The Dark Gods

by Josepha Sherman

  "Come on," she whispered to the others. "The coast is clear. Let's go!"

  They made a wild dash down the passageway and into the audience hall.

  To everyone’s relief it was empty except for the enchanted Illyria. But Sheila was sure it wouldn't stay that way for more than a few minutes. The Amulet of Power was on its table by the shining ruby throne. Kumuru certainly wasn't going to let that out of his sight for long!

  Mardock still hadn't noticed the amulet, but had headed straight to the side of the stone bier. The wizard stood over the sleeping Unicorn Queen for a long time, his dark eyes distant and remote as he felt out the shape of the sorcery that bound her.

  "It's no use!" he said at last in disgust.

  "What do you mean?" Pelu's hand flew to the hilt of her sword. "Are you saying you can't break the spell?"

  Mardock frowned at her. "Oh, I can break it, all right. I can shatter it. But the force of that exploding sorcery would probably kill us all!"

  "I don't understand."

  "That's no standard Sleep Spell, woman! That was set with inhuman power, Dark Gods' Power, and if I try to disspell it . . . Well, have you ever seen what happens when oil is cast onto flames?"

  "But we can't leave Illyria here!" protested Dian. "Maybe we could carry her?"

  "All that way, with no one stopping you?" Mardock mocked. "Why don't we just surrender now and get it over with?"

  Sheila wasn't really listening to the others. Dark Gods' Power, eh? Well, so far she had proven completely immune to that Power. Why let its laws limit her now? Ordinary, magicless people were always breaking Sleep Spells in the fairy tales of her own world. If those stories weren't complete fantasy, there must be something they all had in common…

  Oh. Of course.

  Feeling more than a little foolish and scared that this wasn't going to work, Sheila inched closer to the bier. With a self-conscious smile, she leaned over and kissed Illyria on the cheek. Then she straightened, holding her breath ...

  For what seemed like a long, long time, nothing happened. Sheila winced. It wasn't going to work. Of course it wasn't going to work. She had been foolish to think that something as simple as a— "Look!" whispered Pelu.

  Was it only a trick of the torchlight? Or could it possibly be . . . ?

  Yes! It was true! A tinge of pink was slowly suffusing Illyria's pale face. Softly she sighed, moving her head from side to side. A quiver of silver lashes, a flutter of her eyelids ...

  And all at once Illyria opened her eyes.

  "Sheila, Pelu, Dian! Where am I? What happened? I've just had the most incredible dream!"

  "Oh, Illyria!" Pelu gasped. "You're in Kumuru's palace in Erech-ban. And until a moment ago you were under his spell. But Sheila just freed you!"

  Sheila felt Mardock's intense gaze and turned to see the wizard eying her with new respect.

  But that respect didn't stop him from saying coldly, "Remember our bargain. I rescued you and your friends. I brought you here safely. It is hardly my fault that you, not I, were the one who awakened the Unicorn Queen." He drew himself proudly erect, his eyes glittering with sorcerous strength. "Keep your side of the bargain, little witch. Don't try to cheat me. The Amulet of Power is somewhere within this hall. I can feel it. And I want it!"

  Sheila hesitated, heart racing. She hadn't really expected things to get this far.

  If she told Mardock where the amulet lay, he would gain the power of the Dark Gods. The thought of so much evil magic in the hands of someone like Mardock was too terrible to imagine. She couldn't let that happen!

  But the other alternative wasn't any better. If Kumuru kept the amulet, who knew what sorcerous horrors the ambitious king would unleash, maybe even against Campora!

  Sheila couldn't keep stalling forever, though. Mardock was about to lose his temper—and she wasn't immune to his magic! Kumuru would be back at any moment, too! She had to make a decision, and quickly.

  14

  Battle is Joined

  Mardock stood just out of reach of the warriors' swords, his eyes ablaze with sorcerous power. Sheila could practically feel the magical energy crackling in the air. He was about to release a spell at them!

  "Get ready to run," she muttered to the other warriors.

  "What are you going to do?" Dian whispered.

  Sheila hadn't the vaguest idea. "You'll see," she lied boldly. "Just be ready to get out of here!"

