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Toryn waited for the last of the rock-laden wagons to clear the bridge. And, as if on cue, the Caerwals put on their red cloak to greet the evening sun. He had spent the day unsuccessfully trying to locate the Amayans and wished to clear his head. He strode onto the bridge and into the cooler air settling in the chasm. Toryn stopped in the middle and turned to face the Archon’s Tower, hoping to see signs of Nyomae. But no light came from the single window, and the door remained closed.

Toryn’s stomach churned. He spun around, expecting to see the hooded form of Uleva on the bridge, but found he was alone. Yet, the feeling did not leave him. He strode towards the Lower Gate, convinced something was afoot in the pass. He approached the portcullis just as it began to lower. ‘Hold on there, mate. The pass is closing for the day.’ A large guard ducked under from beneath the gate. ‘And you won't want your head caved in by—’

‘Odrun!’ Toryn strode to meet him and gripped his forearm.

‘Why, if it isn’t young Toryn.’ He turned. ‘Oi! Harruld, you’ll never guess who’s come to visit.’

Harruld squeezed through the narrow doorway of the gatehouse. He beamed. ‘Well ain’t our young prisoner now the man of the moment. One day you’re hanging from the bridge, the next you’re saving our skins at the pass.’ He took two long strides and patted Toryn’s shoulder. ‘Me and Oddy never thought you were a bad ‘un. You can’t fool an old guard… well, maybe once or twice, but never thrice. We’ve heard all about your heroics. And may I say a personal thanks. Me and Oddy would have been goners for sure had you not brought down that Nordleng swine on the ledge above us.’

Toryn peered through the gate. ‘I only wish I could have taken out more.’

Harruld’s grin faded. ‘Don't be hard on yourself, lad. You did all you could. If it wasn’t for you, who knows how many more would have been lost. No one else, besides the good Lady Harlyn, seemed to know what was happening that day.’

Odrun released Toryn’s arm. ‘Anyways, what brings you out here at this hour. All the workers have left and we’re closing up for the night.’

Toryn’s hand went to his gut. ‘I came out for some air and watch the sunset, but then… this may sound absurd, but I sensed something’s not right… in the pass.’

Harruld glanced at his companion. ‘If you think something ain’t right, then you must have good reason. Lucky you thought something was amiss when we were all packed in the pass making an easy target, eh.' He wrapped his thick arm around Toryn. ‘Let’s head on over and have a look, shall we? It’s not like me and Oddy have much to do on this watch, so we may as well keep ourselves occupied. We’ll just secure the entrance and tag along. If that’s alright by you?’

Toryn nodded. ‘Your company would be most welcome, but perhaps we should wait until there are more of us?’

‘No need to fret there, lad. Fidric and a dozen of his lads are on duty at the gate.’

Toryn shivered. ‘Then could I trouble you for a cloak… and maybe a weapon of sorts?’

‘That certain something’s up, eh? Better be wary then. We hear guards on duty at the city gate are seeing ghosts now.’ Harrold chuckled. ‘And that’s even after the Castellan banned their ale. But we don’t have to worry about Fidric. He never touches the stuff. A bit odd if I may say so, but as he’s overseeing the removal of the unused casks of Shreek’s Rage, I reckon that’s for the best. It’s done at night after the rubble clearers have gone.’ Harruld splayed his large fingers. ‘Boom! Can’t be too careful with that stuff, eh? So, if you think there’s something not quite right, we’d better get ourselves down there.’

Toryn sighed. ‘There’s plenty not right these days. Scuffles are still breaking out even with the inns closed. People are getting hurt.’

Harruld scoffed. ‘Now as a man who likes a drop of ale, I’d say that’s the problem. After a tankard or three, most I know can’t throw a punch without falling over.’ He nodded at the gate. ‘Right then. Not sure if we can find a sword suitable for a hero such as yourself. But we have a few still sharp enough to do some damage.’ Toryn followed Harruld into the gatehouse as Odrun lowered the portcullis. Inside, Harruld soon found a sword and a heavy cloak. Toryn held the blade, hoping it was of better quality than the one that had shattered in his first fight at Drunsberg.

