Sands of Nezza

by M. L. Forman

  In the dim light, Alex could make out the figure of a man in armor, and as the man moved toward the tent, Alex recognized him. It was Colesum, Talbot’s oldest son, and he wasn’t alone.

  Moving forward into the torchlight, Alex found a spot where Colesum could see him. He held up his hand to keep Colesum from calling out, and then pointed at his eyes and waved his hand at the tents around them. It took a moment before Colesum understood what Alex was asking: Had he seen anyone in the surrounding tents? Colesum shook his head and pointed at Rallian’s tent. Alex nodded and moved forward, Virgil and Tom right behind him.

  A low moan came from inside Rallian’s tent as Alex and Colesum reached to pull back the flaps that covered the entrance. They both rushed forward at the sound, and what they found made Alex’s heart stop. Bodies covered the floor of the tent.

  “Father!” Colesum cried out, rushing forward.

  “Skeld!” Virgil yelled at the same moment, pushing past Alex.

  Alex’s head spun, his brain unable to take in what he was seeing. He caught hold of a tent pole to keep himself from falling and closed his eyes to block everything out.

  Control yourself, Alex thought. There’s work to be done, and you need to control your emotions.

  Pushing away from the tent pole, Alex went to Lord Talbot. Talbot had been lying across one of the tables as if he were dead, but he let out a groan of pain as his son moved him to a chair.

  “The others,” Talbot mumbled in a weak voice. “They need your help.”

  There was a rough-looking wound on one side of Talbot’s head, but no other obvious injuries so Alex moved to Skeld. Virgil had propped up his cousin and pulled open his shirt to reveal a wide gash in Skeld’s side. Blood was still gushing out of the wound, and Alex knew he only had seconds to act.

  Alex put his hand over Skeld’s wound and set his magic to work. His hand seemed to glow for a moment, and Skeld let out a gasp of pain. For a few seconds, Alex kept his hand in place, and when he took it away, the gash in Skeld’s side was only a dark red line.

  “They were only shadows,” Skeld mumbled. “We couldn’t see them until they came in here, into the light.

  “Where is Dain?” Alex asked.

  “Here,” Tom answered from the opposite side of the tent. “He . . . I don’t . . . I can’t . . .”

  Tom’s halting words were clear to Alex. He knew before he saw his friend that there was nothing he could do. Tom was sitting on the floor, holding up the dwarf and staring into his vacant face. Alex reached down and closed Dain’s eyes, careful to avoid the arrows buried in his chest.

  “He’s gone,” Alex said, putting his hand on Tom’s shoulder. “There is nothing we can do for him now.”

  “My father is badly hurt,” Colesum said, looking at Alex. “You must help him.”

  “I’m not important,” Talbot said in a weak voice. “They’ve taken Rallian. You must go after them. You must save the king.”

  “We will,” said Alex, moving back to Talbot.

  Alex ran his fingers across Talbot’s head wound, and slowly the blood stopped flowing. He let his magic do its work, and then he added more magic to help clear Talbot’s mind. He needed to know what had happened, and Talbot was the only one who could tell him.

  “Check the other lords,” Alex said to Colesum, though his eyes never left Talbot’s face. “Make sure they are not hurt.”

  “They would all be dead—and myself as well—if not for these two adventurers,” Talbot said.

  “Tell me what happened,” Alex said. “I need to know everything you saw.”

  “I . . . I was in the back of the tent, resting,” Talbot started. “My head was pounding, and I was lying down to ease the pain. I heard a crash, as if a table had been overturned, and I came to see what had happened.”

  “The others appear unhurt,” Colesum interrupted when his father paused. “Drugged, I would guess. They appear to sleep, but they won’t wake up.”

  “Yes, drugged,” Talbot said. He coughed a little, and then went on with his story. “I heard the sounds of battle before I entered this part of the tent. I drew my sword and hurried forward. I found the tent filled with black guards. The two adventurers were fighting madly for their lives and trying to keep them from taking Rallian at the same time. I . . . I joined the fight, but I was unable to turn the tide of battle. There were too many of them, and they took the king as they retreated.”

