A great gong throbbed urgently.
Wanda whirled. "O great Prince Toka! Your first test is at hand!" She
raced away for the distant summit of the stairway.
In moments the square and city below were deserted. Toka and the men
formed a V around Roya and Elees.
"What's that flapping sound?" Roya puzzled.
Toka trained his eyes on that distant cavern into which the river
vanished after passing Kosanna. And from that black hole shot six
huge dragons! Mottled a pale yellow and green and equipped with great
wings, their sinuous lengths tapered to a series of blue rattles. Their
triangular skulls were set with unwinking pink eyes. From their upper
jaws great yellow fangs curved down to vicious pin-points.
As the dragons streaked for his party, Toka's powerful being sang for
action and his great battle-ax was a whistling blur. His voice was
cool. "Take their fangs first!"
The dragons' huge rattles began vibrating angrily. One dragon shot on
for the top of the stairway. Hissing viciously, the remaining ones
ganged in for Toka and company.
Toka's battle-ax cracked true and sent fangs spinning away. Clear venom
dripping from the stumps, the dragon instantly recoiled in violent
pain. But another came streaking in. Again Toka's battle-ax shot true
in that one-two cracking and a second victim convulsed violently and
collided with the angry others. All five were a wild melee over the
square.
A scream slashed through the din. Toka glanced. Blue tail coiled about
Wanda, the sixth dragon was winging away.
"Here they come again!" Rok warned.
Having untangled themselves, the five unburdened dragons were tearing
back to the attack.