Knights: Defenders of Ollanhar

by Robert E. Keller

  ***

  "Well done," said Jace, patting Lannon on the shoulder. "You just slew a Barloak Demon, young man--no small accomplishment. And while this one wasn't as strong as I had assumed--brains over brawn, I suppose--only a Dark Watchman could have done this. Make no mistake, this is your greatest accomplishment, and it is a tremendous victory for Dremlock and Ollanhar."

  "I had some help," said Lannon. "A lot of help."

  "Think nothing of it," said Jace, smiling. "You delivered the killing blow, and that's what history will remember."

  " Yet I just gave Tenneth Bard a promotion," said Lannon. He should have felt better about the victory than he did. Something was bothering his instincts, but he wasn't sure what.

  Jace's smile vanished. "Yes...well... Let us not concern ourselves with that right now. We have some companions to free, and the prince..." Jace shook his head. "The prince seems to be a bit out of it."

  "How did you survive?" asked Lannon (though he wondered why he was bothering to ask, since he already knew he would only get a vague answer). "I thought that trap had doomed you."

  Jace scratched his head, frowning. "I suppose I simply...slipped out of its clutches and ran. I can be fairly slippery when I need to be. I actually can dislocate my shoulders if necessary. Anyway, I worked my way loose and that's the story. It took me awhile to figure out where to go afterward, but I showed up at a good time, obviously. Actually, I had been hiding behind a table and watching the battle for a bit, waiting for just such an opportunity. Lord Hathannis thought he was so brilliant, but he made a huge blunder in assuming that all of us were captured or killed. It's hard to believe that after all these centuries he is dead. I can't help but feel overjoyed. This calls for a smoke."

  "Let's free the others," said Lannon. But before he went to them, he turned the Eye toward the demon's body in order to satisfy whatever inner voice was still nagging him. A shock tore through him--for he glimpsed life.

  "He's still alive!" Lannon warned.

  The fog swarmed over Lord Hathannis as he rose from the floor. The wound in the pale giant's forehead had sealed shut. "How can you slay a creature that is already dead?" the demon asked Lannon.

  The Dark Watchman had no answer.

  With the fog having engulfed the demon, only his icy blue eyes were visible. "Only a true Dark Watchman could have destroyed me," he went on. "Not a mere lad who pretends to be something he isn't."

  "You're making a big mistake," said Lannon. "You should have kept pretending I had finished you and stayed down. The Eye is only growing stronger, and I will find your weakness." Lannon meant what he said. Once again the strange battle lust had overcome him, making his confidence soar, but he had no time to deal with that issue. "Jace, go and stand by the others. I will end this myself."

  "Who am I to argue?" said Jace. But he hesitated.

  "It is time for something new," said the demon. "I wanted to kill you myself, but you are a bit stronger than I had anticipated. Yet I have another trick up my sleeve--a snare that is perfect for a young, naive warrior like you. I will reveal to you my greatest strength and what has made me so feared throughout the ages."

  "I don't like the sound of this at all," said Jace, his eyes wide. His pipe slipped from his fingers to the floor. Then he flung himself at the demon, swinging his fist. But his attack found only fog.

  Lannon realized something was trying to invade his head--something that felt like a hand seeking to crush his mind. He summoned the Eye to him, trying to fight off the evil sorcery, but the grip kept tightening.

  "My deepest apologies, young man," came the demon's hiss. "This is not a very honorable thing I am doing here, but I really have no urge to continue fighting you. Too risky. This is just something that must be done."

  Horrified, Lannon called upon everything he had in an effort to break free--and he almost succeeded. For a moment the invading, invisible hand was pushed away, but then it returned even stronger, breaking through his defenses and squeezing Lannon's mind so viciously that pain exploded in his skull.

  I'm going to die, Lannon thought numbly.

  But he didn't die. Instead, he found himself unable to move or even think anything but limited thoughts. He stood there waiting to be commanded--a puppet living only to serve his master. Somewhere deep inside he felt despair over this enslavement, but he was powerless to change it.

  "Good," said the demon. "You are mine now, Lannon Sunshield. This is going to be incredibly amusing. Unfortunate for you that your prince is lost in a trance and cannot help you with his little Flamestone. I'll deal with him later, after you have done my work and slain yourself."

  Lannon heard the words and understood them, but he didn't care. He would do whatever his master commanded.

  "Kill the sorcerer first," said Lord Hathannis. A clawed finger emerged from the fog to point at Jace. "Kill him quickly, Lannon."

