Flames of Awakening: Faemoch Cycle Book 1 Read Online Free PDF Page B

of Dantus flew.
This time, however, Harol stayed where he landed. He lay there, a crumpled,
beaten mess. He had unwisely dared to challenge the god of the arena and failed
miserably, as so many before him.
    "The crowd exploded in wild,
undulating cheers for the champion. He smiled and raised his bloodied viortassi .
Turning a grand circle to face all of his adoring, cheering fans, the champion
smiled yet again.
    "At first, it must have been the
gasp or slight murmur from the crowd that alerted him to his danger. Then, I am
certain his half-elven heritage tipped him to the piercing whistle of the round
blade of the chakram, slicing through the night air toward his exposed back.
    "He spun about with barely a
sound. His curved sword whipped through the air, lightning fast, to split the
speeding projectile in two. Each piece deflected harmlessly to the side as the champion
leaped the distance between the two men. He moved impossibly, unimaginably
fast. His sword's tip bit hard into Harol's throat, letting loose a bare
trickle of ruby.
    "The champion looked to the
announcer's box.
    "The announcer glanced at a
rotund man sitting in an ornate high-backed wooden chair, Lord Tullus. The Lord
nodded.
    '"Betrayal is beneath us. I
would gladly have called you brother. Now, I shall be forced to call you
memory.' These were the first words that I heard the champion of Purwynn utter.
They were the last that foolish Harol of Dantus ever heard."
    Chlora's eyes twitched, "He did
that? And you heard those words? Hrmph, I don't believe you. He probably cried
or something else equally as weak. Anyway, that doesn't explain why you all are
here. Nor does it have anything at all to do with any kind of dragon, much less
one with a frog's body. You told me a silly story about an almost elf. I think
I will eat you now."
    "Hold on there," Tolian
hastily interrupted Chlora as she moved toward them. "That is only the
story of how I first came to meet my companion. Let me tell you now of his
virtue and why I have continued to follow him the world over. I promise, this
story is well worth the build up. And there is a dragon, a mighty dragon, one
with a frog body, just like you said you wanted to hear. But perhaps, you
didn't really want to hear a story about a frog bodied dragon anyway. Oh
well."
    "Now, you hold on," Chlora
said. "You didn't say that your story wasn't over. You should definitely
finish it. Don't give up on yourself that easily in the future. One day you
might not have someone like me to save your life eighty-three times."
    Tolian smirked. His ability to play
this game had saved his life on more than one occasion in chance encounters in
back alleys. He realized, however, that his opportunity to win their freedom
was fading fast.
    "Very well," he said.
"Now where was I? Oh, yes.
    "The next day I paid a cordial
visit to our friend here. He and I walked through his master's terraced
courtyard, discussing trivial matters, such as his life. I wanted to get every
detail correct. For my grand masterpiece, of course. His master must have
wearied of our utterly fascinating dialog, however, as he soon dismissed
himself.
    "From seemingly nowhere the most
immense dragon landed heavily right in front of Jaxius' master. It sat hunched
grotesquely on its bulging belly. Its hind legs curled like a bloated toad's.
Oddly, the monstrosity had inordinately small wings. I assumed that it traveled
primarily by extremely long jumps. It bellowed its thunderous croak. Our
friend's master bolted, looking back over his quaking shoulder.
    "The beast croaked again and
shot out its hideous long tongue. The slimy rope of an appendage wrapped once,
twice, three times about the slave owner's lower body.
    "The master was caught. At first
he whimpered helplessly; then he screamed as the great froggy dragon dragged
him ever so steadily to its gaping maw. The shrieking cries for help reached an
ear-shattering pitch before they were abruptly cut off as the enormous dragon
gulped