“It’s over my lord,” Geffen said as he prepared to cast one final fireball. “Their magic user can no longer shield them.” His last fireball had knocked out, or perhaps even killed him. This time, there will be no shield and they will die.
“Then finish it,” Lord Kueryn commanded. Beside him, Lord Hurrin and Captain Lyrun stood watching the magical combat. Over near the entrance of the Horde, his nephew has the thief and his friend under control.
Geffen nodded and cast his spell, sending fiery death to their enemies. With a roar, it flew down the passageway. At about halfway to where their enemy stood, the fireball appeared to shrink in on itself. Then it fizzled out.
“What?” he exclaimed. Casting his spell again, he sent another fireball down the passage. And just like the previous one, it too shrank in on itself before disappearing altogether. “Impossible!” he cried.
“Something wrong?” asked Lord Kueryn.
“I thought you said it was over,” stated Captain Lyrun. Turning to Lord Kueryn, he said, “Seems your magic user isn’t that good my lord.”
Lord Kueryn turned toward Geffen. “Kill them!” he demanded.
From down the passageway, four sword wielding figures were moving rapidly toward them.
“I…I can’t!” he exclaimed.
Captain Lyrun turned a disgusted look to Geffen. “Never rely on a magic user!” Drawing his sword, he moved to meet the four attacking swordsmen.
Lord Hurrin turned to the four Tribesmen soldiers standing nearby. “Go with him,” he ordered. “Kill them all.” As one, the four men drew their swords and hurried to follow Captain Lyrun.
Geffen continued attempting spell after spell to no effect. Something was stealing the power as each spell formed. In an attempt to discover the source, he began casting minor spells all the while focusing on where the magic was being drawn.
“Your magic user is quite formidable,” Haran said to Riyan. “To render Geffen powerless is no mean feat.”
Standing just within the passageway, they had observed the magical contest. “We must help them,” urged Riyan. His bonds had been cut and he was anxious to join the fight. Thus far, Haran and his five comrades had prevented Bart and Riyan from rushing to their friend’s aid. But now that Geffen had been neutralized…
“My countrymen and I cannot, and will not, raise swords against Lord Kueryn,” replied Haran. “To do so would be an abomination. He is our sworn lord.” Something in the way he said ‘sworn lord’ gave Bart the impression that he didn’t care too much for the man.
Bart turned his gaze to the point of Haran’s sword that was still directed at him. Taking a gamble, he said, “Then allow Riyan and me to deal with him. You needn’t do anything, just refrain from hindering us.”
From just within the passageway, a clash of swords announced the meeting of the two sides.
Haran looked first to Bart, then to Riyan. Finally, his gaze turned to Lord Kueryn. Lowering his sword, he nodded.
“But you can’t…” one of his men began before Haran cut him off.
“This may be the only way,” he said. Turning to Riyan he added, “May the gods give you their favor this day.” Then stepping aside, he opened the way to Lord Kueryn.
Bart had the sword taken from the guard, but Riyan was weaponless. Spying Lord Geop’s sword lying near its owner’s lifeless body, Riyan raced forward and quickly grabbed it.
“My lord!” Lord Hurrin exclaimed when he saw Riyan picking up the sword.
Turning around, Lord Kueryn took in that Riyan and Bart were free. Then his gaze moved to his nephew. “Haran!” he shouted.
“Seems they’ve escaped from me uncle,” he said.
Red faced and full of rage, Lord Kueryn yelled, “Traitor!”
“You call me traitor?” demanded Haran. “It wasn’t I who turned from all that our people hold dear. It wasn’t I who sacrificed the lives of hundreds of our brothers so you could be here. Traitor? You bear that brand more than I.”
The River Man locked eyes with his nephew and in a silent exchange, vowed to see Haran dead for this.
As Lord Hurrin drew his sword and moved to engage Riyan, Bart exchanged Lord Geop’s dagger for his sword. In close fighting, he was much more adept with the dagger. The first clash of metal on metal sounded as Riyan deflected the lord’s attack then followed through with a thrust of his own. Seeing that Riyan was holding off the lord’s attacks, Bart moved around the pair on his way to take out the magic user.
