Arch Wizard

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Stop that," Syregorn commanded coldly. "Jelgar, be still!"

The youngest of his three surviving knights sobbed uncontrollably, and all the warcaptain's roar accomplished was to make him flinch-and bolt down the passage, running wildly with arms flung wide and a wordless shout of terror rolling before him.

Door after door thundered under Jelgar's boots, and Onthras whirled around and looked to Syregorn for direction-should he fling out a hand to try to halt the runaway?

The warcaptain shook his head grimly, and pointed. Much nearer at hand, one of the glowing doors in the right-hand wall of the passage had grown brighter, and started to give off wisps of smoke.

As the three men of Hammerhold stared at it, the door started to bulge.

"Get back!" Syregorn bellowed at them. "Thalden, with me! Onthras, go after Jelgar! Get away from that door!"

The door was visibly melting now, its substance-which had appeared to be solid stone-sagging and sliding from where it was bulging, running down its smoothness in long lines of wetness, blobs that left glistening, smoking threads in their wake.

Spitting out a stream of curses, Onthras ran for his life, sprinting down the passage after Jelgar.

Who seemed to have silently and utterly disappeared.

The third door Onthras stepped on gave way, swallowing him before he had time to do more than start to scream.

Then it banged shut again, swinging back up to cut off his cry in mid-bellow. Magic, or unseen hands, had thrust it back upwards and closed again, restoring the floor of the passage.

As Thalden and Syregorn stared at where Onthras had so suddenly disappeared, the bulging door creaked almost mockingly and… stopped melting. They watched the bulge seem to sink in upon itself, the door straightening a little, as a strange reek reached them. The stink of its burning, no doubt.

"Jelgar?" the oldest knight asked quietly.

"As good as dead," Syregorn muttered. "Time to look to our own skins, Thal. I'd say our errant Lord Archwizard is as doomed as Jelgar. Let's just try to find a way out of here."

"Back outside, and over the garden wall?"

The warcaptain shook his head. "I saw someone try that in the other direction, once. Malraun's magic slices and impales anyone passing over the top of a wall, as if the blades of a dozen-some swordsmen are at work. No, we must go on and out the front doors, if we can."

"So, down this hall? What if more doors start to glow?"

"We get as far from them as we can, without stepping on a door," Syregorn said almost calmly. "I don't think they're really seeking to slay us. I think they're awakening because Rod Everlar is blundering near."

"So the Doom cleared away or hid his most useful magic, departed, and left this place as a gigantic trap for the Dark Lord," Thalden whispered.

The warcaptain nodded. "Looks that way. Now let's see how well we two can avoid becoming incidental sprawled corpses."

A smile almost touched Thalden's lips. "Is there a wager in the offing?"

Syregorn shrugged. "Not coins," he replied grimly. "Lives."

He started off down the passage, striding carefully along the left wall to avoid the doors in the floor. "Ours. Falcon be with us."

As it bobbed and moved with every turn of Narmarkoun's head, the small, spinning brightness he'd conjured showed him a tiny Rod Everlar opening doors, trying to write on them, and birthing fire instead of words.

Narmarkoun watched with growing amusement, but less and less attention. The man was as clumsy and slow-witted as the most bumbling of wizards' apprentices; spying on him was good only for the passing entertainment.

Wherefore this particular Doom of Falconfar paid the silent little scene increasingly less heed, and bent most of his wits to exploring every gloom-shrouded crevice and alcove of what had been the castle of the real Archwizard of Falconfar.

Lorontar's magic slumbered-and in some cases stirred-all around him. Yintaerghast held power beyond anything even Arlaghaun had ever hurled, certainly far more than preening, swaggering little Malraun wielded now, at the so-called height of his powers.

And if watchful, patient, nigh-forgotten Narmarkoun could gain even a small part of it…

Everlar's progress through Malragard was blundering, but much faster than his own. If a wall was thicker than its counterpart, or started a hand-thickness out from matching that other wall, Narmarkoun wanted to notice.

