Look, they have intimidating faces, sure. Its not like it gets to you, though. Its as if well, its easy to pick out who to hit, lets just say that.

DUUUUUCK! Charlotte screamed.

I didnt question it, I hit the floor. Her arrow struck right next to my ear and I heard it stop. If I could look back Id know for sure, but every ounce of my being knew that she had just hit an enemy that had gotten the jump on me. I didnt have time for pleasantries though. I began sprinting forward. We had just fought ourselves into a corner, I had to bust a way out of the black and white wall that threatened to push us off the side of the mountain. I didnt have to say a word and Thraga glided out in front of me. As he struck at one of the painted enemies, our opponent rolled to the right, it was the perfect chance to strike!

I felt Thragas presence though, it wasnt going to be that easy. Two other Ying Yangs collapsed onto us. One sprinted behind me and one to the side. Thraga coiled up around me and his scales deflected their katanas. I could have sworn I heard a whimper come from him, but he adjusted himself and began to breathe fire. In an attempt to break the wall, he roared out forward to spit fire and break their formation as a perimeter. Thragas body pronated and slithered to give me an opening. He spiraled around my back to block off the two other Yin Yangs.

These clowns were bad news. Their faces were painted with one side black and the other with a tailed orb of white. A dot of the opposite shade was put on opposing planes of the face. Besides that, they had either black or white robes on, exposing only painted hands and sandaled feet. While they were proficient in mana, these people were most scary because of their agility. They were quick, they were sneaky and they had a knack for sneaking up on their prey with a katana in hand. One moment of being caught unaware could result in a diagonal slash across the back.

Dodging out of the way of the dragonfire, the Yin Yang was coming down from a jump, creating a great opportunity to strike. I saw his eyes light up in realization as I came charging forward, collecting earthen mana into my fist which was flared up and ready to punch. I clocked him clean across the chin and he fell over as he hadnt caught his balance yet. Thragas roar overpowered the chaos - the steel clashing and the other dragon roars that crowded the air of the Philghan Summit. I saw my predator become prey as he hit the ground. I ran over to him and I struck him across the face a few more times as he coiled up. I picked him up by the collar and saw his face turn to terror. I kneed him in the chin and tossed him to the side. I stomped on his face and called out to Charlotte.

Tie him up! This fight is ours!

Thragas prey wasnt so lucky - or maybe he was. Three gashes went across his torso. Thraga got a direct slash onto one of the white robed ones. I spat on the lacerated man as blood began to soak his chest. I looked back to see that the third one who was in Charlottes guillotine choke. I took a knife out from my side and walked over to her. She looked up at the last second as I plunged it into the back of the man she was holding. The corpse collapsed onto the ground.

The black robed ones are trained better. Tie him up.

Charlotte stared at me for a second. She said nothing but put out her fist. I fist bumped her and I walked back toward the center of the summit. The roar of battle was deafening. My ears began to ring as I tried to make out what was happening. There were maimed dragons on the ground, wings cut off of green dragons and heads sliced off of red ones too. Many of the dead dragons were caught in iron nets and left to bleed out of puncture wounds. I looked over to the left where the sleeping quarters had been before they caught fire. A dragon tamer dressed in blue threw a Yin Yang off the side of the mountain and screamed out in agony. On the other end, two, winged green dragons surrounded a Yin Yang. He tried to run past the tail of one of them but got thwacked by it. He was sent flying back into the center of the duo where the two of them began biting away at their victim. If nothing else, this meant that the fight was being decided. Our forces were managing to repel the invaders. I looked back toward the center of the summit.

This place had once been so friendly and peaceful, but it had been turned into a fiery platform of carnage. The center space which had a fountain in the middle had the metal dragon statue torn down and many Yin Yangs still occupied a ring around it. I heard the mighty grunt of Dirk as he swung his sword out. It had a majestic fire which turned the blade white hot. He disturbed the synchronistic circle from my right as the handful of insurgents jumped and leaped over to the left. Xavier, having jumped down from somewhere beyond my vision grabbed onto one of them on his way down and, upon impact with the cobblestone floor, sent out two pillars of ice exploding out diagonally away from him at incredible speed. It happened so fast, in fact, that the pillar that came out in my direction pierced one of the other escaping Yin Yangs. I saw blood splatter as his body skid across the floor. He caught himself all the same, but by time he got back up to posture, I had taken him by his legs and tackled him onto the ground. I sat on top of him and took his katana. I plunged it into him. His eyes rolled back into his head. I looked up quickly and noticed that my company and the dragon tamers were all pushing the Yin Yangs back. The fight was all but won. I got up and I looked back up to Xavier who was getting up to his feet as well. His victim had his head encased in ice and the twitching body quickly stopped moving. Xavier took a gulp out of his waterskin and wiped the sweat off his face. After looking around for a bit, he walked over to me, put his hand on my shoulder and spoke into my ear.

