Author's Note

Perspectives shift often in this chapter. Thank you very much for your patience while waiting for this chapter. I got a little caught up trying to write a compelling fight. Feel free to point out errors that I missed.

5: Full Frontal Guerilla

Slash has been digging and scouring the nearby jungle for hours, going from tree to tree, boulder to boulder.

"I know that mushroom has to be around here somewhere! I just saw it a few days ago! The other dragons better not have found it while I was gone! I'm going to be so pissed if they did!" He search on and on, until he eventually found what he was looking for by tripping over a rock.

"There it is! Now I won't even need to practice. Monster blood bath, here I come!" He then returns to a cutout in the side of a mountain, near the edge of the evergreen forests which lead to Mud-Skin's Forest of Bones. He lifted a small rock that hid a dried out flower, placed the mushroom next to the flower, then placed the rock on top. Afterward, he flies off to meet with Fireball, as he tells the story of the battle with Mud-Skin to the other dragons. Among such were a few hatchlings, kin to many of the same dragons present.

"Where have you been?" Once Fireball noticed him, he asked Slash.

"Just prepping something cool. I'm totally going to kill that muddy bastard this time!" Slash said fervently.

"One of us better. We have ten plus eight joining us tomorrow, with more looking to come the day after that. We can't come back without its head."

"Eighteen."

"What?"

"You said ten plus eight. That number is called eighteen."

"Oh. I was never any good with counting."

"I know, Rock-For-Brains! The words always confuse you! That's why I hang around. So that you don't end up dead from some dragon telling you something that you don't get."

-~*~-

Stone ripped away at the walls of her lair, taking off chunks of rock with every strike, growling and groaning the whole time. The marks on the walls covered almost every portion. Not only that, but the marks changed from one end to the other. On one end, they are smaller and shallower, growing deeper and wider as the walls goes on. Her towering form letting out groans that were not so much ones of effort or frustration, but ones of pain and agony. Groans meant to fight off the urge to curl up and yell. Growls to fend off the very real temptation to stop the pain. She took a moment to rest from the vicious assault she had been dealing to her lair's walls. A claw buried in solid slate supported her great girth as she heaved and threatened to spill bile on the floor.

"It's almost there... Just a little more..." She whispered through gritted teeth. The assistance Norvos offered was not, by any means, an easy offer. In fact, Stone had to gradually offer more of her hoard over time for this option to even be suggested. Even though Norvos' magics always have a steep cost of some kind, this cost was something she was willing to pay. However, it was not Norvos who granted this aid. He took payment to take her to Tartarus. There, the payment was exchanged for audience with a demon, who none were allowed to say the name of. Once before him, the deal was to be made. It was...

---*---

"Through strife like no other,
You will grow faster than any before.
Strength to surpass another,
You could even match the dragons of Yore.

You will not make a sound,
For help you will not scream.
Nor to show pain,
Or of weakness to glean.

Your bones shall bend,
Your scales shall break.
To shape anew,
Your greater form to take.

You shall not eat a thing,
Nor consume any food.
It matters not your hungering,
Nor your mood.

Your strength shall wax great,
Heightened and innate.
For long you will wait,
A manifestation of your hate.

The payment for this service is high,
And unlike many in kind.
Half number of days for you is now mine,
Trading of change and time.

A final condition to meet,
Oh dragoness with emotions high.
If you scream in pain, even on the last day,
Your soul is MINE!
Do you accept?"

"...Yes..."

"Good, the deal is struck.
For a third of a season you will writhe.
I wish you good luck.
Good-Bye."

---*---

Now is the final day. Stone tried her hardest to stay quiet. She clenched her jaw shut as her teeth as her bones began to shift at an ever increasing pace. It was truly pain that she had never had before. There was nothing to compare it to. Her body contorted and lengthened unnaturally and rapidly, audibly cracking and churning. She had to focus, she must not scream, no matter what. All she could do was clamp her mouth shut, hoping against all odds that she would not make the fatal mistake of succumbing to the pain. With her complete focus on enduring the pain of growing and changing, she didn't notice that she had fell to the floor, sinking deep into the darkness of unconsciousness.

