Chapter 36 - Kiril
Achtisanor and Krunch went down into the bowels of the castle. Occasionally, they leapt above rats. After they had taken several wrong turns, they had reached an intersection of corridors.
"Where do we go now, Achtisanor?" Krunch said.
"Shhh," Achtisanor hushed him, "listen."
Rough laughter was heard in the labyrinth around them.
Krunch was silent and listened intently. "The noise is coming from there," he pointed to the corridor to their left.
The two walked quietly.
"If there are some creatures, they are probably guarding something," Achtisanor whispered, "and if they are guarding something…"
"It means that it is important enough to be guarded," Krunch said.
More stairs led them downward, apparently leading to the castle basement. The rough laughter was louder now, the stairs led to an empty room with a door that was slightly open.
Krunch approached quietly and peeked through the crack.
"Four goblins," he whispered to Achtisanor, "they have short swords."
A smile split Achtisanor’s calculating face when he removed a big tube from his pack.
"Hey, uglies," Krunch called to the room with the goblins.
The four goblins quieted when they heard him.
"Hey, you there," Krunch called again.
"Who is there?" called back one of the goblins.
"It is I," Krunch called.
Footsteps were heard from the other side of the door. A green hand pushed the door and opened it wide. A short sword led the way. Behind it stood a short and green goblin.
"Who is there?!" the goblin called again.
"It is I, stupid," Krunch called beside him.
The goblin was startled and turned around, waving his sword in the air, but did not see a thing.
When he took two more steps, he stepped into a sticky substance that covered the entire floor.
"Hey, what, what is that? I am stuck to the floor, help!" the goblin called and fell to the floor, his sword skidding from his hand.
The three other goblins ran outside with drawn swords. When they entered the room, the door closed behind them with a bang and Achtisanor stood in front of them with his bow aimed at them.
"Hello, boys," Achtisanor smiled.
The three froze.
"Throw your swords," the invisible Krunch said.
The three dropped their swords when they heard the disembodied voice.
"Go forward and stand next to your friend," Achtisanor ordered.
The three approached hesitantly and looked with disgust at the sticky goo that they walked on.
The four goblins were glued to the floor and could not move.
"What do you have in that room?" Achtisanor asked.
"A golden elf, you stupid," one of the goblins said.
"I don't think you can call anyone stupid in your situation," Achtisanor said. "Where is the key to his cell?"
"You mean that?" one of the goblins waved a single key.
Achtisanor approached the goblin, but he threw the key into one of the sewer grates.
"Oops," the goblin smiled a wicked grin at him.
Krunch entered the guard room and walked to the closed dungeon door. "Greater than all is the magic of ocean," he sounded from inside the room. "Like the parting waved, I command this door to open."
A creak was heard from inside the room and the bolt shattered.
"Oops," Achtisanor smiled back at the goblin and entered after Krunch, now visible.
They pushed together the dungeon door and looked inside. Without a warning, a fist hit Achtisanor face. Achtisanor stumbled back and dropped Krunch with him. A golden elf leaped at him and poised his fists for a strike, but stopped in amazement.
"Have I gone mad, or is that really you?" the elf said.
A kick threw the elf back to the wall.
"It is you… no doubt," the elf coughed.
Achtisanor and Krunch rose on their feet. "Claudiomaris?!" Kiril said when he saw the knight. He rose and jumped to Achtisanor, hugging him tight. "Claudiomaris. I cannot believe it. It is not possible, you've come back. How did you get here?"
"It is a long story," Achtisanor smiled.
"Krunch, it is you, right?" Kiril turned to the lutin and patted on his shoulder, "I would not have guessed that you will…"
Achtisanor left the guard room back to the room of the glued goblins and took one of their fallen swords.
"Come on, we must be on our way," he said and gave the short sword to Kiril.
"Our way where?" Kiril asked.
"We have to do one more thing before we can leave," Achtisanor said.
They continue to walk in the corridor.
