Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign - By Phillip Jones Page 0,276

ignored because of the blade’s protection.

Sam’s sword was cutting through the beasts like butter. Michael and Branson remained at the king’s side. They, too, were tearing through the enemy.

Sam enjoyed the frenzy as Kael sliced through another of the giant beasts, causing it to squeal like an 800 pound lobster being dropped into a pot of boiling water. Back and forth, Sam swung Kael’s extended blade through the air as the sword of the gods cut through their numbers. Now and again, the sword would pass without ill effect through Michael and Branson.

“This is what I call a fight!” Sam hollered as they moved toward the top of the hill.

“Agreed, Sire!” Michael shouted while he blocked one of the scorpion’s tails with his forearm and then severed it with his blade. A downward thrust to the giant’s back was all it took to end the beast. Michael enjoyed its nightmarish scream. “That’s 17, Sire.”

“That’s it?” Sam chided. “Twenty-one here.” A few moments later Sam shouted again. “Twenty-two!”

The general just shook his head and kept fighting.

A long while later, the fighting finally stopped as the last giant scorpion dropped to the ground. In total, Brandor’s army had lost 1,070 men, with another 943 lying wounded. Six hundred forty-three of these men would not live through the night as the poison injected into their bodies was too toxic for both the healers and Kael’s magic to combat. While the healers continued to do their job, the general ordered the rest of the men to stack the deceased on the boats.

The command Sam had given Kael to protect those around him from poison was working for those men who were able to make their way to their king and had suffered minor injections. Sam and Michael watched in awe as the poison oozed out of the small holes that were scattered across the soldiers’ bodies while Kael’s magic fought to flush their blood.

Meanwhile, Shalee was growing more worried as her moments continued to pass. Since Helga had not returned, Shalee navigated her way through the carnage to find Sam. “We have a problem.”

“What kind?” Sam asked as he tossed one of the giant’s stingers to the ground.

“Helga was wearing the assassin’s mask. She hasn’t returned. She went to find the—”

“What?” Sam snapped, cutting the queen off. “Why would she do something like that? Which direction did she go?”

Shalee pointed. “I’m pretty sure she went that way. I’m not completely sure because I couldn’t see her.”

“Damn it, Shalee!” Sam barked. “How could you be so...?” The king stopped his sentence, and without wasting another breath, he assembled 100 of his men and followed the scorpions’ tracks to the center of the island.

Shalee had to use her magic to keep up with the group since they were running so fast. Her fear for Helga’s safety increased as soon as they saw the mouth of the cave.

“This is where the tracks lead!” Sam announced to the group. “Make sure you’re ready for anything!”

Shalee commanded the darkness to dissipate as the king led the way into the cave. After a while, they found the corridor where Helga had been snared. The Scorpion King had severed her legs and tried to back out while dragging her body. The giant had become caught in George’s second snare, and it was fighting to free itself.

Sam tried to stop Shalee from rounding the pillar on the left side of the corridor as soon as he saw the bloody scene. “Don’t go in there. Why don’t you let me handle this? Go back to the boat.”

The queen could see the concern in Sam’s eyes, and this amplified her need to see for herself. She pushed past the king and walked through the entrance of the corridor.

The queen gasped as she lifted her hands to her mouth. “No! No! No! Helga, No!” She thrust her right hand forward. A thousand iron needles flew from her fingertips and buried into the Scorpion King’s body. The cave filled with the monster’s piercing cry as it fell to the floor with a thud. The scorpion thrashed about for a short period of moments, and then its nerves perished.

George watched from behind the pillar as Shalee ended the beast’s life. His power to teleport had returned, but he could not bear the thought of leaving now. This scene was too priceless. He just had to watch its conclusion. This was going to be an Academy Award-winning performance by his favorite blonde ditz. He leaned down and whispered