Hunt For The Hero (Book 5)

by Craig Halloran

  Pilpin rummaged through the mule packs, brought over a rugged looking bag and dropped it at Nath’s clawed feet. The little Dwarf eyed him with suspicion and strutted away.

  Nath reached into the bag and found the quiver.

  “Some of the arrows are missing,” he said. “Exploding ones at that? How did that happen?”

  “Are you really worried about a missing arrow?” Brenwar said. “It’s not like you made the thing.”

  “Well, I was just surprised is all,” he said, slinging it over his shoulder. He took out the compact form of Akron.

  Snap. Clatch. Snap.

  The string coiled right into place. Nath stuck his chin out and smiled. He reached over his shoulder to hook it when he realized he no longer had the armor to latch it onto.

  Brenwar rolled his eyes and walked away. “That’s a problem.”

  Nath did have clothes on, however. A jerkin covered his chest and most of his arms, and a pair of trousers covered his legs. Bayzog said that was best in case any distant eyes were spying. The wizard had tried to get Nath to cover his head too, but he’d flat out refused. “One should never hide something as beautiful as this,” he’d argued.

  The last remaining item was Fang. The beautiful weapon with twin Dragons on the hilt sent a charge of energy through him.

  “Have you missed me, Old Friend?” he said, wrapping his clawed fingers around the hilt. “Ow!” He jerked his hand away.

  Every eye in the party fell on him. Bayzog’s expression filled with worry.

  But Nath didn’t pay attention.

  “Fang, what’s wrong with you? Do you not know me? It’s Nath.” Slowly, he wrapped his hand around the hilt once more and gently pulled the blade from the sheath. “That’s better, Fang. It’s me.”

  The mystic blade throbbed in his palm and was hot in his hand. Nath made sure he didn’t grimace. Stop it, Fang! It’s me! The hilt got hotter and a bead of sweat dripped from his forehead. Fang! It’s me, your master!

  “Problem, Nath?” Bayzog said.

  “No,” he shot back. The sword began to cool in his palm. “I just think Fang was a little uncertain.” He pulled the great blade out to its full length, smiled, then slid it back in. “We’re fine now.” He buckled the blade over his shoulders. “Shouldn’t we get moving?”

  ***

  Troghlin the Harbor Town. It was one of dozens that circled the Pool of the Dragons, and it was under siege.

  “Is this where you were taking me?” Nath said to Bayzog. “It doesn’t look to be as safe as I presumed.”

  Bayzog stood silent, peering through a spy glass that Pilpin had handed him, shaking his head.

  “No, we’ve another hideout, but this town is full of friends. I fear the worst; there’s no doubt someone in there is bound to give us up.” He shut the spy glass and handed it over to Ben. “We’re going to have to find another place to hide. Again.”

  Nath’s eyes were sharper than they’d ever been. He couldn’t say for sure but he felt like he could see five times farther than he already could, and that was pretty far. Troghlin was burning in some places and the people that weren’t fleeing were hiding in boarded up stores and apartments. The enemy marched prisoners through the streets and some were dead already. Nath’s Dragon heart pumped faster.

  “I see that look in yer eye,” Brenwar said. “Settle it down.”

  Nath ignored him. Troghlin was a wonderful little town that was more like an oversized fishing village with large piers connected by a series of storefronts and boardwalks. People from all over Nalzambor came to rest and enjoy food by the sea in hopes of observing the Sea Dragons that appeared now and again. Now it was in ruin.

  Nath said to Bayzog, “Are those the hunters that you spoke of?”

  “Indeed.”

  “Hmmm,” Nath said. “Can I see that spy glass, Ben?”

  “Sure,” Ben said, handing it over.

  There was a Draykis leading the soldiers that consisted of robed clerics, Gnolls, Goblins and Lizard Men. They pushed and shoved their way through the town, busting windows and bullying people. The Lizard Men had two Dragons with them that were wingless and black tailed. Their scales were maroon and their bellies were a darker color, almost black. They sniffed around more like dogs than Dragons, with lizard tongues licking out of their snouts. They were burrowers and hunters called Red Rocks.

