Destroyer of Legends

by Clayton Wood

But even as Hunter destroyed the Svartálfar around him, more rushed past, reaching the archers and decimating them. The foul creatures lunged at Dominus and General Leo, attacking their horses.

  General Leo fell from his steed, and was covered instantly in Svartálfar. They tore him apart, eating him alive.

  Dominus fell from his horse, but somehow landed on his feet, drawing his sword instantly and moving with slow grace, killing the Svartálfar around him. Tykus joined him even as the Svartálfar felled the former king’s steed, fighting back-to-back with Dominus as the beasts surrounded them.

  Then the huge serpent rushed forward, the Svartálfar parting before it. It swung its tail in a wide arc, coming right for Hunter and Sukri.

  Hunter grabbed Sukri, leaping into the air and beating his wings as hard as he could.

  He lifted into the air just as the serpent’s tail reached them, and it swung underneath their feet, obliterating the Svartálfar below. Vi and Dio managed to leap over the tail, but Xerxes wasn’t so lucky; he flew to the side, sailing fifty feet to the right before landing amidst the sea of Svartálfar. The armor on his brother’s right side had been crushed, blood spraying from cracks in the thick black plates.

  Svartálfar pounced on Xerxes, clawing at his ruined armor, ripping hunks of it off and tearing at the exposed flesh beneath.

  Xerxes threw the beasts off, rising to his feet and making his way toward the serpent. But the Svartálfar leapt on his back, while others pulled at his arms and legs, dragging him backward. The Svartálfar ahead of him clawed at his right side, ripping pieces of his flesh off and eating them.

  He howled.

  “Xerxes!” Hunter cried, flying above the fray.

  “Drop me!” Sukri yelled. “Save him!”

  He started to glide toward his brother, but Zagamar’s voice inside him immediately rejected the idea.

  Drop the girl and she dies.

  Hunter hesitated, watching in horror as the Svartálfar pulled Xerxes down to his knees, ripping at his shattered shoulder and flank with their claws and their teeth. The huge Ironclad swung at them, smashing their faces and ripping off limbs, but for every Svartálfar he killed, another took its place.

  The creatures dug into his blue mane, rupturing it and gorging themselves on the glowing gel within.

  Shit.

  Hunter felt a sudden pressure in his chest, and realized that his heart was beating far too quickly now. He shoved Zagamar back into the recesses of his mind, time speeding up instantly. He watched as the Svartálfar continued to consume his brother, eating through one of his right arms and tearing it clean off his body.

  “Vi!” he cried. “Help Xerxes!”

  Vi rushed toward Xerxes, cutting a swathe through the Svartálfar in her way. But the sea of enemies slowed her down, throwing themselves at her with abandon.

  “Mother!” Dio shouted.

  Hunter turned to see Lady Camilla riding atop her flying steed. She swooped down toward Dio, who used his staff to pole-vault up to the horse in mid-flight, landing to sit behind her. She flew right over Xerxes, and Dio leapt from the saddle, plummeting to the ground beside the Ironclad.

  And then he went ape-shit.

  Dio cut down the Svartálfar clinging to Xerxes, blood spraying from the wicked blades at each end of his staff as he hacked them apart. Xerxes recovered, rising to his feet and lashing out at the beasts around him with his three remaining arms.

  Vi pushed through the masses, making her way to Dio and Xerxes’ side.

  “Go!” Dio shouted, fighting off the Svartálfar around them as Vi led Xerxes back toward Hunter…and a line of Ironclad and remaining soldiers that had formed between Hunter and the bulk of the Svartálfar army.

  “Drop me,” Sukri insisted. “Save your brother!”

  “No, it’s too dangerous,” Hunter retorted. Dominus and Tykus were barely managing to hold back the Svartálfar directly below them; if he set her down, she’d get torn apart in seconds.

  “I’ll take her,” he heard a woman say. He turned, seeing Camilla fly up to his side on her winged horse. Hunter flew up over the horse, lowering Sukri behind the Lady.

  “Thanks,” he said. Camilla nodded, then flew off. Hunter grabbed his bow, firing arrow after arrow, taking down as many of the black beasts as he could until Vi and Xerxes reached the line of Ironclad. The Ironclad surrounded Xerxes, protecting him from the Svartálfar, even as Vi returned to the fray, making her way back toward Dio.

