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.The young man calculated that Ben's presence would be a mighty advantage toward their goal of gettingWoundhealer home.The continued presence of the Sword of Healing inside his rib cage engendered in Zoltan a very strange sensation, neither pleasure nor pain, but rather a sense that some tremendous experience, whether good or bad, must be about to overwhelm him.The feeling was mentally though not physically uncomfortable.Both men ran on, without speaking, under the gradually brightening sky of early morning.As soon as Zoltan could be reasonably sure that no enemies were in close pursuit, or ahead of them, he paused and released Woundhealer's hilt; there was no need to pull in order to extract the Blade.Instead it slid itself smoothly and gently out of his heart and lungs, away from his torso.Once more a sighing sound came from the Sword; then it was once more inert.Zoltan felt physically fine.Taking a quick inventory of his body, he could discover no residual harm or damage at all from the several deadly blows he had recently sustained.file:///F|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Saberhagen,%2.Lost%20Swords%207%20-%20Wayfi nders%20Story.txt (56 of 118) [2/4/03 9:57:08 PM]file:///F|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Saberhagen,%20Fred%20-%20Lost%20Swords%207%20-%20Wayfinders%20Story.txtHis giant comrade, swaying and groaning at his side, was in considerably worse shape, and in need of Wound-healer's immediate help.Ben, completely out of breath, indicated with a silent gesture that he wanted Zoltan to hand over the Sword to him.The younger man complied.A quick application of Woundhealer abolished Ben's injuries as if they had never been.Now the voice of the older man was clear and strong."Ah, that's better.Much better."With Ben retaining the Sword of Mercy, the men moved on together, at the best pace the older man could manage.Their running flight had already put several Page 59ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmllow rolling, almost barren hills between them and the site where the Blue Temple attack had fallen.Zoltan, beginning to chafe and fret with the need to accommodate his slower partner, now suggested: "I might take it and run on ahead.""No." The answer was definite, though made brief to conserve breath.Making himself be patient, Zoltan allowed his more experienced companion to set their course.The sky continued brightening, but only gradually and sullenly; more spring rain appeared to be on the way.Ben was not heading directly toward Sarykam, but somewhat to the west, where a few trees grew along a ravine that held a trickle of muddy water at its bottom.Trudging toward the ravine, Ben and Zoltan made plans as best they could.Both were eagerly anticipating the help promised from Mark, but neither could see any way to guess when such assistance might be expected to arrive."No hope for the lady back there, or the young man either," said Ben, pausing momentarily to look over his shoulder toward the place where their camp had been.All was silent in that direction, but Zoltan thought he could see, beyond a series of intervening hills, the glow of bright, unnatural lights, contending against the slowly brightening sky of morning."No.It seems a miracle that we got away." Zoltan shook his head."They looked like Blue Temple."Ben grunted."So they did.That means it's probably not a miracle.Whatever a job may be, if it's nothing to do with counting money, they're as like as not to botch it up.""I take it we're pushing straight on to Tasavalta." "More or less straight.I mean to get there,"Ben said grimly."With Woundhealer."Daylight was coming on in earnest now.The sky continued overcast, now and then dropping a spatter of rain, or lowering patches of drifting fog.The fugitives welcomed this weather, certain to render more difficult the task of any airborne searchers."We have to assume there'll be more reptiles." "Of course.And maybe worse than that." The few trees along the ravine offered only scanty cover.On a sunny day the Tasavaltans might have been forced to look for somewhere to remain hidden during the day.Clouds, rain, and fog offered some hope, but weather was subject to change.Continuing their conversation as they hiked, Zoltan and Ben discussed the question of whether or not the Blue Temple attackers would know that they had got away.It seemed almost certain that they would."We hacked down a few people as we left." Zoltan nodded."And if they know we've got this Sword—they'll certainly be after us [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]