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341 lines
16 KiB
HTML
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<head>
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<title>The Shadowmaster - Chapter 8</title>
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<h1>
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8
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</h1>
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<p>
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The noise of pursuit attracted the rest of the villagers as Jack, Kerry and Corriwen came haring down the field, with the two angry farmers in loud,
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lumbering pursuit.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Megrin must have done something to the boots," Jack cried. "We've got speed back."
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</p>
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<p>
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"So have I," Corriwen said, keeping pace as they streaked away. "Good magic!"
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</p>
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<p>
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They skidded to a halt beside a pigpen. Somebody had left a scythe against the fence. Kerry snatched it up.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Frying pan and fire spring to mind," he said.
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</p>
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<p>
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Boru, the headman came pushing forward through the crowd, that had gathered, accompanied by several young men. He wore the Scatha's sword on his belt and
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walked with a swagger. The young men, who were clearly his sons were each armed with the rest of their weapons: Kerry's sword, Jack's amberhorn bow and
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Corriwen's twin knives.
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</p>
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<p>
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The other villagers made the evil-eye signs with their fingers and shrank back. Jack could hear them talk in stage whispers.
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</p>
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<p>
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"How could they have lived the night?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"They truly must be fiend-friend."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Demon-touched, I say. That's the only way they'd survive the nightshades."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Should have killed them first and fed them to their own."
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</p>
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<p>
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The boy with the amberhorn bow fixed an arrow and drew back. Jack stood firm. Even from this distance he could see the chief's son's aim was way off. He
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was no archer. Kerry swung the bolas slowly. Corriwen grasped her stave and eyed Boru's sons
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</p>
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<p>
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"Put down your arms," Boru called out. "You'll never get away alive."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Yeah, like you didn't already try to kill us last night!" Kerry's temper was rising already.
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</p>
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<p>
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"We've come for our property," Jack said. "Give it back and we'll go away."
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</p>
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<p>
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Boru drew the Scatha's sword. Jack knew his father had wielded its twin on Temair, before Jack was born, in the first battle with the Morrigan.
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</p>
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<p>
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"These weapons are forfeit," Boru said, swinging the great blade back and forth. "And your lives are too."
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</p>
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<p>
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He took a step forward. His sons spread out to surround the little group.
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack held up the ash bow. "One move and your son gets an arrow in the eye. And for you, I'll send the nightshades. Nightshades that don't care about your
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rowan barrier."
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</p>
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<p>
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He turned slightly, gave Kerry a nod. Instantly Kerry understood. He wheeled away, whirling the spade around his head and raced along the barrier, slashing
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with the scythe at the upright posts. They splintered like matchwood all along the front of the village. A whole section of the rowan fence lay scattered.
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</p>
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<p>
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The crowd let out a collective gasp. Kerry spun back and placed himself between Jack and Corriwen before anyone had time to react.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Where's your protection now?" Jack asked. "I swear I'll cut all of it before dark, and you'll never get it built in time."
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</p>
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<p>
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Kerry took Jack's lead: "And I can conjure up even worse than that. You've never met the Scree, have you? Or the Fell Runners. And there's huge Cluricauns
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that'll suck your eyes out and roast your children."
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</p>
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<p>
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He waved scythe spade theatrically. "And they're all coming for you tonight!"
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</p>
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<p>
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Corriwen suppressed a smile. She started doing a strange little strut, waving her fingers about and chanting in her own tongue.
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</p>
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<p>
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"She's bringing out dayshades," Jack cried. "They're even worse."
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</p>
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<p>
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The crowd fell back further, leaving Boru and his kin standing at the front.
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</p>
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<p>
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"They're not getting this sword," Boru growled through gritted teeth. "I can sell it for two plough-horses at least."
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</p>
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<p>
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Some of the worried villagers protested.
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</p>
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<p>
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"But if they bring the 'shades…."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Not if they're dead, they won't!"
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack watched as the men argued amongst themselves. The women looked scared. The chief held up the sword.
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</p>
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<p>
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"You want this?" He challenged. "You've no powers in the sunlight,
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</p>
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<p>
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He turned to the strapping lad next to him.