  The black-and-red uniformed Seeker was surrounded by Svartálfar…and the huge serpent was slithering toward him.

  “Camilla!” Hunter warned, flying over the sea of enemies toward the serpent. He saw Camilla steer her winged horse toward Dio. But the serpent got to him first, rearing its huge head back, then lunging at the Seeker!

  Hunter cursed, shooting an arrow at the serpent’s eye. But it moved too quickly, the arrow missing its mark and bouncing off its scales…just as its gaping maw snapped at Dio.

  But instead of running, Dio slammed the butt of his staff on the ground, pole-vaulting upward…and landing right on top of the serpent’s head.

  And sprinted down the thing’s back without skipping a beat, charging right at Zagamar.

  * * *

  Dio ran down the back of the horned serpent’s long back, his eyes on the tall man standing atop it ten meters ahead. If it was truly Zagamar – a Legend older than the Kingdom itself – Dio would know soon enough. The Legend’s power would be overwhelming…and every second that he spent near Zagamar would mean losing a little more of who he was. Dio’s mask would protect him somewhat, the multilayered wood helping to insulate him from the Legend’s will. But not completely.

  He would have to be quick.

  Dio sprinted right up to Zagamar, whipping his staff in a lightning-fast arc at the Legend’s long neck.

  Zagamar stepped back, the attack missing him by a fraction of a centimeter.

  Dio followed up instantly with another swing, then another, each attack following the last in rapid succession. But Zagamar dodged each with ease, contorting his tall, muscular body with inhuman speed…and then lashed out with a kick to Dio’s belly, so fast it was a blur.

  Dio stumbled backward, his breath bursting from his lungs.

  “You’re strong,” Zagamar declared, eyeing him approvingly. “We could use a man like you.”

  Dio stared at the Legend, waiting for the pain in his abs to subside. He could feel the Legend’s will, muted as it was by his mask.

  His heart began to hammer in his chest, a sudden hunger gripping his gut.

  Dio rushed forward, his staff whirling so quickly that it was a blur, attacking twice as quickly as before. Slashing, thrusting, and chopping with such fluid grace that each attack led into the next without pause, a deadly dance that no man – or woman, other than Vi – had ever survived.

  But Zagamar did, moving faster than anyone or anything Dio had ever seen. Faster than the Svartálfar. Faster even than Vi.

  The Legend dodged every attack each missing him by a hair’s breadth. Dio pushed himself, moving even faster…but Zagamar kept his long arms at his sides, casually avoiding each blow.

  Then he kicked Dio again, sending Dio stumbling backward a second time.

  “Don’t waste your life,” Zagamar insisted. “I offer you a place at my side. A chance to save humanity from itself. To make it better.”

  Dio grimaced, taking another step back, staying as far away from the Legend’s will as possible. He glanced down, seeing the silver scales of the serpent’s back; the scales were completely black where Zagamar stood. The Legend was bending the serpent to his will.

  Another chill ran through him, and he swallowed in a dry throat, feeling the hunger within him intensify. Speed was his strength, but Zagamar was faster.

  He needed to fight smarter.

  Dio lunged at Zagamar, striking at the Legend with three attacks in rapid succession. But the third attack was a feint; Dio pulled it at the last minute, switching
direction and sending the other end of his staff up at Zagamar’s chin in a vicious uppercut. Zagamar leaned backward, the staff barely missing him.

  And Dio kicked the Legend right in the nuts.

  But Zagamar twisted to the side at the last minute, grabbing Dio’s leg and throwing it upward and backward, sending Dio into a backflip. Dio kicked out with his other foot, striking Zagamar under the chin.

  Hard.

  Dio finished his backflip, landing on his feet and rushing at the Legend, even as Zagamar stumbled backward. Dio leapt at him, thrusting his staff at the man’s chest.

  Zagamar was a blur as he dodged to the side, grabbing Dio’s staff and tearing it from his hands.

  Dio ducked, unsheathing a knife at his waist and thrusting it right under Zagamar’s ribs, embedding it in the man’s liver. Then he yanked it out, slashing at the Legend’s neck.

  Zagamar blocked the attack, slashing at Dio’s face with one clawed hand. Dio’s mask tore from his face, flying into the crowd of Svartálfar below.

  The Legend grabbed Dio by the throat then, tossing his staff to the side and lifting Dio into the air.

