[Envinyatar]

Prince Elphir, Imrahil's son, accompanied Durmán and his company of hastily gathered guards, down toward the lowest level of the castle.

Before they entered the level of the tunnels, most of them armed themselves with burning brands. They tied off the legs of their breeches and shirts to prevent the spiders from crawling into them, and hung fine netting from their helms, draping it down to protect their head and neck.

Some of them, who were placed in forward positions had great cauldrons of hot water held between two guards, and they had wrapped thick leather about their lower boots to ward off the heat of the liquid.

Just as they entered the stairway ot the tunnels, one of the guards cried out. there at the bottom of the stairs, in the dim light from the torches, they saw the crumpled body of a guardsman.

'Cadrir!' one of the descending guards called out, but there was no answer. When they reached him, his face was swollen and purpled from the poison of the spider bits.

The word passed back among the ranks of what had happened. each man shifted nervously and felt to see his own netting was in place and his bindings tight about the legs and wrists.

Then Elphir and Durmán rallied them, and all were filled with one desire - to find the creature and destroy him who had done this to one of their own.

Like a great, silent wind, they passed down the corridor - rushing first to find the King. Then would they sweep over the evildoers like a sharp scythe against weeds and cut them down . . .

[ March 24, 2003: Message edited by: Envinyatar ]