Author: Craig Halloran
Date: 2015-11-25 05:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Fantasy
Description: A new threat rises ... Finding themselves neck deep in a battle with the wurmers, Nath and Company seek the vanquish Nalzambor's greatest threat ... the Titans. Eckubahn, the Titan will stop at nothing to destroy the dragons and take over mankind. With the aid of the faerie Empress Lotuus, they rally the dragon hating giants. In the meantime, Nath, Selene, Brenwar, Bayzog and Ben, have their hands full battling one hive of warmers after the others. The new menace is spreading too fast and dragon casualties are stacking up. Nath struggles with limitations and new temptations put his loyalties t
Publisher: Two-Ten Book Press

Claws of the Dragon

The Chronicles of Dragon, Series 2, Book 2

By Craig Halloran

Claws of the Dragon

The Chronicles of Dragon, Series 2, Book 2

By Craig Halloran

Copyright © October 2015 by Craig Halloran

Amazon Edition

TWO-TEN BOOK PRESS

P.O. Box 4215, Charleston, WV 25364

ISBN eBook: 978-1-941208-35-9

ISBN Paperback: 978-1-941208-36-6
http://www.thedarkslayer.net

Cover Illustration by Joe Shawcross

Map by Gillis Bjork

Edited by Cherise Kelley

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recorded, photocopied, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

Publisher's Note

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

CHAPTER 1

Wurmers—dark-scaled dragon-like creatures larger than men with an evil glimmer in their eyes—were coming by the dozens.

Ben loosed another arrow.

Twang!

The feathered shaft ripped through a wurmer’s chest and dropped it to the ground.

“It’s never a surprise when you show up.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Nath swung Fang into an oncoming enemy and shore clean through the next.

Back to back with Nath, Ben continued to stretch his bowstring and fire.

Twang! Twang!

“Trouble is your mistress.”

Twang! Twang!

Stepping forward, Nath twirled Fang around his body and carved down two more jaw-snapping wurmers. “Are you being serious?”

A wurmer bit at Nath’s leg.

He jumped high and away, turned, and clipped its hindquarters with Fang.

It whirled on him, its mouth heated up with energy.

Ben crept in behind it and let loose a point-blank shot in its skull.

Thwack!

The glow went out of the monster’s eyes.

Ben readied another shaft. “Well Dragon, everything was peaceful and quiet until you showed up.”

“Quit yer jawing and start fighting!” Brenwar brought Mortuun the war hammer down with all of his might and clobbered the scaly skull of a wurmer that was clamped down on the metal legging of his armor.

Krang!

A pair of wurmers popped up in the tall grass and pounced on the fearless dwarf’s back and drove him into the ground.

“Brenwar!” Nath exclaimed. Sword high, he leapt into action.

“Get these lizards off me!” Brenwar whopped one in the head with the side of his hammer.

Its jaws locked over the thick muscles in his arm.

Nath stuck it in the side and sent it to the grave.

“Get off me!” Brenwar beat it in the head with savage force.

The monster’s mouth glowed with life. Fire spilled out.

Thwack!

Ben shot it in the gut. “It’s a good thing these are moorite arrows. Are you sure that’s dwarven?”

Pushing himself off the ground, Brenwar made a skeleton fist and shook it at Ben. “You’ve been spending too much time with that part-elf. Shaddup.”

Kar-Roooom!

The ground shook. Brenwar lost his footing. Nath caught his fall.

“Sultans of Sulfur! What was that?” Brenwar bellowed.

A powerful magic force blasted away the wurmers and blew down the grasses.

A handful of wurmers survived and attacked. Another half dozen lay dead, except one in particular that stood out as it rose up out of the tall grass. It towered over the rest, standing eight feet tall at the shoulder. Its long neck was scale and muscle. The seams between its scales glowed with inner fire.

A heavily armored knot of Legionnaires rushed it with long spears and lances.

“No, don’t!” Dragon yelled, knowing the brave men would be incinerated.

They already knew their weapons couldn’t hurt the wurmer. But they were fighters. Soldiers. They wouldn’t turn from a fight. Not of any kind, no matter the odds. Not once their blood got flowing.

Nath took off at a sprint, waving his sword high. “Over here, you ugly lizard!”

The wurmer paid him no mind. Its eyes narrowed on the oncoming rush of man meat, its neck coiled back and mouth dropped open. A billow of fire exploded from its monster jaws.

“Noooo!” Nath yelled. He’d get there, just too late.

The lances and spears of the first Legionnaires in the charge were incinerated in a wash of flame. Bodies turned into smoldering piles of ash.

A mystic shield of radiant energy appeared over the rest of the soldiers and cut off the flames. Selene stood underneath it with her arms spread wide and shaking.

Nath’s own face felt the searing heat as the wurmer’s flames bounced off in all directions.

The grasses caught fire. Flames spread.

Nath closed in, Fang down and ready to plunge into the monster’s side.

Out of nowhere, the wurmer’s tail lashed out.

Whack!

Head over heels, Nath landed and bounced off the ground. He scrambled to his feet and found himself face to face with the lava-dripping jaws of the huge wurmer. He started back into his swing and gaffed. Fang wasn’t there. The grand sword lay nearby. He jumped for it.

Whack!

The wurmer’s tail drummed his back, flattening him on the ground.

Whack! Whack! Whack!

Taking a beating, Nath clawed toward Fang’s pommel.

Come on, Fang! Help me!

Whack! Whack! Whack!

Fighting through the beating, Nath’s fingertips nudged Fang’s bottom pommel.

Just a little closer!

The one-ton dragon stepped on Nath’s back and drove his face into the ground. Its claws sank into Nath’s shoulders.

He let out a muffled scream. Dragon heart thundering in his chest, hand spread wide, Nath fought through the pain and grabbed Fang’s pommel. He jerked Dragon Claw free.

The dagger inside of the great sword’s hilt shined with blue light. Its energy coursed through Nath’s veins.

“Get off me, Lizard!”

With tremendous effort, he ripped away from the wurmer’s claws, twisted around, and plunged the blade into the armored scales that coated its chest.

Sckreeeet!

The giant wurmer reared up. Flames shot out of its mouth. Its scaly body crackled and popped. Inch by inch, scale by scale, its body iced up and crystalized. In seconds, the entire beast became a solid sheet of ice.

Bleeding, Nath tore himself out of its grip and grimaced with his hands on his knees, sweat dripping from his brow, and caught his breath. “That was close.”

The rest of the wurmers were dead.

Selene, Bayzog, Brenwar, and Ben gathered around.

The old dwarven warrior marched forward with his war hammer raised high and prepared to strike the great wurmer.

“Brenwar, don’t!” Nath ordered.

The dwarf stopped and looked at him. “May I ask why?” Brenwar huffed.

Nath didn’t have a good reason why not, and several had died because of the monster already. “Never mind. Carry on.”

Brenwar brought back the hammer and turned it around full swing.

Krang!

The giant wurmer exploded into thousands of icy pieces.

The Legionnaires erupted in a cheer.

Ben held his hand out and caught some of the drifting ice on his leather gauntlet. “Look. It’s snowing.”

CHAPTER 2

“You need stitches,” Selene said to Nath in a motherly kind of way. “Be still.”

Nath stayed her with his palm. “I don’t need stitches. It’s hardly a wound.” He glanced at the claw marks in his shoulders. His stomach turned queasy. “Guzan, I miss my scales!”

Brenwar chuckled under his beard. He wasn’t in much better shape than Nath was.

“Laugh all you want, Brenwar. But it’s only your armor that holds you together.”

“I don’t need this armor. It’s just a uniform showing dwarven pride,” he grumbled. Ben was stitching up a gash over his bushy black eyebrow. “Careful with that needle. I don’t want my eye poked out.”

“Maybe you should start wearing a helmet,” Ben said. “You aren’t getting any younger, you know.”

“He doesn’t need a helmet,” Bayzog said, leaning on the Elderwood Staff. His ivy-green robes with gold trim rustled in the wind. “Dwarven skulls get thicker the older they get.”

“Well now, that explains a lot!” Ben laughed.

“One of these days I’m going to bust you in the mouth, part-elf.” Brenwar got up, grabbed Mortuun, and stormed away.

The daylight was beginning to fade, and the Legionnaires had started moving their dead and wounded. The only ones sitting still were Nath and company and the dead bodies of the wurmers. Their scales rotted quickly.

Nath covered his nose. “Those things reek. How come they rot? I thought they had to be burned.”

“They still need to be burned. Don’t leave a trace of any of them,” said Brenwar, turning away his nose. “And I thought orcs smelled bad.”

“Commander,” Nath said to a Legionnaire with a long moustache. “You heard him. Get oil and some torches.”

“You’re going to reek as well if you don’t sit still,” Selene said to him. She tried to poke his skin with a needle. He flinched away. “Don’t do that again, Nath. I’m trying to take care of you.”

“Take care of me?” He snatched the needle from her hand. “I’ll take care of myself, thank you.” Grinding his teeth, he turned away. He hated asking anyone for help, but even more, he hated feeling mortal. The wurmer’s claws had burned like fire on his flesh where the scales from his arms stopped around the shoulder. He pinched the skin behind his neck but couldn’t reach it with his free hand. “Great Dragons!”

“Will you set your pride aside for a moment?” Selene said, plucking the needle from his fingers. “You can’t do everything, you know.”

“Not anymore. That’s for sure.” He frowned and stared off at the sinking sun.

I have to get used to this. Nobody else is complaining.

“Fine, Selene. You win. Stitch me up.”

“That’s better. Try to have a better outlook on things. You just got Fang back. Doesn’t that make you glad?”

Nath held up the beautiful blade before his golden eyes.

Fang’s steel seemed to absorb every ray of sunlight. The magnificent blade’s pommel sent shivers of power through his blood and into his bones. Fang was more than some precious object. He was a friend.

Nath let out a sigh and nodded. “Yes, having Fang back is good.” He ran his scaled fingertips over the exquisite dragon-headed cross-guard. “Very good.”

Bayzog stepped into view. The half-elf wizard had a curious look in his eyes. “I’m at a loss. Care to explain?”

“You’re at a loss!” Brenwar yelled from a distant spot. “Hah!”

As Selene stitched up his back, Nath began to explain everything that had happened of late. He explained how he gave up his powers to save Selene. How the wurmers were a cursed carryover from Gorn Grattack. There was the issue of rescuing his mother, Grahleyna, and the fight behind the Great Dragon Wall.

“All in a good day’s fun, right Bayzog? And now it seems we have these titans to deal with. My mother warned me. Eckubahn is one of their names. It seems they don’t get along too well with dragons. Can you believe that?”

Selene bit off the thread and patted Nath on the back. “All better. Just don’t swing that sword for a while.”

“Now that we’re all caught up, Bayzog, perhaps we can eat and drink.” Nath saw that Bayzog’s violet eyes were filled with concern. “Bayzog?”

“I know something of these histories.” There was tightness in the half-elf’s voice. “This is horrible, Nath.” Covering his nose up with his long sleeve, he walked over to a wurmer’s corpse. It fizzled and popped. The scales and bones were turning to goo. He looked at Selene. “How many more nests do you think are out there?”

“I destroyed several, but as soon as I found one, I’d come across another.” Her brow creased. “I’m all for new solutions. I think that’s why we’re here.”

“So what do you think, Bayzog?” Nath said.

“I think I’m going to have to check the histories. Over the centuries, so much has been lost, buried, or destroyed.” His eyes landed on Nath. “But your kind might have a better solution to this than us. They’ve dealt with this problem before.”

“I assume. My mother seemed to know something about it and the titans. And then, she was gone.” He shook his head. “I swear, my parents are aloof.”

Selene chuckled and patted him on the back.

“Sorry about that, Nath. I’m sure she had her reasons,” Bayzog said. “We’ll just have to wait and see how things turn out when you have children of your own.”

“Can we just stick with the titans?”

***

“Nath!” Sasha rushed into his arms and gave him a great hug. She had aged little since the last time he’d seen her. Her soft eyes had little crow’s feet, but she was still beautiful. “I’ve missed you. Come, sit down.”

They were back inside Bayzog’s tower. Somehow the magic abode of the wizard had survived. The grand table—round, elven crafted, and exquisite—that Bayzog studied from was still there. He sat on a stool with his nose buried in a great tome.

Nath sat down beside Sasha. “Is he still reading too much?”

“So it seems,” she said, picking up a crystal carafe. “How about some wizard water?”

Nath shrugged his aching shoulder. It still burned. “Sure.”

“And how about you, Selene?” Sasha said with a forced smile.

Nath felt a bit of a chill in the air. Selene had deceived Sasha, and he could sense Sasha’s unease with the woman.

Oh my. I sort of forgot about that.

“Thank you, that would be nice,” Selene said. She took a seat on Nath’s other side and rested her hand on his knee, eyeing the surroundings. “This is a lovely place.”

Sasha poured three glasses and handed them over. Her hand trembled a little.

“Are you alright?” Nath shifted toward Sasha.

For some reason he missed Brenwar.

His old friend hadn’t wanted to come inside Bayzog’s place, so Brenwar and Ben had decided to stay outside and inspect the rebuilding of the town. That left Nath all alone with the women, who he was pretty sure didn’t like each other. And Bayzog wouldn’t be much help at all. He’d have his nose in the books for hours.

Nath sipped from his glass. The enchanted water quickly refreshed his parched lips. Raising his glass, he said, “A toast, perhaps. To old friends and new adventures.”

Sasha set her glass down on the table and sighed. With a frown on her lovely face, she said, “I’m sorry, Nath. I can’t drink to that.”

“What? Sasha, what is wrong? Have I done something to offend you?”

“It’s not you, Nath,” she said, fixing her eyes on Selene. “It’s her. How in Nalzambor can you trust her?”

CHAPTER 3

Bayzog’s head snapped up from his book. “Sasha, please, these are our guests.”

Sasha was on her feet with her fists balled up at her sides. She fired back. “No. I cannot be silent. I’m sorry, Nath, but have you forgotten how many lives were taken on account of her? Thousands died because of her bewitching. Not to mention Ben’s family.” She pointed at Selene. “She was behind their deaths. The same for my own friends and family. Just look at this city!”

“Sasha, please,” Bayzog pleaded. He got up off his stool and made his way over to her and spoke in a stern voice. “You’re embarrassing yourself.”

Sasha’s eyes flashed. “What! You of all people! Don’t stand beside me.” Her eyes watered up, and her lip started to tremble. “How could you?” She glared at Nath. “And how could you?”

Selene got up, set her glass down, and said, “I’ll leave.”

“Yes, yes, do leave, you schemer! You plotter! Go ahead and try to wash the blood from your hands!” Sasha’s chest heaved, and her body shuddered. Bayzog tried to steady her, but she pushed right by him and ran out of the room crying.

Nath opened his mouth to speak but closed his jaw. He didn’t know what to say. He’d never seen Sasha so angry. It shocked him like a jolt of lightning. He turned and watched Selene heading to the spot that led them out of the apartment. Her chin that was always up was down a little. He cleared his throat. “Selene—”

She cut him off with her hand. “No. She has a right to be angry and not to trust me. I can’t expect everyone to forgive me.” She showed him a dejected look, shook her head, and sighed. “Why would anyone forgive me?” She stepped on an arcane symbol on the floor, shimmered, faded, and disappeared.

“I’ve forgiven you,” Nath muttered. He felt empty inside. Forgiveness didn’t come easy for some people. He was a dragon and a lot more patient than most. He knew that in the world of men, where life was short and highly valued, taking one away from another hurt the most.

It hurt him, but he also understood that people are often deceived and misled. Evil was often taught and bred. Gorn Grattack had raised Selene. It was a wonder she had broken free of his spell.

“Apologies, Nath,” Bayzog said. There was a look of disappointment in his eye. “Sasha should have more self-control than that.”

Nath put his clawed hand on Bayzog’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You can’t expect her to keep her feelings bottled up all the time. She has a right to vent. Don’t be so hard on her.”

“A sorceress should have more discipline.” He had a blank look on his elven face. “But the sad thing is I never knew she felt that way.”

“Then I’d say you need to talk to her more often.”

Bayzog glanced at the tome he’d been studying. “I need to research.”

“No, you need to go to your wife, and the first words out of your mouth should probably be, ‘I apologize.’”

The part-elf stiffened. “For what?”

“Who feeds you, Bayzog?”

“Why, she does.”

“Well, you don’t want to starve to death, do you?”

Bayzog lifted a brow. “Perhaps you are right. Thank you, Nath.” He headed after Sasha.

Nath resumed his place on the sofa and gazed at the warm glow of the fireplace in the corner. He sipped on the wizard water.

I think a lot more happened in the twenty-five years I was gone than I realized.

***

Shuffling through the rubble-filled streets of Quintucklen, Nath found himself liking his isolation. He’d hung around Bayzog’s place until the quietness made him uneasy. It had taken Bayzog more than two hours to return from his talk with Sasha, and when he did, the dark-haired part-elf wizard had little to say. If anything, his face was a little ashen when he stuck his nose back in his book and began flipping pages.

Time to go.

Nath thought there wasn’t much sense in him hanging around with so much tension in the air. And in a surprising way, he felt a little foolish. Was Sasha right in her suspicions of Selene? Had he missed something? He was incredulous that she’d gotten so upset over it. It gave him much to think about. Things to ponder.

A long walk should do me good.

It was late in the night, and the streets were dark. The lanterns that used to light the fallen city were scarce. Instead, there were catwalks, planks, pulleys, and stacked stone blocks—some large, others small. A few buildings were almost complete, but so many had been demolished.

Nath stopped beside a wheelbarrow that was filled with broken blocks and sighed.

What a mess war makes.

But as he continued on through the dust and debris, his heart swelled with pity. There were tents set up all over the city. Camps full of people. Some faces sat around campfires and grumbled. He got a better idea of what Sasha was experiencing. This was her home, and so many had lost everything.

Sure, to a dragon it didn’t seem so bad. After all, the people would rebuild. It might take a few years, but they’d bounce back. But some of them wouldn’t bounce back. They didn’t have enough time for that. They’d die homeless and poor.

This is horrible.

Nath crossed from street to street, picking his way through the city. He heard sobbing. Through a broken window he saw a woman’s face in tears. Listening carefully from a place of concealment, he realized one of the fallen Legionnaires was her husband. They’d come to rebuild. They had children. Two of them. Twin girls. A woman friend was there to console the upset woman, who said, “Just when things settle, more of those dragons come and kill. I hate the dragons. They all bring trouble.”

Nath’s chest tightened, and he moved on. Her voice wasn’t the only murmuring he heard. People all over were frustrated, and the truth be told, most of them couldn’t tell one dragon from the other. And now, they were threatened again. After all of their work, the peace had vanished almost as soon as it had come.

Will this fighting ever end?

Edging deeper into town, he came across the shambled wooden porch of a tavern. There was a lot of commotion inside the walls of the torch-lit room. He ventured closer, with the porch creaking underneath his foot.

Seems pretty lively. At least not all spirits are broken.

Crash! Boom! Bang!

Inside, a booming dwarven voice yelled, “For Morgdon!”

CHAPTER 4

Nath dashed through the door. A host of men armed with clubs and tankards encircled Brenwar. Some of them had chairs. Nath saw Ben out of the corner of his eyes. The older warrior stood in the corner, leaning against the wall with his arms folded over his chest. He shrugged at Nath.

“Take it back!” Brenwar said. He hiccupped. He smacked his fists together. “Take it back, or I’ll slaughter every last one of you!”

Nath pushed through the throng of angry men.

One man shoved him in the back.

Nath shoved him back.

The man eyed his scales and faded back.

“Get out of here, Nath!” Brenwar growled. “This isn’t your business. Go away. Hic.”

Nath spread his arms out and slowly spun around. “Easy, men. What’s this about?”

“I’ll tell you what this is all about!” Brenwar spat through his beard. “They say they’ll rebuild this city better than Morgdon! Hah! And to think, I was trying to help them. Stupid men!”

“Is this true?” Nath said, gazing at all the men. “I’ve never known a dwarf to lie.”

“Quintucklen is better!” one man said, holding a chair in two hands. “The dragons didn’t ever attack their city! We are better. We are stronger!”

“I’m going to rip him apart!” Brenwar surged forward.

Nath held him back for a moment, just long enough to unload a warning to the men. “You had better take it back, or he’s going to fight every last one of you. And you don’t want that.”

“Nay! Let him fight. No dwarf is going to tell us who and what we are in this city,” said the man. “Let the bearded cur loose!”

Hometown pride.

Nath had to give the men of Quintuklen credit. They loved their city as much as the dwarves loved Morgdon. He released Brenwar. “Have at it, then.”

The grizzled dwarf stormed into the man with the big mouth and chair. The chair came down and splintered on his head. Brenwar tackled the man, and all the other men piled on.

Nath stepped away from the fray and headed toward Ben.

Gaping, Ben said, “You’re letting him fight all of them?”

“I don’t think I could stop him. Do you?”

Ben ducked under a tankard that whizzed over his head. “I suppose not.” He slapped Nath on the back. “Say, you look a little long in the face. How about I get you some ale?”

Brenwar squirted out of the pile, charged through the screaming voices and tables, and plucked a keg of ale up from the floor. Hoisting it overhead, he hurled it at the rush of men. Four men went down, and the keg of ale cracked open and started to spill. “And your ale is lousy!” Brenwar said. He climbed up on the bar and jumped into the throng.

“I think the price of ale just went up. Do you think you can afford it?” Nath asked.

“Come with me,” Ben said, leading Nath by the arm. They picked their way through the broken chairs, tables, and pottery and slipped outside on the porch. Taking in a breath of fresh air, Ben said, “It’s good to see you, Dragon, but you don’t seem well.”

“What makes you say so?”

A man flew through the glass window on the other side of the door. Crash! Another one came out and landed on top of him. Whup!

Nath and Ben shuffled away.

Ben continued. “I can tell when you have a lot on your mind. Sure, I’m not some seer or anything, but when I met you, way back when, you never worried. There’s a crease between those brows of yours now.”

The swinging doors burst open, and Brenwar stormed out. “Hic!” He grabbed both of the men by their collars. “I’m not finished with these two.” He dragged them back inside, and another clamor arose. Wood clacked and shattered. Men howled in triumph and pain.

As if nothing were happening, Nath said, “That’s disappointing. I haven’t really aged so many years, but sometimes I feel as ancient as my father. Aw, Ben, I shouldn’t complain. The truth is, I lost a great deal of my power.”

“You can’t fly anymore, can you?”

Nath shook his head no. “And that’s not all. I’d say for the most part, I’m right back where I was when you met me. I know I sound vain, Ben, but with the power I had before, I could do almost anything. Now I’m a shadow of that, and I think, ‘How am I supposed to protect so many people from such great evil?’”

Ben rubbed his beard. The stern-faced man had an iron jaw and weathered skin. He’d seen a hundred battles and survived. There was a steely wisdom in his eyes. “You’ll do it just like you did it before, Dragon.”

“Really, and how did I do it before?”

“With boldness. It didn’t matter if we were facing giants or dragons. Wherever we went, there was never anyone bigger than you. Larger than life, you launched yourself into the threat without a sliver of fear in your eyes. You are Nath Dragon, The Dragon Prince. Maybe you’re a little smaller than you’d like to be, but I know you. Your ego’s bigger than all the mountains in the world.”

Nath couldn’t stop the smile on his face, and he didn’t want to. It felt good. And Ben was right. Nothing had really changed. He was still faster and stronger than any man alive. And what did he have to be scared of? He had Fang. And, more importantly, he had friends who believed in him.

“You know, Ben,” Nath said, throwing his arm over Ben’s shoulder, “I always knew you were going to grow up to be one of the wisest men who ever lived.”

Ben looked him in the eye. “You know you’re always right, Dragon.”

Crash!

“I think we had better get in there before someone really gets hurt.” Nath bustled through the door and stopped just inside.

Brenwar sat on top of a pile of bodies. Beside him sat the man who had insulted him to begin with. Both of them had smiles on their bruised faces. The man, a thickset laborer with a bald head, had a pair of teeth missing that hadn’t been missing before.

Nath said, “So I guess the argument is settled, then?”

“Aye!” Brenwar said, clawing at his beard. “These humans and I have come to an agreement.”

Nath lifted his brows. “Oh, and what might that be?”

“Men love Quintuklen as much as the dwarves love Morgdon! And that’s worth fighting for any day!”

“Aye!” said the men on the floor. They were slowly getting back to their feet and crawling up on unbroken chairs.

Ben looked at Nath and shrugged.

“And better yet. Hic,” Brenwar continued, “They’ve agreed to let the dwarves come and help rebuild them!”

“Aye!” the men said.

“Now that the fighting’s over,” Brenwar bellowed, “let the singing begin! Aaaaaaah … Home of the dwarves—Morgdon! Home of the dwarves—Morgdon!”

Ben sawed his elbow back and forth and joined in with a big smile behind his greying beard.

Nath was about to join in as well, when he felt a tingle on his neck. He backed up through the door and stepped out on the porch.

Selene stood in her purple robes alone in the moon’s shadows.

“Selene?”

“Yes,” she said, sounding dejected.

“Look, don’t you worry about what Sasha said.”

“No, it’s fine, Nath. I understand her concerns. I just came to tell you I’m leaving.”

CHAPTER 5

A hornless white dragon with gold flecks in its scales soared over the grasslands. It was an Ivory Slider more than fifteen feet long with beautiful wings and a very long tail. More graceful than an eagle, she glided from side to side in the air. Her long eyelashes blinked.