"We are close," Achtisanor said and felt Achtis tremble in his hand, "very close."
The three companions arrived in a large room with tall and round columns. Another opening was right in front of them. Suddenly a figure moved from behind one of the columns to their right.
"Get out of there," called Achtisanor, his sword ready to strike.
"Reveal yourself," Krunch called after him.
A man adorned in a long and grey robe left the column shadows, his hood covering his head and a white ribbon wrapping his face.
"Highmage Scroo," Krunch called happily, "it is you."
"Hello to you, Krunch my friend," Scroo smiled in relief. "I had a feeling that I would meet you here."
"Achtisanor, Kiril," Krunch said, "meet my dear friend from the Sorcerer's Academy, the Highmage Scroo."
Highmage Scroo shook their hands. "Sir Claude Achtisanor," he said, "I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Krunch spoke highly of your bravery and honour. And here you are, Kiril Marsh," the highmage continued. "I am glad to see that Tigertief was able to rescue you."
"What are you doing here, Highmage Scroo?" Krunch asked excitedly.
"My spirit could not find peace when I heard that the Wizard's army joined our enemies," the highmage said with shame. "I have arrived to end this sorry state."
"Excellent," Krunch said, "your magicks will surely help us."
"Follow me," Scroo said and walked to the other opening of the room, "I have seen Hubris room, it is just a corridor away from here."
The four of them walked silently along the corridor. Beyond the corner, they saw a long staircase leading to a room. Scroo stopped before the turn and looked at the three.
"Wait here," he said. "My students have started this mess, and I will try to end it myself. If I am not back in a little while, follow me."
Chapter 37 - The Death of Darkear
De-Stik and Logan's road led them through mouldy and stifling corridors. Moist frost hung in the air around them.
The two walked along staircases and empty rooms, holding on to their weapons. Silence was their only companion.
"Why is it so quiet here?" Logan whispered to De-Stik.
"The only logical reason for this silence," De-Stik said, "is that the battle rages on in Nessit, Klaxes does not pity any of his creatures and sends them to die as cattle, all of them will be sacrificed by him in the coming battle."
They continued to walk carefully along a corridor that turned to the right. Logan looked around a corner and saw dozens of small and barred cells.
"The jail," Logan called and started to run between them, screaming, "Kiril." She searched every one of the cells. "He is not here," she said after examining the last cell.
"Don't worry," De-Stik comforted her, "if Kiril is not jailed here, he must be in another. We'll find him. But first, the horn, we cannot falter. We must hurry; there is no time to catch our breath. We must reach it before the second call – the call of the dragon's death."
A loud and deep growl was heard from the end of the corridor.
A smell of smoke wafted from that direction.
Logan and De-Stik stood transfixed in their place.
"'On the second call, the evil monster shall fall to the
bloodstone…'," Logan repeated Domarwink's prophecy. "What happens if we kill the dragon before the call?"
"What? Just the two of us? Are you completely insane?" De-Stik whispered. "How on earth did you think of an idea so insane?"
"Think, De-Stik, according to the prophecy the Orostone kills the monster," Logan said. "What if we do it before? What if we kill the dragon before the second call of the horn? The prophecy shall be negated and we can continue to search for the horn with no more pressure."
"I think we will be dead to think of this matter…" De-Stik murmured to himself. "I mean, I understand what you are saying, Logan, but it is impossible to consider. If we just raise a sword against the dragon, he will burn us into cinder."
Logan looked at him with disappointment.
"Entire armies could not defeat him, Logan. Understand, we do not have the might," he said in a quieter voice, "I am a simple troubadour, not a shining knight."
"I am going to do it, De-Stik," Logan said, "with or without your help."
"No, Logan, wait, you are too stubborn and this is insane," De-Stik called after her and reluctantly followed her. "Errr… thanks the gods that they created me as a man."