Chyfe struck out at Captain Lyrun only to have his sword deflected to the side. Next to him, Chad and the twins were on the defensive. Facing four expert swordsmen, all they could do was hold their own.
Captain Lyrun thrust lightning quick at Chyfe’s midsection causing him to dance backwards. When Chyfe tried to return the attack, Captain Lyrun easily knocked his sword aside yet again.
“Have you ever actually used that thing before?” Captain Lyrun asked him with a sneer. Breaching Chyfe’s defense, his sword found its mark in Chyfe’s side leaving a shallow cut that began staining his tunic red.
Chyfe didn’t take the bait. Instead, he looked into the captain’s face with loathing. “I’ll see you dead for what you’ve done,” he said. Then he launched into a maneuver that one of the instructors back at the Guild used to use. Hack, slice, thrust, he tried to breach Captain Lyrun’s defense. But each time, his efforts came to naught.
He and the others were steadily being pressed backward deeper into the passage. Every attack they tried was met and countered. Their defense was less than adequate as time and again, their opponents managed to get through. Now, six feet further back from where the battle was first joined, they were concentrating almost solely on defense. Instead of going on the offensive, they did all they could simply to survive.
“No you don’t!” Lord Kueryn exclaimed. Drawing the King’s sword, he intercepted Bart on his way to attack Geffen. Striking down at the thieving upstart, Lord Kueryn stopped the attack on his magic user and forced the thief to fall back.
Bart backpedaled quickly as he brought his knife up to ward off the blow. Momentarily catching the deadly blade in his knife’s crossguard, he thrust Lord Kueryn’s sword away from him. Diving to the side, he hit the ground and rolled back to his feet. Turning to face Lord Kueryn, he was quick to realize that he and the others didn’t have much of a chance to win this fight. At least Haran and his men weren’t fighting them too.
Nearby, Riyan was on the defensive against Lord Hurrin. Where Riyan had less than a year with the sword, Lord Hurrin had been honing his skill for decades. Riyan had long since tried to land a blow. It was all he could do to ward off the lord’s attacks.
All the while keeping Lord Kueryn in front of him, Bart began giving ground. With just a knife, he didn’t have much chance against one wielding a sword. He began to regret exchanging the sword for the dagger. If only he had his darts, but they had been confiscated back on the surface.
“You were never going to allow us to live,” Bart said. Twisting to the side, he barely avoided being impaled.
“No,” admitted Lord Kueryn. “Once the Horde was opened, you would be little more than a bothersome hindrance.”
“How about your word?” asked Bart.
“Ha!” retorted Lord Kueryn. Following after Bart, he attacked again, only to have his blade knocked to the side once more. “Keep my word to one such as you?”
Bart glanced behind him and saw Lord Geop’s body lying close to his heels. Hopping backward over it, he continued facing Lord Kueryn with knife held before him. When Lord Kueryn followed him over the body, the lord thrust with his sword which Bart deftly deflected. Then Lord Kueryn came back with a powerful overhand hack. Raising his knife to ward off the blow, he had it knocked from his hand by the force of the lord’s blow. Stumbling backward, Bart’s left heel struck the bottom step which sent him falling backward.
Lord Kueryn’s eyes fairly danced when he realized the thief before him was unarmed and in a precarious position. “Now,” he said as he moved closer. “Let’s end this.” Raising his sword, he moved to end Bart’s life.
Geffen had pinpointed the location of what was stealing the magic from his spells. It was located in the passageway just on the other side of where Captain Lyrun and the rest were battling.
His gaze couldn’t pierce the shadows of the passageway to discover exactly what it was. But as their men continued pushing the others backward, Geffen entered the passageway behind them. Foot by foot, their enemies continued to fall back.
Whether they were winning or losing mattered little to him. All he cared about was finding the source of what was stealing his magic. Then, as the combatants moved further back, he saw a small box on the floor sitting against the wall. It was opened!
