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They returned to the front of the lines, where the deate, searching for a weakness

Jardir looked at the gigantic alagai and felt a stab of fear, but he was the First Warrior He would ask no other to lure the beast

Either I a to believe But he knew Inevera lied freely about other things, so why not this?

He steeled hi a ward in the air, and took a step forward

"No, Sharuuard! Let e does you great honor, but this task is forhis cryptic es was past Jardir e and clattering his spear against his shield

The deate

Jardir charged, stabbing hard at the joint in the demon’s armor at the back of its knee, but the creature only flicked its massive tail at him, as a horse would a fly

Jardir danced out of the way, ducking as the spiked appendage whooshed over his head He looked at his spear and found that the tip had broken off

"Ca back to the lines to take a fresh spear frouard cried, pointing Jardir turned to see the greenlander striding out to the dereenlander gave no indication that he had even heard, much less understood He stopped just outside the creature’s reach and gave a shout

The de its head and sniffing at the air It turned to regard the greenlander, and there was a flare of recognition in its alien eyes

"Nie’s blood," Hasik breathed "It knows hi with the claws of its good ar to run for the trapped alcove

"Clear the way!" Jardir shouted, and his warriors moved as one to flow out of their path As the deathered warriors

The Maze shook with the pounding of the dereat clouds of dust in its wake that reenlander But the de, so Jardir could only assume the chin maintained his lead

They ht of the oil lareenlander turn into the alcove The de from concealment to reveal the wards

The rock deed at the greenlander, who turned and darted right at the beast

Magic flared, and the great dereenlander’s shield He was knocked over by the blow, but he rolled back to his feet like a cat, springing past the deain

The wards were revealed, but Jardir saw immediately that the rock demon had stepped on one of the central wardstones as it storeenlander saw it, too Jardir expected hiain the Northerner surprised him He pointed with his spear at the broken ward, shouted soue, and turned back to face the alagai

"Repair that ward!" Jardir shouted, but he needn’t have bothered The Pit Warders were already at work painting a fresh syain the de only a glancing blow on his shield But this ti the stued to throw hiround and avoid the attack, but the demon raised a foot to crush him while he was prone, and Jardir kneould never rise in tireenlander would die a hero’s death, and Krasia would be safe All Jardir had to do was let go the mystery of the brave Northerner, and turn his back

Instead he gave a shout, and leapt into the alcove

CHAPTER 8