“Sultans of Sulfur!”
He licked and nocked a Mithril arrow and let it fly.
It sunk into the Hull Dragon’s eyelid.
The Hull reared up. The muscles in its neck bulged.
“KAAAAAAAAAAABOOOOWWWWW!
Nath fell to the ground, covering his ears. His legs turned to noodles.
A shadow covered him. The Dragon’s foot hung above him and started coming down.
Great Guzan!
Nath curled up into a ball and closed his eyes.
Stomp!
Nath didn’t feel a thing.
That wasn’t so painful.
He popped open his eyes.
The Hull was twenty yards from him. He lay in the grasses on the bank.
“How’d I do that?”
You didn’t, Bayzog’s voice said in his head. Now get moving. He sees you.
The Hull craned its neck from side to side. It checked under its foot and grunted.
“Ha-Ha! You missed me!” Nath yelled.
It roared and started running.
Nath ran away from the town, legs pumping.
The Hull wasn’t moving fast, but its long strides shook the ground and kept pace with him. Nath stretched his lead to a hundred yards. He’ll never catch me.
A bright light caught the corner of his eye. He glanced over his shoulder. A blast of lightning blue fire was coming straight for him. He dove to the ground.
“Argh!” he screamed.
The fire danced over his arms and chest. It sizzled and danced on his scales. It was painful. Awful. He screamed again.
The Hull stormed right towards him.
Nath scrambled up, grimacing, and ran.
Ahead, shelter was in the great rocks.
Faster, Nath! Faster!
He began to stretch his lead.
The Hull was still coming.
The town became smaller. Safer with every stride.
Good!
He turned and started running backwards while loading another exploding arrow. If he could shoot into its mouth the next time it took a breath, he just might be able to stop it. Otherwise, he had no idea what the Hull’s weakness was.
The Hull Dragon slowed its pace and stopped. Its scales and horns lit up. Crackled with blue energy.
Nath stopped and drew the arrow along his cheek.
“Perfect!” he said. “Open wide!”
Its scales and tail twinkled and its blue eyes narrowed. It was there, evil and enormous.
SSSZZZRAT!
There was a blinding blue flash.
“What!”
Nath covered his eyes. Colorful spots were all over. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. He felt dizzy. Finally, he reopened his eyes. The Hull was gone entirely.
***
Bayzog kept his eyes fixed on Nath. The Dragon Man was moments from death. Curled up in a ball on the beach. Bayzog summoned the power of the Elderwood Staff. He reached out with an invisible hand, grabbed Nath and flung him from harm’s path.
“That was close.”
Smoke. Fire. Shouts and screams. The people of Troghlin formed a line on the beach and raced buckets up the shore. The fire was spreading fast. Brenwar had ordered his Dwarves to assist, but their efforts so far were in vain. The Dragon’s fire spread too fast. Troghlin would perish.
“What is that fool doing?” Brenwar said, watching Nath run.
“Drawing the menace away,” Bayzog said. “And it’s working.”
“He knows I can’t keep up with him,” Brenwar said, shaking his War Hammer. “That’s cheating. He wants to kill it all by himself! Well, I ain’t going to let that happen!”
Bayzog would never get used to the Dwarven spirit of fighting anything anywhere. The Hull Dragon’s roar was the most terrifying thing he’d ever heard. Not to mention what he’d seen. This was a monster in every sense of the word. Terrifying. He wanted to run. Hide. He had to act.
“What are you waiting on, Wizard?” Brenwar pointed. “Get us up there.”
“What do you mean?” Bayzog said with a tremble in his voice.
“We’ve got to help Nath,” Brenwar said. “Pilpin! Get the chest and make it quick!”
Bayzog’s mind was scrambled. Fighting humanoids was one thing. A three-story Dragon was another thing. It might be impossible to wound. He rubbed his smoke-stung eyes. The town was about to perish. He wasn’t sure what to do. Save the town or his friend?
“I hope yer doing something, Wizard!” Brenwar said. “Because standing here isn’t helping anything.”
Bayzog shook his head and pointed his staff at the lake waters. He started an Elvish chant, twirling the staff in tight circles. A funnel spouted out of the waters.
“Get everyone clear,” Bayzog yelled.
The tornado of water raced up the beach, over the boardwalk and into the town, washing every burning building in sight. The flames started to sizzle and extinguish. Smoke began to roll like a heavy fog.
“Let’s hope that does it,” Bayzog said, watching the tornado attack any flame in its path. “Let’s go after Nath.”
Bayzog and Brenwar raced after the Hull. Nath was leading it away, toward the rocks, a good thing, but they were too far away to help. The beast was distant and Bayzog was already laboring for breath. Brenwar didn’t move very fast on his short legs either.