Logan walked in the dark corridor that became a wide cave. The smell of burning flesh was heavy. De-Stik followed her and shivered with each growl from the end of the cave. After a long walk along the turns of the cave, a wide hall appeared before them. Repeating flickering painted the walls in red.
Logan looked into the hall. Thousands of bones were strewn on the floor. A great opening yawned from the other side of the hall, and it illuminated half of the hall. Logan stepped tentatively inside; De-Stik followed her, shrunk with fright.
A huge black dragon slept in a dark corner of the hall. His belly scratched the floor and his wings were folded on his back. His snores shook the cave walls. Logan drew her sword and sneaked up to the monster.
The dragon's nostrils flared, his single ear perked and one of his eyes opened.
"Who dares to interrupt my sleep?" the terrible voice of the dark dragon echoed.
De-Stik jumped to the cave corner with fright, and hid behind a mound of skulls, peering at the beast.
"Rise, Darkear, son of vermin," Logan shouted, "I have come to finish what my father had started."
The dragon's second eye opened.
"Who are you, insolent creature?" his voice echoed again.
"Logan. Logan Marsh," Logan called with her head held up high.
"Marsh?" the dragon lifted his belly from the floor and the scales on his back bowed.
"Marsh," Logan repeated, "Is this name is familiar to you, or do you have troubles with hearing?"
Red smoke slithered from the dragon's nostrils. He stood to full height and spread his wings. A great breath erupted from the dragon's maw toward Logan. Logan jumped quickly from her place and escaped from the fire that scorched the wall behind her.
The dragon leapt after her with heavy and quick strides, growling in an awful voice. With a dizzying speed, Logan leaped on the wall and ran on it like a cat on a tree. She jumped and rolled in the air, leaping high, and stabbed the sword hilt toward the dragon's face.
His single ear fell to the floor of the hall.
Klaxes stood in shock, confused and surprised from the hit.
"Now you look so much better," she called.
The dragon turned his face toward her, his evil grimace contorting his face, and his tail whipped around.
The tail hit Logan and threw her to the other side of the hall. A groan of pain escaped her throat and she landed on the pile of bones. When she recovered, she saw the dragon approaching her quickly.
"De-Stik," Logan screamed, "are you going to help me or stay there in your hiding place?"
A great stroke was landed on the dragon's tail at that moment. The clumsy dragon stopped in his tracks. It was De-Stik's quarterstaff that hit him. De-Stik rode on the scaly tail of the huge dragon and smiled at the monster that turned to look at him.
Another breath left the dragon's mouth, but this time De-Stik was the target. De-Stik leapt from his place.
The dragon turned again toward Logan, waved his claws and showed his teeth. Logan swung her sword and managed to cut three of his fingers.
The dragon breathed toward her, but she disappeared in the rancid smoke, as if she had never been there.
"Whew, how does she do it? A work of art," De-Stik said to himself in amazement. "She is just like… a trained acrobat."
As the dragon looked around and searched for Logan, De-Stik looked up to the ceiling of the high hall and saw Logan hanging there on two cracks.
Logan signalled for De-Stik to distract the dragon. She held firmly at the cracks and tried to hang still so the dragon's sensitive eyes will not notice her.
"Ah, yes," De-Stik understood. "Hey, stupid dragon, come here, here I am," he called and waved his hands. "I thought you were a dragon, not a lamb…" Klaxes did not turn to De-Stik.
De-Stik looked at Logan: her face was red from the effort to hold on the ceiling crack. He took his harp from his pack and sang:
"There was a big dragon,
All evil and black,
He fought Patrick Marsh,
And his ear was cut back.
One day came Logan,
He breathed and rose,
She took his other ear,
And left him his nose,
Oh, Darkear, you stupid old thing,
Your both ears are cut, you can't hear anything."
"De-Stik," Logan called from above, "How do you expect him to hear you?"
"Oops, you are correct," De-Stik put the harp inside his pack, "It seems that in brains I somewhat lack. So let's see how he'll react to this attack."
