by Sever Bronny
Bridget gently took his hand. “They’ll kill you, or use you in one of Nefra’s sacrifices. We’re taking you along whether you like it or not.” She turned back to Augum as Garryk made a disagreeing moan. “Aug … be careful.”
He held up his hand with the fat ring. “I have this. Should keep Tridian busy.” Leaving him to face Robin …
Leera stomped back and suddenly wrapped her arms around him. “You brave fool.” She kissed his cheek quickly and let go, pacing to Garryk and gently lifting him up.
Bridget hugged him too. “Don’t be afraid to run. We’ll see you soon.”
He watched them struggle with Garryk, wondering if he’d see them again.
The Horde and the Pretender
Augum prowled into the laboratorium, often checking over his shoulder to make sure Osbert wasn’t too far behind. Keeping the creature quiet with nothing but thought was proving a challenge, so he kept him well back. His heavy winter coat was a burden, but if they were going to escape into the icy wilderness, it would be needed to keep him alive.
He soon spotted orange light on the far side of the room—it had to be Robin’s palm. Had they opened the doors to the spawnery yet? As he crept closer, he began to make out their voices.
“I don’t know how he did it, Commander,” Robin was saying. “Maybe it was the stupid talking armor thing.” His palm light fell upon Horrick, who stood near, silent as the grave.
Tridian paced. “We cannot afford to play another of her games—”
“I can hear them on the other side. There’s too many of them. Lord Sparkstone will be here any—”
“Do not doubt my new-found strength, Apprentice.”
They were standing right in front of the doors—Augum saw his chance and took it.
“Horrick, open the doors to the spawnery!” he shouted.
“As mine baseborn inferior guest commands.” Horrick made a gesture and the doors began to rumble open, spilling torchlight through the ever-widening crack. There was the sound of clacking and growling as arms struggled to get through.
“You take the boy, I’ll get the recipe,” Tridian said, as if expecting Augum’s arrival all along.
“Yes, Commander.” Robin grinned and strode in Augum’s direction. “Show yourself, gutterborn!” He checked to make sure the horde hadn’t made it past Tridian. The Commander’s thin Dreadnought blade deftly zipped through the air, sending limbs and torsos flying. So far, none made it through.
“You’ll pay for what you did to Mya,” Augum called out from the darkness, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice.
“Ooo, I’m scared.” Robin’s left hand went into a pocket and he withdrew the Destiny Stone.
“Should have had the banyan beast smash your head in when we had the chance.”
“You didn’t because you’re a weak fool. Now why don’t you stop cowering and come out to play.”
“Shyneo.” Augum’s palm lit up as he stepped out, keeping Osbert in the shadows. He wanted a face-to-face match. His fist clenched as his two lightning rings ruptured to life around his arm.
Robin scoffed at Augum’s display, lighting up his three fiery rings. Suddenly he slammed his hands together. “Annihilo!” but Augum was ready, summoning his arcane shield. The fire blasted off, the force making Augum grunt.
Robin immediately leapt into another spell. “Itak oos iu azim!”
Augum remembered this spell and rolled away from the swooping specter, its dagger barely missing his neck. He shoved the air before him. “Baka!” but Robin summoned his own shield made of glowing embers, and leaned into the force of the spell, holding his ground.
“Vakari vikarei!” Robin shouted the moment the shield disappeared.
Augum cried out as his left leg began to burn in the same spot Robin had burned before, back at Hangman’s Rock. He fell to the ground and quickly raised the hem of his woolen pant. The area had blackened. The loss of concentration had snuffed his Shine spell.
Robin made a sweeping gesture. “Closs pesti!” summoning a swarm of wasps that shot forward.
Augum scrambled to get away but slipped on his bad leg. The swarm descended on him like an angry cloud. He rolled and swatted madly, taking dozens of stings, before plowing into a shelf of ingredients. It fell over with a great crash, smashing bottles and jars around him. When the swarm cleared, he realized he hadn’t been stung it all—it had been an illusion.
