Tail of the Dragon Read Online Free PDF

down. “You never know.”
    “And you’ll never know,” Brenwar fired back. His voice echoed up the tunnel, “unless you come down here yourself … Sire.”
    “Humph.” Keeping his ears tuned to the hole, Nath sat back down. He didn’t sense any danger. Perhaps the dragon spiders had been the only “price to pay” for intruders trying to loot the ancient tomb. Quite adequate, for most intruders. And the dragon spiders could have been inside there for centuries. Maybe a millennium.
    “I’m sure you can handle it, Brenwar Bone Hand.”
    Brenwar’s rustlings came and went. There were tapping sounds on stones. Heavy grunts. Objects being shoved back and forth. It seemed Brenwar was deep in his search but not having much luck. It was possible that whatever needed to be found had been concealed by a spell. Nath could help with that, but the likes of Bayzog and Sasha would be better. I wonder how they are doing. I bet Bayzog’s had his nose stuck in a book ever since he returned to Quintuklen. What’s left of it, anyway.
    Nath hollered down the hole, “Why don’t you try a potion of finding or something?”
    In a distant voice, Brenwar hollered back, “I don’t need no potion.”
    The vault was deep. Nath figured it to be at least fifty feet straight down. And in some cases, the ancient vaults and tombs could go a hundred yards. They’d already come across a couple like that. And it was not that Nath was impatient. Pretty much all dragons were very patient, but Brenwar’s searches could take months. Dwarves liked it down inside the earth.
    Maybe I should change.
    Nath grimaced.
    But moving on two legs is so slow. And no wings? No way!
    He scratched his dragon chin with his claw.
    Hmmm, maybe I could turn into a man, and keep the wings?
    He pondered the idea until the day turned into night and back into the day again.
    Nah. Then I’d look like Sansla Libor. Or a draykis.
    He sat upright. Cocked his head on his long serpentine neck.
    Brenwar’s booted feet were echoing off the portal’s rungs and getting higher. His black-haired head popped up like a gopher out of the hole. Straining, he climbed out with a very heavy strongbox, half the size of him, in tow. Using two hands, he gave it a heave and dragged it out of the hole and onto the dewy grass. Breathing heavily, he said, “Found something.”
    “I can see that,” Nath said, eyeing it.
    It had handles on each side, like a chest, but there weren’t any latches, key locks, or hinges. It was made of bright polished steel, which reflected the sunlight. To a mortal naked eye, it looked like nothing more than a block of solid metal.
    Nath could make out a very narrow seam that looked like the lid. “That’s one strange treasure chest.”
    “It was well concealed.” Brenwar put his hands on his hips and stuck his chest out a little. “But I found it. No creature on Nalzambor can read the stones better than a dwarf. No sir.” He held up his bony hand, marveling. “And none with a hand like this.”
    “Nothing compares to you, Brenwar. That’s for certain. So the question is, how do we get this thing open?”
    “Maybe we shouldn’t open it at all,” Brenwar suggested.
    “Then why did you bring it up here?”
    “Why? So you could look at it.”
    Nath rolled his eyes. “I am looking at it. I have to admit it’s not like anything I’ve ever seen before. The craftsmanship is unique. Did anything down there give you any idea who created it?”
    “I saw some markings. The tombs were all sealed, but I busted one open. There was nothing but powder and dust in there.” He scratched his nose. “Whatever fed on them, it fed on them long ago. There were worm holes, too, but most of them had refilled.”
    “How many tombs?”
    “A few dozen. Judging by the size of them, I’d say they were men. Not for certain, but I’d say it’s a tomb of the unknown.” Brenwar started scratching his back with his bony fingers. “Mmm, that feels good.”
    Nath