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.SIXTEENWITH dawn, squadrons of flying reptiles, precursors of Amintor's advancing army, patrolled the sky over and around the city, making further Tasavaltan communication by flying messengers, at least temporarily, almost impossible.More couriers, and fighting birds to escort them, were being summoned from the more distant provinces.Dawn found Karel still walking in his sleep, a man moving with the dazed sense of some unknown, urgent task to be accomplished-the elder wizard was wandering on an erratic course that had already taken him out of Sarykam.Twice minor demons tried to interfere with him, and twice he blasted them magically out of his path, even without becoming fully aware of his surroundings.With the passing hours, the hold upon him of the vanished Mindsword was decaying, and the old man struggled internally to regain control over his own soul.At first light, Yambu made her way across the grounds of Ben's ruined house, looked at the place where Karel had been put to sleep, and discovered that he was missing.There were no signs of violence, nor did it appear that the wizard had taken anything with him, even food or water.The lady reported her discovery to her friends, but there was nothing any of Page 97ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlthem could do aboutKarel now.Rather, it was necessary for the four remaining, having restored themselves with food and rest, to take action quickly to help the many hostages Vilkata had now crammed into the courtyards and cellars of the palace.Ominous sounds from the city streets, drifting in over the garden wall to Coinspinner's charmed redoubt, confirmed that more victims were being added hourly to the total.There could be little doubt that the Dark King's prisoners were in urgent peril of being slaughtered within the next few hours.Such an atrocity was only to be expected, given Vilkata's nature and the situation in which he now found himself.Stephen and his three friends all agreed that the most effective action would be direct, getting in among the hostages with Sightblinder and Coinspinner.It was entirely possible, even likely, that the rescuers, in following such a course, would find themselves facing Shieldbreaker-but the risk had to be accepted.Naturally the organization of the rescue operation would have been much easier could it have been postponed for even one more day.Now it would be more difficult because of the necessity to save some all-too-willing victims; but in another day the great majority of Vilkata's converts would be emerging naturally from the mental fog generated by the Mind-sword.Hour by hour, even minute by minute, they would experience first doubts, then confusion, then a full readiness to rebel against the man who had so briefly made himself their Master.But of course it was not possible to wait that long.The Dark King, anticipating just such a mass reversion, would be planning already to slaughter those he had confined-or to have them massacre each other, or be devoured by demons-before they could regain their senses.Before pushing open the garden gate and launching their attack upon the palace, Stephen and his companions had to decide, of course in consultation with Coinspinner, which of them was going to carry each Sword in among the hostages."Who shall carry this?" The Silver Queen, addressing one Sword, raised high the other.The tip of the Sword of Chance twitched, tugged decisively.The task of wielding Sightblinder in combat had fallen to Zoltan.The young man grippedfile:///F|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Saberhagen,%2.%20Swords%208%20-%20Shieldbre akers%20Story.txt (86 of 113) [2/4/03 9:58:55 PM]file:///F|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Saberhagen,%20Fred%20-%20Lost%20Swords%208%20-%20Shieldbreakers%20Story.txt thoughtfully the black hilt marked with the symbol of an eye, and in the perception of his comrades he vanished, was transformed into a series of images compounded of their own hate and fear and love."And this?" Yambu, like a priestess, held aloft the very Sword that was being questioned.Coinspinner's magic weighed straight down upon her; and thus remained in Yambu's hands.There were a few tactical questions to be settled.Ben, mundanely armed, undertook the job of bodyguard to the now-Swordless Stephen.The young Prince's chief responsibility would, of course, be the exercise of his unique power; when the fighting started, he would banish as many demons as he could, to as great a distance as possible.A minute later, Ben yanked open the door leading to the street.Stephen and his friends, doublySword-armed, marched out of the walled garden and toward the palace.They anticipated that on their arrival their work would be for the most part indoors and in enclosed courtyards; therefore they made no attempt to equip Page 98ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlthemselves with riding-beasts, which under the circumstances seemed more of a complication than an advantage.Still the unconverted population of Sarykam had not totally evacuated the city, though by now a high proportion had fled.Many old people remained, and a scattering of others, some simply unwilling to be driven from their homes, had been hiding from the hostage-taking demons.Zoltan, advancing with Sightblinder, had not walked two blocks before he began to attract a following crowd of Vilkata-converts, some no doubt genuine, some playing the role, all deceived into believing they were following their all-important Master.Among them a few confused individuals, who beheld in Zoltan an image of some dearly beloved child or spouse or parent riding toward them, hastened to give thanks for that person's survival.In a loud voice Zoltan introduced his three original companions as his faithful servants; then all four began to tell the swelling crowd that an impostor, a false Master, now sat in the palace [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]