Soon enough, his diligence was rewarded. One of the curved stones forming the foot-collar of a pillar stood the slightest bit higher than its neighbors. Pushing it cautiously down caused part of the smooth, curved flank of the pillar to descend with it, revealing a horizontal niche about the size of a long-bladed dagger.

The hiding-place was full of rolled parchment. A scroll. Narmarkoun smiled a tight blue smile and used his belt dagger to carefully lever the long-hidden treasure forth.

A stone he'd taken out of a cracked stone lintel scores of rooms away held one end of the scroll to the floor as his dagger-point teased the tight roll open. He kept his face shielded from any eruptions in the crook of his arm, working by feel; to etch searing sigils on a scroll to await the unwary was a trick that had been old even in Lorontar's time.

When he got it entirely open-without any blast, roar of flame, or rising wisp of sinister spores-the toe of his boot served to hold down the innermost edge of the scroll so he could peer at it cautiously. Then study it more closely, with rising excitement.

This was Lorontar's writing, sure enough. He owned a few scraps of it, seized and stolen from across Falconfar over years of sly spying and covert spell-slayings, and had studied them long and often.

The elegantly-woven, nameless spell it set forth-crafted by Lorontar for his use alone, beyond a doubt-was a magic that could target from afar the sleeping mind of a specific, chosen being of… Earth!

Sending to that target creature whatever dreams the caster desired.

Narmarkoun nodded, his smile now wide and smug. This confirmed all his suspicions. Lorontar had long ago found a way to this other world, this "Earth," and perhaps to gain riches and magic from it; and someone, not too long ago-Arlaghaun, perhaps-had found another copy of this spell, and used it to bring the bumbler Everlar to Falconfar.

And now, Narmarkoun of Falconfar could fetch folk of Earth, too, and had the basic wits to choose someone more useful than Rod Everlar!

Firmly quelling his glee for as long as it might take, he drew in a deep breath, flexed his fingers, composed himself, and cast the spell as carefully as any calmly competent apprentice, visualizing the only man of Earth he knew.

He was promptly plunged into a welter of emotions-apprehension, above all-and racing thoughts. Just as he'd expected, knowing Everlar was awake. He saw bearded men in scruffy cloth overjacks, scribes they must be, sitting at desks beside piles of identical tomes which they were writing in, and handing to lines of supplicants… and a vast city, stretching to the horizon and dominated by many fortresses whose tall turrets thrust up into the sky higher than any temple or castle Narmarkoun had ever seen… and wagon-roads smoother than any courtyard, crowded with people along their edges and with wagons that looked to be made all of armor and were pulled by invisible steeds…

He resisted the temptation to bear down and seek to share what Everlar was thinking, as that couldn't help but make even the feeble-minded Earth dolt feel his presence. Instead, he performed the age-old mental dismissal that ended a working of magic.

A loop of sparks, visualized in a night-black void, and instantly-as always-the spell was done.

There'd be ample time to work it again when the Lord Archwizard-Narmarkoun felt his lips curling with contempt at merely thinking of that title, linked to the timorous dolt-was asleep, and drift in his dreams long enough to draw memories of others of Earth from him. New victims, to be Narmarkoun's own, and a road to conquering a new realm or two. Or even all of Earth.

Then something happened that dashed all Narmarkoun's glee away in an instant, plunging him from satisfaction to terror.

The scroll was still shimmering slightly, in the aftermath of the magic he'd roused from it. In the surges of that waning power, markings were appearing across the bottom of the scroll. Writings, in Lorontar's hand but scribbled in haste, on a slight angle from the darker, neater script that set forth the spell itself.

Notes, written by Lorontar, the real Lord Archwizard of Falconfar, about Shapers, one such in particular: Rod Everlar.

