Before Magnus could reply, a loud thrumming filled the air and a huge pulse of blinding green light shot up each of the four towers to explode at the top of the columns.
The effects were almost instantaneous, the ground heaved beneath everyone’s feet and knocked most of the combatants to the ground. Pug quickly regained his footing and pointed to the towers, which now pulsed as ripples of green energy ran up to their tops to feed a growing, bright white ball of energy.
‘Oh, gods, I know what that is.’
Magnus said, ‘It’s a summoning device of some sort, as you said.’
‘But it’s also what ties the necromancy and demon lore together!’ said Pug. ‘It’s why those death rituals that Jim reported occurred, and why there were bodies in the pit, and it’s why Dahun doesn’t care how many demons we kill.’ He pointed to the energy running up the towers, increasing in frequency and tempo. ‘When the gate is fully open, he’ll come through.’
‘But he’s here, already,’ said Magnus. ‘He’s possessed the body of Belasco!’
Pug said, ‘It’s a ruse! He’s buying time.’ He gripped Magnus by the arm and said, ‘Get back down there. Tell Amirantha and Gulamendis what is occurring.’ He looked at the massive battle and said, ‘I’ve got to come up with a way to stop the killing!’
The human forces were coalescing around Kaspar who was orchestrating a containment attack, pressing in on all sides around the remaining demons. The tactic forced demons to confine other demons, so only those on the outside could engage the human soldiers.
Then another wave of demons exploded out of the pit. ‘Oh, damn!’ said Pug.
Magnus hurried into the chamber. ‘They’re using death magic to activate the Demon gate!’ Amirantha looked at Gulamendis and said, ‘Now, I wonder who thought up that idea?’
Dahun’s contempt cut through the air. ‘Your brother thought to use me, human! He was bending power to his own ends! He envisioned a demon army here, serving him on this world, as he conquered it! The fool!’
Amirantha’s brow furrowed. ‘I’ve never known him to be that ambitious.’
Gulamendis said, ‘People change.’
Laromendis said, ‘Whatever the motivation, am I correct in assuming this melding of death magic and demon summoning has created an unexpected problem?’
Magnus said, ‘Each life taken up there fuels the device, and it appears as if it has begun to open a Demon gate. Lesser demons are coming through in waves.’
‘Can you shut that creature up?’ asked Sandreena.
Gulamendis closed his eyes and said, ‘No. But I think I have a trick.’ He chanted something and abruptly the sound of Dahun’s voice in their minds retreated to a distance.
‘What was that?’ asked Magnus.
Amirantha smiled. ‘A nice little trick that I’m going to get him to teach me if we live through the rest of this day.’ Looking at the still face of his brother, Amirantha shouted, ‘Belasco! Can you hear me?’
A distant whisper answered, ‘Yes.’
They had to strain to hear him over the ranting demon. Amirantha said, ‘Was it you who created the death magic portal?’
‘Yes,’ said Belasco. ‘I almost killed Sidi once in Kesh, forcing him to abandon his lair. I found several interesting tomes and books.’
‘You always wanted to better our skills,’ said Amirantha.
‘Because I am better!’
‘Well, you’re about to get everyone here and probably half the world murdered to prove you’re not as clever as you thought,’ snapped Sandreena. She was obviously tired and did not feel this was going well.
Jim narrowed his gaze and gave her a silent warning to keep still.
The still magician’s ethereal voice took on some urgency. ‘I can feel the tug! The gate is opening! Our bargain? If I tell you how to defeat this monster, do I get my day’s head start?’
Jim started to say no, but Amirantha’s eyes warned him this was coming to a head. Finally, Jim nodded.
‘One day,’ said Amirantha. ‘You get nothing else, no food, water, horse or weapon.’
The sound of laughter drowned out the railing demon. ‘Done! Here is what you must do. You must render me unconscious within the next ten minutes.’
Sandreena hefted her mace to where the prone figure’s eyes could see, and held in a menacing fashion. ‘That’s no problem.’
Belasco laughed at the threat. ‘I like her!’ In faint tones that seemed to be growing more distant, he said, ‘No; brother, you know what to do.’
Amirantha nodded and looked at Gulamendis. ‘His body isn’t the issue; it’s his mind. You need to keep aware of what Dahun is doing while I stun Belasco’s consciousness.’
‘Excellent,’ said the recumbent magic user. ‘As soon as you do, I will lose my hold on him between the realms and he will come through the gate.’
‘This is your plan?’ said Sandreena. ‘I thought we were trying to keep him out of this realm!’