Demon Lord Read Online Free PDF

Each carried a small re-curve
bow and a quiver of arrows on his back.
    The four gnomes stopped and
stared at her, apparently surprised to encounter a healer in these
woods. Mirra rubbed the warm earth from her hands as she rose to
her feet, and brushed self-consciously at her robe, embarrassed to
be found in such a state of disarray.
    Hiding her dirty hands behind
her back, she smiled. "You are welcome here. Do you require
healing?"
    One gnome stepped towards her,
leering, but another held him back and growled, "Let's not act like
trolls, Snort."
    Eager for some company, she
asked, "Would you like some tea?"
    "Uh, narr, we ain't thirsty."
The first gnome shuffled his feet.
    "You all look very well."
    "Huh? Oh, yah, we are." He
sniggered. "But you won't be fer long."
    Her smile widened at his
ignorance. "Healers do not fall ill."
    Mirra studied them, fascinated.
Gnomes were timid, secular people who stayed mostly in their vast
warrens, usually found in hillsides, where they dwelt in tight-knit
communities. They were renowned for thieving, mostly sheep or
chicken rustling, and farmers cursed them, but rarely caught them
in the clumsy traps they set. Gnomes were cunning, if not
particularly clever. They usually moved in groups of five or six,
and always carried bows and knives. This was a rare and welcome
opportunity for her to learn a little about them, and enjoy some
company, too.
    "How may I help you?" she
enquired.
    The foremost gnome fidgeted and
glanced at his friends. "Uh, well, you're coming with us. The boss
will want to see you." His friends sniggered, nudging each other,
and one muttered, "That's fer sure."
    "Of course." Mirra was
delighted. She had never heard of gnomes seeking help from a
healer. "Take me there."
    To her surprise, they gripped
her arms and hustled her into the woods, heading back the way they
had come. She wondered if gnomes always sought to aid their guests'
locomotion in this way, or whether they thought she needed help for
some reason.
    "You are very kind, but I can
manage on my own." When they ignored her, she asked, "Where are you
from? I have not seen anyone for two days. It is nice to meet
someone at last. Do you live around here?"
    The lead gnome grunted. "Not
exactly."
    "Yuh, we just moved in," another
sniggered.
    "Good!" Mirra was becoming a
little breathless as they hurried her along. "Is your... er, boss
very sick?"
    "Sick! Nah, not on yer -"
    "Yah, he is." The lead gnome
cuffed his companion. "Shurrup, Snort."
    Snort whined, and Mirra shot him
a sympathetic look, wondering why they should be so confused as to
whether or not the boss was sick. Surely that was why they had
sought her out? Or had they merely stumbled across her in a stroke
of good fortune? She concentrated on keeping up with the rather
gruelling pace they set without tripping over roots or being bashed
by low branches, which the gnomes did not notice, being only three
feet tall.
    Soon they reached the edge of
the forest, where the trees gave way to a rolling meadow. A sea of
men, gnomes, trolls and all manner of dark folk covered the
trampled grassland from this forest to the next, several leagues
away. Mirra estimated that there were several tens of thousands of
men, more than she had ever seen gathered in one place. Most of
them rested on the ground, some were engaged in cooking, or
cleaning weapons, others talked, gambled or slept. They all seemed
to favour a dull brown or black garb, and many wore rusted armour.
A low mutter of male voices filled the balmy air, and a haze of
blue smoke hung over the scene.
    "Goodness!" she exclaimed. "This
is an army! Ellese told me there was a war. I am glad you found me.
You must have injured men, I suppose?"
    The gnome shot her a
disbelieving look, his wizened face creased with confusion. They
trundled her into the midst of the horde, and shouts of surprise
and delight greeted her arrival. The gnomes growled and pushed away
those who ventured too close or tried to grab her, and a