The Dragon of Time: Gods and Dragons by Aaron Dennis Read Free Book Online Page A

colored filigree graced
black steel creases. The two-handed mace in the man’s hands was
also unfamiliar. This man—whoever he was—was not a soldier of Zmaj
or Kulshedra. Scar sat up to scramble back, but the man smashed a
heavy boot onto the mercenary’s shin before following up with a
right-to-left bash of his mace. Blood flew from Scar’s mouth as the
blow knocked him back into the soil.
    “Unholy creature, I will cleanse you from
Tiamhaal,” the black knight breathed.
    When the knight went for the deathblow, Scar
kicked the attacker’s feet out and the knight went down so hard
that a cloud of dust nearly obscured him from sight. That time, it
was the enemy who sat up in time to see Scar’s massive fist smash
into his crowned helmet.
    “Ouch!” Scar griped, but the blow was
sufficient to buy some time. The mercenary caught his bearings. In
quick observation, he noted the armor was definitely a problem.
“Who are you? Did Dumar send you? Gilgamesh?” Scar yelled.
    The black knight swung the mace over his head
and at Scar’s knees, and although the blow was avoided by a jump,
the knight had time to come to his feet. Leaning forward a bit and
clutching the mace in both hands, he gave his reply.
    “Lovenhaad, Paladin of Mekosh the Severe, and
I will kill you, ghost.”
    The odd, breathy voice of Lovenhaad was
unnerving, but there was no time to contemplate; the paladin
charged. Scar stopped the coming blow by gripping Lovenhaad’s
gauntleted hands at the strike’s apex. For a second, they were
evenly matched in strength, though the paladin was a hair shorter
and narrower even in his armor.
    “Severity,” Lovenhaad started, “is the only
guiding principle. You must be killed. Mekosh demands it.”
    Scar remained undaunted by the senseless
blathering and threw his knee into the attacker’s midsection. It
did little damage, but allowed the mercenary to step in, twist the
mace down and towards Lovenhaad to force him off balance, and then
Scar finally slung the weapon up with all his might. The mace’s
shaft struck Lovenhaad in the bottom portion of the helmet.
    “Dammit!” Scar grumbled.
    He followed the attack by striking both palms
into the paladin’s hips. The force sent Lovenhaad back to the
ground. Scar took a knee to rain fists into the enemy, but the
protective plating was simply too thick. The mercenary’s knuckles
were to bleed and even quicker to heal.
    Lovenhaad bucked his hips away from Scar and
aimed the pommel of his mace at his target’s chin; it was a near
miss and again they stood to scuffle. Grunts, curses, and groans
ensued coupled with dust kicking up around them. Then while the two
wrenched about, both gripping the mace, Lovenhaad cried out and
slumped to his knees.
    Scar was uncertain about what happened, but
felt the paladin’s strength wane. He ripped the mace away, swung
out an arc to gain momentum then struck the paladin perfectly
across the side of his helmet. Lovenhaad smashed against the ground
with a metallic clamor. He hissed while slowly trying to come away
from the soil. Scar’s head tilted in amazement; an arrow was
protruding from his opponent’s back. Wasting no more time, he
bashed the paladin’s head in with three quick strikes. The helmet
made an awful, wet smacking sound upon rupturing with brains.
    Letting the head of the bloodied mace rest
against the soil, Scar peered over the hills and dunes. The eastern
sky was starting to glow. He did not see anyone. Confused, angry,
and absolutely distraught by all that had come to pass in mere
weeks, he growled.
    “Where are you? Show yourself!”
    “Easy,” a voice to his right replied.
    Scar looked in that direction to see a man
rise up from the chaparral ground. His attire was comprised of
thick cloths the same color as the surroundings; dusty browns and
grays. It was difficult to tell, but he looked Kulshedran. A
strange bow was slung over his shoulder; there were several metal
strings comprised of fine