"Oh, by the way, these are my colleagues—my assistants. Lord No. 1 on my left was your enemy before I came along—and Lord No. 3 on my right is ... not quite such an old colleague.” Sujad laughed again—and his cackle was an affront to the very mountains that echoed and re-echoed its vileness. “We've come to claim our master's rights—and I, as Lord of Obsidian, have come to reclaim the Book of Obsidian. Now we've destroyed Merlin and the power of the Earthlight, the book is mine by right."
"Unfortunately, Sujad the Traitor,” Peter said with that alien adult coldness that gave even Jamie and John pause for thought, “I am still alive and I claim the Book of Obsidian as First of the Chosen and heir to Merlin's powers."
"Ah yes.” Sujad showed his teeth in what was intended to be an amiable grin. “You are indeed still alive—but not for long, not for long. And without the Obsidian Orb there's no way you'll ever be Lord of Obsidian.” He looked Peter up and down as though measuring his worth. “As for inheriting Merlin's powers—well, you would have stopped the flood if you had that sort of power—and the Book of Obsidian wouldn't have been buried out of your reach."
"Out of yours, too, Sujad the Traitor."
"Not so, not so. I don't need it anymore. I've learned everything it had to tell me."
Sujad's smugness sickened Peter. But he held his ground, staring his enemy in the eyes with an iciness in his own that would have frozen the hearts of his friends had the coldness been directed at them. “That remains to be seen. I wouldn't bet on it if I were you."
His heart had started thumping. Keeping his face cold and aloof became difficult—for he had seen a distant, if slight movement of white at the scene of destruction. The Lady—it must be the Lady. I must keep the attention of the Lords of Corruption distracted to allow her time to act. His mind reached out to hers—but all he met was a wall of resistance. A brief analysis of the spell revealed that the resistance was directed at Sujad and his companion Lords of Corruption. He continued baiting his enemy with more clichés. “Don't count your chickens before they're hatched, Sujad the Traitor."
"I don't hatch chickens, Pukling!” Sujad snarled. “Sujad the Great contrives only plots to trap and destroy his worthless enemies. We have destroyed our worst enemies and all we have to do is decide what to do with the likes of you. Three boy slaves and one dog slave would be much to our liking."
"Maybe not to your master's though, Sujad the Traitor. When he gets an inkling that you're a double traitor how long do you think you'll last? He'll slay you like the rat you are. The Earthlight won't be able to help you even if it wants to."
"That for your Earthlight.” Sujad snapped his fingers in contempt.
"I wouldn't be too sure of that, either, Sujad the Traitor!” The voice rang over the mountains—strong and challenging.
Sujad and the other two Lords of Corruption whirled—to face nothing more dangerous than an old man. Giddeon, Leader of the Reborn, walked barefoot down the slope toward them. He appeared but an aging and defenseless figure, his white robe flapping around him.
Sujad's face, however, suffused with anger and more than a hint of terror at the sight of him. “Old fool! How did you manage to escape?"
Bright light began radiating from and around Giddeon's figure. “By the power and foresight of the Lady, who gave us her protection,” he said with dignity. “You forget: I am the Leader of the Reborn.” He turned with a sweep of his arm toward the mountain. “And these are my followers."
The bright streams of light around him disappeared—and suddenly the whole mountain range was alive with figures dressed in white. In the freshening breeze their robes flapped soundlessly against their legs. Their ages ranged from small children to elderly men and women. Like soldiers in an army they advanced in orderly ranks. Unlike soldiers, however, their progress was not hindered by the terrain and they closed in from all sides. Sujad was surrounded.
He jumped up and down in his cloud. “You're only ghosts—I'm not afraid of ghosts! I destroyed all your bodies—and as Lord of Obsidian I know that none of you can be reborn without your bodies. There is no spell that can return crushed and battered bodies to life!” The last sentence came out in a scream that brought the blood rushing in fury to Sujad's face. He threw his arms upward, his fingers pointing rigidly—and great bolts of blue lightning sizzled, crackled and thundered around him and the other two Lords of Corruption. “Now—ghosts or not—you can't touch us. We have our master's protection."
