The Anvil (68 page)

“
I
’
m
Thomas
Welton
,
and
if
you
think
you
will
kill
me
,
you
are
wrong
.
And
I
have
a
question
for
you
,
Werin
.
If
Arstan
is
so
worthless
,
why
try
to
conquer
it
and
lose
thousands
of
troops
doing
so
?”
Tom
replied
trying
to
sound
confident
. “
Because
the
Ilemart
Empire
needs
more
slaves
,
warriors
and
land
.
Now
prepare
to
die
Tom
,
you
foolish
boy
.”
and
with
that
Werin
lifted
his
axe
to
strike
at
him
.

But
as
Werin
chopped
down
Tom
rolled
to
the
side
.
Suddenly
Zack
and
Dejoni
were
by
his
side
,
Dejoni
tried
to
claw
him
,
but
missed
and
Werin
chopped
his
leg
,
not
too
deep
but
Tom
could
tell
it
hurt
.

Zack
tried
to
stab
the
general
and
hit
his
foot
but
Werin
hit
Zack
with
the
end
of
his
axe
and
Zack
slumped
unconscious
in
his
saddle
. “
I
’
m
afraid
we
can
’
t
help
anymore
.”
Dejoni
told
Tom
and
he
flew
away
.
Tom
stood
ready
as
Werin
stepped
towards
him
,
stopped
from
the
pain
in
his
foot
,
turned
and
walked
towards
his
dragon
.

Tom
knew
if
he
got
on
his
dragon
,
he
would
kill
Tom
as
quickly
as
crushing
an
ant
.
Tom
jumped
at
him
,
bringing
him
down
and
they
rolled
for
a
moment
,
and
Werin
quickly
stood
and
kicked
Tom
’
s
legs
as
he
rose
.

Werin
started
to
swing
his
axe
,
but
hit
a
stone
pillar
that
appeared
from
the
ground
.
Both
of
them
looked
around
in
confusion
and
Tom
saw
Madison
.
Tom
grabbed
his
axe
from
the
ground
next
to
him
and
swung
at
Werin
’
s
leg
.
Werin
saw
this
and
started
to
block
with
his
shield
,
but
again
stopped
and
yelled
in
pain
as
an
arrow
dug
into
his
shield
arm
.

Tom
’
s
axe
hit
and
Werin
’
s
leg
crumpled
,
Tom
stood
and
was
about
to
chop
at
Werin
’
s
neck
,
but
flew
back
as
Werin
sent
a
burst
of
air
magic
at
him
.
Tom
landed
on
his
shield
arm
,
and
yelled
in
pain
as
he
heard
a
cracking
sound
.

Werin
was
slowly
walking
back
to
his
dragon
and
Tom
knew
Werin
was
going
to
come
after
him
once
he
got
on
his
dragon
.
Tom
watched
as
the
general
climbed
onto
the
dragon
and
made
it
jump
towards
him
.
But
as
it
reached
it
’
s
highest
point
,
a
purple
blur
smashed
into
them
.

Tom
started
to
rise
,
but
fell
again
as
his
arm
took
the
weight
of
the
shield
.
He
quickly
unstrapped
the
restraints
,
then
tried
to
get
up
again
.

This
time
he
was
able
to
and
he
tore
off
some
of
his
shirt
and
made
a
sling
.
He
ran
as
fast
as
he
could
to
where
Alex
and
Werin
were
fighting
.
Alex
swung
his
spiked
tail
at
the
dragon
and
the
dragon
was
knocked
over
,
sending
Werin
flying
off
.

Alex
continued
wresting
the
blood
red
dragon
as
Tom
continued
running
,
changing
his
course
towards
the
fallen
general
.
When
Tom
was
a
few
feet
away
,
Werin
got
up
,
turned
and
laughed
. “
So
your
arm
hurts
,
little
boy
?
I
’
m
so
sorry
.”
Werin
said
then
continued

“
But
soon
I
will
make
the
pain
go
away
.”
he
said
with
grim
humor
,
Werin
raised
his
axe
and
walked
forward
,
he
stumbled
and
his
leg
,
with
an
arrow
in
it
,
crumpled
.

Tom
pulled
his
arm
out
of
the
sling
then
gripped
his
axe
with
both
hands
and
chopped
off
Werin
’
s
head
,
just
as
Alex
bit
the
blood
red
dragon
’
s
neck
and
jerked
,
killing
it
.

Chapter
22

             
Slowly
the
Ilemite
soldiers
noticed
their
general
and
his
dragon
were
dead
and
started
running
.
Tom
collapsed
on
the
ground
with
a
gasp
of
pain
,
too
tired
to
yell
.