Swords of the Six Read Online Free Page A

chest. "Do it, Kesla."
    Brian heard the Art'en shriek and glanced over his shoulder just as Kesla pulled his blade out of the creature's heart. Kesla gazed back at Brian, his eyes downcast.
    "What have you done?" The prince took a step away from Letrias. Auron, Hestor, and Clavius encircled him. Kesla cut off his escape. They drew their crystalline swords.
    But a figure rose behind Auron and Letrias. "Traitors!" Xavion's bleeding fists smote the men in their backs, sending them to the ground. The captain stumbled but drew his sword and stabbed Clavius in the leg. His disfigured face could not cry, even as he grabbed Brian with one arm and shielded him with his body.
    The warriors attacked and Brian begged Xavion to release him. "You can't face them alone! Not like this! Please, Master, let us fight together!"
    Xavion looked down at him, held his gaze. Brian knew that the captain could read rage in his eyes.
    As Xavion released him, Brian swung around, letting loose his whip and cracking it in Hestor's face. The warrior's face cracked open and he covered it with both hands, dropping his sword.
    Xavion bellowed at Letrias as the man thrust his sword at Brian. He battered back the handsome, thinner man with his sword and punched him in the chest, sending him panting to the ground.
    Clavius and Auron converged on Brian. Expertly they thrust and parried, staying ahead of his sword maneuvers. He dropped his whip. It would do him no good in close combat. His already tired body refused to move quickly and his white blade faltered against the crystalline ones wielded by the two warriors.
    "This is madness! Why? Why are you doing this?" He saw Xavion stumble under Letrias's fresh attack. "Why?" the old warrior repeated. And blood ran from his eyes instead of tears. "Why?!"
    "Oh, please." Letrias spat on the ground, stood back to catch his breath, and brushed the dirt from his garb. "Isn't it obvious old man? The time of the white dragon is drawing to a close. A new era is coming and we want to be part of it." He smiled sardonically and gestured to Kesla. "And now watch your prize pupil show you what he is learning.
    "Kill him, Kesla!" Letrias laughed. "Do this deed or the agreement my master offered you is nullified. Kill the captain!"
    Brian dropped to the ground as Clavius and Auron struck at him with their swords. He rolled to the side, picking his whip off the ground and then standing. Without hesitation he loosened it and snaked it around Letrias's legs. The man fell, weightless. Brian pivoted on his foot, snapped the whip. Letrias flew through the air like a rag doll and struck a boulder before sliding down its face, landing on the hard ground with a dazed expression on his face.
    He turned, looking for Xavion.
    Tears ran down Kesla's face. He had engaged in a duel with Xavion. Their movements were blinding fast and their blades rang against each other again and again. The sun rose in the east. Its first rays glinted off a brass ring on Kesla's finger.
    Auron and Clavius rushed into the fray and Hestor, snarling through his bleeding face, struck Xavion from behind. Even as the aged man fought for his own life he pleaded with them to spare the prince's.
    "Cowards! What have you become? Why are you doing this?" Soon sobs rocked his shoulders.
    Dropping his whip, Brian rushed to Xavion's aid. He slashed his white blade everywhere the traitors' crystal ones appeared. He gazed into the faces of the men, their blades poising to kill. Dark-featured Auron had once fought with him in battle against the wizards. Hestor and Clavius? They'd been brothers and uncles who'd taught and defended him. Now they wanted to kill him and Xavion.
    Why? Why? Why? He felt the tears fill his eyes and heard himself repeating the question aloud over and over again. "Why? Why? Why ?"
    “Stop it,” Kesla sobbed. “Stop it! I can’t stand this anymore!” He swung his blade, Brian parried and his eyes locked for a moment with the traitor's. In that instant