The air magic guiding us upwards, catapulted us past all ten floors of the tower and before my brain could even figure out what way was up, I found myself crashing down onto the stone platform at the top of the turret and the wind being driven from my lungs as Seth landed on top of me.
“Well, I seriously doubt anyone saw that,” I grumbled as I fought my way out of the pile of bodies and we got to our feet once more. “Now we just need to make it inside without triggering any magical alarms.”
“We need to hurry,” Seth urged, moving to my side as I reached out with my magic to hunt for the taste of my father’s power. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
“Well that makes all four of us,” Max muttered darkly.
“G et to my father!” I demanded of Tyler as he galloped through the battle.
I held on tight to Sofia’s waist as Tyler let out a whinny of determination, weaving left and right through our allies and enemies, leaping over bodies and using his horn to swipe aside anyone who tried to attack us.
My gaze was set on my father as he blasted a line of rebels with his Dragon fire, soaring overhead, his huge wings stirring the air around us and I urged fire into my veins to fight away the cool wind.
“Be careful,” Sofia begged as she turned to look at me, kissing me hard and I squeezed her tight, knowing it might be the last time I got to do so before I broke apart from her and rose to my feet on Tyler’s back, adjusting the horn helmet on my head which had been made for me by Tory and Darcy with their Phoenix fire.
Tyler neighed in encouragement, but I could hear the fear lacing that sound as I leapt upwards, pulling my clothes off as I shifted into my lilac Pegasus form and racing into the sky after Lionel, my wings bursting from my back and a furious neigh escaping my lips.
My heart thumped violently in my chest like it was fighting against the decision I’d made, like it knew these might be its final beats. But I didn’t care. I wasn’t going to stand by and watch my father kill these people. I was tired of his tyranny, tired of hiding in the dirt and tired of waiting for the world to end. In a way it was a relief to find him here now, a relief to face him at long last.
I swept up behind him, staying in his blind spot and ducking his tail as it whipped out furiously behind him. He lowered his head, hunting for more prey below and I swung under his belly, angling my horn just right as I beat my wings hard to make it beneath his chest. I shook my head to ignite the Phoenix fire on my horn and a swirl of red and blue flames flared along it in an instant.
He still hadn’t noticed me and hope sang a tune in my veins as I dipped my head, lining my flaming horn up with his black heart, ready to drive it through scales and bone to finish him.
Then I kicked my legs and beat my wings, coaxing all the power I could into the blow.
Father turned at the last second and my horn slammed into him off centre. But it still drove in deep and he roared in agony as I yanked my horn free and beat my wings hard, preparing to slam it into him once more, hitting the target I was so desperately aiming for.
I lunged at him to strike again, but one of his talons hooked around my leg and he threw me through the air, making my stomach lurch in fright.
I spun in a barrel roll, my wings flexing as I worked to get control of my descent and I narrowly missed the snapping of his jaws as I managed to fly upwards, my hooves smashing down on his skull as I used him as a springboard to get higher.
He bellowed another roar and the heat on my back warned me of the fire chasing my tail as I raced for the sky, a whinny of fear leaving my throat as I smelled singed hair, glancing back to find my tail on fire.
I whipped it hard until it went out and made it into the cloud cover with a breath of relief leaving me, thankful a water Elemental had cast a small storm here so I could use it to hide.
The cries and screams of the battle were muffled up here and though I was covered, I also couldn’t see my father, his deep growl rumbling through the air around me.
I turned left and right, unsure what move to make next and suddenly two jade green eyes peered through the thick mist at me.
Fire blasted my way, lighting up the clouds in orange as I tucked my wings and dove from the heavens, plummeting towards earth as fast as I could.
The way the air dragged and shifted around me made me sure he was right on my tail, and I shot side to side as fire bloomed past me, so close to consuming me it was all I could do to keep moving.
I stretched my wings out at the last second, pulling up from the dive, and twisting back to face my father. I slammed into his side, his huge body taking much longer to manoeuvre the way I could, and my fiery horn sank into his flesh once more, cracking the scales along his ribs and the sweet scent of his blood made me whinny in victory.