Chapter 24: Air Rescue

As Jackalope pondered the question of just what they should do, Rachuck stuck his head up the trap door.

“What’s going on?”

“Trader in distress!” Jackalope had answered, Tom really had no fucking clue what one should do in this situation. He had his flashlight with him so he turned to the two others

“Lights yes, no?”

“Yes!” Rachuck had answered quickly. Tom turned on the flashlight pointing it at where he had seen the shadow. It didn’t do anything except light up the pouring rain, but surely they could see it even in this weather.

“Goods, that shines bright” Rachuck had gone after looking a bit curiously at the light source “I’ll go get the others ready” and with that, he went back down the trap door.

“Why out in storm?” Tom had asked Jackalope,

“I Don’t know, surprised by it maybe?” She said with a shrug, even if Tom was fairly sure that was a false calm in her voice. The roar came again, it sounded completely alien he thought, closer now too. He looked to Jackalope who seemed to peer out into the dark intently as if trying to see.

“What mean?” Tom had tried

“He in pain” She had just gone, he guessed that was not the actual meaning, more like it was roaring in pain. That wasn’t good, his heart sinking a little more. What if the thing he had seen was fighting the trader? Or what if there was something even larger out there fighting what he had seen?

the two of them stood there peering out into the dark until Kokashi stuck his head up.

“What is going on?!” The guard was clearly startled having heard the roars

“The trader is hurt, we’ll go meet the others in the greeting hall and go help this guy. Tom give him your light!” Jackalope was clearly taking command of this situation, apparently not content to stay here. Tom wasn’t sure if that was good or not but he wasn’t gonna start arguing. He handed over his flashlight and showed Kokashi how it worked. Then Jackalope grabbed him and hauled him over the side. Without warning him they would be taking the quick way down.

That was quite the experience. As she clutched him in her arms and rolled backwards over the edge like a diver. Falling for a bit before folding out her wings, he let out a surprised scream, she didn’t seem to care though. The wind did its best to try and take her and they did get dangerously close to the wall, but she did at least seem to know what she was doing. they came around to land on the big platform, the door had been opened. Most of the others were scattered around getting their equipment ready.

“We need to go now, they are fighting something!” She shouted out coming into land.

“We heard, we are leaving. Get in line” Dakota shouted back

“Should we bring Tom?” Jackalope questioned

“Can you carry him in this weather?”

“You know a little weight helps in storms” Tom wasn’t quite sure he wanted to volunteer for this, but it didn’t look like he was getting much choice in the matter.

“He isn’t little but sure. You can drop him on the trader he can fight from there. Don't try and fight with him on your back. Now let’s get moving already!” She went around inspecting that everyone was fit for a fight and instructing them where to go.

With that, the Huntresses set off into the night along with Rachuck, Balethon, Anchor, and Herron. Unkai and Kokashi being left behind to hold the keep. Tom quickly got rid of the extra weights and got a piggyback on Jackalope. She ran off the edge folding out her wings to pull out of the resulting dive. That was one hell of a feeling just jumping out into the black unknown on someone else's back.

He had gotten his old NVG’s turned on now, they would restrict his vision but he couldn’t see shit without them in these conditions. He wondered if the dragonettes could or if they were just planning on following the sound?

As they flew on into the grey night, being pounded by the cold rain and being thrown around by the gusting winds, he wondered just how long Jackalope could keep this up in such weather. They were flying hard, not the leisurely cruising from last he had been up here and she was clearly groaning with effort already trying to keep up with the others.

The roaring continued growing ever more desperate sounding and more frequent, but also closer. The odd lighting strike lighting up the sky. It damned near burned Tom's eyes out when that happened. Then his goggles started to make out shapes ahead, there was one massive one, and many smaller ones darting around it. He shouted at Jackalope.

“Target slight right and up”, she seemed to acknowledge turning slightly. “Target dead ahead” He confirmed

“Tom can see them!” She shouted out to the others. “Form up around me!”

There wasn’t any protesting as the orders were passed on, every one forming up in a wedge formation with Jackalope in the center.

“How many?” Jackalope tried asking. It was almost impossible to make out, the range was maybe a kilometer and closing fast, it almost looked like a dogfight around the big creature, with flyers weaving around each other.

“Don’t know. Many, maybe 10 to 20”

“Shit!” was all he got in return Before she repeated it to the others.

