torg 02 - The Dark Realm (4 page)

The two projectiles raced at the rider who had ended Zahn's life, but the demon stood his ground confidently and readied his throwing spear. With an evil grin, the rider tossed the shaft at Burke just as the twin missiles slammed into him and exploded. Burke grinned back as he saw the horse plummet. Then the spear smashed through the cockpit, skewering Burke before his own plane was consumed in a ball of flame.

11

The swirling melee ended as quickly as it had begun, and all that remained was the ash, the storm cloud, and the riders and their hounds.

The Horn Master surveyed his minions and saw that the battle-frenzy was overtaking them; eyes were glazed with a drunkenness born of killing; the hounds ran to and fro excitedly, baying and snapping at one another. The ravens, above them all, swirled frantically in a pillar of smoky feathers, faster and faster. The Horn Master had seen this before, on a thousand such hunts, and knew that now was the time to rein in, to call the Hunt to gather. He reached again for the horn, and winded a great double blast. "Return!" the great horn ordered. "Return!"

His very will boiled out in the horn call, and that will bent the desires of his minions, brought them to a halt, shaking their heads and letting the battle-lust melt away like snow in spring. The Horn Master sounded the call again, and they returned: the horses and hounds, the ravens and the squires. All moved slowly to gather about their leader, heeding his call and the crackling power of his desire as they returned to the tower of cloud and darkness.

As they drew closer, they shifted into their true forms. Horses and hounds became shadow-black creatures without definition, four-legged demons with glowing eyes and pointed fangs and claws. The birds were fragments of night, with night wings spread wide and night beaks serrated with sharp teeth. The squires

were shadowy apparitions with featureless faces, transparent skin, and skeletal limbs. Finally, the hunters themselves were restless spirits of gigantic proportions, with long, misshapened limbs that seemed to constantly shift and reform.

When all were gathered, the Horn Master wheeled his mount and broke into a trot, leading the way southwest to where their presence had been requested by Baruk Kaah.

The Hunt followed sedately behind, the riders relaxed in ghostly saddles, the raven-things at rest atop convenient shoulders, and the hound-things idly gnawing bits of metal and flesh as they trotted beside their masters. Soon the Hunt was gone from sight, and Cheyenne was alone again. But a great swath of flattened, destroyed city was left in its wake, as if made by hurricane, tornado and tsunami all at once. All that remained was dancing flames, twisting columns of smoke, and hissing cinders that fell from the sky.

12

Tolwyn of House Tancred waited for her companions to arrive. She was in the rec room of the hospital at Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base, somewhere in the area Christopher Bryce called Southern California. Much of her memory had returned during the recent confrontation with the Carredon, but there were still annoying gaps that refused to fill. She was Tolwyn of House Tancred, Captain of the Knight Protectors, paladin of the Lady of the Houses of Aysle, defender of Pella Ardinay. In a terrible battle against the dark forces of Angar Uthorion, Tolwyn and her knights fell against the power of the Carredon. How long ago that first meeting with the demon dragon was, she had no way to judge.

Time was measured differently on this world called Earth. But she had been dead, floating in an in-between place, waiting to be claimed by either the darkness or the light, when she suddenly found herself on this world, seemingly called back to life by Christopher's voice.

She examined her hand before her face, flexing away the stiffness. It was her hand! She recognized it! But others still called her Wendy Miller. Sometimes, when the other dreams ended, the dreams of Carredons and enigmatic black men, she dreamed of a woman with her face, staring at her. The woman, however, did not have Tolwyn's emerald eyes. Instead, she had eyes as brown as the bark on a tree. Tolwyn felt sorry for the woman — for Wendy.

She reached for the knapsack on the table and removed a wrapped object. She could hear its song, the song that called her to travel across this vast country to the place named Grand Canyon. Slowly she unwrapped it, and the brilliant blue light bathed her face in a warm glow. The stone was the same color as her crys flower, a swirling combination of blue and red, and it was shaped like a human heart. Was there a connection between the similar colors? Yes, she was certain, but what that connection was eluded her.

"Can you give me back the rest of my memories?" she whispered to the stone Decker called the Heart of Coyote. "What is it you want me to do?"

The song remained constant, neither rising in intensity or lowering. It continued to provide support through its presence, but it gave her no answers.

Then the companions entered the room. Father Christopher Bryce came first, wearing his usual black uniform and white collar. Dr. Hachi Mara-Two followed, wearing a black jumpsuit, but her face was clean of her

usually mask-like makeup. Her wild mane of silver hair was held in check by the bandage over her right temple. She had suffered a concussion from the Carredon's blow, but was recovering well. Coyote was next, helping the edeinos Tal Tu into the room. Coyote had suffered 110 physical injuries on their trek, but he had lost some of his fire. Tal Tu, on the other hand, had been injured gravely. The doctors at the base were surprised that he was up and around at all, and they warned him that any exertion could open his wounds. Behind them was Rat, whose arm was still in a sling. He, too, had become withdrawn, and Christopher was doing his best to pull the boys out of their depression.

