The Veredor Chronicles: Book 03 - The Gate and Beyond (10 page)

CHAPTER TWELVE

Mostyn concentrated and closed his eyes. For several minutes he focused his magic as they waited in the gloomy stench of the abandoned cellar.

‘I see the Princess is being held in a cage in the main hall of the south-western tower. The dragon lies curled up on the floor beside her. We will have to fight the dragon to save her. We must also attempt to reach her without being seen. If we are discovered we will be inundated and overwhelmed quickly by muckrons.’

‘Can we cross from this tower to the other without being seen?’ asked Meara.

‘I doubt it. The distance between the towers is about two hundred yards and completely in the open. I am sure there will be watchers and guards outside. There is another way; a tunnel joins this tower to the south-western tower, but I think it is guarded by something.’

‘What something?’ asked Red.

‘I do not know exactly,’ replied Mostyn. ‘It is not clear to me. A monster of some kind; my vision shows me nothing about its nature.’

‘If you believe the tunnel is safer then we should probably go that way,’ said Meara.

‘Either way we can’t stay here in this dark hole. We should make a move,’ said Duke Egil.

‘It may be wise to fight one thing rather than risk fighting hundreds of wyverns and thousands of muckrons,’ said Mostyn.

‘I agree,’ said Eben, not comfortable with the possibility of battling so many foes at once. ‘The tunnel is probably the best option. Can you lead us onward?’

‘Of course,’ said the wizard. ‘We must be ready for battle at any moment.’

Mostyn led the way out of the cellar. The tunnel was just large enough for the unicorn to pass through. At the far side they came to an old rotten door. The wizard opened it, just a little, to peek out. He watched for a few moments before turning back to the company.

They walked out into a long corridor that was almost as dark and dank as the cellar they had come from. ‘Follow me,’ whispered Mostyn. He led them on, and they walked down the shadowy corridor for about fifty feet. They then came to a tunnel that bore away to the left. The tunnel, hewn out of the stone, was about fifteen feet in height and about twenty feet wide. ‘This is it.’ Mostyn led them onward. After about thirty feet they came to a large iron door.

‘This door has been enchanted with a powerful spell,’ said Meara. ‘I may be able to lift the enchantment long enough to allow us to enter the tunnel.’ She reached out and placed the palm of her hand against the surface of the metal. A gentle blue light issued forth. ‘The spell was cast by an Astarian. I can break it, but it will take some time. Cassiel, I will need your help.’ Cassiel stepped forward and reached out, placing both his hands against the door. ‘Do you feel it?’

‘Yes. It’s very heavy,’ replied Cassiel as he closed his eyes and concentrated.

‘Together we can do this.’

Instantly Cassiel’s hands began to glow. For several minutes the company waited as Meara and Cassiel worked on the enchantment. Gradually the door started to slightly glow. Suddenly the light faded away. Meara then looked back at the company.

‘It is done,’ she said as she reached for the handle. ‘But the enchantment will return in several seconds. We must not delay.’ The door opened inwardly and the large hinges creaked; clearly the door had not been opened for a long time. The tunnel beyond was completely shrouded in darkness. Mostyn stepped forward and raised his hands. Several lights, like fireflies, shot forward along the length of the tunnel and lit the way onward. They could see that the tunnel was very long, about two hundred yards, and at the far side there was a door that was an exact copy as the one they had just opened.

‘Be on guard,’ said Mostyn as he walked forward.

Mostyn led them onwards with Quade by his side. Quade held his crossbow ready to fire at anything that moved. As they approached the midway point it became apparent that the left side of the floor was flooded with a dark slimy liquid that gave off a rancid smell. They kept to the right as they passed by the sludge.

‘Disgusting,’ said Arthur, grimacing from the smell. They continued to the end of the corridor and arrived at the second iron door. Meara reached out and touched the metal surface.

‘This one is also enchanted,’ she said, looking to Cassiel for help.

‘Look,’ said Stella, pointing back to the sludge. The dark liquid was moving toward them across the floor.

‘What in Veredor is that?’ asked King Ignis.

