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.When the gigantic creature reached the end of the wall, it dropped the rock, and the fourth boulder started its noisy journey down the mountainside.Apparently unperturbed, the creature lumbered back through the temple to pick up another boulder and begin the sequence anew.After watching this go on for a few minutes, Evaine scrambled down the tree.What is that creature, Evaine? Gamaliel's tail twitched in agitation."I think it's a stone golem."A golem?Evaine nodded."A creature made of some inert substance that has been magically animated—wood, iron, clay, or, in this case, stone." She winced as another boulder bounced past them down the ravine."Which means that it's big, immeasurably strong, and almost completely impervious to injury."I don't suppose you know why it keeps on tossing boulders down the ravine?Evaine rubbed her narrow chin in thought."I don't really know, unless." Her eyes flashed."A golem is a mindless creatures, Gam," she explained excitedly."Its creator can give it only the simplest instructions, and the golem will perform those instructions literally.It could be that, long ago, this golem's creator ordered it to keep the temple in good repair.But some disaster befell the temple.Half of the structure slid down the side of the cliff, and the rest was abandoned."But the stone golem continued to try to repair the temple."Right.Every time the golem puts a boulder where the wall used to be, the rock falls into the ravine.But the golem isn't smart enough to realize what's happening.All it sees is that the wall needs another stone, so it tries to rebuild again and again."How long will the golem keep trying to rebuild that one wall? Wind ruffled the great cat's tawny fur."Unless it's destroyed, forever." Evaine gazed up the ravine."Which means it's going to be hard for us to reach the top of the cliff.My guess is that it will take us about fifteen minutes to climb the last stretch of the ravine.But it only takes the golem a few minutes to find another boulder and drop it." She shook her head in frustration."There's no cover up there.We'd be crushed before we ever made it to the top."If only the golem would drop himself over the edge of the cliff.Gamaliel growled angrily.Evaine snapped her fingers."Gam, that's it!" She started picking her way up the ravine."Come on! We have to edge closer for my plan to work."The two continued up the defile, every few minutes hiding under overhangs or squeezing inside cracks to avoid the tossed boulders.When they reached the final section of the ravine, they could see its sheer sides offered little protection.Already the golem was lumbering toward the broken end of the wall, bearing yet another boulder."This will have to do," Evaine muttered.As the golem approached the precipice, she chanted the words of a spell.Suddenly a chunk of rock several feet wide quivered and liquefied into mud, sliding down into the ravine.Impervious to this change in its path, the golem lurched to the edge of the cliff.For a moment, the golem teetered on the precipice.Then, without the slightest resistance, it toppled over the edge.Golem and boulder went tumbling down the ravine in a spray of rock.Evaine grinned, watching the creature plummet into the valley.A simple idea, but it had worked! "After you, Gam," she said.The two started toward the cliff top.Exhausted by the spell, Evaine could not move very fast, but there was less reason to hurry, now that the golem was gone.They had made scant progress when a clattering of stone caused them to pause and gaze below.Evaine drew in a sharp breath of surprise.The stone golem was climbing up the ravine.The fall had not so much as scratched the creature.The golem moved with astonishing quickness, using its huge hands to help pull itself up.As quickly as she could manage, Evaine hurried up the rest of the slope.Gamaliel shimmered into his human shape, using his strong arms to help her.She heaved herself up over the cliff's edge, Gamaliel right behind.The golem was mere seconds below.The sorceress tried to ready a spell, but fear seized her mind; she couldn't think clearly.Gamaliel shimmered into his cat form to defend her, ready to fight the golem.Evaine knew that would be folly.The magical creature had the strength to rip both of them to shreds.The stone golem reached the top, towering over Evaine and Gamaliel, blotting out the sun with its bulk.The creature raised its huge arms, lurching forward.Evaine shut her eyes, hoping the end would be quick.For a long moment, nothing happened.Finally, Gamaliel spoke in her mind.Evaine, open your eyes.Reluctantly, she did as he asked.What she saw made her gasp in astonishment, then laugh aloud.The stone golem went right past them, resuming its mindless task.Even now it was heading toward the crumbling wall carrying another boulder.As Evaine watched, the golem reached the muddy cliff's edge—and without hesitating toppled once again into the ravine!It will do that forever, won't it? Gamaliel asked.It will never learn.Evaine nodded."But thankfully, we won't be around to watch it." Weakly, she pulled herself to her feet."Let's go, Gam [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]