  “Was Rallian alive?” Alex asked urgently. “Do you know if he was alive when they took him?”

  “He seemed to be unconscious, but they had tied his hands behind him,” Talbot answered. “You do not take time to tie up a dead man.”

  “We must go at once,” said Alex.

  “Go? Go where?” Colesum questioned.

  “After Rallian,” Alex answered. “How many men do you have with you, Colesum?”

  “Twenty,” Colesum answered. “We were scouting the road to Karmus, and finding no guards on duty when we returned, we hurried here.”

  “Have your men saddle fresh horses,” Alex ordered. “We need to move as fast as we can.”

  “But how will we find them in the darkness?” Colesum questioned. “They could be taking him anywhere. We need to consider our camp. It appears that all our men have been drugged. If Lazar’s army attacks us now, they could slaughter us all.”

  “Do as the wizard commands,” Talbot said, putting his hand on Colesum’s arm. “Go, and save our king, whatever the cost.”

  “I hear and obey,” Colesum answered with tears in his eyes.

  Alex doubted Lazar’s army would attack their camp, but he still didn’t want to leave Talbot injured and alone.

  “Of your twenty men, how many are married?” Alex asked.

  “About half,” Colesum answered.

  “Leave the married men here to help your father,” said Alex. “Have them splash fresh water on the faces of everyone who’s been drugged. If that doesn’t work, force the sleeping men to drink.”

  “That will only leave twelve of us to go after Rallian,” Colesum said in a concerned tone.

  “Thirteen,” Virgil corrected.

  “You mean fourteen,” said Tom.

  “I can ride,” Skeld mumbled from the floor.

  “Lie still and rest,” Alex said to Skeld. “If you break open that wound, I’ll let you bleed to death.”

  Stonebill swooped into the tent and landed on the table next to Alex.

  “Only part of the army has been drugged,” Stonebill reported. “And only those soldiers camped closest to Rallian’s tent. The rest of the army is resting, the guards alert. Lazar’s army isn’t anywhere close, but I did see a group of men who looked more like shadows then men. Rallian was with them, and they are riding hard toward Karmus.”

  “Then we will follow them,” said Alex. “Can you catch them along the road?”

  “It will take some time, but I believe I can,” Stonebill answered.

  “Then go after them, follow them, and bring me word about where they take Rallian,” said Alex.

  “As you command,” Stonebill replied and flew out of the tent.

  “What news?” Colesum questioned.

  Alex shared the information Stonebill had brought. The others were relieved to hear that most of the army had not been drugged and that there was no sign of Lazar’s army.

  “I will get the army moving as soon as I can,” said Talbot. “With luck, we should be able to get at least part of the army to Karmus before midday.”

  “Good,” said Alex. “You must save the people of Karmus, as Rallian wished.”

  Alex wondered if he was doing the right thing. He didn’t know why Magnus had arranged for Rallian to be taken. He had no idea what he was about to ride into. He was certain, however, that it would be dangerous. Magnus would guess that he would come looking for Rallian; Magnus would be ready and waiting.

  “What did Skeld mean when he said the black guards were only shadows?” Virgil asked as they hurried out o
f the tent. “Was it because they couldn’t see them until they were in the light?”

  “I would guess that Magnus put some spell on them,” Alex answered. “Something to hide his men in the shadows so they could sneak up on the guards without being seen.”

  “His men?” Colesum questioned.

  “The black guards may claim to serve Lazar, but they really serve Magnus,” said Alex.

  “There are still a lot of shadows,” said Virgil, looking into the darkness around them. “If they are hidden by magic, there could be more of them, anywhere.”

  “The men who took Rallian are riding south, to Karmus,” said Alex. “Whatever Magnus has planned, it will happen in Karmus.”

