Part 10 (2/2)
”All of you, assemble over here,” she coestured, to show the worms the proper ranks
The creatures caht worether into a large mat
From her selection of wands, Chuntha procured a thin rod, no thicker than herthis before herself with both hands, she began to rub it over her body, up and down At the same time, the witchperfor
The casting took effect She opened herand soaking the ranks of worms as Chuntha walked around and around them As the liquid touched each wor it co and more volatile than water, and a moment after it covered the creatures beneath the woel
”Now,” Chuntha said, ”on my command, the center rank will contract into a half-loop, the front rank will allow itself to be pushed forward, and the rear rank will be dragged along We are going to inch along to the water Go!”
To the aether as solidly as if they were one creature
Chuntha s that theyshe planned to drown them all
The mat reached the water, and to the further aan to float
More, no water ca them, but air seemed to pass quite freely
After a few e aboard the raftlike construction, first res another wand, this one shaped like a wooden screw such as ht be used in a fruit press She placed this to the rear of the raft, where it clung ically A short incantation and the screw trebled in size, then began to turn The effect of this worear device was to drive the raft of worms forward Chuntha ss spread wide, the gentle breeze of theirher hair She was quite pleased with herself Quite pleased
Twelve
Conan's plan to ride their deco boat to the tunnels he had earlier seen was not to be The dead fish, aside fro stench, had also begun to sink to the point where it was almost impossible to propel it with the fin paddles Conan and Tull wielded The cold water of the underground sea washed over the trio's ankles even at the center of the craft
”Best we attain the shore,” Conan said ”There is enough ledge and beach for us to walk We are not far, as I recall”
”Aye, lad,” Tull said ”Good idea”
The two men strained to paddle the hulk closer to shore Elashi+ leaped to the rocky outcrop closest to them, followed by Tull and then Conan The fish bobbed soher in the water now that was free of its human riders, but water still covered htly: so on it from below
”This way,” Conan said
He led thee that wound deeper into the rocks The wall of the cave was a goodly distance frous was scanty on the outcrops,treacherous in the darkness Even so, the Cied to spy a relatively safe path
They were no more than five minutes away from where they had abandoned their boat when Conan stopped and waved Elashi+ and Tull to silence He heard so The sound was difficult to trace due to the surrounding rock and the echoes it cast, but it see fro approaches on the sea”
Tull and Elashi+ obeyed, scrunching down behind nearby boulders Conan himself tite twice his height and diameter He squatted and froze into irew nearer and he recognized the noise even as he saw its cause: a boat, with a sculling oarsman whose stroke occasionally broke the surface with a small splash
And what an oarse hule eye Bald it was, but with a thick beard It had ers, and itsat thrice the best speed Conan and Tull had ed toallass upon the darker water, and of what it was constructed, Conan could not guess As the craft drew abreast and rapidly past, Conan's superior height allowed hi upon the floor next to the one-eyed giant hat appeared to be a giant grub White itaround as a barrel at the center, and rounded on both ends Conan wondered if these were the sauely in the bats' cave
The Cie occupants passed He wanted no part of this pair A few ht, and Conan moved to where Tull and Elashi+ waited
”Did you see?” Conan asked
”Aye,” Tull answered ”A cyclops and one of the giant white wore they'd be together I never seen 'em that way afore”
”My, hoonderful,” Elashi+ said ”They have teamed up on our account You must be proud, Conan”
”Come,” Conan said ”They have one”
With that, the three started ain, in the opposite direction of the cyclops and the woritated Wikkell understood; he knew little about the sensory apparatus of the worms, but did it function at all, it could hardly miss the reek that filled the air Spoiled fish, and no ht,” Wikkell said, ”just ahead, there floats the cause of the stink, friend Deek One of the great fish that inhabit the sea has gone to join its ancestors, so it seee creature, he noted It must have been most formidable when alive
Deek raised the front portion of hie of the boat and observed the dead fish Its brother denizens of the depths ed out of the flesh here and there Soh
Well, the worht, it was not their concern He lowered hiain help Wikkell with the oar
The openings into the craggy rock ere easily attained Tull gathered several cluus into a ht be devoid of the plant light, and the three ascended the rocky wall and entered the largest of the three openings Conan felt better almost i able to follow theiant caverns of the Sunless Sea
Tull's precautions regarding the light seemed sound, as the walls of the new tunnel were mostly dark The diah to stand and walk, but either side being easily reached in a step or two With Tull holding the ball of fungus high, the three of them started off down the tunnel
Conan halted suddenly, listening intently ”What is it?” Elashi+ asked, her voice a whisper
Conan strained to hear, but the faint noise he had heard was gone He shook his head ”Nothing Let us depart”
Theya scout bat ahead paid dividends The solitary flier returned and alighted upon the raft It was Red, and he gave his report gleefully The three they sought were just ahead! They had entered a tunnel only a few moments' distance No, they had not seen hirinned Finally!
Deek suddenly becaht be The giant worm thrashed about in the boat
”What is it?” Wikkell asked ”Do you want to say so?”
The wornize as a nod
”Very well I shall put ashore so that you may find a patch of rock”
Wikkell did just that, andand hesitant voice of his