The Hull had slowed to a stop. There was a bright blue flash and the great Dragon disappeared.
“By my beard! Did you see that?” Brenwar said. “It’s gone. Nath better not have killed it!”
Bayzog could see Nath standing all alone in the field with his bow ready when another blinding flash hit. While Bayzog was blinking the stars from his eyes, the Hull appeared again. It was right behind Nath.
Bayzog and Brenwar started waving their arms and yelling and pointing.
“Move! It’s behind you.”
***
Nath was staring at an empty field. Where a moment earlier a Hull Dragon the size of a large building had stood, was nothing. There was a strange smell of something burning that tickled his nose. Something flashed like lightning behind him. That’s when Bayzog and Brenwar appeared far away and they were waving frantically. He felt a Giant shadow over him. He turned. The Hull was right over the top of him, clutching at his head.
“No!”
He fired into the Hull’s great belly. Point blank range.
Kaboom!
The blast blew him off his feet. He sailed head over heels. His limbs were numb. A lizard’s foot the size of a horse rose up and came down.
“Not again!”
Nath balled up like a rock.
Thoom!
Pain erupted all over. Things cracked and squished in his body. He couldn’t move. He’d only been awake a few days and now the thought of any more days was over.
Death lingered over Nath in the form of the ugliest Dragon he’d ever seen. It leaned down and roared at him once more. He thought his ears would burst. He tried to cover them. His arms wouldn’t move fast enough.
If I can move, I can fight.
He rolled up to one knee and reached for his bow. It lay in the grass a few feet away, but it might as well have been a mile. With every muscle in pain, he stretched out for it.
The Hull sucked in another great breath and fixed its fiery blue eyes on him.
Shoot it, Nath! Shoot!
He was too late. Down came the fire. Down came the pain.
***
“Take hold of my staff, Brenwar!” Bayzog said.
“What fer?” the Dwarf replied.
“Never mind then,” Bayzog said. He started summoning his power. He needed to get to Nath, and get there quick.
Brenwar wrapped one paw around the staff and said, “Oh no you don’t. You won’t be fighting that Dragon without me. Now hurry up will youuuuuuuuu—”
Bayzog fixed his eyes on Nath. Power surged in his veins. He envisioned himself moving instantly from where he was to where he needed to be. A portal opened. He
stepped through time and space. A split second later he was under the Hull’s gaping mouth.
“You trying to get us killed, Wizard?” Brenwar yelled.
Bayzog jammed the Elderwood Staff into the ground and shouted.
“Moooorentanglaheeen Loooores!”
A geyser of blue fire erupted from the Dragon’s snout. Blue flames of lightening scattered everywhere.
Bayzog took a breath. His protective dome had formed.
It covered them all: Brenwar, himself, and Nath.
Nath fought his way back to his feet, shaking. He clutched his head and sides. He looked more dead than alive.
“Thanks,” Nath managed to say.
The Hull started pounding away at the mystic dome. It scratched, clawed and kicked. Its blows were thunder. Its eyes lightening.
“I can’t hold it much longer!” Bayzog said, arms shaking. “We have to be ready to run!”
“Run?” Brenwar said. “There be no running. Take down that shield. Me and War Hammer be ready.”
Bayzog’s arms trembled and his knees started to bend. The Hull was seconds away from overtaking them. All of them.
“Just give me a little more time, Bayzog!” Nath said.
The Hull rammed his horns into the dome. It started cracking.
“I can’t hold it any longer,” Bayzog said. “If you’re going to do something, do it now.”
***
Nath had hunting arrows, Mithril arrows and exploding arrows, but he didn’t think any of them could to the trick. Not alone. He laid his quiver down at his side and pulled his last three exploding arrows out and wet the tips. They glowed with red light. He nocked them all on Akron’s string.
Taking a knee, he took aim. Stretching the bow string tight, his chest and shoulders burned like fire. Something inside him had broken, but he held his aim.
“Give me your best, Akron,” he said.
The Hull drew back its great arm, punched, and shattered the dome.
Bayzog collapsed in a heap of robes, bleeding at the nose.
The enormous Hull Dragon reared up and exposed its great neck.
“Cover Bayzog, Brenwar!”
Nath let the arrows fly.
Twang!
KABOOM!
The Hull stumbled backwards and toppled like a stone.
Nath skipped across the burning grass.
Everything was hazing. Ringing. Quiet and smoking.
Somehow, Nath rolled to his knees.
Brenwar helped Bayzog to his feet and they stood there gaping.
The Hull was slowly struggling to rise. It shook its great neck. It was angry. Worse. It was still living.
Nath’s clawed hand fell on Fang’s hilt.
“I need you now more than ever, Brother.”