  Lannon raised his sword and moved toward Jace.

  "Wait!" Jace said, raising his hands. "Free your mind, Lannon. Remember your training as a Divine Knight? Remember the Eye?"

  Lannon paused, wondering what Jace was talking about. He remembered his training and the Eye perfectly well. Jace was a dangerous foe, but Lannon was certain he could dispatch him. Jace was quite strong, but surely he was too slow to defend against Lannon.

  "You are a Divine Knight," Jace reminded him. "You only fight with honor, and you must obey the Sacred Laws. Think, Lannon!"

  Lannon pondered Jace's words.

  "Finish him now," Lord Hathannis ordered, interrupting Lannon's thoughts. "The sorcerer is only trying to confuse you, Lannon."

  Lannon darted in and took a swing at Jace's neck. Somehow the sorcerer ducked and got behind Lannon, nearly catching the Dark Watchman in the head with a blow from his fist. The fist grazed Lannon's hair.

  Lannon whirled around and stuck Jace in the forehead with the hilt of his sword, knocking him to the floor. Lannon moved in for the kill.

  Groaning, Jace tried to rise, but Lannon kicked him in the chest and knocked him down again. Lannon stood over the sorcerer, sword raised for a downward thrust that would pierce Jace's heart

  Jace raised his arm to ward off the attack. "Enough, Lannon. I surrender. The Sacred Laws forbid you to kill me."

  Lannon hesitated, not quite remembering the Sacred Laws. Was he supposed to spare Jace's life?

  "My law is all that matters," said Lord Hathannis. "You simply must do as I command, Lannon. Now pierce his heart."

  While Lannon was hesitating, Jace snagged Lannon's legs with his own and tripped him viciously. Lannon fell hard to the floor and struck his head.

  "Sorry, my friend," Jace mumbled.

  "This is tiresome," said the demon. "You're making a fool of yourself, Lannon. Get up and kill him, or I will do it myself."

  Lannon rose, blood dripping from his forehead, feeling dazed. His mind almost went black, but the power of the Eye sustained him.

  Jace rose to face him. "I don't want to kill you, Lannon. You may be more important to the fate of this world than I am. However, I have a right to defend myself and if need be, I will take you down."

  Lannon swung at Jace's neck with a speed the sorcerer failed to match--but for some reason he didn't finish the strike, the sword blade pausing an inch from the flesh. Lannon was puzzled by this.

  "You can't do it," said Jace. "You're too lawful."

  Lannon raised his blade again for another swing.

  Then the demon let out a loud hiss of warning. Vorden had somehow broken free of the sorcerous chains and was racing across the floor, spiked shield raised. Vorden's yellow eyes smoldered with rage directed toward the demon.

  "Defend me, Lannon!" Lord Hathannis commanded.

  As Lannon turned to look, Jace lunged forward and swung his fist at Lannon's skull. Lannon knocked the fist aside and again struck Jace in the forehead with his sword hilt, a brutal blow that knocked Jace instantly unconscious. The sorcerer toppled to the floor and lay motionless.

/>   Lord Hathannis laughed. "This should be an enjoyable duel to watch. I think I'll grab a goblet of wine. I'm having too much fun tonight."

  Lannon's sword clanged against Vorden's spiked shield, and Vorden shoved him back. The two warriors faced each other.

  "I warned you of this, Lannon," said Vorden. "I warned you what could happen in this fortress, how you could lose yourself. Except I thought it would be me who turned evil here. You must find yourself!"

  In response, Lannon swung at Vorden's legs, but his Dragon sword glanced off the plate armor, doing no damage.

  "You're my best friend, Lannon," said Vorden. "Maybe my only real friend in this world. I don't want to kill you, but I won't leave you like this. I won't let you exist as a monster like I did. I'll finish you before that happens."

  "Then finish him, cursed warrior," said Lord Hathannis. "Yes, I sense the power of the Deep Shadow in you. That's how you were able to break free."

  "I'm not the cursed one this time," said Vorden. "Lannon is."

  "You're a child of the Deep Shadow," said the demon. "Like me. You can never escape from the clutches of Tharnin, young man."

  "Wrong!" snarled Vorden, but he seemed to falter.

  Lannon drove his sword into Vorden's chest like a battering ram--but again the armor held and the mighty sword was turned aside.

  Vorden swung an armored forearm at Lannon's head, but Lannon blocked with his own arm--flesh meeting metal. Lannon's arm--which was shielded by the Eye--knocked Vorden's aside.