As the range closed, the wind howling in Tom’s ears, it became clear the smaller flyers were also fighting each other, maybe an escort or something for the big one. Speaking of the big one it was the size of a flying school bus, and the wingspan looked to be around 30 meters! it was fucking huge Tom thought.

“Small ones fighting. Who friendly?!” Tom shouted at Jackalope. Before he got his answer Esmeralda roared out, her voice far louder than he thought possible? It almost seemed to echo through the storm.

“Fight or flee, it matters not, you lose tonight!” This seemed to get a response from the smaller flyers, some breaking off and turning to intercept the new enemy. Giving out weird screeching screams as they came, they sounded like banshees or something. Tom could swear he also heard cheering so that was something at least. Those screams were damned creepy sounding though.

As the formations collided Tom could see they were dragonettes too. Armed and armored at that. Jackalope dived out of the way of one coming straight for them. Grunting out in effort as she worked to regain the lost altitude.

“Hang on buddy, I’ll drop you off.” Tom didn’t like the sound of that but it was clear that she would stand little chance in a dogfight with his fat ass onboard. She pulled out of her dive going straight for the giant creature. Tom heard screeching coming from behind them, he strained his neck trying to get a look.

“One following” he shouted out, Jackalope swinging her head around to look. That long neck sure was useful for this kind of thing, Tom thought.

“Shit, shit, shit!” It came from Jackalope, Tom didn’t like the sound of that either. What to do? she couldn’t outrun or outmaneuver it. So it would need to be removed.

“I try hit!” he finally went, having considered as Jackalope began trying her best to shake the pursuer, trying to crawl around on someone's back, going motorway speeds on a roller coaster track at night, in a storm was probably the stupidest and most exciting thing Tom had ever tried. He wasn’t sure if he was just scared to the point he couldn't register it, but for the most part, he found it thrilling.

“What are you doing, stay still!” Jackalope demanded, clearly struggling with the shifting weight.

“Sorry, need to turn around.” It was a damn awkward process but he managed it without falling to his death, so all good in his book.

Still laying down on Jackalope's back, he pulled his revolver and began firing at the bastard chasing. The hard maneuvering made it damn near impossible and his target wasn’t exactly cooperating either. After four misses with the target getting closer and closer. Getting to within a few meters, the fifth shot finally hit. There was an ear-piercing screech, and the pursuer fell back into the darkness from whence it came.

“Got it!” Tom shouted triumphantly.

“Thank the gods, now get back round now!” Jackalope demanded, Tom could feel she was losing altitude, with too much weight too far back. He quickly made it back into place, now that she wasn't pulling quite as insane maneuvers.

She was breathing heavily, the chase had clearly taken its toll on her and his little stunt hadn’t helped.

“I need you off” She was beating hard trying to climb back up to the battle now above them. She came up below the massive creature. It was definitely reptilian in nature, but Tom didn’t have the time for detailed analysis, there was something that looked like heavy netting running along the belly of the beast. Jackalope came around to match speed. He holstered his gun and grabbed hold.

“Good luck soldier” She shouted up at him as he started pulling himself up.

“Good hunting!” he went, as she dropped away beneath him, he was damn glad he had started doing pull-ups right now. He started climbing across the creature's belly hanging from his arms.

As he dangled there he heard the massive creature roared out, “One’s on my belly get it off.” The entire thing seemed to vibrate and his hands felt like he was riding a dirt bike going flat out.

“NO NO! friend friend!” Tom desperately tried shouting out in his most convincing draconic. While attempting to clamber up the side of the beast. As Tom looked up he saw a face looking back, clearly, a dragonette. Even if the goggles it wore and generally terrible weather made it a bit difficult to distinguish. It was wearing a thick coat too rather than armor.

“What the hell are you supposed to be” The Dragonette seemed either repulsed or scared. Tom wasn’t quite sure. Granted Tom did look like the bogey man at the moment.

“Tom, here to help” He tried shouting out.

“My gods, you are ugly” The dragonette responded.

“Hey, not nice.” Tom clambered up the side of the beast, and the dragonette held out a hand to help him up.

“Sorry, Vulzan glad to have you, welcome aboard.”

“Aye, aye captain.”

“I’m no captain?”

“Oh, never mind. Who kill?”

“Anyone dark you dingus. Wait, are you dark?” the dragonette stepped back putting a hand on a short sword at his side.

“Oh right. No, not underneath, just like hiding” Tom lifted up his goggles pointing to his exposed face, he couldn't see color with those on after all. The dragonette before him was white like the ones he knew.

