The Dragon's Champion Read Online Free PDF Page B

cleaning
the rooms. If it’s safe enough for him…” Erik stopped short as a strong wind
blew through the hallway behind him. It sounded as though the wind itself was
growling at him. He burst into a sprint straight down the next hall. He ran
past sets of armor on display, tapestries, paintings, and the occasional door
or window, but he didn’t stop to look at any of them. Something nipped at his
heels and the wind growled louder. Erik ran faster and faster. He dared not
turn around.
    Soon he could
see the end of the hall. The door to the south tower loomed in front of him.
His feet carried him faster toward the dead end as the growling came nearer to
his head and something almost grabbed his pant leg. He knew he would have to
turn and face his hunter because there wouldn’t be enough time to unlock Lady
Dimwater’s door before it took him from behind.
    Erik spied a set
of armor displayed on the right side of Lady Dimwater’s door. The gauntlet held
a spear upright. Erik knew it was his only chance. He raced for the spear and
ripped it from the stand with such force that the gauntlet was flung across the
hall and clashed against the wall. Erik dropped to slide on his knees. Just
before he reached Lady Dimwater’s door he spun around and pointed the spear
upward, digging the butt of the spear into the crack under the heavy, oak door
for support.
    A silvery shape,
too distorted to identify, parted around the spearhead and flew right past Erik
and through the door. The growling was replaced by a hiss as the mist flowed
by. Erik remained on his knees, his hands relentlessly held the spear ready.
    What was
that? Erik wondered. He slowly stood up, keeping his muscles tense and
ready. He thought of going back to Janik and leaving Dimwater’s journal alone,
but he couldn’t go back now. Whatever it was, it was gone now. There was no
sense in abandoning his mission.
    He stood the
spear in the corner and pulled the green key from his pocket. He slipped the
key into the hole and turned it slowly. The tumblers clicked into place and the
door budged open. Erik glanced around once more and then pushed the door open.
He poked his head in and searched the room for any sign of the apparition, but
all was still. Sunlight flooded in from a window, illuminating the room. A
large, open book lay on Dimwater’s cherry-wood desk amid strewn papers. A disorderly
pile of books leaned against the side of the desk. An empty, brass birdcage
stood in a far corner of the room. Erik saw many bookshelves lined with books,
beakers, and various animal skulls. Erik slipped through the door and closed it
gently behind him.
    He went to the
desk. He sat in the chair and looked at the large, open book. It was an old
dusty and yellow tome that described the history of various regions of
Terramyr. He pushed the book aside and started to search for Dimwater’s diary.
He pulled open the drawer and rummaged through some old, stiff papers. Some
were potion recipes, some were anatomical drawings, and others were written in
strange languages that Erik did not understand. After a thorough search of the
drawer he found a small, leather bound book under the papers. He pulled the
book out and opened it. He hoped he had found the diary, but again he was
disappointed. The pages inside were blank. Erik replaced the book and closed
the drawer.
    Something big
growled in front of him.
    Erik slowly lifted
his gaze. A great, silver wolf stood with its front paws on the desk in front
of him. Its snarling lips curled back to reveal shiny, white fangs as long as
Erik’s fingers. The wolf lowered its head and stared directly into Erik’s eyes.
Erik’s body froze. The fear gripped him so tightly that he couldn’t move. He
sat paralyzed, helpless, as the wolf inched closer.
    The wolf slid a
paw forward on the desk. Its ears were flat against its head and its eyes never
broke their gaze. Erik knew he had to do something, but he couldn’t. Even when
he felt the wolf’s breath