Wayward Tail: The Mortal Realms Trilogy, Book 1

Ladon's Fight

It was the nimble assassin that crested the small rock formation. She appeared as a figment, or a portion of moving darkness, but she was there. Oriander was the first to act. She leapt out with her rapier and long knife and the sound of whirling blades cut through the silence. Sounds of defensive sword play and heaving breathing continued for the next few seconds.

Ladon's eyes had become adjusted to the dark gradually, and he saw the other assassin round the mound of rocks that the rogues were fencing on. He was attempting to come up from behind Ori while she was occupied with the opponent in front of her. Ladon stepped in quickly and engaged the man.

As Ladon got closer he realized that he knew the man. He would never have forgotten that face. Years before, on that fated night, when he and his brother Fraenir were pulled from their homes by the Cult of Tiamat, this was the fanatic that had stabbed and left Ladon for dead. Ladon's heart doubled its melee rhythm, and he engaged the man without so much as a word.

He was the man that Oriander had described as "the one carrying heavy weapons," and by his own right was a giant individual. Ladon remembered that others, in the cult, had once addressed him as "Scrown." He wielded a large great sword that was of the finest elven bladesmithing.

He saw Ladon coming and the two locked blades. There was a blue flash of light and both men were knocked back. Ladon looked at his sword. There was a dull edge from where he had hit the dragon man under the mountain, but below that where the swords had just connected, there was a large chunk of metal missing.

Again the swords clattered together, and together there was a blue flash of light. Ladon saw another section of his sword missing. Scrown smiled at Ladon. "Ullumé will devour you," he said, talking about his sword. Ladon ducked the next swing as his mind raced to figure out what wash happening.

"The blue flashes of light," he thought. "It is destroying my blade. I must avoid his sword altogether." And again, instead of parrying Scrown's blow he dodged it and struck at the large man's armor with his notched blade. Ladon was faster than Scrown, but he was no less dangerous with his magic blade.

There was a flash of light and en explosion over near Artifax and Throk, but neither Ladon nor Oriander were able to take the time to study the environment. They were each locked in a vicious battle.

Ladon was tiring. For always having to avoid the sword play of a master was an exhausting endeavor. Scrown placed a well timed shot on Ladon and he had no choice but to extend his sword. There was another flash of light and Ladon's sword fell into two pieces. Scrown laughed and Ladon fell backwards holding the lower half of what was once his sword.

Scrown held Ullumé aloft and looked down at the seemingly defeated Ladon. "Fraenir sends his regards," he said, and he plunged the weapon down.

Something inside of Ladon snapped when he heard his brother's name. He leapt forth from a kneeling position and caught the guard of the great sword. The blade cut deep into Ladon's hands as he wrestled with Scrown. The two men exchanged ground as they advanced and retreated. Scrown attempted to plunge the weapon down into Ladon, but Ladon somehow managed to keep the blade at bay. Ladon began to chant and he looked into the big man's eyes.

"xe wpuzy zmyy!" Ladon spoke in abyssal as the blood dripped down his hands and covered his forearms. The scar on Ladon's left arm began to glow red and a fine black mist began to seep out of it. The mist went straight into the mouth and nose of Scrown who began to choke.

Something dark came over Ladon. The language he continued to speak is one he did not know he remembered from his childhood. He had learned it during the infernal rituals he mother had performed on he and his siblings. The black mist thickened and continued to fill Scrown's body.  Scrown dropped Ullumé and Ladon transferred his grip from the guard of the sword to the handle. In one swift turn he sliced the head off of Scrown. Black mist escaped his body and traveled back into Ladon's body. The paladin let out a painful cry and fell back to his knees. Both the sword, Ullumé, and Scrown's body hit the ground.

Ladon looked around and saw Oriander holding a wound on her side. Beside her a light figure lay on the ground, bleeding out from more wounds that Ladon could count. Their eyes fell on the spot where Artifax and Throk were positioned at the start of the battle. There Artifax lay panting on his back with his dragon staff cracked beside him. Throk had claw marks on his exposed skin. Before them was a smoldering pit and the body of a broken white tiger.