by James Wisher
“Hardly a mark on them.” Connor’s pleased voice drew her attention away from the fresh corpse. “They’re every bit as sturdy as they are strong. We need to move quickly to secure the pass before the kingdom sends replacements to guard it.”
“Who could they send that would be a match for the constructs?” Morana asked.
Connor turned his sharp gaze on her. “Don’t be too confident. This battle was fought under ideal circumstances for us and the worst possible for them. When you reach the fortress you’ll lose the advantage of the haunted lands’ corruption strengthening your troops.”
“I won’t fail,” Morana said. She clenched her fist. She wouldn’t! No matter what it took she wouldn’t let Connor down.
He nodded once and turned his attention to the demon. “Will you join my forces in assuming control of the fortress?”
“No. I’m sure your” —the demon laughed—“general can handle it. I lost three of my cohort in the battle. I’m going to try and round up some replacements. We will join you soon.”
Connor nodded. “It will take Morana a full day to reach the pass anyway. She will hold there until you join her.”
“What will you be doing?” the demon asked.
Morana had been wondering that herself.
Connor gestured and the dome containing the captured people rose into the air. “I’ll be busy enlarging my army.”
As he flew away, out of the corner of his eye, Connor caught a glimpse of the twisted, emaciated forms of ghouls waiting at the edge of the field for the mightier demons to leave so they could feed.
Chapter 19
Damien watched the warlock fly away after ignoring his jibe. Something was happening outside. The crystal constructs were all rushing toward the exit. Damien had no idea what was going on and he didn’t especially care. All that mattered was anyone in a position to stop him from getting free of his restraints was gone.
You have a plan?
“Yes, but it isn’t going to be pleasant.” Damien had been trying to work his hand free by getting it slippery with blood, but despite cutting himself several times he just couldn’t manage to fit through the tiny gap. His thumb stuck out too far.
You’re not.
“Afraid so.”
Damien clamped his jaw shut and yanked. The skin tore and bone flexed. He kept pulling with all his might. His thumb crunched. Damien moaned as his hand slipped out.
The flesh of his left hand looked like he’d run it through a meat grinder. He wiggled his thumb and winced. Hurt like hell, but it still moved a little. He wouldn’t be doing any fine work with it, but it should be enough.
He wrestled with the buckles of the harness and finally got it free. The buckles had corners honed to a fine point. Damien smiled. Dad always wanted everything to be able to serve as a weapon in a pinch. Damien said a silent word of thanks and, with the steel buckle held as firmly as his injured hand could manage, hammered it against the crystal binding his right hand.
Like a deranged woodpecker he slammed the buckle into the restraint. Blue flakes tumbled to the ground. Every blow sent jagged spasms of pain through his injured thumb. Damien ignored the pain—he’d been hurt worse plenty of times in his training—and kept swinging. He had no idea how long Connor would be gone and he wanted to be anywhere else when the warlock returned.
After more strikes than he cared to count a crack formed in the crystal. A fierce grin curved his lips. I’ll show you, you bastard.
He focused on the crack, imagining it was Connor’s mouth, and kept pounding.
He was going to get out of here.
Then he was going to get his strength back and when he did he was going to hunt down Connor Blackman and cut him into bloody chunks.
The restraint shattered and Damien slumped to the ground. He took a moment to gather himself. His soul force didn’t immediately begin regenerating which surprised him.
“Is your power returning?”
Not yet. The effects of the crystal may have warped our flow. It’ll take time to return to normal.
Damien scrambled to his feet. “We don’t have time.”
It takes as long as it takes. Some things simply can’t be rushed. You need to find somewhere to hide.
That was putting it mildly. Without his soul force Damien was nothing more than a slightly above average swordsman. He walked a few steps and stood in front of an unconscious Imogen. Her flawless face was drawn and sunken, her golden hair filthy and clumped together. He wanted to set her free, but Damien could barely look after himself. Even if he got her out of her restraints he had no strength to carry her away or protect her if he had to fight.
He sighed and stroked her cheek. He couldn’t help her now. Damien glanced at Eli and Master Shen. He couldn’t help any of them.
Damien, we have to go.
“I know.” He turned back to Imogen. “I’ll be back for you, all of you, I promise.”
He ran deeper into the mountain, away from the crystal, and his friends, and Connor. Soon, he promised himself, soon he’d be running back, his power restored, to drop this mountain on Connor’s head just like he did Mikhail. Only this time he’d make sure his enemy stayed buried.
Chapter 20
Jen, Kat, and Amanda walked toward the massive main gate built into the wall that guarded the kingdom side of the fortress. The sun had barely risen and, despite the softness of the inn’s bed she had awoken in, Jen hadn’t wanted to waste a moment more than necessary. They’d decided to spend the night in the village of Knight’s Rest rather than risk approaching the fortress after dark. It would have been rather embarrassing to be knocked from the air by mistake.
