chapter TWENTY-SEVEN
The next morning, Jonas suggested that they should begin to scout their way, rather than simply riding ahead together. Jonas thought the best choice for a scout would be Jake, though Marcus protested, claiming that he was better trained. Jonas pointed out that Jake had a fast horse, was armored and, if needed, could use his magic to defend himself if he ran into demons.
Marcus grudging agreed, then took Jake to the road. He pointed out the signs of the princess' passage. "Just look for tracks like these. Watch for any reduction of numbers or turns in their path." He looked over at Jake. "Are you sure you can do this?" He asked, looking unconvinced.
Jake nodded, then headed back to his horse. Fixing his helm and making sure his armor was in place, Jake climbed onto Dontas while the others finished packing up the camp. Before he left, Jonas walked over to him.
"Remember, Jake, just look for passage of the princess or signs of our enemies." Jonas said as he stood next to Dontas. "You don't need to ride hard. Stop every hour or so, so we can join up with you. Also, if you see something that needs further inspection, wait for us to catch up. Do not go off the road on your own. If you see our enemies or some other danger approaches, fall back to us."
With a nod and a farewell wave to Hailyn, Jake started Dontas down the road. He was both excited and a little frightened to be riding off on his own, knowing that their enemies operate in this area. He tried to focus on his task as he set a moderate pace, scanning the dirt road and surrounding trees for the signs Marcus showed him and any indication of a change. The road wound its way over some hills and twisted around others. He rode on for what he believed was an hour, the trail staying on the road, then stopped where he had a clear view of the road ahead and waited for the rest to catch up.
The weather was nice, not too hot, though the sun was out. He took in the surrounding land. The trees were starting to change, with more evergreens beginning to mix in with the other trees. The ground was getting rockier, with the hills rising more sharply. He could see the Gray Ridges pushing into the sky in the eastern distance. They were clearly moving towards the mountains.
After the rest caught up, Jake took off again, riding ahead. For most of the morning, that was their routine. By the early afternoon, the terrain became steeper and the road became more hard-packed, making the trail harder to follow. At the mid-day meal break, Jonas decided to send both Marcus and Jake ahead, Marcus being the better tracker, but Jake could provide the needed defense against the demons.
Jake protested. "What if you are attacked?" He asked. "You need to have Marcus here to deal with the physical threats."
"Jake, we are only four." Jonas said. "Everything we are doing is a risk. Aside for bows, the half-men have to get within sword distance to harm either Hailyn or myself. With us working together, they will never get that close. It will take more than a group of half-men and a demon or two to defeat us. If we are attacked by something larger, then it may not matter if you and Marcus were here anyway."
Jake finally agreed, though he was not happy about it as he and Marcus left, riding on. After they were back on the trail, however, Jake saw the wisdom of it. He lost it several times, though Marcus seemed confident, continuing on. Jake, realizing that he was not helping with the trail, began to focus on the surrounding area, looking for threats. They continued like this for another half hour, when Marcus suddenly stopped.
As Jake watched, Marcus got off his horse, looking closely at the ground. He walked slowly around the area, then started off towards the trees to the southeast. He stopped just inside the tree line, kneeling to examine something, then came back.
"They turned off here and rode into the trees." Marcus said quietly. He pointed back towards where he had been. "The trail is clear in the soil."
"I guess we wait here for Jonas and Hailyn." Jake said, sliding off of Dontas and leading him into the shade of the trees. Marcus did the same with his horse.
They waited there, not speaking, watching and listening for any signs of movement. Soon, they could hear the sound of the wagon approaching. When it rounded the corner, they came out to greet them. They quickly explained what they had found and Jonas looked around, frowning.
"We will have to leave the wagon; it won't make it through the trees." He said. "We should find a place where it can be hidden."
They were able to find a gap in the trees where they could push the wagon, sheltering it from anyone on the road. They grabbed some fallen tree limbs and other items to help camouflage it. After Jonas unhooked the horses, Jake and Marcus did what they could to erase their tracks to the wagon as they returned to Jonas and Hailyn.
