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Back to Empire on the HPe3000
... and ...
This is a first draft of a story set in the world of Greyhawk.
It is based on a home campaign so some of the people, places and things
may be different. Any helpful comments or suggestions are very welcome.
Thanks
Jason Zavoda
A knife the size of a sword was stuck in the headless giant's
belt. Harald pulled it free from the leather sheath with his left hand.
The enchanted blade in his right contrasted strongly with the plain
steel, but the two were in a pleasing balance.
The weight of the blades in either hand brought Harald a sense of
peace that had been lost to him for a long, long time. He was utterly
calm. The light of the sun was fair against his skin, the air smelled
sharp with fire and the seared flesh of giants, and a taste of copper-salt
was on his lips from blood not his own.
Two giant's assailed him. One had a club, a mere cudgel to the
giant, but big enough to batter down a human door. The other held
a knife, twin to that which Harald carried in his left hand.
Mimming took the end from the club, while Harald traded cuts
with the knife wielder. The giant gave as good as he got and blood
ran from both their arms. Harald was quicker than either giant and Mimming
flashed again, this time opening a deep cut in the knife wielder's leg.
A stump of wood, all that was left of the giant's cudgel, went
flying past Harald's head. Then the giant leapt and tried to knock the
ranger down.
Magic steel was thrust out like a lance and deep went in the
blade. Ribs were shorn and a bubbling foam pushed its way from the
split flesh along the giant's side. Harald had opened a mighty wound as he
stepped forward beyond the giant's path. The heavy body slammed hard onto
the stony surface. But the knife wielder had struck again.
Sparks danced from the coat of steel worn by the ranger beneath
his old and weatherbeaten tunic. The giant's blade had the force of a
hammer as it beat redhot metal against an anvil. Harald could feel
his ribs creak beneath the blow.
Knife against knife clanged as Harald met the next sweep of
the giant's blade. The giant's strength was like a fall of rock, mortal
strength could not compare, and Harald was thrown back. His stumble saved
his life.
A stone whizzed by, thrown by another giant. The knife wielder
jumped after Harald, but pulled himself back and bellowed at the
one who'd thrown the rock. "Hey!" boomed out the deep voice.
Harald nearly fell but his back touched something tall and sturdy
as a tree. The smell of burning flesh was thick. Without looking Harald
swept his enchanted blade around in a wide, turning arc. There was a thunk
as if a tree was what he'd truly hit, but it was a giant's leg.
Burnt black, flesh charred and hair gone to a greasy smudge, a
giant faced him. It tried to scream through cracked and blistered lips,
but no sound came out. It stepped and Harald pulled his blade free from
the entrapping bone. Crack! High up on its thigh, the bone had split and
the giant fell back, with a broken leg.
The stones were sooty where Harald stood and all around him were
the fire-touched bodies of giants. One or two had fallen, but most still
lived. Twice struck by magic flame, some having been bathed in the
lightning from Talberth's wand as well, these monsters would not die.
* * *
(To Be Continued...)