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Back to Empire on the HPe3000
... and ...
"It's dead, thank the creator." said Telenstil with relief. "This
will not have gone unnoticed." he called to the others. "Quickly down the
northern corridor. Ivo can mask us once we are in Nosnra's private room."
The trophy hall showed the scars of the battle with the stag, but
the giants chairs and tables had passed through unscathed. The eastern
wall could not say the same, fire from the burning skulls had blackened
great stretches, rising up and painting the roof with smoke, but the thick
timbers had not caught the blaze.
Edouard and Derue led the way, Harold ran to his friends side and
yelled at the old ranger. "What were you thinking?"
The ranger bowed his head, abashed, but he held tight to his
ancient sword and a glow shown deep within his eye.
Gytha helped the injured Henri to his feet, he breathed in short
gasps winded by his fall, then saw who held his arm. He pulled away and
wiped his hands together and grimaced in disgust. Gytha rolled her eyes
and laughed at the priests discomfort, life was to short to let such
rudeness touch her heart.
A cold wet wind blew down the hall, Edouard froze in mid-step as
a trio of giants came walking in. "Llerg give me strength." he said, then
launched himself forward. Derue held a short thrusting spear, but he took
a running start and threw it. The giant Breme, he swept up a blocking hand
as the spear flashed toward him, the spear struck and pierced through
muscle and scraped on bone.
With a slight of hand that Talberth had learned early in his youth
he flung out his arm and flicked his wrist, the wand was in his hand. "Out
of the way!" he called to the pale haired scouts.
Master Ivo caught the eye of a towering giant with the quick
waving of his hand, his voice was low and the mystic words he spoke
reached far inside the inner reaches of its soul. A misty beast
solidified, some twisted nightmare of its deepest fears, Ivo grimaced
at the sight, the jaws which reached almost to the floor, the melding of
what was real and what were only half-formed noisome thoughts. The giants
pupils flashed open wide, its own massive jaw hung loose, it tried
to scream but merely let out a squeaking sound. It turned and ran, the
lurching phantasm sprang after, appearing solid to Ivo, it passed
like the ghostly stag through scouts and giants both.
"Out of the way!" Edouard heard the wizards shout, but brought his
sword against the giants thigh. Breme felt the stinging blow and the warm
flow of blood that trickled down. He lashed out and struck the scout
brushing the man against the western wall.
Telenstil stepped forward and spoke the word "Az-Trapa" and
a lightning bolt streaked out. A glowing nimbus lit Derue, he barely
jumped aside, the bolt struck both giants and chased along the heels of
the one which ran away. Breme roared, his hair and beard stood on end,
then let out a dark black smoke. He coughed and a cloud of puffed out, his
face was black with soot.
* * *
(To Be Continued)