Flight of the Dragon (The Chronicles of Dragon, Series 2, Book 5 of 10) (Tail of the Dragon) (3 page)

“Have you gone mad?” Brenwar was blowing the layers of moustache that had become one with his beard. “This vermin doesn’t deserve the opportunity.”

Nath eyed Brenwar. “Mind yourself.”

“But…” Brenwar’s heavy shoulders slumped. Head down, he backed away.

Without any notification, Nath brought Rybek up to his feet and cut his bonds.

The powerful warrior, as tall as Nath, stretched his limbs and rubbed his wrists. With wary eyes, he said to Nath, “A straight fight then?”

Still holding Rybek’s sword, Nath picked up the man’s iron helmet. It was crudely crafted—not from a lack of skill but by intent. It was designed for intimidation more than protection. He tossed it to Rybek and said, “You’ll need this.”

Laylana appeared at his side. “Nath, this crude man will not fight fair. His word cannot be taken. In this instance, I concur with Brenwar. Let me beat the information out of him.”

“He’ll die first,” Nath said. He faced off with Rybek. The cold look of a murderer was in the man’s eyes. Vengeance was behind them too. Rybek blamed Nath for his brother’s death. He blamed Selene as well. He would never stop until they were both dead. Nothing Nath could say would change the man’s mind, but he spoke anyway. “Your brother had choices in life, Rybek. You do too. You don’t have to race down the same path of destruction your brother was on. He cannot witness your accolades in the grave, no matter how large.”

“Oh, he might not see it, but from the grave he will feel your blood when I spill it into the ground.” Rybek stretched out his hand. “I accept your offer. Your head against my information on the whereabouts of your father. I swear it on my sword in front of witnesses and fellow warriors—a bond in blood from the blood we’ve shed from battle. If I lie, take my hands, take my skill, forever.”

A thunderclap boomed in the skies above. A heavy rain came down. The Temple of Spires was an ancient place, and its dome was filled with cracks. Water wetted the floor.

Rybek stepped into the rain and spread his arms wide. He was a hulking man layered in bulging muscles. “Eckubahn, aid me! Grant my revenge!”

Ben made his way to Nath’s side and handed him Dragon Claw. “Just finish him.”

Nath locked Dragon Claw back inside Fang’s pommel. He moved away from his friend and into the litter of dead surrounding them: slaughtered wurmers from the earlier battle, chopped up into bits. Giants who had fallen and turned into stone, parts of them already busted up into rubble. Then there was Bletver, the triant. His huge body was still a smelly mound of burning flesh on account of the potion of fire breathing Ben had drunk. Rain drops sizzled on his dead hide.

Nath motioned with his sword. “Come, Rybek. Let the battle commence.”

Rybek pulled his sword from the stone floor and wiped the water from his face. “It will rain your blood today.”

Nath readied into his stance. Rybek was as good a swordsman as he’d ever faced. He’d about gotten him the last time, but perhaps he was underestimating the man, so he wasn’t going to take any chances. He set his feet and lifted his sword. “Come then, make it rain.”

Rybek kicked the head of a wurmer out of his path and moved in. He stood tall, sword at the ready, with his free hand fanned out. Raindrops bounced off the steel. The sword he carried was an exquisite blade with a grip made for two hands. Its length was shorter than the long blade of Fang, but it was just as broad. Rybek waded in and unleashed the first swing.

Both fine blades appeared to be otherworldly when they met. They collided in a clash of steel. Mystic sparks flew.

Clang!

Fang’s energy flowed into Nath’s hand with an angry hum.

Back and forth the warriors went, each fighting one handed.

Rybek jabbed his blade at Nath’s eyes and legs.

Nath slid his head aside and swatted the blade away.

Rybek broke off and backed away, saying, “What’s the problem, scared to attack me?”

“Not at all.” Nath jumped right at him and let loose a chop at Rybek’s side.

Rybek caught the swing on his sword and countered by spinning back into Nath, cracking him in the jaw with his elbow.

