A crash shook the ceiling. As one, the Builders pulled back behind Damien and Dahlmis.
A second crash sent cracks running through the stone a moment before boulders came tumbling down into the opening they’d excavated. Along with the boulders came black-scaled goblins and a trio of the tentacle wolves.
Damien charged Lizzy’s blade with soul force and sent a slashing wave ripping into the gathered creatures. The goblins went flying and a pair of the wolves were torn apart.
A stone spear shot out of the floor and impaled the final wolf as the goblins recovered. Angry red eyes glared at them then vanished.
Damien conjured a golden web in front of them an instant before the racing goblins slammed into it. Immediately their claws went to work shredding the trap.
He poured more power into the web and rushed forward. Lizzy’s razor-sharp, soul force enhanced blade cut through the goblins’ scales as easily as the crystal lizards and in seconds he’d reduced the trapped goblins to a heap of bleeding parts.
His powerful shield saved him when a pair of goblins smart enough to avoid the trap attacked from opposite directions at warlord speed. Their claws scratched across the golden barrier but didn’t quite penetrate all the way.
Damien slashed, but was too slow. He hated fighting warlords or their monstrous equivalent. Where was Jen when he needed her? This was the sort of thing she and her squad were good at.
They were on the surface, no doubt hip deep in whatever task his master had assigned them. Whatever it was, it had to be better than this. He expanded his shield out away from his body, reinforced it with Lizzy’s divine soul force, and made it soft.
An instant later the goblins struck again, intent on getting to him and tearing his guts out. When their claws struck the shield, they penetrated to the wrist before he hardened it, locking them in place.
Before they could get free, Lizzy split them both in half.
Damien stretched out with his sorcerous senses but detected nothing in the chamber or the tunnel above. “I think we’re done.”
“Agreed,” Dahlmis said. “We’ll seal this passage and retreat. Allow me to say once more how glad I am to have you on our side.”
Damien shuddered to think what would have happened to these people if he hadn’t agreed to help. They probably would have won, but at a high price.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Marie-Bell and Imogen followed the wind path to a dark cave. Inside, a tunnel led down into the earth. The reek of corruption nearly choked Marie-Bell and she increased the energy to her shield to filter it out. Her armor had grown almost uncomfortably warm. Assuming the demon told her the truth, the proximity of its natural enemy must have gotten the armor powered up.
Marie-Bell conjured light around the head of her hammer and led the way into the tunnel. A chill, dark presence clawed at her protective aura and her armor flared up on its own to counter it. Marie-Bell shuddered at the slimy presence even though it was in her head.
“I didn’t think anything could be worse than the surface of the Haunted Lands, but I was wrong,” Imogen said. “I didn’t even know there were tunnels under this part of the world, did you?”
Marie-Bell shook her head. It seemed there was a lot she didn’t know. Given that her order had been charged with protecting the kingdom from the monsters living out here, her ignorance was pathetic. No wonder the demon had laughed at her. She felt like a kid stumbling around in the dark with no idea what was waiting to jump out and devour her.
It was hard to tell how far they’d gone when the tunnel finally leveled out. The light of the entrance had long since vanished and the darkness around them was so thick she could only see a few feet ahead. Worst of all, corruption filled the air to such an extent that she doubted she’d be able to sense a threat until it was on top of them. This was the worst situation imaginable. Only the constant heat from her armor offered any comfort.
The level stretch of tunnel continued for twenty feet before splitting into a Y. She looked down one path then the other, but nothing offered a hint about which one they should take.
“Any ideas?” Marie-Bell asked.
“It’s taking all my concentration just to keep breathing. Whichever way you think’s best is fine with me.”
Imogen’s skin had taken on a ghastly pallor and her hands trembled. Marie-Bell grasped her shaking fingers and willed healing energy to flow into her. Imogen’s trembling stopped at once and her color soon improved.
“Heaven’s mercy, that feels wonderful. Are you certain you can spare the power?”
“I’m sure.” Marie-Bell mingled divine soul force with the pure energy of Imogen’s shield. That should offer her a little more protection from the ambient corruption.
With no better ideas, Marie-Bell crossed her fingers and took the left-hand branch. The rough passage meandered through the rock for hundreds of yards, never going in one direction for more than a dozen paces. It wasn’t long before she became hopelessly lost.
“We could walk around forever down here and never find anything,” Imogen said.
“At least nothing’s attacked us,” Marie-Bell countered.
“I’d welcome an attack. At least then we’d know we were on the correct path.”
Marie-Bell shrugged. Imogen had a point, but she wasn’t going to go wishing for trouble. They’d find plenty soon enough.
Ten more minutes of trudging brought them to another fork in the tunnel. Marie-Bell raised her glowing hammer and pointed it at first one then the other path. She wasn’t sure if her idea would work, but it was better than guessing.
After a second pass she said, “I think it dimmed a little in front of the right side.”
“Very little, but it’s worth a shot,” Imogen said. “Why don’t I send a scout bug and see what I can find?”
“Will we be able to see in the dark?”
“The bug itself gives off some light. It’s not like we’re going to sneak up on anything down here.”
