Applegate, Katherine A Everworld 03 Enter the Enchanted

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took her and brought her across the barrier be-
Mayan and Aztec and Egyptian, Celt and Briton
tween worlds. She is mine by right of conquest."
and African, and yes, those like the Coo-Hatch
"You mean to use her to destroy our world,"
who will join us, all united we can "
Merlin said. "That makes her every man's con-
"No. There is another way." Loki stabbed his
cern."
finger toward Senna. "As we came to Everworld,
"Destroy?" Loki cried. "Destroy? You jackass,
we can return to the Old World. The thousand
Everworld is already destroyed. Do you think you
years of the prophecy are almost done. Leave
can withstand Ka Anor when he comes? Thor is
Everworld to Ka Anor. Let the alien invaders have
gone. He went to battle with Ka Anor and has not
it We can escape. We can escape, through her!
been seen since. Will you stop the creature that
"I'm not greedy, Merlin. You can come, too. All
ate Thor and spit out his hammer?"
the gods are welcome." He spread his hands like a
Suddenly Merlin's world-weary pose dropped
misunderstood man pleading for tolerance.
away. He clenched his fist and stared hard at the
'Zeus's children are welcome; Quetzalcoatl and
looming god. "1 warned you, Loki. Warned you
Huitzilopoctli; Isis and Osiris; and all the immor-
all that we could only win out if we were united.
tals, all welcome, all grudges forgotten. Even tire-
If all the gods, all the powers were united, to-
some tree worshippers like you may come along.
gether we could "
Merlin. A better world than this. The Old World.
"Unite? Your great dream. Merlin, a world of
Just give me the witch, and we will leave Ever-
unity and peace, under one leader. You tried that.
world and seal the door behind us."
And where is Arthur now? Dead. Dead from your
Galahad looked up at Loki, now a giant, twelve
own carelessness. And yet you preach that same
feet tall. "The witch is my guest, Great Loki. And
tired vision: Everworld united, all as one to fight
Merlin has his own claim to her. This is not a de-
Ka Anor. But I do not follow. I do not obey. I am
cision I will rush. And I will not be swayed by
a god!"
threats."
"It's the only way!" Merlin shouted. "Ka Anor
Loki bent down to bring his huge face, lips
is the god-eater, he will kill you all, one by one,
drawn back in a feral snarl, close to Galahad.
"They say you are the perfect knight. But I am a
god. Do not oppose me. My powers are great."
"You're a long way from your home, Loki,"
Merlin said.
"This is going to turn bad real quick," David
whispered. "All hell's gonna break loose. They'll
be too busy to notice us. When it hits the fan, we
book."
I didn't know if that came from Senna or from
him, but either way he was right.
Loki grinned at Merlin. Focused all his malevo- The knights jumped back, drew their swords
lent attention on the old man with the bad hair. with a single ringing clang.
And then, suddenly, swept his arm back, caught David lunged for the knife and yanked it from
Galahad with a backhand blow and knocked the the pig. "Come on!"
knight out of his chair, sprawling across the floor. Galahad rolled, wiped blood from his mouth,
stood up, drew his sword, all in one fluid motion.
He was suddenly a very different man. The smile
was gone. The thoughtful eyes were wild, manic,
excited.
Loki laughed, arrogantly sure the battle was
already his.
Merlin stood apart and held up his hands as-if
praying. In a clear, forceful voice he said,
"Death to life.
Life to slaughter,
Arise, arise beasts of the forests.
beasts attacked him, bit and dawed, butted and
Arise beasts of the fields,
gouged, he lashed out. With one massive fist he
Arise beasts of the air.
knocked Gawain and Kay to the ground.
Forget your natures and become the wolf,
Galahad rushed him, sword held high, but
To kill a wolf."
Loki caught the sword's blade in his bare hand.
Black blood dripped from the god's hand,
And then, the wild boar, the tusked pig with its
dripped and froze as it fell, clinking little ice
ribs stripped bare and its insides long since eaten,
cubes by the time it hit the floor.
kicked its legs.
But Loki's hand was not cut through. He roared
"Ah-ahh!" I cried.
in pain and yanked the sword and Galahad up.
The boar rolled over, stood on tiny hooves, and
Galahad hung on to the sword hilt, swimg back
ran down the table toward Loki.
to get momentum, then forward, and slammed
And not alone. All the dead creatures, pigs,
his feet into Loki's chest.
birds, sheep, and goats all sprang to hideous life,
The god staggered under these multiple assaults.
crisp skin crackling, blackened bones rasping,
His left hand snatched and crushed the beasts, one [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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