De-Stik lifted a big stone from the floor and threw it at the back of the dragon. When he raised another stone, the angry dragon already turned and approached him. A great blast erupted from his mouth, and De-Stik flew from his place and hit the hall wall.
"Now let's see you," Logan called. She jumped from the ceiling to the dragon's back and stabbed her invisible sword into his throat.
The dragon thrashed wildly. Logan held fast to the hilt and would not let go.
The dragon continued to swing and groan. Logan noticed that the sword blade continued to lengthen and reached the hall floor.
The dragon continued to pant. Sparks flew from his wound and a deafening roar rose from his belly. Logan could not hold the sword any longer. She waited for the monster to weaken. She managed to balance her legs on his back, and with a graceful roll, she flew over him with the sword still held in her two hands. She used all of her strength to swing the sword.
A great explosion was heard and the dragon's head flew from the cave opening straight to Asador Sea and sank slowly to its depths.
The hall was silent. The body of Klaxes was enveloped by it and covered with smoke. Suddenly a great trumpet call deafened Logan. So terrible and painful it was that she could not move. Logan covered her ears and fell to the floor. The walls of the hall shook and small pebbles fell from the roof.
Complete darkness fell on Nature kingdom.
"Hold on to your horses and stay put," Domarwink called when the horrible clarion voice was heard.
"The horn cannot hit us with this call," Alystus called after him. "The call is only a threat to Klaxes's soul."
"The second call," Domarwink thought. "Come on, Tigertief, hurry up…"
"This is the second call," Achtisanor called and covered his ears.
"What is that?" Kiril called, also covering his ears in pain.
"The horn," Krunch screamed.
"What?" Kiril asked.
"This is the other matter we need to take care of," Krunch told him. The castle walls shook around them.
"We have to stop Hubris," Achtisanor called and ran up the staircase to Hubris room. Achtisanor slammed into the door and went inside, Kiril and Krunch following him. The horrible call stopped and the castle was shrouded a
gain in silence.
Chapter 38 - A Knight's Victory
"I told you we can make it," Logan rose when the dreadful noise ended.
No one replied.
"De-Stik," Logan called worriedly, "De-Stik!"
Logan ran to the place where De-Stik was sprawled and did not move. His face was pale. His armour was singed and torn, and the tips of his boots were scorched and black.
"De-Stik," Logan called and kneeled beside him, tears pooled at the corner of her eyes.
"Ahhh," a sudden scream erupted from De-Stik's throat. He jumped to his feet and swung the quarterstaff in his hand. Logan leaped back and screamed herself.
"Where is he? I don't want to miss a thing," De-Stik called, his face contorted with emotion. Suddenly he noticed the dragon's body. "L…L…Logan… The head of Klaxes… is… missing…"
Logan smiled.
"By the gods, you have done it, Logan. You have defeated a dragon without a yelp," De-Stik called with joy. "But, eh, of course, we should not ignore my help."
"Come on, De-Stik," Logan said, "let's go find that horn."
Suddenly a noise sounded behind them. A part of the wall moved up and revealed a staircase behind it. A battle roar sounded from the opening, and a grey elf entered the hall with his sword drawn, running while shouting, but stopped and froze when he saw the great body of the dragon.
The grey elf looked at De-Stik and Logan. Logan's eyes looked at his eyes, and she herself froze, unable to move.
"How… who… he looks like… that's the thing," De-Stik called when he saw the stone, "Who is it, Logan? My gods, this is amazing."
The surprised grey elf turned back and ran back to the staircase. Logan followed him without hesitation, De-Stik hurrying after her.
Achtisanor, Krunch and Kiril found themselves at the door of a large and ornate room illuminated with a dim light. To their right was another opening and beyond it were stairs leading down. In front of them was a large window facing to the east, showing the darkness in all its glory. In front of the window, looking outside, was a tall and old grey elf, his hair long and white as snow and his skin rough and pocked. He wore grey robes and in his hand was the horn. The stone turned to them with a devilish grin.
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