magical reinforcement of the walls around them dissipate
and, just as he barked “ Invectis !”,
the front door was smashed open and two wights, pale as death, with
claws and fangs like steel, shot through the opening straight at the
group.
Oh crap!
he thought desperately as they faded into the void.
Chapter
7
As the
group materialized in the middle of the main floor of the tower,
Simon crumpled to the floor, totally spent. But he managed to keep
his eyes open as screams and curses echoed through the room.
Malcolm
and Aiden were thrashing around, two wights insanely ripping at them
and trying to get at their throats with their inch-long fangs. The
screeching from the undead was ear-splitting and, mingled with
Malcolm's bellowing, almost deafened Simon.
He pushed
himself up on one elbow, reaching for some spell to help, but he was
simply too exhausted. His numbed brain couldn't find a single
incantation and he was forced to watch helplessly as the warriors
battled the undead.
Fortunately
they weren't alone. While neither of the embattled men could draw a
weapon, they were strong enough to hold the wights in a death grip.
And, as Simon tried to focus and stay conscious, someone leaped over
him and he saw a flash of steel slam down to crush the head of the
wight that was fighting with Aiden. The blacksmith, Gregory, had
pulped the monster with his heavy hammer.
In a
flash, Aiden pushed the body away, jumped up, drew his sword and
sliced the head off of the second wight just as it was about to
fasten its fangs on Malcolm's neck.
The
silence that followed was almost deafening. The guardsmen were
panting, their eye wide with shock and adrenaline. A moment passed
and then the gurgling cry of one of the children made them all jump
and broke the tension in the room.
Clara had
been holding one of the children as she sat on a kitchen chair. Now
she passed the little boy to his mother and quickly crossed the room
to check on Malcolm and Aiden.
“ Are
either of you wounded? Did they scratch you? Their claws are
poisonous, you know.”
The men
exchanged a look and smiled simultaneously.
“ Clara,”
Malcolm said. “Our wounds from earlier have already healed. At
a guess, I'd say that lycanthropes are immune to disease and poison.”
He reached
under the armor at his neck and pulled out an amulet, one of the pair
that Simon and Clara had made for him and Aiden several months
before.
“ The
curse is held at bay by these little miracles, but we are still
werewolves, lady. All of the benefits and none of the bad stuff.”
“ All
of the taste and none of the calories,” Aiden added with a grin
and several people burst out laughing, the sense of relief draining
away the last of the panic that had been hovering in the air.
“ Well,
good then,” Clara said with a smile. “Just make sure you
don't lose that.”
“ Never.
Don't worry about us.”
Malcolm
turned and his face fell as he saw Simon sprawled on the floor.
“ Wizard!
Are you all right?”
He quickly
knelt down beside Simon and raised him to a sitting position, an arm
under the wizard's shoulder.
Clara
joined them, her tired face heavy with concern.
“ Simon.
How are you doing?”
He tried
to smile but his lips barely twitched.
“ I'm
fine,” he said softly, trying to reassure her, but she frowned
at his words and Malcolm's dark face paled.
“ My
God, he sounds like he's had a stroke,” the guardsman
exclaimed.
“ Hold
him still,” Clara ordered. She put her hands gently on Simon's
temples and closed her eyes, her brows lowered in concentration.
Simon
watched, the world fading in and out. He vaguely saw people walking
around the room and heard the murmur of conversation, but couldn't
make out any details. He was just so tired; he wished they'd let him
sleep.
The cleric
released him and stared into his eyes, making sure she had his
attention.
“ I'm
afraid that you have a concussion, my friend. There is also fluid
building up between your
and, just as he barked “ Invectis !”,
the front door was smashed open and two wights, pale as death, with
claws and fangs like steel, shot through the opening straight at the
group.
Oh crap!
he thought desperately as they faded into the void.
Chapter
7
As the
group materialized in the middle of the main floor of the tower,
Simon crumpled to the floor, totally spent. But he managed to keep
his eyes open as screams and curses echoed through the room.
Malcolm
and Aiden were thrashing around, two wights insanely ripping at them
and trying to get at their throats with their inch-long fangs. The
screeching from the undead was ear-splitting and, mingled with
Malcolm's bellowing, almost deafened Simon.
He pushed
himself up on one elbow, reaching for some spell to help, but he was
simply too exhausted. His numbed brain couldn't find a single
incantation and he was forced to watch helplessly as the warriors
battled the undead.
Fortunately
they weren't alone. While neither of the embattled men could draw a
weapon, they were strong enough to hold the wights in a death grip.
And, as Simon tried to focus and stay conscious, someone leaped over
him and he saw a flash of steel slam down to crush the head of the
wight that was fighting with Aiden. The blacksmith, Gregory, had
pulped the monster with his heavy hammer.
In a
flash, Aiden pushed the body away, jumped up, drew his sword and
sliced the head off of the second wight just as it was about to
fasten its fangs on Malcolm's neck.
The
silence that followed was almost deafening. The guardsmen were
panting, their eye wide with shock and adrenaline. A moment passed
and then the gurgling cry of one of the children made them all jump
and broke the tension in the room.
Clara had
been holding one of the children as she sat on a kitchen chair. Now
she passed the little boy to his mother and quickly crossed the room
to check on Malcolm and Aiden.
“ Are
either of you wounded? Did they scratch you? Their claws are
poisonous, you know.”
The men
exchanged a look and smiled simultaneously.
“ Clara,”
Malcolm said. “Our wounds from earlier have already healed. At
a guess, I'd say that lycanthropes are immune to disease and poison.”
He reached
under the armor at his neck and pulled out an amulet, one of the pair
that Simon and Clara had made for him and Aiden several months
before.
“ The
curse is held at bay by these little miracles, but we are still
werewolves, lady. All of the benefits and none of the bad stuff.”
“ All
of the taste and none of the calories,” Aiden added with a grin
and several people burst out laughing, the sense of relief draining
away the last of the panic that had been hovering in the air.
“ Well,
good then,” Clara said with a smile. “Just make sure you
don't lose that.”
“ Never.
Don't worry about us.”
Malcolm
turned and his face fell as he saw Simon sprawled on the floor.
“ Wizard!
Are you all right?”
He quickly
knelt down beside Simon and raised him to a sitting position, an arm
under the wizard's shoulder.
Clara
joined them, her tired face heavy with concern.
“ Simon.
How are you doing?”
He tried
to smile but his lips barely twitched.
“ I'm
fine,” he said softly, trying to reassure her, but she frowned
at his words and Malcolm's dark face paled.
“ My
God, he sounds like he's had a stroke,” the guardsman
exclaimed.
“ Hold
him still,” Clara ordered. She put her hands gently on Simon's
temples and closed her eyes, her brows lowered in concentration.
Simon
watched, the world fading in and out. He vaguely saw people walking
around the room and heard the murmur of conversation, but couldn't
make out any details. He was just so tired; he wished they'd let him
sleep.
The cleric
released him and stared into his eyes, making sure she had his
attention.
“ I'm
afraid that you have a concussion, my friend. There is also fluid
building up between your
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