The air surrounding the Lords of Corruption in their black clouds crackled and flared intermittently, making the powerful protective shield almost visible. Sujad was the only Lord who could be clearly seen, but Lord No. 3 was clad in blue, in contrast to the black of the first two.
"Now, having destroyed Merlin and the Reborn—not to mention your so-called Lady—it's your turn, First Chosen.” Sujad's right hand made a vicious jab in Peter's direction—and Peter found himself surrounded by a wall of blue flame. “If you don't want him burnt alive, you ghosts of the Reborn, get out while there's still time."
Giddeon looked calmly at the circle of tall flames. “We've got you surrounded, Sujad the Traitor. We're giving you the chance to get out before you're driven out, never to return."
"No! No! No! Never! Never! I am Sujad the Great, Lord of Obsidian. I have hidden the Obsidian Orb where you'll never find it. Without it you and your Chosen are helpless. You can get out and never return—or I'll fry your First Chosen to a crisp!"
Inside the circle of blue flame Peter stood gasping. The heat was unbearable and there was no air. There must be something I can do. I might not have Merlin's power but I'm not totally powerless. And didn't the Lady say I'd be taking Merlin's place and performing tasks that had been his?
Peter concentrated hard. He focused his mind on coolness—the coolness of the grotto, the beauty of the statue and the sound of the running water. The ferocious heat of the blue flames abated—to be replaced by the coolness and splashing sound of a fountain. Peter hovered, longing for the feel of firm ground beneath his feet, but was unable to attain it; when he concentrated on that the heat returned. He closed his eyes and allowed the swaying motion of the peculiar hovering feeling to take over his whole body. He permitted it to lull him—and found that the coolness and the sound of water remained, although he no longer needed to focus his mind on them.
Then he heard it—the Lady's unearthly musical bells—and tears sprang to his eyes. Gasping and sobbing, he groped in the darkness behind his closed lids. To his intense frustration the music faded—but he felt her hand close over his. He opened his eyes in surprise—to find her standing there, her gray eyes anxiously scanning his face. At Peter's wide boyish grin of delight, her lips moved in a faint smile and her eyes lit up like candles in a storm.
"Where are we?” His surroundings were no longer dark: there was light all around, but he could not penetrate the brightness. It was like the abnormality of being surrounded by heavy mist on a bright sunny day.
"Never mind,” she said kindly, and he noticed for the first time how waxen she looked.
"Are you all right?"
The faint smile returned to her lips. “A little weakened by the demands made upon me before I was fully come to power. But your need at this moment is greater than that of the Reborn. Those blue flames are potent—capable of harming even Merlin at his strongest. And you yourself are not yet come into your full inheritance."
"I was frightened—terrified,” Peter admitted. Then with sudden anxiety, “What do we do now? Jamie and John—and Dreyfus—the Reborn..."
She hushed him with the gentle pressure of a finger on his lips. “Just stay here and relax. Don't move. I must get back to the Reborn—and the others."
His hand was suddenly empty, but for a few moments he heard her music—and then he was alone.
He forgot, however, that she had told him to stay and relax. His need to see her was overpowering. Cautiously his mind groped outward—and he found himself free of the flames, lookin
g down on the emptiness that they encircled. For the moment he was unobserved as Sujad faced the one who was undoubtedly his most potent adversary.
The Lady's voice rang out sweet and clear—but adamant—across the mountains. “Sujad—twice traitor—on behalf of Merlin the Great One, I give you another chance. Renounce the powers of the Evil One and things will be as they were: the descendants that were destined for you will be yours again and you will meet them in their new city. They will recognize you—as until now they have not—and rejoice with the Earthlight in the great work that you would have achieved, had you not thrown your lot in with their Enemy."
Merlin would not have recognized his erstwhile friend—a once gracious, friendly and unassuming intellectual. Power had gone to the traitor's head in the most vicious manner imaginable.
"I spit on you and your miserable Earthlight!” And he suited the action to the words. “You are as great a liar as Merlin. He destroyed my descendants along with many thousands of other people. By getting me to refashion the Obsidian Orb he deprived me of my family—my people—"
"Your own master destroyed your people. Every one of those whom he killed the Earthlight has claimed for the Reborn. Your descendants are here on the mountains. If you remain in the service of the Evil One they will no longer be your descendants—they will be your half-brother's."