The hilt was hot, but not burning.
He unsheathed the blade. It was bright as the sun.
Nath raised it over his head and charged, yelling, “I am Dragon!”
Brenwar sped after him with his War Hammer ready.
Bayzog rushed with his staff.
Nath jabbed Fang into the Hull’s chest. Ice formed over its scales. It spread fast.
Bayzog encircled its legs with mystic energy.
Brenwar busted it in the snout.
Ka-Raaaaang!
The great beast writhed over the ground. It squirmed and hissed.
“Get out of here, Bayzog!” Nath yelled. “And watch out for its tail!”
The tail flicked with blue fire and struck Nath like a jolt of lightening.
“Aargh!”
Pain erupted in every inch of his body. He held on. He drove Fang deeper.
The great Hull Dragon roared.
Brenwar popped it in the snout again.
The tail licked out. Cracked like thunder and struck Brenwar in the chest, skipping him over the stones.
“Nooo,” Nath yelled, yanking Fang free.
He gritted his teeth.
“Try that again!”
The tail flicked his way again, flashing like lightening.
Nath swung Fang with all his might.
Slice!
He clipped the end of the tail off.
The Hull twisted and howled. The blue lights in its eyes went black. The crackling energy on its horns disappeared. Its tail swished back and forth like a headless snake.
Brenwar rose up from the rocks and charged over. He brought War Hammer down on the back of the Hull Dragon’s skull.
The Hull moved no more.
CHAPTER 38
The battle was won. Troghlin was saved and everyone was celebrating. Everyone but Nath, Bayzog, Ben, Gorlee, Brenwar and the Dwarves. They’d moved on, leaving the remains of the Hull to the townsfolk of Troghlin to deal with.
“I don’t suppose there is any turning back now,” Bayzog said. His eyelids seemed heavy. “I agree. Now that you’re awake, we might as well take it to them. But let’s pursue with wisdom.”
Nath groaned. Everything ached. His head. His toes. And the air tasted funny. Awful actually. Everything felt awful. Still, he limped along, just like the others, glad to be alive.
“I don’t think a little caution ever hurt anyone,” he said. “I’ll do my best to heed your advice.”
“Sure you will,” Brenwar said. “And the day that happens I’ll shave my beard. Har!”
They headed west along the lake for miles until they reached a series of huts stretched out over the waters. They were connected by a series of catwalks and piers and Bayzog took them inside one near the middle. It was larger on the inside than it looked on the outside and sparsely furnished.
“Remote enough to hide us for now,” Bayzog said. “Let’s rest our eyes and keep our ears peeled. Now that the Hull is down, our enemies will hesitate before they come after us. We’ll be long gone by then.”
“Gone to where?” Nath said.
“Wherever you lead us,” Bayzog said.
Nath eyed Bayzog. It was hard to believe that he really meant that.
“We’re going after the Head of the Clerics of Barnabus,” Nath said, “And there will be no fuss about it.”
“This is your decision, not mine,” Bayzog said. The wizard set down his staff and leaned back against the wall. His violet eyes seemed to glow. “I’m just here to advise you. It’s up to you to lead.” He looked over the room. “To lead all of us.”
Nath felt all the eyes on him. He felt sacrifice. Courage. All the good in their hearts. There were plenty of people in Nalzambor just like them, suffering something dreadful. All because of him, and he still didn’t understand why. War was coming. He felt it in his busted bones. It was time to make things right.
They’d just defeated a Hull. If they could handle that, they should be able to handle anything. He forced a smile. His golden eyes flashed.
“Then our hunt begins tomorrow.”
About the Author
Craig Halloran resides with his family outside of 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
Other works by the author
The Darkslayer: Wrath of the Royals (Book 1)
The Darkslayer: Blades in the Night (Book 2)
The Darkslayer: Underling Revenge (Book 3)
The Darkslayer: Danger and the Druid (Book 4)
The Darkslayer: Outrage in the Outlands (Book 5)
The Darkslayer: Chaos at the Castle (Book 6)
The Chronicles of Dragon: The Hero, The Sword and The Dragons (Book 1)
The Chronicles of Dragon: Dragon Bones and Tombstones (Book 2)
The Chronicles of Dragon: Terror at the Temple (Book 3)
Zombie Day Care: Impact Series: Book 1
Zombie Rehab: Impact Series: Book 2
Jerk of All Trades: It’s not him; it’s them
In the works by the author
The Chronicles of Dragon (Book 6)
You can learn m
ore about The Darkslayer and my other books at:
Facebook – The Darkslayer Report by Craig
Twitter – Craig Halloran
Table of Contents
Copyright
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 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
About the Author
Other works by the author
Hunt For The Hero (Book 5) Page 15
