Gord The Rogue - Night Arrant Part 22

But he didn't 288.

want to sit around and wait for that to happen. Time was something he didn't have!

Viper had immediately sought out the chief mage of the a.s.sa.s.sins Guild. The first result was dismal, but perhaps something would come up soon. Viper had a good feeling inside, the same sort of tingling he felt just before he plunged home a long, envenomed needle or slowly tightened a knotted cord around a victim's soft throat.

He spent the next several hours searching for any clues or information leading to the whereabouts of the elusive thief. But the malevolent Viper discovered absolutely nothing. No help from beggars, no word from wh.o.r.es, not a hint from swindlers and gamblers . . . and not even Viper dared to question the mysterious gypsy folk of the city too closely. Momentarily defeated and in the foulest of moods, the dreaded a.s.sa.s.sin sat down to brood for a while before heading back to his quarters. A couple of minutes later a big, black rat suddenly ran up to him. skittered up his leg. and sat on his shoulder. The chitterlng squeak of its voice went directly into the tall a.s.sa.s.sin's ear.

"Mastrrr sezz come fa.s.st."

The rodent was gone in a flash even as the a.s.sa.s.sin moved. Viper wasn't at a loss, however. He recognized the creature as Yormodrin's familiar. So the dweomercraefter had managed to get something with his enchantments after all! Viper quickened his pace.

"Well?" Viper stood before the mage. It was now hours since he had begun his search for Blackcat, and deep twilight was sinking over the city.

"You will pay me amply for my services?" Yormo-drin decided it was time he was given the respect due to one of his important station.

Viper's flat eyes showed nothing. "You will be 289.

paid in full if you can tell me what I want to know."

"I would have the spider encased in the amber. It Is an ancient tails- er, token, which suits my humors, let us say."

"Say anything you wish, fool, but tell me where the thing is now!"

"You agree that the amber is mine, then?" the spell-worker demanded.

The tall, reptilian a.s.sa.s.sin moved closer to Tor-modrin. "I will personally place it into your grasping palm, that I swear. Now, where is it?"

The spell-user smiled slightly. "It lies Just to the east. It is within an old building near the wall that divides the Foreign Quarter from the Craftsmen's Ward."

The mage didn't bother to explain to his questioner that the effort involved in locating the amber-encased spider had been monumental. Lesser spell-casters, scrying, and much more had been required to locate the object, even though it had been but a few miles distant and within the city.

"Can you show me exactly where it lies? What guards the thing? Tell met"

Yormodrin had a haughty expression as he stood and beckoned the tall a.s.sa.s.sin to follow. The mage entered a small, darkened alcove and gestured over a basin of porphyry filled with sepia-stained oil. At his hand's pa.s.s, the liquid rippled and opalescent hues played over the surface. Then the colors coalesced and formed a115 picture. It was a hawk's-eye view of the city. The scene wheeled and changed, as if the viewer were actually flying over Greyhawk. F*om the green of the Park, over the ma.s.sive buildings of the Halls District, past the trade establishments, and to the Craftsmen's Ward, the picture upon the liquid's dark surface flowed. Then the view changed, sweeping downward to scarcely a few feet above the rooftops. There was the south wall of 290.

the Old City, there the tall, narrow structures of the artisans' sector. One particular building came into focus, then only its uppermost portion from a side view. A window ledge, a narrow, dirty window, and a plain room dimly discernible beyond the dusty pane. The center of the room's scene was a small table upon which a pouch of black leather rested. At this instant the oily liquid bubbled and its roiling surface showed no more.

"Satisfied, Viper?" Yormodrin's tone was smug.

"Very," the a.s.sa.s.sin said as he suddenly thrust a pair of specially prepared hedgehog quills into the unbelieving eyes of the mage. "The poison will take a few minutes to work. I am so sorry, Yormodrin. that I am unable to stay and watch the exquisiteness of your agony. Work before pleasure' has always been the curse of the ambitious," Viper called over his shoulder as he left the mage's sanctum. If Yormodrin heard it wasn't apparent. He was moaning and screaming, writhing as death overcame him upon the smudged sigils of his floor.

A thin, rasping giggle brought the murderer to an abrupt halt. A wickedly curved blade glinting suddenly in his hand. Viper spun around to locate the witness to what had just occurred.

