Otto needed little time to figure out that the Sanguine Scroll wasn’t in the library they found. Anything that powerful would stand out in the ether like a beacon. Both of the other pieces of the Immortality Engine certainly had. Add to that the lack of a guardian simulacrum, and he felt certain the Scroll lay elsewhere.
The thousands of books held priceless knowledge, at least the few he’d glanced at looked promising. But not the specific knowledge he sought. It was frustrating, but there were two more pyramids to search. Perhaps they’d have better luck there.
What struck him as the most strange was his master being wrong about the Scroll’s location. He’d assumed she’d spoken from personal knowledge, but maybe she’d just guessed. He also couldn’t deny the possibility that if there was a guardian, it had moved the Scroll after Lord Sur’s death.
So many unknowns.
Otto had always hated puzzles and this one was no exception. Nevertheless, he would figure it out, even if he had to rip this miserable city down one brick at a time.
“Lord Shenk.” Hans knelt in the center of the library, one hand touching the floor. “There’s something here. I can feel markings on the floor.”
Otto set the book he’d been looking at back on its shelf and went to join him. “Show me.”
Hans traced the outline of a marking then moved his hands aside. Otto leaned over and touched the floor. Sure enough, there was something engraved there. The marks were subtle and so shallow you couldn’t even see them standing up.
His pulse raced. This had to be what they were supposed to find. “There must be more. Everyone fan out. Search the floor.”
The rest of the squad got to work, but Axel kept his place by the connecting door. For his part, Otto drew his dagger and scraped at the marking. A thin layer of stone quickly crumbled away. Underneath, mithril shone in the light.
It was a portal. It had to be. Smaller certainly than the one outside, but the same principle. If they cleaned it off and Otto ran a current of ether through it, maybe it would take them to the Scroll.
He was so excited he barely heard when Axel said, “Otto.”
Otto looked up from his excavation. Axel motioned him over.
Not now, not when he was so close.
“Clean those markings off.” Otto went over to his brother. “What is it?”
He nodded toward Lady White. “She just whispered that someone was coming.”
A little growl slipped out. Otto would happily kill whoever was interrupting his work.
He walked over to Lady White and whispered, “Is it Jackal?”
She shook her head. “It’s a human, by himself.”
Her head snapped around to focus on a different staircase. “There are more coming from that way. Whoever they are, they have some magic to protect them from undead. I can already feel it twisting my guts. Everything in me says to run away even though I know it probably won’t actually kill me.”
“How many in the second group?”
“I can’t tell through the magical interference.” She backed away from the staircase, seeming unaware that she’d done it. “They’re getting closer, both of them.”
“Back into the library,” Otto said. “You too, Lute.”
The three of them slipped back out of the antechamber and Otto shut the door. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll kill each other.”
“What should I do, Lord Shenk?” Lute asked.
“Stay by the door with Axel. Anyone tries to come in, run them through.”
Lute saluted, but Otto was focused on Lady White who stared at the now fully uncovered miniature portal. It was a beautiful ring of mithril engraved with runes Otto had never seen before. Activating it should be a simple matter of running ether through the metal, the trick was figuring out which rune to choose as the target. If he picked wrong, heaven knew where he might end up.
“This just isn’t my day,” Lady White said. “I’ve got undead-repelling magic on one side and a couple hundred pounds of mithril on the other.”
It would be considerably worse for her when he activated the portal. The safest thing would be for her to retreat back up the ladder to the altar chamber. But with Jackal still unaccounted for, he didn’t dare let her go alone. They needed to come to grips with the hunter before he could move on to the next phase of his mission.
Lady White spun around and stared at the closed door like it was invisible. “Jackal’s here. And if I know he’s here, then he knows I’m here.”
The expression, “Be careful what you wish for lest you get it,” immediately sprang into Otto’s mind.
Uther winced as Lilly tightened the bandage around his shoulder. He’d had worse wounds over the years, but never a more painful one. Whatever that thing that attacked him was, it hurt him badly. He adjusted his shoulder, trying to make sure it would move should he have to fight.
“Hold still,” Lilly said. “I need to tie it off. Don’t worry, the wound looks clean and clear of corruption. It will heal in time.”
