His whistling battle-ax struck between a set of those blazing eyes and
tore through in a bloody shower. In violent death throes, the monster
was piling onto the stairway. But another was hurtling in. Again Toka's
vicious battle-ax tore home and another dragon was piling down.
A slimy scaliness whipped around Toka's legs. His battle-ax butchered
huge coils but others replaced them with crushing power and great wings
pounded him.
* * * * *
Then he saw a coil whip around Roya and a terrible strength surged from
his depths. His mighty ax was a screaming viciousness. He was free and
leaping for Roya and slashing those coils from her. He snatched her
clear and whirled to catalog the battle scene. The surviving dragons
were retreating hurriedly into the down-river cavern.
The mysterious gong of Kosanna was instantly exultant. The people began
pouring from hiding. Princesses were gathering atop the stairway, and
from all Kosannan throats came a great cheer.