"My half-brother is not married and has no children!"
"Back in your own time at this moment you are courting a lovely girl are you not? If you do not recant, she will marry your half-brother and her children will be his instead of yours. The name of Cariotis will be erased forever."
"No! No! No! You lie! You lie!” Sujad jumped up and down like a spoiled child in a tantrum.
And like a spoiled child he retaliated. He threw both arms outward in a violent gesture. From the tips of his spread fingers the blue flames shot out. This time they embodied the power and hatred of the Evil One himself. They enveloped both the Reborn and the Lady, together with Jamie, John and Dreyfus. The whole alpine range blazed with the near-silent blue fires of the Evil One. Sujad turned his attention to Peter....
...and Peter no longer stood in the Lady's protective mantle. The horror that gripped and froze his heart kept him paralyzed. He hovered powerlessly above the circle of flames where the Lady's protection lay. The power of Sujad's gaze commanded him. He looked helplessly into the eyes of his enemy. Sujad's desire for revenge manifested itself: his eyes glowed red. The red glare held Peter like a fly in a spider's web. And with the Lady and the Reborn trapped in his flames, Sujad—self-styled the Great—came for Peter.
Chapter 18
Dragonpower
SUJAD MOVED forward, motioning to his two attendant Lords of Corruption. Their black clouds swooped on Peter. They surrounded him. Peter felt as though each Lord had him pinioned, although neither touched him. The black clouds were like a poisonous gas. He sensed himself sinking unwillingly into their evil sedation. His brain felt as though it was slowly being turned to cotton wool. Alternating sensations of panic and drowsiness fought within him. With great effort he struggled to overcome the drowsiness. Concentrate, he urged, on adrenaline-producing emotions...and the panic gave way to anger.
With the anger came action. Peter's eyes blazed into the red orbs of his enemy, now so close. He whipped the Token of Power from around his neck before either of the unknown Lords could restrain him. He held it up facing Sujad. Sujad's eyes widened. The red glare in them faded. Next moment the traitor's face disappeared. A long howling sound came at Peter through the blackness of the Enemy's cloud. Sujad has found a spell against the red dragon! he thought with thumping heart and dry mouth. Something thudded against his leg, nearly sending him flying: Dreyfus had come to join his master.
Dreyfus wasted no time in greeting: his head went back and a long, unearthly howl rent the air again. It sent a chill up and down Peter's spine. It was a strangely wolf-like sound—and yet unlike any wolf that had ever prowled the earth.
We need the Lady's protection. We must get back to the center of the circle of fire. He grabbed Dreyfus's collar with his left hand. With his right he spun the dragon's token on its chain around his head. Red fire spurted on every side. The two attendant Lords of Corruption fell back with sharp cries. The black clouds hated the touch of Peter's token and the heat of the dragon flames: they started to disperse. While the Lords frantically fought to reassemble their clouds, Peter and Dreyfus dived back into the circle of blue flames. The flames disappeared, leaving them cocooned in the Lady's protective armor. From the heart of this shield he faced his enemy again.
"Well, Pukling, the Reborn and your precious Lady can't help you now. Although I can't destroy them with my fire as I can you, I'll soon wear them down. With your precious cocoon gone you'll face me on your own. Your cowardice in the meantime is wearing your beloved Lady out. Your utter stupidity in leaving her protective shield in the first place is responsible for her intensifying weakness. When Earthlight's downfall comes you alone will be to blame."
"As I said before, Sujad the Traitor,” Peter said icily, his heart seemed to be thumping somewhere in the region of his throat, “don't count your chickens before they're hatched."
Before Sujad could answer, Dreyfus threw back his head and let out another howl. This exposed the token hanging at his throat. The light glinted on the red dragon, drawing Sujad's eyes. “You won't scare me with that again. I'm not afraid of illusions.” He advanced menacingly. Dreyfus snarled and growled a warning, but Sujad threw one glance of contempt in his direction and then ignored him. “Much as I'd enjoy watching your agony in the knowledge that you were the cause of the Earthlight's destruction, I don't intend to leave you alive a moment longer than I have to. As soon as the protection around you is weak enough, I'm going to kill you."
