Sword Destiny by Robert Leader Read Free Book Online Page A

fleet in pursuit and Antar is only waiting for Zela to take command. She is the natural choice to lead this mission.”
    â€œAnd Kananda will return also?” Kaseem felt a sudden surge of elation.
    â€œI think I can promise you that. But now, my love, I think that you must make the attempt to return to Earth. We do not know how long you have been absent, or how long your physical body can survive in the separation state without you. If your body dies before your spirit can return, you will be lost.”

Chapter Three
    It was the second day of the greatest conflict the world had ever known. The earth trembled as the armies of Maghalla and Karakhor charged at each other, and the battle chariots of the champions again rushed forth to seek out their opposite numbers. Men, elephants and horses all screamed together in fury, in fear and in pain. The sky was dark with soaring flights of javelins and arrows. Weapons and shields crashed in a thunder of flashing steel. The red gore flowed and the fallen were crushed or trampled under the chariot wheels, the flying hooves, the lunging tusks and the great stamping feet of the war elephants. For most men in the horror of it all, there was no room for thought, for quarter or for mercy. Each man fought terrified for his own survival.
    The proud banner of the golden hawk flew high above the rest, where Prince Sanjay rode the back of Huthar, the largest elephant in the field, a monstrous black beast with blood-reddened tusks three times the length of a man. The animal’s great black ears fanned out on either side of him, like flapping leather shields that slapped away most of the arrows aimed at Sanjay’s swaying form. His trunk was raised in a soul-shrinking scream and his hot eyes blazed. Nothing could stand before that terrible charge and the ranks of chariots and men seemed to melt before it. Sanjay aimed for the centre of the battle and stood poised with one of his deadly javelins ready to throw. He was seeking the banner of the black leopard and his target was Sardar.
    It was not to be. The black leopard banner flew far behind the intervening ranks of men and chariots as Sardar directed his forces from a safe distance. He knew that, following the death of Kara-Rashna, the wrath of Karakhor would be at its highest level and he was taking no chances.
    Even so, Sanjay might have reached him, had not a Maghallan war elephant screamed its challenge. It was another bull, almost as large as Huthar, which suddenly appeared on their right flank. Foot soldiers were pounded into the earth and a chariot was smashed to splinters, its luckless driver hurled high in the air as the second bull charged. Huthar wheeled to meet the attack and both Sanjay and his driver had to cling desperately to their seats and harness to avoid being flung skyward in their turn. The two beasts met in an almighty crash of bone, tusk and muscle.
    Huthar’s longer tusks won the day, the heavy points ripping into the Maghallan elephant at the chest and shoulder, hooking and turning it aside before its own tusks could reach. The rival bull screamed its death agony, and then the massive steel spike attached to the head harness that protected Huthar’s forehead and eyes was ramming into its helpless flank. The Maghallan elephant went down on its knees, pouring blood from its wounds, and its fighting rider and driver were both hurled down into the churning dust.
    Sanjay hung on grimly with his one good arm, losing half of his store of javelins as they were spilled out of the rope racks beside him. His driver was catapulted forward, his mouth open in a horrified wail as he sailed spread-eagled over the heads of both elephants to land impaled on the surrounding sea of clashing steel. Huthar backed up and then raised his head in a fearsome, trumpeting blast of triumph. While the elephant steadied, Sanjay rose upright on its broad back, searched again in vain for the black leopard of Sardar, and then began