[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
probing down into his chest. He could feel the venom pump into him
and with a last surge of strength he heaved himself to his feet, bringing
the beast with him. As he lost consciousness he once again saw the
form of the dark warrior before him, seemingly before his eyes closed.
A large armored figure approached the anger standing over
Lokun s body. The beast stood on its back legs and had small upper
arms with large, catlike claws. It was covered in black scales and had
two long, whip-like tails with poison barbs on each end. Long wings
were set awkwardly on the thing s back, as if its creator had put them
there as an afterthought. Its head was devoid of features except for
three beady eyes surrounding a small mouth. Out of the mouth
protruded two thin, foot-long, hollow fangs. The creature was called
an anger because it induced rage in whomever it bit. The beast snarled
as the armored man approached it.
Be still, my child, your work is done. Chaos stepped over
Lokun s still form and placed his gauntleted hand on the anger s head.
It s crowed softly at its master s touch and pawed its back legs near
Lokun.
No, he is not yours to feed upon. Go back to the underworld;
you will find food there.
The creature looked disappointed, as a dog that has been
refused the scraps of its master s table. Chaos waved a hand and the
anger took flight and disappeared into the night sky. Chaos removed
his helmet and turned to look at the Dead Soul. He smiled. He had
been doing that often of late.
Chaos was large but somewhat nondescript. His features were
dark enough so that he was feared by friends and foes alike. Yet they
were also kind enough so that men, even children, tended to trust him.
With one swift movement he tore the black steel helm in half and
113
tossed it to the ground. He removed a gauntlet and threw it into the
woods. He could make more armor at his convenience. He flipped
Lokun over and pressed his fingers to his neck. Blood stopped
spurting from the tooth wounds. He checked his pulse. Alive, barely.
Chaos drew his sword. The blade was the darkest black and seemed to
absorb the night itself. Compared to the sword, the darkness of the
rainy night in the midst of the forest was bright enough to see. Not
that the Lord of Disorder needed to see. With a sweep of his blade he
ran it across his own chest, tearing the black iron and cutting his own
flesh deep. There was no pain. He returned his sword to his side and
bent his knees to work. The venom would take hold soon and then he
would have no trouble with the Neriyu samurai. With a thought
bandages appeared on Lokun s wounds. He passed his ungauntleted
hand, the left one, over Lokun s face and then slapped him.
By the stars, he said in a concerned voice, are you alive?
* * *
Lokun rubbed his shoulder as he ate the stew that the large
warrior had prepared. The fang marks hurt, but whatever the man had
done had helped more than he could imagine. He lifted the bowl to his
lips and drank, not remembering when he had last had a meal. The
large man came back; he had left right after Lokun awoke, telling him
to help himself to the stew. He now saw the large tear in the man s
armor and the cut on his face.
Thank you for saving me, but who are you and what was that
thing? he asked.
Chaos held back a grin and formed his face to look serious and
grim. He voice matched it. My name is Damien. I am a hunter, and
that was an anger. They are beasts of the underworld. I don t know
how it got out or why it was here. You were lucky that I came when I
did.
Lokun shook his head. How did I survive? I mean, what
happened?
Chaos molded his expression to be most sincere. The same
sincere that he had used when he had convinced Kane that Lokun had
betrayed his order. I feared that I had come too late. I was aware of
the beast s presence in our world. I hunt them and send them back.
This was the strongest I have encountered so far. He had started
feeding when I came. They use long fangs to drain the life force out
and they feed on the souls of their victims. Here he looked at the
114
ground and appeared regretful. I was careless. They are prone while
they feed and I thought to kill it then. I let it hear me as I approached.
It withdrew and attacked. I got it, but at a price. He gestured to the
tear in his armor.
Lokun looked at the bandage beneath. Blood was caked on the
inside of the armor and the bandage was red in some places. Damien,
what day is it? He was trying to get handle on reality. He did not
remember most of the past few weeks.
It is the fourth day of Ambjas Habri.
