burned low in the town square and most of the Turucks stayed to the shadows. But the power of Tag Makk withstood the torchlight. He looked at the dark windows of the buildings seeing empty souls waiting his command. His generals were already urging him to continue northward into Masina and Eslenda, but he would make them wait. Only he would decide when to strike again. He wanted to enjoy the sack of the city and the leaders of the Penarols begging for his mercy. He would enjoy that. Crowds of people huddled around their doorways to glimpse the conqueror as he took their city. Tag Makk was known throughout the southern lands as a night beast, a creature without mercy, but the people had nowhere to go. They would see if Tag Makk had any mercy in his body. His soldiers lined up a group of Men then pushed them to their knees. One remained standing and a sword lopped off his head. There was no sound in the square.
The huge man dismounted where the Penarol leaders waited on their knees. Tag Makk grinned at the six Men in the dirt before him. He shouted to the people of the city. He shouted to his men. Then he raised his war hammer and brought it down, and one by one he crushed the life out of each man. He waved his bloody hammer to the night sky and the Penarol people fell to their knees. His servant, Machel, shouted and the Turuck soldiers ran forward to despoil the wealthy city.
The golden casket was carried forward and set before Tag Makk. He closed his eyes, listening to his master's commands. Machel watched the beaten citizens and they stared at him. His bluish skin was a curiosity in the desert, as was his short copper hair and eyes. He waited for Tag Makk to finish and then led him to the great house where Machel had setup quarters for his lord.
Shadow Runners moved through the city killing anyone with a weapon. They ignored those who had given up but all resistance was crushed. In the Merchant's Hall a man stood waiting for them, dressing as a noble, graying hair tied behind his head, he held two swords and beckoned the Shadow Runners to join him in the dance. The arrogance of the Shadow Runners diminished as the first three fell at the man's feet.
"Is that all you have?" asked the man. "I've had better students who were half your size." They rushed him and the man's sword danced and sang and drank deeply.
Two more Shadow Runners fell in their own blood. The man breathed harder but still smiled.
"The desert has made you slow. You fight as children. You should have sent your best swords. Best hurry now, the dawn comes."
Soon a dozen more Shadow Runners joined their comrades and the man recognized the inevitable. Still, his swords sang as he rushed them.
Later, soldiers dragged the man to Tag Makk. The man was not a Penarol, but his clothes were made of fine cloth and his weapons were oiled and polished. The man was badly beaten and Tag Makk's Shadow Runners would not do that unless the man put up a fight. By the damage they inflicted the man must have been a fierce fighter. They dropped the man before their lord and bowed.
"Where did you find him?"
"In the merchants' hall," said Salie, one of the Turuck warlords. He was the first new Warlord chosen when Tag Makk returned from the desert with the Menaloch. Salie was short for a Turuck but broad and muscular. His long black hair fell in two braids.
"He fought with two swords and killed ten Shadow Runners before he fell. Ten Shadow Runners! I never saw such a fighter. His skin is fair so he must come from Eslenda."
"Do you lie to me? This man killed Shadow Runners?"
"It is so, my lord."
"Eslenda? Do you come from Eslenda?" Tag Makk's common tongue, while heavily accented was actually quite understandable. The man tried to raise his head to look at Tag Makk, but he collapsed. Machel nudged him with his foot.
"He will not speak now," asked Machel. "Shall I kill him?"
"No. There is no hurry. Lock him up somewhere. Put a guard over him and call me when he
The huge man dismounted where the Penarol leaders waited on their knees. Tag Makk grinned at the six Men in the dirt before him. He shouted to the people of the city. He shouted to his men. Then he raised his war hammer and brought it down, and one by one he crushed the life out of each man. He waved his bloody hammer to the night sky and the Penarol people fell to their knees. His servant, Machel, shouted and the Turuck soldiers ran forward to despoil the wealthy city.
The golden casket was carried forward and set before Tag Makk. He closed his eyes, listening to his master's commands. Machel watched the beaten citizens and they stared at him. His bluish skin was a curiosity in the desert, as was his short copper hair and eyes. He waited for Tag Makk to finish and then led him to the great house where Machel had setup quarters for his lord.
Shadow Runners moved through the city killing anyone with a weapon. They ignored those who had given up but all resistance was crushed. In the Merchant's Hall a man stood waiting for them, dressing as a noble, graying hair tied behind his head, he held two swords and beckoned the Shadow Runners to join him in the dance. The arrogance of the Shadow Runners diminished as the first three fell at the man's feet.
"Is that all you have?" asked the man. "I've had better students who were half your size." They rushed him and the man's sword danced and sang and drank deeply.
Two more Shadow Runners fell in their own blood. The man breathed harder but still smiled.
"The desert has made you slow. You fight as children. You should have sent your best swords. Best hurry now, the dawn comes."
Soon a dozen more Shadow Runners joined their comrades and the man recognized the inevitable. Still, his swords sang as he rushed them.
Later, soldiers dragged the man to Tag Makk. The man was not a Penarol, but his clothes were made of fine cloth and his weapons were oiled and polished. The man was badly beaten and Tag Makk's Shadow Runners would not do that unless the man put up a fight. By the damage they inflicted the man must have been a fierce fighter. They dropped the man before their lord and bowed.
"Where did you find him?"
"In the merchants' hall," said Salie, one of the Turuck warlords. He was the first new Warlord chosen when Tag Makk returned from the desert with the Menaloch. Salie was short for a Turuck but broad and muscular. His long black hair fell in two braids.
"He fought with two swords and killed ten Shadow Runners before he fell. Ten Shadow Runners! I never saw such a fighter. His skin is fair so he must come from Eslenda."
"Do you lie to me? This man killed Shadow Runners?"
"It is so, my lord."
"Eslenda? Do you come from Eslenda?" Tag Makk's common tongue, while heavily accented was actually quite understandable. The man tried to raise his head to look at Tag Makk, but he collapsed. Machel nudged him with his foot.
"He will not speak now," asked Machel. "Shall I kill him?"
"No. There is no hurry. Lock him up somewhere. Put a guard over him and call me when he
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