"Craig Shaw Gardner - Wuntvor 01 - A Difficulty With Dwarves" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gardner Craig Shaw)

тАШMaster!тАЩ I called, delighted to see him so self-possessed in the midst of this chaos. тАШDid the wizards
succeed? Are you cured?тАЩ

The mage frowned at the mass of magicians before him. He pulled absently at his beard, then turned his
gaze from the shuddering mass to look at me.

тАШAlas, no.тАЩ He sniffed delicately into a sleeve threaded with silver. тАШI have but had the malady somewhat
longer than these others, and thus have learned to control it better.тАЩ He shook his head. тАЬTis a sorry sight,
to see the amassed wisdom of Vushta brought to such a pass.тАЩ

тАШPardon me, good wizard,тАЩ Norei interjected, тАШbut how could such a thing have happened?тАЩ

тАШIndeed,тАЩ Ebenezum replied as he wove through the disabled mages. тАШPerhaps if I got a bit closer, we
would no longer need to shout.тАЩ He moved as quickly as he could through the sneeze-wracked horde.
The very sight of the tastefully inlaid silver moons and stars on his wizardтАЩs robe seemed to send those
crouched nearby into redoubled nasal attacks. Finally he reached the end of the hallway in which we
stood, the flagstones here still relatively free of incapacitated sorcerers.

Ebenezum looked back over the trembling sea of wizard flesh. тАШIt seems that we face new difficulties. It
appears that the machinations of the Netherhells were even more insidious than we first thought. By
dragging the city of Vushta down within their noxious domain, the demons have somehow subtly changed
it. I fear this change may affect everything within the city. We have already seen how it affects the use of
magic.тАЩ

тАШThis is all the doing of demons?тАЩ Norei asked. тАШThen that means we havenтАЩt defeated them as
thoroughly as we thought!тАЩ

тАШAlas, no.тАЩ My master scratched absently at the thick white hair beneath his wizardтАЩs cap. тАШI fear that our
victory celebrations are premature. It appears that we have won but the first battle. Vushta and the
Netherhells are still at war.тАЩ

тАШBut this is terrible!тАЩ I shuddered at the very thought of these underhanded NetherhellsтАЩ schemes. тАШWhat
can we do?тАЩ

тАШThe first thing is not to panic.тАЩ He nodded at the still sneezing mass. тАШThe enemy has, temporarily, taken
us by surprise. They have a slight advantage over us now, but it will not last for long. Already the wizards
around us are learning to control their disability.тАЩ

It was true. There were far fewer sneezes than there had been but a moment before. Perhaps my master
was right. There was cause for hope after all.

тАШIndeed,тАЩ my master continued, тАШwe must now plan for the long run. As long as we can keep our heads
-тАШ

There was an explosion in the middle of the room.

тАШHi, guys!тАЩ a tiny voice exclaimed. тАШIтАЩm back!тАЩ

I knew who it was even before the smoke had cleared. Only one creature I knew had a voice as
squeakily high and relentlessly cheerful as that.