A Rite of Swords (Book #7 in the Sorcerer's Ring) by Morgan Rice Read Free Book Online

city, into the mass
of thousands of men. The Destiny Sword vibrated in Thor’s hand like a living
thing, bearing him as if he were lighter than air. All he had to do was hold
on.
    Thor felt his arm and wrist and
body moving, slashing and attacking in every direction, the sword ringing
through the air as it cut through men like butter, killing dozens in a single
stroke. Thor spun and unleashed damage in every direction. At first, the Empire
tried to attack him back; but after Thor cut through shields, through armor,
through other weapons as if they were not even there, after he killed row after
row of men, they realized what they were up against: a magical, unstoppable
whirlwind of destruction.
    The city broke into chaos. The
thousands of Empire soldiers turned and tried to flee the city, to get away
from Thor. But there was nowhere to go. Led by the sword, Thor was too fast,
like lightning spreading through the city. The soldiers, panic-stricken, ran
into the city walls, into each other, stampeding to get out.
    Thor did not let them escape. He
sprinted through every corner of the city, the sword bearing him with a speed
unlike any he had ever known, and, as he thought of Gwendolyn, and what Andronicus
had done to her, he killed soldier after soldier, exacting vengeance. It was
time to rectify the wrongs that Andronicus had beset upon the Ring.
    Andronicus. His father. The
thought burned through him like a fire. With each sword slash, Thor imagined
killing him, wiping out his ancestry. Thor wanted to be someone else, from someone else. He wanted a father he could be proud of. Anyone but Andronicus.
And if he killed enough of these men, maybe, just maybe, he could be free of
him.
    Thor fought in a daze, wheeling
in every direction, until finally he realized he was slashing at nothing. He
looked around, and saw that every soldier, every single one of Andronicus’
thousands, lay on the ground, dead. The city was filled with bodies. There was
no one left to kill.
    Thor stood alone in the city
square, breathing hard, the Sword glowing in his hand, and not a soul stirred.
    Thor heard a distant cheer; he
snapped out of it, ran out the city gate and saw, in the distance, Kendrick’s
men, charging, pursuing the remnants of the army, pushing them back.
    As Thor sprinted out the city
gate, Mycoples saw him and descended, waiting for his return, Gwen still on her
back. Thor mounted the dragon, and they rose once again up into the air.
    They flew over Kendrick’s army
and Thor saw them from above, like ants below him. They cheered in victory as
he flew over them. Finally they were in front of Kendrick’s army, in front of
the great mass of men and horses and dust. Up ahead were the scattered remnants
of Andronicus’ legions.
    “Down,” Thor whispered.
    They dove and came upon the rear
of Andronicus’ men, and as they did Mycoples breathed fire, wiping out one row
after the next, the great wall of fire going ever faster. Screams arose, and
soon Thor wiped out the entire rear guard.
    Finally, there was no one left to
kill.
    They continued flying, crossing
the expansive plains, Thor wanting to be sure there was no one left. In the
distance Thor saw the great mountain range, the Highlands, dividing east the
East from the West. Between here and the Highlands there was not a single
Empire soldier alive. Thor was satisfied.
    The entire Western Kingdom of the
Ring had been liberated. It had been enough killing for one day. The sun began
to set, and whatever lay ahead, on the Eastern side of the Highlands, could lay
there for now.
    Thor circled and flew back
towards Kendrick. The countryside raced below him and soon he heard the shouts
and cheers of the men, looking up at the sky, cheering his name.
    He set down before the army,
dismounting and helping Gwendolyn down.
    They were embraced by the huge
group, all of them rushing forward, a great cheer of victory rising up as the
soldiers pressed in from all sides. Kendrick, Godfrey, Reece and