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closed his eyes.
When he awoke, he was covered in sweat. He rubbed his eyes, trying to remember
where he was, then panicked again. He d slept! He couldn t afford to sleep, not with the
sun continuing its march toward the horizon. Jerek lurched to his feet, steadied himself,
and then looked around. As his heart thudded, he slowed his breathing and tried to think.
The nap seemed to have done him good; he felt more energetic than he had all morning,
and it seemed his fever had broken.
 I ll be all right, he said as he took slow, steady breaths.  Just a nap. Plenty of time
to get out of here.
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A slight tingle of discomfort harassed him in the back of his mind. Jerek glanced
around, trying to decide the reason. The stream still trickled along, cold and comforting
with its babbling sound. The trees swayed in a soft breeze, their branches thick and
intertwined.
Intertwined&
Jerek looked for the sun but saw only a thick canopy of leaves. He was deep within
shadow, the trees drawn tightly together with but a small gap by the stream. He took a
step, then stopped and drew his sword as he heard pained, rumbling laughter. Waiting for
him on the far side of the enclosure was the elf.
 You seem to care little for your survival, Evermoon said, his smile twisting in the
darkening shade.  This forest will be your death, yet you slumber by the water like a
babe?
Tree trunks swelled, the leaves thickened on their branches, and brush sprouted
upward, closing in the gaps with twisting vines. Jerek stood shocked by the sight, as if the
very forest were awakening, trapping him in a prison of bark and leaf. The area by the elf
was where the shade was at its darkest, deep as the bowels of a cave. And from within
that shade Jerek saw the creature.
It was slender, like a starved man dying in a gibbet. The shadows swirled about it, as
if it were made of an evil smoke pooled together into tangible form. So dark it was,
darker than the shade, as if not the slightest bit of light dared reveal itself against its form.
Thin, slanted eyes glared out, a pale white, a dead white. Invisible lips pulled back to
reveal enormous teeth, viciously sharp at their tips. When it lifted its hands, long claws
the size of daggers stretched out, made of that same pale white, not a color but the total
void of all light, shape, and substance. Jerek s heart pounded in his chest as the creature
softly growled.
 What is that thing? he asked, taking a step back. His sword shook in his hand.
 You took gold from the mountain, said Evermoon.  You ve angered its guardian.
The guardian rumbled in agreement. To Jerek, it sounded like an animal about to
pounce on its prey.
 Take it, he said, his free hand pulling the gold from his pockets and hurling it at
the elf.  I don t want it. Take the gold and leave me alone!
 You left your friend to die, Evermoon said, watching the chunks of ore roll across
the grass.  You re a greedy man and a coward. You deserve nothing.
Jerek turned and ran. The only gap he saw was by the stream, but even it was thick
with brush and low-hanging branches. The guardian snarled. He didn t know if the
darkness was deep enough for the creature to attack, but he prayed for time. When he
reached the water s edge he dove in, and on his hands and knees he crawled toward the
gap in the enclosure. The chill water splashed across his face, the mud slippery beneath
his fingers.
The branches above completed their growth, encapsulating them in their private
night. With a roar the guardian leapt, snarling like a dog unleashed. Jerek drew his sword
and slashed at the vines blocking his way, their sides bristling with thorns. He hacked
once, twice, and then with a desperate cry lunged forward as he felt something sharp stab
at his back. Half his body emerged into brilliant daylight. The light poured in through the
gap, and as his back bled he heard the creature shriek in wounded fury.
22
Sword still in hand, he crawled the rest of the way out, then spun and stared at the
gap. From within he saw dead-white eyes leering out. Jerek pointed his sword at it and
laughed, his bewildered mind torn between amusement and anger.
 Come get me, he shouted.  You got Mathis, Russ, even Dan, but you can t get me,
can you, demon?
He staggered to his feet, splashing water everywhere. Mud dripped from his pants
and shirt.
 I m right here! he screamed.  Come on! Stick your scrawny little neck out here so
I can cut your damn head off!
Jerek laughed even as tears ran down his face. He waved his sword about, faked a
charge, and then climbed out of the water. Sheathing his sword, he looked to the sky. The
trees had bent and curled inward to form the trap, so now outside of it he had a clear view
of Elfspire. Putting his back to it, he started jogging while his adrenaline was still high.
The guardian s roars chased after him, gradually fading with time.
It didn t take long for his lungs to ache and his head to swim. The past night was a
barely remembered nightmare. He coughed and heaved as he ran, determined to continue
until his body gave out. He had to travel as far as he could before nightfall. Once out of
the forest, he might have a chance to survive.
The hours passed in a dull haze of leaves and tree trunks. He walked much of it,
unable to keep such a drastic pace. He focused on his breathing, in and out. When his feet
started bleeding, he wrapped them with torn pieces of his shirt. His back ached, and
dimly he wondered if the shallow cuts might be infected. Of course, none of that would
matter if the guardian thrust its long claws through his forehead.
Lower and lower fell the sun, until in long shadows he stumbled on throbbing,
blistered feet. The forest had taken on a deep orange hue, the last remnant of light before
darkness. Already he saw thick storm clouds gathering above Elfspire, ready to blot out [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]