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littlemanpoet · 05-14-2004, 09:57 PM

That bird of Lira's had flown in! Falco inched closer and closer to the villain, this Herugor. Corn was the bird's name. Lira lay dead on the floor, and Falco could not see her, ducked behind the altar. He wondered if the bird could tell. Suddenly Corn came in sight, flying over the head of Herugor. Corn dove and harried him. It was his chance!

His plan was to give Herugor the same wounds he was going to give Eodwine. Falco raised his dagger and while Herugor was distracted, slashed at his flailing arms and caught him above the wrist. Blood flowed. Herugor roared with the pain.

Suddenly, Falco saw a giant that he had not seen before, hunkered down behind the altar. Now it turned toward them. Its mouth opened, and a cold, evil voice assaulted his ears.

"I smell blood!" The giant came toward Herugor.

"No! Stay back!" The giant kept coming. The dead guards turned from their foes and looked at the giant and Herugor; they dropped their swords, clattering to the floor, and walked toward Herugor. Falco was glad he was not Herugor.

"Hobbit!" Eodwine craned his neck to get Falco's attention. "Untie me!"

Falco shook his head, clearing his mind from the fascinating horror, and took a look at Eodwine's bonds.

"I'm Falco, Shirriff of the Shire, here to find out if you were real, and if so, to save you. Well, you're real enough, so now to save you."

"My thanks!"

Herugor turned to run from the chamber, and stopped before he was two strides away from the altar, seeming to fear leaving it.

Falco grunted. "These are iron bonds. Is there a lever?"

"I know not."

Herugor backed to the altar, staring at the advancing giant and guards. He leaned against it. There was a click. Suddenly, the irons came undone from Eodwine's wrists and ankles. In a motion more fluid than Falco expected, Eodwine kicked Herugor in the back, sending him hurtling toward the giant, which welcomed him with open arms and maw. Herugor screamed.

Eodwine, Falco, and all the others watched in fascination as the red giant held Herugor to its body, and little by little, screaming until his mouth was blocked, he sank into the body of the giant. And was gone. The dead guards fell to the floor. Suddenly, the chamber was filled with the sound of many moaning voices. Falco felt that he could almost see the faces that went with the voices, rising from below, into the air, and out into the storm above. The giant melted to the stone floor until all that remained was a puddle of blood, surrounding the pale, leeched corpse of Herugor. Two horrible voices rose from the chamber together, filled with despair and loss. At last, there was no sound but the rain.

05-14-2004, 09:57 PM	#236
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Falco That bird of Lira's had flown in! Falco inched closer and closer to the villain, this Herugor. Corn was the bird's name. Lira lay dead on the floor, and Falco could not see her, ducked behind the altar. He wondered if the bird could tell. Suddenly Corn came in sight, flying over the head of Herugor. Corn dove and harried him. It was his chance! His plan was to give Herugor the same wounds he was going to give Eodwine. Falco raised his dagger and while Herugor was distracted, slashed at his flailing arms and caught him above the wrist. Blood flowed. Herugor roared with the pain. Suddenly, Falco saw a giant that he had not seen before, hunkered down behind the altar. Now it turned toward them. Its mouth opened, and a cold, evil voice assaulted his ears. "I smell blood!" The giant came toward Herugor. "No! Stay back!" The giant kept coming. The dead guards turned from their foes and looked at the giant and Herugor; they dropped their swords, clattering to the floor, and walked toward Herugor. Falco was glad he was not Herugor. "Hobbit!" Eodwine craned his neck to get Falco's attention. "Untie me!" Falco shook his head, clearing his mind from the fascinating horror, and took a look at Eodwine's bonds. "I'm Falco, Shirriff of the Shire, here to find out if you were real, and if so, to save you. Well, you're real enough, so now to save you." "My thanks!" Herugor turned to run from the chamber, and stopped before he was two strides away from the altar, seeming to fear leaving it. Falco grunted. "These are iron bonds. Is there a lever?" "I know not." Herugor backed to the altar, staring at the advancing giant and guards. He leaned against it. There was a click. Suddenly, the irons came undone from Eodwine's wrists and ankles. In a motion more fluid than Falco expected, Eodwine kicked Herugor in the back, sending him hurtling toward the giant, which welcomed him with open arms and maw. Herugor screamed. Eodwine, Falco, and all the others watched in fascination as the red giant held Herugor to its body, and little by little, screaming until his mouth was blocked, he sank into the body of the giant. And was gone. The dead guards fell to the floor. Suddenly, the chamber was filled with the sound of many moaning voices. Falco felt that he could almost see the faces that went with the voices, rising from below, into the air, and out into the storm above. The giant melted to the stone floor until all that remained was a puddle of blood, surrounding the pale, leeched corpse of Herugor. Two horrible voices rose from the chamber together, filled with despair and loss. At last, there was no sound but the rain.