Nothing was as it had been, and the Deragoth were made uneasy.
They had come to destroy.
But now hesitated.
With eyes fixed on the one who had arrived, who now stood before them, at the far end of the square.
Hesitate. Yes.
Karsa Orlong strode forward. He addressed them, his voice low and rumbling. ‘Urugal’s master had… ambitions,’ he said. ‘A dream of mastery. But now he understands better, and wants nothing to do with you.’ Then the Teblor smiled. ‘So I do.’
Both hounds stepped back, then moved to open more space between them.
Karsa smiled. You do not belong here . ‘You would let me pass?’ He continued on. And I have had my fill of strangers . ‘Do you remember the Toblakai, beasts? But they had been gentled. By civilization. By the soft trappings of foolish peace. So weakened that they could not stand before T’lan Imass, could not stand before Forkrul Assail and Jaghut. And now, they cannot stand before Nathii slavers.
‘An awakening was needed, friends. Remember the Toblakai, if it comforts you.’ He strode directly between the two hounds, as if he intended to accept their invitation to pass.
The hounds attacked.
As he knew they would.
Karsa dropped into a crouch that leaned far to his left, as he brought up the massive stone sword over his head, point sliding left-directly into the path of the hound charging from that side.
Striking it in the chest.
The heavy sternum cracked but did not shatter, and the rippled blade edge scored a bloody path down along the ribs.
Karsa’s crouch then exploded after his weapon, his legs driving his shoulder forward and up to hammer the beast at the level of its collar bones.
Jaws snapped above the back of the Toblakai’s neck, then the impact jolted through warrior and hound both.
And the latter’s sword-gouged ribs splintered.
Jaws closed around Karsa’s right leg just below the knee.
And he was lifted clear of the ground. Then thrown to one side, though the jaws did not loosen. The wrench snapped the sword from his hands.
Molars ground against bone, incisors shredded muscle. The second hound closed on Karsa, savagely shaking the leg in its jaws.
The first hound staggered away a few paces, left foreleg dragging, blood spilling out beneath it.
Karsa made no effort to pull away from the beast seeking to chew off his lower leg. Instead, he pushed himself upright on his one free leg and lunged into the hound. Arms wrapping around the rippling body behind the shoulders.
With a bellow, the Teblor lifted the hound. Hind legs kicked in wild panic, but he was already wrenching the entire beast over.