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Tale of Six Kings - Chap. 4
By Nick Van Owen
Shad braced then threw himself out of the path of the creature's attack, the center head crashing into the tomb. The other two heads turned to face him striking simultaneously. He ducked low and rolled left just under the clashing jaws. He swung upwards in a savage over hand cut, the blade piercing scale flesh and bone like a knife through butter. The head flew off in a jet of blood and landed next to him.
The center head recovered from hitting the tomb and turned on him. He dodged frantically around the striking attacks and wondered how he could ever survive this.
Finally he was a bit too slow and stumbled on a loose tile. The heads assured of victory darted in for the kill just as he fell to the floor. They streaked past his head, angered hisses turning to surprise. He swung and took off the left head at the base of the neck. The center head furious turned on him striking in a right to left attack.
He dodged left and the jaws narrowly missed him, but the tail didn't. It swung and smashed into him knocking the wind out of him and flinging him to the opposite corner of the room into a pillar. He slid down wondering how many bones were broken then he looked at the beast and couldn't believe what he saw.
The hydra was sitting there when suddenly three heads burst forth from each of the stumps of it's past two necks. Now he was faced with a seven headed monstrosity and couldn't belive how stupid he'd been.
He'd been told this story hundreds of times as a boy. Tales of the Hydra with not only regenerative powers but the ability to bring back three heads for each one it lost. He knew he was lost. The beast crossed the chamber in four huge strides and slammed a clawed hand around his chest picking him up. All the heads struck together.
"NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!"screamed Shad. Then the world went black. Then it flashed a brilliant blue and time seemed to slow. He could see the seven gaping maws only feet in front of him. The world was clad in a shimmering blue light, pale and cold yet somehow comforting. Then he looked down at his sword,the blade gleamed a bright blue. Not the pale blue of his surroundings but an intense blue, a dark blue that shifted and shimmered even as he looked. The blaze seemed to take hold of his soul and he raised his arm unconciously, like it wasn't even his arm, it was like he was an observer watching this happen rather than doing it. The blade flashed brilliantly then all hell broke loose.
Time resumed and the hydra, about to strike hesitated just as blue fire streamed forth. It caught the hydra straight in the face burning it. It screamed and flung him aside. He rose to his feet across the chamber and walked unstoppably forward. The hydra went into a frenzy of panic it knocked over huge lanterns spilling oil out onto the floor, t knocked torches into the oil and the chamber was ablaze. The fire gleamed in Shad's icy blue eyes creating a terrible sight.
The hydra slunk back in fear from the sight confronting it. A man his long black hair hanging dead at his shoulders strode forward, relentlessly advancing, cold flame in his eyes, fire illuminating his dark features revealing the grim determination in his face. And the sword! The sword was alive in his hands blue fire pulsing through it every step seemed like a death sentence for the great beast. Nowhere to run, and this man, holding that sword coming to destroy it. It could hear the man's steps, doom doom doom on the tile floor bringing death for the beast closer with every step.
Shad looked at the beast recoiling in fear, and smiled, not a happy one, a sadistic one, born of the power madness of the sword. He laughed manaically and brought the sword up to point at the beast.
"Not so fun now that I'm the hunter eh beast?" Shad laughed again.
The beast struck in desperation, flailing desperately with claw tooth and tail at the death that was coming for it. Shad merely raised the sword and blue flame surrounded him, protecting him from the hydra's attacks. He scowled.
"Now you bastard. DIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!"Shad screamed at it.
Blue flame poured forth, a tidal wave of pure energy. Blue fired streamed out, flooded out, bathing the chamber in light so bright Shad could not see, but the hydra could. It saw death racing towards it, a blue wall flickering, shimmering. It let loose a final shriek of hatred for the thing that was destroying it, as it dissolved in the river of energy.
The light finally gave out and Shad could see nothing of the hydra. Steam rose from the floor where it had been, and there was a huge gaping hole in the wall as high as the chamber and wide enough for twenty men to ride abreast.
Shad stared at the now silent sword, shocked, amazed. He felt emotions pour through him. This was a powerful weapon but it was too destructive. If he used this in battle it could destroy everything, friend and foe alike. He would ponder on this later, he had been gone too long.
He walked to the stairs and began to walk up to his bedchamber and the Star rose with him, back up to the world where it had once been.
1/25/02 9:00:46 PM
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