-~*~-

Up in the sky, high above everything, Sparks flew in circles, hoping to find the right area to practice. He searched for the smell of the beginnings of lightning. That scent that subtly warned of an impending strike. Sparks wasn't sure what Norvos offered Stone for her hoard, but it must have been an impressive proposition. He hasn't seen her since her most recent visit from a month ago. Either way, he had to support her somehow. Her disgust in his perceived cowardice was more than enough motivation to push Sparks to do what had yet to think of. He had been practicing his new method of amplifying his breath lightning.

"I just have to catch one of Thall-Kul's bolts again. I will be able to add it to my own. I am blessed after all. Well, half-blessed. Hopefully, this doesn't hurt as much as I think it will. The last 10 times I tried didn't work for lack of storms."

Sparks holds his bolt in his throat and tries to fly in a broad circle. Over and over he completes the circle. After 9 completions, the smell arrives. The smell of lightning. Distant clouds drew closer and darker, Slowly but surely.

"Maybe if I..." Sparks tightens the circle, flying faster as he does so. The clouds roll in faster, flashes of light begin to emit from within them. As the clouds envelope Sparks, though he cannot see it, he can feel the clouds swirling and charging. The bolt being held in his throat begins to swell in strength, becoming more difficult to hold in as the ritual went on. Crackles and sparks of lightning were surging from his mouth, threatening to burst forth before he was ready. Sparks held his own jaw shut for a few more seconds, trying to aim himself towards the ground, far above even the highest peaks of the Spined Mountains. He parted the clouds with his wings and dived with great speed. The clouds followed and Sparks was correcting his aim. Just when he could make out the detail on the boulder he was aiming for, he released the charge. Blinding light shot out from Sparks' mouth, bright enough to light the whole sky for just a moment. Sparks wasn't sure what he did to the boulder, as he only heard the thunderclap while he pulled up into the sky again. Turning around, he caught view of his target. Gone. Little more than fragments and a hole in the ground.

"Now we're... shoo-..." Sparks wanted to do a spin in the air to celebrate, but couldn't even finish his sentence. Or rather, he couldn't tell his body to do so. He was numbed. Static jumped off of him in all directions. He could barely stay aloft. Gliding was the only thing he could do other than some weak flapping. It was as if there was a haze on his mind. Still smiling, but he could hardly think.

"Down... Gotta... Down....." Sparks landed hard, but didn't feel much of it. In a heap he laid on top of a cliff, half buried from impact. He waited for some time, until he cleared the mind fog and regained his feeling. He shook his head fervently. A very unpleasant feeling.

"Let's try to avoid getting caught like that during the fight. Then, it would really be over. At least I have something to use against that Mud-Skin." Sparks picked himself up and started walking home to eat up some more metals. He had to stay nice and conductive before he left to fight.

---~~~*~~~---

Blood stained teeth bite deep into a piece of medium-rare meat, gripped tight by thick hands stained dark red. The faint dripping of blood and fat falling to the stone floor echoing throughout the cave. A wind blows in from the nearby entrance. A flickering fire crackles before a set of broad shoulders, illuminating the area and the brown figure within it. Mud-Skin tears into a large slab of roasted meat, his chin still dripping with old blood. He places the slab in the stone rack he had made for cooking.

"As oddly sweet as it tastes, I prefer it to be a bit more seared. Too bad this mountain bull meat is so difficult to cook."

"I know, right?! It's a pain! Why not just rip it up and throw it down the hatch?" Passion peeled his head from Mud-Skin's right side.

"Because, even though we seem nearly invulnerable, we don't want parasites and infections slowing us down when those dragons come for our hide." Stoic peeked out of Mud-Skin's left side.

"I remember when roast beef and steak were common place." Mud-Skin could feel the sandwich in his hand. A Philly cheese steak with peppers, onion, provolone cheese, and mayo. When he went to take a bite, it vanished. "I'm going mad. My imagination is replacing reality in pockets."