After they left the ruins they’d flown east through the late afternoon sky. They’d only been underground for a few hours, but it felt like longer. Jen had ached everywhere, but at least her midriff had healed. They’d offered to give Professor Dorius a ride back to King’s College, but he insisted on continuing his research. Now that he knew what to watch out for he wouldn’t accidentally release any more goblins, or so he insisted. Next time he’d probably release something worse, Jen had thought but didn’t say. Whatever the risks, the professor seemed content to remain underground and putter about the ruins and they were too busy to waste time worrying about him. Whatever happened to Dorius was someone else’s problem.
“What sort of greeting should we expect?” Amanda asked.
“Beats me.” Jen eyed the empty battlement. There ought to be someone keeping watch on this side. A queasy feeling twisted her stomach. “I’ve never been to the fortress before. I have a friend that’s a paladin, but she’s not on the best terms with those stationed here.”
“I was warned during training to give the place a wide berth,” Kat said.
“Who told you that?” Amanda asked. “I don’t remember my masters giving it more than a passing mention.”
“It wasn’t the masters, it was my mentor. You wouldn’t know her, she died years ago. In truth I think she had a grudge of some sort against the paladins so anything she told me should be taken with a grain of salt. How do you want to approach them?”
Jen planned to go straight up to the doors and demand to speak to the commander. “I think I’ll just knock and see what happens. There must be someone inside.”
“I don’t know,” Kat said. “I can’t sense anyone. Paladins are strong enough that I should be able to detect even one.”
Jen shrugged and marched up to the portcullis. “Hello!”
She waited, straining to hear any sign of life. The twist in her stomach got worse. Had they arrived too late? No, Kat would have sensed the presence of demons just as well as paladins.
She drew her sword and hammered the iron cross-guard on the portcullis bars. The hideous clamor would have woken the dead much less any guard.
“Nobody’s home,” Amanda said. She moved up beside Jen and peered inside. “I don’t see anything.”
The dirt yard was empty and the keep door closed, nothin
g moved behind any of the arrow slits. Where was everybody?
“Let’s go have a look around,” Jen said.
She sent soul force into her legs and leapt straight up and over the battlements. She landed lightly on the opposite side and waited for someone to challenge her. Kat and Amanda landed beside her a moment later.
“This is foolish,” Kat said. “If they find us wandering around the paladins will attack on sight. We should just return to the capital and let them know what’s happening.”
“We don’t know what’s happening.” Jen started toward the fortress. “And even if there is someone here they won’t attack without using their soul sight.”
Hopefully.
“What makes you so sure?” Kat’s head swung left and right, trying to look everywhere at once.
“Nothing. The only thing I’m sure of is that I’m not going anywhere until I find out what happened to my friend. If you two want to wait outside I don’t mind. I can search the whole place in an hour, maybe two. Something happened here. Why would the paladins leave this place totally unprotected?”
“I’ll help you search,” Amanda said. “We’ve come all this way. I want to see what’s inside.”
“Thanks.” Jen looked over at Kat and raised an eyebrow.
“Fine, someone has to keep you two out of trouble. Let’s get this over with.”
They reached the keep doors and Jen shoved them open. She shook her head. They hadn’t even sealed up the keep. How careless could you be? Did they really expect their reputation to keep the fortress safe?
Inside everything was gray stone with little in the way of decoration. They walked down the empty halls, pushing doors open as they went. Jen’s breath caught when she opened the chapel door. It was every bit as beautiful as Marie-Bell had said. Some of the archangels depicted in the windows she recognized and others were new to her.
On the altar rested enough gold and platinum for a thief to retire on for the rest of his life. Amanda took three steps through the door before Kat grabbed her collar and yanked her back.
“What?”
“I think we can say no one is in there without touching anything. Let’s keep moving.” Kat nudged Amanda further down the hall.
“Come on. When are we going to have another chance to poke around this place? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You don’t want to waste it.”
“No.” Kat pointed down the hall. “What I don’t want is for a paladin to come home and find us mucking about in their chapel.”
“Fine.” Amanda stomped down the hall to the next door. She thrust it open with a good deal more energy than necessary. “Hey, this is an office. Maybe we can find something useful in here.”
She ducked into the room before Kat could snag her collar again.
“That girl will be the death of me,” Kat muttered as they hurried after Amanda.
“Look at this.” Amanda had the trash bin in one hand and a crumpled-up scroll in the other. “Isn’t that the royal seal?”
Jen took it and examined the broken seal. “Yes. This is the scroll the king gave to Marie-Bell. She made it this far at least. Whoever she gave it to didn’t like what it said. Maybe this will tell us where the paladins went.”
She set to reading, growing more confused rather than less as she worked her way down the page. When she finished Jen looked up. “The king ordered the paladins to stand fast and await the arrival of the eastern army whereupon the combined force would be placed under the command of General Gauge.”
Kat winced.
“What?”
“Paladins tend to be very proud,” Kat said. “I doubt they took the news that they’d be under the command of an ordinary man very well.”
“Even if they didn’t like it I can’t imagine they’d abandon their post.” Jen tossed the scroll back in the bin and Amanda set it back beside the desk. “Let’s continue searching.”
An hour later they’d completed the first floor and the basement. Jen led the way up a narrow staircase to the second floor. When they reached the landing Kat stopped and cocked her head.
“I sense something. It’s weak, but definitely there.”
