The Cyber Chronicles Book II: Death Zone Read Online Free PDF Page A

whirled and
slashed through it with the sword, and it spurted orange fluid as
it coiled away into the undergrowth like an injured snake. When he
tried to help her to her feet, she jerked away and glared at
him.
    "This is
something I can deal with."
    He bowed. "As
you wish, Your Highness."
    The next vine
snagged Purr, but the mosscat changed his aspect with astounding
speed, sprouting razor-sharp claws with which he shredded the
vegetable predator. They skirted pot-shaped plants that emitted a
putrid stench, and massive silken webs strung between the trees,
whose owners doubtless hid close by. Purr avoided tangles of thorny
vines that lay in wait for the unwary and barriers of thick roots
that oozed sticky sap. After several hours, they emerged from the
alien jungle onto the shore of a black lake.
    Tassin gave a
glad cry and trotted down the grey beach towards it, not heeding
Purr's warning yell. Sabre sprang after the Queen and grabbed the
back of her dress, yanking her away from the lake. A ripping sound
rewarded his efforts as Tassin fell backwards with a yelp. He
caught her before she hit the ground and helped her back to her
feet. She glared up at him and wrenched free, her dagger pointed at
him. He backed away, raising his hands, one of which, he found,
held a hank of pink material.
    "Just what the
hell do you think you are doing?" she demanded.
    "Purr doesn't
like the lake."
    "Well I want
to wash! First the water was unreal, now Purr doesn't like it. Purr
probably never takes a bath!"
    "Yes I do."
Purr emerged from the shrubbery. "But I wouldn't bathe in that if I
was you. It's not water, it's acid."
    She paled,
turning to look at the lake. "How do you know?"
    "Look at the
shore."
    Tassin studied
the grey shore, obviously noting, as Sabre did, the wilted plants
and pale gleam of bones. Sabre held out the scrap of pink material,
and she snatched it from him, but her ire faded when he threw a
stick into the lake and it dissolved with a vicious hiss. She
looked ill, and they gave the black lake a wide berth.
     
     
    Gearn stared
at the huge corpse, holding his handkerchief over his nose to mask
the nauseating stench of the rotting sand dragon. Murdor kicked it,
then turned away in disgust when his boot sank into the putrid
flesh, releasing a fresh wave of foetor. Gearn guided his horse up
wind, circling the carcass. The wolf waited there, its sensitive
nose clearly unable to stand the terrible stink.
    Gearn had not
been surprised to encounter the corpse of one of the two horses,
but this was a shock. The enormous sand dragon had been a fearsome
creature, yet the warrior mage had slain it. Murdor eyed the
corpse.
    "'E must be a
great warrior, mage. I look forward even more to the
encounter."
    The mage wiped
his mouth, queasy at the smell, then turned his horse away, eager
to leave the horrible cadaver behind. Murdor's heavy footsteps
followed him.

 
     
    Chapter Three
     
    After an hour
of slogging through the treacherous undergrowth, Purr found a
clearing with a pool in it. A spring fed it, and silver fish lurked
in its depths.
    Purr licked
his lips. "Real-reality."
    Sabre
collected Flux-reality wood and built a fire, over which they
roasted the fish Purr caught. When Sabre had refilled the water
skins, Tassin washed without removing her dress. Sabre bathed in
his underwear, and scrubbed the dirt from his clothes as well. They
rested for a while, then set off once more, keeping a wary eye on
the carnivorous vegetation.
    Trouble struck
with unexpected ferocity. One of the annoying yellow vines snagged
Tassin's ankles again, and they stopped while she hacked at it with
the dagger. Two monstrous grey shapes erupted from the undergrowth
with deep-throated roars, and Purr sprouted claws, fangs and spines
with a huge sneeze. Sabre found himself eyeball-to-eyeball with a
tusked, green-eyed monster. A massive arm tipped with dagger-like
claws swung at him, and he ducked, slashing with the sword. The
blade shaved off a clump of