“Dreadus terrablus!” Robin called, but Augum immediately used Mind Armor to shield his mind from the terrifying effects of Fear, then used Telekinesis to send the knocked-over shelf flying at Robin, who had to duck as it flew past. The effort of it had pushed Augum’s boundary—he’d never done anything like that before, especially in combo with Mind Armor.
Robin made to throw at the ground. “Grau!” There was the sound of an immense fireball, so real Augum couldn’t help but roll aside. Robin used the dodge as an opportunity to crash another shelf on top of Augum with Telekinesis. This one was full of mortar and pestles—one struck Augum over the head. A blinding light erupted behind his eyes.
So this was what a real warlock duel was like. Everything was happening so fast—no time to think.
“Voidus aurus!” Robin shouted, steadily marching towards Augum, hand held forward. But Augum, again thanks to Mrs. Stone’s difficult training, blocked the Deafness spell with Mind Armor.
“Why isn’t it working—!” Robin shouted, running forth and withdrawing a dagger. “I’ll slice your throat like I sliced that wench’s—”
Those words made Augum see red, but he forced himself to focus and made a quick yanking gesture. “Disablo!” The blade went skittering across the floor.
Robin put his hands together. “Annihilo!” and another blast of fire shot toward him. Augum rolled underneath a toppled shelf and it exploded in flame.
Robin winced as he clutched the side of his head. “Annihilo!” he said again, but this time nothing happened.
He had drained his arcane energies, Augum realized as he rolled from under the shelf. He made to shove at the air. “Baka!”
Robin made the shield gesture but summoned nothing, and instead was sent flying back, slamming into a shelf of vials with a crash. He picked himself up. “You damn gutter—” but was barreled over by a vicious charge from Augum.
The pair slammed into the same shelf, shattering more glass and shelving as they rolled together. Augum, who was used to wrestling with bullies since he was a boy, pinned Robin and rammed a fist into his face, breaking his nose. “That’s for Mya—” then landed another punch, opening a large cut above Robin’s right eye that began gushing blood. “And that’s for Garryk—”
“Baka!” Robin said, but nothing happened. His face turned purple as Augum grabbed his neck and squeezed. “Commander … help …” Robin wheezed.
Somewhere behind them, the sounds of battle ceased. Suddenly Augum felt a tremendous kick and was sent flying off Robin, plowing into a pyramid of barrels. He tumbled through them, slamming into a table, breaking its legs and pinning him underneath. He made raspy noises, trying to inhale, but the wind had been knocked out of him.
The battle at the doors resumed quickly, Tridian shouting cries of victory with each swing of his sword.
“What the hell is that!” Robin wheezed.
Augum, who struggled to catch his breath, managed to shove aside the table in time to see the reflected torchlight on the ceiling crowded out by something gigantic.
“RUN!” Tridian yelled as the thing roared. The sound was so loud it shook the very floor. There was a great cracking and a swoosh—a giant block of stone smashed into the shelving nearby, rolling on and crushing everything in its path.
Augum felt a familiar creeping at the back of his mind and immediately slammed the door on it, just as Robin began screaming in sheer terror. The spell emanated from the giant beast and was strong, using up a lot of arcane stamina defending against it.
There was the sound of boots running. Augum pushed
aside some of the debris in time to see Tridian making a hasty retreat, carrying a shrieking and bleeding Robin. He frantically made a shoving gesture at the Blade of Sorrows, but only managed to wheeze the Push incantation. Of course, nothing happened. He cursed, desperately wanting to get Robin, to stop him from getting away again. He wanted to keep smashing his fist into the idiot’s face.
There was a monstrous grating noise behind him. He rolled to witness something huge with two horns duck underneath the giant door, barely squeezing through the frame. It was built like a giant bull with muscles as large and thick as castle columns. Around it flocked clacking walkers, shooting after Robin and Tridian. They flowed around Osbert as if he was a rock in a river.
Osbert. He had completely forgotten about Osbert!
Suddenly he realized that the horde hadn’t yet spotted him behind all the debris, and he ducked. This was his chance, his only chance to get the recipe.
He had to let Robin go … for now.