  “Those Dragons are awfully far from home,” Nath said. “They like the lava in the south. It seems awfully strange to see them way up here. Hmmmm.” Snap. Clatch. Snap. “I think they don’t like it here.”

  “Oh no you don’t,” Brenwar said.

  “Nath,” Bayzog began, “Those hunters are looking for us. They’re looking for you. We can’t risk it.”

  “Risk what? Our hides, while those people’s lives are on the line?” Nath whipped an arrow from his quiver and spit on the tip. “I’m not going to let anyone else suffer on account of me if I can help it. And I’d expect you to do the same.”

  “I’m with Dragon,” Ben said, taking a place beside Nath. “We’ve been running too long. Sometimes you just have to stand and fight … for what’s right.”

  “Agreed,” said Pilpin. “I didn’t stand years in the snow for nothing. I stood because I knew a big fight was coming. My beard’s itching for it.”

  Brenwar looked at Bayzog and Bayzog back at him. They both nodded.

  “We need to have a plan,” Bayzog said.

  “Don’t worry,” Nath said, “I’ve already got one. It’s called…’’

  He drew the string back along his cheek and let the first arrow fly.

  “… Surprise.”

  CHAPTER 34

  The arrow’s flight seemed to take forever with the tip winking at its zenith before descending.

  “What are you doing?” Bayzog exclaimed. “Are you crazy?”

  Over two hundred yards away the arrow finished its flight and buried itself in the shoulder of a Draykis.

  “Did you see that?” Pilpin said, holding the spy glass to his eye. “He hit it. Egad, but it still lives.”

  Nath could see it just fine. It was a perfect shot and the Draykis’s bewilderment was amusing.

  “What happened?” Brenwar said, standing on his tip toes. “Shouldn’t something be exploding?”

  As the Hunters gathered around their ailing leader, the rest started to point right at Nath.

  “You have to wait for it, Brenwar.”

  “Wait? I’m not waiting. Can’t you see they’re coming? A small army of them.” He punched Nath in the arm. “All you did was waste an arrow and get our necks exposed.”

  Nath stood tall, eyeing the Draykis in the distance. It wrapped its clawed hand around the arrow, barked a laugh and started to tug.

  Nath’s keen eyes picked up a click and a mystic whine. All the surrounding Hunters leaned in towards the sound.

  KABOOM!

  Bodies flew in the air and others were flung on the ground.

  “Did you see that!” Pilpin said, jumping up and down. “I like that!”

  The Dwarves let out a gutsy cheer and raised their weapons high in the air.

  Troghlin was shaken. Its captors were rocked.

  Nath raised Akron over his head. “Time to finish what I started!”

  In the distance, The Lizard Men unleashed the pair of Red Rock Dragons. They scurried over the ground. Fast for lizards. The Red Rocks covered the distance between them in seconds.

  Nath blocked their advance, shouting in Dragonese, “Go home. Be free or suffer.”

  Their heads gazed between one another before turning back to Nath and his party. They opened their mouths like tunnels and a blast of hot air came out.

  “Sultans of Sulfur!” Brenwar cried.

  The intense heat dropped everyone to their knees. The Dwarves backed away. Nath stood his ground. And someone else. A tall Man he hadn’t seen before stood at his side.

  “Who?” Nath said.

  “It’s me, Gorlee,” the Chamele
on said. “I’ve thick skin.” Gorlee dropped to a knee beside him and sucked a vial into his mouth. “Ah, perhaps this will help.”

  Nath nocked another arrow and spoke in Dragonese again. “I’ll warn you no more. Go home or suffer.”

  The hot blast of breath kept pouring out.

  Nath could barely keep his eyes open.

  Twang!

  The Mithril arrow buried in a Dragon’s side.

  It lurched. Its breath stopped.

  Nath loaded another arrow, pulled the string back, and fired at the other Dragon.

  Twang!

  The Red Rock roared back. Both Dragons eyed him. Tongues licked from their mouths. Jaws snapped open and closed.

  I’m going to have to kill them.

  The pair of Dragons slowly came forward.

  The Dwarves jumped into their path and formed a blockade.

  “No,” Nath said, “Your weapons won’t hurt them. Leave them to me!”

  The rest of the Hunters were almost on top of them.

