Sitting upon the throne was a very large and muscular man-thing. The body was human-like but covered with dark red scales like a snake. It had a snake-like head and its eyes were closed. It appeared to be dead.
Bruk and Red cautiously and slowly walked towards a door on the far wall. They would have to walk right past the golden throne to get there.
As they neared the throne the thing upon it opened its eyes and it started to rise up.
Bruk reached for his dagger and then he saw it flying past him and straight at the monstrosity. The dagger flew straight and true and buried itself deeply into the monster’s forehead knocking it back down to the seat of the throne. If it wasn’t truly dead before it was now.
Bruk turned and looked at Red. He said, “You are pretty handy with a dagger I see.”
Red laughed and walked forward to retrieve the blade.
Bruk said, “Be careful!” He then with sword in hand went along with her.
Red struggled but finally she pulled the dagger free. She then followed Bruk as he walked towards the door.
Bruk reached for the handle and said, “Be ready for anything from now on and don’t touch anything unless it is absolutely necessary.”
Red said, “Lead on big man and I will be ready!”
Bruk laughed and opened the door. They entered a small room without furnishing or decoration. In the center of the room in the floor was a door.
“That looks like the door that will lead us down into the catacombs beneath this building,” Red said as she walked forward.
Bruk said, “Be careful and remember what Regan said. She said that things might not always be what they appear to be. Don’t touch the door yet. I want to check it out first.”
Red was about to reach for the handle when Bruk had first spoken. She pulled her hand away and waited for Bruk to check it out.
Bruk looked at the door. It looked like nothing more than just an old wooden door with a single tarnished handle off to one side. Something about it though just didn’t seem right but Bruk couldn’t quite figure out what it was. Something was wrong though and Bruk was sure about it.
Bruk looked up at the ceiling and he saw a large dark charred burn spot. He then looked at the four walls and noticed on the far wall there was a section that didn’t quite match the rest of the wall.
Bruk walked over to check it out. The section was about the size of a door and after careful scanning Bruk could see that outline clearly. The problem was now how to open it.
Red also was able to see the door now and she said, “Do you think that this is the door that will lead us downwards to our goal?”
Bruk nodded and said, “That is what I am thinking and I also think that I see the way to open it. Stand back and be ready for anything.”
Red stood back and waited. She was ready to strike out or leap to either side depending upon what happened.
Bruk reached forward and pressed a spot on the wall near to the top right of where he thought that the door was. Something pushed in and the door swung inwards revealing a dark stairwell leading down into darkness.
Red said, “Bruk you are a genius! That is the stairs that we need to continue to find our way down to the catacombs.”
Bruk said, “Toss something at the door in the floor. I am curious to see what would have happened if we had opened it.”
Red nodded and she tossed her dagger at the door. The door sprang open and a beam of magical bright red flames shot out of the opening and smashed into the ceiling above. It crackled and burned for a minute and then the flames died out and the door closed again.
Red was startled and she said, “I almost tried to open that door. It would have been the last thing that I ever did; I owe you my life again, thank you!”
Bruk just smiled and started down the stairwell. He said, “Remember not to touch the walls or ceiling no matter what. I don’t know what would happen and I don’t want to find out.”
Red followed Bruk down the narrow passageway after she had retrieved her new dagger being extra careful not to brush against the walls. There was a very light blue radiance softly glowing on the walls and on the ceiling.
Bruk led the way down and down into the darkness. He could barely see but the light blue magical radiance from the walls and the ceiling provided just enough light so that he could walk safely downwards.
Bruk and Red slowly walked down the narrow passageway carefully avoiding any contact with the light blue radiance that coated the ceiling and the walls. The smooth stone ceiling was about two feet above Bruk’s head and the distance between the walls was only about five feet across.
Descending ever downwards minute after minute was unnerving and claustrophobic. Bruk being as large and muscular as he was had to be very careful and it was nerve-racking in the dim light not to take a miss-step and brush against a wall and into the light blue radiance.
They kept going downwards and downwards and after a while time didn’t seem to exist anymore. The lower that they went the staler and fouler the moist air became. The runes on Bruk’s sword and on the dagger that Red held were glowing brightly signifying magic was in the air.
They must have been going down the staircase for an hour or so before Bruk finally stepped off of the last step and onto a damp dark grey stone floor.
He looked around as Red had joined him. All four walls of the small chamber were bare of visible magic but dark and water stained from ages of neglect. The room was only about twenty feet square and the air was moist and cold. The wall in front of them had two ancient darkly stained doors spaced about three feet apart right in the center of the dark wall. All the other walls and ceiling were bare and nothing but roughly flat wet dark stone.
Bruk looked closely at the two doors. They appeared at first glance to be identical. There weren’t any markings on either one. The door on the left had a tarnished brass handle on its right side and the door on the right had a tarnished brass handle on its left side. Both doors would open outwards.
Red said, “Which door should we take? They both look the same to me.”
