Part 41 (1/2)
”What means this?” he asked of Orbar ”Does Wotar mean to end the Games with one battle? There are too ate”
Tharn, overhearing, knew he dared wait no longer Throwing back his head, he sent the hair-raising battle cry of his tribe reverberating throughout the entire structure As the notes of that horrendous cry rose on the still air, he pivoted about and sent a slender arrow leaping fro of Sephar!
It is no ed that arrow And dodge it he did--falling back into the arer's breadth above his sparse locks to transfix an unfortunate under-priest
The cave- all the pent-up hate and fury within the hearts of those who acknowledged him as leader
As one man, a hundred warriors turned and loosed a shower of arrows at the thin line of guards and priests above theers were released, those rebels nearest the walls knelt, braced the ladders over which their co wave of blood-hungryranks of defenders The entire boas now a s and arms Panic-stricken spectators, few of the for the exits, traain the streets, to escape the raving horde of crazed dely everywhere at the saht shoulder to shoulder, their knives rising and falling, their spears licking out to take lives and spread further the reign of terror they had fostered
Twice, Tharn caught sight of Gorlat, blond hair finally disarranged, weaving a, thin knife
And as priest after priest sought futilely to keep that long blade from his throat, Tharn knehy Vulcar had said few could equal that young man with such a weapon How many died that day with throats slit by that knife, only Gorlat knew--and he was never to tell
It had happened shortly after Tharn had caught his second gli youth Gorlat had just made a kill, and as he stood erect, a thrown spear came from nowhere to catch hiered back to sink into a sitting position on an empty bench Dazedly he had raised a hand to wipe away the red stains of his own blood from that once spotless tunic--then slumped back and moved no more
There were other ain; but for each who died, five enemies went to join him Bodies of slain priests were everywhere--draped across seats, hanging over the arena wall, lying in the aisles Warriors loyal to Pryak had died in droves and lay glaring at the sky with sightless eyes
At last there was none within the amphitheater other than the dead, the wounded, and the blood-splashed figures of the rebels who stood panting from their efforts, their eyes on Tharn and his two lieutenants
Of those three, Vulcar alone had been wounded An arrow had creased his shoulder close to his neck, and blood fro criht with satisfaction and his lips were curled in grim content
”Urim would have enjoyed this!” he said, and his smile widened ”Now, on to the palace and the temple to clean out the rest of Pryak's men That done, the city is ours!”
Katon bent and took up a stray spear ”Cootten over their panic and will be that reement ”First, the palace; then we can invade the temple and take Pryak and his men”
A warrior spoke from the ranks ”Dare we enter the temple?” he asked doubtfully ”If we offend the God, He ht!” declared another ”Why should we chance angering our God
Once the city is ours, Pryak will have to do as we say Let us not attack the House of the God”
”Pryak dies!” Vulcar roared, grinding the butt of his spear savagely against the stone flooring ”Let the God be offended--Pryak must die! If the rest of you brave warriors are afraid, I will go alone into the te out Urily head!
”Did Pryak's God save these priests who lie about us, here, their bodies cut by our spears and knives? Did He, seeing Pryak in danger, hide him with His sky-fire? No; they were men like us; and since they deserved to die, they _did_ die! Pryak is next!”
Tharn, listening with silent ad that snatched the half-smile from his lips
”Where _is_ Pryak?” he asked ”He was here when the fighting started