Read Online Knights: Book 01 - The Eye of Divinity by Robert E. Keller - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Robert E. Keller
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boredom, I guess."
"Let us hope they're not Goblin Lords," said Cordus, drawing his broadsword. "That's the last thing we need right now."
"Not likely," said Taris. "No Goblin Lord has ever been spotted near the Middle Bloodlands. But anything is possible, I suppose."
Cordus shook his head. "Before breakfast, Sambar described, for me alone, Goblins that resembled Lords. A Ranger spotted them on the road. I fear they might be planning to finish us off before we reach Dremlock."
"I'll bet they're waiting for us to pass through the North Gate," said Furlus. "Then they will try to ambush us."
"You should have told us earlier," said Taris, shooting Cordus an angry glance. "Why did you wait?"
"I didn't want to scare the boy," said Cordus.
"But if these are indeed Goblin Lords we're dealing with," said Taris, "then we should have been watching for them."
"We were staying alert, regardless," said Cordus. "I intended to tell you, but the hours slipped past quickly."
Lannon glanced about, but all he could see was mist. His hands clenched Taris' cloak so hard his fingers ached. He thought he could feel yellow eyes peering out at him, teeth and claws ready to rip the flesh from his bones like they had done to the merchant. He began to tremble, suddenly wishing he were safely back in Knights Valley or at Dremlock Kingdom--anywhere but in the Bloodlands.
"Calm yourself, Lannon," Taris said to him. "We will protect you."
"Draw your sword, Lannon," Cordus commanded.
"What?" said Lannon. "You mean... ? "
"You ride with Knights," said Cordus. "You are expected to fight with us if need be. You wanted the sword, and now it is yours. Thus, we no longer protect an unarmed lad. Now, draw your sword!"
With a trembling hand, Lannon drew the bone sword from the sheath at his belt. It felt cumbersome and useless in his grasp. He had no desire to test his skill against the Goblins.
Cordus nodded to him. "You will fight only when ordered to, however. Is that understood?"
"It is definitely understood," said Lannon, breathing a sigh of relief.
The Knights stared off into the mist, and exchanged concerned glances. Grim tension hung between them. Even the horses seemed to feel it, for they whinnied nervously.
The land crept upward and then flattened. The mist thinned, revealing two huge boulders on either side of the road. Smaller boulders lay just beyond them, barely visible in the fog. Thick Iracus roots clung to the two big rocks, hanging off them like ragged spider webs, their strands disappearing into the mist.
"The North Gate," Cordus said quietly. "The Hills lie not far beyond. This is where the Goblins will probably make their attack."
Taris rode up alongside him. "I sense the Goblins are close." The sorcerer pulled a stone dagger from his cloak, and it erupted into greenish flames.
Just then, a tall figure walked from the mist. It was a Foul Brother--yet certainly not one of normal intelligence (which for a Foul Brother was virtually no intelligence at all). It wore a black cloak and carried a twisted wooden staff. It was powerfully built, with hands and feet that were slightly larger than those of a human, and its head was bald, with deep lines in its forehead. Its dark eyes--usually sad and dumb on these creatures--were narrowed with focus. A single red rune was painted on its forehead.
Lurking behind it were two dark, wolf-like Goblins with tails and claws, their green eyes shining wickedly. They held back, standing on their crooked hind legs, just barely visible in the fog. The humanoid Goblin walked between the two great boulders and stood facing them in the road. It raised the staff menacingly.
"A Lord!" Taris whispered.
Cordus held forth his broadsword. The blade gleamed brightly--almost white--as if charged with pale energy.
"Stand aside," Cordus ordered the Goblin Lord. "You dare block the path of Divine Knights? We are on important business."
The Goblin snorted with laughter. A whisper curled out from it like icy
"Let us hope they're not Goblin Lords," said Cordus, drawing his broadsword. "That's the last thing we need right now."
"Not likely," said Taris. "No Goblin Lord has ever been spotted near the Middle Bloodlands. But anything is possible, I suppose."
Cordus shook his head. "Before breakfast, Sambar described, for me alone, Goblins that resembled Lords. A Ranger spotted them on the road. I fear they might be planning to finish us off before we reach Dremlock."
"I'll bet they're waiting for us to pass through the North Gate," said Furlus. "Then they will try to ambush us."
"You should have told us earlier," said Taris, shooting Cordus an angry glance. "Why did you wait?"
"I didn't want to scare the boy," said Cordus.
"But if these are indeed Goblin Lords we're dealing with," said Taris, "then we should have been watching for them."
"We were staying alert, regardless," said Cordus. "I intended to tell you, but the hours slipped past quickly."
Lannon glanced about, but all he could see was mist. His hands clenched Taris' cloak so hard his fingers ached. He thought he could feel yellow eyes peering out at him, teeth and claws ready to rip the flesh from his bones like they had done to the merchant. He began to tremble, suddenly wishing he were safely back in Knights Valley or at Dremlock Kingdom--anywhere but in the Bloodlands.
"Calm yourself, Lannon," Taris said to him. "We will protect you."
"Draw your sword, Lannon," Cordus commanded.
"What?" said Lannon. "You mean... ? "
"You ride with Knights," said Cordus. "You are expected to fight with us if need be. You wanted the sword, and now it is yours. Thus, we no longer protect an unarmed lad. Now, draw your sword!"
With a trembling hand, Lannon drew the bone sword from the sheath at his belt. It felt cumbersome and useless in his grasp. He had no desire to test his skill against the Goblins.
Cordus nodded to him. "You will fight only when ordered to, however. Is that understood?"
"It is definitely understood," said Lannon, breathing a sigh of relief.
The Knights stared off into the mist, and exchanged concerned glances. Grim tension hung between them. Even the horses seemed to feel it, for they whinnied nervously.
The land crept upward and then flattened. The mist thinned, revealing two huge boulders on either side of the road. Smaller boulders lay just beyond them, barely visible in the fog. Thick Iracus roots clung to the two big rocks, hanging off them like ragged spider webs, their strands disappearing into the mist.
"The North Gate," Cordus said quietly. "The Hills lie not far beyond. This is where the Goblins will probably make their attack."
Taris rode up alongside him. "I sense the Goblins are close." The sorcerer pulled a stone dagger from his cloak, and it erupted into greenish flames.
Just then, a tall figure walked from the mist. It was a Foul Brother--yet certainly not one of normal intelligence (which for a Foul Brother was virtually no intelligence at all). It wore a black cloak and carried a twisted wooden staff. It was powerfully built, with hands and feet that were slightly larger than those of a human, and its head was bald, with deep lines in its forehead. Its dark eyes--usually sad and dumb on these creatures--were narrowed with focus. A single red rune was painted on its forehead.
Lurking behind it were two dark, wolf-like Goblins with tails and claws, their green eyes shining wickedly. They held back, standing on their crooked hind legs, just barely visible in the fog. The humanoid Goblin walked between the two great boulders and stood facing them in the road. It raised the staff menacingly.
"A Lord!" Taris whispered.
Cordus held forth his broadsword. The blade gleamed brightly--almost white--as if charged with pale energy.
"Stand aside," Cordus ordered the Goblin Lord. "You dare block the path of Divine Knights? We are on important business."
The Goblin snorted with laughter. A whisper curled out from it like icy
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