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half　a　dozen　warriors　had　appeared　behind　them　and　were　leveling　their　crossbows。
Ryld　crouched　and　lifted　a　fold　of　his　cloak　in　front　of　his　face。　Pharaun　copied　the　move。　Two　arrowheads　plunged　through　his　makeshift　shield；　which　apparently　wasn't　as　powerfully　enchanted　as　thepiwafwi　Houndaer　had　taken　from　him。　One　quarrel　hung　up　in　the　weave。　The　other　hurtled　right　through　and　grazed　the　mage's　shoulder；　stinging　him　and　slicing　a　shallow　cut。　He　prayed　it　wasn't　poisoned。
Hearing　a　ragged　clatter；　Pharaun　uncovered　his　eyes。　The　rogues　had　dropped　their　crossbows　and　were　charging。　They'd　already　dashed　too　close　for　him　to　employ　the　incantation　he　would　have　preferred。　Instead　he　cast　darts　of　light　and　dropped　two　renegades。　He　discharged　his　crossbow　and　missed　a　third。
Ryld　bellowed　a　war　cry　and　sprang　forward　to　meet　the　foes　remaining。　The　broadsword　flashed　back　and　forth；　thrusting；　cutting；　and　parrying　with　the　small；　precise　movements　that　characterized　true　mastery。　Pharaun　edged　forward　with　his　dirk　in　hand　but　never　got　a　chance　to　use　it。　The　rogues　all　died　before　he　could　advance　into　range。
Pharaun　took　stock　of　himself　and　decided　he　didn't　have　any　venom　in　his　system；　but　Ryld　groaned；　made　a　face；　and　clutched　at　his　temple。
〃What　is　it？〃　the　wizard　asked。
It　seemed　likely　that　one　of　the　enemy　had　scored；　but　he　didn't　see　any　blood　slipping　between　his　friend's　fingers；　and　head　wounds　bled　copiously。
〃A　throbbing　headache；〃　said　the　swordsman。　〃Left　over　from　Houndaer　and　Syrzan；　I　suppose；　made　worse　when　my　heart　started　beating　harder。　I'm　all　right　now。〃
〃I　rejoice　to　hear　it。〃　Pharaun　turned；　right　into　a　second　volley　of　quarrels。
He　had　no　time　to　raise　his　cloak；　dodge；　or　do　anything　else　but　gawk　at　the　second　band　of　renegades　who'd　crept　up　from　the　other　direction。　Miraculously；　every　shaft　missed。
One　of　the　newers　shouted；　〃They're　here〃
The　guards　charged；　and　Pharaun　brandished　a　bit　of　spiderweb；　the　one　spell　focus　he'd　had　no　difficulty　replacing。　A　mesh　of　taut；　luminous　cables　appeared　around　the　onrushing　renegades。　Anchored　to　the　wall；　the　cables　were　as　strong　as　rope　and　as　sticky　as　glue。　They　snared　and　held　the　rogues。
All　but　the　two　in　front。　Either　they'd　been　nimble　enough　to　jump　clear　before　the　effect　fully　materialized；　or　their　innate　dark　elf　resistance　to　magic　had　protected　them。
Undeterred　by　the　loss　of　their　rades；　the　warriors　drove　onward　into　sword　range。　The　one　who　focused　on　Pharaun　had　a　birthmark　staining　his　left　profile。
Pharaun　shot。　The　shaft　hit　the　male　square　in　the　chest　but　glanced　off　his　mail。　The　ugly　male　swung　his　sword　in　a　flank　cut。　Pharaun　twisted　aside　and　menced　an　incantation。
He　had　to　dodge　two　more　attacks　before　he　finished。　Shafts　of　light　sprang　from　his　fingertips。
Only　one　such　spell　left；　he　thought；　and　only　one　more　chance　to　conjure　a　trap　of　webbing；　too。
The　missiles　passed　through　the　renegade's　mail　and　sent　him　reeling　backward。　Wounded　but　still　alive；　the　rogue　gave　his　head　a　shake。　Pharaun　yanked　his　new　dirk　out　of　his　belt　and　flung　himself　at　the　guard。　The　wizard　rammed　his　point　up　under　the　ugly　male's　chin　before　the　latter　had　quite　recovered　his　wits。
Pharaun　turned。　Feinting　low　and　striking　high；　Ryld　whipped　his　broadsword　through　his　opponent's　neck。　The　renegade　fell；　his　severed　head　tumbling　away。　For　a　moment；　Pharaun　felt　a　touch　of　relief；　then　he　noticed　his　friend's　grimace　and　the　blood　on　his　thigh；　and　heard　the　calls　of　other　pursuers　drawing　near。
〃It　sounds　as　if　all　the　rogues　are　hunting　us；〃　the　wizard　said。　〃What　a　gracious　pliment。〃
〃They　heard　the　fight；〃　Ryld　replied。　〃They　have　some　idea　where　we　are；　and　thanks　to　you；　this　passage　has　bee　a　culdesac。　We　have　to　move—now。〃
〃Perhaps　you　would　have　preferred　me　to　let　the　rest　of　our　attackers　swarm　all　over　us。〃
〃Just　move。〃
They　did；　with　the　prisoners　in　the　web　shouting　imprecations　after　them。　Pharaun　soon　discerned　that　Ryld　was　making　an　effort　not　to　limp　nor　show　any　sort　of　distress　but　couldn't　mask　his　pain　pletely。
