impact of his hit jolted my elbows and ripped one club from my hand. The next blow was fast. I ducked. Brock knocked a small hole in the wall.
“What!” he cried out. The mace was stuck in the wall.
I swung the club full force into his elbow.
Brock howled like a banshee. I cracked one of his knees, then the other. Down on his knees he went. Tears filled his eyes as he screamed.
“Stop! Please stop it!”
I did not. Evil never showed me any mercy, so why should I show it?
I struck fast.
Whack!
Hard.
Whack!
On the final blow, I used both arms.
CRACK!
Brock fell face first into the ground. A red lump on his bald spot quickly formed.
Chest heavy, I said, “How’s that treat you, Knothead!”
Above, the remaining enforcers gawked.
“Who's next?” I said, twirling my club around my back and front.
Every hair on my body lurched. Move, Dragon!
I felt my back catch fire as I spun to the ground, wounded, bleeding.
The Jackal loomed above me. Fang glimmered in his hand.
“You fight well against mortals. But you’ll die against the power of the supernatural!”
CHAPTER 14
A predator. A tormentor. The Jackal was a towering figure. Broad shouldered, strong and supple. An animal with the cunning of a man, the killer instinct of an animal. And Fang dangled in his evil grip. I never would have imagined I’d die on my own sword's blade. Backpedaling, I danced, and the Lycan's swift strokes licked at my skin.
“You are fast for a big man,” the Jackal said. “But, not as fast as me. I have supernatural speed. Skill. I’m your superior in battle!”
I laughed.
“You call this a battle? You wield a fine sword, and I use a club. Ha! You’re letting my weapon and my armor do all of your dirty work, you over-sized rodent!”
“There is no honor among jackals!” he said, talking a swipe at my gut.
I jumped away.
“Or Lycans, for that matter.”
The walls of the fort were closing in, and the Jackal was quite a sight as four feet of razor sharp steel hung in his fist. My steel that is.
“It’s sad to see your men are so much braver than you. At least they had the courage to fight with what they had, not with what the enemy had given them.
Fang sliced the top off my club. Drat!
I snatched a shield from the ground.
Wang!
The Jackal struck, jarring my bones. Again and again he tore at my shield, making pieces of metal and wood scatter all over.
“Coward!” I yelled. “Fight fair! What are you scared of?”
Krang!
“Your men are watching you. When the day comes, what will they think of you?”
Chop!
Only the straps and a small strip of wood remained.“Will they respect you? Will they follow?”
The Jackal stopped. I fought for my breath. He was little winded.
“I tire of your mouth. Perhaps it’s best that I tear your throat out.”
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed Fang to the other side of the fort. He stretched out his arms and extended the long nails on his fingers. I’d never fought a Lycan, but I once saw one break the neck of a dwarf with his bare hands before. And there wasn’t much that would kill a lycan except the pierce of silver or magic. I’d bought some time, but I was still a dead man without Fang.
“You’ll wish I used the sword soon enough, Fool,” he growled at me. “Now I’m going to tear you to pieces!”
Claws and teeth bared, he sprang. I dropped on my back, jammed my boots in his gut, and launched him head over heel. He crashed to the ground and howled. Not like I would, but with the strange high-pitched howl of a jackal.
He gathered himself, eyes filled with rage, and came again. Legs and arms ripping up the ground like an animal. I braced myself.
Slam!
I gave it all I had. I punched, kicked and clawed.
He bit, ripped and howled.
Blood was in my face. My blood, not his; I was sure of it. I walloped him in the jaw with my Dragon fist, snapping his head ba ck. I drove the heel of my other palm in his gut.
He backed off, smiled, and spit
“What!” he cried out. The mace was stuck in the wall.
I swung the club full force into his elbow.
Brock howled like a banshee. I cracked one of his knees, then the other. Down on his knees he went. Tears filled his eyes as he screamed.
“Stop! Please stop it!”
I did not. Evil never showed me any mercy, so why should I show it?
I struck fast.
Whack!
Hard.
Whack!
On the final blow, I used both arms.
CRACK!
Brock fell face first into the ground. A red lump on his bald spot quickly formed.
Chest heavy, I said, “How’s that treat you, Knothead!”
Above, the remaining enforcers gawked.
“Who's next?” I said, twirling my club around my back and front.
Every hair on my body lurched. Move, Dragon!
I felt my back catch fire as I spun to the ground, wounded, bleeding.
The Jackal loomed above me. Fang glimmered in his hand.
“You fight well against mortals. But you’ll die against the power of the supernatural!”
CHAPTER 14
A predator. A tormentor. The Jackal was a towering figure. Broad shouldered, strong and supple. An animal with the cunning of a man, the killer instinct of an animal. And Fang dangled in his evil grip. I never would have imagined I’d die on my own sword's blade. Backpedaling, I danced, and the Lycan's swift strokes licked at my skin.
“You are fast for a big man,” the Jackal said. “But, not as fast as me. I have supernatural speed. Skill. I’m your superior in battle!”
I laughed.
“You call this a battle? You wield a fine sword, and I use a club. Ha! You’re letting my weapon and my armor do all of your dirty work, you over-sized rodent!”
“There is no honor among jackals!” he said, talking a swipe at my gut.
I jumped away.
“Or Lycans, for that matter.”
The walls of the fort were closing in, and the Jackal was quite a sight as four feet of razor sharp steel hung in his fist. My steel that is.
“It’s sad to see your men are so much braver than you. At least they had the courage to fight with what they had, not with what the enemy had given them.
Fang sliced the top off my club. Drat!
I snatched a shield from the ground.
Wang!
The Jackal struck, jarring my bones. Again and again he tore at my shield, making pieces of metal and wood scatter all over.
“Coward!” I yelled. “Fight fair! What are you scared of?”
Krang!
“Your men are watching you. When the day comes, what will they think of you?”
Chop!
Only the straps and a small strip of wood remained.“Will they respect you? Will they follow?”
The Jackal stopped. I fought for my breath. He was little winded.
“I tire of your mouth. Perhaps it’s best that I tear your throat out.”
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed Fang to the other side of the fort. He stretched out his arms and extended the long nails on his fingers. I’d never fought a Lycan, but I once saw one break the neck of a dwarf with his bare hands before. And there wasn’t much that would kill a lycan except the pierce of silver or magic. I’d bought some time, but I was still a dead man without Fang.
“You’ll wish I used the sword soon enough, Fool,” he growled at me. “Now I’m going to tear you to pieces!”
Claws and teeth bared, he sprang. I dropped on my back, jammed my boots in his gut, and launched him head over heel. He crashed to the ground and howled. Not like I would, but with the strange high-pitched howl of a jackal.
He gathered himself, eyes filled with rage, and came again. Legs and arms ripping up the ground like an animal. I braced myself.
Slam!
I gave it all I had. I punched, kicked and clawed.
He bit, ripped and howled.
Blood was in my face. My blood, not his; I was sure of it. I walloped him in the jaw with my Dragon fist, snapping his head ba ck. I drove the heel of my other palm in his gut.
He backed off, smiled, and spit
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