Asgoleth the Warrior - By Bill Kirkwood Page 0,28
running feet reached their ears and Demos yelled,
‘Guards, guards, to me, I am beset!’
Asgoleth snarled and took a step forward, about to strike and the tyrant flinched back in fear. Was this how his dreams of empire were going to end, snuffed out by a blow from a barbarians sword? He sagged back in relief as Asgoleth turned and headed for the door. The Akonites were almost upon him and he knew that they would bring him down by weight of numbers if he stayed. Dead, he would be of no use to Amira, there would be another time.
He turned his gaze upon Demos and growled,
‘I will return you dog and if you have harmed Amira your death will not be quick.’
With that he turned and glided out of the room, away from the advancing soldiers. Behind him he could hear the shouts and yells of his pursuers and above it all the outraged voice of Demos screaming with fury.
‘I want that barbarians head! Do not let him escape if you value your lives.’
Asgoleth’s long legs allowed him to outdistance the Akonites but he knew he could not evade them forever. He had to get out of the palace, the place was a warren and it was full of Akonites. Then he heard the brazen notes of a horn sounding the alarm. Every soldier in the city would be after him soon.
He pounded along the corridor, his eyes searching for the entrance to one of the secret passages that riddled the palace. At last he saw one of the statues of Solus that marked such an entrance and he increased his pace.
He was almost there when three burly Akonites came out of a side room. When they saw the savage, bloodstained figure of Asgoleth charging towards them they yelled and raised their blades. Such was the Calthian's speed that he was upon them in an instant. His blade licked out and the foremost of the warriors went down, his head almost severed. Blood sprayed over his companions and Asgoleth. A second soldier aimed a vicious stroke but the maddened barbarian slashed upwards and the blade sliced the man’s hand off at the wrist. Hand and sword flew into the air and blood jetted from the stump as the man fell back, screaming in shock and pain.
The third Akonite leapt to the attack and as the two battled Asgoleth could hear the sounds of others drawing nearer. The surviving Akonite heard them too and he grinned coldly. Asgoleth snarled and lunged forward with all of his mighty strength behind his stroke. His steel smashed his opponents guard aside and crunched through breastplate and heart, bringing the fight to an abrupt end.
Asgoleth wrenched his blade free and hurried to the statue and pressed the hidden projections. The statue slid silently aside to reveal the welcoming gloom of the passageway beyond. He slipped inside and was just in time. Even as he heard the lock click into place the corridor beyond was filled with the sounds of many men. He grinned coldly as he listened to their bewildered shouts. By the time they had figured out what had happened he would be long gone.
Moving swiftly and silently through the dark dusty passages he retraced his steps to the place where he had entered the palace. Slowly he slid the statue back a little and peered out into the moonlit garden. All seemed clear and he emerged and made his way quickly to the gate. Behind him the palace was in uproar but the street beyond was deserted, at least for the moment. He slipped out into the street and made his way back towards the breech in the city wall.
Suddenly a shout rang out and he turned to see a mounted Akonite galloping towards him. Behind the horseman a squad of soldiers came running.
‘At him men!’ the mounted man cried. ‘It is the dog that injured the king.’
Asgoleth cursed and turning, he charged straight towards the horseman bellowing his war cry as he came. The startled horse reared up, almost unseating its rider. The man had expected Asgoleth to run, not turn and attack and he was stunned with surprise. Asgoleth easily avoided his foes clumsy sword stroke and thrust his own blade upwards into the man’s side. The warrior cried out and fell from the saddle and Asgoleth took his place. The horse reared but Asgoleth savagely yanked on the reins and the beast subsided, recognising its new master.
The pursuing soldiers were