to the hurt nobleman. With a gasp of surprise, Kaerion noted the thick leather collar, studded with a cluster of blue gems, clutched tightly in Bredeth’s left hand.
“I pulled this off the creature’s neck before it sliced intome,” Bredeth said before slumping heavily against the raven-haired fighter. “Doyou think Majandra would approve?”
Kaerion had no time to reply. The air above his head swirled with the flapping of stone wings.
“Incoming!” Gerwyth shouted, moments before the gargoyle felllike a terrible missile out of the ceiling’s shadows. More concerned withBredeth’s safety than his comfort, Kaerion pushed the wounded nobleman to thefloor and stepped back sharply. Razor-sharp claws sliced the air just inches from his face, but not before Gerwyth’s arrow struck the creature sharply in itsback.
Taking advantage of its momentary disorientation, Kaerion planted his feet and swung his blade in a deadly arc, twisting his hips to add more power to the blow. His sword met the creature’s stone skin with the forceof a hammer striking an anvil, and Kaerion nearly lost his grip on the blade. Bits of stone cracked and fell from the monster’s hide, and it roared in pain.Withdrawing the blade, Kaerion gave silent thanks to Phathas, who had imbued the blade with magic after their battle with the demon in Rel Mord.
Wounded as it was, the gargoyle was still a severe threat. It lashed out twice with its upper claws, catching Kaerion across the face and at the juncture of shoulder and neck. It was, however, the monsters lower claws that did the real damage. Forced to raise his shield to block an attack from the beast’s claw-tipped leg, Kaerion was unprepared for the twin thrust of its handsas they raked the unprotected length of his chest. Kaerion’s armor shredded intothin strips beneath the force of the gargoyle’s strikes. He fell back, unable tomuster an effective defense against the evil creature’s tremendous strength andspeed.
At that moment, twin bolts of energy flew from the open doorway, catching the creature in the face. It screeched once and turned to face this new threat. Grievously wounded, Kaerion withdrew, confident that the flares and flashes of arcane energy he saw emanating from the doorway would keep the gargoyle busy for the moment. Reaching a sure hand into a pouch at his belt, Kaerion withdrew a vial of green liquid. With one swift motion, he uncorked the container and brought it to his mouth, swallowing the sweet-tasting potion inside. Immediately, the pain of his wounds receded and some measure of strength flowed back into his limbs. Smiling in anticipation, Kaerion withdrew another glass container and prepared to quaff its contents.
A muffled explosion caught the fighter’s attention. To theleft of the entranceway, he saw that Vaxor had called upon Heironeous for help-and the god had answered. Three arrowhawks appeared in a blaze of light andcircled the gargoyle, their powerful wings and arrow-like bodies offering them greater maneuverability. Two opened their sharp beaks and shot a ray of energy at the gargoyle. The beast evaded the first blast with a sweep of its wings, but ran headlong into the other mystic bolt. The third arrowhawk, however, misjudged its flight and flew too close to the gargoyle. Angered by the wounds it was receiving, the stone-skinned monster concentrated its attacks on the hapless creature. It disappeared in a flash of light, its last sound a screech of pain.
Energized by his brief respite and the application of the healing potion, Kaerion raised his sword and swallowed the second potion. Time seemed to slow as the magical liquid took effect, and the fighter could feel his blood quickening. He gave another cry before launching himself into battle, delighted at the speed in which his feet carried him. Within moments, he had delivered two swift cuts to the gargoyle’s side. The beast, in turn, lashed outat the circling arrowhawks with its upper claws and then spun toward Kaerion, intent on disemboweling him with its remaining attacks.
Kaerion’s magically enhanced reflexes acknowledged the dangerand wove a seamless defense. His blade flashed in the torchlight, knocking back each of the gargoyle’s attacks. Obviously enraged by its ability to harm him,the monster ignored the attacking arrowhawks that darted in and out of its reach, concentrating all of its attention on Kaerion. Secure in his ability to parry the gargoyle’s claws, the fighter was caught unawares as it lashed out,grabbing hold of him with implacable strength and launching itself higher in the air. Briefly, Kaerion caught sight of his companions nearly thirty feet below, as he hurtled toward the far wall of the room. Just before it seemed as if the gargoyle would slam itself against the wall, it let out a deafening roar and released its grip on Kaerion. Gracelessly, the fighter plunged downward, striking the wall with bone jarring force before crashing to the ground. His sword flew from fingers suddenly gone nerveless and skidded several feet away.