Unfortunately for Mud-Skin, this is the case. Over the course of his training, he often hallucinated opponents, had imaginary conversations with people that don't exist, and even heard others talking.

"As much as I want to cope with this isolation, I can't lose myself in the sea of my mind. I need to focus."

Mud-Skin tried to relax his mind and body as much as possible, breathing in and out slowly. He began to repeat to himself.

"Steady. Calm. Steady. Calm..." The rushing thoughts and ghostly voices slowly lowered to whispers. Eventually, after what seemed to be hours, everything was quiet and still. The only noise was the wind, fire, and sizzling meat.

"Finally." With his head clear, he checks the meat. It now has a pleasant aroma and dark brown layer. The flavor is significantly better, albeit slightly charred. "I wish I had some salt. Maybe when this little skirmish is over and I'm not looking over my shoulder."

After eating, a pungent smell wafted into Mud-Skin's cave. A familiar scent, associated with a potent enemy. Sulfur. They were finally ready to take revenge for their fallen. His excitement grew, a mix of anger, uncertainty, confidence, and a hint of respect. It was time to face the enemy.

No prisoners.

-~*~-

Two young dragons were ahead of the crowd that had been amassed near the mouth of the valley. A dragon and a dragoness, flying with confidence, a blade on her tail and an axe on his. Though both were eager to prove their strength and cunning, they recognize that this beast had bested two of their most competent members by itself. However, being siblings, they were sure that with proper coordination and teamwork, they could overcome such an obstacle as a single monster. They've done exactly that before, they could surely do it again.

"You ready to prove that Stone and Obsidian aren't as tough as they say they are. bro?"

"Yeah. This creature doesn't have a thing against our double assault. Still, didn't that one dragon mention Obsidian was gored and left for dead or something?"

"That guy must have been exaggerating. But, now that you say that, I haven't really seen Obsidian or Stone hanging around the pits lately."

"Maybe they've been resting or training. That's what I would- Woah! That stinks!"

The brother exclaimed as he caught a waft of the decaying corpses of many creatures pinned to various trees in an upright fashion. The duo only just now noticed the murder of crows that have been hovering and gathering in this part of the valley. As they approached, they saw the strange sight. The bones that hung on the trees still had flesh clinging to a few of them. The number of skeletons seemed to nearly match the number of trees. Entering the tree line caused the screeching of crows to get louder, some flying away to avoid the dragons.

"Don't tell me one beast did this. Maybe it was some big diamond dogs?" The brother asked.

"I don't think so, bro. Diamond dogs are territorial, but they don't hang up the bones of they're enemies. Especially not cave drakes. Besides, look." The sister pointed to a collection of canine skulls gathered around a rock. The brother understood now. This creature was marking its territory with dead victims.

"How big of an appetite could a creature smaller than a typical dragon have for flesh? Even the hunter dragons don't eat this much. Cave drakes, diamond dogs, river serpents, whatever that is. I'm starting to think there might be more of those Mud-Skins around." The sister bore witness to the variety of the diet of Mud-Skin. She was unfamiliar with goats, mountain bulls, deer, and turkey.

"That would explain the amount of dead here. No way one little creature did all of this. In that case, keep your eyes open. We're not alone." The pair descended to the ground and walked with a careful gait. Despite their attempts to avoid making noise, the crunching of old and new bones beneath their individual weights. Within a few minutes of walking, they hear something. Something faint in the distance. The smell of crows and rot masked the scent of whatever made the noise. It sounded like a roar. It seemed quite far away from them, originating somewhere near the base of the mountains. Next thing they know, a great boulder throws earth everywhere as it buries the sister with a thunderous crash.

"What?! Oh my gods! Sis!" The brother looks around, hoping to catch a glimpse of an enemy. With no movement in sight, he kneels down to where the boulder buried his sister. "No no no no no no no. Come on!" He frantically dug at the ground surrounding the boulder to gain leverage. He put as much strength as he could into lifting the boulder off of her as quickly as possible. When he pulled her out of the crater, she was limp and bleeding from the head with two broken horns. "Speak to me! Wake up!" Worry was written on his face.

