The Adventure of the Jigsaw Dragon, Page 2

  Eile Chica crouched behind one of the pylons at the foot of the stairs. She turned her head to shield her face from a tongue of fire that lanced past her hiding place.

  "Are you ready?"

  Eile glanced across the causeway. White-Lion was hunkered down behind the opposite pylon.

  "Yeah, as ready as I'll ever be."

  Another gout of flame interrupted them.

  "Okay, on three," White-Lion said after the fire dissipated. "One, two, three! Let's go, partner!"

  She rose and dashed out onto the first step as Eile watched. Looking up the stairs, she held out her staff and shouted, "Halon!" A milky-white, concave shield appeared in front and slightly above her. A stream of fire shot down from the top of the stairs. It hit the shield square in the center, but instead of penetrating, the flames spread out along its surface and flickered off the edges.

  White-Lion gestured. "Come on!"

  Eile ran up behind her, trying to keep low. Together they advanced up the stairs, while the fire covered the shield.

  Eile couldn't see anything through the flame, but as they climbed she saw the shield go from white to yellow to orange. Her stomach knotted in cold fear; she expected it to collapse at any moment. If that happened, they would be incinerated to char before they even felt the heat.

  It seemed to take forever to reach the top of the steps, as the shield turned a dull red and then glowed a molten cherry. Finally, White-Lion came to a stop. She pulled her staff back; the shield retreated towards her and turned to orange as cracks began to appear. Eile broke out in a cold sweat and her mouth dried up. If this doesn't work..., she thought

  "Kii-yaaah!" White-Lion pushed the staff forward. The shield jumped away from them and rammed the source of the flame. It shattered and dissolved, but it extinguished the fire as it threw a figure back.

  "Go!!"

  Eile charged around White-Lion, up the last few steps, and between two more pylons.

  She lifting her broadsword and roared. "Rrraaauuugh!" The figure recovered and threw itself at her. It had a body like a cross between a velociraptor and a dragon, including sickle foot claws and a long, sinuous tail, but minus the wings. The head, however, looked like that of a milk-skinned, sable-haired woman with ice-blue eyes.

  The dragon-lady got in the first blows, leaping up and raking at Eile with its claws. She parried the hands, but the sickle-claws skidded over her breastplate and the steel scales covering her belly. She danced back then sprinted forward, swinging her sword. The dragon-lady blocked the short, wide, thin blade with its arms as it raised its tail. She saw it had a spike on the end, and her opponent held it poised as it looked for an opportunity to strike.

  Cripes, this is like fighting five people at once! "I don't know how long I can hold her off. Move!"

  "Right!" she heard White-Lion say, and out of the corner of her eye she saw a streak of gamboge hair move around the outside of the pylons to get to the plateau behind the dragon-lady.

  Sunny Hiver paused after she clambered over the edge of the plateau and stood up. Looking back, she watched as Braveheart and the dragon-lady struck and parried, slashed and blocked, while they waited for an opening to deliver a crippling blow. Braveheart wore a furious expression of intense concentration, though the vivid fuchsia locks that framed her face made her appear comical. Her long ponytail of seal-brown hair waving like a flag didn't help either.

  "Dammit, White-Lion, go, go!"

  Sunny turned and jogged further onto the plateau as she searched for their quarry. It was as big as a gymnasium, and sheer granite cliffs enclosed three sides. At the far end, she spotted something, and sprinted towards it. As she got closer, it resolved into a female form, dressed in a simple gown, tied up with a bag over her head.

  She broke into a run and reached the captive in seconds. Pulling her slim dagger out of her belt, she squatted and reached out to touch the woman on the arm. She jerked and cried out.

  "It's okay, I'm a friend. You're safe now; Team Girl is here to rescue you!" And she cut the woman's bonds.

  "What?" Her voice came muffled from under the bag.

  "White-Lionnn!! Look out!"

  She pivoted on the balls of her feet and looked back. The dragon-lady charged her, screaming like a banshee, while Braveheart raced after it trying to catch up.

  Sunny squealed as she stood and raised her dagger to defend herself, but she knew she stood no chance against it, and she didn't have time to use magic.

  Just as the dragon-lady reached her, Braveheart put on an extra burst of speed and took a flying leap. As the monster paused and made ready to kick its sickle-claws, she landed on its back and wrapped her arms and legs around its body. The dragon-lady jumped, bucked, spun, cavorted, and danced as it tried to dislodge her; somehow, she managed to hold onto her sword. The dragon-lady raised its tail and jabbed at the back of her head, but missed, and she grabbed a hold of the spike.