  Gorlee grabbed Nath’s shoulder. “I can handle these Dragons.” He pointed at the hoard of Draykis, Goblins, Gnolls and Lizard Men. “You better take care of them.”

  “What can you do?” Nath said.

  “You’ll see,” Gorlee said, pushing him onward. “What do Dragons love more than anything?”

  “Gold,” Nath said.

  “Aye,” Gorlee said. But he had changed. His body was solid gold.

  The Red Rocks drifted from Nath to Gorlee.

  “I’ll be fine,” Gorlee said. He took off running. The Dragons darted straight after the golden Man.

  Nath shook his head. That was strange.

  “Nath!” Brenwar yelled. “Quit standing and start fighting.”

  He turned.

  The Hunters and Dwarves clashed, metal on metal. He dropped Akron on the ground. His hand went to his hilt and stopped. He clenched his fists and smiled.

  Let’s see what you can do on your own.

  A shadow dropped out of the sky and punched him in the face.

  Pop!

  It was a Draykis.

  ***

  Ben stood flanked by two Gnolls, being beat on with flails.

  Bang! Clang!

  Ben kept his shield up and his sword moving.

  Wait for it…

  The Gnolls pounded at him. Heavy, furious blows that juttered his arms. They knocked down his sword and shield arm only to see them snap up again. Their strength was raw and relentless. Their jaws snapped and howled at him.

  “Human meat,” one said.

  “Dead meat,” said the other.

  The Gnolls stopped and backed away.

  Ben lowered his guard.

  “Tired,” he said, huffing for breath.

  “Fool!” one said.

  Both Gnolls struck at the same time.

  Bang!

  They tore his shield off his arm.

  “Dead meat now, Human,” one said, closing in.

  The Gnolls twirled their flails at their sides. Snapped and growled.

  “He’s got some meat on him.”

  “Bet he tastes good.”

  They struck high and hard.

  Ben ducked and rolled. The Gnolls’ weapons slammed into each other.

  Ben’s sword was a stroke of lightening.

  Slash! Slash!

  The Gnolls howled and fell dead to the ground.

  Stupid Gnolls. That must be over fifty.

  ***

  Bayzog stood behind the melee with anger in his eyes. All of his plans were unraveling, no thanks to Nath.

  Why do we guard a Man who refuses to play it safe?

  For the past twenty-five years they’d risked their lives to protect him and keep his whereabouts secret. Now, in a matter of seconds, all of Nalzambor would know where he was and that he lived.

  Bayzog shook his head. His eyes glimmered with power.

  The Dwarves were knotted up with the Goblins, Gnolls and Lizard Men led by Brenwar. Gorlee had distracted the Dragons, and Nath was battling a Draykis.

  That left the Clerics of Barnabus that had not advanced. Some were dead from the explosion, and in the spy glass he counted only six remaining. He set it aside. Most of them stood their ground, watching from the edge of the lake town. Bayzog had no doubt they’d sent for reinforcements already, but how close were they?

  Everyone is fighting but me it seems. He rested his staff over his shoulders and muttered an Elven incantation. The staff glowed with life and Bayzog’s feet lifted from the ground. He drifted over the fracas below and straight towards the town’s edge, where with wide eyes the six robed acolytes waited. All those bald headed fiends. I’ll take care of that.

  ***

  Goblins were fierce. Gnolls were strong. Lizard Men were deadly. They all hated the Dwarves.

  And the Dwarves hated them.

  “A barrel of ale to whoever crushes the most!” Brenwar yelled.

  Forming a wedge with Brenwar leading the way, the Dwarves crashed right into the oncoming hoard. Brenwar whopped the first Lizard Man he came across in the chest, dropping him dead. Pilpin rolled beneath the blades of Goblins and cut into their legs with his axe. Another Dwarf, the roundest and biggest of them all, bowled a Gnoll over with his girth and cracked its head with a round mace.

  “Powder their bones!” Brenwar yelled.

  The hoard of evil pressed, but the well-oiled Dwarven squad hacked right back with centuries of skill and precision. The Dwarves weren’t as fast as their attackers, but they were stout as stumps and tough as kettles of iron in armor.

  Brenwar’s beard was clipped by a Lizard Man’s sword.

