Deadly_The Odyssey of Nath Dragon Read online

  Deadly

  The Odyssey of Nath Dragon: Book 3

  By Craig Halloran

  Deadly

  The Odyssey of Nath Dragon Book #3

  By Craig Halloran

  Copyright © 2017 by Craig Halloran

  Amazon Edition

  TWO-TEN BOOK PRESS

  P.O. Box 4215, Charleston, WV 25364

  ISBN eBook: 978-1-946218-26-1

  ISBN Paperback: 978-1-986026-18-5

  www.craighalloran.com

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recorded, photocopied, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

  Publisher’s Note

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  MAP 1 Click here for Zoom in Version

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  CHAPTER 27

  CHAPTER 28

  CHAPTER 29

  CHAPTER 30

  CHAPTER 31

  CHAPTER 32

  CHAPTER 33

  CHAPTER 34

  CHAPTER 35

  CHAPTER 36

  CHAPTER 37

  CHAPTER 38

  CHAPTER 39

  CHAPTER 40

  CHAPTER 41

  CHAPTER 42

  CHAPTER 43

  CHAPTER 44

  CHAPTER 45

  CHAPTER 46

  CHAPTER 47

  CHAPTER 48

  CHAPTER 49

  CHAPTER 50

  CHAPTER 51

  CHAPTER 52

  CHAPTER 53

  CHAPTER 54

  CHAPTER 55

  CHAPTER 56

  CHAPTER 57

  CHAPTER 58

  CHAPTER 59

  CHAPTER 60

  CHAPTER 61

  CHAPTER 62

  CHAPTER 63

  CHAPTER 64

  CHAPTER 65

  CHAPTER 66

  CHAPTER 67

  CHAPTER 68

  CHAPTER 69

  CHAPTER 70

  CHAPTER 71

  CHAPTER 72

  CHAPTER 73

  CHAPTER 74

  CHAPTER 75 (Epilogue)

  NEXT BOOK IN THE SERIES

  OTHER BOOKS AND AUTHOR INFO

  MAP 1 Click here for Zoom in Version

  CHAPTER 1

  Within the walls of Castle Janders, inside the ceremonial hall where the wedding of Tobias and Janna was taking place, a bristling Nath stepped into the center aisle and shouted, “I object!”

  Tobias turned and faced the young warrior. Shooting Nath a knowing look, he tossed his head back and laughed.

  Nath shrank inside his clothing. Tobias’s laughter was like a splash of ice water down his back. It cooled his burning veins. The curious stares of the guests bore into him. A moment earlier, he had been disguised as an elf, but now he’d transformed into a man. On the platform, the cleric performing the ceremony blinked. Next to the cleric, Princess Janna’s back straightened. Her beautiful eyes widening, she moved toward Nath.

  Tobias hooked her arm and pulled her back. “Be still, dear.”

  The other members of the Black Hand standing on the platform glared at Nath. Cullon, the grizzled, balding dwarf, unhooked his battle axe from his back and started down the steps. “I’ll handle this intervener.”

  “Cullon, be still,” Tobias ordered.

  Janna wriggled against him.

  He twisted her arm behind her back and shoved her into the arms of Nina and Worm, who held Janna fast.

  Worm sniggered.

  Tobias lifted his hands and addressed the guests. “Friends and citizens, I apologize for this abrupt interruption, but it seems that we have an uninvited guest, which, if you take a closer look, you will recognize as the man who kidnapped Princess Janna over two years ago.”

  There were many audible gasps and looks of confusion.

  “You see, he recently escaped from Slaver Town, and it seems that he has returned to”—he tilted his head—“object to a wedding.” He shrugged. “A very odd move for a fugitive.”

  “You are full of lies, Tobias!” Nath fired back. “Your words are poison. That goes for all of you!” He pointed the sledgehammer at the Black Hand members. The gem on the top of the hammer radiated brightly. So did the gemstone mounted on the top of his gauntlet. The flames that were momentarily doused inside him kindled again. “I’m here to set the record straight!”

