Asgoleth the Warrior - By Bill Kirkwood Page 0,3

and help me with this wench.’

A snarl of fury appeared on his face as he realised that the looming figure behind him was not that of his companion. Swiftly he pulled the girl around in front of him and placed the razor sharp blade of his sword against her throat.

‘Come no nearer barbarian or I will slay her!’

Asgoleth came to a halt and stood glaring at him, watching closely for any lapse in his enemy’s attention. A sneer of contempt grew on the priests face.

‘So the mighty warrior is halted in his tracks by concern for a mere girl. My lord Demos was right, your kind are weak. But not we who follow the path laid down for us by the dread lord Balzarr. Always we shall triumph over you. With lord Demos to lead us the land of Akon shall rule the world.’

The man threw his head back and laughed wildly and the light of the fanatic burned in his eyes.

Asgoleth frowned at his words, he had heard the name of Demos before and always it had been associated with evil deeds. A sorcerer in the service of King Trannos of Akon, he was an evil and ambitious man by all accounts and steeped in evil lore. A thrill of superstitious unease ran through him. He had heard many dark tales of sorcerers and magicians and he wished to have nothing to do with any of them but he could not just walk away and let this helpless girl be taken by one such as that. He shrugged and took a step forward and the priest snarled.

‘I warn you barbarian I will not hesitate to kill her. Lay down your sword and back away. Do it or she dies!’

The smooth flesh of the girl’s throat whitened as the pressure from the priest’s blade increased and her eyes were full of terror as she looked at Agoleth. He gripped his sword hilt tightly as he considered the situation. If he attacked he could not hope to reach her before Morius slew her. Yet perhaps such a swift death would be easier for her considering what the priest had planned for her. He glared at the man and snarled.

‘If you kill her your master will not be pleased with his dog. What punishment will he inflict on you if you fail him?’

The priests face went white as the barbarian’s words sank home. He well knew that the punishment would be terrible indeed. Demos did not accept failure from his servants. Nervous and angry, Morius tightened his grip on the girl until she cried out in pain and he growled,

‘Enough of this, I will talk no more with you. Drop your sword now and step away or she dies.’

Asgoleth saw that he meant what he said. He would kill her now unless his order was obeyed. A moan of despair escaped the girl as Asgoleth laid down his sword and stepped back. Morius grinned, threw back his head and laughed his wild laugh again, exulting in his power over the barbarian. Asgoleth saw his chance and swiftly drawing his heavy, double-edged dagger, he launched it at his enemy.

The blade, propelled by the mighty muscles of his arm, flew unerringly to its target, the point smashing through the priests throat to emerge from the back of his head in a black spray of blood and brains. The maniac laughter died to a shocked, blood choked gurgle and his hand from which his scimitar had fallen, clutched futilely at the protruding hilt. For a moment he stared in disbelief at the young barbarian and then his legs gave way and he slumped to the ground and lay still. The girl too gave a moan and fell to the ground in a dead faint and Asgoleth snatched up his sword and ran over to where they lay, ready to finish off the priest should he still live. He need not have feared. Deaths iron grip had already closed on the priest and he was now on his way to hell. He would never harm anyone again.

Asgoleth's keen eye caught the glint of gold about the man's neck and he stooped and pulled free a golden amulet. The amulet bore the image of a hideous reptilian face and he felt a shudder of distaste. Was this an image of the dead priests god? Despite the barbarians mercenary lust for gold he threw the thing from him into the darkness where it belonged. It felt unclean in