Casting two more minor spells, he knew that whatever was within the box was the source. He had to reach it and close that box! Edging forward as Captain Lyrun and the Tribesmen soldiers pushed their enemies back, he edged closer to it. If closing the box nullified the effects, then this battle would be over quickly. Biding his time, he waited.
Pain. His whole body was throbbing with pain. As consciousness returned to him, he cracked open his eyes. The pain wracking his body made it difficult for him to concentrate. He didn’t immediately remember where he was or how he came to be there. Then, memory began to return.
“Riyan?” he croaked. When he didn’t receive a response, he said, “Chyfe?”
Clang!
Not too far away, his attention was drawn to the sound of swords striking together. “Bart?” he asked as he tried to prop himself up on one elbow. Pain flared anew as he shifted position. Looking down the passageway, he saw Chyfe, Chad, Seth, and Soth facing off against five others.
Movement from the far side of the battling men caught his eye. It was the enemy magic user. He stood just on the other side and seemed to be staring at something on the floor not far from where Chyfe and the rest fought for their lives.
Kevik propped himself up even further despite the pain of his burns and tried to see what was going on. His first thought was why the magic user wasn’t using magic. Then he remembered the box of gray powder. Maybe Chyfe had opened it? He quickly looked around where he lay but couldn’t find it.
Then dread hit him as he turned his attention back to the magic user. Looking to the area of the passageway the magic user was staring toward, he saw the opened box. “No!” he shouted, but in his weakened condition it came out as a hoarse whisper.
Reaching out, he took hold of his staff and tried to rise to his feet. But struggle as he could, his muscles were no longer up to the task. He was too weak and the pain of the burns unbearable. Collapsing back to the floor, he fought the onset of unconsciousness his exertions had brought. Taking deep breaths, he faded in and out but never quite succumbed.
Turning his head toward the combatants, he saw Chyfe and the others being pushed back. His vision started to blur and he blinked several times to clear it. When at last he could see again, the combatants had moved past where the box containing the gray powder sat. To his horror, he saw the enemy magic user kneeling next to it.
Kevik knew there wasn’t much time before the magic user would close the box’s lid and negate the effects of the powder. He raised his arm, and trembling in weakness though it may be, worked his hand within his robe. When his fingers brushed against the firm end of the wand, he grasped it and pulled it forth. The effort almost caused him to black out again but he managed to hold onto consciousness.
Once more, he turned his gaze down the passageway toward where the magic user was reaching for the lid of the box. As the magic user took hold of the lid and began to close it, Kevik brought the wand to bear. Then, as soon as the lid was closed, he used the last ounce of strength left to him to aim the wand directly toward the magic user and activate it. The last thing he saw before consciousness left him, were ice shards shooting down the passageway.
We can’t win this, Chad thought to himself. The soldier he faced off with had skill far above his own. All he had been able to do since the battle was first joined, was to maintain defense. It reminded him of the times back at the Guild when his instructors would practice with him. Block, block, parry, and dodge to the side were all he could manage without even considering trying to go on the offensive. He had tried that once and all he did was open his defenses. Now his left arm was bleeding from where his opponent had made it through.
Battling beside him, Chyfe and the twins weren’t having any better luck. Their opponents were simply too skilled for them to make any headway. Not to mention the fact they outnumbered them by one. All four sported at least one wound, Soth had the most and was growing weaker by the minute.
Then, Chad saw the magic user come to stand behind the soldiers and he knew it was over. But curiously, the magic user failed to employ his magic. Instead, he was doing something else that Chad currently didn’t have the luxury of time to figure out. When the magic user knelt near the side of the passageway, Chad let his concentration slip minutely as he glanced to see what he was doing, and almost had his opponent’s sword slice him in the face. Dodging backward to avoid the blow, Chad slipped and hit the ground. His eyes widened when he saw his opponent move forward to finish him.
All of a sudden, he felt the temperature drop dramatically. Poised above him for the deathblow, the soldier paused in mid-strike and glanced further down the passageway.
