torg 02 - The Dark Realm (25 page)

crush the opposition in unending advances. Ten thousand of these are more dangerous than twice their number of real soldiers, because no one cares if they die — not even themselves. I had friends killed by gospog." She turned and strode from the cover of the trees, clutching at her right shoulder as she walked.

"No!" hissed Kurst, leaping for her, but Mara was suddenly moving too fast for even his lightning reflexes. Mara was running now, shouting at the top of her lungs, screaming almost as she ran, heading into a field of despair. The Caretakers saw her immediately, and some raised their guns, hesitating at the sight of a girl screaming and running through their field.

Kurst, still hidden, flexed his hands open and closed. "What should I do?" he asked Bryce, real pain on his face. Bryce was surprised at that look.

But it was too late for Bryce's reply. Mara pointed her laser and fired. Where the beam touched, there was a burst of flame. The Caretakers screamed and moved to stop her, but they were too far away. Bryce looked around and saw Djil toss a flaming torch into the field. Grim worked his magic and another ball of fire rolled out of his hand and engulfed a section of the field.

Bryce stared at Tolwyn uncertainly. "This could be a mistake," he suggested.

Tolwyn nodded. "Yes. And it could be for the best."

Bryce, Tolwyn, and Kurst stood by and watched as the others helped Mara start the fire, spreading it like an ax across the whole field. There were shallow screams on the air now, and an even more horrible smell as the plant-things burned. The Caretakers, now trying to put out the fire, ignored Mara and the others.

The air was filled with smoke and ash and the terrible smell, as flames crackled from the entire field, roaring in sheets up and down, fed by the light wind. Mara stood still, eyes watering, staring at what she had done.

They all stared in fascination at the wall of flame, and Bryce thought he could see faces and bodies writhing in the flames, their screams mere echoes above the fire's roar. Even Kurst seemed fascinated.

"Nothing to be done now but continue on," Kurst said. "If the Gaunt Man didn't know we were coming, he does now."

Bryce turned once more to watch the flames, to see their crackling glow mingle with the brightening sky. It was a signal fire, he thought, an affirmation that the Gaunt Man was not unopposed. He hoped it was more than just a futile gesture.

102

Kurst whipped the horses, forcing them to run as fast as they could. He had to get them away from the gospog field. They were probably going to be caught anyway, but time and distance might work in their favor. It would take those that came to investigate a little while to figure out exactly what had happened. Unless Thratchen came to investigate. Or even the Gaunt Man himself. Then they would be discovered before another step could be taken.

He knew he should be angry. Not only had they endangered their mission, they had also struck out at the realm Kurst owed his allegiance to. But he wasn't angry. He almost felt good watching the damnable fields burn. He needed to think about that. Every sense was extended, alert, looking for signs of pursuit. He saw none.

He thought about the upcoming meeting with the Gaunt Man. How would that go? Would he turn Mara and Tolwyn over to him? Would he help dispatch the others? He was so sure when this mission began. Now different emotions warred inside him. He snarled in frustration.

"We need to find a place to rest before we reach the Gaunt Man," Tolwyn said from her place beside him. "Otherwise we will be no good as fighters."

Kurst pursed his lips. Did she really expect to fight the Gaunt Man? He knew the answer to that. And he knew that he had to continue the illusion that that was what they were going to do. He slowed the horses, and turned into a small clearing beside the path.

"This will be a brief stop," he announced. "We are close to our goal, and there will be scouts looking for the cause of the blaze."

He dropped to the ground and leaned against a tree. He would not sleep, he told himself. He only needed a short rest. He thought of Decker, lying on his back with the rune staves sucking at his life force. Then he closed his eyes.

And there was darkness.

103

Tolwyn watched as Kurst's eyes closed and his breathing became regular. She smiled. Even the great hunter needed sleep. She checked on the dwarves, making sure that two of them were standing guard. Then she laid down on the hard ground and closed her eyes as well.

Tolwyn slept. And dreamed.

