A Jackal pried the Ogre's hand open and laid the Flamestone on a fallen shield. It raised a club to smash the lump of crystal into pieces. From where he sat watching on his horse, Vannas covered his eyes. It seemed Jace's vision of the White Flamestone lying shattered was about to come to pass.
But then one of the Red Knights hurled his blazing lance right though the Jackal's heart, and the creature toppled over. Trenton bounded toward the Flamestone, which brought him into range of the Dragon. A stinger shot out and caught Trenton in the chest, bringing the wolf-monster down next to the Flamestone. As he fell, Trenton ripped the stinger from his body, and the Dragon soared away.
Cries of dismay arose from the Knights--from those who knew the wolf-monster was actually Dremlock's Investigator. But moments later, Trenton rose from the snow and swiped up the White Flamestone in his claws. He seemed groggy from the poison, stumbling a bit, but he bounded back over to where Vannas lay and tossed the Flamestone to Aldreya, who was kneeling by the prince.
"Finish this!" Aldreya said, handing the crystal to Vannas.
Vannas' chest was torn open and bleeding, but he clutched the White Flamestone in a firm grip, his eyes smoldering. Then a shadow fell over the Divine Shield, blocking out the stars. The Dragon had found them at last.
As Jerret gazed upward, his sword slipped from his fingers. Above him hung a mass of shifting scales and long stingers--with some of the stingers having corpses dangling from them. Aldreya screamed.
"Kill it now!" Furlus howled, his eyes wide as he looked up.
Vannas unleashed the white fire into the Dragon's belly before the stingers could begin doing their grisly work. It was a direct hit that burned a large hole in the Dragon's armor. Some of the Red Knights threw their lances into the breach, and the archers shot it with dozens of arrows. The Dragon continued to hover there in a drooping fashion, perhaps stunned at what was occurring.
With a frantic battle cry, Vannas drove the energy into the beast with renewed effort. The white fire became so intense the surrounding area was illuminated as if by daylight, and black smoke billowed from the Dragon's jaws. The creature flew off sluggishly toward the fortress gates but collapsed in the snow before reaching them, crushing a few Goblins in the process. It was burning from within, and in moments its entire bulk was consumed by pale fire. The flames grew so hot the snow melted around the Dragon--a blaze that became like a mini sun.
As the Dragon burned to ash, and the Goblins retreated into the caves, Vannas smiled and closed his eyes. The White Flamestone slipped from his fingers--only to be caught by Aldreya. A White Knight--one of many who were tending to the injured--hurried over and went to work on the prince.
"Will my cousin die?" Aldreya asked, tears in her eyes.
The White Knight glanced up at her, his bearded face stern. "Not if I have anything to say about it. He's faint from blood loss, but it's nothing that can't be fixed." He nodded to her. "You did well in guarding the prince."
"He'll be fine, Aldreya," said Jerret, walking over to her and patting her on the shoulder. "The prince is strong." Jerret glanced with pride at his sword, which was covered in Goblin blood that was already frozen on the blade. His eyes strayed to the gates of Dorok's Hand. The Dragon was dead, but where was Vorden?
Chapter 21: The Duel, Part II
Lannon and Vorden grappled with each other, the Eye of Divinity against the Hand of Tharnin. Sweat dripped from their brows. Lannon was determined to help the Knights defeat the Dragon, and Vorden was equally determined to keep Lannon in the cavern until the beast had done its work. Vorden couldn't hold Lannon indefinitely, yet every time Lannon broke free and tried to flee, Vorden seized him again with the gauntlet and dragged him back into the cavern. Finally they paused to rest, panting hard, the cries of battle reaching their ears.
"Let me go!" Lannon said, his voice shrill with frustration. "You have no right to keep me here when the Knights are being slaughtered!"
But Vorden shook his head. "Sorry, Lannon. You don't get to play the role of the hero this time. The Knights are finished!"
Yet moments later, a group of Legion Masters rushed into the cavern--the Council Members from Dorok's Hand. These were the elite Knights of the Blood Legion, ranked just below Vorden and Timlin. One of them--a giant who wore dark armor and a horned helm--bowed to Vorden and said, "I bring unfortunate news, my lord. The Dragon has fallen."