Nath stumbled back with spots in his eyes. A flash of metal came down. He brought Fang up, parrying the blow before it could cleave into his shoulder. He backpedaled. He defended himself against Rybek’s assault of steel. The taste of his own blood was in his mouth.

Clang! Bang! Clang! Ting!

Mystic sparks flew.

Nath shook his mane of red hair. He parried one blow after the other.

Rybek assaulted—quick, deadly, and unrelenting. The warrior’s blows weren’t trying to cut him in half and overpower him. No, Rybek was a true master swordsman. He was determined to wear Nath down with skill as opposed to strength.

One thing is for certain. He’s an excellent fighter.

Nath got the hang of the man’s routine. Within moments he timed every blow, every stroke. He played along. Let his footing slip, only to desperately catch one fatal blow after the other.

“What’s the matter, Nath Dragon? Why don’t you attack? Do you feel my arm will tire and you shall vanquish me then?” Rybek stepped and jabbed. “I don’t tire. My will of steel won’t allow it.”

“No, Rybek, you’re a fine swordsman, one of the best I’ve ever encountered. Just not better than me.” With that, Nath smacked Rybek’s sword aside in a vicious counter rather than a parry. The warrior’s arm was flung wide, exposing his chest. Nath back swung at the mark in a strike sure to end it, but at the last moment he held back, aiming to wound rather than kill by slowing the strike of his sword.

Rybek dropped beneath the swing in an uncanny move with surprising speed.

Nath missed.

Swish!

Overextended, Nath glanced down at the man lying beneath him.

Rybek swept Nath’s legs out from under him with his booted foot.

Nath fell onto his back. Before he even realized what was happening, Rybek’s blade was on a collision course with his face. In a fragment of thought, he knew he could not bring Fang around to stop the blow in time. His free clawed hand lashed out, trying to stop Rybek’s attack at the wrist. The effort didn’t match the goal. Rybek’s blade cut through scales and bone.

Rybek let out a triumphant bellow.

“YYYyeeeeaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!”

Nath looked for his fingers. Half of his hand was gone.

Rerry shoved his brother Samaz back down the path. Fueled by fear, the pair of part-elves careened over the embankment and down the ravine they’d just climbed up. He was yelling to his brother, “I always wanted to see a giant, but not like this!”

“I told you we needed to go around!” Samaz said, but his foot became tangled, and he tumbled over and down the hill.

Rerry rushed after his brother, stretching his arms out, fingers clutching for his brother’s clothing.

But Samaz balled up, probably to protect himself. Rolling like a boulder, he hit the rock bottom and splashed into the ravine creek.

Rerry scooped his brother up by his underarms. “You’re so clumsy!”

“I beat you down the hill, didn’t I?”

“ELVEN MEAT! I SMELL ELVEN MEAT!”

Both of the brothers glanced up the hillside. The giant’s tree-trunk legs pumped down the hill. Its yellow eyes were still locked on the both of them. Humongous and hideous, it came like a rampaging one man herd.

Gaping for a moment, Rerry said, “That stupid thing can talk.”

“It’s startling,” Samaz replied.

Side by side, the brothers took off at a dead sprint, ankle deep in the water.

Behind them, the giant’s feet shook the ground in heated pursuit.

“What’s your plan, Samaz?”

“Run!”

Rerry bounded over the water cascading over the stones. “Run where?”

“Until we lose the giant!” Samaz leaped over a fallen log and landed in the shallows. “Just keep moving. Surely he can’t keep up with us.”

“Not me, maybe.” Rerry took a quick glance over his shoulder.

The giant moved through the pass like a charging bull. Head lowered, it picked up steam. Using one of its massive hands, it scooped up a handful of stream stones and dirt and flung it at them.

“Duck, Samaz!”

The rocks, some as big as a man’s hand, pelted both of them in the back.

“Augh!” Rerry cried out. One stone clonked off of his helmet, knocking him sideways. He caught himself, hand out, on the trunk of a tree, retaining his balance. His legs churned. He’d always been confident he could outrun anything, but the giant’s legs were longer than he was tall.

It was gaining, and gaining fast.

“I FEED!” the giant said. “I FEED ON FLESH AND BONES!” It flung another handful of dirt and rocks at them.

