Warlock

Titel: Warlock
Autoren: Dean Koontz

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and could never return in time to handle these two, Shaker Sandow realized that it was up to him and Gregor to handle the Oragonians and quickly.

        Time seemed suddenly to flow like cold syrup

        He had never been a violent man, the Shaker. It was said that the powers of a Shaker permitted long-distance murder if the Shaker was of such a mind and willing to expend the energy necessary for such a major task. Indeed, Sandow knew a sorcerer named Silbonna, a woman of some beauty and wit, who had been employed by one of the rival princes of the Salamanthe Islands to kill his strongest opponent in contention for the throne. It had been necessary for Silbonna to fast, to reach the edge of extreme hunger where all her perceptions were twice as swift, twice as nervously eager as before. Then, she had allowed herself a minimal diet of cheeses and wines and she had engaged in days of ritual chants to draw her powers down to a fine point; like the tip of a needle. And then she had thrust with that needle, had struck into the brain of the rival prince. For three days, with but one three-hour period a day for sleep, she worked that needle deeper, turning and twisting, until at last blood vessels burst inside the prince's head, and he was finished. What had her reward been? He could not remember. He just knew that his own personality would not have permitted such an act, no matter what the size and the quality of the payment

        Except once

        Once, he had used some of his Shaker's powers for a murder, when he had poured every ounce of his esp energy into sending Gregor's father over the wall and into the gorge by the streets of Perdune.

        But even he had permitted the intervening years to color that incident a bit more pleasant than it truly was. Could it really have been his powers? he had asked himself. Surely not. A Shaker's powers could not work so quickly, without ritual, merely spurred by emotion and a sense of urgency. And yet And yet he had never subscribed to the magic theory, had always insisted it was something more concrete.

        He turned and glanced at Gregor

        Perhaps it would be best to wait, for the boy was already bringing up his weapon. Let Gregor fire the burst that would take down the two soldiers before them. Let Gregor do it and maybe he would grow a little more into a man than he now was.

        He looked back to the soldiers who were just beginning to notice the Darklanders

        No, Shaker Sandow suddenly realized, Gregor must not kill the men. It was he, Shaker Sandow, he could cope with bloody hands most easily. He and Mace could kill and somehow go on, recover. But the fair, fragile neophyte-Shaker was not cut out for it. Only within these last few days had he come to understand the true meaning of death and his own mortality. And it was a far larger step to murder another man. A step that might send the boy plunging over too great a drop.

        Time suddenly speeded up, faster, faster, until it was moving at such an accelerated pace that it almost took away the sorcerer's breath.

        He brought his rifle to bear.

        He fired.

        The Oragonians were flung backward, slammed against the floor, trembled for a few moments, and were still. Smoke rose from their charred bodies

        Well, Shaker Sandow thought, now I have truly come full circle in this life. I started out by killing my mother and have finally returned to death-dealing. I never saw her blood; I see theirs. But in both cases: death. The only difference is that I understand why death was necessary in this case, and I know exactly what my responsibilities are. And a man can cope with that Much easier than he can with demons and magic powers.

        That's nine, Crowler said. Six to go. Let's hurry before the rest of them get wise.

        And they continued on their mission. Wiser? No. More weary? Yes.


----

    26



        Gregor did not kill anyone.

        That, the Shaker thought, is at least one consolation from this entire affair. Gregor has killed no one.

        Their own level of the city was secured within twenty minutes of their noisy exit through the ventilation grill and

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