The Legend of Black Jack by A. R. Witham

Author:A. R. Witham [Witham, A. R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: coming of age, Arthurian, action and adventure, portal fantasy, escape, sword and sorcery, young hero
Publisher: Nepenthe House
Published: 2022-05-16T16:00:00+00:00

Li-Bao Sen hit like a thunderbolt—all the Reds could do was scream as the one-man onslaught tore them apart. Li-Bao snatched one by the face, threw him aside, kicked another back into the treasury, and ran a third through with twin scimitars. The last dwarf charged Li-Bao from behind. The one-eyed croc flicked his muscled tail and sent the Red flying off the stair into the abyss.

Chance tilted an ear toward the stairs. “More coming.” He popped his claws and ran for the fight.

“Now”—nodded Django Barón—”I fight by your side, Black Jack.” And charged into the fray.

Jack gripped his staff and ran with the bull.

A fierce yowl erupted from the cat’s throat as he joined the fight. The feral tom hit one of the dwarves like a bladed tornado, claws striking faster than Jack could see. Side by side, the croc and the cat battled. By the time Jack and Django arrived, there were no dwarves left to fight. A single moment of relief, then the well of the tower roared.

Every dwarf in the citadel pounded up the stairs toward them. The Red Dwarves had climbed the tower stairs from the day they could walk and came two and three steps at a time. Black eyes glowed red as they charged, bellowing for blood.

Rooker Flynn finally regained his feet, gawking at the coming rush of Reds. The pirate gritted his teeth; Bessie sang in his hand. “Well, if we’re going, let’s go!” He threw himself at the enemy.

Steel met steel in violence. Django charged to the fore, taking the brunt of the onslaught; his mighty axe tore through the Red Dwarves. Beneath the bull’s horns, Li-Bao whirled, felling the ones that still stood. As Jack joined the fight, he heard the loud voice of Abrahim Qin: Hit them, boy! Hit them!

Arrows sprang up from below. A second force of Reds had taken up position across the chasm on the downward side of the spiral. An arrow impaled Li-Bao’s shoulder. The lizard didn’t seem to notice, hacking furiously at the dwarves nearby. A second volley of crossbows twanged. Jack saw a bolt come right for him. Panicking, he threw up his arm, and the missile bounced aside as it struck the bright flash of Valerian’s skidshield. Chance was hit and staggered. Another Red struck him. Jack smashed the thing across the face, but a third clubbed the jinx’s chest with a heavy mace. The feral tom toppled backward toward the abyss. Jack grabbed for him, narrowly missed his furry hand, and Chance fell.

He flailed, grappling air. The jinx’s tail spun, falling, his body twisting as only a cat’s could. One paw snatched the rock ledge below. Chance uumphed, claws scrabbling at the edge, legs dangling over the abyss. Above him, the Red archers took aim on their new and helpless prey.

The one-eyed croc backed into the wall, his tail coiling against the stone. “Damn cats,” spat Li-Bao, and launched himself into the air. He hurtled across the abyss—fully outstretched from the tip of his blade to the tip of his flickering tail.

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