Above, the gargoyle had completed its turn and now flew right at him, claws extended for a final attack. Out of the corner of his eye, Kaerion saw Adrys huddled behind a thin pillar of stone. For just a moment, he wondered how the boy had slipped past the guards to get this far into the room, but his speculation disappeared as the gargoyles shadow loomed larger.
“Adrys!” he shouted as loud as his stunned body would allow.“Throw me my sword, lad-and hurry.”
Moving swiftly, the boy stood over the sword and looked at the fallen fighter.
“Quickly, lad!” Kaerion shouted again. “I don’t have muchtime.” A quick glance in the air confirmed his fears. The gargoyle would reachhim in seconds.
An evil smile creased Adrys’ face as he bent to pick up thesword-
And threw it even farther away. “It’s time for you to die,”the boy said in a voice too innocent for such words, and then melted into the shadows.
Shock and desperation warred within Kaerion’s breast. He wasgoing to die now. Betrayed by a child even as he himself had betrayed a child. There was a certain rightness to this act, a testament to the simple and brutal poetry of Heironeous’ justice.
The razor claws of the gargoyle descended upon him like an executioners axe-
Only to be met by the bulk of Vaxor’s body as the clericthrew himself between the monster and its intended target. Horrified, Kaerion watched as the beast’s diamond-sharp claws ripped through armor and skin, slicingopen the priest’s belly. Defiantly, Vaxor brought his own sword slashing againstthe creature’s neck, the movement pulling apart the remaining string of musclethat kept his entrails inside his body. Blood and organs spilled out onto the floor as the force of the noble’s final attack severed the monster’s stone headfrom its body. Bereft of its head, the rest of the monster shattered into a thousand pieces.
In the ensuing silence, the cleric cast a single glance at Kaerion before he coughed up a gout of blood and fell to the floor.
“No!” Kaerion shouted as he stumbled toward the fallencleric.
Vaxor lay on his back in the center of a widening pool of blood. Amazingly, he was still clinging to life, his breath coming swift and shallow, rattling ominously in his blood-gorged chest. Oblivious to the gore, Kaerion knelt, cradling Vaxor’s head in his hands. The cleric stared sightlesslyat the ceiling.
“F-forgive me,” the priest said roughly, a thin bubble ofblood and saliva forming at the corner of his cracked lips.
“Forgive you?” Kaerion said incredulously. “You saved mylife, Vaxor. What have you done that I must forgive?” Behind him, Kaerion heardthe others gather. He could feel their sorrow, like a knife-edge of grief it left his own heart exposed. Bitter tears stung his eyes.
The cleric coughed weakly, bringing up more blood. “Ifailed,” he said simply, his voice growing weaker. “In Rel Mord… at the inn.The god… spoke… to me.”
“Heironeous spoke to you,” Kaerion repeated, dread beginningto rise in him.
Vaxor nodded his head and swallowed a few times before continuing. “The god… spoke to me. Told me… who…
Kaerion held his breath, watching as the cleric’s featurestwisted in pain. The wounded man’s body gave a violent shudder.
“I… was supposed to… forgive you,” he continued. “Tobring you… back to… to the fold. But I could… n-not. My-unnhh-pridewouldn’t let me. I failed.”
“Nonsense,” Kaerion replied. “You shouldn’t talk of suchthings. It’s just the pain. A few healing potions will take care of everything.”The words came out fast-an attempt to deny the revelation contained in thecleric’s confession. Vaxor was obviously delirious. The cleric needed help now,and perhaps he’d forget the words he’d just spoken.
“Someone reach into my pouch,” Kaerion shouted at theassembly of guards behind him. “I have some healing potions.”
With surprising strength, Vaxor reached out a blind hand and grabbed hold of Kaerion’s arm. “No, my son. It’s too… late for that. Savethem… for when… they’ll do some… good.”
“You’re talking nonsense, Vaxor. You’ll be up and walkingthrough this tomb with the rest of us in no time at
