Death Or Fortune (39 page)

     Darmot
turned and looked for Zender.  He had Zackary back on his feet, still in
rough shape but good enough to give his standard grin. Looking down at Hetarons
body again he saw the blade that was still clutched in his hand. “Zender,” he
called out “Lomark has been poisoned. You had better come quickly.” Darmot
remembered when the wizard had found that blade, he knew just what it was and
what it could do.  Dropping to his knees next to the body of Cynthia, he
looked into her dead eyes. “I’m sorry, I know you kept up your part of the deal
but you wanted too much from me.  More than I am willing to ever give. You
never should have threatened my wife.” He reached up and closed her eyes for
the final time.

     I stood
over the body of Cynthia, wondering what it was that she wanted to say.  I
almost wished I had given her a chance to speak, yet in the end I knew the
results would have been the same.  I looked around at the others.
 Zackary was well enough to tip up his flask of spirits. Zender was
praying over Lomark, asking his god to heal his friend.  Seeing Zender use
his blessed powers on the wizard was always amusing.  The evil bastard
would scream and complain about it.  Yet Lomark never stopped to think
about the fact that the healing always worked. Zender always said there was
good in him, this was the proof he always held up.  I don't know, in the
end he didn't seem to be that bad.  He never threatened to kill me or
destroy my family.
     Looking down at Hetarons corpse I started to feel a
little sick. For more than a year we were together, I honestly believed he was
my friend.  Yet he was only using me for his own gain.  I wondered
how Roderick would take the news of his death.  Then it occurred to me
that I had to get home myself in order to give him that news.  I took the
bodies of Hetaron and Cynthia and put them next to the body of Senjin.  I
did a quick check of their packs, all three of them had healing potions.
 I guess we were just lucky they were never used or perhaps as Zender
would say, the gods knew we needed them.  I was collecting the potions
when Lomark started vomiting.
"There ya go, you will be your old self
before the sun sets."
Zender was a little too happy for someone that
had a bloody hole in his chest only minutes ago.
     Before the sun sets he said.  If Hetaron wasn't
lying about seeing Xcavere's army we would be up to our necks in undead by the
time the sun went down.  For one small moment I thought, maybe Xcavere
would see the carnage here and turn around and leave.  Even if I knew that
wasn't the case, he was coming for the Rod of the Arcane. Its presence was like
a signal fire, as long as it was within his lands, he would find it.  I
took a quick look towards the very open front gate and figured nothing would be
harmed by closing it.  It might even slow down the horde of undead for a
minute or two.  I took all the potions I found to Zender, letting him
decide who would get what.  I then went to close the gates of the White
Spire. I was glad I decided to do this, I never would have seen Hetarons flying
carpet laying there had I not. This was too valuable to leave behind.  Even
if I couldn't use it, one of the others would be able to.  In the end I
found it a home in my bedroom.  Jasmin thinks it looks nice but I think
Pare has been messing with it.
     With the gates closed the walking wounded and I took
our selves back into the tower. As soon as we were at the top of the tower
Lomark went into that strange meditation thing he does to rest. He comes out of
it completely rested but he does it all with his eyes open.  It makes my
skin crawl if I can't find a way out of his gaze. I stood at the window and
kept watch to the east, waiting to see some sign of Xcavere's army.  Time
went by, Zackary's snoring shook the tower but that was the only sign of life
to be seen anywhere.  After six hours of waiting I started to get tired myself,
I took one last look to the east, as I saw nothing I figured someone else could
keep watch.  I was going to wake Zender up when I saw the small silver
disk appear right in front of me.

     I did my
best to get everyone up and as the silver disk grew in size it took on that
mirrored appearance I had seen once before. The four of us, still battered and
bruised stood there and awaited our fate, whatever that may have been, at the
hands of Ramanthus.  At that moment I was sure we were all about to die. 
The four of us stood there side by side watching the portal grow to the man
sized silver disk we had seen before.  Just before Ramanthus stepped
through I could see him on the other side.  His robes were black and torn,
at first I thought this was the portal showing me something. When he still
looked that way when he stepped through I was almost shocked.  He stopped,
looked at us and only said one word before he collapsed on the floor,
'Druids'
.
     I bent down and felt his neck for a heartbeat, it was
weak but he was still alive.  Zender joined me next to his body there on
the tower floor, looking at his injuries.  He looked much worse than any
of us. When the portal snapped shut it made an odd ringing sound.  When I
looked up I saw Lomark standing there with a knife in his hand perhaps that was
the sound I heard.
'Stand back, I will take care of this.'
His voice was
calm and even.  Zender looked at me before standing up to confront Lomark.
    
'You can't kill him, not like this Lomark. We need
him to free the rod for us. We may also need him to fight Xcavere should he
arrive too soon. I won't allow you to do this.'
    
