Read Online Fight And The Fury (Book 8) by Craig Halloran - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Craig Halloran
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need to kill them,” Brenwar said.
“Easier said than done,” Shum said. “I’ve seen dragons fly with a dozen arrows in them. I’ve even seen heavy crossbow bolts skip off their bellies. That’s why we go for the wings. It makes them mad, but it slows them.”
“Alright then,” Nath said, “then let’s get moving.” He then said to Bayzog, “And I expect you to come up with something to deal with those dragons before we find those gnomes.”
“I will,” Bayzog reassured him.
Nath nodded, headed for the cliffs. He halted at the sound of a blood-curdling cry.
“That was one of mine,” Shum decried. He rushed towards the sound, swift as a gazelle.
Nath kept close a half step behind.
In seconds, they arrived at the spot in the rocks were the scream came from.
“NO!” Shum cried out, rushing to his friend’s aid. It was too late.
The Ranger was mauled to pieces.
CHAPTER 17
The Roaming Rangers, steely in resolve, had long looks on their stony faces. Shum and Hoven knelt beside their fallen brother, laid on hands, and began chanting in ancient Elvish. As they did, other Roaming Rangers filed in, smooth in gait, bright elven steel on their broad hips. A dark fire burned in their eyes. They joined the chanting.
Bayzog closed his eyes and did some chanting of his own, and a magical shield covered the mourning Wilder Elves. He beckoned everyone closer.
Brenwar and Ben moved in closer only because Nath did, they were so entranced by the ritual.
Nath felt a pit inside his gut. He recalled the last time a Roaming Ranger fell. Shum. Somehow, Sansla Libor had brought him back from the dead. He checked the sky. There was no sign of the winged ape, but the dragons crowed evil sounds. Mocking. Taunting. But it was not them who had done this. It was something else.
Over a minute had passed when Shum stood up again and said, “He is gone.” Some of the Roaming Rangers lifted the bloody body of their brother and vanished into the woods. “They will return, shortly,” Shum said, watching them go. “And then we shall hunt this menace down and end it.”
The Roaming Rangers Shum and Hoven, dressed in heavy cloaks and woodland garb, stood broad and rangy. Long flaxen hair braided and beaded. Well-framed, broad, rugged as the wilderness they called home.
Nath had no doubt that whatever took their brother would pay, if he let them chase after it, but he thought that might not be the best plan.
“We have a plan to save the gnomes from Barnabus,” Nath reminded them, eyeing the cliffs while another dragon dove, landed, and began prowling the ledges. “And we need to act quickly, regardless of the circumstance. What do you suggest, Shum?”
Roaming Rangers were hard to read, both Shum and his brother Hoven. But what Nath could not see, he could feel. Anger. Anxiousness. The Roaming Rangers wanted to let loose on something. Nath couldn’t blame them.
Shum’s long fingers drummed the hilts of his swords. Eyeing the sky, he said, “You and I will still go up. Hoven will stay here and keep an eye on the rest.” His narrow eyes scanned the woods. “Whatever skulks in these woods, we’ll be ready for next time.”
“Are you sure?” Nath said.
“We are Roaming Rangers, young dragon,” Shum said, whisking out his swords. “We pledge our lives to the greater good of Nalzambor. Chaldun’s death honors his life.” Without another word, he sprinted for the cliffs.
***
Bayzog’s mouth hung open. He wanted to speak with Nath. Instead, he found himself gaping at Nath and Shum’s sprint for the cliffs. The pair of warriors didn’t slow, climbing the brush-heavy cliff-face like a pair of monkeys. He’d never seen men so large move so fast and fluidly.
“What are ye thinking, elf?” Brenwar said, holding a large rock on his shoulder.
“I’m thinking we need to stay close,” he said. “I believe our enemies are determined to divide our forces.”
“That’s what I would do,”
“Easier said than done,” Shum said. “I’ve seen dragons fly with a dozen arrows in them. I’ve even seen heavy crossbow bolts skip off their bellies. That’s why we go for the wings. It makes them mad, but it slows them.”
“Alright then,” Nath said, “then let’s get moving.” He then said to Bayzog, “And I expect you to come up with something to deal with those dragons before we find those gnomes.”
“I will,” Bayzog reassured him.
Nath nodded, headed for the cliffs. He halted at the sound of a blood-curdling cry.
“That was one of mine,” Shum decried. He rushed towards the sound, swift as a gazelle.
Nath kept close a half step behind.
In seconds, they arrived at the spot in the rocks were the scream came from.
“NO!” Shum cried out, rushing to his friend’s aid. It was too late.
The Ranger was mauled to pieces.
CHAPTER 17
The Roaming Rangers, steely in resolve, had long looks on their stony faces. Shum and Hoven knelt beside their fallen brother, laid on hands, and began chanting in ancient Elvish. As they did, other Roaming Rangers filed in, smooth in gait, bright elven steel on their broad hips. A dark fire burned in their eyes. They joined the chanting.
Bayzog closed his eyes and did some chanting of his own, and a magical shield covered the mourning Wilder Elves. He beckoned everyone closer.
Brenwar and Ben moved in closer only because Nath did, they were so entranced by the ritual.
Nath felt a pit inside his gut. He recalled the last time a Roaming Ranger fell. Shum. Somehow, Sansla Libor had brought him back from the dead. He checked the sky. There was no sign of the winged ape, but the dragons crowed evil sounds. Mocking. Taunting. But it was not them who had done this. It was something else.
Over a minute had passed when Shum stood up again and said, “He is gone.” Some of the Roaming Rangers lifted the bloody body of their brother and vanished into the woods. “They will return, shortly,” Shum said, watching them go. “And then we shall hunt this menace down and end it.”
The Roaming Rangers Shum and Hoven, dressed in heavy cloaks and woodland garb, stood broad and rangy. Long flaxen hair braided and beaded. Well-framed, broad, rugged as the wilderness they called home.
Nath had no doubt that whatever took their brother would pay, if he let them chase after it, but he thought that might not be the best plan.
“We have a plan to save the gnomes from Barnabus,” Nath reminded them, eyeing the cliffs while another dragon dove, landed, and began prowling the ledges. “And we need to act quickly, regardless of the circumstance. What do you suggest, Shum?”
Roaming Rangers were hard to read, both Shum and his brother Hoven. But what Nath could not see, he could feel. Anger. Anxiousness. The Roaming Rangers wanted to let loose on something. Nath couldn’t blame them.
Shum’s long fingers drummed the hilts of his swords. Eyeing the sky, he said, “You and I will still go up. Hoven will stay here and keep an eye on the rest.” His narrow eyes scanned the woods. “Whatever skulks in these woods, we’ll be ready for next time.”
“Are you sure?” Nath said.
“We are Roaming Rangers, young dragon,” Shum said, whisking out his swords. “We pledge our lives to the greater good of Nalzambor. Chaldun’s death honors his life.” Without another word, he sprinted for the cliffs.
***
Bayzog’s mouth hung open. He wanted to speak with Nath. Instead, he found himself gaping at Nath and Shum’s sprint for the cliffs. The pair of warriors didn’t slow, climbing the brush-heavy cliff-face like a pair of monkeys. He’d never seen men so large move so fast and fluidly.
“What are ye thinking, elf?” Brenwar said, holding a large rock on his shoulder.
“I’m thinking we need to stay close,” he said. “I believe our enemies are determined to divide our forces.”
“That’s what I would do,”
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