  Tobias rolled his eyes. The grand chamber fell silent. “Says the man who burned down our cherished Oxen Inn and cut our beloved Counselor Nina’s hand off. This is comical. What do you expect to do? Take me out with that hammer?” Tobias’s hand fell on his sword pommel. “You are surrounded by the finest soldiers and my most loyal hands. You will only bring destruction to yourself and possibly harm others. You should be wise and turn yourself in. For there is only one way out, and that is death.”

  The guests stirred. Faces beaded with sweat. Women clung to their husbands and escorts. Hands fell on weapons that hung from their hips. The soldiers on the outskirts of the room slowly crept toward Nath. He could hear more guards barring the doors in the back. Nath didn’t want any innocent people getting hurt, but he was too close to his goal to turn back now. Still, something was bothering him. Darkken stood behind him, quiet as a mouse. The rest of the elves, the suspected Caligin on the left, and the Brothers of the Wind on the right, remained still as water. Even Hacksaw didn’t budge an inch. Nath swallowed.

  What is with Darkken and Maefon? They stand there doing nothing?

  The old wizened cleric cleared his throat. He rubbed spittle from the corner of his mouth on his priestly robes. “It is in the written law that one man may challenge another in a ceremony of objection. They can cross swords or wrestle.” A wrinkled smile formed on his lips. “I saw someone object once when I was a young acolyte. The men wrestled for hours over the bride’s hand. She ended up marrying the challenger. I remember, he had long hair and fingers like sticks, but he wrestled like a snake.”

  Tobias gave the cleric a boorish look. “He can’t challenge me. He’s not a guest, he’s a fugitive and a kidnapper. He’s but a moment away from being locked in irons and being carted back to Slaver Town. I’m sure the orcs in the south will be very eager to see him again.”

  “Oh, I see.” The cleric scratched his head. “Uh, should I carry on with the ceremony, or are you supposed to arrest him? He’s just standing there, sort of interfering.”

  Tobias’s fingers drummed on the pommel of his sword. He craned his neck, staring into the crowd as if he too was expecting something to happen. His eyes focused primarily on the elves, who didn’t appear to blink, or even breathe for that matter.

/>   “Let’s just kill him, Tobias, and get it over with,” Cullon suggested. “I’m ready to drink some ale and celebrate.”

  “Agreed,” Worm chimed in, making a goofy giggle as he toyed with Janna’s hair. Appalled, she shrank away.

  Behind Nath, the soldiers slowly made their way down the aisle, shoulder to shoulder, three rows deep. More soldiers came around toward the front.

  With a perplexed look on his face, Tobias said to Nath, “To be clear, are you going to surrender or not?”

  Nath hefted the sledgehammer over his shoulder. The purplish gemstone shined on his face. He managed a smile. “You don’t want to find out what this hammer can do. Trust me. I drop it down, and things are going to get really nasty.” He looked beyond the thrones on the platform at his sword, Fang, that hung over the fireplace. His father had given him that sword, and Nath intended to get it back. “Give me my sword and Janna and walk away, and I won’t make a mess of this place.”

  Tobias’s shoulders shook as he laughed. “So, you came to steal my bride. Ha! Every moment becomes more ludicrous than the last. No, interloper, I won’t be entertaining any more of your malicious ideas. Soldiers of Jander, take him!”

  CHAPTER 2

  Nath started into a downward swing.

  Darkken stepped forward and said, “I challenge Lord Tobias for the hand of Princess Janna!”

  Checking his swing, Nath turned to face Darkken. Underneath his breath, he said, “This is your plan?”

  Talking quietly back, Darkken said, “No, but you ruined my plan.”

  Nath gave a quick unbridled reply. “Your plan was to stand there and do nothing while the fate of the city unfolded.”

  “We are outnumbered, severely, and you would get us all killed. Now let me try to get all of us out of this.” Darkken stepped past Nath toward the thrones. “May I address Lord Tobias?”

