Mystic Firestorm 2 Page 7

  “Nothing in that direction.”

  “Flicker walked forward, “then we go that way.”

  The duo continued to find their way around the maze of corridors that had been built centuries ago. Flicker had been in a few furnished rooms and imagined what it must have been like when others occupied the fortress so long ago. Flicker pictured the wizards casting spells and making things float. He imagined dragons and fairy creatures roaming the corridors. Flicker knew that those things may have existed long before Mankind came to the Six Providences. He remembered the old Elven lore about the Transformations. The folklore had been different than the one that Mankind foretold because the Elven race had been part of the Old World of Faerie. Flicker laughed at the thought because the incident occurred at least a thousand years before his time if not further back. He wondered and pondered about those things and Jarret pulled him away from his daydreams.

  “Come on, for the third time,” the thieving boy snapped.

  “I was thinking about the strangest things,” he replied.

  “Come on we don't have all day,” Jarret raged with disapproval. Flicker felt that he was being deliberately forced into a fight. He could sense Jarret's strange behavior that was pulsing irrationally onward. Flicker had many suspicions about the Hearthstone Sword and wished that he could hold on to it for a little while. He wanted to share the burden that Jarret had taken on but was afraid of the consequences it would bring. Flicker realized what a grave mistake he made in letting Jarret use the blade to hurt the Ogre. He reasoned quickly and realized that he had to get the sword away from him. Flicker assumed that if the Crimson Seekers used it for evil purposes, then so would Jarret because the blade was tainted.

  “Jarret wait a minute,” he decided to try and change his friends mind.

  “What is it?”

  “Why don't you let me carry the Hearthstone Sword for a while?”

  “What?” He boomed back at his friend. “Just what are you up to?” he asked with a twisted expression.

  “Remember the legend?” Flicker said as Jarret interrupted.

  “I suppose you want it for yourself. I suppose you want the power to control.”

  “No-no,” Flicker went on as Jarret raised the sword. His face went pale as he witnessed the strange being that held the Hearthstone Sword. Jarret's appearance had physically changed before his very eyes. No longer was his face colorful, but only a pale discoloring. Dark circles lined his bloodshot eyes and an insane look which stared at him. Flicker trembled and realized that something was wrong. Jarret turned away from him and went forward.

  Flicker stood alone.

  Allenor rushed with a furious blow as he toppled over an Ogre. He rushed into another room and realized that he may have been wrong about his calculations. He was not lost nor was he trapped. He remembered a whole arena of secret compartments, sliding panels and secret doors. It took him a few minutes to realize that the Domain had been built for his purpose and for the expectation of keeping evil out. He led his tired companions through an entire maze of panels that were very well hidden. Old trick levers were either pulled, pushed, or pressed to give him specific access to the entire Domain. Allenor knew one thing, he must find the two lost boys. Allenor felt a strange sensation sweeping the Domain, a new power that was being created. He understood what presently transpired. One of them had used the Hearthstone to kill and in that process was becoming one of the Seekers. Allenor feared for their entire mission and now understood why the Seekers had left the Hearthstone unguarded. The Seekers were skilled and cunning, their purpose was to make one of the company a part of them. Allenor failed to discern this until he reasoned with the entire circumstances. Flicker and Jarret had been diverted from the company and forced to go to another part of the Keep. Allenor knew where he would find them and also conceived their destruction if he did not find them before the Seekers. If he failed, everything would be lost.

  “Mystic, where are you leading us?” Tullamore demanded to know.

  Allenor turned with his face full of anger. “We must find the Seekers.

  “What!” Evlander clashed and stepped forward next to his brother. “Find them. I thought we were trying to escape from them.”

  “They have set a careful trap that we must avoid. They are changing someone in our company.”

  “Who?” Llwellyn asked.

  “Flicker or Jarret or possibly both. I cannot be sure, but I feel a new force growing and we must get to them.”

