The Blade of Dawn

Chapter 30

I step into the light to find that I am completely surrounded by soldiers.

I hold the Blade of Dawn in front of me. A flash of brilliant light bursts from the blade, blinding the soldiers around me.

Magic pulses from the blade, through my fingers, and into my veins. The magic is like a soothing salve. It eases the pain caused by the poison.

I take advantage of the soldier's confusion and I run past them. I can't see where I am going but it doesn't matter. I just need to get away from the mouth of the cave so I am no longer backed into a corner.

I must find Kronos while I still have the element of surprise on my side. If what I have been told is true, I only have to get close enough to Kronos to cut him with the Blade and his power will seep out of him and into the stone.

The light from my dagger fades and the soldiers leap into action just as I break past them. Shouts and confusion fill the air.

I regain my vision to find that Easton and Sarah are tied to a wooden post a few yards away. I bolt towards them and cut the ropes that bind them.

I am about to tell them about the poison when I see Kronos a short distance away.

Kronos sees me the same moment that I see him and his gaze travels immediately to the Blade of Dawn. His reptilian eyes are shrewd and calculating and his dragons circle in the sky above us.

"Make one more move and every person here will die." Kronos says. His voice pierces through air like a sharpened arrow.

He raises his arm and wraps his fingers into a fist. A boy standing nearby collapses. The boy is one of the cave miners. His frail body, weakened by the dark magic on this island, lies motionless in a heap in the sand. A thin trickle of blood drips from his nose. His chest is still. He is no longer breathing.

"What have you done?" I sputter.

"The magic on this island originated from dragons and is controlled by dragons. Now, it is controlled by me. Anyone who has tasted the magic of dragons is subject to my will." Kronos waves his hand and three more miners collapse. The surrounding miners cry out in terror. A woman stifles her sobs, afraid to draw attention to herself.

"Stop!" I shout.

"Hand over the Blade of Dawn." Kronos replies. He regards me with cold detachment and arrogance.

I turn away from the fallen boy to face Kronos directly. He is only about twenty feet away. I only need one shot at him.

"Hand over the Blade now." Kronos demands, as if he can see me calculating my odds.

Five more miners collapse. Kronos doesn't even spare them a glance. These people mean nothing to him. This time, no one screams. Fear has silenced every voice. The air is thick with tension.

"Try anything and every single person here will die." Kronos places his hand on the hilt of his sword.

I can't just hand over the Blade to Kronos. I have to try to cut him. I will run as quickly as I can towards Kronos and swing the Blade.

One cut.

That is all I need.

I can do it.

My hands tremble.

The second I make a move, Kronos will start killing every person here who has been touched by the dark magic of this island.

Can I bear having that much blood on my hands?

There has to be a way to save these people and defeat Kronos. My mind reels. I can't see a way out.

In the corner of my eye, I see Sarah grab Easton's arm. Her face is pale and she is trembling.