from a warrior priest severs the arm holding it. Blood spurts out from the stump as he staggers backward.
Brother Willim moves in with his staff to engage the warrior priest, allowing Miko a chance to withdraw. “Get the Star!” he hollers to James.
Then a wave of darkness seems to roll over them all as Ozgirath stands there with arms upraised. James moves toward the Star and is almost upon it when he sees Miko’s blood on the ground. It’s moving across the ground as if of its own volition, and it’s heading for the dome.
Unable to worry about the ramifications of that, he reaches where the Star is lying on the ground. Then he stands there in indecision. He knows it’s his death for him to lay hands upon it, even to save it from the minions of Dmon-Li.
Brother Willim notices his hesitation and yells, “The shadows! Get the Star or all is lost!”
James turns and sees the shadows that had been held at bay by the Star moving quickly toward them. Then out of the corner of his eye, he sees Tinok where he is still encased within the barrier he put around him. “That’s it!” he cries.
Casting a spell he’s cast hundreds of times before, he encases the Star in one of his barriers. Bending over he picks it up. He hesitates only a fraction of a second once it’s in his hand before raising it high. “Morcyth, lend me your aid!” he hollers and the Star bursts to life.
As the light of the Star blazes forth, screams rip their way through his mind as the light burns the shadows. The pain from the screams forces him to close his eyes. When he reopens them, the shadows are once again a good distance away.
He then turns to Miko and sees him on the floor awash in his own blood as he holds his severed arm to the stump. A glow forms where the two ends meet as the power of Morcyth works to reattach the limb. “Are you okay?” he asks.
Face displaying the pain he’s feeling, he fails to answer other than a shake of his head.
Whack!
Brother Willim strikes the helm of the warrior priest he’s facing. Bringing his staff in for another strike, the warrior priest’s sword unexpectedly strikes the center of the staff and cleaves it in two. Now unable to adequately defend himself, Brother Willim is helpless to stop the next attack. “Asran!” he cries out as the warrior priest’s sword penetrates his stomach.
Suddenly, the cavern is filled with the angered screams of Little Brothers. They launch themselves at the warrior priest. Now in total disregard for their own safety, they swarm the warrior priest with a viciousness one wouldn’t expect from such shy creatures. The warrior priest’s sword moves rapidly as he strikes one after another, but the deluge of bodies is simply overpowering.
James rushes to his side and can see the green glow already surrounding him. “Brother Willim!” he says but the brother is too deep in healing concentration to hear him.
Then all of a sudden, there’s a subtle shift in the feel of the cavern. Turning his gaze to Ozgirath, he sees him radiating darkness as he faces the dome. “Oh no,” James says as he sees the top of the dome beginning to sink toward the floor.
The dark ritual has been completed. The gate is now ready.
Chapter Thirty Nine
He was surprised when the knife he put in the back of the High Priest did little to hurt him. Then when Ozgirath turned and struck him, he was even more stunned by the sheer strength with which he was struck. There was very little time for him to dwell on this as he flew through the air. Then all of a sudden, he was elsewhere.
When he came to land, the first thing he felt was fear. More fear than he’s ever felt in his life. Barely able to move, he looks around and realizes he’s no longer in the cavern. A dark haze lays over the land, the ground cracked as if all the moisture was taken from it. The air tastes different and it’s difficult for him to take a breath.
His gaze continues to turn and he knows he’s not alone. There’s something here with him, something of immeasurable evil and power though his eyes cannot see it. Pain erupts in his head as a malignant presence voices strange words in his mind. Putting his hands to his ears, he tries to shut them out but can’t.
The dagger Jiron!
Another voice enters his mind and alleviates in part the pain the strange words give him. This voice gives reason instead of madness and curbs in part the fear he’s felt since passing through. A feeling of imminent danger comes over him as the malignant voice suddenly ceases.
Take the dagger!
Again the soothing voice comes to him and in his mind’s eye he pictures golden hair, a memory of long ago. Then his eyes see it. Not more than three feet away lays the dagger he knocked from Ozgirath’s hand.
Yes
Lurching forward on his hands and knees, he grabs the dagger by the hilt and a searing pain courses through his hand and up into his arm. The touch of the dagger is almost more than he can bear, but he holds onto it tightly.
Flee!
The fear rises within him, as does a feeling that his imminent death is nigh. Rising to his feet, he turns around and sees a dark red area that almost perfectly matches the appearance of the dome in the cavern he just left. Only this area is flat.
Evil washes over him as he moves toward the dark red area. Falling to his knees in panic, he cringes. Then he looks up toward the dark red area and against all logic, sees the shimmering image of a woman with golden hair. He blinks his eye twice but the image of the shimmering woman remains. Beckoning to him, the image gives him strength to once more rise to his feet.
Then as he takes a step forward, a wave of force passes him and strikes the shimmering woman. A shriek is heard as she disappears. With the indomitable will that has carried him through many times of crisis, he forces first his right leg to move forward toward the red area, then the left.
Around him, it almost feels as if evil is assaulting him from all directions. The dagger in his now all but numb hand shines darkly with power. Step by small step, he forces his legs to obey him as he draws closer to the dark red area. When at last he’s near enough, he gathers his courage and jumps…
My lord, the way is ready.
Ozgirath stands there in the cavern before the gate. The dome has collapsed now until only a dark red, shifting flat area remains. The gate stands ready and he awaits his lord’s coming.
The gate suddenly bulges upward as sparks dance across its top. Then Jiron vaults out from the bulge and lands before Ozgirath. Behind him, the gate settles down and the sparks disappear.
Ozgirath’s yellow eyes flash as Jiron appears from out of the gate with the dagger aglow in his hand.
Jiron sees Ozgirath standing there before him and doesn’t hesitate in leaping forward. With a mighty cry, he plunges the dagger with both hands toward the High Priest’s breast.
James sees him attacking and sends a bolt of white light from the Star to strike Ozgirath a second before Jiron does. The bolt of white light explodes when it hits him, disrupting the spell Ozgirath had planned to use in his defense.
The dagger in Jiron’s hand strikes the breast of Ozgirath and sinks in to the hilt.
An inhuman cry is torn from Ozgirath as the runes on the blade flare. At the same time, James turns the full might of the Star upon him and drives him to his knees.
My lord! Your servant needs your aid!
Then the gate begins to once again bulge and the sparks appear as they dance across its surface.
“He’s coming through!” yells Brother Willim. “Forget Ozgirath. You must destroy the gate.”
James understands the logic of what he says and stops the beam of light going to Ozgirath. Instead he sends the magic toward the gate and works to prevent the crossing of Dmon-Li one way or another.
Jiron sees the Little Brothers racing for the stairs, fearful at what is coming through the gate. The six warrior priests are gone, now nothing but piles of blood and shredded meat remain. The shadows are still held at bay by