Ahead, a flock of wurmers dropped from the clouds and dove right for her.

Outnumbered and seeing the fire in their eyes, she turned and headed back in the direction she had come from.

“Oh no,” she said in Dragonese.

Wurmers dropped from the clouds all over by the dozens.

Flapping her wings, she cut through the air, belly skimming the tall highland grasses.

Behind her, hungry shrieks howled out in pursuit.

She was fast, very fast. The Ivory Sliders were the messengers of Dragon Home. They cut through air like a knife through butter, and not many dragons could catch them other than the Blue Razors. Beating her streamlined body through the wind, she began to outdistance her pursuers.

Ahead, she saw a series of mountains with winding crevasses and ravines that would be the perfect place to lose them. Making a beeline for the rocky cliffs, she soared higher.

A spitball of fire whizzed by her ear. The wurmers were shooting balls of energy at her.

Head turned around, she barrel rolled and evaded.

Above her, another wave of wurmers dropped from the greying clouds and blanketed the sky. Balls of flame like tiny meteors showered her from above, singeing wing and scale.

Just as she turned to find a path of escape, a rock bigger than her head slammed into her chest. Spinning out of control, she crashed to the ground with balls of fire peppering her body, and she let out a tremendous roar that split the air.

The wurmers were scattered by the sonic wave of energy. They became disoriented and fell from the sky. Still more came.

The Ivory Slider let out another mystic roar, shattering the air. She shook off the flames and spread her wings once more.

One by one, wurmer after wurmer slammed into her and drove her to the ground. Jaws with sharp, jagged teeth bit into her legs.

She fought with all of her strength, thrashing and biting, but before long, her limbs gave out under the sheer weight of her growing foes. She let out a weak sonic sigh that flattened the grasses and stopped at a pair of massive feet. Pinned down, she still managed to lift her chin. Her eyes flashed.

A giant!

Dragons hated giants, and giants hated dragons. It always had been and always would be. But the wars between them had been quiet for centuries.

And here was one before her, almost twenty feet tall. A towering figure of brawn and muscle, covered in thick hair. But unlike the giants she’d known, this one was different. His entire head was covered in flame. In his mighty grip was a sling big enough to hurl a sheep.

Lizardmen appeared behind the giant with heavy robes in their hands.

She hissed at them.

They bound her up.

The flame giant’s necklace of dragon bones shook when he spoke. “BRING HER,” he said in a voice as deep as a canyon.

The Ivory Slider was dragged by the lizardmen over the grasses and into the belly of the mountain, where they marched until they stood on the edge of a small ravine. A pair of horned dragon skulls were on spikes that guarded the carved stone steps that led down.

“Take a long look,” said the flame giant, pointing into the ravine.

Her nostrils flared. Her neck recoiled. The stench of death and decay was strong. But it was familiar too. Lifting her head, she peered down into the ravine. Her jaw dropped open. Her stomach turned to knots. Nooooo!

Down there, dragons lay dead in the brush and trees. Scales of many colors. Copper. Blue. Red. White. Yellow. Green. Their bodies were broken. Wings busted. Horns shattered. Even a massive Bull Dragon was down there.

She turned her fear-filled gaze toward the giant.

Head aflame, he said, “Fear not. You will be spared, messenger. What you have seen, report in every detail to Balzurth of Dragon Home. Tell him Eckubahn sent you.”

Trembling, she nodded.

The giant wagged his finger in her face. “You will not fly.” He slid out a dagger that was too small for his belt and dropped it point first in the ground. It was carved from a dragon’s tooth, and it glimmered with enchantment. “You will walk. Lizards, cut off her wings.”

CHAPTER 6

“Selene, you can’t go.” Nath laid his hands on her shoulders.

She rested her palms on his hands, and with tear-filled eyes she looked deeply into his. “Sasha is right. I’m behind much of this. These people should kill me. I would if I were them.”

“Don’t say that, Selene. It’s not true.”

“It is true. Every last bit of it.” She slipped out of his hands and stood on the edge of the porch beside the wooden post that held the ceiling. “I’ve been walking through the streets and listening to the conversations of men, women, children. You know, I never cared one lick for any of them before. They were rodents. No, not even that. They were bugs to be squished under my scales. Vermin to be chewed away at Gorn Grattack’s order.” She made a deep frown. “I hated them for their laughter. Happiness. I wanted to destroy it all. I still envy them.”

“Selene,” he said, looking at the sadness growing in her face. “Everyone can change. You proved that. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

“What a jest, Nath. I’m sorry to be ugly, but I should be tried for my crimes.”

Nath snuck up to her and tried to cover her mouth.

She slipped away.

He said in a harsh whisper, “Keep your voice down, will you? If someone were to hear you, it might just come true. There are tribunals, you know.”

“I can’t just wish my past away, Nath. What happens when people figure out who I am, hmmm? Do you think all of them will forgive me? Think of Sasha. She’s a sweet and reasonable person, but she wants my head on a platter.”

“No, she doesn’t. Well, not on a platter anyway. Maybe mounted on the wall.”

She glared at him.

“Er, it’s a jest.” He combed his hair out of his eyes and fell silent. As a stiff wind blew through the streets and stirred up tiny dust devils, his mind dove deeper into thought. Selene had made a good point. The world would not forgive her the same as he had. All over Nalzambor, grudges were still held that were centuries old. And now, it didn’t seem fair that like him, she would have to walk the world as a human, knowing so many hated her. “Why don’t we walk together?”

“No.” She faced him. “Nath, I’m leaving.”

A spark of anger flashed in his golden eyes. “I need you, Selene. We are in this together. To the end. You can’t just go it alone!”

“Don’t get testy. I’m not abandoning you or the cause, but I am getting out of this city. It makes me ashamed of all I have done. So many I have hurt. People I don’t know. Family, friends, destroyed. Don’t you see, Nath? Don’t you see what I’ve done?” She pointed at some memory banners rustling in the wind that adorned many windows. “That’s because of me. I really and truly wanted each and every one of these people dead! How and why,” she said, exasperated, “could anyone ever trust me?”

“I trust you, Selene. You have to believe that. You saved me, and we stopped Gorn. If you hadn’t done what you did, all of Nalzambor would have fallen.” He stepped by her side. “You have to forgive yourself. And at least you care now.”

“Yes, I do.” She nodded. “And I’m not liking that so much either. Helping people is so … foreign to me.”

“But it’s rewarding.”

“We’ll see. I’m going north. To the high mountains. I think there might be a nest of wurmers there. I’ll stay in touch. You find out what Bayzog suggests, and maybe we can rendezvous there, say, in a week or two. Goodbye, Nath.” She kissed his cheek and disappeared into the dark streets.

Don’t leave.

Nath’s heart sank. Every time she left, he couldn’t help but wonder if he would ever see her again.

Please.

A few moments later, Ben stepped out on the porch. He had a turkey leg in one hand. Looking into Nath’s face, he said, “Now what? I thought I had you charged up. Now you look like Brenwar would look if someone shaved his beard off.”

Nath made a sour face. “I sure wouldn’t want to see that. No, Selene just swung by and departed.”

Ben nodded his grizzled chin. “I see. And that upsets you because you are so fond of her.”

“No.”

“Aw, I know you better than that, Dragon.” Ben tickled Nath’s ribs. “You want her for a bride, don’t you?”

“How much ale have you had?”

“Oh, I’m more of a cider man these days. The ale’s too hard on my gut. So tell me, why did she leave?”

“Guilt.”

Ben stroked the rim of his moustache. “I see.”

“Can I ask you something, Ben?”

“Sure, you can ask me anything.”

“Do you have any resentment toward her? After all, she did lead the war that killed an awful lot of people.”

“Hmmm, you know, I really haven’t given it that much thought. As a soldier I learned that life is full of losses, and you have to move on. It’s full of many blessings too. I just keep marching forward. I can’t let the past slow me down.”

“But your family, Ben. You lost all of them because of Barnabus.”

“True, and I miss them every day. But I don’t blame the likes of Selene, but I do think …” Ben’s voice trailed off.

“Think what, Ben?”

He slapped his big hand on Nath’s shoulder. “Nothing. If you’ve forgiven her, I’ve forgiven her too.”

Nath eyed him. “No, you were going to say something else. What was it?”

Ben shrugged. “I do think, if justice is to be served, it will catch up with her.”

CHAPTER 7

Nath stood far outside of Quintuklen’s walls inside the valley full of stone markers. They were graves, thousands of them in rows as far as the non-dragon eye could see. Over the past couple of days he’d lain low, stayed out of the city, and begun noting each and every one of the markers.

He scraped some debris from one of the stones and revealed a familiar name. His eyes teared up. It was Ben’s wife’s marker, and beside it were two more, Ben’s son and daughter. Nath’s heart sank. Three names among thousands. He thought about all of the people who had suffered like Ben had. Men and women. Mothers and fathers. Not all of them could move on. Not when they had lost people they loved so much.

How many more must die for the sake of evil?

Clenching his fist, he rose up and walked a few miles, lost in thought. Eyes searching, he found something he was looking for. Wildflowers. He plucked some out of the ground and filled up his hands with three colorful bouquets. He marched back to the graveyard, set the flowers on the stones of Ben’s family, then started the long walk back to the city.

It was mid-morning, and the laborers were hard at work under a hot sun. Hammers pecked and chiseled. Foremen shouted orders. Pulleys squeaked. Large loads of materials rolled down the main roads on huge wagons pulled by teams of horses. And there was a liveliness about the men. Some of them were whistling, even singing.

Nath pulled back his shoulders a little. Walked a little taller.

Their spirits aren’t broken, so why are mine?

There was nothing like seeing men and women working together with such purpose. It kept their minds off the past. And that was a good thing. They could look forward to the future, and Nath wanted to make sure that future was a bright one.

Making his way through the maze of walls that surrounded the fallen city, he spied a woman on top of one of the ways, waving her arms at him. It was Sasha. She was in a pale-yellow gown, trimmed in flowers. Her platinum hair was pinned up with a fine silver comb. He jogged toward her. She came rushing down the steps to greet him.

“Nath! Where have you been?” Sasha threw her arms around him and held him tight. “I’ve missed you.”

“Uh, I’ve just been wandering and waiting for Bayzog to call on me.” He lifted her off her feet in a hug. “You seem well.”

“Well? Why wouldn’t I be?” She slipped off of him, took his hand in hers, and led him back into the city like a little child. “Come on, let’s get back home and see Bayzog.”

He followed her lead, but it wasn’t long before he felt long stares and eyes on him. Nath had done little to conceal his ebony-scaled arms. They were mostly bare under the tunic that he wore. And it didn’t help that his great height and flame-red hair were far from ordinary. A small group of children slipped in behind him with giggles. He turned to look at them, and they scattered.

Oh no, here we go again.

“Come on. Come on,” Sasha said, prodding him along.

Once again the children fell in step behind him. He ignored them. Focused on the others he passed who stared at him. One man, a burly fellow with a limp, nodded a greeting at him. So did the woman behind him, and she smiled. He nodded back.

“Hail Dragon Slayer, welcome!” said a bricklayer on top of a catwalk, waving a navy knit cap like a banner. “Hail!”

Nath waved.

That’s odd, them calling me a dragon slayer. Of course, they probably don’t know the difference between the wurmers and a real dragon.

“Dragon slayer!” another man cried out. It was followed by another and another, and before Nath knew what was going on, people were filling the streets and shouting encouraging words to him.

“See, Nath?” Sasha said, rubbing his arm. “They embrace you now. You are their hero. You are my hero as well.”

Arm high, Nath waved and nodded in return to the folks who watched his small parade.

Now this is more like it.

The streets thickened with people, happy faces one and all. Children were on men’s shoulders.

“This is almost embarrassing.”

“Hah,” she laughed. “Not for you. No, your name has spread, Nath. In the good spirit that it should.”

But as the people chanted ‘Dragon Slayer!’ over and over again, a dark memory crossed through Nath’s mind. Of his time in Narnum, when the people had crowned him the Champion after he defeated Selene’s war cleric, Kryzak. A dark and shameful time.

He didn’t like the association, not one bit. It was contradictory and perverted to him. And this parade he had unintentionally created was growing behind him. A few dozen people at least.

“We need to end this, Sasha.”

She looked at him. “Why? It’s delightful.” She started waving her hand. “Enjoy the moment, Nath Dragon.”

He played along for another block as he studied Sasha. There was something odd about her. She wasn’t one to get caught up in moments like this. Though she wasn’t quiet, she was reserved.

“So Sasha, you are no longer angry?”

“Angry?” she said, looking at him somewhat aghast. “What in the world are you talking about?”

“Last time I saw you, you were fighting with Bayzog.”

“Bayzog and I never fight.”

“Well, maybe I’m not putting this right. But you were very upset with Selene. Are you over that now? I can’t imagine you would be.”

Still walking and with a confused look on her face, Sasha said, “Where is Selene? I would like to see her.”

“She left.”

“Why would she do that? I’d love to see her.”

“You would?”

“Of course I would,” she said cheerfully.

Either I’m lost, or I really don’t understand women.

Nath then said, “But you had some very choice words with her. Are you not still angry?”

Suddenly, Sasha whirled. Anger filled her eyes. “Nath Dragon, quit playing games! I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

CHAPTER 8

Back inside Bayzog’s apartment, Nath stood at the great table. Books were stacked up in neat piles. Some of them still floated open in the air. With a wave of his hand, Bayzog sent one book floating away and pulled over another.

“So you enjoy reading, don’t you.” Nath was just making conversation. His eyes were busy soaking in the grand oversized room that was much too big for the small building it was housed in.

“So you’ve noticed,” said the wizard. His eyes darted over the wording of the ancient texts, and the pages flipped faster than Nath could attempt to read them. “Study creates the building blocks of knowledge.”

Sasha wasn’t in the room. She’d said she was heading out to the market so she could prepare food for them later. She’d only departed moments ago.

“There isn’t a lot that escapes me,” Nath said. “Something’s amiss with Sasha, isn’t it?”

Bayzog’s face drew tight.

“Talk to me, friend,” Nath said to him. He reached over and shoved the hovering book away. “Come on, Bayzog. I can’t help if you clam up on me.”

With a dejected voice, Bayzog said, “You can’t help anyway, Nath. She has the Wizard’s Dementia.”

Nath leaned forward and patted his friend on the back. “I’m not sure what that is, but it sounds horrible.”

Long-faced, Bayzog said, “Horrible is an understatement. There’s no cure for it.”

“There’s a cure for everything,” Nath said, “but it would help if you’d tell me what you were dealing with.”

“Nath, this is my burden. Not yours. You have bigger tasks ahead that you need to remain focused on.”

“If I can’t be helpful with small matters, then how can I give aid to the large ones?” Nath replied. “Please, confide in me, old friend.”

“For all the good it will do, why not?” Shoulders sagging, Bayzog made his way over to the couch, poured some wizard water, sat down, rubbed his eyes, and yawned.

Boy, he must be whipped. I’ve never seen him yawn before.

Nath took a seat. “So, what are you dealing with?”

Bayzog finished a long drink. “Wizard Dementia is caused by magic. It’s very, very rare, but anyone—particularly a human—who calls on the powers of Nalzambor can be afflicted. You see, Nath, magic is not as natural to all as it is to dragons and to elves. We have a stronger nature for it, which I can’t even explain. But with humans it’s different. Even though Sasha is a fine sorceress and well disciplined, the magic she has used has taken a toll on her mind.” His lip quivered, and a lump rolled up and down his throat. “Her mind is eroding—slowly, but still eroding.”

“That’s horrible, Bayzog. Certainly there is something to be done?”

“Nath, I’ve searched. I’ve tried. It’s just so rare that there isn’t much material on it.”

“What about the Occular of Orray?” Nath suggested.

“I’ve sent word,” Bayzog said, taking another sip of water. “But it’s unlikely. The elves are more protective of it now than ever. Truth be told, they’d be very reluctant to use its powers on a human.”

“I’ll go down there and speak to them myself.”

Bayzog held up his hand. “Nath, for some things in life there isn’t an easy fix. Death takes us all, be it at twenty-five years or one thousand. I will quietly deal with this.”

Nath didn’t push. He knew it wouldn’t do him any good. And now wasn’t the time to argue with his friend. Bayzog had opened up, so it was time to listen. “Does she know, Bayzog?”

The wizard shook his head no. “That’s the hardest part, Nath. I feel as if I am deceiving her. Sometimes she gets so confused.”

“Do Rerry and Samaz know?”

“They do. Why do you think they are away?”

“Ah.” Nath leaned back into the cushions. “I see.”

So, someone is looking for a cure. Good for them.

“The worst part is her love for magic, Nath. She wants to practice and train. I keep having to distract her with something else. I tell her I’m too busy, or make up some petty lie. It’s horrible. But if she uses magic, it could be disastrous. Fatal. Not to mention it would accelerate her condition. I can’t risk that, and yet she loves magic so much. She was such a talented pupil. It sickens my heart, Nath. Every bit of it.”

Nath swallowed the lump in his throat. This was one of the most devastating things he’d ever heard. And Bayzog, who hardly ever showed emotion, had deep creases in his brow.

All Nath could think to say was ‘There’s always hope.’ But he didn’t. Instead, he sat with his friend in front of the warm fire in silence.

Sometimes being there and saying nothing is the best comfort of all.

***

“It’s stuffy in here,” Brenwar said. He had his arms crossed over his barrel chest and was eyeing every detail of Bayzog’s home. He stood with his back to the fireplace adjacent to the sofa. “Horrible construction. Looks like elves did it. I’m surprised it survived the war.”

“I’m surprised you survived the war,” Bayzog retorted.

“Watch yer mouth, part-elf.”

Bayzog shook his head and faced Nath and Ben, who were both sitting at the table. Sasha was back sitting at the table too. She had a smile on her face as she hummed and prepared a tray of food. She brought each man a plate.

“Thanks, Sasha,” Nath said.

“Yes, thanks,” Ben added with a courteous nod.

Brenwar frowned at his plate full of fruit, pastries, and cheeses. “Haven’t you any meat?”

Sasha giggled and patted him on his head. “Of course. Anything for you, Brenwar, but that comes later.”

Bayzog cleared his throat. “Ahem. If you don’t mind, I’d like to discuss the business at hand.”

“I’m not stopping you.” Brenwar sniffed a handful of purple grapes. His face soured, and he set the plate down. He walked over and climbed up on a stool at the study table and shoved away the floating books that blocked his face. “Go on.”

With a studious look on his face, Bayzog said, “The good news is that I have found some history of the wurmers. And like many insects, it seems they all function on the order of a queen.”

Nath nodded. Selene had already alluded to how the wurmers were more of an insect-like culture that built hives and had nests. “I’ve seen their nests first hand. And we’ve destroyed some of them. I would think we must have destroyed the queen that was in there too.”

“Which brings me to the bad news,” Bayzog said. “According to the histories, the last queen—their true queen—was never found and killed.”

Leaning forward on the table, Ben asked, “So what does that mean?”

“It means there are wurmers we know of—Selene has discovered those—and then there are those we don’t know of.”

“You mean there are even more?” Ben asked. He looked at Dragon. “Those things are hard to kill.”

Bayzog continued. “I’d say it’s highly likely that the queen has been hiding. Possibly hibernating.” His face turned grim. “And if I were to guess, she’s been laying eggs for centuries. And if I were a titan, I’d be trying to find them, wake them up, and turn them loose.”

“And what if that happens?” Sasha asked.

Bayzog’s reply was devastating. “They’ll blanket Nalzambor like a plague of enormous insects.”

CHAPTER 9

The atmosphere was solemn in the picturesque room. Everyone’s face was long and silent. Again, Bayzog broke the silence. “This isn’t all on our shoulders, Nath. The rest of the world will help out as well. This affects everyone’s lives, not just our own.”

“I know. Sometimes good allies are hard to come by, but I know I can always count on my friends.” Nath stretched out his long-clawed hands and squeezed Ben and Brenwar’s shoulders on either side of him. “Right?”

Ben was looking away and whistling.

“Ben?” Nath said again.

“Only joking, Dragon. You know that. I’m always with you. It’s just that I’m heavily committed to rebuilding this city. I have people here counting on me. You know, I don’t just sit around and wait for adventure to come and get me. I have responsibilities. And I need to be here to protect this city. I hope you understand.”

Taken aback, Nath said, “Uh, Ben, I feel foolish. And I certainly didn’t mean to make you feel that you were required to come along. None of you need to feel obligated. I only meant that I know I can always count on you.”

“And we you, Nath,” Sasha said. She slipped in behind him and gave him a hug. “That’s why I’m coming with you.”

Nath’s gaze froze on Bayzog’s widening eyes.

Oh my!

“Now, Sasha,” Bayzog stammered. “We can’t leave. Not now.”

“Oh, you can stay. I’m going,” she said, petting Nath’s arm. “Nath needs me.”

“I need you too,” the wizard said. “I need you here. Our efforts to aid Nalzambor are best served here. I insist.”

“I don’t care.” She made her way over to an open closet and draped herself in a fine grey traveling cloak. She also took the Elderwood Staff in hand. “Come, Nath. Let’s go.”

Tension filled the room as the staff’s gem glowed with life.

Bayzog was on his feet, hand extended toward Sasha. His face was drawn tight. “Sasha, may I please have my staff?”

She hugged it. “I would like to use it on our journey.”

Gently, the wizard replied, “I would also like to use it on our journey. May I please have it?”

“Only if you promise that you’ll teach me to use it.”

The part-elf crept closer.

Nath eased out of his seat. The fire growing inside the gem made the scales on his arms tingle.

Bayzog inched closer to her. “Sasha, do you want to walk or ride? Shall I gather us some horses?”

Her usually sweet eyes bore into Bayzog with frustration. “Promise me, Bayzog! Promise me!”

“Sasha, it is elven. You cannot use it,” Bayzog said. “Please, release the staff to me. You could hurt yourself.”

Her eyes shifted to the radiant power emanating from the gem. “It seems to like me. Its power courses through my veins. Teach me how to use it, Bayzog. Teach me now!”

The staff’s green glow lit up the entire room. It reflected in Sasha’s eyes. She began to radiate power. Something was about to erupt.

“Sasha,” Bayzog pleaded with his worried face bathed in green light, “I will teach you what I can. But please, hand it over. You could hurt yourself. Or others.”

“No. You won’t let me use magic. You want it all for yourself.” She lowered the staff at him.

Nath stooped, legs ready to spring.

This is getting bad! Dangerous.

Bayzog eased ever closer. “Sasha, you must trust me.”

“No, it’s mine.” She tapped the bottom of the staff on the floor. The entire room shook, sending fine pottery crashing on the floor. Sasha’s eyes widened. “Whoa.” Wild eyed, she brought the staff up and down again.

Nath sprang. He arrived a split second before Bayzog and wrapped his hands around the staff before it hit the floor. A charge of energy went through him.

Zap!

His limbs went numb. As he fell, he saw the horrified look on Sasha’s face. He landed hard. Forcing his eyes open, he saw Bayzog on the floor as well. The half-elf’s eyes were closed. He wasn’t breathing.

CHAPTER 10

“I’ll wake him up,” Brenwar roared. He hopped over Nath and landed alongside Bayzog. Using his thick, stubby fingers, he pinched the half-elf’s ginger arm.

“Ow!” Bayzog screamed. He sat up and found himself face to face with Brenwar. “What did you do that for?”

“I saved your life.” Brenwar gave him two hard slaps on the back. He helped Bayzog to his feet. “And I’ll never let you forget it.”

Sasha rushed into Bayzog’s arms. Tears were streaming down her face. Her body was trembling. “I’m sorry, Bayzog. I’m sorry! What is wrong with me? Please tell me what’s wrong with me!”

“Shhhh.” Bayzog hugged her and gently stroked her hair. “It’s fine. I forgive you.”

She sobbed. “Something’s wrong. I know it is! Help me.”

He kissed her cheek and said in her ear, “Let’s rest on this. Accidents happen.” He said something in Elven. Sasha passed out in his arms. Misty-eyed, he carried her off to the bedroom.

Ben reached down to where Nath lay and put a hand on his shoulder. “How are you feeling?”

“Shocked.” Nath flicked the numbness from his fingers and stared at the staff. Its gemstone was now dim. Brenwar was reaching down for it. “I wouldn’t do that. It’s elven. No telling what it would do to a dwarf.”

“How about I do everyone a favor and take my war hammer and break it?”

Allowing Ben to help him up to his feet, Nath shook his head. “That was interesting.”

“That was strange,” said Ben. “What has gotten into Sasha?”

Nath gave Ben and Brenwar a brief explanation. Just as he finished, Bayzog re-entered the room with a very long look on his face. He picked up the Elderwood Staff. “That was too close.”

“Too close to what?” Brenwar said.

“Our deaths.”

“You were dead. I saved you.”

“No, I was unconscious.” Bayzog looked at his arm. “But thanks for the bruise.” Holding the staff, he said, “Nath, you know that I can’t take the journey with you.”

“I never expected that you would.”

“Listen, before you depart, we need to talk about the titans.” Bayzog rubbed his head.

“Bayzog, you don’t need to worry about this. You have enough to manage on your own.”

“It is our burden to share, me and Sasha, husband and wife. We shall manage. And when she wakes up, we’ll have a long and honest talk.” Staff in hand, he took a seat on his stool. “Now, set us aside from your mind. We need to talk about the titans.”