"If you're so powerful, Sujad the Bully, why don't you do it at once? Tomorrow is Christmas Day. If you don't overthrow the Earthlight before midnight it will be too late."
As he taunted his enemy, Peter could feel the protection surrounding him diminish. I can't wait until Sujad is able to breach it. If I don't act now, he'll probably be able to destroy both of us. He sent out a mind message to the dog: Dreyfus, we'll have to use our last defense and release the dragons.
Dreyfus's answer was to throw back his head and howl again. Sujad, maddened by the eerie sound, lifted his hand to blast the dog with blue fire. The fire, however, never materialized: a voice from behind cut through the dog's howl. “Go back to your accursed master, Sujad the Traitor!"
Peter looked up at the familiarity of the voice. His heart beat high with hope. But the hope was dashed before it was formed: the speaker was the wizard in black. He opened his mouth to warn the wizard of Sujad's powers but closed it in utter astonishment. For the wizard started speaking into his mind, while still addressing himself to Sujad.
"Quick! Release your dragons!” At the same time, the wizard held out to Sujad something enclosed in the palm of his hand. Neither Sujad nor Peter could see what it was. While talking in mind speech to Peter, the wizard addressed Sujad: “Take your evil fire from my friends—release the First Chosen of the Earthlight—or we'll blast you to the ends of the universe."
Sujad's unpleasant laugh echoed over the mountains. Dreyfus's eerie howl joined in. As Peter raised his token, however, he felt the Lady's protection desert him. His hand dropped to his side. He felt himself slipping down ... down as though into a coma.
Jamie and John saw Peter's collapse. They raised their own Tokens of Power. A roaring sound like a great furnace filled the air. Two blood-red dragons sprang from the tokens. They grew in size as they rose until they completely blocked Sujad from the twins’ view. Red and yellow fire spurted from their open mouths. Their armor of glistening scales was formidably thick. Their black talons measured two full hand-spans in length. Their webbed wings beat the air with a sound like drums.
Another dragon leapt from Dreyfus's token. The wizard raised his hand and released his own.
Sujad the Traitor shrieked. His scream was a word—and that word was a name. The other Lords of Corruption let out wails of despair at the sound. They gathered their clouds around them and fled, two dragons roaring after them. The dragons released by Dreyfus and the wizard remained; their fire threatened the traitor, deserted by his companions.
The wizard spoke again. The coldness of his voice was alien to his normally sunny personality. “I can't kill you, Sujad: you were once a valued friend. Hand over the Obsidian Orb and leave those of the Earthlight to get on with their tasks and I'll let you go in peace."
"You killed my people!"
Sujad's scream penetrated Peter's stupor. I've been through all this before. I've heard that accusation more than once. He tried turning his head to look at the speakers, but failed. He was still too weak.
"You know very well your own master was responsible for that.” The voice buzzed with distortion in Peter's ears. “If you return to the service of the Earthlight your people will be restored to you—they are part of the Reborn whom you hold captive below with your master's foul blue fire."
"No! No! No! You exposed my people to the wrath of my new master. You knew the risk—the responsibility is yours alone. You required me to remake the Obsidian Orb for the Earthlight and allowed me no real power. My new master has given me untold power: I've paralyzed the Reborn, sapped your precious Lady of all her energy—and your beloved First Chosen is fast sinking into a coma."
"You have paralyzed your own people.” The wizard's voice was like razor blades turned to ice. “If you succeed in carrying out your master's orders, it is you who will be the murderer of your people."
"Merlin? Merlin?” Peter shouted—or rather thought he shouted. He was horrified to hear his voice come out as a croak. I'm dreaming; I must be dreaming. This must be what it's like to be delirious. Merlin's dead. Why does the wizard in black sound so much like Merlin? Has he taken on Merlin's role in the Earthlight quest? That must be the answer—the Earthlight needs a proper wizard to lead the Chosen. What use is a boy of thirteen as leader for such an important mission?
The Obsidian Quest [Search for Earthlight Trilogy Book 1] Page 19