Vorden's eyes widened, and he seized the giant's throat. "How is this possible, Almdrax? The Dragon was supposed to be invincible!"
Almdrax sighed. "It took the power of a god to bring it down. The Dragon was defeated by the Flamestone from the Divine Essence--and a very lucky shot. In spite of our best efforts, we were not able to get the Flamestone away from the young Birlote prince long enough for the Dragon to finish off Dremlock's army. However, we did manage to deeply injure Vannas, and hopefully he will not recover. Regardless, many of the Soldiers are currently retreating through the escape tunnels, headed for Old Hammer Hall. Should we join them?"
"Retreat?" said Vorden, shoving Almdrax away. "Not as long as the Hand of Tharnin remains in our possession. Besides, if their prince has fallen we might stand a chance at victory. Where is Timlin?"
"He fled with the others," said Almdrax.
"Of course," said Vorden, scowling. "See how the little coward repays me? He runs away without even notifying me. Well, we are not cowards, Almdrax. We will show them that the Blood Legion does not surrender. We shall make a stand here in this chamber, a fight to the death!"
The Legion Knights nodded their approval and took position beside Vorden--giant, battle-hardened warriors with smoldering weapons. These were Knights tainted by Tharnin and given immense power to go along with savage, unyielding hearts. Even vastly outnumbered, they would not fall easily.
"And what of that one?" asked Almdrax, pointing at Lannon. "Shall we kill him now, when he is outnumbered?"
"He doesn't matter," said Vorden, waving dismissively. "Lannon will do nothing. All he cares about is peace. Isn't that right, Lannon?"
Vorden spoke true. Lannon was delighted the Dragon was dead, but he wondered how many Knights had fallen. He was determined that no more bloodshed should take place. "Yes, I want peace. Is that so wrong, Vorden? Why does everything have to end in bloodshed?"
"There is no shame in wanting peace," said Vorden. He clenched the gauntlet's metal fingers into a huge fist. "Even if it is only a silly dream."
***
Soon the members of the Divine Shield (except for Vannas, who was still being cared for by Dremlock's healers) stood in the chamber of the foggy pit, along with a company of Knights. Trenton Shadowbane was now back in human form and somehow free of all injuries. Thrake had suffered a broken arm that was now in a sling, but otherwise the Divine Shield was intact. They were delighted to find Lannon alive and well, but their celebration was short lived when they learned that Vorden and his Knights intended to fight to the death.
"You cannot win, Vorden," said Furlus. "The rest of the Blood Legion has either been captured or has fled. Don't be a fool. Your Dragon is dead and Dorok's Hand belongs to Dremlock now. It is finished!"
"Nothing is finished," said Vorden. "Can you defeat the Hand of Tharnin, Tower Master? When it's in my possession, I think not. And even if you do kill me, many will die in the process. I will enjoy it either way."
Jace stepped close to Vorden. "Heed this warning, young man. The longer the Hand of Tharnin holds you captive, the more deeply it will bind with your soul and body--leading to chaos and madness. The device is flawed and cannot be controlled. It cannot even control itself! You have a chance to rid yourself of it before it is too late. Let us help you, Vorden."
"Get away from me!" Vorden hissed at Jace. The gauntlet's blue stones flared up in warning. "One step closer and I will burn you to ash!"
Calmly, Jace stepped back a bit, raising his hands to show he had no intention of attacking. "Just consider my words, Vorden."
"You will s
urrender to us immediately," said Trenton, "and face trial for your crimes. As prisoners, you will be treated fairly."
"I never liked you, Trenton," said Vorden. "In fact, I don't think anyone likes you. So keep your mouth shut before you provoke my rage."
"Vorden, we are all weary of bloodshed," said Shennen. "Your plan has failed and Dremlock has won. Let us just end this peacefully."
Vorden glowered at Shennen. "Do not speak to me, Birlote. Your kind is the enemy of Tharnin, and your very existence offends me."
"If you just surrender," said Lannon, "we can find a way to help Taris. He was bedridden and barely clinging to life last I knew. Don't you feel even a tiny bit of loyalty to Taris, Vorden?"
"Taris is just another foul Birlote," said Vorden. "Besides, the poison from the gauntlet is very potent, yet temporary. If he survived this long, he'll likely recover--though I'll be glad to kill him later when I get a chance."
