Battle of the Dragon (The Chronicles of Dragon, Series 2, Book 3) (Tail of the Dragon)

by Craig Halloran

  Blurry-bright stars exploded behind Nath’s eyes. His limbs loosened from head to toe. Dragon Claw started to slip from his fingertips. Head rolling on his shoulders, he watched the giant’s gaping maw open up once more. It had a second row of teeth in its huge mouth. Its red tongue was like a spongy rug beneath his feet.

  Nath’s inner fire ignited.

  He caught his breath and unleashed it.

  A stream of gray smoke poured out of his mouth and filled the entire barn in seconds. The giant started coughing and choking. Nath’s grip refastened on the dagger. He plunged it into the giant’s wrist again, but this time with all his dragon might.

  The monstrosity screeched in pain. “AAAAIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!” Its grip loosened.

  Nath twisted free and landed flat on his feet. He fumbled through the barn and snatched up the sack of goods Leander had brought him, now glad he had set it down before the giant grabbed him. He dashed through the blinding smoke and out of the barn. More soldiers approached, shouting and yelling. Nath raced up the hill, making a beeline for Brenwar and Laylana. He glanced over his shoulder.

  The man in the iron mask staggered out of the barn and fell to his knees. His chest heaved. He gave a sharp whistle. His horse trotted to his side. The man pulled himself up into the saddle, snapped the reins, and galloped after Nath.

  Ribs aching, Nath sprinted at full speed. He could run faster than most four legged animals, including horses. Aside from the roamer steeds that were much faster than most, he could outrace almost anything.

  I might not be able to fly, but at least I can run like I have wings on my feet.

  ***

  Brenwar stood over Laylana. The elven princess’s breathing had become ragged. She trembled. He put his calloused hand on her head. It was hot. “You’ll have to forgive me. I’m not much good at helping elves.”

  She reached up and grabbed his hand. Her eyes were open, but she wasn’t there. She squeezed tight and let go again.

  Brenwar’s throat tightened. Seeing the lady elf hurting hurt him. Even though he had little love for the elves, he did have love for life. “Goose,” he said. He hadn’t seen the female halfling in a while. He’d told her to keep a lookout over the village. “Goose?”

  He and the elf were surrounded by the cover of trees, tucked away out of sight. He clawed at his beard. Sniffed. Something somewhere was burning. Wood. Brenwar headed out of his hiding spot in search of the halfling. On the nearby hilltop overlooking Holbrook, the orange glow of a fire caught his eyes. He spied Goose dropping branches on it. The small blaze was catching fast in the wind. “By Morgdon, what the gallows is going on?” he yelled at her.

  Startled, she dropped the wood she held in the fire.

  “Put that out, you little fool!” he said.

  “No,” she replied. There was a devious glimmer in her eye. “If I do that, the giant will have a hard time finding you. And he might need the fire to cook you on.”

  “Are you mad?”

  “No, I’m Goose. Long live Eckubahn! May the giants feast on you!” She fished something out of a little pouch and tossed it on the fire. The blaze shot up toward the sky, lighting up the hillside like day.

  Brenwar shielded his eyes behind his forearm. Once the bright blaze went down, he rushed up the hill toward it. Goose was nowhere to be found. “Halflings! I knew they’d do something stupid.”

  The ground shook.

  The town below was alive with activity. Soldiers charged down the dirt roads in a clamor. A hundred yards away and storming up the hill was a bigger problem. A giant was on its way with a hammer the size of a man in each hand. At least a dozen soldiers were behind him.

  Brenwar’s face scrunched up. His grip tightened on Mortuun. He butted the war hammer with his head and yelled down the hill, “You want to dance? Then let’s dance! For Morgdon!”

  CHAPTER 37

  A blinding flash from the hilltop smote Nath’s eyes. His pace slowed. A horse nickered way behind him.

  What was that?

  He forged ahead. Behind, the man in the iron helm had lost control of his mount. A fire blazed ahead. A giant was charging up the hillside a ways away with a knot of well-armed soldiers following behind him.

  That’s when Nath heard Brenwar’s battle cry. Against the night sky, the dwarf’s silhouette appeared in front of the blazing fire. Brenwar was winding up the hammer like a windmill. A second later he let it fly.

