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.He waited for the rest to draw up beside him andlook down to a cove beyond.They saw a narrow finger of the sea crook inland in the midst of a scatteringof small campfires.Around each, two or three men sprawled in relaxation, talking, picking fleasfrom each other, and gnawing on the remains of the evening meal.Nearest theinlet, one roared with laughter, holding high a silver cup and wiping the backof his hand on a woolly vest.On the peninsula of land between the bay and thesea, women and children clustered about low-slung tents and hobbled ponies."It is as the captive painted it," Grengor said."If we hurry we can take themas they eat.""Then let us group at the outcropping over there/' another man replied."Withmaster Alodar rushing out, and a bit of luck, he will have the chieftan downjust as we show ourselves and charge."Alodar heard grunts of agreement, and the desire to rest quickly passed.Thebloodthirst rose again, and he jerked at the hilt of his sword.He struck outin the lead down the hillside, scrambling over the rocks and just barelyremaining behind cover.The urgency boiled higher, and his nostrils flared inanticipation.The rest followed behind as he descended the irregular trail.Halfway down, his view suddenly blurred.As he lurched around a large boulder,he did not see the cove, but more of the hills leading to higher mountains inthe distance.In the very center, a monolith of cold granite soared into thesky.Alodar stopped and blinked in confusion.He was Alodar the bloodspUler,with a purpose soon to be fulfilled.There was no room in his existence foranything but his mission.But the spire compelled, and he felt himself drawn forward.He seemed to skimover the rough ground.Like a tiny leaf blown by the wind, he hurled to thetower.At its base, his compulsion grew, and he launched himself up the side.Hand over hand, as rapidly as he seemed able, he climbed into the sky, drawingnearer to whatever called him.In an instant he neared the peak and stopped tostare at what was before his eyes.The stone was smooth, with no more grips topull him higher; but directly in front, protruding from the rock, was thetarnished surface of an ancient bracelet.As Alodar reached forward to pull it from the wall, the vision wavered andblurred.He felt the presence of the eye expand in his mind, growing,consuming, absorb- : ing into blackness the sights about him.The sceneflashed away and he looked down into a cove populated by a small tribe ofbarbarians.He blinked again, but the image remained firm.He resumed his hurried descent, untroubled by what he had seen and intent onlyon what he was meant to do." Down the hillside the party went, until at lastthey stood poised at the outcropping, barely fifty yards from the small campat the water's edge.With perfect calmness, Alodar marched out from the hidingplace and headed straight for the barbarians, his hand on the hilt of hissword and his gaze steady.The men hi the camp spotted him almost immediately.Alodar heard an orderbarked from the water's edge as two men rose to meet him.He closed half thedistance and scanned those still seated, marking for sure the one whoPage 155ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlcommanded them."Drop your arms," the two guardsmen growled in unison as he approached.Alodartook but two more steps and felt the last restraint hurl away.The lust forblood billowed up.With a frenzy, he drew his sword.Swinging it highoverhead, he ran at the two with a chilling yell.The man on the right cleared his blade of the scabbard but did not have timeto use it.Alodar's sword swung down into his shoulder with a bone-breakingthud.As the man sank, clutching spasmodically with his free handfile:///F|/rah/Lyndon%20Hardy/Hardy,%20Lyndon%20-%20Master%20of%20Five%20Magics,%20The.txt (149 of 207) [6/4/03 9:25:37 PM]file:///F|/rah/Lyndon%20Hardy/Hardy,%20Lyndon%20-%20Master%20of%20Five%20Magics,%20The.txt the wound, Alodar pulled his sword backwards and wrenched itfree.The other nomad stood openmouthed, till not comprehending the folly ofsuch a suicidal attack.Alodar thrust his dagger into the nomad's stomach with his left hand in aswiping zigzag that spilled the man to the ground.The men behind all scrambled to their feet.The ones nearest instinctivelydrew their swords asAlodar thundered into their midst.They formed a shallow bowl around him,animal hide shields high and swords pointing out.Alodar looked beyond, downto the water's edge, where he saw the chieftain now on one knee, peering inpuzzlement at the commotion.Using sword and dagger together, Alodar lunged at the two immediately infront.As his blade skittered off their shields, he bolted around them.Theman on his left slashed backwards, andAlodar felt the sharp edge of pain race through his left arm.He convulsivelydropped his dagger and faltered for a step, his vision fogging from the blow.But the urge to run amok welled up even stronger and beat down the pain,hurling it away.With the arm dangling at his side spewing blood, he sprinteddown the beach to bis target.The chieftain rose to his feet, barking new orders to the men scattered alongthe way.BehindAlodar, the original group pounded after, now out of sword reach but sealingoff all retreat.Glancing quickly to the side, Alodar saw a bowman nock an arrow and began totrack his progress across the sand.One arrow sailed by in front, and then asecond fell niches behind.He burst across the logs which defined the chieftan's campfire and closed uponthe three men who still stood between him and his goal.With a savage yell, hehacked low underneath the falling shield on his right and hit just above theankle, sweeping the man from his feet.The two on the left both slasheddownward on bis unprotected side but missed as Alodar dipped and scrambledforward.The man nearest swung again, this time in a low horizontal arc.The pointreached Alodar's calf, and his leg buckled.The leader and the two aidesclosed about him, each eager to deliver a mortal blow.The pain coursed up through his leg and spine as Alodar struggled to stand andget past the chieftain's guard.Three blades were raised against him, but heconcentrated only on one, trying to find an opening before they fell.Suddenly beyond the periphery of the camp, a mighty yell arose and the marinesand the rest of the royal party charged into view.The three swordsmenhesitated and turned to see the cause for the commotion.Alodar saw hischance.He swung his sword up into the air, reversing his grip, and plunged itdaggerstyle at the face of the leader [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]