  "Be careful!" Illyria murmured.

  ''I'll try.”

  "Enough delay!" hissed Mardock. "Give me the amulet now—or die!"

  "I've got it for you!" Sheila cried, frantically rummaging through her backpack. "Here!"

  She grabbed blindly at the first thing that came to hand. Ha, her camera!

  Quickly Sheila did the only thing she could. She snapped a photo of Mardock! As the startled sorcerer, dazzled by the flash, staggered back, sure he had been bespelled, Sheila turned to flee. But it was too late.

  "Kumuru!"

  The furious king sent her flying with one backhanded blow, as though she were only a pesky slave who had gotten in the way. Then, magic flaming and flashing like wildfire about him, he strode into the hall.

  "Mardock! Thief! Meet your doom!"

  "This time you don't catch me off guard!" Mardock shouted back. "This time I am ready for you!" And he let loose the spell he had summoned.

  With a wild crack, a blinding bolt of green flame shot out at Kumuru! But Kumuru threw up his arm in one swift, swirling motion, and a wave of blood-red flame rose with it! There was a room-shaking crash as red and green fire collided. A fountain of deadly, dancing light soared to the ceiling, scorching the stone, then fell away in a perilous rain of red and green sparks. The two wizards waved them away with sharp, ritualistic gestures. Eyes blazing as brightly as the flames, they called forth Power, until the floor shook and the very columns of the hall burned from the force of that magic. The very air seemed to be afire, blazing now sizzling red, now deepest, noxious green, bathing the sorcerers in a sickening light.

  As more and more Power filled the hall, the floor shook more violently. Chunks of stone fell from the ceiling, bouncing off the cold, hard ground in clouds of dust. But Kumuru and Mardock were blind to everything but their battle.

  They're going to bring the whole palace down! Sheila thought in terror. We've got to get out of here!

  But there was still the Amulet of Power to consider. She didn't dare leave it for the victor! With a quick look at the two sorcerers, Sheila ran to the little table. But there she stopped, staring down at the amulet. It looked so . . . innocent, just a plain, smooth chunk of red stone. But what if Kumuru had been telling the truth? What if the Dark Gods really did protect it from all but the king and his kin? What if it really was death for anyone else to so much as touch the amulet? Sheila clenched her fists to stop their trembling. She didn't want to be blasted to ash! She didn't want to die!

  But . . . Sheila knew she couldn't let Kumuru or Mardock have the amulet, either. The lives of all her friends depended on her. And, without giving herself time to think about it any longer, Sheila held her breath and snatched up the Amulet of Power.

  In the next moment she nearly dropped it.

  "Ow!" The thing was hot!

  But she hadn't been blasted on the spot. That meant that, like everything else about the Dark Gods, the amulet couldn't really hurt her. It must feel hot only because of all the magical energy it was absorbing from the sorcerers duel.

  Hastily Sheila wrapped the magic stone in the folds of her tunic, then turned and ran after the other warriors. But she couldn't keep from glancing back over her shoulder. And what she saw made her stop short.

  Mardock was starting to get the worst of the battle. Sheila stared wide-eyed as he suddenly flung up his arms, shouted out the Spell of Transformation, and flapped hurriedly out of the hall in the form of a huge black bat. The other warriors were gesturing frantically to her from the doorway of the hall. Sheila hurried to join them, and t
hey all raced down one of the palace corridors. It was the same one that had brought them to the audience hall in the first place, Sheila noticed. But it wasn't as dark as it had been then; someone had come along and lit the torches that lined its smooth walls. And there were no servants in sight now.

  Of course not! thought Sheila. They didn't want to get mixed up in a sorcerers' duel! Neither did she!

  As Sheila put on an extra burst of speed, she heard Dian screaming behind her: "Sheila, look out!"

  Sheila glanced wildly back over her shoulder and saw a great black bat swooping down on her!

  "Mardock!"

  He must have seen her take the Amulet of Power. And he meant to have it!

  Sheila reached for her sword, but the huge bat, his sharp teeth bared, was already diving straight for her neck!

  "Help!" Sheila cried.

