The Seven Swords by Nils Johnson-Shelton

Author:Nils Johnson-Shelton [Johnson-Shelton, Nils]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

17 - HOW ARTIE AND COMPANY ARE TREATED TO A LITTLE FEE-FI-FO-FUM

Kay made a shocked sound halfway between “Oh” and “Ugh” as the giant came to a stop in the archway.

He was around twelve feet tall and nearly as wide, with green, oily skin that was covered in boils and pockmarks. His flat, four-toed feet were bare, but his torso was covered with a furry smock embellished with hundreds of sparkling jewels. His head was squat and brick-shaped, his eyes milky and saucer-sized; a few strands of wiry black hair stuck out of his otherwise bald pate like pins in a pincushion. In his gargantuan hand the giant held a wooden club with a spiked metal ball lashed to its end.

He took a loping step into the room, picked up one of the leg bones from the pile, and hurled it at Lance, who dodged it expertly.

Artie threw his spear at the giant’s neck, and it was on target to strike, but at the last moment the creature swiped the air with his club, knocking Rhongomyniad to the floor with a clatter.

Since Orgulus hadn’t taught Lance any cool tricks, he wasn’t going to fight with it. As Artie called back his spear, Lance stuck the sword through his belt, unslung his American-themed bow from his shoulder, nocked a trio of arrows, and fired. One glanced off the giant’s temple, one struck his cheek, and the other embedded in the thick skin above one of his eyes.

The giant flicked away the arrow in its forehead and tore the other one from its cheek. He spit a wad of black blood on the ground, then threw the arrow back at Lance like a dart. Lance dodged again and the arrowhead struck the granite of the closest pillar.

Lance and Artie shared a glance.

They were in trouble.

The giant pointed its club at the rapier in Lance’s belt and said with a rumbling, gravely voice, “C’est le mien!”

No one needed a translator to know that he had just said, “That’s mine!”

“No it isn’t!” Lance barked. “It’s mine now!”

The giant didn’t like this. He smashed his club on the ground, shaking the entire room. He was about to charge Lance when Bedevere slipped into the crypt’s inner chamber, said, “Phantoma!” and grabbed the giant with his magical arm, stopping him dead in his tracks.

The monster twisted and roared and tried to pull away but went nowhere. He swiped at the invisible arm to no effect. If anything, the strength of Bedevere’s grasp just got stronger.

“Way to go, Beddy!” Kay barked.

“It’s not fully charged,” Bedevere yelled desperately. “We’ve got about thirty seconds! Run, sire!”

Artie, Kay, and Lance kicked into high gear, but as they skirted the giant, he swung violently with his club and caught Artie and Kay across their chests.

Their new graphene shirts saved them from being killed by the club’s spikes, but they still went flying and it still hurt like all get-out. They hit the back wall, and both slid to the floor in a heap.

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