Black wizards - Douglas Niles [104]
XIV
Dungeon
Kamerynn bucked and kicked, crushing zombies with his forehooves and then lashing out behind him to splinter a pair of skeletons into hundreds of bone fragments. The madness of combat was upon him, and the great unicorn killed for the joy of slaying the enemies of the goddess.
He had started the fight beside Robyn at the arch, but his bloodlust had carried him upon a rampaging gallop through the attackers. He was now some distance from the Moonwell, and he turned to gallop back to the defensive ring. But then his sensitive ears detected a worrisome noise.
He paused for a moment and shook his head, causing his white mane to float like a cloud about him, while he looked for other victims. He felt the unnatural vibration of the cleric's earthquake spell, though he easily held his stance upon the rocking ground. All around, he saw druids and undead stumbling and falling.
Then he watched as Genna called down the crosspieces of the stone arches, seeing the blocks tumble into the open spaces beneath the arches. He leaped the block that had fallen before him, and once again stood within the circle, looking for more of the enemy to slay.
Then he heard Robyn's voice, crying in pain. He saw the young druid as she was swept up by some invisible force and carried swiftly away. With a snort of rage, the unicorn leaped the granite block and landed at full gallop, pursuing his friend's captor. He barely noticed Newt and Yazilliclick, except to see that the dragon had been stunned and the little faerie now tended him.
He raced like a bolt of lightning through the grove, but the thing that carried Robyn moved even faster. Though Kamerynn had lost sight of his quarry, he thundered ahead, racing through the stream at the edge of the grove. His huge body threw curtains of spray into the air as he burst from the stream to stand, tensely, upon the south bank. His broad nostrils quivered as he sought the spoor of his quarry.
And a faint passing breeze brought to him that knowledge – Robyn's sweet scent came from the woods before him, a little to the left. With another snort, the unicorn was off again.
Robyn felt the arms of her invisible captor relax slightly, and she twisted desperately, only to feel the vice-like limbs clamp more tightly about her. Then the thing suddenly stopped, as if it had reached the destination it sought. She felt the broad body close around her, like a solid wall, holding her motionless in the middle of a small clearing.
Her heart slowed, though it still pounded in her breast, and she wondered about this thing that had captured her. She had heard of such invisible servants before. They would work for evil or good, as commanded by a cleric or sorcerer of might. She knew that this one worked for evil.
Then she heard the thunderous pounding of hooves and turned hopefully to see a white form racing from the woods. In the slowly growing light she could see the unicorn galloping toward her.
"Kammerynn!" she cried.
The unicorn whirled toward Robyn, his head low. His white mane swirled like a cape across his neck, while rock-hard hooves pawed the earth. With a snort, the great creature sprang toward the invisible thing that still held the young druid immobile.
Kamerynn's body became a blur. Like a white arrow, his horn struck the body very close to Robyn's – the body she could not see. The unicorn had no such difficulty, as his horn drove unerringly into the invisible presence. Robyn felt the thing twist backward from the jolt of the impact – and suddenly she was free. Tumbling to the ground, she looked up in time to see the unicorn rear high into the air, flexing his broad shoulders to drive the horn, once again, deeply into his opponent. It was a strange attack, Robyn thought absently. Normally he would have used his hooves in such a close combat. Perhaps he sensed that only his horn would affect this obviously magical foe.
Again and again the unicorn drove that ivory shaft into the thing. The dying creature made no sound, but Robyn sensed its agony, somehow, and felt