The Dragon's Wrath: Shadows in the Flame by Brent Roth Read Free Book Online Page A

back, sinking my left arm and forearm underneath its jaw. Elbow lined up with its nose and with my right elbow tucked down behind its back, I pulled and tightened with all of my might as the creature attempted to buck me off by twisting violently from side to side.
    Struggling with me on its back, it frantically clawed at my arms but I ignored the small chunks of flesh being ripped off as I transitioned into the final step, securing the choke with my left hand resting on my right bicep and with my right hand behind its head. Squeezing and pulling my arms in tighter, I held the lock as the creature’s movements began to slow. The grunts and huffs of the creature attempting to breathe while constricted soon grew quieter as the sluggish resistance had all but ceased.
    Collapsing first to its knees and then falling face-first into the snow, not more than ten seconds had passed since I locked in. Relaxing my grip as I released my bloodied and mangled arms from around its throat, the scene was rather gruesome. Blood was pouring out of the multiple wounds and down onto the frost troll’s white fur.
    Standing back, I gathered a golden-white energy between my palms and let it shine down on me. The cleansing warmth of a [Holy Light] rapidly reduced the pain and stopped the hemorrhaging of my one slit wrist almost immediately. My overall health relatively fine, I skipped a secondary heal as I began to inspect the creature splayed out in front of me. No visible wounds on the body, relatively healthy looking, and clean white fur minus the portions where my blood had drenched it. All in all, an interesting specimen.
    Opening the combat log, I wanted to see how much damage each strike did, if it did any at all. The details within showed that the creature was losing stamina for every second under my choke and once it hit zero, it began to suffocate. Similar to drowning.
    Similar to how I killed Milly.
    Though the most interesting thing was that I didn’t gain any experience this time around. Mainly because it was still alive.
    I released as soon as it fell.
    This unconscious creature wasn’t for me. No, this creature was for research… this was a training tool for the weak NPCs that needed to get stronger. They weren’t far away now.
    “LOCATION!” I shouted at the top of my lungs.
    Waiting a few seconds for the sound to travel as the blizzard had ceased, it wasn’t long before a faint call was heard in return. Repeating my call, each group returned a reply that became progressively louder. After five calls, they were here.
    “Sir Sig- …wh-what is THAT?!” said a bewildered Astrid as she gasped and nearly stumbled onto it. Landing next to the creature, she placed a hand on it as she helped herself up. Then a second later the realization set in.
    “OH MY GODS ITS STILL BREATHING!” she screamed hysterically.
    All of my troops jumped back and formed a loose perimeter around the creature with their arms and hands held at waist-height in case they needed to quickly act. Scared, confused of what was before them, they hesitated. I didn’t blame their caution.
    They were allowed to be wary.
    Though the question remained, were they more scared of the creature… or of me?
    “Form up in a firing line,” I declared calmly and with a deadpan delivery as I stared at the troll beneath me. “When I give the signal, I want you all to hit this creature with your strongest spell. If you don’t have a spell, then you use that bow on your back.”
    Letting them all get into position first, I then leaned over and punched the troll in its face as it reacted to the hit and began to twitch. Nose wiggling first, then a crack of the jaw and a wince from an eye. Taking a step back and out of the firing path, I watched as the troll slowly woke up and started to get back to its feet.
    Nervous faces surrounded me as they waited with bows drawn and spells held at the ready. I was waiting for it to face them though. I was waiting for it to witness its