features of the new arrivals. There were three of them, two men and a woman, the former walking on either side of the latter.
The males were of a type: eight feet tall, muscular and brown-skinned, naked save for small tan loin cloths that left little doubt as to their gender. The most striking detail about the men was that each had a jackal's head resting atop his powerful broad shoulders. Their eyes shone with human intelligence, but as they approached my cell, canine lips drew back from sharp teeth in feral snarls. Both creatures held golden spears whose points glowed with warm yellow light – a combination weapon and torch. I wondered what would happen if that glowing spearpoint was thrust into my undead flesh and I made a mental note to myself to avoid pissing off the jackalheads if at all possible. But far more intimidating than the guards was the woman who walked between them. She was Keket, ancient Egyptian sorceress, demilord and overseer of Tenebrus.
Tall and slender she carried herself with regal bearing. Her body was wrapped in winding strips of grayish cloth and a long dark blue cape trailed behind her. Her face was concealed behind a golden mask of finely wrought feminine features and though the mask's eyes were made of solid metal, I had the impression that she could see through them – or perhaps somehow with them.
First Victor Baron, then Quillion, and now Keket. I was getting to meet a lot of dignitaries lately. I might've thought I was coming up in the world if my current situation hadn't demonstrated the exact opposite.
Keket and the guards stopped when they reached my cell door.
'Matthew Richter, welcome to Tenebrus.'
Keket's voice was soft as the whisper of a snake sliding through grass, but I had no trouble making out every word.
I'd seen her once before, in the Nightspire during the last Renewal Ceremony, but it hadn't been an occasion for idle chat and we'd never spoken before.
'Do you always personally greet the new arrivals?' I asked. 'Or am I just special?'
It was impossible to read Keket's expression behind her mask, but when she spoke, her tone was one of amusement.
'When Quillion informed me that the savior of Nekropolis would be joining us, I simply had to come welcome you in person. I do so enjoy seeing the high and mighty brought down low. It's one of my favorite parts of the job.'
'Still bitter because Dis didn't choose you to be one of the five Darklords? You really ought to consider getting some therapy for that.'
Again I couldn't see her expression but I could feel the anger rolling off of her as if it were a physical force. My skeletal cellmates must've felt it too for they let out frightened moans.
'I must say that I'm somewhat disappointed to see you,' Keket said. 'Guilty or innocent, anyone who was able to prevent the destruction of the entire city should be smart enough to avoid ending up here.'
I sighed. 'To be honest, I can't disagree with you.'
Keket nodded to one of the jackalheads, and he stepped up to the cell door and removed an iron key ring from the leather belt holding up his loincloth. I say key ring, but instead of keys, it contained a number of skeletal fingers of various lengths and thicknesses. The guard stepped up to the cell door, selected a 'key' and inserted it into a hole carved into one of the skeletal hands that formed the bars. The guard turned the key, was rewarded with a soft snick, and when he withdrew the key, the skeletal hands unclenched, releasing each other, and the bars withdrew into the ceiling and floor. The jackalhead then stepped into the cell, selected another key, and unlocked my manacles. He didn't bother to try and prevent me from falling to the ground, and though I tried to avoid it, I ended up falling onto my side. With a snarl the jackalhead bent down, grabbed hold of my shirt, and unceremoniously hauled me to my feet.
'Come with me,' Keket said, and without waiting for me to reply, she started off down the hallway, her cloth wrapped feet making no sound as she went.
The guard who'd released me glared at me to make sure I understood I didn't have a choice in the matter and I walked out of the cell. He didn't relock it as we left, and given the state of my cellmates, I could see why he didn't bother.
'Good luck!' Skeleton One called out as I walked away.
'Whatever happens to you, we hope it won't be too hideously awful!' Number Two added.
I ignored them and followed after Keket, and the jackalheads walked beside me, keeping their gazes fixed on me and growling softly to let me know what they thought of me.
'Ever think about neutering these guys?' I asked Keket. 'It might improve their disposition.'
One of the guards snarled, whirled about, and rammed the butt end of his spear into my gut. The impact of the blow forced me to double over, though of course I felt nothing. It's a lot easier to act the part of a tough guy when you can't feel any pain.
I remembered then how Quillion had caused the green fire to blaze forth from the walls of the Inquisitory, and I shuddered.
Usually don't feel any pain, I amended.
Keket continued walking as if nothing had happened and the second guard prodded me in the back with his spear to get me moving again.
The four of us continued down a winding, curving hallway that was constructed from the same fleshy substance as the cell and similar bony protuberances stuck out from the walls and ceiling. We passed other cells as we walked, their doors formed from the same skeletal bars as mine was. The inmates represented every major race that inhabited Nekropolis – Bloodborn, Lyke, Arcane, Demonkin and the Dead – along with other creatures, some of whom belonged to nightmarish species that I'd never seen before. Many of them hung from manacles, as I had, but some were free to roam about their cells, presumably because they were better behaved than their fellow prisoners.
Keket spoke as we walked.
'Quillion informed me of the particulars of your case. A very interesting story. Personally, I would've investigated further before pronouncing sentence, but that's Quillion for you. He's rather single minded when it comes to matters of justice and punishment.'
Keket's words were unexpected to me, but hardly unwelcome, and they filled me with new hope.
'Maybe you could talk to Quillion,' I began.
'I said your story was interesting. I didn't say I intended to do anything to help you. It's the Adjudicators' task to judge. Mine is to incarcerate those individuals they send me. Matters of innocence or guilt mean nothing to me. Tenebrus is my Dominion, and once you are here, I am your ruler and you are my subject. End of story.'
'I get it,' I said. 'You couldn't make it as a fullfledged Darklord, so you play god down here in the subterranean shithole you got stuck with.'
One of the guards raised his spear as if to strike me down for my impertinence, but Keket turned around and raised a hand to stop him. The jackalhead snarled at me, foam dripping from his mouth, but he reluctantly obeyed his mistress and lowered his weapon.
Keket padded over to me, and though I couldn't tell, I had the impression she was smiling at me.
'You know what they say: it's better to rule in Tenebrus than serve in Nekropolis.' She laughed then and turned back around and resumed walking.
The guards and I followed once more.
'Consider this talk your orientation to your new home,' Keket said. 'Tenebrus is actually a relatively simple system. It lies deep underground below the city and there are no entrances or exits. The only way in or out is by magic and only I and the Adjudicators possess the power to open passageways to and from Nekropolis. I'm sure you've been staying alert the entire time we've been walking, taking in everything and pondering possibilities for escape. But you needn't bother taxing your little zombie brain. There has never been an escape from Tenebrus because escape literally is not possible.'
'Good to know,' I said. 'Now instead of wasting time trying to escape, I can devote my energies to my favorite pastime: mentally composing pornographic haiku.'
Keket continued as if I hadn't spoken. 'The prison is divided into three sections: maximum security, minimum security – which is where you were – and general population, which is where we're headed. Because of your service to the city, Quillion recommended that you be allowed to mingle freely with the general population. I think he may be underestimating how dangerous you are, but I've decided to follow his recommendation. After all, if Umbriel had