'He is insane and won't think twice about killing
us all once he sees what has happened here. His life may be what is keeping the
Rod from us.'
Lomark spoke so soft, it was almost a whisper. As if he was
trying to lull us into letting him do what he wished.
    
'He is defenseless. This is not some vile creature
of darkness, he is still a human man. It isn't like he attacked us. I won't let
you do it like this.'
Zender took a step towards his friend. I started to
wonder if I was going to have to get between then.
    
'You have not been up here reading his notes and
books for the last day. I know what he is. If the darkness in his heart were to
fly free it would blot out the light in the sky. Your god knows of your
objection, he will not hold this against you.'
I could feel the sarcasm
dripping off every word.  I could not take my eyes off him, my hand was on
the chest of Ramanthus, rising with every shallow breath he took.  Zender
took another step forward.
    
'This is not up for debate. I will not let you kill
him. He is harmless right now, even if he woke up he couldn't defend himself.'
    
'Once again we see the difference between you and
I.  Where I am willing to do what needs to be done. You refuse out of some
notion of honor and goodness. I have seen the things you have done Zender, I
think the light in your eyes had blinded you to the blood on your hands
priest.'
Zender looked stunned, taking two steps back his hand dropped to
his side, resting on his hammer.
     My hand on the wizard’s chest started to feel cool and
moist. I looked down to see blood seeping through his robes. I called out to
Zender while ripping open what was left of the wizards scorched robes. A broken
line ran from one side of his chest to the other, it looked like he tried to
bandage himself but the wound had broken open and was bleeding. Something had
stopped the blade from cutting him clean open. I looked up at the wizard’s neck
and saw what looked to be a long key hanging from a leather cord. It must have
moved up when he fell on the floor. I took it in my hand and saw the cut in the
metal where it had stopped the blade.
    
'Is that a key?'
Lomark asked me excitedly.
 I held it up for him to see and he rushed over and snatched the key from
my hand causing Ramanthus head to rise up off the floor and crash back down
again.  I tried to ignore the wet thump his head made when it hit the
floor again.
'I have been looking for this. I should have known he would
have had it on him.'
Zender unable to stop the bleeding from the wound laid
his hands on Ramanthus and started to pray. 'Do
not waste your healing on
him, we will be leaving now.'
We all stopped and turned towards Lomark who
was holding the key up to his face, like some kind of prized possession.
'In
his notes he talks about this key, it is the only way to free the Rod. It is
too bad the man is so crazy. He was brilliant when it came to the creation of
magic items. I would have liked to study with him. Gather anything you wish to
take with you, I will open the portal home then free the Rod.'
     It was then that I felt the hand on mine, I looked
down to see Ramanthus looking up at me.
'Where is General Malkov?
' he
asked me. His voice was weak and I could see blood on his teeth. Lomark came
over in a hurry, pushing me aside.
'Ramanthus, we were attacked while you
were gone. We are all that is left and Xcavere is coming. We have to flee now
before it is too late.'
Ramanthus was in a daze, asking for Malkov wanting
to know who attacked.
'My lord'
Lomark continued,
'a party of evil
wizards attacked in advance of Xcavere, they destroyed everything. Malkov was
slain defending us.'
The lies rolled out of his mouth like the sea rolled
up onto the shore.
'We must hurry if we are to escape Xcavere.'
Zender
wouldn't look at him, he had turned away to avoid Ramanthus seeing the truth in
his eyes.
'What would you have us do my lord?'
Lomark asked him after a
long silence.  He asked to be moved off the floor to a nearby cot that
Zackary had been using.  I picked him up and carried him to the bed, I
could feel his eyes staring into my soul. Searching my mind for the truth,
trying to see something or find something other than what Lomark had told him.
    
'Let the lich come'
he said after I put him
down on the cot.
'In my death I will destroy him.
' I turned and looked
towards Zender to see the question on my mind was on his face as well.
'This
tower, this whole fortress is bound to me. I knew we might fail. I could feel
my soulless ones being destroyed; I knew they wouldn't be here to help. So I
decided that if I should fall to Xcavere, he would destroy himself when he
killed me.  So powerful are the wards that surround this tower it will
appear as if a star has appeared on this mountain top when they are activated.
For one glorious moment we shall outshine the sun in the sky. Our deaths will
be his; he will bring about his own doom in slaying me.'
I felt a chill
settle somewhere around my heart. Lomark had nearly killed us all when he was
going to kill Ramanthus.  I could see the mage thinking, his eyes were
darting around the room.  I stood silent waiting for the next batch of
lies.
    