Nath wanted to press back and tell his friend ‘Not now,’ but he didn’t. He knew Bayzog well enough to know that letting him talk about history would speed up his healing. He took his place at the table.

Silent, Brenwar and Ben did as well.

“It’s interesting. There is no mention of the Great Dragon Wall in the histories. The dragons did very well concealing it.” Bayzog scribbled some Elvish notes on some paper. With a bright look in his eye, he said, “I would have loved to have seen that. It’s so fascinating. Perhaps you could draw or paint it for me one day.”

“Perhaps,” Nath said.

“Such a great secret, and in Borgash of all places,” the wizard continued. “Well, according to the histories, the titans were worshipped by all. They’d attract throngs of men and women to them. Very charismatic. So, don’t be surprised if it’s not hard to find them. Or at least, find the bodies in which they host. They are arrogant. Proud. Deceitful. They love to boast and have no shame about them whatsoever. But they can take anyone’s form. So, the goal is to trap that spirit. Return it behind the wall at Borgash and secure it. But killing the body is one thing. Trapping the spirit is quite another.”

“Can the spirit be destroyed?” Nath asked. “I would think to find that easier.”

“If that were the case, the dragons would have done that already. Unless of course they just haven’t figured out how. But for the time being, we want to trap them. In order to do that, you will need this.” Bayzog flicked his fingers at a book’s pages and said a mystic word. An image of a smooth stone with a pale-pink fire appeared over the table. “A spirit stone.”

Looking around, Nath said, “Well, I hope you have one squirreled away in here.”

“Ha!” Bayzog laughed. “No, like the titans, these stones haven’t been seen for centuries. So either you have to find one, or I have to make one.”

“You can do that?” Ben said.

Bayzog waved the image away. “I can at least try. But if you want to find one, my guess would be that if the Spirit Stones still exist, they are kept by the dragons.” He looked at Nath. “That’s where your influence comes in.”

“Let me see if I have this straight. I need to kill all of the wurmers.”

“Aye,” Brenwar agreed.

“Seek the aid of my kin and get these Spirit Stones.” He spoke a little more sarcastic as he went.

“Aye.”

“Kill the titans’ host bodies.”

“Aye.”

“And secure them behind the Great Dragon Wall once and for all.”

Brenwar continued to agree, “Aye.”

“Oh, and if I figure out how to kill the spirit, I’ll execute it as well.”

“Aye!” Brenwar hopped off his stool and was practically frothing at the mouth. “What are we waiting for?”

“Nath, remember you can’t do it all by yourself,” Bayzog said with a nod.

“Well, of course not,” he replied. “That’s what I have Brenwar for.”

“Aye!”

CHAPTER 11

Leaving Bayzog and Sasha wasn’t easy. It was one of the hardest things Nath had ever done. On foot, he led his horse, a fine dapple-grey steed, toward the exit through the outer walls to the north. Brenwar was with him, leading a small chestnut horse, and Ben walked beside him, sending him off. Facing the stiff winds and some spitting rain, Nath swiped the hair from his eyes and took relief in knowing that Bayzog, Sasha, and Ben would at least be safer in the city than with him.

Ben was seeing him off. “Don’t be so quiet, Dragon. It’s not like you.”

“Aw, you’re making me feel like an old man,” Nath said, smiling at him.

The older warrior raised an eyebrow. “Man, you say?”

“You know what I mean. Sorry, Ben, I’m just worried about Bayzog and Sasha.”

“I’ll be looking after them as best I can.”

They made it through the first line of exterior walls that surrounded the city. A group of workers were making repairs on a busted section of wall.

Brenwar grunted. “I’ve got to get word to Morgdon, keep those walls from being crooked.” He handed Ben a scroll of wax-sealed paper. “This will take care of it.”

“Oh, yes,” Ben said, taking the scroll, “After all, nothing in this world is straight that isn’t dwarven.”

“You got that right.”

Winding through the maze-like formation of walls, they finally emerged. The distant snow-capped mountains of the north lay ahead. Nath wondered if Selene was out there somewhere, and if she was safe.

“I guess this is it, Ben,” Nath said to his friend. “I’d be lying if I said I was glad to leave you here, albeit in safety.”

“I can’t say that I blame you. Of course, even a stone is better company than Brenwar.”

“Don’t you mean a bearded stone?” Nath said.

“Ha ha!” Ben laughed. “Dragon, you know I’d come, and I wish I could, but I made a promise to someone that I wouldn’t leave them.”

“Someone who?”

“I have a new betrothed. Her name is Rebecca.”

“Ben!” Nath said with excitement. “That’s great. Why didn’t you tell me? I’d like to meet her.”

“She’s in Narnum now, and her journey doesn’t bring her back until next week.”

Shaking Ben’s hand, Nath said, “I’m happy for you, Ben. Very happy. It’s not often that a man can find true love. It seems it has struck twice with you. I can tell.”

“Thank you.” Ben unslung his quiver full of arrows and unsnapped Akron from his back. “Here.”

“No, Ben, you keep it. You’ll need it to help defend the city.”

“Dragon, I’ve a feeling that you’ll need it more than me. Besides”—he stuffed the magic bow in Nath’s hand—“it’s always been yours. I was only protecting it while you were gone.”

“It couldn’t have been in better hands,” Nath said, trying to pull it free of Ben’s grip.

The older man held it tight. “Sorry, Dragon,” Ben grimaced. He held the bow firm. “Boy, this just isn’t very easy.” He closed his eyes and with a gasp, he released the bow. Opening his eyes, he said, “That really was as hard as I thought it would be.”

Nath pushed Akron and the quiver back into Ben’s hands. “Farewell, Ben.”

“I’m going to miss you, Dragon.”

Nath climbed onto his horse, and Brenwar did the same.

The dwarf said to Ben, “Well, don’t get all misty for my sake, Ben. Just deliver that letter.”

Ben slapped Brenwar’s horse on its hindquarters and sent it off in a lurch. “Goodbye, Brenwar!”

As Nath rode off, the last thing he heard was Ben’s voice, shouting with cheer from the top of the outer wall. “Dragon! Dragon!”

***

It rained the entire day’s ride north. The harder it rained, the louder Brenwar sang. Black beard soaked with water, he sang one ancient dwarven tune after the other. And the songs weren’t too bad either. They lifted Nath’s spirits.

“You like this, don’t you,” Nath said in a loud voice that carried through the heavy rain.

The dwarf kept on singing.

“You know,” Nath started to say, but he stopped.

No one would hear them coming over the rain. Instead, as the horses clomped through the muddy hillside they climbed, he held his tongue.

Let Brenwar be happy. He deserves to be.

Brenwar stopped singing. “What? Did you say something?”

“I said, do you think you could sing something in Elvish?”

Brenwar wrung water out of his beard, shook his thick head, and started singing in Dwarven again.

Nath continued to lead the way over the sloppy hills that met with a forested mountainside. Ducking under heavy branches and weaving through the trees, he searched for shelter. Night would soon fall, and even though neither he nor Brenwar required much rest, getting out of the rain until it passed seemed like a good idea.

Half a mile up the mountain, he came across a large rocky overhang. Water poured off it like a waterfall. Nath ducked under it and took a breath. The space was big enough for four men and horses. Brenwar followed him in and shook the water from his rain-soaked face. Nath wrung out his long red hair.

“Why are we stopping?” Brenwar said. “It’s not even dark yet.”

Nath slid out of his saddle. “I need a moment.”

“A moment? What’s a moment?”

Nath flipped open a saddlebag, removed a pair of orange fruits with a stem, and tossed one to Brenwar. The other one he fed to his horse. He scratched behind the horse’s ears. “You’re a fine steed.”

The dapple-grey horse shook his head and nickered.

Nath froze. His nostrils widened. Something foul lingered in the air. His hand fell on Fang.

Eyeing him, Brenwar started to speak.

Nath put a finger to his lips.

Brenwar readied his war hammer, Mortuun the Crusher.

Golden eyes peering into the deep black where the rock jutted from the ground, Nath spied a small cave opening.

Silvery eyes flashed within. Scales slithered over the wet earth, and the hooded head of a great snake slipped out. It was bigger than Nath, and it reared back to strike. Its black tongue flicked from its mouth.

“That’s an awfully big snake,” Brenwar grumbled.

Two more monstrous snakes slithered out and flanked them. Venom dripped from fangs as big and sharp as a dragon’s.

“Pardon,” Brenwar said, shifting in his saddle, “I meant snakes.”

CHAPTER 12

A green lily dragon half filled a wooden cage big enough for a large dog. Its snout was bound shut with leather cords. Its torn wings were folded tight on its back. Its scales shined like green pearls in the moonlight.

“I say we eat it,” said an orc. He was large, as most orcs are. A tangled mess of greasy hair covered his bare back down to the waist. He poked the dragon with the back of his spear. He licked his split and puffy lips. “I’ve never eaten dragon before. They smell delicious, like baby deer.”

“Leave our treasure alone,” another voice said. It was a gnoll. A huge wolf-faced man taller but slimmer than the orc. He wasn’t alone. The party of poachers was made up of orcs, gnolls, and the much smaller yellow-eyed goblins. There were nine in all. “Once we sell it, you’ll be able to eat all you want and more.”

The orc at the dragon cage grumbled in his throat. Sounding a bit stupider than his gnoll counterpart, he scratched his head and added, “Are they worth more alive or dead?”

“Alive,” the gnoll said, filing his long fingernails with a sharpening stone.

Unlike the others, the gnoll had more flare on him: shiny breastplate made for a large man, heavy axe on his hip. All of the others—gnoll, orc, and goblin alike—carried spears or smaller weapons.

“Now get away and don’t pester it anymore.” The gnoll walked over and eyed the dragon. “It may lie quietly, but don’t let it fool you. It’s thinking, not dreaming.”

A goblin hopped over the campfire. “Dragons dream?” The filthy humanoid’s necklace of animal bones rattled around his neck. He was feisty, even more so than his ornery kin. “How do you know they dream?”

“I know,” the gnoll assured him. His chin was up in an attempt to be dignified.

“You don’t know that,” the goblin retorted. “You’re just saying that. Think you’re smart?”

The gnoll huffed on his fingernails and dusted them off on his bloodstained sleeve. “Of course I’m smart. That’s why I’m the leader. And was it not my trap that caught the dragon?”

Fingers fidgeting at his side and glancing around, the goblin said, “It was luck. Strange fortune. You set no trap at all. The dragon was sleeping.” He pounded his chest. “And I saw it first! Told you about it, I did.”

The gnoll bared his canine teeth in a snarl. His blades whisked out of his sheaths and found a new home under the goblin’s greasy chin. The leader then said to the wide-eyed goblin, “Perhaps you don’t want to share in my good fortune, then. The less of you, the more for me and the rest.”

Everyone in the poachers’ camp’s eyes were on the gnoll. The two goblins that remained drew the crude hand axes at their sides. Their feverish eyes had murder in them.

The gnoll pressed his superior blade harder into the goblin’s neck. He marched the little monster backward. “You do realize that if I kill you, I have to kill all of your kind.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I like the nine. Three gnolls. Three orcs. Three goblins. It’s a fortunate number. But minus one goblin, we have eight. Unlucky. Minus two, we have seven. That’s the luck of a human’s number.” He spat. “Bad luck for gnolls. So that means I need six. I like six, but nine is better. Twelve, too big to control.”

Gaping, the goblin continued to back away until he stopped a couple feet from the hot coals of the fire. Sweat beaded and dropped over the creases of his brow. Stammering and flapping his hand, he said with a crooked smile, “Nine is good. Nine is good. You say dragons dream, I believe it. Dragons dream. Yes. Dragons definitely dream.”

“Mmm, you know, now that I think about it,” the gnoll said, rubbing his chin and glancing skyward, “I don’t think dragons dream. So, it seems we are once again in disagreement.”

The goblin’s mouth fell open.

The gnoll cocked his sword arm back. “Six is my favorite number.” He started to swing.

“Dragons do dream,” said a voice out of nowhere.

The gnoll froze and turned.

A shadowy hooded figure emerged from the woodland.

Every poacher in the camp readied their weapon. Narrowing his wolfish eyes on the figure, the gnoll said, “We don’t share our fire with strangers. We kill trespassers.”

“Oh, I’m not here to share your fire. I’m here for the dragon.” Selene revealed her face. “And zero is my favorite number.”

CHAPTER 13

Sliding his sword out of his scabbard, Nath backed up his mount. “The horses, Brenwar. We need to ride out of here.”

“I hear you,” Brenwar replied. Imitating Nath’s, his mount started backward.

The snake flanking it struck. The reptile buried its fangs into the horse’s hindquarters.

Throwing the dwarf from the saddle, the horse bucked and instantly fell down dead.

The snake flanking Nath’s dapple-grey steed slithered after him. It coiled its hooded head and struck.

Fang’s blade flashed quicker than the blink of an eye and shore the snake’s head clear off.

Nath hopped off the saddle and scared his horse away. “Get!”

The middle snake, bigger than the rest, reared up right before Nath’s eyes. There was deep hypnotic power in the massive cobra’s eyes. Deep and evil, its hooded face swayed back and forth. Drops of burning venom dripped from its mouth.

“You think you’re faster than me, do you?” Nath said to the snake—whose body was thicker than his leg. “Belly crawler, beware. I’ll cut you down like your dead brother over there.”

“You need to cut them both down!” Brenwar mumbled. His entire body was encircled by the cobra that had killed his horse. His eyes bulged in their sockets, and his face purpled. He spat out his next words. “Quit trying to make friends with that lizard, and kill it!”

The great grey-black snake hissed. Its tongues flickered.

“You’ve given me no choice,” Nath said, brandishing the glimmering blade of Fang. He spoke in the ancient Snake tongue, unknown to most. “Crawl back inside your hole or die, Snake.”

Head reared up eye to eye with Nath, the giant snake struck lightning fast.

Nath banged the tip of its nose with the flat of his blade, driving the reptile back. “I told you I was fast,” Nath said in an ancient warning. “My next blow will be fatal.”

The snake’s eyes bore into him like ancient black pearls of evil. Its head feinted with short strikes and then recoiled.

“Quit playing games with it!” Brenwar blurted out. His face was beet red, and he screamed. “Nothing crushes a dwarf!”

Nath’s sure feet slipped on the wet rocks.

The cobra struck. Dripping fangs bore down on Nath’s neck.

When Nath snapped his arm up, the cobra’s jaws clamped down hard on it. The snake’s teeth broke off on Nath’s black scales. Toothless, the reptile struck again and held on, chomping down hard on Nath’s arm like a vice.

Nath started laughing. “Look at this, Brenwar! It busted its teeth on my scales. I should have known.”

“Grrrr!” Though Brenwar flexed with all his dwarven might, the snake that constricted him did not give. “Will you get this thing off me?”

“Certainly,” Nath said. Dragging over the snake that was clamped down on his arm, he picked up Brenwar’s war hammer and clobbered the lizard in the head.

Its diamond-scaled body eased its all-powerful grip.

Puffing for breath, Brenwar squirmed out of the scaly locks, plucked Mortuun from Nath’s grip, and whacked the snake again.

“No! No!” cried out a scratchy voice.

A small shambling figure squeezed out of the snake hole. It was a dirty little man with a full head of scraggly brown hair and a partial beard. He wore strange robes made of snakeskin and had a belt made from snake skeletons. “Don’t kill any more of my pets. Please.”

Brenwar slammed the man into the ground. “Why? They tried to kill us, and they did kill my horse.”

Blue eyes blinking, the odd wilderness man said with desperation, “They were only protecting me. Just as a dog protects his master.”

“We posed no threat,” Brenwar stated.

The snakeskin clad man let out an inhuman hiss. The cobra released Nath’s arm and slithered away. “See! See! I control them.”

Holding the little middle-aged man by the scruff of the neck, Brenwar shook him. “Can you bring back my horse from the dead too?”

“Er … no,” the little man said.

Nath sheathed his sword. “Who are you?”

“Ipsy the Snake Charmer.” The scruffy man blinked a lot. “Ipsy the Hooded.”

Brenwar toyed with the cobra-like hood hanging from Ipsy’s strange robes. “He’s a druid.”

Fingers scratching at the air, Ipsy said, “I prefer woodland seer. Well, if one is being particular, I’m very keen on Ipsy the Hooded. Really draws the attention of the women in small villages.” He winked at Brenwar. “What is your name, dwarf? Black Beard?”

Eyeing Nath, Brenwar shoved Ipsy to the ground and stepped on his back. “Druids can’t be trusted, and I don’t like the stink of this little man. Can I kill him?”

“Kill me?” Ipsy squeaked. “No, no, that would be fatal. It would bring a great curse upon you for the entirety of your days. Please.” He eyed Nath’s arms and changed his demeanor. “Er, how did you come across those scales? Are you cursed? A demon?”

Nath remembered a few other encounters with druids, in days gone by. They came in many shapes and forms. Men or women, they could be anyone from a halfling to a bugbear. They were loners, hunkered down in their territory, somewhat aloof to everything that was going on in the rest of the world. In a way, Nath envied them. But one and all, they were squirrely as a dryad or a fairy. “Let him up, Brenwar.”

“This weird little man owes me a horse.” Brenwar nudged his boot toe into the druid’s ribs.

“Ow!” Ipsy whined. Gathering himself to his feet and eyeing Nath’s arms with avid interest, he stretched out his eager fingers. “May I touch them?”

Flattered, Nath started to say yes.

But Brenwar cut in. “No.”

“Let the flame-haired man speak for himself,” Ipsy said to Brenwar. He pleaded. “Please? Please? You are so fast. I’ve never seen any man faster than a snake. And those scales. I marvel. They must be harder than steel.”

Wary, Nath fanned out his yellow-gold fingernails on his clawed hand. “And sharper than steel as well.”

With an awe-inspired gasp, Ipsy ran his grubby fingers over Nath’s scales. “How is this possible? You are both man and dragon.”

“It’s a long story and one that you don’t need to trouble yourself about.” Nath watched the snake slither back into the hole. “You need to be more careful with your pets. And we are down a horse thanks to you. How do you propose to replace it?”

Ipsy’s eyes enlarged beneath his unibrow. “Being a druid, I have no personal belongings. And if anything, that horse has been freed from a life of slavery.” He sneered. “I should suggest that you free your mount as well.”

“And let it starve to death? I think not.” Nath closed in on the druid and glared down in his face. “Now, tell me, how will you compensate me and my friend?”

“I have nothing.”

Brenwar hemmed the little man in from behind and growled, “Everybody has something.” He slapped his hammer head in his hand. “Especially when their life depends on it.”

Ipsy swallowed the lump in his throat, raised a finger, and replied, “I have knowledge.”

CHAPTER 14

The gnoll leader let out a rumbling chuckle from his throat. The others in his gang started to chuckle as well. Sliding out their weapons, they surrounded Selene on cat’s feet. Stroking his chin, he eyed her up and down. “It seems that you are surrounded, traveler. But by the looks of you, I think more fortune has fallen into our hands. You might even fetch half the price of a dragon.”

“Oh, you mean my dragon,” she said, creeping closer to the dragon’s cage.

The orc that stood closest blocked her view, looking down at her. “Perhaps I’ll stuff you in that cage with it.”

Selene’s tail slithered from beneath her gown, coiled around the orc’s neck, and jerked him up off his feet.

“Urk!” The orc clutched and clawed at her tail.

Effortlessly, she slung the orc far into the woods and out of sight.

Pointing his sword at her, the gnoll leader shouted a command to his ranks. “Kill her!”

The quicker goblins dove in with their weapons.

Selene’s tail struck like the crack of a whip.

Whap! Whap! Whap!

She flattened the three little fiends, knocking two of them out cold.

Eyes filled with fear, the third’s hands clawed at the dirt, trying to scramble away.

Selene’s tail coiled around its ankles and lifted it off the ground. Using the goblin like a club, she swung the humanoid over her head and bashed the two charging orcs with it. Whop! Whop! Checking her nails, she pummeled them both some more. Whop! Whop! Whop! She tossed the goblin aside, sending him skittering across the ground in front of the gnoll’s feet.

Canine snouts dropped open, the two remaining gnolls threw down their spears and ran. Looking from side to side, the gnoll leader said, “Cowards!” He narrowed his eyes on Selene and said with his sword raised high, “I’m going to cut that tail off and chop it into nine little pieces.”

Without looking at him, and rubbing some smudge from one of her nails, she said, “There is zero chance of that happening.”

Howling at the top of his lungs, heavy sword arcing high, he charged and struck.

Selene caught the blade in her dragon-scaled hand and jerked it free from the gnoll’s grip. Her tail lashed out and knocked him clear off his feet. Holding the sword in both of her hands, she said, “I should kill you with your own sword.”

“No, please. No!” the gnoll pleaded. “I’ll do anything!”

“On your knees!” she demanded.

The gnoll did as she said.

“Hands on your head.”

Shaking, he did as he was told and pleaded, “Please, don’t kill me. I’ll never touch a dragon again. I promise.”

“Oh, after this, you’re going to wish you were dead.”

“Wh-what are you going to do?”

“Be silent!” Using both of her hands and squeezing the well-tempered blade, she bent it around his neck as easily as a man would bend a spoon. “Enjoy your new necklace. And when more of your filthy ilk ask why you have a sword wrapped around your neck, tell them the next poacher I find won’t have a sword wrapped around their neck. It will be placed through their wicked heart instead.”

Stammering, the gnoll tried to speak, but no words came out.

“Be gone.”

The hairy, dog-faced brute quickly found his feet and, running full speed, vanished into the woods.

Pivoting on her heel, Selene headed for the dragon’s cage.

The wooden crate was crude, but durable. The cage door-lock consisted of leather cords and a peg stuck through a latch. She plucked it out, opened the door, and with gentle hands she removed the lily dragon. Through her palm, she felt its heart racing. “There, there, little brother.”

Using her nail, she slit the bindings that secured its wings and mouth.

The dragon slid from her grasp and strutted around the camp. It shook its head and hissed at her.

Taken aback, Selene said, “Excuse me?”

Spreading its grand wings, it pushed off with its rear legs and took flight. Seconds later it was gone.

Selene’s eyes watered up, and she dropped to her knees, trembling. Her guilt and shame overwhelmed her. Tears streamed down her cheeks and dripped onto the ground. How many dragons, her own brethren, had lost their lives because of her? She had commanded the Clerics of Barnabus to have the dragons poached. She’d had them captured. Those who would not serve Gorn Grattack had been killed. Their parts sold.

Heart aching inside her chest, she started to pant and tremble. She was an abomination—both to mankind and to dragonkind. How could anyone forgive her? How could she replace all that she had taken? What about all the lives that were devastated? Families torn asunder. The innocent deceived.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she glanced at the open cage. At least one dragon was free. It felt good, but it also reminded her of all her bad deeds. And that lily dragon knew who she was and what she had done. It had made that clear. No, she needed to pay for what she had done. She had to atone for it. If not, the past would catch up with her. She was certain of it.

Standing up, she dusted her knees off.

I need to turn myself in.

She resumed her trek to the north, chin down and heavy in thought.

I need to stop the wurmers too.

Using her powerful dragon senses, she looked for signs of the wurmers as she trekked through the changing terrain, scanning the misty night sky.

Does Nalzambor need me, or is it better off without me?

CHAPTER 15

“Knowledge, eh?” said Brenwar. “Well, it better be able to find me another horse. Nath, don’t listen to what this fool has to say. We’re better off going.”

With the rain from the rocky overhang pounding at his back, Nath shook his head. “No, I’d be interested in hearing what this troublemaker has to offer.”

“Excellent,” said Ipsy, rubbing his hands together. “Excellent. Let me get us some food and some drink. You know, I don’t have many people over. The snakes aren’t too chatty, and the birds talk far too much.” Eagerly, he turned toward the cave.

Brenwar barred his path. “We aren’t hungry. I’m interested in hearing what you have to say that is worth more than a horse. Now talk.”

The druid slid away from Brenwar and closer to Nath. His eyes kept attaching themselves to Nath’s arms. “So fascinating.”

Brenwar poked him. “Talk!”

“All right! No need to get testy. The world has shifted. The forest creatures’ patterns change. Giants come down from their mountains and their massive caves. Though not one of long life, I’d not seen but one giant. Now, they pass and scatter the vermin constantly.”

Brenwar’s brows perched. “Giants, you say? Keep talking.”

Ipsy rambled on.

Nath gave the druid his full attention, nodding and agreeing with what he said. There were giants roaming about more so than before, all right. Nath believed him. At the same time he wanted to test the druid. Catch a fib or lie—which their kind were known for.

But so far everything the druid said was at least half true. Of course, much of it was common knowledge. After all, it wasn’t so long ago that Nath, then in the form of a dragon, had fought a handful of earth giants.

“So how many giants have you seen exactly?” Nath asked.

“A half dozen or so in the last few months.”

“And where were they headed?”

“Oh, I can tell you that easy. You see, I followed them, I did. Heh-heh. They don’t pay any attention to the likes of me. No, not at all. Too, too small.” He grabbed some moss from a rock and rubbed it on his skin. “And my scent blends in. Giants are good smellers, you know. Like big hounds.” He eyed Brenwar. “Smell your scruffy stink a mile away.”

Brenwar drew his fist back. “Why you––”

Ipsy slid behind Nath and peeked around his waist.

“Let it go, Brenwar.”

“I want my horse back,” the dwarf said. He plucked a small spade from the dead horse’s saddle. “And I’m not leaving until he buries this one.”