  A thunderclap rocked the summit.

  Kraa-Booooom!

  The charging giant’s head snapped back. He teetered backward and stumbled on two soldiers, smashing them into the grass. His oversized limbs were still moving. He shook his head, stuck his hand in the earth, rubbed his chin, and rose again. The soldiers surged by and stormed Brenwar.

  Nath cut through the grasses like a knife through butter. He blindsided three soldiers, knocking through them like a stampeding bull. Still running, he snatched Mortuun off the ground and tossed it over to Brenwar, saying, “Fang?”

  Snatching the hammer from the air, Brenwar said, “Right where you left him.” He started winding up again.

  “I’ll be right back. Hold them off until then.”

  “They’ll be dead by then,” Brenwar replied.

  Nath dashed into the deep woods. The rider in the helm had almost crested the hill. Nath weaved through the trees into the hidden clearing. Fang was stuck in the dirt several feet from where Laylana rested. He carefully dumped the sage’s gifts onto the ground next to her. Not sure what was what, he popped off the lid to a jar of salve. It was cool and soothing to the touch. He rubbed it on her forehead.

  The horse and iron-helmed rider erupted from the brush. The rider hopped off the horse and slapped its hindquarters, sending it charging into the woods. He cracked his neck from side to side and flexed his powerful arms with the incredible blade gripped tight in his fingers. He tipped his chin at Fang.

  Nath glided over to his magnificent blade, took the hilt in both hands, and pulled it free of the ground. “I take it you want a duel with me?”

  The rider nodded. His build was powerful and familiar. The height of the man matched Nath’s own. His shoulders were that of a bull, and the muscles in his arms were hammered iron. The blade glimmered with angry energy.

  “It’s seems you know who I am, but I don’t know who you are,” Nath said while he stuck Dragon Claw back inside Fang’s pommel. “Care to share?” He rested the sword on his shoulder.

  With one hand, the man removed his iron helmet and dropped it on the ground.

  Nath lost his breath. “Kryzak!”

  ***

  Brenwar’s next swing sent two men flying back down the hill. “That’s what we call a dwarven kiss!” Mortuun busted, dented, or popped the rivets of every armored soldier that crossed his path. Soldier after soldier fell. Brenwar battered a path of bodies to the giant, who had finally regained his feet and secured his grip on his hammers. Gazing up at the huge man, Brenwar said, “Now it’s just you and me, big belly!”

  Striking as fast as a normal man, the giant’s hammer came down.

  Brenwar spun aside.

  The giant’s hammer left a huge divot in the ground. The second hammer did too. Moved by arms like pistons, the heavy hammerheads dropped like drumsticks off a plate, tearing and shaking the ground.

  Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

  Brenwar slipped away like a bearded mouse scurrying from the falling keys of a piano. He snuck between the hammer strikes and busted the giant in the shin. The head of Mortuun, forged in the great fires of Morgdon and enchanted by the dwarven Mystics of the Mountainside, splintered the bone like it was dry-rotted kindling.

  Letting out a tremendous moan, the giant dropped to a knee. Its eyebrows buckled. Its face hardened with rage. Giants were cocky. Not so smart, but when wounded they fought like wild animals. A wild swing took Brenwar from his feet and skipped him down the hill.

  He rolled to a stop and charged up the hill again.

  The giant
chucked one of his hammers at Brenwar.

  The dwarf flattened on his belly.

  Two men piled on him and hammered away with fists and elbows. Something sharp bit into his leg.

  Brenwar popped one in the forehead with the head of his war hammer. He kicked but couldn’t free his legs.

  The giant was coming.

  The dwarf was tangled up in a knot of flesh.

  The giant scooped the three of them up off the ground and started stuffing them into its oversized mouth.

  Struggling frantically, Brenwar yelled, “Nobody eats a dwarf!” He shoved one soldier forward.

  The giant’s jaws clamped down on the screaming man.

  Crunch!

  Arms free, Brenwar unloaded on the giant and busted out a row of teeth.

  The giant dropped him and growled.

  Brenwar wound up and turned loose a mighty swing that collided with the giant’s other knee.

  The giant fell to the ground.

