Bart was shocked to witness the death of the magic user. As incredible as it may seem, Kevik had triumphed!
“You are dead, thief!” Lord Kueryn exclaimed.
Rolling to the side, Bart remained on the floor of the dais as he continued to roll across its surface away from the enraged lord. Behind him, Lord Kueryn stepped onto the dais and followed.
The thief was trying to get away from him, rolling like a dog. Lord Kueryn quickly caught up with him and was about to strike when he felt something hit his arm. In his rage and need to end the life of this thief, he paid it little heed. Then when another sharp jab brought pain to his sword hand, he looked and saw the tip of a small, two inch dart embedded in his skin. Already, red tendrils were beginning to spider their way across his skin. Ignoring the pain, he raised his sword to kill the thief.
Bart saw the darts protruding from him. He had hoped his roll would trigger the traps guarding this place. Now, he scooted backward off the dais and rolled down the steps, remaining low in case more of the deadly projectiles were launched. All the while he kept his eyes riveted on the lord who was intent on his death.
Lord Kueryn followed him down the steps, and when his foot touched the floor, momentarily lost his balance. Upon regaining it, he continued forward toward Bart and managed to take two more steps before his sword fell from his hand. Now swollen and covered in red tendrils, his hand could no longer hold it.
He gazed incredulously at his empty hand an instant before following his sword to the floor. Reaching his swollen hand out, he sought his sword and when he touched its hilt was unable to make his hand clasp around it.
“Uncle,” Haran said as he came to the dying man’s side.
Lord Kueryn glanced up to his nephew with hate in his eyes. “Call…me…not!” he gasped.
“Uncle,” Haran again said, “I shall return the Orack people to greatness.”
“T…trai…” he tried to say, but then his strength left him.
As his uncle lay there breathing his last, Haran turned to where Lord Hurrin and Riyan continued to battle. Riyan was awash with blood from the numerous times the lord had breached his defenses. “Lord Hurrin!” exclaimed Haran. When the lord failed to respond to him, Haran said, “I command you to desist!”
Disengaging, Lord Hurrin took a step back and kept an eye on a panting Riyan as he glanced toward Haran. Then he saw where Lord Kueryn lay. “Dead?” he asked.
“Shortly,” replied Haran. “I will soon succeed my uncle as Warlord of the Orack Tribe.”
Lord Hurrin gazed to where Lord Kueryn lay dying then back to Haran. Unreadable thoughts came and went as he took in the new situation. Then, he came to a decision. Giving a slight bow to Haran he said, “As you wish my lord.”
“Now,” commanded Haran, “tell your men to stop fighting.”
“Yes, my lord,” he replied. Moving to the passageway, he ordered his men to break off.
As the three remaining Tribesmen disengaged from Chad and the twins, Captain Lyrun continued the fight. Which was just fine with Chyfe. Though he sported several wounds courtesy of the captain, he fought on with great determination.
Captain Lyrun on the other hand bore but one wound and it was barely a nick.
Slash, block, hack, the two combatants continued to fight. Seth came to aid Chyfe but Chyfe shouted, “He’s mine!”
“But you can’t take him!” argued Seth. And as if to accentuate the point, Captain Lyrun’s blade penetrated Chyfe’s guard and stabbed him in the shoulder of his sword arm.
Seth had seen enough. Against Chyfe’s wishes, he moved forward with sword drawn and engaged Captain Lyrun. Now with two opponents, the captain was forced to concentrate more on defense and less on killing Chyfe.
“I can take him!” argued Chyfe as blood flowed from his shoulder.
Seth didn’t reply. Instead, he thought back to a conversation he had with one of his instructors. When two men are faced with a superior opponent, his instructor had said, it’s sometime advisable for one to open their defense to entice him into an attack that will leave him open to the other.
Does that work? Chyfe had asked.
Sometimes, replied his instructor. But you must be careful, for the one opening their defenses risks death.