Lannon felt a surge of hope at Vorden's words.
"Please, Vorden!" said Aldreya. "No more war!"
Vorden smashed the gauntlet against the floor, shattering stone. "If another Birlote dares speak to me, I'm going to begin tearing off heads! And how will you defeat me without your precious prince and his Flamestone? I'm well aware that only Vannas can use that weapon."
Lannon sighed. "Why don't you just listen to them, Vorden? Can't you see the truth of things, that it's over?"
"No, Vorden can't see any truths," Jerret spoke up. "He's nothing but a blind puppet of Tenneth Bard."
Vorden sneered at Jerret. "Who speaks? Some nobody from Dremlock? I'm surprised the Knights even let you ride with them, Jerret."
His face crimson with anger, Jerret stepped toward Vorden and raised his sword. "Fine words coming from a coward who invades the minds of others. I'll bet I could make you regret a few things, Vorden."
Vorden laughed. "A pathetic Squire with no talent. You couldn't have defeated me before I was blessed with the Hand of Tharnin, Jerret. What makes you think you have a remote chance now?"
Jerret took another step forward, but Shennen seized his arm. "Let it go, Squire. Vorden is simply trying to bait you."
But Furlus Goblincrusher pulled Shennen's hand away from Jerret. Furlus' eyes held a strange glint. "Let the Squire have his say, Shennen. He has come through pain and blood and has earned the right to speak."
"I can defeat you in a fair fight, Vorden," said Jerret, his chin thrust out. "I've been training hard in preparation to kill you!"
Vorden bellowed laughter. "So you think you can beat me sword to sword? I find that idea so absurd that I'll make a bargain with you--if you can defeat me in an honorable duel, my Knights will gladly surrender to Dremlock. But if you fail to defeat me, I will cut off your head."
"Consider it a duel then!" Jerret snarled. "But you cannot use the Hand of Tharnin. You must remove it first."
"I will never remove this gauntlet," said Vorden. "But I will make its power sleep. It will be a fair fight, all things considered."
"This is not going to happen," said Trenton, looking appalled. "Dremlock does not pit Squires against each other."
"I'm no longer a Squire," said Vorden. "I am the Black Knight!"
"Jerret will not partake in this duel," said Shennen, "if I have my say. But I will gladly take his place."
"I have the final say," growled Furlus. He strode over and looked Jerret in the eye. "Can you defeat Vorden in fair combat, Squire?"
"I can, Master Furlus," Jerret said, his eyes blazing. "Just give me a chance to prove it!"
"It will be a duel to the death," said Furlus. "If you find an opening, do not hesitate to kill him. In fact, you are obligated to kill him, to save us from greater bloodshed. I'm allowing this duel in the hope, and the belief, that you can end this before more Knights are slain. I do not take this lightly, Squire. You realize that we cannot interfere, that if you falter, we will be forced to let your foe kill you?"
Jerret swallowed and nodded. "Understood."
Lannon could barely believe what he was hearing. Furlus seemed content to let a young man fight to the death against his former friend, and though Lannon knew the life of a Divine Knight was full of harsh choices and sacrifice, he was still appalled at the Tower Master's decision. It was obviously the threat of the Hand of Tharnin that drove Furlus to take such action, but Lannon could never have made that choice. And Lannon blamed himself for Jerret even being there.
Furlus turned back to Vorden. "I will agree to this honorable duel--if your Knights will give up their weapons. If you win the duel, their weapons will be returned. I want to ensure that you keep your end of the bargain and fight fairly. Also, if you fall, your Knights must surrender immediately."
"I object to the terms," said Almdrax, scowling. "We stand to gain nothing from this duel, my lord."
"Well, I agree to the terms," said Vorden, "and I do have something to gain. Actually, I'm simply looking forward to cutting off Jerret's head. Besides, Almdrax, do you really expect me to lose?"
Reluctantly, the Legion Knights handed over their weapons. The blue stones in Vorden's gauntlet lost their shine and the metal went cold and grey. He drew his spider sword.
But when Jerret laid eyes on Vorden's powerful magical sword, he looked uncertain. "I can't compete with that weapon! It will cut right through my own blade. You have to use a normal sword, Vorden."
"I only use this sword," said Vorden, shrugging. "Sorry."