Vulzan seemed to relax taking the hand of his sword. “Right then, keep my back clear will you?”

“Sure thing” As Tom sat down into a crouch on the giant beast's back, he looked around. Finally having a moment to think. Giant reptile, flying along... He was on a fucking dragon! “Fuck yeah!” he exclaimed.

“What is wrong with you! This isn’t funny” came the reply from Vulzan. Right, whoops... “Arc! I think our passenger is crazy and he looks very weird!” There was definite worry in his voice.

“Worry about it later, we need all the help we can get!” came the response bellowing out from the dragon. It sounded like he was standing on the most powerful base he had ever heard, the whole creature vibrated. Damn, that was some voice.

Tom began scanning around for targets, drawing his other revolver, The rifle wouldn't be best served here he thought, he could barely make out the dragons wingtips in the darkness.

After a moment Fengi came flying up over the dragon's back from behind with a strange dark looking dragonette in tow.

“Heads up” She went, passing him in a blur.

It looked as if one of the dragonettes had taken a bath in some ashes or something. Tom raised his revolver and snap fired at the thing, and it screeched in pain as the round took it in the gut. Not a killing blow, Tom thought but it was out of the fight for sure.

“What the hell was that” Vulza shouted at Tom.

“My boomstick” he just replied grinning. He was so glad he had practiced that line in draconic.

“Well Arc, at least he is as dangerous as he is ugly” Vulza shouted at the dragon. Who just responded with a groan. As Tom looked around he could see why. There were deep gashes and arrows sticking out of the poor creature all over. They had clearly been at this for some time.

That is when another dark one had swooped down from above and fired an arrow at Tom’s back, He felt the clink of it hitting the backplate in his vest and shattering. Thank god that thing was finally useful. As he turned to shoot the bastard that had the audacity to shoot him, it was already gone.

He glanced around for a moment before turning back, only to be faced with another one diving in. Spear braced and ready for impact. He just managed to dodge enough for the spear to graze past his ribs, drawing blood, he winced in pain. The impact of the dragonette slamming into him forced him over backward, landing on his back. The dark one then opened its mouth trying to snap at his throat, Tom managed to work a knee up under the bastard holding it at bay with his left elbow against its throat.

Both its clawed hands sank down into his shoulders trying to pull itself down to land a bite. It was like a wild animal almost as it just kept snapping with its mouth. It hurt like hell but he still had a hand free, and it just so happened to have a revolver in it. He put the gun against the creature's chest pulling the trigger twice, pulping the dragonette's insides. As it slumped over him dead as a rock, Vulzan came rushing over helping Tom get the thing off him.

“You okay there!” The dragonet seemed concerned, if quite scared.

"Fine, fine” Tom wasn’t really fine, that near-miss hurt a lot, and those claws had done a number on both his shoulders. Then the dragons spoke up again in its deep rumbling voice.

“Hang on” Tom didn’t ask any questions and hunkered down, grabbing some of the leather harnessings.

The massive dragon dove down, dropping a few meters. Tom hung on for dear life, while Vulzan seemed unfazed still standing just holding on to a strap. Then he heard a scream followed by a crunching sound and silence.

The dragon rumbled seeming quite pleased with itself “Scratch another one.”

That sounded like a fairly horrible way to go. Tom thought to himself guessing the dragon had managed to make use of one of those massive clawed legs.

“Scratch one more” Vulzan echoed, sounding a little too cheerful, to Tom’s ears.

Then there was another screech of pain as they both looked up, another of the dark ones came plummeting past, its wing broken. Tom heard Dakota laughing somewhere above. Followed by Esmeralda’s loud roaring voice “You better run now, we’ve got you outnumbered.”

Tom wondered if that was a ruse, or perhaps they really did. They had killed a minimum of five so far. There were some really creepy screaming sounds coming from around him, as he put his goggles back on, peering through the pouring rain. He spotted some flyers turning to disengage. He sighed a sigh of relief and turned to face Vulzan again, holstering his revolver. He had so many questions about what was going on, was he really on a dragon, could it spew fire. Oh, so many things to ask.

As he turned at the dragonette opening his mouth to start speaking. The guy had a horrified expression on his face? Tom began to tilt his head as he noticed the dragonette razing his hand to point behind him?

Then he felt a pair of talons dig into his shoulders again. Ohhhh, not again...