Ghostwalker - Erik Scott De Bie [114]
In perfect shape to wade into battle.
Walker nodded. "Well met," he said.
"Well met indeed," said Bars, extending his hand. "Arya's told us much about you. Well, not really that much… Well, aye, nothing. Um… Well met." He trailed off and left his arm out for Walker to take.
Walker looked down at the extended arm and took it, to his great surprise.
Derst shook Walker hand. "I thought you'd be taller," he mumbled.
"I'm glad you got to meet," said Arya. "Especially since we're probably all going to meet Kelemvor in his underworld soon."
Walker needed no words to explain what they were about to do. He merely pointed.
"Bah!" exclaimed Derst. "You're always the pessimist, Arya."
"Aye, how many rangers can Meris have?" rumbled Bars. "A dozen? Two? Babe's play!"
"Easier than poking a chest full of goblins with a rapier," agreed Derst. "And besides-are they the legendary Knights in Silver? No. We are." He paused. "The legendary."
"Right," agreed Bars. "The Knights in Silver have never been defeated on the field of battle, and for good reason. Each of us is worth twenty of them!"
Arya, none-too-confident, looked at Walker for support, but the ghostwalker only smiled. She rolled her eyes.
"Men," she said.
"Aye," agreed Derst. Then, after a pause, he looked at Walker. "So-what's our plan?"
Walker turned and looked down the darkened hallway. He bent and slowly retrieved the discarded shatterspike sword.
"The front entrance?" Bars said, bemused. "Smells like an ambush."
"Bah! Meris would never expect us to be so stupid as to go out the front!" put in Derst with a laugh.
Then, when no one laughed along with him, his face grew serious once more.
"We're not, are we?" he asked, looking to each one for a reply.
None were forthcoming.
The ghostwalker peered at each of the knights. Then, without a word, he began walking resolutely down the hallway.
A smile lit on Bars's face.
"I like that plan!" he said. He hurried behind Walker.
Derst and Arya looked at each other, both equally stumped.
"Well, I suppose there's always my foolproof backup plan," said Derst. Arya arched an eyebrow.
"Proof against you, you mean?" Arya asked.
"You know me," Derst said with a shrug. He indicated the hallway with an open hand, and followed Arya when she ran after Walker.
When they arrived at the closed double doors, Walker held up a hand to stop them. He turned to address the three knights, who shared his determination. They drew steel.
"We do not know how many rangers await," said Walker. "I will go first."
"Suit yourself," Derst whistled. He hid behind a small table. "I'm comfortable, being alive and everything."
Bars nodded, pressing himself into the corner between the door and the wall.
Arya was not as yielding. She stood next to Walker, stubbornly clinging to his arm. When he looked over at her, her eyes were firm. "I'm coming with you," she said.
"This is the only way," Walker replied calmly but firmly.
"But, Walker, I have to tell you-"
His steely gaze cut her off and told her Walker would brook no argument.
Biting her lip, Arya took Walker's hand and squeezed it.
"Be wary," she said.
Walker nodded, squeezing her hand back to show he understood. Then Arya took up her place opposite Bars.
The ghostwalker closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. His focus returned, dampening the hot rage to a cool fury, shuffling it behind icy walls of control. Deep in his dark resolve once more, Walker opened his eyes, prepared.
Sheathing the shatterspike, Walker stepped to the doors, pulled them open, and walked out, arms wide open…
Into a hail of arrows.
CHAPTER 22
30 Tarsakh
Arrows from two dozen bows shot for him, arrows seeking to turn Walker into a human forest. The ambushing rangers were fully confident the battle was over before it had begun, for there was no way Walker could dodge or deflect so many arrows. The arrows shot right through him and slammed into the open doors, carpeted floor, and walls inside Greyt's