"Take this one," said Trenton, handing his sword to Jerret. "It's made of Glaetherin."
Jerret took the sword and bowed.
"Wait!" Lannon said. The last thing he wanted to see was this duel to the death, but he couldn't let Jerret fight at such a disadvantage. He drew his Dragon sword--the extremely expensive weapon made of rare Goblin bones that Taris Warhawk had purchased for him as a gift. "Use this instead. It's very light."
Jerret returned Trenton's sword and took Lannon's blade in hand. He swung it about, marveling at the lightness of it. "Thank you, my friend."
Lannon was now supposed to watch while one of his friends killed the other one. He couldn't bear the thought of it.
The two combatants faced each other, blade to blade. Vorden smirked. "You're going to lose your head, Jerret. What do you think of that?"
"You should never have taken my free will!" said Jerret. "Whatever you did to me back at Dremlock--I've found no peace since. And I'll never find any peace until you lie dead at my feet."
"It haunts your mind," said Vorden, "because I crushed your puny will. I made you realize how easily you can be enslaved by Tharnin. Now you want revenge, but you should be angry at yourself."
"Wise words from a monster," said Jerret.
"If I'm such a monster, Jerret, then why aren't you attacking? Don't tell me you came all this way with vengeance in your heart, only to lose your nerve."
With a howl, Jerret swung the Dragon sword at Vorden's head. Vorden deflected the stroke easily with his own blade. "So predictable, Jerret!"
They traded a flurry of blows, and then backed away from each other, panting. The grin had vanished from Vorden's face. "You've learned some new skills, Jerret. Looks like you're not as lazy as you used to be."
They drove in on each other again, and Jerret landed a blow on Vorden's shoulder that was deflected by his armor. Vorden retaliated and cut a shallow wound in Jerret's shoulder though his chain mail--just a scratch, but Jerret seemed wracked with pain for a moment. The bite of the spider sword was a bitter one.
"I'm going to finish this!" Jerret bellowed, and he drove into Vorden with berserk fury. The intensity of his attack caught Vorden off guard, and Vorden stumbled and fell onto his back. For an instant, Jerret stood over him with the Dragon sword poised to stab down through the crack in Vorden's armor.
But Jerret hesitated, looking uncertain for just an instant. Vorden seized that opportunity and kicked Jerret's legs out from under him. Jerret struck the cavern floor hard and lost his grip on the Dragon sword.
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Vorden leapt up and raised his weapon for the kill. "You couldn't finish me, you coward! But I will finish you!"
Furlus groaned in frustration.
Trenton, who supposedly hated Jerret, appeared deeply troubled.
Aldreya turned away, a look of despair on her face.
"That enough, Vorden!" Lannon shouted. He seized Vorden with the Eye of Divinity and shoved him back towards the pit. Vorden stumbled but maintained his balance, his spider sword slashing down and finding only the stone floor instead of Jerret. Lannon knew he was violating the Sacred Laws of Dremlock that governed honorable duels, but all he could think about was saving Jerret.
Enraged, Vorden sheathed his sword and the blue stones in his gauntlet flared to life. "I'll see you again, Lannon!" he growled, smashing apart Lannon's hold on him. Then he turned and jumped into the pit.
Chapter 22: Rice Pudding
After Vorden vanished into the pit, the remaining members of the Blood Legion surrendered, with the exception of Almdrax--the giant warrior in dark armor--who leapt into the pit as well. The Knights gave chase but could find no trace of the two men in the fog and finally had to give up. However, Furlus decided that the pit would be filled in with rock and dirt, sealing Vorden and Almdrax in the realm of Tharnin where hopefully they could find no other portals to return through.
Lannon was dismayed at Furlus' plan to seal Vorden in the pit, for that killed all hope of saving the former Squire. Lannon finally had to accept the fact that Vorden was lost forever along with (hopefully) Tenneth Bard.
Dozens of Divine Knights had been slain in the battle with the Dragon, and a series of funerals were held for them. At least thirty more were injured to the point where even the healers could not restore them to full health, and they would be forced to retire. Some had lost limbs and a few had simply lost the will to go on serving Dremlock, their minds overcome by the terrible experience of war. Overall, however, Furlus declared the assault on Dorok's Hand a grand success.
Knights: Book 02 - The Hand of Tharnin Page 30
