"Jim Theis - The Eye of Argon" - читать интересную книгу автора (Theis Jim)

off the effects of the pounding blow to his head, Grignr brought down his
scarlet streaked edge against the soldier's crudely forged hauberk,
clanging harmlessly to the left side of his opponent. The soldier's stead
whinnied as he directed the horse back from the driving blade of the
barbarian. Grignr leashed his mount forward as the hoarsely piercing
battle cry of his wilderness bred race resounded from his grinding lungs.
A twirling blade bounced harmlessly from the mighty thief's buckler as his
rolling right arm cleft upward, sending a foot of blinding steel ripping
through the Simarian's exposed gullet. A gasping gurgle from the soldier's
writhing mouth as he tumbled to the golden sand at his feet, and wormed
agonizingly in his death bed.
Grignr's emerald green orbs glared lustfully at the wallowing soldier
struggling before his chestnut swirled mount. His scowling voice
reverberated over the dying form in a tone of mocking mirth. "You city
bred dogs should learn not to antagonize your better." Reining his weary
mount ahead, grignr resumed his journey to the Noregolian city of Gorzam,
hoping to discover wine, women, and adventure to boil the wild blood
coarsing through his savage veins.
The trek to Gorzom was forced upon Grignr when the soldiers of Crin
were leashed upon him by a faithless concubine he had wooed. His
scandalous activities throughout the Simarian city had unleashed throngs of
havoc and uproar among it's refined patricians, leading them to tack a
heavy reward over his head. He had barely managed to escape through the
back entrance of the inn he had been guzzling in, as a squad of soldiers
tounced upon him. After spilling a spout of blood from the leader of the
mercenaries as he dismembered one of the officer's arms, he retreated to
his mount to make his way towards Gorzom, rumoured to contain hoards of
plunder, and many young wenches for any man who has the backbone to wrest
them away.

-2-

Arriving after dusk in Gorzom,grignr descended down a dismal alley,
reining his horse before a beaten tavern. The redhaired giant strode into
the dimly lit hostelry reeking of foul odors, and cheap wine. The air was
heavy with chocking fumes spewing from smolderingtorches encased within
theden's earthen packed walls. Tables were clustered with groups of
drunken thieves, and cutthroats, tossing dice, or making love to willing
prostitutes.
Eyeing a slender female crouched alone at a nearby bench, Grignr
advanced wishing to wholesomely occupy his time. The flickering torches
cast weird shafts of luminescence dancing over the half naked harlot of his
choice, her stringy orchid twines of hair swaying gracefully over the lithe
opaque nose, as she raised a half drained mug to her pale red lips.
Glancing upward, the alluring complexion noted the stalwart giant as
he rapidly approached. A faint glimmer sparked from the pair of deep blue
ovals of the amorous female as she motioned toward Grignr, enticing him to
join her. The barbarian seated himself upon a stool at the wenches side,
exposing his body, naked save for a loin cloth brandishing a long steel
broad sword, an iron spiraled battle helmet, and a thick leather sandals,