  “What do you think he has planned?” Colesum asked as he climbed onto his horse.

  “I don’t know,” Alex answered, climbing into his own saddle. “But whatever his plans are, we are the only ones who can stop him.”

  “Men,” Colesum shouted, wheeling his horse around to face the company. “Our king is in peril, and we few are his only hope. I call upon you to ride now with me, to save the king or to die in the attempt. For the king!”

  “For the king!” came the reply.

  Without waiting for Alex, Colesum spurred his horse forward, galloping away from the camp. Alex caught up to him and fell in beside him. They rode for several minutes before Colesum spoke.

  “Magnus could have two or three hundred of his black guards waiting for us. Do you have a plan to deal with them?”

  Alex didn’t answer. Only two thoughts filled his mind: save Rallian, and destroy Magnus. Nothing else in all of Nezza mattered.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Magnus and Rallian

  As Alex rode into the darkness, his brain started to ask questions. What game was Magnus playing? Did he plan to hold Rallian hostage, to use the king to hold off the armies of Nezza? Did he already know that the lords of the inner kingdoms had sworn allegiance to Rallian? Where was Lazar, and where was his army? Answers did not come, but a different idea came into his mind.

  I will take my other form, Alex thought. I will become the dragon. I can catch the men who have taken Rallian before they reach Karmus. I can free Rallian and then fly to Karmus and destroy Magnus.

  No, his O’Gash answered. Your dragon form cannot help you now.

  Why? Alex questioned.

  Nezza needs heroes—heroes who are from this land. The men you ride with will become those heroes, and Nezza will be a better place because of them, his O’Gash answered.

  Alex didn’t like it, but he knew his O’Gash was right. Nezza needed heroes. If he did everything, if he saved the king and destroyed Magnus, what would Nezza have? They would have a king, and they might have peace, but the king would only rule because a wizard had put him on the throne. The peace would not last once Alex left Nezza. He had to let others do their part. He had to help them become heroes, even if that meant Rallian would not live long enough to be crowned as king.

  Being a wizard is never easy, his O’Gash whispered, and said no more.

  The ride to Karmus was both too long and too short for Alex. He wanted more speed, but at the same time he feared what they would find when they reached the city. The coming day seemed to echo his dark thoughts: the eastern skies turned bloodred as the sun started to rise.

  “The city gates are open and unguarded,” Colesum commented as the company slowed their horses.

  “That can only mean Lazar’s army is not guarding the city,” Virgil said from behind Colesum.

  Stonebill came flying through the open gate, landing on Alex’s shoulder. “They have taken Rallian to a massive building on the south end of the island fortress. There are no guards between you and the building, and I have seen no sign of Lazar’s army,” the raven reported.

  “A massive building on the south end of the island?” Alex questioned, looking at Colesum.

  “He must mean the halls of the dead,” said Colesum. “It is the burial place of the ancient kings of Nezza. Why would Magnus take Rallian there?”

  “I don’t know,” Alex answered. “Not for anything good, I’m sure.”

  “What more can I do?” Stonebill questioned.

  “See if you can discover where Lazar’s army has gone,” said Alex. “Search the lands near Rallian’s army first. If you find anything, take word to Hathnor. He is an elf friend; make him understand you if the army is in danger.”

  “It won’t be easy, but if there is danger I will make him understand,” Stonebill said and took flight once more.

  “There are no guards between us and the halls of the dead,” said Alex. “But I have no idea what we’ll find inside the ancient building.”

  “Then we’d better go and look,” said Colesum, starting his horse forward.

  The city appeared to be empty. There were no people to be seen, no smell of smoke in the air, and no sounds but the echoes from their horse’s hooves. Alex knew that the city was not empty. He could feel the emotions of the people who were hidden in their homes. Fear and despair had driven all hope from Karmus, and Alex struggled to keep his own hopes up.

