Read Online Dark Sun: Prism Pentad 5 - The Cerulean Storm by Troy Denning - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Troy Denning
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behind her. “Why'd it have to collapse today?”
Coming as it did at the start of their journey, the breakdown did not bode well for their
mission against Borys-nor for the legion's chances of reaching the giants before
nightfall. Already the sun hung low over the western mountains, its rays striking the
granite cliff at a direct angle, while the Tynan warriors waited impatiently at the
beginning of the Cloud Road. There were a thousand of them, all human, armed with huge
obsidian axes, bone tridents with serrated tines, saw-toothed scimitars, spiked balls
hanging at the ends of long coils of rope, and a variety of other weapons as deadly as
man's infinite desire to murder.
Neeva looked across the missing stretch of road. A brightly cloaked merchant stood on the
other side, his image dancing in the heat waves pouring off the cliff face. The man was
staring into the breach and scratching his ear, his face hidden beneath the broad brim of
his great round hat. Shaking his head in despair, he looked over his shoulder at a pair of
inixes, wagon-sized lizards with horny beaks, pincerlike jaws, and serpentine tails. The
reptiles were harnessed to a cargo dray, so large that one side was pressed tight against
the cliff, while the other hung over the outside edge of the Cloud Road.
Neeva backed away from the gap.
Magnus took her arm and helped her to her feet. “What did you find?” he asked. The
windsinger and Rikus had joined Neeva and the others in Tyr, shortly after the council had
voted to send the city legion to help Rkard slay the Dragon.
“I didn't see much,” Neeva reported. “There was nothing in the rubble to suggest something
heavy made it collapse.”
“I
thought as much,” Caelum said. He pointed at the square cavities where the buttresses had
been mounted into the cliff face. “Those joining holes are in perfect condition. There
aren't any broken posts sticking in them, or any chips around the edges.”
“Which means?” asked Magnus.
“That the supports didn't snap because of a load or sudden impact,” Caelum answered. “They
came straight out The buttresses were pulled-intentionally.”
“Could be more giants,” Rikus suggested. The mul was just returning from the beginning of
the road, where he had gone to fetch a rope from the legion's supply kanks.
Neeva shook her head. “We're twice as high as a giant stands,” she said. “Besides, why
would they bother? If giants didn't want us to get across, they'd just smash the road, not
pull it apart.”
“Well, whoever did it, they aren't going to stop us.” Rikus glanced at Rkard, who stood
near his father's side, and asked, “You're not afraid to cross that gap on a rope, are
you?”
“No.” The boy answered sharply, frowning as though insulted.
Rikus chuckled, then said, “Good. If we don't reach the giants before dusk, our plan won't
work.”
They had decided the best way to make the giants leave the valley was to lure them away.
While the legion surrounded the titans, Rikus and Sadira would interrogate the invaders
about Agis, Tithian, and what they knew of the Dark Lens. During the questioning, the mul
would let it slip that the lens was not in Tyr and that they were on their way to recover
it. Then they would allow one of the titans to escape. Sadira would use her magic to spy
on him and be sure that he returned to his fellows with the news that their Oracle was not
in the city. Once Sadira was certain their ruse had worked, the legion would leave an
obvious trail for the giants, so that any further war parties would go after the legion
instead of attacking the city.
Rikus sat down on the road's jagged brink and wrapped the rope around his waist. Magnus
watched him for a moment, then scowled.
“Have you thought this out?” the windsinger asked.
“Of course,” Rikus answered. “Clavis said it would take a day to
Coming as it did at the start of their journey, the breakdown did not bode well for their
mission against Borys-nor for the legion's chances of reaching the giants before
nightfall. Already the sun hung low over the western mountains, its rays striking the
granite cliff at a direct angle, while the Tynan warriors waited impatiently at the
beginning of the Cloud Road. There were a thousand of them, all human, armed with huge
obsidian axes, bone tridents with serrated tines, saw-toothed scimitars, spiked balls
hanging at the ends of long coils of rope, and a variety of other weapons as deadly as
man's infinite desire to murder.
Neeva looked across the missing stretch of road. A brightly cloaked merchant stood on the
other side, his image dancing in the heat waves pouring off the cliff face. The man was
staring into the breach and scratching his ear, his face hidden beneath the broad brim of
his great round hat. Shaking his head in despair, he looked over his shoulder at a pair of
inixes, wagon-sized lizards with horny beaks, pincerlike jaws, and serpentine tails. The
reptiles were harnessed to a cargo dray, so large that one side was pressed tight against
the cliff, while the other hung over the outside edge of the Cloud Road.
Neeva backed away from the gap.
Magnus took her arm and helped her to her feet. “What did you find?” he asked. The
windsinger and Rikus had joined Neeva and the others in Tyr, shortly after the council had
voted to send the city legion to help Rkard slay the Dragon.
“I didn't see much,” Neeva reported. “There was nothing in the rubble to suggest something
heavy made it collapse.”
“I
thought as much,” Caelum said. He pointed at the square cavities where the buttresses had
been mounted into the cliff face. “Those joining holes are in perfect condition. There
aren't any broken posts sticking in them, or any chips around the edges.”
“Which means?” asked Magnus.
“That the supports didn't snap because of a load or sudden impact,” Caelum answered. “They
came straight out The buttresses were pulled-intentionally.”
“Could be more giants,” Rikus suggested. The mul was just returning from the beginning of
the road, where he had gone to fetch a rope from the legion's supply kanks.
Neeva shook her head. “We're twice as high as a giant stands,” she said. “Besides, why
would they bother? If giants didn't want us to get across, they'd just smash the road, not
pull it apart.”
“Well, whoever did it, they aren't going to stop us.” Rikus glanced at Rkard, who stood
near his father's side, and asked, “You're not afraid to cross that gap on a rope, are
you?”
“No.” The boy answered sharply, frowning as though insulted.
Rikus chuckled, then said, “Good. If we don't reach the giants before dusk, our plan won't
work.”
They had decided the best way to make the giants leave the valley was to lure them away.
While the legion surrounded the titans, Rikus and Sadira would interrogate the invaders
about Agis, Tithian, and what they knew of the Dark Lens. During the questioning, the mul
would let it slip that the lens was not in Tyr and that they were on their way to recover
it. Then they would allow one of the titans to escape. Sadira would use her magic to spy
on him and be sure that he returned to his fellows with the news that their Oracle was not
in the city. Once Sadira was certain their ruse had worked, the legion would leave an
obvious trail for the giants, so that any further war parties would go after the legion
instead of attacking the city.
Rikus sat down on the road's jagged brink and wrapped the rope around his waist. Magnus
watched him for a moment, then scowled.
“Have you thought this out?” the windsinger asked.
“Of course,” Rikus answered. “Clavis said it would take a day to
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