They all took seats, looking expectantly at Tolwyn. She, in turn, looked at them, and a pang of sorrow touched her when she noticed the empty chairs. Rick Alder would not be at this meeting. They had buried him in the military graveyard located on this base. And Decker would not be walking through the door, for he was in a state very similar to death. The door opened again, and Kurst moved into the room the way a stalking cat moves. Without a word, he found a seat and looked up to indicate that he was ready.

"Thank you all for coming," Tolwyn began, still holding the stone heart in her hand. "I have decided on my next course of action, and I wanted to inform you of that. Understand, I tell you this because I would expect the same from people I have served with and grown to care about. But the telling in no way obligates you to anything."

"We understand, Tolwyn," Mara said with a smile in her voice. "Now, are you going to tell us or not?"

Tolwyn smiled as well, then raised the stone heart for all to see. "This was the object of the first part of my quest. It is a thing of this world, and for some reason it has chosen me to help it. It is frightened, as I was frightened by the Carredon, but it has power that can be used against these invaders."

"We've seen its power," Bryce agreed. "What is your next step?"

Tolwyn hesitated, matching Christopher's gaze with her emerald stare. "I must take the heart west. West and down."

"West," Kurst whispered, "and down?"

"How do you know these things, Tolwyn? I'm not doubting you, but ..." Bryce asked, unsure of exactly where he wanted his questions to go.

"More dreams, Christopher," she said with a hollow smile. "First the heart called to me through my dreams and showed me where to go. And now a small black man does the same, showing me a knotted rope and speaking of battles to come."

"We are almost to the edge of this land mass," Mara joined in. "If we go much further west, we'll be in the ocean."

"No," Kurst said in his low, deep voice. The single word silenced the group, and all eyes turned toward the shapeshifter. He saw the hint of fear in Bryce's eyes, the caution in Mara's. Only Tolwyn's gaze was unreadable. They had fought together, no matter what form he took, and for the moment she was giving him the benefit of the doubt. Because of that, he addressed his words to her and her alone, although everyone could hear him.

"Go west and down and you will find a land mass and a group of islands," Kurst continued. "That is where Orrorsh realm is. That is where you will find the Gaunt Man. I do not know if your stone can stop him, but it could be possible to release Decker from the spells that

hind him."

"Orrorsh/' Tolwyn said, turning the word over in her mouth, tasting the decay of it. "That name is familiar to me." She paced the room, fighting to pull the memory from its hiding place. Finally, with more and more ease, the memory tugged free. "That is the place Uthorion came from!"

"Uthorion?" Bryce questioned.

"The monster that attacked my land and had me killed."

"I see," Bryce said.

"I am going to this place called Orrorsh, and there I shall find Uthorion and have my revenge!" Tolwyn swore before the group.

Kurst decided not to tell her that Uthorion was no longer in Orrorsh. In fact, he had never returned from the conquest of Aysle. He was a High Lord now, ruling Tolwyn's home cosm in a way that would greatly upset the paladin — if she were to find out about it. But if he kept her thinking Orrorsh was where she was to go, then she would be returning of her own accord, making things much easier for the hunter.

"I will go with you," Kurst said, still focused on Tolwyn's emerald eyes. "I must try to free Decker from the Gaunt Man's runes."

"Now wait a minute!" Bryce exclaimed. "I've been through one of these discussions once before and this has the same feel. I know where this is going and I have to say ..."

"I am not asking you to come, Christopher," Tolwyn said soothingly. "You have helped me enough. But this world still needs help, and the heart sings out its plea in such a way that I cannot turn my back on it. It is the reason why I am alive again."

Bryce sighed mightily. "You're trying to make me feel guilty. That's not fair ..."

"I will go, too," Mara interrupted.

"Oh, of course, why didn't I see that coming! Isn't anyone here going to help me talk Tolwyn out of this?" Bryce looked around beseechingly, but Rat and Tal Tu remained silent. Coyote, however, had one thing to say.

"Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, Father. You know?"

Bryce let his shoulders slump. "I guess that leaves me only one thing to do. I'll go speak to the colonel about getting us transportation."

"Us?" Tolwyn asked innocently.

Bryce halted in the doorway and looked back over his shoulder. "Yes," he said, gazing fiercely into her emerald eyes. "I wouldn't miss the rest of your quest for the world."

13

In the new city of Thebes, Dr. Mobius, Pharaoh of the new Nile Empire on Earth, observed the construction of his palace. It was going to be a grand building, for the Royal Builder Muab was personally overseeing the work. Of course, Mobius would settle for no less.

