“Me?” said Gavin. “Why? For vengeance?”
Avitus laughed. “No. As a blood sacrifice to the New God.”
“What?” said Antenora.
“Explain yourself,” said Gavin.
“You, the Keeper’s apprentice,” said Avitus, pointing his sword at her. Black slime dripped from his clawed hand. “I saw you fight the undead sorcerers outside the walls. And in their auras of power, I saw the answer. The Enlightened failed, but the New God is coming.” Madness and glee bubbled in his twisted voice. “The New God is coming, and it will enslave the world.” His glowing eyes shifted to Gavin. “That is why I will kill you, Swordbearer. The life of a Knight of the Soulblade will be a worthy sacrifice to lay upon the altar of the New God.”
“You are mad,” said Antenora, and Gavin heard the growing anger in her voice. “You would murder my husband to gain the favor of a dark power like the New God?”
Avitus let out a reedy laugh. “I will murder all of Tarlion to gain the favor of the New God, for it shall rule the world forever! All shall kneel to the New God. All shall bow to the New God! And I will start with you three. Kill them!”
The air rippled on either side of the sarcophagus.
“Urvaalgs!” shouted Caius.
The blur cleared, and two urvaalgs appeared. They looked like the numerous other urvaalgs that Gavin had fought, twisted, corrupted hybrids of wolf and ape. The creatures bounded forward with a tearing, metallic shriek, their claws rasping against the stone floor.
But Gavin was already moving.
He charged and swung Truthseeker in a two-handed blow, catching the first urvaalg in the neck. The soulblade sank into the corrupted flesh with a sizzle, and the urvaalg shuddered and went limp. Gavin ripped Truthseeker free just as Avitus cast a spell. Shadows poured from his sword in a rippling torrent, but Antenora cast a ward. A shimmering wall of pale white light appeared before them, and Avitus’s shadows shattered against it.
Caius fought the second urvaalg, his mace rising and falling with vigor despite his age. The urvaalg was limping, its right foreleg broken, and the creature reared back on its hind legs to attack. Gavin charged and thrust Truthseeker, and the blade stabbed between the urvaalg’s ribs and sank into its chest. White fire poured from the sword and into the urvaalg’s heart, and the creature screamed and collapsed to the floor.
Another blast of shadows leaped from Avitus’s hand, and again Antenora blocked it, her face tight with strain. Avitus snarled and began a new spell, and Gavin charged, calling on Truthseeker for speed. The former Enlightened snarled and raised his sword, and Gavin attacked. Avitus parried the first three blows of Truthseeker, his sword ringing.
Gavin’s fourth blow plunged into his chest.
Avitus’s mouth went wide, and he howled in pain. White fire spread through him, the glow in his tumors and eyes vanishing into white light, and he screamed again. The flames poured from his mouth, and Gavin ripped Truthseeker free and swung the sword with all his strength.
The blade sheared through Avitus’s neck and took off his head. The head rolled away. The body staggered a few steps back, smoke pouring from the charred stump of the neck, and then collapsed motionless to the floor.
Silence fell over the funerary chapel, and Truthseeker’s fire dimmed and went out.
There was no more dark magic nearby.
“Well,” said Caius into the silence. “I daresay my visit to Tarlion has been rather more eventful than I expected.”
***
Chapter 6: The Coming War
A short time later, Gavin stood in the Forum of the North, watching the activity. A party of Swordbearers had arrived from the Castra under the command of old Master Marhand himself, and they were going to sweep the catacombs in search of any more rogue Enlightened.
At Antenora’s request, they agreed to leave the kobolds in peace.
“I should have known,” said Gavin.
“Known what?” said Antenora.
“That the evil of the New God could reach Andomhaim,” said Gavin. “Rhodruthain came here and kidnapped Ridmark and Calliande. The Maledicti tried to kill you. I suppose it makes sense that the New God would gain followers here.” He took a deep breath. “We shall have to be ready to face more of them.”
“Aye,” said Antenora, and she squeezed his hand. “But we shall face the coming trouble together, husband. Whatever happens, we shall face it together.”
Gavin nodded, and they went to join Caius, Corbanic, and the bishop’s guard of dwarven warriors.
THE END
Thank you for reading SHIELD KNIGHT: APPRENTICE.
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***
Other books by the author
The Demonsouled Saga
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The priests of the San-keth plot and scheme in the shadows, pulling lords and kingdoms upon their strings. The serpent priests desire to overthrow the realms of men and enslave humanity. Unless Mazael stops them, they shall force all nations to bow before the serpent god.
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To defeat these foes, Mazael will need all the strength of his Demonsouled blood.
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Read Demonsouled (http://www.jonathanmoeller.com/writer/?page_id=880) for free. Mazael's adventures continue in Soul of Tyrants (http://www.jonathanmoeller.com/writer/?page_id=911), Soul of Serpents (http://www.jonathanmoeller.com/writer/?page_id=1287), Soul of Dragons (http://www.jonathanmoeller.com/writer/?page_id=1727), Soul of Sorcery (http://www.jonathanmoeller.com/writer/?page_id=1845), Soul of Skulls (http://www.jonathanmoeller.com/writer/?page_id=2808), and Soul of Swords (http://www.jonathanmoeller.com/writer/?page_id=3599), along with the short stories The Wandering Knight (http://www.jonathanmoeller.com/writer/?page_id=3073), The Tournament Knight (http://www.jonathanmoeller.com/writer/?page_id=3677), and The Dragon's Shadow (http://www.jonathanmoeller.com/writer/?page_id=2635). Get the first three books bundled together in Demonsouled Omnibus One (http://www.jonathanmoeller.com/writer/?page_id=4442).
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Sevenfold Sword
Shield Knight: Apprentice Page 4