That day Casper organised for one of the dragon caves to be prepared, though he warned that it would take a week to do, even working at full effort. He put the dragon at work carrying materials up to the cave to continue to build his strength, while at the same time Bree had to practice by lifting materials with magic up into the cave. Doing so also helped to get Seth used to his four-way vision, which the dragon adapted to quickly now that he was able to accept it.

That evening, Seth lay out watching the stars. Bree sat between the dragon's front legs, leaning on the scaly white chest.

Bree? Seth asked softly, looking away from the stars.

What?

He's coming. Seth murmured, resting his head on his paws. Bree looked round, confused.

What do you mean?

Teristh, Seth explained quietly. When you were lifting boulders today, I could see through the eyes of the other dragons. Teristh may be blind, but he can still see shadows. He was flying, Bree, and the tower of Rubia was in the distance, straight ahead…

We have to warn Casper! Bree shouted, leaping to his feet. Seth used his front paws as a little cage to stop Bree going.

Teristh's on our side, Bree. Calm down, Seth laughed, pulling his rider in to his chest. He'll be here soon.

* * * * *

Teristh struggled to judge the distance from the ground as he swept in towards the only hill in the area. He could see a faint shadow of a dragon on the top of the hill, and so tried to bank left, but his wing clipped the ground as he misjudged his altitude badly and he wheeled around the wingtip, carving a long trough in the ground. Roaring in agony, he floundered to try to stand upright, managing to tear open a wing in his eagerness and roaring again.

A shadow fell over him, obscuring the little that he could see. Without thinking, Teristh snapped in the general direction of the shadow, tasting blood in his mouth, and a rain of arrows fell on him. Screeching, Teristh floundered again, tearing his other wing and falling unconscious from a well positioned arrow.

* * * * *

Seth spotted the black shape in the darkness just before it plummeted to the ground. Immediately he rushed to Teristh's aid, but the black dragon was distressed and threw himself around, trying to get to his feet and hurting himself in the process. Seth landed, but Teristh caught his leg in his jaw and tore it open. Seth pulled back with a screech.

The archers up in the dragon tower of Rubia spotted that Seth was in danger, took aim and fired at Teristh, their arrows driving deep into the dragon, though none fatally. Seth threw himself into the air, swooping in a low spiral over Teristh, protecting him from the archers, who held their fire. Looking down, Seth took note of Teristh's wounds, the rips in his wings that meant he wouldn't fly for a long while and the arrows that had punctured through between the scales.

His own leg was horribly wounded and gushing blood. Holding it close to his chest, he continued to soar, not looking forward to landing.

Seth! Bree yelled, catching up and close enough now to see the wounded leg. Are you alright?

No, of course I'm not, idiot, Seth snapped irritably. Get Casper, I'll protect Teristh.

* * * * *

In the darkness high above, two other dragons spiralled, careful not to block the light of stars. The blue and the green signalled to each other before diving together, one for the dragon tower, the other for the dragons themselves.

Teristh is a friend of yours? The blue asked as he locked claws with the little white dragon who had noticed his dive at the last moment and spun to meet him, teeth bared ambitiously.

I've never met him before in my life, the little white argued, managing somehow to lock his teeth quickly into the blue's front right paw.

And now it's a fair fight, the blue laughed, noticing Seth's horribly torn leg. Where is your little rider, hmm?

Where's yours? Seth asked, using speed rather than strength to strike a glancing blow on the blue's shoulder, where the rider should have been. The blue laughed at the scratch, biting Seth's leg, though due to his bad luck it was the already wounded leg. Seth screeched, feeling the bones in his leg snap.

The warlords have no interest in the petty affairs of the commoners, which is all you are dragon. A commoner of no importance, ready to be crushed, the dragon pulled back, letting go of Seth's leg. Suddenly he broke away completely, shooting upwards, gaining altitude fast.

And then he turned, his mouth gaping wide, red flames bursting forward.

"NO!" Bree yelled, lifting his hand. The fire split into two, going around the two dragons and himself, charring the ground.

Thanks, Seth shouted back as he beat his wings, gaining altitude while the blue tried to pull out of his dive. As soon as he was above the other dragon he latched on to its back, making the load too heavy to lift on one set of wings alone. The blue strained, struggled, beating its wings desperately, but Seth would not let go until he was only a foot over the ground.

The blue landed heavily, bouncing once, twice, before he was still. It struggled to its feet awkwardly, several bones broken, and bounded upwards towards the air again.

Seth was ahead of him. Opening his massive jaws, Seth roared terribly, and then the roar was replaced by flames.