  Dio slashed at Zagamar’s wrist with his dagger, cutting through the Legend’s black flesh. Blood spurted from the wound in twin jets. But Zagamar ignored this, yanking the knife from Dio’s hand, then pulling him closer, until their noses were nearly touching.

  Dio felt the hunger within him intensify, voices calling out all around him. All of them chanting in unison.

  Za-ga-mar!

  “You feel me, don’t you?” the Legend stated. “The gift of my perspective. It will teach you. It will help you understand.”

  Zagamar pressed his forehead against Dio’s.

  Za-ga-mar!

  Dio cried out, kicking at Zagamar, but the Legend ignored the blows, letting them land without bothering to block them.

  Then an arrow slammed into Zagamar’s left shoulder, making the Legend stumble to the side.

  Zagamar drew his head back from Dio, taking Dio’s knife and jamming it into his shoulder. Dio howled, the pain shooting all the way down his arm, his fingers going numb. Zagamar tore the arrow from his own shoulder, tossing it aside.

  Hunter flew by, shooting another arrow at the Legend, but Zagamar caught it in mid-air, throwing it at Hunter as he flew away. The arrow struck Hunter in one wing, sending him into a barrel-roll above the sea of Svartálfar. Hunter only barely managed to level off, gaining altitude quickly.

  Zagamar turned back to Dio, lowering his feet to the snake’s back and gripping his cheeks with his other hand, forcing Dio’s jaws open.

  Then he kneed Dio in the belly. Hard.

  Dio doubled over in pain, and Zagamar forced him to his knees, standing over him.

  “You don’t understand yet, but you will,” the Legend promised. “Your mind is closed, but I will open it.”

  He forced Dio’s jaw open further, placing his still-bleeding wrist over Dio’s mouth.

  No!

  Blood spurted from the gash there, the warm, salty fluid gushing into Dio’s mouth.

  Za-ga-mar!

  The voices were louder now, more insistent. Images of a burnt-out village came to Dio, thousands of men standing around him. Chanting that name.

  Za-ga-mar!

  Dio spat out the blood, but more pumped into his mouth, and he swallowed reflexively, feeling the hot fluid course down his esophagus.

  “Hunter, help him!” he heard a woman’s voice scream.

  Zagamar dodged another arrow his eyes never leaving Dio’s. The hunger was overwhelming now, the voices drowning out everything else.

  Za-ga-MAR!

  “Don’t be afraid,” the Legend soothed. “Soon you will be faster. Stronger.” He smiled. “Better.”

  He let go of Dio’s throat, and Dio stumbled backward, landing on his back on the serpent’s spine.

  Za-ga-MAR!

  Dio gasped, struggling to his feet, the knife still protruding from his shoulder. He gripped the hilt, yanking it from his flesh…and saw Hunter flying toward him, Vi clutched in the boy’s arms. They were a good thirty meters away, and closing in fast.

  He turned to Zagamar, watching as the Legend stared at him, the bleeding at the man’s wrist already having slowed to a trickle. Already healing.

  “Dio!” a woman’s voice called out. It was Camilla; she too was flying toward him. Dio stared at her, knowing that if she got too close to Zagamar, she would almost certainly die…or worse.

  Za-ga-MAR!

  Dio put a hand to his heart, bowing his head at his mother.

  And gripped the hilt of his knife with both hands, plunging it into his own chest.

  Chapter 42

  Hunter flew toward Zagamar and Dio, watching as the dark Legend held Dio by the throat, pressing his forehead against the Seeker’s. He shot an arrow, watching as it slammed into Zagamar’s shoulder.

  Yes!

  He drew another arrow, firing it at Zagamar right as he flew past…and felt something hit his left wing. Pain shot through it, and he cried out, pulling it into him reflexively. The move sent him into a barrel-roll, and he extended his wing quickly, righting himself before plummeting into the sea of Svartálfar below. The dark creatures leapt up at him, trying to pull him out of the air; he flapped his wings quickly, rising far above them and circling back toward Dio.

  Zagamar kneed the Seeker in the belly, bringing Dio to his knees on the serpent’s back. Then the Legend brought his still-bleeding wrist to Dio’s mouth, forcing the Seeker’s mouth open. Blood pumped into Dio’s throat.

  No!

  Hunter flew faster, nocking another arrow. He could only watch as Dio spat up Zagamar’s blood. But even more spurted into the Seeker’s throat, spraying his face and neck.

