He couldn ’ t make out the creature ’ s location , if indeed there was a creature . His teeth wanted to chatter , but he kept calm and began to edge his hand to the inside pocket where the rune-rods were stored .
“ A child of the elder folk . Rare you are . Even when I knew the memory of light there were few such as you .” The sound circled around him somewhere by his feet , but that could have been the illusion .
He had to keep it talking as he reached deeper into his cloak , closer to the rods . “ Right , though I ’ ve never met any elder relatives . It ’ s old blood and means next to nothing .”
The sound changed to something like a nest of angry cicadas . Jona got the impression that it was supposed to be laughter . “ Wrong you are . Old , perhaps . Useless to you , for certain . For me , it will be as a great feast .”
“ How so ? I doubt there is enough left for you to call yourself a being .” Less than an inch away now , and he had little time to waste , considering the talk of feasting .
“ Oh not in any sense of eating and hunger . Sorry to mislead . It would have been months still before my poison could carry out vengeance against the wicked folk who put me in this state . With your blood , they could all be in grave within days and then I will be satisfied .” The sound still circled his feet , faster now .
Jona ’ s fingers met the warm metal of the rods . No more time to play around . He grasped both , spoke the command-word to activate just one , and let it fall to the ground . The runes began to glow with a hollow white light that cast no shadows . It would last no more than a minute or two , so he had the other ready to activate in a moment .
When the light hit it , the creature hissed like air coming through a narrow crack and withdrew deeper into the dark . Now , Jona could see that , indeed , it was a creature . He caught the silhouette against the light before
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