The messenger bolted out, leaving Caius alone to prepare. Caius cast a glance over to a display which showed off his armor. It had indeed seen better days. Caius took a moment to try to count the times that armor had preserved his life, but quickly decided against it, for it was too many to count. He then departed his personal office, leaving his marble office to traverse the marble hallways to his destination. His little walk through the halls led to a stairway, which then led to a courtyard, green with grass and many other colors with the other flora that was planted there. He stopped to gaze upon the flowers, remembering that many were planted in memory of fallen heroes. It saddened Caius to see so many flowers in this memorial, the color and variety rivaling that of the rare rainbows that sometimes fate bestowed upon their skies. Caius walked along the makeshift memorial, remembering...

Some time ago...

The ever-persistent threat of the untamed wilds had taken yet more warriors in the defense in the Kingdoms. It was this day that many men, women, and children, all wearing black garments, gathered at the memorial. All heads hung low, and the only sounds to be heard were the pattering of raindrops on the pavement. Caius, as was regulation, offered the final words for the valiant fallen.

“”

A few more flowers were placed, each to remember the fallen heroes of the Kingdoms of Man.

“”

The final flower was placed, and Caius said,

“<Goodbye, my son.>”

The painful memory wracked through Caius. More painful memories threatened to surface of his only son and heir to his throne, but he suppressed it in favor of continuing on his journey.

However, a horn blew. It was not like other horns Caius was familiar with. He knew the horns to signal certain occasions, but he couldn’t quite place what that particular horn’s purpose was.

He about-faced and proceeded with all his speed back to his office when the sudden realization hit him.
It was the horn signalling an attack from rogue dragons.

“<MOVE IT, YOU RATS!>”

Legionnaires were scrambling to outfit themselves, while servants and the young auxiliaries were also dashing to and fro to help with the preparations.

Centurion Quintus Coruncanius Pavo was yelling in an effort to hurry along the process, in the process of putting on his armor himself.

“”

Some lightly-armored auxiliaries broke from helping their comrades and ran out of the stoneworks barracks. Few auxiliaries remained to help outfitting. Tying knots on the armor, fastening leather armor, double-checking the layout and integrity of the steel of the armor; everybody struggled to ready themselves physically and mentally for the rogue dragons.

Quintis himself was finally fitted and readied himself. He stormed out and looked around.

Numberless amounts of soldiers and civilians alike were scrambling to their sections and stations and shelters. All had planned for such an event, but an attack by actual rogue dragons almost came once in a blue moon.

But the records showed that the kingdoms paid a terrible price each time rogue dragons made a visit. Quintus winced at the thought, but he went to his respective station.

Sprinting down cobbled streets, Quintus mentally prepared himself for his task. He was to direct the home legion in the defense of his homeland and the Kingdoms of Man.

Nearing his destination, he scaled the steps up to the top of the wall. The same wall that protected him as a child was now being manned by him to protect the city and the children of today.

Scorpii were lined along the wall atop little outcropping alcoves, built of the hardest possible materials available for the defense. Several auxiliaries were already readying the scorpii for action. There was just one thing missing.

“*”

“”

Spinning around, Quintis saw the very men he had just shouted out for. The men of the Ligia Guard wore their iconic but still strange armor, rated to stop arrows and the like. Quintis then saw his defensive legionnaires rushing up the stairs to take up action stations themselves. Quintis turned back to the head of the Guardsmen and addressed him.

“”

The man nodded, and turned to his duty, but Quintis stopped him by saying,

“”

The Guardsman just smiled and walked off. Quintis shook his head and went about organizing the defense better.

“Ha! Do you see them down there, Zhath?”

“Why, yes, Aybth. I see the human animals down there!”

The boisterous, booming voices of Zhath and Aybth the dragons reached the rest of the flight, which annoyed the rest of the flight to no end. However, their banter was brief, as was the instruction that came from them.

“Right. You lot, attack that wall there. Aybth, Ierreth, Dreuth, and I will go eat the so-called Kings of Men. Now let’s show these upstarts what we can do!”

“<Sire, four dragons are breaking off! They’re headed for the palace!>”

Pandemonium broke out in the street over the news of the dragon’s apparent intent. Rogue dragon attacks never really had a goal other than to attack the city. These dragons were moving with purpose, and that terrified everyone. Still, the capital of the kingdoms needed to be defended.

Quintis coordinated the loading of all the giant scorpii turrets and the aiming of same towards the approaching dragons. Special bolts, provided by the Ligia Guard, were loaded and readied to fire. He could only hope that the palace guard would be sufficient to hold off four dragons. He then remembered that the four kings were there, and that was enough to silence his fear.

Despite his boisterous and arrogant behavior, Thath was no fool He had attempted such a attack before, and nearly got killed when he rampaged throughout the town. No, he had to cut the head off the collective snake. 3 other dragons were probably not necessary, seeing as he was exceptionally strong--

Why are those ones getting closer?

A little while earlier, the palace grounds were flooded with soldiers from every kingdom, where they readied their defense the best they can. However, Caius was still, clad in armor and holding a broadsword. If he was to die, let if be with a sword in his hand.

