The King's Challenge #68

TKC 68

Knowing the Grenmassin men will move into positions where they will be effective, I ignore the captured to concentrate on the two guards.

I will now do something Delvers are not meant to do, but are capable of. Instead of reading their emotions, I aim to project to them. While I receive emotions as images, what I see is a personal interpretation. Thus, sending coiling snakes, which to me speaks of fear, may achieve nothing, for they may not feel that fear. Emotions are personal; therefore imagery is personal.

This is where imagination comes into play. I shall create a situation and project it as their reality. Delvers have rules of conduct, but what happens here to innocent people does not deserve adherence to those rules.

They will know fear, as their prisoners have known it. This is part spite, but it is also justice.

I do not have time to become too creative, however. Keep it simple, Damin. Use something most people fear, something that will have them open the gates to run away.

Spiders tend to work really well for this. Grinning to myself, I imagine a host of hairy monsters scuttling from the wall before them.

One guard nudges the other, and points. His mate stares at the wall, gaping. Both shudder.

The spiders reach the bottom and veer onto the cobbles and head directly towards them.

Both men retreat a few paces, eyes widening.

The monsters gather to rush at them.

Boots thud as the men jump in place, gasps of horror accompanying every action.

Spiked limbs start climbing towards their groins.

Both men scream and hurtle at the gates. Within seconds they are running into the city.

Only moments later I am fighting with the lock at the second set. “Siri!”

Then I hear my sister. “Damin? Damin!”