Under the Shadow of Darkness: Book 1 of the Apprentice Series (13 page)

“Revenge? Sure I want revenge but don’t worry, my feelings won’t get in the way,” Kerlith replied.

Nes’egrinon added, “Don’t get me wrong. Vengeance is fine. I’ve been known to lay out a little retribution in my day too, but right now I don’t want anyone getting blinded by it. We are only a few and we need to keep focused.”

Kerlith continued, “Nothing I can do will bring him back. But what I can do is help send him home. Help him to stop being a ghoul. If I go with you I can tend to him also. You are still going to bring him, right?”

“I suppose. After we eat, you can check the kitchen and see if they have any blood drippings we can flask for him.”

“Yes, Master Nes’egrinon.”

Bel felt sorry for Kerlith and even though he didn’t like him, he thought it would be good to have him on the journey, especially now that they were in the stone lands. A rap at the door interrupted Bel’s thoughts. He opened it to see a distraught Alexius.

“Come. Please. We are under attack by the ghoul-kind. Please. The king has requested your assistance.”

The three followed Alexius out quickly, turning this way and that through the catacomb like tunnels eventually pouring out onto an upper landing overlooking the outer courtyard of the Keep. There were ghoul-kind everywhere down below, leaping from the shadows, grabbing maids and merchants and pulling them into corners and small structures, tackling warriors long enough to bite them and carefully avoiding the edge of the wall where the oil and fire might be poured. Bel and Kerlith peered over the edge as the archers fired their crossbows.

Nes’egrinon said, “How? How did they get in?”

Alexius replied, “I suspect the people of Protolith, the recently dead, knew some way in. Tunnels? Pipes? Many of them were military but others, craftsmen: metal workers, people who fix things, others who cleaned the aqueducts that brought the water, people who spent a lot of time in the underbelly of this fortress. All I can think is that they knew its secrets; they knew how to get in. This had to be planned out.”

“I see. And where is King Luthgar?”

“There,” Alexius said, pointing at a landing overhead. “He oversees the battle there.”

“Take me to him. Kerlith, Fifth Year, you two stay here. Help as you can but do not go down the wall.”

The two nodded. Kerlith pulled out his stone quickly as Alexius and Nes’egrinon walked away. Alexius led the mage up a steep staircase and passed four guards at the top. King Luthgar met them.

“Archmage, we need your help,” the king said.

“Yes, I know. Look below, my two companions are already working.” Nes’egrinon pointed at Bel and Kerlith who were together speaking into the souls of the dead, telling them to sleep, to rest, calming their spirits, reminding them that they are not of the living and should not be here. They sent it out in wave after wave, bombarding the ghoul-kind with this simple message. Confusion stole over many of the ghouls as they stopped and looked about, unsure, bewildered, then stared down at themselves and their blood-soaked arms and legs. Some began to leave, their shoulders slumped down low, longing to return to the earth and their rest. But many others stayed.

“Yes, yes. Good. And will you not join them?” the king asked.

“Might I have a word alone?”

Luthgar looked at the mage warily then said, “Alexius, give us a moment.”

The chief of guards put his hand on the hilt of his sword and snapped his heels then retreated to the far guard station.

Nes’egrinon whispered, “I will help you and I appreciate you helping us on our journey but I must ask you this…” The old mage paused, suddenly unsure of how to phrase his next sentence. He had always been one to blurt out exactly what he was feeling but that, right now, would certainly be an insult. And to a king no less. He knew he needed his help and he knew he was completely out of his rights to ask for it; he was a woodland mage in the land of the stonecutters. It had been a long time since their people were at war but both the king and the mage were old enough to remember it. Nes’egrinon wanted to be subtle and show tact but he had no idea how. The old mage threw up his hands and spoke, “It’s like this. I know you were lying to me. I just don’t get it. Did you think I wouldn’t know? I am one of the oldest living archmages in all the lands. Why’d you lie to me? That was pretty foolish.”

“What? How dare you speak to me so!”

Alexius started towards them.

The old mage said, “Fine. I’m leaving. Deal with your dead as you see fit.”

