"Jeffrey Lord - Blade 14 - The Temples of Ayocan" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lord Jeffery)

The first two warriors moved toward him, taking care to avoid damaging the bushes. Blade shifted a
few steps to the left and dropped into an unarmed-combat fighting stance, balanced on the balls of his
feet, fists raised. Both warriors were coming at him with their swords in the right hand and their axes in
the left. Blade kept a particularly close watch on the axes. If they were throwing axes, he might need
more luck than he liked to imagine to make a good showing in this fight. He wanted the warriors at close
quarters, where his unarmed-combat skills would give him an advantage.
The warriors spread apart as they approached, until they were coming in almost on either side of
Blade. He drifted back a few steps, so he could keep both in sight. They spread still farther apart, again
trying to get around his flanks. But now they were so far apart that they could not support each other.
Blade saw that, and also saw that the next step the right-hand one took would bring him into the open,
with nothing between him and Blade.
The warrior took that step. Blade sprang forward, fists lunging. He came down within striking
distance of the warrior. His right fist flashed past the man's rising sword and smashed into his jaw. The
warrior's head snapped back, his eyes rolled up in his head, and he collapsed backward, spitting blood
and teeth. As he went down Blade broke his sword-arm with a left-handed karate chop and snatched
the sword out of the air. He had just time to raise it before the second warrior charged in, sword
guarding and axe raised to strike overhand. By sheer speed and strength Blade smashed the man's guard
down and split his skull open like a melon. The axe dropped from his wavering hand, and that too Blade
plucked out of the air.
Blade turned toward the other warriors and brandished both sword and axe high in the air. They
caught the torchlight and threw off sparks of yellow-orange. He shouted at the warriors, "Come on, little
men! If you are men, that is. Two hundred of you, only one of me. Isn't that even odds, at least? Or does
it take three hundred of you to meet one real warrior?"
His insults got the reaction he was hoping for. Angry growls and muttered curses rose from among
the warriors. Blade shifted again, still farther up the slope, and watched two more warriors move toward
him.
 This time Blade attacked first. He could move faster through the bushes, for he did not have to worry
about damaging them. Vaulting high over one of the lower bushes, he landed squarely between the two
warriors. Before they recovered from the surprise, he had whirled to the left, slashing low with his sword.
The warrior brought his sword down to guard while raising his axe to strike. This opened his left side and
armpit to Blade, who struck hard with his own axe. He felt bone crunch under the axe, and the warrior
choked, coughed blood, and fell gasping and writhing to the ground. Blade leaped high, smashing both
feet down on his back as he lay, and the warrior abruptly stopped writhing.
Now Blade leaped from his victim's body to face the man's partner. This warrior was either more
skilled or more cautious. He stood on the defensive, guarding with both axe and sword, his black eyes
never leaving Blade's face. Blade feinted several times with both sword and axe, but the warrior's
responses were fast and sure, and left no openings. Blade realized this was a more dangerous opponent
than the first three. But he couldn't afford to let the fight go on much longer. Every extra minute would
give the other warriors more confidence, and perhaps a chance for a sneak blow from the rear.
Blade hefted the short-handled axe, assessing the balance. Perhaps it wasn't used for throwing, but
that didn't mean it couldn't be. The balance seemed right. He took two steps back, to give himself room
then his arm rose and swung back. The warrior rushed forward, Blade's arm also snapped forward, and
the axe flashed through the air and squarely into the warrior's chest. Its weight and the razor-sharp edge
buried it deep. Blood oozed from around it. The warrior stood for a moment as if turned to stone, his
eyes staring blankly down at the thing in his chest. Then his knees gave and he plunged forward on his
face. Blade stepped forward, picked up the fallen man's axe, and again faced his enemies.
Some of the warriors were still cursing angrily, but others were muttering uncertainly. Blade's quick
disposal of four of them had certainly made an impression. Even the ones who were shaking their fists at
him did so from a safe distance, and he did not notice any of them moving in to the attack.
Then the chief priest joined the warriors. There was nothing to distinguish him from the other priests