Jonas and Hailyn were on the wagon horses, with only a blanket as a saddle and the bridles and reins from the wagon. Jake and Marcus loaded the extra food and water they brought from the wagon into their saddlebags.
Once they were all mounted, Jonas signaled Marcus to lead them. He went ahead, followed by Jonas, Hailyn and Jake bringing up the rear. They rode slowly, moving through the trees. The forest, made up mostly of tall pines, seemed too quiet as they rode, making Jake nervous. He constantly looked behind them, as well as to the sides. He saw nothing, but that did not make him feel better.
They rode for another two to three hours, moving up and down along the hills, not seeing anything, but Marcus was sure they were on the trail. The sun angled to the west, its light filtering through the trees, deepening the shadows.
Without warning, they came across a large forest trail, almost a road, heading east-west. Marcus stopped, dismounted and examined the trail closely. "They went east along the trail." He said, getting back on his horse. He started off in that direction, the others following.
They continued on, the light getting lower as the day drew to a close. The terrain was rugged, but passable. They rode up a steep and rocky hill, suddenly stopping at the top. Below them, the sparse trees ended halfway down the slope. Beyond that, the trail cut its way through a tumbled mix of rocks and they could just make out a rocky cliff ahead.
However, it was not the rocks that stopped them. There was a feeling of coldness and evil that seemed to radiate from the area. The horses begin to whinny and shy away, nervous. Facing those sensations, Jake resisted the urge to call up his magic, not wanting to draw attention. Jonas motioned them to go back.
They rode down the trail a ways, then left it, concealing their passage as they went. They headed into a dense grouping of trees, going until they could not see the trail. Jonas had them dismount, then gather close.
"I believe that we have reached where the demons brought the princess." He whispered. "I think that we have two options. The first is that we ride back to find Alleon and bring back the army. Finding Alleon seems the most logical choice, despite the delay of many days. With the additional soldiers and clerics, we would stand a better chance in a fight."
He paused. "However, there are drawbacks to this. We do not know how many of our enemies we face or even if the princess is still here. It may be that we will have brought them here for nothing or to confront more enemies than even Alleon's force could overcome. A bitter fight also increases the chance that the princess will be harmed."
"The second is that we attempt to enter secretly and locate or recover the princess ourselves." He continued, face serious. "It will take stealth, strength and courage. It goes without saying that there is great danger to attempt this. We could easily be seen and killed, overcome or captured. But, to attempt such a feat is probably the last thing our enemies would expect us to do. That element of surprise may be the edge to allow us to succeed."
Marcus spoke up, his voice soft, but firm. "Feeling the evil of this area, I will say again that I am not leaving her in their hands a moment longer than necessary." His face was a mask, hard and resolute. "I will attempt this place alone, if need be."
"You will not go alone, young Marcus." Jonas said, smiling grimly, clasping his arm. "I will go with you."
He looked at Hailyn, warmth in his eyes. "Here, my dear girl, you must make the choice. This is not something I would ever demand of you. It is far beyond what would ever be required of an apprentice. You can remain here to wait for us or take a horse and attempt to return to Alleon."
"I trust in the mercy of the One and in you. I will follow you to whatever end, Master." Hailyn replied simply.
Jonas nodded, then faced Jake. "For you, to go along means that you will enter into the midst of those that want you desperately. You are probably at the greatest risk of us all, Jake, so you must decide. There is no shame to say no. You can also take your horse and return to Alleon, even though that way is dangerous too."
"If you are going, I will go, Jonas." Jake said, trying to push down his fear. "Dominic would have done the same if he were here." Jonas gave him a tight smile, then got down to business.
"We will leave the horses here and go on foot." Jonas said. "We'll make our way down to the rocks and find a place where we can observe the layout of this place while there is still light. If we see a path in, we will take it."