  “Hunter, help him!” Hunter heard Vi shout from below.

  He fired his arrow at Zagamar, but the Legend dodged it. He flew past, spotting Vi directly ahead, fighting the Svartálfar all around her. She waved him down, and he veered toward her, flying a few yards above the churning masses. She kneed a Svartálfar in the belly, then jumped on its back, leaping up at Hunter as he flew over her. Hunter caught her, pumping his wings and bringing them well above the Svartálfar.

  “Get me to Dio!” she ordered.

  Hunter complied, circling around and flying back toward the serpent. He saw Camilla approaching on her flying horse from the left, and saw Dio rising to his feet, a dagger in his hands. The Seeker turned to face Camilla, then put a hand over his chest, bowing at her.

  And gripped his dagger in both hands, plunging it into his own chest.

  “No!” Hunter cried.

  Dio fell to his knees, then onto his belly, rolling off the serpent’s back and falling into the horde of Svartálfar below.

  “God damn it!” Hunter cursed. He pumped his wings, flying even faster, aiming right for Zagamar. The Legend turned to look at him.

  Zagamar looked pissed.

  “Hunter, watch out!” Vi cried.

  And then the serpent’s tail smashed into him in mid-flight.

  The world spun around crazily, and Hunter felt Vi let go of him. He spread his wings out wide, and the spinning slowed, then stopped. The serpent’s tail had shot him nearly a hundred feet to the right; he grimaced, clutching at his left flank. Every breath sent a stabbing pain through his ribs, shooting up to his left shoulder.

  He focused, settling into a glide, then circling around, scanning the crowd of Svartálfar for Vi. She was a hundred feet from the serpent, surrounded by Svartálfar, fighting for her life.

  As he watched, one of the foul creatures got past her defenses, raking its claws down her back.

  Vi cried out, whipping around and decapitating the beast, then fending off the others. But for every one that she killed, two more replaced them. She killed three more…and a fourth slashed at her face, connecting in a spray of blood.

  “Vi!” Hunter shouted, pumping his wings and zooming toward her. She recovered, thrusting her longsword in
to the Svartálfar’s belly, then yanking it out. She leapt upward as Hunter flew by, grabbing him by the elbows. He flew upward as quickly as he could, feeling claws raking at his legs. He ignored the pain, turning back toward the line of Ironclad, which were barely holding the Svartálfar army at bay. Beyond, he spotted Sukri attacking a Svartálfar, Xerxes at her side. Dominus and Tykus were back-to-back a few yards away, Svartálfar surrounding them.

  Hunter dropped Vi next to Sukri and Xerxes, landing and drawing his longsword.

  In the distance, the serpent approached, annihilating the Svartálfar in its path.

  “Retreat!” Dominus commanded, his voice booming over the din of battle. “To the Kingdom!”

  The remaining soldiers obeyed, turning and running.

  “Come on!” Vi shouted, pulling Sukri and Hunter away from the Svartálfar horde.

  “We can’t outrun them!” Hunter protested.

  “Fly,” Vi ordered. “Take Sukri and get out of here!”

  “But…”

  “No buts,” Vi interrupted. “Dominus, flag down Camilla. Tykus, get on Xerxes’ back!”

  Everyone obeyed, and Hunter cursed, sheathing his sword and turning his back to Sukri.

  “Get on!” he shouted.

  She grabbed on to his waist, and he leapt upward, flying north toward the Kingdom. Vi ran alongside Xerxes, with Tykus on Xerxes’ back. Somehow Vi managed to keep up with his brother, running even faster than the Svartálfar chasing after them.

  And behind them, the Ironclad held the line, staying right where they were.

  “Xerxes!” Hunter shouted. “The Ironclad!”

  But Xerxes didn’t respond. The remaining soldiers – less than a hundred of them – hesitated, glancing back at the Ironclad. The Svartálfar were piling on the armored warriors, taking them down one-by-one. There was no chance of winning, but still the Ironclad did not run.

  They were sacrificing themselves.

  “Go!” Dominus urged. “Don’t let them die in vain!”

  The soldiers retreated, and in the distance, the Ironclad fought on bravely, somehow managing to hold the line. The Svartálfar tried to leap up on top of each other to make it over the wall of Ironclad, but the Ironclad pulled them out of the air, tossing them back into their brethren.