Scimitar's Heir by Chris A. Jackson

Author:Chris A. Jackson [Jackson, Chris A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy
Publisher: Dragon Moon Press
Published: 2011-08-18T06:00:00+00:00

“What is it?” Ghelfan asked, his whisper echoing about the stone walls of the corridor.

“Thought I heard somethin’,” Rhaf replied. “There’s a bend up here, or maybe a fork. I can’t tell yet.”

He motioned for Jamis to move up with his torch. Billy tucked his parchment and quill into a satchel slung about his shoulders, pulled out his sword, and joined his two fellows. They moved forward three abreast, swords at the ready as they neared what resolved into a branching of the corridor. Between the branches loomed an open door, an oval pit of black in the gray wall. Rhaf tapped Jamis’s shoulder and motioned toward the door. The sailor moved forward flanked by Rhaf and Billy, who watched the branching corridors. They had done this dozens of times, checking rooms as they passed and adding their dimensions to the growing map. It was tedious and nerve-wracking, but their actions had become rote.

Edan caught a flicker of motion in the torchlight an instant before Jamis’ scream shattered the silence.

Something large stepped through the doorway. It was half again as tall as a man, three times as broad, and covered from head to foot by matted gray-green hair. With no visible neck, its face sported four round, black eyes under a protruding brow, and the light seemed to madden it. One long arm lashed out. A hand with webbed fingers as thick as Edan’s wrist and tipped with two-inch claws grasped Jamis’ arm and lifted him toward a maw that seemed to have too many teeth. Jamis thrust his torch into the beast’s face by reflex, and its howl shook the stone under Edan’s feet. It flung Jamis aside like a ragdoll, and the sailor hit the wall hard, his arm red with blood, his torch tumbling to the floor.

“Swords!” Rhaf shouted, lunging at the thing with his cutlass. His thrust seemed to strike home, but the creature just howled again and swung one of its massive arms. Rhaf ducked under the blow and slashed, but the weapon did not penetrate the thick mat of hair. Men rushed forward, but only three could effectively reach the creature at one time. Edan backed away, while Ghelfan advanced with the second rank of sailors, his ornate rapier glinting in the torchlight.

The cries of the men rang in Edan’s ears, their swords unable to deter the beast. Dagger-like claws glinted in the torchlight as the beast swept its arms in wide arcs. Billy was caught on the shoulder by such a blow and knocked flat. The creature stepped forward, pinning the man’s leg beneath one huge, clawed foot. Billy’s screams and the beast’s incessant howling beat at Edan’s ears like great wings, nausea and terror gripping his stomach as he saw blood darken the man’s trousers. He stared, unable to move, and not sure how to act if he could.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.