by Bill Albert
“So, you must see it to believe it,” Zaslow said. Though he was speaking to Pate, he looked directly at Gallif. “Seeing is believing.”
Gallif felt tightness in her chest when she realized what he meant.
“Why do you want to let us go?” she asked quickly to change the subject.
Zaslow looked at her and smiled. “That is an excellent question, Gallif. Why would I let you go?” he dared her to answer.
She took a deep breath and looked him straight in the face as she thought for a moment. Then she said, “So we could tell people what happened.”
“Yes, very good. What would that do?”
“Show people that we failed.”
“Well done,” he said and applauded her reasoning. “Killing you won’t do me any good. Killing all of you, anyway,” he said glancing at the three male members of her party. “Not near as much as you telling people, even the giants, what you have seen.”
“What is to prevent us from keeping quiet?” Jakobus asked. “We’ve made it this far on our own without any help from giants or the elite guards,” Jakobus said with confidence.
“You, the noble dwarf, may be able to remain silent, but what about the young boy who wants to grow up to be a hero? Who wants to make a name for himself? Will he be able to keep quiet with all the fame and fortune that tales of being here could bring him?”
Jakobus was strong and did not back down. He liked Luvin but understood how young human males could act irrationally.
“I would never betray Gallif’s trust,” Luvin said. His voice shook to reveal the confusion that was going through him. Feelings for her, and resentment for her, were tumbling through him.
“Luvin,” Zaslow said gently and nodded. Though he called him by name he looked down on him as if he still considered Luvin a child. “Perhaps I am mistaken to offer a place at my side to her. You could do so well with me,” he said.
Gallif looked at her friend and watched the doubt in his eyes.
“Even letting you go could help me. You could let them know that I rule Starpoint Mountain.”
“He who rules Starpoint Mountain rules the world,” Gallif whispered. “A children’s rhyme.” She was working hard to get Luvin’s attention back on to why they were here.
“Yes, a children’s rhyme. Sung by children hundreds of times and remembered throughout your lives.”
“That doesn’t make it true,” Gallif said.
“But every legend has a splinter of truth in it somewhere. Some more than others,” he said and looked at her with confidence. “The legend of the beautiful red headed girl who saved a giant. Did it occur to you to wonder just how that legend spread so fast? Who told? You didn’t, the giant didn’t, and certainly the elite guard didn’t brag about it.”
“You told people?” she asked after a pause.
“Yes, Gallif, it was I. You see, I was hoping that the mystery of you would draw attention away and allow me to pass by unnoticed. It worked wonderfully. I should thank you,” he smiled wickedly.
Gallif felt Luvin’s muscles tighten as the anger rose and he readied for combat.
“So, what is to prevent us from going out there and just rounding up more people to fight you?” Jakobus asked. “We do have others who would help us.”
“Yes,” he said again looking at Gallif. “I know of the others who would help you.” He turned to Pate and said, “I suppose she failed to tell you about that as well.”
Pate glanced uncertainly at Gallif, and then stared back at Zaslow with anger, daring him to tell more.
“For a thousand years people have tried to enter this mountain and failed,” Zaslow said turning away from Pate, “The only way in, that you know, is permanently closed,” he said looking back at Jakobus.
Gallif did not move, but while Zaslow’s attention was on Jakobus, she released her grip on Luvin.
“I suspect that wasn’t the only way in you have closed,” Gallif said and took a step toward the man. “I doubt anyone will ever be able to do what Idin did and, even by chance, see inside the mountain.”
Zaslow looked at her with wide eyes. He was impressed by her deductions and showed it by giving her a short round of applause.
“Very good,” Zaslow nodded. “You are quite a power to be dealt with even without the truths that you hide.”
“What truths?” Pate couldn’t help but ask.
“Yes,” Zaslow said without looking away from her. “I made the legend and I can break the legend. Perhaps your connection with the beautiful young Maura,” said with a wry smile.
Gallif felt her heart skip a few beats. Despite their friendship she feared that Luvin and Jakobus would turn their backs on her if they knew.
