Knights: Legends of Ollanhar Read Online Free PDF

if he believed the conversation was deathly serious.
    "What did I just agree to?" asked Lannon.
    Jace waved dismissively. "Don't concern yourself with
it. None of us may be alive in thirty years, considering the struggles we're
facing."
    "That's comforting," Lannon muttered.
    Then the lightning came, attacking with a fury the Knights
had never witnessed. Again and again the mountains were lit up with yellow
fire, with some of the bolts striking dangerously close to the travelers. The
wind picked up like a giant hand seeking to push them off the cliffs. Lannon
shielded himself with the Eye, but he feared for the others, who lacked such protection.
    "Not this again," said Aldreya, who rode behind
Jace.
    "The Deep Shadow is enraged," said Jace. "It
is bringing all it has against us. If it could truly control the lightning, we
would be dead already."
    "How can the Deep Shadow create storms?" growled
Bekka, who was fighting an epic battle just to stay on her horse as the wind
and rain lashed against her. "Such power seems impossible." She slid
to one side.
    Lannon helped steady her, and she glowered at him, sensing
his power at work. He gazed back at her sternly, and she said nothing. Bekka
was fiercely independent, but Lannon was not going to let her fall.
    "It affects the very air itself," said Jace.
"It changes the sky, and then the storms follow. I've seen it happen many
times. In the realm of Tharnin, the storms rage endlessly--and the Soddurn
Mountains have become nothing more than an extension of Tharnin. The presence
of the Deep Shadow is so strong here that the landscape is almost no longer
part of our world."
    "Look for a cave!" Aldreya called out.
    Though the fog concealed everything from normal vision,
Lannon's sight could not be blinded. He soon located a cave in the
mountainside. It was large enough for the horses and wagons.
    The travelers entered and stood dripping, as rivers of rain
poured down from the cave entrance. At the back of the cave was a horrific
sight--a Dark Mother tree growing in the rocks, with three Foul Brothers
suckling upon its branches. They looked like men with bald heads and grey,
wrinkled skin. Their eyes were dark and dumb, gazing at the travelers. They
were naked except for loincloths that had been fashioned from animal hide.
    The Knights looked upon them in disgust.
    Vorden drew his dagger and stepped forward. "Allow
me."
    "Wait," said Dallsa. "I don't think we should
kill them. Foul Brothers are peaceful. They won't hurt anyone." She
stepped in front of the nest. She was stocky, but she looked small and weak
compared to Vorden.
    Vorden glared down at her. "They're not peaceful. They
become the worst Goblins of all--the Priests of Tharnin."
    "Not by nature," said Dallsa. "The Priests
are created by alchemy. Slaughtering these peaceful creatures would be
wrong."
    "Kill them," said Daledus. "No Goblin should
ever be left alive."
    Dallsa shook her head. "It would be wrong."
    Daledus raised his huge battle axe. "What if I
insist?"
    Dallsa shrugged, yet held her ground.
    Taith's eyes widened. The boy couldn't believe Dallsa was
standing up to Daledus, and he pressed close to Lannon. Taith feared Daledus,
for the Dwarf's gruff attitude and unpredictable personality made him extremely
intimidating to the lad (not to mention his bulging muscles and meaty fists).
    Yet Daledus only looked amused.
    "We must kill them, Dallsa," said Aldreya.
"They could become Goblin Lords. It's too dangerous to let them live. They
don't belong in our world, and the Divine Essence commands that we destroy
them."
    Jerret drew his broadsword. The brutish mercenary sneered
at Dallsa. "Don't be a fool. This is a Mother Nest. It must be
destroyed." He strode over to her, bumping Vorden aside.
    Dallsa blocked his path, hands on her hips. She looked
doubtful--perhaps questioning her own logic--but she refused to yield.
    "Stand aside," Jerret commanded. "I have
work to do." When she didn't move, he added, "I can force you