“Assuming we can find a way out of here. Where’d Gareth go anyway? He saved my life.” Uther still didn’t trust the young man completely but risking himself to save Uther went a long way toward establishing that trust.
“He went to check out that door, remember?” Lilly looked up from his wound. “He got it open and I can’t see him. Maybe he found the way out.”
“Maybe.” When Lilly released him, Uther stood and pulled his tunic on. “We’d better catch up. Sitting here waiting for the light to go out again doesn’t appeal to me.”
Even as he said it, the green flame wavered and dimmed.
“Someone just tried to snuff it out again.” Lilly stared back the way they’d come. “If you can run, I don’t think I can stop another attack.”
“I can run fine.” Uther took her free hand and sprinted toward the door.
Five feet from it the light vanished and plunged them momentarily into darkness.
Uther didn’t dare look back and soon enough Lilly had a new light above them. She tossed the lantern away and they darted down the stairs. At the bottom, they found Gareth staring at a closed door and chewing his lip.
He turned as though surprised to see them. “All fixed up? Where’s the lantern?”
“I had to abandon it,” Lilly said. “I wasn’t strong enough to fend off the wizard trying to snuff it out.”
Gareth’s gaze shifted to a spot behind them. “That’s a shame.”
Uther spun, instinctively shifting to put Lilly behind him. Descending the stairs was man with a pale face so handsome he couldn’t be human. His head seemed to float in the darkness, but Uther quickly recognized the cloak hiding the rest of his body. The woman beside him, while not unattractive, seemed so in comparison. She held the deactivated lantern and swung it casually from side to side.
These two had to be the companions Gareth warned them about, Jackal and Ginevera.
“Hi, guys,” Gareth said. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
Ginevera’s laugh was humorless. “With our enemies? I hardly think so. You’re a disloyal rat that would betray his companions in a second to save his own skin.”
“Well, yes, technically that’s true, but Uther and Lilly aren’t our enemies. They’re just looking for a way out of here, same as us. We should work together, not fight.”
Jackal took a step towards them and Uther moved back a step to match.
“This isn’t going to be a fight,” Jackal said. “It’s going to be a slaughter. After all, I still need a new arm. Will you fight to protect them?”
Gareth was spared having to answer when a green light from one of the other staircases filled the room. Jackal snarled and leapt back, retreating up the stairs out of sight.
Ginevera thrust a hand out at them and lightning crackled. The blast hit a barrier and arced off to the left and right.
She glared at Lilly who stared back, not giving an inch. Uther couldn’t deny she impressed him.
“Are you two okay?” Eddred’s voice came from behind them.
“This isn’t over.” Ginevera shot a hard look at Gareth before retreating after Jackal.
Uther seriously doubted Gareth would find any sort of a welcome with his former allies now.
“I’m okay, Majesty, but Uther was hurt by some creature in the maze above.” Lilly finally turned away from the staircase. “You need to be careful. That woman is a powerful wizard and she knows how to shut off the lanterns.”
“Sounds like we need to exchange stories,” Eddred said. “Do you know what’s behind the closed door?”
“It was closed when we arrived and we didn’t have time to open it,” Uther said. “Did you see any sign of the mercenaries?”
“Yeah, but there wasn’t much left of them.” Eddred shook his head. “What a horrible way to die.”
“Don’t pity them too much. Kane betrayed us to those other two.” Uther gave a condensed version of Gareth’s story. “I swear when we get out of here, I’m going to break his neck.”
“By the laws of the city, Kane did nothing wrong. It’s my fault for not negotiating better. I was in such a hurry, I didn’t even consider the possibility of betrayal.” Eddred turned to face Gareth. “And what are your intentions? From what Uther’s told me, you’ve been a loyal companion since you joined them. That counts for a lot with me.”
“In all honesty, sir,” Gareth said. “All I want is to make it home in one piece. Though if Ginevera makes it back as well, I’m unlikely to have a long and healthy life. The City of Coins seems an interesting place. I might try my luck there, assuming we live.”
“You are wise beyond your years. This quest has consumed far too many lives. It’s a relief to find someone that wants no part of it. Now, shall we take a look at what’s behind the door?”
They didn’t manage a step before both the lanterns went dark.
