"Alan Dean Foster - The Empire of T'ang Lang" - читать интересную книгу автора (Foster Alan Dean)

Once, their ancestors had been lords of the planet. Time had changed things and they had
slipped back. But they were still a formidable factor in T'ang's world. Despite their speed
and ability, though, T'ang would make short work of one if it darted too close.

The sky-man knew it. After a sharp glare at T'ang, he gunned his propulsors and shot off in
search of prey of his own.

Yes, a good day to be alive and emperor.
There were many of the sky-folk about, cavorting in the downy-warm air. None flew near
T'ang Lang. T'ang was not anxious.

He'd fed well the previous day. For the nonce he was mildly satisfied. High karma.

The great light-eater, the Bodikiddartha, rose many thousands of body-lengths above
T'ang's present platform. Soaring toward the sun, it stood quietly on the other side of the
Green Plain, breathing. Someday T'ang would cross that plain and climb the great bulk. If
only to see the world on the other side.

Perhaps тАФ a slip of motion caught his eyes. So intent had he been on the panorama in front
of him, he had failed to notice the approach of a cyuma, a castle-man, to the cluster of
foodstuffs.

It hadn't spotted T'ang.

With infinite slowness, slower than the planet aged, he shifted his head to gain a better view.
The torpid creature seemed concerned only with the foodstuffs.

The castle-men were glamorous and daring, skilled weaponeers with their deadly rapiers.
They had speed and agility to support their arrogance. Some believed themselves kings of
the world.

And Tang Lang? They found it convenient to avoid him.

It was an adolescent castle-man. He was edging uncaringly about the foodstuffs. Preparing
to gorge himself, no doubt. Who would dare attack one of the castle-folk?

Pang leaned gently forward. He had gone into killing mode. Now nothing in the universe
could distract him until he struck.

The castle-man grew until it swallowed the world, became the world. And it was going to die.

Knives at the ready, always ready. Superbly crafted and designed, they could penetrate with
such speed and force that sometimes a victim would expire of shock.

The castle-man was stupid. His inferior genes would not be saved for transfer to others of
his kind. No one would grieve for him.

T'ang Lang struck.

The castle-man shrieked once as he was hit. Tang struck with such power that several