Tak

The Gem Lords - Part 4

     The dark magics animating the undead creature gave it much more strength than any mere living opponent, though, and the knife was pushed inch by relentless inch closer to Barl's heaving chest. Tak, seeing his difficulty, grabbed a pike from a wall display and swung it, but his unfamiliarity with such a weapon meant that he hardly tapped the zombie, whose only reaction was to turn and stare at him with its empty, maggot ridden eyesockets. Tak draw back and stabbed with its steel point, and as the creature's skin was punctured it released a hiss of decomposition gases that sent Tak staggering back, gagging and his eyes watering. Its concentration had been broken, though, and Barl was able to throw it away, back into the room. He slammed the door closed and ran away, rubbing his bruised and bleeding throat.

     They found the staircase a few moments later. A concealing tapestry had been thrown aside in the necromancer's haste and the door behind stood open. They paused in the entrance for a moment, hastily checking for traps and other hidden defences, then they descended warily, wanting to run but with enough self control to know that stealth might be the only thing that would save their lives. Cuthbert had to know they were coming, after all.

     No, he knew Tak was coming, Tak corrected himself with sudden excitement. He didn't know Barl was with him. He grabbed Barl's sleeve and whispered in his ear, describing the bare outlines of a plan.

     Barl listened, then nodded. "It might work," he whispered back. "It's got to be worth a shot." He waited while Tak went on alone, therefore, waiting until his colleague was out of sight before creeping after him.

     At the bottom of the stairs was a long, dark corridor, lit at wide intervals by torches sitting in wall sockets. The wall on his right was solid stone, but on the left, once he'd passed the guardroom, was a row of cells, their iron bars brown with rust but still strong and solid looking. The first few were empty, but further along they contained bits and pieces of rubbish and disused equipment, looking as though they'd been simply dumped there in the absence of any better storage place, like someone's attic or garage. The laboratories must be further ahead, unless they'd chosen wrong and he'd gone up instead, into one of the towers. Gods, please no, he prayed silently. He's got to be here. He must be! Might they already be too late? he wondered. After all, how long did it take to activate a crystal ball and blurt out a few words to tell of their treachery? But that was assuming Cuthbert's first thought was to inform Khalkedon. Might he instead be more concerned with escape and survival? But if he just wanted to escape, why come down into the dungeons? He cursed under his breath. They should have tried the towers first. They should have...

     His life was saved by his acute hearing. He heard the chanting of magic words from somewhere ahead of him and dodged into one of the cells, hiding behind a large wooden crate which exploded as it caught the full force of Cuthbert's spell. If the necromancer had decided to stand and fight, that had to mean he had nowhere left to run. Stupid of him to let himself be cornered, unless... Of all the wings and levels of his castle, thought Tak, his mind racing, this was where he'd run to when he was threatened. What did he have here that he was counting on to save him? Tak found himself suddenly growing very worried. If only he'd been able to take him by surprise, as he had Gal-Gowan. Damn the luck that had brought the red wizard visiting today, of all days!

     "You're dead, my young friend," called out Cuthbert, giggling hysterically. "I don't know what madness drove you to this, but you'll have plenty of time to tell me. My little pet here doesn't kill quickly."

     He tittered insanely, and Tak heard the rapid chanting of magic words. Knowing that whatever spell he was casting would keep him occupied for a crucial moment, Tak took the chance to jump out of cover and sprint down the tunnel. He passed a large cavern, and caught a brief glimpse of the necromancer at the top of a ladder. He was reaching down into a huge vat, helping something out, but the younger wizard didn't pause. He hurried on, past the cavern, to where the tunnel continued on through a number of other roughly hewn rooms full of bloodstained tables and bottles of bubbling liquids. Here he paused with his back to the bare stone wall, gasping for breath. He and Barl were now on opposite sides of the necromancer, who didn't know the redhead was here. If Tak could occupy his attention for long enough, Barl would be able to take him from behind.