They took out some rope and tied it off loosely between two trees, wrapping the horses' reins over it. They left it loose so the horses could break free if threatened. Marcus grabbed a waterskin and, kneeling, poured water into the dirt, mixing it with his hands, making mud. Jake was not sure what he was doing when he motioned Jake over.
"Rub the mud on your armor." Marcus said quietly as he started to do the same on his. "It will reduce reflections off the metal, giving us a better chance of approaching unseen." Jake, nodding his understanding, began to slather the mud on his breastplate. After they inspected each other to make sure all of the exposed metal was covered, they went back over to Jonas.
After one final check of the horses, Jonas had them move off. They made their way back to the top of the hill, trying to move stealthily, watching the surrounding woods, angling away from the forest trail. Making sure that no enemies were in sight, they slowly worked their way down through the trees, stopping just beyond the tree line, behind some large rocks. They peered around the rocks, their angle giving them a clear a line of sight ahead.
They could see that the tumbled rocks created jagged obstacles, flowing down the hillside. At the bottom of the hill, a clearing appeared, the rocks seemingly pushed back. The bare stone clearing spread out along the face of the cliff that loomed behind it. They saw that there was a large natural opening at the base of the cliff. They scanned the cliff for other openings, not seeing any others at first.
While they were surveying the cliff, a small group of eight half-men on horses appeared, riding out of the opening. They watched as the group made their way up the trail and into the forest. As they turned back, Jake caught a glimpse of movement away from the opening, near where the cliff merged back into the hills. He tapped Jonas and pointed.
From behind a rocky outcropping, two half-men appeared, carrying something wrapped in a rough blanket between them. They took it away from the cliff, then threw it towards the ground, pulling the blanket away. Jake saw a naked body drop towards the ground, then vanish. It took him a moment to figure it out what happened. With the sun was getting lower, the clearing and base of the cliff were in shadow, but he was barely able to make out a darker opening in the ground. There was some sort of pit there. The half-men turned and went back behind the outcropping.
Jonas drew them close together. "I think we have found our way in." He said, voice barely a whisper. "We will wait until dark, then move along the rocks, making our way towards that outcropping."
They waited anxiously for the sun to set, glancing all around for any hint of their enemies. As night slowly settled over the forest, they watched as several half-men came out of the main entrance, set up some torches to light the area and stood guard.
Jonas addressed Jake and Hailyn. "When we start in, do not use your power unless I do so first or our enemies are on us. We will try to avoid confrontation, if at all possible."
Finally, Jonas motioned them to start moving. Marcus took the lead again, slowly working his way along the rocks, watching the cliff for any signs that they had been detected. They moved deliberately and quietly. They made it over to the far hillside undetected, then started to navigate down the rocks, trying to keep low to allow the rocks to block their passage from the main entrance.
As they got closer to the cliff, a stench of death and rotting flesh grew stronger. They were nearing the pit, clearly a place where the demons' victims were disposed of. It became difficult to breathe and Jake clenched his teeth together, trying not to vomit. As they got close, near the start of the clearing, they were forced to stop to study the way in. The stench seemed to surround Jake like a physical presence.
They could see a dark opening behind the outcropping of rock, only wide enough to go one at a time. Jonas pointed to himself, indicating that he would go first. Marcus would follow, then Hailyn with Jake to bring up the rear. Jonas studied the opening for a few moments, listening for sounds or hints of anyone inside. After a quick glance to make sure the guards at the main entrance were not looking, he rose and ran quickly over to the opening, skirting around the black maw of the pit.
Marcus, Hailyn and Jake followed quickly. As soon as they crossed, Jonas went into the opening, the end of his staff held out in front of him. The darkness seemed to swallow them up as they made their way in. They advanced slowly, listening intently for approaching threats while Jake kept an eye out behind them. After several tense moments of wandering forward in the dark, their eyes adjusted and they saw the faint glow of light ahead, outlining the passage.
