[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
wounds. His vehicle still ran on without control, heading across the
path of a second Tower machine.
The second driver saw it coming much too late. He tried desperately to
turn his machine away, but only succeeded in taking the impact
broadside. The scythed vehicle smashed in, prow driving into the other
engine's side, metal blades ripping into its tires. Hopelessly tangled
together, both machines came to a stop, groaning and shuddering like
two wounded monsters locked in a death struggle.
Aine, meantime, was directing Shaglan in at another of the machines in
an effort to help Taillta. She had spotted the valiant woman trying to
lure the attacker up a craggy knoll so that her brawny warriors might
board it from the rocks.
They were having little luck. The machine could pivot with amazing
speed, snapping its metal jaws at any who approached while the soldiers
aboard shot down all who managed to reach its side.
The Pooka swooped in at these bowmen, wings out, and caught two of them
across their throats, knocking them over
the side. Startled, the other soldiers whirled toward him as he settled
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to the deck. The sight of the great bird, and the voung woman upon it,
took them rather aback and gave Xine a chance to attack. She threw her
lance, downing one nian, then drew sword and dagger and leaped from
Shaglan to confront the rest
A dozen more soldiers closed in, only to suddenly find themselves
facing a very large and angry cat.
When Taillta realized what was happening, she led her own warriors in a
unified attack. With the soldiers on the machine well occupied, she and
several others managed to duck around the pinching jaws, gain footholds
on the body's metal sides, and begin to climb upward. The soldiers
trying to surround Aine and the Pooka were themselves quickly
surrounded and overwhelmed by savage Firbolgs.
The driver at the rear, seeing his mates cut down, decided hastily to
abandon his position. He leaped from the back of the moving vehicle,
leaving it to roll off a steep drop on one side of the knoll.
"Jump!" cried Aine as she felt the deck begin to tilt.
All leaped from the upper side of the machine as it went over, crashing
heavily onto its side.
They picked themselves up and looked down at the thing, upended like a
giant bug, wheels still spinning uselessly in the air. Aine looked at
Taillta and found the woman beaming in triumph.
"That1 was fun, wasn't it?" Taillta said delightedly. "Let's go after
another!"
"I'm afraid it won't do much good," Aine answered darkly, looking
around. For their little victoreis had done nothing to stem the
relentless drive of the machines.
Far out to sea, the balance of the Tower fleet was hanging at the
horizon line, waiting for some word. In the bow of the Commander's
ship, a seaman intently watched a blinking light on shore. When its
flashing ceased, he quickly moved back toward the vessel's stern, where
Balor sat like a great idol of black iron, waiting.
"Commander," the man said, "we have a signal from Sital Salmhor. Our
machines have shattered the whole de Danann line. They are pursuing the
survivors inland. Bres Had ordered the Eireland Fomor forward behind
them."
"Excellent," the voice clanged. "Take the fleet in. I wish to see the
end of this battle myself."
74
MASTER OF THE SIDHE
Orders were passed. The Commander's ship started ahead, leading the
other ships in toward the coast. Slowly, the tiny figures swarming on
the battlefield came into view.
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At the same time, the battlefield was coming into Lugh Lamfada's view
as well. He and the Riders of the Sidhe had just topped the southern
hills and he was able to look over the scene on the plains below.
He was horrified by the situation laid out before him. The de Danann
and Firbolg companies were in headlong flight. The machines of the
Tower wheeled through the flying warriors, leaving wide trails of
carnage behind them. The mainland Fomor were moving up in force behind
them, ready to finish their opponents once they were thoroughly broken.
And behind them, gliding in toward the shore, the rest of the black
fleet of the Tower was visible.
Lugh watched in dismay. The Tower's whole force must be committed here.
He hadn't really believed they would come to Eire. He had hoped that
they had given up the fight. Why had they chosen to help Bres?
Then, as the ships moved closer to the shore, he was able to identify
the familiar black form rising at the stern of the largest ship, and he
had his answer. Balor was alive.
Balor! Lugh had been so certain the being was dead. He had last seen
the giant swept away by a storm Manannan had created. He had thought
his greatest enemy gone forever.
He was frozen for a long moment, staring at the dark figure. Fear of
this giant swept through him as it had before, a fear so unreasoning,
so stark and overpowering that it swept away his ability to think,
seized him like the massive grip of the giant himself.
What if Balor landed? Nothing could withstand the force of that
unshuttered eye. Lugh could see the crimson light of it even from where [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl szamanka888.keep.pl
wounds. His vehicle still ran on without control, heading across the
path of a second Tower machine.
The second driver saw it coming much too late. He tried desperately to
turn his machine away, but only succeeded in taking the impact
broadside. The scythed vehicle smashed in, prow driving into the other
engine's side, metal blades ripping into its tires. Hopelessly tangled
together, both machines came to a stop, groaning and shuddering like
two wounded monsters locked in a death struggle.