“Wait. Wait. Alexius, we are fine. Come Master Archmage, walk with me. Here, over here, we can speak more privately here.”

He led the mage to a more secluded corner of the overlook so that his guards could not overhear their conversation. The king stopped and stared at the mage and he stared back. The gray-haired wizard’s scarred face looked haggard in the torchlight and the king could not hold his eyes upon him. It was something about his eyes, the deep-set orbs that stared back at him, into him and through him, looking down into his very soul; he could not look into them for long; it was as if in the depths of his eyes he saw a reflection of himself, distorted, somehow a reflection that displayed his true nature, the man inside, and he did not like the image.
The King looked at his feet and said, “Yes, I lied. There was a group of mages that passed through here before you. Master Rylithnon and a few others, all from the wizard school in the west. Lasaat, I believe it is called? They passed through here a few weeks ago.”

“And?”

“And I lied about that. I am sorry. But my people, you can help rid us of these ghouls?”

“I could help. But you’re still not telling me everything. Why?”

The king turned to look down at the battle. It was not going well. He replied, “A cheery lot, them. They were quite excited to be going in. Rylithnon promised me some things, magical items. And to teach me to wield them.”

“Then he lied to you. Only those who are called can wield.”

“Perhaps, but I had to take the chance. Never has a magician king sat on this throne. You know it is an uneasy alliance, kings and wizards. You know it. It is not rare for mage-kind to overthrow kings and kingdoms—”

The old mage cut his words in the air, “Yes, and perhaps they are justified. Not all kings have the lives of their people in mind.” Nes’egrinon recalled a kingdom or two that he helped overthrow and the memory brought bile into his mouth. He did not know if Luthgar knew his history though.

“Aye. But who is the judge? A mage? There is much more to politics than right and wrong and the concern of the people. I have had to make many a tough choice in my rule and not everyone thinks I did right but my conscience is free.”

The archmage spoke slowly, as if the wheels in his mind were turning, figuring something out that he could not quite piece together. “I know that now. But tell me then, what excited them? And what did you give them for these promises?”

“Their excitement? I don’t know. I didn’t ask. Their promises were enough for me and they did not ask for much. Some supplies, much like you have asked. I would have given it to them readily even without their promises. I have always been a friend to the mage-kind.”

“So you say. Very well then. I will ask one last thing. I will help you to clear your streets of these ghoul-kind. Have your men ready to secure the tunnels or pipes or aqueducts or whatever they used to sneak into the Keep. Then, when we leave, you will give us some horses and some men, perhaps four or five, a few warriors, to aid us on our journey.”

“I will ask for volunteers. I think it won’t be a problem.”

“And one other thing. I want Alexius to accompany us.”

“What? My chief of guards? No, no, no. He is vital to—”

“I understand he is vital to the Keep but if we don’t end this darkness you will not have a Keep to rule. I need someone I can trust to lead the men. A warrior and a leader. I need someone that your men will follow. I am certain they will not follow me. No soldier has ever trusted a wizard.”

“A wizard of the forest wants to take away the stonecutters’ chief of guard, eh?”

“Listen to me! This is not a plot on your kingdom! You stone people are all alike. Quick like rock. Dumb like rock. I’m trying to help you here! Think!”

Luthgar hissed, “I do not like your tone! If we stood here on another day, in the brightness of daylight, I would have your head. But since it appears I have no choice you will have what you request. Now go. Do your job, mage.”

The archmage walked away, past Alexius and the four guards and down the steps. Alexius followed. Upon reaching the lower level Nes’egrinon peered over the wall next to Bel and Kerlith. “How goes it?” He quizzed.

Bel quickly replied, “We have been telling them to rest. Using the old language. It is working but only on a limited scale. Some of the stragglers and the ones who did not seem to be so committed have left, down through that far grating there. Can you see it? Also the newly dead, the ones just killed today, they left also. They were disoriented and were easy to scatter.”

“I see. Alexius, would it be possible for us to put a force on this end of the circle and push the ghoul-kind back toward that grating?”

“There is an entrance there on that side, yes. But if we open it and the ghouls get in, we could lose the inner court. We would have to be quick. We would have to open it, get the men out and then close the door behind. There would be no retreat if the forces fell.”

