I'll never be able to say good-bye to Mara and Barthol, he thought sadly.
'Now, if all of you would step into next room,' the Smythe instructed. 'Oh, bring your horses too.'
Plagued by his thoughts, Logan took his stallion's reins and followed the robed businessman into another room. The Smythe's workroom was cluttered with devices and artifacts like Zackaron's cavern had been, but in much neater array. Down another corridor the four could see the opening to the Smythe's home, and cold winds howled into the workroom from the orifice. Double doors towered behind them, and a single door was to their left, closer to the actual opening in the mountainside.
'That leads to a back exit.' Smith explained the double doors, noting Logan's gaze. 'The other door is another passage in from down the hillside. Sometimes the people who come to see me can't make it up the mountain to the main entrance.'
The spellcaster busily glanced through a few volumes and pulled a couple of items down from some shelves. As he did, the dark sky became obscured by rain-harsh, violent sheets of water that poured from the black clouds. Ominously, the Jewel glimmered brighter in Logan's saddlebag, and thunder accompanied the glow. Toward the main entrance, shifting shadows of the rain crept into the cavern, bringing with them the musty odor of rainfalls.
'Oh, my,' the Smythe breathed, peering toward the main opening. 'Perhaps we should check the Jewel before sending you back.'
'Perhaps,' Moknay agreed, and the word caught in his throat.
Why not? Logan decided. That way he could leave knowing the Smythe had saved this world from destruction. That would relieve some of the guilt.
The young man stepped up to his horse and pulled the glaring Jewel free of its leather encasement. His companions clustered before the double doors as they watched, their eyes reflecting the golden flames lapping up around the facets of the Jewel.
Lightning shrieked across the sky, leaking blue-white light into the workroom. There was a second shriek of severed air and the Smythe stumbled backwards, an arrow lodged in his chest. In shock, Logan rushed to the downed man, the Jewel casting a ghastly shine over the spellcaster.
'Sorry, Matthew,' the wizard gasped. 'Other… ways of sending you… back. Told you… my time was… up.'
Dancing shadows played across Logan's face and he glanced up toward the main entrance. The single door nearby had opened, and a number of silhouetted forms had stepped out. The golden fire of the Jewel glistened upon their faces and scintillated off their metal chestplates. A muffled growl came from Thromar as the leading figure approached, his white scars tinted a disgusting yellow in the Jewel's emanation. A gnarled form stood beside him, and both were flanked by archers.
'You' ve led a merry chase, Matthew Logan,' Vaugen snarled, 'but I'm afraid our little game has come to an end.'
Groathit's good eye gleamed as he peered at the coruscating Jewel in the young man's hands.
Logan remained kneeling, staring back down at the corpse beside him. Blood pooled about him but the young man was beyond sickness or disgust. His rage played up' inside him: screaming, vengeful. Just like Launce! His mind raced. Just like Launce!
'You bastard,' Logan cursed venomously, his eyes ablaze with a fire not of the Jewel.
'Save your petty name-calling for later, whelp,' Groathit snapped. 'Hand over the Jewel or your friends die.'
More Reakthi were filing into the chamber, the archers still in front. There only seemed to be the remaining men of that troop that had pursued them near the Roana, but, in such confined quarters, they were more than enough to slay them. One volley of arrows and Logan and his friends would be pincushions!
'Yes,' Vaugen hissed in triumph, 'think it over. Weigh the odds carefully. You have nowhere to run-no way to escape. Before you had a whole forest to hide in; now you have absolutely nothing!'
The anger in the Imperator's voice was unmistakable, but Logan turned away and glanced back at his companions. The back door! he recalled, fixing his blue eyes on the double doors. Somehow the Smythe had known what would happen and he had purposely explained the passages around them. Still, unless Logan could send an unspoken command to his friends, any move by any of them would send a wave of arrows twanging throughout the workroom.
Grey eyes locked on blue and the rapport was established. Good old Moknay! the young man thought. He understands! The twin portals can act like a shield. The only problem is: How can I get to them before I get shot full of holes?
A teasing tingle scurried through Logan's brain, and the buzz of disagreement was back. Now, however, it was once again tolerating the young man. In fact, it held that almost friendly tone as it had once before. An impending sense of urgency flowed with it.
Logan stared down at the Jewel, and the patter of rain resounded in his ears. The Wheel was tilting again, and more than one discharge seemed probable. Barfhol had warned them the disasters would increase in magnitude as the Wheel tilted further. The build-up of clouds had definitely indicated a more cataclysmic eruption. In fact, the Wheel could have been going over on its side! Which meant if it was not checked now, Sparrill-and Logan-were lost!
Help me, Logan pleaded with the disunity of magic. If you want to keep zapping people from Earth to become spellcasters, help me!
The disturbing sense strengthened, yet it was focused in Logan's hands. Unexpectedly, a blinding flare went up from the Jewel, and lightning streaked across the heavens. Thunder so loud it shook the Hills reverberated around them, and startled shouts went up from Reakthi and Logan's companions.
Searing heat lashed into Logan's palms, and, obeying an instinctive reaction, he jerked his hands away. A few of the archers shot blindly, and their bolts whizzed dangerously about the workroom. Moknay, however, had taken the opportunity to fling open the double doors, using the leftward portal as a wooden shield against the shafts. Thromar and Cyrene were swiftly leading the horses into the passage beyond, yet Moknay lingered behind, his grey eyes trained on Logan.
'Come on, friend!' he coaxed. 'Their sight's returning!'
Logan hastily scrambled to his feet and started for the Murderer. His mind suddenly panicked, and the young man scrambled back toward the Smythe. In his haste, he had left behind the Jewel!
'Kill!' Groathit's voice screeched, and the order was echoed by Vaugen.
The Jewel was still hot to the touch and Logan's fingers were reluctant to entwine about it. Out of the corner of his eye he glimpsed an archer steady himself and nock an arrow into his bow. The sudden flare-up had only temporarily blinded them, and some indeed had their vision back.
Swearing, Logan lifted the sizzling Jewel and almost dropped it again as he turned to run. He staggered like a drunken football player, trying desperately to cling to the burning gemstone as he scurried for the back door. All the while he knew full well an archer was aiming at his back.
There was a sudden 'thwunk' and Logan crashed to the floor, his balance deserting him at last. In astonishment, he turned to see the archer collapse, a dagger lodged in his solar plexus. Pivoting about in the opposite direction, the young man saw Moknay spring out from behind the protection of the door and hurl another gleaming blade. In reply, two archers fired, and the grey-clad Murderer spilled backwards.
'NO!' Logan screamed, and the Jewel's centerless interior exploded with the young man's rage.
A vengeful lightning bolt forked into the main entrance of the cave and disintegrated the handful of Reakthi standing near the opening. The crackle of electrified air filled the chamber, and Vaugen and Groathit both wheeled around in stupefaction. The remaining soldiers stared dumbly at their charred brethren, then back at the furious young man before them. The rage still smoldered within him, and Logan wished he knew how he had accomplished his previous feat so he could dispose entirely of the murderous lot.
'So, the maggot wants to try magic?' Groathit sneered, his good eye flickering with hatred. 'Like a babe trying to swim, you shall drown!'
Gloved hands pulled Logan out of the way of Groathit's warbling blast of sorcery and into the safety of the back exit. 'Keep this up and I'll start to get used to that magical blather!' Moknay informed him, shoving him up the pathway.
For a few moments, nothing registered in Logan's mind. It was as if the past seconds had been so alarmingly