[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.With the barricades behind them, they had only one direction in which they could easily go.And from that direction came painful arrows and thousands of swarming humans.With the spiders constantly churning their scaly legs in a field of men, it became virtually impossible to tell which of the spiders was the original and which were the magic duplicates.Slaying the right spider might have ended the humans' ordeal, but they had to fight all of them at the same time.Arrows from the elven barricades made the trial that more hellish for the soldiers.The human army, both real and unreal, fled as one.They turned like ships on a stormy sea, twisting in one wave and then tacking as if with the wind.Feasting on human blood, the real spider followed after them, hungry for more.And the rest of the duplicate monsters followed in a macabre dance of dozens of thin, long, sharp-edged legs that skittered across the open meadow like so many nightmares.The humans were routed.The elves on the barricades cried with joy at their deliverance.The chant of "Kishpa!" went up among them, echoing into the morning sky.For his own part, the mage stood slumped against Brandella's shoulder, exhausted.Supporting her lover, the weaver sent Tanis a look that seemed to say, "See? I told you he would need me," and Tanis nodded shortly.A handful of grateful villagers rushed up to their mage and carried him down on their shoulders, Brandella following.The rest of the elves danced on the barricades, showing little of their notorious elven reserve."We must have a feast!" cried Canpho, the healer, rushing around the main square on his stubby legs."Yes, a feast!" echoed the elves, rushing down from the battlements."We must send for the women to come home to us!" shouted Canpho."We have been saved by great magic!"The cheering thundered, and Kishpa, his face etched with weariness, nonetheless glowed in their praise.No wonder, Tanis thought, that the mage would remember this moment in all its detail years later."Come, we will build bonfires on the beach!" declared Canpho."Let everyone find whatever food they can spare.We will share our meager stores in victory."The barricades emptied, and the elves of the village carried Kishpa along in a daze of happiness.Scowarr stayed behind with Tanis.The slender human had switched back into yesterday's rags-minus the bandages-no doubt to preserve his new finery."Why aren't you going with them?" the half-elf asked."Yesterday I was their hero," he complained, sulking.Tanis smiled at his all-too-human friend."Elves are not as fickle as humans, Scowarr.They won't forget what you did.But right now Kishpa deserves his praise.Don't be jealous of him.""Who said I was jealous?" Little Shoulders demanded defiantly.Tanis didn't answer.A strange, loud scratching had captured his attention.It seemed to be coming from somewhere behind him.He looked over his shoulder and staggered back in horror at the sight.A long, thin, bloody spider's leg was looping over the barricade wall!"I'm not jealous at all," Scowarr went on petulantly."I'm surprised you would actually think-"Tanis reached out and grabbed Little Shoulders by the collar and spun him around.Scowarr paled as he watched another leg appear."It's not possible," said the human in tremulous disbelief.Another leg came over the wall.Then another.The barricade shifted under the weight, groaning as if in anticipation of the horror to come, as the spider pressed down on its forward legs.The grotesque body of the creature suddenly came into view, its back legs swinging forward, as it steadied itself on the top of the battlement.A moment later, long, bloodsoaked, razor-sharp spider legs began appearing all along the barricade walls.On every side, the legs appeared, clawing, reaching, climbing.Up they came, the duplicate spiders following their master, a vision of death that moved inexorably down the barricades."I feel like a fly," Scowarr mumbled."You'll taste like one, too," Tanis answered."Now he makes jokes."The half-elf drew his enchanted sword, the blade glowing red.Scowarr began to follow suit, pulling his own broadsword from its scabbard."No," said Tanis, stopping the human before the sword was free of its sheath."Go for help.I have my eye on the real spider, and if I can keep it at bay, the duplicates will not go forward.""You can't fight it alone," Scowarr insisted.Tanis was moved, even as he prepared to fight."You have broad shoulders, my friend," he said."Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise.But you can help me best by doing as I ask.Get Kishpa now.The spider will not wait while we debate."Still Scowarr wavered."I don't know if I should go [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]