  Dian didn't waste any time trying to draw steel in that cramped corridor. She swung sword and scabbard together at Mardock with all her force, just like a baseball bat. Thwack! They connected squarely with the sorcerer's skull. Mardock, eyes glazed with shock, went flying helplessly away!

  "Home run!" Sheila laughed and got a puzzled grin from Dian. "Never mind, I'll explain later."

  "Come on, you two!" Illyria whispered urgently. But then a quick smile flashed across the Unicorn Queen's face as she glanced down at the floor. "Sheila," she said. "There's someone here to see you!"

  "Hey, it's the imp! He's come back!"

  "Ah . . . of course. He's come to show us the way out of here."

  "Great! Let's go!" And they followed the little green fellow back out through the narrow, twisted drain.

  Sheila took a deep breath, glad to be back in the open air again. But she knew this was no time to relax. Sure, they had escaped the palace, but they still had to get away from Erech-ban.

  Sheila squinted up at the sky. The sun was hidden behind one of the mountains that ringed the city, but, judging from the light, it was early evening. That meant everyone was already heading inside, toward dinner and bed. But it wasn't so late that they wouldn't all still be awake. Any disturbance would surely bring them swarming out into the streets.

  "Don't run," cautioned Illyria. "Four women warriors are going to look bizarre enough to the cityfolk. Any strange actions on our part can only attract attention. So just walk normally, as if you really belong in this city."

  Trying not to look nervously over her shoulder, Sheila forced herself to amble along, even though her feet didn't seem to want to stay at that nice, smooth, easy pace. She kept feeling an uneasy prickling between her shoulder blades, as if everyone in Erech-ban were staring at her.

  But now that she was safely out of the palace, Sheila couldn't help wondering about those still inside. What had happened to Kumuru, anyhow? Had Mardock returned to attack him? If so, the King of Samarna might be in a lot of trouble. Without the Amulet of Power, he would be defenseless against Mardock's magic. Unless.

  What if he could somehow still summon the Dark Gods? Oh, no. Sheila decided she wasn't even going to think about that! Kumuru had made it clear that the amulet was the source of his power.

  Sheila forced her thoughts away from Kumuru and back to the matter at hand. At least it was easier to find their way around the city by daylight. Up ahead was what could only be a main street leading right to the city gates. They would soon be safely out of Erech-ban and on their way back to Campora.

  But just as Sheila allowed herself a comforting thought of "home," a horrible, harsh clanging rang out from the palace. It echoed through the city like the shriek of a giant, raging beast.

  "The alarm!" cried Dian. "Kumuru knows we've escaped!"

  Curious heads immediately appeared at windows, then quickly disappeared again. Sheila heard shutters being hastily slammed shut, and in a moment she saw why.

  "The rock-men!" Dian cried. "He's sent his rock-men after us!"

  The constructs surged forward, grim and relentless as an avalanche. Frozen with horror, Sheila marveled at their smooth, inhuman speed. How could anything so large and heavy and clumsy-looking move so swiftly? In another instant they would overtake the warriors.

  "Come on! Move!" Illyria grabbed Sheila roughly by the arm, snapping her out of her shock.

  "We'll never make it to the gates in time. The guards are already shutting them!"

  "Never mind the gates, then. Go for the city walls, girl! Climb!"

  Climb? Climb what? Sheila thought, panic-stricken. The wall towering over her looked impossibly smooth. But it was the only way out, because the rock-men were right behind her! Illyria and the others were already scrambling up somehow, so Sheila quickly tucked the Amulet of Power safely into her belt, gritted her teeth, and leaped at the wall, grabbing frantically for a handhold.

  Ha! She found one. And another. Pretending this was just another exercise back in the school gym, Sheila started to climb. She tried not to think about the guards who might be waiting on top of the wall, the rock-men down below, or— Suddenly, a stony hand closed around the hem of her tunic! Sheila kicked out with all her force. She bruised her heel against a rough-hewn head, but with a sudden rriipp, the tunic tore and she was free. Illyria, one arm hooked around the top of the wall, reached down to help her up.

  For an instant the warriors couldn't do anything but sprawl on the wall's wide, flat top, gasping. That was no place to linger, though, for now human guards were rushing them from both sides! Illyria flattened one with a quick fist, but there were just too many!