“I will lead the charge then.”

“Master?” Bel said shallowly, but he knew not what question to ask, only that a dread was choking him and he didn’t know how to stop it. He did not want to lose his master too; he did not want to be in Kerlith’s position, an apprentice with no teacher.

“You two stay here. Keep doing what you are doing. Alexius, come gather your men.” Nes’egrinon began to walk away then stopped and turned back. “By the way Kerlith, I’ve been watching you. You understand that when you give into rage that you are inviting darkness into your heart, don’t you? Maybe this is too obvious to say but darkness cannot defeat darkness.” Nes’egrinon spun on his heel without another word and followed Alexius down the far staircase and Bel watched their backs disappear.

“Hey doofus,” Kerlith said with irritation in his voice. “Snap out of it. We need to keep that area clear for when they open the door.”

Bel bristled at Kerlith’s name calling but ignored it and began reciting the words in the language of the ancients, again calling for the dead to rest and return to their graves in the earth, pointing his staff down at them, trying to concentrate the direction and placement of the magic. But Bel had quite enough of Kerlith’s big mouth and his constant insults so he decided that even though they were working together at the moment he was going to let him know what he thought about him as he rotated his staff in the air, “Listen Kerlith, we’re working together, okay? That’s good but I don’t appreciate your childish name calling.”

Kerlith continued to focus his magic down onto the ghoul-kind without responding. Below, the far door opened and about twenty men rushed out with swords and torches. Nes’egrinon was in front and Alexius at the rear. The door slammed behind them and the sound echoed in Bel’s ears. Bel spoke again as he continued to send out his magic, “So if we are going to work together it is generally a bad idea to keep trying to poke your partner in the eye with your verbal stick.”

Kerlith snickered as he continued to push the magic down at the ghoul-kind. “Yeah, unfortunately this job is going to take both of us. I got my side. Just make sure your weak magic takes care of yours.”

“What? That’s exactly what I’m talking about. You insignificant louse! You water flea! Weak? You are the whelp. Even though we are in the land of stone I could still take you out!”

“With what? A wiggle? Are you going to wiggle and fart on me? Oohh, now that’s got me scared.”

“I’ll be fine. Believe me. You got out of Lasaat a year before me and you have a year more training than I do so maybe you might give me a little work out. I may have to exercise more than my little finger to smack you down.”

Kerlith stopped laughing and focused on the ghoul-kind below. His magic began to build and the longer and harder he pushed the more his anger boiled over. He was feeding it and feeding off of it. Rage feeding rage and the magic he was pouring out on the ghoul-kind below increased exponentially in ferocity. He growled, “When this is all over, I’m coming at you.”

“You’ll die trying,” Bel said calmly. He didn’t mind the idea of putting Kerlith in his place once and for all after all he had suffered because of him. He wasn’t going to look for it but if Kerlith came at him then he would fight him again when this was all over. For now he would play nice as his master had requested.

Nes’egrinon filled the end of his staff with a purple glowing haze and Bel and Kerlith knew it was the love magic that the ghouls ran from at Sha’ane Village. He was concentrating it in the end of his staff and using the staff as a club. Swinging the staff anywhere near a ghoul would send it screaming and wailing as it ran away to the far end of the outer court. The soldiers followed closely behind using torches, swords and shields on the ghoul-kind that occasionally leapt from the shadows or rooftops.

A soldier who was nearly bitten yelled, “Master archmage, our swords have little effect. Should we abandon them for the torches?”

The mage quickly looked back then returned his focus at the approaching dead. He swung his staff a few more times at the ghouls then replied, “Cut their heads off. They can’t attack if they can’t see.”

The soldiers swung their swords in earnest, taking more and more ground and soon a small pile of heads sat in the center of the ring. They had gained control over half of the outer court.

The eyes on the piled-up heads looked about and some of them spoke, “Hey that’s not right. You cut off my head!”

Another said, “All we wanted was a little blood!”

One other said, “Now where’d my body go? Oh, over there. There you are. Now get over here and pick me up.”