Jacob was running as quickly has he could veering down the left fork of the passage when he
heard blood curdling screams and a roar that shook the very rock walls of the catacombs. He
paused as his mind conjured a frightful picture of what might be happening to poor little Angus
and Fingus. Fear quickly shocked him into running hard again down the passage.
A second set of confused screeches stopped him again in his tracks. This time Jacob’s fear
quickened his instinct to fight and not to fly. He reached his right hand into the sporran and
pulled the sword back into existence. The small dwarf-like men had risked their lives for him. He
felt he owed them the same.
Tucking the sword back under his arm, he turned and ran back up the passage. As he ran
he could hear the noises of battle getting closer until he sensed the necessity of turning down
one of the narrow passages to his left. Shadows on the wall told the story of the battle raging
around the corner.
Jacob raised the sword over his head and ran hard toward the angry shadows. As he
turned the corner, his eyes caught clear sight of what was happening.
A giant beast was standing, its breadth filling the tunnel and its back reaching close to the
ceiling. Its head was pointed and its snout long. Its teeth were stained red with the blood of
countless victims and its eyes were like molten gold turning in on itself over and over again in
two cauldrons. Its body almost looked orange with a blue tint and darker spikes protruded from
its back and arms. Angus was atop the beast’s back repeatedly stabbing at its neck but without
it seeming to be slowed by the blows. Fingus had fallen beneath its feet and the beast was
lowering its teeth to tear the little man into chunks of meat.
Jacob did not pause to think but lunged at full stride at the beast’s left leg. As he fell toward
the floor, Jacob’s sporran blade sliced through the flesh of the beast’s thigh and it wailed back
in an ear-shattering scream. The beast’s sudden jerk caused Angus lose his grip and slip from
its back. His head smashed off the passage wall and he fell unconscious on the floor.
Fingus reached for Angus’ loose blade and then stood defensively next to Jacob as the
dragon gathered itself to renew its attack. The beast leaned back on its hind legs and then
sprang forward, launching itself powerfully toward Fingus and Jacob. It glided through the air on
outstretched wings of thin leathery skin just feet off the floor. Just before it crashed into them,
Jacob managed to raise his sword again. The beast came crashing through, leaving Jacob and
Fingus being smashed hard onto the floor and covered in blood and mucousy ooze.
Bruised and battered, Jacob raised to his feet and helped Fingus to his. The beast gathered
itself again and turned. Behind him, Jacob could hear the patter of small feet punctuated by a
panting sound racing up the passage to his rear. He dared not turn his back on the beast to
see what was coming, but rather prepared himself for another blow.
heard blood curdling screams and a roar that shook the very rock walls of the catacombs. He
paused as his mind conjured a frightful picture of what might be happening to poor little Angus
and Fingus. Fear quickly shocked him into running hard again down the passage.
A second set of confused screeches stopped him again in his tracks. This time Jacob’s fear
quickened his instinct to fight and not to fly. He reached his right hand into the sporran and
pulled the sword back into existence. The small dwarf-like men had risked their lives for him. He
felt he owed them the same.
Tucking the sword back under his arm, he turned and ran back up the passage. As he ran
he could hear the noises of battle getting closer until he sensed the necessity of turning down
one of the narrow passages to his left. Shadows on the wall told the story of the battle raging
around the corner.
Jacob raised the sword over his head and ran hard toward the angry shadows. As he
turned the corner, his eyes caught clear sight of what was happening.
A giant beast was standing, its breadth filling the tunnel and its back reaching close to the
ceiling. Its head was pointed and its snout long. Its teeth were stained red with the blood of
countless victims and its eyes were like molten gold turning in on itself over and over again in
two cauldrons. Its body almost looked orange with a blue tint and darker spikes protruded from
its back and arms. Angus was atop the beast’s back repeatedly stabbing at its neck but without
it seeming to be slowed by the blows. Fingus had fallen beneath its feet and the beast was
lowering its teeth to tear the little man into chunks of meat.
Jacob did not pause to think but lunged at full stride at the beast’s left leg. As he fell toward
the floor, Jacob’s sporran blade sliced through the flesh of the beast’s thigh and it wailed back
in an ear-shattering scream. The beast’s sudden jerk caused Angus lose his grip and slip from
its back. His head smashed off the passage wall and he fell unconscious on the floor.
Fingus reached for Angus’ loose blade and then stood defensively next to Jacob as the
dragon gathered itself to renew its attack. The beast leaned back on its hind legs and then
sprang forward, launching itself powerfully toward Fingus and Jacob. It glided through the air on
outstretched wings of thin leathery skin just feet off the floor. Just before it crashed into them,
Jacob managed to raise his sword again. The beast came crashing through, leaving Jacob and
Fingus being smashed hard onto the floor and covered in blood and mucousy ooze.
Bruised and battered, Jacob raised to his feet and helped Fingus to his. The beast gathered
itself again and turned. Behind him, Jacob could hear the patter of small feet punctuated by a
panting sound racing up the passage to his rear. He dared not turn his back on the beast to
see what was coming, but rather prepared himself for another blow.
| Exclusive Excerpt from Book II--The Stone of Destiny |