"Uuugh... Whu? What hit me?" The sister mumbled in a daze.

"A boulder fell from the sky. I didn't think Sling-Tails could throw that far. We must be near a loner or something."

The two took a moment to regain their bearings. They would, apparently, have to watch out for falling stones, as well as the monster they were actually hunting. The brother could have sworn he saw something move in the tree canopy. They both keep their eyes open and their heads on a swivel.

The two enter the forest, scanning everything. Checking in canopies, under bushes, behind rocks. Anything that could tip them off to where the creature was. Not a single sign of tracks or scents anywhere. Just the remains of previous kills strewn across the trees and ground.

While the two siblings searched for him, Mud-Skin was hiding in plain sight. He wore the bones of a dead drake and laid flat against the mud to seem like any other pile of bones. Whenever clear from sight, he would use the trees and bushes for cover to move in. The two invaders haven't even noticed him yet. He has been tailing them and getting ahead of them the entire time that they've been in the forest. After they pass him for the fifth time, being sure that they are far from any backup, Mud-Skin grabs a stashed slate javelin and takes aim at the uninjured dragon.

"I know it's around here. It knows we're here." The brother insisted.

"Well, if it does, then it is either biding its time, or doesn't care. I still think it doesn't know we're he-"

Just as she was about to finish her remark, she heard the sound of something hitting stone as blood shot forth next to her. A long and sharp rod of slate was suddenly lodged in her brother's neck, preventing him from breathing or speaking. He panicked, gripping the rod and trying to remove it, before kneeling down. The sister looked around for an attacker, but could not find one. She reached for her brother to help him dislodge the stone javelin. Her brother pointed to something behind her. She turned to face the threat too late.

Mud-Skin had ran her through with another slate javelin. Right in the spot where he assumed her heart was. It seemed to be the case, as she froze for a moment, then gripped the javelin in her chest. Mud-Skin pulled away quickly, letting the torrent of viscous blood flow out in pulses. The blood quickly spilled to the ground and pooled beneath the dragoness as she desperately tried to plug the hole. Her strength faded fast and she fell into her own blood. "So... Cold... Ugh..."

The brother looked on with what little defiance he had, hateful towards the one monster that they could neither run from nor best in battle. He just manages to break the javelin in his neck and pull the short end out, coughing when his throat was finally free of stone, filling with his own blood instead. He musters a few cursing words. "Damn you, shapeshifter! *Cough* The dragons of this *GRK* land will burn you... *Cough* To ash! *Wheeze*"

Mud-Skin had little idea of what exactly this dragon was saying. The guttural sounds and clicking of teeth seemed to form a pattern similar to what it was using before, but notably rancorous and intended to offend. Perhaps it was cursing him or predicting his downfall. Something like that. It didn't matter, though. He knows they are here to kill him. So, he'll make sure that they regret it. He watched the dragon choke of its blood, spitting and spilling the red liquid while trying to stem the flow with its hands. The reptilian didn't have long. Counting the seconds, Mud-Skin just watched. He waited until the last light of life left the fire-breathers' eyes. Two down, many to go.

-~*~-

Sparks followed a group of eleven dragons from the sky. He kept near to wear clouds formed while keeping sight on the group. He wondered what their plan was for killing Mud-Skin.

"Do they just plan to overwhelm it with sheer numbers? I hope not. This will be a huge waste of time and dragons if they just rush in with no plan other than, 'get 'im'. Oh well, I guess that's why I'm here. Striking from the sky at all times should make evasion and isolation of dragons harder. Hopefully, it hasn't developed a tactic against air superiority."

Sparks couldn't help but notice Fireball and Slash going ahead of the group. Slash went up to a distant cave entrance while Fireball went toward the tree line.

"Trees. Duh! Of course it would use tree cover to conceal itself for an ambush. And none of these idiots even care. Great. The one thing I forgot to consider. I guess I'll have to hang lower if I want to make sure these morons don't die." Sparks dived down to just 100 feet in the air, making it easier to spot movement in the trees.

