cry of shock, the warrior was jerked upward like a marionette and sucked into the treetops.
'It is Munuc!' Launce exclaimed. 'He did not desert us!'
A furry creature sailed out of a tree, colliding with another Reakthi. Sharp fangs drove into the soldier's neck, and beast, warrior, and horse crashed to the forest floor. Then, its fur matted with blood, the monkeylike beast launched itself at a fourth Reakthi, a black blur amongst the green foliage.
'That's not Munuc!' said Logan. 'That one's black!'
Open-mouthed, the four men started as the real Munuc bounded onto Launce's horse. Other furry creatures swarmed out of the trees, descending upon the Reakthi with daggers and fangs. Horses and men screamed their surprise as the forest came alive with the small beasts.
'They are not stopping!' Launce cried out in anguish. 'Munuc, your kind cannot possibly hold back the Reakthi! I fear you have doomed your people!'
Munuc grinned beneath his fur and pointed his gangly limbs farther down the river. Obeying the unspoken command, Druid Launce guided his horse southward, Logan and the others following him in puzzlement. As the horses neared the riverbank, a moss-covered stone pushed aside, and a grey-haired Munuc peeked out at the men. Two more hairy creatures sprang out of the opening, leading the horses away as the riders dismounted. Hastily, the real Munuc indicated the portal.
'Quickly!' Launce ordered. 'Follow Munuc in!'
Thromar stepped back, fear on his face. 'I'm not going in there!' he protested. 'I'll never fit!'
'I'll make you fit!' Moknay threatened, gesturing wildly with his daggers.
The bearded fighter grunted and grumbled, finally forcing back his fear and pushing his way into the small opening. With a nasty curse about tight places, Thromar vanished into the ground. In a grey blur, Moknay was after him.
Clear water splashed upon the rock as an arrow plunked into the river. Druid Launce twirled about on his heel, his calm eyes flashing with fury. A Reakthi was running toward them, flailing his bow above his head; a dagger wound marred his forehead.
'He has seen the portal to Munuc's world!' the druid howled. 'He must be silenced!'
The black-robed druid flung himself at the warrior, his oak staff smacking into the soldier's temple. With a groan, the man in the golden chestplate staggered back, his empty bow dropping to the ground. Wielding his staff like a sword, the druid brought it forward, plunging its pointed end into the soft, yielding flesh of the Reakthi's leg. Releasing an agonized scream, the soldier crumpled to the dirt.
The oaken staff shattered the Reakthi's skull.
'Enough!' Logan yelled beside the portal. 'He's dead! Come on, before someone else sees you!'
Launce drew back the blood-smeared staff, slowly. 'Yes,' he breathed as if suddenly drained, 'he is dead.'
The druid turned to face Logan when another Reakthi rode out of the brush. With a triumphant twang, an arrow rocketed from the bowstring and drove into Druid Launce's back.
'Launce!' Logan screamed, blindly charging forward.
Smiling, the Reakthi nocked a second arrow into his bow and looked up to aim for Logan. Rage boiling inside the young man, Logan reached the druid's side and snatched up the oak staff. It flew from Logan's hands and rammed into the Reakthi's breastbone. Arrows spilled from his quiver as the Reakthi fell off his horse, stars flashing behind his eyelids.
Blood! Logan's mind demanded fiercely. Retribution! Deal pain to those who usually deal it!
Spurred on by his anger, Logan foolishly converged on the fallen Reakthi, once again picking up Launce's staff. As if he was grotesquely staking a claim, Logan drove the staff into the man's throat, and warm fluid drenched his Nikes.
An abrupt tug on his sweat pants fragmented Logan's intense fury.
The grey-haired Munuc was solemnly pointing at the portal-where Launce was slowly crawling in. Shaking his head in an effort to beat back his rage, Logan followed the creature and ducked into the opening. At the end of a short tunnel was a large chamber, and the bloodthirsty anger within Logan returned. Druid Launce lay near the center of the room, blood pooling beneath him. Munuc stood beside him, his tiny eyes glittering.
Logan made his way to Launce's side, tightly gripping the staff with whitened knuckles. 'I kept it for you,' he said, handing the staff to the druid. 'I thought you might want it back.'
Launce brought up his head, smiling faintly. 'Thank you, my friend, but it is ruined-stained with the blood of an enemy. It should never have been used for such a purpose.'
'But you had to do it,' argued Logan. 'He'd seen where Munuc and his kind lived. You had to.'
Launce nodded gravely and pushed the staff back into Logan's hands. 'Do me a favor,' he asked.
Logan nodded, kneeling beside the wounded druid.
Launce closed Logan's fingers about the staff. 'Take it.'
Logan shook his head. 'I can't take it. It belongs to you. I have no right.'
'I saw you use it,' the druid stated with his faint smile. 'Keep it, and it will be there to help support you. I no longer need it.'
Druid Launce closed his eyes with a sigh and his hands fell away from the oak staff. Abruptly, Munuc let out a wail, and Logan bowed his head, his stormy anger overcome by sorrow.
Somewhere, a pack of wolves howled.
Druid Launce was dead.
•7• Flood
Logan strangled the reins in his hands as he followed Moknay and Thromar through the forest toward the town of Plestenah. Almost two days had passed since their run-in with Vaugen, and the fury remained within Logan. His anger was similar to that unnerving feeling that continually plagued the young man. It would suddenly descend upon him-without reason and without warning-and Logan would grit his teeth fiercely as he thought of the young druid who had died helping his friends.
The guilt, however, stayed within the young man at all times, slowly tearing away at him from inside. Druid Launce had died helping Logan, while Logan had refused to trust the man-had refused to believe in his friendship. Now there was no way Logan could accept him as a friend-and the guilt drove deeper. It had been, after all, Logan's fault that the druid was dead. If Logan had not stolen the Jewel, and if Munuc had not sent his people against Vaugen, Druid Launce might still be alive.
Vaugen. Logan seethed. How he hated that name. Some mysterious force drove the Reakthi Imperator to trail Logan from Denzil to Sparrill, and, because of him and his chestplated minions, Druid Launce had been slain. His guilt blamed Logan for causing many of the calamities that arose, but his unrelenting anger blamed Vaugen for Launce's murder.
Cursing under his breath, Logan swore vengeance.
The greenery of the forest receded, and the town of Plestenah was revealed. Just south of them, Logan could see denser forest, and his mind turned to the ease in which Druid Launce would have been able to have passed through the vegetation-if Logan had only trusted him.
Plestenah was quite a small town, the young man noticed, made up mostly of shops and markets. A few homes lined the interior, and their pleasant, outward appearance sparked a little hope in Logan's depression; perhaps they would find the extra help they sought.
Moknay suddenly reined his horse in, his grey eyes locked on something down the street. 'Logan,' he said, still looking away, 'see to the horses, will you? Then get us some lodgings in a hostel.'
The Murderer tossed Logan a small pouch of gold and dismounted. Logan turned away from his guilt and wrath and caught the bag, peering at it curiously.
'Get lodgings?' he repeated. 'How the devil do I do that?'
Thromar interrupted him with a thunderous burst of laughter. 'Hah! Moknay's seen a wench that fits his tastes!'
Pulling his eyes away from the pouch of gold, Logan glanced up to see Moknay talking to a young girl who
