Wistril Compleat Read Online Free PDF

through the mirror, saluted Sir
Knobby, and broke into a trot to catch up with Wistril. Sir Knobby
waved his mace in return; Kern smiled but hoped the Grizzly and his
band would fail to notice the mends and patches on the maces,
halberds, and pikes.
    "Master," said Kern, panting. "Here's your
sword."
    "It will suffice," said Wistril, unsheathing
the long, straight blade and re-sheathing it after a brief glance.
"Apprentice. The phantoms. Are they briefed and ready?"
    Kern grinned. "They're ready," he said. "Come
sunset, Lake Ovinshoon becomes the single most haunted site in all
the Nine Fair Kingdoms."
    Wistril nodded, made a motion. The sword and
scabbard vanished.
    The last of the gargoyles -- Cook, still
gripping her long iron serving-ladle -- lurched through the mirror
and hooted. Kern hurried to the glass, stuck his head into the
South Tower foyer, and spoke the word of warding.
    The image in the mirror of the South Tower
vanished, replaced by reflections of Lake and sky and three neat
ranks of gargoyles.
    Kern withdrew his head and turned. "Cry
panic!" he shouted. "And loose the hounds of battle. Kauph marches
to war! To victory, brave soldiers! Victory for Kauph!"
    On cue, three hundred and seventy gargoyles
lifted their makeshift arms and emitted a deafening barrage of
hoots.
    Wistril scowled, but endured the cheer until
it died. "To your posts," he said. "We shall dine in shifts."
    The gargoyles broke ranks.
    "We shall dine in shifts?" said Kern, shaking
his head. "You've got to work on your eve-of-battle speeches,
Master," he said. "We simple foot soldiers need something like
'death before dishonor' or 'might makes right.' You know --
something short and pithy to shout as we storm impenetrable
ramparts or hurl ourselves boldly into the face of the invincible
foe."
    "Apprentice!"
    Kern saluted. "Yes, sir," he said. "I'm off.
Right away, sir." Kern turned on his heel and made for the supply
tent. "We shall dine in shifts!" he cried.
    Wistril sighed heavily, and Kern heard the
wizard's hobnailed boots march away in the direction of the mess
tent and Cook's clanking dinnerware.
    Sir Knobby sidled up beside Kern. "Hoot?"
    Kern nodded. Sir Knobby waved, and a dozen of
the smallest gargoyles -- some no larger than Kern's hand --
wandered toward the trees, so they could take to the air
unseen.
     
     
    "Traps," repeated Kern.
    Wistril bristled. "Are any of these fiendish
contraptions set on Kauph land?"
    "None, Master," said Kern. "They've been very
careful to avoid a trespass. But they know the serpentia's favorite
routes, and they've set traps all along them."
    Wistril shoved aside his Encyclopedia
Fantastica and rose to pace the narrow confines of his tent.
"Cowards," he grumbled. "Unread ruffians."
    "Heavily armed unread ruffians," said
Kern.
    "Indeed," sighed Wistril. "Very well. Arm
twenty of the more agile gargoyles with saplings. Have them spring
the traps. Urge them to exercise extreme caution and the utmost
stealth."
    "They're cutting the saplings now," said
Kern.
    "Excellent," said Wistril. The wizard yawned
and stooped to pull up the tent-flap to peek out at the Lake.
"Night will fall soon," he said. "I am eager to observe the
serpentia again. The younglings seem quite unafraid."
    "A little fear might serve them well," said
Kern. "Us, too."
    "Bah," said Wistril, lowering the flap and
moving to collect his books.
    "I hear things about this Grizzly, Master,"
said Kern. "I hear he has two hundred and fifty in his band.
Mercenaries, all, who hunt wyverns and manticore in the slack times
between border wars down south."
    Wistril snorted. "This so-called Grizzly has
barely eighty men," said Wistril. "Eighty men, thirty horses. The
villagers paid forty crowns and promised the Grizzly he could keep
the hides if the killed the monsters. Mercenaries. Nonsense."
    Kern shrugged. "So we've got him outnumbered.
But our staff -- they can clean house and tend a garden and Cook
makes a first-rate soufflé, but, Master, can they