  Without hesitation, Brenwar unloaded the wrath of Mortuun.

  Whop! Whack! Boom!

  The giant died from the final divot Brenwar put in its head.

  Puffing for breath, the dwarf looked down the hill. More soldiers were coming, and giants too. “I don’t suppose they’re coming to congratulate me. Humph.”

  CHAPTER 38

  Nath stood in disbelief at seeing the Barnabus cleric, Kryzak, who had tormented him. He had defeated the man—put him to death—in the Contest of Champions. Now, one of Selene’s greatest servants had come back from the dead. Yet something was different. This man was not marred with tattoos.

  “Your keen eyes do not deceive you, Nath Dragon, at least not how you think they would.” The hard-faced warrior circled. “Yes, my face is familiar, the same as my brother Kryzak’s, but I am not he. I am Rybek.”

  “Your brother was an evil fool, and I take it you’re just the same.”

  “Worse. My brother let his love for Selene blind him from his mission. It made him weak.” Rybek sliced clean through a small tree with his sword. “Though he was a fool, I still feel compelled to avenge him. You see, I was there the day you took him down in your monstrous form at the Contest of Champions.” His voice became angry. Deadly. “I saw your woman, Selene, turn him inside out and made a pawn. A sacrifice. I vowed revenge not only on you, but on her. And her execution, if it has not already happened, will happen soon enough.”

  Eyes narrowing, Nath demanded, “What do you mean?”

  “The eyes of the titans are everywhere. Surely, you have encountered the betrayal of the halflings. There is nowhere you can go where we will not see. We know that Sansla Libor has taken her. The wurmers, I’m certain, have hunted them down. Hah, one winged ape versus a hundred wurmers? She’s dead by now.”

  “Who is we?”

  “It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you die!” Rybek swang. An arc of energy sliced through the air, wiping out everything in its path.

  Nath brought Fang around in front of him. The great blade collided with the great energy, jarring his arms and knocking him back. Fang’s metal let out a moan. The grip filled with wild energy that coursed through Nath’s veins. Nath’s eyes flashed like golden lightning. “You say you’re a warrior! Then let’s fight, steel on steel!”

  “Gladly!”

  Man and dragon charged one another. Nath turned loose a devastating swing.

  Rybek parried.

  Clang!

  The surrounding branches on the trees bent. The mystic blades danced an angry dance. Mystic sparks sizzled off the metal.

  Nath brought his blade forward, blow after blow.

  Rybek ducked, dodged, and dived. He countered with surprising speed. Struck with the strength of many men. He matched every move Nath had—and snuck in some moves of his own.

  The blades sang out songs of clashing steel. Back and forth the fighters went, toe to toe, blade to blade, pushing back and forth against one another.

  When the two of them were locked up by the cross guards, Rybek said in Nath’s face, “I will kill you. I will kill your woman! The titans will slaughter the dragons!”

  The cold-hearted words from the killer jarred something loose in Nath. He was tired. Tired of the evil that wanted to kill him and wipe out his friends. He was tired of it all, and he wasn’t going to hold back anymore, waiting for people to have a change of heart. He shoved the powerful Rybek back so hard that the man’s back smashed into a tree. Nath rushed him and let loose his speed and power. He and Fang became one. He swung with wroth force.

  Rybek brought his sword up to block.

  Steel collided with steel. Metal snapped. A mystical explosion knocked Nath backward onto the ground.

  Still charged up, he sprang to his feet.

  A section of the forest was missing. Leaves were falling.

  Rybek lay on the ground, unmoving. His sword was broken in half.

  Fang still burned with exhilarating fire in Nath’s hand.

  On instinct, Nath found Laylana, half-covered in leaves. Her eyes were open. He slung Fang over his back and picked her up in his arms. “How are you?”

  “What happened?” she said.

  “Nath!” Brenwar yelled.

  With the lady elf in his arms, Nath rushed out of the devastated woodland onto the hilltop. Brenwar was surrounded by soldiers and a dozen giants. That wasn’t all. Wingless wurmers the size of small horses snaked through the grass.

  “Are you going to swing that sword or that elf?” Brenwar said, backpedaling toward Nath.

  “Hello!” said a voice from the shoulders of one of the giants. “Up here, Nath. It’s me, Zoose!”