These tamers dont fight like the Rowans do!

These guys care about what happens for the future of the summit! I shouted back, trying to overpower the noise of the calamity.

I guess thats why they die so much more easily! Xavier said with a smile.

I took his hand and brought him in for a half hug. I put my hand on his back and we patted each other.

The battle lasted until the last moments of the sunset. On my suggestion and Thillbys orders, many dragon tamers and dragons had scouted every nook and cranny of the summit and either path up and down it. This resulted in an extra black-cloaked captive which meant that four in total were taken as a result of the battle. The two black cloaks we captured were this one who was hiding in rubble and the one who I stomped on and Charlotte tied up. After a painstaking wait, as all the patrols of dragon tamers, dragons and sky circling dragons came back together, Thillby finally declared that the battle was over and that we had won. He was standing at the foot of the unburned main building and the rest of us, our group and the remaining dragon tamers, let out a solemn clap.

The firework festival will go on, undaunted by the fear that those trouble makers tried to bring to our summit! Thillby said, emphasising the bass in this tone.

Again, another round of clapping went on. I looked up and over at Regan who had looked over at me. I smirked but quickly looked up as my friends around me began to shuffle.

In addition to this, my dragon has returned to me more quickly than I had imagined. We already have aid coming to us as I speak! Our wounds will heal and our legacy is far from over. I expect all of the dragon tamers of the Philghan Summit to show kindness and respect to our benefactors when they arrive. So until then, I want you to begin cleaning up.

He went on to discuss the details, but we decided to break off and start discussing the Yin Yang problem. Once the commanding voice of Thillby died off, the rest of the summit was melancholy and silent. There was ash on the floor and smoke in the air. Not just the smell of dragonfire, but burning wood and blood took its toll on my nostrils. It was a brutal fight, and we were hoping to weed out the problem at the bottom of it all. Our discussion was quickly and fiercely interrupted by Thillby who came and barged into our circle. With a fierce look in his eyes, he pointed square at my face and spoke at me.

You told me politics did not follow you to Thills!

I-

I trusted you and look what it costed me!

Its not!-

I do not make decisions lightly. Banishing you from the summit, I-

Regan stepped in between me and Thillby and put her hand over Thillbys pointed hand. His clenched jaw relaxed.

Careful now, Thillby she said ominously.

Why do you think that we... I started, I had trouble stuttering out the words. Thillby, we followed them here, not the other way around.

Thillby glared at me. He moved his jaw from side to side and crossed his arms.

My company came over to Thills to investigate an organization linked to eerie mana practices. I tagged along to gain amiable ties with the dragon summit. Having found an opening to tame a dragon, we found refuge at the Philghan Summit.

So Thillby started.

So, on the trail of one of the Yin Yangs, my friends managed to burn down a tavern and let him escape. Though they could not interrogate him, Regan, luckily enough, managed to learn enough about their fighting style to pass on the knowledge of how to beat them. That, in itself, was probably the reason we just won that battle, Thillby. I explained everything. My head spun hoping that this grizzled old man would understand.

A small collapse of wood could be heard in the distance after the silence. There was an audible pause as our group and Thillby were left speechless.

Therefore, I started up.

Acot- he tried to interrupt.

Therefore, Thillby, I said, raising my voice and a finger, overpowering him, I am keeping Thraga, I want a repeal on my banishment and a handwritten pass, omitting the punishment of my friends from being refused accommodation. And I want a representative of my company to take part in the interrogation of at least one of the black robed captives.

Thillby stared at me, right in my face. A look of confused disgust overtook his face.

Is that all? He finally asked.

I did not look to my friends. Yes, that is all. I concluded.

He reached out his hand. I took it and we shook on it. I suppose that I wasnt wrong in my decision to trust you. I seem to have been mistaken, accusing you so hastily. The heat of combat can do that to you. The Philghan Summit would like to thank you for coming to our defence. In exchange for these amendments you want for your martial prowess, we here at the summit ask that you allow us to formally honor you at the upcoming firework festival.

It would be our pleasure! Dirk piped up quickly. Not one of us could disagree with him.

Thillby! Thiiiiiiillbyyyyy! We heard faint shouting in the distance.

We looked over and a large crowd of people followed behind a dragon tamer. It was dark, so some people had torches with them. The dragon tamer dressed in a tattered red robe ran up to Thillby. She hugged him and reached back to introduce the crowd.

These people! Theyve all come to the aid of the Philghan Summit!

Thillby was a hardened old man. For a split second I saw him put his head down. I had never seen that from him before. I could have been mistaken, but I thought I had seen a tear come out of his eye. He just as quickly composed himself and began to walk with the dragon tamer to greet the people and direct them. I watched his back as the two began to walk away.