Odrun entered, picked up his cloak and threw it around his broad shoulders. Toryn buckled his belt as the two guards prepared. Harruld secured his breastplate. He held another out to Odrun. The big man shook his head. ‘I’ll stick with my leather and sheepskin thanks, Harry.’ He grinned at Toryn. ‘Gets a little chilly at night down the pass.’

‘You’re sure, Oddy? If young Toryn thinks something’s up, then I believe him.’

Odrun patted his sword. ‘Got all the protection I need right here.’

Toryn tied his cloak. ‘What happened to your captain? The one who shared our breakfast?’

Harruld looked at Odrun. ‘Ah… now that's a tragic tale. And one we don’t like to tell...’ He waited. Odrun nodded. ‘But seeing as it’s you, we’ll break our rule. And maybe you might be able to explain what happened.’ Toryn waited while Harruld appeared to think where to start his tale. He took a breath. ‘Well here goes then. Our cappy survived the blast that day, all thanks to you I might say. We picked up a few scratches, bruises, and dents in our armor, but we were only dazed and deafened like.’ He looked down at his sword. ‘But then… as we were helping those less fortunate, suddenly this big, ugly brute appeared out of nowhere. I was sure he was a Golesh fighter, but I didn't stop to think about how he got there. Anyways, he was shaping to cleave Oddy’s thick skull in two, so I…’ his head shook, ‘I… I ran him through. Had no choice. It was him or Odrun.’ He rubbed the back of his neck. Then I took a blow to my head and my short battle was done. But when I came round, in the place where the Golesh creature had fallen, our captain lay dead.’ He stared open-mouthed at Odrun. ‘I’d gone and killed the cappy. Such a fine fellow. Always fair to his men. Well, you saw how he didn't turn us in for arranging that hearty breakfast at the gatehouse. Such a tragedy. He’d survived the landslide only to die by my hand. If only I could…’

Odrun continued. ‘But he wasn’t the only one. We lost six of our lads that way. Such fine fellows, but why did they suddenly come at us like mad Golesh warriors?’

Toryn strapped on his helmet. ‘I’m afraid it was a devious trick of the enemy. One last attempt to divide us and cause terror. It wasn’t your fault, Harruld. You only did what you’d been trained to do. And then because Odrun was in danger.’

Odrun hugged Harruld’s shoulders. ‘I told you, old boy, you weren’t to know it was the good captain. We were all tricked. I’m sure cappy didn’t want to split my head in two, but if you hadn’t acted, he would have done it. And who knows what would have happened after. He could have taken you down as well.’

Harruld fastened his cloak. ‘Well, ain’t that the most shameful and cowardly thing to do. To make friend fight friend? That’s unacceptable in my book.’ He grasped Toryn’s arm. ‘And thank you for clearing that up. It don’t bring the cappy back, but now I know I wasn’t to… to blame.’ He straightened. ‘Now then, let’s go and see what’s causing you to feel a little squiffy.’ Harruld tapped his blade. ‘And by The Three, if I find the enemy have sneaked under the gate, they’ll regret it.’

Toryn’s unease grew as they drew nearer to the site of the slaughter. He pulled his cloak tighter as the cool breeze sought to find its way to his bones. The cleared ground still bore scars from the explosion, but thankfully, no signs of the victims’ suffering remained. Their footsteps echoed as they walked in silence and Toryn sensed the guards also shared his apprehension. The three stepped onto the walkway that rose above the ground yet to be cleared. The wood creaked as they made their way over the rubble and the dead still trapped beneath. Toryn's eyes were drawn to the partly excavated quarters once used by the knights who kept watch day and night. He tried to imagine how the pass would have looked back in those days, but Uluriel's heinous act had marred the place forever.

Harruld was the first to speak. ‘It doesn’t matter how many times I come down here, my heart still lurches. These poor beggars never knew what hit them.’ He stopped and looked across the bleak site. ‘Here, Toryn. Could you help us out with something that's been troubling us of late? It’s kept us talking ‘til the early hours, and Oddy needs his beauty sleep.’

‘If I can. What troubles you?’

‘We was wondering if the souls of the Archonians buried here reached the plain. You’ve taken the Oath, so you know of the promise of a farm on the Plains of Evermore. But we only get one if we die in battle with our weapon in our hands.’ He stroked his chin. ‘Yet while we thought we were about to do battle, we know now there was no enemy to fight. So... there was no battle to be had, eh.’