The light became brighter as they got closer to its source, bathing the rough cut walls of the passage in an orange color. The passage turned slightly, then opened up into another passageway that ran perpendicular to the one they were in, this one lit with burning torches. They paused just inside the tunnel, listening for any sign of danger. Saying a quick prayer under his breath, Jonas stuck his head out quickly, looking both ways, then stepped back.
"It is clear for now." He whispered. "There appear to be additional passageways along this corridor. Not knowing the layout of this place, we have to trust our instincts. I believe we should go right, down the corridor, then take the next left, which should take us deeper inside. Be alert and stay focused." The others nodded.
Jonas glanced out again, making sure he could not see or hear anyone, then quietly but rapidly moved down the corridor, the others right behind. They came quickly to another passageway on the left, this one dimly lit with a few torches. They turned down it, not stopping. The passageway was rough-cut and narrow at first, but tall enough they could walk upright. There was a hint of a burnt, slightly sulfuric smell in the air that reminded Jake of used matches. After several minutes, they saw an opening in the wall that indicated another passageway intersecting the one they were in. They were almost to it when several half-men suddenly walked out of it into their passageway.
All froze for a split second, each surprised to see the other. Jonas reacted first, his body suddenly blazing, his aura shining brightly, driving away the darkness. The half-men reached for their swords, but it was already too late. Quick as thought, Jonas sent a brilliant lance of his magic into them, the clerics' fire reducing them to ash, weapons clanging to the ground.
Jonas immediately released his might, the party momentarily blinded by his display. They waited, listening intently for the sounds of approaching feet. They heard nothing, so Jonas motioned them to move ahead. They continued, down the passageway, the smell of sulfur growing stronger.
Several tense minutes later, another opening appeared on the right. Across from it, there was a space where the passageway expanded to the left, but did not go anywhere. In the middle of that expanded space was a large dark hole in the ground. They approached cautiously, trying to move silently. They were almost past it when they all felt the icy chill of the presence of a demon.
Jonas embraced his power, Hailyn and Jake doing the same. The light threw back the shadows, revealing two Imps directly ahead, surrounded in their dark power. Jonas engaged them, his might clashing with theirs, driving them back. Jonas drew more power, his form shining as bright as the sun, attacking again, destroying one, then the other.
From behind, Jake heard something approaching. He spun, launching his own power back down the way they had come. He heard the clash of magics, seeing an Imp staggering, form smoking. He sent a wall of blue fire at it, filling the passageway, driving it back, knocking it down. As it struggled to get up, Jake sent a final burst into it and it exploded into ash.
Hailyn, scanning for more enemies, had turned back towards Jake. She saw him give her a tight smile as he came forward, his magic glowing a dazzling blue. Before either of them could react, an Imp came leaping out of the adjoining passageway, arms outstretched for him. She watched in horror as the Imp's claws scraped along Jake's breastplate, sparks flying, but did not do any damage. The impact as the Imp hit him drove him back. Behind it, more half-men and Imps came flooding into the passageway. She called out to Jonas, sending her might into the press of half-men and demons, while watching Jake struggle.
Too late, she realized he was heading for the dark hole in the floor. The Imp was tangled up with him, a high-pitched whine coming from it as it was being burned by his magic. She saw that he tried to regain his footing when he teetered for a moment on the edge of that pit, still tied up with the demon, and then he was gone.
...
Jake and the demon fell into an inky darkness, Jake's magic lighting the tight rocky hole as they plummeted. Jake felt the demon impact a rock, spinning them around, then they hit solid ground, the demon underneath him, sending them tumbling down a steep slope. Jake's armor kept the demon's claw at bay, while absorbing some of the impacts of his tumble. They slid down together, then dropped again, falling several feet into another passageway.
Jake rolled away, ignoring the aches and pains of his fall, then rose to his knees, sending his magic blazing into the demon. It was stunned by the fall and could not react. It exploded into ash, the sound echoing down the rocky tunnel.
