Free The New World (The Last Delar) by Matthew Cousineau Page A

mines."
    "Do not dare insult the King in my presence, you powerless rat.  You will accept the terms that are given or feel his wrath," threatens Ush-Ka.
    In defiance, Black Claw waves his claws in Ush-Ka's face.  The hall echoes with the men's shouts, and the line begins to close in on Ush-Ka and his men.
    "SILENCE!" shouts Red Fist, and the hall becomes still.
    Grey Back rises from his throne and speaks.  "You can tell your King that it was not with his father’s lives that these lands were secured.  You can also tell him that these lands will run red with your men's blood if you do not leave our borders now and never return."
    The Meno and Salali start to chant and dance around Ush-Ka displaying to him that they are also ready for war.  Dirty Hands stays on the outside of the circle and looks around the room in fear.  Ush-Ka turns and looks at his master and the King walks to his side.
    The Wicked King begins to speak in his native language and Ush-Ka translates, "I am a son of the one true God.  I traveled across the great sea -- a feat that none before me has accomplished.  I come from a land very different from yours.  We worship the true God and live a civilized life unlike yours and your savage ways.  I am offering you a chance to join me and convert from your pagan beliefs.  If you do, God will bestow on you his blessings and I will guide you on a path toward a great civilization.  Defy me and all my power and knowledge will rain down upon you like the fires of hell.  There can be no victory against us, because the righteous hands of God guide us.  So I ask you one last time savage chiefs: join us and bend to my will embracing the glory of God or be destroyed by my might."
    The hall rises in fury.  The walls of Meno and Salali begin to close in.  The Nossa guards and Ush-Ka surround their King and walk slowly toward the door.  Once outside, Ush-Ka nods in the direction of the Nossa bodyguards before starting down the stairs following his master.  The Nossa do not follow, and the guards look at each other in alarm.
    "You are no longer welcome here . . . leave with your general now!" yells a guard as he lowers his spear at the backs of the barbarians.  The guards look down, hearing screams from below.  They see Ush-Ka's men riding on Feather Runners. These bird like beasts have flightless wings, long jaws lined with razor teeth and a massive, flesh tearing talon rising from their feet. The men are attacking anyone who comes close and the guards watch in horror as teeth and claw attack man, woman and child.
    "WE ARE UNDER ATTACK! WARN THE OTHERS!" yells a Salali guard from the ground, just as a Runner overtakes him from behind and tears at his body.  The Nossa warriors then attack the guards and the two sides battle for control of the door.  A Meno guard manages to open the door to the hall and quickly yells a warning to the Meno and Salali inside.
    "The city is under siege, arm yourse- AARGH," a Meno spear pierces his stomach, and he falls in a pool of blood.
    "Protect the city! Arm yourselves!" Everyone looks blankly at Black Claw, for all the men in the hall are unarmed.  A Salali reaches the wounded guard and checks to see if he is dead, when suddenly the door opens wide and a Feather Runner bursts into the room.  The Salali crouching over the slain guard is helpless, as a leaping Runner tears him to pieces.  The rest of the hall watches in disgust as he desperately cries for help beneath the teeth and claws of the bloodthirsty beast.
    The door then slams shut behind the intruders, and the room becomes silent.  The Runners and their Nossa masters begin to creep slowly toward the Meno and Salali.  Both sides are eyeing each other, waiting for the first move to be made.  The soldiers standing behind the Runners smile in anticipation of the blood that will soon be spilt.  One of them raises his whip high in the air and brings it down with a hard crack.  A Runner lunges forward, and the