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</p>
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<p>
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"There's but three of them, with a scythe and a toy bow. "
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</p>
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<p>
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"We can take them, Da," his son replied. He wielded Kerry's short-sword, but it was clear he was not used to the weapon. The boy with the bow was still
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aiming off to Jack's left.
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack pulled Kerry and Corriwen close and whispered to them. Now he knew he had one advantage that Boru didn't suspect. Kerry passed the scythe to him and
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began to swing his bolas. Jack stepped forward. His heart was beating fast, but he knew with the element of surprise gone there was nothing else for it. He
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had to have the firestone heart and the Book of Ways, the only inheritance he'd ever had from his father.
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</p>
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<p>
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Boru also took a pace, a broad-shouldered Goliath compared to Jack's slight frame. He glanced contemptuously at the rustic tool.
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</p>
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<p>
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"You think you can, strangeling?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"I can try," Jack said, trying to keep the shake out of his voice. Whatever magic Megrin had wrought as they slept, they now had the speed they needed.
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Maybe that was all they had, but it might be enough. Jack crossed his fingers.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Come on then," Boru snarled. "Let's see what you're made of. I'll fillet you where you stand."
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</p>
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<p>
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With that he let out a bellow and charged forward. Kerry suddenly darted off to the right in a brown blur. The motion took Boru by surprise. He
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instinctively turned his head. Jack ducked under the swinging blade and jabbed fast with the back of the scythe. It caught Boru hard on the shin.
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</p>
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<p>
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He roared in surprise and pain and Jack was past him in a flash. On his flank, Kerry was a streak of motion. Jack saw the three rocks of the bolas swing up
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and he heard sound like a hammer-blow, then the big fellow who had Kerry's sword was down flat.
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</p>
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<p>
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The sword now in Kerry's own hand.
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</p>
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<p>
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Boru hopped about on other leg, then spun very quickly. He grunted with the effort as he hacked wildly. Even as he ducked under the swing, he saw Corriwen
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sprint out on the other side and use her staff as a fulcrum. She leapt from the ground like a pole-vaulter and her heels caught two of Boru's sons each on
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the chin. Her knives went tumbling away as they staggered back. In an instant she was on her feet and both knives were hers again.
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</p>
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<p>
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There might be outnumbered still, but the odds now were a little better.
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</p>
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<p>
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The sword hissed past Jack's ear. Boru was in mid turn. Without thinking, Jack thrust the scythe between his legs and pulled hard. Boru's feet came off the
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ground and he fell with a heavy a thump.
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</p>
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<p>
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But before any of them could react, two of his sons hauled him upright and he launched himself with a roar back into the fight, slashing and hacking
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wildly. Jack jinked left and right, forgetting about the other opponents as he dodged the swinging sword.
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</p>
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<p>
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As if in slow motion, he caught the unmistakeable <em>twang</em> of a loosed bowstring. He turned as saw the arrow coming right for his chest.
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</p>
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<p>
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Corriwen shrieked a warning, too late.
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</p>
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<p>
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Boru roared like a bull and the great sword flashed in the sun as it whirled in his hands.
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</p>
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<p>
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For an instant, everything froze in Jack's mind. His feet refused to move as the arrow cut the air, straight and surprisingly true.
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack braced himself for impact.
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</p>
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<p>
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Then the Scatha's sword swung down in front of him. Right over his heart.
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</p>
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<p>
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The deadly arrow hit the blade with a ring of metal and shattered. The lethal barb spun away and stuck into the earth.
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</p>
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<p>
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Boru howled in surprise as the sword jerked out of his two-handed grip, whirred over his head and came down to land point-first between Jack's feet.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Sorcery!" A voice from the crowd showed both awe and fear.
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack grasped the hilt and held the sword high, sensing the power within it.
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</p>
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<p>
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Nobody moved. A strange silence reigned for several minutes as Jack stood there, barely breathing.
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</p>
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<p>
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He swung his eyes across his erstwhile opponents. The boy with the bow very slowly put it down on the ground. Boru was bleeding from his shin and gingerly
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rubbing both hands together as if he'd scalded them.
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</p>
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<p>
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"You have seen what we can do," Jack finally spoke up. "We could do worse."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Yeah," Kerry added. "A whole lot worse.-"
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</p>
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<p>
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"Do you really want us to do worse?"
