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Last Sovereign part 4
A bolt pinged sharply off the rock the man leaned against, missing his eye by a finger or two to the left. The proximity made him cringe and wink hard, but his grin never left the chiseled features of his face.
“Hah! More like Lucky Jacque!” Ruby Rikk said as he yanked his companion to ground just before a pair of bolts struck the rock in quick succession, this time a few fingers to the right.
Happy Jacque placed a palm to his eye, ensuring all was intact. It would be a rather disappointing day if he had lost one of his soft blue eyes. It was, after all, one of his favorite features, next to his smile, lustrous gold hair, powerful jaw, and a nose that’s size and shape fit his face perfectly.
“It isn’t luck, my friend!” Jacque said with a wink, “Undrii does not wish for this handsome gob he gave me to get marred, especially not by the likes of these backscratchers!”
The big man grunted and rolled his eyes, lifting his head just enough to peek over the boulder. “Amateurs, the lot of ‘em! There must be damn near two-score o’ these blokes over yonder,” He laughed and picked up a curious weapon he had dropped when he pulled Happy Jacque to the ground., “Makes it harder to miss with numbers like that.”
It was an artillery weapon of Timette’s design. A bored-out log was fitted with metal bands, and equipped with a pair of specially tempered springs made of frosteel from the mountains in the Freelands. One spring assisted in cocking the weapon, one extra large spring for the propulsion, coupled with a pair of braided steel ropes that added extra torsion. Ruby unstrapped a pointed cobalt blue metal rod the size of a long sword from the side of the weapon and dropped it into the cannon. He placed his heels on the crossbar of the weapon’s mouth and pulled up with both hands on the cocking bar. The muscles in his neck bulged and his face turned red from the strain until a loud click was heard.
“Ready?” Jacque asked, holding up a trio of charcoal pieces wrapped in silvery thread.
With a slight nod from the big man, Happy Jacque lobbed the black lumps at their assailants, and yelled out a warning, “God’s glare!”
A chorus of shrieks filled the morning air as three rapid flashes erupted from the spot where the coal struck, instantly blinding any who hadn’t...
“Hah! More like Lucky Jacque!” Ruby Rikk said as he yanked his companion to ground just before a pair of bolts struck the rock in quick succession, this time a few fingers to the right.
Happy Jacque placed a palm to his eye, ensuring all was intact. It would be a rather disappointing day if he had lost one of his soft blue eyes. It was, after all, one of his favorite features, next to his smile, lustrous gold hair, powerful jaw, and a nose that’s size and shape fit his face perfectly.
“It isn’t luck, my friend!” Jacque said with a wink, “Undrii does not wish for this handsome gob he gave me to get marred, especially not by the likes of these backscratchers!”
The big man grunted and rolled his eyes, lifting his head just enough to peek over the boulder. “Amateurs, the lot of ‘em! There must be damn near two-score o’ these blokes over yonder,” He laughed and picked up a curious weapon he had dropped when he pulled Happy Jacque to the ground., “Makes it harder to miss with numbers like that.”
It was an artillery weapon of Timette’s design. A bored-out log was fitted with metal bands, and equipped with a pair of specially tempered springs made of frosteel from the mountains in the Freelands. One spring assisted in cocking the weapon, one extra large spring for the propulsion, coupled with a pair of braided steel ropes that added extra torsion. Ruby unstrapped a pointed cobalt blue metal rod the size of a long sword from the side of the weapon and dropped it into the cannon. He placed his heels on the crossbar of the weapon’s mouth and pulled up with both hands on the cocking bar. The muscles in his neck bulged and his face turned red from the strain until a loud click was heard.
“Ready?” Jacque asked, holding up a trio of charcoal pieces wrapped in silvery thread.
With a slight nod from the big man, Happy Jacque lobbed the black lumps at their assailants, and yelled out a warning, “God’s glare!”
A chorus of shrieks filled the morning air as three rapid flashes erupted from the spot where the coal struck, instantly blinding any who hadn’t...
