Jean Lorrah Savage Empire 04 Flight To The Savage Empire

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

"If I'd been here to warn you " Javik said grimly.
"You're only one man," said Trel. "We had to know what was happening in the
invasion. Thank the gods you found Seela."
"The hill clans are on the move all over this area. It was chance that I ran
across the ones holding Seela you left fewer than half of them alive, and most
of those still licking their wounds. By the time I ran into them, they'd had a
clash with another clan and had little interest in tangling withme."
Astra studied the man's whipcord body with that strength andReading powers
combined, he must indeed be a fearsome object to the local clans.
"A second clan attacked us yesterday," Trel told him. "They're all going
insane!"
"Not without reason," Javik replied. "You know how the clans are cowards and
bullies, but independent. There's someone trying to unite them someone who's
had considerable success with the newcomers."
"Newcomers?" asked Zanos.
"Since the alliance defeated Drakonius, the clans have been swollen with
former slavers and troops from his defeated army people used to working
together as a team. A lot of them dream of capturing lands for themselves. If
they could form their own alliance and attack just one Lord Adept at a time,
they might succeed."
"No," said Trel, "not againsttheselords. That was what those four Adepts
tried only last year, when they attacked Lady Aradia. She escaped to Zendi,
and the rest of the alliance rallied immediately to the defense as a unit. It
was the attackers who lost their lives."
Page 101
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Yes but what if they had kept her separate attacked when the others could
not come to the rescue of a single member? That seems to be what Seriak
plans."
"Who?" askedTrel.
"A new bandit leader.He's only a minor Adept, but he's wily. He's already
gathered over a hundred men around him, and they've taken an area in the hills
up in the land of the Blue Lion, either killing or absorbing the hill bandits.
The Lady Lilith may be their intended target. Her castle is far from the lands
of her allies but of course she has her own retainers, and her son Ivorn is
said to be developing rapidly into a Lord Adept in his own right. I doubt
Seriak would try until he has more Adept talents in league with him but he is
someone we must watch. "
Astra agreed. "Can you tell me where he is?"
"I'll show you you are a Magister Reader, are you not?"
"Yes," she admitted.
"I thought so. I wouldn't dare go so far out of body alone, but you won't get
disoriented."
"Wait," she said. "You can go out of body? You said you were put on the Path
of the Dark Moon when you were just a boy."
"And deserved it," he replied. "But a man learns to do what he has to and to
save my people I had to make my small abilities stretch. I Read best out of
body but I dare not go far, and I've never tried to reach another plane for
fear I couldn't find my way back."
"You are very brave," she said. "I cannot imagine any Reader trying to learn
such a thing alone. When you are rested, we will travel together to where this
Seriak is, and find out what he is plotting."
While Javik slept after his long journey, Zanos proceeded with Astra's
lessons in swordsmanship. Trel had found a light sword she could wield without
straining her arms, and Zanos began teaching her to use it, trying to remember
when he had been an adolescent boy just beginning his training as a gladiator,
before he had developed the strength of maturity.
But a woman was built differently from a boy. Astra did very well in the
school exercises, but once they exchanged real swords for wooden weapons in a
practice match, he found that Astra's arms were too weak to allow her to
deflect more than a few blows before he could simply beat her sword down with
sheer strength.
"That's not fair!" Astra protested, panting.
"Of course it's not fair!' Zanos told her. "Do you think some hill bandit is
going to treat you with courtesy? Astra, use your advantage I'm not using
Adept power. Can't you Read what I'm going to do and counter it?"
Astra tried he could see that she did know what he was about to do but her
responses were too slow. "You're thinking about it," he told her. "Don't
think act. Think with your body, not your brain!"
Still she was too slow. He struck her time after time, raising welts on her [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Tematy