Britt shouted at the members in her crew to open the wall and let some through. Anders and Max raised their swords. Five orcs came tumbling through the wall, which quickly closed behind them. Looking startled as they fell into the midst of their enemies, the orcs hesitated for a second. Both Anders and Max saw this and struck out at them. They quickly stabbed two of the orcs. Britt took care of another. The two remaining fought back. Anders blocked the wild swings of the orc. Ivan came down on him hard with his blade. Max and Britt together slew the fifth.

This strategy carried on for what seemed like nearly an hour. They pushed forward stepping over the dead bodies from both sides. Anders thought the battle was going well for them when he heard a thunderous voice calling the enemy to back away from the shield wall.

The warriors held their ground as the enemy stepped back almost in unison from the shield wall, leaving several yards of open space between them. Anders noticed Thargon, who rode his giant hound, the fairnheir. He waited for Ivan, Red or Jorgen to command them to charge, but none came. Instead they held their position.

Thargon ordered the orcs and kurr to surround them. It wasn’t until the enemy’s front lines backed off and began to circle them, that Anders saw the full scale of their opposition’s army. A sea of orc and kurr heads extended back into the darkness, their torches glowing as far as he could see. Anders felt sick at the overwhelming odds. There was no way they would be able to defeat such a force. Even if they had been able to keep up their shield wall strategy, pulling them in a handful at a time, there were just too many.

Red’s father barked orders for the archers to fire at will. They did as they were commanded and were able to knock down some of the enemy that surrounded them, but more just replaced them. Anders watched as the arrows shot toward Thargon. Any arrow that came close shattered to pieces and deflected away from him.

He has powerful magic, Anders thought. If only the elves were here; they could improve the odds greatly. He looked out to the darkened mountains behind them, but couldn’t see any elves.

Ivan turned to Red and shouted, “If we are to have any chance, we must break the wall and charge them head on. Cut the head off the snake and they will break. If we remain like sitting ducks any longer, they will squeeze us in on top of one another until we trample each other to death.”

Red looked around and saw his father give him a nod of approval; then he shouted so all could hear, “Shields down!” Those who made up the wall separated back into marching formation. “Draw your swords!” They drew their swords in unison. “CHARGE!” Red shouted, sounding half crazed.

Anders looked at Max and said, “Good luck,” then screamed and rushed forward.

He didn’t care for his own safety; he just knew that if he fought as hard as he could, perhaps they would make it out of this alive. He rushed alongside Ivan, Red, Max and Britt. They crashed into the awaiting arms of their enemy. Anders blocked blows and struck out at every orc and kurr to appear before him. He focused only on his blade and where it was going. Ivan stayed close to him and together they fought into the thick army ahead of them. Using the limited magic he could muster, Ivan was able to kill more of the orc and kurr than the other warriors. For now, it was working. Red, Max and Britt got pushed together and retaliated as best they could. Over the heads of orcs and kurr, Anders could see Thargon commanding his forces.

Anders slew an orc, yelling at the top of his lungs as he did so. He became so enraged when he saw Thargon that he began to push farther into the mass of orcs and kurr ahead of everyone else.

Ivan saw Anders making a push for Thargon and shouted to anyone who could hear him, “With me!”

Red and Jorgen were quick on Ivan’s heels and rushed toward Thargon. They sliced their way through the group of orcs and kurr that separated them and caught up to Anders. Being held up by a particularly difficult group of kurr, Ivan called to Thargon who was now no more than twenty yards away.

“Thargon!” he bellowed, making his voice heard over the clash of battle. This got Thargon’s attention and he turned to look at Ivan and the others who dispatched the remaining kurr they were fighting.

“Ivan,” Thargon replied, spitting on the ground at the sight of him. “I should have known you would be here.” He led his hound toward them and bound through his forces, not caring if they got out from under his fairnheir. The giant hound he rode toppled over orcs and kurr as he charged at Ivan.

Ivan muttered something under his breath as Thargon drew near. As the phrase left his lips, Ivan quickly pulled a dagger from his belt and threw it at Thargon. The blade flew straight as an arrow, glancing off Thargon’s invisible barrier, and striking his hound squarely in the head, and digging the blade hilt-deep into the fairnheir’s skull.

Thargon leapt off the beast as it crashed to the ground and landed at a dead sprint, seemingly unfazed by the death of his hound. He barreled into Ivan, tackling him to the ground. Having no time to react, Ivan was sent flying across the ground wrapped tightly in Thargon’s grasp. Anders ran to them and brought his sword down as hard as he could on Thargon’s body. Just before digging into Thargon’s back, the blade glanced off to the side striking the ground with great force. Anders was frustrated; how could he deliver a deathly blow if every time he tried to attack, Thargon’s magic succeeded in protecting him?