  "Jump!" she shouted, and did.

  It was a long way down. But before she could let herself worry about it, Sheila lowered herself over the edge. She hung by her hands for a brief, fearful moment, then squeezed her eyes shut and let go.

  Oof! She had landed in a pile of sand; even so, the force of impact knocked the wind out of her. But there wasn't time to do more than gasp in a few hurried breaths before a whole platoon of rock-men were pouring through the hastily reopened gates.

  Here we go again! Sheila thought wearily.

  The warriors fled as fast as they could. But they were only human, and had to rest. The rock-men weren't, and didn't. And suddenly Sheila came to the terrible realization that she and the other warriors were being herded into a narrow sandstone canyon, out of which there was no escape.

  Sheila spun around, hunting, but saw only sheer, steep, unbroken cliff walls on three sides. And through the fourth side, the only opening, came the rock-men. They moved closer, closer, looming over the women.

  "Halt!" a harsh voice ordered.

  And Kumuru made his deliberate way through the guards, flame-red cloak swirling out behind him, steel sword swinging at his side. Ignoring the others completely, he marched up to Sheila and held out his hand.

  "I believe you have something of mine," he said. "A certain amulet. The lack of it has already proved a nuisance. You see, had my stony friends here not taken care of him, a certain sorcerous bat would have been quite difficult to remove.

  "They killed Mardock?" Sheila asked.

  "Oh, no, my dear. I merely chased him far from here."

  Kumuru shrugged. "There's no saying where he is now. And, might I add, I neither know nor care." His urbane voice hardened. "Enough banter. I want the Amulet of Power, and I want it now!"

  Sheila shook her head. "Not unless you let my friends here go free."

  "No, little sorceress. No deals. Give me back the Amulet of Power—or I shall be forced to take it from you.”

  "Oh, no, you won't! If you come one step closer, I swear I'll smash it to bits!''

  Kumuru's eyes narrowed in anger. Then, casually, he shrugged and moved away. "Poor fool. We'll see who does the smashing here." He raised an arm commandingly. "Come forward, my guards. Crush them!"

  The women warriors quickly drew their swords. But what good would even the finest blades be against solid rock? Sheila rummaged frantically through her backpack for a weapon. But what good would flashlights or tape decks be against creatures that
weren't really alive?

  15

  The Final Battle

  The rock-men began to close in, and Sheila wondered wildly if being crushed was going to hurt very much. Probably, she thought, as a stony hand reached out for her.

  But all at once there came a fierce trumpet-sound, full of rage. The furious trumpeting rang out again. The rock-man that had been about to grab Sheila froze. She stared in wild-eyed disbelief as cracks appeared all over its body. And in the next moment the rock-man crumbled away into a little mound of dust!

  "The unicorns!" Illyria exclaimed joyfully. "The unicorns have come!"

  Through the gap where the rock-man had been, Sheila could see her own dear Morning Star, ears back in battle-rage. By her side was Swiftfoot, Dian's missing unicorn. And there were all the other unicorns and the other unicorn warriors. Rearing and plunging, their long manes tossing like shining flame, the band of unicorns advanced against the rock-men. And wherever a gleaming horn touched lifeless stone, the construct collapsed!

  Wide-eyed with wonder, Sheila watched the unicorns' goodness "short-circuit" the evil spell that animated the rock-men. One after another she saw the stony guards crumble into harmless dust. And all at once there were none left at all.

  Illyria smiled coldly at the stunned Kumuru. "I'm glad to see you wear a sword," she said. "For now this is our fight!"

  The King of Samarna quickly recovered. Sword in hand, he saluted Illyria in mock respect. "So be it, woman! Let the duel begin."

  And, oh, it was a spectacular duel! Swordsman and swordswoman slashed and parried, leaping and lunging like two well-matched dancers; Illyria's shining, silvery hair and Kumuru's flaming red cloak whirling dramatically out behind them.

  As Sheila held her breath, Illyria tried one daring thrust, her sword and her whole body outstretched at such a low angle that only her free hand braced against the ground kept her from falling.

  Ha, she's got him! Sheila thought.