Swords Against Wizardry by Fritz Leiber ...
Swords Against Wizardry by Fritz Leiber ...
Swords Against Wizardry by Fritz Leiber ...
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eiderdown tweaked from the arrow-holes in Fafhrd's cloak.<br />
When they were half laced up in their cloaks, Hrissa snuggled between them -<br />
- and a few more precious resin-pellets dropped in the brazier as a bedtime<br />
luxury -- Fafhrd got out a tiny jar of strong wine of Ilthmar, and they each took a<br />
sip of it, imagining those sunny vineyards and that hot, rich soil so far south.<br />
A momentary flare from the brazier showed them the snow falling yet. A few<br />
rocks crashed near<strong>by</strong> and a snowy avalanche hissed, then Stardock grew still in<br />
the frigid grip of night. The climbers' aerie seemed most strange to them, set<br />
above every other peak in the Mountains of the Giants -- and likely all Nehwon -yet<br />
walled with darkness like a tiny room.<br />
The Mouser said softly, "Now we know what roosts in the Roosts. Do you<br />
suppose there are dozens of those invisible mantas carpeting around us on ledges<br />
like this, or a-hang from them? Why don't they freeze? Or does someone stable<br />
them? And the invisible folk, what of them? No more can you call 'em mirage -you<br />
saw the sword, and I fought the man-thing at the other end of it. Yet<br />
invisible! How's that possible?"<br />
Fafhrd shrugged and then winced because it hurt both shoulders cruelly.<br />
"Made of some stuff like water or glass," he hazarded. "Yet pliant and twisting the<br />
light less -- and with no surface shimmer. You've seen sand and ashes made<br />
transparent <strong>by</strong> firing. Perhaps there's some heatless way of firing monsters and<br />
men until they are invisible."<br />
"But how light enough to fly?" the Mouser asked.<br />
"Thin beasts to match thin air," Fafhrd guessed sleepily.<br />
The Mouser said, "And then those deadly worms -- and the Fiend knows what<br />
perils above." He paused. "And yet we must still climb Stardock to the top,<br />
mustn't we? Why?"<br />
Fafhrd nodded. "To beat out Kranarch and Gnarfi..." he muttered. "To beat<br />
out my father ... the mystery of it ... the girls ... O Mouser, could you stop here any<br />
more than you could stop after touching half of a woman?"<br />
"You don't mention diamonds anymore," the Mouser noted. "Don't you think<br />
we'll find them?"<br />
Fafhrd started another shrug and mumbled a curse that turned into a yawn.<br />
The Mouser dug in his pouch to the bottom pocket and brought out the<br />
parchment and blowing on the brazier read it all <strong>by</strong> the resin's last flaming:<br />
Who mounts white Stardock, the Moon Tree,<br />
Past worm and gnome and unseen bars,<br />
Will win the key to luxury:<br />
The Heart of Light, a pouch of stars.<br />
The gods who once ruled all the world<br />
Have made that peak their citadel,<br />
From whence the stars were one time hurled<br />
And paths lead on to Heav'n and Hell.<br />
Come, heroes, past the Trollstep rocks.<br />
Come, best of men, across the Waste.<br />
For you, glory each door unlocks.<br />
Delay not, up, and come in haste.<br />
Who scales the Snow King's citadel<br />
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