  Sunny picked up her staff and ran towards the pair, but she slowed as she got close. She didn't know what to do. If she used magic, it would affect Braveheart as well as the monster, and if she tried to hit the latter with her staff, she might miss and hit her partner instead. But she knew she had to do something. The dragon-lady clawed at Braveheart's arms and thighs. So far, it hadn't gotten through the leather unitard, but eventually it would. It also clawed at her head, but she managed to avoid being scratched, and she bit at the fingers when they got too close.

  Then Sunny saw her opening: the dragon-lady's legs were exposed. She rushed closer and whacked its knees with the staff. It stumbled, but righted itself before it fell, then turned and tried to jump to claw her with its sickle-claws, but with Braveheart on its back it couldn't get high enough, and it moved in a clumsy manner. Sunny avoided the claws and pivoted around to its side. She inserted the staff between its legs, jamming the other end against the rock floor, and when the dragon-lady landed, she twisted the staff using the grounded end as a fulcrum. The monster tripped, lost its balance, and fell flat on its face. Braveheart rose up and slammed the pommel of her sword into the back of the dragon-lady's head, and it slumped unconscious.

  Eile slid off the back of the creature and sat panting as White-Lion knelt beside it and felt its neck for a pulse. She sighed and sat back on her feet, then looked at her and smiled.

  "For a moment there, I thought you had killed it."

  Eile shook her head. "No such luck. It's tougher than it looks."

  Still smiling, White-Lion narrowed her eyes in a disapproving manner. "That's not the point."

  Irritated, she gave her a sour glance. "I was being sarcastic."

  White-Lion crinkled her eyes and giggled. "Sorry."

  She sighed in exasperation. "Whatever. Just...help me up."

  White-Lion stood and held out her hand. When she took it, White-Lion pulled as she used her sword to push herself up. She groaned as she got to her feet.

  "What's wrong?" White-Lion looked concerned.

  She tried to stretch some of the kinks out of her muscles. "I ache all over from that ride. I'll probably be one huge sore by tonight."

  White-Lion favored her with a coquettish leer. "Then I'll just have to give you one of my patented massages, guaranteed to relieve and excite all at the same time." She sidled up next to her. "After all, it's the least I can do for saving me." She gave her a smooch on the cheek. "Thanks, partner."

  Embarrassed, Eile felt herself blush. "Yeah, yeah. We're not finished here yet."

  As if to prove her right, muffled cries for help came from behind them.

  "The countess!" White-Lion hiked her skirt and dashed back to the captive. She followed at a more leisurely pace as White-Lion finished cutting the restraints. She then helped her partner get her on her feet.

  The woman reached up and pulled off the bag. It revealed a dragon's head, the size of a horse's skull, complete with horns, barbels, and fan-shaped ears. Eile expected it, but the sight still surprised her.

  The countess blinked as she glan
ced at them both. "Who are you?"

  "We're Team Girl," White-Lion said. "Your husband hired us to rescue you. I'm White-Lion, and this is my partner, Braveheart."

  The lady-dragon fixated on Eile.

  "Hi." She tried to sound friendly.

  The countess clapped her hands together. "Oh, Gallant Knight, you have saved me from a fate worse than death!"

  She felt bewildered. "Uhh...yeah." She looked at White-Lion, who stared at the woman with a raised eyebrow and a crooked smile, like she questioned her sanity.

  "And you shall have your reward!" The countess puckered the dragon-mouth and came at her.

  "Wha--?!" She tried to back away, but the lady-dragon grabbed her by the shoulders. She then planted a slobbering kiss that covered half of her face.

  "Gaaah!!" She tried to fend off the amorous woman, but the countess continued to smack her face.

  "Umm, excuse me?" White-Lion said in a nervous voice.

  Then the lady-dragon stuck out her tongue and began licking Eile's face.

  "WAAH!? No tongue!"

  "Hey!" White-Lion sounded piqued. "Stop that!"

  "White-Lionnn!!! Do something!! Get this space-case off me!"

  White-Lion lifted her staff. "I said--" And she whacked the countess upside her head. "--stop that!"

  The lady-dragon whipped her head around to glare at her, but she let go of Eile, who scrambled out of the way. "What--?"

  "Sandman!" A cloud of dust formed around the woman's head. She gasped, coughed, then rolled her eyes, and collapsed in a heap on the ground. After a moment, she began to snore