Stone Guardian Read Online Free PDF Page B

burned with the most glorious billows of black smoke he had ever seen. Arach exhaled as he mindlessly tapped a claw against the limestone shelf. If only these mortals would learn how to fight back. It had been eons since he’d faced an interesting battle or found any victims worthy of well-thought-out torture.
    Arach released a distracted sigh. Still, this hunting ground had lasted much longer than the last world he’d plundered. Of course, he’d been several millennia younger at that time and hadn’t known to pace himself as he’d done here.
    The crashing sea roiled past the mouth of the cave. Greenish-gray waves spewed seaweed-filled froth across the sharp outcropping of stained black rocks protruding from the fissures of the cliff. Arach stretched himself out on the windswept ledge. With a sweep of one paw, he scattered sun-bleached bones out of the way and rested his sticky, blood-spattered chin atop the crossed cushion of his meaty forearms. Yes. He’d learned much since burning through the last reality much too quickly. ’Twas a good deal wiser to take things slowly. Savor the killings for the deepest possible enjoyment. After all, one must allow the prey time to breed and repopulate the land. Rather like when those silly mortals allowed the fields of their farms to lie fallow and gave their world a bit of a rest. These odd little mortals tended to be quite prolific if given the time and the short-lasted comfort of a few quiet decades. Once the mindless fools relaxed in the belief that their world was safe, they replenished their numbers quite readily. Arach smiled as he nestled his snout to a more comfortable angle in the crook of his crossed arms. Silly mortals. So easily picked off one by one when he resumed the scourging of their lands.
    Arach rumbled a sigh and slathered his tongue around his greasy lips. Besides, juicy worlds filled with prey and ready for destruction grew more difficult to find every day. And even though he wasn’t getting any younger, he still had several more millennia left in this set of scales. Why burn out this world and have to go to the trouble of finding another?
    He chuckled under his breath as his heavy eyelids slowly drifted shut. He must remember to thank the foolish old Cailleach. If not for the ancient woman of the moors guiding him to this particular gateway, he might’ve actually missed the pleasures of this world while traveling through the corridor.
    The squawk of a gray heron sounded above the rim of the cave. Arach cracked an eyelid open, found the outstretched form of the graceful bird and incinerated it in a single explosive belch of orange flame. Useless birds. Constantly disturbing his naps. A distinct waste of valuable firepower but their racket was so damn irritating.
    The blackened steel hull of a fire-gutted ship scraped against the base of the cliff, trapped inside the barrier of rocks jutting out from the swirling sea. The rhythmic screech against the jagged rocks sang like a delightful lullaby to Arach’s heavily armored ear-slits. Yes. That soothing sound was much better than the annoying squawk of the shore birds, especially when it filled his dreams with the anticipation of crunching down on bodies rotting in the hold.
    Fidgeting against the curve of the ledge to find a more comfortable position, Arach rolled to his side and exposed his swollen belly to the fleeting warmth of the sun. Lore! What would it take to get comfortable?A nagging restlessness prevented his leisure like a sharp rock poking into his side. Arach slapped at the midges buzzing his blood-streaked nostrils with writhing tentacles sprouting from his jaws. How the hell was he supposed to sleep off a meal with a cloud of insects crawling up his snout?
    Snorting out a short burst of blue flame, Arach lumbered to his feet. It was useless. Sleep would never come to him at this rate. He might as well take flight and seed a few thunderstorms among the skittering clouds. At least watching the