Read Online Ritual of the Stones (Ballad of Frindoth) by Rob Donovan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Rob Donovan
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been impaired because his nose was broken.
Ignoring the pain, she chased after the scroll. She was encouraged by the
sounds of his exertions ahead of her.
She pulled herself to one leg and hopped after him. She rounded the
final bend in time to hear his footsteps bounding up the stairwell. She
increased her efforts knowing once he got out into the open, she would have
practically lost any chance of catching him. The moonlight from the green moon
revealed drops of blood on the stairs where her attacker still bled. Good, she thought, but each step she climbed sent a shooting pain through her.
She got to the top of the stairs and was shocked to see that he was
standing in front of her. It took a moment for her to register all colour had
drained from his face. He was looking up at the trees. She followed his gaze
and gasped at what she saw.
Tall,
human-like figures covered from head to foot in short white fur, sat perched on
the trees. They possessed no facial features but for two square slit eyes that
shone a brilliant blue. Their most striking features, however, were the
enormous wings that emerged from their shoulders and towered over their heads.
These were scaly and ended in sharp points.
The
more she looked, the more of the creatures she noticed. They were scattered
about on all the branches that overhung the Scroll Room entrance. The white
figures were glowing slightly in the darkness like snow. Their silence was
eerie and only added to their imposing presence.
She
was so transfixed by them that she did not noticed her attacker start to move.
He drew his half sword and cautiously edged closer to the Marshes. It was clear
he was poised to make a dash for it. Marybeth did not know whether to stay
where she was or pursue him.
All
of a sudden, the white spectres swooped down from the trees. They landed
deftly, all with one leg bent, almost touching the ground, their head bowed
forward and their wings engulfing the rest of their body. As one they slowly
rose to their feet, their heads straightening only when they were fully
standing. All of this was done without a sound. The synchronised motion sent
chills down Marybeth’s spine as did the unbroken circle they formed around her
and the attacker.
“What
do you want from me?” the man shouted.
He
circled cautiously, showing his half blade to each of them in turn. For the
first time, he noticed Marybeth. Surprise registered on his face, but he
decided that the threat of the ominous white figures was more pressing.
“I
am taking this scroll. If I have to slay each and every one of you, I will,” he
said.
Silence
was their only reply, the glowing cobalt eyes staring at him.
Marybeth
took a step back down the spiral stairs. She wanted to warn her attacker that
these must be the Custodians the message on the table spoke of. Finally, two of
the pale figures broke the circle by stepping forward and then sidestepping in
front of their neighbour, another two pairs stepped forward and did the same so
that there were two rows of three bodies forming a gap the man could get
through.
The
man saw this and edged towards the gap, his half sword still held aloft. As he
passed the first pair of Custodians, they shifted abruptly to face him. He
tensed into a fighting stance. When they made no move, he relaxed and a
satisfied smirk appearing on his face. He proceeded through the gap.
He
was halfway through the gap when the Custodians spread their wings and let out
a high-pitched shrieking sound from mouths that Marybeth did not think they had.
They towered over the man, who, like Marybeth, covered his ears at the noise.
Hundreds of black spikes burst through their furry bodies, each the size of a
grown man’s finger. The two Custodians closest to the man charged at him,
flattening him between them.
They
withdrew to leave the man standing there, puncture holes covering his body.
Marybeth managed to see the first signs of blood seeping from his wounds before
two more charged
Ignoring the pain, she chased after the scroll. She was encouraged by the
sounds of his exertions ahead of her.
She pulled herself to one leg and hopped after him. She rounded the
final bend in time to hear his footsteps bounding up the stairwell. She
increased her efforts knowing once he got out into the open, she would have
practically lost any chance of catching him. The moonlight from the green moon
revealed drops of blood on the stairs where her attacker still bled. Good, she thought, but each step she climbed sent a shooting pain through her.
She got to the top of the stairs and was shocked to see that he was
standing in front of her. It took a moment for her to register all colour had
drained from his face. He was looking up at the trees. She followed his gaze
and gasped at what she saw.
Tall,
human-like figures covered from head to foot in short white fur, sat perched on
the trees. They possessed no facial features but for two square slit eyes that
shone a brilliant blue. Their most striking features, however, were the
enormous wings that emerged from their shoulders and towered over their heads.
These were scaly and ended in sharp points.
The
more she looked, the more of the creatures she noticed. They were scattered
about on all the branches that overhung the Scroll Room entrance. The white
figures were glowing slightly in the darkness like snow. Their silence was
eerie and only added to their imposing presence.
She
was so transfixed by them that she did not noticed her attacker start to move.
He drew his half sword and cautiously edged closer to the Marshes. It was clear
he was poised to make a dash for it. Marybeth did not know whether to stay
where she was or pursue him.
All
of a sudden, the white spectres swooped down from the trees. They landed
deftly, all with one leg bent, almost touching the ground, their head bowed
forward and their wings engulfing the rest of their body. As one they slowly
rose to their feet, their heads straightening only when they were fully
standing. All of this was done without a sound. The synchronised motion sent
chills down Marybeth’s spine as did the unbroken circle they formed around her
and the attacker.
“What
do you want from me?” the man shouted.
He
circled cautiously, showing his half blade to each of them in turn. For the
first time, he noticed Marybeth. Surprise registered on his face, but he
decided that the threat of the ominous white figures was more pressing.
“I
am taking this scroll. If I have to slay each and every one of you, I will,” he
said.
Silence
was their only reply, the glowing cobalt eyes staring at him.
Marybeth
took a step back down the spiral stairs. She wanted to warn her attacker that
these must be the Custodians the message on the table spoke of. Finally, two of
the pale figures broke the circle by stepping forward and then sidestepping in
front of their neighbour, another two pairs stepped forward and did the same so
that there were two rows of three bodies forming a gap the man could get
through.
The
man saw this and edged towards the gap, his half sword still held aloft. As he
passed the first pair of Custodians, they shifted abruptly to face him. He
tensed into a fighting stance. When they made no move, he relaxed and a
satisfied smirk appearing on his face. He proceeded through the gap.
He
was halfway through the gap when the Custodians spread their wings and let out
a high-pitched shrieking sound from mouths that Marybeth did not think they had.
They towered over the man, who, like Marybeth, covered his ears at the noise.
Hundreds of black spikes burst through their furry bodies, each the size of a
grown man’s finger. The two Custodians closest to the man charged at him,
flattening him between them.
They
withdrew to leave the man standing there, puncture holes covering his body.
Marybeth managed to see the first signs of blood seeping from his wounds before
two more charged
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