Imogen started conjuring, leaving Marie-Bell to mull over an unpleasant thought. If the undead had sensed their arrival, and there was no way they hadn’t, why weren’t they getting swamped by zombies?
“I’m ready,” Imogen said.
She had the viewing surface in her hands and the bug was already flying down the right-hand tunnel. Marie-Bell crowded over beside her and watched the tunnel zip by. There wasn’t much to see.
Marie-Bell had no idea how long the bug flew before something flashed across the screen. “Wait. Go back.”
The image froze then rotated until they were staring into the empty eye sockets of a zombie. It was in bad shape, with just a little dry skin clinging to its skull. It made no move to attack the bug.
“Looks like we’re on the right track,” Imogen said.
The bug took off again and Marie-Bell shuddered. Something stank beyond the corruption. Why hadn’t that zombie taken a swipe at their bug? Its natural aggressiveness should have compelled it to strike.
More and more zombies appeared and disappeared as they went. Finally, the tunnel opened into a cavern easily a thousand yards across and hundreds of feet high. In the center something gave off a sickly green glow. Imogen guided the bug closer, revealing a mass of flesh with arms, legs, and heads jutting out at random angles. Where skin covered its flesh, warts and boils proliferated.
Marie-Bell slapped a hand over her mouth. “I’m going to be sick.”
“That thing spotted the bug.”
Marie-Bell forced herself to focus and returned her gaze to the image. The monster waved several of its arms in a beckoning gesture. Marie-Bell and Imogen shared a look then Imogen guided the bug closer until it almost touched one of the undead’s heads.
Its mouth moved, then moved again.
“What’s it saying?” Marie-Bell asked.
“Damned if I know. The scout bug doesn’t carry sound and that thing doesn’t have any lips to read. Do you find it at all strange that it’s capable of attempting comm
unication in the first place?”
“I find everything about this strange. That demon may have left out a thing or two from what it told us about this creature.”
“Maybe, then again, assuming it told the truth about not being able to see down here, the demon might not know what sort of creature lives here.”
Marie-Bell was more inclined to assume they’d been lied to. So focused was she on the image, she almost didn’t notice the dark presence approaching.
She moved in front of Imogen and raised her hammer just as a zombie stumbled out of the tunnel. The instant she drew back to strike it went still. Marie-Bell froze. What was going on with these things?
“Come,” the zombie moaned. “Talk.”
“Heaven’s mercy, a talking zombie,” Marie-Bell said. Out of morbid curiosity she asked, “About what?”
“Deal. No fight.”
She glanced at Imogen then back at the zombie. “How do we know we’re not walking into a trap?”
“Look.” The zombie waved its hand back and forth.
With a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, Marie-Bell looked down the other tunnel. Dozens of glowing eyes stared back.
Imogen grabbed her arm and tugged. “Behind us.”
Their retreat was cut off by so many zombies they practically choked off the tunnel.
“Talk?” the zombie asked.
“Sure,” Marie-Bell said.
It wasn’t like their position could get any worse.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Callum’s whole body jiggled as he trembled. It wasn’t a good look by any standard. He didn’t seem to know how to get started, so Jen rested the tip of her sword on his third chin. That got the words flowing.
“Malachi is a spy,” Callum said. “These people showed up a few months ago and said he’d be staying with me and reporting on anything strange that happened in the area. I wasn’t given any choice.”
“Slow down,” Jen said. “Malachi is the skinny stable hand, yes? He works for the Dragons?”
He started to nod but froze when Jen’s sword nicked his neck. “Yes to both questions. For what it’s worth, he’s not a very good worker either. Comes and goes as he pleases, absolutely horrible. He rides south every month and is usually gone for a day or two. They provide me with coin to keep the business going and to keep me quiet. I appreciate that, but the threats would have done the job.”
Jen spun a circle with her finger indicating he should speed things along. “What are they up to?”
“I haven’t a clue. My job is to run the stable and keep my mouth shut.”
“Not doing a very good job at that second part,” Talon muttered.
He had a point. “Why are you talking to us? Everyone we’ve dealt with is too terrified of the Dragons to say a word.”
“Because you’re going to be dead soon. When Malachi saw those horses, he lost it. He said his bosses would make short work of you. I figure if you’re dead it won’t hurt anything to talk and save myself some pain. Besides, I don’t really know that much.”
A loud crash came from the direction of the tavern.
“That would be the bosses,” Callum said.
Jen and Talon shared a look before the pommel of her sword crashed into the stable-master’s forehead. He went down in a heap and quivered like a fresh pudding. She was pretty sure he was dead, but the miserable traitor deserved whatever he got.
At warlord speed it took a fraction of a second to reach the tavern. The others were engaged with six enemy warlords. They stood back to back and fought in total defense. Despite their opponents’ obvious skill, not a single blow got through.
Jen needed to even the odds quickly. She drew deep from her core and went to lightning speed.
Everything went into slow motion. Talon broke off to engage one of a pair of bruisers that pressed Edward hard. Jen picked the biggest of the bunch, a seven-foot-tall monster wide enough to give an ogre a run for its money.
His battle-ax went up.