With that in mind, Seth waited until Chyfe had attacked then drew his sword back. At that time, Seth opened his defense and saw Captain Lyrun’s blade immediately fly into the opening. Though he jumped back, Seth failed to completely avoid the blow. Two inches of the captain’s sword slid between his ribs.
“Seth!” cried Soth as he saw his brother fall from the blade.
In the instant Captain Lyrun wounded Seth, Chyfe struck. The point of his sword penetrated the captain’s side. Using his weight to give added strength to the blow, Chyfe pressed forward until the point of his sword emerged from Captain Lyrun’s other side.
For a split second, it seemed as if the captain would continue the attack. He spun quickly back toward Chyfe, the motion pulling the hilt of Chyfe’s sword out of his hands. Standing there with the sword completely impaling him, Captain Lyrun made to move toward Chyfe. Then with knees buckling under him, he crashed to the floor. The battle was over.
“Oh no,” moaned Soth as he came to his brother’s side. Blood covered Seth’s front and he was having trouble breathing. He looked into his brother’s eyes, fear for Seth’s life coursed through him.
“Hey, brother,” Seth said when his eyes focused on Soth’s face. Foam flecked the corners of his mouth.
Soth turned to Chad and said, “I think his lung was punctured.”
From where Chyfe was retrieving his sword from Captain Lyrun’s body, he said, “A wound like that could be mortal.”
“I know,” replied Soth.
Riyan, Bart, and Haran came from the room and saw Seth lying there, red rapidly staining an ever increasing area on his front. “Wait,” Haran said then hurried back into the room.
“We won didn’t we?” asked Seth. Then a coughing fit took him as more blood was expelled from his mouth.
“We sure did,” he brother replied.
Haran suddenly reappeared with a small vial in his hand. “My uncle always has a couple healing potions on him at all times,” he explained. Coming over to the twins he handed the vial to Soth. “Have him drink this.”
Soth nodded. Taking the vial, he brought it to his brother’s lips. “Don’t cough it back up,” he scolded. Starting with just a few drops at a time, he poured the vial’s contents into his brother.
“Depending on how bad the injury is,” explained Haran, “it may take a few minutes before its effects are noticeable.”
“Thank you,” said Soth. Turning his attention back to his brother, he saw that his breathing was already calming down and his eyes were closed.
By this time Chyfe had his sword cleaned and back in its scabbard. He was watching the healing affects of the potion work on Seth when he noticed one of Haran’s men holding the box containing the gray powder. “Don’t open that!” he exclaimed. The last thing he wanted was for some fool to open the box and negate the magic of the healing potion. Hurrying to the soldier’s side, he took possession of the box.
“What is it?” asked Haran.
“I’m not entirely sure,” he replied. “When you open it, it somehow prevents magic users from casting spells. Kevik would know…” Coming to an abrupt stop, he suddenly remembered Kevik. “Kevik!” Turning toward where they had left the magic user, he rushed down the passageway.
As he drew closer, he saw Kevik lying on the floor looking for all the world like he was dead. In one hand was gripped the wand that he had carried around for so long. “Oh man don’t be dead,” Chyfe said.
Soth stayed with his brother as the others hurried down to see about Kevik. Riyan was aghast when he saw the extensive area of burned skin that covered his body. His robe had numerous burned patches, beneath which could be seen skin covered in blisters. “Oh my,” Riyan said.
“T
he gem!” exclaimed Chad.
“Gem?” asked Haran.
“If he still lives it may be his only chance,” exclaimed Chyfe.
Riyan reached his side first and laid his ear against Kevik’s chest. When he heard the faint lub-dub of a heartbeat, he turned his attention to the pouches around Kevik’s waist. “He’s alive,” he told the others. “Barely.” Opening the first pouch, he searched for the gem but failed to find it. Moving to the second, he opened it only to find a large hole had been burned into it and the contents missing.
“It must have fallen out,” he said. “We need to find it!” Beginning to search in the area adjacent to where Kevik lay, he frantically hunted for the gem.
Haran and his men joined the search. As he went down on his hands and knees, he asked, “Just what exactly are we looking for?”
“A small red ruby,” Riyan explained. “It has healing powers.”
