They had made it to a crumbled and out of sorts building, clearly used by the
Dwarves as an entrance to their complex caverns and tunnels. It was an awful structure, dust coveting every inch of it's walls, both of the companions coughing their lungs up as a result. It was worth it though, as it wasn't the perfect cover, but it would definitely prevent them from being caught by any Dwarf guards early. Sparhawk felt quite lucky to have come across 'The Wolf', already helping him make it to their destination. Or at least, to the beginning of their journey. Sparhawk may have been good at travelling, but he was never great at reading a map- admittedly.
As they began to enter the Dark and damp tunnel, Sparhawk emitted a light from his hands, the tunnel glowing around him like a room by candlelight. It was clear these tunnels weren't to last; it looked as if charges of some sort had been set around off shoots of the tunnel, no doubt in an effort by the Dwarves to prevent unknown methods of escape.
The smell was unusually tame. The tunnel itself didn't stink like it should have. It smelt like...
nothing. Like a feather in the wind, a pebble in an ocean, a ripple in a river. So faint, that it put Sparhawk at unease; and made something very clear to him,
something wasn't quite right.
They could hear light echos in the distance, like steps that grew every quieter. Not unexpected of course, the tunnels spanned for miles, even the most quiet movement could be amplified across it's great distances. Now he thought of it, it wouldn't be that farfetched to think Sparhawk and 'The Wolf''s movements wouldn't also be heard. Sparhawk's heart grew heavier and heavier, and beat faster and faster.
What if they had a powerful wizard on their side? Even if Douglas wasn't an experienced mage,
Kavosh could sense the aura's of people. More powerful wizards could do the same, with great lengths of practice.
This thought was disturbed however, as he noticed something that worried him even further.
The steps were growing louder.
"Something is wrong..." Sparhawk whispered to his companion. It should just be a small Dwarf guard, checking the perimeter of the Tunnels. If that was hopefully the case, they shouldn't be any trouble.
Please let that be the case.
Suddenly, Sparhawk began to grow cold. But not in the conventional sense, it was as if the cold grew
deeper, like a great boulder of frost had befallen upon each of their shoulders
. He hadn't felt like this since he enquired Shade about the Necromancer tome he had desired so long ago. Even though he knew nothing was happening physically to the light he had created in his hands, he felt as if the darkness grew darker, and the light died.
There was a group of Dwarves to be sure. There must have been 5 or 6, not a problem to deal with. But it was what stood behind them that threatened Sparhawk. In the distance behind the Dwarves, he noticed a figure.
Maybe another Dwarf? No, something was off. He could sense
nothing about him.
Nothing.
When one studies the higher arts in
Elbion, one of the first things you learn, is that everybody has an aura; a glow that encapsulated their being. It differed from person to person, usually the more powerful one was, or the more influence they had, the brighter and fiercer their aura grew. But one fact stood above all that,
Every being had one. For the first time in his entire life, he was witnessing a figure that had nothing but void surrounding it. The light he had created grew brighter, revealing and confirming Sparhawk's dark suspicions;
It was a Lich.
He may have appeared man, but Sparhawk wasn't to be fooled. Lich's of legend were fairytales. Beings that sacrificed the souls of others to fuel their power, that could bring back hordes of the
undead, bend the wills of others, and cause mass plagues to devastate
cities. They often had ways of keeping their identities from people with illusion magic, so they could walk amongst the living. But the reality stood,
Never without an aura.
Sparhawk quaked in fear. He had never encountered something like this. Only in books and rumours does one hear about moments like this. It made Sparhawk want to vomit.
"Wolf, get your weapon ready, now!" He jerked his head to the left to shout at his companion. There was no time to waste.
This could be the end for us both.
He couldn't risk using his magic too early. He had to be efficient if they were to survive. To the Lich, they must have been considered Child's play. Sparhawk gave a soft sigh, the brand on his neck glowing that familiar red colour, his eyes growing crimson. He wouldn't let the surge of Imamu overcome him. If they were going to last this battle, he must fight with his head.
I must try.
"We can't let them leave!" He exclaimed. If they were to tell the rest of the Dwarf army about this, they would not survive to find Douglas, let alone fight him.
Sparhawk was terrified.
Douglas Haley |
Jame Hawthorne