"Don't worry, man." an evil, high-pitched voice shrilled. "You have Just done me a great service, and none shall be the wiser as to what happened here."

A small thing, a demonling of some sort, was perched on the lintel of the alcove, tn a place where Viper thought he had seen a rat out of the corner of his eye just a second or two earlier. "What are you saying, imp?"

The creature's face contorted in rage. "Don't call me imp. t.u.r.dheaded human!" the thing screeched. "With Yormodrin's soul safely abyssed, I shall be a full-fledged demon soon."

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Viper spat and turned away. This was nothing.

"Walt, man!"

"I need no familiar, demonling. Why do you babble so?"

The thing leaped down and stood before the tall a.s.sa.s.sin proudly. "I have information, man-called-Viper. You give me the amber talisman, and I will teU you what it is I know."

There is no need for me to know anything further, runtling," Viper countered. "And if there was. I could force the information from you."

"a.s.s!" the horrible thing rasped back. "Don't-fool yourself. Go away without what I know, and you will fail.*

Viper gave the creature a threatening look. The demonling didn't flinch. "All right, it's a deal," he said coldly. "But I don't have the amber - yet."

"Sign this, man," the demon-to-be said, producing a sc.r.a.p of sooty vellum. "With your own blood, of course. It is an agreement to hand over the amber spider when you gain it."

"If I do so?"

"My knowledge will be your gain. Besides, I will send you help, too."

That statement piqued Viper's curiosity, but he did not reveal his eagerness to learn about the help. "You make too much of the affair. It Is a simple matter for one such as I to kill a thief, even so clever a burglar as this Blackcat has been."

The little monster shook its vile-looking head. "Not so," he piped back with a nasty leer that displayed the dozens of needlelike teeth in its mouth. "The one you seek is more powerful than you know, and my soon-to-be-dead master withheld something from you,"

"What?"

"That Is my bargaining point, man! I'll tell you 292.116 what for the gift of the talisman."

Viper sneered again. "And the a.s.sistance?" "Simply insurance. If you fail, I don't get the spider, t.u.r.dhead. That's ample reason for me to be willing to have certain servants a.s.sist."

"Come then, quasidemon," Viper said, naming the demonling for what it was for the first time.

"You seem to be something I may need. I know what you are and how to deal with you. Produce the agreement, and perhaps we can strike a bargain."

Gord was returning home in the wee hours. A little celebrating of his newly improved finances had been in order, but he had actually kept it within reasonable limits - and it was good he had. As soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs, he sensed something. It was as if eyes were upon him. Despite that, he stopped only for a moment, as if pausing a minute in drunken fatigue, to gather himself for the arduous climb up the many steps to his apartment on the fifth floor. Someone was watching him from above. Cord knew that With a long sigh and a bit of tuneless whistling, Gord began plodding up the stairs.

He went slowly and made a production of it. Anyone watching would surely believe that he was tipsy, tired, and vulnerable. The short cape he wore hid the drawn dagger clasped firmly in his left fist, while his right hand rested casually on the pommel of his enchanted sword. Because of that, Gord saw clearly enough.

An unusually large rat was scuttling upward, undoubtedly fleeing his approach.

Apparently, nothing worse lurked along the way. Whoever was lying in wait must have decided to ambush him when he entered his chambers. How could they have found 293.

this place? Gord asked himself. Perhaps It is a common robber, his brain answered. A dozen possibilities flashed through his mind as he ascended the ; last flight of stairs, but only one conclusion was logical. Very powerful foes had finally located the den of Blackcat, and what happened next would be a mat- ; ter of life or death.

"Now where's that silly-sodding key?" Gord said loudly In a crooning, drink-slurred voice as he approached the door to his apartment. His ears detect- j ed a faint whispering on the other side of the old planks. It was the noise felt-soled boots made as they slid along hard flooring.

"Open up!" Gord shouted as loudly as he could even as both of his feet struck the door near Its latch. He rebounded and rolled through the suddenly created opening while the door slammed and shivered as it struck the inside wall. Another figure was likewise somersaulting away. Too bad. Whoever lurked Inside had managed to react with incredible swiftness when Gord had kicked the door in.

Two smaller forms hastened to join the first There were three, possibly more, against him alone.

