Clearing the Web

by Cary J Lenehan

  “I am staying with her,” It is almost like a spoilt child being told its toy was being taken.

  “No, Princess,” Verily, back into her flat voice. “We need you, and we need Rani to direct us.” She turned to Christopher. “Give her more of the potion. She will not be a mage, but she can direct us.”

  “But three doses?” replied Christopher. “In one day? She could be addicted so easily”

  “Better to be addicted than to be dead. I know what it is like to do things to avoid dying. Addiction is nothing. Give it to her.”

  “No…no…no” started Theodora. Damn it, Verily is right. Basil knelt down and gently held her to stop her from interfering, while Christopher poured some Sleepwell between Rani’s lips. She shuddered and opened her eyes. At least they have life in them.

  “You did the right thing,” she said to Verily. To Theodora she said, “Darling, I am fine, really, I am. Now dry your pretty golden eyes,” and she kissed her. She stood up. “Somehow, I feel that this should be our last obstacle. Get your weapons ready.” She is looking at each of us, in turn.

  “I think that we only have one more fight in us, and hopefully we only have the Masters left to overcome. Ayesha, I think that you should put your rings on now and just stay clear of us…no, Anahita, carry your bow without a shaft and hold Ayesha’s hand. Now we will know where you are. Anahita, say nothing, but take an arrow out and knock it when Ayesha lets go. Is everyone ready?” All of us are nodding.

  “Then let us go. Remember that they will probably be casting spells at you as we run. Unless they use a more expensive area spell, even the best mage still has to hit their target to hurt them. Move and dodge as best you can. Put your shield in the way if you have to. That will take some of the sting of a small bolt. If you are closing, do not take straight lines. Try not to die. We still have a destiny to fulfil.” Try not to die…I might just listen to that one.

  They went to the left. The snake skin of the Lamia is still faintly twitching as we skirt it. We are all avoiding the huge pool of drying blood that its death has left spreading across the floor. A sharp metallic smell like hot iron is overwhelming any other aromas. I have smelt blood before…but not like this. We are moving across to the far corridor. Ahead I can see the corridor, and dimly, not too far away, it opens up again.

  Chapter IX

  Theodora

  6th Undecim

  I must concentrate. My love is alive and will recover, but now I am really the only mage we have. I am needed…unlike my life in Ardlark, here I am making a difference.

  She emerged from the corridor. The chamber ahead is filled with light. There is a tingling feeling and a sharp smell in the nose like the scent of a thunderstorm. Air magic…they use air magic. Ahead of us, over two hundred paces away, I can see a semi-circle of perhaps four hands of figures, robed in deep purple robes. Cowls cover their heads. Anahita knocked an arrow. Theodora dropped her pack. Except for the priest, all of the others are doing the same.

  He is doing a blessing on us all: “I ask for the blessings of Saint Anne, protector against evil, patron of those who fight the undead, on all of us.” Around me I can hear people saying “Amen.” One of those voices was mine.

  “Behold the so-called Masters… It starts now,” said Rani. At least my husband sounds confident. “Archers fire first. Keep firing, as long as you have shafts, any shafts. The rest of you…we need to get closer…stay clear of the path of arrows.” I just felt a peck on my cheek and she has drawn her sword and main-gauche and headed off. I will just follow her at a jog. We are soon leaving Anahita and Kãhina behind.

  The first arrows hit. Both of their targets staggered but did not go down. Behind me, I can hear Kãhina giggle tensely. I can detect a touch of hysteria. “Damn. That was for a stronger bow. I hit the one behind him.” Basil, his shortswords still sheathed, quickly drew level with Rani and even more quickly passed her…now Astrid…Stefan. They are already running as hard as they can. We are being left.

  The second shots went past them and exploded among the Masters. One is down. Other shafts are following as fast as the girls could fire now that they have the range.