Odrun clenched the railing. ‘And not forgetting they wouldn’t have had their swords drawn. We were listening to the Archon’s grand speech when the rocks started flying. And even if there was an enemy, the gate was shut. So it goes without saying, there was no battle.’

Toryn’s eyes wandered across the rubble. ‘That’s a fair point. But…’

Harruld kicked a stone from the walkway. ‘Be a terrible business if they didn’t get to the plain, don’t you think? All those soldiers wandering around whatever place the gentle folk go. I mean, the poor chaps won’t know where they are. And maybe don’t even know they’re dead.’

Toryn thought for a moment. ‘Maybe they have gone to the plain.’

Odrun scratched his head. ‘How could that be?’

‘In their minds, they were marching willingly to face what we believed to be a superior force. In their hearts, they were ready to lay down their lives to defend the realms. They weren’t to know they’d been deceived. And what soldier wouldn't reach for their weapon as soon as they suspected something was wrong? I bet your hands shot straight to your swords the moment you heard the blast.’ Odrun and Harruld nodded. Toryn continued. ‘Then that’s good enough for me. Every Archonian that died beneath the landslide was ready to fight the battle of their lives… and, if you think about it, we did indeed face our foe.’ He pointed to the gate. ‘The enemy was in the Archon’s head, standing right in front of us. So, that settles it for me. I’m certain the fallen will be sowing their first crop on their farms as we speak.’

Odrun wiped a tear from his cheek. ‘Thank you, lad. He’s right eh, Harruld. He is, ain’t he?’

Harruld grinned. ‘I believe he must be. If you look at it that way, it all makes sense now. We did face the enemy, and they must have had their hands on their weapons.' He looked across the floor of the pass and sighed. ‘Kind of reminds me of the lake at Syris.’ He ran his hand along the rail. These remind me of the jetties crossing the still waters of the lake. But there’s only fat, tasty fish beneath that surface, while here… well, we all know what lies beneath.’ His nose wrinkled. ‘It’s going to take months to recover all these poor souls. But now we know they’ve got their farms, that’s helped to ease the pain. But I’d still wager most never knew what sent them on their way.’

Odrun grunted. ‘Well, I ain’t going to let that happen to me.’ He set off. ‘Let’s get going and see what’s bothering young Toryn and meet whatever’s down there with our eyes open.’

Toryn followed. He looked up. The gate stood less than half a league ahead, but all seemed peaceful. He turned to Harruld as they strode on. ‘They say the main tower at Syris is as tall as Telamir.’

‘I’ve yet to see Telamir. But this fellow has seen both.’ Harruld nudged Odrun. ‘What do you reckon about them towers, Oddy? Which is taller?’

Odrun appeared as if he had just heard their conversation. ‘Towers?’

‘Which of them lake towers would you say is the tallest? Telamir or Syris?’

He scratched his beard. ‘Not easy to say. Syris is a larger lake, and the jetties only stretch so far out. And seeing as no one is allowed on the islands, it’s difficult to say which is taller. But…’ his eyes wandered to the first stars twinkling in the darkening sky. ‘The Towers of Syris are the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. It’s as if they were crafted by the fair hands of the Maidens. All tall and slender they are. Looks like they’re stroking the passing clouds, and the clouds seem to like it.’ Harruld winked at Toryn, but Odrun continued, unaware of his friend’s mirth. ‘Now Telamir… that’s a very different tower altogether. A strange one, yet fine-looking in its own sort of way. It's like a potter has twisted it out of wet clay on her wheel. But it’s a dark one. It almost defies your eyes to see it. At first glance it appears like glass, but look again and it could be stone. And even in the still waters of the lake it don’t cast no reflection. Strange, very strange.’ Odrun sighed. ‘I hope one day to get the chance to see them towers again.’

Harruld chuckled. ‘You should talk about such things more often. It would’ve made all those nights we’ve spent on watch more bearable. Never had you down as a poet, Oddy.’

Odrun threw a mock punch at Harruld’s chin. ‘Not just a fearless warrior with a pretty face, eh.’

Harruld ducked. ‘Wrong on both counts.’ He jumped up and ruffled Odrun’s hair. ‘But I wouldn’t want to spend those cold nights beside a campfire with any other fool.’

