His comment almost made Celthric laugh. “Agreed, let’s go.”
****
Ying, Dojar, and the six undead guardians had just finished walking through a thick part of the woods, looking for this mysterious intruder, when the undead warriors mounted their steeds and rode off in the direction of the castle.
“Where are they going?” Dojar asked.
Before he could respond, Repan contacted Ying through his thoughts and told him the intruder was somewhere inside the castle, and he needed him right away.
“The intruder got in somehow. Let’s go.” He said.
“How do you know?”
“The master contacted me.” Ying quickly mounted his horse and sped off.
By the time they caught up to the skeletons, they were already in front of the door, trying to open it. Dojar thought it was somewhat comical as he watched them struggle with their bony fingers, trying to pry it open.
“For the love of the gods,” Ying exclaimed. “How did the door close?” He jumped down from his horse and pushed his way past the skeletons.
Although mindless, they backed away from the bearer of the gem and studied him as he pulled and prodded the door. Ying finally grew annoyed and slammed his right fist against the door.
“Do you think the intruder entered after we left?” Dojar asked.
Ying turned his intense gaze upon him, and if looks could kill, Dojar would’ve been obliterated. Ying was seething and grabbed the closest skeleton by the head, ripped it off his shoulders in one motion, then tossed it at another skeleton. Dojar had seen him angry before but never this irate.
He was about to say something further, when Ying mounted his mare and galloped toward the main entrance. Dojar followed seconds later while the skeletons stared at them until they were gone, and then turned their attention back to the door.
****
“Be careful. There are steps leading down, so take your time.” Celthric said.
Norice slowly descended, taking them one at a time until he reached the bottom.
“This is so frustrating not being able to see,” Norice commented.
“Relax and allow me to be your eyes, okay?”
“Alright.”
“Take it slow from here on out. I am detecting something down the passageway.”
“A creature?”
“No. Maybe a trap.”
The descending corridor went on for some time until Celthric detected a carefully placed trap and screamed into Norice’s mind for him to stop.
Norice froze. “What is it?”
“There’s a trap right in front of you. Back up.”
Norice took a few steps. “Where is it?”
“There’s a pit full of spikes a few feet in front of you.”
“How do we get around it?”
“I need you to trust me on this. Take ten steps backward and allow me to control your limbs.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, and whatever you do, clear your mind of everything. Think about your kids. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
Norice did as he was instructed, and when he was ready, Celthric controlled his legs and easily jumped over the trap by at least three feet. Norice was amazed.
“That was close,” Celthric said and released his control.
“Can you teach me to control my body like that? I never jumped that far in my life, even as a child.”
“Once you drink from the water you’ll be able to do amazing things. Of course, I’ll have to teach you.”
They continued until Celthric discovered another trap and said. “Listen carefully. The walls ahead of us have holes in them filled with poisonous javelins. The pressure plates that will release them is in the center of the corridor.”
“How do we get past them?”
“I want you to crawl on your stomach next to the wall on your left until I tell you to stop.”
“Are you sure?”
“Very.”
Norice did as he was instructed and once he was safely past the trap, he was on his feet again and heading down the narrowing passageway.
They had just rounded the bend when Celthric sensed the pool and suddenly became distracted. The interruption almost proved fatal when Norice stepped on a pressure plate, which was followed by the sound of something clicking into place. Lucky for Norice, his instincts kicked in, and he dropped to the ground just as arrows flew out of the wall on his left. After the barrage finally stopped, Norice was only slightly wounded in the left arm.
“What the hell happened? Didn’t you sense that trap? You almost cost me my life,” Norice barked at the darkness.
“Calm down. The pool is straight ahead, so stay focused.”
“A lot of good it will do us if I die.”
“It won’t happen again. I promise.”
Celthric kept his word. After getting by two more traps, they arrived at the large entrance to the room, and Celthric commanded him to stop.
“One more trap and we are home free,” he said.
“Where is it?”
“There’s a large pressure plate spanning the width of the entrance. I need you to run straight ahead as fast as you can, and once you hear a click, jump forward.”
“By the time I hear a click I’ll be dead. There is no way I can do this.”
“You can. Without your vision your hearing will be more acute.”
“Alright,” Norice said.
He backed up a few feet, took a few deep breaths, and ran straight ahead. When he heard a loud click, he jumped forward as far as his legs would carry him and landed just as something very heavy crashed to the ground behind him. Once the noise stopped reverberating off the walls, he heard the sound of trickling water up ahead.
“I can hear water,” he commented.
“Let’s go take a drink,” Celthric said in delight.
The Lord of the Mind was very close to the room with the water, when he stopped and began scanning the castle. He found Kohter near the eastern entrance, Ying and Dojar walking toward his study, but no sign of the trespasser until he heard someone’s thoughts near the pool, and then it was gone.
“Now I’ve got you,” he whispered.
