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.They moved concealed well within the marsh's edge.Itwouldn't do to be detected.If they were, there'd be no chance of reaching theremounts they'd left the night before."What do we do if someone's found the horses?" asked a blood-spatteredwarrior.Nils grinned at him."You're spoiled by all the riding we've done in thiscountry.Imagine you're198back in Svealann and be ready to walk.We'll know in a few kilometers."After a bit a scout came through the reeds to him."Nils," he said in anundertone."We can see the woods where we left the horses.It's crawling withenemy."Nils turned to his runners."Hold the men up.I'm going to see whatpossibility there is of drawing them into a fight.I don't think they'refoolish enough to attack us in the marsh, but we don't want to miss anychances."He moved to the marsh's edge and lay on his belly in the muck, looking througha screen of reeds across the narrow band of prairie separatinghim from the woods.There were hundreds of mounted orcs in the vicinity; itwould be suicide to try to reach the horses.Then he recognized a banner andhis eyes narrowed.They were the elite guard.Page 83ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlNils called out strong and clear in thought."KAZI! (He projected an image ofhimself, sword bloody, foot on a dead orc.) HOW MANY MEN DIDYOU LOSE TODAY? THREE THOUSAND? MORE! AND I DOUBT WELOST MORE THAN A HUNDRED."There was a commotion among the orcs as several psi officers caught the taunt,and a huge figure in glistening black mail rode out from the trees on amagnificent horse.Although Nils lay concealed, the face looked exactly athim."So it's you, Northman." The thought entered Nils's mind, cold and quiet."Have you come to die?""Not me.We're enjoying ourselves too much."199Kazi's utter calm alerted him for some deadly surprise."You like to watchbutchery, Kazi.Why don't you send your orcs into the marsh?"The great cold mind fixed on his without discernible thought or emotion, onlydeadly presence.Finally it spoke."Will you fight me, Northman?""What assurance can you give that your men won't attack me if I come out?""I'll come most of the way to the marsh's edge," Kazi answered."We'll becloser to your men than mine."Again their minds locked for a moment, like eyes, and Nils read no sense oftreachery there.Only grimness.He turned to his scouts."The black giant is Kazi, the onecalled Baalzebub.We've spoken through the mind and agreed to fight, the twoof us.If any of his people ride out toward us, blow a war horn and cover me so I'llhave a chance to run for it."Then he looked out through the fringe of reeds again while a line of archersformed behind him.Kazi was speaking to the officers with him in what seemedto be Arabic.Some of them rode in among the troops, but still Nils sensed notreachery.After a moment Kazi dismounted and walked toward the marsh, slowly, his ironmind locked shut.When he had covered somewhat more than half the distance, he paused, and Nilscame out of the reeds.They walked toward one another.To the northmen peering out, Kazi lookedimmense, emitting an aura of utter and indomitable force.When only a fewmeters separated them, they raised swords and shields, and then they met.Kazi's first stroke would have severed a pine ten centimeters thick, but itwas easily dodged, so that200his sword nearly struck the ground and he barely caught Nils's counter on hisshield.Shock flashed through Nils's mind: the man knew little of sword work.Kazi's second stroke followed too quickly after a feint, so that it lackedforce and left him extended.Nils's shield deflected it easily and he struckKazi's thigh, cleaving flesh and bone, knocked the black shield aside as Kazifell, and sent his sword point through mail and abdomen, feeling it grate onthe spine.A third quick stroke severed the head, and Nils turned and trottedfor the marsh.But no orc rode out and no arrow followed him.20.The northmen and Finns slogged westward along the edge of the marsh until, inearly afternoon, the prairie beside it ended in forest.They turned south among the trees, rested awhile and went on.When night fell,they were still walking, following game trails by instinct and moonlight.Atlength Nils sensed thoughts that indicated Polish conversation.Leaving hismen, he approached until he could hear quiet voices and called out an Anglic."Ahoy.We're the northmen, back from the ambush.Where is Casimir?"Page 84ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlA knight moved warily through the shadowed moonlight, peered closely at Nilsand recognized him."The army is scattered and Casimir is with us.I'll takeyou to him."He found Casimir squatting dour and tired beside the dying embers of a fire.The king's eyesfixed him in the darkness."Well, they're through us, and that's that.Thousands of them, about midday, riding hard.We jumped them, and it was hotand heavy for a while, but we were getting too scattered and cut up, so I hadretreat blown and201202we fought our way back into the timber the best we could.They disengaged thenand rode west down the road through the forest.""Were they all horse barbarians, or were there orcs with them?"The king sat silently for a few seconds as if looking at the question."Allhorse barbarians.We didn't see an orc all day.""You probably won't [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]