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</p>
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<p>
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A child sobbing in the crowd. A woman called out: "No. Please. Just leave us alone."
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack kept his eyes fixed on Boru."Then give us our belongings and we will go."
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</p>
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<p>
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"And no funny stuff," Kerry said, brandishing his short-sword with obvious relish. "Any tricks and we'll send the Leprechauns tonight, and they're the
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worst of all. No kidding!"
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</p>
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<p>
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Boru glowered, still wringing his hands and ignoring the wound on his knee. His eyes were fixed on the magnificent sword but he made no move to retrieve
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it.
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</p>
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<p>
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He muttered to his nearest son, who turned back into the village. When he returned with their packs he put them down on the ground in front of them. Kerry
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and Corriwen snatched them up fast.
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</p>
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<p>
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"A good decision," she said, as Kerry checked their bags.
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</p>
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<p>
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"The book's here," he said, turning to leave.
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</p>
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<p>
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"And the heart?" Jack asked urgently.
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</p>
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<p>
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Before Kerry could reply a man's hoarse voice broke in.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Fiend-friends in the daylight!"
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</p>
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<p>
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He strode in front of Boru, an apparition in a long tattered cloak, tangled hair hanging down his back. Around his head, a kind of hat woven from evergreen
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leaves sat like a crown and dangling from the ragged leathers he wore were small skulls of every sort, hawks and falcons, rabbits and stoats. On his chest
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a wildcat skull showed long thin fangs. He carried a long stave decorated with dried bird's claws and rabbits feet and other things Jack couldn't guess at.
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</p>
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<p>
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"What's he?" Kerry asked. "The local scarecrow?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"Or witch-doctor," Jack said.
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</p>
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<p>
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"You know the law, Boru," the strange fellow rasped. "They lived the night, which proves the rule," he croaked. "Kill them all!"
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</p>
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<p>
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He saw the weapons in their hands.
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</p>
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<p>
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"What's this? You gave them back."
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</p>
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<p>
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"No they didn't, rag-a-bones," Kerry shot back. "We took them. Any objections?"
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</p>
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<p>
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Corriwen tried and failed to suppress a giggle.
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</p>
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<p>
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A look of consternation passed across the man's face. He drew himself up to his full scrawny height. In the slight breeze they could smell cow dung and
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stale raw-hide. It wasn't pleasant.
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</p>
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<p>
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He glared at Boru. "I don't know what sorcery they worked on you, but it won't work on a spellcaster."
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</p>
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<p>
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He shrugged off the cloak. Immediately Jack saw the black heartstone gleaming on its chain at his neck.
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</p>
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<p>
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"We came for the heart," he said. "Hand it over and we'll go away."
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</p>
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<p>
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The man's gnarled hand grabbed the heart tight. His knuckles went white.
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</p>
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<p>
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"I feel it's power, shade-bringer," he cried. "I will make use of it. What was yours is now mine."
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</p>
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<p>
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Riggon, the village magician, held up his skull-staff. "Begone strangelings, before I cast a curse<em> </em>on you."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Do your worst, ragged arse," Kerry cried. "You couldn't scare a mouse."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Come on Jack, let's grab the heart and get out of here."
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</p>
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<p>
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He stepped forward; Jack and Corriwen did the same. Riggon held up the staff and began a low guttural chant, shaking the dry bones. As he did so, the air
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around them seemed to thicken, the way it had done in the Black Barrow on Temair before they came face to face with the nightmare of the Morrigan.
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</p>
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<p>
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"What the heck…?" Kerry's voice sounded thick and glutinous.
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack took another step and it felt as if he was wading in deep water. The great sword suddenly felt heavy and awkward. It was difficult to breathe. One
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more step and the water felt like treacle, cloying around him, weighing him down.
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</p>
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<p>
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Riggon's face began to waver as if seen through rough glass.
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack saw a dark shape pass in front of him.
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</p>
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<p>
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It took Jack a second to recognise old Megrin in her black cowl and long shawl. She was bent with age and her fingers grasped a sturdy stick.
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</p>
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<p>
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As soon as she passed, the strange thickness in the air vanished completely. Jack finished his step, almost sprawled forward. Close by, he heard Kerry
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curse very sincerely.
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</p>
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