"Fair odds, lads," the young thief laughed confidently as he advanced with his sword and dagger ready. He hoped that his seeming aplomb would put off the attackers one way or another. In truth Cord's heart felt like lead in his chest. This was a desperate situation indeed.

The central figure made a waving motion to both sides of him and the two smaller men slid off to his left and right. "Welcome home. Blackcat." the tall i fellow hissed. "I brought you some special guests." The man issued a sibilant laugh at his little Jest i "Guests? You are mice playing in the cat's lair!"

"Almost, little p.u.s.s.ycat, almost," the hissing reply shot back. "Let's say rats, though - with a big serpent to oversee their handling of an offending torn!"

Just then the two men on either side of the a.s.sa.s.sin made a concerted attack, darting in to stab from left to right. Gord faked left, sprang right, and took the attacker there through chest and stomach with both blades. The rat-faced fellow screamed In pain and tried to get free, but Gord struck again, twice, with the long-bladed dagger, then shoved the corpse around Into the path of the other one, who was coming from behind now. This one looked like the brother of the dead attacker, and as he became entangled with the body and fell. Gord made swift work of117 him so that two forms lay dying and twitch-Ing on the oaken floor.

"Most impressive! Those blades you wield are dweomered, too. Our cat has sharp claws." "Viper!"

"You know me, Blackcat? How curious. In that case I should have guessed your ident.i.ty long ago, and all of this would be completely unnecessary. You'd have been dead and rotting weeks ago. But I don't recognize you at all, little man."

The speech was almost sufficient to distract his attention, but Gord was too good to be totally taken by any such ruse. The sounds from behind warned him, and he vaulted into a series of springs that placed him farther inside his apartment and well away from the entrance. A quick look showed Gord he had done the right thing. At least a half-dozen of the rat-faced men were where he had been but a second or two before.

"Stay there!" The order came from the lanky a.s.sa.s.sin and was directed at the rodent-faced henchmen. "I think that it will take a viper, not a pack of rats, to skin this cat."

"You are very confident," Gord said to the a.s.sas- 294.

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sin as he began to close. "Ill tiy not to give you too long to regret your mistake.

This cat is faster than any adder alive!" So saying, the young thief engaged his tall foeman, and in a series of quick exchanges wounded the man twice without receiving a scratch himself.

"You little b.a.s.t.a.r.d!" The last came from Viper as Cord's dagger point slashed fine chainmail and the flesh beneath it. "Close on the filthy b.a.s.t.a.r.d now!" Viper nearly screamed the command. The rat-faced bunch nearby hastened to obey.

The very number of attackers made Gord's situation an impossible one. He could hold them off for some time but there was no hope in the long run. He'd kill a few, but then their sheer numbers would tell; he'd fall in the press, and Viper would finish him with his d.a.m.ned poisoned sword. "I'll pull your fangs. Viper, before this load of rats finishes me!"

At that, the a.s.sa.s.sin only laughed. There was little force in the threat, for Gord was now surrounded by the ratmen.

The scene changed In the wink of an eye. One second three of the attackers were before him. The next they were scattered around, one broken where he had stood, another sent crashing through a window, and the last bitten in twain. Even the ice-cold Viper gave a startled gasp at the sudden turnabout.

But it wasn't Gord's doing at all. Like an apparition, there stood in the midst of the melee a giant saber-toothed tiger, its jaws dripping blood from the wererat it had just bitten in half. Even as the a.s.sa.s.sin vented his cry of fear and the remaining rat-men tried to draw away, the huge cat struck again, as did Gord.

The tiger was upon the remaining wererats in an instant, dealing out death with claw and fang. This beast was the largest of smilodons, the lord of them 296.

all Perhaps one or two of the ratmen would have survived the attack of even so potent a beast as the saber-toothed tiger, but never the attentions of this giant among its kind. The sounds of their dying were not pleasant Meanwhile, Gord leaped to confront the lanky killer. "Now, Viper, we have a more even game - cat against serpent. Shall we see which shall have the upper hand when the play is finished?"

Rather than bothering to reply. Viper sent his sword flying at Gord as if it were a javelin. It was all the young thief could do to avoid the missile, so unexpected was the attack. Before he had a chance to regain his balance from the first onslaught, Gord found he was faced with yet another series of flying missiles. Viper had used his time well, and now his hands were filled with great darts. These he hurled with force at his opponent, and the missiles came In such rapid succession that It took every ounce of Gord's acrobatic skill to avoid their long, envenomed points. A dozen of the things buzzed through the air before the a.s.sa.s.sin's a.r.s.enal was exhausted.