  “Frankly, I tire of this wedding being interrupted by fools. You can address me once Nath is in irons and on his way back to Slaver Town.”

  “The challenge has been made. It must be honored or be withdrawn,” the cleric said. He fanned himself with his floppy sleeve. “It’s getting toasty in here. We need to get on with whatever it is we are going to do before my voice becomes as dry as parchment. Eh, Darkken is it, do you withdraw your challenge?”

  “In the name of peace, I hoped to do something ceremonial.” Darkken cast a nervous look at Nath. “I didn’t want to see what happened when he dropped that hammer into those stones. I merely wanted to delay and avoid danger. Not that I’m a coward of any sort, but I don’t want to see innocent people get hurt.”

  “You’ve made your point, so withdraw the challenge,” Tobias said.

  Looking at Tobias dead on, Darkken snaked his sword, Scalpel, out of the scabbard.

  The audience gasped.

  The cleric stepped back. “Oh my.” He searched out Princess Janna. “Milady, do you accept this man as your champion? It would be best to say no, then we could move on. I’m getting hungry and would like to eat soon.”

  “Er,” Janna’s stare fixed on Darkken. She made a pleasing look. “I do.”

  The cleric shrugged. “It’s settled then. Let there be a test of steel, and to the victor goes the bride.”

  Darkken smirked.

  Tobias let out a quick, scoffing laugh. “Have you gone mad, Darkken? You are an interpreter and a businessman. A bridge between man and elf. Your foolishness will cost you a century’s worth of relationships.”

  Darkken slowly made his way up the steps with his sword poised to strike. “You can always withdraw and let your bride-to-be be mine.”

  “Withdraw? I’m the finest swordsman for a hundred leagues. I’ll not back down to anyone.” Tobias’s brows buckled. He slipped his sword out of the sheath. “Today, it seems, there will be a wedding and a funeral.”

  Nath cast a quick glance at Maefon. Her mouth hung open, and her eyes were glued on the platform. Hacksaw stood beside her with his hand on his hilt. He’d come to life, still appearing like an elf but watching the advancing soldiers who circled the stage. Nath’s blood rushed through his ears. The entire incident had become nothing but bizarre. He didn’t know what to do.

  On the platform, holding Janna around the waist, Nina said, “Tobias, what is going on? You shouldn’t be fighting this man. Compose yourself!”

  “He called it,” the leader of the Black Hand said with murder in his eyes. “I’ll finish it. Clear the stage.”

  Everyone on the platform moved down the steps except the old cleric, who sat down in one of the throne chairs, trembling from age. He closed his eyes and started praying.

  Maefon eased beside Nath. All eyes were on the stage. The soldiers even stopped their advance, eyeing the two swordsmen who slowly circled one another. “I really have no idea what he is doing,” she whispered to Nath, shaking her head. “I just don’t know.”

  For the moment, Nath was safe. Darkken had taken all of the attention off Nath. There wasn’t a single eye cast anywhere but on the stage. Tobias was a tall, well-built man with the sleekness of a natural athlete. Decorated in his black armor, he appeared deadly as a viper. Across from him, only a few feet away, Darkken stood in a fighter’s stance that seemed out of place in the decorative attire he wore. There was a powerful allure about him that seemed to bristle around him.

  Darkken’s eyes hardened on Tobias. The easy tone in his voice was gone. “You think you’re the finest swordsman within a hundred leagues? Well, let me tell you, you aren’t even the finest swordsman in the room.”

  Quick as a snake, Tobias thrust his sword at Darkken’s chest. Darkken backstepped and parried to the sound of ringing steel. The leader of the Black Hand pressed the attack, unleashing a flurry of slashes and thrusts. His expertly crafted blade flicked back and forth like a shiny snake’s tongue, driving Darkken backward into the vacant throne.

  Locking swords, they came breast to breast. “You fight well, but one of the best?” Darkken scowled at him. He shoved Tobias back. “I don’t think so!”

