Warrior Priest of Dmon-Li - Brian Pratt [71]
“What’s he doing?” Miko asks Jiron.
“I don’t know,” he replies. “Just be glad he’s on our side.”
James breaks into a slight smile when he overhears that, but otherwise continues his concentration as the blobs roll ever onward.
The further they roll through the grass the greater in size they become. Where they had started out the size of golf balls, now they’re the size of a bowling ball. It almost seems that the larger they grow, the faster they grow as does the swath of withered grass they leave behind them.
When the first riders reach the blobs rolling toward them, the lead ball explodes, spraying a sticky goo which envelopes several riders and horses. The others immediately move to pass by their affected comrades, but other blobs explode as they come in close proximity to them.
One after another, the blobs explode, coating more of the riders in the goo, making it impossible for them or their horses to move. They fall to the ground and struggle to free themselves from sticky mass, but are unable to.
After the last blob explodes, all but one of the riders has been trapped. James turns back to the others and says, “Let’s go.” He gets on his horse and to the amazement of Jiron and Miko, turns toward the entrapped riders.
“What are you doing?” asks Jiron.
“We should leave!” yells Miko.
Paying them no head, he continues on to the entrapped riders. Having little choice, the other two fall in behind as he heads toward them.
The lone rider who’s free sees them coming and draws his sword. Turning his horse toward them, he charges, a war cry escaping him.
James takes a rock he had acquired some time earlier from his pouch and throws it. The rock sails toward the rider and strikes him through the chest, knocking him from his horse.
When they come closer to the entrapped riders, they can see the markings of the Grey Wolf Clan. James notices with relief that neither Abula-Mazki nor the Clan Chief is among those entrapped.
As he approaches them, he says, “Can anyone understand me?”
One of the riders says, “I can.”
“I didn’t kill you, this time,” he tells him. “Continue to follow me and I will the next time.”
The rider translates for his comrades and a growl can be heard coming from several of them.
“You violated the Pact!” the rider accuses them. “For that, you must die!”
“No!” James shouts back. “Your clan broke it first when they took my friend from the Windriders’ tent. I merely came and reclaimed him.”
“You lie!” one of them shouts.
“We already had assurances of safe conduct through your lands,” he tells them. “What possible reason would we have to break the Pact?”
When his words are translated, muttering can be heard coming from more than one. “Anyway, we’re leaving this area and are not coming back.” He turns his horse toward the north and then says before he leaves, “Follow us at your own peril.”
“What about us?” cries the rider.
“This stuff should disappear in a little bit,” he replies. Kicking his horse, he gallops away to the north, Jiron and Miko following.
“You should have killed them,” Jiron tells him.
“I don’t kill unless I have to,” he replies. “That may be hard for you to understand, but that is the way I am.”
“You killed that rider easily enough,” he states.
“True, but he was attacking and I didn’t believe he’d listen to reason,” he counters.
“No,” he agrees, “I’m sure he wouldn’t have. Think they’ll stop following?”
“I don’t know, maybe,” he says. “I did give them something to think about though. Once we’re out of their territory, I’m hoping they’ll stop.”
“Then all we’ll have to worry about is the Empire’s forces and Abula-Mazki,” he says. Grinning, he continues, “That should be easy enough.”
James grins back, “I like your optimism.”
They continue on to the north, again keeping the river at a distance as they move along the eastern edge of the hills. James is still concerned with the disappearance of the riders they’d seen earlier to the west, across the river. He’s sure they haven’t given up the chase, but just where are they?
He direly needs something to use as