He was perplexed as to how the intruder shielded his thoughts from him, knew exactly where the pool was, and was able to get past his traps. He knew there was no way, unless he had help. But who would betray him. Ying? Dojar? Or Kohter? To think he was betrayed angered him immensely. Then it dawned on him that maybe the intruder read his thoughts. The idea horrified him. He was done being made a fool of, and entered Ying’s mind to show him exactly where the pool was and told him to hurry.
Norice followed the sound of trickling water until he bumped against a wall. He pressed his ear against the cold earth and listened. “I think it’s behind here.”
“Give me a minute.” Celthric scanned the room until he detected something odd on a nearby wall. “Walk to the wall on your left. I’m pretty sure there’s something that will release the one in front of you.”
With his arms extended, Norice carefully moved across the room until he came to another wall. He began running his hands over the surface until he felt a small recess and pushed it down. A loud click ensued, which was followed by the wall on his right sliding upward.
Light from an unknown source illuminated a much larger area with a pool of running water at the far end.
“You did it,” Celthric said in excitement.
“No, we did it,” Norice added and made his way over.
He was about to step inside the room when someone off to his left spoke, “Well, well, what do we have here?”
Celthric detected undead guardians and quickly used his mind control to steady Norice, then instructed him to turn around and face the speaker. Standing directly in front of them was a middle-aged man, slightly taller than Norice, of slender build, and wearing black robes. His salt and pepper hair and goatee were manicured perfectly. In his right hand, he held a bone s
taff, in the other, a glowing gem. Two leather-clad large skeletons, armed with swords and wooden shields, moved past him and stopped a few feet away from their master. Four additional skeletons stayed behind him.
Celthric knew who he was and told Norice to repeat everything he was going to say to him.
“Who are you?” Repan demanded.
“Who I am isn’t important.”
“Cocky aren’t you? Alright then, why are you here?”
“It’s obvious. I wanted to drink from the water, and once I get my fill, I’ll leave without further incident.”
“I can’t let you do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s mine.” Repan sneered at him.
“Is that the only reason?”
“Pretty much.”
“How else was I supposed to get the water? Walk up to your door and ask?”
This entire situation still bothered Repan to no end. “Who told you about my pool? No one alive, not even my men, know about it.” He demanded.
“How I came to know about your precious pool is my secret.”
“I’ve had enough of you,” Repan said, raising the gem.
The two skeletons in front responded and took a few steps closer.
“There’s no need for violence,” Norice said, lowering Celthric. “I’ll leave peacefully if you allow me to take a drink. I promise.”
There was no way Repan was going to allow him to do so. He decided that this man before him was fated to be his servant, just like Paven, and began plotting.
Celthric was reading Repan’s thoughts and knew exactly what his intentions were. He was going to have the skeletons attack Norice and then crush his mind once he was engaged with them. Celthric knew this tactic would make it difficult to protect Norice. He would have to fight the skeletons, and fend off their fearful powers, while safeguarding Norice’s thoughts from Repan’s mind control.
Something would have to give. It was either the skeletons or Repan. He made his decision and hoped his gamble would pay off. Norice raised the sword into a high guard and said, “I’ve decided that this water you so cherish isn’t yours at all, and I’m going to drink from it, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“Oh, no?” The Lord of the Mind’s eyes narrowed, and he grinned at the challenge before him. He commanded the two skeletons to attack with a mere thought, and they closed in.
Celthric devoted his full attention to defending his host and waited for the skeletons to strike. Their movements were both slow and predictable, and he easily brushed aside and parried the attacks. After the third melee, he baited Repan into entering Norice’s mind. Seconds later, he did. While the Lord of the Mind probed Norice’s thoughts, trying to discover everything about him, Celthric battled the skeletons. With the graceful and fluid movements of a master swordsman from long ago, he removed the head from the closest skeleton’s shoulders and followed through with an overhead strike that split apart the skull of the other. With the threat neutralized, he quickly reentered Norice’s mind, hoping it wasn’t too late to stop the antagonist.
Repan had just found out who Norice was, the long journey to his castle, the men he killed along the way, the Presence and what befell the entity, and another being. He was about to discover the latter’s identity when he suddenly appeared in a tranquil meadow, facing an old man in robes. The sudden change of the landscape startled him, and he knew something was wrong.
“Who are you?” he asked the old man.
“I’m the one who seeks your pool.” The old man replied.
“What do you want with the water?”
“The same thing it gave you. Intellect.”
“I sense that you aren’t a part of Norice, so who are you?”
His confusion brought a smile to Celthric’s weathered face. “My name is Celthric.”
“What are you, then?”
“What I am isn’t important. I could’ve been many things.”
“How did you hide from me?”
“That was easy. You were so focused on finding a person that you didn’t think an intellectual being could be anything else but human. Did you really believe you’re the only one in the entire world with mental powers? A little presumptuous, don’t you think?”
Repan needed to figure out what form this being took the shape of in the outside world and began asking him more questions. “So, tell me, how does a being like you come to exist? I mean you’re not an entity or a ghost. Did someone create you?”