  “You dare, you lipless pair of boots!”

  With both arms on the shaft of War Hammer, he brought it down with all his might on the Lizard Man’s scaly foot.

  Crunch!

  It dropped its sword and started to hop and hiss.

  Brenwar busted it in the knee.

  It fell to the ground, raising its arms in defense a split second before Brenwar put an end to it.

  Pow!

  He checked his beard. A small portion was dangling off.

  “Now I’m mad!”

  He was surrounded by angry howls and cries of pain. His Dwarves were busted and bleeding, but they didn’t cry out. They cheered, snarled and fought back. But they were in trouble. The enemy wasn’t falling fast enough.

  “Blast my beard!”

  Pilpin slipped to the ground and fell underneath four Goblins.

  Brenwar rushed over and starting swinging his hammer like a sickle. He knocked two aside with one blow. Dented the helmet of the third, cracking its skull.

  “Pilpin!” Brenwar said.

  The Dwarf lay on his back, eyes wide, bleeding. A Goblin lay on top of him, unmoving.

  Brenwar shoved it off. Pilpin’s dagger was in its chest, but its dagger had found a home in Pilpin’s stomach.

  “You’ll have to finish the rest, Brenwar,” Pilpin said. “It’s been an honor…”

  CHAPTER 35

  Nath’s eyes went straight to the Draykis. It towered near seven feet tall and its eyes were dark and beady with a glimmer of fire behind them. It pointed its clawed paw at Nath, flexed its brawny muscles under its scaly skin, and beckoned.

  Nostrils flaring, Nath went right at it.

  It took a swipe and its claws tore across Nath’s scaly chest.

  He laughed and punched it in the face.

  Whap!

  The Draykis spit out a tooth and narrowed its eyes.

  “It’s not like you needed that,” Nath said.

  It popped him in the nose. Blood dripped onto Nath’s chest.

  His gold eyes flashed. Fury swelled inside him.

  Back and forth they went. Punch for punch.

  Bap! Bap!

  Crack! Pop!

  Pow! Pow! Boom!

  Nath beat into it with reckless fury.

  It fought back with power and cunning.

  Duck, you f
ool!

  The Draykis threw a haymaker.

  Nath dodged, shifted his head left and right, tucked his chin back, bobbed his head.

  “Enough of this!”

  Nath jacked it in the jaw with an uppercut, snapping its head back and shattering more of its teeth.

  It shook it off with a shiver and pounced.

  Nath caught it in midair and slammed it into the ground, pinning its wings. In Nath’s mind, this triggered the memory of the winged ape and the kidnapping of Sasha. The image of Shum drowned and dead.

  “You will die!”

  Nath’s fists were like metal gauntlets busting up rocks. They broke bones and busted teeth.

  The Draykis snapped up its forearms, protecting its face.

  Nath pummeled its ribs and belly.

  Whop! Whop! Whop!

  The Draykis gasped, flailed and kicked. Desperate, it wrapped its claws around Nath’s hair and pulled him off. It scrambled to its knees, spread its wings and tried to jump away.

  “No you don’t!”

  Nath jumped on its back. He wrapped his arms around its neck and squeezed.

  The pair thrashed over the grass.

  “You aren’t going anywhere!”

  Nath felt his strength growing. He squeezed harder and harder, hanging on with his Dragon legs and choking it with his Dragon arms.

  The bulging muscles of the Draykis started to slacken.

  Crack!

  Its neck broke.

  Nath shoved it away, sucked for air, and wiped the blood off his face. “That’s better.”

  Clonk!

  His head exploded. Stars burst in his eyes. He took another shot to the chest and belly.

  A Gnoll loomed over him, raising a club high.

  Nath caught it in his hands and ripped it loose. “You shouldn’t have done that,” he said, shaking the club.

  The Gnoll barked a warning.

  Whack!

  It barked no more.

  A sea of Lizard Men swarmed Nath and dragged him to the ground.

  ***

  The Clerics of Barnabus fanned out and pointed at Bayzog while he sailed over the grass on legs of air. There were six of them in all―bald, robed and cunning.

  He could see their lips moving and the air before them beginning to stir and the pendants on their chests beginning to glow. Bayzog readied his staff and touched the ground.