Dragons Shining by Michael Sperry Page B

died in Troll’s arms with his sword through its brain. That left me in command. I ordered retreat and those left formed in front of the miners again. By this time the miners were in the battle with picks and malls, life or death, some covered in blood. Melinda obliterated the remaining Troll and passed out. Albrite set half the Orcs on fire to cook in their own juices, and then he passed out too. No more help from magic. At least the damned Malagae were dead. That left ten soldiers and two-dozen miners against six Orcs, a few Goblins and Ghouls. I think we could have won on our own at that point, yet the Elves stepped in from behind them with a cloud of arrows to finish things. The Orcs and the rest were dead before they hit the ground. Ender here was with us, one of the few survivors. He was a great swordsman even then.”
     
    “The goblins and the ghouls work in tandem”, said Ender. “The ghouls hit at you with a club so you cannot defend against the Goblin, which simply eats you alive with that big maw of a mouth and those long talons on hands and feet. After you cannot defend yourself at all, the Ghoul joins in the meal. It takes two to battle a Goblin and a Ghoul. From what I hear the Orcs and Trolls prefer us cooked.”
     
    “How awful”, said Justin. “Were they after the metal, or just on a killing spree, these creatures?”
     
    “Both”, said Ender. “They hate us like they hate everything, unless they are eating it. Hate is what they are, and killing us is easier with better weapons. It makes me hate them twice as much back.”
     
    “Then we become no better than them if we let hate drive us”, said Justin. “We must defend our loved ones and protect the Maker’s law as best we can. But leave hatred to them, Ender. No mater what, remember that the Maker loves us and will protect our souls so long as we still know love.”
     
    “Yes, my Prince. Of course you are right”.
     
    They talked into the night until Rolph mentioned that. ”Dawn comes early. Best we get our rest.”
     
    With that, they left the embers to smolder and retired to their tents. The Raven was watching from some distance. He feared the boy would be more alarmed next time he was seen. When the campers retired, he flew to the river and then North to where his master’s General, Brog, waited with his Black Dragon Serpent and twenty magically concealed Orcs. “Brog strong, much magic”, thought Raven. 
     
    Justin woke well before dawn. He slipped out of camp with his bow and his hunting gear. He had planned this from the start. The stag he was after would pick up on any mistake and bolt. He did not trust the others enough in that regard. After removing his Glamour, he could see in the starlight as well as any Dragon. He strained his senses as he slipped quietly through the woods. Dew on the carpet of pine needles and leaves made them easier to negotiate with only the slightest of sound. There were does moving away from the field not far away, upwind. Several Elk were headed away north. They did not sense him. A fox watched as he slipped by, noting his presence.
     
    “Good”, thought Justin. “No Mountain Lions to scare the stag away”.
     
    Before long, he located the tree he had spotted last time he was here. It was only thirty yards downwind of where the stag tended to cross the creek ahead. Perhaps he would stop and drink, giving Justin and even better shot. Justin tied his bow off and climbed the tree, situating himself in the fork of two massive branches. There was a thin cover of leaf in front that he could shoot through if he was careful, so he pulled up the bow and began his wait.
     
    He sensed the stag moving slowly and quietly toward the creek from the northeast, where the Elk had gone. It was perhaps half an hour before dawn, when the magnificent beast stepped out of the brush by the stream. Justin knocked his arrow and drew without making a sound.
     
    “ Only a few feet further ”, he thought. But then