Read Online The Flames of Dragons by Josh VanBrakle - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Josh VanBrakle
Ads: Link
much Balear wondered if they would pop out of their sockets. “Sir, you . . . you can’t be serious.”
“You have a sword,” Balear said. He gestured with his head to the short sword on the boy’s hip. “You say you’re the best brawler. Prove it. I’ll give you the same test someone named Ariok once gave me: live.”
Balear swung the Sky Dragon Sword in an overhead strike.
Pito barely managed to jump sideways in time to avoid the blow. The Auryozaki slammed into the fountain behind him, throwing a shower of stone and water across the courtyard.
Screams filled the space as the officers closest to Balear panicked and fled. No one had told them their new general was insane.
Despite the chaos, a few of the more distant officers stood their ground. They drew their weapons and surrounded Balear. “No one attacks a man of Kataile!” one shouted.
“Outsider!” another screamed. “Traitor!”
“We won’t accept you!” yelled a third.
Balear leveled his sword at each in turn. “That’s fine,” he spat. “You don’t have to follow me if you don’t want to. To be honest, I’m not thrilled about being here. I’m even less thrilled to instruct a bunch of draft dodgers. So I’ll make you a deal. If any of you want my job, you can have it. There’s just one condition. You have to beat me first.”
Four of them tried. Balear didn’t want to kill them, so even striking them with the Auryozaki’s flat wasn’t an option. He returned the weapon to its harness and faced them bare-handed.
The first three went down with a single punch to each of their solar plexuses. The fourth managed to swing his weapon, a halberd, once before Balear got inside his guard and dropped him with an elbow to the jaw.
Balear thought that would end it, but then a fifth man stepped forward. Unlike the other officers who had challenged him, this man’s expression wasn’t one of anger or resentment. It was cold and detached.
The new challenger raised an old, rusty sword. Then, without a word, without a shout, without the slightest sign that he was about to move, he thrust at Balear’s chest.
The man’s speed and ferocity caught Balear off guard. He dodged sideways, but the man tracked him. This fifth fighter must have held back intentionally, observing Balear’s fighting style against the other contenders.
With Balear on the defensive, the challenger pressed his advantage. Slashes aimed for Balear’s elbow and wrist as well as more vital areas. He barely avoided each attack.
Balear grimaced. There was no choice. He reached back and pulled out the Auryozaki.
The challenger hesitated an instant, but then he regained his composure. He charged, and Balear guessed the man’s strategy. He would get close to Balear and take advantage of the Auryozaki’s apparent mass.
It would have been a good plan were it not for the Sky Dragon Sword’s magical weightlessness. Balear whipped his sword around as quickly as a dagger and blocked his opponent’s thrust. A flick of his wrist sent the rusty sword flying.
Balear expected the man to surrender after that, but instead, his opponent kept running and slammed into him. The man shoved his forearm under Balear’s jaw and forced him to the ground.
Before Balear could recover, the officer leapt on top of him. The man pinned Balear’s arm with one hand and pummeled his face with the other.
Through the rain of blows, Balear knew he’d made a mistake. He’d assumed everyone here was a novice. This man was a veteran.
Even so, he wasn’t a match for Balear. The man’s punches had little force behind them. They should have knocked Balear out by now, but instead he just had a bloody nose and lip.
Balear pushed back against the hand holding his arm to the stone. Spitting blood into his opponent’s eyes, he twisted the Auryozaki so its pommel drove up into the officer’s stomach.
The man fell to his knees. He gasped for breath as he wiped his face. Balear stood, spat more blood,
“You have a sword,” Balear said. He gestured with his head to the short sword on the boy’s hip. “You say you’re the best brawler. Prove it. I’ll give you the same test someone named Ariok once gave me: live.”
Balear swung the Sky Dragon Sword in an overhead strike.
Pito barely managed to jump sideways in time to avoid the blow. The Auryozaki slammed into the fountain behind him, throwing a shower of stone and water across the courtyard.
Screams filled the space as the officers closest to Balear panicked and fled. No one had told them their new general was insane.
Despite the chaos, a few of the more distant officers stood their ground. They drew their weapons and surrounded Balear. “No one attacks a man of Kataile!” one shouted.
“Outsider!” another screamed. “Traitor!”
“We won’t accept you!” yelled a third.
Balear leveled his sword at each in turn. “That’s fine,” he spat. “You don’t have to follow me if you don’t want to. To be honest, I’m not thrilled about being here. I’m even less thrilled to instruct a bunch of draft dodgers. So I’ll make you a deal. If any of you want my job, you can have it. There’s just one condition. You have to beat me first.”
Four of them tried. Balear didn’t want to kill them, so even striking them with the Auryozaki’s flat wasn’t an option. He returned the weapon to its harness and faced them bare-handed.
The first three went down with a single punch to each of their solar plexuses. The fourth managed to swing his weapon, a halberd, once before Balear got inside his guard and dropped him with an elbow to the jaw.
Balear thought that would end it, but then a fifth man stepped forward. Unlike the other officers who had challenged him, this man’s expression wasn’t one of anger or resentment. It was cold and detached.
The new challenger raised an old, rusty sword. Then, without a word, without a shout, without the slightest sign that he was about to move, he thrust at Balear’s chest.
The man’s speed and ferocity caught Balear off guard. He dodged sideways, but the man tracked him. This fifth fighter must have held back intentionally, observing Balear’s fighting style against the other contenders.
With Balear on the defensive, the challenger pressed his advantage. Slashes aimed for Balear’s elbow and wrist as well as more vital areas. He barely avoided each attack.
Balear grimaced. There was no choice. He reached back and pulled out the Auryozaki.
The challenger hesitated an instant, but then he regained his composure. He charged, and Balear guessed the man’s strategy. He would get close to Balear and take advantage of the Auryozaki’s apparent mass.
It would have been a good plan were it not for the Sky Dragon Sword’s magical weightlessness. Balear whipped his sword around as quickly as a dagger and blocked his opponent’s thrust. A flick of his wrist sent the rusty sword flying.
Balear expected the man to surrender after that, but instead, his opponent kept running and slammed into him. The man shoved his forearm under Balear’s jaw and forced him to the ground.
Before Balear could recover, the officer leapt on top of him. The man pinned Balear’s arm with one hand and pummeled his face with the other.
Through the rain of blows, Balear knew he’d made a mistake. He’d assumed everyone here was a novice. This man was a veteran.
Even so, he wasn’t a match for Balear. The man’s punches had little force behind them. They should have knocked Balear out by now, but instead he just had a bloody nose and lip.
Balear pushed back against the hand holding his arm to the stone. Spitting blood into his opponent’s eyes, he twisted the Auryozaki so its pommel drove up into the officer’s stomach.
The man fell to his knees. He gasped for breath as he wiped his face. Balear stood, spat more blood,
Similar Books