  Basil is half way across the chamber. And the Masters finally act. Bolts of lightning come from them. Basil must have seen them raising their hands and was expecting this. He is already moving in a different direction. One bolt grazed him, but the rest missed. He returned to his course, aiming for the right, daring them to fire again.

  Astrid headed to the left. Stefan follows her. Arrows are landing among the Masters now and not exploding. The Khitan women had been left with only two good enhanced shafts each. It is hard to see if the normal shafts are having any effect, but at least they must be providing a distraction.

  I forgot the ring we gave Stefan from the bandits. Lightning bolts are flying back at the Masters. Stupidly, they just stand there and do not attempt to dodge. They must have been expecting that these were spells, which they could easily resist, rather than magic from an object. Two are staggering from hits. Stefan dodges and fires.

  The Masters raise their hands and cast again. Most aim at Basil. He is the closest. This time, he threw himself on the ground and rolled to the side. I can see why he has not drawn his weapons yet. He knows that he is drawing fire, and is using his full agility to avoid being hit. He continued his roll and, regaining his feet, kept running. The bolts passed over his head and to the side.

  Three aimed at Astrid. She also threw herself on the ground, but was slower getting back up. This almost proved fatal, as she was scarce moving again when three more bolts landed where she had been. Basil is nearly at the line and has stopped dodging. His blades are coming out. The Masters are drawing weapons from beneath their robes. A bolt from the other end of the line went close behind him as he closes. That Master had misaimed.

  Basil is engaged. He has taken one of the Masters immediately, his short blades chopping at head and body at the same time. There is a sound in the air…a thin high scream erupts in my ears…with a rattling noise, as if he had hit a sack of bones and torn it wide open, the now empty cloak fell to the ground. Even from here a rank smell of old decay spreads and fights with the lightning smell.

  The Master’s concentration on the charge of Basil and Astrid and Stefan has allowed us to close on them without interference. If I am to cast it must be now. I will use your own air against you. Start the chant and…I risk a miscast by not concentrating fully as I run, but I have little choice, it is a long incantation.

  Just short of the Masters I stop…fan my hands as my lover did against the night moths…last words and a sheet of lightning blazes out. I strike the centre of the Masters formation…faint thin screams. Five or a hand of the enemy collapse in heaps. They may have had some resistance to a spell, but I blew it away…feel my strength and die!

  Both Hulagu and Verily are chanting as well. As they run, they put their maces in their shield hands. Their chants are shorter, the spells weaker and close cast. But both are successful. Verily stops after casting. The Master she is targeting had, instead of casting a spell itself, readied with an axe. Before closing, she follows up her casting with four quickly thrown blades. They hit inside the cowl of the robe—smart girl—the Master is at least distracted by them, clawing at its face as she closes and starts striking.

  Theodora looked around. I have done all I can as a mage. The others are too close to risk casting another spell, or even the use of a wand. Draw my sword and start running again then. One of the Masters at the rear is falling. That must be Ayesha. Now concentrate. I am in a fight for my life. I sense others around me ducking and weaving, but only to stay clear. Human yells…strange high noises…the roar of an enraged Dwarf…I notice that he is the last of the main pack to join the fray. The air is full of noise.

  She despatched her opponent. He is swinging a hammer, but lacks a shield and it is this lack that finally does him
in. I saw an arm of bone. He is, in reflex, raising the arm in defence as if it were used to a shield’s presence. He doesn’t use his hammer to parry. I use this with a full head shot, I am still weak but if I swing as hard as I can… It is enough. The arm is raised, and I splintered it and the blow continued to the head. The Master ceased to be with a scream. Her nose contracted, and she sneezed at the smell.

  Theodora turned. Astrid stood a way off. She has not thought to go invisible. Her spear is moving far faster than the Master’s sword…she needs no help. Beside her, Stefan is hard pressed. He has two of them against him and is solely concentrating on defence. She struck at one from behind, but too late. Stefan blocked an axe only to have a hammer strike him in the chest. He has gone down.

