the dragon slithering away. Brenwar was yelling. I turned in time to see the other troll's club coming for me. I dove. Whump! The club missed my head. I rolled. Whump! It almost broke my back as I scrambled away. Crack! The troll fell over dead, thanks to the help of Brenwar’s war hammer catching it in the skull.
“Come on!” He pulled me to my feet. Ahead, the large wooden double doors, at least ten inches thick, barred our escape from the coming wrath of who knows what.
Brenwar charged, war hammer raised over his head, bellowing, “BARTFAAAAST!”
There was a clap of thunder, the splintering of wood, and a giant hole in the doors that had momentarily barred our path. The dragon was gone like a bolt of orange lightning.
“Follow that dragon,” I yelled, following Brenwar down the tunnel.
The dwarven fighter's short legs churned like a billy goat's as he charged down one tunnel and through another. My instincts fired at the sound of armored soldiers coming after us down the tunnel.
“Do you know where you’re going, Brenwar?” I cried from behind him.
Brenwar snorted, “I’m a dwarf, aren’t I? Not a tunnel made that can lose me.”
We found ourselves running down a long corridor, where a wooden door had been busted open that led outside into the once again pouring rain. The pounding of armored bootsteps was coming our way, as were voices barking orders and calling for our heads. It was time to make a stand.
A group of heavily armed soldiers rounded the corner, armored in chain mail from head to toe, the silver tips of their spears glinting in the torch light.
“Get him,” one ordered from behind, thrusting his sword in the air.
I whipped Fang’s keen edge around my body and yelled back.
“The first one that comes within ten feet of me is dead!”
The soldiers stopped, looking with uncertainty toward one another. That’s when I noticed the blood dripping from my sword. Their eyes were on it as well, and a hollow feeling crept over me. How many had I killed? Everything was a blur. Perhaps it was troll’s blood, but it didn’t seem dark enough.
“Skewer that man!” The commander's face was red. “If you don’t follow orders, then you're dead men anyway. We’ve got strength in numbers. Attack!”
The first two spearmen lowered their weapons at my belly and advanced. All I wanted to do was buy time. Just a few seconds more. I leaped in, batting one spear away with my sword and yanking the spear away from the next man. The soldiers shuffled back. Now I faced them with a sword in one hand and a spear hoisted over my shoulder.
“The next soldier to advance will catch this in his belly,” I said, motioning with the spear.
“Cowards! Charge him! Charge him now!”
The unarmed spearman stepped back as another took his place.
I launched my spear into his leg. The man let out a cry of pain as he tumbled to the ground.
I ducked as a spear whizzed past my face.
“Charge!”
I hoisted Fang over my head and said, “Stop! I surrender!”
No one moved, every eye intent on me.
The commander shouted from the back, “Drop your sword, then!”
Slowly, I lowered my arms. But I had another plan. I’d use Fang’s magic to blast back my enemies as I’d done in the tavern.
“What are you smiling for?” The commander moved forward.
“I’m just glad to put an end to the violence, is all. Oh, and you might want to hold your ears.”
“What for?”
I banged the tip of Fang’s blade on the stone corridor’s floor.
Ting.
Nothing happened. I tried it again.
Ting.
Drat!
“Fang, what are you doing?” I shook my sword.
The commander was not amused. “You going to drop that sword or not?”
I was flat footed now with nowhere to go but out. I grasped my sword in both my hands and pulled it in front of my face.
“I’ve changed my mind. I’m going to fight you all. To the death!” I let out a battle cry and charged forward. All of the soldiers hunkered down. In stride, I pivoted on
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