by M. L. Forman
Careful not to make any noise, Alex made his way through the secret passages. The feel of dust under his feet reassured him that Jabez had not discovered these passageways, and that for the time being he was safe. As he moved deeper into the castle, he paused to listen and look through spyholes that he found hidden in the castle walls. He saw a few gargoyles inside the castle as well as men and goblins. He listened to everything he heard, but as he suspected, nothing he heard had anything to do with the Axe of Sundering.
Eventually, one of the spyholes Alex checked revealed what had to be the throne room. Alex paused for a moment, and then quickly moved along the passage to find a new spyhole, one that would give him a better view of the throne room. This was his chance to see Jabez and possibly find out what he was up to. Jabez’s plans were in full motion now, and it made sense that Jabez would command his armies from the ancient throne room of Conmar.
Alex found a spyhole that let him see most of the room, and as quietly as he could he leaned closer to learn as much as he could. The room he looked into was dimly lit, but there was enough light for Alex to see most of what was going on. More important, he could hear what was being said, and what he heard gave him hope. Jabez might let something slip that would help him with his quest.
“An army of elves has attacked our southern army,” a cold voice was saying. “They appeared without warning, and have destroyed most of our supplies.”
“More supplies are already moving across the mountains,” a voice that had to be Jabez’s replied. “You’ll have all you need to continue the battle.”
“The elves do not stand and fight like the men,” the cold voice whined. “They hit us and run away, and we don’t have enough warriors to chase them.”
“Enough of your excuses!” Jabez shouted. “I’ve sent more supplies and more warriors with them. You will push on to the coast and destroy the cities of men. When that task is done, you can push south and destroy the troublesome elves.”
“It would be better to destroy the elves first,” a sly goblin voice commented. “They are cunning, and leaving them free to attack us is dangerous.”
“Silence!” Jabez snapped. “I have considered the elves and what they might do. They are an inconvenience, nothing more. Once the cities of men are destroyed, we will hunt the few elves that remain in Westland.”
It was clear from Jabez’s tone that the discussion was over, and that he wouldn’t listen to any suggestions about changing the plans he’d made. Alex thought that Jabez was being foolish, because he knew the elves would do more than just cause trouble.
“Now, what word from the north?” Jabez asked.
“Our armies continue to advance,” a large goblin answered. “The men of the north fight hard, but our numbers are too great for them.”
“Your numbers are being cut down too quickly,” said Jabez, his anger growing as he spoke. “My gargoyle servants have reported your losses to me. You lose ten warriors for every human you cut down.”
“The losses mean nothing,” the goblin answered with a growl. “We have more than enough warriors to complete our mission.”
“What about after that mission is over?” Jabez asked, rising from the throne where he’d been sitting. “What about after Westland is ours and it is time for us to move on to Midland?”
“There are always more warriors to be found,” the goblin answered, fear creeping into its voice.
“No, there are not!” Jabez shouted. He slammed his staff against the floor and a blast of red light shot out of the top.
Jabez’s spell hit the goblin like a giant fist. The goblin was thrown backwards, landing hard and sliding across the stone floor. It cried out in pain, but none of the other goblins in the room moved to help it. Jabez stood watching the goblin, and Alex could see him clearly in the torchlight. A look of evil joy covered Jabez’s face, and he cast a second spell that crushed the goblin into the floor.
“Tell his second-in-command that he is the leader now,” said Jabez as he returned to his throne. “And tell him that he’d better not waste my army, or he will face a worse punishment than his former leader.”
There was a mumble of acceptance from those gathered around the throne. It was clear that all of these creatures both feared and hated Jabez. It was also clear that they would not fight against him. They wanted the power that Jabez offered them, and they were happy to do whatever Jabez ordered—for at least as long as they were winning.
Alex watched for several more minutes, but nothing was said that might help him find the Axe of Sundering. He didn’t expect Jabez to openly mention the Axe, but maybe he would mention a treasure room or the underground lake. Alex replaced the spyhole cover and moved away from the throne room. He had one idea about where the Axe might be, but it would be difficult and dangerous to check. He was sure Jabez would have plenty of guards stationed outside the treasure room of Conmar, if he could find it.
