torg 03- The Nightmare Dream (27 page)

These thoughts led to the dark results of each of her triumphs, and Mara wondered what evils this new invention would lead to. Then she dismissed the notion.

"Don't be ridiculous," she told herself. "Aren't you carrying around enough guilt for one sixteen-year-old?"

Mara held the jaz pack in her right hand

(never in the left one)

and got out of her seat. She walked down the narrow aisle between the seats in the seaplane and sat down next to Djil. The aborigine smiled when she approached, flashing his missing tooth with unselfconscious ease.

"How are you doing, young Mara?" Djil asked pleasantly. He held the knotted rope in his hands, running his callused fingers over the six knots.

"I'm doing fine, Djil," she smiled back. "What about you?"

He held the rope up for her to examine, taking care to show her the two knots on the end. "Decker and Kurst are closer," he told her. "They are going to meet us in Tolwyn's world."

"How do you know that, Djil?" Mara asked. The aborigine shrugged. "I have seen their dreams. But there is something dark and terrible behind them, rushing like a storm to catch them. They must stay ahead of this storm, or we are all lost."

Mara did not know how to respond to the shaman's claims, so she held up the jaz pack. "I've got something to show you, too," she said, a smile suddenly brightening her face. "It's my data plate, but I've rigged it so you can see my world. Isn't that fantastic, Djil?"

Djilangulyip looked at the jaz pack, cautiously touching it with one outstretched finger. Then he shook his head. "That is for someone else, Mara," he told her firmly. "It's not for me."

"What are you talking about?" she complained. "I worked hard on that, and I did it because you wanted to see my world."

The aborigine took her hand
(the right one, never the left one)
and said gently, "I do want to see your world, Mara, and your Dream Time. But you built that device for someone else, someone you don't even know. It is very important that you save it for that person. Very important. Do you understand."

Mara shook her head. "Not a word. How could I have built this for someone I don't know? That's impossible!"

Djil said nothing. He simply smiled at her and squeezed her hand.

"I give up!" she said, exasperated. "All right, Djil, I'll put the pack away for now. But if you figure out who this person is before I do, I'd appreciate it if you gave me a hint."

"Of course," Djil said, returning his attention to the knotted rope.

94

Angus Cage found himself tied to the bottom of a gigantic metal sphere. After they finished mummifying Clemeta, Mobius had Ahkemeses knock him out with a chemical-soaked rag. He didn't know how long he had been unconscious, but he was getting tired of waking up with a headache.

He examined his surroundings and found himself hanging by his wrists in a vertical, framework-filled shaft. His wrists were strapped to the bottom of the rivet-covered metal sphere, and his feet were tied together to keep them from flailing around.

"So you have finally awakened, Angus," Dr. Mobius said. He was standing upon an observation platform directly across from where Cage was hanging. With him were Teth-Net and the two priests.

"What's this, Mobius, some torture device?" Cage asked trying to put on a brave front.

"Oh, nothing so crude, Angus," Mobius declared. "You are hanging from the bottom of an artificial sun of my own creation. It is set to rise some fifteen minutes from now. You will rise with it. When it reaches its position in the sky, it will glow with light and heat, enough to provide the realm with ample quantities of both. Unfortunately, you're going to be a little too close to appreciate the wonder of it."

Mobius was going to fry him alive! Cage tried to struggle out of his bonds, but he had no leverage hanging as he was, and they were tied very tightly.

"I'll leave you now, for I have very important business elsewhere," Mobius informed him. "Wish me luck, Angus, for when I return I shall be the Torg, ruler of the entire cosmverse!"

"I hope you choke," Cage shouted.

"Charming to the end," Mobius sneered, then turned and exited the observation platform, taking Teth-Net and one of the priests with him.

The remaining priest stood in place, watching Cage struggle with the ropes that held him. Cage twisted every way he could, but the ropes held. Then, with a jarring shudder, the sphere began to roll up the framework track.

"Mobius!" Cage screamed, and the hated name echoed within the shaft.

As the sphere rose through the wooden and metal framework track, getting closer to an opening far overhead, Cage was able to see that it was covered in gold plating. He tried desperately to think of a way out of the diabolical trap that Mobius had placed him in, but nothing came to mind. It cleared the lip of the shaft, continuing to rise, a golden ball hovering above the city of Luxor. Cage could see the nearly complete Grand Temple of Ra falling away below him, next to the monolithic shaft the golden sphere emerged from.

Higher it flew, until the ground below was nothing but a miniature vista. Cage continued to struggle, but the ropes would not give. Then, to Cage's horror, the sphere began to glow, giving off light like a small sun. And, like a sun, the light was hot. Within seconds he began to sweat, and his flesh turned red from the baking heat. Soon it would reach temperatures that would knock him unconscious as his blood began to boil. He wondered if he would die before his flesh began to melt.

Hotter still, and Cage could no longer look directly at the sphere. Hotter, and his brain felt like it was on fire. Hotter, and one rope burned away from the rivet it was tied to. Cage found himself hanging by one arm, but he barely was able to register the change as the heat became unbearable.

Then, just before he passed out, the second rope snapped. Cage registered the rushing air, thankfully cool against his blistered flesh, as he began to fall.

It was the last thing he remembered as the ground came rushing to meet him.

95

Angar Uthorion sat upon the throne in Castle Ardinay, wearing the body of Lady Pella Ardinay. The High Lord of Magna Verita, Antipope Jean Malraux I stood at the window, looking out upon the Valley of the Sword.