Aine, meantime, was directing Shaglan in at another of the machines in
an effort to help Taillta. She had spotted the valiant woman trying to
lure the attacker up a craggy knoll so that her brawny warriors might
board it from the rocks.
They were having little luck. The machine could pivot with amazing
speed, snapping its metal jaws at any who approached while the soldiers
aboard shot down all who managed to reach its side.
The Pooka swooped in at these bowmen, wings out, and caught two of them
across their throats, knocking them over
the side. Startled, the other soldiers whirled toward him as he settled
a
a
T
T
n
n
s
s
F
F
f
f
o
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D
D
r
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Click here to buy
Click here to buy
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w
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o
w
w
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c
.
.
.
.
A
A
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r r
to the deck. The sight of the great bird, and the voung woman upon it,
took them rather aback and gave Xine a chance to attack. She threw her
lance, downing one nian, then drew sword and dagger and leaped from
Shaglan to confront the rest
A dozen more soldiers closed in, only to suddenly find themselves
facing a very large and angry cat.
When Taillta realized what was happening, she led her own warriors in a
unified attack. With the soldiers on the machine well occupied, she and
several others managed to duck around the pinching jaws, gain footholds
on the body's metal sides, and begin to climb upward. The soldiers
trying to surround Aine and the Pooka were themselves quickly
surrounded and overwhelmed by savage Firbolgs.
The driver at the rear, seeing his mates cut down, decided hastily to
abandon his position. He leaped from the back of the moving vehicle,
leaving it to roll off a steep drop on one side of the knoll.
"Jump!" cried Aine as she felt the deck begin to tilt.
All leaped from the upper side of the machine as it went over, crashing
heavily onto its side.
They picked themselves up and looked down at the thing, upended like a
giant bug, wheels still spinning uselessly in the air. Aine looked at
Taillta and found the woman beaming in triumph.
"That1 was fun, wasn't it?" Taillta said delightedly. "Let's go after
another!"
"I'm afraid it won't do much good," Aine answered darkly, looking
around. For their little victoreis had done nothing to stem the
relentless drive of the machines.
Far out to sea, the balance of the Tower fleet was hanging at the
horizon line, waiting for some word. In the bow of the Commander's
ship, a seaman intently watched a blinking light on shore. When its
flashing ceased, he quickly moved back toward the vessel's stern, where
Balor sat like a great idol of black iron, waiting.
"Commander," the man said, "we have a signal from Sital Salmhor. Our
machines have shattered the whole de Danann line. They are pursuing the
survivors inland. Bres Had ordered the Eireland Fomor forward behind
them."
"Excellent," the voice clanged. "Take the fleet in. I wish to see the
end of this battle myself."
74
MASTER OF THE SIDHE
Orders were passed. The Commander's ship started ahead, leading the
other ships in toward the coast. Slowly, the tiny figures swarming on
the battlefield came into view.
a
a
T
T
n
n
s
s
F
F
f
f
o
o
D
D
r
r
P
P
m
m
Y
Y
e
e
Y
Y
r
r
B
B
2
2
.
.
B
B
A
A
Click here to buy
Click here to buy
w
w
m
m
w
w
o
o
w
w
c
c
.
.
.
.
A
A
Y
Y
B
B
Y
Y
B
B
r r
At the same time, the battlefield was coming into Lugh Lamfada's view
as well. He and the Riders of the Sidhe had just topped the southern
hills and he was able to look over the scene on the plains below.
He was horrified by the situation laid out before him. The de Danann
and Firbolg companies were in headlong flight. The machines of the
Tower wheeled through the flying warriors, leaving wide trails of
carnage behind them. The mainland Fomor were moving up in force behind
them, ready to finish their opponents once they were thoroughly broken.
And behind them, gliding in toward the shore, the rest of the black
fleet of the Tower was visible.
Lugh watched in dismay. The Tower's whole force must be committed here.
He hadn't really believed they would come to Eire. He had hoped that
they had given up the fight. Why had they chosen to help Bres?
Then, as the ships moved closer to the shore, he was able to identify
the familiar black form rising at the stern of the largest ship, and he
had his answer. Balor was alive.
Balor! Lugh had been so certain the being was dead. He had last seen
the giant swept away by a storm Manannan had created. He had thought
his greatest enemy gone forever.
He was frozen for a long moment, staring at the dark figure. Fear of
this giant swept through him as it had before, a fear so unreasoning,
so stark and overpowering that it swept away his ability to think,
seized him like the massive grip of the giant himself.
What if Balor landed? Nothing could withstand the force of that
unshuttered eye. Lugh could see the crimson light of it even from where [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]