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As our airship descended from it's lofty altitude; we all lazed around the deck, and below. No one was expecting what happened next; not even me, this was certainly a lesson in preparedness. The screeching Drakes must have come up silently, because it wasn't until they started dropping their payloads that those horrible screeches started. The deck crew manned their stations quick enough; loading the Ballistae, aiming them higher into the sky at the winged lizards. But that was probably their first mistake; I came up just as they fired their first volley, the huge Elvin steel bolts soaring past their targets. These Drakes could move! In well thought of flight patterns the four Drakes evaded the shots. Their evasive maneuver put the two pairs at opposite ends of the ship, from which they promptly strafed the deck. I ducked back behind the shuttered door and shove Retna back against the rest of the soldiers coming up the stairs. She started to say something but was silenced by the earsplitting crackling that filled the air on the deck. The Drakes had belched lighting storms onto the soldiers who manned the Ballistae, and the ones readying themselves for the imminent boarding party. There were a few survivors from the strafing run, which I think was lucky. One survivor even returned fire; a huge Minotaur roared loudly as his skin started bubbling and scorching, in the bright blue archs of energy. But as the lighting let up, that Minotaur showed them his displeasure. His convulsing arms broke free from their electric chains and gripped the shaft of a nearby axe. With ridiculous precision for the circumstance, he hurled it skyward. The solid thump could be heard over the dying lighting, then a brief and wet screech. I burst through the door, thickening my aura against the remnant energy. I watched as the Drake plummeted toward the deck, the slammed against the railing to slide limply overboard. It's thick green blood streaking the wood where it fell. The air was filled with pained bellows, and without having to look I knew something killed the Minotaur. He wasn't one of my soldiers so I didn't know his name, but I would be sure to avenge him. Drawing my twin curved swords; I turned on his death cries, his massive frame was covered in wriggling greenish, blackish tumors. All the way up to his neck; but when I looked closer, I saw they weren't tumors at all. He was covered in Goblins, some as small as children. They were plunging spears, and vicious forked knives into him. I knew from the look in his eyes as I took my first few steps, that he was already dead. Still I spat a spell at his killers before his eyes went completely dark, so he could have a few to take with him to the dead lands. Shards of shadow flew from my hand toward the Goblins, ripping through their mottled flesh with ease. Several of them were shredded off his body by my shards, but their weapons were still lodged inside the Minotaur's dying body. Suddenly something shined brightly, little points of orange light came up on each weapon's hilt or shaft. Even the weapons that still had wielders started shining, a half a second later the airship was rocked with a series of small explosions. They were obviously a suicide squad, probably made from slaves. I had heard the Goblins enslaved everything, even themselves. But to just throw lives away, I was not expecting this. Now the rest of the soldiers had made it up with me, and got to see what I had already. The Drakes' payload; it was Goblins, almost three hundred of the little bastards. They were already swarming over the deck, and down the sides of the ship. Without hesitation I ordered half my men below decks to the Elemental housing, if those were freed we would have a serious problem. Retna took command of the forces below deck, leaving me wit the mess up here. I appeared to be the only officer above deck at the moment, so I started bellowing orders to anyone still able to follow them. "Seal all the deck doors, don't let the fuckers into the holds!" As the order left my mouth I parried away a spear thrown at my head, as it flew off to my left it exploded. I shielded myself with a wing and strode forward, stomping and slashing as many of them as I could. Their attacks came from everywhere, they had worked themselves into the riggings and would swing across the deck on slashed rope. Explosions were tearing chunks out of the decking, and hull. But at least the Mages had eliminated the fucking Drakes, and despite their numbers Goblins are easily killed. But unfortunately they were ruthlessly cunning, and we had underestimated them.