"Where is that damn elf?" Uthorion cursed, and the words sounded foul and harsh coming from Ardinay's mouth.

"Patience, Angar," Malraux advised. "Good things come to those who wait."

"Spare me the sermon, Malraux. Time is getting very short, I can feel it. It is slipping away like sand through my fingers, and when it is gone ..."

"What?" Malraux laughed. "What will happen when your precious time runs out? Do you know, Angar? Have you become a prophet now as well as a woman?"

Uthorion started to rise at the High Lord's insult, but the arrival of Delyndun banished his anger. The elf mage entered the chamber, followed by a huge Viking warlord who, despite his size and strength, appeared to

be very nervous.

"I have brought Thorfinn Bjanni as you requested, Lady Ardinay," Delyndun announced, slipping into the charade they perpetuated for the people of Aysle.

"Welcome, warlord, to the castle of Lady Pella Ardinay," Uthorion said. "I am glad you were able to come on such short notice."

The Viking bowed, eyeing the Antipope suspiciously. Then he turned to the High Lord of Aysle. "My fleets are ready to strike out down the water bridge upon your word, my lady," Thorfinn said. "The entire Viking nation has joined beneath my banner for this campaign."

"As I knew they would, Thorfinn," Uthorion proclaimed. "We follow the plans and teachings of Lord Angar Uthorion, for it was he who showed me the true road to power."

"It is a road I gladly follow, my lady," Thorfinn agreed.

"Then I give you my blessing for the coming battle, and I give you the word," Uthorion said. "Let the sails unfurl and may the wind be at your back!"

Thorfinn bowed again, then turned to leave the chamber.

"One more thing, Thorfinn," Uthorion called. "Your dagger. Give it to me."

Uthorion held out Ardinay's slender hand to receive the weapon, but Thorfinn hesitated.

"Why, my lady?" he asked.

"Do you question the voice of Uthorion in Aysle?" Uthorion demanded sternly.

"Oh no, my lady," Thorfinn stammered, reduced to a mound of jelly before the beautiful and extremely powerful Lady of the Light. "It is just that this dagger has been in my family for more than three generations.

It is a personal thing."

"Then you would say it is almost a part of you?" Uthorion pressed.

"Yes, my lady, it is."

Uthorion smiled, and Ardinay's lips turned up in a dreadful grin. "Then give it here, my warlord," he said softly. "I shall hold it as a badge of honor until I join with you in Aysle realm!"

Thorfinn smiled. He slid the ornate blade from its sheath and presented it, hilt first, to the Lady of the Houses. Uthorion took it gratefully.

"This means more to me than you can realize, my warlord," Uthorion said, and Thorfinn exited the chamber proudly.

"What was that all about, Angar?" Malraux asked, trying to understand the games that the necromancer played.

"Insurance," Uthorion said mysteriously, "nothing but insurance."

96

"Damn you, Angus Cage, don't you die on me!" called a far away voice.

"Wake up!" it called again.

It was really very rude, trying to make him respond when all he wanted to do was die in peace.

"Cage!" the voice screamed again, this time much louder.

Cage opened his eyes, immediately regretting the simple action. Even his eyelids were sunburned, and he let a little scream escape his parched lips.

"That's a boy, Angus," the Guardian said, leaning over to look at Cage. "I knew you weren't a quitter!"

"What ... happened?" Cage asked, but he didn't

think the words came out above a whisper.

"You were almost turned into a french fry by Mobius' artificial sun," the Guardian explained. "It looks like the ropes burned away before you did. You fell quite a ways before Rocket Blue caught you."

Cage turned his head slightly, grimacing at the agonizing pain the simple movement caused him, and saw the familiar battle suit of a Rocket Ranger. The Ranger gave him the thumbs up sign, and he groaned loudly.

"Did you stop Mobius?" Cage asked.

The Guardian shook his head. "They were on to us," he said. "There was a trap waiting for us at the airfield. We managed to get away with a little help from some passersby, but we couldn't figure out where Mobius moved the operation to. So we decided to high-tail it back here to see if you needed any help."

"Thanks," Cage managed, motioning for the Guardian to help him sit up.

Clemeta was dead, and Mobius was on his way to become the Torg. Cage had failed on both counts, but at least he was still alive. He promised himself he would make Mobius pay for his crimes.

He ran his fingers over the long, thin scars on his chest, remembering Clemeta, remembering the electrifying touch of her long, red nails. He didn't think he'd ever forget her.

97

Tolwyn sat brooding, staring out the window of the seaplane. She was at a loss to explain the changes in Aysle since her death, and she had no idea what was wrong with Lady Ardinay. She was sure that something was wrong, however, despite Gutterby's assurances that she had not been corrupted. Honor and corruption were tangible things in Aysle, she remembered now that her memories had almost all returned. Both were reflected in the folk, and the more of either that marked a soul, the more easily it was to identify it. Truly evil beings looked twisted and corrupted, while the most honorable stood proud and noble against the darkness.

So, if Ardinay had somehow fallen into corruption, why had Gutterby been unable to detect it? Tolwyn had no clue, and that infuriated her.

Djil quietly took the seat beside her, concern etched into his dark features.

"Do not worry about me," Tolwyn told him. "I am just thinking."

"Thinking is good," Djil agreed somewhat hesitantly. "Sleep is good, too. And dreaming."