  The company made their way onto the island fortress without any trouble. They rode up the hill at the center of the island before turning south and riding back down. Alex discovered that the entire south end of the island was a graveyard, filled with house-sized crypts and giant gravestones. One building, however, stood out. It was, as Stonebill had said, massive.

  “The tomb of the ancient kings,” said Colesum as they approached the building. “It holds the remains of more than a hundred true kings of Nezza. It has not been opened for nearly five hundred years.”

  “It’s open now,” said Alex, pointing to two giant doors that were only just hanging in place. It looked as if some great force had hit them, crushing them into the building and then roughly pulling them out again.

  Colesum’s face flushed red at the sight, and he hurried forward and dismounted. “Magnus holds nothing sacred,” he said. “For this act alone, he should be put to death.”

  Alex moved toward the doors and looked inside. There were no torches or lamps in the entrance hall, but the high windows in the walls allowed light in. The light reflected off a polished marble floor, and everything seemed to glow as red as the sunrise.

  Alex moved into the building with the others, and they soon found a path they could follow. Torches had been lit along one of the walls, and following the torches was the only guide they had. They moved forward with caution, expecting an attack at any moment. No attack came, though, and they continued deeper into the building. Soon they were beyond the reflected sunlight, and only the flickering torches showed them the way. They were led to a wide set of stairs leading down, and Alex gave Colesum a questioning look.

  “There are many levels under this building,” Colesum whispered. “I don’t know how many there are or where they lead. It is said that the ancient kings are buried in separate chambers under the island. The tunnels might even go under the river and the rest of the city as well.”

  Alex nodded and started down the steps. He felt sure this was a trap, but there was nothing he could do about it. They had to find Rallian, whatever the cost. He shifted his staff to his left hand and stretched the fingers of his right. He thought about drawing his sword but decided to wait.

  They went down two sets of stairs, and then the torches led them down a wide hallway. The air was cold, and a slight breeze blew into their faces. After about fifty yards, the hallway seemed to vanish from sight as it dropped down a steep ramp. The bottom of the ramp was completely dark.

  “Be ready,” Alex whispered as he moved toward the darkness.

  The ramped ended in what appeared to be a chamber with a single torch on the far side. Alex was about halfway across the dark chamber when he felt something move. Without hesitating, he ignited the end of his staff and at the same time conjured a dozen weir lights.

  His magical lights spread out around the chamber, revealing
the chamber to be a giant circle with several passageways leading out of it. Shadows suddenly appeared, some in the middle of the hall, others moving out of the side passages.

  “Into the passage!” Colesum yelled.

  Alex ran forward with Colesum, stopping when he was several yards into the passageway. He turned and looked back, checking to see who was still with him. Five of Colesum’s men were fighting black guards at the edge of the round chamber, slowly backing into the passage. Colesum was standing behind them, but there was no sign of the others.

  “Virgil! Tom!” Alex shouted, moving back toward the main chamber.

  “I think they are in the hallway we came down,” said Colesum, catching Alex before he could go too far.

  “Then we go back,” said Alex, reaching for his sword.

  “No,” said Colesum, grabbing Alex’s arm. “We must get to Rallian.”

  “But . . .” Alex started and stopped.

  Colesum was right and Alex knew it. He couldn’t fight his way back to the others and save Rallian at the same time. There were too many black guards in the chamber, and probably many more in the other passageways.

  “You are the only one who has a chance to defeat Magnus,” Colesum said to Alex. “Go, and save the king. We will hold them here as long as we can. We will guard your back.”

  Alex nodded his acceptance of what had to be and turned away from the chamber. He would go on alone, hoping against all hope that his friends would be able to hold back the guards. He would do whatever he had to do to save the king of Nezza.

  Alex moved down the dim hallway, feeling like he was trapped in a terrible dream. He couldn’t help his friends, and he didn’t know what new danger awaited him. The torches continued to lead him, and after what felt like a long time, the floor dropped away once more. He moved forward but stopped a few feet away from the edge where the floor dropped.