  I wish I had Akron. I’d blow a hole clear through him.

  “I can see that, Zoose.”

  “Yes, you do have awfully keen eyes, don’t you?” Zoose said. Goose popped up on the other shoulder and smiled a smug little smile. “Too bad your sense of character is not as good as your eyes.”

  Nath wanted to kick himself. He couldn’t understand how the halflings had fooled him.

  I can’t let that happen again. Ever.

  Zoose continued. “This is the part where you surrender. And that would be wise. No one can hide from the titans. They have eyes everywhere.”

  “I know. I’ve heard that before. It’s getting old.”

  “We can take them, Nath,” Brenwar said.

  “No, we can’t, but I’m not surrendering.” Nath held his sword in front of his eyes. “Fang, get us out of here.” He tapped the blade on the ground.

  Ting.

  Nothing happened.

  Brenwar let out a breath. “Thank goodness. I didn’t want to wind up in the next century.”

  “Enough games.” Goose pointed at Nath and company. “Just kill them.”

  Not knowing what to do, Nath let out a cry for help in Dragonese that sounded like a great roar that sent shockwaves through the valley.

  “HAAAaaaaAAAAaaaaght!”

  The advance of the giants stopped. Zoose and Goose covered their ears. The massive men looked at one another dumbfoundedly, but then on Zoose’s new order they advanced once more.

  Nath set Laylana down. “Stay close.”

  “I will, but I’m going to fight.” She drew her sword. “It will be a great honor to make my last stand with Nath Dragon.”

  “Well, let’s hope it’s not our last stand, but it sure looks like it.”

  CHAPTER 39

  A buzz in the air caught Nath’s ears. His head snapped up. A dozen blue streak dragons the size of big dogs darted out of the sky and surrounded Nath and his friends. Their blue wings shook like rattles and glowed with energy. Their mouths dropped open, and lightning shot out.

  Ssssrazz! Ssssraaa! Ssssrazzz!

  The bolts of energy shot into the wurmers. One by one, their scaly hides lit up like the day, sizzling and exploding. Rocked by the moment of surprise, the giants completely overlooked another terror. Four bull dragons, red as brick and as big as the towering giants,
dropped out of the sky.

  Whump! Whump! Whump! Whump!

  Horns lowered, the bull dragons charged into the first wave of giants. They pinned the huge men down, and fiery infernos exploded from their mouths.

  Filled with shock and elation, Nath let out a cheer. “Yes!” In all his life, he’d never expected such a rally. The dragons, even after the battle against Gorn Grattack, still seemed to shy away from him. Perhaps after all these centuries, that had changed. He certainly felt something, a new attachment, deep in his bones.

  A giant hammered away at a bull dragon with thunderous blows.

  A second giant pinned its wings.

  Nath charged in and sliced one of the giants in the backside.

  The dragon ripped into the other giants with his claws. His tail lashed out and knocked the huge man down. The dragon pounced and unleashed more fire.

  The giant’s skin turned to ash. Only the smoking bones remained.

  The blue streak tore into the wurmers.

  Bull dragons slugged it out with the giants, but the battle was far from won. It was a savage battle of teeth and scales, claws and fire. The iron and steel of men striking and howls of pain filled the air. The giants and wurmers, hardened, mindless and savage, recovered fast. They still had the superior numbers.

  A dragon of golden-bronze scales slipped out of the darkness of the sky and landed on two wurmers the size of Nath Dragon.

  Nath whirled around to face him.

  His head was huge, and he had a magnificent set of horns. Golden eyes boring into Nath’s own, he said in Dragonese in Nath’s mind, “This isn’t a battle. It’s a rescue. Get on!” His tail cracked out and struck a giant instantly dead.

  Nath called out to his friend, “Brenwar, quit swinging that hammer and get over here. Right now!”

  The dwarf clobbered a wurmer’s skull and froze in his tracks. He eyeballed the huge dragon. “Balzurth?”

  “Father?” Nath said with shock. He gestured to Laylana, and together they climbed onto the great dragon’s back.

  Brenwar’s stumpy legs powered over. It was one of the few times Nath had ever seen the dwarf do anything without arguing.