There were people all around, clustered about her, breathing over her shoulder, staring and muttering, and most were also crying out for something. Something they wanted her to do, but their words were obscure and meaningless, and only their need came through. There was something she had to do, but she had no idea what it was.

And she knew that if she failed to do it, she would die.

Tolwyn of House Tancred looked down, saw her sandaled feet stark against the sand of the arena. Her sword was clutched tightly in both hands — no shields in the arena — and sweat trickled down her arms and onto the pommel, threatening to loosen her grip. From across the way, barely visible through the tremendous light of the sun overhead, a door was opening. It rumbled up into the stonework, and from within she heard a fearful roar that sent ripples up and down her spine. Fighting terror, she strove to think rationally, knowing that in the arena, fear would be her undoing. What advantages could she press?

Perhaps her opponent (man or beast) would be blinded by the change from dark to light! With a gulp of hope, she ran forward, kicking up sand as she went.

The going was slow, the sand loose, her sandals ill- fitting. But she had no time to stop and untie them, only to try to kick them off. It did not work. The sandals hung onto her feet as though there was glue on the thongs. Then she saw her opponent, and coldness clutched at her chest.

It was a great green ogre, all scales and rough, bumpy skin, and it roared as it stepped into the sun, shaking the stands with its power. A huge club was clutched in its right fist, and Tolwyn's heart sank. She had seen this monstrosity before, destroying other opponents in the arena! She was next, and the damn sandals were annoying her. She looked up and the ogre was upon her, his huge club upraised. He smashed down then, the club whistling through the air, and she felt the impact on her shoulder as she desperately dove asid e, the heavy wood cracking bone and tearing flesh so that she screamed with the pain.

Tolwyn awoke with a start.

"It was just a nightmare," Christop her Bryce told her. He was sitting near her, drinking from a canteen.

"Not just a nightmare," said Djil, striding from the bush into their little clearing. "I was taking a very short walk in the Dream Time, and I saw the things that chase Tolwyn. This is a land of living nightmares. You're still unwhole, sword woman, and it's dangerous to dream in these parts if you're not whole."

If Bryce shared her frustration, he hid it well. "What can be done?" he asked the aborigine, real concern in his voice. She smiled at that.

"We must walk together, sword woman," Djil replied, addressing Tolwyn. "I can help you break through the wall that binds your memories. You must be whole for the confrontations to come. But only if you want to be."

She nodded.

"There is danger."

"I am ready."

104

Tolwyn and Djil walked in the Dream Time, across a field ripe with blue and red crys flowers. He held her hand, leading her to the things she could not remember.

He led her past dark paths until they reached the caverns that were her own, and there he left her, standing at the dark mouth, with the ocean roaring into rocks far beneath her. She heard the cry of a gull overhead.

"When you find what you are looking for," he called, "you will know it. At the other end lies understanding.

I will wait for you there. Dream well!"

Before she had a chance to reply, Djil was gone. She must do this on her own, or she would never be whole again.

Tolwyn entered the cave.

She remembered the last stand of the Knight Protectors on the battlements of Lady Ardinay's castle. She remembered her last discussion with the Lady, before the Carredon arrived. Before she leaped to fight it. They stood together on the rampart, the other five Knight Protectors around them, and they spoke loudly to each other to make themselves heard above the clash of arms and the shrieks of war.

"Remember the land, Tolwyn," Ardinay said, brushing her fingers gently across Tolwyn's brow. "The land is important, it is what makes Aysle so special."

The Lady was radiant, standing proudly beside her knights as Uthorion's forces pressed forward. Tolwyn loved this woman who was their leader, loved her with all her heart as she loved the land.

"Dunad," Pella Ardinay said, "show us the way to banish these things of darkness. Show us how to preserve the land." A glowing ball appeared in the Lady's hands. It was bright and warm, and it felt very good to Tolwyn. The Lady handed it to her. "This is the land, Tolwyn," she explained. "Dunad has helped me gather it. Place it in your heart and remember it always."