Turning to his men, Haran said, “Find it.”
A minute went by as the searchers combed the floor of the passageway for the gem. When Chyfe finally found it lying in a crack against the wall, he shouted for joy. Grabbing it, he brought it over to where Kevik lay and handed it to Riyan. “You’ve used it before,” he said.
Riyan nodded and took the gem. In a second, the gem sprang to life with a red glow. He then set it on a burnt patch of Kevik’s chest, making sure it was in contact with his skin. When he let go, the glow remained. “We can leave it here to go about its work,” he said.
“We aren’t going to leave Kevik here are we?” asked Chad.
Again, Riyan nodded. “No sense in moving him until he’s healed,” he explained. Then he nodded over to where Soth sat with Seth. “If he should awaken, they’ll be nearby.”
Bart lent him a hand back to his feet. “Now, let’s go see what was on the other side of that wall.”
Knowing that his friends were healing and wouldn’t expire, Riyan said, “Alright.” Then to Haran he asked, “Care to come with us?”
Haran grinned. “I wouldn’t miss this for anything.”
As they headed down the passage back to the room, Riyan paused when he neared the twins. “Is he better?” he asked Soth.
“He’s asleep right now,” Soth replied. “No coughing and the wound on his chest is beginning to heal over. I think he’ll be fine.”
“Good,” said Riyan. “We’re going to see what’s in the Horde. Stay here and keep an eye on him, Kevik too.”
Soth nodded and grinned. “Is he going to make it?”
“He’s burned real bad,” Riyan explained. Glancing back to the magic user, he saw the glow of the gem. “The gem is working to heal him as we speak.”
“That’s good to hear,” replied Soth. As Riyan made to continue on toward the Horde, Soth said, “Save some for the rest of us.”
Riyan chuckled and said, “Maybe a little.” Turning to Bart he said, “Let’s go.”
Haran came and walked beside him. Riyan glanced to him as they left the passage and entered the room. Haran saw the questioning look Riyan cast him. “I cared for my uncle once,” he explained. “But of late, he has done many things which went against everything our people held sacred.”
“What do you plan to do now?” asked Riyan.
“First of all, repair our relations with Byrdlon,” he replied. “The recent attacks including the one on your Yerith Keep, were simply a ploy by my uncle to keep Byrdlon’s forces looking to that area so he could sneak across the border and come here.” Haran turned his attention to Lord Hurrin. “I understand you had no small part to play in that fiasco?”
“I simply did as Lord Kueryn bid,” he explained.
“Yes,” Haran said. “We’ll look more into your part once we return home.”
Lord Hurrin bowed his head and said, “Yes my lord.”
They passed the bodies of Lord Geop and Lord Kueryn on the way to the now opened sigil inscribed wall. Haran didn’t even cast a glance toward their bodies as he walked by.
Beyond the wall, there was a short passage leading away. One of Haran’s men held a torch and something at the other end of the passage was reflecting its light. Haran paused before stepping upon the first step leading to the dais. Turning to Bart, he asked, “Is it safe?”
“Allow me to lead the way, my lord,” Bart replied. “There is a way through that I’m certain is safe.”
Haran nodded for him to proceed.
Taking the lead as he often does, Bart led them up the steps and across the dais. As they entered the passage they began making out details of the room at the other end. Situated in the center was a thin, five foot iron stand. Atop the stand was the source of what had been reflecting the torch’s light. It was a massive diamond, easily the size of a man’s fist.
As they came to the edge of the room, they paused in awe. The room was octagonal in shape with four of the sides being walls, another three were openings to alcoves and the last opened onto the passage in which they stood. The four walls of the room were constructed of black marble and each bore one of the four coats of arms inlaid with silver.
The floor of the room was of black marble as well. A circular band of darker black formed a circle with a ten foot diameter around the iron stand. Within the band were more arcane symbols inlaid in silver. The ceiling was domed and constructed of unadorned black marble.
“Look!” Chad said as he pointed to one of the alcoves. Within sat a single chest. The other two alcoves also bore but a single chest.
