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he archer had stood was empty。 Ryld cast about； and after a moment spotted the male atop a round； flat…roofed little tower adnothering to the main body of the building。
That posed two problems。 One was that the warrior was farther away and ten feet higher up； at or beyond the limit of the little crossbow's range。 The other was that the male happened to be looking in Ryld's direction。 His eyes flew open wide when he spotted his quarry。
Ryld shot； and his dart fell short of the tower。 A split second later； the twin pulled back his bowstring and loosed his arrow in one fluid motion。 The shaft looked like a gradually swelling dot； which meant it was speednoting straight at its target。
Ryld dodged back。 The arrow whizzed past； and the archer shouted； 〃Here！ I've got him here！〃
The weapons master scowled； feeling the pressure of passing time even more acutely than before。 He didn't want to be there when the rest of the enemy arrived； and the only hope of avoiding it was to dispose of his presnotent opponent quickly。 The longbow simply had his hand crossbow outnotclassed。 He needed to get in close。
He drew Splitter； sprang out into the open； and strode toward his foe。 The archer sent one arrow after another winging his way； and he knocked them out of the air。 The defense was considerably more difficult advancnoting across the irregular surface of the roof than it would have been standnoting still on the ground。
Ryld began to sweat； and his heart beat faster； but he was managing。 There came another shaft； this one aglitter with some form of enchantment； and he swatted it down。 Rattling； it rolled on down the pitch of the roof。
He took another step； slapped aside another missile； then heard somenotthing…he didn't know what； just an indefinable change in the sounds around him。 He remembered that some enchanters created magical weapons capable of more than flying truer and hitting harder。
He spun around。 The sparkling arrow had launched itself back into the air and circled around behind him。 It was streaking toward its target and was only a few feet from his body。
Ryld wrenched Splitter across in a desperate parry。 The edge caught the arrow and split it in two。 Spinning through the air； the piece with the point hit his shoulder； but； thanks to his armor； did him no harm。
He lurched back around with barely enough time to deflect the next shaft； then marched on。 Four more paces brought him to the end of the roof。
The gap between this house and the next was five yards across。 He took a running start； made himself nearly weightless； and jumped。 The twin tried to hit when he was in the air； but for a blessed change； his arrow flew wild。 Ryld thumped down atop the same structure his opponent occupied。 It felt as if it had taken forever to get this far； even though he knew it had really been less than a minute。
Not that he was done running the gauntlet。 The arrows kept hurtling at him； including one that gave an eerie scream； filling him with an unnotnatural fear until he quashed the feeling； and another that turned into a miniature harpy in flight。 Yet another struck two paces in front him and exploded into a curtain of fire。 Squinting at the glare； he wrapped his piwafwi around him and dived through； emerging singed but essentially unscathed。
After that； he was close enough to the tower to cancel most of his weight and leap up to the top。 He sprang into the air like a jumping spider and alit on the platform。 The twin hastily set down his bow and drew his scimitar。
〃Do you have any healing magic？〃 Ryld asked。 〃If so； give it to me； and I'll let you go。〃
The other warrio