"What now, snake?" Gord had his sword pointed at the a.s.sa.s.sin's throat as he so inquired.

A set of poniards appeared in Viper's hands as he leaped toward his smaller opponent, bent on sinking both weapons into him. Gord blocked the thrusting points with his shortsword and sank his own dagger deep into Viper's thigh as the two118 combatants wheeled and spun round an invisible center point One of the twin blades sliced through Gord's leather jerkin but was stopped short by his shirt of eliin chain. All the while, a small, ugly little creature that had appeared but moments before clapped and cheered, laughed and jeered, as the pair fought for their lives.

Both foemen moved back to catch their breath.

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CORD THE ROGUE.

Now Gord was silent, but Viper was angered by the presence and commotion of an unwanted spectator. "Shut your foul little mouth, quasidemon, and a.s.sist me in killing this man!"

The little fiend laughed raucously at that. "Can't handle him by yourself, big-mouth t.u.r.dhead? Sorry, but fighting isn't our deal. Beat him yourself or die, chump."

"You'll not get your prize that way," the bleeding a.s.sa.s.sin gasped.

"Who cares?" the creature j.a.ped in reply, "t got you then."

Gord didn't wait to hear any more. He moved into another attack, lunging out to skewer the tall killer with a straight thrust. His point barely grazed the fellow, however. Viper was quick and a superb fighter. Both of his poniards flew at Gord.

and then the a.s.sa.s.sin hurled down a vial that he had drawn from inside his tunic.

When the gla.s.s struck the floor it exploded, and a cloud of thick, vile-smelling smoke hissed up and filled the room.

"What the h.e.l.ls!" Gord swung his sword through the cloud of smoke blindly, but the effort was useless. There was noise from the room beyond. Viper was escaping through the window in his bed chamber! The young thief sprang after the escaping a.s.sa.s.sin and arrived in time to see him disappear through the opening. Gord knew that Viper was easily capable of climbing down and escaping before Gord could prevent it. He looked out and down anyway. Perhaps he could use sword or dagger to bring the d.a.m.ned killer to his doom.

Viper was already about five feet down .the wall and moving with a.s.surance. Then an ugly little creature appeared and sat atop the a.s.sa.s.sin's head.

"Where's my talisman?" Gord heard the thing demand.

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"Get the h.e.l.ls off my head!" Viper managed to scream. That was all he could do. for his hands were busy holding on for dear life. The little monster must have weighed a lot "Give me the talisman or else forfeit your contract." the thing replied.

"Putter you and the amber too!" Viper shrieked. "You didn't help me!"

"Sure did! You were warned, and you got the nine wererats I promised. Sorry, but you have to forfeit. . ."

"What are you talking about, quasidemon? There was nothing in that deal about forfeit!"

"Sure there was. only it was written in small print. You probably didn't notice it."

"Don't give me that dung." the a.s.sa.s.sin managed to say as he tried to continue his descent. "Demons aren't smart enough to put in that sort of stuff."

The little thing began to do a jig atop Viper's head. "Oh, yeah. That's the other part I forgot to mention. I'm not really a quasidemon after all - how could you have thought I was when you saw me as a rat and I brought wererats to you? I am an imp.

after all!" With that, the foul little creature began lashing its barb-tipped tail downward. The appendage struck at Viper's face, lacerating his cheek, forehead, and chin before it sank deeply into the a.s.sa.s.sin's eye. "Gotcha!" cackled the imp.

There was a long, terrible shriek that ended only when Viper's body struck the cobblestones below with a meaty thump. Of the Imp there was no sign at all.

Gord stood staring down. What had just transpired was so terrible as to have frozen him in horror. Then he remembered about the saber-tooth! He sprang around, bringing up his sword. The ma.s.sive cat was there, not six feet away, eyes fixed on him.

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small tail twitching. Useless or not, Gord brought his sword and dagger to the ready. The monster wavered and changed before the young man's startled eyes!

"Sheathe your weapons, Blackcat." a large-muscled man with flowing yellow hair said.