  Nath counted every stroke of steel that Tobias turned loose. He’d launched twenty attacks, and Darkken parried them all with perfect technique. Tobias’s chest labored. Sweat drenched his brow. Darkken breathed easily.

  Earlier, when Darkken had sliced the acorns that Nath tossed into the air, Darkken showed he had speed and skill. But Master Elween, the dragon weapon master, had taught Nath that many weapon masters could perform many tricks and master techniques, but that didn’t translate into a real battle when one’s life was on the line.

  He’s the real thing. They both are.

  Hunkered down, the fighters circled once more. Tobias slid his foot forward. His sword arm cocked back. Darkken struck out with his sword. The blades clashed. Clang! Darkken’s masterful sword strokes pushed Tobias backward. The black-haired man parried in a frenzy. He tried to counter the attacks, but Darkken’s short thrusts cut in. Tobias slid his head to the side, dodging Darkken’s sword tip. Tobias backpedaled, putting a gap between them and puffing for breath.

  “You are out of shape, Tobias.” Darkken paused his advance. “Perhaps there’s been too much wedding planning and not enough practicing. And is that a little bulge protruding over your belt? Perhaps the wine you guzzle slows the blood in your veins.”

  Tobias’s jaw clenched. He wiped the sweat from his face with his forearm. “Shut your mouth, interpreter!”

  “Will the both of you stop this?” Nina shouted. “Tobias, yield. There is no need for this foolish display of ego!”

  “Agreed.” The exotic sorceress, Virgo, made her way up the steps with her elegant fingers glowing at her sides. “Darkken, you are our guest. What is the meaning of this madness? I insist that you withdraw this insane challenge for Janna’s hand. Tobias is not the enemy.” She pointed at Nath. “He is!”

  CHAPTER 3

  As all heads slowly turned toward Nath, Darkken cut them off. “I see you have your women fighting your battles for you, Tobias
. Perhaps they should be swinging that sword, not you.”

  A few blasts of choking laughter sputtered throughout the room. Tobias’s face turned red. “Nina! Virgo! Stay out of this!”

  “You can always yield.” Darkken spun his sword with his hand. “There is no dishonor in that. You can do something else, such as live.”

  Tobias glared at Darkken. “I don’t know what is going on here, but there will only be one groom today, and that groom will be me.” He held out his sword, squeezing the handle so hard that he shook. His sword blade shimmered with a deep-purple light. The guests gasped as the strange light passed into Tobias’s body. His eyes glazed over with a purple haze. His voice became hollow and dark. “You fool, Darkken. You shall regret this! Now I’ve summoned my sword’s power, and I will have your head!”

  Nath’s neck hairs stood on end. Tobias’s voice drew shrieks from the women and some of the men as he advanced on Darkken like a hungry animal awakened from a long sleep. He’d become more than a man, powered by something ancient and mystic. Seeing Darkken’s confident expression falter, Nath advanced a step.

  Maefon held him back. “No.”

  Tobias attacked. His glimmering purple blade struck out like a flash of lightning. A shower of mystic sparks danced off the colliding blades. With a wild look in his eyes, Tobias attacked faster, using heavy thrusts and chops. With boundless energy, he pushed Darkken back across the floor.

  Bang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

  Laboring to block the attacks, Darkken landed on a knee in front of the throne where the cleric sat. The old man pulled his feet up into the seat and cowered. Ducking underneath Tobias’s side swing, Darkken darted between the throne chairs. He distanced himself, puffing for breath.

  “Look who runs now!” Tobias spat on the ground. “Now, you will feel the full wrath and power of Splitter!” Tobias wound his sword arm around and around in a windmill. The sword’s energy formed a shield like fire. In midswing, he stopped the motion, pointing the blade at Darkken, who crouched in a defensive position. An arc of energy shot from the blade, slamming into Darkken, knocking him clean off his feet. He skidded across the floor and slammed into a low platform wall.