So unless the dolt now wandering dim-wittedly through Malragard had somehow lived for centuries without showing any signs of age or experience, Lorontar was very far from being as long dead as all Falconfar had thought.

And here he was, the wizard Narmarkoun-least in power of the Dooms of Falconfar, once one discounted foresight and spells of undeath-kneeling on the floor working magic in the heart of Yintaerghast, the spell-shrouded castle of Lorontar himself.

"Falcon!" Garfist snarled, trying to claw his way past Iskarra, who stood in the way, flapping her arms in a sudden flurry as if trying to fly. " Get those glorking doors open!"

"Yes!" Isk hissed at him, her eyes hard and wild as she watched the monsters, now looking their way and starting to move from between the pillars. "Stand back and give me room!"

"Stop me vitals, woman, what're ye-"

Gar found himself staring at a pair of small but deliciously familiar breasts. They danced under his nose for the briefest of instants as Iskarra finally got her worn-through vest and ragged tunic off, into a untidy bundle where her hands met above her head.

He hadn't time to do more than gape before she swung the balled-up garments down like a swordsman using two hands on his blade to hew a foe, and grasped one of the large pull-rings of the great double entrance doors.

It awakened into a menacingly-crackling cascade of blue sparks and leaping blue-white bolts of lightning, as Iskarra cried out in pain, her hair springing out rigid to stand like a halo of tiny spears, and kicked at the ground to turn the ring.

The door ground open, swinging inward with the deep tone of a bell almost too low to hear-and Iskarra lost her hold, staggered back, and sat down hard, moaning.

Watching the monsters coming for them-even faster than he'd feared they could move, of course-Garfist charged over to scoop her up, cradling her to his chest in a tangle of helplessly shuddering limbs, ran in a tight circle so as not to risk falling by trying to halt and head in a different direction with his moaning burden, and darted out through the doors, into the glimmering beginnings of dawn.

Gloom-shadowed Harlhoh rose dark and still against that brightening horizon below, and Gar lumbered down a broad wagon-path toward it, gathering speed and hoping by all the gods there were and might be that he'd not fall, nor find all those hungry horrors snapping at his heels.

Surely they were guardians, enspelled to stay in the wizard's abode and menace intruders, not go chasing off across half a Raurklor hold… aye? Please?

Behind him, bright light stabbed out, falling on his back, and something roared hungrily. The grand entry hall of Malragard had erupted into bright and busy life.

Garfist Gulkoun cursed, briefly but fiercely, then shut up. He needed all his breath for running-or rather, panting so he could keep on running.

That roar came again, and this time it was echoed by a call that was high-pitched, bubblingly wet, and more angry than hungry.

Even over Gar's loud and quickening panting, both beast-calls sounded nearer.

That bed had been empty, its dark blue overshroud unblemished by pillows or-or anything.

Now there was a naked man lying spreadeagled on that dark blue cloth, wrists and ankles manacled to the four bedposts. Naked, hairy, and unconscious, head lolling and staring empty-eyed at nothing.

Those eyes saw nothing, but the face wore a look of terror, tinged with bewildered astonishment.

An expression that was probably pretty close to Rod's own. He knew that terrified, senseless face. It was Onthras, one of the Hammerhold knights who'd been chasing him mere panting moments ago.

So how? The magic of Malragard, of course. Onthras had been caught in a trap, or had been made part of a trap for Rod Everlar. But why? What sort of Doom of Falconfar crafts spells to do such a thing?

Rod stared at Onthras-or the thing that looked like Onthras-and slowly backed away, seeking another way out of the room.

Which is when he saw that, stare and peer about as much as he might, the bedchamber had only two doors: one out into the passage where the rest of the Hammerhand warriors presumably still were, and the one he'd come through, from the bathroom.

Now what?

After a moment, Rod used his sword to thrust aside the skirts of the bed, to see if he dared hide under it, and think.

A face like a skull turned and grinned at him, out of the darkness.

