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Back to Empire on the HPe3000
... and ...
"Ivo, you are a master of this magic," asked Harold graciously,
"have you ever heard of giants who could hide their treasure thus."
"There are giants and there are giants my friend." said Ivo.
"Some of the cloud dwellers are as skilled as any of my kind."
"Oh. I pictured them all like these." said Harold
"No, these are Hill Giants, there are others bigger, fiercer
and more skilled." Ivo told the halfling.
The two scouts approached Henri and the cleric handed a sword
to one. "Careful." Henri said to them. "These are fine blades, they
may be more than just steel. Do you take them in the name of the True
God?" Henri asked.
Edouard held out his hand and crossed his fingers in his mind.
"I do." he said and wordlessly said a prayer to Syrul. He gave an honest
smile as he held the sword. A fiery voice spoke in his head. "It speaks
to me!" he cried out, and regretted his momentary lapse of discipline.
"What does it say?" Derue exclaimed.
"It say that its name is Kalfashow." Edouard said in a subdued
voice.
"Magic!" Harold cried. "That would be worth a chest of gold."
"It will serve us better in a swordsmans hands, thief." Henri
rebuked the halfling.
"What of the other?" asked Derue eager to claim it as his own.
"Do you swear..." Henri began.
"I swear, I swear, ...." Derue burst out and grabbed the sword
from Henri's hand.
The cleric flushed and would have redressed his hireling but
Edouard spoke up. "Master Henri, my apologies for my brothers haste.
Derue!"
"It speaks as well, it says that its name is Ardare and it
will burn with flame!" Derue was as delighted as a child. "What of
yours Edouard?"
Edouard rolled his eyes. He would have struck his brother for such
a careless tongue but not before the others in the room. "Your sword seems
to be more talkative than mine." Edouard gave Derue a hard shove to break
him from his reverie. "Apologize to master Henri." he commanded.
Derue flushed redder than the cleric. He bowed his head and knelt
as a supplicant craving his masters pardon. " I beg your pardon master,
I acted without thought."
Henri was pleased at such diffidence. He smiled and like a
Theocrat or a king touched the scout lightly upon his bowed head. "Your
haste is forgiven." he said.
"Two magic swords!" Harold moaned. No chance, he thought, of ever
parting them from those pale haired scouts.
* * *
"That was not here before." Harald said pointing at an open door
where only stone wall had been.
"looks like they may have found us another way out." said
Talberth.
"Perhaps only another way further in." Telenstil replied.
"I thought I was the one with the gloomy thoughts." said Talberth.
"I hear voices." said Harald. "Sounds like Harold but I can't make
out what he is saying."
The ranger stepped around the half open door. The halfing stood
upon a man high wooden chest against the eastern wall and looked toward
the south, which was out of Harald's sight, the red haired cleric Gytha
stood nearby. Someone spoke from where the ranger could not see, then
Harold spoke again.
"Hey!" the ranger called. "Have you found a passage out of here!"
The halfling turned and with wide eyes shouted for the ranger to
stop. "Don't Move! You Fool! Don't Move!"
Harald paused his foot lifted, about to take a step which might
have been his last.
* * *
(To Be Continued)