Menagerie - Martin Day [14]
There was a back door into Defrabax's house, a small wooden thing held together by strips of bronze. There was also an open window set close to it, and light burned in some back room. Araboam looked about him, and saw no one. He walked quickly towards the window.
There was a scream and the sound of sudden confusion from some distance away. Araboam paused in thought for a moment, but he knew that his allegiance to the people of the city was stronger than his temporary orders from Commander Zaitabor. He ran towards the back of the shop before the noise attracted Defrabax's attention.
The shop was one of a number on a tiny street on the edge of the commercial area. It wasn't difficult to see where the noise was coming from. The metal cover of a drain set towards the centre of the road had been thrown aside, and huge creatures were spilling up from it. They were bipedal apes, larger and much bulkier than most men, and consequently they struggled to pull themselves from the narrow constriction of the sewer tunnels. Their arms were long and strong, and their heads extended straight from their broad shoulders. Their thick fur ran in rough and irregular stripes over their entire bodies, alternating with exposed patches of tough brownish-red skin.
They ran towards the shops and a group of frightened onlookers, chattering and howling like monkeys. Araboam dropped the cloak from his shoulders, and drew his broadsword. He ran forwards, his chain-mail leggings ringing against the moaning shouts of the beasts. A number of scruffy City Guards stood towards the front of the terrified knot of people, but their eyes too were full of fear.
'You men!' shouted Araboam in a voice of confident authority. 'Draw your weapons and repel those creatures!'
The guards — more frightened of the knight striding over to take charge than of the hideous animals — fumbled for their pikes and short swords, and swung them towards the apes. The beasts stopped in their tracks, eyeing the weapons flashing towards them, and bared their long teeth in what could almost have been grins. There was a quick grunt from one of the apes, and they scattered away from the humans, running towards the shops, picking up rocks from the road and hurling them! at the buildings. Windows shattered and doors and painted signs were torn away by the apes' great hands.
Araboam ran towards the creature that was closest to him
— the ape was looking the other way, concentrating on ripping off the shutters that closed over a butcher's window
— and without warning sliced the blade of his sword through the air and into the thick muscle of the beast's neck and shoulder.
The creature cried out and staggered, one hand immediately attempting to staunch the blood from the wound. It turned, and made as if to lunge at Araboam, but its mind, such as it was, visibly struggled against its instincts. Instead of attacking the ape growled and backed away, moving towards the sewers.
Araboam risked a glance across the street, and saw a similar chain of events there. Having caused a little. damage to property, the creatures were retreating back towards the drain, some of them even knuckling across the ground at great speed.
A few of the guards were now gaining confidence and, with great affectation, made swings at the brutes, joking with the city folk who were near them. Araboam was sensible enough to realize that he was facing a foe much stronger than himself, and he recognized that the apes were retreating of their own volition. But the guards were ignorant fools, enjoying a brief moment of infamy, trying to impress the women.
Araboam felt a sad contempt for them.
The apes were scuttling back down into the sewers, chattering in what could almost have been delight. Araboam shouted a word of encouragement to the guards as the last of the creatures disappeared below the surface of the road.
Araboam indicated one of