Everflame by Dylan Peters Read Free Book Online

him as he looked toward the sky. Immediately, he felt the searing pain of fangs in his flesh. All four wolves were upon him, hanging from his body. The weight was immense and it took all his strength to remain upright. Slowly, he gained his balance and took a step toward the fire, then he took another step and another. The crowd stared in awe as Eveneye, carrying four immense wolves, took one final step toward the fire and then fell backward upon it. The two wolves on his back were crushed between Eveneye and the burning wood. They relinquished their hold, and as soon as they did, Eveneye rolled. He then pushed himself up and off of the wolves that were on his stomach, crushing them against the fire as well. Eveneye was off of the blaze but the fur on his legs was on fire. He rolled on the arena floor and smothered it. The wolves were dead, but Eveneye had suffered severe burns on his legs.
    He limped over to the johnball and picked it up in his mouth. The crowd began to cheer. They routed Eveneye onward as he limped , with the ball in his mouth, all the way to his goal. Once Eveneye had crossed the opponent’s territory line, he dropped the johnball and called out to Irontooth.
    “Irontooth! Tell my Kingdom to cheer louder! For my victory is their own!”
    Irontooth stood from his chair and turned his back on the arena.
    “It is time that I end this,” h e uttered through clenched teeth. Irontooth began to leave his box, but stopped short and stared at Goldenheart and Whiteclaw. Then he turned to one of his guards.
    “ When I have taken the life of that traitor, kill those two.”
    “Yes, S ire,” answered the guard.
    The crowd continued to cheer Eveneye and as he stood on the floor of the arena , he felt his strength waning. I shall not fail , thought Eveneye. Just one last challenge.
    The horns sounded and the gate opened again. This time , Irontooth himself walked into the arena. The crowd quieted instantly, as if suddenly aware that their cheers for Eveneye had also been cheers against their King. Irontooth was bigger than Eveneye and as he walked toward the wounded bear, it was evident that rage was also on his side.
    Eveneye closed his eyes and pictured his wife. He loved her more than anything in the world. He would not let her life continue without him, having to bare his disgrace. He would not leave her with that burden. The bear thought of his wife being shunned from the Kingdom and a fire rose in his belly. He gritted his teeth, furrowed his brow and opened his eyes. Irontooth stood directly in front of him and unleashed his wrath.
    Irontooth swung and caught Eveneye on the side of the head with his paw, knocking him to the ground. He followed with another blow to Eveneye’s ribs and then stepped on one of his burned legs. The pain was unbearable and the bear cried out. He rolled away from Irontooth, narrowly missing another blow to the head. Irontooth, however, would not let him escape. He pounced on Eveneye, pinning him on his back. Blow after blow came to Eveneye’s head.  His wounds had weakened him. Eveneye’s vision began to blur as blood dripped into his eyes. Irontooth had control. Eveneye was going to die. He could hear Goldenheart cry out from far above as he drifted away.
    Eveneye’s mind drifted far above the scene of his wife , walking through the roads of the kingdom. Bears, along the sides of the road, were assaulting her with slurs and pelting her with rotting food. Whiteclaw wasn’t far behind her, being taunted by children and stabbed at with spears. They were being banished from the mountain, sent far from the light of the Everflame, far from their home. Storm clouds formed in the sky and lightning flashed in the distance. At the top of Gray Mountain, the Everflame burned and upon its pyre, laid the body of a small boy.
    “No, ” grunted Eveneye. He opened his eyes to see Irontooth on top of him, afire with vengeance.
    “What did you say, you maggot?”
    “I said, no.”
    Eveneye