He took a second to check himself out, feeling along his arms and legs, surprised not to have broken anything. He slowly got to his feet, looking down the passage. With his magic shining, lighting the area, he did not see anything else in the tunnel. He could still smell the sulfur scent that they had been approaching, so he decided to follow that, hoping he could rejoin the others. He cautiously followed the passage deeper into the mountain.
He walked warily, listening for any hints of trouble, eyes watching for movement. As he went deeper down the tunnel, he began to hear the faint sound of voices ahead. He slowed his pace, holding his power tightly, prepared to strike, trying to watch every direction.
As he crept along, he gradually noticed a light at the end of the passage. As he got closer to that light, he released his magic to hide his approach and slowed even further, barely moving. Gripping his sword just in case, he finally reached the end of the passage and cautiously looked out, trying to minimize his movements.
Beyond the tunnel was an open, semi-circular cavern, about one hundred yards wide with a rough hewn floor and a ceiling covered with stalactites at least eighty feet overhead. He could see that there were multiple passages, at different levels, around the edge of the cavern. The cavern was lit with many torches burning with a reddish flame, giving the impression that the whole cavern was on fire. The burnt sulfuric smell was strong in the air. As he glanced out, he could see that there were groups of half-men and Imps spread out around the cavern.
Across the cavern, a massive throne was carved directly out of a stone rise. At the base of the throne, surrounded by torches, was much smaller chair, made of a black metal. With a start, he realized that Keria was sitting in it, plainly dressed, secured by straps to its arms and legs.
"Come out, boy." A deep voice boomed throughout the cavern. The sound sent a shiver of terror through Jake. "I can feel you nearby."
A large robed figure stepped out from behind the throne. It was almost human in appearance, though very tall. Jake could just make out the black eyes at this distance. Jake shrank back in spite of himself. He could sense the coldness and evil radiating from it, much greater than he had felt from the Imps.
"I only want to talk with you." The demon said smoothly, searching the passages. "I want you to understand your options before you do something that will only lead to your death. As you can see, I have kept the princess unharmed, as I said I would. Hear me out, then decide."
Jake knew instinctively that it was foolish to even listen to the demon, but seeing Keria bound, he stoked his courage, called up his magic and stepped out into the cavern. The demon immediately locked onto him, its eyes boring into him, a smile appearing on its face. Keria cried out his name, the sound of her voice echoing in the cavern.
"So, you are this Jake Thomas I have heard about." The demon said, deep voice taking on a compelling tone. It came closer, striding slowly towards him. "I am Creatos, Lord of the Darkness. I can appreciate the courage you have shown coming here, Jake. Now, you need to use your reason. You do not know yet the power you can wield if you join us. Simply come to me and I will teach you."
Jake took a step back, pulling more power in, the blue light of his magic shining against the red of the torches. "I don't believe it would be that simple. You want me to be evil, just like you." He said loudly.
"That is because you have been swayed by rumors and tales." The demon said, laughing. "I am reasonable and only seek to have you serve me. If you will but obey my commands, I will give you whatever you desire: power, riches, women." It gestured at Keria. "Come to me now and I will give you the girl as a sign of good faith. You can do with her what you will; even release her, if you wish."
"Let the princess go first and I'll consider it." Jake said, trying to figure out a way to save Keria.
The demon's face pulled back in a look of contempt. "That is not the answer you should have given, boy." It growled, smoothness gone. "Do you really expect me, who saw the beginning of all creation, to barter with something as low as you? You will take only what I give." It rose to its full height. "I offered you this girl in exchange for your obedience, but that was a one-time offer. She is mine and what you want no longer matters. You are here and I will simply take you, even if I have to break you first. If you seek to resist me, it will only make it that much more painful in the end."
"I won't allow you to hurt her." Jake said, his anger now rising with his fear for Keria. He continued to pull in his magic, strengthening it.
Creatos laughed, cold and cruel. His lips pulled back into a smirk. "When I have broken you, you will be made to watch while I use your precious princess, then pass her to my followers."
