by Bill Albert
The cave exit was high off the ground and they could see almost the entire temple from this spot. There was a throne surrounded by three groups of stone benches, twenty rows each, where the worshipers would sit spaced regularly in front of the throne. The outer edges of the temple area, fifty feet from the stage, were marked with six giant slabs made from some dark stone. They were large, twenty feet tall and ten feet wide, and had been spaced evenly, but not anchored. Torches in the area were set up so that only the throne inside the temple would have light, everything else, where the worshipers sat, would be dark.
There were several smaller tunnels scattered thought the walls and a larger one on the opposite side from where they were nestled.
“Who does he preach to,” Gallif asked Luvin.
“Elves and orcs,” Luvin said.
“How? Elves don’t even have their own language. Just grunts and barks like animals.”
“May I look,” Anamita said and crawled up to join them. It was a tight fit, but she managed to keep her distance.
“How often does he preach?” Gallif asked Luvin.
“Every day, like clockwork, and he’ll be here soon.”
“Does he do it alone?” Anamita asked.
“He speaks alone, but there are three with him. They act like acolytes but I’m not sure what they really are.”
“Is one of them the dark-skinned man from the holding cells?” Gallif wondered.
“Sometimes,” Luvin admitted.
“This doesn’t make sense,” Gallif shook her head. “He speaks occasionally to animals that can’t understand him. What’s the point?”
“There is one person he preaches to,” Anamita said. They looked at her in confusion and she continued with less confidence. “Himself,” she said and crawled away from the cave mouth to join Pate and Jakobus.
“That’s a good observation,” Gallif said to Anamita. “I noticed other caves, especially a larger one off to the right.”
“Yes,” Luvin nodded. “That’s the way we have to go. As far as I know that is the only way to get to the shaft leading up. No matter what, this won’t be easy.”
Gallif took several deep breaths and looked at them all individually. “I suppose if I were a better leader I would have some great bit of advice to tell you all right now,” she said only half smiling.
“True leaders are made by their actions,” Jakobus said, “not by their words.”
“Thank you,” she said and gently patted him on the cheek.
“Is it possible you have dwarven blood in you?” Jakobus asked with a wry smile.
She smiled back and shook her head at him saying it was doubtful. She took another look at the temple. Though they were high up, the wall was quite rocky and broken and climbing down would be very easy. Once she was sure that no one was in the temple she climbed through the opening and slid down the wall. She waited until the rest joined her and then they walked, weapon in hand, into the heart of the temple.
They all went down one of the aisles and approached the throne but did not get on any of the steps. They looked around expecting someone, or something, to attack them as Luvin did a search for traps.
“It feels evil,” Anamita broke the silence.
“Yes,” Jakobus agreed quietly, “but more than that.”
“I agree,” Gallif said as he nodded to Jakobus. “Oh, there are lots of evil things that take place here, don’t doubt that, but something else just seems irregular.”
Luvin returned and informed them that he had found no traps and it was safe to go further. “If you wish,” he added.
Gallif took the few steps onto the platform and looked around. The throne was odd and as she studied the symbols set in different shades of gray on the back and arms her attention kept sliding to the center seat. She realized that was exactly what it was designed for. Anyone watching would continually find their attention shifting to whoever was seated in the throne. She went down to join the rest on the floor and looked again at the platform. Even though she was aware of the optical trickery, it was difficult to resist, and she could sense the overwhelming effect it would have on the mindless elves.
“It’s more of a stage than a temple,” she said as she faced the party. “Everything is designed to keep your attention on whoever is seated,” she said pointing to the throne.
“Zaslow is more of a showman than a god,” Pate said.
“Some people would say that makes him no different than any other god,” Gallif said.
“What about you?” Anamita asked sharply but shrunk back as they all looked at her.
“We have to get going,” Gallif ignored the question and addressed them all. “Is that larger one the only way we have to get further up?”
“That I know of,” Luvin said.
“Listen,” Jakobus said calmly. “It sounds like something is headed in this direction.”
They quieted and could hear the sounds of a large group of people in the tunnels getting closer. They could be coming from one direction or every direction but, due to the curve of the walls and the layout of the area, it was impossible to tell.
“Climb,” Gallif ordered. “The black slabs around the temple. Just climb!”
They scattered in a rush and Gallif grabbed the closest person next to her, Anamita, and dragged her to one of the left-hand slabs. Once there they quickly climbed to the top. Pate ran for a center slab and climbed it in a few seconds. Luvin stopped to help Jakobus and they scrambled their way to the top of a third. They lay as low on the top of the slab as they could and signaled silently to each other that they were okay. As the mass of figures entered the temple area they stayed quiet and laid as low on the slab as possible.
As they entered from various tunnels Gallif tried to estimate how many there were but lost track as the numbers passed the hundred mark. It was a mass of aquilus streaming into the area like water. Once they entered the area inside the slab ring they fell quiet and took seats on the stone benches and waited. They sat quietly and didn’t move a muscle. Every inch of space, other than the stage, was filled with aquilus bodies.
