Possessing the Grimstone - By John Grover Page 0,68

had moved. He froze. “Something’s in here.”

“What?” Tolan readied his blade. “Where is it?”

“On the ground,” Pim yelled as the mud slithered away from the group and attached to a pile of rocks.

The mud doubled in size, the rocks clung to it like bones, and it formed into a hulking figure. A mouth yawned open, mud seeping out of it. Eyes tore open on a bulbous head, eyes glowing green: the same green as the Neshing fire. The thing sprouted massive arms with fists like mallets.

“It’s a Golem!” Drith said.

It roared at the group and stomped toward them with thunderous steps. Despite its size, the Golem moved fast. It rushed at Tolan, who leaped out of its way. Shannara dropped her torch and flipped toward it. She landed a swift kick, but it had no effect. Swinging both dagblades, she only scraped across it, mud covering her knives to their hilts.

The Golem swung at her, but she ducked and rolled out of the way. Drith let out a war cry and raced toward the beast. He jabbed his serrated blade into the creature’s side; it bellowed and lifted both fists into the air. Drith did not see the blow fall.

Pim did. He raced across the chamber, unleashing his fleet, and tackled Drith in a flash, pushing him out of the way. The fists came down hard, and missed.

Drith looked up at Pim and nodded his thanks.

The Golem recovered and lashed out at one the D’Elkyrie warriors, instead. The giant fists crushed her.

Tolan and the other D’Elkyrie attacked in unison, blades clattering against stone, mud sliding down them all. “I cannot fight against rock and mud.” Tolan groaned as he was forced to drop his sword.

The Golem swung at him, but he ducked to the ground as the fists bashed the wall, debris raining down into the chamber.

The seers, Panno and Jodan, huddled together, scampering out of the way, but the Golem spotted them. It spun around and roared, stomping toward the seers, and blocking their escape. It seized Jodan and drove him into the ceiling, crushing him immediately.

Shannara screamed a heart-shattering, spirit-igniting sound. She ran up the nearest cave wall and flipped through the air, landing on the creature’s shoulders.

Digging both blades into its head, she stabbed it over and over, but nothing seemed to slow the creature down. Shannnara wrapped her blades around its throat and sawed away as hard as she could.

The Golem stomped its feet, hammered its fists against the walls, and reared back, throwing Shannara from its body. She soared through the chamber, landing hard on her back. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked up to see the Golem reaching for Panno.

Drith leaped through the air at it, but it backhanded him to the ground. The Golem was determined to get to the other seer.

Shannara’s blood boiled; she struggled to get up, but yelped in pain. Pim dashed to her side. “You’re hurt.”

“I think my arm is broken.”

“Stay here, I will protect you.”

“No, protect Panno. I can take care of myself. It’s after him. Please, Pim, please don’t let it take him away from me!”

Pim stood up straight and dashed toward Panno as Shannara felt something brush against her skin. She looked over her shoulder to see a pit through a small crawlspace. It glowed and pulsed with green ethereal light. She reached her good arm toward the light, and a bolt of green energy shot into her.

The D’Elkyrie leader sat up and directed the green energy at the Golem. Power coiled around the beast, its stony flesh cracking before it exploded. Stone shards shot around the chamber, and a cloud of dust choked the air.

Pim and Panno were safe. Everyone stood and stared at Shannara.

Tolan stepped toward her. “How did you…?”

“The piece of the stone,” she pointed to the crawlspace. “It’s right through there.”

Tolan helped her to her feet, and they approached the crawlspace.

Drith pointed his torch at the opening. “None of us can fit through there.”

“I know one who can,” Tolan said. He turned to Pim.

“Barely, but I think I can manage.”

“Just hold your breath.”

Pim smiled, his eyes brightened, and he handed Tolan his sword.

He reached the crawlspace and got down on his knees. Pushing his head through first, he wriggled and squeezed his chest through, then crawled on his elbows. He slipped through the passage and reached the pit, the green light bathing his face. For a moment, he was transfixed. The light looked so beautiful. He sat and stared at