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"Let’s move!” Dar ordered quietly, leading several other Alena through the forest towards the unsuspecting goblins who were hidden together in the brush. They slipped through the shadows like ghosts as they silently made their ways towards their unknowing victims.
Wordlessly, one of the Alena, a blond-haired boy with luminous blue eyes, split off from the group, and scampered nimbly up a nearby tree with surprising agility. Once he reached the canopy above, he secured a rope to a sturdy branch and lowered himself down directly over the heads of the goblins. He stopped about ten feet above the creatures, hanging upside down, and swaying gently back and forth. He took a pouch from his belt, and began sprinkling a shimmering powder over the goblins, who inadvertently inhaled the strange substance deep into their lungs.
Within seconds, the creatures fell to the ground deep in coma-like sleep. Dar and the other Alena immediately moved in and bound and gagged the unconscious creatures, then dragged them deeper into the forest where they wouldn't be found. They repeated the process three more times, then returned to the trail where they were met by Kytra and her group of Alena.
“Mission accomplished!” The girl smiled.
Dar grinned back, then cupped one hand to his mouth and cackled loudly, sounding exactly like one of the Howlers that they had encountered when first entering the forest. After several quiet moments, a number of dark shapes appeared from the shadows and approached quickly on silent feet.
“Any problems?” Damion’s voice came from the largest shadow.
“The guards have all been neutralized.” The tiny Alena reported. “The dragonspawn at the gate are all yours.”
Damion grunted, then he and Sly slipped back into the darkness, leaving the others to follow along behind. They soon came upon the huge wall, and the five dragonspawn that stood guard before the entrance. They wordlessly split up, each moving through the shadows and positioning themselves on opposite sides of the unwary creatures. The fight was short and ugly. They materialized like ghosts from the darkness and fell upon the dragonspawn, slashing them down with lethal blows. The creatures fell without a sound, slumping to the ground with looks of surprise and disbelief on their scaly faces.
As soon as the last dragonspawn fell, dozens of the unearthly beautiful wood nymphs appeared from the darkness and approached the wall. They crouched down at the base of the fortification and began to manipulate the wood with their magic.
“Damion!” Sly suddenly warned in a hoarse whisper. “Your sword!”
Damion looked down and saw that the Dragon Sword had begun to glow with a pulsating light. “Damn!” He swore, grasping the hilt. “Not yet!” The sword suddenly flickered, then returned to normal. He exchanged a questioning glance with Sly, then turned his attention back to the wood nymphs.
The nymphs continued to work their magic for several more minutes, and then, one by one, they returned to the darkness of the forest.
“What’s wrong?” Sly asked in concern. “Why didn't they start the fire?”
“Give it a second.” Dar murmured as he and Garth appeared from the shadows. “The wood used to build the wall was still quite green. It may take a few moments for their magic to work.”
Several long minutes ticked by while they held their breaths expectantly, then the base of the wall suddenly burst into flames. The flames quickly traveled up the wall, spreading and building until the entire wall was engulfed.
A roar resounded from the darkness as hundreds of the forest inhabitants burst from the shadows, led by the charging centaurs who began launching waves of arrows in a high soaring arc over the flaming wall. Screams of pain and surprise erupted from the camp as the arrows showered down on the unsuspecting creatures inside.
The goblins and dragonspawn inside of the camp died in scores as the lethal barrage rained down from above. Many desperately tried to escape into the forest, but found themselves completely encircled by a fifty-foot-high wall of flames. The trapped creatures went berserk, scrambling about in a panic in an effort to find somewhere that was safe from the deadly storm of arrows.
A sudden crash echoed through the forest, followed by a number of earsplitting bellows, announcing that the giants were ready to join the fray. Almost simultaneously, a loud cackling laughter rang down from above as the harpies swooped down from the sky still chanting 'Fight! Fight! Fight!'. The camp was already a mass of confusion when the enormous giants suddenly crashed through the wall of flames like it was nothing more than cobwebs and began ravaging the ranks of the goblins and dragonspawn, while the harpies fell screaming from the sky above, ripping and tearing with sharp talons, and defecating on the panicked creatures with their highly acidic scat.
The companions continued to wait as they listened to the battle rage on the other side off the wall of flames. Finally, Damion turned to the others. “It’s time to do this! Everyone ready?”
“Let’s join the party!” Sly said fiercely, his eyes alight with excitement.
Damion drew in his magic and focused it onto the roaring wall of flames. A large section of the wall suddenly imploded, leaving a gaping hole that led into the chaos of the camp.
“We’ll see you soon!” Dar assured him confidently. “We’ll go free the slaves while you deal with Kaviel!” They quickly darted into the clearing and carefully began to make their ways towards the slave pens.