He quietly crawled on his hands and knees around shelves and desks as the giant demon bull sniffed at the air, blowing great blasts of steam through its nostrils. It flexed and began following the streams of walkers, each footfall sending tremors through the floor.
Augum scurried along the wall and hid behind a pedestal, on top of which sat a dusty vase. He checked his ankle and still found it to be black, but at least it didn’t sting anymore. Luckily, Robin’s necromantic spell casting was weak still, not to mention he didn’t have the arcane stamina Augum had.
He gently massaged his temple. His head throbbed as if someone was pounding it with a giant hammer, but he forced himself to ignore the pain and concentrate on what was happening.
“Come forth, my darlings …” Nefra’s voice hissed in the darkness. “Sweet babes of the night … The pretender this way comes …” Her tongue rattled, the sound echoing off the walls.
Augum watched as streams of all kinds of monsters walked, slithered, limped and ran by. He dared not move a muscle, not even to breathe. All it’d take is one of them seeing him …
At last the stream thinned to a trickle, until nothing walked by. He spotted Horrick standing by the other open door, watching him. Thankfully, the evil little rust bucket had not raised the alarm.
Augum envisioned Osbert walking up to the doors. Nothing disturbed the horse-headed beast as it stopped in the doorway.
He crept forward and peeked around the bronze frame, seeing an empty room, except for a fat lizard-like creature so wide it would hardly fit through the door. It was slowly slithering towards him on its belly. Its giant lizard eyes focused on him and it doubled its pace.
And there, between them, lay the iron tablet, shining in the torchlight.
He had to risk it …
He imagined Osbert running at the lizard creature. The moment Osbert set off, Augum sprinted for the tablet. There was a squeal as the two beasts collided, except Augum had forgotten to have Osbert actually do something to it, and so the giant lizard simply knocked Osbert aside.
Augum got to the tablet first and snatched it up as the lizard opened its maw, shooting out a venom. It splashed on the moss, melting it with a hiss. He raced back, desperately trying not to trip on the various obstacles, as more venom landed near. The lizard trundled after him. Augum hoped Osbert was all right. He stopped at the doors to imagine his animated friend running from behind, jumping on top and squeezing the lizard’s eyes—except when it actually happened, Osbert lost his footing on the slippery scales and fell off, still as a statue on the ground, awaiting the next command.
The lizard thumped along, its fat legs propelling it at a faster pace. Augum bolted, tablet under his arm, right past Horrick, who stood statue still. He sprinted for the door to the Hall of Ceremony and the tail end of Nefra’s army. He imagined Osbert running to catch up. Behind him, he heard the sound of shelves, barrels, desks and tables crashing or crunching as the lizard slithered through them. Hurry, Osbert! He imagined the horse-headed beast sprinting now.
Ahead, a walker turned and immediately shot toward Augum. He shoved the air. “Baka!” It was thrown back into a set of shelves, scattering parchment into the air like leaves. It soon recovered and charged again. Augum chose to conserve his arcane stamina and instead imagined Osbert tackling the thing—only to watch it happen a moment later. So his ugly horse-headed friend had survived being run over by a giant fat lizard after all …
Augum ran past a few lumbering creatures. They swung clumsily and moaned, but he didn’t stop, shooting through the doorway and running on to the throne room. The torches had all been lit now, revealing a great room decorated with tapestries and paintings. To the left, the undead army bottlenecked at the doors to the sentinel room, awaiting his father’s arrival.
As he ran by the corner where he’d been kept prisoner, he noticed Temper and Raina were gone, and there was no sign of Robin or Tridian. The doors to the throne room were open as before, the stench thicker than ever. Soon as he ran through them, he halted, for before him, standing atop the pile of rotten bodies, stood Nefra, crimson robe flowing. Her legs bent in the wrong direction, and he saw that instead of feet she had hooves. Her hair was a great frizz of snakes, constantly moving and rattling and hissing. Her arms gracefully rose and fell. With each gesture, an ancient soldier rose and stumbled off the hill.