"Never!" Jake yelled as he sent a blazing bolt of blue fire at the demon. His blast forced the demon back a step, their conflicting energies crackling.
"You are stupid if you think you can stand against me." Creatos laughed, waving off the Imps and half-men as they moved towards Jake. "I have faced the Creator himself, so what chance do you think you have?" He sent his own dark might raging at Jake.
Jake blocked the attack, the force of it striking him hard, harder than anything he faced before, driving him back several steps. Shaking it off, he responded, striking back at the demon. He continued the attack, sending a steady stream of azure might into the demon.
Creatos laughed as he deflected Jake's attack. "Fool! It will take more than that to defeat me." The demon lord countered, its magic striking Jake, this time knocking him to the ground. Jake rolled with the blow and struggled back to his knees.
He saw Creatos, with a triumphant look on his face, send another bolt of darkness at him. Jake deflected it, rocking back from the impact. Suddenly, the air seemed full of darkness as Creatos began to rain blows rapidly at Jake, the atmosphere staggering from the conflicting energies. He found himself barely able to fight off these attacks, with no thought of counter-attacking. He could feel conflicting wisps of fire and ice seeping in as the demon's energies began to break though his defenses.
Seemingly out of nowhere, an enormous blast of clerics' fire slammed into Creatos, rocking him back and freeing Jake. The demon lost its footing and went to the ground, flesh smoking. Jake, as he pushed himself back to his feet, looked over to see Jonas, face determined and staff in front of him, entering the cavern through another passageway, his form pulsing brightly, yellow light illuminating the cavern walls, with Hailyn and Marcus following closely behind.
"You are as stupid as the boy, cleric." The demon lord snarled as it regained its feet. "You have only ensured your death today."
"You do not frighten me, demon." Jonas said loudly, voice defiant. "I am a servant of the One, a wielder of His Light. If I fall, I know that I will be sheltered in His hand for eternity. For you, there is only oblivion."
Creatos, staring pure hate at Jonas, attacked, sending his demon fire at him, while calling on the Imps and half-men to kill him. Jonas deflected the attack, sending the conflicting powers into the ceiling. The Imps began to attack as well, dark magic flying at Jonas, forcing him to retreat back a few steps. Hailyn began to strike the nearest half-men and demons while Marcus waded into a group of half-men, shield and sword moving.
Jake returned to the fight, sending his magic into the half-men closing with Jonas, blasting them away. Creatos turned back to Jake, slamming him with his dark magic. Jake rolled with the blow, counter-attacking as he regained his feet. He tried to increase his might, desperate to strike a decisive blow. His counters began to have some effect, as Creatos' form was smoldering, but nothing was seriously hurting him.
Creatos again began to batter Jake with a constant barrage of attacks, this time signaling the closest half-men. "Render him unconscious and bring him to me." Focused on stopping Creatos' attacks, Jake could not spare anything to defend against the six half-men that came towards him.
He was staggered by an especially powerful blast, losing his footing and going down. Jake saw the half-men start to run towards him, seeking to take advantage. Jake's hand gripped his dagger as he tried to regain his feet.
Before he could right himself, a shadow passed over him as a figure leapt from a passageway above him, bowling into the half-men. Jake heard a familiar voice call out as the figure rolled to its feet, sword in hand. "Get on your feet and fight, boy!"
Dominic!
Jake was stunned for a brief moment as he saw Dominic, who clearly fought his way to them, his clothes tattered and armor dented and scratched, blood running from multiple wounds, engage the half-men, sword moving, putting them down. He immediately launched himself at the next group of half-men nearby.
Creatos saw him as well, sending a blast towards him to blacken his bones. Jake lashed out with a flare of blue might, deflecting the attack as he regained his feet. He attacked again, determined to end this, striking Creatos and forcing him back.