'Lord Ramanthus, think about what you just said.
Even if you destroy his body, the lich will continue to live. We would have to
destroy his phylactery first and you know it will not be with him. You would
sacrifice yourself for nothing if you died now. That is why it was so important
for you to have the Rod of the Arcane so you could face him in Caer Toryth
where he keeps it. If you destroy him here his body will just reform. We would
all die for nothing.  I can open a portal, we can flee now and come back
when you are strong.'
The truth in Lomarks words had a strange effect on
the older wizard.  While I didn't understand half the things Lomark was
talking about, it was clear that Ramanthus did.  He laid his head back and
stared up at the ceiling of the tower.
     He said something I didn't understand but it was clear
that Lomark did.
'Yes, now you see
.' he said screaming.
'Even if you
destroy this entire mountain, the rod will not be harmed. You will go to your
grave and he will come back. You will hand him the entire world. Soon all of
Majius will be like Toryth Vol, dead and corrupted if he holds the Rod of the
Arcane.
' Ramanthus continued to stare off into space for thinking on what
it was that Lomark said. While it was only a minute or two, I swear I aged a
year while he lay there thinking.  He lifted up his hand and called Lomark
closer, pulling him down he whispered in his ear.  He listened to him for
a moment then bolted up yelling at us to make ready to leave.
'You may heal
him now cleric.'
     I was lost so I just did what I was told, I gathered
my packs and made ready to leave.  I watched as Lomark used the key to
free the Rod of the Arcane from its prison.  Ramanthus had told him the
word he needed to make the key work. We then all watched as Lomark used the
spell he learned from the spell books of Ramanthus to make a portal.
 Zender and I helped Ramanthus get up, even with the healing Zender did
the wizard was still too weak to walk.  After the portal was completed
Lomark handed the Rod of the Arcane to Zender.
'I do not trust myself right
now. You must carry it. Now, all of you enter the portal. I will go last.'
I took one last look around and stepped inside.
     While I know in my head that it was just a quick
simple step from one place to the next, you could not tell my body that. As I
passed through the portal I felt as if I was being turned inside out.  Up
was down, down was up.  No matter how deep of a breath I took, the air was
being sucked from my lungs.  I took three steps away from the portal and
puked up everything I had ever eaten.  It is not something I ever want to
repeat.  I looked around at the others once my body stopped rejecting my
guts, it would seem I was the only one who was affected by this.
     As he said Lomark was the last one to exit the portal,
he carried a large bag full of books and items he had taken from the tower.
 I took a deep breath while looking around. We were in the middle of a
road near a field of grain, there was only a barn and a single home in sight.
Off to the east I could see clouds of gray smoke, the signs of a city just
beyond the horizon.  Ramanthus had to sit down.  He looked up at us
and asked what now, he knew he was no longer in control, he knew he was beaten.
 I looked at Lomark and he just pointed at Zender.
'I will leave the
fate of this man in the priest hands. I will say only this one time more. He
should be killed now. Even though we have stripped him of all his spell books
and items, he will still be dangerous.'
     Zender looked from one wizard to another, for a moment
I thought he was thinking about doing just what Lomark said.
'It is not our
place to decide his punishment. He attacked Eystlund, caused the deaths of many
men. His fate will fall into the hands of King Darius. It is for him to decide,
we are not gods.'
As Zender said this last bit he was looking directly at
Lomark.
'That being said, Lomark is right. Darmot, bind his hands behind his
back and gag him. That will keep him until after we have lunch and get back to
town. My mother will be glad to give us a ride.'
I asked him what he meant
by that.
'This is my family home, we are not far from town
.' I took a
look around, I had never been to Windfalls home. Yet I had ridden down this
road many times in my youth.  As he said we were given a good meal and a
wagon ride back into Eystlundtowne. We went straight to the king’s castle where
we turned Ramanthus over to him.  Darius was glad to see us yet I don't
think he expected us to return with the man who had been the one who taken the
rod in the first place.  At midnight that night, Ramanthus was put to
death by order of King Darius.
     The following day we were given a quiet dinner in our
honor, only a few men were there.  The King promised that the Rod of the
Arcane would be put somewhere safe this time.  Where it would no longer be
in danger of falling into the wrong hands.  Only time will tell if this is
true, I can only pray that it is so.  I thought about going to see my
mother but truth be told, I was looking at two more weeks on the road before I
would get to see my home, my wife.  I bid my companions fair well.  I
told them if they ever needed me again, that they knew where to find me.
 It was then that Zackary asked me if I wanted some company on the ride
home.  At first I wasn't sure what to say but I told him I was glad to
have him along.  He told me that this last trip was a bit much for him and
he was thinking of taking it easy for a while.  I never thought in a
million years that after all this time he would still be here.  Zackary
Red Beard is now a permanent resident of The Red Dragon Inn.