Thargon felt the attack and while keeping an arm firmly gripped on Ivan, dealt Anders a hard backhand blow that crashed into his ribs and sent him falling backward. Thargon rose to his feet, towering above Ivan, who lay unconscious. He turned to Anders and sniffed the air.

“You!” Thargon said in a dark and powerful voice. “It’s you. I can smell it.” He rushed at Anders, his axe held high above his head.

Just as he brought it down, Jorgen rammed into the giant kurr, knocking him to the ground. Anders clambered to his feet to see Thargon take Jorgen by the head and snap his neck violently. Red’s father, the respected leader of the Rollo people, fell lifeless to the ground. Anders heard Red’s cries from behind him. He’d gotten separated from them and was fighting a large group of orcs on his own.

Anders gripped his sword tightly as he faced the beastly Thargon head on. “You killed my uncle,” Anders said through his gritted teeth.

“I greatly enjoyed killing that puny, pathetic, shrimp of a human,” Thargon said coldly. An orc charged from behind Anders, attempting to kill him while his back was turned. Thargon stuck out his arm and swept it to the side, sending the orc flying in the other direction. Then he shouted to all those around them and pointed at Anders, “No one kills this one. He is mine.” Thargon bent down and picked up the axe he’d dropped when Jorgen tackled him.

Anders took the opportunity to charge the large kurr. Thargon blocked Anders’ sword and kicked him hard in the chest sending him flying backward again.

“My master wants me to keep you alive and bring you to him,” he said as he approached Anders. “I don’t see why he thinks you’re so special. You are pathetic and weak, just like your uncle. After I kill you I’ll tell my master you were slain by an orc and you were not the warrior he claims you to be.” With that Thargon raised his axe and swung it at Anders. Anders met the falling axe with his blade, knocking it to the side. The deflection saved him from being hacked in two, but the blow was delivered with so much force it shattered Anders’ sword in half.

Thargon raised his axe again. Anders reached for his dagger and threw it quickly and accurately at Thargon as he rolled away from the kurr’s attack. Just as he expected, however, the dagger was blocked by Thargon’s barrier and Anders was left with just his knife. Drawing it from the holster at the small of his back, Anders stood alone clutching the knife tightly in his hand. Thargon laughed and attacked Anders. He was able to dodge a few of Thargon’s swings, but the kurr swept his leg under Anders’ knocking him flat on his back. Anders watched helplessly as the axe came barreling down on him. He thought surely this was the end.

Suddenly, the axe stopped just before it split Anders’ chest in two. He looked at it frozen in mid-air, and then looked at the expression on Thargon’s face. Confused, he tried harder to force the axe down on Anders.

A deafening roar caught everyone’s attention. Anders saw a large pair of wings sail right over the top of him as a dragon landed on the ground next to them. Zahara.

Anders watched her thrash her body, clearing out all the orcs and kurr surrounding them. She whipped her deadly tail and gnashed her teeth, killing many orcs and kurr with ease. Thargon’s axe remained frozen near Anders’ face. He could see Thargon was struggling to move the axe or let go of it, but some invisible force kept him locked in the same place. Anders rolled out from under the axe and rushed to Zahara’s side. As he ran to her shouting her name in surprise and joy, she engulfed him with her expansive wings. Anders wrapped his arms around her neck feeling her warm embrace. Within the heavy cloak of Zahara’s wings, Anders found himself separated from the chaos around them. He was encapsulated within the safety of her grasp. As Zahara again lowered her wings, Anders could see the horde of the enemy army attempting to attack them and he became fearful once again. To his surprise, however, they were unable to strike. He and Zahara seemed to be held in a protective bubble where no harm could befall them.

Anders let go of Zahara’s neck and tried to pull away but something drew him back, forcing him to remain near the dragon. Without thinking he instinctively leaned his head toward hers. Placing his forehead against the large flat surface of Zahara’s brow he felt a calming sensation wash over him. Somehow, he knew they belonged with one another.

Anders closed his eyes and felt a surge of energy pass between them. An electric flow of energy more powerful than any of the other times he’d been with Zahara; it was unlike anything he’d ever felt in his life. For a moment the surge of energy scared him, but once it took hold of him, he put forth no resistance giving himself fully to the force consuming his body and mind. The exchange of energy flooded into him like a tidal wave and he felt Zahara’s spirit binding with his. Syncing their bond, their consciousness melded together as the raw energy of the magical force that bound all living things together coursed through their bodies. In that moment, Anders’ bond with Zahara heightened every sense to a new threshold. Their separate heartbeats syncing as one, every breath warm with the dragon’s fire; Anders knew his life was forever changed. Zahara’s gift was his to cherish for a lifetime.

