Free Soul of Dragons by Jonathan Moeller

strike down a Malrag at short range. 
    “Arrows!” shouted Romaria.
    She had taken command of Mazael's mounted archers. The archers had seen her take the shape of a wolf and rip out Malrag throats, had seen her wake the army of traigs to save Deepforest Keep, and therefore did not object. 
    Romaria dropped the reins, steering her mount with her knees. The sturdy little horse had been well trained, and continued running. She seized an arrow from her quiver, lifted it to her bow. Around her the men did the same, their horses' manes and tails streaming in the wind.
    The wall of Malrag spears loomed before her.
    “Release!” said Romaria, urging her horse to the left. In the same motion she raised her bow, drew the string, and released. 
    The archers galloped past the Malrag spear wall, loosing their arrows. Most of the shafts slammed into black shields or skidded off Malrag armor. But some penetrated the armor, and a few Malrags fell dead with arrows through their throats or eyes. A ripple went through the Malrag ranks, and for a moment Romaria thought they would break formation and attack, as they always had in previous battles.
    But the formation held firm. 
    The horse archers rode past the Malrags’ right flank, still releasing arrow after arrow. The Malrags shifted formation, moving to keep their shields between them and the hail of arrows. Romaria grinned. If they could force the Malrags out of formation, that would leave them vulnerable to Mazael's knights. 
    She raised her bow, arms tight with tension. She had an advantage over the other archers. The Elderborn half of her soul, the beast within her, made her senses supernaturally keen. The vile stink of the Malrags filled her nostrils, along with the sharper corruption in their crimson veins, so similar to Demonsouled power. She heard their growls and snarls, the angry hiss of breath over yellowed fangs.
    And she saw their eyes, white and blank beneath their black helms.
    Romaria released the bowstring, the arrow burying itself in a Malrag's eye, and the creature fell with a choked howl of pain. 
    And through the ranks of the Malrags, Romaria glimpsed a massive shape.
     
    ###
     
    “Flank them!” said Mazael.
    He kicked Hauberk to a run. Two bands of mounted archers circled around the Malrags like a swarm of bees, loosing their arrows. To Mazael's great surprise, the Malrags held their formation, not breaking to attack the horse archers. But even thought the Malrags had not attacked, the rain of arrows disrupted their tight formation. The Malrags could not face both Mazael's horsemen and shield themselves from the archers' arrows. One strong charge, and the Malrag lines would break. 
    He rode left, his men following, and he saw the dark shapes stir within the Malrags' lines.
     
    ###
     
    Romaria released another arrow, and saw the hulking form stand up in the center of the Malrags.
    The creature stood fifteen feet tall, arms and legs like tree trunks, armored in overlapping plates of black steel like a dragon's scales. It had the leathery gray hide of the Malrags, its skin covered in gnarled growths and cysts. But like Corvad's Malrags, a network of crimson veins overlaid its hide, pulsing and throbbing. 
    An Ograg, one of the larger, more dangerous cousins to the Malrags. 
    Romaria shifted her saddle and fired. Her next arrow flew over the Malrags' head and sank into the Ograg's neck. The creature bellowed in fury, slapping at the arrow like a stinging fly, and its massive white eyes turned to face her. 
    In the heart of the Malrag formation, she saw three more Ogrags stand up, each carrying a massive spiked metal club. 
     
    ###
     
    Mazael cursed, reining Hauberk up, his men halting. 
    The Ogrags lumbered through the formation, the Malrags parting to let the larger creatures pass. Four of the damned things, each covered with those crimson veins, larger and stronger than normal Ogrags. All four made straight for Mazael's knights and armsmen, ignoring