Valley of the Ancients: Book Three of the Restoration Series Read Online Free PDF Page A
Author: Christopher Williams
wide. On the far side of the clearing, a gulley ran north to south, effectively blocking his way.
Keenan jogged up to the gulley and looked in; hoping that he could climb down and cross. The gulley was a good twenty yards wide here and a slow stream ran at the bottom. Upon closer inspection, he wasn't sure if it was a stream or just standing water. The bottom of the gulley had the look of a bog more than a stream.
He looked first north and then south, wondering which way would be easier and which way he could find a crossing. He had just decided to head north, when there was a loud snapping sound behind him.
He whirled around, drawing his sword at the same time. Four men emerged from the woods in the exact same spot he had come through.
"Well, well. What do we have here?" the soldier nearest Keenan said. None of the men wore uniforms, but even in civilian clothes it was obvious who they were. "They want all of the escaped prisoners, but they really want you."
Keenan wished for a flippant response just then, but words failed him. If he was returned, he could only imagine the horrors that awaited him.
The soldier nearest Keenan grinned. He was an ugly brutish man, with a bent nose and oversized, jutting jaw. "I imagine you know why they want you. They want to make an example of you." His grin got wider. "Probably won't be too pleasant."
The other soldiers had not been idle. One went north and one went south, cutting off Keenan's escape routes. That left two soldiers near Keenan.
Enstorion stopped just short of the clearing, settling down in the bushes. He cursed silently at the sight of Keenan cornered. Everything would have been just fine if he hadn't followed me.
He leaned forward, peering around the edges of the bushes. Two soldiers stood directly in front of him, but the other two had moved around the edge of the clearing to keep Keenan from getting away. The four men were spread out enough so that his spells couldn't affect the four of them without also affectiou.ng Keenan.
Chewing on his bottom lip, Enstorion considered his options, not that he had that many. Magic was a ritualistic art but many times the spell would require time to be cast or perhaps specific ingredients, thereby limiting magic's usefulness on the battlefield.
Sighing, he made up his mind as to what he had to do. If he could incapacitate the two soldiers in front of him, then that would dramatically better the odds for Keenan against the remaining two soldiers. I hope he's up to it, Enstorion thought. After he cast his first spell, the fight would probably be over before he got another one completed.
Taking a deep breath, Enstorion closed his eyes and began quietly casting.
Backing up to the edge of the gulley, Keenan looked down. Frantically he searched for anyplace that he could jump down to and get away. There was nothing. The bottom of the gulley was a stagnant bog. It would probably drag him down to a slow death. He looked back up at the soldiers, steeling himself for the coming battle.
Resigned, he took a deep breath, feeling the anxiety flow away. If all else failed, he would try to jump into the gulley. Drowning in the murk would be quicker than going back as a prisoner.
Stepping away from the gulley, Keenan assumed a fighting stance. "So, who's first?"
The soldier who had gone north and the one who had gone south were just standing there. Their sword tips resting in the dirt. Undoubtedly, those two would only get involved if the fight went bad for the other two soldiers.
Keenan turned his attention back to the two nearest soldiers and then he stopped, frowning. One of the men had taken out a rope, or more accurately it was several pieces of rope tied together. Small stones were tied in the ropes after different intervals. Keenan wasn't sure what it was but the only thing that made sense was that it was some kind of snare. They wanted their prisoner in good shape.
Keenan was on the verge of turning and jumping into the
Keenan jogged up to the gulley and looked in; hoping that he could climb down and cross. The gulley was a good twenty yards wide here and a slow stream ran at the bottom. Upon closer inspection, he wasn't sure if it was a stream or just standing water. The bottom of the gulley had the look of a bog more than a stream.
He looked first north and then south, wondering which way would be easier and which way he could find a crossing. He had just decided to head north, when there was a loud snapping sound behind him.
He whirled around, drawing his sword at the same time. Four men emerged from the woods in the exact same spot he had come through.
"Well, well. What do we have here?" the soldier nearest Keenan said. None of the men wore uniforms, but even in civilian clothes it was obvious who they were. "They want all of the escaped prisoners, but they really want you."
Keenan wished for a flippant response just then, but words failed him. If he was returned, he could only imagine the horrors that awaited him.
The soldier nearest Keenan grinned. He was an ugly brutish man, with a bent nose and oversized, jutting jaw. "I imagine you know why they want you. They want to make an example of you." His grin got wider. "Probably won't be too pleasant."
The other soldiers had not been idle. One went north and one went south, cutting off Keenan's escape routes. That left two soldiers near Keenan.
Enstorion stopped just short of the clearing, settling down in the bushes. He cursed silently at the sight of Keenan cornered. Everything would have been just fine if he hadn't followed me.
He leaned forward, peering around the edges of the bushes. Two soldiers stood directly in front of him, but the other two had moved around the edge of the clearing to keep Keenan from getting away. The four men were spread out enough so that his spells couldn't affect the four of them without also affectiou.ng Keenan.
Chewing on his bottom lip, Enstorion considered his options, not that he had that many. Magic was a ritualistic art but many times the spell would require time to be cast or perhaps specific ingredients, thereby limiting magic's usefulness on the battlefield.
Sighing, he made up his mind as to what he had to do. If he could incapacitate the two soldiers in front of him, then that would dramatically better the odds for Keenan against the remaining two soldiers. I hope he's up to it, Enstorion thought. After he cast his first spell, the fight would probably be over before he got another one completed.
Taking a deep breath, Enstorion closed his eyes and began quietly casting.
Backing up to the edge of the gulley, Keenan looked down. Frantically he searched for anyplace that he could jump down to and get away. There was nothing. The bottom of the gulley was a stagnant bog. It would probably drag him down to a slow death. He looked back up at the soldiers, steeling himself for the coming battle.
Resigned, he took a deep breath, feeling the anxiety flow away. If all else failed, he would try to jump into the gulley. Drowning in the murk would be quicker than going back as a prisoner.
Stepping away from the gulley, Keenan assumed a fighting stance. "So, who's first?"
The soldier who had gone north and the one who had gone south were just standing there. Their sword tips resting in the dirt. Undoubtedly, those two would only get involved if the fight went bad for the other two soldiers.
Keenan turned his attention back to the two nearest soldiers and then he stopped, frowning. One of the men had taken out a rope, or more accurately it was several pieces of rope tied together. Small stones were tied in the ropes after different intervals. Keenan wasn't sure what it was but the only thing that made sense was that it was some kind of snare. They wanted their prisoner in good shape.
Keenan was on the verge of turning and jumping into the