Shadows of Doom - Ed Greenwood [37]
The ranger thrust with his steel and felt it turn aside on armor. His onrushing target gave a surprised yell and turned. Belkram saw a momentary flash of teeth in the darkness, put his sword tip there, and drove his blade in hard. The man crumpled and fell without uttering another sound.
This time the landing was not quiet, and Belkram hastened away. This game of cat and mouse was all too apt to turn against them swiftly, if these warriors brought torches or mage-conjured light.
He couldn't answer Itharr's question; he had no idea where they were. Perhaps if he could get safely out from under the trees long enough to get a good look at the stars… Well, they were somewhere not too different in climate from Shadowdale. Somewhere with mountains. Somewhere with at least one Harper-and, he hoped, Elminster-nearby.
In front of him, he saw the flash of steel rising from the ground. He danced to a halt and hissed, "Itharr?"
"The same," came the weak reply. "Did you have to be so-agghhh! I'm bleeding all over everything."
"I've been rather busy," Belkram whispered carefully. "Use your blade as a crutch or put it away and lean on me, and with Tymora's kiss we'll get out of here!"
Itharr opted for the latter, and they hurried on together as quietly as possible. Steel still rang around them from time to time. Here and there in the night-cloaked woods, men crashed through brush and fell into unseen holes and over the trunks of fallen trees.
"A fine night out they're having," Itharr gasped, after awhile. "Could we stop for a breath or two?"
"Aye," Belkram murmured into his ear. "How d'you feel?"
"Fresh and fine," Itharr said sarcastically. "The night is young, brave sir, and all that." He sat down heavily on a tree stump, which promptly collapsed in a damp ruin of fungus and punky wood, dumping him onto the ground. He sighed.
That mournful sound made a few sputters of mirth escape Belkram. The taller Harper shook for a few moments and then leaned near, still chuckling. "I'd like to try to get back to that clearing. We should be able to see the gate's light. We could go around it, staying in the trees, and look for paths and such. These guards must have a barracks somewhere, where we can get food and mayhap even healing quaffs, for your shoulder. I was in Luskan, once. The idiots there had a barracks with a flat, unguarded roof. We rested above them, all the while they turned the city inside out for us, and hid most of their gear while they were out tramping around." "Very nice," Itharr said. "Now help me up." They went into the night together. Belkram had to use his sword only twice before they saw the amber light again.
* * * * *
"Now what, sir?" The Sword might have been a chamber servant back in Zhentil Keep.
Nordryn shrugged. "Wait here. Our duty is still to guard the gate while the others seek out these intruders."
The Sword nodded. "As you command," he said expressionlessly. Nordryn looked at him and then all around and found, with sinking fear, that the two of them stood alone by the gate. Their men were all blundering about in the woods. A sudden outbreak of shouting came from the trees, followed by a scream that ended in a dying wail.
"Ah," Nordryn said with satisfaction. "They've got one, at least."
The Sword raised an eyebrow. "Someone died, aye. In the trees, Lord, it could be one of us killing another just as easily as those we're after. You can't tell… until it's too late."
Nordryn looked at him. "Oh, no?" he scoffed. "Are you telling me Zhentilar soldiers can fight only in the full light of day?"
The Sword looked back at him, and shrugged. "No," he said briefly. "At night, though, we seldom know whom we're killing."
Nordryn stepped back hastily, eyeing the gleaming sword between them.
"What happens if you slay one of… of our men?" The Sword shrugged again. "As I said," he drawled mildly, "by then, it's too late."
Nordryn backed two paces farther