* * * * *
We were not deterred, however. Instead, we flew ever further downwards into this bizarre stronghold's labyrinth. Not so swiftly that I failed to note the resemblance of the flanking walls to the honeycomb of a more worldly beehive. Yet, not so slowly that I could memorize landmarks for our escape route, either. To worsen matters, I soon heard the tell-tale buzzing of the same giant robber-flies that had been the downfall of my Varangiant comrades, much earlier!
"How much longer can this bird fly before we are overtaken?" I cried out in inquiry.
"He begins to descend, even now," replied Lin Kuei.
Indeed, the honey buzzard did proceed to land. Doing so in front of a brace of massive wooden doors with knobs and hinges of the same highly polished brass as this stronghold's outer walls. Whereupon, Lin Kuei (with a strange battlecry that did sound like "key-aye") did leap forward, right foot first. Kicking the doors inwardly open!
Hurriedly, I did nock the arrow with the blest head to my bow. Then, at a nod from Lin Kuei, we did charge across the threshold of the doorway, shoulder-to-shoulder. And, upon entering the vast bedchamber beyond, we were confronted by three sights.
The first thing that greeted our eyes was a semi-circle of black-armored men, with spears and shields worthy of ancient Rome. The second thing was a topless woman with long, raven-black hair sitting on a polished brass throne...ten English feet tall. And, last but not least? We saw, being dangled over her un-naturally wide-open mouth, a man.
A naked, middle-aged man no bigger than a vole!
It was at this point that one of the spearmen--the one with the tallest plumes on his crested helmet--did speak.
"I am Laphrianides. Captain-General of the Korybantes. And, in the name of Her Majesty, Queen Ovaria--also known as Hsi Wang Mu, Cybele of Phrygia, Ishtar of Babylon, and Artemis of Ephesia--I demand you to surrender and lay down your arms. Surrender! Or, the Norse barbarian dies...in exact preview of your own deaths!"
I did gape like a fish out of water. That poor soul was Svyatogor???
I did look at Lin Kuei, who returned my gaze and nodded. Slowly, we placed our weapons upon the floor. No sooner had we done so, though, than Lin Kuei did swiftly snatch up the blest arrow. While simultaneously crying out like a hawk! Whereupon, the honey buzzard did fly into the room. While, at the same time, Lin Kuei did hold the arrow over his head. And, when the bird of prey had seized it in both his feet?
Lin Kuei did shrink down to the size of a bug, so that he was clinging to the arrow, for dear life, as the honey buzzard flew off it!
"Guards!" screamed the Captain-General: "After him! At once!"
The next moment, there were only six Korybantes between me and the demi-giantess. It was at this point that the latter did rise to her feet. Her now-closed jaws transforming into a most seductive smile. And, her tall, supple form only partly concealed by the cape of gold-leaf mesh that did fall from her shoulders to her ankles.
"So, you are Ilya Muromets," remarked Ovaria: "The Norsewoman did not do you justice. Who knows? Perhaps, you might even prove a worthier sire, for my progeny, than Holgar!"
tbc
Giantess World