Fireball quickly enter the forest, mentally noting everything in sight. Slash came swooping down soon after him. This time, they would not be caught by surprise. Not if they could help it. Using their wings to avoid the bones on the ground, they sweep through the woods rapidly.

"Where did you go?" Fireball inquired.

"I went to get the cool thing I told you about. I just ate it. Muddy blood will fly soon! Heheheheeeeh." Slash rubbed his razor-sharp claws together, sharpening them against each other by ripping off blunted and chipped parts.

"Whatever. I'm going to set this whole forest ablaze." Fireball told Slash.

"Good idea. We'll smoke it out. It's too bad, I won't be hunting here for a while." Slash gave a quick lament before helping set the woodland ablaze. Fireball let out great motes of flame along with bright blobs of his stone melting concoction.

"Soon, there won't be anywhere for Mud-Skin to hide. Not even under these stones it likes to throw. Aah!" Fireball felt a sharp pain hit his back as something pushed off of him with force. He whipped his tail, hitting and denting a tree, then turned just quick enough to see his attacker. It was the very bones of the drakes that they had been passing by.

"What the in Tartarus? That thing is fast!" Slash started to give chase, but lost sight of it before he could lift off from the ground.

"Don't tell me Mud-Skin can raise the dead to fight for it. That's sick!" Fireball shouted in disgust and frustration, as he pulled the stone javelin from his back with a grunt.

"I'm pretty sure that Mud-Skin is just wearing the bones to blend in with the other bones. Or else, we would have a lot more dead things to fight." Slash explained.

"Oh. That makes more sense."

The pair make it a point to keep an eye out for any bones. On the ground, pinned to trees, anything. They rush to get each other, back to back, watching carefully for even the slightest movement. They dare not leave or turn their back to anything other than each other. They knew better than to give such a creature such an opening.

Sparks could see that Fireball had begun using his brute-force method of solving problems. Burning down a forest was a bit much in Sparks' opinion. However, he couldn't deny that such a tactic is sound, albeit inefficient. Fortunately, the other dragons are about to enter the forest as well. They should be able to flush out Mud-Skin from where ever it's hiding. Four of them took to the air, while five stayed on the ground.

Mud-Skin leaps from one bush to another as he goes to find another hidden javelin among the bones. Along the way, he smells more sulfur and smoke in the air. More dragons are coming. Patience and swift action are needed now. Even though he wears thick scales under a layer of miry clay, it only saved him once from a serious injury from the fire and lightning that these dragons spew. It would seem that most of them only spew fire, only the long, blue and purple dragon has ever spit out lightning. How interesting. More than that, these dragons seem to come in wide varieties. Something to consider. For now, some hunting and trapping needs to be done. To his pleasure, these reptiles are about to walk right into a collection his very own traps.

The flight of dragons search and set fire to the forest as they enter, leaving no tree unscathed, no rock unmoved, and as Fireball informs them of Mud-Skin's most recent tactic, no bones uncrushed. They wanted to make absolutely sure that there were as few ways to catch them off-guard as possible. As thorough as these dragons were, they still missed some crucial details. One of which being that Mud-Skin had multiple methods of attack prepared.

One by one, in rapid succession, the dragons on the ground fell into pits that were covered with animal skin and loose earth, the depths of which were all five times the height of Mud-Skin. With the loose earth disturbed by the heavy weight of the dragons, they were covered in clay and rocks. The only one on the ground that avoided such a trap was Slash. The dragons yelled out from the pits.

"What is this?!"

"It's too narrow to fly!"

"I can't get a grip on the walls!"

"It's full of water!"

"Help! *splash* I can't! *splash* Breath!"

"So much dirt *cough* in the way!"

Sparks, Slash, and the other four dragons were all honestly baffled at how many fell for the traps, but they couldn't dwell on that right now. Mud-Skin was about to strike again. But from where? Just as Sparks looked away from one of the flying dragons, he heard a rustle of leaves and a scream from the dragon. When Sparks whipped around to see, the dragon was gone. Hidden by thick canopies, he couldn't make out where the dragon might have been taken.

