BlackThorn's Doom Page 0,81

formed wall of the escarpment was at their backs.

The Morne attack slowed, the footing was loose and the men yet held the high ground. As they advanced rocks would pelt them and the shields of Ao’dan would bar their way. Although the men were weary and battered they fought as if possessed by demons.

Connell Managed to get his small group of men to Gaelan’s side. “We must retreat!” He shouted.

“To Where?” Gaelan responded his eyes burning with fury. “This war is lost! All we can do now is make these bastards pay for our lives.”

The Sahri drew near the men with Burcott at his side. “Do not die foolishly,” He said. “There is hope yet.”

“Our quest failed!” Connell raged in hopelessness. “We cannot face Sur’kar without the sword of Thoron’Gil.”

“Would that be a black blade born by Casius?” Burcott asked with a grin. “For if it is, then the lad stands a chance.”

Connell was dumbfounded. “Casius is alive?”

“Aye,” Burcott answered. “He was a short while ago anyways.”

As those words left the old warriors mouth the entire hilltop upon which Sur’kar stood exploded in a great ball of flame. Fire rushed down the slope, dying out well within the Morne ranks.

The men below the escarpment were spared the brunt of the blast but an intense wall of heat slammed into them.

Chapter Twenty-Six

The Ma’ul charged Casius, its hooves tearing deep holes in the earth, each impact shaking the hillside. A searing wave of heat flowed out from it, accompanied by a sense of irrational fear.

The Ma’ul swung an immense blade of flame downward seeking to cleave him in twain. The air screeched and a thick oily smoke marked its passage.

Casius dove forward and rolled beneath the behemoth. Jumping quickly to his feet he swung Aethir and delivered a deep gash across its hindquarters.

Flames shot from the wound as if driven by a harsh wind. The Ma’ul cried out in pain and staggered backwards, the flaming sword carving a deep trench in the frozen ground.

Casius leapt to the side, barely avoiding a backward swipe of the blade. “I have stood before your ilk before, spawn of hell.” He said in a calm voice filled with confidence. “I have felt the touch of fire and the fear you exude has no hold on me.”

A look that may have passed for fear crossed the beasts flaming features. But only for an instant it was replaced with a burning hatred that defied imagining.

Raising itself to its full height, it towered thirty feet into the air. A cry of pure bestial rage shook the air and jets of thick flame and smoke raced skyward. The flames along its back grew in intensity until the frozen grass began to burn. A wave of fire raced outward engulfing the entire hillside.

Burcott watched in disbelief, through the searing heat he could see Casius ducking below the monster and striking it upon its foreleg.

The Ma’ul fell forward driving its fist deep into the earth. The ground shook and a wave of sheer terror blasted outward.

The Morne and Men alike fell to the ground, paralyzed by fear.

The beast lowered its head and glared at the puny human before it. Never before in its long existence had it been wounded by a sword in the hands of a man. A twinge of fear stirred within its primal mind. The Ma’ul was a force of pure destruction, with no concept of death. But it could feel the faintest touch of a kindred spirit in this man, he had slain a Ma’ul and somehow he took from it some small part of its power. The Ma’ul raised its sword and attacked.

The speed at which the giant moved shocked Casius. Before he could blink the flaming sword was well on its way towards him. He had no time to evade the blow; he instinctively raised Aethir to parry. Given the strength of the Ma’ul he doubted the blade would even slow.

The blades met edge on; Aethir was dwarfed by the flaming blade crashing into it. With a howling screech that nearly deafened him the Ma’ul’s sword exploded into a shower of a thousand sparks.

The Ma’ul’s empty fist struck the earth beside Casius. The beast was stunned and off balance. Casius stepped forward and with both hands he plunged Aethir deep into its chest. The Ma’ul screamed as Casius forced the blade deeper.

The Ma’ul fell onto its side, the bull like legs kicking in violent spasms. Casius jerked the weapon free. A blazing fountain of fire sprayed