It was a skull, Rod realized a moment later, as he fought down a scream and hastily backed away-and the skeleton in disintegrating skirts that had been lying under the bed clambered out from under it, beckoning to him grotesquely with one long, bony finger.

A bright warning blazed up in Malraun's mind again, rousing him out of a pleasant doze. He was… he was lying atop Taeauna in the bed in Darswords, both of them still moist with sweat. Oh, yes… he'd exhausted himself having his way with her.

Now something back in Malragard had been disturbed again, goading his ward-spells into whirling up in his mind to alert him, and-Falcon hurl, what was it now?

It was the undead husk of the sorceress Telrorna, whom he'd defeated years ago, and drained of life and spells but bound into his service forever, to be his slave beyond death.

She'd been aroused from the dusty spell-slumber he'd left her in, under the guest bed, by an intruder who could wield magic. Yet hadn't blasted her.

Rod Everlar, for all the thick-headed knights in Galath.

He really should do something about the pitifully blundering Lord Archwizard, but… well, it wasn't as if it was Narmarkoun, or an arduke of Galath who'd gathered a dozen hedge-wizards, or someone competent.

Malraun chuckled, finding himself on the edge of sinking into slumber again. He roused himself enough to clamber off the bed to where he'd left his other whips and scourges, find thongs enough to bind Taeauna's wrists and ankles securely to the bedposts, and tie her thus, arched out at full stretch and bound cruelly hard.

As he finished knotting and tugging, and sank down onto her again, she smiled up at him, mute but bright-eyed.

Part way through trying to smile softly back at her, Malraun the Matchless fell asleep again.

"So that's why we couldn't see where Jelgar went," Thalden murmured, stepping through the magic and then back out of it again.

"Don't toy with it," was all Syregorn replied, "or, like as not, it'll start toying with you."

The passage full of doors seemed to stretch on forever. "Seemed to" were the right words, because at one step Thalden had found a place where Malraun's magic crafted an illusion: the image of the passage stretching on and on, dwindling into the distance, when it actually became a short flight of stairs, descending to a door.

Closed, of course, and as featureless as all the rest of them. Malragard did not yield up its secrets to intruders, except the hard way.

They'd found no sign of Onthras, but a lone, staring eyeball impaled on a needle-thin metal spike that had suddenly thrust up out of a door as they'd passed it had been a dull olive green.

The color of no one's eyes that Syregorn and Thalden had ever known except Sir Jelgar Thusk of Hammerhold.

A little farther on down the passage they'd heard a loud, grisly gnawing sound coming from under the floor, but-not feeling foolish enough to want to open one of the doors waiting so temptingly on the floor they were walking along-had no way of knowing if they were hearing the devouring of Jelgar, Onthras, or someone else.

Something else, perhaps.

A few hasty paces beyond where the sound of gnawing faded behind them, they'd traded glances that told each other, as loudly and as firmly as if they'd shouted it until the walls rang: "I hate this place."

Syregorn had worn a bitter half-smile for quite a few careful steps after that. He strongly suspected that where Malragard was concerned, the feeling was mutual.

They reached the bottom of the steps, and stopped facing the door. Thalden looked at Syregorn, who nodded; his usual silent order to proceed.

Slowly the oldest knight of Hammerhold reached out, laid a reluctant hand on the door-ring, and pulled.

The door opened, as easily and silently as if its stone pivots had been polished mirror-smooth and oiled-and two metal war-quarrels, as long and as heavy as horse-lances, raced out of the darkness beyond the door amid the crash of a giant double-bow going off.

One of them chipped the stone stair as Syregorn hurled himself against the wall, but the other tore right through Thalden's armor and ribs, pinning the old knight against the steps.

"Greet the Falcon, old friend," the warcaptain said sadly. Spewing out a great gush of blood, Thalden sagged over sideways and did not reply.

He had to get out of here, right now!