Back on the ground, Slash was trying to help Fireball get out of the pit he fell into. He grabs Fireball's claw with both of his and pulls with all his might, using his wings to prevent him from falling or slipping into the hole. While doing so, he starts to feel angry and less composed. His inhibitions starts to weaken and his frustrations start to feel overwhelming.

"Could your fat rump be any heavier, you stupid orange geode of viper dung?! PULL YOUR FAT ASS UP!" Slash strained harder, nearly pulling Fireball half-way up.

Fireball knew that Slash was always one for banter and ribbing, but this felt like more of a genuine insult. As if Slash was venting his actual thoughts. Even more than that, he never said it in such an angry or spiteful way. It was always with some kind of joking voice. It confused Fireball.

Without much time to think on the matter, something brown and fast tackled Slash from the tall canopy, forcing the grip between Slash and Fireball to break. Mud-Skin tumbled with Slash, nearly earning a claw to the face before throwing the dragon through a burning pine tree. Slash recovered and glided across the ground with claws digging into the dirt to slow him down. Slash shivered and shook his head. His eyes darted to and fro, overstimulated by everything. Mud-Skin wasted no time to continue moving towards Slash, dashing forth with unprecedented speed. Though quick, Slash still managed to lock eyes with him. And in that brief moment before contact, countered. Slash's five finger-blades jutted forth like a spear ready to pierce. Mud-Skin just barely had time to move, making it a glancing blow rather than head-on. He spun around to face Slash after narrowly passing him by. Slash's eyes were pits of black with rings of red. His breath heavy and hot. Trails of smoke and flame left his nostrils and mouth continuously.

"RRRRAAAAAAAHHH!" Slash rushed toward his target with fervor, not even bothering to fly. Mud-Skin gave no response, only taking a stance. Then, a clash of fearsome claws and stalwart fists began. Savage hooks from Slash put Mud-Skin on the defensive, using a combination of footwork and parrying to avoid the rapid razors that threaten to cut deep into him. In return, Mud-Skin waits for a gap in the movements that the little dragon made. He didn't have to wait long. One overextended swing left the scaled creature wide open for a very punishing series of gut punches, finished off with a full force kick to the head. Slash twirled around, recovering faster than Mud-Skin expected, managing to catch him with a claw to the face before he could press the advantage. First blood was drawn, but that did little to slow the pace, as the two went right back into a tense, toe-to-toe brawl. The exchange of blows would be breath-taking, if there were any creatures to witness.

Sparks finally decided to dive below the canopies after the other four dragons decided to do the same to help their fellows that were stuck in holes. While there was merit in having numbers, dealing with the immediate threat was weighing on Sparks' mind a little more. He went to find where Mud-Skin had hidden himself. Following the path of upturned earth, demolished trees, and the roaring of Slash had tipped him off to where he was. As expected, the monster was even faster than before. Fortunately, Slash was somehow keeping up, dealing and taking the occasional blow in the whirlwind of limbs that was their fight. Though Sparks was unsure how Slash managed to get that fast, it didn't really matter. What mattered was the fact that he was keeping Mud-Skin busy.

"Just keep him there, Slash! I just need one good shot!" Sparks tried to inform Slash. Slash wasn't paying attention, though. He was far too enthralled to the feelings he was experiencing while fighting. Sparks flew up above the trees once again, beginning the process of gathering power. Clouds slowly collected above him as he circled in the air.

Meanwhile, The rest of the dragons were clawing their way out of the pits that were dug for them. Fireball was first to climb out, thoroughly out of patience and embarrassed that he had been caught off guard twice in one day. He put his strength into his arms and pushed his claws as deep into the earth as he could. Then, he climbed out one step at a time. With frustration, Fireball rushed to make sure that Mud-Skin died quickly. The other dragons would soon follow Fireball's lead.