Nath sighed. He understood Brenwar’s point, but burying it? “We’ll figure out something. Now, Ipsy, tell us, I haven’t noticed any giants’ tracks. Where did you follow them to?”

“Only a couple of leagues away they are, building in the Craggy Mountains. Dark and treacherous up there, it is. Nothing that giant slayers like yourselves can’t handle. Are you going to kill them? I hope that you do. They attack dragons, you know. Kill them. Eat them. I saw some, dead, strung up like deer with purple scales. Two in all. Dead. Beautiful, but dead.”

Nath’s fingertips tingled. He grabbed Ipsy by the arm and squeezed it hard. “Don’t toy with me, druid. Is this the truth?”

Holding up his hand, Ipsy said, “I swear it on my mother’s mossy grave.”

“Speaking of graves,” Nath said, looking at the horse, “you need to get started.”

“But it’s raining!” Ipsy whined.

***

With little help from Brenwar or Nath Dragon, Ipsy carried rocks through rain and wind up and down the hill all night. One by one, he covered the dead horse with rocks. Many of them were bigger than his head.

Finally, the little druid had covered the horse’s body in its entirety. Holding his back and stretching, he said to Brenwar, “Am I finished?”

The dwarf clawed at his black-grey beard. “A few more rocks would be better.”

“I can’t find any more. This is a hillside, not a quarry!”

“You should have thought of that before you killed my horse!”

Nath stepped in. “That will do, Ipsy. We’ll be going now. I want to see if your story checks out.”

With a sigh of relief, the druid said, “Thank you! Thank you! I did not deceive you!” He mopped the sweat mixed with rain from his eyes. “I promise.”

Nath departed with a scowling Brenwar.

***

With a short maniacal laugh, Ipsy plopped down on the tomb of rocks and rubbed his aching fingers. “Guzan’s feet, I thought they’d never leave. Hard men, the both of them. Love horses as much as a horse itself.” He lay back on the pile of rocks and fell fast asleep.

While Ipsy lay snoring, a tingle at his feet awoke him.

He lurched up and faced a beautiful woman half the size of him, hovering over the ground. Long hair white as snow. Eyes dark as black pearls. Two violet wings beating gently behind her back. She was surrounded by a dozen dark and colorful hand-sized fairies. He dove to his knees and groveled. “Fairy Empress! Do with me what you please!”

“Arise, Ipsy the Hood,” she said with a coy smile. “I see our little plan failed.”

“I’m sorry, but my pets were not quick enough. And those two are quite formidable. I’m sorry. Punish me!”

She slapped his cheeks with her delicate hands and squeezed them. “Did you mention me?”

“No, they didn’t ask. I just told them about the giants like you said. As a matter of fact, they walked right into it.”

“And Nath Dragon didn’t suspect a thing?”

“I wasn’t lying, but his eyes were still wary.” Holding his back, he grimaced. “They sure love horses. Ugh.”

Her black eyes inspected the stone grave. “At least you killed a mount. That will slow them down and give me further time to plan.”

Fingers fidgeting at his side, he asked, “So, I did well?”

“Of course, Ipsy.” She caressed his cheek. “Of course. After all, you chose to follow me, the giants, and the titans. You’ll be a part of our destiny to take down the dragons.”

“What else can I do, Fairy Empress Lotuus?”

Glancing at the rocks, she said, “This pile of rubble is suspicious. You’re going to need to remove it, and the horse with it.”

His mouth fell open.

Lotuus waved her hand toward the small cave opening. The giant cobra with the busted fangs slithered out. “Come, come, sweet pet.” The snake coiled up beneath her feet. She patted its head. “Ipsy, close your eyes.”

“My eyes?”

Her face darkened. “Yes, your eyes.”

“Uh, as you wish.” He shut his eyes.

“You trust me, don’t you, Ipsy?”

“Certainly.”

“Good, now keep your eyes closed and don’t move.”

He swallowed and nodded. A new layer of sweat beaded on his brow. He felt his snake entwine itself around his body. The connection he had with it was gone, overpowered by a darker force.

“Now open your eyes,” she said.

He did. He was wrapped from neck to ankle in the giant poisonous restrictor. Its muscles slowly started to squeeze the breath out of him.

“Fairy Empress, you said I did well.”

“I lied,” she said with a sneer. “You should have at least killed the dwarf.”

“But–” he blurted out. Breathless, he could say no more. The snake began crushing his body.

Lotuus pinched his cheek and smiled. “Die knowing that your ultimate purpose was served.” With the grace of the wind, she and her fairies departed.

All Ipsy could do was unleash a silent scream. “Noooooooo!”

CHAPTER 16

Brenwar stood inside a giant-sized footprint of pressed-down grass. Squeezing his war hammer, he said with a fierce grin, “There be giants.”

Leagues away from where they had left Ipsy, Nath led his horse alongside his comrade. The footprints led straight toward the base of the Craggy Mountains. He hopped off the saddle and studied the prints in the grass. “I see three sets of them. Seems that the druid wasn’t fibbing after all.”

“He’s not very good with distance. We’re a good bit farther north than he suggested.” Brenwar’s eyes studied the mountains, whose peaks stretched up above the clouds. “And it’s no surprise there’d be giants up in there. Probably be some mountain goats too. Har, he’s fooling with us.”

Scanning the ground, Nath said, “True.” After all, he and Brenwar knew Nalzambor about as well as anybody.

Though he’d never ventured into them, the Craggy Mountains weren’t so much of a mystery. Their high, jagged peaks were a coarse trek, and most men didn’t go near, let alone bother to climb it. It was a great place to hide, for anyone, any size.

Nath took a knee and plucked up a handful of the flattened grasses. He sniffed it and made a sour face. “If it stinks like a giant, it must be a giant, right?”

“I thought it was obvious.”

The sun gleamed through the grey clouds, but a light drizzling rain still fell. Nath’s nose twitched. “How many days do you think, since they passed?”

“Three,” Brenwar replied.

“Even with all this rain?”

“It’s rained more south than north. I stick with three. Why?”

“Oh, that’s my assessment as well.” Nath eyed the mountain. “I say we go back.”

“Back?”

“Let me rephrase that. Backtrack.”

Brenwar clawed at his beard. “You mean, backtrack the giants?”

“Yes. I’m curious to see where they came from.” Nath snapped off some grasses that were still standing high. Blood residue was on them. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“You should. It’s giants.”

Taking the horse by the reins, Nath followed the giants’ trail over the rocky steppes.

For some strange reason, the land was quiet. Not a single bird crossed the sky. There was no rustle of vermin scurrying through the fallen leaves. Only the rattle and squeak of the horse’s saddle accompanied them.

They’d made it about a league when Nath said, “I don’t like where we are headed.”

“Aye,” Brenwar agreed.

“Why don’t you get on the horse?” Nath suggested.

“Why?”

“So you can keep up.”

Without hesitation, Brenwar climbed on the horse and took his place in the saddle. “You’re that worried?”

“I feel trouble in my scales.” Nath took off running, with Brenwar on the galloping horse behind him.

Based on the course they were following, he knew there was a large group of village communities only a few miles away. Good people, hardy and durable farmers and traders, and a mix of the races at that. They called the area Harvand, which was Elven for outcast. Nath never understood why it was called that. The people were like the rest of the world, but they did seem to prefer additional isolation and were quite accepting of people who were a little different.

Nath’s long strides kept an even pace with the horse that ran behind him. His flame-red hair was a banner behind him. It felt good running at the speed of a horse. There weren’t any two-legged creatures in the world that could outrun him. At least, he’d never known one that could. Not even the fastest elves were fleeter of foot. Charging up one hill and down another, blood pumping, he started to feel good. He might not be a full-sized dragon anymore, but his body and what it could do was still incredible.

It’s not so bad, Dragon. Not so bad at all.

He bounded up a steep hillside and came to a stop at the top. The dapple-grey horse snorted when it caught up with him. Nath rubbed its neck. “You enjoyed that too, didn’t you?”

“Harrumph. Running’s overrated. A dwarf never rushes anywhere.” Brenwar got off the horse and handed the reins to Nath. “He’s always exactly where he needs to be.”

With Brenwar at his side, Nath focused his attention on the valley of villages ahead. Tiny houses and barns were stretched out on the fertile land around Harvand almost as far as he could see. Aside from the barns and silos, no building was taller than two stories. He could see people milling about the streets. They looked small, but his keen eyes could make out some of the faces quite well. The people were long-faced, and many carried tools.

“What’s that?” Brenwar pointed west of the village.

It was a pile of rubble. Wood and stone. People were dragging materials over on carts and wheelbarrows. Some carried it by hand. They pitched materials into the pile of scrap.

Scanning the buildings, Nath noticed that many of them weren’t even standing. Several were crushed. A barn had a grain silo stuffed through its roof.

Nath’s throat tightened. “We need a closer look.”

The closer they got, the worse it looked.

Following the sloppy road, they crept into the nearest village. No one paid them any mind. The last time Nath was here, dozens of years ago, the people had been nothing short of accommodating. Of course, that had often been the case with him back then, and he had enjoyed it. Now, the people were grim-faced, and heads were downcast. They slogged through the torn streets carrying tools and scrap. Few words were spoken.

A woman with two small boys was trying to fix the door to a small home that didn’t have a roof or a back wall. A group of children splashed through a puddle made by a giant’s foot, chasing after loose chickens. There was hunger. Pain. Depression.

Finally, Nath approached a group of three sandy-headed men with scruffy faces and small points on their ears. They were sawing down a tree. One on one handle, one on the other, and the third measuring with a strip of cloth. “Might I ask what happened?”

“Giants,” said the one who measured, without looking at him. “Best that you move on.”

Nath pressed. “Did they take anything?”

The half-elves stopped sawing.

The taller one said, “Just our livelihood.” His piercing eyes scanned Nath. “You best keep going. No room for heroes around here.”

“Sssh,” said the half-elf on the other side of the saw, glancing at Nath. He looked back at his counterpart. “Just cut, will you?”

“Come on, Brenwar.”

That might have been the most impolite and brief conversation I ever had with an elf of any kind.

“Sorry to bother you.”

Walking along Nath’s side, Brenwar said, “Something’s still amiss.”

Nath headed toward the heart of the cluster of villages. “And we need to find out what that is.”

CHAPTER 17

In the center of Harvand was the grandest structure of all: a round stone building with a high cathedral-like ceiling. Smoke came out the chimney on the top. A pole stretched up taller than the chimney. On it, a checkered blue-and-orange flag bearing a wheat symbol flapped in the brisk wind. An archway covered by a sheepskin led inside.

Nath pushed through. “Hello?”

There wasn’t much in the room. A rectangular table with long benches for chairs. Aside from the fire blazing, there was no life inside at all.

Nath spoke again. “Hello?”

The shuffle of sandals over the stone floor caught his ear. An old woman with long white hair and plain purple robes teetered out from behind the other side of the fireplace. She had a cane in one hand that clicked on the floor, and she held a horn to her ear. Her left eye was milky.

“Do my eyes and ears deceive me? Is that Nath Dragon I hear?”

“Marley?” He made his way over to her and took her wrinkled hands in his. “It’s good to see you again.”

“Oh, I can hear the disappointment in your voice.” She rubbed his scales. “Oh my, that’s fascinating.” She coughed. “You’ve changed. But you’re still the same.”

“I could say the same of you.”

She slapped his arm. “Oh, please. I’ve aged sixty years since you’ve been here last. I’ve more wrinkles than a prune. But it’s good to know you’re still a flatterer.”

“Has it really been so long?”

“Oh, yes. The truth is, not a whole lot has happened since you left. Us old ladies still talk about the time you waltzed in here and dazzled us with your song and skills. And you got rid of the horrible bugbear, Mondoon. Blecht.” She clicked her cane on the floor. “And you danced with all the women and even saved the last dance for me. I swear, my feet didn’t touch the floor.”

Nath remembered. He remembered everything, even though time often slipped by him unnoticed.

Marley had been the most beautiful gal in Harvand. Chestnut-haired and dark-eyed, her natural beauty had rivaled that of the elves. She couldn’t have been more than thirty years old then. A widow, for her husband was killed by the bugbear Mondoon. A terrible time for the whole village town. After a hard-fought battle, Nath had vanquished Mondoon.

“And you never remarried?”

“No point really, at least not after dancing with you.” She sighed. “No man in the village could measure up to my tainted expectations.” She poked him with her cane. “And they’re still pretty high, you know. No, I raised the kids, worked until my back couldn’t take it anymore, and let them place me in charge of this city. Things were quiet until now.”

“Please, Marley, tell us what happened. We want to help.”

Marley shuffled over to the bench and sat down, eyeing Brenwar. “And who is this hairy little fellow?”

“I was here the last time too, you know,” Brenwar said with a grumble.

She cocked her ear toward Nath. “What did he say?”

Nath sat down by her side. “He said it’s good to meet you, too.”

“I did not. Oh, never mind.” Mumbling under his beard, the dwarf proceeded to tour the small building while Nath and Marley talked.

Nath took her fragile hand in his. “Marley, tell us what happened.”

She shivered. “They just came. Three of them. My, they were taller than those tall buildings in the cities. They were hairy, brawny, and had a smell about them. Started smashing things, toppling one home after the other. It was awful. They then gulped down our livestock, and we thought that might be the end of it. Maybe they were hungry. So we tried to plead with them, and they just laughed. They said in huge baritone voices, ‘This is just the beginning.’”

Nath put his arm around her shoulder. “How many people were hurt?”

“Oh, well, that’s the oddly fortunate part. There were some injuries, but not one person was killed.”

“That is odd.” Nath caught Brenwar looking at him. Giants didn’t leave survivors. “But that makes me happy to hear it.”

“Oh, don’t be too happy. They said they would be back. They said they wanted people to come with them. Serve them and their new leader. They have built a mountain city in the Craggies. I don’t understand it myself, but they made it clear that if they got enough, eh, volunteers, the village would be spared. But only to serve them. I think they want us to raise livestock to feed them. Oh, Nath,” she sobbed, “we were peaceful, and that peace is gone.”

Brenwar walked over and spoke. “How long until they come back?”

Startled, Marley said, “Where did you come from?”

“Morgdon.”

She looked up at Nath. “Where?”

“It’s not important. Marley, how long until they come back?”

“They didn’t say. And though we are terrified, I think many believe they won’t come back. But I know they will. Nath, I don’t think anyone will go with the giants. I’ve tried to have meetings. We have no volunteers. We’ll all be killed.”

It rankled Nath’s scales. Clenching his fist, he said, “No one will be killed. Not so long as I am here. But perhaps, Marley, you and your people should hide. I know a place. And when the giants come, Brenwar and I will take them on.”

“Aye!” Brenwar injected.

Marley jumped. “Excuse me, who are you?”

“Brenwar!”

“Be easy,” Nath said to his friend.

“Easy? She hears me just fine, just doesn’t like dwarves. She didn’t the last time either.”

Nath recalled Brenwar and Marley getting into a spat. She’d told him to shave his beard, and he’d said he would shave her head first. But Nath couldn’t tell if she was being selective with what she heard or if she was that feeble.

His thoughts drifted to Sasha.

I hope we can make her better.

“Is it warm out?” Marley asked. “I’d like to walk. The sun warms my cold bones.”

“I think there’s enough sun out there for you, and what it won’t do, I will.” Nath helped her up and led her out the door and kept his hand on her shoulder. Sunlight crept through the clouds. “Which way?” he asked.

“Eh, this way,” she said.

She moved slowly, but that was fine with Nath. He wasn’t in any kind of hurry. Instead, he took in all of the busy activity. The workers were far from robust, and only a few eyes found their way to him. There were some children who hid and giggled at him as he passed by the split-rail fences.

Scanning the distant fields, Nath noticed some odd structures. “What are those, Marley?”

She stopped and followed where he pointed. “Oh, those are just silos. I’ll take you to see them if you like.”

“It’s just odd that all of them are still standing. Did you rebuild them?”

“I can’t remember. I guess it must be good fortune. Come on, let’s go and see what’s going on.”

Four silos stood in a perfect square. Made of stone, they were over thirty feet high, with round shingled roofs.

Brenwar stood in the midst of the four of them. “That’s a strange design for silos. They’re too wide.” He rubbed his bearded chin and eyed the ground. “And I don’t see any evidence of grain. And those stones. Awfully big. Did your people build those, or did someone else?”

Marley slipped out from under Nath’s arm and looked at him with a painful expression. “Nath, I didn’t have any choice.” Her chin trembled. “They said they’d kill all of us. It’s a trap, Nath. Run!”

CHAPTER 18

“Marley! Marley! What are you talking about?”

The old woman was suddenly more nimble than she appeared to be. She slipped away from Nath’s outstretched grasp. “Run!”

Wary eyed, Brenwar growled. “I knew something wasn’t right—with her or this hog hole—from the beginning. You should have listened to—”

Giant arms busted out of the silo walls.

Big, ugly bald heads popped out the tops of the silos.

“I knew it! I knew it!” Brenwar yelled. “They’re stone giants, Nath! That’s why I didn’t smell them out!”

The stony makeup of the towering buildings crumbled away. Massive men stepped out of the debris and dust that rolled away from their feet. Four towering men almost thirty feet tall had them surrounded.

Marley ran screaming, but she was too slow.

The giant behind them lifted up his great foot and brought it down.

Nath screamed. “Nooooo!”

The ground shook.

Thoom!

Marley was gone, like a bug under a man’s shoe.

Nath’s heart sank. His jaw dropped. His hands were numb at his sides. So cruel and merciless it was, he didn’t even notice the entire town scrambling in panic.

Evil. Such Evil.

“Fill your hands, Nath Dragon!” Brenwar roared. “Else you’re going to be goo under their feet too.” He raised his hammer high and banged it on the ground.

Krang!

The ground busted up underneath one giant’s feet and knocked it to the ground.

“Woohoo!” Brenwar screamed.

Nath ripped Fang out of his scabbard and charged the stone giant who had smashed Marley.

The mountain of marble-like muscle sneered at him and laughed.

Summoning Fang’s power, Nath struck the giant’s ankle with all of his might. The blade bit deep.

Ice raced up the giant’s leg and froze it fast to the ground.

The monster’s eyes widened, and it screamed out in horror. Leg icing up, it lashed out. The monster’s fingers clipped Nath’s ducking head. The raw power of the massive man lifted Nath from his feet and sent him rolling through the dust.

Seeing stars, Nath lifted up his head at the sound of heavy footsteps.

The third giant charged right for him. Its huge fists came down together like a great anvil.

Nath sprang away.

The fists missed him by inches.

Boom!

Without hesitation, Nath whirled around and stabbed Fang through one of the giant’s hands.

Its hand burst into flames. Slobbering from its jowls, the monster jerked its hand away, ripping Fang out of Nath’s iron grip. The monster screamed at its burning hand with Fang still in it.

“Guzan! I need my sword back!”

***

“Take that, giant!” Brenwar climbed on top of the giant he’d knocked down and hammered away at it with Mortuun. The grand war hammer came down again and again with the sound of clapping thunder.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The giant swatted at Brenwar with hands, forearms, and elbows.

Somehow, Brenwar slipped in and out of its efforts only to hammer it again and again with devastating effort.

Its ribs cracked. Its jaw and eye socket were broken.

“You’ll regret the day you ever crossed me, giant!”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Brenwar put everything he had into it. Stone giants were serious business. As their name suggested, they were stone and bone, not flesh and bone like most giants. Killing them was never easy, and plenty of dwarves had met the grave trying. He unleashed as much of Mortuun’s power as he could.

“Come on, Mortuun! Come on!” Black-beardedly wild as a berserker, he unleashed all that his ancient dwarven bones had in him. “We’ve still got three to go!”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Finally, the giant lay stretched out between the broken silos, dead.

Hammer in hand, chest heaving, and iron arms weary, Brenwar turned. “Whew, where’s the next one?” He froze.

He was eye to eye with the next giant.

Bending down and clapping its hands together, it smashed Brenwar like a fly.

***

One giant fought the icy cords that tethered it to the ground. Another giant fought to put its flaming hand out.

Lucky for Nath, his sticky fingers had managed to snake Dragon Claw out of Fang’s pommel. In a rush, Nath climbed up the distracted giant’s back with Dragon Claw in hand and smote it in the temple.

The stone giant fell on its knees and collapsed face first in the muddy dirt.

Splat!

Nath surveyed the battleground.

The third giant was dead and sprawled out on the ground, but the fourth caught Nath’s eyes.

“Oh, no!”

With Brenwar clasped inside the giant’s hands like a little woodland creature, it leered down at Nath with a cold-blooded killer’s gaze and said in long and loud words, “I’ll take his life if you don’t surrender, Nath Dragon.”

Spitting through his beard with a great strain in his face, Brenwar said, “Don’t surrender, Nath. Don’t do it!”

CHAPTER 19

Nath retrieved Fang and stood before the stone giant. “Killing him will only bring you a swift death, giant. If you want to live, then put him down.”

The giant shook his head and said in his long drawn-out voice, “And pass up killing this dwarf? No. I think not.” He squeezed Brenwar harder.

Brenwar’s eyes bulged. “Urk! Don’t worry about me, Nath. Just kill him!”

With two giants down and only two remaining, Nath liked his chances.

Behind him, the one giant struggled and freed its frozen leg. Somehow, it managed to hobble forward toward Nath.

I can handle this. I have Fang, and Brenwar’s plenty tough.

Brandishing the great sword, Nath said, “Just put him down, giant. Leave this village. It is under my protection.”

“Oh ho ho,” the giant said with a chill in its voice, “Nath Dragon, this trap was not sprung to fail. Be wise as a serpent and surrender, or the blood of every villager will be on your hands.”

It was a trap, all right, but who had set it? And how had they known that Nath would be coming to this village?

I can’t think of anything at all that led me here.

Uncertainty filled him. Someone somewhere was watching him. His thoughts raced back.

Ipsy!

Why had the druid set him up? He’d never met the druid before. He must have been working with somebody else, but who?

“I think you’re bluffing,” Nath said, creeping forward with his sword. “Now put the dwarf down so no one else gets hurt.”

“You are a cocky little flea.” The stone giant let out a strange hoot. “Howeet!”

Large stacks of hay that were scattered all over the villages came to life. Giant humanoids—ogres and bugbears—emerged from the hay and snatched up any screaming villager they could find. They wrapped them up in powerful arms and started to crush the life out of them.

The distraught people screamed and begged for mercy.

“Eeeeeeeee!”

“Oooowwwww!”

“Still feeling cocky, little dragon?” the stone giant said.

Aghast, Nath squeezed Fang’s hilt so hard that his hand trembled.

How did I miss this trap?

It wasn’t like him to overlook what should have been obvious details. But somehow his transgressors had deceived him. He’d missed the giants and dozens of burly humanoids. And the villagers of Harvand were so terrified, they’d played along as well. He should have listened to the half-elves.

Great Guzan! Those half-elves were trying to warn me.

“What is it you want, giant?”

“Just surrender, and all of them will live.” He held Brenwar out in his long outstretched arms. “Including this bearded chipmunk.”

“Am I to be your prisoner?”

“No, you are to be someone else’s prisoner.”

“Who might that someone be?”

“Surrender, and you will see.”

That was a problem with the giants. They were liars. Their guaranteed word was no better than an angry orc’s. For all Nath knew, he’d turn himself over, and they’d kill all of the villagers anyway. Which begged the question, how do you get a giant to keep his word? And this one wasn’t even calling the shots.

“I need proof that no harm will come to anyone else, including the dwarf.”

“Hmmm.” The giant scratched its chin with Brenwar’s head then showed a toothy smile. “You’ll just have to trust me. You don’t have any choice, little dragon.”

Panicked cries of alarm and horror filled Nath’s ears. The rough hands of the beasts that held the villagers were far from gentle. The message was clear. Nath could feel it. They wouldn’t hesitate to kill anybody.

“Nath!” Brenwar said. “You are too important. Don’t do it.”

“If I think I’m more important than anybody else, then I’m truly not important at all.” Nath stuck Fang in the ground and placed his scaly hands on his head. “So be it, giant. I surrender.”

“Secure him,” the stone giant ordered. A pair of bugbears marched forward. They were huge ugly men, somewhat bear faced, with huge muscles in their shoulders. They carried chains and shackles made from moorite. With rough hands they shackled Nath’s wrists and ankles and put a collar on his neck. “That’s good.”

“I’ve submitted. Now put the dwarf down and leave these people alone.”

The giant tossed Brenwar through the roof of a nearby home and wiped his hands on the muddy street. “Filthy little thing.” He reached over and picked up Fang with the tips of his fingers. His stony skin started to sizzle. Grimacing, he ordered Nath, “Put it in a sheath.”

Nath complied.

The stone giant picked up the sheathed sword and stuck it in his belt, which held up a roughhewn pair of trousers. “Let’s go.”

Escorted by the bugbears and the ogres, Nath followed the giant. Glancing behind him, he saw the village was left unmolested, but some of the people followed. Perhaps many of the people had already sworn a new allegiance to the giants or whomever the giants answered to.

A bugbear shoved him forward, almost knocking him down. “March,” it growled.

Nath turned around and marched backward with the chains rattling around his ankles. “You mean like this?” he said.

It was a distraction. His eyes searched for Brenwar. Even though he didn’t think the fall into the building would kill the dwarf, he could be seriously hurt.

He’s fine, right? He always is, isn’t he?

