. The time is now..” Hissed the large wyvern.

  “Let us end this war and watch that filth burn.” Snarled Maunsi’docar as they were all roused. Their new direction was pointed straight towards Nurdiangarh and towards their deaths or the death of their enemy.