“That night you spent with her,” he said and watched doubt cross their faces. “No, for as much as you hide that secret there is something else.”
Gallif swallowed hard fearing what was about to happen.
Zaslow waved his hands and whispered a cast. There was a shimmer in the air several feet of the ground and an image quickly formed. It was Gallif on the edge of the opening with Anamita desperately clinging on for life. In the image Gallif looked down and was shocked and horrified as the wind revealed her pointed ears.
“No,” Gallif gasped.
Jakobus gave a dwarven curse but was unable to turn away.
“You don’t need to show this,” Gallif spat and looked at Pate.
In the image Anamita begged for her help and then, without a word or any sign of emotion, Gallif simply let her fall to her death.
Pate looked at the fall wide eyed and then back at Gallif.
“That’s not what happened,” Gallif spoke quickly even though, in her heart, she was doubtful.
“Are you sure?” Zaslow asked pointedly. “She was an elf, or at least had elven blood in her. Isn’t that true?”
“Yes, she was. But there was no way I could save her.”
“Are you sure? You haven’t regretted taking down elves before. What is one more?” Zaslow asked again. His eyes were wild, and he spoke with confidence as he felt the unity in the group falling apart.
The image of Anamita falling was repeating itself and Gallif felt Pate’s eyes bore down on her. He took a step towards her, but Luvin moved to protect her.
“What other secrets does she have? She is responsible for the death of your friend,” Zaslow spoke to Pate. “What else is she responsible for? Is she still deserving of your trust?” Zaslow asked as he saw Pate’s face turn red with anger.
Luvin stood between Gallif and Pate. Gallif quickly put a hand on his shoulder and moved around him to face Pate herself.
“Do I deserve your trust?” she asked him as he glared down at her. “Did I deserve your father’s?”
She stared at him as the words set in. The anger was still there, but there was a very slight change in his stance that only she detected.
Pate took a step back and pulled back his flame sword to fight, but before anyone could move he made several quick steps sideways and plunged hard at Zaslow. Gallif drew her own flame sword from its sheath and followed Pate’s attack.
Zaslow had been so confident in his plans he was late to respond, and Pate’s sword hit him at full force. The blade struck him, and he staggered back. He was bruised but there was no blood. Gallif came running in for an attack before Zaslow could get his balance back, but he moved faster than she expected. Before she was within striking distance he drew his weapon from beneath his cloak and swung back.
He held a massive poleax six feet long and she assumed he must have a pouch like her own backpack. The blade on the poleax was one foot in length and crystal sharp, but the enchantment on the pole itself was more of a threat. The wood had a rainbow cast on it and as it moved it left an array of bright colors in its wake. The colors were quite mesmerizing and could enchant an attacker to submission.
Zaslow’s strike came close enough to Pate for the very tip of the blade to cut into his cheek leaving a blood colored scrat
ch. Pate’s attack was faulted by the sting and his long sword went wild. Gallif was close enough to attack, and Zaslow parried her strike and there was a loud screech as the blades contacted. As they struggled, Gallif tried to keep him at the center of her attention, but the colors from the rainbow casting were distracting. He swung the sword downward to sidestep another attack from Pate.
Luvin joined them and took a stance on the other side of Gallif. Jakobus was circling around to attack from Zaslow’s unprotected side.
Luvin swung his hammer at Zaslow as the older man was striking at Gallif. The hammer hit his shoulder with a glancing blow but the protection he had kept him from harm. Fortunately, the distraction gave Gallif a clear shot and she cut low with a strike hard enough that he felt the blow and growled back at her. Pate tried to attack again but missed as Zaslow took a quick step back.
Zaslow took a few more steps to take him out of range of Gallif, Luvin and Pate. Jakobus was coming at him from the side, but as he spun, Zaslow took one hand off the poleax and chanted as he cast at Jakobus. Jakobus froze in place as he ran with his shadow blade held high. Zaslow turned to use the same cast on the remaining three, but they were moving too fast and were upon him before he could cast. He jumped to one side to avoid them and managed to slash Luvin in the back as he went past him.