The ball drifted into the warrior's hands, then expanded to fill her with the image of Aysle. "I have done all that I can, my warrior," Ardinay said. "Now you must do what you can."

Below them, the Carredon arrived, and Uthorion was atop its back. "I will do what I must, Lady," Tolwyn declared. Then she leaped over the rampart to face the

evil dragon.

"Remember the land," Ardinay called once more. "And die well, my cherished knight." The she disappeared as well, off to face the vile Uthorion who had entered her castle.

Tolwyn emerged from the cave, and Djilangulyip stood waiting for her.

"I know now, Djil," she said. "Something has happened to Aysle, something terrible. It is as the dwarves said. The light has been dulled by the darkness of Uthorion. But I remember the light."

She faced Djil, who regarded her silently. "I can make everyone remember, and the darkness will lift." Djil nodded his understanding.

"But I must discover what caused Pella Ardinay to change," Tolwyn added. "From what the dwarves have said, she still lives, even after all these centuries. That is not possible for a human. And it is not possible for the Lady to have become evil."

"Anything is possible, sword woman," Djil said. "Have you got everything you came for?"

Tolwyn smiled grimly. "I know who I am, and I remember the land."

"Then let us go back."

Tolwyn of House Tancred awoke. She saw Christopher Bryce staring down at her with concern, and she smiled.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I am," she replied.

105

Andrew Decker and Julie Boot stood by the window of his room, looking out over the compound. He was lost in thought, going over the details of the meeting. McCall and Covent were good men, fine soldiers. He trusted them. He wasn't sure about the rock singer, Eddie Paragon, though. For goodness sake, the man didn't even like baseball! But he had provided them with important information about the leader of the invaders — Baruk Kaah. Tal Tu had confirmed the information, and even admitted that the singer knew more about the High Lord than he did.

But some of Paragon's news was disturbing. The Wild Hunt sounded very dangerous. And gospog, whatever they turned out to be, gave the edeinos an advantage the United States hadn't planned on. It gave them the ability to use our own weapons against us.

Already Covent and Paragon were on their way to the front. They took Tal Tu with them. Decker was getting ready to follow them, to help in any way he could. He didn't want to bring Julie along, didn't want to expose her to danger. But another part of him wanted her beside him. He had to think about that.

"I'm going with you," she said at last.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Ace," she said. "You need me. And I hate to let patients get out of my care before they're fully healed."

"But..."

"That's an order, congressman," she said, taking his hand. He couldn't think of an argument to dissuade her. And he didn't want to.

106

Kurst directed the carriage into a town which seemed to have sprung up within the jungle. Bryce was struck by the way it reminded him of the earlier to wr., but this one was more solid, less dreamlike than the other. Also, with the sun beginning to rise somewhere beyond the ash cover over head, images had become more substantial. It was disconcerting to see the jungle pressing in on the Victorian town, and the shadow of a volcano rising over the town was even stranger. You don't see those kind of sights in England, but the town appeared to have been lifted whole cloth out of a London neighborhood from around the turn of the century.

"This is it," Kurst said, very softly. "Salisbury Manor is here. But you should know its real name. Call it Illmound Keep."

There were people everywhere, and horses, and hansom cabs, and wagons. They moved about as though nothing was wrong, as though it was absolutely natural for them to be here on Borneo. Kurst pointed, and Bryce followed his finger to the center of town. There a great walled estate loomed. And beside it was a bridge that shot up into the sky. It was an odd-colored structure, and it moved as Bryce looked at it. Then the priest saw why — the bridge was made of human bodies, and they appeared to still be alive.

"That is the Maelstrom bridge," Kurst explained as they piled out of the carriage. "It leads to Orrorsh cosm. Be wary here, for things are not always as they appear."

They followed Kurst down a side street, moving naturally to avoid suspicious gazes. Bryce noticed someone standing in a doorway. Out of the corner of his eye, the figure appeared to be a corpse, covered with dried blood and partially rotted. But when he looked directly at the figure, it was a simple shopkeeper gazing into the street. Bryce hurried after the others.

From every street, Bryce could look up and see the