  Tullamore leaned against the wall, “how will we stop them?”

  Allenor refused to answer the question as Tullamore grasped his arm. “Allenor, I realize the great burden you carry, but you should be frank with all of us. We must know what we are marching into. “

  Allenor's face twisted with uncertainty, “that's my point. I'm not sure and I don't want to make any hasty assumptions. It could be another false deception that they have set for us, but I fear this one.”

  “Why?” Tullamore asked.

  “Because,” he paused, “because if they have been changed, we will have to kill Jarret and Flicker.”

  “This is madness,” Evlander flared and stepped up to him. “I will not stand by and watch you destroy two innocent boys.”

  Allenor turned away in silence and took a step. Suddenly a blow struck the side of his head and he reeled forward. His quick reflexive actions moved to surprise Evlander. The rest of the company rushed forward and Allenor put his hand up to stop the others.

  “No! If he wants me, let him come and take a piece of me.” Allenor breathed.

  “Come on Mystic, use your powers to destroy me,” Evlander hissed like a madman. “why don't you finish all of us off here and save us any further quest.”

  Allenor rushed forward and was struck as he grabbed Evander by the throat and squeezed, “never threaten me with your insecurity, with your guilt. I hold enough of it as it stands. You either help us or you die. I will leave you behind.”

  “You can't kill them,” Evlander struggled to release the man’s powerful grip. He choked as Tullamore held back Llwellyn.

  “Allenor let him go,” and the bewildered man dropped to his knees,

  “I have no intention to harm them if fate makes it differently, but I feel for them.” Allenor watched Evlander rub his throat and extended his hand. “I hope that you make the right decision when the time comes my friend because if they become what I imagine, they'll not care about your stinking soul. They'll leave you to rot. It's either them or us. Now let's move it!”

  No one had said a single word since Allenor's encounter with Evlander. Tullamore and Llwellyn kept quiet and extremely alert about the entire situation. Tullamore knew down in his heart that he would not have the courage to kill either of the boys, but he also knew that he would if they had become part of the Seekers. Tullamore wondered about the Hearthstone Sword and what would become of that weapon. A strange notion fell upon him, he felt a sense of dread touch his very soul. Dayven held a part of the blade. The Lumberjack wondered if the blade had affected him in any way. He wondered if Dayven was slowly changing. He dreaded his largest fear that sprouted in his mind like a thick poisonous vine with searing thorns that cut away his very heart. Suppose the company had to kill Dayven? Suppose he was becoming a Seeker? The very thought appalled him, and a small tear came quietly to his cheek.

  Tullamore came to a halt and watched Allenor pry open a secret panel which led onto the main hallway of the Domain. Allenor came to a large wooden door and sensed a drop in the temperature. He realized that he could hear the sound of running water from within the walls. He quietly motioned the others onto the main floor and kept the panel open. The others waited while he checked out the surrounding area. There was no sign of the Ogres, Seekers, or their little minions. Allenor realized that the only way to find them was to use his powers. He hushed them and stood silently still. A deep breath filled his lungs and he opened his eyes then closed them, his head went down, and a sadness drew over his wor
n cheeks. Suddenly a sharp pain ripped through and he lost his balance and fell against the wall.

  “They're here,” he whispered. He summoned his remaining strength and stood up. He had a placid look on his face and regained his stamina. “One of them is injured. The other has fallen.”

  The company grew cold at his last sentence. Which one had fallen and how? No one asked the Mystic this question because they did not want to know. Without another sound, the company followed Allenor down the dim stone corridor.

  A few minutes later, they came around the corner to find a fallen body. Flicker was unconscious with a bad bruise near his left eye. Allenor bent over and tilted his head up. He rubbed the boy's face softly with his warm hands and Flicker moved.

  “Wake up my friend,” the Mystic spoke in a subtle voice. “Flicker you cannot stay here; we must find a way out of this place.”

  Tullamore and Llwellyn helped him up and held onto him. Flicker half dragged his boots at first then began to control his walking.