“You,” said a surprised voice from his left. Augum turned to see Peyas standing near a bunch of bodies. A walker was already up and lumbering to the door. When the thing saw Augum, it clacked its jaws and rushed, but Peyas made a quick gesture and it veered away, walking on to the army. When some of Nefra’s creatures tried the same, Peyas again intervened.
“What are you doing, Peyas …?”
“Not this one, Nefra …”
Augum looked over to the pile and Nefra was suddenly steps away, every snake on her head watching him. Her skin flicked between colors like reflections of torchlight on rough seas.
Bumps rose on his arms. “Where are my friends?”
Peyas glanced at the open door behind the throne but said nothing. Augum searched for the subtle pull of the Object Track spell, but couldn’t sense it through his distress and exhaustion.
Nefra’s tongue rattled. “I heard them speak of this one … He is the pretender’s son …”
Peyas’ eyes fixed on Augum like two gleaming bloodfruits. “This I did not know.”
“We have something in common,” Augum blurted. “You’re Occulus’ son, and I’m—”
“—nothing more than a pretender’s bastard …” Nefra finished in an angry hiss. “He has the tablet they want as well, Peyas … The little thief shall witness his father boil … He shall witness the resurrection of the true Lord of Death … before joining his father in the sacred waters of the fire …”
Nefra made a graceful gesture at the tablet.
“No—!” but despite Augum trying to hold on, she effortlessly yanked it from his grip and floated it over, her Telekinesis too strong. She placed it in a large leather pouch at her belt, securing the strap.
“Make him watch, Peyas …”
“As you command, my queen …” Peyas took Augum by the arm and guided him to stand aside while Nefra stepped back onto the pile of bodies, her movements strange with those goat hooves.
“Are my friends all right?” Augum asked Peyas as she resumed raising the dead.
“This I do not know, mortal one.”
“Please, did they have to play one of her games to get into Occulus’ quarters?”
“I believe they did.”
“Did … did one of them—”
“I do not know.”
Augum’s breathing was quick. “Is there an emergency escape portal in his quarters at least?”
Peyas was aloof, not making eye contact. “I have never been there.”
Nefra seemed to expand as she cast a powerful spell on a rather large soldier. The man stood with bursts of fire and crackling light. Some of the rot on his body mended as he flexe
d.
“A revenant …” Augum said.
Nefra increased her pace at raising dead bodies, sometimes even raising three or four at once, though those did not move as quickly as the ones raised singularly. She did this until all but a few remained. Then she turned her head of writhing snakes to glance at the door, voice slithering.
“He comes to the gate …. I go to let him in … He will feel the power of the master’s army …”
Peyas took Augum by the arm. “Come.”
Augum shrugged him off. “I can walk on my own.”
Peyas gave him a cold look but let him walk between the two Occi. Nefra left a scent trail of putrid decay, and Augum had to avoid breathing through his nose.
He worried about the girls and Garryk. What kind of test had they undergone to get through the door to Occulus’ chamber? Please let them be all right …
He glanced through the doorway of the laboratorium as they passed, but it was too dark to see Osbert. He imagined the horse-headed creature standing behind the frame of the door. A lone walker soon exited the room, probably the one Osbert had kept pinned.
The undead army had pushed into the sentinel room, a great throng of stinking, clacking, writhing and moaning undead. They parted as Nefra walked between them, gesturing for Peyas to stay at the entrance of the room. She waved at the great bronze doors and they closed, trapping them inside.
Augum had to maneuver to see past the giant bull demon that sat like a dog in the middle of the room, its horns near the ceiling. He saw wraiths, walkers, revenants and other monsters. There was a space between the horde and the doors to the pit room, where Raptos had died to form a bridge for them, though the bridge was not connected to the platform right now.
Standing on the ledge where the bridge would have met the doors was the Blade of Sorrows, Raina, Robin and Temper, robes and hair whipping from the wind of the great cavern hole behind them. Robin’s face was a mess after repeatedly meeting Augum’s fist—one eye was puffy and black; he held his nose, from which blood flowed; and one side of his face was streaked with yet more blood from the cut above his eyebrow. Temper, too, held her nose.