“Regan said one will lead to your death and the other one will lead you to the crystal skull and its guardian. She emphasized that one will lead me to my death. I will choose the one on my right, the second door,” Bruk said.
Red said, “I will follow you and I just hope that you are right.” She then drew her sword and held it in her right hand. The glowing dagger was ready in her left hand.
Bruk’s sword was already out as he reached for the handle with his left hand. He turned the cold wet handle and opened the door ready for anything.
The door opened silently and a gust of tainted noxious air seeped out of the dark opening. Bruk stepped inside of a large dark room that was bare of any furniture or decoration. In the very center of the room was an altar formed with grey wet stone with something sparkling sitting on top of it.
Red said, “There is the crystal skull that you wanted. I don’t see any guardian though. Let’s grab the thing and get out of here!”
Then something out of nightmare rose up from behind the altar. It loomed above the crystal skull and looked at the intruders.
It was about nine feet tall and built like an ape but with fangs like a saber-cat. Its short fur was dark grey and its demon red glowing eyes stared at the man and the female who had dared to enter into the room. It howled in fury and leaped over the altar and ran straight at Bruk with supernatural speed.
Red threw the dagger and Bruk charged at the same time with his sword already moving.
The dagger flew straight but missed its mark sinking deeply into the thing’s chest. Bruk’s sword hit the creature next and put a deep gash into its shoulder right next to its thick corded neck. Blood the color of green puke erupted out of the wounds but the creature didn’t even seem to notice that it was injured.
Before Bruk could free his sword the thing grabbed him by the arm and pulled him close and then it grabbed him with its other arm and squeezed as hard
as it could driving all of the air out of Bruk’s lungs. It bent its head downwards with it mouth open and fangs bared.
Red acted instantly. She grabbed the sword still sticking in the thing’s shoulder and pulled with all of her might. She fell to her right as the sword popped free and she rolled up and came to her feet right in back of the thing.
She drove the blade into its furry back right where she thought that its heart would be.
Bruk saw the fangs coming towards him and he fought back like a mad man. His arms were bulging and veins were popping out all over as he exerted all of his strength against that of the beast. Somehow he broke free and at the same time he swung his right meaty fist with all of his might and knocked the creature back dazed and almost out.
It staggered and then it bellowed out in pain as a sharp dark blue blade burst out of its chest. Bruk watched in wonder as it fell to the wet floor. His sword was standing up from its back. Red was smiling as she pulled the blade free and handed it back to Bruk.
Bruk took the sword and smiled. Red had saved the day! He looked at her while he was trying to breathe again. He couldn’t talk yet but he just nodded and pointed towards the light blue sparkling crystal skull.
Red walked over and carefully picked it up off of the altar. It looked exactly like a human skull. It was cool and incredibly smooth to the touch. She turned and Bruk came up. He had recovered a little and he looked at her and smiled.
“Let’s get out of here now before something else shows up,” Bruk said still a little shaky but stubbornly still standing.
Chapter 23
Bruk and Red who was carrying the light blue clear crystal skull left the room and retraced their way back up the long stairwell and into the small room behind the throne room.
Bruk was breathing better now and he briefly glanced at the wooden door in the floor as they passed.
He shook his head thinking of how close that he had come to opening that door in the floor. If he would have touched that door he would have been blasted by flames of death.
Red walked by Bruk and said as she opened the door to the throne room, “Come on let’s go!”
Bruk just followed her into the throne room and then into the foyer. Once they were in the large entry room Red handed Bruk the crystal skull and said, “You carry this now because I want to help myself to some of those gems.”
Bruk took the skull and watched as Red walk over to the nearest table. He smiled knowing what finding some treasure meant to her.
Red looked at all of the gems and jewelry piled in stacks all over the table. She reached for a necklace made out of diamonds and dark red rubies that caught her eye and her hand passed right through it! She tried to scoop up a handful of multi-colored sparkling gems and her hand passed through the pile like it wasn’t even there.
Red swore and said, “All of this wealth is nothing more than an illusion! What a joke!” She then proceeded to swear and swear.
Bruk walked up to her and said, “I am sorry. I have a lot of golden quints in one of my pouches in my supplies. You can have them all.”
Red looked at Bruk and said, “I don’t want your money! I wanted to find a treasure!” She then started to cry.
Bruk put his arm around her and said, “I am sorry. Let’s go. There is nothing here for you now.”
Red wiped her eyes and said, “All right. I’m sorry for losing it.”
Bruk led the way to the double entry doors of the palace. He opened the door on his right and stepped through with Red following after she took one last look at the illusions of vast wealth scattered everywhere.
Regan was there waiting for them. She looked at Red and smiled. She said, “You did great today. You have impressed me and I give you this as a small token of my gratitude.” She then handed Red a large brown leather pouch and winked at her and then she smiled warmly.
Red took the bag and quickly looked into it. She gasped and started to cry again. The leather pouch was full of precious jewelry and gemstones of many different colors and sizes worth a fortune!