With a blinding white flash, their foreheads pulled apart from each other and a shock wave rippled out from between them knocking over everyone around them.

“Did you just,” Anders asked her as he peered into her eyes. She nodded in response and he knew what had happened. Zahara had chosen him to be her bond, her other half, and by doing so gifted him with magic.

The shock wave broke the curse that had caused Thargon to be held motionless and Anders saw him charge at them out of the corner of his eye. Anders turned and called upon his new powers. A trembling energy within him began to boil upward, flowing through his body. He held out his arm, releasing the building energy inside him at the charging kurr. He watched as a jet of energy exploded out from his arm and sent Thargon spinning across the battlefield in the opposite direction.

Anders stepped forward and picked up the axe Thargon had wielded in attempt to kill him and ran, bounding after the kurr. Just as Thargon was rising to his feet, Anders pushed off his left foot, leaping through the air while raising the axe high above his head. As he descended, Anders brought the axe down hard on Thargon’s body. This time the axe passed right through Thargon’s invisible barrier, separating his head from the rest of his body. He watched as the lifeless kurr dropped to the ground in a limp pile.

Realizing that he’d managed to cut through Thargon’s magical barrier, Anders could not believe it; Thargon was finally dead. He turned to see Zahara chasing a large group of orcs and kurr. The orc and kurr army fell into disarray after watching their leader fall in battle. Anders heard the rallying cries of the men and women near him as they began to fight harder, driving the enemy forces back. Anders returned to the spot where Ivan had fallen and was surprised to see him standing. Knowing that Ivan was back on his feet again, Anders rushed back to Zahara who was now waiting for him.

“How did you do that?” he exclaimed.

She smiled, It just happened. I knew the moment you left that we were intended to be bonded. Anders couldn’t believe what had just happened. Climb on, she said, lowering her shoulder so he could scramble on top of her.

“Are you sure?” he asked. He never thought he’d have the opportunity to ride on the back of a dragon. He wasn’t sure if there was a formality to it or some kind of sacred dragon ceremony he must complete before he could climb atop her scaled back.

Anders, trust me. You and I are one now, and hurry up before an orc tries to shoot you with one of their arrows.

Slightly surprised by her informal approach in dealing with the situation, Anders did as she told him.

Anders placed his left hand on Zahara’s wing where it attached to her body and used his right hand to grip a hard scale on the leeward side of her back. He hoisted himself up onto her spine and positioned himself between her shoulder blades. He hooked his legs snuggly into the pits of her wings.

The moment he was situated, Zahara said, Hold on tightly.

Before Anders knew what had happened, she’d bent her knees and pushed up off the ground, flapping her powerful wings and climbing into the sky.

The force of taking off so suddenly pulled his upper body down hard and Anders would have fallen off, toppling forward had Zahara’s thick neck not stopped him. With his face pressed firmly against her tough scales, Anders could just see around her neck the masses of orcs and kurr below. Anders placed his hands on Zahara’s neck and pushed himself up, to a seated position. He’d ridden many horses and several ox, but nothing could have prepared him for this. Anders became aware that he could feel her wings beating against the early morning air as if he were working them. He looked to his shoulders to make sure his arms hadn’t turned into wings like hers. A sigh of relief came to him as he saw the familiar bulk leading down to his hands. Yet he couldn’t understand how he felt her body as if it were his. He could feel her tail swaying to balance herself in the air. Experiencing their bonded connection for the first time, it surpassed anything he’d ever thought possible.

Zahara, I can feel your body as if I were the one flying, Anders said as they flew over the battle.

It’s our bond. You can now feel what I’m experiencing and thinking.

Whoa, that’s amazing! Anders exclaimed.

We’re connected in a way no other animals can experience; we are bonded.

Anders clung to Zahara as they soared through the air. The morning sun was just beginning to emerge in the east as they leveled out high over the valley. Anders could see the entirety of the battlefield now. Dismembered and mangled bodies lay thickly scattered along the grass, leaving a trail of blood and horror from the battle’s starting point. The orc and kurr army had outnumbered their band of Rollo Island warriors and stragglers by three to one. Anders gawked at the size of the enemy’s forces. He watched as the Rollo warriors advanced further into the enemy’s ranks.

Zahara, the orcs are retreating! Anders exclaimed through their connected minds. And look, Anders pointed. The Elves have arrived! Nadir found them!