Damion watched as they disappeared in into the confusion, then threw a silent thought into the night. “Snowfeather, I'm moving in. Warn me if anything goes wrong.”
“Of course.” The snow owl replied. “Just be careful, and don't get yourself killed.”
Drawing the Dragon Sword from its sheath, Damion carefully made his way through the gaping hole in the flaming wall. The camp was in complete disarray as the giants smashed their way through the crowd of dragonspawn and goblins, sending their bodies flying through the air where they crashed lifelessly to the ground.
One of the harpies, laughing in deranged glee, dived at one of the goblins and grasped it by the shoulders, sinking its talons deep into its flesh. With a tremendous effort, the harpy carried it high into the air above the clearing, where it dropped the thrashing creature onto a group of dragonspawn who were desperately trying to avoid the shower of centaur arrows.
A goblin, maddened with fear and brandishing a rust-splotched sword, suddenly rushed at Damion and took a wild swipe that he easily avoided. He parried another wild swing, then drove the point of the Dragon Sword deep into the creature’s throat. He paused as one of the giants stomped passed holding a goblin by one leg, using it as a club to smash a number of dragonspawn, then he began to wade through the battle, the Dragon Sword dancing as he carved a path through the chaos towards the cavern's opening.
Another crash echoed through the forest as the burning wall began to collapse, crushing a number of dragonspawn who were huddled close by, attempting to hide from the storm of arrows still raining down into the clearing. Dozens of centaurs emerged from the forest and took aim through the gaping hole, releasing a lethal barrage, every arrow finding its target with deadly efficiency.
He was nearly halfway to the cavern's opening when he was suddenly struck from behind, knocking him to the ground, momentarily stunning him. He managed to roll over to see a dying goblin lying across his legs, a small stream of blood flowing from its mouth. He kicked the beast off, then struggled to his feet cursing as nearly a dozen dragonspawn charged towards him with wild eyes. He cut the first three down with slashing blows, and then kicked the forth hard in its chest, sending it crashing back into its companions.
He was suddenly knocked to the ground once again as a massive figure charged passed and began smashing at the dragonspawn with an enormous club. Damion rolled to his feet and found himself face to face with the towering cyclops, which had finished with the dragonspawn and turned on him. It stared at him intently with its single orb for several moments, rubbing its bruised jaw, then it blinked and laughed a loud barking laugh.
It turned away and strolled back into the battle, dispatching goblins and dragonspawn with great swings of its massive club.
Damion quickly recovered his senses as another goblin charged his way, squealing in fear as it fled from a raging giant. He easily ran the creature through, then kicked it off his sword, and continued to fight his way towards the dragon's lair.
He snarled as a fiery pain suddenly shot up his leg, nearly causing him to collapse back to the ground. A crossbow bolt was lodged deep in his leg, just above his knee. He looked over towards the opening of the cavern and spotted Kaviel standing in its entrance, a crossbow in his hands. They locked eyes for a split second, and he saw the scar-faced man's eyes widen with fear. The man dropped the crossbow, then scrambled back into the dragon's lair in terror.
Grasping the crossbow bolt, Damion tore it free, then howled a bestial howl of pain that echoed through the clearing. Many of the nearby creatures paused in their fighting to try and locate the source of the anguished howl before returning to the battle. Rage pounded his senses, and a red haze seemed to blur his vision as he threw the bolt aside. He dashed forward to chase after the scar-faced man, but was forced back as a number of goblins jumped into his path.
Without even thinking, he drew in his magic and began hurling handfuls of blazing energy. The following explosions ripped the approaching goblins to pieces, and rocked the surrounding clearing, throwing a number of other nearby creatures from their feet.
“They’re running!” Snowfeather called from the canopy above. “The dragonspawn and goblins that are still standing are trying to escape into the forest!”
Damion glanced around and saw that many of the remaining dragonspawn and goblins were trying to make their way towards the forest, desperately trying to escape the slaughter. “Let them go! I'm going to go after Kaviel!”
A loud cheer suddenly erupted as the slaves, freed from their tormentors, rushed into the clearing and joined the battle, charging after the fleeing creatures with a vengeance. Many of them paused in their charge to grab weapons that had been discarded by the dead and dying, then began to viciously chop down their former captors. The last of the remaining dragonspawn and goblins tried to break free of the battle and flee, but were quickly cut down by the enraged mob of slaves.
Damion watched the slaughter for a moment, then returned his attention to the cavern's opening. With grave determination, he slowly made his way towards the final confrontation with his father’s killer, the Dragon Sword blazing with his anger.
Omensent: Birth of a Dragon Lord Page 52