Jakobus studied the area for possible exits. Pate studied them carefully to determine which ones would be the biggest threat if they had to fight. Anamita lay with her head down and her eyes closed trying not to shiver. Luvin lay unmoving and watched for signs from Gallif.
She could not only see and hear them, but also smell them. The terrible stench made her stomach curl and she used every bit of herself control to stop herself from jumping into the crowd and start attacking. She put a hand on Anamita’s shoulder and gripped it tightly.
She froze when she saw something she didn’t expect. On the far side, in the last few rows of benches, were elves like she’d never seen before. They had the crooked noses and pointed ears of aquilus and carried themselves just like the other beasts, but there was a slightly different look about them. They weren’t as dark skinned with the wicked animal faces as the others, but they were still elves.
Before she could move or utter a sound three hooded figures suddenly appeared on the stage. They wore black and purple cloaks that completely covered their bodies and hid their faces. As everyone in the area, including Gallif and her friends, watched a fourth figure seemed to step from the wall. Gallif looked closely and suspected there was a jump cast on the other side of the throne.
Zaslow came to the throne and sat down as all eyes shifted to him.
“Welcome, my children of Starpoint Mountain,” Zaslow said with a grand and resonant voice. One of the hooded figures moved slightly and Gallif caught a glimpse of a wand and realized he was casting. A cloud of pale green light appeared above Zaslow and his acolytes and the crowd of elves jumped and howled proudly.
“I have good news to share with you this afternoon.” With that the colors turned a darker red, the same red as the stones on the pendants he had used to spy on and control people before. When the red light held steady the aquilus could barely control their excitement and wer
e shaking with pleasure. “It is time for your rewards,” Zaslow said proudly.
While the caster stayed on the stage the other two acolytes began moving through the crowd. As they walked a pale brown mist started to billow from their arms and faces. They worked slowly and methodically around the temple and made sure all of the followers were bathed in the mist. As they did the lights faded gently, almost hypnotically, from one color to another. When the acolytes finally passed near the slabs, Gallif waited and carefully took a shallow breath with the mist. She could easily recognize the smell of oreg spices. Anamita covered her mouth and nose with a cloth rag and filtered out the odor. After all of the beasts below had been given their fix of the addictive spice the acolytes returned to the stage. The lights slowly faded to a darker blue and the worshipers fell silent, but, unlike before, some were slowly sliding back and forth as if they were slightly dizzy or unable to stay still.
“The god of Starpoint Mountain also calls for a sacrifice,” Zaslow finally said. “But, children, fear not for we have brought in a nonbeliever,” Zaslow said and waved in the direction of the largest cave.
As he did figures appeared at the cave mouth. There were four white and light blue illuminated skeletons coming in formation. They walked evenly like pallbearers at a funeral. There was a figure covered with a black shroud floating between them. It moved with them as if it were being carried but there were no planks or bars to hold it in place. The grotesque funeral procession came to a stop on the ground just before the stage and the light above them held the dark blue color.
The acolyte who had been casting came forward and stood directly above the shrouded figure. He slowly pulled his hood back and revealed the human face beneath it. It was a dark-skinned human with flowing white hair and there was no doubt this was the same man the dwarf in the cell had described to Jakobus.
The man pulled a knife with an eighteen-inch-long blade from beneath his robe. He held it high and smiled proudly as there was a murmur of excitement from the elven crowd. He held the knife with one hand and pulled the shroud away with the other and there was a burst of barks, growls and grunts from the observers. Lying prone yet suspended in the air in front of him was a female dwarf. She was young, dressed in a pitch-black robe, and very much awake and afraid.
Gallif looked at the slab that Jakobus and Luvin were hiding on top of. She could only see shadows, but it appeared as if Luvin was working hard to hold Jakobus in place.
The dark man made one swift move with the knife and put a shallow cut in the dwarven sacrifice’s right leg. Then there was a second swift move that resulted in a cut in the left leg as well. Each time the blade moved the light floating near him changed colors from yellow, to orange, to red. The victim’s face was distorted in pain and fear, but she could not scream or cry due to a quiet cast on her mouth. The more horrified the look on her face, the louder the approving cheers from the crowd.
“He isn’t going to sacrifice her,” Gallif said in a harsh whisper. “He’s going to dissect her.” Gallif looked at Anamita who was wide eyed with anger and gripping her sword. Gallif rose to a crouching position and slowly pulled the flame sword from its sheath. She held it low hoping that Luvin, Jakobus and Pate would get ready to attack, but it was impossible to see if they had noticed the move.
In response to the cheers and approval from the audience the man held the knife tip close to the dwarf’s face.
Gallif lifted the flame sword and was ready to jump and attack when Anamita grabbed her wrist with surprising strength.
“Look at them,” she whispered. “Look at the aquilus.”
The sense of happiness and enjoyment had quickly dissipated. They were moving less in unison and more out of confusion, but the dark-skinned man on the podium was too involved in what he was doing to notice that he was not the center of attention. Zaslow saw the change and was starting to rise when an arrow from Luvin sliced through the air. It smacked into the knife’s handle and the blade was knocked from his hand. The so-called priest shrieked in anger. Zaslow rose and all the attention in the temple was turned to where Luvin and Jakobus were hiding. There were a few more arrows that made Zaslow and his acolyte spin and run for cover. The arrows missed their target but hit the center of the throne and struck hard.