Wham!
Ice shards suddenly came from out of nowhere and ripped into him before continuing on to slam into the magic user. A score of the shards flew over Chad, devastating the soldier and the magic user.
The suddenness of the attack distracted another of the soldiers enough that Seth was able to land a lethal blow to his midsection.
“What the hell was that?” yelled Soth. Moving his sword quickly, he brought it up to block the downward hack of the man he was facing.
“It must have been Kevik!” shouted Chad. Getting back to his feet he moved to aid Soth. Before rejoining the battle, he saw where the magic user laid, multiple shards had ripped through his robe and blood was pooling beneath him. Now that he was out of the way as were two of the five soldiers facing them, maybe they would have a chance.
Wham!
The sound of the ice shard attack distracted Lord Kueryn just enough that his blow failed to strike Bart.
Bart rolled to the side, and then bracing his feet on the bottom step, launched himself up and onto the dais.
Lord Kueryn glanced back and saw Geffen fly out of the passageway amidst a spray of ice shards. When he saw one exit the magic user’s back, he knew Geffen was dead. Rage at the loss flared to an overpowering need to kill those responsible. Turning back to the thief who was the cause of it all, he raised his sword and moved to attack.
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.
“The 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.”
Haran laughed. “So it would seem.”
They found Seth revived though physically weak. Soth saw them coming first and said to Haran, “Your potion saved his life.”
“I’m glad,” Haran responded.
“How is Kevik?” asked Chyfe.
“I checked on him a few minutes ago,” explained Soth. “He was alive and some of the burned areas had shown signs of healing.”
“I’m going to take a look,” Riyan announced. Moving out, he left the twins as he and the others walked down toward where the gem’s glow bathed Kevik in a soft light.
“So,” Haran said as he came to look upon Kevik. “This is the one who bested Geffen.” He glanced to Riyan and added, “Geffen was one of the most powerful and skilled magic users I have ever encountered.”
Riyan only nodded.
Kevik still looked bad. His face was splotchy with patches of burned skin, the front part of his scalp was bereft of hair leaving only a small, singed patch in the back.
“Kevik?” asked Riyan. When the magic user failed to respond, Riyan turned back toward Haran. “You wouldn’t have another healing potion would you?”
“Yes I do,” he replied. Reaching into his cloak, he pulled forth another vial similar to the one he had given Soth. “Here,” he said as he handed it to Riyan. “It’s the last.”
“Thank you.” Taking the vial, Riyan pulled the stopper and let a few drops drip onto Kevik’s lips. “Come on Kevik,” he said as he allowed several more drops to fall.
Drop by drop, he administered the potion to Kevik. Once the last had passed his lips, Riyan sat back and watched. After a few moments, he turned to Haran. “It’s not working.”
“Give it time,” urged Haran. “Such extensive damage as he’s sustained will take time to heal.”
It actually took another half hour before Kevik began to stir. He only regained consciousness long enough for Riyan and Bart to bring him to see the room beyond the sigiled wall, then lost it shortly thereafter.
“We should make our way back to the surface,” Haran said when they brought Kevik back to the dais room. He had been told of their escape and how his men as well as those of Captain Lyrun were left entrapped by Kevik’s spell. “There’s no telling what may happen should your magic user’s spell disappear before I return.”
“You’re right,” agreed Riyan. Patting his pack which now held his share of the gems, he said, “We have what we came for.”
So once a makeshift stretcher had been constructed for Kevik, Haran volunteered two of his men to be the stretcher bearers. Also before they left, he recovered the King’s sword that Lord Kueryn had appropriated, and the one taken by Captain Lyrun. When they returned to the room wherein the King and his three lords lay, the two swords were placed back where they belonged.
Haran took a moment to reverently place the King back onto the center of his bier from where Lord Kueryn had pushed him aside in his desire to retrieve the sword. “May your rest be ever peaceful,” Haran said quietly as he crossed the King’s hands upon his chest.
Once all was as it should be, they continued on their way to the surface.