Toryn laughed, happy to be distracted as they neared the end of the walkway. In the murky light, the Caerwal Gate appeared taller as it loomed over them, barely tolerating their presence. At its base, a small cabin occupied the spot where the Archon had made his final speech. Harruld squinted in the gloom. ‘Here, Oddy. Does that hut look empty? Where’s Fidric and his men? Surely, they’d have lit their brazier by now?’ He turned to Toryn. ‘As Oddy said, it can get pretty cold here at night, even in summer. It’s almost like the dead suck the warmth out of the air.’

Odrun called out. ‘Hey! Fiddy! If you’re sleeping on duty that’s two ales you owe us.’ His booming voice echoed over their heads and down the pass. But no reply came. He drew his sword. ‘Looks like your gut was right, lad.’

Harruld put two fingers to his lips and whistled. But still none answered. He also drew his sword. ‘Be ready. Toryn, guard the rear while we check the cabin.’ Toryn waited at the end of the pier. He peered over to the remains of the Archon’s Tower, convinced the stone in its foundations was the cause of his discomfort. Yet Nyomae had reinforced the ground around it, believing it would reduce its potency. But Toryn’s unease was not solely down to the stone — it seemed to come from all around.

Harruld lit a torch, and the two guards entered the cabin. Harruld cried out. ‘Fiddy! What the—?’ He stuck his head out the door. ‘Here. Toryn. Something is up with Fidric. Come and take a look.’

Toryn hurried over. He squeezed between Harruld and Odrun into the small cabin. Harruld held up the torch. Toryn jumped back. Fidric stood ramrod straight at the center. His eyes stared at Toryn, but appeared not to see him. Harruld shook his head. 'Have you seen anything as strange as this on your travels?’ He waved the flame in front of Fidric’s face and exclaimed. ‘He don’t even blink.’

Odrun scoffed. ‘Never seen him stand like that even when inspected by the Archon.’ He leaned closer. ‘Is that frost?’ He touched the guard’s cheek, then snatched his hand back. ‘Stone cold.’ He rubbed his hands. ‘It’s like a blade on a winter’s morn.’

‘Well have you, lad?’ Harruld lowered the torch. ‘Have you seen anything like this?’

Toryn looked the guard in the eye. 'No, I can't say I've—’ He froze. A glint of green flashed behind Fidric’s glassy gaze. ‘But I’ve seen that green before... and that wasn’t good.’ A line spread from the corner of Fidric’s lips. The thin layer of ice cracked. His mouth gaped, stretching unnaturally wide. His eyes bulged. His scream chilled Toryn’s heart.

The guard lunged at Toryn. He jumped back, but Fidric was too fast. His icy hands grasped his neck and drove his thumbs into Toryn’s throat. He staggered, gasping for air as Odrun and Harruld grappled with Fidric. With the little strength he had left, Toryn slammed down hard on Fidric's arms. His body shuddered as if he had struck a stone pillar. Lights flickered at the edges of his vision. Odrun grabbed a spear. He knocked Fidric over the head as Harruld slammed into the guard. The four crashed out of the cabin door. The groping fingers released. Toryn pitched forward and coughed. At his feet, Fidric laid with his arms extended as if still intent on choking his victim.

Harruld kneeled and felt for a pulse. He looked up. ‘He’s dead.’

Odrun dropped the spear. ‘How can he be? I didn’t hit him that hard. He’s a tough nut. That blow shouldn’t have done for him.’ He turned. ‘You alright, Toryn?’

‘I’ll survive.’ He coughed and rubbed his throat. ‘Lucky you came with me, eh.’

Harruld ran his hands down Fidric’s body. ‘There’s no sign of a wound. I’ve seen him take blows that would have brought down an ox. Could he have been dead before we got here?’

Toryn followed Fidric’s glassy gaze to the emerging stars. ‘Dead? He moved.’

Odrun shivered. ‘But what about them tales… the one’s from Nordruuk? Death don’t mean nothing to that lot.’

Harruld groaned as he stood. ‘Just tales, Oddy. You can’t go believing every word spoken around the campfire. Anyways, best you go and check what’s happened to the others. By the Three, I hope they’ve not suffered the same fate as poor Fiddy.’

Odrun turned to the gate. ‘Surely not all of them. They’re strong fellows. Well capable of looking after themselves.’

‘Then where are they?’