  Theodora took on the axe-user and then, standing over Stefan, engaged the other. I must protect my people. Christopher? “Move forward off him,” said the priest. He must be ignoring his safety and tending the wounded in the middle of the fight. Stefan had at least damaged this Master and she despatched him before looking around.

  They are easier to kill than the wrights were. Christopher is tending Stefan, but Bianca already stands protectively over him. She has her mace clasped in the same hand as her shield grip and a throwing blade in her right hand. She spots a target and throws. It took a Master in the…eye? The eye socket at least.

  It seems to have no effect on his vigour. He is fighting undiminished, but at least it looks as if he has lost his vision on that side. He turns to favour it. Hulagu notices this and is first to move…quickly dispatches it by moving to that side and continuing his attack as he moved around in a circle.

  Theodora looked around. Kãhina and Anahita have joined the fight and the inexperienced Anahita is already down, as is Verily. Aziz must have seen this as he gives the roar of a dragon and leaps several paces. He crashes into the Master standing above her, and it flies off its feet to be sliced in mid-air by his scimitar as it recoiled from him. Aziz now drops down beside Verily. It is all very confusing. Now run to attack the one Kãhina is defending against. Between us, it is despatched. She turned around again.

  They are all down. Yes, the others of the hunters are all looking around, dropping to tend the wounded and to bring them to where Christopher is working. My delicious brown-skinned lover is running to me. Why does she look concerned? Suddenly she felt a pain in her side. She raised her hand and first felt the lames hanging loose on her armour.

  There is a gap I can put my hand in. The lames are hanging loose. She felt further. The padding is cut through as well and it is damp. That is blood…my blood…lots of it. I am wounded. I hadn’t noticed…that hurts…a lot. She recognised that as she was going down on to her knees. I have dropped my sword. I am going into a swoon.

  Christopher

  Thank the Lord this didn’t happen as soon as I left the monastery. I wouldn’t know what to do. He looked around trying to see who needed him most. Yes, Stefan first, and then Verily, Anahita and lastly Theodora. After stopping Stefan’s bleeding, and shooing away Bryony he drew a pentagram around him with chalk and began to pray.

  Stefan regained his feet, weak, but able to move readily. He is cured enough to move. That will do for now. Bryony hugged him and moved him away. He gestured at Aziz and he carried Verily over and put her in Stefan’s place. Soon she is on her way and it is Anahita’s turn.

  Lastly, Father Christopher beckoned to Rani and she brought Theodora closer. She is worse than I thought. That was not just a theatrical collapse then…it was so elegantly done that I mistook it. How much do I have left? Soon, she was moving away as well. It is starting to look as if we are all going to survive this experience unless there is yet another surprise waiting for us in the surrounding rooms.

  Chapter X

  Ayesha

  6th Undecim

  She looked around her. The last of these so-called Masters are down. It was a hard fight, but they were limited in how well they can fight. They were better at influencing things from afar than actually fighting. I can take the ring off now. We have won. May Allah, the Victorious, be praised and thanked.

  The victory cry of a Dwarf filled the chamber. It may have been the first time this has happened in over two thousand years. As our Christian priest has finished with his healing, they are all gathering and starting to hug and kiss each other.

  Ayesha began to walk about to see if any needed help, as the priest began his work. Tears are pouring down Bryony’s face. “Conan…father…you are both avenged…can I let you sleep now?” she said quietly as she held Stefan, still weak after his healing. She went silent briefly and then said softly as she looked down.

  “Come on Stefan…smile at me…think of the glorious sex we will have when we get back. I have you almost trained as I like it, and am used to you now, and want to keep you healthy and with me.” I am not sure that was meant for anyone but him. At least he seems to have heard. He smiled weakly back and coughed in pain. He was throwing himself at opponents without much regard for his own safety and, as a result, is now very low on life force…he is very brave, just not very smart.

  Basil and Astrid are sitting down together facing each other. They are pointing at places and things, and obviously are going over what happened, and who had done what and when. Basil placed his ear to her stomach, and spoke to it, and she playfully swatted at him.