“Is that it?” asked Chyfe. “I would have thought there would be more to it than this.”
Riyan turned to Bart. “Do you think it’s safe to enter?” he asked.
“Probably,” he replied. “After having to use the key to gain access, I doubt if there would be any traps here. So far the places that we’ve come across that were hidden in a similar manner didn’t have any traps.”
“Good enough for me,” Riyan said. Stepping into the room, he walked toward the large diamond in the center of the room. “This must be worth a fortune!”
“It’s the largest diamond I have ever seen,” commented Bart coming up behind him. He reached out to take it then paused before his hand touched it.
“What?” asked Riyan.
Bart shook his head. “Nothing,” he said then reached out and grabbed hold of the diamond. Lifting it off the iron stand, he brought it close and examined its facets. “This is incredible.” Glancing to Riyan, he grinned and then put it in his belt pouch for safe keeping.
“Bart,” Chad hollered from where he stood within one of the alcoves, “this chest is locked.”
Taking out his picks, he headed to the chest and quickly had it opened. Within, were a dozen large gems.
“What?” asked Chad. “That’s it?”
“There could be more in the other chests,” suggested Riyan.
“There was more than this in Algoth!” he exclaimed. “Where are the piles of gold and silver?”
“Algoth?” asked Haran.
As Bart went to the next alcove to open that chest, Riyan replied, “It was one of the places where we found a part of the key.”
“Ah,” Haran said.
Chad busied himself in gathering the gems at the bottom of the chest. Despite his misgivings at there being so few, he had to admit that each were incredibly valuable. Perhaps on their own worth more than a pile of gold and silver. They also had the added benefit of being easier to transport.
“More gems,” Bart hollered from the next alcove.
The others hurried over and found there to be the exact same number as was in the first one. This time, Chyfe and Riyan gathered them while Bart went to the third and final chest.
Riyan emerged from the alcove and saw Haran watching him. Reaching into his pack, he offered him two of the gems. “We each get a share,” he replied.
But to his astonishment, Haran declined the offer. “Thank you, but no,” Haran said. “Taking from the dead is not our way.”
“Ha!” Chyfe said
as he came to stand with Riyan. “We’ve seen how you treat the dead.”
When Haran looked confused, Riyan explained about what they had seen near the Wrath of Hennon.
Anger suffused Haran. “I had not heard about that!” he exclaimed. Turning to Lord Hurrin, he asked, “Did you know of this?”
Lord Hurrin hung his head and failed to meet Haran’s eyes, which was all the answer needed.
“How could you have allowed such an abomination?” he demanded.
Turning pained eyes to Haran, Lord Hurrin replied, “I did speak out against it but your uncle wouldn’t listen.”
“It will take much to set this right,” Haran said. “And you shall be the one to do it!”
“Yes my lord,” he said.
Haran glared at the lord for a few more moments then returned his gaze to Riyan and Chyfe. “Such is not our way, truly,” he said. “We will set to right as best we can what travesties my uncle has wrought.”
“I hope so,” Chyfe said.
Just then, Chad emerged from the third alcove. “More gems,” he told them as he held up his pack. “With these we’ll not have to worry about coins for the rest of our lives.” Crossing the room to his friend, he added, “Still, not what one would call a Horde.”
“True,” Riyan agreed.
Chad came to Bart and asked, “You don’t suppose there could be a secret entrance to the ‘real’ horde do you?”
“Maybe,” he replied. Glancing around at the way the room was laid out, he said, “I’ll take a look around.”
“While you do that,” Riyan told him, “I’ll go see how Kevik and Seth are doing.” Then with that, he turned and headed for the short passage leading from the room. Haran and his men went with him as did Chyfe.
“I never properly thanked you for saving me that day at Marl Crest,” Haran said.
“We were glad to do it,” he replied. “After all, if it hadn’t been for us, you never would have been captured in the first place.” He glanced to the new Warlord of the Orack Tribe. “Anyway, I think we’re even now.”
Quest's End: The Broken Key #3 Page 52