Conflict by Pedro Urvi Read Free Book Online Page A

wine.
    “I agree with that strategy,” said Lindaro. “Better wait for them in a safe place and try to find out what they want from you.” He went to the window as he said this and looked out into the darkness.
    “I don’t agree. I’m with Komir in this,” said Kayti. “If we find out what it is they’re looking for, we’ll be ahead of them. Then when they come, sooner or later, we’ll have the advantage. I don’t like the idea of waiting until they come one night and cut our throats in our sleep…”
    Hartz lowered his enormous body into one of the tiny chairs. “I’ll do whatever you say, Komir, you know that.”
    The four of them remained silent for a moment, weighing the odds, until Kayti broke the silence in a soft voice.
    “Hmmm… Perhaps we already have what they’re looking for…”
    “What do you mean?” asked Komir.
    “The Ilenian King’s sword. It’s no ordinary sword, it has power. A very valuable, ancient power.”
    “Power?” said Lindaro, interested. “What kind of power?”
    “A strange, dangerous one. I’d say it was forged with several spells. Powerful spells for whoever wields it,” said the warrior woman.
    “Could you explain that?” asked Lindaro. “What’s all this about powerful spells in a sword? Could it be bewitched?”
    Kayti turned to look into Hartz’s eyes. With a nod she motioned him to tell the story of what had happened in the ambush they had fallen into. Hartz took a sip of wine and slowly narrated the events. He explained in detail about the awakening of the sword, the feelings and energy unleashed in him, the communication which had sprung up between him and the weapon and how powerful he had felt with it in his hand.
    “Unbelievable!” exclaimed Lindaro. “It’s amazing, a weapon of power! They were believed extinct. Only in certain very ancient volumes can you find references to those weapons, books which tell of the deeds of heroes in the distant past. They’re considered nothing more than legends and exaggerations, beautifully-wrought stories to raise the people’s spirits. And you’re telling me they really do exist?” He was so excited he could not stand still.
    “Don’t get so excited, priest, the sword is mine and you’re not going to take it away under any circumstances,” Hartz warned him, looking very serious.
    “But we should study it, analyze it to find out its secrets! Think of what we could learn, and the good it could bring…”
    “And the evil,” warned Kayti. “Think of the evil it might do if it fell into evil hands. Let me remind you that you’re on the verge of a war with your neighbors in the south, the Nocean Empire. If their Sorcerers should get hold of it… if someone with power wielded it…”
    “I understand what you mean, but it’ll be safe here. We’ll hide it in the Temple and protect it.”
    “A handful of defenseless priests? What can you protect?” boomed Hartz. “This sword is mine and it’s going to stay with me! And if somebody wants to take it away from me I’ll crush his skull! Is that clear enough?”
    “I won’t dare try,” said Lindaro, backing up to the window in the face of the big Norriel’s outburst.
    “Do you believe they’re looking for the sword, Kayti?” asked Komir.
    “It’s possible. The sword, or maybe some other object that’s even more powerful. We don’t really know what else was in the temple, or if there’s more than one temple with objects of power. And if that’s the case and there are more hidden temples, they might not be looking for the sword but for something more powerful still. Something that could sway the result of a battle, or even conquer whole kingdoms for whoever wields it…”
    Komir put his hand on his chest; under his doublet hung the medallion which had saved his life. He thought about revealing that mystery to his friends, but he would have to explain too many things, some of them quite unnerving. It was not the time or the place to reveal