Master of Chains - Jess Lebow [65]
"Do you speak Giant?" he asked Nazeem.
The Chultan shook his head. "Why would you think that I might know how to speak their jibber jabber of a language?"
Ryder shrugged. "I don't know. You seem to know everything else and I figured it couldn't hurt to ask."
The first of the undead giants climbed up over the last step. The creature was tall and lean, resembling very much the giants depicted by the statues lining the pathway. In the pale moonlight, the creature's flesh was dull gray. Its tattered skin hung from its bones, flapping as the giant shifted its weight forward and back with each step. Its ribs were exposed on its left side, and a stream of dark, viscous fluid leaked from the opening.
The creature lumbered toward the gate, dragging a huge club in one hand and a boulder in the other. A second, then a third undead giant climbed over the rise of the last step. They were a little smaller than the first, but they were still massive in comparison to Ryder and Nazeem.
The trio continued to talk to each other until the largest spotted the first of the statues. It went still, raising its club to alert the others. As a group, they approached, being careful to circle around behind the statue as they came. When they got close enough, the big one swung its club, smashing the stone with a mighty blow.
The giant's club knocked the head loose, and it fell to the ground, spinning toward the gate of Fairhaven. It took an irregular path as it rolled down the walkway. Each time it turned over, the protruding nose and ears would cause the whole thing to jump into the air and change directions. It came to a grinding rest just in front of Ryder and Nazeem's hiding place.
"They think the statues are real giants lying in wait," said Nazeem.
Ryder looked down the pathway. Many of the statues were battered beyond recognition. But there were several that could be whole giants.
"If we just wait here, they'll find us." Ryder watched the giants pummel the statue.
"Then we must change our plans," said Nazeem. "There is no value in an ambush that does not come as a surprise."
Ryder nodded. "Very true. But I have an idea." He shuffled toward the shadows closer to the gate. "Follow me."
Nazeem nodded and crouched beside Ryder, sling in hand.
Ryder watched the undead giants as they moved to the next intact statue, circling around behind and preparing to attack.
Just as the big one raised it club, Ryder whispered, "Now."
He dashed out into the bright moonlight and across the open pathway. The giants beat on the statue, not paying any attention to the two men as they sneaked across and into the darkness on the south side of the path.
Safely on the other side, Ryder ducked behind a fully intact statue and examined the stone creature's feet.
"What are you doing?" asked Nazeem.
"This statue is loose," replied Ryder.
"Ah," said Nazeem, understanding. "And you want to bring it to life."
Ryder nodded. "Precisely." He looked to the top. "We'll need something to leverage it with-a piece of wood or something to shove into the cracks here at the base."
Nazeem began scavenging the ground around the plinth.
Down the path, the undead giants had finished dismantling their latest stone victim and were moving on to the next-the last intact statue between the giants and the two men.
"There is nothing here," said Nazeem, turning away from the search. "Only small rocks and dirt."
"Then we'll have to do this the hard way," said Ryder.
Taking a step back, he set his chain in motion. He let the heavy end make two revolutions then hurled it toward the statue. The cuff of the onetime shackles landed on the giant's outstretched arm, wrapping around once and catching. Ryder gave the chain a hard pull using the statue's height to get leverage, and the carved stone shifted on its unsteady base.
The undead giants went silent, turning away from the now-ruined statue they had just pummeled.