Deathwing by William King, David Pringle, Neil Jones Page B

trapped,"
     replied the
     Shaman. "I say
     we go in with weapons
     armed," said
     Weasel-Fierce
     from
     behind them.
     "If
     we
     find
     foes,
     we
     burn
     them."
     "Suppose
     they
     think
     the
     same?
     The
     soot
     and
     filth
     give
     the
     place
     an
     Orkish look."
     said
     Lame
     Bear.
     He
     had
     been scouting
     further
     along
     the
     crest.
     "No
     Ork
     ever
     put
     stone on
     stone
     like
     that." countered
     Two Heads
     Talking. "That
     is
     human
     workmanship."
     "It
     is
     not
     the
     work
     of
     the
     People."
     said
     Cloud
     Runner.
    "Those
     barracks
     are a hundred
     times the
     size
     of
     a
     lodgehouse
     and
     built
     of
     brick."
     "There
     is
     only
     one
     way
     to
     find
     out anything."
     said
     Two Heads
     Talking. "One of us
     must visit the
     city."
     
* * *
     
    The warriors nodded
     assent.
     Each tapped
     a scar-tattoo
     to
     indicate
     that
     he
     volunteered.
     Two
     Heads
     Talking
     shook
     his head.
     "I
     must
     go.
     The
     spirits
     will
     shield
     me."
     Cloud
     Runner
     saw
     the
     rest
     of
     the
     warriors
     look
     at
     him
     to
     see
     what
     his decision
     would
     be.
     As
     Captain.
     he
     could
     overrule
     the
     Librarian.
     He
     looked
     at
     the
     city,
     then
     at
     the
     Shaman standing quiet
     and
     proud
     before him. A sensation
     of emptiness,
     of futility came over him. His people,
     his village had
     gone.
    "As
     you
     wish. Lord Shaman. Speak to the
     spirits
     and
     seek their aid." he said, giving the
     ancient
     ritual
     answer.
     "Bloody Moon's
     squad
     will
     remain
     here
     to
     watch
     over
     you.
     The
     rest
     of
     us
     will
     take
     Deathwing
     and
     seek
     out
     any
     surviving lodgetowns."
     
* * *
    Night fell as
     Two Heads
     Talking completed his preparations.
     He laid the
     four rune etched
     skulls of his predecessors
     on the
     ground about
     him. Each faced
     one
     of
     the
     cardinal points
     of
     the
     compass
     and
     watched
     over
     an
     approach
     from
     the spirit realm.
    He
     lit
     a
     small
     bonfire
     in
     the
     deep
     hollow,
     cast
     a
     handful
     of
     herbs
     on
     the
     fire
     and
     breathed
     in
     deeply.
     He touched
     the ceremonial
     winged
     skull
     on
     his
     chest-piece
     and
     then
     the death's
     head
     inlaid
     on
     his
     belt.
     Lastly,
     he
     prayed
     to
     the Emperor, tamer of thunderbirds
     and
     beacon
     of
     the
     soul
     path,
     to
     watch
     over
     him
     as
     he
     made
     magic.
     Then
     he
     began
     to chant.
    The
     fumes from
     the
     herbs
     filled
     his
     lungs.
     He
     seemed
     to
     rise
     above
     his
     body
     and
     look
     down
     upon
     it.
     The
     other Terminators backed
     away from the
     spirit
     circle.
     A
     chill
     stole
     over
     him,
     and
     life
     leeched
     away
     until
     he
     was
     close
     to
     the edge
     of death.
     Great sobs
     wracked his body.
     but
     he mastered
     himself and continued
     with the
     ritual.
    He stood
     in a cold shadowy
     place. He sensed
     chill white
     presences
     at
     the
     edge
     of
     his
     perception,
     clammy
     as
     mist
     and cold as
     the
     gravemound. Above
     him he could
     hear the
     beating
     of mighty pinions
     from where Deathwing.
     the
     Emperor's steed
     and
     bearer of the souls
     of the
     slain, hovered.
    The Shaman talked with the presences,
     made pacts
     that bound
     them to his service
     and
     rewarded them with a portion
     of his strength.
     He sensed
     the
     hungry
     spirits
     surge
     around
     him.
     ready
     to
     shield
     him
     from
     sight,
     to
     cloud
     the
     eyes
     of
     any who might look upon
     him, causing
     them to see
     only a friendly being.
    He walked from the
     circle, past
     the
     watching