Luvin, now the closest, put all of his strength into a smash against Zaslow and connected with the poleax hard enough for the man to stumble. As Luvin readied for another attack, Gallif came by his side and traded several strikes with Zaslow. Luvin’s second attack missed, but by then Pate was close enough that his long flame sword swished at Zaslow. Zaslow broke off from his contact with Gallif and backed away as the sword and the poleax clapped together several times. Luvin was about to move forward when Gallif grabbed him and ordered him to stay. Then she joined Pate in the melee with Zaslow.
Zaslow struck at Gallif’s side and she gasped in pain. Pate made several very good slashes at Zaslow and the man zigzagged away.
Gallif and Pate moved around to other side of Zaslow and Luvin realized why Gallif had held him back. Zaslow could easily outmaneuver them if they stayed together but separated, they could gain advantage. He waited for Zaslow to turn to them and away from him and couldn’t help but watch the sparkling colors.
Gallif was also having trouble controlling her attention. Twice her attacks were deflected by her loss of concentration. Pate was able to keep his mind clear and made a strike at Zaslow’s arm. In anger he struck back, and the blade of his weapon cut deep into Pate’s shoulder. Gallif took a third strike and the flame sword was enough to distract Zaslow from another swing at Pate.
As they advanced on Zaslow Gallif spared a brief glance at Jakobus. He was still held, and she pleaded with Tebiet to help him escape the trap as she parried Zaslow’s swings. As Gallif and Pate moved apart to attack Zaslow from two sides she swore as she realized Luvin had been enchanted by the rainbow casting. It was easy enough to break the enchantment but going to him would leave Pate to fight alone and she was not going to make that mistake again.
Zaslow was concentrating his attacks on the wounded Pate and avoiding any of Gallif’s strikes. He followed a high right-side attack with a quick low left side swing and cut Pate’s knee open.
She cried in relief as she saw Jakobus moving out of the corner of her eye.
Zaslow also saw the movement and jumped back out of their range. He tried the same cast on Jakobus, but the dwarf saw him and dove for the ground. He barrel rolled into Luvin and knocked the boy off his feet. Zaslow’s casting missed his target and once released from the image of the colors Luvin’s mind cleared. Both of them stood and approached to join the conflict but kept their distance to cut off his escape options.
There was a brief moment as they encircled him when no one spoke or attacked. Zaslow was turning to face each of them so quickly that they didn’t realize he was casting until it was too late. They all heard a noise off in the distance but couldn’t detect its source until it became loud and clear. Jakobus kept his attention on Zaslow and even approached him to attack as the others looked to see the animals leap out of the shaft that they themselves had risen in.
Legend had it these animals guarded the gates of hell and Gallif had a few seconds to think how right Jakobus’s description had been before she turned to face them. She would let Jakobus and Luvin continue at Zaslow, but either one of these would need all of her attention.
The body of a Cerberus was that of a large, muscular dog with long claws. Instead of a single head there were three long necks and massive heads with sharp fangs and powerful jaws. The usual mane of hair on the neck was replaced with a multitude of poisonous snakes and the tail was a two-foot-long viper. There were two of them and Gallif and Pate approached them to try and keep them separated from Zaslow. Within seconds they were in combat with the monsters.
Gallif looked at the glowing orange eyes of the Cerberus she faced and swung hard at the head that was on her right. She missed and the Cerberus reared back on its hind legs and clawed at her. She ducked one claw, but the other scraped against her chest and she shuddered in pain. She hit the claw and the flame sword left a foot-long burning wound. The animal growled and lunged at her. Too late she realized it was going to ram her and it knocked her on to her back. One claw snagged her red hair as she tried to dodge. She kicked up and slammed her knee into the animal’s rib cage. It jumped up and she rolled away.
