Possessing the Grimstone - By John Grover Page 0,73

circling him; they knew what he carried, and they wanted it. He ran, letting his fleet carry him through crowds of them, but at each turn, more waited.

Finally he tripped over some fiery debris, and the creatures closed in.

Shannara back-flipped through the air and landed beside the fallen Wivering. She pointed at his pack, and a green bolt of energy shot out at her. She harnessed the magical power and directed it back at the beasts.

Green lightning bolts crackled through the air, knocking some off of their feet, setting others on fire, and reducing still others to ashes.

She cast the energy through the village, clearing a path for Pim before vanishing back into the blur of carnage.

Pim looked up at her, stunned, and mouthed a thank you. Drith rushed to him and extended a hand.

Tolan turned to clash sword against axe. The Neshing swung hard, knocking Tolan’s sword out of his hand, and a kick to the gut took Tolan off his feet. The Neshing advanced, but the warrior reached for the dagger in his boot, sunk it into the creature’s belly.

He jumped to his feet, but was pulled to the ground again by ghostly claws. Stunned, he looked up at the Neshing and its familiar.

The misty white ghost that was now enslaved to the Neshing host was the spirit of his best friend, Geyess. Tolan’s heart filled with pity and anguish. The torment filling him now was worse than any blade or axe. Geyess’s spirit reached for Tolan, scratching claws across his armor.

Tolan crawled backwards, away from the abomination. Geyess shrieked as its host chased Tolan down.

He reached for anything to use as a weapon: stone, sticks, anything. Quickly, he remembered and reached into his pack for King Rasa of Norrow’s bird claw. He pulled it out, and brought it to his chest.

Geyess reached for Tolan again, and stopped. He leered at the claw, but then Tolan saw his feral face transform. Geyess’s eyes filled with sadness; his hollow, sunken features lightened. He looked down at his Neshing host and tore into its throat with its claws. The Neshing howled and died. Geyess looked up at Tolan and smiled before vanishing.

Tears welled in Tolan’s eyes. He prayed that Geyess had found peace. He leaped up, fetched the axe from the Neshing’s dead claw, and rejoined the fight.

Shannara spun over the shoulder of a Neshing, turned, and swept the legs out from under it. Its familiar swiped at her, but she ducked and plunged both blades into the Neshing’s chest.

She got to her feet and spotted her warrior overrun by three Neshing. Drith and Pim clashed with six or more, and Tolan held off two. More Neshing ran into the village. They were quickly becoming outnumbered. Shannara hesitated, but then darted to her warrior, who suddenly went down.

“No!” Shannara jumped into the air and came down with a kick, sending two of the creatures to the ground. She spun her blades, and felt an axe tear into her back. The once-fearless leader gasped for air. Blood seeped down her chin. She turned slowy, and a blade plunged through her chest. Shannara looked up to see a ghostly claw come for her, and slash across her throat.

All air was cut from her body, and she fell. Her dagblades dropped, and she stumbled. Her eyes fluttered as she fell to the ground.

Panno rushed out of hiding. He screamed and wailed over her body. Dropping to his knees, he took her dagblades in his hands and drove both into his chest.

Pim watched her fall and looked on at the horror of all the blood glistening over her ivory body. “No!” His cry echoed through the entire village and the forest. He launched his fleet and dashed to Shannara, but she was already gone. Pim’s rage magnified. He reached into his pack and grabbed the stone.It glowed green, and a circle of energy burst across the village. All of the Neshing were swept off the ground, their bodies exploded into ashes, and their familiar spirits vanished, but the magic didn’t stop there. It raged across the land, uprooting trees, blowing rubble into the farmlands, and snuffing out the last of the flames.

Pim stood frozen, his face a mask of heartbreak. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, hair dancing in the blistering wind.

“Pim! Pim!” Tolan cried. He ran up to him and grabbed him by the shoulders. “It’s over! They’re gone! Enough, Pim, enough!” Tolan shook him, and finally, he snapped out