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Chapter Twenty-one

I found my feet but couldn&039;t move

I just stood there in the center of the street while the dragon - yes, a real honest-to-God dragon - flew in low fros outstretched like a bat on steroids I should have run for cover Heck, I should have done a lot of things Mostly, I should have awakened froon opened its impossibly wide mouth and shot a stream of fire that twisted and curled ten feet abovewieners and buns flying everywhere

And as the s shrapnel rained down around me, as processedbirds, I finally got the hint:

This wasn&039;t a drea jet, the dragon thundered by, veering over a church and began a wide, arching turn Apparently, dragons didn&039;t haveradius The SUV&039;s of the one for theon A very large horse was bearing down on e horse, was an insane-looking knight wielding a long and pointed joust

Good God! I&039; from Middle Earth

I should have run; I should have done soround beneath me rumbled Someone nearby screamed Actually, that sohtly to the left to give its rider a good angle to pierce my heart I closed my eyes My bowels turned to water

The horse snorted Its hooves thundered

I had just wondered if I would even feel the sharp lance, when soround, just as a rush of air swooshed pastGood news: everything was intact Bad news: the attacker was turning back around

Yeta glowing Excalibur

Very, very good news indeed

The rider tossed his javelin aside and withdrew his sword He then snapped his reins hard and charged, leaning forward in the saddle, raising his sword high

Arthur never flinched, and if he was scared, he didn&039;t show it Instead, he calmly raised Excalibur with both hands He opened and closed his fingers around the leather grip

The rider thundered hard, bearing down

"Let&039;s go, let&039;s go!" I yelled

But we didn&039;t go, and Arthur neverhis eyes off the approaching rider

"Do not move, James Stay behind me"

"I couldn&039;t move if I wanted to," I said

"When I dispose of him, I want you to take his sword"

Dispose? Holy crap!

"And do ith it?" I asked

"You&039;ll knohat to do with it, old friend," he said

Old friend? I was about to ask him what exactly he meant by that, but the horse and rider were upon us

The knight slashed down hard fro Excalibur around, heaving with all his strength Both swords clashed with aand a hail of sparks To my amaze backwards, and landing hard on his shoulders He lay in a motionless heap as his riderless horse continued on

"Get his sword!" shouted Arthur "Now, Ja, found , I hurried over to the downed rider who still hadn&039;t moved

Was he dead? I didn&039;t know

His sword lay next to him Not as nice as Excalibur, but a serious piece of weaponry It also looked heavy as hell Just as rip, my feet were suddenly swept out from underneath me In a blink of an eye, I was onthe brute to pounce on me, butThe leg sas apparently all he had left in hi a broken ar me with pitiful eyes

"The sword, James Hurry!" Arthur shouted Fro of hooves More guys on horseback No doubt,an eye on my injured friend, I reached over and took hold of his fallen sword It was as heavy as I thought; hell, even heavier As I stood, I used both hands to heft the weapon Recalling that the downed knight had wielded it with one hand made me feel less than manly

Still, as I hefted it, he watched me closely He was dressed in full chainI didn&039;t know He expected me to kill him, that much was obvious Wherever he was from, apparently people played for keeps He closed his eyes and muttered what appeared to be a s prayer

"Dude, relax," I told hiet that aret hiet him I did Hey, his prayers worked! No doubt soing the sword behind , too, because noo riders were bearing down on us And the dragon was flying low just behind theon swept low over the street, its outstretched wings sos Papers, leaves and various other debris swirled and trailed behind it like the tail of a comet

With ridiculous speed, it swept past the two riders and flew directly over us Arthur neverup at it cal looked down atballs Black smoke curled up frohtened field mouse and on veered away, justitself whipped and snapped in the dragon&039;s wake

"Sweet mother of all that which is holy," I said

"This is fun, no?" Arthur said, grinning

"No," I said

Back on terra firround shook as the two riders drew closer One was shouldering a lance and the other wielded a sword Both were bearing down on us

"I&039;ll take the one on the right," said Arthur