Gallif was looking to see what direction the mass would go when a tremor hit the temple. The aquilus panicked in fear and scattered. Zaslow and his acolytes pulled their long swords, each glowing with the same type of flame as Gallif’s and tried to get control of their followers. Luvin tried to take more shots with his arrows, but the ground was now shaking violently, and the pillars were starting to sway back and forth.
Gallif caught sight of Pate standing on his pillar and shifting his weight back and forth with the tremor. She saw what he was doing and stood on hers moving in the same way. After a few thrusts, with rocks crumbling and falling from the walls and ceiling, Pate managed to tip his slab over and crushed at least a dozen of the heartless aquilus beneath the stone. Exposed to them he started fighting.
Gallif made a few attempts to topple the pillar she and Anamita were on but the tremor subsided quickly, and they could not get it to fall. She held the flame sword high above her head and jumped down to join Pate in combat. She managed to down several of the beasts before they could draw their weapons and attack. Anamita came sliding down the pillar a few seconds behind and took out two of the aquilus.
Gallif looked and saw that Jakobus and Luvin were also now on the temple floor and fighting their way towards the victim on the stage. Taking them as the biggest threat the three acolytes were headed in their direction while a mass of the aquilus were drawing their weapons and moving on Pate. Gallif looked around quickly to find Zaslow, but instead saw the four skeletons were coming towards her and Anamita. Whether intentional or not Zaslow’s forces had taken positions with Gallif and Anamita on one side and Pate, Jakobus and Luvin closer together on the other.
The taller and more advanced skeletons quickly ushered the aquilus aside and came at Gallif and Anamita. Gallif swung hard at the closest skeleton and cracked several ribs but had to back away as a second ghastly skeleton approached. She cut down an aquilus and was glad to see Anamita do the same as she tried to prevent them from becoming separated. She parried strikes from the second skeleton’s bone club, side stepped a back swing, then stepped up and brought the flame sword down directly onto the center of the skull. The dome shattered on contact and the splinters of bone vanished before they hit the ground.
The spectacular destruction of the skeleton caught the attention of several of the closest attackers. Gallif disarmed two of them with swift cut and Anamita removed one from combat as well.
Gallif was fighting again with the first skeleton and caught the position of Pate out of the corner of her eye. He was very close to Luvin and Jakobus and they were near the victim. She returned her attention to the skeleton and it took a high swing to strike her head the way she had downed one of its own. She saw the strike coming, crouched and let it pass over her, then removed its legs in one wide swoop. It also faded out of existence before the bones connected with anything else.
She took a glance around her and realized that almost all of the elves that had panicked during the tremor were returning to the temple armed and ready to attack. They were badly outnumbered.
Because of the high number of elves in a small space the skeletons were having some difficulty reaching her. She made sure Anamita was behind her and took a few steps to the edge of the temple. She disliked moving away from her friends, but there were just too many monsters for them to be able to fight without exposing themselves. As she watched she saw Jakobus’s shadow blade strike one of the acolytes in the chest and it fell to the ground to be trampled by the wave of aquilus.
She heard a cry from Anamita and turned to see that she had been hit by one of the attackers. There was a cut in Anamita’s arm but she appeared to still be able to fight. They took a few more steps back and were very near t
he pillar when another tremor hit. This one was short, but incredibly violent and most everyone in the room fell to the ground. Gallif held on to Anamita for support and caught a glimpse of Jakobus pulling the dwarven victim away from the stage and, with Luvin and Pate’s assistance, started to also move away from the temple.
Gallif took a stance to fight both of the remaining skeletons when she felt Anamita grab her hips with both hands and pull her back. Before she realized what was happening there was a thundering crash only a few inches in front of her. She looked and saw that the pillar they had been near had collapsed and was now lying flat on the ground. The skeletons, and almost a dozen attacking aquilus, had been crushed.
Hundreds of aquilus were now running in any direction torn between fear of the falling pillars and the urge to destroy the intruders. Gallif made eye contact with Luvin and saw that he was moving towards one of the many tunnels on the far side with Pate and both dwarves behind him. She looked around, picked a dark and small tunnel at random and ran toward it with Anamita next to her. Gallif paused as Anamita slid through the hole and started crawling away. As she passed through, two of the hate filled attackers tried to follow her and grab her legs. With two quick jabs she killed them and left their bodies hanging out of the mouth of the cave. Sure that no one was directly behind them, she followed, and they crawled as fast as they could until Anamita had to stop to catch her breath.
They sat quietly and forced themselves to breath evenly and steadily. The dust in the tunnels they stirred up caused them to cough. They sat silently then and Anamita was about to speak when Gallif put a hand on her lips to quiet her. Anamita looked questioningly at Gallif but stopped when she heard something approaching. The orcs may be powerful, but they were not, just as the aquilus, subtle in their searches and they could hear the grunting and barking of the beasts as they clambered through the tunnel. Gallif did not want to fight in such an enclosed space and they began moving again.