The gate and the creatures he'd sent through it must be abandoned! To the Falcon with all the rest of his schemes, too, until he was far from here!

Anything else he did in Yintaerghast-the slightest little thing-might awaken Lorontar, or the Great Doom might be already awake and watching him right now, lurking and silently laughing-

Narmarkoun whirled around. Had that been a chuckle? A distant footfall? Coming to Yintaerghast had seemed clever enough, so long as he didn't tarry so long that Malraun got tired of conquering forest holds and grew bold enough to come looking for Lorontar's magic, but now…

Clutching the scroll, he ran back to the room where he'd left his staff of power and the few wands he'd brought along, his cloak, food, and water, his spell-tome and book of notes he was compiling, all guarded by a silent ring of his undead lasses. He had to-

Everything was gone. Even his playpretties. The stone slab that had served him as a table was bare.

At first he thought he'd mistaken the room, stepped through the wrong archway in his haste and, yes, rising panic, but-no, when he stepped back out into the passage and looked at the arch again, it was the right one. Could only be the right one…

He strode into the room again, almost running, to peer all around and make sure his things hadn't somehow fallen to where he couldn't see them, or been dragged away and left some trail.

Nothing.

He turned, wildly. Well, let them be lost, then. Crafting a new staff of like powers would cost him a year or more of work, but the rest could be replaced easily enough-if he kept his life, of course!

He found himself running, shedding scales as his deep blue arms went pale-something that happened only when he was wracked by sickness, or truly terrified.

Well, he was, fear like a cold flame rising in his chest as he pounded along the empty stone passages as fast as he could run, his rising gasps of breath loud in his ears, a feeling of being gloatingly watched strengthening around him now-

There! The door out, an archway opening into blank nothingness thanks to Lorontar's mighty shielding, but something he'd easily penetrated and mastered before, that was nothing but a moment of cold mist to him.

Narmarkoun ran faster, clutching the precious scroll like a baton. He had to get out of here, had to get away from Lorontar's long shadow, to where he could calm himself and-

He plunged through the archway and ran on, shivering at a sudden chill that had lanced deep into his bones, that clawed at his heart and his groin and his brain, now, freezing, making him stagger…

He skidded and stumbled to a halt, panting, not believing his eyes. He was in Yintaerghast, and had been running hard down the passage he'd come in by, the same hall he'd just run along to-

He whirled around. There, behind him, was the archway he'd just run through. Silently mocking him, as he stood winded and shuddering, shivering in the bone-biting cold.

Somehow, he'd run through the archway and its magic had spun him around and sent him running on, right back into the castle he'd been fleeing.

Drawing in a deep, shuddering breath, Narmarkoun fought to calm himself.

"I am a Doom of Falconfar," he said aloud, pleased at how calm his voice sounded. The word "Doom" seemed to roll away through the castle to vast and echoing distances, a very long way, ere it sank into whisperings. Whisperings that sounded like cruel mirth.

Narmarkoun walked to the archway this time, slowly and carefully, gathering his will about himself like the cloak that had been stolen from him as he stepped into its icy mists.

He would win through the shielding, just as he'd done before. He'd mastered it, and could break it again. He was Narmarkoun, a Doom of Falconfar, the most mighty Doom of Falconfar-

He was blinking at the dark walls and ceilings of Yintaerghast again, standing alone in its emptiness.

Turned around again. Imprisoned.

He took two steps away from the archway, turned to face it, and worked the strongest magic he knew, raising his arms when the great wall of spark-studded power was at its height, and hurled it at the shielding spell. He might well shatter this wall of the castle, but so be it.

If that was what it took to win the free of Yintaerghast and its not-so-dead master, that was what he would-

Like a great ocean wave, his own spark-studded spell came back at him, crashing down over him and burying him under hammerblows that struck as hard inside his head as out, dashing and numbing and breaking him, hurling him over and over and… out.