“About time” Caramon gasped, threatening the creature with his sword. “What sort of foul clerics are these?”
“Don’t stab them!” Raistlin warned swiftly. “They’ll turn to stone. They’re not clerics. They are some sort of reptile man. That is the reason for the robes and hoods.”
Though different as light and shadow, the twins fought well as a team. They exchanged few words during battle-their thoughts merging faster than tongues could translate. Caramon dropped his sword and dagger and flexed his huge arm muscles. The creatures, seeing Caramon drop his weapons, charged forward. Their rags had fallen loose and fluttered about them grotesquely. Caramon grimaced at the sight of the scaled bodies and clawed hands.
“Ready,” he said to his brother.
“Ast tasark simiralan krynawi,” said Raistlin softly, and he threw a handful of sand into the air. The creatures stopped their wild rush, shook their heads groggily as magical sleep stole over them . . . but then blinked their eyes. Within moments, they had regained their senses and started forward again!
“Magic resistant!” Raistlin murmured in awe. But that brief interlude of near sleep was long enough for Caramon. Encircling their scrawny, reptilian necks with his huge hands, the warrior swept their heads together. The bodies tumbled to the ground-lifeless statues. Caramon looked up to see two more clerics crawling over the stony bodies of their brethren, curved swords gleaming in their wrapped hands.
“Stand behind me,” ordered Raistlin in a hoarse whisper. Caramon reached down and grabbed dagger and sword. He dodged behind his brother, fearful for his twin’s safety, yet knowing Raistlin could not cast his spell if he stood in the way.
Raistlin stared intently at the creatures, who-recognizing a magic-user-slowed and glanced at each other, hesitant to approach. One dropped to the ground and crawled under the cart. The other sprang forward, sword in hand, hoping to impale the mage before his spell was cast, or at least break the concentration that was so necessary to the spellcaster. Caramon bellowed. Raistlin seemed not to hear or see any of them. Slowly he raised his hands. Placing his thumbs together, he spread his thin fingers in a fanlike pattern and spoke, “Kair tangus miopiar.” Magic coursed through his frail body, and the creature was engulfed in flame.
Tanis, recovering from his initial shock, heard Sturm’s yell and crashed through the brush out onto the road. He swung the flat of his sword blade like a club and struck the creature that had Sturm pinned to the ground. The cleric fell over with a shriek and Tanis was able to drag the wounded knight into the brush.
“My sword,” Sturm mumbled, dazed. Blood poured down his face; he tried unsuccessfully to wipe it away.
“We’ll get it,” Tanis promised, wondering how. Looking down the road, he could see more creatures swarming out of the woods and heading toward them. Tanis’s mouth was dry. We’ve got to get out of here, he thought, fighting down panic. He forced himself to pause and draw a deep breath. Then he turned to Flint and Tasslehoff who had run up behind him.
“Stay here and guard Sturm,” he instructed. “I’m going to get everyone together. We’ll head back into the woods.”
Not waiting for an answer, Tanis dashed out into the road, but then the flames from Raistlin’s spell flared out and he was forced to fling himself to the ground.
The cart began to smoke as the straw pallet the creature had been lying on inside caught fire.
“Stay here and guard Sturm. Humpf!” Flint muttered, getting a firm grip on his battle-axe. For the moment, the creatures coming down the road did not seem to notice the dwarf or the kender or the wounded knight lying in the shadows of the trees. Their attention was on the two small knots of battling warriors. But Flint knew it was only a matter of time. He planted his feet more firmly. “Do something for Sturm,” he said to Tas irritably. “Make yourself useful for once.”
“I’m trying,” Tasslehoff replied in a hurt tone. “But I can’t get he bleeding stopped.” He wiped the knight’s eyes with a moderately clean handkerchief. “There, can you see now?” he asked anxiously.