[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
intention of trying. Brother Paul retained his chariot armor, although he had lost the chariot itself. So it was up to
him.
The dragon had a huge wedge-shaped head from which a small orange flame flickered. No, that was only its barbed
tongue. Its two forelegs projected from immediately behind its head, almost like ears, and two small wings sprouted
from its neck not far behind, like feathers or hair. It seemed an inefficient design, but so did the design for
Tyrannosaurus Rex, on paper. The rest of the monster trailed away into wormlike coils. Only its foreparts possessed a
menacing aspect; when this creature retreated, it would be harmless. Which was of course the nature of Temptation,
or any other threat.
The dragon was not retreating. It was galumphing directly at him, its serpentine body bouncing like a spring-coil after
the awful head.
Brother Paul went out to engage it, his sword shining like Excalibur. Yet he wondered: he considered himself to be a
fairly peaceful man, not a warrior; why should he attack a living creature with a brute sword? This wasn't a living
thing; it was an Animated symbol. Still, the matter disconcerted him.
The Dragon of Temptation drew up about two meters away. It glanced contemptuously at him. It had big yellow
eyes, and its glare was quite striking. Its red snout was covered with great, hairy green-and-blue warts, and gnarled
gray horns projected from its forehead. Its tusks were twisted and coated with slime. Brother Paul wondered idly if it
had been mucking about in one of Therion's gooey cups before coming here.
The barbed tongue flicked about, striking toward Brother Paul like an arrow but stopping short of the target. The
small wings flapped slowly back and forth, the thin leathery skin crinkling between the feathered ribs. Brother Paul
could not recall ever having seen anything uglier than this.
a
a
T
T
n
n
s
s
F
F
f
f
o
o
D
D
r
r
P
P
m
m
Y
Y
e
e
Y
Y
r
r
B
B
2
2
.
.
B
B
A
A
Click here to buy
Click here to buy
w
w
m
m
w
w
o
o
w
w
c
c
.
.
.
.
A
A
Y
Y
B
B
Y
Y
B
B
r r
"Whatsamatter?" the dragon demanded. "Chicken?"
Brother Paul felt a tingle of anger. What right had this filthy thing to call him names? He gripped his sword firmly
and stepped forward.
And paused again. This was Temptation the urge to violence for insufficient cause. So the monster had called him
"chicken"; why should he react to the archaic gibe? This was the lowest level of social interaction, and violence was
the refuge of incompetence. "I merely wish to visit that castle, for I suspect that the information I need is inside. If
you will kindly stand aside, there need be no strife between us."
"Temptation never stands aside!" the creature snorted. It was very good at speaking while snorting. "You must
conquer me before you can complete your mission, chicken."
"But I don't want to slay you. I shall be satisfied to pass you by."
"You can't slay me; I am eternal. You can't pass me by. In fact, you can't even fight me; you're a natural coward.
Why don't you get out of this scene and let the air clear?"
As if he hadn't been trying to do just that! "I would, if I had no mission to perform. I will, after it is done. Now please
stand aside." Brother Paul strode forward.
The dragon held its ground. "Temptation cannot be bluffed," it said.
Brother Paul refused to strike it with the sword without some more definite provocation. Though he knew it to be a
mere symbol, its semblance of a living, intelligent (if ugly) entity was too strong.
He sidled around it and the dragon was before him again. It had jumped magically to block him. He changed
direction again and it blocked him again.
So that was the way of it; the thing was trying to provoke him into striking. And if he struck first, he would have
succumbed to Temptation.
This time Brother Paul walked straight into the dragon. And bounced off its warty face.
Therion still stood a little apart, watching with morbid interest. "It didn't bite me," Brother Paul said, surprised.
"Temptation does not attack physically," Therion explained. "It merely offers a more intriguing alternative. Still, it
must be conquered."
Brother Paul failed to see anything intriguing in the dragon. He tried again to avoid it, and failed again. He was
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]