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Khadgar wondered where she had hid it while they were arguing. The creature landed, wheeled, and tried to make an immediate, clumsy second assault, its iron-shod talons outstretched, its mouth and eyes blazing with flame. Khadgar ducked, then came up with the heavy red volume ofThe Lineage of Azeroth s Kings. He hefted the massive tome into the creature s face, then ducked again. The beast sailed past him, landing back near the door. It let out a retching, choking noise, and shook his ramhorned head to dislodge the weighty grimoire. Khadgar saw there was a line of burning blood etched along the creature s right side. Garona had struck a second time. Get Medivh, shouted Khadgar. I ll get it away from the door. What if it wants me, instead? responded Garona, and for the first time, Khadgar heard a ripple of fear in her voice. It doesn t, said Khadgar grimly. It kills mages. But you& Just go, said Khadgar. Khadgar broke to the left, and, true to his fears, the demon followed him. Instead of heading toward the door. Garona broke for the right, and started climbing the far bookcase. Get Medivh! shouted Khadgar, darting down one of the rows of books. No time, responded Garona, still climbing. See if you can delay it in one of the rows. Khadgar turned at the far end of the long bookshelves, and turned. The demon had already leapt over the study table and was now prowling down the row between the bookcases, between histories and geographies. In the shadow between the rows the creature s flaming eyes and mouth stood out in stark relief, and acrid smoke now roiled from its wounded sides. Khadgar cleared his mind, stuffed down his fear, and fired off a mystic bolt. A globe of fire or a shard of lightning might be more effective, but the beast was surrounded by his books. The bolt smashed into the creature s face, staggering it back a pace. It growled and crept forward again. He repeated the process like a ritual clear the mind, fight the fear, raise a hand, and invoke the word. Another bolt splanged off its ebony horns, ricocheting upward. The beast halted, but only for a moment. Now its maw seemed a twisted, flame-filled smile. A third time he invoked the power of the mystic bolt, but now the creature was close, and it flashed in its face, but save for illuminating its amused features, did nothing. Khadgar smelled its sour, burning flesh, and heard a deep clicking within the beast s throat laughter? Get ready to run! shouted Garona, from somewhere to his right and above. What are you& started Khadgar, already backing up. Run! she shouted, and pushed off with her feet. The half-orc had climbed to the top of the bookcases, and now shoved them apart, toppling the cases like giant dominos. A deep crash of thunder resounded as each bookcase tipped over its neighbor, spilling volumes and crushing everything in its path. The last bookcase smashed against the wall and splintered, the force of the impact driving it to the ground. Garona slid down from her now wobbling perch, long-bladed knife drawn. She tried to peer through the churning dust. Khadgar? she said. Here, said the apprentice, plastered against the back wall, where the iron pedestals rose to support the upper stacks on the balcony above. His face was pale even for a human. Did we get it? she demanded, still in a half-crouch, expecting a new assault at any moment. Khadgar pointed to the edge of what was until seconds before the end of the row of shelves. Now the entire lower floor was a ruins of shattered cases and ruined volumes. Reaching out of the tattered wreckage was a muscular, mangled Page 79 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html arm made of dull flame and twisted shadow. Its iron claws were already red with rust, and warm blood was already pooling on the floor. Its outstretched hand was a mere foot from where Khadgar splayed himself. Got it, said Garona, sliding the knife back into sheath beneath her blouse. You should have listened, said Khadgar, choking on the dust. Should have gotten Medivh. It would have sliced you open before I got up two flights of stairs, said the half-orc. And then who would be left to explain things to the Old Man? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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