"Christopher Stasheff - Rogue Wizard 06 - A Wizard in Chaos" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stasheff Christopher)

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A Wizard In ChaosA Wizard In Chaos
The Fifth Chronicle of Magnus D'Armand, Rogue Wizard
By Christopher Stasheff
ISBN: 0-812-54928-7


CHAPTER 1
The roar of battle filled Cort's ears, deafening him. He couldn't even hear the
bellow as the enemy soldier swung his broadsword. He only saw the man's mouth
gaping.
Cort caught the blow on his shield. It jarred his arm all the way to the
shoulder, but he couldn't hear the blade ring. He pivoted and stabbed crosswise
at the foeman's sword arm. The man rolled back, catching Cort's blade on his
own, but was too slow trying to return the stroke. Cort let his blade's rebound
help him in swinging up, over, and down at the man's shoulder. The soldier's
mouth widened in an unheard scream as he fell away.
Even in the thick of battle, Cort felt elation that he hadn't had to kill the
man. He stood in the forefront of his men on guard, waiting for another enemy
boot soldier to fill the place of the one who had fallen-but surprisingly, no
one came. Instead, three of the enemy turned and ran from the unceasing blows of
Cort's own soldiers. He stood a moment, staring in disbelief. Then a grin of
triumph split his face, and a yell of victory from all his platoon split the
air. The raw energy of it seemed to strike the enemy in the back and push them
on; they ran, then ran faster as Cort's men redoubled their yelling.
Young Aulin leaped forward to chase, howling like a madman.
"Stop him!" Cort cried, and Sergeant Otto leaped after Aulin, two soldiers
following him. They caught the boy and sent him spinning back into line. Thanks
be, Cort thought. It was the third rule of battle every new recruit had to
learn: Never chase a routed enemy. Too many of them had been known to turn and
fight when you had come too far from the safety of your own lines.
Watching the enemy run, Cort could only think that it was no surprise. They'd
been raw farm boys, probably pressed into service by their boss on a week's
notice, when he'd found out the Boss of Zutaine had hired the Blue Company to
march against him. They hadn't stood a chance against seasoned professionals. It
was a wonder they had lasted half an hour!
"We're not just going to let them run, are we, lieutenant?" his master sergeant
growled.
"Of course not, Sergeant Otto," Cort replied, "but we wait for the captain's
signal."
A bugle rang out, its clear high note piercing the shouting. The Blue Company
responded with a massed cheer and started forward.
"Advance!" Cort told the master sergeant, and the man turned to bawl the order
to the platoon. They marched forward, picking their way over and through the
bodies of the fallen. Cort knew the sight would trouble him horribly when the
battle lust had faded, but for now, his heart sang high with the knowledge that
boot after boot had attacked him and fallen, but he still walked!
They came to the top of the rise, and- Cort saw the bullies in the distance,
spurring their way past their own soldiers, knocking them aside in their haste