Fireball noticed the clouds above were swirling and darkening. Sparks was about to bring lightning onto Mud-Skin. He had to see this. It seemed to be good news for once. He soon found Mud-Skin and Slash duking it out right under the eye of the storm. The plan was obvious. Hold it in that spot until Sparks can charge the lightning strike. Fireball rushes in to help Slash distract, and maybe even weaken Mud-Skin.

Mud-Skin was locked in single combat with an unusually fast Slash. Minutes have gone by, blocks and narrow misses occupied the stand-off, with Slash getting slower. Mud-Skin noticed this right as it began. First, it was slightly longer recoveries from swings and jabs, then it was the increase hyperventilation, then the slacking of shoulders and footing. Mud-Skin knew Slash was tiring out, whereas he was just getting warmed up. He pushed the advantage. Roundhouse head kick, gut punch, duck under a swipe, slip the jab, left hook, right hook, lean back to dodge the wild haymaker, wind-up, big leaping uppercut. Slash zips into the air without the use of his wings, leaving behind several teeth before clearing the canopy and gaining Sparks' attention. Slash limply fell back through the tall trees, tumbled through various branches, and finally slamming into the ground.

Fireball kicked up some dirt to blind Mud-Skin, coming down with a two-fisted smash. Mud-Skin wasn't even a foot away from where he hit. Did he miss? Fireball went for a back hand swing. Mud-Skin leaned to the side and got under fireball's arms. Before he could see him do it, Fireball felt a crushing pressure hit his ribs, sending him sliding across the grass.

"Oof. That stings. At least the training's paying off." Fireball rushed again towards Mud-Skin. The comparatively small man seeming to be uncaring for the multi-ton reptile racing towards him. Fireball let out his signature burning ball, leaping into the air immediately after. Mud-Skin jumps to avoid the ball headed for him, nearly failing to notice the dragon had predicted his movement. Mud-Skin tried to turn his body to avoid what he predicted to be a swipe. Fireball out played him. A double hand clap to catch the muddy menace was the real play. Catching Mud-Skin with a jolt of glee and blood-lusting fervor, he slammed the monster onto the still burning mass of stone and metal.

"Finally! I got you, slimy bastard!" Fireball yelled out in triumph. Fireball applied the technique that his father taught him and proved fruitful. All he had to do now was hold Mud-Skin, who was now struggling in his claws.

Mud-Skin was grunting in the dragon's grip. Stronger than last time, certainly, but that wasn't the issue. It was the thermite that was now covering and burning away what little defenses he had on. A layer of clay with a chest piece made of leather and scale from the cave drakes he killed some time ago. The reaction will definitely eat through that and his skin quickly. He goes to break the fingers, only to be met with fire to the face. The clay hardened within seconds. Despite two broken thumbs, Fireball kept his grip and tried to cook the creature as quickly as he could with his less potent flames. It did not do the job quickly enough. Mud-Skin threw some of the thermite into Fireball's face and slipped out of his grip the moment Fireball lifted his hand to wipe his face.

Now with the armor burned up and the clay falling off in hard pieces, Mud-Skin's true appearance showed. He could feel the cool air brushing against him again. Not good. He would have to be even more careful now.

Fireball wiped the hot material away to see Mud-Skin. The skin wasn't so muddy anymore. In fact, it looked soft and fleshy, It was like the skin of a frog or newt with many small hairs on it. "So, you're a haired creature, huh? That explains a lot." Fireball pulled his thumbs back into place with hisses of pain. The two stared the other down, tensing and flexing, waiting for the other to make a move. Then, Mud-Skin caught eye of the other nine that were trapped in pits. With numbers against him, Mud-Skin took some deep breaths and gather his focus. Testing limits was no longer an option.

Crashes of thunder were heard from above, flashes of lightning streaked across the sky. The full force of the draconic horde was before him. His armor and camouflage gone. His skin hot and stinging from the thermite and the few lacerations that the other dragon landed. The horde rushed him altogether, and the small yellow dragon had come barreling back for more. The little dragon zipped passed the horde of giant lizards.

"I'LL KILL YOU!"