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file:///F|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Saberhagen,%20Fred%20-%20Lost%20Swords%208%20-%20Shieldbreakers%20Story.txt Extremely powerful magic was necessary to retrieve the Sword of Despair-a great price, of course, had to be paid to undo the Emperor's sealing. But to a man who had willingly steeled himself to sacrifice his own eyes, no price was too great that still left him able to hate, to strike his enemies. The job of extracting Soulcutter from the Emperor's sealing required many hours, extreme exertion, and no little pain, even for a sorcerer of the Dark King's power. But eventually, by dint of determined and ruthless effort, the magical procedures were completed and Vilkata was able to draw forth the sheathed Sword-and at that moment he collapsed, overtaken by some disaster against which Shieldbreaker had been able to afford him no protection. The collapse was not physical, and it was accompanied by no dramatic show, but it was certain, and effectively complete. But the Dark King still stood tall, even as he allowed Arridu to strip him of both his Swords. The demon standing in warrior form held the gods' sheathed weapons negligently, both hilts clasped in one huge hand, as if he were as far beyond the power of their double magic as they were beyond mere ordinary steel. Vilkata meanwhile continued to hold up his two empty hands, their fingers still half-clenched as if around black hilts. He gave no sign of understanding that the gods' weapons had been taken from him. He turned his eyeless gaze from one hand to the other, seeing only what he wanted to see there- because Pitmedden had been driven insane too. "Arridu!" The Dark King's command still crackled with authority. "Yes, great Master?" The demon's voice this time was thick with mockery. But Vilkata did not notice. "I want to get back to Earth as quickly as possible. Do you think the spacecraft or on a demon-ride . . . ?" "Which would be swifter? Why, the great Master must decide that for himself-but is not the Master forgetting something?" A light frown creased the eyeless face. "Forgetting-what?" "Why, Unsurpassable Lord, that Your Lordship's greatest enemy is even now your prisoner. And that the torture chamber awaits your pleasure." "I-yes, of course." And Vilkata, turning in the indicated direction, saw to his delight that all was indeed as the demon had said. There, in the small, cramped room was the rack in readiness, the thumbscrews waiting, the small brazier where a fire of magical intensity heated sharp slivers of poisoned metal-a whole array of delights for the connoisseur of torment. Only the victim was missing; and that lack, of course, could soon be remedied. The great demon watched with amusement as the blind man approached the rack. Vilkata set aside, for the moment, his imaginary Swords, and began the task of fastening himself upon it. The ankles were easy, the left wrist a trifle more difficult. The right hand of course would have been impossible-but then it was necessary for the torturer to keep at least one hand free to work with. Looking on, listening critically to Vilkata's first scream of mingled agony and triumph, the great demon toyed with the hilt of Shieldbreaker and murmured: "Even the Sword of Force could not save you. Because it was no weapon which brought thee to this sorry state-only thine own will. Thy pledge so freely given was accepted, the bargain kept. Still art thou able to hate, to strike at thy enemies-that thy blows should actually hurt them was not guaranteed." The Dark King, slowly, sadistically rending his own flesh, was now muttering disjointed phrases, cries of triumph mingling, alternating, with groans of pain. Arridu, savoring this suffering, bent a little close to hear better. In the intervals when Vilkata was capable of speech, he spoke, of future plans. When Earth was conquered he would command his demons to carry him off into space, there to complete his glorious file:///F|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Saberhagen,%2...%20Swords%208%20-%20Shieldbreakers%20Story.txt (106 of 113) [2/4/03 9:58:55 PM] file:///F|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Saberhagen,%20Fred%20-%20Lost%20Swords%208%20-%20Shieldbreakers%20Story.txt conquest of the Sun. . . . A few hours later Arridu, contemptuous of any human resistance which might face him when he arrived, completed his own swift return to Earth. He brought with him two Swords, Shieldbreaker and Soul-cutter. And he was well aware that on Earth, in the hands of his enemies, only one Sword, Woundhealer, still remained intact. Arridu knew the bearer of the Sword of Love and sought him out at once. The last duel took place in full daylight, upon a grassy summer hill not far from Sarykam, and it was fought between Arridu, carrying both Soulcutter and Shieldbreaker drawn, and Prince Mark of Tasavalta, armed only with the Sword of Love. Other loyal humans stood by ready to help Mark-until the arrival of Soulcutter cast all who were within arrowshot into a deep and paralyzing despair. Mark, holding Woundhealer embedded in his own heart, was unaffected by the Sword of Despair. And the Prince had no thought, in this climactic confrontation, of simply banishing his tremendous foe. "Should I do so, he will only come back, sooner or later, to attack me. Or worse, to ravage the rest of the world. Let the matter between us be fought out here and now." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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