Will of Iron

Nahash and Sirajuddin flew over Eastwood under a gray sky. They wore new adornments around their necks: powerful magnets with small iron spheres attached. The two looked at Sarah’s camp and entered her cave, finding both abandoned.

Michael appeared before them as they returned to the sky. He said, "Dragons, you are trespassing."

Nahash looked at Sirajuddin, then back to Michael. He whispered, It is you who are trespassing on the kingdom’s new lands.

"Leave this place."

Make me! said Nahash. An iron sphere freed itself from his necklace and hovered in the air before him. I heard a rumor that your kind don’t like iron.

With that, the sphere shot towards Michael with incredible speed. Michael dodged a few yards upward in the space of a heartbeat. The iron sphere slowed, stopped in midair, and returned to hover in front of Nahash.

I can do this all day, said Nahash.

"I have done this for millions of years," said Michael.

Nahash and Sirajuddin began a coordinated barrage, sending their spheres at Michael from different directions. He dodged or deflected nineteen attacks. Nahash focused his will and sent the iron forth once again. Michael dodged out of its path and right into the path of Sirajuddin’s. He disappeared with a loud buzz and a flash of static.

Did I get him? asked Sirajuddin. Did that really work?

No way of telling, said Nahash. Let’s circle a bit and see if he comes back.

They circled. Minutes passed with no sign of the fairy.

Something huge and fast zoomed at Sirajuddin, who narrowly dodged.

Was that an arrow? asked Nahash. At this height?

Yes, said Sirajuddin, and it was seven feet long. The shaft was as thick as a spear’s.

Nahash looked down at the woods with disbelief. Have giants come to save their fairy friends?

Another arrow flew at Nahash. He deflected it with his mind.

I saw where that came from, said Sirajuddin. He dove. Nahash followed.

The two of them crashed through the tree cover, sending branches and leaves flying, and hit the ground with a boom. They coiled up back-to-back and looked around. Nothing.

An arrow came flying from a direction they weren’t watching and tore a hole in Sirajuddin’s wing. He hissed and clenched his teeth.

There! said Sirajuddin, and sent a ray of heat in the indicated direction. The ray hit a tree, which caught fire. Curse the tree cover, he said.

Nahash focused his mind and sucked the air away from the fire. It went out.

I saw movement, said Sirajuddin.

They heard booming footsteps moving away.

Go! said Nahash, and slithered towards the sound.

They could see something big moving through the trees as they closed the distance. The quarry crossed a clearing and entered the woods on the other side.

Hold, said Nahash. Feels like a trap.

I agree, said Sirajuddin.

Seven small white lights appeared in the clearing and hit them with a barrage of light and sound. Both dragons were blinded and deafened. Nahash felt a sharp pain in his side as some large blade grazed him.

Up! he whispered to Sirajuddin.

The dragons took flight, weaving and spiraling upward until vision and hearing returned. They found themselves alone in the sky.

Well, said Nahash, we now know how to hurt the fairies. Giant arrows notwithstanding, I think we can invite the woodcutters back.

And the soldiers? asked Sirajuddin.

I was going to say no, said Nahash, since they’re useless against the flying lights, but they may be useful against whatever’s been shooting spears at us.

Possibly, said Sirajuddin.

Let’s head back, said Nahash.

Hours later, Gabriel and Quetzal found Sarah huddling beneath a mighty oak miles from her camp. She had no fire, so they bathed her in warmth.

"The dragons know how to harm us," said Quetzal. "They came wielding iron."

"They got Michael," said Gabriel.

Sarah looked at him with a pained expression. "I’m sorry. I hate to see you suffer for our struggle."

"It is ours too," said Gabriel. "We love these woods and wish to preserve them."

Sarah looked off into the distance. "I hope reinforcements arrive soon. I hope the cyclopes choose to help, if only for their self-interest."

She took a deep breath and looked off to the west. "I wonder how Zebulun is doing."