"William Forstchen - Magic The Gathering - Arena" - читать интересную книгу автора (Forstchen William R)

leather capes trimmed with orange fluttering as they advanced with a purposeful stride, their golden
satchels, which contained their spells, bouncing on their hips. Behind them came the warriors of the
Watch, the men of the city guard who could not use spells but were nevertheless quite efficient at killing.
Garth stepped back into an alleyway, careful not to stride on the injured from the fight, and followed the
raggedy man. In the background he could hear what sounded like a riot brewing and then the clattering
of a bell as the fire watch finally started to arrive.

The raggedy man looked back over his shoulder just before they ducked down a side alleyway.

тАЬAh, how I love the Festival,тАЭ he announced, while down at the end of the street the front of the burning
building collapsed into the watching crowd. A shower of sparks soared into the evening sky, and as the
crowd swayed back from the collapsing building, yet more fell into the fissure and disappeared.

They weaved their way down a slime-choked lane, Garth fighting back a retch from the stench of
moldering garbage, human refuse, now-unidentifiable dead animals, and, in one case, what looked like
part of a person sticking out of a refuse heap. The raggedy man stopped at the sight of the corpse and
pondered it for a moment.

тАЬI was wondering what happened to her,тАЭ he whispered, and then, with a shrug of his shoulder, he
continued to lead the way, finally ducking into the back of a broken-down building of sagging logs, gray
with age, and apparently soon ready to go to dust.

As the raggedy man opened the door, Garth looked in cautiously and the old man smiled a toothless grin.

тАЬDonтАЩt trust me, after I fetched you your money and led you out of that mess?тАЭ

тАЬI donтАЩt trust anyone,тАЭ Garth said quietly, narrowing his eye to look into the gloom.

тАЬAh, brothers, we have company,тАЭ the raggedy man announced, and he stepped through the door. In the
darkness Garth saw movement and his nose wrinkled at the smell of unwashed bodies. He heard hoarse
laughter inside. An old man and then another started to laugh.

тАЬI suggest, One-eyed Garth with no House, that you either come in or move along,тАЭ the raggedy man
announced. тАЬThe Orange are undoubtedly looking for you and are in a less than friendly mood. Besides,
the Grand MasterтАЩs watch is on the prowl as well.тАЭ

As he stepped up to the door his eye started to adjust to the gloom. A small fire burned in an open
fireplace to one side, a hunched-over form stirring a pot hanging in the flame. Garth cocked his head
slightly, listening intently. With no vision to his left side he had learned to rely on other things. He finally
stepped through the doorway and then, just as quickly, leaped back and to one side.

The blow missed him, the wooden staff striking down through empty air. With a catlike move, Garth
snatched the man by the wrist and yanked him out from behind the open door, while with the other hand
he pulled out his dagger and brought it up under the manтАЩs chin, barely nicking his throat.

тАЬYou breathe too loudly,тАЭ Garth whispered, тАЬand besides, you stink bad enough to gag a maggot.тАЭ

The raggedy man watched the exchange with open amusement, nodding his head with approval.

тАЬYouтАЩll do, youтАЩll do just fine,тАЭ the old man laughed. тАЬNow please let my brother go.тАЭ