  Aziz and Verily have hugged and kissed each other, then checked each other for any wounds that might need attention. Now they have separated. Verily is off to start fetching packs, while Aziz is looking around at the piles of bones. These are all that remained of the beings who had terrorised his people for many years. He is kicking a pile.

  “You do not look so fearsome now.” He is speaking loudly in his own tongue. Obviously satisfied, he went over to his new priest and began watching what he did as he was working.

  From what I know of Aziz’s people, a priest who ignores his own safety and begins healing in the middle of a battle will be regarded as being even braver than a mighty warrior. In a way, they would be right, and it will make the Christian priest a leader to follow for the Hob. He will want to become a priest next. I had been hoping to have a chance with converting him, but I guess that is not to be.

  Hulagu and Kãhina are fussing over Anahita, making her drink and eat as she recovers. Ayesha looked on. I am jealous of the attention being given to Anahita…and the intimacy that the other couples share. I fought. I even killed several of the Masters on my own. Am I still invisible? Had Hulagu even thought to check on me? Why do I even care?

  Verily brought her third load of packs back and began going around sniffing at the Master’s weapons. “They are enchanted. They are all enchanted.” Her voice has regained the happy tone that we have become more used to since she found Aziz. “They once must all have been mages…before.”

  “Not mages. Did you see ’em? Look at t’eir weapons. T’ey used to be t’ druids…our priests. If’n t’ druids became t’ Masters, it may e’en have been t’em who brought down Dwarvenholme…from within. I don’t know why or how, but t’at is what I t’ink may ha’ happened. T’ere doesn’t seem to be anyone else here. However, I don’t know. If’n t’ey were t’ druids, why were t’ey using lightning ’n’ not earth magic? It doesn’t make sense.”

  Theodora

  It makes sense to me; my brain may be only just ticking over. I have never hurt like this before…but this does make sense to me. I will keep quiet on this and talk it over with my kaf-skinned husband later, when we are under the shield in the valley and snuggled in bed. She realised that she was a little chilly and very light-headed.

  I am sitting on the stone floor, half naked with my armour and top off, and with Christopher working on my wound and Rani fussing around me… I like that bit. She surprised herself by speaking. “We know they collected at least one book from Dharmal. There may be a library here. If there is, it may hold
more clues. We need to find it.”

  Thord pointed to beyond where the combat had taken place. There is a series of corridors, rather than just one, leading off the chamber. “T’ose would be t’ private chambers. T’at is probably where t’ Masters…lived. It’ll be where we find anything t’at t’ey ha’ left.”

  Rani

  I don’t want to be impatient, but I know that I am. If there is anything else around, I need to know about it. If there isn’t…I need to know anyway.

  It has taken a couple of hours, but eventually our priest seems to be as happy as he can be with our condition. He is letting me start us moving again. We can keep the same formation. People are used to it. It will give them confidence. We will need it, if anything happens.

  We have no more explosive arrows left and only a few normal ones— none of which are matched to Anahita or Kahina’s bows, so they will be less accurate. Neither my Princess nor I have anything beyond a couple of wands with light fists of air left, and they are only capable of firing at short range.

  More seriously, Christopher is almost out of healing potions and is completely out of Betterberries. I don’t even think he has a spare bandage. We have been expending magic at a prodigious rate. Months of brewing, making, and enchanting have been used in a couple of days. I hope that there are no remnants or servants of the Masters left hidden.

  We are in no condition for a serious fight or even a casual one. We badly need rest and we need a re-supply. It is almost certain that neither will happen soon. There is certainly no chance of supplies for us closer than Mousehole.

  The first set of corridors led to a series of small individual rooms. Each has a…for want of a better term…bed in it. The beds do not look like they belong in the rooms. They must have been brought in at some time in the past. They are each made of stone and lack either cushions or covers, and each looks like the top of a sarcophagus; perhaps that is what they once were.