“I intend,” Leoh said firmly, “to assist the staff in monitoring this duel. Your aides may, of course, sit at the control board with me.”
Odal nodded.
“If you are ready to begin, gentlemen,” the chief meditech said.
Hector and Odal went to their boothsLeoh sat at the control console, and one of the Kerak men sat down next to him. The others found places on the long curving bench that faced the machine.
Hector felt every nerve and muscle tensed as he sat in the booth, despite his efforts to relax. Slowty the tension eased and he began to feel slightly drowsy. The booth seemed to be melting away….
Hector heard a snuffling noise behind him and wheeled around. He blinked, then stared.
It had four legs, and was evidently a beast of burden. At least, it carried a saddle on its back. Piled atop the saddle was a conglomeration of what looked to Hector— t first glance—like a pile of junk. He went over to the animal and examined it carefully. The “junk” turned out to be a long spear, various pieces of armor, a helmet, sword, shield, barde-ax, and dagger.
The situation 1 have chosen is one in which many warriors have won ghry.
Hector puzzled over the assortment of weapons. They came straight out of Kerak’s Dark Age. Probably Odal had been practicing with them for months, even years. He may not need fwe helpers. Hector thought.
Warily, he put on the armor. The breastplate seemed too big, and he was somehow unable to tighten the greaves on his shins properly. The helmet fit over his head like an ancient oil can, flattening his ears and nose and forcing him to squint to see through the narrow eye slit. Finally he buckled on the sword and found attachments on the saddle for the other weapons. The shield was almost too heavy to lift, and he barely struggled into the saddle with all the weight he was carrying.