Stand

The night seemed to encase her in it's darkness as she flew from the evil trailing her. The horrible creatures that served the dark were after her. Her eyes seemed to glow red with flame as she became furious. "I will not bow down to those filthy humans!" And with revenge and fury on her mind, she turned, intent on killing those who wanted her. Glancing left and right she spotted her pursuers travelling fast across the fields below, their mounts most likely foaming at the mouth. Elexra took her time to survey the surrounding landscape, spotting a small mountain range about three miles to the east she made her decision that that was where she would make her stand.1

Folding her great wings she let herself freefall for one, maybe two hundred feet before unfurling them again and gliding low toward the mountains. ‘That should get their attention,’ she snarled. Looking around she noted that the mountains themselves would make treacherous crossing for the horses below so she would not have to worry about being flanked by those chasing her. Dropping the final few hundred feet to the ground she landed with an audible thud and turned just in time to see the first line of knights and mages crest the horizon. Thirty humans, but perhaps more, had chased her from her lair just minutes ago, butchering her poor defenceless hatchlings and leaving her to flee for her life. That was the Elexra of old though, now she was ready to take them on, about to bring an end to their lives, or her own.2

A bright orange flame burst against the rock face behind her as one of the mages threw a spell from the back of his horse. They were still some ways away, but Elexra knew all too well how far away a well trained mage could aim a powerful attack from. Dancing onto her left hind leg she sprang into the air and charged directly at the advancing line, dodging two hastily thrown spells before passing just feet from the human party. Two of the knights were thrown by their spooked mounts while a mage barely managed to keep himself from following suit.3

Readying for another pass, Elexra drew a lungful of air, feeling the hot flames growing within she dived as straight as she dared, turning three humans along with their horses to fine charcoal. As she tried to gain height once more, however, a well aimed spell scorched her left wing causing her to tilt dramatically in that direction. Losing height fast she plummeted toward the ground and hit hard, throwing up a massive cloud of dust in the process. This unexpected occurrence saved her from a killing blow as the ploom of dust obscured the vision of those who sought to harm her.4

Getting to her feet she tested her wing and quickly appraised that it would be unable to support her bulky frame: she was grounded and now almost defenceless against the humans that were now beginning to surround her. Charging forward with a speed that looked beyond her bulk frame she managed to catch a further two knights in her jaws, a quick twist of her neck sending their corpses flying some two hundred metres. Unfortunately, her brash actions left her exposed and two spell flames lit the sky as they hit her back and neck. Hurting, she turned to face them once more, letting out another fiery blast that caught two of the mages, causing them to drop to the ground dead.5

Gallantly defending herself, Elexra threw herself forward again, this time catching a spell to the face, leaving her daze and blinded. As she screeched in agony she managed to accidentally knock four nearby knights from their mount with her tail, leaving two of them dead and the other two severely injured. No chance was given for her to realise this lucky accident as the remaining mages targeted he rear, sending their most powerful spells they downed her on the spot. Reeling, Elexra felt the last of her energy draining away with the blood that seeped from the many cuts and burns that now adorned her body. Closing her eyes tight against the blindness and pain, she thought of the hatchlings that these men had taken from her. She was unable to avenge them and as the final, killing blast hit her in the back of the head, she remembered their hatching, just three days earlier.