Alex waited by the hidden doorway, listening as the guards moved up and down the hallway beyond the door. It was important to know how often the guards passed by so he could sneak into the castle proper without anyone noticing. He wasn’t exactly sure where the treasure room was, but he could sense the presence of a dragon. If his guess was right, this would be the golden dragon he’d seen in Darthon’s dream. It made sense that the dragon would be in or at least near the treasure room, as that would probably be the only place large enough to keep a dragon. Of course there would be other guards between here and the treasure room, but Alex thought he could slip past them without being noticed.
After a few hours of waiting and listening, Alex slowly pulled open the hidden doorway that he’d been waiting behind. It had been several minutes since the last set of guards had passed, and he knew it would be some time before more guards came his way. The castle was dark, the only light coming from torches placed every twenty or thirty feet along the passageway. Alex wiped away the dust that his shoes left on the stone floor. He didn’t want to leave any clues that he had been in the castle, or how he’d gotten there.
Certain that the secret passage was safe, Alex started off as fast as he dared. He made his way down three levels without meeting anyone or anything, and he was starting to wonder where all the guards were. He was on his way to a fourth stairway when he heard heavy footsteps coming toward him.
Alex looked for a place to hide, but there wasn’t one in the long hallway. With no other option, Alex pushed open the closest door and jumped into the room beyond it. He looked wildly around to make sure the room was empty, and then stood next to the mostly closed door, watching the hallway outside.
The footsteps came closer and closer, until Alex could see a massive gargoyle stop just outside the door he was hiding behind.
The gargoyle looked from one side of the hallway to the other, sniffing the air as if it smelled something it wasn’t sure about. Alex held his breath, afraid that the gargoyle would start checking the doors along the hallway. For a minute the gargoyle stood perfectly still, taking a long, deep breath. Alex tensed his muscles, ready for the worst, but the gargoyle simply snorted, and started moving down the hallway as if nothing was wrong.
Alex waited a few minutes to make sure the stone monster had gone, and then slipped back into the hallway. He hurried on, desperate to reach the lower parts of the castle where he would be less likely to run into anything dangerous. As he quietly rushed along one of the lower halls, he knew he had made a mistake.
“Well, well, well—what have we here?”
Jabez. Alex spun toward the voice and cursed himself for being so stupid. He should have checked more closely, making sure the hall was empty before entering it. He allowed his desire for speed to blind him, and now he would have to face Jabez without the Axe of Sundering, and without any real hope of destroying him.
“Ah, the young warrior my uncle brought with him,” Jabez commented with a wicked smile. “I congratulate you on getting this far. My uncle must have put quite a spell on you so that you coul
d slip past my guards.”
“Your uncle is a great wizard,” said Alex, drawing his scimitar as he spoke. He wished he had Moon Slayer in his hand, but he would have to make do without it.
“Ha,” Jabez laughed, spitting on the floor. “My uncle is an old fool, and it seems his powers are not as great as they once were. There was a time he would have come here himself to face me, and not sent some hireling to do his dirty work for him.”
“A hireling that slipped past your guards, and even now holds your fate in his hands,” Alex replied.
“Surely you don’t believe that,” said Jabez, laughing again. “My fool of an uncle must have told you that your weapons would be useless against me. Did he really let you believe a mere sword could hurt me? What did he promise you? What have you sold your life for?”
Alex didn’t say anything as he felt Jabez’s spell wash over him. Jabez was using magic to probe his mind, looking for reasons and clues about Whalen’s plans. Alex could have blocked his mind from the spell if he’d wanted to, but that would mean giving himself away and letting Jabez know that he was also a wizard. Instead, he hid parts of his mind from Jabez, only letting him see what he wanted him to see. At the same time, Alex tried to find his own way into Jabez’s mind, hoping to find the hiding place of the Axe of Sundering.
