Fighting the drake this way will take a lot longer, but it is much safer for us. Although I do feel sorry for Windy, she is struggling just to stay on Lizzy's back. Not that her magic is going to do anything to the drake, she only just started her training.

Eventually, if she keeps at it, her magic will enable her to handle something like this. For now, all she can do is hang on and try not to get in anyone's way. Yet, from what I can see of her, she isn't scared, in fact she looks excited.

The drake tries to go after Lizzy again, but I can tell it is a trick, as soon as I move the drake switches targets. My movement was fake as well, so I am still out of the drake's attack range. When its teeth snap closed just shy of my feet I give it a little cut on the nose.

It doesn't do much damage, but it really pisses off the drake, which was the point. It drops down and gets ready to jump, as soon as it does I fly higher and Lizzy moves in. While it is jumping it can't dodge or defend itself, giving Lizzy the perfect opportunity to attack.

Lizzy manages to inflict a major wound in the drake's side during its jump. Just as the drake lands she stomps her foot and an earth spike shoots up and hits it in the belly. Again, it doesn't get through the drake's scales but the look on the drake's face is priceless.

While the drake is still stunned by the blow, I fold my wings and drop straight down on its back. As I land I stab Blitz down directly between the wing joints and then immediately launch myself back up. By the time the drake reacts to my attack I am already back out of its reach.

It is obvious that the drake is infuriated by our constant hit and run attacks. Despite its many attempts, it is unable to catch up to either me or Lizzy. With the blood loss from its many wounds the drake is getting noticeably slower.

Drake says "Enough! I submit!"

"Too late! You threatened my child!"

Lizzy doesn't even bother with the conversation, she just uses the distraction to launch another attack. The drake is getting desperate, but it is way too slow to catch Lizzy and I am too high up. The drake suddenly turns and roars a command at the birds, but they refuse to move.

They haven't moved since the fight began and if anything they look excited to see the drake losing. That's a good thing because if they joined in and attacked me, the drake would get a chance to heal. That would end our chances of winning this fight and at best we would have to run.

When the birds refuse to move the drake goes berserk and charges at Lizzy. Seeing a chance I swoop down and take a slash at the drake, but it ignores me. Despite Lizzy easily dodging its charge, the drake keeps going after her again and again.

It completely ignores me, no matter what damage I manage to do to it, as if it doesn't feel a thing. Taking a chance that it has to concentrate to summon lightning I fly up higher. Once I have a bit of altitude I fold my wings and dive at the drake, aiming for between its shoulders.

Lizzy sees me coming and at the perfect time she raises an earth spike under the drake's chest. The spike hits it from below at the same time I hit it from above resulting in a nice loud crack. The drake lets out a yelp of pain and when it moves back it is obviously limping.

The drake roars at the birds again, but again they ignore it, they are no longer cowering. They are now standing and bobbing in place as they watch eagerly, wanting to watch the drake die. At this point the drake stops playing it safe and prepares to use its breath weapon on Lizzy.

At the same time it summons lightning from the clouds forcing me to make a choice. In the end, I decide to trust Lizzy and stay above to intercept the lightning. Right as the lightning hits me I see the drake's breath weapon wash over where Lizzy is.

Core Upgrade Progress: 30%

When the afterimage from the lightning fades I can see a stone dome where Lizzy was standing. The dome sinks back into the earth revealing an unharmed Lizzy and Windy. After that the drake seems to loose all caution, it just launches attacks recklessly.

This leaves its defenses full of holes and allows Lizzy and I to inflict numerous wounds. The drake just keeps getting slower and slower as it bleeds out from all the wounds. However, it isn't dead yet and its attacks are still deadly so we have to be careful.

A mistake now could cost me my life, Lizzy I think could take a hit from this thing. She is tough enough that even a bite in a non-vital area wouldn't put her down. After seeing her fight today I am convinced that if we were to fight she would most likely win.

The only advantage I have left is that I can fly and that wouldn't amount to much. Luckily, I don't have to fight her, just the drake which is an easier fight. Especially now that it is almost dead, just a little more time and it should bleed out.

All we really need to do now is keep it from calling lightning to heal itself. As long as it keeps moving around it will soon die from blood loss even if we don't do anything else. Lizzy seems to realize it too, she is staying just out of reach and taunting the drake.

The drake can't seem to tell and just keeps trying to attack her, bleeding more each time it moves. The birds are now dancing around as they watch the drake getting weaker and weaker. They definitely want the drake dead, probably even more than we do.

At this point, barring a miracle, they are going to get their wish, the drake is on its last leg. It bothers me to see it suffering, even though it is an enemy. However, killing it with Blitz isn't going to be easy, it is hard to keep Blitz' lightning suppressed.

So I put Blitz away and instead pull out the naginata from my pouch, it has better reach. Then I fly down next to the drake's head, it doesn't even realize I am there. It has lost so much blood that it is barely even conscious, it is just acting on instinct.

The naginata slides through the drake's eye easily and then I push it even further. The naginata pierces the drake's brain and there is a flash of light as the naginata's handle grows warm. The naginata is torn from my hands as the drake collapses, dead before it hits the ground.

As Lizzy and I are catching our breath the birds come over and dance around the corpse. After a minute of dancing they take to the air and fly off, all but the biggest one. That is the one that showed up first and tried to eat the kids, but I'll forget that for now.

Bird says "Thank you for freeing us!"