The High Lord reclined upon a great throne, surrounded by half a dozen serving girls that catered to his whims. And Mobius had many whims. One of the girls, a young dark-haired beauty that reminded Mobius of Clemeta, now three thousand years dead, was busy applying glistening oil to his bare chest. He smiled beneath his hooded cowl, letting her fingers play exquisite sensations across his skin.

"You do that very well, my dear," came the muffled voice from beneath the brown hood. "Perhaps this

evening you can show me what else you do well?"

"Whatever you wish, my Pharaoh," she smiled seductively and gently traced a pattern with her long fingernails.

"Of course."

One of the eunuch guards approached, bowing low and waiting to be recognized. Mobius let him wait, suddenly angry that his game had been interrupted. He watched as the guard strained to hold himself perfectly still, and marveled at the pain and stiffness that the eunuch must be experiencing. A few more seconds passed, then Mobius spoke.

"What is it?"

"The High Priest and the Chief General wish an audience with the Pharaoh," the eunuch stammered, obviously uncomfortable in Mobius' presence.

"They wish an audience, do they?" Mobius giggled, and the serving girls shivered — except for the one who looked like Clemeta. Mobius liked that.

"What is your name, girl?" he asked.

"What would you like it to be, master?"

He liked that as well. "You shall be called Clemeta. And you shall receive a wardrobe according your new station."

"New station, master?" she asked, her eyes suddenly wide with anticipation.

"You shall be Clemeta, the Royal Escort."

"Thank you, my master," she bowed and began kissing his sandaled feet.

He liked the feel of her full, wet lips upon his toes. "You may continue to do that, Clemeta." He sighed and rested his head against the back of the throne. Then he remembered the eunuch. "Oh yes. You may send in the Royal Advisors."

Ahkemeses, the High Priest, and Teth-Net, the Chief General, climbed the steps of the platform that overlooked the construction site and stood beneath the palm leaf covering that blocked out the sun. They ignored the young woman at Mobius' feet.

"What can I do for you this day?" Mobius asked.

"Hail Pharaoh Mobius! Hail the divine ruler of the Ten Empires!" Ahkemeses proclaimed.

"Yes, yes, I know who I am," Mobius said impatiently. "What news do you bring me?"

Teth-Net spoke first. "The axiom wash did its work very well, Pharaoh. Most of the Earthers have acclimated so well that they do not realize that their world was not always like it is now. The others have accepted the situation and look forward to your promises of glory in the new Egyptian empire."

"Yes, they are so gullible," Mobius laughed, "just like the other worlds before them."

"We are in the process of building our forces and spreading the stelae into new areas. The expansion will proceed as you planned."

"Good. Good," the Pharaoh said. "And what of our neighbors?"

"We are poised to take Libya, and our armies are preparing to strike out at Israel and Ethiopia."

"Fine," Mobius said. "Continue with the preparations. And what news do you have, High Priest?"

Ahkemeses stepped forward. "I have finished the calculations that you requested. This world is slowing down. If the current decline continues, then the Nile Empire will be plunged into eternal night long before we have taken the possibilities that we have come for."

"Then the Gaunt Man spoke true," Mobius muttered to himself. "That is all, my advisors. I have much work

to do before the palace is completed."

As Ahkemeses and Teth-Net departed, Mobius signaled for Clemeta to rise from her work, though he regretted the loss of her lips and tongue upon his feet.

"Go to my head steward and tell him to help you prepare yourself for an evening of finery," Mobius gently ordered, letting his fingers linger in Clemeta's silky hair. "Tonight, Clemeta, you and I shall celebrate the establishment of the Tenth Empire. But first, I have some errands to attend to."

14

Christopher Bryce approached the room where Coyote, Rat and Tal Tu were resting. The boys had grown attached to the edeinos since the events at the canyon, and had seemed to adopt him in light of Rick Alder's death. Hopefully, that would make what he had to tell them easier — on them as well as on him.

"How are you feeling, Tal Tu?" Bryce asked.

The edeinos shrugged in his lizard way. "The wounds heal, but I am not ready to travel yet. Lanala will not answer my prayers of healing in this dead land. I have never remained hurt for so long, Christopher."

"I need you to do something for me, Tal Tu," Bryce started to explain. "And Coyote and Rat, too. Someone has to stay here and watch over Congressman Decker, and since Tal Tu can't travel anyway ..."

The edeinos lowered his spiny head. "I understand, Chris. I would be a burden on the journey you must make. But here, beside Decker, with my former Saar's tribes marching toward us to attack, I may be able to help. I will do as you ask."

Coyote stood up and glared at Bryce. Here it comes, the priest thought, the confrontation I expected. The