Cormyr_ a novel - Ed Greenwood [159]
The king was fighting oddly, rushing forward to slash at the creature and then dancing back again, then dodging aside when the great bull charged. Time and again his blows skittered along the sides of the beast, and in the darkness, Jorunhast saw sparks fly as the steel struck against the scales.
The wizard knelt by one of the fallen Crownsilvers. The youth was unmarked, but his face was drawn and he was gasping for breath. Poison, then. Jorunhast laid the young noble's head down-there was little to be done until the healers arrived-and turned back to the battle.
The king was tiring, and the monster seemed unscathed by his attacks. Again His Majesty danced forward, slashed without effect, and dodged back, clear of the creature's horns and breath. Not a gorgon, but some relative, perhaps, thought the wizard. The monster looked as if it could continue the battle until dawn. The king, sweat already pouring down his face, obviously could not. Pryntaler favored the wizard with a short, desperate look, then dodged out of the way of the beast's poisonous maw.
Jorunhast caught the pattern of the king's attack. It would be tight, and he did not know if the magic he had would affect the beast. However, he could not wait, and the nobles and knights would arrive too late if he hesitated.
The Royal Magician raised his hand and started to craft the spell as Pryntaler dodged in once more to strike the beast. His blow had no more effect than the others. When the king jumped back, out of range of the poisons that engulfed the beast's head, he hoped fervently, Jorunhast let loose his spell.
A bolt of lightning sprang from his fingertips and thundered into the beast. The blast of energy struck the side of the creature and spread along its scales, as if it were trying to slit the creature apart. The golden gorgon, or whatever it was, staggered forward for a moment, then halted in its tracks, as if turned to stone by the force of the blow.
Pryntaler's shoulders sagged in exhaustion, and he nodded his thanks at the wizard, panting, "The monster was waiting for us here when-"
Jorunhast held up a hand, and the king fell silent, puzzled. The gorgon was clicking, as if it had swallowed a giant ratchet.
The magician of the realm approached the stone-still creature. Yes, it was making the low clicking noise. Now he could see in the moonlight the beast was not a living thing, but rather an automaton or golem in the shape of a great bull. Somewhere within it, something was attempting to repair the damage of the lightning bolt.
Wizard and king looked at each other, and Jorunhast raised his hand again, signaling Pryntaler to stay back. He approached the clockwork beast carefully, expecting it at any moment to spring back to life. Holding his breath, he ran his fingers along the thing's head and shoulders. He found a small tray tucked beneath its chin. He pulled it forth, and a smoking, greenish pile of herbs tumbled out. The poison, obviously herbal in nature, that had felled the two Crownsilvers.
Jorunhast stepped back two swift paces and let the toxic fumes waft away in the night air. Then he returned to the creature's side and resumed his inspection. The clicking became louder and more rapid. He ran his fingers along the ridge of the machine's back. There was a small stud at the top of the spine, directly behind the nape of the creature's massive neck.
Sweat gathered on the magician's forehead. The latch might silence the clicking or reactivate the beast fully… or might cause it to explode. Should he wait for the other nobles, the knights, and healers?
The creature began to slowly move its jaws, opening and closing them in a jerky rhythm. Within the metallic shell, Jorunhast heard bellows flex, and the mouth hissed to exhale the now removed poison.
Jorunhast cursed, offered a silent prayer to Mystra, and moved the control.
The wheeze of the bellows died with the clicking. The beast became inert once more. There were shouts from up the hill as