recover time and again. All the while, we circled high overhead. Prince Halgadin had ordered us to observe only. Maybe they were the king’s orders not to interfere.”
He absentmindedly sheathed his sword. “It was nearing nightfall and zombies began clambering down the rocks with goblins behind them. Twenty longships with ogres at the oars cruised down the coastline toward the Crusaders. The steamships sounded alarm whistles.”
He paused, wiped his dagger once more before sheathing it. “A company of men, firing their muzzleloaded rifles, dug in and held off the zombies while the last of the wounded left the shore. A Crusader priest shouted prayers to hold the zombies at bay, until a goblin pierced his heart with an arrow.”
Road Toad held out his hand for my sword. “Then the zombies fell upon them. Four stood with fixed bayonets on the shore and occupied the zombies until their fellows had made it beyond the breakers. Zombies won’t enter saltwater, but they were souled ones and could’ve picked them off with crossbows.”
Road Toad ran his hand along my sword’s salt-pitted blade and frowned. “The steamships were already belching smoke and retreating from the oncoming ogres. The two rowboats, one with wounded and the other with the last retreating soldiers, would never catch the steamships.
“I called to the prince, ‘They are no longer within the Necromancer King’s domain. Should we render aid?’”
“‘No,’ Prince Halgadin shouted to me. ‘We will not engage. Let the ogres have them.’”
Road Toad continued with regret in his voice. “It might’ve been they were Crusaders that bear the green cross. Anyway, the sun was disappearing and I spotted several in the rowboats desperately waving and shouting for assistance. One called in the sea-farer’s tongue.”
Road Toad spoke a little faster. “I know sea-spittle, as does Prince Halgadin. Looking skyward, the Crusader soldier stood on the prow of the trailing boat and called, ‘Dragon riders, we are not friends but have a common foe. Delay the enemy so that we might escape to oppose them another day.’”
Road Toad shook his head. “They were soldiers in needless peril, so I took Death Snap down to the sea. I ordered the Crusaders to throw me a rope while my mount held overhead. I secured the line and Death Snap towed them to a retreating steamship. No other serpent cavalrymen lent aid, and by the time I returned, the rowboat filled with wounded was among the ogres.”
He handed me back my sword. “A very old blade. The smith had some skill, but your weapon is fast losing its ability to endure the salt.”
“What happened?” I asked, shifting position to sheathe my weapon. “Were you banished?”
His head snapped as if startled with my question. “Upon reaching the borders of Keesee, Prince Halgadin stripped me of my rank and my mount. He did not banish me. Instead he swore that if he ever laid eyes upon me again, we would cross blades unto my death.”
“What if he’s here in camp?” I asked. “Are you a better swordsman than him?”
“I doubt he is in this camp.” Road Toad chuckled. “And no, although I’ve learned a few things over the years, he will always be the better swordsman.” He stood. “Besides, no good can come to anyone who slays a prince, even if he invoked the duel.”
I stood, also seeing the prince with several knights on horseback riding toward his pavilion. “But if you left the Kingdom of Keesee and took up as a mercenary, why remain now?” Then I added before Road Toad replied, “Maybe you’ve been forgiven. Prince Reveron said the king thought you were treated badly.”
Road Toad shook his head. “No. Once stripped of my rank by a prince…” He trailed off before patting me on the shoulder. “Tradition holds that any honorable duel cannot be to the death in time of war. Should we meet, I believe Prince Halgadin will forego our crossing of swords until the war has been won.” He
He absentmindedly sheathed his sword. “It was nearing nightfall and zombies began clambering down the rocks with goblins behind them. Twenty longships with ogres at the oars cruised down the coastline toward the Crusaders. The steamships sounded alarm whistles.”
He paused, wiped his dagger once more before sheathing it. “A company of men, firing their muzzleloaded rifles, dug in and held off the zombies while the last of the wounded left the shore. A Crusader priest shouted prayers to hold the zombies at bay, until a goblin pierced his heart with an arrow.”
Road Toad held out his hand for my sword. “Then the zombies fell upon them. Four stood with fixed bayonets on the shore and occupied the zombies until their fellows had made it beyond the breakers. Zombies won’t enter saltwater, but they were souled ones and could’ve picked them off with crossbows.”
Road Toad ran his hand along my sword’s salt-pitted blade and frowned. “The steamships were already belching smoke and retreating from the oncoming ogres. The two rowboats, one with wounded and the other with the last retreating soldiers, would never catch the steamships.
“I called to the prince, ‘They are no longer within the Necromancer King’s domain. Should we render aid?’”
“‘No,’ Prince Halgadin shouted to me. ‘We will not engage. Let the ogres have them.’”
Road Toad continued with regret in his voice. “It might’ve been they were Crusaders that bear the green cross. Anyway, the sun was disappearing and I spotted several in the rowboats desperately waving and shouting for assistance. One called in the sea-farer’s tongue.”
Road Toad spoke a little faster. “I know sea-spittle, as does Prince Halgadin. Looking skyward, the Crusader soldier stood on the prow of the trailing boat and called, ‘Dragon riders, we are not friends but have a common foe. Delay the enemy so that we might escape to oppose them another day.’”
Road Toad shook his head. “They were soldiers in needless peril, so I took Death Snap down to the sea. I ordered the Crusaders to throw me a rope while my mount held overhead. I secured the line and Death Snap towed them to a retreating steamship. No other serpent cavalrymen lent aid, and by the time I returned, the rowboat filled with wounded was among the ogres.”
He handed me back my sword. “A very old blade. The smith had some skill, but your weapon is fast losing its ability to endure the salt.”
“What happened?” I asked, shifting position to sheathe my weapon. “Were you banished?”
His head snapped as if startled with my question. “Upon reaching the borders of Keesee, Prince Halgadin stripped me of my rank and my mount. He did not banish me. Instead he swore that if he ever laid eyes upon me again, we would cross blades unto my death.”
“What if he’s here in camp?” I asked. “Are you a better swordsman than him?”
“I doubt he is in this camp.” Road Toad chuckled. “And no, although I’ve learned a few things over the years, he will always be the better swordsman.” He stood. “Besides, no good can come to anyone who slays a prince, even if he invoked the duel.”
I stood, also seeing the prince with several knights on horseback riding toward his pavilion. “But if you left the Kingdom of Keesee and took up as a mercenary, why remain now?” Then I added before Road Toad replied, “Maybe you’ve been forgiven. Prince Reveron said the king thought you were treated badly.”
Road Toad shook his head. “No. Once stripped of my rank by a prince…” He trailed off before patting me on the shoulder. “Tradition holds that any honorable duel cannot be to the death in time of war. Should we meet, I believe Prince Halgadin will forego our crossing of swords until the war has been won.” He
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