CHAPTER 20

Selene stood on the northern shores of Nalzambor, less than a mile away from a small sea town called Dusky. The early-evening tide splashed over the rocks, creating pockets of sea-foam as the fishermen hauled in their nets and dragged them up the sandy banks. As the water chopped and smacked into the rocks, she finished braiding her long locks into a style more customary.

Perhaps I should go sailing.

For her entire life, she couldn’t remember doing anything that she wanted to do. She’d been trained to fight, to conquer and deceive. But she was never taught to enjoy life.

Maybe there is peace for me somewhere out there.

“Peace. Hah. A child’s tale.”

Her tail snaked up under her robes, and she pulled down her sleeves. With sure footing, she traversed the rocks and headed down to the shore where the seafarers talked and joked. She envied them. Somehow, someway, they enjoyed the work they did, hauling in oily amounts of stinking fish.

“Ho there, Miss!” a man said, waving his cap at her. “What are you doing up there? You need to get down.”

Stopping to survey her surroundings, she realized she stood on the jagged black rocks with strong waves smashing into the deep alcoves. Water was splashing up and soaking the hem of her robes. Clearly, for a mortal person this would be a dangerous position, standing on slick rocks where the slightest stumble would send a body into the cold water and dash it against the rocks.

Hand to her chest, she resumed her trek and navigated the dangerous path until she found herself in front of the wide-eyed sailor.

“Hello,” Selene said.

The man wasn’t old or young, and he wore standard attire of the seaworthy people: a white cotton shirt with long sleeves soaked to the elbow, brown trousers where the hem touched his bare feet. He had a mop of light-brown hair, thick side burns, and sea-green eyes. His features weren’t handsome but fair.

He said, “Are you real, or do my eyes deceive me?”

She took his calloused hand in hers. “What do you think?”

“Real … real beautiful,” he explained.

She almost smiled. “Tell me, what is your name?”

“Gavlin.”

“Gavlin, may I ask you a question?”

He shook his head yes. “You can ask me anything.”

“Do you ever see dragons over the sea?”

“Oh, sure, we see them inside the waters as much as above. Do you want me to take you out in the morning? You never know when you might see them, but I know a place where many roost.”

He said it as if the dragons weren’t any more extraordinary than big birds. He didn’t have any worries about dragons at all.

It surprised her. “I just might take you up on that sometime, but I’m looking for a different kind of dragon. Dark and rough scaled, not smooth and polished like mine.” Still holding his hand, she lifted it up in front of his eyes. “See what I mean?”

He gasped and tried to pull away.

She held him fast. “Gavlin, you have nothing to fear from me. Why do you try to flee?”

“You’re a demon!” His face was full of strain. “Please, let me go!”

“But you said you would tell me anything.” She looked deep into his eyes and used a hypnotizing effect. “I want you to tell me, Gavlin. Have you seen these dragons I speak of?”

The rapid beating of his heart started to slow. “Yes, they fly in thirteens. Heh, I’ve never seen purple eyes before. I’ve never seen scales on a woman before.”

“Gavlin,” she said calmly, “where do those dragons go?”

“Well, I don’t follow them. That’s trouble. No, no, no. Here in Dusky we avoid trouble.”

She rolled her eyes, breaking the connection. “You’re an observant man. Just tell me where they fly.”

“Where all the wretched go these days. Down into the Craggies.” Wincing, he looked at their interlocked hands. “Are you going to kill me, demon?”

“I am not a demon, so no, I’m not going to kill you. I’m trying to befriend you.” She released him. “I thought you said I was beautiful.”

He backed away. “Just because you’re beautiful doesn’t mean you’re not evil. My wife’s told me about women like you. Stay away. Stay away from here, and stay away from Dusky.” He turned and ran away, shouting to his fellow sailors. “Beware! A she-demon is in our midst.”

Angered, Selene started after the man. Nath didn’t have this problem. Even with his scales, people accepted him. What was so different about her? Anger turned to sadness. Maybe she hadn’t changed. Maybe she was still evil.

Approaching the men with her arms spread wide, she said to them, “I am a friend.”

The fishermen picked up their fish and started throwing them at her. “Go away, Demon!” they yelled. “Go, go back to the Craggy Mountains!”

“And what if I don’t, you stupid fish-throwing people?”

They kept throwing the fish with deadly accuracy.

She swatted them away.

But one of the men said, “Then we’ll summon Nath Dragon to kill you!”

“Agghhh!” she yelled. She snatched a fish out of the air and threw it back so hard, it hit one man in the face and knocked him over.

All of the fishermen dropped their fish and ran away, screaming toward their town, “Demon! Demon! Demon!”

Disgusted, Selene lifted up the hem of her robes and let her tail out. “No wonder I never liked people. They’re stupid.”

She climbed up the rocks onto the tall grass and marched back south, watching the skies for any wurmers going toward the Craggy Mountains.

Of course they don’t like me. Why would they?

CHAPTER 21

The march to the Craggy Mountains wasn’t so bad, but the march up the Craggy Mountains was. Nath, one to pride himself on knowing the terrain of so many places in Nalzambor, didn’t find any familiarity with the cold mountains at all. Shackled at the ankles, he slipped and bumped into the rocks of the narrow pass that winded slowly up the mountain.

A bugbear whacked him in the back with the butt of its spear. “Keep moving, Scales.”

Scales. That was what they were calling him. An unpleasant little nickname full of spite and mockery. It didn’t take much for the big, cruel humanoid races to take their shots at him. They tripped him. Bumped him. Threw small stones at him. They pulled and clipped off strands of his hair. They did everything they could to provoke Nath to anger.

Jaw set and teeth grinding, Nath bore it all. One insult after another.

I’m glad Brenwar’s not here. He wouldn’t make it. How am I making it?

Getting back on his feet, he resumed his march. All in all, it wasn’t so bad for him. His limbs didn’t tire. His extremities didn’t freeze despite the frost and snow thickening on the banks. No, he could take it. He was Nath Dragon, the Dragon Prince. He could take anything.

Walking up the frozen road with the real world he knew a mile or more below, they ventured through a sheet of low clouds. He momentarily lost sight of the bugbears that pulled him by the collar clamped around his neck. But he could hear the rattle of their armor. Smell their unpleasant sweat.

I’ve a feeling where I’m going will hold a far worse fragrance than Orcen Hold.

He shook his downcast head.

I hope Brenwar is fine. And I hope he doesn’t come after me. He hates climbing these mountains. And if those giants get ahold of him, they’ll bounce him down the hillside like a ball.

“Come on, Scales!” cried an unseen bugbear. The moorite chain connected to Nath’s collar snapped taut and jerked him clean off his feet. “Get up!”

Nath’s eyes turned into burning golden flames. From his knees, he coiled his hands around the chain and tugged it back.

The bugbear appeared in the mist, stumbling.

Furious, Nath rushed the bigger humanoid and tackled it to the ground. In a split second he had the chain around the bugbear’s neck and was choking it.

The bugbear let out a croak.

Biceps bulging under his scales, red brows furrowed, Nath put his back into it. Why not kill his captor? Now was the perfect moment to make his escape into the cover of the mist. Sure, he was shackled, but if anyone could escape these moronic fools, he could.

Whack!

A spear shaft broke on the back of his skull. Out of nowhere, the ugly, greasy faces of the orcs, ogres, and gnolls crowded him. They smote him with clubs and big fists.

Nath held on to the chain. He’d had enough of his tormenters on this long, cold, miserable march. He was a dragon.

No one messes with a dragon!

The relentless assault of his captors hammered away at his face and body.

Whop! Crack! Smash! Whump! Whump! Whump!

Blood dripped into Nath’s eyes. A sharp blade pierced his skin. He lost his grip on his chain.

The bugbear he had been choking to death crawled away. It clutched at its throat, coughing and hacking.

Somehow, from beneath the pack of bodies, Nath managed to kick and break its nose. “You’ll think again before you jerk me around, stupid beast!”

Something hard smacked right into the side of Nath’s temple. Bright spots erupted in his blood-filled eyes. Sagging underneath the greater weight and getting hit time after time, Nath’s valiant strength gave out. They beat Nath without mercy and dragged what was left of him up the mountain.

Half-conscious, Nath was uncertain how much time passed before they stopped dragging him. Parched, he spat out the grit from his mouth and forced himself up to his hands and knees. Through his swollen eyes he could see that the mist had cleared, but it was night, a black, moonless sky with not a star in sight. Some of his captors carried flaming torches for light. Snowflakes fell from the sky, and he caught one on his tongue.

Pretty, but not filling.

Rising to his feet, he stumbled and winced. One of his captors had stabbed him in his calf. Taking another step, he was forced to limp.

“Huh huh huh!” one of the bugbears laughed.

But it wasn’t the one Nath had nearly killed. No, that one looked at him and glanced away.

Good. At least one of these stupid beasts got the message.

One of his captors shoved him.

Nath hobbled forward, acting a little worse off than he was.

If you fool these morons once, you can fool them again. Smelly morons.

The pass was wide enough for a dozen men to squeeze through side by side, and the cliffs were steep and jagged on either side. It was a one way in, one way out kind of thing.

Nath saw movement in those rocks. A glint of metal from armor and weapons. Black faces were hidden in those roosted shadows, but he could make out their breathing. Dozens of soldiers manned the rocks. But why? Why would anyone want to live in such a harsh, cold, and unforgiving place?

Hmmm, probably the perfect place for harsh, cold, and unforgiving people. Yes, the giants and their smaller, fouler little cousins deserve a place such as this.

Twisting around another bend in the road, Nath finally saw the stone giants he’d lost sight of long ago. The towering monster men weren’t so towering now. They stood side by side in front of a pair of great iron doors twice as tall as them. The ironwork was something like you would see in a dwarven city, only bigger, cruder, and unwelcoming.

Lifting his chin up at the ever-so-high doors, Nath gawked.

Sultans of Sulfur! Those are just as big as the ones inside Dragon Home. What in Nalzambor lives in there, a city of giants? Or worse.

CHAPTER 22

Balzurth the Dragon King let out a roar that shook the Mountain of Doom. The great red dragon with gold glinting between his scales paced through the piles of gold and other treasure. His huge paws stomped the tiny coins and flung them aside. He shook the great horns on his head, and fire burst from his nose.

His voice was a rumble of thunder. “THEY WILL PAY!”

“Mind your temper,” said Grahleyna the Dragon Queen. Her dragon body was covered in scales of old gold with traces of white. She was smooth and supine beside her bigger husband. She was a thing of beauty that outshone every bauble and trinket of treasure in the room. She brushed up against Balzurth. “You need to be statelier. You’re setting a bad example for the rest.”

Balzurth bumped up against her and said in his strong voice, “It’s not going to be the end of the world because the king gets upset. Aw, that poor green lily. When I saw her, a she, with her wings shorn off…” His throat growled. “I don’t know how I’ve been able to contain myself this long. Now is the time for action, Grahleyna. I need to strike now!”

She clocked her horns with his. “You need to stay here, Balzurth. This is where you belong. It’s clear they are trying to draw you out so that they can kill you.”

He stomped his clawed foot and rattled the coins. “Let them try! I welcome the challenge.”

“Let me tell you something: I’m not letting you out of my sight, so don’t try anything. Oh, and don’t think I’m not still privy to your tricks. I know how you like to slide out of here, and just so you know, I have my eyes and ears everywhere. For now, we need to wait. Be patient.”

“Grahleyna! You heard the lily’s story. Those vile giants are decorating their chambers with dragon skulls! I can’t sit back and allow that kind of mutilation. You know that!”

She curled her tail around his. “Yes, yes I do. And my heart aches as much as yours, but you have to have faith now. The word is out about the giants and the titans. I have seen to that. The dragons will be more cautious and careful from now on.”

“Not all of them.”

“No,” she agreed. “But you can’t be responsible for all of them.”

He tightened his tail around hers and looked into her incredible eyes. “I’m glad you’re back. Life’s not the same without you by my side.”

“You’re sweet, Balzurth. And about that,” she said, nuzzling him, “I find it very curious that our son, Nath, happened upon me. You wouldn’t have had anything to do with that, would you?”

The grand dragon stammered. “The boy kept asking about his mother, so to keep him busy, I sent him on a quest. I only gave him one little hint.”

“Balzurth!”

“I didn’t think he would find you, though I hoped he would. Grahleyna, I missed you. A few hundred years without you was enough.”

“A few hundred years is nothing to us, and don’t try to play the romantic.” She rustled her wings and shook her head. “You hate the Great Dragon Wall.”

“No, I hate what is behind it. And WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SACRIFICE OUR LIVES CONTAINING AN EVIL THAT MUST BE DESTROYED! That wall cannot last forever, Love. You know that.”

She uncoiled her tail from his. “Oh, so it wasn’t really about me?”

Using his tail, he tried to grab hers again. “No, I didn’t say that. You know how deeply I feel for you.” His tail swiped through the treasure after hers, but she was quick, and he kept missing. “Grahleyna, don’t be like this. I don’t want to go decades without talking!”

“And you think I want to talk to someone who yells all the time?”

The massive chamber shook.

“I’M NOT YELLING!”

“Oh, really?”

Taken aback, Balzurth softened his tone. “Well, maybe a little. Grahleyna, please—”

She coiled her tail up with his again. “I forgive you. Honestly, Balzurth, you should know me better. I was only teasing you.”

“I understand many things, but I have the hardest time with you.”

“I know. But I like it that way. I find it … entertaining.”

The closer she got, the more Balzurth’s temper eased. He had plenty on his mind. Titans. Giants. Wurmers. His family was under attack again, and here he sat on his throne, feeling guilty. He wanted to take the fight to his foes. Vanquish the enemy once and for all. He glanced back at the Great Mural, where the images of the dragons moved at an impossibly slow pace. Time was so different on the other side.

“What are you thinking, Balzurth?” Grahleyna said, nuzzling him.

“Our son. It’s so much to leave on his shoulders. It seems unfair.”

“I know. I worry about Nath too. But I have faith he can do it.”

“Yes, yes, I do too, but still … I just want to help him. He’s so young, and the world is so full of ancient evil.”

CHAPTER 23

The humongous doors swung open with an ugly groan coming from the hinges. Marching into the mountain, Nath noted a smaller set of doors, man-sized, were built into the ones that had opened.

Interesting.

The two stone giants led him right through the mountain with their great arms swinging at their sides. The road within was wide enough for a dozen carriages, and it stretched as far as even Nath’s eyes could see.

It looks like they’ve carved a canyon out of this mountain.

On either side of him, crude structures jutted toward the sky. They were carved from rock and stone and merged with metal. Strange houses, open faced, were tiered up several levels. There were wooden ladders and stone staircases that all led higher and deeper into the strange new land.

Shuffling forward on his sore leg, Nath kept pace with his detainers. They had some swagger to them now, a strut in their step. People from all of the races were waving and greeting them, throwing dead branches and prickly rose stems on the road at their feet and cheering them on.

This is the oddest welcome I’ve ever seen. Men, orcs, halflings—ack! Is that a gnome? Oh my, a human boy is riding on a gnoll’s shoulders. It can’t be!

But it was. An eerie harmony pervaded these people. They were cheerful almost, one and all. Many chiseled at rocks. Others hammered metal inside the smithies Nath passed. The odd city seemed to have everything that a city would need. People. Livestock. Store fronts and shanty-like homes. There were coal-burning fire pits everywhere. And that wasn’t all.

There were giants.

More than Nath had ever seen.

Brenwar’s head would explode if he were here.

The giants, though outnumbered by the people, were monstrous men among them. Nath counted over two dozen of them. Hard bodied and bare chested, most of them stood between ten and twelve feet tall. They were the more common kind, unlike the stone and earth giants that towered around thirty feet high.

Nath stopped in his tracks.

Oh Guzan, I must be dreaming. No, it’s a nightmare.

Four giant orcs strode down the street. Dark skinned and pig-nosed, with some canine teeth sticking out from their bottom lips.

Nath couldn’t believe his eyes. He sniffed, and his eyes watered.

Oh, they are bigger and smell even fouler.

They walked right by Nath, flapping their jaws with chins held high, as if he weren’t even there.

It was strange. Nath for a change was one of the smallest people there. He didn’t like it.

What kind of an orc ignores me?

Nath stuck his foot out and tripped the one in the rear.

It stumbled into the others and knocked them all down.

“Ha ha! Stupid orcs. The bigger you are, the harder you fall!”

One of the bugbears turned around and took a swipe at Nath with his spear.

Ducking under it, Nath mocked him. “Nice try!”

One would think he’d learn his lesson from the last beating he took only hours ago, but the sight of the huge indifferent orcs infuriated him. He hated orcs.

I hate orcs! Certainly orc giants can be killed!

The giant orcs climbed back to their feet. Their dark eyes were hot with rage. Brows crumpled over their protruding foreheads. One of them yelled at Nath’s guards. A bugbear started apologizing profusely over himself.

Huh, well if that isn’t a twist. They’re mad at my captors and not me. Maybe the bigger ones are smarter than the smaller ones.

A giant orc unhooked a metal hammer from its belt and launched a devastating swing. The blow crushed the pleading bugbear’s face in and killed it.

Nath grimaced.

Bigger and meaner.

Every one of Nath’s captors dropped to their knees, leaving him standing upright, front and center.

The orc giant faced him with its heaving hammer in its hands and glowered down at him with its nostrils flaring. It cocked the hammer back over its shoulder.

“Eh,” Nath said, but he held his tongue. He wanted to say ‘I didn’t trip you.’ He really did, but that would be a lie. And even though it was an orc, and his life was in peril, Nath just couldn’t lie, so he said something else. Something positive. “Nice hammer. Can I hold it?”

The orc tossed it to him. Nath caught the massive thing with both hands. “Oof!” It was as heavy as an anchor. Straining, he lifted it over his head, teetered backward, and fell.

The orcs erupted in thunderous guffaws. Paying Nath no more mind, the one orc picked up the hammer, rejoined his group, and walked away.

“Whew!” Nath said, smiling. The hammer was heavy, but not so much as he’d led them to believe. He’d need to be more careful though. These giants were about as cruel as anyone he’d ever seen. They even killed their own kind.

Nath extended his hand to one of the bugbears on the ground.

It slapped his hand away.

For some strange reason, Nath almost said he was sorry. After all, it had been his actions that got the other bugbear killed. But the murder had revealed an awful lot to him.

These giants don’t play around. They’re stone-cold killers.

With him surrounded, his captors continued through the great but daunting city.

Nath, who had seen many things in his life, marveled.

This place was like the darker side of Narnum with all of its cultures, races, and sizes. Twenty-foot-tall ettins strolled the streets. Each giant traveled with a pack of smaller people that were enthralled by it. Huge slabs of meat cooked on monstrous grills and spits. There was the stink of sweat too. Filth and grime on every face. But the hard men and women worked with purpose and zeal. It was as if they wanted to help the giants. They enjoyed it. Hundreds of them. Maybe thousands. And they sang awful, ear jostling, horrible praises.

Bizarre. Yes. Bizarre.

Venturing into a great hall lit by great flaming urns bigger than ogres were tall, Nath stood before three empty thrones carved from black marble. Each one was about the same size as his father’s. They chained Nath’s links to the metal eyelets on the floor, and all of his detainers scurried away.

Skin crawling, Nath felt odd in his new isolation. There was an evil chill in the air that prickled the edges of his scales. Scanning the great vastness, his eyes glanced over the huge archways and columns where he found décor that was quite disturbing. Dragon skulls were mounted on the sides of the walls. Dragon skins hung like banners from poles.

Anger mixed with Nath’s queasiness. The corded muscles in his arms strained against his chains. The moorite groaned, but it would not give. Sweat burst on his brow. It was futile, and he gasped. The sound echoed throughout the massive chamber. That’s when another sound caught his ear.

Something hard pecked and scraped at the floor and echoed everywhere.

I’ve a horrendous feeling about this.

An enclave of wurmers snaked out from behind the bone-covered marble thrones. Eyes glowing and mouths dripping acid that sizzled on the floor, they made a beeline for Nath.

Did I say horrendous? I meant extremely horrendous.

CHAPTER 24

Wurmers. They were dragon-like, but not dragon at all. They had scales and were dark colored and rigid. They had wings, functional but not graceful. And their claws and teeth made their appearance even less desirable. It was like comparing a hummingbird to a hornet. There wasn’t anything admirable about them at all, unless you liked killers.

Nath stood tall with his chest out as the wurmers eased closer with a deep-purple glow in their snake eyes. If he was going to go down, be devoured or torn apart, he’d do it with his head up.

He spoke to the mindless things. “Come on, then. I’m a better meal than you deserve, and the best meal you’ll ever have. Kind of sad really. I probably won’t even give you a stomachache.”

One of the wurmers in the middle, standing a head taller than Nath, snapped at him.

Frankly, he was getting tired of being smaller than everything in this city.

And father says size doesn’t matter. Hah. Wonder how he’d feel about that if he were in my shoes.

He recalled Balzurth’s oft-quoted favorite saying.

It’s the size of your heart that matters most.

Inside Nath’s chest, it felt like his pounding heart was as big as his head.

Easy for him to say. He’s as big as a hillside. I used to be as big as a hillside. Great Dragons!

Clap! Clap!

The wurmers recoiled and backed toward the foot of the thrones.

With his view no longer obstructed by the wurmers, Nath noticed a small figure sitting on the bone-clad throne on the left. “Lotuus!”

“Oh, you remember my name. How special I am.” Lovely as a bee, she flew over and hovered eye to eye with him. She was a little under half his size. Her features were as beautiful and exquisite as ever. Her white hair looked soft as cotton, her skin smooth, and she had a radiant smile that could melt the snow. She reached out and touched his swollen face. “My, you look much worse than when I saw you last, Nath Dragon.” She poked her finger in his cheekbone. “Do these bruises hurt when I touch them? I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been bruised.”

Nath didn’t wince. “You have a funny way of thanking your liberator, Lotuus.”

She started toying with his hair. “My, your mane is so feathery and divine.”

“Well, that it is,” he said, starting to brim. But then he remembered who she was. “Hold on, get your hands out of my hair!”

From behind him, she tangled her arms up deeper in his locks. “I could sleep in it.”

“Keep dreaming.”

“No, literally. I could sleep in it. Not with you attached of course. No, I’d shear it off, mend it with other gentle fibers, and sleep for a decade in it. My, if I’d had this in my prison, I might have stayed.” She spoke with elation. “I love it!”

“Get out of my hair!”

She untangled her arms and floated around him, poised in thought. “You know, I could shave it. Imprison you. Let it grow. Ah, yes. Shave it. Let it grow.” She rubbed his chin. “I bet you can grow the softest beard. I want you to grow that too. My, how rare it is. I mean …

Dragon scales are valuable and rare,

But how many dragons actually have hair?”

She twirled around. “My blanket shall be marvelous!”

Straining against the moorite chains, Nath yelled at her, “That’s not going to happen!” He huffed. And then curiosity got the better of him. “Now tell me, Lotuus, what are your motives?”

She stared at him with her round black eyes. “It’s not my motives that you need to worry about, Nath Dragon. It’s the titans. You see, you might have thought Gorn Grattack was a threat to mankind, but he was still a dragon. He just wanted to convert them. I personally never liked dragon kind. So pure and arrogant. Even the ornery ones.” She huffed on her lavender fingernails and dusted them off with Nath’s hair. “Oh my, look at that shine. It’s too bad there’s only one of you.”

Irritated, he asked, “As you were saying?”

“Oh, yes. You see, I like the titans. They almost took this world over before, but the dragons defeated them. At that time, I thought maybe I had picked the wrong side, hence my imprisonment. But I always figured I’d get a second chance, and now we do. Thanks to you.”

Nath frowned. It seemed that everyone spoke in riddles that he didn’t fully understand.

His father had sent him after his mother.

That had led him to freeing Lotuus.

Which had led to him inadvertently freeing the titans.

He still didn’t fully comprehend his father’s reasons, but there had to be good reasons for it. One thing was for sure, it seemed everyone knew more than he did. It frustrated him.

“So, what makes you so certain that’ll you’ll be victorious this time when you were soundly defeated the last time?”

Her brows perched. “Soundly defeated?”

“Certainly. After all, my father has never been defeated, and never will be. Why do you think this time the outcome will be any different?”

She touched his nose. “Because we have you, Nath Dragon, and not only that, we have the wurmers as well. And with leverage and greater numbers, I don’t see how anything can stop us.”

“Let me ask you something, Lotuus. What is it that you wish to gain from all this?”

“Control.”

“Control. Is that what pleases you, control? In all of your years of life have you not figured out that you cannot take away free will? I’m far younger than you—and I might add, comelier too—and I’ve figured that out.”

Lotuus frowned. “What we cannot control we will destroy.”

“Then you will wind up with nothing. What will you control then when only misery and emptiness is your company? How will you control that growing pit in your stomach that devours you from the inside out?”

With defiant eyes she sneered. “We will see.” She flew backward and stood on the left throne, which was so big, he barely even noticed her on it.

The floor in the great hall started to shake under the thunder of footsteps. Behind the thrones a flaming ball of light appeared. It was a giant with a husky and roughhewn frame wearing breastplate armor like a man with his head afire with blue flames. His mighty frame filled the middle throne.

He gazed down at Nath and said in a cavernous voice, “Son of my enemy, I am Eckubahn. Welcome to Urslay. It is Giantish for torment, and your time of torment has come.”

CHAPTER 25

Brenwar awoke only to find himself jailed in a stable. Hands and legs bound up, he rolled onto his belly, gathered his legs underneath him, and using the wall he pushed up to his feet.