Jake and the demon fought, the clash of their powers echoing and overlapping the sounds of Jonas battling the Imps, the flashes of light from the duel battles making the shadows in the cavern dance. While Marcus and Dominic were engaged with the half-men, Hailyn was attacking them as well, clearing space around the warriors. Jake and Creatos circled each other on the outside of that battle, each trying to take advantage, bolts of light and dark blistering the air.
The demon lord delivered a powerful counter, driving Jake down to his knees. It rose to its full height, black eyes reflecting the reddish light of the torches. "It is time to end this farce." Creatos snarled as he advanced. "Obey me now and I will spare your life. Otherwise, I will send you to..." He cut off as Dominic seem to explode out of a nearby group of half-men and ran forward, blade extended.
The demon was caught off guard and unable to move in time. Dominic ducked under its arms and, putting his momentum behind it, ran his sword through its belly.
The demon screamed a horrible scream, a cry of terrible pain and overwhelming anger, stunning all. It whirled and backhanded Dominic, catching him on his breastplate, crumpling it, and sending him tumbling across the rocky floor. His body twisted and turned as he rolled, then came to a halt, limp and motionless. The demon yanked the sword from its stomach, the metal ringing as it hit the stone floor. Dark blood flowed around its hand as it clutched at the wound.
Suddenly, all of the half-men began to cry out and fall as Creatos began to drain their life energies. Jake could almost see the dark energy as it flowed into the demon lord. Its magic took on a darker hue, pulsing and concentrating on its wound. Jake could see the wound starting to close.
"The half-men!" Jake called out, as he swept his power into the writhing half-men, destroying them. "Destroy the half-men!" Jonas heard and he and Hailyn sent bright flares of their magic into the half-men, destroying them as well.
Creatos snarled, crying out as the energies began to weaken, attempting to draw in what remained before the half-men were destroyed. The surviving Imps, stunned by the turn of events and staring in disbelief at their lord, suddenly turned and fled the cavern, leaving Creatos alone.
Jake turned back, striking the demon, staggering it, its wound still open. It was not allowed to set itself as Jonas hammered it with clerics' fire, Hailyn adding her might as well. They battered it, not letting up, but it was strong, able to resist their powers longer than expected. They drove it back, their powers reaching it more and more.
Desperate, the demon fixed its gaze on Jake, hate and contempt twisting its face, then snarled. "You will still lose." Jake saw one of its arms, radiating dark fire, swing towards Keria, struggling against her bonds.
"NOOOO!" Jake screamed. Suddenly, the magic surrounding Jake's body pulsed with a brilliant white light, blinding, washing out the other lights in the cavern, then launched at the demon. Jake seemed to collapse in on himself and crumpled to the cave floor.
Before Creatos could react, the white fire slammed into him, driving him back, tearing through the demon's magical protection. The demon writhed and screamed again as the light burned into its body. That terrible scream reverberated throughout the cavern, seeming to come from all directions. The conflicting magical energies coursing around its body sparked and snapped, leaving the demon's skin cracked and smoking, its face ruined.
But Creatos was strong, resisting, trying to use his power to overcome Jake's magic. Then Jonas struck again, a beam of pure sunlight blasting into the demon. Abruptly, shockingly quick, the conflicting magics exploded, shattering the air, cutting off the scream and turning the demon lord to ash.
As the sound of the demon's end faded, the cavern went silent. Jonas let his magic go, face drawn and tired. Marcus, armor and shield dented and sword covered in blood, ran to free the princess.
Hailyn, crying out, ran towards Jake, her magic at the ready. Jonas, startled by her movement, followed and caught up to her before she could reach Jake. "No!" He said firmly as he grabbed her arm and pulled her up short. "Let me look after him."
Jonas knelt down next to Jake. Jake was deathly pale, his hair had streaks of pure white it, much more pronounced than before, and his body seemed incredibly fragile. Jonas reached out to check his pulse, but stopped short. He wondered if touching Jake would cause the same reaction as when he tried to heal him. He watched Jake closely and saw the slight inhalation of breath and a pulse in his neck, faint but there.
