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.They hadn'tgotten that far by doubting each other, and getting that far was nothing short of a miracle.Nothing had gone the way it was supposed to go, not from the moment they had entered that square Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlwith its smooth metal floor and irregular sections of wall.An odd formation to begin with, unlike anythingthe Highlander had ever seen, it whispered of trouble.But Quentin had taken up his position on the leftwing of the search party, along with Panax and the Elven Hunters Kian, Wye, and Rusten, and watchedas an unaccompanied Walker made his way cautiously ahead.Across the way, barely visible, ArdPatrinell crouched with Ahren Elessedil, the Healer Joad Rish, and three more Elven Hunters.He couldjust make out their figures, little more than shadows clinging to the protective walls of the outlyingbuildings.Between them, and well behind the Druid, Bek and the seer Ryer Ord Star waited with threemore Elven Hunters.Like a tableau, they were etched in the fading light, motionless statues sealed inplace by time and fate.Quentin had listened carefully for the sound of trouble, for any indication that this place that seemed solike a trap in fact was.He had his sword out already, gripped in one hand and laid flat against the metalsquare on which he crouched, the ridged pommel not nearly reassuring enough against his sweating palm.Get out of here! He kept shouting the words in the silence of his mind, as if by thinking it he couldsomehow make it happen.Get out of here now!Then the first fire threads speared toward the Druid, and Quentin was on his feet instantly, catapultingfrom his crouch and charging ahead.Rusten went with him, the two of them rushing to Walker's aid,reckless and willful and foolhardy, ignoring the shouts from Panax to come back.They should have bothdied.But Quentin tripped and went down, sprawling across the metal floor, and the fall saved his life.Rusten, ahead of him and still charging toward the Druid, was caught in a crossfire of deadly threads andcut apart while still on his feet, screaming as he died.Moving forward, his dark-cloaked form somehow sliding past the fire threads, Walker was yelling atthem to stay back, to get clear of the ruins.Heeding the Druid's command, Quentin crawled back theway he had come, the fire chasing after him, passing so close that it seared his clothing.He caught aglimpse of the others, Bek in the center group, the Elves on the right wing, all dispersing and taking cover,shielding themselves from whatever might happen next.Ryer Ord Star bolted from Bek's side, herslender form streaking away into the ruins after Walker, ephemeral and shadowy as she passed ghostlikethrough walls that were now shifting in all directions, charging ahead heedlessly into the heart of the maze.He saw her stumble and go down, struck by one of the deadly threads, and then he lost sight ofeverything but what was happening right in front of him."Creepers!" Panax screamed.Quentin rolled to his feet to find the first of them almost on top of him, seemingly come out of nowhere.He caught a glimpse of others behind it and to either side.They were of different sizes and shapes andmetal compositions, a strange amalgam of what looked to be castoff pieces and oddly formed partsjointed and hinged to make something that seemed not quite real.Blades and powerful cutters glittered atthe ends of metal extensions.Protruding metal eyes swiveled.They advanced in a crouch, as if they werearmored insects grown large and given life and sent out to hunt. Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlHe destroyed the first so quickly that it was scrap metal before he was aware of what he had done.Allthose long hours of training with the Elven Hunters saved him from the hesitation that would haveotherwise cost him his life.He reacted without thinking, striking with the Sword of Leah at the creeperclosest, the magic flaring to life instantly, responding to his need.The dark metal blade flashed with fire ofits own, blue flames riding up and down the edges of the weapon as he left his antagonist a metal ruin.Without slowing, he leapt over it to confront the next, fighting to reach his companions, who were backedagainst a nearby wall, struggling with their ordinary weapons to keep a tandem of creepers at bay.Hesmashed the second creeper, then was struck from the side by something he didn't see and knockedflying.Red threads sought him out, searing their way slowly over the metal carpet, leaving deep groovesthat smoked and steamed.He rolled away from them once again, came to his feet, and with a howl ofdetermination launched himself back into the fray.He fought for what seemed like a long time, but was probably no more than a handful of minutes.Timestopped, and the world around him and all it had offered and might offer again in his young lifedisappeared.Creepers came at him from everywhere, creepers of all shapes and sizes and looks.Heseemed to be a magnet for them, drawing them like flies to the dead.They converged from everywhere.They turned away from Panax and the Elven Hunters to get at him.He was slashed and battered by theirattempts to pin him down-not necessarily to kill him, but as if their goal was to capture him.It occurred tohim then for the first time that it was the magic they were after.By then, the magic was all through him.It surfaced with his first sword stroke, the blue fire racing up anddown the blade's surface.But soon it was inside him, as well.It fused him with his weapon and madethem one, leaving the metal to enter flesh and bone, rushing through his bloodstream and back out again,all heat and energy.It burned in a captivating, seductive way, filling him with power and a terrible thirstfor its feel.Within only a short time, he craved the feeling as he had craved nothing else in his life.It madehim believe he could do anything.He had no fear, no hesitation.He was indestructible.He was immortal.Smoke drifted across the battleground, obscuring everything.He heard the cries of his companions, buthe could not see them.Walker had disappeared entirely, as if the earth had swallowed him.Disembodiedvoices cried out in the darkness.Everyone was cut off, surrounded by fire threads and creepers, caughtin a trap from which none of them seemed able to escape.He didn't care.The magic buoyed andsustained him.He wrapped himself in its cloak and, unstoppable, fought with even greater fury.Finally Panax shouted to him that they had to get clear of the square.It took several tries before heheard the Dwarf, and even then he was reluctant to break off the battle.Slowly, they began to retreat theway they had come.Creepers sought to bar their escape, turning them aside at every opportunity, givingpursuit like hungry wolves, skittering along on their metal struts and spindly legs, strange and awkwardmachines.The chase veered from one building to another, down one passageway to the next, untilQuentin had no idea where he was.His arms were tiring, leaden from swinging the sword, and the magicdid not come so easily.The Elves and Panax were grim-faced and battle-worn.Time and numbers were Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmleating away at their resistance
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