A Thundering of Monsters by S.A. Patrick

Author:S.A. Patrick [Patrick, S.A]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Holiday House
Published: 2024-04-02T00:00:00+00:00

21

Rescue of the Pipers

Patch & Barver

Patch made his way farther into the frozen-time spell until he reached the nearest injured Piper. She was on the ground, using a knife to fend off a vicious devil-bird on top of her. Its claws had raked through the Piper’s clothing, leaving a deep gouge in her flesh that would need the attention of the helsterhogs. Patch lifted the stiff-limbed creature away, then began to drag the woman to safety.

Everything he touched felt as hard as stone.

At the edge of the spell, the shimmering followed the pair for some way, finally vanishing suddenly like a popped bubble. The Piper struggled and lashed out with the knife in her hand, her eyes wide with fear; Patch barely managed to step back out of harm’s way. When she saw that she was no longer in danger, she collapsed, shivering with the pain of her wounds.

“Oh, yes, you need to be careful of that,” said Lar-Sennen, a little late.

From then on, Patch was careful to remove the weapons of those he rescued and to always take a few quick steps away before the spell’s effect vanished. Everyone he pulled from the fight was right in the middle of a life-or-death struggle, and who could have blamed them if they’d accidentally injured their rescuer?

He spent the next few hours untangling the frozen battle while the helsterhogs tended to the injuries under Barver’s watchful eye. The devil-birds were carefully brought to one densely packed region within the spell, as far from Merta as Patch could manage.

He decided to leave Alia and Tobias until last. Their safety was the most important of all to him, and whenever he felt his energy flag, the sight of them both let him summon the strength to venture back inside.

The helsterhogs usually made quick work of healing the injured, but some of the Pipers and soldiers were beyond even their miracles. Each death hit everyone hard—the helsterhogs included. When a patient died in spite of their efforts, the helsterhogs curled up into balls and trembled.

Some of the uninjured Pipers helped by playing Healing Songs; others played Songs to buoy Patch up, even though his legs were ready to give way.

And then at last he was done, and he brought first Tobias and then Alia from the clutches of the spell. Tobias was bleeding profusely from an injury to his side, requiring the immediate aid of the helsterhogs.

Alia, though, was unharmed. Flabbergasted when the spell’s effect was broken, she stared at Patch and Barver; she stared at the gathered forces of the army, who were cheering her name and Patch’s too. She turned and stared at the devil-birds, still trapped in time and crowded together—and at Merta, standing as if locked in a terrible fight even though the devil-birds she’d been battling against were gone.

Alia glared at Patch. “What on earth have you been up to now?” she said sternly. Then she noticed Lar-Sennen’s ghost standing beside him. Her eyes widened. “And you are . .

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