“”

Caius then turned to see his fellow kings and friends, Konrik Dain and Arnax Cosmas.

Dain was clad with his his royal plate armor and helmet, intricate designs carefully crafted and forged together to fit his dimensions and build. Cosmas wore his classical armor, steel cuirass and crimson crested helm, which had bronze paste painstakingly painted over to emulate a classical feel of the bronze era of the kingdoms. They all had their kingly broadswords strapped to their hips, sharpened and readied for kingly combat.

Caius grinned, as it was good to see friends in such stressing times. Caius approached Dain and Cosmas and patted their shoulders. He then said to them,

“”

Caius sighed, then said,

“”

Dain smiled, and said back to Caius,

“”

Cosmas interjected, saying,

“”

Cosmas then pulled out several vials of glowing blue liquid. The energy seemed to pulsate with a life of its own. Caius and Dain stared in surprise at the vials, but Caius said to Cosmas,

“”

Cosmas nodded and handed out two vials. Both men took them, and then everyone raised their glass. After a pause, the three kings uncorked and unceremoniously downed the contents of their vials. They then dropped their vials to shatter on the ground, while the effects of the mana kicked in.

Minds become focused. Muscles loosened and becomes more dense. The minds of the kings were focused on one thing: becoming stronger for the upcoming fight. Using the magic that coursed through their veins, they became ready. And then they jumped straight up towards the oncoming threat with a collective cry of,

“<Higher!>”

The three forms that rapidly approached the dragons drew their broadswords. The four dragons that descended bared their teeth and roared. Slight gurgling sounds cut them off the dragons as fire spewed from their maws. Fire engulfed the kings, but, to the dragon’s utter surprise, the humans soared right through unscathed. Then they noticed the way the kings’ eyes glowed bright white. The dragons flinched.

Caius, Cosmas, and Dain collided with Aybth, Dreuth, and Ierreth. Swords plunged into armored necks by the magic-infused strength of the kings. The stricken dragons roared out in pain and shook their horned heads violently. Three kings fought to remain on their swords, buried halfway in the scales. Dragons snapped their jaws at the offending creatures, but the kings remained steadfast on their swords. Cosmas was the first to wrap his legs around Abyth’s neck, and he pulled the sword out, allowing a trinkle to become a stream. Blood flowed easily through the broad gap the sword had created. In panic and in pain, Abyth grasped at the wound, pressing down on it. Cosmas had other ideas. He jabbed the sword at a higher point along Abyth’s neck, and Cosmas righted himself on Abyth’s neck. Cosmas then shouted,

“<I expected greater from the lords of fire!>”

Cosmas raised his sword high and struck Abyth deep, severing the nervous system. Cosmas would not to get to celebrate his newest kill, however, as Zhath’s powerful jaws snapped around Cosmas, crushing and skewering him.

Zhath broke away from the dying Abyth and dropped his kill. Zhath then turned to the other dragons. He spotted Dain grappling with Dreuth. Before Zhath’s eyes, Dreuth’s jaws snapped around Dain’s left leg, lifting him and the sword away from his neck. A pang of pain shot through Dreuth, but he squeezed his eyes shut and shook Dain violently. Dain’s prosthetic left leg broke off from the force, sending the rest of Dain above Dreuth’s head. Dain reacted and pointed the sword at Dreuth’s skull. Dain’s steel found its mark, and Dreuth’s life was instantly extinguished. However, without proper footing, Dain slipped off Dreuth’s head and plummeted toward the ground. Zhath then pursued the falling king, and, with a slap of Zhath’s tail, sent the stunned king in a fatal fast course for the ground.

Zhath turned to see Caius chop off Ierreth’s wing. Ierreth screeched while falling uncontrollably, clutching what remained of the dragon’s right wing. Caius then leaped off of the dying Ierreth and shot straight towards Zhath. The dragon snorted, then flared his chest to show off his scaly defense that had made a mockery of anything that had attacked him previously. Why would this be any different?

The sword sank into the dragon’s armor, going deep but proving ineffective. Zhath practically roared a deep chuckle as he seized Caius in his talons. Bringing Caius to eye-level. Zhath asked of Caius,

“Do you really believe you can defeat an elder dragon, little ‘king’?”

Caius’s eyes flashed brighter, and he simply roared back,

“Vae stulto draconi!”

With newfound strength, Caius wrenched himself free of the grip of Zhath, and he half-kicked, half-stepped on the hilt of his sword, providing just the right amount of force needed to drive the imbedded sword deep enough to pierce the heart of the dragon.

Ztath gasped, then went slack as his draconic strength failed him. Caius had exerted himself too hard fighting and his magic strength left him, leaving him to fall alongside the dragon. Caius sighed, and closed his eyes. At least he had saved Regnator Liga, whom the kingdoms would need in the coming tide. After all, people can flock to one leader more readily than they could four.

He thought of family, and then it was all over.

Author's Note

I really need someone who knows latin to make sure I'm not butchering latin.