In the light of Lilly’s spell, all Uther could see was Jackal’s pale face as he surged down the stairs. A single, powerful blow sent Uther flying across the room.
He hit the stone wall hard and everything went black.
Just because Otto couldn’t extend his senses didn’t mean he couldn’t enhance them. Standing beside his brother in the library, his ear pressed to the sealed door, he listened as Prince Uther explained to Eddred how Jackal and his previously unknown—at least unknown to Otto—allies had followed them from the City of Coins with the intention of stealing the Scroll and robbing the pyramid.
Lady White and the others were watching him with tense expressions. They all knew a fight was coming. All Otto wanted to figure out was the most efficient way to kill everyone in the nexus chamber with the least risk to his own team.
The blindingly obvious answer came to him a moment later. Jackal and his allies clearly wanted Eddred and his allies dead. If the problem was the lanterns, Otto could help with that.
Looking through the ether, he quickly spotted the two lanterns and the point where the ether entered them to power the magic. There was also a weak barrier protecting them from magical interference. It was another reminder of just how pathetic Eddred’s pet wizards really were.
Otto wove plugs of ether and attached them to fifteen-thread tentacles. With a thought he sent the spells smashing through the barriers. His plugs cut off the ether and the magic died.
Moment later muffled thuds and crackles of lightning came through the door. He motioned for everyone to get ready. The door was sturdy and well made, but he held no illusions about how long it would hold out against a sustained assault.
He shifted to one side and drew his mithril sword. A few seconds later, a pale fist smashed through the door.
Otto slashed, hoping to deprive Jackal of his second arm.
He was a fraction too slow. The arm withdrew before he struck home.
The magic came next. A powerful wave of lightning that hammered hard into Otto’s shield. No way had either of Eddred’s wizards managed that spell. Otto had never even seen lightning cast without a targeting thread.
He sent threads through the blade of his sword, rubbed his fingers to gather heat, and hurled a twenty-thread lance of fire through the gap.
No screams of pain followed.
A moment later the door exploded inward in a shower of splinters.
Jackal backhanded Axel across the library.
Otto caught a glimpse of terrified figures huddled around a single green glowing lantern. Bodies sprawled across the floor, but he couldn’t make out whose.
“You will not escape me this time!” Jackal roared and charged Lady White.
Hans and the guys tried to get in his way, but he was too fast.
Bodies flew left and right.
Otto infused his body with ether until he feared he might explode and charged.
For her part, Lady White sent a fist of corruption to slam into Jackal. He barely staggered then barreled forward.
As he reached for her throat again, Otto swung his mithril sword at Jackal’s neck.
Even at enhanced speed, Jackal managed to dodge. Otto stood beside Lady White as they faced Jackal.
The demonically enhanced human pointed and darkness started to rise from the floor. Lady White’s own power sprang to life and suppressed it. Magically it seemed the two Astaroth worshipers were evenly matched.
It was a standoff. Otto doubted he could defeat Jackal in a straight fight, even with magical enhancement. His sword skills simply weren’t good enough to best someone able to keep up with his enhanced speed.
Even focused as he was on the battle, Otto sensed power gathering near the portal. He flicked a glance that way and found Jackal’s companion activating it.
Cursing the universe, Otto readied himself. The timing would be close, but if Jackal was as sensitive as Lady White to pure ether channeled through mithril, his plan might work.
“When I move,” he whispered so only Lady White could hear. “Flee for the altar chamber. Find a scout patrol away from the portal and stay with them. I’ll rejoin you as soon as I can.”
Any comment she might have made was cut off when Jackal said, “Stop hiding behind that human and let’s settle this. I’ve chased you long enough.”
Otto sensed power gathering behind him and a moment later pure ether flooded the room along with nearly blinding light.
Lady White and Jackal both howled in pain.
When Jackal raised his arms to protect himself, Otto lunged with all his might.
His mithril sword ran Jackal right through the heart.
Otto ripped the blade free and hacked Jackal’s head off. If the son of a bitch came back from that, he didn’t know what he’d do. Right now, he had to chase after the female wizard lest she claim the Scroll ahead of him.
He caught a glimpse of Lady White hurrying up the ladder out of sight. Good. She’d be better off outside anyway.
