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Hawk's raids had only proved a minor irritation to Bran and the Imperial Guard. Bolder
attacks on the troops and the tax collectors sent the capital into a frenzy. Bran
tells Ichi he does not like sorcery and likes something else even less. With candles
about and Bran, a blond elf, a black elf, and himself shirtless and kneeling, Ichi
starts a spell, his eyes turning white. A hand reaches up from the floor which is
shimmering. It takes the blond elf by the throat and pulls him into the shimmer.
It is Zuran who is angry at being disturbed. Ichi follows and finds a Wizard Zuran
of the Srith. Ichi offers the Srith the Sidhe who has more power than he: Windblade.
But his power must be channeled through another magic user. Ichi will help Zuran
enslave Windblade. They will make plans while the Srith eats the blond elf. A few
days later: The merchant Hawk is after will have only one guard. A minstrel told
them this. Turo agrees with Hawk so Dao snaps he can be right sometimes. Hawk tells
Dao not to pick on the kids, he likes it when they agree with him. The fat merchant
is being pulled by two bald headed boy elves and he sings a song that Dao says is
disgusting. When he says "disgusting" Turo says, "Dao saw his reflection."
Windblade tries to interrupt Hawk and the others as they hold bows and arrows on
the merchant. The bag of the merchant's is full of slugs. A tentacles comes out of
the merchant's chest and wraps around Dao. As Turo (with his long pony tail) is attacked
by bald headed servants, Hawk fires an arrow into one's heart and the other's mid—chest.
He also shoots an arrow into the forehead of the merchant monster and cleaves his
head in half, freeing Dao, whose shirt rides up with wear. Two Sriths surround Turo
and Windblade. Dao cannot get unstuck from the dead thing's tongue while Hawk fights
a third Srith. He kicks at it and beheads it. Dao tells him Windy and Turo are gone,
"I...I'm sorry." Hawk yells, "No!" Morning: Bran thanks Ichi
as he is served breakfast by a page boy. The large muscled warrior (named Broan)
asks Dao what they should do about the brooding Hawk since Dao knows Hawk longer
than he and Wimple do. Cindrian (new spelling) set out last night and didn't tell
anyone why. Naked and semi—naked boys with nose rings and wearing remains of their
underwear work deep within the Earth, whipped by Srith. Turo, his nose with a ring,
is greeted by a boy elf called Orin. Turo agrees to escape with the boys but will
not leave Windblade. Oriental elf boys with their hair tied up into top head tree
like masses and the rest of their head shaved wake up Windblade. The two boys wear
tiny shorts. Windblade is in something that looks like a wrestler's one piece. The
two boys are forced to tie him onto the Srith. Using Windy's power, the Srith turns
the two boys into animal—boys (one is a mouse, the other a cat). They run. Two royal
foresters, one named Kinn, dressed in Robin Hood like hats see Cindrian playing his
flute and want to take him. Cindrian's call is heeded by Gremlins who pull the two
foresters into the ground. Cindrian shakes hands with Prince Puddin of the Putti
clan, a long time friend who has not seen him in a while. Cindrian asks him to guide
them to the Srith nest |