The heavy debris pelted Rerry’s back, sending lancing pain from his shoulders into his eyes.

Samaz dropped to a knee, dashing it on a jagged rock and tearing his clothes at the knee. His brows buckled between his eyes. Jaw clenched, he forced himself up and resumed his run.

Sword in hand, Rerry said, “You run! I’ll stay and slow the beast until you get to safety. Who knows, maybe I’ll get lucky.”

“Most likely you’ll get dead, and I’m not ready to part with you yet.” Samaz snatched up a smooth stone from the water and closed his fist around it. “I need you to steal me a few moments.”

“For what?” Rerry turned his chin over his shoulder.

The horned giant filled both of its hands with more gravel from the creek. Its arms cocked back. It flung the debris like a sea of sling stones.

“Duck, Samaz!”

The gravel ripped through the air. The hard pellets of rock pelted both of the brothers. Rerry had been hit with rocks before in some strange games he and his brother used to play, but never dozens of stones at once. They struck like a hive of hornets stinging all at once.

“Now I know why so many prefer to wear armor. Thank Guzan I have at least one coating on,” he said, flapping his arms. “Dear mother, it hurts!”

Samaz didn’t reply. His eyes were closed, but his feet still navigated the path over the stream of water. Both of his hands were clutched over the stone he held, and a mystic light seeped out from within it. His pace slowed. “Buy us some time, Rerry.” He halted in the middle of the stream.

“Have you gone mad?”

Samaz stood with the waters rushing around his ankles. His eyes were up in his head. “Hold the giant off a few moments longer.”

With his lip curled up under his nose, Rerry said to his brother, “You’re so weird.” He faced the oncoming giant and started waving his sword high over his head. He yelled out loud. “Halt, giant! I am Rerry, and this is my mystic sword…Giant Killer! One strike from its keen edge and you’ll be instantly slain!”

Hands filled with mud and rock, the giant came to a stop. Its massive head tilted to the side as it squinted and eyed the blade held by Rerry. Its throat growled in a strange but giant-like thoughtful manner. It chewed something in its mouth and swallowed.

Rerry guessed it was part of the bear it had been dining on. He swallowed and said, “I see you are as wise as you are big, giant. You fear my blade, and you should.” He poked the sword in the air. The giant eased back, eyes narrowed. “Be gone, giant. There is no meal for you to have here. Be gone and finish the bear.”

With its eyes still fixed on Rerry’s blade, the giant replied, “The entire world shall be mine to devour.” It snorted. “Man and part-elf alike. I shall suck the marrow from your bones, you little liar.”

And I thought giants were big and stupid. This one is certainly not.

Rerry took a quick look at his brother.

Samaz hadn’t moved.

Facing the giant again, Rerry stuck out his chest. “Only a fool would dare trifle with Rerry the Great. I offered mercy. You passed up my offer. Now I can only offer death.” He advanced.

The giant took a huge step back.

Speaking as loud as he could, Rerry said, “Having second thoughts, are we?”

The fifteen-foot-tall giant blinked its immense eyes. Thoughts were being processed somewhere behind the horns of its brutish skull. It was like an animal, a smart one, fighting against its instincts. Its belly moaned and gurgled. Its monumental jaws widened. Saliva dripped from its huge teeth.

“Elven meat’s the best kind of meat. Tender are the bones.” It leaned down. “I smell no danger in your steel. Like a flea, you cannot harm my thick hide. No mortal blade can.”

“Uh,” Rerry said, easing back a little, “you sound very sure of yourself. If I were you, I wouldn’t take a chance.”

“If you could kill me, I’d be dead. But you can’t. Now, no more chatting. I hunger. It’s time to dine.” It allowed the rock and sludge to spill from its hands. Its arms slowly closed in on Rerry. “Make it simple, little flea. Get inside my belly.”

The rancid breath of the giant soured Rerry’s stomach. He covered his nose and tried not to gag. He wanted to move, but his legs seemed frozen into the water.

Dear Mother, this thing really is going to eat me! I-I-I can’t move!