A frantic gonging split through Toka's passioned senses. He broke free of Kolano and read the answer in her suddenly haggard features—the Dragon Men were winging for Kosanna! The vision of Roya flooded back into Toka's mind. But Roya was gone forever—was disgusted with him! And without Roya what was life! Toka whirled for his battle-ax.
Kolano's contralto rang low. "O Great Prince Toka! This is the hour—use it well!"
Great battle-ax swinging, Toka was into the lounge room. The ceilings were coming aglow. The new day of Kosanna was dawning—and the last day of Toka was setting. Racing up the deserted Hall Of Life, he spared a swift glance for the portrayal of that recent episode in the boudoir. They'd have another scene soon! Toka was slamming open the huge entry portals.
The gonging silenced. Kosanna spread away below—deserted. Toka was alone atop the sacred stairway. Fighting being surging with terrible power, he poised with his battle-ax a whistling blur around his head. And from that down-river cavern shot Ophid—astride the neck of a monstrous dragon. Out streaked more, at least half a hundred—lines of wild Dragon Men riding each one.
Ophid's lead dragon streaked in low over the city. The swarm behind spread out and the dragons landed in the avenues. Their riders leaped off and began flailing their wicked clubs to Kosanna's buildings—cracking the spheroid structures and smashing in the doors. Hissing and rattling angrily, the dragons were taking to the air again to whip their tails around other buildings and tumble them down with terrible crashings to destroy their occupants.
But here and there the hitherto docile Kosannans were snatching up knives, sharp tools—anything to try to fight with! The rattlings and flappings, the hissings and shoutings, the yelling and screaming, the explosive crashing of stone on stone and the grinding agony of collapsing structures filled Kosanna and slammed into the ears.
But Ophid and a flight of ten dragons and their riders converged on Toka. The dragons raced to landings on the great stairway. Their insane riders leaped clear. The eleven dragons surged again to the air to come hurtling in for Toka as the horde of Dragon Men came flooding up the great stairway. Toka backed into the concavity of the palace entrance.
The first dragon shot in with great yellow fangs dripping with glistening venom. Toka's ax leaped and bit true to split that flat skull and send the horror crashing in wild convulsions onto the Dragon Men. It was no deterrent. More flying monsters were hurtling in with red tongues flicking and huge fangs dripping.
The Dragon Men had gained the stair top now and were rushing for Toka. With terrible strength and blinding speed Toka powered his mighty battle-ax in screaming drives. Again and again fangs cracked away and venom sprayed. Over and over skulls were split and brains showered wide. Reptilian bodies were cut twain and blood flew as in a rain. The terrace ran red and was slippery with warm gore.
Toka fought on with the increasing recklessness of a warrior who only wants to sell his life for the highest price! And Ophid was a crazed demon standing atop the massive balustrade and ranting for the destruction of Kosanna!