Jen reached for her sword, but Kat stopped her. “It’s nothing dark. In fact I’m pretty sure it’s a paladin.”
“Finally. Maybe we’ll get some answers. Lead the way.” Jen pushed the door open and motioned Kat through.
As Kat led the way through the equally empty second floor, her head turned this way and that trying to hone in on whatever she sensed.
Amanda asked. “So who are we looking for, the night watchman?”
Jen didn’t know and Kat was too focused to bother replying. Kat slowed then stopped in front of a closed door with a heavy wooden bar holding it shut.
“I sense it now,” Amanda said. “Must be someone really weak.”
Jen grabbed the bar but before she could lift it free Kat put a hand on her arm. “Are you sure this is a good idea? The paladins locked up whoever’s in there for a reason.”
“There’s three of us and one of whoever’s in there. I’ll take my chances.” Jen removed the bar, tossed it aside, and yanked the door open.
Seated lotus style in a white-tiled room was Marie-Bell. She looked up at Jen and tears ran down her face. “Thank you.”
Chapter 21
Kat took a step back from the open door prompting an enquiring look from Jen. “What?”
Kat shook her head. “Nothing. It’s just with the door open I can sense her true power and it’s greater than I first thought.”
Jen dearly wished the Headmaster had assigned her a less jumpy sorcerer to work with. Beggars couldn’t be choosers so she’d just have to make the best of it. At least Kat was competent and reasonably strong. That was what mattered.
Jen sighed and turned back to Marie-Bell who had climbed to her feet and wiped the tears from her face. Her hair was a mess and she had on nothing but a simple shift. It looked like someone had dragged her out of bed and brought her straight here. Jen took a step deeper into the white-tiled room. Marie-Bell rushed over to her and threw her arms around Jen’s neck.
“I thought I was going to be stuck in here forever. They’re all dead, Jen. I felt them vanish one by one.” She sniffed and Jen feared Marie-Bell might start crying again. “It was horrible. Heaven’s mercy, what was the commander thinking?”
“Slow down, take a breath.” Jen guided the distraught young woman out of the room and into the hall. “Now tell me everything, slowly.”
“After I delivered the king’s message Commander Kendy and her three sub-commanders broke into my room, captured me, and stuck me in the punishment chamber. The next day, at least I think it was the next day, time is really hard to figure in the room. Anyway, after a while I felt the paladins leave the fortress. All of them. I couldn’t believe it.”
“Where did they go?” Kat asked.
“Into the haunted lands I think. That’s the only thing that would account for the sudden drop in their soul force. The haunted lands aren’t a good place for paladins, though we can withstand it better than most. They grew farther and farther away then I sensed dark power before the paladins began to disappear. I felt them die one by one.”
“Sounds like they walked into an ambush.” Jen scratched her head. “Any idea why the commander led her forces out into the haunted lands?”
Marie-Bell shook her head. “I think it had something to do with His Majesty’s letter. Commander Kendy didn’t like it at all. And no way did they walk into an ambush. Any of the paladins would have sensed demons long before they encountered them, especially ones of sufficient power that I could detect them from here.”
Marie-Bell led the way back downstairs. Jen, Kat, and Amanda fell in behind her.
As they walked Jen asked, “Did you read the king’s message?”
“No. The commander didn’t see fit to share the contents with me. The way she crumpled it up and tossed it immediately into the garbage told me everything
I know.”
Marie-Bell pushed a closed door open and stepped into a simple bedroom. Her armor and other gear sat on a bench opposite the door. “They took me out of bed before I even knew what was happening. Four of them used a suppression technique reserved for capturing rogue paladins for punishment. They threw me in the chamber and sealed the door.”
“They sound like real jerks,” Amanda said.
Marie-Bell tried a half-hearted smile, but failed. “Yes, and now they’re dead. All dead. Even the initiates.”
She plopped down on the bed and held her head in her hands. Jen had no idea what to say in a situation like this. Her talents lay in other directions. Maybe if she could distract Marie-Bell it would help, keep her focused on solving their current problem rather than worrying about something she couldn’t change.
“We found the message. The king ordered the paladins to stand fast and await the arrival of the eastern army. When they arrived you were to fall under the command of General Gauge.”
Marie-Bell looked up at her with red-rimmed eyes. “Well that helps explain it. Commander Kendy isn’t…wasn’t, the type to accept a lesser position. She probably figured they could deal with Connor on their own. All the older paladins liked to talk about past crusades and how they wished they’d been around to participate. I doubt the commander had much trouble convincing the others to head out and bring the battle to the enemy.”
“That’s insane,” Kat said. “The haunted lands are the worst place on the planet. No one in their right mind would go out there, especially looking for a warlock building a demon army.”
“Demon army?” Marie-Bell set about putting on her armor.
That’s right, Marie-Bell didn’t know what they’d learned from Professor Dorius. “That’s our working theory,” Jen said. “And your observations pretty much confirm it.”
“I need to alert the Headmaster,” Kat said.
“Question.” Amanda raised her hand like a little kid in class. “If the paladins are dead and the army is who knows how far away, who’s going to protect the fortress when the demons arrive?”