Mostyn stared at the dark sludge; the sight of it seemed to press heavily on the wizard’s heart. ‘This is not a tunnel; it is a prison.’

‘Cassiel, quick, help me with the door!’ said Meara. Cassiel reached out, and they both started to work on breaking the enchantment.

Eben watched the pool of sludge as it slid along the floor toward them. Suddenly it stopped moving, about thirty feet from them. They watched as the sludge gathered together and began to grow and develop into a humanoid shape.

‘Enough of this waiting!’ cried Duke Egil. He drew his broadsword and dashed forward.

‘Wait!’ cried Mostyn.

‘Egil!’ cried King Ignis, but Duke Egil continued toward the monster.

He swung his blade, and his large sword passed directly through the dark liquid sludge without having any effect. The Duke grunted and again stabbed out. His blade pressed into the chest of the sludge creature. The monster lifted its hand with lightning speed and grabbed Duke Egil’s wrist. The Duke tried to pull away but found he couldn’t move. The monster then reached up and took the Duke by the throat with its other hand. Duke Egil groaned deeply, his eyes widened with shock.

Mostyn raised his hands and a bright beam of fire flew out and struck the monster; it recoiled and released its grip. Duke Egil fell heavily to the ground, and his body instantly crumbled into dust. They all looked on with shock at seeing their friend disintegrate.

‘No!’ cried King Ignis. Eben and King Ignis dashed forward, but Mostyn grabbed their arms and ushered them back.

‘Step back! Only magic can be used against this foe.’

The sludge creature, in the shape of a man, then stepped toward them, dragging its muddy inhuman feet along the tunnel floor. Again Mostyn raised his hands. Large swirls of fire blasted out and struck the foul creature, but the flames only slowed the monster a little. Quade fired his crossbow, but the bolt did nothing at all.

‘Meara!’ cried Mostyn.

‘Almost!’ said Meara, strain evident in her voice.

Eben leapt up onto the unicorn’s back and drew the Sword of Light. Mostyn looked to Eben and shook his head. ‘No, Ecorian. Leave this one for me.’ Mostyn again raised his hands and an intense flaming barrier formed between the company and the monster. The creature of darkness approached the barrier and reached out. Mostyn concentrated as the monster pushed against his flaming shield. Beads of sweat rolled down the wizards face; he was straining to his limit.

‘Lower the barrier. Let me destroy it!’ shouted Eben.

‘No!’ replied the wizard. ‘There is a reason the Prince of Shadows imprisoned this monster down here. Not even he could control or destroy it. Go whilst you still can. I will hold the monster back as long as possible. If I lower the shield we will all be killed.’

‘We won’t leave you here,’ said Red.

‘Then you will die here with me!’ shouted Mostyn. The creature of darkness was pressing through the flaming shield.

Cassiel then opened the door. Meara turned and rushed back to help Mostyn. She lifted her glowing hands. ‘We have to go now. The door will not remain open for long.’

‘Go Meara! Save yourselves!’ shouted Mostyn, fiercely concentrating on holding up his barrier of flame.

‘Quick! The door is closing!’ cried Cassiel.

‘Mostyn!’ cried Meara.

‘Go!’ groaned the wizard. ‘You must go.’

‘We won’t forget you, Mostyn,’ said Meara. She turned and grabbed Red’s arm and dragged him back toward the door. ‘Eben!’

Quade, Cassiel, Stella, King Ignis, and Arthur had already gone through the door. Meara and Red passed through a second later. Eben waited a moment, still not wanting to leave Mostyn alone to fight the monster.

Mostyn’s strained eyes looked up. ‘Eben, save the Princess, you must, please…go!’

Eben then reluctantly turned the unicorn and rode out of the tunnel as the iron door closed behind him.

**

The company stood in the darkness just beyond the enchanted iron door. Eben stared back in silence. The entire company felt the shock of losing Mostyn and Duke Egil.

‘We are all prepared to sacrifice ourselves for this mission to succeed,’ said Meara.

‘We must continue onwards,’ said King Ignis. ‘Princess Apherah is being held in this tower.’

