Slathbog's Gold - Forman Mark L. Страница 56

“Here,” said Bregnest, entering a wide hall after the third long stairway. “This is as good a spot as any we will find.”

The others nodded, too breathless to speak. Bregnest ordered them to various places in the hall, each man well out of sight of the main entrance. If Slathbog was hasty in his return, they would be able to take him by surprise.

“Behind this pillar, Alex,” said Bregnest, pointing. “When the dragon comes, be careful of his wings. The edges are like razors and can cut clean through a man if hit squarely. And remember, do not look into Slathbog’s eyes for any reason.”

Bregnest rushed off to take his own hiding place. Alex leaned against the pillar, trying to catch his breath while listening for any sound of the dragon’s return but all he could hear was the ragged breathing of his friends.

Minutes passed and everyone’s breathing grew softer until Alex could hear the torches burning on the walls. The waiting was painful, as every ear strained to hear the slightest sound of Slathbog’s return.

Alex started to think there must be some other passageway the dragon could use. If so, Slathbog would be able to come at them from behind, and that would surely mean their death. Alex glanced nervously toward the main doorway they had come through. He hadn’t seen any other hallway on their journey here that looked large enough for a dragon, so he tried not to worry.

Alex’s thoughts were broken by a sudden, terrible sound. A roar of pure fury as Slathbog descended through the ruins of Varlo to his hoard. The floor under Alex’s feet shook with the dragon’s rage.

It wasn’t long before Alex heard a loud scraping noise coming closer as Slathbog’s armored skin ground against the walls of the passageway. Alex felt nervous and afraid because it sounded like Slathbog was enormous. Shaking slightly, he drew Moon Slayer from his side and prepared to meet his destiny.

As soon as the sword was in his hand, he felt the power of the sword enter, the heat growing fast in his chest. Strange flames of happiness filled Alex’s mind, consuming his fears and worries. It felt as though the sword was excited to meet the dragon, almost longing for the battle to begin. It was a wonderful feeling, and at the same time terrible and frightening.

A huge ball of flame shot through the chamber doors. Slathbog had arrived. The fireball hit the wall behind Alex and his friends, scattering bits of burning plaster and rock around the chamber. Everyone held their positions, waiting for Bregnest’s order to attack.

Slathbog entered the chamber with a cloud of smoke and flame around him. He rushed wildly to his hoard, blind to his surroundings, afraid his enemies were already stealing his wealth.

“Attack!” Bregnest yelled, rushing forward with his two-handed sword.

Alex stepped from behind the pillar, sword at the ready, but then stopped, staring up at the dragon. Slathbog was a creature of incredible beauty and power, and Alex stood frozen at the sight of the great red dragon.

Bregnest’s sword clanged loudly against Slathbog’s hind leg, but it bounced off the hard scales, causing no real harm. Arconn’s arrows snapped against Slathbog’s long neck, unable to pierce the metallic red flesh. Halfdan rushed in with his ax. Swinging with all his strength, he struck at Slathbog’s side, but he might as well have attacked the wall for all the good it did.

Slathbog faced his attackers, his great tail swinging around, forcing Halfdan to retreat. The tail hit the pillar next to Alex. The force of the impact knocked Alex off his feet, but it also broke the thoughts holding him motionless. Jumping up, Alex ran forward and slashed at the dragon’s tail. Unlike Bregnest’s sword and Halfdan’s ax, Moon Slayer cut a deep gash in Slathbog’s tail, spraying Alex with burning hot dragon blood.

Slathbog roared in pain. Alex moved to attack again. Ignoring the others, Slathbog faced Alex. As the beast turned, Alex could hear a strange hissing noise. It sounded like some kind of language, but the words were too quick and Alex couldn’t understand them.

The dragon moved slowly toward him, and Alex looked around at the others, hoping they could distract Slathbog from his deadly mission. His friends were frozen in place, unmoving. Alex guessed the strange hissing he heard had been one of Slathbog’s spells.

“You have come far, little one,” Slathbog hissed at Alex. “I hope you have enjoyed your journey, as it will be your last.”

“I have enjoyed my journey, and I will enjoy many more,” answered Alex, in a voice he hoped sounded braver than he felt.

Slathbog let out a low laugh and continued to move forward.

“I will enjoy killing you,” said Slathbog, stopping a short distance in front of Alex. “It has been a long time since any have dared approach me. Once you are gone, none will ever seek me again.”

Alex could feel the fire of his magic sword burning inside him, but he did not raise Moon Slayer to strike at the dragon. Instead of attacking the monster in front of him, he did the one thing he’d been told not to do for any reason: Alex looked into the dragon’s eyes.

Everything around him melted away like mist until all he could see was the dragon. Slathbog seemed to freeze as well, still and silent, as he and Alex looked deeply into each other’s eyes and minds.

Alex could clearly see the dragon’s thoughts and his lust for carnage and destruction. All Slathbog wanted was to hoard wealth and cause pain. There were no happy thoughts in Slathbog’s mind. Alex saw, though, that there was a terrible longing for happiness inside of Slathbog because joy was the one desire the dragon did not know how to fill. Looking deeper, Alex saw something he had not expected. Fear was at the center of Slathbog’s mind and heart—fear of Alex and his friends, fear that he would lose his hoard, and fear that his evil was at an end.

Alex felt Slathbog’s fear working through the dragon’s heart and mind. He realized he was stronger than Slathbog. He knew he and his friends would claim the dragon’s hoard. He also knew, without a doubt, that Slathbog was about to die.

In a rage of anger and hate, Slathbog coiled, preparing to throw himself at Alex. Slathbog would crush his enemy, even if it meant his own death, but as his fear took hold of him, the spell over Alex’s friends was broken.

Tayo suddenly charged at the dragon with a wild yell, driving his long spear into Slathbog’s side. The spear sank into Slathbog’s body where his great wing met his coiled body.

Slathbog roared in pain, flexing his wings wildly. One wing caught Tayo in the chest, knocking him across the chamber. Slathbog turned away from Alex, trying to dislodge Tayo’s spear. Alex saw his chance. Raising Moon Slayer, he ran forward, driving the sword into Slathbog’s side just behind his front leg. A second, even more terrible roar filled the hall, followed by mad thrashing as Slathbog struggled to free himself from the burning sword in his side.

Alex held onto his sword with all his strength. Hot dragon blood covered him, but Alex continued to drive his sword deeper into Slathbog’s body. He could feel the power of Moon Slayer working inside of him, and he felt like he was on fire. His heart filled with a terrible joy more powerful than anything he had ever felt before, and he almost laughed out loud.

Then as suddenly as it had started, it was over. Slathbog lay motionless at Alex’s feet. The fire that had burned inside of Alex was cooling. He pulled his sword from Slathbog’s body, feeling that at last he had done something worthy of praise and honor.

The others stood dumbfounded, looking at Alex who was covered in dragon’s blood. Skeld finally broke the silence.

“Tayo,” he cried, rushing to their fallen comrade. “Tayo, are you still alive?”

Tayo mumbled something unintelligible. They crowded around their friend, not knowing what—if anything—they could do to help him.