  “Jarret,” he sighed with a low whining voice. “He struck me down and walked away. I thought he was going to kill me with the Hearthstone Sword. Allenor, something horrible has happened to him. He is not himself.”

  “I know,” the stranger replied.

  “What happened?” Llwellyn asked in a curious fashion.

  “I went after him and followed him. He seemed to be lost in some kind of trance. I turned the corner and he had disappeared. I heard noises and ran forward. When I turned the corner, he struck me with the pommel of his sword. I don't remember anything, but his strange expression. It was as if he enjoyed it and then regretted it. There was something crying out in his eyes, but I blacked out. I think he wants us to help him.”

  Allenor stamped his foot down, “we leave here after we find him and get the sword back.”

  What are you talking about?” Tullamore interjected. “We cannot risk our lives any more than we have. We have lost one already. We have lost the sword. There are others out there that we must find. We must reach them before anyone else does. Don't they count?”

  Allenor looked apologetically, “I have failed him.”

  “We must hope for the best,” Evlander pitched in trying to make amends with the Mystic.

  “Maybe he's not completely lost,” Allenor replied. “Maybe, that's it,” he stated.

  A blast rocked the wall next to him and stone and mortar shattered into fiery pebbles. Llwellyn turned in horror to see a Seeker standing in the midst of the corridor. It's black cape seemed to blow in a current of air that came from small draft. It shrieked with a fury and faced those who had come to oppose it. Allenor reacted with a wall of blue searing flame, which collided into it and sent the creature reeling back. A cape smoldered as it screeched and sent fireballs at its intended victims. A fireball roared past them as they scattered like field mice in the sight of a fat black cat. Fire crushed the stone and brick as the company backed away in horror. Its body continued smoldering as it reached its fire eaten fingers and released another bolt of flame. The fireball exploded into the wall and flames cascaded all around. Tullamore felt the hair on his beard singe, Evlander felt flame lick his face as he shielded his eyes. Llwellyn's crossbow and bolts dropped onto the floor in flames as he clutched his hands screaming agony. Allenor sent a large fireball that knocked the creature down and sent half the corridor crashing down. Allenor looked in horror as another Seeker came toward another direction. Fire exploded upward and the fallen wall sprayed the company like pins and needles. Tullamore had cuts on his hand and Evlander's arm was bleeding intensely. Allenor looked tired and weary as he watched the fallen Seeker rise back to life in a stronger form. A rumbling was heard as the other Seeker began its assault on the company. Fire ran against the wall as Evlander released his dagger that went straight into the flesh of the other creature. Allenor cursed as he realized that they would be destroyed in seconds. He knew he could not destroy two of the creatures. Flicker lay on the floor and watched the creature step forward. The Mystic ran to block the boy and fire blazed into his body. Allenor let out a blood-curtailing scream of agony and fell to the ground. Tullamore reacted and grabbed the man and pulled him against the wall as the Seekers awaited the groups next move. Allenor did not hesitate to use his remaining power. A blast of fire swept into the fallen Seeker and sent it flying back into the crumbling wall. Allenor turned and assaulted the other creature with a cunning expansion of power. The company heard a large rush as the entire hall shook. The ceiling sank inward as the Tullamore rushed away from the area as it began to collapse. Water gushed downward on the fallen creature and suddenly the entire ceiling seemed to move, and the mortar and stone blocks shattered. The Seekers shrieked as the company made a mad rush for the secret panel. Stone and brick collapsed onto the Seekers and they burst into flame as water flooded the entire hallway in seconds.

  Llwellyn could not close the secret panel as they made their way through the maze of corridors. The water was rushing behind them and the walls along their left side sprung leaks. Suddenly the entire wall collapsed, and water rose up to their waists. Flicker felt dizzy but continued to struggle to keep his footing. The water threatened to suck him and the others under as it pulled them back and rushed forward.