Meara led the company onward. The tunnel gradually ascended. They arrived at a place where two large tunnels led away to the left and the right. Meara led them to the left. The way ascended; several smaller passageways veered away. There were no monsters around and the tower was completely quiet.

Before long they arrived at a large group of steps that led up to two arched cast iron doors.

‘This is it,’ said Meara. ‘These doors lead to the where the dragon is holding Princess Apherah.’

Eben concentrated on the doors. ‘Is everyone ready?’ he asked.

Meara nodded and looked back at the others for confirmation. ‘We are ready.’

Eben then rode on with the Sword of Light. The others followed him as the unicorn leapt up the flight of steps. He reached a landing where the two large metal doors stood. The unicorn reared up and kicked out, bashing the doors open. Meara, Red, Stella, and King Ignis were at his side. Quade, Arthur, and Cassiel were further back.

Before them was a large hall which was about a one hundred and fifty yards in length and eighty yards in width. Towering stone pillars lined the edges and rose up to the ceiling about eighty yards above the dark stone floor. Directly ahead the dragon was curled up like a giant snake. Its fierce red eyes instantly opened as Eben rode into the hall. The beast leapt up and uncoiled the length of its enormous body. The dragon’s massive batlike wings stretched out.

Eben looked across the hall and could see Apherah. She was dressed in a long flowing white gown and was being held in a cage made completely of crystal glass. She looked to Eben.

Eben didn’t delay his attack. He galloped forward. The beast lunged at him. The unicorn leapt to the side in a display of awesome agility. Eben swung his blade at the shining scales of the mighty beast. Dragon blood poured out from the wound as a deafening howl issued forth. The unicorn backed away, and Eben turned to see the dragon desperately whirling around to face him.

The dragon snarled furiously, bearing its huge fangs. Intense flames burst out of its gaping mouth. The unicorn dashed aside, only just dodging the torrent of fire. Again the unicorn brought Eben into striking range. Eben struck again, cutting through the dragon’s scales. The furious beast whipped around and reached out with its claw. Eben thrust his blade forward.

Suddenly Eben felt a massive impact. The beast’s barbed tail struck the unicorn from the side. Eben tumbled heavily to the ground, and his head struck the solid floor. The Sword of Light flew from his hand and slid away across the cold stone ground. Eben, with blurred vision, saw the unicorn struggling to get back up. The dragon took advantage; its huge jaws wrapped around the body of the unicorn and ripped the majestic steed up from the ground. The unicorn thrashed for a moment in the fearsome jaws of the beast. Eben watched hopelessly as his unicorn was cast aside and fell to the ground lifeless. The dragon then turned on Eben. He desperately crawled away as the huge dragon pounced.

A blue blanket of flaming light struck the terrible beast at the last possible moment. An instant later Red grabbed Eben’s arm and dragged him back as Meara stepped forward. She lifted a brightly glowing crystal, the Irilian Star, and swirls of lightning whirled around her. Meanwhile King Ignis picked up the Sword of Light from the floor and dashed forward to help Meara.

Meara lifted her hands; the entire hall lit up. Blue light rose from the stone floor, and a shockwave of energy struck the dragon, pushing it back toward the far side of the hall. The dragon howled in defiance. Flames burst toward Meara. Meara shielded herself and again sent another shockwave of energy at the beast. This time the dragon smashed through the spell and bounded forward.

Meara cracked the Irilian Star on the stone floor, which caused an explosion of raw power. The bright blue light was almost blinding. The dragon tumbled back and crashed heavily into the far wall. An entire pillar collapsed from the impact, and a gaping hole appeared in the opposite wall. For several moments no one could see the dragon at all as blue light swelled around the beast.

As the light faded the wounded dragon reappeared, howling furiously. Meara looked up in horror as the massive beast leapt at her. In an instant the dragon snatched her up in its claws. King Ignis charged forward with the Sword of Light and drove the blade into the dragon’s side. The dragon cast Meara away; she flew through the air and crashed heavily into the wall, falling to the ground unconscious. The beast, growling horrifically, then turned to face the King. King Ignis heaved the Sword of Light out of the dragon. The dragon struck him with the back of its claw, sending him tumbling back. He staggered to his feet and stumbled away.