Lady of Poison_ The Priests - Bruce R. Cordell [61]
The twigblight rushed them. It was so big that it had to duck to fit beneath the stone arch under which they'd stopped. He rolled left, Ususi rolled right; the creature charged past. One of its twig-claw hands scraped along Marrec's armor but failed to find an opening.
Marrec drove his spear into the creature's back, trying to find the 'sweet spot' he'd discovered on the other creature outside the forest. It deflected his thrust with a weighty claw of gnarled wood.
Ususi's spell generated an arc of electric blue light that crackled along the creature's body, sending it into flailing convulsions. The smell of burning wood and ozone mixed, and a trail of smoke rose to mingle with the greenish mist.
Partially stunned, the twigblight shuddered and stepped back. Marrec was ready. That time the creature wasn't able to bring up its wooden limbs quickly enough to defend its heart. The tip of his spear punched through the woody shell and found something soft, yielding, and odiferous. It shuddered again, then ceased all movement. Robbed of animation, the creature resembled nothing so much as an old, rotting tree with vividly posed branches.
"Impressive," whispered a voice from behind.
Marrec groaned with sick anticipation as he whirled to face the speaker. A dark silhouette, hazy and indistinct in the green distance, gained clarity and sharpness of outline as it glided smoothly forward along the ground. Anammelech had caught them.
The blightlord's armor was either covered with or formed of hardened ooze. The plates were mobile, softening, shifting, and flowing over and across each other in a mesmerizing crawl. Anammelech's head was bare, and the crawling plates of his armor never rose above his neckline. His face was filthy and his eye sockets twin voids but for a wet sparkle far back in each empty orbit. In one hand he gripped a halberd-shaped hole in the air, just like Gameliel's.
The blightlord continued to slide forward without flexing his legs to stride like a mortal. Marrec saw a glistening slime trail in Anammelech's wake. He was reminded of a snail's trail.
The blightlord slid to within just a few feet of Marrec and Ususi. They both stood ready, Marrec with Justlance, Ususi poised to fling a spell.
"I guess I should thank you," continued Anammelech in a conversational tone, "You fit the description of those who slew my compatriot. I've always fancied Gloomgate, but the weapon was given him by the Talontyr. With Gameliel's death, Gloomgate passed to me." He gestured with the halberd-shaped profanity.
Despite the part of his mind warning him against striking up a conversation with the blightlord, Marrec blurted, "Our description?"
"When it appeared to me, it told me of Gameliel's slaying, and about his slayers. It told me of all your plans, so you see, I knew you were going to Yeshelmaar. I even guessed you might come here, chasing after that poor little girl."
Marrec glared at the dark weapon. Intelligent weapons were rare, and those aligned with evil even more so. Truly Gloomgate was an abomination.
"Imagine my surprise when our spy Fallon gifted me with this…" said the blightlord as he drew forth the dully glinting Keystone.
Marrec's eyes widened. Ususi gasped.
"Where's Ash?" rasped the unicorn warrior. If Anammelech had the Keystone, he must also have the girl.
"I sent Ash' along ahead with Fallon. The Talontyr wants to see her." Anammelech chuckled, though the sound bubbled up as if from lungs choked with fluid.
Marrec brought his own spear up, tip dancing a few feet away from unconcerned features of Anammelech. "We destroyed Gameliel and doubt not that you'll fall just as easily. So leave us, and retreat whence you've come. If we find that you're following us, we'll be forced to destroy you. You've been warned."
Anammelech's chuckle grew into a full-throated laugh of incredulity.
"First," added Ususi, "Hand over the Keystone. It is mine."