Someone bumped him, but Otto couldn’t see who it was.
He sensed the portal starting to collapse.
Sprinting for all he was worth, Otto leapt through the light. All around him the ether straightened. And a moment after that it went chaotic again.
An instant later he appeared in a dark room. He straightened and conjured a light.
Facing him, a black-bladed dagger gripped in his right hand, was a man a few years Otto’s senior. His tunic was ragged and his gaze darted around as though expecting some other danger to appear at any moment.
While he made no move to attack, Otto figured it was better to bind the man just to be safe.
He flicked his ring and sent out a thread. Three feet from the target the thread slowed then completely fell apart.
Interesting. Otto doubted he had access to mirrorshine, so something else must be protecting him from the magic. The dagger perhaps.
Otto probed it with a thread that immediately dissolved. Yes, the dagger for sure.
“Hi,” the man said. “Um, are we going to fight or something?”
“I have no interest in fighting you, assuming you’re not planning to help that female wizard claim the Scroll or take it for yourself. My name is Otto Shenk by the way.”
“Gareth. And no, I have no interest in helping Ginevera. I just want to get this bracelet off my arm and get the hell out of here. Say, are you going to put that away?” He nodded toward Otto’s sword.
“You first,” Otto said.
Gareth looked at the dagger in his hand as though just remembering it was there. “Sure. I’m not much of a fighter anyway.”
Otto smiled. Finally, someone sensible. “Neither am I.”
They sheathed their weapons at the same time. So far, their relationship was off to an excellent start.
Otto took a moment to study both the man and the glowing bracelet on his wrist. The enchantments looked simple enough. A proper application of ether should force it to slide right off. If Gareth wanted it removed badly enough, perhaps a deal could be reached. But first he needed to do a little research.
“Where are we exactly?” Gareth asked, butting into his thoughts.
That was an excellent question. The room they arrived in appeared empty. There was also no sign of a portal. Otto’s guess, and that’s all it was, was that when Gareth’s dagger entered the portal, it disrupted the ethereal flow and dumped them somewhere other than the target location.
At least there was a door leading out of the room. Better yet, the corruption seemed thinner here, allowing him to use his magic more freely. Just for curiosity’s sake he tried to extend his sight and failed. Either they were still inside the pyramid or they’d ended up somewhere with the same protections in place.
Either way, it was a nuisance.
“I wish I knew.” As Otto spoke, he sent another thread out. This one passed right through Gareth without issue. “On the positive side, for you at least, I believe I can remove that bracelet.”
Gareth brightened at once. “Really? That’s the best news I’ve heard since leaving home.”
Otto touched the dagger’s hilt and cross guard with another thread. Once more he had no troubles. It seemed only the blade had magic-disrupting power and as long as it stayed sheathed, that power remained suppressed. Perfect.
“I’ll make you a trade,” Otto said. “The dagger for removing the bracelet.”
Gareth touched the hilt of his weapon. “It’s been in my family for generations. I can’t just hand it over.”
Otto shrugged and started toward the door. “In that case, best of luck to you.”
“You can’t just leave me here.” Gareth hurried to catch up.
“Of course I can. I don’t know you. So far you’ve been allied with two of my enemies. Neither of those facts encourages me. I’m happy to part company on a peaceful basis. I have enough enemies without adding you to the list.”
“Okay, okay. Suppose I trade you the dagger. I’d need some kind of weapon in exchange.”
Otto stepped out onto a familiar-looking passage. The black stone and tile floors looked exactly like the rest of the pyramid. Hopefully there weren’t any trapdoors.
“Tell you what,” Otto said. “When we get out of here, I’ll remove the bracelet and give you a mithril sword in exchange for the dagger.”
Gareth stared at him. “A mithril sword is worth more gold than I can count. Why would you give me one for this old dagger? I mean, I know it will cut through damn near anything, but so will mithril.”
Otto glanced at him. He clearly had no idea about his dagger’s true power. “I have many mithril swords but no daggers like yours. And I have an interest in unusual weapons. It will be a fine addition to my collection. Do we have a deal?”
Gareth thought it over for a few strides then nodded. “Deal.”
“Good. Now, let’s see if we can find the Scroll and a way out of here.”