Clash of Heroes: Nath Dragon meets The Darkslayer by Craig Halloran Read Free Book Online Page B

slowed him down. His chops became sluggish. The underlings, in quick, accurate flashes, overwhelmed the man with quick-striking steel. The lights went out in his eyes, and he sagged to the ground.
    That left the lead rider and his blood-coated longsword.
    The Badoon leader faced off with the man and chittered a command to the other underlings. The throng of wiry fighters stayed their weapons and encircled the two.
    The man, stern and short bearded, filled his free hand with a dagger. “I might die, you black fiend, but you’ll die with me.”
    Spitting on the ground, the underling charged.
    Sword poised, the man parried. Clang! Clang!
    Fast and relentless, the underling struck blow after blow. The seasoned fighter slapped away every blow. With the ease of a cat toying with a mouse, the underling kept striking. It wasn’t long before the defending warrior’s breath labored and his shoulders drooped.
    Nath could see the end coming, but he was torn. What merited the men getting ambushed? And the slaughter of horses seemed to be a tactic that was uncalled for. It formed a knot in his stomach.
    The underling’s fine curved blade bit deep into the man’s wrist. His dagger fell to the ground.
    Grimacing, the man said, “Fool of a fiend! You may take me, but you will not take what is coming. Hear that, underling? Hear that?”
    Nath lurched in the bushes. A rumble came. The leaves on the trees started to shake. The thunder of hooves roared.
    Riders!
    The underling leader's blades darted in and skewered the man in the chest. He ripped them out again and turned. Riders, a dozen, galloped down the path. Spears were lowered. Elbows locked in place.
    The ambush wasn’t over. It had just begun.

 
    CHAPTER 13
     
     
    Horse hooves thundered down the path. Fighting men in heavy steel plowed into the underlings and skewered them with their long spears. Fearless, the underlings heaved themselves up on horse and rider and fought with wild fury. One warrior was dragged to the ground and overwhelmed by two of the stabbing little rat-men. It was far from enough.
    What are these underlings doing? They should retreat.
    Faces filled with hatred and rage, the underlings fought on with well-trained ferocity. Using everything at their disposal, they cut down the men from the horses.
    On their feet, the human fighters, superior in strength and armor, unloaded on the underlings with a heavy clash of steel.
    Quick as cats, the underlings jabbed sharp steel and drew blood. One underling cut open a man’s leg, only to overlook the man closing in on him. A sword split his face right between his ruby-red eyes.
    Something made Nath’s temper flare. He sprang into action. After bursting out of the foliage, he charged down into the ravine. With Fang in hand, he rushed the closest man. The man in battle-ravaged plate armor locked eyes with him and seemed to smile. Nath cut him down.
    The battle raged all around him. Nath carved a path through the men, trying to save underling after underling. Every fighter was in a frenzy, battle lust in every face. There was hatred in the air. Deep, fathomless hatred. Underlings screamed in fearless defiance as they fell under bloody steel.
    Nath cut. Slashed. Hacked. He found himself facing a bewildered human warrior, who said to him, “What kind of man defends these fiends?” The human, covered in blood and sweat, hefted his straight blade with two hands. “You have a black heart, you red-haired demon!”
    With Nath's blood fueled from what he assumed was battle, the man’s words didn’t register. Sword arcing high, he pounced. Fang collided with the man’s fine steel with jarring effect. The man's blade smacked into his own eyes. Dazed, the warrior let loose a wild swing. The blow should have been lethal, but on Nath it just clipped his scaled side as he spun away.
    After days of irritation, Nath turned loose his frustration. With a savage swing, he cut down the durable human fighter and charged the