“You are brave to come here alone,” Jabez said calmly. “I’m sure my uncle planned things well, allowing himself a way out once you reached Westland. Still, I value bravery, even when it is misplaced.”
“What do you mean?” Alex asked, holding back the rage that was building inside of him.
“My uncle has sent you here to die. That much must be clear, even to you,” Jabez answered with a sneer. “I can always use good men. Give up this foolish quest of yours and join me. I could use a man like you, and I am always generous to those who serve me well.”
Alex knew that his words were a lie. As soon as he discovered what he wanted to know, Jabez would kill him, just as he had killed the goblin leader in the throne room. Alex held back, showing Jabez more of what he wanted to see while continuing to prying into Jabez’s deepest thoughts. He was close to the answer he needed, but he didn’t understand what he saw in Jabez’s mind.
“Join me,” Jabez said again, moving closer to Alex as he spoke. “Give up your foolish quest and serve me. It is the only way you can save your friends. It is the only way you can save the elf maid Aliia.”
Alex was shocked that Jabez knew about Aliia. He was shaken by how deeply Jabez had been able to look into his mind without his knowing. Anger rose up like a serpent inside Alex, and he acted without thinking. In one sweeping move he stepped forward, striking out at his enemy. Alex felt the edge cut into Jabez’s side, his dragon magic adding power to the blow.
Jabez looked stunned, shocked—and for a moment, afraid.
Then Alex felt Jabez’s magic push him back, fire and ice filling his right arm. He fell, his scimitar dropping to the stone floor and ringing loudly as it hit.
Jabez staggered away from Alex, clutching at his side.
Alex struggled back to his feet, his right arm numb with cold and pain. His head was spinning as if he’d been hit on the chin. The two of them looked at each other for a long moment in silence, and then they both moved. Alex ran forward, scooping up his scimitar with his left hand. Jabez staggered back into the chamber, calling loudly for his guards to come.
Alex could tell that Jabez was enhancing his voice with magic. Soon, every guard in Conmar would be rushing to this hall, and Alex had only one chance. He had to reach the treasure rooms of Conmar. From there he might be able to find some way to escape.
Alex ran as fast as he could, his right arm swinging uselessly as he went. He ran down another set of stairs and down the long tunnels, heading for what he hoped would be the treasure room. He struggled to get his scimitar back in its scabbard, and focused on a source of magic he could feel and almost smell.
He came upon another long set of stairs and paused. There was a dragon waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs; he had been right to follow his instincts.
As Alex ran into the treasure chamber, the dragon moved back, a puzzled look on its face. Alex skidded to a stop. He recognized the golden dragon that had attacked Darthon’s mind, and was relieved that it wasn’t an unknown dragon. The dragon was still enslaved by Jabez’s magic, unable to speak or even make a sound. Alex had promised to break the curse and return the dragon’s voice, but he could already hear Jabez’s guards racing down the tunnel behind him. There was no time, and he still couldn’t let Jabez know that he was a wizard.
“I can’t free you yet,” Alex said, his eyes moving around the treasure room as he spoke. “Once I destroy the wizard who has done this to you, then his spell will be broken and you will be free.”
The dragon looked sad, but nodded its understanding of Alex’s words.
“Will you help me?” Alex asked, his eyes meeting the golden dragon’s gaze.
The dragon nodded, and for a moment, Alex could see into the dragon’s mind. He saw a pathway leading away from the treasure room and down to an underground lake. A shimmer of magical light glowed in the center of the lake. Alex understood perfectly where he needed to go and why. He also knew that the dragon would do whatever he asked it to.
Alex started to move toward his hope for escape, but before he could look away from the dragon, a vision flashed into his mind. Buried on the other side of a stack of treasure was an old iron box. Alex immediately recognized it from the vision he had had in the cave of dreams when he and Whalen had been traveling with the caravan.