Regan said, “That is your reward for helping Bruk with his quest.”
Red didn’t know what to say so she just cried.
Regan looked at Bruk and said, “I will send you both back to where you had first entered into the magical protective fog whenever Red composes herself. The main reason that I am here is because you are needed elsewhere very soon and you will face your greatest test yet and I hope that you survive.”
Bruk asked, “What are you talking about? What kind of a test?”
Red stopped crying and listened to what Regan was saying.
Regan said, “I can’t reveal to you what your future holds but I can tell you that within a couple of hours that you will be tested to your limits and beyond. I wish that I could help you but I can’t directly interfere. A lot of what might happen could possibly be changed depending upon what someone else does. The future has many different paths that it might take depending on what people do. Your path will change somewhat depending upon what one person does. If she is capable of doing what I think that she can do then it will be all up to you to finish it.”
Bruk didn’t know what to say so he just remained quiet. Whatever the future held he would be ready to do whatever was necessary to survive.
Regan snapped her finger and immediately Bruk and Red were standing outside of the light grey protective mist. They were dressed again in all of their heavy insulated clothing. They were standing in the snow and some snow was gently falling.
Bruk looked at the sky and figured that it was sometime early in the afternoon. He could see the markers that he had placed before and he could also see the small copse of trees next to a large snow covered hill where his two unicorns and Red’s horse were waiting.
Regan appeared and said, “I am going to bring two of your friends here because they are trying to find you. They probably could make it here in a day or two but we can’t wait that long so I will speed up the process.” Then she snapped a finger and smiled.
Sardgesha and Zardgesha appeared out of the air still on their unicorns with two other unicorns behind them carrying supplies. They looked about wildly in surprise.
Bruk looked at Regan and said, “Calm them down before they have a heart attack or something!”
Regan laughed and snapped a finger. Immediately the twin sorcerer’s looked calm but they were still bewildered. Then they saw Bruk and a red headed woman. Then their eyes opened wide when they saw the nearly naked woman with the red hair that was on fire.
Bruk walked forward and said, “It is good to see again you my friends. Here is what you sent me for.” He then handed the light blue crystal skull to Zardgesha once he had dismounted. His brother soon joined him and he couldn’t take his eyes away from the woman with fire for hair.
Bruk saw the two sorcerers staring at Regan and he couldn’t really blame them. He said, “I would like to introduce you to Red and to the High Lord of the Gods of Fate. Her name is Regan.”
Regan and Red then walked over and stood in front of the two speechless sorcerers. Regan smiled and said, “You don’t have to be afraid. I won’t harm you. My name is Regan and I am the High Lord of the Gods of Fate. Hold onto that skull because if things don’t go as expected then the skull may very well save all of your lives.”
Before the sorcerers could even ask what Regan was talking about Bruk said, “This is Red. She helped me to get the precious skull and without her it wouldn’t have been possible.”
Sardgesha said as he looked at the red haired warrior woman, “Thank you for helping our young friend. We will reward you.” Zardgesha nodded and agreed.
Red smiled and said, “There is no need for you to reward me because I have already been rewarded. I never had so much fun in my whole life before as I had helping Bruk. I would happily aid him any time that he needed me too!”
Regan laughed and said, “Well spoken and rest assured that there might come a time when that might just happen. Bruk is
a mighty warrior and he has helped me much so far and I see many adventures still lay before him. He is my champion and I will always help him a much as I can but I am limited in what I can do.”
Sardgesha said, “What were you talking about when you said that our lives might depend upon the crystal skull if things don’t come to pass as they should?”
Regan laughed and said, “I can’t tell you because it might in some ways influence your decisions in the coming events. All I can say is that within two hours all will become clear to you all. Just be ready for the greatest danger that you can imagine!”
“Are we to face the danger here or should we seek it out some place else?” Zardgesha asked.
Regan said, “I will transport you all to where you should be so that you can get ready for what will surely come.”
Red asked, “Can I go with them?”
Regan thought for a minute and then she said, “I can’t send you with them because it would change four events in the future. I am sorry. I will send you back to your village though because you will be needed there. I will watch over you and guide you whenever I can. You have proved yourself a mighty warrior both physically and mentally. You are not only brave but you are smart and cunning. I see a lot of adventures in your future too and maybe even a few of them might involve your new friend Bruk.”
Red grinned and said, “It looks like we will see each other again big man.”
Bruk laughed and took his sword out. He looked at Red and offered it to her and said, “Since you already have the dagger you might just as well have the sword too. It will help you on any other adventures that you undertake.”
Red quickly said, “I can’t take your sword!”
“Don’t worry about it. I have other swords and daggers identical to what I gave you. You deserve the finest weapons for saving my life back there and I owe you!” Bruk said as she took the sword.
The Sword of Vengeance (The Chronicles of Bruk the Barbarian Book 4) Page 17
