armies of the dead marched.
The newcomer’s question came back to haunt him. What could they do in the face of such uncanny sorcery? It was so new and strange and potent, on a scale unlike anything Sardec had yet witnessed. The destruction of the Serpent Tower had been impressive, but it had been a local event, unique, that could and would happen only once, but this was different. Evil magic had reached out and blanketed a nation, and unless he missed his guess it was getting stronger with every day that passed. Perhaps it fed on the deaths of the plague victims or on any deaths at all. Perhaps it really was a harbinger of the end of the world. Perhaps the Light really was passing judgement.
Sardec looked at the soldiers. “I believe we should pray,” he said.
No one disagreed.
The building in which Rik and Asea camped had been a watermill once. The rotting remains of the wheel were still there even though the upper part of the structure had long ago tumbled into the river. The place was defensible and they were unlikely to find a better one in which to camp for the night.
A flame crystal burned in a brass setting in the middle of the main chamber, providing both heat and light by virtue of its magic. Karim produced food and wine from the travelling chests. Tamara sat nearby, still in chains, watching everything with a wary eye.
Rik remembered the nightmare of their flight, as the huge wyrm ploughed through the fleeing soldiers and camp followers blocking the road, like a massive galleon making its way through a swarm of rowboats.
He recalled only too well the looks of shock and suffering on the faces of those they passed, and the despair of those who knew that sometime soon death would overtake them on the road, while the Terrarchs looming above them might still escape. There had been hatred there amidst the despair and Rik could not blame those people for it. He would have felt that way himself in their position.
Asea looked bone weary. Defeat was etched on every line of her face. Tamara did not look much better. She had the appearance of one who thought she had reached sanctuary and found her safe haven a trap. Only Karim looked indifferent to their circumstances but then he always did.
Rik took the bit of beef he had been heating on the point of his dagger and offered it first to Asea and then to Tamara. After both of them had turned it down he began chewing on it himself.
Asea rose and walked around the four corners of the building putting wards into place. Rik felt the slight surge of power as the spell activated. He wondered if the wards’ presence might give them away to any pursuers then dismissed the concept as ludicrous. The presence of a large black bridgeback wyrm outside of the place was all the clue anyone hunting for runaway Terrarchs would need.
Asea sat down once by the heating crystal once more. She was still armoured and looked like a war-goddess from an earlier age.
“I take it things did not go according to plan,” said Tamara. There was a mocking note in her voice, as always. She seemed incapable of keeping it out when she talked to Asea.
“You take it correctly.”
“What now, Milady?” Rik asked to forestall any further sniping. He feared that things would not go well for Tamara, given Asea’s present mood.
Asea considered for a moment. “The power behind the plague is a mighty one. The Army of the Dead is only going to get stronger until the spell is ended and the gateway closed.”
“I would say that is a fair assessment of the situation,” said Tamara. “But somewhat irrelevant.”
“How so?”
“Because we have no way of breaking the spell. Your army was defeated today, Milady, and the armies of the East march towards your homeland.”
“Be that as it may, it does not alter the nature of the problem in the slightest. While the dead march the West cannot win this war. Every casualty is a potential new recruit for our foes. Every loss to our side is doubled.”
Tamara nodded. “I know that as well as you but that was not point. Without your army you have no way of getting to Askander and closing the Gate.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I should think it obvious. All the armies of Sardea lie between you and your destination.”
Asea smiled. “Perhaps not. As you have so astutely pointed out, they will soon sweep on, invincibly, into the West.”
“You cannot be thinking of striking East on your own.”
“Why not? I can do no good here and I may be able to close the Gate in the East.”
“It is guarded.”
“Guards can always be taken by surprise. You of all people should know that. And I doubt our enemies will expect such a bare-faced attack.”
“Presumably because they assume you are not insane.”
Rik stared at Asea. She sounded serious. She really was considering heading East, on her own, to try and close the Gate. Perhaps she had gone mad. It was possible some backlash from today’s sorcery had deranged her.
“You have no chance,” said Tamara.
“I have a tiny chance,” said Asea. “And when you have run out of options, that is better than nothing.”
“I think you might be noticed in your war-gear.”
“There’s always disguise.”
“They will be looking for you.”
“They will be looking for me in the West, with the armies of the West. I doubt they will expect me to go rushing into their territory. Would you?”
Tamara’s smile could almost have been admiring. “No. Because I have always thought you were clever.”
“The Princes of Shadow will come. I have already seen one world lost to them. I will not see another.”
“How will you go?” Rik asked. “The wyrm is a bit conspicuous and we do not have any dragons. Do you know some sorcery that will transport you there?”
“I will go on foot if necessary and I will go soon, for every day that passes our enemy grows stronger, and it may be that they will soon be sufficiently mighty or Talorea may become sufficiently weak for them to overcome us without their undead legions.”
“You underestimated us, didn’t you?” said Tamara quietly.
“Yes,” said Asea.
“It’s not surprising. I did too.”
“Who could have foreseen anything like this, on a world with so much less power available than Al’Terra?”
“The people who planned it did.”
“Yes. They managed to find something that would work even with the full power of their magic unavailable to them. They were devilishly clever.”
“They had centuries to prepare,” said Rik.
“So did we,” said Asea, “but we spent it building an Empire over the humans and fighting among ourselves, and our greatest foes have taken advantage of that. Then again, they always knew how to exploit our weaknesses, and why should they not, for they are just like us in many ways.”
“Does that not mean that you should be able to exploit their weaknesses in return,” said Rik.
“I hope so, for if we do not then civilisation as we know it on this world is doomed and a new age of darkness has begun.”
“Can you close the Gate?” Rik asked.
“I have done so once. I can do it again. I might even be able to destroy it, if I get close enough.”
“How will you do that?”
“I am hoping that you can show me the way.” There was a hint of pleading in the look she gave him.
“I’ll need to think about it.”
She nodded. “Don’t take too long. Every hour counts.”
Rik lay in the gloom of the ruined building. Try as he might and tired as he was he could not get to sleep. Eventually, he rose and made his way up the old stairs to watch the moonlight turn the oily surface of the river to