Odrun picked up the spear. ‘I’ll find them. Then we’ll get to the bottom of this.’

Toryn nodded to the fallen guard. ‘Did you know him well?’

‘Not as well as Oddy, but we’re all brothers. I’ve fought the Ruuk by his side a few times.’ Harruld bent and folded Fidric’s arms across his chest. ‘Just tragic. He survived the carnage at Midsummer, only to die like this. Ah… the poor soul. Trying to throttle a fellow guard won’t earn his farm on the plain. Tragic. Just tragic.’

Odrun hurried back. ‘Harruld! They’re all dead!’

‘Dead?’ Harruld gaped. ‘All of them? You sure?’

‘Yes, all of them.’ Odrun’s eyes widened. ‘Worse than dead, I’d say. All shriveled, shrunken even.’

Toryn checked the gate. ‘What could have happened? The gate’s not breached. Who could have done…?’ His heart sank. The stone. Nyomae suspected another spell lay within. It had to be the work of the stone.

Odrun grasped Toryn’s arm. ‘Something killed them. Their faces. It’s like they’re still in pain.’ Toryn staggered forward as if a dagger had been thrust into his gut. Odrun steadied his fall. ‘What is it, lad?’

Toryn’s jaw clenched. He spat out his words. ‘There’s a stone. Beneath the—’

Harruld cried out. ‘Over there.’ He jabbed his finger at the old tower. ‘I don’t like the look of that. That ain’t natural.’ Toryn steadied his stance. He did not have to look — he could taste the wrong. The tower ruins glowed. Toryn’s ears ached as if the air tried to force its way into his skull. A green light rippled across the ground as if a pebble had dropped into a stagnant pond. But Toryn knew this was no pebble. He retched, recalling the foulness that struck down the guards at Drunsberg.

Toryn whispered. ‘We need to leave.’ But no one moved as the marble slab shifted. The scrape echoed loudly in the silence. A large rock tilted, sending the rubble toppling down the pile. The ghoulish glow spread. The ground trembled.

Harruld gaped. ‘What the—? Do they mine beneath the gate? We should raise—’

A sword thrust up from the rubble. ‘By The Three!’ Odrun gawped. A gray, scrawny hand clasped the handle. The sword-bearer’s head appeared. At first, Toryn thought he was looking at a broken helmet. He was wrong. Toryn reeled as the faint glow revealed a shattered skull. The disfigured soldier clambered out of his tomb. Toryn winced at the cracking of bones as the figure straightened. It bent to retrieve its shield and broken helmet. It turned. Gray skin clung to its head. A single, yellowing eye found Toryn. Its lips split as it grinned and raised its sword arm to challenge him.

Harruld spat. ‘Them tales… but I never thought. This is wrong. Very wrong. If it ain't enough this poor guard was buried by their evil, they go and fetch him back from the plains to fight us?’

Odrun leveled his spear. ‘It’s grim, Harry. But it’s just the one. We can deal with one. Let’s do him a favor and send him back to his farm, eh.’

Harruld drew his sword. ‘Agreed, Oddy. As hideous as this poor fellow looks, a swift blow or two will do the trick.’

Toryn stepped to Harruld’s side. ‘Can he be killed? He’s already dead.’

‘Can’t say I’ve ever fought a dead man, lad. But he can’t cause us harm if he’s got no arms or legs. And it ain’t killing him. We’ll grant him the peace he deserves and let him return to Evermore. This is an outrage.’

The forlorn figure stood still, its lipless grin and solitary eye, sickened Toryn.

A rock moved. Harruld turned. ‘Watch out. Looks like he’s got a friend.’ Toryn clenched his sword as another clawed its way through the debris. His stomach churned as the crushed, disfigured soldier rose from the mass grave. But he was not the last. More followed. Toryn stared in horror as a tall, thin guard, with his arms hanging loose at his sides, dragged his sword clattering across the debris to join the end of a ghastly line. The sorrowful figures limped on bent legs, raising their shattered swords with twisted arms. Then as one, they began their advance. They did not rush; they had no need.

Harruld muttered. ‘Get back to the pier. We’ll hold our position there. Remember. Not a step back. What will the others say if they find out we turned tail and ran from these skinny fellows? I reckon these fiends can’t move fast. We’ve got a narrow walkway. They can’t all come at us at once.’