The　wizard　considered　leaving　patches　of　darkness　behind　to　hinder　pursuit；　but　had　he　done　so；　he　would　have　been　marking　his　trail。　He　could　only　think　of　one　trick　he　could　use　to　evade　the　renegades；　and　hoped　it　wouldn't　be　necessary。
Twice；　the　masters　sensed　a　band　of　rogues　was　near　and　hid　in　a　room　until　they　passed。　Finally　they　found　a　staircase　leading　downward。　Pharaun　hoped　their　descent　to　the　lower　level　would　throw　off　the　pursuit　but　soon　realized　it　hadn't。　Perhaps　it　was　because　the　fugitives　were　leaving　a　trail　of　blood。　Pharaun's　little　cut　had　stopped　bleeding；　but　Ryld's　gashed　leg　had　not。
Despite　himself；　the　burly　swordsman　began　taking　uneven　strides；　one　shorter　than　the　other。　Pharaun　heard　a　murmur　of　voices　ing　from　behind　and　out　of　a　side　passage　as　well。
He　said；　〃Stay　where　you　are。　I　have　an　idea。〃
Ryld　shrugged。
The　wizard　advanced　a　few　paces　down　the　corridor。　He　lifted　his　wisp　of　cobweb　and　chanted。　Power　groaned　through　the　air；　and　crisscrossing　cables　sealed　the　corridor。　The　rogues　he'd　heard　were　on　the　other　side。　So　was　Ryld。
The　swordsman　looked　at　his　friend　through　the　interstices　and　said；　〃I　don't　understand。〃
〃And　you　a　master　tactician。　Truly；　I　regret　this；　but　I　could　either　stick　with　you　and　let　your　injuries　retard　my　progress　or　else　leave　you　behind　as　a　rear　guard　to　slow　my　pursuers。　Considering　how　vulnerable　I　currently　am；　the　choice　was　reasonably　obvious。〃
〃Damn　you　How　many　times　have　I　saved　your　life？〃
〃I've　lost　count。　At　any　rate；　this　will　make　one　more；　in　the　course　of　which　you'll　finally　be　rid　of　your　melancholy。　Goodbye；　old　friend。〃
Pharaun　turned　and　strode　away。
He　heard　a　crossbow　clack；　and　flung　himself　to　the　side。　The　quarrel　flew　past　him。　Ryld　had　needed　mendable　accuracy　to　avoid　snagging　the　missile　in　the　adhesive　mesh。
Pharaun　glanced　back　and　said；　〃Nice　shot；　but　you　might　want　to　save　your　quarrels　for　the　renegades。〃
He　skulked　on；　and　quickened　his　pace　when　someone　shouted　behind　him；　and　metal　clashed　on　metal。
Ryld　quickly　learned　that　one　of　the　rogues　was　a　wizard；　and　a　deft　one　at　that。　He　had　no　difficulty　lobbing　spells　through　the　line　his　rades　had　formed　across　the　hall；　leaving　them　unscathed　but　battering　the　weapons　master　with　one　attack　after　another。
So　far　the　flares　of　power　had　seared　and　chilled　the　Master　of　MeleeMagthere　but　done　no　serious　harm。　He　doubted　that　would　last。　He　needed　to　put　a　stop　to　the　magic　before　the　mage　slipped　an　attack　through　his　natural　resistance；　and　that　meant　breaking　through　the　line
He　faked　a　sidestep　to　the　left；　then　dodged　right。　His　wounded　leg　throbbed；　and　a　soreness；　the　residue　of　Syrzan's　attack；　twisted　through　his　mind。　The　pain　slowed　him　just　enough　to　render　the　deception　ineffective。　Urlryn；　the　longarmed；　gaptoothed　renegade　on　the　right；　another　of　Ryld's　former　students　and　a　good　one；　met　him　with　a　wicked　thrust　to　the　belly。
As　every　warrior　knows；　you　can't　retreat　at　the　same　instant　you're　advancing。　Ryld　had　no　choice　but　to　defend　with　the　blade。　He　swept　his　broadsword　across　his　body　in　a　lateral　parry。　Urlryn　tried　to　dip　his　point　beneath　the　block；　but　moved　just　a　hair　too　slowly。　Ryld　smashed　his　adversary's　blade　aside；　loosening　his　grip　in　the　bargain。
The　weapons　master　started　to　riposte　with　a　chest　cut；　then　sensed　movement　on　his　flank。　He　pivoted。　Hoping　to　take　him　unawares；　the　rogue　next　to　Urlryn　was　swinging　an　axe　at　his　knee。　It　was　how　warriors　fought　in　a　line。　You　killed　the　male　who　was　focused　on　your　neighbor。
Ryld　leaped　over　the　attack。　When　he　landed；　his　leg　screamed　with　pain　and　threatened　to　buckle　beneath　him。　Shouting；　he　made　it　hold　and　cut　at　the　axeman's　belly。　The　broadsword　crunched　through　mail；　and　the　rogue　toppled。
Ryld's　blade　was　still　buried　in　the　axeman's　guts　when　Urlryn　and　the　other　surviving　warrior　rushed　him。　The　master　floundered　backward；　dragging　the　broadsword　free。　Swords　flashed　at　him；　and　somehow；　even　offbalance；　he　dodged　them；　but　in　so　doing；　fell　on　his　rump。
The　rogues　scrambled　forward　to　finish　h