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Back to Empire on the HPe3000
... and ...
Nosnra had not slept. When the dogs began to howl and the warning
alarm sounded he was awake and dressed, sitting upon the edge of his bed
and staring at the wall. A lethargy had come over him, so unlike his
nature, but these evil times had drained him and neither sleep, which
would not come, or drink, of which he'd had too much, could fill him
with his accustomed vitality.
* * *
Harald gave up any attempts at stealth and ran down the hill as
fast as his long legs could carry him. He soon over took his halfling
friend and as he went by, reached down, and lifted him by Harold's
hooded cape.
"Hey! what the..." Harold yelled, his legs kicking madly in the
air. "Lemme go you lummox."
"Ha!" laughed Harald. "You're too slow, you owe me for this."
"Oh, don't worry, I'll make sure to pay you back." the halfling
said, then let loose a torrent of curses and swears.
* * *
"Whats that!" Talberth cried, he drew back his hand and prepared
to cast his spell.
"Hold!" Telenstil commanded, "Its our scouts, they are returning."
A single large shape came hurtling down the hill and close behind
two misty clouds drifted by, but with purpose and direction. They
seemed unrushed but gained upon the retreating form. "Gytha, Henri,"
Telenstil called them forward. "Those shapes, they have a giants form,
some spirits of their dead, they seem to have awoken them."
"They are those who fell to our hand." Henri said, his voice
an even unoerthly tone. "They have not seen the light, I will set them
to rest or cast them into the outer dark." He threw back his obscuring
cape revealing his white shimmering robe beneath and on his face, a golden
mask with eyes of clear diamond, their facets sparkling with a rainbow
glow.
Harald holding the halfling thief came leaping down the hill and
skidded past. Then Henri stepped out and faced the ghostly mist. He
raised both arms and as he did the sun appeared to rise, its light shown
from his mask, most was blocked by his own body, but still the others
in the group had to turn away or hold an arm or shield before their
eyes. Talberth had a bare glimpse of Henri's body, his skin translucent
red, his skeleton dark within.
A wail, mournful and despairing poured out, and then fell away as
if it dropped slowly down into some well or pit, another cry, but this one
harsh and defiant still. It went on, then drew off too, but did not fade
entirely.
Talberth blinked a red and purple blob away that haunted him
eyes shut or open wide. Henri stood, but slumped, his arms fallen to his
sides, it was night once more upon the slope.
"I could not save them." Henri said with sadness in his voice.
"One is gone, cast out into the dark, the other resists but had to flee
the true gods light."
"You did well." said Telenstil, then suddenly caught sight of
giants, dark against the starry sky, just cresting the hill and coming
down toward them. "Talberth, prepare to cast your fire spell!"
The sound of howling, unnoticed while the wraith like forms
approached, came to them now, and then it changed. There were sharp
yips of pain, and loud cursing giant voices.
"They've trailed too close." Harald panted, his breath short
after his hurly burly run.
The halfling laughed. "Your 'magic' pepper is a potent artifact."
"What's this?" Talberth inquired, always eager for knowledge
of his craft.
"Just good black peppercorn, ground rough, the same you'd use
upon your dinner meat." Harald explained.
"Its not stopping our giant friends." Gytha called them back to
their approaching foes."
A half-dozen giants had begun a quick descent. They knew this
hill, every inch, no gopher hole or gully, would take them by surprise.
They made quick time and with a stride no human could ever match, ate
away the distance between themselves and the runts they'd come to kill.
* * *
(To Be Continued)