would take four of him laying head to foot to equal the bird's
wingspan!
After Alto crossed the stream, he looked back
and saw the wasps were rallying. They came out in a swarm and
attacked, overwhelming the bird and thrusting their stingers into
it. They met with nothing but air, confusing them as they ran into
one another. The bird disappeared, the magic undoing and making it
dissipate into thin air.
"That's what I mean," Kar said beside
him.
"Magic makes no sense," Alto said while
shaking his head.
Kar chuckled. "It makes perfect sense; you
just don't understand it."
Alto nodded. "I hope to keep it that
way!"
"You'd best learn something about it if you
hope to live a long and fruitful life."
"Why's that? My father knows next to nothing
about it and he does just fine."
"Your fate is not that of your father's, my
boy," Kar said with a warm smile. "You've a keen mind, a strong
arm, and a good heart. I don't need to be an old woman reading tea
leaves in a cup to see that you've an impressive future ahead of
you. Supposing you don't get yourself killed first, that is."
"There is that," Alto laughed.
"Keep quiet," Tristam snapped back at them.
"Ride on. If Kar's magic has riled those bees to the point of
wanting revenge, they'll come for us!"
Alto sobered at the thought of a swarm of
giant wasps on their trail. He glanced behind them and saw the
swarm buzzing about in air, still confused by the bird's
disappearance. He turned ahead and put his heels to Sebas, urging
the horse on.
They rode up around two more hills and then
up and over a third before the ground leveled into fields filled
with crops that looked to have gone untended. Weeds were growing
amongst the wheat and cornstalks, threatening to overtake them.
Alto frowned; no farmer would knowingly let this happen. Ahead of
them, they saw the smoke coming out of the chimney of a
farmhouse.
As they drew nearer, they could make out
several wasps crawling across the walls and roof of the farmhouse.
The windows had been boarded up and the door was shut. The body of
one wasp lay near the door on the ground.
"Seems promising," Karthor offered.
"I count four of them, be careful!" Tristam
said as he spurred his horse into action.
Namitus drew a dagger and held it in his left
hand. He frowned when he saw Alto pull out his massive broadsword
and grin before he followed after Tristam. Karthor joined the two
warriors, brandishing his mace.
The wasps took to the air and met them on
their way. They closed faster than Alto was ready for and he barely
dodged the thrusting stinger of the wasp that came out at him. He
swung his sword but he was already past his target. Alto yanked on
Sebas's reins and pulled him around so he could dismount and be
better balanced to fight the massive insects.
The wasp was already on its way back towards
him. Alto frowned when he saw that the insect’s path would take it
over him. He swung his sword but failed to come close enough. Sebas
whinnied behind him in fear.
Alto turned and saw the wasp hovering over
his stallion. He ground his teeth and charged, yelling and waving
his arm to get the insect’s attention. The wasp struck at Sebas but
the stallion bucked away from it in time to dodge the attack. Alto
slammed his sword into the body of the insect and knocked it to the
ground. It buzzed about for a moment before laying still.
Alto turned to see two of the bugs were on
the ground near Tristam and a third near Karthor. Tristam thrust
into one of the grounded wasps and killed it, and then turned and
met Alto's eyes. Both men were on the ground, but Tristam's mount
was staggered and blood ran from its haunch.
"Damn thing stung my horse," Tristam said. He
turned to look at the steed and watched as it stumbled and then sat
down roughly. His horse was breathing heavily and whickering
softly.
"Karthor, can you help him?" Alto asked as he
hurried over.
Karthor frowned. "Perhaps, but I'm not sure
Leander will grant me power to help a
wingspan!
After Alto crossed the stream, he looked back
and saw the wasps were rallying. They came out in a swarm and
attacked, overwhelming the bird and thrusting their stingers into
it. They met with nothing but air, confusing them as they ran into
one another. The bird disappeared, the magic undoing and making it
dissipate into thin air.
"That's what I mean," Kar said beside
him.
"Magic makes no sense," Alto said while
shaking his head.
Kar chuckled. "It makes perfect sense; you
just don't understand it."
Alto nodded. "I hope to keep it that
way!"
"You'd best learn something about it if you
hope to live a long and fruitful life."
"Why's that? My father knows next to nothing
about it and he does just fine."
"Your fate is not that of your father's, my
boy," Kar said with a warm smile. "You've a keen mind, a strong
arm, and a good heart. I don't need to be an old woman reading tea
leaves in a cup to see that you've an impressive future ahead of
you. Supposing you don't get yourself killed first, that is."
"There is that," Alto laughed.
"Keep quiet," Tristam snapped back at them.
"Ride on. If Kar's magic has riled those bees to the point of
wanting revenge, they'll come for us!"
Alto sobered at the thought of a swarm of
giant wasps on their trail. He glanced behind them and saw the
swarm buzzing about in air, still confused by the bird's
disappearance. He turned ahead and put his heels to Sebas, urging
the horse on.
They rode up around two more hills and then
up and over a third before the ground leveled into fields filled
with crops that looked to have gone untended. Weeds were growing
amongst the wheat and cornstalks, threatening to overtake them.
Alto frowned; no farmer would knowingly let this happen. Ahead of
them, they saw the smoke coming out of the chimney of a
farmhouse.
As they drew nearer, they could make out
several wasps crawling across the walls and roof of the farmhouse.
The windows had been boarded up and the door was shut. The body of
one wasp lay near the door on the ground.
"Seems promising," Karthor offered.
"I count four of them, be careful!" Tristam
said as he spurred his horse into action.
Namitus drew a dagger and held it in his left
hand. He frowned when he saw Alto pull out his massive broadsword
and grin before he followed after Tristam. Karthor joined the two
warriors, brandishing his mace.
The wasps took to the air and met them on
their way. They closed faster than Alto was ready for and he barely
dodged the thrusting stinger of the wasp that came out at him. He
swung his sword but he was already past his target. Alto yanked on
Sebas's reins and pulled him around so he could dismount and be
better balanced to fight the massive insects.
The wasp was already on its way back towards
him. Alto frowned when he saw that the insect’s path would take it
over him. He swung his sword but failed to come close enough. Sebas
whinnied behind him in fear.
Alto turned and saw the wasp hovering over
his stallion. He ground his teeth and charged, yelling and waving
his arm to get the insect’s attention. The wasp struck at Sebas but
the stallion bucked away from it in time to dodge the attack. Alto
slammed his sword into the body of the insect and knocked it to the
ground. It buzzed about for a moment before laying still.
Alto turned to see two of the bugs were on
the ground near Tristam and a third near Karthor. Tristam thrust
into one of the grounded wasps and killed it, and then turned and
met Alto's eyes. Both men were on the ground, but Tristam's mount
was staggered and blood ran from its haunch.
"Damn thing stung my horse," Tristam said. He
turned to look at the steed and watched as it stumbled and then sat
down roughly. His horse was breathing heavily and whickering
softly.
"Karthor, can you help him?" Alto asked as he
hurried over.
Karthor frowned. "Perhaps, but I'm not sure
Leander will grant me power to help a
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