  “What happened?” Tullamore said in shock.

  “The caverns surrounding the Awakening Deep must have been corroded and the pressure from the blast must have cracked the very foundation of the Domain. It will fill up and become a watery grave for them.”

  “Everything will be lost?” Evlander asked as he realized that the water level was slowing down.

  “Only the bottom chambers will be lost,” Allenor explained. “We must get above ground level if we are to survive. Right now, we must go back in the direction we came.”

  “How long before we reach that point?” Tullamore replied.

  “I'm unsure,” Allenor stated. “We better hope that the entire Domain holds because it appears that the structure is irreparably damaged. If the foundation goes, we will be buried beneath tons of stone and mortar. Allenor went forward and realized that the door was jammed. He tried the trick lever over and over but failed to press the release. “It's stuck. Stand back!” The company treaded back and realized that the water was up to their knees and rising fast. Allenor blasted the door and it crumbled with a fiery force. Moments later the company came to another hall where the sound of trickling water haunted them. The questers walked through and watched the water spill over to the stone floor. It seemed to rush with intensity that Flicker slipped and was forced against the wall. Allenor grasped his arm and rushed forward.

  “Quickly my friends, in a moment this entire corridor will be under water.” Allenor rushed forward. He turned a dark stone corridor and the others followed him like drown rats. Each one ran out of breath as they heard the sound of rushing water explode into the halls. Llwellyn looked in horror and Evlander gasped as they came to a four-way corridor. Slavelings crouched before the walkway and shrieked with madness. Allenor stopped in his tracks as he released a wall of flames that sent the creatures into other directions. A wooden door behind them was pounded with fury as the wood exploded and water gushed behind them. The company hit the floor and was swept down the corridor. Slavelings screeched as they were instantly torn from their hiding places and sent to a watery death. Each of the company tried to regain their footing as the river slammed them into the end of a corridor. Within seconds they had anchored themselves and found a door. It was forced open by three of the men and they entered and found a flight of stairs. Water gushed and spilled into the company creating a wave across the floor, their bodies ached with agony and Flicker went under. Tullamore forced himself up and clutched at the boy's body. Swirling green and white foam slapped into his face as he anchored himself onto an old metal staircase banister. Llwellyn grabbed Evlander and gave him a small smile. They began their climb as the water below continued to spin like a giant whirlpool. Flicker and Tullamore followed Allen
or up the old wooden staircase. The company stopped to watch the water below. In the far distance, they could hear the tortured screams of trapped and drowning Ogres. Allenor did not smile as he gazed at the staircase that spiraled some three hundred wooden steps. Evlander coughed and felt weak as the company began their ascent.

  “Thank you, Mystic, we made it,” Evlander said apologetically while his brother followed his lead.

  “We should be out of this place when we reach the top,” Allenor said weakly. Tullamore stepped and heard something strange. Flicker was directly behind him and then Evlander.

  Tullamore turned in terror, “Evlander!”

  It was too late. Evlander stepped and fell forward. The wooden steps snapped under the company's weight and sent the dark-haired man into the whirlpool.

  “No!” Llwellyn reached down and watched his brother plunge into the swirling mass, screams echoed below. His eyes looked into Allenor’s with a pleading compassion.

  “No, don't!” Tullamore screamed as Llwellyn jumped in after his brother. Below the company heard both brothers struggling.

  Allenor watched helplessly as the company watched them go under. Their screams stopped in unison as the foaming green undercurrent dragged them around and then under.

  “Can't you do something?” Tullamore begged as he looked at Allenor.

  “I cannot,” the Mystic turned his head in shame. He knew that they were gone he could not believe it, but they were gone. There was a moment of silence and the company carefully made their way up the old wooden staircase. Flicker followed in-between Allenor and Tullamore. The Mystic stopped and held his breath, he extended his arms and whispered a few words. The green water below continued to swirl. The others did not realize that the water had turned blue as they made their way to freedom.