Triumph of the Darksword - Margaret Weis [51]
He thinks I’m hysterical, Garald realized, and drew a shuddering breath. His sickness eased, the fear subsided, no longer threatening to master him. So this is courage, he said to himself with grim amusement. Thinking to the end how we will look in the eyes of others.
The thudding grew louder and more pronounced. Movement drew Garald’s attention. He grasped Radisovik’s arm, pointing, releasing his breath in a heartfelt sigh of relief.
The top of a huge head appeared over the rim of a hill. The head was followed by massive shoulders; a vast expanse of body draped with animal skins came into view, propelled forward by two thick legs.
“A giant?” murmured Radisovik, giving thanks to the Almin.
His thanks may have been premature. Although this was not the monster they had feared, the Duuk-tsarith maintained the magical shield in place around their Prince, since giants—though normally gentle—were unpredictable in their behavior. This particular giant appeared hurt and befuddled and, as he drew nearer, Garald saw that he had been injured.
The giant nursed his left arm and there were streaks of tears down his filthy face.
A wounded giant was even more dangerous, and one of the Duuk-tsarith moved to stand directly between the giant and the Prince. The other bodyguard, after an exchange of a few brief words with his companion, turned to talk to the Prince.
“My lord,” said the Duuk-tsarith, “this could be an ideal means of transportation to reach Emperor Xavier.”
Startled by the suggestion and suffering a reaction to his fear, Garald at first stared blankly at the black-robed warlock, unable to think coherently enough to make a decision. The man was looking at him expectantly, however, and Garald prodded his numb mind to working.
He had to admit, it seemed a good idea. The giant—with his great strength and ground-eating strides—could carry them to the location where Xavier was battling the unknown foe. Not only could the giant carry them there faster than they could fly, but they would be able to see, from their lofty perch atop the massive shoulders, what was transpiring a long time before they reached it. In addition, once under the control of the Duuk-tsarith, the giant would be a valuable ally in case of attack.
“Excellent idea,” Garald said finally. “Do what you must.”
But the Duuk-tsarith had already gone into action. Leaving his companion to guard their charges, the warlock—who was about one-tenth the giants size—lifted into the air and flew near the mutated human. The giant watched him warily, suspiciously, but did not appear openly hostile.
“So it wasn’t a warlock who attacked it and injured it,” Garald reflected aloud. “If it had been, the giant would have lashed out instantly at the sight of the warlock or would have fled in terror.”
“I believe you have guessed correctly, milord,” said Radisovik. “This giant was probably trained by warlocks for the battle and still trusts them. Some one else—or some thing—must have hurt it.”
The warlock spoke soothing words to the giant, as a parent talks to an injured child, offering to heal the injured arm. Its tears flowing faster now that it was receiving attention, the giant approached the warlock readily, holding up its arm for inspection and blubbering incoherently. Seeing the fiery red burn that covered the massive arm, Garald again tried to imagine what force existed on this world that could have inflicted such damage.
The same force that could break a massive stone in two halves, that could fell a carriage from the skies and burn the flesh from a man’s body …
Creatures of iron.
The Duuk-tsarith, with a wave of his hand, caused a salve to appear on the giant’s arm, spreading over it with soothing effect to judge by the smile on the tear-stained face. Conjuring up a roll of fabric, the warlock next hastily wrapped the giant’s arm in a bandage, more because these childlike beings were fond of such ornamentation than because the bandage would be particularly useful in healing the wound. This task completed, the warlock made a gesture in the air above the giant’s forehead,