The Iron Ring by Auston Habershaw Read Free Book Online Page A

noted, was a bruised heap on the floor. Tyvian raised his hands. “It’s not too late to come along quietly, is it?”
    Alafarr’s lip curled. “Tyvian Reldamar, I’ll see you in—­”
    The Mage Defender’s words were suddenly drowned out by the spine-­tingling bass of the gnoll’s growl. They had all heard it consistently since arriving in the cargo car, but this time it was somewhat . . . closer. The sound was like a thundercloud looming overhead. All four of them froze, eyes wide.
    The gnoll was out of its cage.

 
    CHAPTER THREE
    WHAT TYVIAN DOES BEST
    A six-­and-­one-­half-­foot mass of fur and teeth pounced on one Defender, tackling him to the ground like a cat upon a rag doll. The man didn’t even have time to scream before the beast’s jaws tore out his throat. All thought of arresting or being arrested vanished from the thoughts of the others present. Tyvian, who liked to think himself calm under pressure, felt a sick, nauseous terror at the prospect of being devoured by a wild beast who no doubt had been underfed for who knew how long in its prison.
    Therefore, he found himself cheering on the second Defender. Rapier in hand, he performed a textbook lunge at the beast, aiming to spit it through the heart. In a show of unnerving animal dexterity, however, the creature darted forward, ducking under the blade, and grasped the man by the wrist . Before Tyvian could fully rationalize his horror that the thing had opposable thumbs, the gnoll pulled the Defender off-­balance, flipped him over its back, and charged at Alafarr, fangs bared. All its physical superiority, however, was no match for the power of a mage wielding the High Arts. Alafarr took a forceful step forward, thrust the tip of her staff at the beast, and spoke a word of power too nuanced for Tyvian to hear properly. A blue light burst from the staff, striking the gnoll in the chest, and propelled it across the cargo car and through the door opposite into the snowy night beyond.
    Tyvian and Alafarr stood silently for a moment, looking at the black hole where the gnoll had gone, and regathered their calm. Tyvian regathered first, and remembered the three crystal spheres he had in his hand. “Alafarr,” he said, tossing one of them, “catch!”
    Alafarr blinked and caught it with her free hand. As soon as the sphere touched her, it popped like a soap bubble, and her mageglass armor—­fashioned, as all mageglass, from Dweomeric sorcery given physical form—­disappeared in a sudden puff of ozone. The mage swore and rubbed her hand on her breeches, as though hoping to dissipate any further effects. “Antispell!” she yelled to the other Defender. “He’s got antispell!”
    Tyvian was already moving. As the remaining Defender struggled to get up, Tyvian kicked the rapier out of his hand and scooped it up as he ran past. He looked back to see Alafarr sputtering in frustration as she tried to pull enough energy from the surrounding air to overcome the antispell. Chuckling, Tyvian ducked out of the cargo car.
    Barricading the door behind him, he sprinted down the length of the spirit engine, making for his cabin to collect his belongings, and then to the end of the engine, where he hoped to leap off into the night. He barreled into the dining car and hit the floor just before the frame was splintered apart from a trio of explosive crossbow bolts; three Defenders, clad in their glittering armor, had set up a defensive position out of overturned furniture. Tyvian rolled underneath a nearby table while the men reloaded. “Dammit!” He yelled, noting the thick dust clinging to his shirt. “This floor is disgusting !”
    An enchanted crossbow bolt splintered the table into kindling. Tyvian dove to another one, with two more bolts missing him by mere inches. He was running out of cover, and with Alafarr not far behind, he decided drastic