Lokun was surprised. He had thought this man to be a human. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl chiara76.opx.pl
probing down into his chest. He could feel the venom pump into him
and with a last surge of strength he heaved himself to his feet, bringing
the beast with him. As he lost consciousness he once again saw the
form of the dark warrior before him, seemingly before his eyes closed.
A large armored figure approached the anger standing over
Lokun s body. The beast stood on its back legs and had small upper
arms with large, catlike claws. It was covered in black scales and had
two long, whip-like tails with poison barbs on each end. Long wings
were set awkwardly on the thing s back, as if its creator had put them
there as an afterthought. Its head was devoid of features except for
three beady eyes surrounding a small mouth. Out of the mouth
protruded two thin, foot-long, hollow fangs. The creature was called
an anger because it induced rage in whomever it bit. The beast snarled
as the armored man approached it.
Be still, my child, your work is done. Chaos stepped over
Lokun s still form and placed his gauntleted hand on the anger s head.
It s crowed softly at its master s touch and pawed its back legs near
Lokun.
No, he is not yours to feed upon. Go back to the underworld;
you will find food there.
The creature looked disappointed, as a dog that has been
refused the scraps of its master s table. Chaos waved a hand and the
anger took flight and disappeared into the night sky. Chaos removed
his helmet and turned to look at the Dead Soul. He smiled. He had
been doing that often of late.
Chaos was large but somewhat nondescript. His features were
dark enough so that he was feared by friends and foes alike. Yet they
were also kind enough so that men, even children, tended to trust him.
With one swift movement he tore the black steel helm in half and
113
tossed it to the ground. He removed a gauntlet and threw it into the
woods. He could make more armor at his convenience. He flipped
Lokun over and pressed his fingers to his neck. Blood stopped
spurting from the tooth wounds. He checked his pulse. Alive, barely.
Chaos drew his sword. The blade was the darkest black and seemed to
absorb the night itself. Compared to the sword, the darkness of the
rainy night in the midst of the forest was bright enough to see. Not
that the Lord of Disorder needed to see. With a sweep of his blade he
ran it across his own chest, tearing the black iron and cutting his own
flesh deep. There was no pain. He returned his sword to his side and
bent his knees to work. The venom would take hold soon and then he
would have no trouble with the Neriyu samurai. With a thought
bandages appeared on Lokun s wounds. He passed his ungauntleted
hand, the left one, over Lokun s face and then slapped him.
By the stars, he said in a concerned voice, are you alive?
* * *
Lokun rubbed his shoulder as he ate the stew that the large
warrior had prepared. The fang marks hurt, but whatever the man had
done had helped more than he could imagine. He lifted the bowl to his
lips and drank, not remembering when he had last had a meal. The
large man came back; he had left right after Lokun awoke, telling him
to help himself to the stew. He now saw the large tear in the man s
armor and the cut on his face.
Thank you for saving me, but who are you and what was that
thing? he asked.
Chaos held back a grin and formed his face to look serious and
grim. He voice matched it. My name is Damien. I am a hunter, and
that was an anger. They are beasts of the underworld. I don t know
how it got out or why it was here. You were lucky that I came when I
did.
Lokun shook his head. How did I survive? I mean, what
happened?
Chaos molded his expression to be most sincere. The same
sincere that he had used when he had convinced Kane that Lokun had
betrayed his order. I feared that I had come too late. I was aware of
the beast s presence in our world. I hunt them and send them back.
This was the strongest I have encountered so far. He had started
feeding when I came. They use long fangs to drain the life force out
and they feed on the souls of their victims. Here he looked at the
114
ground and appeared regretful. I was careless. They are prone while
they feed and I thought to kill it then. I let it hear me as I approached.
It withdrew and attacked. I got it, but at a price. He gestured to the
tear in his armor.
Lokun looked at the bandage beneath. Blood was caked on the
inside of the armor and the bandage was red in some places. Damien,
what day is it? He was trying to get handle on reality. He did not
remember most of the past few weeks.
It is the fourth day of Ambjas Habri.
Lokun was surprised. He had thought this man to be a human. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]