Alex blinked his eyes, breaking his connection with the dragon, and hurried to the spot the dragon had shown him. He found the iron box and lifted the lid. Inside was one of the Orion stones he had seen in his vision. It glowed like a pearl in sunlight, and Alex could sense the magic surrounding it. He quickly lifted the stone out of the box, but hesitated before putting it into his magic bag. He didn’t know how the magic of the stone would react to the magic of his bag, but he couldn’t leave it behind. The Orion stone was too powerful, and he didn’t want Jabez to be able to use it as a weapon against him. Alex slipped the stone into his shirt pocket instead.
“Thank you, my friend. If you can, give me time to reach the end of this tunnel,” said Alex as he moved to the smaller opening on the far side of the treasure room. “When Jabez’s guards enter this room, breathe fire down the tunnel after me. I will leave an image of myself to burn in the flames. Then I will be free to destroy your enemy and mine.”
Once more the dragon nodded, and Alex ran for the tunnel. He didn’t have a lot of time, but he thought he would be able to work the magic he needed without Jabez noticing. The fact that the dragon was so close would help, because Jabez would not be able to detect Alex’s magic with so much dragon magic in the room.
Halfway between the treasure chamber and the far end of the tunnel, Alex stopped. He focused his thoughts on a large boulder that was lying next to the wall, and worked his magic. The boulder changed into a body that was almost an exact duplicate of himself. It was dressed the same as Alex was, and even had a magic bag and a scimitar, both of which looked like his own.
Weakened by his injured arm, Alex stumbled to the end of the tunnel where the path ended in a large half circle. The beginnings of a stairway remained attached to the right side of the platform, but there were only five worn and broken steps, and then nothing. He was stuck. There was no way down to the underground lake, and no way for him to go back.
As the light of dragon fire filled the tunnel behind him, Alex did the only thing he could do. He jumped. He felt the heat as a giant ball of flame passed over him, and then the cold rush of air as he fell. The icy black water tried to rip Alex’s breath away from him when he hit the surface of the lake. He managed to hold his breath as he sank into darkness. His right arm throbbed painfully as he tried to swim, and his lungs burned from a lack of air.
Swimming as hard as
he could with only one arm, Alex forced himself down toward the bottom of the lake. The air had almost entirely left his lungs before he reached his goal. He struggled to move a large rock and then forced his magic bag under it. Struggling with the straps, he managed to pull the bag close to his face and, with his last breath, he whispered the password.
Without a sound Alex vanished into his bag—wounded and cold, but alive and undefeated.
It took several hours before Alex felt ready to leave the safety of his magic bag. His right arm was still numb and he had trouble holding anything, but the pain was mostly gone. Alex took a deep breath and then reluctantly spoke the magic password that would release him from his magic bag and return him to the icy water of the lake.
The water of the underground lake was so cold it burned, and with some difficulty he retrieved his magic bag from beneath the rock. Wrapping the straps of the bag around his numb right hand, Alex pushed off the bottom of the lake, swimming as hard as he could for the surface.
Alex gasped for breath as he broke the surface of the water. He let himself float for a moment to let his eyes adjust to the darkness and get a sense of direction. He conjured a single faint weir light, just to make sure he was alone.
Alex swam to the edge of the lake and pulled himself out of the water. He rested on the rocky beach for a few minutes, catching his breath and trying to warm up. Far above him was the platform he had jumped from. Magic was the only way he could get back onto the platform, and he was sure Jabez wouldn’t notice—he probably wasn’t even looking for magic now. He concentrated, and rose from the surface of the lake to the platform.
Alex could see the glow of the dragon in the treasure room, and the stones of the tunnel he’d run down were still warm from the dragon’s fire. He started back down the tunnel, noticing that the body he had left behind was gone. Jabez’s guards must have carried it away, probably to prove that the warrior had not escaped them.
As Alex entered the treasure room, the light coming from the dragon increased. He smiled and moved further into the room. The dragon watched Alex as he moved, waiting patiently to hear what Alex had to say. For several seconds Alex didn’t say anything, and when he did speak to the dragon, he did not use his voice.