A cow in a nearby stable mooed.

“Moo you,” Brenwar replied. Legs and wrists tied up, he hopped on two legs and bumped into the stable gate. He peered in between the planks. The barn was typical. A ladder led into a loft full of hay, and about two dozen stables were inside.

Just outside of the barn’s main doors, two of the villagers stood guard. One had a pitchfork. The other had a hand axe. They were talking to each other and not paying any mind to Brenwar at all.

He hopped backward, slipped in the straw, and tumbled down hard. He spat the straw from his mouth. “Great Morgdon.”

Fortunately for him, his hands were bound in front of him, and it was a poor job at best. Clearly, the villagers didn’t take many prisoners. Using his bony fingertips on his skinless hand, Brenwar started picking at the threads.

“Hmm, that’s quite a trick.”

The sensation was on in his bony hand. He could feel with it, but there wasn’t any life to it. Still, he liked it and continued picking one tiny thread from another.

“No one but Brenwar has a hand like this. Ho ho!”

Though it was daytime, a few things escaped him. It wasn’t often that anything had ever knocked him out before. As a matter of fact he didn’t recall ever being knocked out before. He wondered how long he’d been out. Hopefully not more than a day. It couldn’t have been that long.

“Certainly not.”

Finally, the ropes on his wrists gave way. Using his dwarven strength, he snapped out of his bonds and undid the bindings on his legs. Wearing only his clothes from beneath his armor, he reached through the planks, unlatched the gate, and swung it open. He rolled his eyes as it groaned and the villager guards faced him with eyes filled with surprise.

“Where’s my hammer?” He spat hay out of his mouth and started again, “Where’s my armor?”

One of the villagers took off at a dead sprint.

The other one rushed up to him with a pitchfork and got dangerously close. It was a farmer, slack-jawed and slow-eyed, with some meat on his shoulders. He said, “Get back in that stable and tie yourself up again. You’re going to stir up trouble.”

Brenwar cocked an eyebrow at him. “Is that so, human? What are you going to do, poke me with that fork? Is that how you rump kissers feed those giants you’re in league with?”

“We don’t have a choice.”

“Sure you do, you corn-shucking coward. It’s called fighting, yellow belly.”

“We can’t even hurt them,” the farmer said. He poked the pitchfork at Brenwar. “Now get back in there and be silent, before he gets here!”

When the pitchfork jabbed at him, Brenwar snatched it away. He broke it in half with his bare hands.

Snap!

“Now tell me where my gear is.”

The villager swallowed. “The giant has it.”

“There’s just one giant?”

The man nodded his head.

Brenwar rubbed his beard. Sure, he could fight the giant, but they were tough to kill. He’d need the magic in his hammer or something bigger. He scanned the barn for a weapon of some sort. There was a horseshoeing station nearby with a large anvil in it. Brenwar marched over to the anvil.

The farmer eased in behind him. “What are you thinking? I can’t help you pick that up.”

“Did I ask fer your help?”

“No.”

“Then shaddup. All I need you to do is lure the giant in here. Got it?”

The look on the farmer’s face didn’t give him any confidence. Shaking his head, Brenwar wrapped his arms around the anvil and lifted it off the pedestal. Then, in one quick cling and jerk motion he hefted it onto his shoulder.

The farmer marveled.

Brushing by the dumbfounded man, Brenwar made his way over to the ladder that led up into the loft. With his free hand he tugged on it and grunted. Rung by rung, he climbed the ladder like a bearded ape. Forehead bursting with sweat, he walked over the groaning planks.

Once he was in position, Brenwar glanced down at the farmer. “Did you build this barn?”

“No.”

“No surprise there.”

The barn tremored. Heavy footsteps approached from outside.

The lazy farmer started to shake.

“Just stand where you are and wait,” Brenwar ordered him.

The man was frozen.

Through the barn’s large doors appeared the figure of a giant. A full head taller than the opening, it stooped its head and stepped beneath the doorway. The giant was bald aside from a long ponytail that rested over its expansive back.

Mortuun was tucked between its bearskin loincloth and waist.

The giant eyed the villager with fearsome eyes.

The man glanced up and started pointing at the loft, screaming, “He’s up there! The dwarf’s up there!”

The giant’s head snapped up.

“Hello, stupid!” Brenwar roared. Anvil hoisted over his head, he hurled the hunk of steel with wroth force. The huge missile smote the giant right between the eyes.

It stumbled around a few paces and fell flat on its back.

Boom!

Brenwar hopped down from the loft and landed on the dead giant’s chest. After he retrieved Mortuun, he walked down the giant’s chest and hopped off beside its head.

The farmer gawked. “What do we tell them when they come back and see his body?”

“Tell them Brenwar is coming—and Mortuun is coming with him.”

CHAPTER 26

“So I guess you won’t be unshackling me.” Nath rattled his chains. “Well, it’s not so bad. At least it’s moorite, so it doesn’t chafe my scales. Well, what exactly is this torment going to consist of? As you can see, I’ve had a pretty rough day already.”

Eckubahn’s fingers dug into the wooden arms of his throne. He leaned forward. “I should devour you right now.”

“No need to be hasty. I saw goats aplenty on my way in here.” Nath searched for the titan’s eyes.

His face could still be seen behind the flame-like aura that guarded it. The mystic flames flickered between deep-purple and bright-orange colors. Perhaps they revealed the mood the titan was in.

Still, Nath could make out enough to see that it was an earth giant by its big facial features. A flat, broad nose and long earlobes. It was just like the ones Nath had fought as a dragon months ago. The giant was still in there but was now possessed by the spirit of a titan. Nath didn’t have a very good understanding of them still.

Aw, I wish Bayzog were here. Well, what he didn’t tell me I guess I’ll just have to find out for myself.

“I notice one of those thrones is empty. Did your wife leave you? Oh wait, I bet she caught on fire when she tried to kiss you.”

Eckubahn slapped his hand down on the arm of his chair. “Silence!”

Nath held his tongue.

Fine, I’ll let him do all the work, then. Keep talking, giant mouth.

The titan continued. “Torment is tearing someone apart a small piece at a time. That is what I am going to do to you. That is what I am going to do to your father. Just imagine the shock that will fill his eyes when a piece of you is delivered each week. Or each month. Perhaps once a year. So far as I am concerned, it might take forever. I’ll start with something small at first. One of your precious scales. Maybe a fingernail. A lock of your hair.”

“I think Lotuus has dibs on the great mane,” Nath said, winking at her.

“Quiet, you fool!” Eckubahn said. His flames turned a deep red. “This is no place for your boasts or your jests. This is the place of your inevitable death.”

Nath’s shoulders sank. It was clear that the titan meant business. He could feel the deep hatred from where he stood. The titan’s passion for destruction seeped into his bones. Eckubahn and his followers would execute their diabolical goals and would destroy anything that stood in their way. And Nath would be his pawn.

He wants to use me to draw my father out.

Tapping his fingertips together, Eckubahn said, “It is going to be a delicious time. Unlike the last time, this time we have the numbers, and Balzurth will come out and fight his final battle. But it won’t matter. He won’t stand a chance.” He waved his hand.

The stone giant who had taken Nath into custody was coming down the hallway. It walked past Nath and took a knee in front of Eckubahn. Though little shorter than the titan, the stone giant seemed much smaller by comparison. It reached into its vest and handed over Fang.

The titan took the blade by the scabbard, studied it, put his fingers on the tiny pommel, and pulled out the sword. His fingertips sizzled and smoked. He eyed the glimmering blade, slid it back into the scabbard, and handed it over to the stone giant. “Interesting work. Take it to the Chamber of Contest. Let’s see if I have a champion who can destroy it.”

The stone giant slid the grand sword back into his belt and started to walk away.

On impulse, Nath stretched his hands and rushed toward the giant’s feet. The chains snapped back his neck and held him fast. He squeezed his eyes shut and thought on instinct.

Fang! Come to me! Come!

The stone giant’s hand fell to the sword on his belt and stopped. Glowering at Nath, he kicked him in the gut. After knocking Nath flat to the ground, the giant strode off.

Nath pushed himself up into a sitting position and clutched his gut. He started into a fit of coughing. Gathering his thoughts, he watched the giant’s great form diminish down the hall. Subtly, he stretched his tingling fingers out again. He could feel Fang’s presence.

The giant vanished from sight, and the sensation was lost.

Rubbing his fingers together, Nath pondered what had just happened.

Was that Fang I felt?

“Do not hope, Nath Dragon,” Eckubahn stated. “There is no hope for you here.”

Turning to face his captors, Nath said, “Yeah, I’ve had that feeling for some time now. So, what is next? What is to become of me now?” He patted his belly. “I’m a bit hungry.”

“Interesting that you should mention it. The wurmers are hungry as well.”

“I think you’ve made it clear you aren’t going to dispatch of me anytime soon. So what are the wurmers to me?”

“Oh, I was not planning on letting them feast on you. Rather, I was planning on having you as my guest at their dinner. I think you will find it quite salivating.”

Lotuus giggled.

Nath felt his scales start to crawl. Whatever they were implying, he had a gut feeling that he didn’t want to see it.

Eckubahn motioned again.

Another figure emerged from the shadows behind the urns. It was the biggest lizard man he’d ever seen. It stood almost twice as tall as Nath.

The bigger they are, the more I hate them. What is going on in this place? Why is everyone so humongous but me!

The lizard man unhooked Nath from the rings on the floor and held the chain attached to his collar like a leash. With a powerful tug, he jerked Nath off his feet and onto the ground and started dragging Nath down the hall.

Nath, ever deft, fought to get back on his feet until he was finally walking again. He glanced over his shoulder.

Eckubahn still sat, but Lotuus was on the move. She floated after him with a ruthless smile on her lips.

How can someone so beautiful be so ugly within?

“I guess I’ll be having the displeasure of your company?”

“You’ll be having displeasure for certain,” she said. “And this is only the beginning of your suffering.”

“For the life of me I cannot grasp why people like you are so intent on harming people like me. And I’ve known plenty of fairies to be contrary. This spite that you share is a shame to your kind.”

“You dragons are so arrogant. You think you are so much better than everyone. A little humility would suit you quite well.”

“Do me a favor, Lotuus, please. Give me an example of a dragon wronging you.”

Her pleasant features hardened with concentration.

“Funny, I didn’t hear you say anything,” Nath said. “Could you speak a little louder?”

I knew she didn’t have anything. They never do!

Lotuus then blurted out, “You think you are so perfect!”

“I don’t think I’m perfect. I mean, sure”—he flicked his mangled mane—“I look perfect on the outside, but I have flaws on the inside. I just keep them to myself. Unlike your kind, that lets all the ugly out.”

“I embrace my passions. Why shouldn’t I?”

“Because they are misdirected and harmful,” he replied.

“Says your kind.” She sneered at him. “My kind says, ‘I’ll do whatever I want, whenever I want, to whomever I want. If it is my heart’s desire, so be it.’”

“You’re a bitter little thing with a wicked little heart.”

“Says you. Who cares?”

Nath sealed his lips shut as the giant-sized lizard man led them back into the streets. It was clear that arguing with Lotuus wouldn’t get him anywhere. She was no doubt a petty and stiff-necked thing. It reminded him of how Selene used to be. He decided to change the subject. Watching the influx of over-sized people in his life, he asked, “Lotuus, honestly, where are all these giants coming from?”

She showed a smiling sliver of teeth. “Oh, you are a wonder, aren’t you Nath Dragon? Noticed that all by yourself, did you? Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret that just might ruin your trousers. Not only do the wurmers populate fast, but the giants are populating fast as well.”

“You’re joking.”

“No, not at all.”

Loud chanting came from inside a humongous archway where the lizard man stopped and tugged on Nath’s neck chain. It led him to an indoor arena. The seats went downward and were carved from hard stone.

Nath’s head sagged. He could smell it. The greasy skin and sweat build-up and foul moisture in the room.

Oh, surprise, another arena.

CHAPTER 27

Thousands of people filled the seats, with a minority of giants scattered all about. They all pounded on their chairs, chanted, and smacked their hands together.

Blood was in the air.

They wanted it.

Nath and company took a seat in a balcony that jutted out ten rows higher than the caged arena below. Nath got his first glimpse at the dragon inside. It was a red rock dragon, a big one too. It was bigger than a horse. He used to see them from time to time swimming in the streams of lava near Dragon Home’s sulfurous springs. They were wingless and deep red with hard fireproof scales that covered their entire bodies.

“Good luck eating him,” Nath said.

Lotuus scoffed. “It will be interesting.”

Though the red rock dragon was a big one, it seemed small in this strange city of Urslay, where everything was bigger than it was supposed to be. The arena itself was a massive cage of steel big enough to hold many giants.

It was a setup that Nath had seen over and over during his years of rescuing the dragons. For reasons Nath could never comprehend, people had a zeal for tormenting dragons.

“Ah, I see the champions are arriving.” Lotuus grabbed his chin and turned it. “Look.”

A parade of four warriors rode down a runway toward the cage. They were heavily armored people—orc, gnoll, bugbear, and ogre—stuffed inside plate armor. They carried spears and halberds that gleamed with a mystic silvery energy. They rode on the backs of four wingless wurmers.

Nath’s jaws clenched. His brow furrowed.

“What’s the matter, Nath?” Lotuus said to him. “You seem a tad worried.”

The warriors entered the cage, and the door was slammed shut behind them. An incredible roar burst forth from the crowd. Inside the cage, the fighters spaced themselves evenly around the red rock dragon and dismounted. The odds seemed to suddenly change from four against one to eight against one.

The red rock balled up into a heap of scale and muscle that resembled his name.

The warriors turned toward the crowd and raised their long weapons up in salute. The throng went wild. They stomped their feet and shouted like madmen.

Nath’s frown deepened. Just when he thought he’d managed to lead his kind to safety by defeating Gorn Grattack, in no time another enemy had taken Gorn’s place. It was one that seemed far deadlier than the first. Subtly, he tried to break his chains. The links had no give in them.

Still standing, Lotuus leaned on his shoulder. “Oh, you want to go and help your little dragon, don’t you? Well, that is too bad. Instead, you must watch. But I’m sure you will get your chance.”

“I never should have freed you,” Nath said.

“I couldn’t agree more.” She stroked his cheek. “But I’m so happy you did.”

A horn sounded that drowned out all of the shouting in the room. The crowd fell silent. Inside the cage the warriors turned, faced the dragon, and lowered their weapons.

The horn sounded again. The warriors charged. The excited audience jumped back to their feet and urged them on.

The deep-red ball of dragon mass burst into motion. Tail lashing out, it spun in a full circle. The warriors, weighted down in heavy armor, couldn’t move out of the way in time. Each and every one fell and crashed in a pile of metal.

“Hah!” Nath cheered.

The wurmers, quicker than the men, pounced. Teeth and claws latched onto the red rock’s body, covering it entirely. A burst of flame billowed out from under the pile, catching two of the four wurmers on fire. Rearing its thick neck, the red rock shook the other two off its back. Without hesitation, it plowed into a wurmer, pinned it down, and shot lava-like flames all over it.

The monster screamed and sizzled.

Back on its feet, a gnoll wielding a glowing halberd struck the red rock on the back of his scales.

The dragon let out a roar, spun, and slapped the gnoll with his tail from one side of the cage to the other.

Nath pumped his fist. “Ah-hah!”

The battle raged inside. The red rock was quicker and stronger. His speed belied his husky girth. He toppled the warriors. Pounded the wurmers.

The brood of insect-like dragons spat balls of bright fire at the dragon.

The red rock shrugged it off and spat scorching flames back.

The wurmers’ hard scales crackled.

The dragon crushed their flesh.

The battle that had started with eight was down to three.

“Are you sure you want to side with the titans, Lotuus? To your folly, I fear that you underestimate the dragons.”

Arms crossed over her chest, she said, “It’s not over yet.”

The ogre chucked a spear deep into the red rock’s side.

The dragon let out a blast of fire, turning the ogre into burning flesh and melting metal. Spear buried in his side, he attacked the two wurmers. His jaws clamped down on one’s neck, shook the life out of it, and slung it away. The last one he rendered into pieces with his claws.

All eight of the enemy were dead, and the battered and bloodied red rock dragon resumed his spot and balled up in the middle of the circle. He closed his eyes, paying no mind to the silenced crowd.

Brimming, Nath said to Lotuus, “Never underestimate a dragon.”

She replied with, “And never underestimate evil.”

A stir rose in the crowd. The cage doors were split open, and down the runway at least twenty wingless wurmers surged from the tunnel.

The red rock’s eyes snapped open. Quickly, he was back on his feet.

The horde of charging wurmers consumed him.

Nath’s gaze froze on the horror. The feverish crowd’s cheers shook his very core. They chanted praise as the wondrous hard-fighting dragon was torn apart and devoured in pieces.

He shook his chains.

Unable to contain his anger, Nath whirled on Lotuus. ‘You are depraved!”

“I know.” She nodded to the giant lizard man. “Take him to the dungeon and triple the guards. Oh, and one more thing.” A pair of scissors appeared in her hand. She cut off a lock of Nath’s long red hair.

Snip!

“An heirloom for Balzurth.” She started floating away. “Once we’ve conquered Nalzambor, I’ll see you at your execution. Until then, enjoy the misery that is coming. Bind him!”

CHAPTER 28

Avoiding the road that led into the Craggy Mountains, Brenwar opted to make the climb with his own hands and feet. As much as he wanted to storm right up the path into the unknown hills and battle every monster he faced, the wisdom within let prudence intervene. Now, he hung by his meaty but strong fingers off the rim of a narrow ledge. Puffing through his beard, he hauled himself up on the ridge, staring up into the dark sky that seemed to seep into the mountainside.

“One hundred feet up, and only three thousand more to go. Now that’s living. Hah. And that only took a couple of hours.”

Brenwar sat up, spat on his calloused hands, then took out a pick he’d borrowed from the village and started the climb to the next bench. Though climbing wasn’t his favorite thing, he and his kind weren’t half-bad mountaineers with the right equipment.

Inside the caves and tunnels they carved out there were plenty of hazards to face. In Nalzambor there were just as many jagged cliffs to face inside the world as out. Some fascinating marvels to behold, too. Waterfalls, underground streams, and lakes. A magnificent world hidden in the darkness.

He climbed, walked, slipped, and fell a few more hours and managed a couple hundred more feet.

“The things I do for a dragon,” he muttered.

Of course, he’d do anything for Nath, and not just because Balzurth had charged him with it either, but because he was his friend. And the truth was, things were always exciting with Nath around, even though Brenwar often bickered at him. Nath was fun to bicker with. It bothered the dragon prince. Bickering among dwarves didn’t matter at all. It was their way. Pushing. Suggesting. Perfecting.

The aging dwarf took a seat on a narrow tier and mopped the sweat from his brow. He uncapped his canteen and drank.

Some white night owls bigger than hounds flew through the night. Wings stretched out like great fans, they glided through the night sky with ease.

This would be one of the rare times Brenwar would consider riding a dragon.

But only because time is pressing and I need to find my friend.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a shadow swooping down the mountainside in pursuit of the owls. Still as the stone, he only moved his ancient eyes enough to make out the sleek dragon forms of the wurmers cutting through the air. Three in all, they gave the agile owls chase until all of the flying parties vanished in the night’s chill air.

“Morgdon’s Toes,” he said under his breath.

He reached over his shoulder and patted Mortuun the Crusher, who was secured to his back.

“As if this climb wasn’t bad enough. This is why dwarves go through mountains, not up and around them. That’s what the other knuckleheaded races do.”

Frost covering his armor, Brenwar resumed his climb. His cold breath and iron will were his only company. He fought his way up the least likely path a dwarf would ever take, carefully keeping his ears pricked for any signs of wurmers that could be roosted in the rocks.

The night turned to day, and the day back to night as he clawed his way to the top.

It wasn’t a straight climb either, but one where he might have to traverse a narrow ledge horizontally for a mile before he could find another way going back up again. The footing was slick, the effort hard and strained.

He ignored the gnawing in his gut. Finally, almost three days later he found himself on the top. He wanted to scream but held his tongue.

Bushed, he took a knee. The top of the mountain revealed little about the location that he wanted to find. At best, he was miles away from where the giant road led up into the mountains. With the cold wind biting at his frozen face, he closed his eyes and listened. There wasn’t much to be heard aside from the wind howling through the icy mountains. No life stirred.

His nostrils widened. “Ah.”

Something akin to nature drifted into his nose. Somewhere, meat cooked. There was no hiding that from a dwarf hungry enough to eat a boar. He untethered one of the strings on his pouches and pinched out a strip of jerky and chewed on it.

“Hmmm,” he grunted. “Where there’s meat there’s ale.”

He knocked the frost from his eyebrows and beard and unhitched Mortuun from his back. He was topside now. If there was life about, it lurked in the direction he was headed. Toward the warmth. Toward the food. Following the scent, he marched through boot-deep snow, between treacherous crevasses and ravines. There were some modest climbs too, and the pace was slow, but at the dawn of the next day he saw firelight in a distant tower.

“I’ll be.”

Through the bitter snow he spied a ring of tall stone towers spread out with at least a mile between them. It was clear that wasn’t all of them either.

“Why in the world would there be towers all the way up here? No one can see them.”

Brenwar made a climb to a higher elevation to get a better look above the towers. It took a few hours, but when he made it, his eyes filled with wonder. The towers overlooked a canyon, and inside that canyon was a city with giant-sized activity.

“By my beard.”

He squeezed Mortuun’s handle.

“There be too many giants in there.”

He cocked his head. His eyes narrowed. Soft footsteps crunched down the snow behind him. He turned his shoulder and started to swing.

“No one sneaks up on a dwarf!”

Something knocked his feet out from under him.

As he rose up on his elbows, Brenwar’s eyes widened. “You!”

CHAPTER 29

Head down between his legs, Nath sat with his eyes shut and tummy rumbling. He was a dragon, and dragons were patient, but at the moment, days into it, he was unsettled. Not that anyone would be comfortable in prison, but he wasn’t used to misery being his only company. He was alone. Entirely. Forgotten. The giant lizard man had thrown him behind the metal bars and left him there. He hadn’t seen anyone since.

He lifted his chin up and studied the same grey walls he’d been looking at for days. They were moldy. Ancient. Water and filth from the streets above dripped through the cracks.

He wondered what this strange city of Urslay really was. If anything, it was a city built on top of another city. And maybe this subterranean part of the city was built on another city. That was entirely believable. After all, the lost City of Borgash was mostly buried in the bowels of the earth, and in all of Nalzambor’s thousands of years, empires of men, orcs, and dwarves must have fallen from time to time. Nath had found evidence of that everywhere.

His belly groaned so loud it echoed in the chamber. He laughed.

With my luck I’ll go into a cocoon again. There’s no telling what I’ll be when I wake up next. Ah, those were the days. Sleep, wake up, get more scales. Sleep, wake up, get more scales.

He rubbed his eyes and yawned, though he wasn’t really tired. There had been quite a few times, when Nath was younger, that he’d been in jail. He’d never really worried about it too much before. But now things were different. The world had ended up much bigger than he thought it was. And the giants, he’d never thought of dealing with more than a few of them at a time, but now it was clear there were hundreds, maybe thousands—and they were united against the dragons.

“Humph.”

Keeping his ears open, he got up and put his hands on the steel bars. They were thick. Not moorite, but thick. A solid inch of spring steel.

“Hello?”

His voice echoed down the great hall that ran between his cell and all the rest. There weren’t any replies. Not a shuffle. Not even a rat. At first, he had figured there would at least be some tormenters that would pester him. That maybe they’d put him on the rack and stretch his limbs as long as the giants’. But no. Nothing.

He gazed up and down the row again. Perhaps there was some other type of guard lurking in the cells. A monster or phantom of some sort. It seemed very strange that no one was there to keep an eye on him at all. The giants were often stupid and cocky. But careless? No.

Nath lowered his shoulder and rammed it into the cell door.

Wham!

A solid rock wall would have been softer.

So what if they hear me? I could use some company.

He hit it again, and again and again.

Wham! Wham! Wham!

Huffing for breath and shoulder aching, he pressed his face to the bars. “Come on now, somebody somewhere has to be listening. Someone? I’ll even take an orc if you have one.”

The silence was almost as annoying as his stomach aching. He was hungry. Very hungry. And it seemed to sap his strength and will.

Oh, don’t start flailing like a fitful child, Nath Dragon. You’re a prince. Stick with the plan. Bad as it must be, it’s still a plan.

It was clear that his captors wanted to wear him down, and if that was the case, then so be it. He wanted to wear them down. Feign being weak and defeated. When he saw an opening, he would strike. The trick was getting out of his moorite chains. He was strong, but perhaps not that strong.

That led him to another plan. This city, Urslay, if it was built upon another city, perhaps there was another way out. Another place to hide and escape. There always was.

But after escaping, most important was the retrieval of Fang. Like any friend, he wouldn’t want to abandon his blade. He could feel its presence. And he’d felt something else for a while now. A bond that was growing between them. Fang had a lot of power that Nath didn’t yet understand. Perhaps he had taken it all for granted.

Instead of making the most of what I have, I’ve been making the most of what I’ve lost. That’s no way to be a leader.

If anything, Nath’s isolation had some benefits. It gave him time to think about how he dealt with things and how he could handle them better. He had so many advantages over others! But oft times he didn’t plan, just winged it. His talents and skill prevailed in times of need. But now, with the stakes so high, he needed to be less reckless and more careful. A patient planner. One who paid attention to the details.

