Time

It was done, carefully the white dragon stepped forward out of the hazy wall. It hadn't taken that long to pull up a custom dragon time stop. A light green wall hummed around him, it covered the whole Irish grassland, mystical draconic symbols slowly circling around on the wall. The last thing he needed was to have a bunch of screaming Mudmen wielding pitchforks breaking up the fight and taking pictures.

Closing his eyes, he realized that Skarn was veering even closer. Herodes turned and flew back to warn the others. He was honestly scared about the battle coming; his heart was beating hard in his chest. Whoever said that dragons couldn't be scared didn't know one. The sound in his ears a reminder of what was yet to come; another dragon was on his way to kill him, the whole time that he would be trying to do the same.

It sent shivers though his spine, it had to be done though. Logically, he turned his mind away from those dark thoughts. Instead he focused on his handiwork; by Mudman standers he had encompassed a square mile on the field, more than enough for the battle. He had also cast an invisible spell around the specters of the battle. Just in case something went wrong and Skarn started targeting the innocents. They didn't know it yet, not until everything was in motion that he would he solidify that wall.

There they were, he glided closer to them. Artemis and Holly were examining the time stop and Amara was still inside. She hadn't said why she had gone inside but he had reason to guess that it wouldn't be a good time to ask.

Landing, he trotted over trying to ignore his heart he asked, "What do you think of my handiwork?" His tail twitched, as he tried not to watch for the other dragon.

"It's amazing, it would take our whole warlock society hours to make something like this, yet for you it take about a minute. How do you do it?" Holly replied taking out a camera and snapping some pictures.

He settled on the ground, curling his tail with pride. Winking he said mysteriously, "Magic."

The elf walked forward and started to bring her hand forward to touch the wall, Hero jumped, "Don't"

The captain paused and looking up at him ask, "Why? You did it a few minutes ago. I saw you half in half out. I thought applied to all creatures."

"No, it doesn't. If you stuck your hand out it would be promptly chopped off by the pressure of the time outside. We are in a different time zone here. I can do it because dragons are made of tougher stuff then there is the fact that I cast to spell don't hurt either."

Holly nodded as she took in what he had said, "But how will Skarn be able to get in?"

The mention of the name sent ice into his bones, refusing to show it, he replied calmly as possible, "He will be able to sense the spell and will essentially rip it open. He can do that. Once that happens then he'll crawl through the hole. I've set it up so it will close again afterwards." A slight waver in his voice was the only sign of what was going through his head.

"So you're controlling the spell?" the elf asked sharpy, pausing from random pictures and videos. Herodes knew what she was really asking, 'if you die will we all get destroyed by the collapsing of the timestop?'

The white dragon shook his head, "No, I'm no longer controlling it. I have set it up as if I die then it will shut down at a rate that you can withstand. Simply dropping you back in the true time, probably at midnight or close to morning." He smiled sweetly, "Of course I'll never know."

The captain's gaze dropped. She didn't mean it. He rose to his feet and was about to tell her it was fine when he arrived, the area above the shuttled ripped open. The red dragon dove forward straight for the white.

Herodes instinctively dropped down to his knees and drew in his wings. An overshot from Skarn saved his head. Landing, the other dragon scrambled around tearing up the grass as he went. His mouth open in a primitive scream of unalternated hate.

Herodes suddenly realized how sick he was of seeing that face. Without a second thought he jumped in the face of Skarn and replied with his own roar. He felt the his fans rising along his back. His tail whipped behind him.

Skarn drew back in surprise, and snarled to him, "So finally the pitiful dragon has decided to face death."

"Yes, I have come to see you face death's wrath." He snapped back.

Snaring again, the red creature leapt again. Herodes crouched to avoid the attack when a form flew over him and crashed into the dragon. Amara growled as they collided with the ground. Quickly as she attacked she danced backwards out of range of the whirl of claws.

"I couldn't just let you go to battle without my good bye, now could I?" Her brown eyes flashed, and his body suddenly felt warm at the touch. He would live to be by the female dragon or he would try his hardest.

"Awww…how sweet. Amara and Herodes. Love till the very end. How sad that won't last very long." Skarn said in a mocking tone in the background.

The white dragon ignored him and softly touched his own nose to hers and quietly backed off. He looked around the field. The gentle rolling hills, the soft grass, this is were some 500 years ago he had stood, looking straight into Skarn's green eyes before he fled. This is where for the past thousands of years, the battles for the planet called Earth took place.

It was his turn.

AN:

Not too much to say, last chapter before the fight, then two after that. Then end is nearing for The 9th Race sadly.

Thanks for reading,

Brightfrost

Last Riddle:

Inkstand

This chapter's:

You can hold it without using your arms or hands. What is it?