Read Online Embers of an Age (Blood War Trilogy) by Tim Marquitz - Free Book Online
Authors: Tim Marquitz
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Ruhr went down without a fight, Arrin riding it the entire way. The creature crashed face first into the earth and Arrin leapt free, rolling to his feet and turning to face the remaining Ruhr. Seven still stood, those in the distance drawing closer. Those nearest were unrelenting. They raced forward again.
Arrin shifted to dodge a blow but there were two of the Ruhr before him. He sidestepped the first and moved directly into the path of the second. A stone fist slammed into his left shoulder. It was like running into a mountain. Pain flared , and then gratefully went numb , as he was knocked to the dirt, landing several yards from where he was struck. He crawled to his knees as Kirah engaged his opponents, his arm hanging limp at his side. There was no time to worry if it was broken. He jumped up and charged back into the fray just as Kirah was knocked away. A glancing blow caught her side and flung her into the trees. Arrin saw her roll and take control of her fall, confirming she was unharmed. He turned back to the battle.
Zalee and Jerul danced before the Ruhr, casting strikes of opportunity at the creature’s heads but the mass of them made it difficult. Jerul parried aside two attempts to strike him, but the third slipped past, Arrin still feet away.
The Yvir let out a strangled shout as he was struck in the chest. The downward force of the blow slammed Jerul’s back hard into the ground and the snap of shattered bones filled the air . He groaned and rolled limply to his side as he tried to catch his breath . Zalee stepped in and batted aside the follow up blow from the Ruhr, but her feet became entangled on Jerul and she stumbled into the line of the creatures. She was pulled into their midst.
Arrin shifted targets at the last instant, sickened by his choice, but Zalee needed him more. He leapt past the Ruhr that hovered over Jerul and slammed his sword through the skull of one that turned to assail the Sha’ree. His sword sunk in with a grinding scrape that rang in his ears . The Ruhr crumpled into his companions. Arrin saw several of the stone fist s crash into Zalee as he struggled to pull his sword loose of its rocky sheath.
Before he could free it, a shadow flickered in his peripheral vision. He leaned away from the incoming fist, but it had come too quickly. Stone knuckles scraped across his cheek and jaw and spun him away with its force. His face struck the ground and he inhaled the dust of Hespayrin soil, its blackness invading his lungs. He coughed and rolled to his knees to see he’d landed beside Jerul. Kirah came to stand over him. The Ruhr that felled the Yvir loomed several feet away . Cael sat bare-chested on its shoulders , his tunic wrapped about the creature’s head as though it were reins , while Domor did his best to bring the Ruhr down with his Yviri sword. It clanged uselessly against the creature’s back.
Arrin clenched his teeth and felt the crunch of sand in his mouth . H e looked back to Zalee. Two of the Ruhr had pulled her to her feet, each holding an arm out to her side s . She was covered in blood that seemed to run from everywhere. Her flesh was shaded in black and red, her head hanging limp at her chest. The Ruhr at her arms turned and started to drag her from the fight.
“Get her. I’ll protect the boy,” Kirah shouted.
Arrin wasted no time. He raced to stop them, but the remaining Ruhr blocked his path. His sword flickered like a serpent’s tongue, slicing shards of stone from the creatures but they crowded close and pressed. Grazing strikes knocked him about as he tried to catch his rhythm, sending spears of agony lancing through his body.
He heard the slap of stone against meat and heard muffled shout s behind him. Arrin leapt from the Ruhr to give him space and looked to the sound. Kirah clutched to a tree, her free hand at her head. Tendrils of b lood trickled between her fingers. Cael lay on the ground yards from the Ruhr he’d been riding. The boy scrambled to
Arrin shifted to dodge a blow but there were two of the Ruhr before him. He sidestepped the first and moved directly into the path of the second. A stone fist slammed into his left shoulder. It was like running into a mountain. Pain flared , and then gratefully went numb , as he was knocked to the dirt, landing several yards from where he was struck. He crawled to his knees as Kirah engaged his opponents, his arm hanging limp at his side. There was no time to worry if it was broken. He jumped up and charged back into the fray just as Kirah was knocked away. A glancing blow caught her side and flung her into the trees. Arrin saw her roll and take control of her fall, confirming she was unharmed. He turned back to the battle.
Zalee and Jerul danced before the Ruhr, casting strikes of opportunity at the creature’s heads but the mass of them made it difficult. Jerul parried aside two attempts to strike him, but the third slipped past, Arrin still feet away.
The Yvir let out a strangled shout as he was struck in the chest. The downward force of the blow slammed Jerul’s back hard into the ground and the snap of shattered bones filled the air . He groaned and rolled limply to his side as he tried to catch his breath . Zalee stepped in and batted aside the follow up blow from the Ruhr, but her feet became entangled on Jerul and she stumbled into the line of the creatures. She was pulled into their midst.
Arrin shifted targets at the last instant, sickened by his choice, but Zalee needed him more. He leapt past the Ruhr that hovered over Jerul and slammed his sword through the skull of one that turned to assail the Sha’ree. His sword sunk in with a grinding scrape that rang in his ears . The Ruhr crumpled into his companions. Arrin saw several of the stone fist s crash into Zalee as he struggled to pull his sword loose of its rocky sheath.
Before he could free it, a shadow flickered in his peripheral vision. He leaned away from the incoming fist, but it had come too quickly. Stone knuckles scraped across his cheek and jaw and spun him away with its force. His face struck the ground and he inhaled the dust of Hespayrin soil, its blackness invading his lungs. He coughed and rolled to his knees to see he’d landed beside Jerul. Kirah came to stand over him. The Ruhr that felled the Yvir loomed several feet away . Cael sat bare-chested on its shoulders , his tunic wrapped about the creature’s head as though it were reins , while Domor did his best to bring the Ruhr down with his Yviri sword. It clanged uselessly against the creature’s back.
Arrin clenched his teeth and felt the crunch of sand in his mouth . H e looked back to Zalee. Two of the Ruhr had pulled her to her feet, each holding an arm out to her side s . She was covered in blood that seemed to run from everywhere. Her flesh was shaded in black and red, her head hanging limp at her chest. The Ruhr at her arms turned and started to drag her from the fight.
“Get her. I’ll protect the boy,” Kirah shouted.
Arrin wasted no time. He raced to stop them, but the remaining Ruhr blocked his path. His sword flickered like a serpent’s tongue, slicing shards of stone from the creatures but they crowded close and pressed. Grazing strikes knocked him about as he tried to catch his rhythm, sending spears of agony lancing through his body.
He heard the slap of stone against meat and heard muffled shout s behind him. Arrin leapt from the Ruhr to give him space and looked to the sound. Kirah clutched to a tree, her free hand at her head. Tendrils of b lood trickled between her fingers. Cael lay on the ground yards from the Ruhr he’d been riding. The boy scrambled to
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