“Ah, the vast mysteries of the world that you’ll never understand…”
“Tell me!” Repan demanded.
“To do so would fry your brain.”
Repan was becoming annoyed with this being. “Can you at least tell me how you knew about my pool? Did someone tell you?”
“I don’t see how it will hurt. Actually, I didn’t know about your pool. I was drawn to it, so it was only a matter of time before I found the right person to bring me here.”
“Drawn to it?”
“Yes, like an animal returning to its place of birth.” The old man grinned.
“If you’re an object, how does a farmer get past my men, enter my castle, and foil my traps?”
“That was easy. I merely guided him. Now to answer the question that’s been bugging you since we entered your home. You were the one who told me where your pool was.”
“How?”
“I read your thoughts.”
“Impossible! There’s no way.”
“Everything is possible; you just need to use the right bait.”
Repan’s jaw tightened. “It appears you have made a grave error.”
“Really? How so?”
“I figured out what you are, and after my skeletons kill your host, you will become useless. I will melt you down and sell you for scrap. I wonder what will happen to you or the pain you will feel burning away in my furnace? Did you think about that?”
“And that’s where you’re wrong again. I figured you would waste time discovering all you could about Norice, so I already defeated the two skeletons before pulling you into my domain. You should have commanded the other four to attack as well, but again, your arrogance will be your downfall.”
“After I destroy you, I will turn him into a mindless servant like Paven,” Repan stated.
“That won’t be easy. My powers are far superior to yours.”
“We’ll see about that,” Repan half-heartedly said.
“Yes, we w…”
Celthric was in mid-sentence when his foe went on the offense, trying to catch his opponent by surprise and end the encounter quickly.
The Lord of the Mind thought about needles. Suddenly, thousands of tiny, razor-sharp projectiles appeared out of thin air and charged at the old man. The attack took him by surprise, and the only defense he managed to throw up in time was a Mind Net. The defensive maneuver stopped half of the needles, while the rest tore through his upper torso, staggering the elderly man.
Repan continued his onslaught and projected a barrage of Mind Daggers. This time, Celthric was ready for the attack and projected Mind Fire. On contact, the daggers melted away. By the time the wall of fire dissipated, Repan was ready for him again and launched a Mind Blast. The wave radiated from his thoughts and crashed into Celthric, sending him flying backward, where he landed on his back several yards away.
Celthric staggered to his feet and was pelted with more needles that tore through virtually every part of his body, knocking him to the ground, where he remained motionless.
Repan grinned, thinking the fight was over. “I guess your powers weren’t as superior as you thought, old man,” he taunted.
When the area didn’t change back to his castle, Repan realized Celthric was still alive, so he conjured up the dreaded Mind Drill with a mere thought, and sent it at him. The cone-shaped twister twirled around and around toward Celthric until it hit him in the stomach and began shredding his body.
Repan was so preoccupie
d with Celthric’s demise that he failed to see someone else flanking his position, or the illusion of the old man shimmering and distorting as it was being minced apart. After positioning himself behind Repan, Celthric thought that his plan worked perfectly. He erected an illusion of himself shortly before pulling Repan inside of his mind, and now he waited until the Lord of the Mind was convinced of his victory before launching his entire arsenal.
The deadly combination of attacks took Repan by surprise. It began with a Mind Blast that left him confused; next the Mind Daggers ripped through his body and sent him to the ground; and finally Repan was hit with Mind Wind. The swirling tunnel lifted him high into the air and tossed him around like a leaf blowing in the wind. Eventually, Repan landed face first on the ground with a loud thud. Celthric hit him again with another Mind Blast that crippled him mentally and left him like a blathering idiot.
Shortly after Norice defeated the two skeletons, Repan was in the heated battle with Celthric and remained perfectly still, staring straight ahead. A few seconds later, the gem controlling the Skeletons of War fell from his limp hand and caused them to crumble to the ground.
Norice thought he was in some sort of trance and wondered if he should kill him or wait for Celthric to advise him. He’d just made up his mind when the Lord of the Mind screamed and fell to his knees, holding his head in obvious pain.
“Celthric must have defeated him,” Norice delightfully thought and called out to him. When he failed to respond, he called his name again. After a third time of no reply, he grew concerned that something had happened to him.
Afraid that his indecision might cost him his life, Norice decided to kill Repan, but after taking a few steps, a pair of tough-looking men entered the room.
When Ying and Dojar entered the room, they saw their master on his knees, holding his head, and an intruder within striking distance. Ying instinctively raised his arm and closed his fist, firing his weapon. With deadly accuracy, the thin-spiked chain pierced through the right side of the intruder’s body, burrowed into a few organs, and spun around so fast that they were torn to shreds in seconds. Blood spewed forth from Norice’s mouth as he silently screamed.
A Demon's Quest the Beginning of the End the Trilogy Box Set Page 87