  Then Lannon tore Vorden's shield away from him and flung it aside. Vorden leapt in to get Lannon in a bear hug, but Lannon moved behind him and got an arm around Vorden's neck, choking him.

  Vorden struggled to free himself, as Lannon sought to squeeze Vorden's throat until his breath was gone. Lannon was surprised at how difficult it was to strangle Vorden. His neck seemed like iron.

  At last Vorden broke free, and he turned to face Lannon. "You're fighting halfheartedly, like a weakling. I don't possess the Hand of Tharnin anymore. What is holding you back?"

  Lannon pondered that. Was he actually trying his hardest?

  "Remember the Divine Essence, Lannon?" said Vorden. "Remember who you really serve? You should. You were blessed by our god and given a special gift. Don't waste it now living as a puppet."

  "I am your master now," Lord Hathannis reminded Lannon. But a hint of uncertainty had crept into his voice.

  Lannon lunged at Vorden and kicked his legs out from under him. Vorden fell to the floor, and Lannon tried to smash him in the skull with his sword hilt--but Vorden blocked with his forearm.

  Lannon shoved the forearm aside.

  Vorden gazed up at him, sadness in his eyes. "I guess you have to make a choice, old friend." He closed his eyes, waiting.

  Lannon hesitated.

  "Kill him!" came the demonic hiss.

  Lannon smashed Vorden in the head. But it was not a killing blow, rendering Vorden unconscious with a severe concussion. Again, Lannon had held back for some reason. He turned toward the demon.

  "I grow weary of this," the demon said. "I sense life in him. I want your sword through his neck. Take his head and end his miserable life."

  Lannon raised the sword, and he believed he would do as ordered. His doubt seemed to fade, and he prepared to cut off Vorden's head.

  Then he heard a groan from behind him. It was Jace, who had risen to his feet, blood dripping down his long nose. "Don't kill him, Lannon! In the name of Kuran Darkender, let your soul be free!"

  Kuran Darkender? Lannon pondered the name. It seemed to have been important to him at one time, but he wasn't sure why.

  Lord Hathannis seized Jace's throat in a clawed hand, lifting him into the air and shaking him. "Your death is long overdue," the demon bellowed. "I remember you, sorcerer. You, who came here so boldly and raided my fortress. I will choke your head right off your neck, you wretched thief!"

  Lannon hesitated. Then at last he found himself, and a flood of memories returned. The Eye, backed by Lannon's will, broke the spell.

  Lannon ran to the demon--who was focused entirely on killing Jace--with silent footsteps and shoved his sword into the pale back. The demon cried out in agony and dropped Jace. He twisted loose from the sword and turned to face Lannon, his face contorted with rage and hatred.

  Vorden rose from the floor, his forehead swollen and his yellow eyes unfocused. Then he seized his spiked shield and raced toward them.

  "Now you're finished!" said Lannon, rage and disgust surging through him over what the demon had done. With Vorden at his side, the two warriors moved toward their foe. The demon tried to hide in his fog, but the Eye had adapted and Lannon could track his movements.

  Realizing Lannon could see him, Lord Hathannis stopped trying to conceal himself. He went after Vorden, who deflected a claw attack with his shield--the spikes drawing blood from the demon's hand. Meanwhile, Lannon slashed a deep wound in the demon's thigh.

  Then Vorden's shield turned crimson with sorcery. It grew so hot that Lannon had to step away from it. Lord Hathannis sneered, undoubtedly thinking the smoldering weapon was no threat to him, and waited for Vorden's attack. But Vorden simply stood there holding King Gormanol's war shield, which had become so hot that even the stout Birlote steel had begun to droop.

  Then Lannon attacked the demon from the flank. Lord Hathannis turned and deflected Lannon's sword stroke, while Vorden slammed the glowing shield against the demon's chest. The shield--heated by terrible fire given to Vorden by the Hand of Tharnin--melted deep into the demon's flesh and became a blob of molten metal. Vorden released the shield and stepped back.

  The demon backed away, wailing in despair, trying to tear the glob of metal from his chest. Yet by then a huge hole had been burned into him. Lord Hathannis stumbled and fell, his blue eyes wide with shock. He continued to work at freeing himself from the blazing heat. The tyrant who had inflicted so much suffering on others would not die easily. He clung viciously to life.

  Before Lord Hathannis could revive, however, Lannon delivered the finishing stroke. Driven by the Eye, Lannon's blade breached the demon's formidable barrier of dark sorcery and passed right through the pale neck.

  It was over. The demon quickly burned to black ash.