"He's alive." He said gently to Hailyn as he rose. She sobbed in relief. "Do not touch him or try to heal him. I need time to study this. I know you want to help, but this is beyond you. Go see to the princess and Marcus while I find Dominic."
Jonas quickly crossed the cavern to look for Dominic. He found him lying on his back, bloodied and broken, face battered and eyes closed. His armor was pushed inwards from Creatos' blow, his clothing blackened and torn. He had multiple open wounds and his left arm was twisted unnaturally underneath him. Jonas, saying a silent prayer, reached down and checked for a pulse. He finally felt a faint beating, the only indication that Dominic was still alive.
Moving quickly, Jonas used Dominic's dagger to cut away the straps on the breastplate to remove it, gently extracted his twisted arm and straightened it out, then laid his hand on his forehead, calling up his magic in spite of his fatigue, sending it flowing into Dominic. Jonas healed the most serious injuries first, then worked his way through the other wounds.
As he finished, Dominic's eyelids flickered, then opened. He looked at Jonas, eyes bright. "Is the boy alright?" He asked quietly.
"He lives." Jonas said, relieved, and slowly stood. Dominic took Jonas' outstretched hand and rose, looking resolute and strong despite the torn and bloody clothes. Scanning the cavern quickly, he went over to retrieve his sword lying on the stone floor, then headed back with Jonas to where Jake lay.
The princess, now free, was standing with Marcus and Hailyn, hovering over Jake. Both Keria and Hailyn were crying as they looked down at Jake. Marcus was attempting to watch the entrances to the cavern and the princess at the same time, bloody sword still in his hand. Jonas and Dominic stopped on the other side of Jake.
Jonas spoke to them quietly. "I have suspected that Jake's command of his magic is not the only thing that is unusual about him. As he did before during the attack near the miners' camp, he somehow channeled his own life force into his magic. When I healed him before, he somehow tapped into my life force to replace what he lost. It was that taking of my life force that healed him, not necessarily my power." He paused. "I believe that the only way to help him is to replenish his life force. He had only used a small amount before; this is appears to be much larger. If I were to attempt to heal Jake now, it may be that I would not survive the attempt."
"If I must risk it to save him, I will." Jonas continued. "However, I will not do it here. We still have to get clear of this place, so we may need my power."
He looked sympathetically at Hailyn and Keria. "Jake is alive. We will take him back to Sanduas where I can study this more closely. If he worsens, then I will take steps."
He turned to Dominic. "Dom, I want you to carry Jake. I'm not sure if my power caused our connection before, but it did not occur when you held him. Until we know what triggers Jake's ability to draw out the life force, Hailyn and I should not touch him."
Dominic nodded and sheathed his sword. "We must depart." He said as he bent down to pick up Jake. "The demons have fled for now, but they may return."
…
High above the cavern floor, in a darkened opening, a figure cloaked and cowled in black stood quietly and watched as the small group gathered themselves, then left through the opening they came in. He watched as the tall warrior picked up the boy, cradling him, as the young warrior led the group out, the female cleric, glowing in her power, and the princess behind him. The tall warrior went next, followed by the cleric with the staff, his aura still shining brightly, guarding the rear.
He had debated simply going down and taking the boy, but his orders were to observe, taking action only to prevent Creatos from gaining control over the boy. Also, the male cleric had demonstrated great power, more power than he had seen before in a cleric, so he was cautious.
In the silence that followed their departure, the figure mulled over what he had seen. Creatos had been an arrogant fool to think he would have been allowed to keep the boy. Well, he paid for that arrogance, the figure thought dismissively. The boy showed surprising power and courage, including his sacrifice in the end.
The figure wished he had been allowed to take the boy. He was looking forward to the chance to talk with him; his story had to be fascinating. Soon, he was sure, his Master would move to capture the boy. After that, he would have plenty of time to find out more about this Jake Thomas.
Turning around, his cloak dragging across the husks of the two Imps which had tried to stop him, he left to report what had happened to his Master.