Before she could rise it rushed her again. She brought the flame sword up to deflect the attack. The Cerberus turned to avoid the heated blades, but as it did so, she managed to cut several of the snakes on the right-side mane in half. Once cut loose the snakes immediately died and rolled onto the dirt. She got to her feet and swung the sword in several large arcs to prevent the animal from getting closer to her.
She glanced quickly to see Pate was doing well against the Cerberus he was fighting. There were several times she saw him back up and not take an attack as if he was trying some other tactic and she guessed he was casting.
She avoided a swing from the snake tail of her opponent and then tried to cut at the hind quarter. The blade missed, but the flames scorched some of the dog hairs and it growled and snapped to face her.
As she took several steps to one side to keep from becoming an easy target, she took another glance to see how Luvin and Jakobus were doing. She was worried to see that Jakobus had been cut badly and blood was streaming down from his shoulder. The metal armor had been extensively damaged on his back and his skin was exposed. Luvin was parrying but Zaslow was very strong and the best he could do was distract him.
Gallif backed away as one of the jaws snapped at her. It missed her arm, but the fangs grabbed her sleeve. The mighty head whipped back and completely pulled her off her feet. She jabbed at one of the other heads before it could strike her mid-section or leg and put a large cut in the nose. It started to whip her around violently and she managed to remove several more of the slithering snakes before the fang broke loose and sent her flying. She landed hard and was gasping for breath, when she looked up and saw it coming at her with all three jaws snapping.
It bowed down to make a leap when she heard a shout from one side. She caught a brief glimpse of Pate casting at the hound that was getting ready to pounce on her. The Cerberus shuddered and shook briefly. It continued its jump, but in confusion, it passed over her and came down on the other side. As she rose to her feet she saw what Pate had done and, in her heart, thanked him for it. It was a reversal of a casting and this time the snakes were turned into thick wooden sticks. They would do no damage to her this way and it would make the beasts movements difficult.
She held her sword high and ran forward to attack. She swung the tip of the flame sword several times in a figure eight. The awkwardness of movement slowed the Cerberus and distracted it enough to cause it to lose its step. She made two quick strikes and removed the center head. The two remaining heads howled so loud and, in such anguish, that everyon
e knew the creature would soon go down.
Pate had removed most of the snakes from the manes of the Cerberus he was fighting but was still in intense combat with the heads and tail snake. Luvin and Jakobus had done some damage to Zaslow but appeared to be in a stalemate. Gallif headed in their direction.
She arrived as Zaslow swung in a downward arc at Jakobus. Her flame sword intercepted the weapon and gave Jakobus time enough to step out of range. Zaslow turned and faced her and she saw the burning hatred in his eyes. She had little time to feel relief that he was losing as he circled around at her and directly hit her in the thigh.
Luvin screamed at the sight of her getting hurt and jumped forward to attack the man from close up. His hammer punched Zaslow in the chest and the man dropped back and shuddered. He started moving away quickly. Gallif and Jakobus went after him while Luvin turned to help his friend fight the daimon hound.
Zaslow ran as fast as could yet knowing they would soon catch up with him. Gasping for breath he finally stopped and turned to face them with the rainbow cast poleax in front of him. Instead of attacking he just started swinging it in circles around him and soon he was lost in a cyclone of color. They approached carefully. They could not look at him or they could fall victim to the enchantment, so they kept their eyes on the floor. They each took several swings but being unable to see their target they simply cut through the colors.
Before they could strike him again the colors faded quickly. They looked in each direction but there was no sign of the evil figure. He had completely vanished.
Suddenly they heard a howl from behind them. They turned to see that, in chasing Zaslow, they were now far from where Luvin and Pate were still in combat with the Cerberus. Without a second thought they started running to their aid.
Pate was down and was trying to rise but could only move slowly. There was a rip in his side that was quite large and it was obvious one of the mighty jaws had torn him open. Luvin had managed a successful strike on the snake tail and had removed it, but now the beast was savagely biting and using its razor claws to attack. To make matters worse Luvin was only a few feet away from the edge of the pit and backing closer.
