“We’d better check on them,” Rognir muttered, starting toward the stair with a muted clatter of metal.
“No,” started Lorian, fearing the dwarf would be heard. “I’ll go. Continue on to Cirion. You should still outnumber whoever’s down here.”
The dwarf frowned. “This fellow isn’t nearly as important.”
“Yes, but the wizard can help us. The cult likely didn’t expect prisoners and probably only diverted a few guards for this. Nine of you likely outnumbers them and one more won’t make a difference.”
“You underestimate yourself.”
Lorian nodded thanks and hefted his sword as he cautiously retraced his steps. No fighting had been heard, which suggested the four had taken to hiding. While only Andier had skill in the role he played, Lorian doubted the group would give in easily. They’d shown a willingness to defend themselves at least.
Atop the stairs, he saw and heard nothing, their last known location empty. The far door seemed the most likely place they’d have gone, so he opened it, peered in, but saw no signs of them in a room with several doors and corridors. He pursed his lips, considering. They’d probably gone that way, but there were too many options to investigate. They could be quite far removed from here by now. Perhaps he had better look anyway.
He took one step in when a scream split the air. It came not from below where he expected fighting but off to one side and behind. He shut the door and returned to the hall, seeing no one but hearing rushed footsteps and a staff thumping on the floor, moving away, so he followed. At the first corner, he caught the scent of burned flesh and saw a figure in smoldering black robes moving away. Assuming it was Matt, he hurried after to help the wounded wizard, but the figure’s aggressive gait was quite unlike the techie’s, so he slowed in suspicion.
Around corners and down stairways, he discreetly followed the figure until suspecting he knew how to intercept it. The dust had been disturbed along the route, so any traps had likely been cleared. He descended stairs into the darkness, no torches burning along the way, and ducked behind a marble statue at the bottom, in a dark room adorned with pillars. Across the room, a dim light grew brighter and footsteps louder along with the thumping staff as the figure stalked into the room from a hallway. Despite the face being turned away, Lorian stared in recognition, questions swirling as he followed, wondering what to do or say. Something wasn’t right.
Always waiting until the figure vanished around a corner, Lorian followed quietly until hearing magic words. He peered around it to see the robed figure standing before an ornate golden frame covered in dust, shimmering rays of light pouring from it to cast dancing shadows around the room. The figure took one step toward the portal and Lorian stepped out into the room.
“Soliander!”
The figure turned with such fierceness that the elf knew something was coming. He dove behind the wall as a blast of lightning scorched the hall and blew stones all over him, a dust cloud obscuring the air, a deafening rumbling all around. When it stopped, he couldn’t hear anything and worried the figure would be standing above him when he turned, but it was not. A gash on one leg made it hard to stand, and on peering around the corner that, he felt no surprise that all signs of the wizard were gone.
Now that Cirion had inspected the jail, he felt confident of a quick escape. These cult members knew little about imprisoning someone and it had seemed an afterthought to take their weapons. Well, most of their weapons. They knew even less about searching a man of his talents, apparently. More importantly, he had enough tools of his trade to do the deed with little trouble. He picked at the new lock on the rusting bars as Nola chipped away at the crumbling mortar holding them to the stone.
As he glanced over at her, looking fetching as always in her leather armor, the sound of fighting erupted out of sight but didn’t last long. Elves and a dwarf soon appeared with weapons drawn.
Noting the missing champions, Cirion wryly asked, “Lose someone?”
The leading elf replied flatly, “Yes, one elf.”
“You had better be worth it,” barked the dwarf, who continued by the cell, leading several elves further into the dungeon looking for other threats.
Watching him go, Cirion turned to the elf and observed, “You look familiar.”
“Morven,” came the reply as he unlocked the gate and pulled it open with a screech.
“Ah, Lorian’s friend. He is here then? With the Ellorians?”
“Yes. We had best return to them. I assume you are still interested in helping seal the Dragon Gate.”
Cirion cocked an eyebrow. “They would let me?”
“Provided you are well behaved. Come along. Your weapons are this way.” Morven turned to go as the dwarf returned without further struggle.
Cirion stopped him. “Wait. What of our wizard?”
The dwarf replied, “The dungeon is otherwise empty.”
“I’d like to look for him.”
Frowning, Morven replied, “No. Another wizard would be helpful and is the only reason we came for you, but we’ll not further risk giving away our presence.”
The walls shook from a tremendous roar that could only come from one thing.
Cirion smirked. “I think it’s too late for that.”
Chapter 15 – Destiny Seized
As the wall of flames rushed toward them, Ryan waited in horror. This would be far worse than that little burn he’d gotten at the wall of fire. He couldn’t bear to watch as it reached his friends and engulfed them, but when nothing got to him, he looked up in surprise, which only grew at the sight before him. Matt stood with one hand before him as if to stop traffic, the other holding the staff, its crystal shining brightly. The oncoming flames were striking an invisible barrier Matt had erected. Ryan could