Jen darted in, planning to take his arms at the elbow and send the ax flying into the skinny rat of a man behind him.
Before her slash could land, a third Dragon sped up enough to match her and blocked the blow. The shock of someone else able to reach lightning speed nearly cost Jen her head.
She leapt back with a hair’s breadth to spare. As her opponent’s arm passed by, she caught a glimpse of a tattoo with seven stars surrounding the dragon’s head.
And that was all she had time to notice.
The blows came fast and furious.
She didn’t think.
Thinking would have gotten her killed.
Instinct took over.
Her sword made every parry as if acting of its own volition.
Five seconds and sixty strokes later a twist of her wrist opened a gap and she slashed across his tunic. The cotton parted, revealing a shirt of red scales that turned her razor-sharp blade aside without leaving a mark.
For a second time instinct saved her in her moment of shock. She locked blades with the bandit and he flashed a smile, revealing teeth filed to a needle point. As they jockeyed for advantage, she took inventory of her remaining soul force.
It looked like just enough.
If this monster had sufficient power to keep up with god speed they were dead anyway.
Jen drew every drop of soul force she had and the world froze. An eye blink later all the bandits lay in pieces.
Utter exhaustion washed over Jen and she fell unconscious.
Chapter Fifty
“Welcome to my realm,” the lumpish mass of rotting flesh said. It spoke with a smooth, clear voice out of its central head, a human male that still had its lips and tongue. “I assume Wind Walker sent you to destroy me?”
Marie-Bell hesitated. Since they arrived, hundreds of zombies had poured into the cavern. If she angered this thing, escaping would be a problem.
Three of its heads smiled. “Your reluctance to answer tells me all I need to know. The demon sends assassins down here every decade or two. Never a paladin and sorcerer though. Usually he just sends some unlucky demons who are quickly torn apart by my children and devoured.”
“Okay, since you know why we’re here, what did you want to talk about?” Imogen asked.
“Simple, I recognize the Armor of True Death and have no wish to fight anyone wearing it. My hope is that I can offer you a better deal than Wind Walker.”
Marie-Bell grimaced. Did everyone know more about the order’s holy armor than her? “The demon is preventing us from entering the imperial palace. In exchange for killing you, he’ll let us in.”
The undead laughed, an eerie, echoing noise that came from at least five heads. “You imagine Wind Walker will allow you to claim the Sword of Demon Slaying? No, if by some miracle you destroy me, the demon will strike you down the instant you reach the surface. Letting anyone gain possession of the sword isn’t in his best interest.”
“Why should we trust you over him?” Imogen asked. Not the most diplomatic way to put it, but a fair question all the same.
“Simple. You already have the artifact that most concerns me. Allowing you to gain the sword increases my danger by only a fraction. Wind Walker has much more to lose.”
Much as she hated to admit it, Marie-Bell had to grant the creature a point. There was no reason for the demon to keep its word once they’d done its bidding.
“What do you propose?” Marie-Bell asked.
“There are tunnels that lead to the palace. I will allow you to travel safely through my realm in exchange for your promise to leave me and my children in peace.”
“You would trust my promise?” Marie-Bell asked.
The central head smiled again. “Of course. If you can’t trust a paladin, who can you trust?”
Marie-Bell glanced at Imogen. “What do you think?”
“We’re caught between the devil and the dead. I say we take his offer. At least then we’ll have a chance at getting the sword.”
Marie-Bell let out a disgusted sigh. “Fine, I swear not to harm you or your children. But if any of them attack us, all bets are off. Now, where’s this entrance?”
“Excellent, I knew you’d be reasonable.” The zombies shifted, revealing a tunnel on the far side of the cave. A single undead separated itself from the horde. “This one will guide you. It’s about a day’s walk for a zombie. Happy hunting, young ladies.”
Their guide shuffled off and Marie-Bell and Imogen fell in behind it. The best the thing could manage was a shuffle, so this was going to be a tedious trip. A least she hoped it would be.
Chapter Fifty-One
Jen woke to a blinding headache, but at least she woke. Her eyes opened and she winced when the light stabbed her. Her vision cleared, revealing a scruffy, bearded face, blocking out some of the exposed rafters and thatched roof. She crinkled her nose at the stink of dung. They must have retreated to the stable. That made sense. It was close and reasonably defensible.
“Rhys, your face is not what a lady wants to see when she first wakes up.”
He grunted. “If you can make jokes you’ll be fine. I’m no sorcerer, but it looks like you tapped into your life reserve at the end of that attack. Even a moment more probably would have killed you.”
She grimaced. The life reserve was the portion of your soul force that kept basic functions – like breathing – working. Burn through that and it was game over. That was the problem with god speed. It used her energy so fast she had trouble controlling it.
Jen tried to sit up but winced when every joint complained. That was another downside of the technique, it put insane strain on her body.
At least she was alive to complain.
Her core had returned to just over a quarter full, so she risked a little healing and sighed when the pain vanished. Thus recovered, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and met the worried gazes of her team.
“I’m fine. What did you find out?”
Dreaming in the Dark_Chains of the Fallen Volume 1 Page 18