"Karl Edward Wagner - Mirage" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wagner Karl Edward)

glinting arrows. Ambush! A detachment of Jasseartion's army had
lain in hiding among the trees and the smoldering rocks that
enclosed the dusty mountain trail.
Furious at having been caught in ambush along with the sheep
he had hoped to masquerade among, Kane broke for cover, his
right hand fumbling in the damp folds of his cloak for his sword.
A deep wound from the last battle caused his left arm to be still
too weak to use effectively, and although Kane was almost as
dexterous with his right arm, he knew he was at a disadvantage in
the chaotic fighting that enveloped him.
The king's soldiers rushed upon the stricken mercenaries
simultaneously as the last arrows tore into them. Many of their
number already writhing upon the burning pathway, the
desperate fugitives staggered to make a hopeless stand against
their assailants. The first man to reach Kane he hurled back again
with a crushing swordblow. Another charged past his comrade's
husk and swung an axe in a glittering are that took all of Kane's
strength to turn aside. The axeman snapped backward and raised
his weapon once more. Kane cursed impotently. The man would
be gutted by now had Kane free use of his left arm. As he sought
to face the axe, another soldier fell upon him front his left, just as
the axe again swung down. Kane leapt back and caught the axe
once more with his blade, frantically dodging his other foe.
Twisting his blade, he slashed outward through the axeman's
wrist, and as the other dropped his weapon in agony, Kane's
return thrust caught him in the ribs.
A second to free the sword. Too long. The other soldier's
sword was slicing for him. Kane forced his left arm into action,
clumsily grappling with the sword arm that thrust for his trunk. A
double wave of pain shook him as his wounded arm only partially
deflected the swordblow, and the edge gashed through the heavy
cloak and padding to smash against the mail beneath. Kane
toppled, his powerful grip yet locked on the other's arm, pulling
him to the ground along with himself, and impaling the soldier on
his sword as they fell. And as he struck ground with the dying
assailant atop him, an impossible weight slammed against Kane's
skull. In a black wave of agony he lost consciousness, never
knowing whether he had been purposefully struck, or simply
kicked by some other pair of combatants.
 I. The Forest by Night
His eyes opened into the cool of night. Groggily he rolled from
under the soldier's corpse and sat up. Vision blurred, ground
rocked with the roaring pain in his skull. Kane bit his lip and
forced himself to his knees. About him lay only the dead.
Gingerly he unwound the heavy bandages that swathed his
head and ran fingers over the ache in his skull. It had been a hard
blow, but the bandages and his thick red hair had effectively
cushioned it. He rose to his feet and disgustedly threw off the
enveloping cloak and the slashed padding beneath. His mail had
stopped the swordthrust, but the force of the stroke had mashed