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(The Thrall warrior, Cesta, once worked as a mercenary guard on an expedition
into the Junglelands. Her account of an attack by a band of Ahazu, as related
to Tamerlin, follows)
"Far in the distance I heard the fierce shrieking howls of an Ahazu band on
the warpath. There was little time to take defensive action. We herded the
mounts into a grove of parasol trees and took cover behind a stand of
thornwood. A moment later the Ahazu war party came into view, running towards
us through the dense undergrowth. Now I understood the reason for the Ahazu's
striated skin: it helps them blend into the jungle shadows, and makes them
difficult to see clearly.
We fired our crossbows as the first line of warriors came into range. The
Ahazu took several casualties, but kept on coming. The magician, Balmundos,
prepared to send a spell of fire into their midst. The Ahazu unleashed a hail
of three-bladed throwing knives. That was the end of Balmundos.
Another second and the Ahazu were upon us, leaping and scrambling over the
thornwood barricade. Now the fight began in earnest. The four-armed warriors
reveled in this type of close combat, where they enjoy a decided advantage. I
countered with wide strokes of my greatsword, using the long blade to keep
the attackers at arm's length; an excellent strategy, but an inadequate
response. The Ahazu were too many. They overran our position, until at last I
was the only one of my group still standing. Surrounded and outnumbered, I
could devise no tactical response but to fight until the end.
Suddenly one of the Ahazu let out a blood-curdling scream. Frothing at the
mouth, the creature set upon his own companions like one possessed, wielding
a three-bladed knife in each of its four hands. From the other Ahazu I heard
the cry, "Shan-Ya!", repeated several times. While they were occupied with
the mad one I made a strategic withdrawal into the jungle."
© 1994 SMS
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