Certainly I have it in me to be wise?

As he tapped his fingernails on the bars, his mind picked away at what Eckubahn and Lotuus had said. Fang had been taken to the Chamber of Contest. There, the giants would try to destroy Fang. And Lotuus had hinted that Nath would battle inside that arena. It would be there, if anywhere, that he would make his escape.

No doubt they wanted to wear him down as much as they could before they turned him loose in the cage. And the goal wasn’t to kill him. They’d made that clear. Or was it? Lotuus and Eckubahn were both liars. One could never trust a word that evil said.

Mind games. It’s all mind games.

CHAPTER 30

“Are you lost, Dwarf?” Selene stared down at Nath’s pet dwarf. At first she had thought he was drunk, the way he stumbled around in the snow so far away from everything. But no. The little bearded ape was just spying on the giant city. Like she was. Interesting.

Brenwar kicked at her tail. “Just when I thought it couldn’t get any colder, you show up.” He got up. “So, what brings you here?”

“Wurmers. You?”

“Nath.”

Oh no! Does he know where Nath is?

Keeping her worry off her face, Selene just lifted her brows in what she meant to look like curiosity. “So, he’s lost and so are you, it seems.”

“No one is lost.” He eyed her as he dusted the snow from his armor. “Let’s hope anyway.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing,” he said.

“You don’t trust me, do you Dwarf?”

“I didn’t say that. But I will say this, I don’t like you much.”

“Perfect, I don’t like you either.”

“Good.”

It was an awkward moment. Selene actually was happy to see Brenwar, but sad that Nath wasn’t with him. “Tell me what happened.”

Begrudgingly, Brenwar spilled out a disturbing story about giants tricking Nath in the nearby village cluster at the site of the old city of Harvand.

In this case, Selene agreed with Brenwar. She would have left the fate of the people in those villages to the giants in exchange for keeping Nath. Why he fought so hard for people that were far inferior she didn’t quite understand. “I see.”

“So glad your eyes are open and that you can see, Selene.” The annoying little dwarf glanced over his shoulder. “So, you’ve tracked the wurmers here?”

She relayed what she had encountered in the fishing villages. “Seems there is quite a nest here. So, should I wait here while you go in and rescue Nath?”

“You know, you’re as funny as you look. But I’m doing just fine without you. Still, if you want to come along, I won’t stop you.”

“Oh, thank you for your generosity. A smallish escort is just what I need.”

“Smallish?”

She gave him her best condescending smile.

Obviously choosing not to notice, Brenwar took the lead, making a wide trail through the snow, until they were less than a mile away from the first tower. “We need to be wary. There’s no telling what kind of eyes are in those towers.”

“Those are dragon towers,” she said.

“How do you know that?”

“I know. This is Urslay, place of the giants, though it was fairly dormant during the time of Gorn Grattack. We sought their aid in the Great Dragon War, but they weren’t interested. Giants aren’t a race that wants to be unified with dragons ever. Those towers go back to the last battle the dragons fought against the titans and the giants. I know that much. They are there to watch the skies, not the ground. I don’t think they’ll be looking for us.”

“Don’t you think you should have mentioned this place before, back in Quintuklen?”

Uh, I didn’t know it was active back then, stupid.

“No.”

The little dwarf huffed, turned his eyes forward, and plowed through the snow.

Good, we’ve found a use for you: snowplow!

In the night, they could see silhouettes against the fires burning at the tops of the towers. Two people were within each hundred-foot-high tower, manning the ballistas that were mounted up there. To shoot at flying dragons.

Brenwar led them midway between the closest tower and the next tower. The wind blew his beard straight up in a very undignified way when he turned to speak to her. “Since you aren’t very forthcoming, tell me, have you been inside Urslay before?”

Selene bit the insides of her cheeks so she wouldn’t laugh at the funny picture he made.

No sense getting him all riled up. That will waste time that Nath may not have.

“Yes.”

But the pesky little dwarf got all riled up anyway, running ahead of her as if he could leave her behind. He was such a child.

“You long-tailed giant-loving witch!”

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic. I didn’t have much of a choice then,” she said, catching up to Brenwar, who was only a few steps from the canyon’s edge. “And I only had a glimpse. Show some mirth. Who would have thought it would be something that could serve our cause now?”

Brenwar hurried, apparently thinking she couldn’t pass him, came to a stop at the rocky edge, and leaned his head down. “That’s quite the canyon.”

Selene found her place by his side. “Yes, a very unique city.”

The canyon was hundreds of feet deep and went on for miles. There was firelight coming from the small and large stone carved alcoves that made up the strange city. Tiny figures shuffled over the roads, and livestock in mass quantities were herded into pens.

Selene could smell everything. Hay, orcs, humans, halflings, cooked meat, coal, and wood smoke.

The last time she was there, it had only been giants, and not so many. For the most part, it had been abandoned, but now it was quite different. There were hundreds, maybe a thousand people, and they thrived. Their voices lifted up over the rocks with wild songs of praise.

“What are those people so happy for?” Brenwar asked.

“The titans have a uniting effect on weaker people.” She started down the side. “Stay here. I’ll take a look.”

Brenwar seized her arm. “You’ll do no such thing. I’m not going to sit here like a yeti while you go and reminisce with old friends.”

She jerked out of his grip. “So you’re coming, then.”

“No.”

“Then what do you propose we do, sit here and wait for Nath to greet us?” She searched Brenwar’s hard eyes. “Brenwar, you will need to trust me.”

His eyes pierced hers. “I don’t.”

She had tried to be nice. She had even called him by his name. Aggravated, she fired back, “And what was your plan? Did you think a dwarf could infiltrate the giants? They would sniff you out as soon as you set foot in there.”

“I’m not worried about putting my life in peril.”

“I’m not either, but you can’t just go waltzing down there with me. It would be stupid.”

“Are you calling me stupid?” he growled.

She shook her head. “No. I think you are well aware of your limitations already.”

“I’m going to cut your tail off!”

“Try, and I’ll strangle you with your own beard!”

Red-faced, Brenwar replied, “Leave my beard out of this.” He drew Mortuun back. “Go ahead, say it one more time!”

“Will you keep your annoying voice down? The guards are distant, not deaf!” Finally, she sighed, leaned over, and kissed him on the forehead.

Brenwar shuffled in the snow, his temper cooled. “What was that for?”

She shrugged. “I just realized I’d do anything to shut you up.”

“Ho ho ho!” Brenwar rumbled. “I don’t like you, but I like your spite.” He lifted his brows, reached into one of his pouches, and pulled out a colorful potion vial. “I have an idea that should satisfy us both.”

CHAPTER 31

Hours were usually like minutes to a dragon, except now. No, now the minutes felt like long, agonizing hours as Nath’s insides gnawed at his outsides. He was hungry. He was angry. Typically, a dragon would sleep through a wait like this, hibernate like a bear. Instead, Nath paced and fought to keep his weary eyes open. Something had to give.

He yelled through the bars.

“Hello? Hello!”

His loud voice echoed down the hall.

Nothing replied.

He banged his fists on the bars and screamed at the top of his lungs.

“HELLO, I SAY!”

He followed it up with a roar so loud it rattled all the locks in the dungeon.

“RAWWWWRRRRrrrrrr!”

He shuffled backward and touched his throat.

Was that me?

He let out another cage-shaking roar.

“RrrrrrrAAAWWWWWRRRrrrrrrrr!”

Huh! It was me! Seems I still have some dragon pipes in me.

Suddenly he belched. “Urp.”

A puff of grey smoke rolled out of his mouth. There was a charred taste on his tongue. His golden eyes lit up.

He blew smoke from his nostrils.

Can it be?

Stomach growling, he eyed the bars that caged him in. He rubbed his chin.

Hmmm, if I can summon my flame, then I can melt these bars. Hah! Wouldn’t that be something?

He focused and concentrated on his fires within.

Come on, Dragon. You can do it.

His stomach burned like fire and surged up his throat. A blast of hot, smoky air spilled from his mouth. The plume of hot smoke filled his dungeon cell and the hall. Within seconds, the air was thicker than dwarven stew and he couldn’t even see himself. He fanned away the vapors, coughing a few times.

“Well that was pointless!”

He coughed some more and screamed. His muscles ached, and weakness assailed him. Whatever he had done had sucked the life out of him. He sagged down onto his knees and stretched out on the floor. His heavy eyelids felt like they were filled with sand.

Maybe I should try and take a nap until the smoke clears. What a useless trick for a dragon. Who needs a dragon that blows smoke instead of fire? Such a joke.

Nath was drifting into slumber when the scuffle of soft feet caught his ear. He lifted his weary head, cocked his ear.

I must be dreaming that I have a visitor coming.

He lowered his head again and shut his eyes. Again, the scuffle came. Footsteps were making their way down the dungeon hallway. He sat up and peered through the dissipating smoke.

A man appeared in the smoke just outside the bars. The build of the man was very strange, thick, but with gingerly moves.

Am I dreaming?

“Where did all this smoke come from?” the man said in an irritated but friendly tone.

The sound of the man was very odd to Nath’s ears, not rough and husky like most of the over-sized people.

“And what was that racket I heard? It sounded like a dog choking.”

Nath made his way to his feet, rubbed his gold eyes, and sauntered over to the bars. There, he got a better look at the man, who was broad and round faced. Nath blinked his eyes and said to the unique man, “Are you a halfling?”

“What?” the man said really loud. He pushed his frosty locks from his eyes, fanned more of the smoke away, and stared at Nath. “Yer that dragon fella they talk about above, ain’t you?”

“Are you a halfling?” Nath repeated with astonishment.

“You say that like you’ve never seen a halfling before.” The giant halfling wore navy-blue trousers with a maroon shirt. He stuffed his long and slender fingers into a big pocket in the middle of his overall and withdrew a pouch. He loosened the strings and removed a pinch of snuff and snorted it. His eyes brightened. “Woo Wee! Now that is dandy!”

Gently shaking his head, Nath said, “Who are you?”

“What?”

Nath spoke louder. “I said, who are you?”

“You heard a moo?”

“No!”

The old halfling reached behind his back and brought forth a brass horn with a bend in the smaller portion of its neck. He held it to his ear and tilted it toward Nath. “Speak into my good ear.”

“What is your name?” Nath asked.

“Pepper.” His forehead crinkled, and his button nose sniffed. “Where’d all this smoke come from?”

Nath didn’t want to lie, even though his first urge was to say, ‘I don’t know.’ Instead, he changed the subject. If there was one thing he knew about people, especially halflings, they liked to talk about themselves. “How’d you get so big?”

“Speak up, flame mane.”

Nath huffed and spoke directly into the earpiece. “Why are you so big?”

“Well, you don’t have to yell! My name’s Pepper.”

“You told me that already. Sheesh. Pepper, why are you so big?”

“Oh, I see,” Pepper said. “You want to know why I am so big. We are all big in my family. Well, most of us mostly.” With soft eyes he stared down at Nath. “I just remembered. I can read lips. Go ahead and speak at your common loudness.” He lowered his ear horn.

“Pepper, halflings are half as big as men. Why are you and so many others in this city so big?”

Rubbing his chin, Pepper studied Nath’s lips and replied, “No, you can’t marry my daughter.”

“I didn’t ask to marry your daughter!”

“Oh, so you are asking me—wait a minute, you’re that dragon fella everyone is making a fuss about, aren’t you?”

Unable to restrain himself, Nath slapped his forehead. He was dealing with an eight-foot-tall elderly halfling who was nearly deaf and enfeebled. Nath’s claws dug into his long locks of hair and pulled on it.

Pepper cocked his head sideways. “What are you doing? Does your flame hair burn? Must you pull it out, eh? Oh, you want to put it out. Yes. Put the fire out. I’ll fetch some water.”

“No!” Nath said, trying to snatch Pepper through the bars.

Pepper scurried down the hall, weaving right, then left, then right again and out of sight.

Nath banged his head on the bars.

By the time he gets where he’s going, he’ll forget I’m here!

CHAPTER 32

“Will you put that away, Dwarf? What is it, anyway?”

“Don’t you worry about that,” Brenwar said as he put the potion to his lips.

Selene snatched it away and resealed it. “You’re being hasty. I thought your kind were better planners than that. I think it will help if you at least tell me what this is going to do.”

“Gimme my potion!” Brenwar leapt up for it.

Selene, much taller, dangled it over his head.

Ha ha! Dwarves are horrible jumpers.

“I’ll bring you down to my level if I have to!”

“Potions don’t last so long. We might be in there for days. Maybe longer.” She shook the liquid in the vial. It swirled with a twinkle. “What are you hoping to accomplish?”

“It’s a changer. I’ve taken it before. I’ll blend in down there.”

Fat chance, the way you stink! Ugh!

“Oh, and what were you going to change into?”

“Human, I suppose. And how exactly were you going to blend in with that tail and those scales?”

“I can control that.” She held out her arms and concentrated, turning her scales to skin and making her tail vanish under her robes. “See?”

“And how long can you keep that up?”

“Long enough. Listen, you need to trust me, and I need to go it alone.”

But the little dwarf just glowered at her. “No.”

Such a little child! Even if I do leave without him, he’ll just follow me on his own later. And get caught. And Nath won’t leave here without him…

She dropped the potion.

Brenwar snatched it in his skeleton hand.

“Have it your way,” she said, “but I’ll be curious to see if it conceals that.”

“Don’t you worry about that. I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve.”

She lifted a brow. “Really, so you have more magic at your disposal? That’s odd for a dwarf.”

“Well, I’m no lover of magic, but on occasion it’s served me well.”

“Oh, you like it, do you? How exhilarating.”

He does like magic! He’s trying to conceal it, but there’s a glimmer in his eye! Ha! He needs magic to keep up.

She filed that information away for future use.

As Brenwar put the vial to his lips, she held up her hand to halt him.

He started to draw back his fist, but she rushed to explain.

“Why don’t you hold off until we hit bottom and enter the city? We’ll need every second of time that potion can last. I’m certain.”

“Agreed.”

CHAPTER 33

Sitting in the back of the cell, Nath watched a steady drip of murky water splatter on the floor. He’d counted five hundred and sixty two drops. Each just as annoying as the last. He focused on that water.

Splat. Splat. Splat. Splat.

Water. That was what Pepper had said he was going after hours ago. There hadn’t been any sign of life in the dungeons since he left. There was only the drip of water. It wasn’t just in Nath’s cell either. It was all over the place. A steady, unrelenting, tormenting harmony.

Everything in his life was out of order. Everything he knew had been twisted upside down. Giant-sized orcs, lizard men, and halflings.

“Ugh, how can this be?”

Nath wanted to sleep. To wake up in a better time and place. Even Dragon Home perhaps.

The mountain home of the dragons wasn’t really that bad. He just didn’t fit in. The dragons didn’t like him. That was supposed to have changed, which, to some degree it had, but other than Selene, he still hadn’t really bonded with any of the dragons. He rubbed his nose and yawned.

Why is that?

He studied his scaly hands and long fingernails. Not so long ago he could have torn this entire dungeon apart. Not that he’d ever have been caught to begin with. In dragon form, he would have ripped those stone giants to pieces.

I have to have more power than just these clawed hands.

His stomach growled.

If only being hungry was a power! I could destroy anything!

He clutched his head.

Come on, Nath. Get it together and think. I have to have more powers. I have magic, because Selene has magic. I need to explore it. Let’s see.

Twirling his finger in his hair, Nath made a mental list of things he could do.

I can grow gorgeous hair. Hah! Oh, am I not the envy of all dragons. Let’s see, what else? I can yell really loud. And I can blow smoke. Yes, blow smoke. Such a terror I can become. Beware of the terrifying smoke-blowing dragon. I can complain. Be hungry. Oh, I’m useless without Fang!

He snapped his fingers.

Maybe I can summon the blade.

He closed his eyes and envisioned the magnificent blade. His stomach moaned. He slammed his fists on the ground.

Oh, this is useless! I can’t even concentrate!

He stood up and eyed the metal bars that caged him in.

I can bend those. I know I can. I just have to believe that I can.

Stomach rumbling, he walked over to the bars and wrapped his fingers around the hard steel.

Clatch.

Somewhere, a door opened. Nath pressed his face against the bars.

Coming down the hall from the direction opposite where Pepper left, something rolled on squeaky wheels. It was coming straight for Nath. The loud, annoying sound would have woken up anything that slept. Wheels rattled and clanked over the cobblestone floor.

Nath’s nostrils widened. His mouth watered.

Food!

Pepper the giant halfling came into full view. He was pushing a cart filled with huge amounts of food. Roast turkey. Baked hams. Hot rolls and steaming potatoes.

“Chow time,” the halfling said to Nath. “You are lucky. There are no other prisoners to be fed. You can eat all of this.”

Nath stretched his hand out through the bars.

Pepper slapped it. “A moment, please. Eh, put this on.” He handed Nath a checkered bib that was the size of a small blanket. “Now, scoot back. Scoot. Scoot.”

Staring at the food and licking his lips, Nath did as he was told. In the back of his mind he felt maybe it was a trick.

I don’t care. I’m so hungry I could eat a giant’s leg!

With a rattle of keys, Pepper unlocked the door and swung it open.

Nath fought the urge to make a dash for it. He was so hungry though.

Just see how this plays out.

The halfling shoved the cart inside and blocked the entrance. “Hold on. I have to bless the meal.” He closed his eyes and spoke some pleasant words in Halfling and reopened them. He closed the door back into place with a loud clank. “Enjoy.”

Casting all the etiquette he’d ever known aside, Nath dove in.

Chomp. Chomp. Chomp.

The meal was a far cry from elven cuisine. There wasn’t much flavor, but it was sustenance. Greasy, claw-licking, stomach-filling food. He tore off a turkey leg and gnawed it down to the bone. Huge chunks of ham were stuffed in his gullet. The bread was hard as a log, but Nath didn’t care. He tore it in half and devoured it.

“Eh, Flame Hair, wash that down with that jug down there. And don’t choke on the bones. You eat like a giant.”

Nath grabbed the clay pitcher and gave it a sniff.

Honey mead!

He guzzled it down, wiped his elbow across his mouth, and said, “Ah!”

There was enough food to feed a dozen hungry dwarves. He must have eaten half of it before he was finished. He let out a long, loud belch. “Buuuurp!”

Fanning his huge button nose, Pepper said, “Oh, my. You might not be a giant, but you act like one. Sheesh. And I thought I was going to sit down and have a nice dinner with somebody for a change. How rude.”

Nath wiped his mouth and fingers on his bib, walked over to the bars, looked up at Pepper, and said, “Thank you.”

Pepper cupped his ear. “What?”

“Thank you!”

“You are welcome. So, is your belly full?”

Nath patted his bulged-out stomach. “I think I have some room left, but I’m not going to push it.”

“You aren’t feeling sleepy, are you?”

“No, why?”

“Oh, I always like a nap after a big meal. It settles the tummy, and the dreams are pleasant as a trickling stream.” Pepper reached into his big pocket and retrieved his snuff pouch. “This here is what you need. It’ll open up those heavy lids of yours.”

“You don’t say? No, I think I’ll pass.” Nath glanced at the door. “So, what now? Are you fattening me up for the giants?”

The halfling took a deep snort of the tobacco and shook like a wet dog. “Woo! I like that! Er, you said something?”

“What now?” Nath yelled at him.

“Oh, I think I need to get that cart out of there.” He unlocked the door, reached inside, and dragged the wooden cart out. He eyeballed the wide-open door. “Well, aren’t you going to run for it?”

Nath sidestepped over to the right, preventing the door from closing. “Are you helping me escape?”

“Oh no, I’d never do that. Ho ho, never. I mean, those giants would put me on a spit and eat me alive. No, never, never say such a thing.” He got behind the cart and started pushing it down the hall toward where he came from. He stopped and looked back at Nath. “Are you coming?”

Nath trotted up to the big halfling, who led the way down the halls. He glanced in every cell that he passed by. There were bones. Tusks. Bodies mummified and petrified in armor. Chains hung from walls with hands and wrists still in them. The bodies were piled-up bones. There were no signs of life in any of them.

I sure am glad I’m getting out of here.

The food cart came to a squeaky halt. Pepper stood in front of a twenty-foot-high door. The wood was ancient and grey and the iron hinges tarnished. He grabbed the handle designed for a man even taller than him and pulled it open. To Nath’s surprise, the hinges were silent.

Pepper put a finger to his lips, turned toward Nath, and said, “Wait here.” He slipped inside the crack in the door.

I’m not waiting.

Like a shadow, Nath fell in step behind Pepper.

The halfling turned, saw him, and jumped back. “I told you to wait!” He pointed at something behind him. “Ssssh!”

Nath froze. Three giants were in the room. Each was more than ten feet tall, and they all had swords on their belts. They sat at a huge table fit for them, but small by their standards. Food was piled as high as their chins. One was leaned back, head dropped over his shoulder, snoring. It was a three-eyed cyclops. The other two’s heads were resting on their arms.

“They ate too much,” Pepper said with a little grin. “Come on now.”

Nath scanned the room. It was a crude office, dining room, storage room, and barn. It smelled like sweat and stale ale. There were barrels and a pen filled with livestock. A huge goat bleated. Some oversized chickens clucked. With his dragon eyes, Nath searched the walls and the tall slime-coated ceiling above him.

Pepper came back and nudged him. “What are you waiting for?”

Nath held up his moorite chains. “I can’t be hindered by these.”

“What?”

Nath raised his voice. “I can’t—” He shook his head.

Pepper scratched his eyebrow. “You’ll make too much noise in those. Hmmm, moorite. My, you must be important.” His slender fingers searched the soft curly locks of his grey hair and plucked out a sliver of steel as thin as one hair. “Stand still.”

Nath didn’t move.

The halfling’s hands were as big as Nath’s own head, but the fingers moved with the ease of a fairy in flight. The lock on his collar popped off. Seconds later his arms and legs were free.

Nath cocked his head from side to side and smiled.

Pepper patted him on the shoulder. “Feel better now, I figure.”

“You have no idea.”

“So, do you feel like running?”

Nath shrugged. “Not really, why?”

Gazing over Nath’s head at the table full of guards, Pepper said, “‘Cause I don’t think I put enough sleeping lard in that cyclops’s muffins.”

Nath twisted around. The cyclops, the brute sitting in the middle, was wide awake. Soft footfalls caught his ear. He turned back. Pepper was off and running.

CHAPTER 34

Selene and Brenwar had managed a slow trek down the canyon into the city undetected. Now, they stood in a quadrant filled with huge cattle and other oversized livestock. The animals stirred little, and not many people were around that she could see.

“Seems you found a good spot to drop into.” Her nose crinkled. “I imagine it’s just like your home in Morgdon.”

“Hah hah.” Surrounded by goats and lambs, Brenwar scooped up a handful of the dirt and rubbed it over his clothes and armor.

“This is no time for a bath, Dwarf.”

“I’m covering my scent.” He slapped some mud under his armpits. “And you aren’t exactly looking inconspicuous either.”

“I hope you don’t think I’m going to mimic you.”

“It would do you some good.”

They were hemmed in by sheer canyon walls hundreds of feet tall. Animals were everywhere, but the people scarce. Not too far away were some barns and storehouses. They were bigger than what one would see in Nalzambor, but not exactly fit for the giants. Just big.

Selene wasn’t surprised by any of it. The giants often kept throngs of people as willing servants. Those people handled the chores. Tended the herds and gardens. But the men and women had to be careful. If the giants got too hungry, they would eat them.

“Follow me,” she said, making a beeline for the outer fence.

Pushing through the livestock, Brenwar followed.

“I’ll be right back.”

“No—” Brenwar objected, but it was too late.

Selene hopped the fence and scurried to the nearest barn and slipped inside.

A pair of long-faced country boys stood there in heavy cloaks, warming their hands over a crude stove.

She approached on soft feet.

One of them turned and faced her. “Who are you?” His eyes were filled with wonder.

“I’m new, and I was hoping I could borrow some cloaks for my family.” She hugged her shoulders and shivered. “I’m not used to this mountain air.”

The man stripped off his cloak. “Here, you can have mine.”

“No,” the other man said, removing his cloak. “Please, take mine. Much warmer than his. It’s oxen wool. The best.”

The first man shoved the second. “Don’t listen to this pig farmer. Please, take mine.”

Selene offered an enticing smile. “Oh, you men are so kind. It’s such good fortune I have run into you.” She grabbed both of the warm woolen cloaks. “May I bring my family in to warm by your fire?”

The second man smoothed back his hair, licked his lips, and said, “Are you spoken for, milady?”

“No, I am a lone widow traveling with my uncomely child. He’s most comfortable among the animals. It puts him at ease. That’s why we’ve ventured so far from the main city.”

The first man stepped in front of the second, and with a toothy smile he said, “You’ll find just as much hospitality here as you will in there. What duties will you be assigned?”

“I’ll be a seamstress for the giants.”

Both men scratched their heads. Finally, one spoke up and offered, “Please, bring the child in, and don’t be ashamed.” The man was poorly featured and built. “The child will be welcome here. I’ve got a daughter a bit long in the tooth as well.” He winked. “She gets it from her mother. Yep, can’t say what it is, but the men in my family don’t marry well.”

The second man shoved him. “Say, you’re talking about my sister!” He drew back a fist and punched the first man in the face.

Selene spun on a heel and started walking away. “I’ll be back, and when I return I’ll grant a kiss to the winner.”

The raw-boned country men let loose on one another.

As soon as Selene cleared the barn, she heard a gruff voice speaking from the shadows. “Uncomely child, huh?”

She tossed one of the cloaks to Brenwar and put the other one on. “I’m sorry, was that too much of an understatement?”

He covered up in the cloak and covered his head. The hem and sleeves were way too long. He grunted. “Worst disguise ever.”

“Come on.” Selene led the way.

As they walked, Brenwar said, “This is a big place. How do you suppose we track Nath down?”

“There’s a chance that I’ll catch his scent. And we can always ask. Well, I’ll ask, anyway. I don’t think too many people will be interested in talking to you. So for the time being, just be my uncomely mute boy and pray the giants don’t get a good whiff of you.”

Now dressed to blend in, the odd couple ventured forward toward the heart of the city.

Aside from the influx of people, not much had changed in Urslay. The alcove stone homes made the place look like an inverted honeycomb. People of all races and sizes worked along the streets and traversed the roadways above.

Brenwar brushed against her when an ugly giant walked by and leered at them and passed, and then the stupid little dwarf bustled in front of her with his long sleeves flapping.

She caught him by the sleeve.

He jerked away.

“What are you doing?” she hissed.

“I’m trying not to explode,” he said. “In case you didn’t notice, there are giants everywhere.”

“I count three,” she said, gazing up.

The towering men, ten to thirty feet tall, pranced throughout the city like overlords. Some carried whips, others swords and lance-sized spears.

She noticed a few more posted on the alcove terraces above. “We’d better look busy. Grab that wheelbarrow.”

“You grab it.” Brenwar scurried over to a stack of grain sacks and hefted one up on his shoulder. He grabbed another by the neck and tossed one after another into the wheelbarrow. He eyed the cart. “Well, put those hands to work. Push.”

With a huff, Selene grabbed the handles, and with her head down she followed Brenwar. Shuffling through the streets, she said, “Where exactly do you think you’re leading us? I was of the impression you’d never been here before.”

“Just because I haven’t been here don’t mean that I don’t know where I’m going.” He cocked his head. “Hear that?”

Somewhere in the distance was a very loud hammering of metal striking metal. The banging was quite unique.

She nodded her head. “Yes. Iron strikes iron. So what?”

“That ain’t iron, lady. That’s someone trying to destroy Fang.”

CHAPTER 35

Nath took off at a sprint after Pepper.

Halflings are fast, but giant halflings are even faster.

No longer shackled, Nath ran like a horse down the hallway before finally catching up with Pepper, who had ducked out of sight in an archway. Nath skidded to a stop. His toes hung over the edge of a bottomless pit. “Sultans of Sulfur!”

Pepper caught his arm and pulled him back. “Don’t fret. It’s not so bad as it looks. They say it’s a hole from one side of the world to the other.”

Gaping with his back pressed against the wall beside the doorway, Nath stared into the black expanse. There was nothing except a lone light more than two dozen yards away. It looked like a tiny doorway.

“I think I’ll take my chances with the giant.” Nath turned and found himself face to face with the cyclops stabbing at him with a sword. He sidestepped the blade’s edge. “Gah! That was close.”

“Oh my,” Pepper said, sliding up behind the much taller cyclops. He tapped him on the shoulder. “Get away from my prisoner, one-eye!”

The cyclops grunted and unloaded a hard chop at the halfling.

Pepper skipped away and stopped with his heels on the edge of the crevice.

The cyclops spoke. “Your fun and games are over, Pepper.”

The halfling cupped his ear. “What?”

The cyclops lunged.

With the ease of a dancer, Pepper back spun around the blade’s edge. He fastened his hand on the cyclops’s thick wrist and, using its momentum, flung him forward over the edge.

Shocked, Nath listened to the cyclops’s outraged and fading scream. He studied Pepper. “Aren’t you going to get into a lot of trouble?”

“Nah. I never liked that one-eye much. A big complainer, he was.” Pepper dusted off his hands. “Besides, I’ll just blame it all on you. Prisoner escaped, and that ugly feller died trying to catch him. Now, where to?”

“You’re asking me?”

Scratching his head, Pepper said, “I see your point. Uh, where did you want to go?”

“I want to get out of Urslay, but I need to find my sword first.”

“Sword, you say? What’s so special about a blade? There are plenty of those around here.”

“No, not like this one. This one is a friend.” He recalled what Eckubahn said. “They took it to the Chamber of Contest.”

Pepper made a leery face. “Ooh, you don’t want to go there.”

“I insist, Pepper. And you know what, you aren’t having too much trouble hearing me now.”

“What?”

Nath waited.

The halfling shook his head no. “I’m not helping you. I serve the giants. Yes. Yes. Serve the giants.” He teetered back into the hall. “Come on, the coast is clear now. I’ll show you to the Chamber of Contest, but I warn you, there are much safer paths out of here.”

Nath caught him by the elbow and fixed his eyes up on the halfling’s. “Pepper, why are you helping me?”

The giant halfling tried to pull away, but Nath held him fast. Finally, with a huff, Pepper said, “Everyone who knows good is obligated to do it.”

In his heart, Nath knew that Pepper was good and truthful. “You couldn’t be more right.”

“What?”

“Just get me out of here.”

With a confused look, Pepper shook his head. “Let’s get you out of here.”

On ginger feet, the giant halfling led him back into the stone carved corridor designed for giants as big as thirty feet tall.

They ran for minutes, and Nath marveled with every stride. There weren’t many things that made Nath marvel, but this did. The world he’d known so well had become bigger and deadlier than he ever imagined. He’d taken too many things for granted. He was used to really tall trees, but he wasn’t used to so many men bigger than he. It bothered him. Giants were rare, but apparently not as rare as he thought. Perhaps, long, long ago, the giants had dominated the world of Nalzambor.

“You know, we ought to be out of here by now,” Nath said.

“Almost.” Pepper stopped in front of a door and pushed it open. Inside was another storage room, abandoned and dusty, with a stairwell at the far end. “This will take us up into the city. Just below the Chamber of Contest that you seek. I don’t recommend it though. The worst of the worst giants will be there proving themselves. It wouldn’t surprise me a bit if they swallowed you whole. They eat a lot.”

“I’ll manage, somehow. Pepper, I have a question. Do you know where the hive of ugly dragons is, the wurmers?”

“What?”

“Dragons!”

Pepper’s face turned sour. He shook his head no. “No, not taking you there. There is death.”

“Tell me where, then.”

“No, you just need to leave. Get your sword and go. You’ve caused a big enough stir already.”

“Just a hint, please!”

“The eastern part of the city. There is a nest. But those things, brrr, are nasty. I’m nosey, but not that nosey. Beware. They will pick the flesh clean off of you.”

Nath patted Pepper on the back. “Thanks. Every bit helps.” He jogged for the stair and bounded up several steps then stopped and turned. “Aren’t you coming?”

“By the giants, no. I have to round up a search party.”

“A search party for what?”

“To find you.” He saluted. “Got to go. Good luck, flame hair. I aim to not see you too soon. And if you make it, come back to where you came in to get out of here.” He vanished through the doorway.

Where I came in? Strangest rescue ever.

While Nath was rushing up the steep flight of stone steps, an unseen force jolted him.

Bang!

Nath doubled over. His senses were jangled. Blinking, he searched all around him. It was just him inside the lonely stairwell.

What was that?

Clutching his chest, he resumed his climb and raced up the steps.

Bang!

He fell to his knees. Searching all around, he didn’t see anything.

But he heard something.

It was the sound of metal hitting metal, but it wasn’t any kind of metal. There was a unique sound to it. Almost like a tuning fork being struck. And the sound was echoing down the staircase from above.

For some reason Nath searched his feelings. Like a hard punch in the gut, he felt it again.

Bang!

His eyes widened. He realized what was happening.

Fang!

CHAPTER 36

“Drink your potion,” Selene ordered Brenwar.

“What? Why?”

She pointed at the giants coming their way.

Shirtless heavy-eyed brutes were eyeballing and harassing the line of people trying to enter the chamber where the banging was coming from.

Reluctantly, Brenwar slipped into a storage alcove filled with cut stone. He took out the vial and drank the potion down. His stomach turned. His skin and bone stretched. The blocks of stone lowered in his sight. He slumped back against the wall and shook his head.

“Are you well?” Selene asked.

Brenwar steadied himself and looked at the slender hands that hung out of his once-too-long sleeves. “I’ve been better.”

“You look much better, aside from the beard.”

He looked down at her. “I wish I could say the same for you. Let’s go.” Brenwar made his way out of the alcove and merged with the crowd of people heading down the street toward the banging sounds that echoed throughout the city. Half a head taller than Selene, he led the way with a lengthy step and swagger to his gait. He kept his chin down as he approached the giants.

One of them, a ten footer with a fuzzy red unibrow, shoved him in the shoulder. It eyed him and said with a sniff, “You smell bad.”

Head down with his fist balled up at his side, Brenwar replied, “Er, not everyone can smell as good as you.”

The giant’s head reared back, and a deep scowl formed on his ugly face. “You jest with me?”

Selene wedged herself between them. “Forgive him, master. My brother is addle-minded and not in the city much. He meant it as a compliment. He admires the giants. Pure admiration.”

“I can speak for myself,” Brenwar said.

Selene elbowed him in the chest. “Be silent.”

The giant’s hand went to a hammer at his side, started to remove it. “No, still don’t like him. I think I’ll crush him. It’s been days since I’ve crushed anybody. And he smells funny.”

“I’ll crush—umph!” Brenwar’s mouth was sealed by Selene’s hand.

She then said to the giant, “My, you have such marvelous shoulders. I am a seamstress, and I could fit you in a most handsome cloak. You know, a little gold-and-silver trim. I have some leftover material that I could share with you if you spare my ignorant brother.”

The giant stuck his face in hers. “I’ll crush your brother, and you’ll make it for me anyway.”

“Sure, sure,” she said, “go ahead and crush him, them. He’s nothing but trouble.” She winked at the giant. “I’ll just need to explain to Eckubahn what happened to my assistant.”

The giant swallowed and said with a stammer, “Go, go along. I will drop this matter.”

“No, please, it’s not a problem. Smash my brother. I’ll make you a cloak so fine that everyone will notice.”

“Go away!” The giant moved on down the street with the other one in tow. Neither looked back.

“My, you really want to get rid of me, don’t you?” Brenwar asked.

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

“Ha ha.”

Following the throng, they finally entered through the archway that led into the massive chamber big enough for hundreds of giants.

Brenwar got his first eyeful of a ten-foot-tall orc and a nine-foot-tall goblin. He nudged Selene. “By the Sultans, what in their fiery flames is going on here?”

“Indeed, it is strange.”

Brenwar knew all about the giants. There were cyclopes and ettins. Earth giants, stone giants. Those were the rare ones. Normally bigger than the rest. Then there were the others. They lived in clans. Brutish men, crude and hairy. The dwarves considered them pure bloods. The others were abominations of flesh and magic.

Now it seemed there were giant races too. Orcs, goblins, gnolls, bugbears, the biggest he’d ever seen. It didn’t make sense. What could be causing this? He hated the idea of a world filled with giants. He relished the idea of killing them.

Bang!

The sound of metal on metal jolted Brenwar. He picked his way through the crowd toward the front.

Several giants stood inside a grand ring. Its flooring was a dark-red tile. In the middle was a huge anvil, bigger than a mule. Fang lay on top of it, like starlight in a night of grime. Hovering over the sword was a balding brute of a giant missing one eye. The twelve-foot pure blood held a blacksmith’s hammer in two hands. Sweat dripped down his face. Packed with thick muscle, the barrel-chested monster brought the hammer down on Fang.

Bang!

The crowd cheered.

Bang!

Sparks flew. Face filling with red rage, the giant hammered away.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Sweaty lips puffing and broad chest heaving, the giant dropped the huge hammer on the ground. Another giant, a little bigger, walked up with his arm swinging. He was chuckling under his grubby beard. With a sneer, the first giant drew back his fist and punched the second one in the face, knocking it down to the ground.

The people erupted with feverish excitement.

“I like it,” Brenwar said in Selene’s ear. “Let them kill each other.”

As the pair of giants slugged and wrestled, a third giant took center stage. With one hand, he picked up Fang and eyeballed him.

Fang was a big sword, with a two handed pommel. He fit in the giant’s huge hand like a glove.

Suddenly, the giant’s pupils turned into huge pearls. His hand smoked. His skin sizzled and fried. He dropped the sword on the anvil with a clatter and let out a howling cry. He ran around holding his smoking hand, knees pumping and screaming.

The audience laughed.

Brenwar found himself caught up in it as well. There was nothing quite like watching a giant making of fool of itself. As stupid as they were, they could still be entertaining. He guffawed and guffawed and guffawed.

Over the next hour, the giants tussled back and forth in odd contests. They punched. Tugged. Head butted each other and the anvil. For the most part they beat themselves senseless and dizzy, all to the thrill of the crowd. But not a one of them could make a mark on the sword.

With a straight face, Selene said, “So glad you are amused. Need I remind you why we are here?”

“Of course not.” Brenwar swiped his thumbs over his eyes. “We just need a distraction.”

Someone jostled him.

Brenwar turned.

A pure bred giant stood behind him. It wasn’t as stout as the one bragging and brawling front and center.

Not thinking, Brenwar blurted out, “Watch yerself, giant!”

The monster man looked down on him with an astonished look in his eye. Its nostrils flared. Muscles in its jaws clenched.

Astonished himself, Brenwar watched the angry giant get bigger and bigger. He looked up at Selene.

Her violet eyes filled with surprise. “Oh, no.”

The giant screamed, “Dwarf!”

CHAPTER 37

Nath sat at the top of the steps, clutching himself. Every hammer to Fang’s steel was a blow to the gut. “Sultans of Sulfur,” he muttered.

He had no idea why he had such an attachment to Fang. They’d been together for a long time, but they hadn’t ever bonded like this before. It was very weird. So far as he knew, Fang still didn’t obey him most of the time. The battering of metal came to an end, and he forced himself back to his feet.

A chained door made of barred metal stopped Nath on the top step.

Peering between the bars, he could see a room filled with oversized people with their backs to him. They were shouting and cheering. There were grunts and oomphs and the hard smack of fists on faces.

Sounds like the Chamber of Contest to me. How did that halfling expect me to get in there without a key?

But now that his belly was full, Nath discovered that his strength had returned. The bars and chains weren’t as thick as the ones in his prison. They were aged and coated in green tarnish. He stuck his hands through the bars and grabbed the padlock on the other side. He gave it a hard tug.

Pop!

The lock and chain fell away.

“Huh, that was easy.” Wary eyed, he pushed the door open and made his way into the chamber.

A well–built man staggered out of the crowd into Nath’s path. His eyes filled with alarm.

With a quick punch, Nath knocked him out, and then he dragged him out into the hall, stripped off his heavy cloak, and put it on. He covered his head and ventured deeper into the chamber.

The giants inside the arena were brutes. Each was thick skinned and padded in heavy muscle. Nath shuddered at the thought of an army of them. On the humongous anvil lay Fang, like a twinkling gem.

This should be child’s play. All I need is a distraction.

He closed his eyes and summoned the fire in his belly. It came surprisingly easily. He spat a small puff of smoke out of his mouth.

Ah, yes, a monumental plume of smoke should do.

He caught a pair of gap-toothed women staring at his lips. He thumped his chest with his fist, winked at them, and said, “All of this excitement gives me bad gas.”

The women turned their backs, threw up their arms, and cheered with wild spirit.

Nath filled his lungs and focused on his goal.

Smoke. Snatch Fang. Vanish. Easy.

When he was ready to unleash his plan, a clamor arose from the crowd. A giant fell into the arena screaming and holding his leg. The startled crowd scrambled away and bustled one over the other to get out of the grand chamber.

The wounded giant kept saying the same thing over and over. “Dwarf!”

Two cloaked figures stood on the opposite side of the arena from Nath. One was Brenwar, the other Selene.

It can’t be!

Before Nath could act, the chamber’s main door dropped in place with the thunderous boom, crushing a handful of people and trapping others inside.

Nath made a quick count.

One, two, three … fourteen giants!

“Dwarf! You got that right!” Brenwar yelled in a thunderous voice. He waved Mortuun over his head. “Come and kiss my hammer, giants!”

The entire chamber exploded into battle. The snarling giants charged with rage-filled eyes.

Selene slipped through the giants’ clutches time after time. Giants fell and toppled hard. Frustration cried from their lips.

Brenwar’s hammer swung and connected with bone-busting blows. The skittish dwarven fighter popped between legs, hammered feet, and broke bone after bone. But only a few suffered the wrath of Mortuun forged in Morgdon by Brenwar the dwarf.

The tide turned.

The hulking throng was overwhelming.

Within seconds, the giants—big, but still quick as men—had Brenwar and Selene in their clutches.

On instinct, Nath rushed to snatch up his sword and then stand atop the anvil.

Power surged up his arms and down his back.

He struck Fang’s tip on the anvil.

Ting!

Nothing happened. Nath fully expected the sound to grow, fill the giants’ ears, and drop them to their knees. He struck Fang on the anvil again.

Ting!

Nothing happened. Well, not entirely. Now, he had the attention of every last one of them, including the ones with their hands filled with the struggling forms of Selene and Brenwar.

“Is this the thanks I get for rescuing you?” Nath said to the sword. He looked at his friends. “What are you doing here?”

“Saving you!” Brenwar growled.

“Well, you’re doing a fine job of it.”

Kicking her feet and gasping for breath, Selene yelled, “Will you shut up and do something?”

A giant reached for Nath. He swung Fang and clipped off the tip of its finger.

The giant’s bellow permeated his ears.

Still feeling a surge of power, Nath burst into action just as the giant blacksmith hammer came down and smote the anvil where he’d been standing before he leapt. Metal smote metal.

Clang!

Nath didn’t hold anything back. The giants were cold-blooded killers. Any hesitation would leave him and his friends dead. He sprang at the giant who clutched Selene and chopped it through its wrists.

Selene landed like a cat and skirted away.

Ducking underneath the swing of a sword, Nath plunged Fang into the side of the giant who held Brenwar.

“RR-Rah!” the monster screamed.

“We need to get out of here!” Nath said, still chopping and hacking with intensity.

Brenwar was at his side, clubbing away.

Selene shot bright and tiny little missiles from her fingers. “There’s a stairwell. Follow me there!”

“Lead the way!” Brenwar said.

To the tune of metal ringing against metal, they battled their way to the tunnel from whence Nath came.

“Great Guzan!”

The tunnel was filled with more giants. And there was a familiar face as well. Pepper.

The giant halfling was pointing at Nath. “There he is! There he is! I told you I’d find him. I told you so!”

“You rat!” Nath yelled at him.

Pepper shrugged at him. But the look in the halfling’s eyes told it all. It hadn’t been his choice to lead them to Nath. He was in over his head.

“What do we do now?” Selene said.

“Keep fighting!”

“Aye!” Brenwar replied.

They battled through the giants, downing one after the other, but it wasn’t enough. Brenwar’s iron endurance was puffing for breath. Selene’s own fires had fled her fingertips.

Furious and relentless, the giants kept swinging. Their blows were taking a toll. All three friends were bruised and bleeding. Nath had no idea how he was going to get out of this. The doors were sealed. More giants filled the room from the tunnel.

Circling around the anvil, Nath said to his friends, “This is a horrible rescue.”

“I told you not to give yourself up!” Brenwar replied.

“It’s no one’s fault,” Selene added. With a whisk of her tail, she tripped a giant. “Just shut up and fight!”

They did. Nath cut one giant down only to face two others.

Where are they coming from?

Finally, after endless minutes of agonizing battle, the giants backed off.

Panting for breath and sword steady in his grip, Nath said, “What’s happening?”

All of the giants took a knee and faced the gated entrance.

Eckubahn stood on the other side of the bars, his great head aflame with mystic green fire. Two ogres cranked the iron wheel that lifted the iron gate. Eckubahn stepped inside. Hundreds of wurmers flew inside with him. They covered the floor and attached themselves to the archways and rafters above.

Nath gazed up with wonder. “I hate those things.” Out of nowhere he noticed Pepper was standing alongside him.

The giant halfling said, “You sure do fight a good fight.”

Nath started to speak but didn’t bother. He was too tired. Pepper wouldn’t hear his last words anyway.

Finally, Eckubahn spoke. “Nath Dragon, you are too much trouble to keep around.”

“I thought you wanted to keep me around to torment my father.”

“No. I’ve decided I’ll just send him your scales and draw out his vengeance. And what a delight it will be to have you watch me torment your friends before you go. I think we’ll start with that dwarf. I see he needs more flesh taken from his bones.”

Brenwar yelled at Eckubahn. “Come take it yourself, then!”

“No need for that. I’ll let the giants handle it.”

“Roast him like a sow, we will!” one true-blooded giant said.

Head downcast, Nath said to his friends, “I’m sorry.”

“What?” Pepper replied.

A tingling sensation raced from Fang’s grip up into Nath’s arms. He didn’t know why he did what he did and said what he said, but he tapped the tip of his blade on the anvil again and said, “Fang, get us out of here.”

Ting!

The blade unleashed a gush of hidden power.

Zip!

Nath found himself standing in the middle of a flowered field with more colors than he could imagine. In an instant he knew exactly where he was. The Elven Field of Dreams. He wasn’t alone either.

Brenwar and Selene were there with jaws dropped.

Filled with elation, Nath threw his sword up high in the air. “Ah-hah! Fang, you are wonderful!”

All of them burst out in sheer joyous laughter. Brenwar and Selene briefly hugged each other. Finally, with his emotions settling down, Nath noticed someone else was laughing. It was Pepper.

The giant halfling said, “Now that’s my kind of rescue.”

Epilogue

Sitting on his throne, Eckubahn’s head had a deep-crimson afterglow. His hands clutched the stone armrests and crumbled one of them to pieces.

There was blood on his hands.

Outraged, he had slaughtered half a dozen of his own giants. Two more he had hung by the neck in the streets. That didn’t include the many that Nath Dragon and his company had killed. Now, the entire city of Urslay was silent. The howling wind was the only life in the abandoned streets.

Sitting on the throne beside his, Lotuus said, “Don’t fret, Milord.” She toyed with a tassel made from Nath’s lock of hair that she’d had mended to a wand-like stick. “We won’t have any trouble finding him. Shall I give the order?”

“Yes.”

Wings coming to life, the tiny woman floated down to the floor, where dozens of wurmers lay. She fanned her tassel under the lead wurmer’s nose.

Its deep-purple eyes filled with a hungry radiance.

She gave it two commands. “Seek. Destroy.”

***

The story continues in Book 3, Eyes of the Dragon, in March 2016.

In the meantime, check out the Ultimate crossover! Clash of Heroes: Nath Dragon meets The Darkslayer! Only on Amazon!

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About the Author

Craig Halloran resides with his family outside his hometown of Charleston, West Virginia. When he isn’t entertaining mankind, he is seeking adventure, working out, or watching sports. To learn more about him, go to: www.thedarkslayer.com.

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CLASH OF HEROES: Nath Dragon meets The Darkslayer

The Chronicles of Dragon Series

The Hero, the Sword and the Dragons (Book 1) Free eBook

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Clutch of the Cleric (Book 4)

Hunt for the Hero (Book 5)

Siege at the Settlements (Book 6)

Strife in the Sky (Book 7)

Fight and the Fury (Book 8)

War in the Winds (Book 9)

Finale (Book 10)

The Chronicles of Dragon: Series 2, Tail of the Dragon

Tail of the Dragon

Claws of the Dragon

Eye of the Dragon

Scales of the Dragon

Trail of the Dragon

The Darkslayer Series 1

Wrath of the Royals (Book 1) Free eBook

Blades in the Night (Book 2)

Underling Revenge (Book 3)

Danger and the Druid (Book 4)

Outrage in the Outlands (Book 5)

Chaos at the Castle (Book 6)

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Bish and Bone (Book 1) Free eBook

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Red Death (Book 3)

Lethal Liaisons (Book 4)

Torment and Terror (Book 5)

The Supernatural Bounty Hunter Files

Smoke Rising (2015) Free ebook

I Smell Smoke (2015)

Where There’s Smoke (2015)

Smoke on the Water (2015)

Smoke and Mirrors (2015)

Up in Smoke

Smoke Em’

Holy Smoke

Smoke Out

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Zombie Day Care: Book 1 Free eBook

Zombie Rehab: Book 2

Zombie Warfare: Book 3

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Table of Contents

- CHAPTER 1
- CHAPTER 2
- CHAPTER 3
- CHAPTER 4
- CHAPTER 5
- CHAPTER 6
- CHAPTER 7
- CHAPTER 8
- CHAPTER 9
- CHAPTER 10
- CHAPTER 11
- CHAPTER 12
- CHAPTER 13
- CHAPTER 14
- CHAPTER 15
- CHAPTER 16
- CHAPTER 17
- CHAPTER 18
- CHAPTER 19
- CHAPTER 20
- CHAPTER 21
- CHAPTER 22
- CHAPTER 23
- CHAPTER 24
- CHAPTER 25
- CHAPTER 26
- CHAPTER 27
- CHAPTER 28
- CHAPTER 29
- CHAPTER 30
- CHAPTER 31
- CHAPTER 32
- CHAPTER 33
- CHAPTER 34
- CHAPTER 35
- CHAPTER 36
- CHAPTER 37