Knights The Heart of Shadows

chapter 11: The Hunted

Before returning to sleep, Lannon paid a visit to Taris' tent and told him what the Eye of Dreams had revealed. Lannon told the story in great detail, while Taris listened without interruption and with a somber expression.

When Lannon was finished, Taris said, "I think this calls for some tea." He heated some water in his teakettle with a brief touch of his hand and then poured a cup for each of them. He didn't speak for several moments as he sipped the tea, but seemed to be in deep contemplation. Once again he was seated cross-legged in the dead of night, as if he never laid down to sleep.

At last Taris said, "You knew instinctively it was the Eye of Dreams that was showing you those things. The Eye of Dreams knows no distance or barrier. However, as you discovered, it is usually unpredictable and something you will never learn to control. It springs from the deepest reaches of your soul--sometimes from your deepest fears--where your conscious mind holds no sway."

"So the meeting at Dremlock was real and not just a dream?" said Lannon. "I was actually seeing it while it took place, this very night?"

"You were in a dream state," said Taris, "but what you witnessed was probably real. The lines between the dream world and what we consider to be the real world can sometimes blur. Regardless, it means our time grows short. We must settle this issue with the Black Flamestone as quickly as possible and then either return to Dorok's Hand--or go straight to Dremlock. I'm sure the Elder Hawks will bear instructions to us from the Lord Knight."

"In my dream," said Lannon, "the High Council talked of abandoning Dorok's Hand. Do you really think that will happen?"

"It may be inevitable," said Taris. "We'll need all of our Knights to defend Dremlock if Bellis attacks."

"But what about that portal to the Deep Shadow?" said Lannon. "If the Blood Legion regains control of Dorok's Hand, they could open it again, allowing Vorden and his Hand of Tharnin back into our world." At one point, Lannon would have welcomed Vorden's return in hope of freeing him from the grasp of evil. But after what the Eye had recently shown him about Timlin, Lannon had lost confidence in the notion that Vorden could be saved. It seemed Vorden was better off trapped in the realm of Tharnin forever.

"Yes," said Taris, "that could happen, unfortunately. Simply burying the portal with earth and stone was not an effective way to close it, and it could easily be dug open again. But we will do what we must. The Hand of Tharnin is a dire threat, but the Blood Legion is weak right now. Our greatest concern is the sprawling empire of Bellis and their insane king."

Lannon sighed. "How can Dremlock survive all these threats? It seems like too many evil forces are working against us."

"We can endure," said Taris, "because we have the Eye of Divinity and the White Flamestone. However, if our enemies get their hands on the Black Flamestone and learn to unlock its full power, then I fear we will be doomed. So we must gain possession of it and take it to Dremlock. It must be returned to the Divine Essence. The Black Flamestone is chaotic and evil but it belongs to our god, safely beyond the destructive reach of mortals."

"I understand the importance of the White Flamestone," said Lannon, "but the Eye of Divinity doesn't seem like much of a threat to Bellis. If Dremlock is attacked, what can I actually do to defend the kingdom?"

"The Eye of Divinity," said Taris, "can make you far more powerful than any ordinary Knight, if you learn how to master its full potential. And while you are a long way from achieving that skill level, you are making progress every day. Don't question your value to Dremlock, Lannon. You discovered how to kill the Goblin Lords we feared were invincible, and you slew Tenneth Bard with a single attack. Now the Eye of Dreams has grown strong within you and is revealing important events. Tomorrow, you will use your power to help us track down that Specter. Rest assured, you are vital to this kingdom."

"Yet I fear for Dremlock's future," said Lannon. "That Knight of Bellis seemed so sure of himself, so arrogant. He seemed far more confident than our Lord Knight. I could sense that he was certain Dremlock would fall."

"I fear for our future as well," said Taris. "But all we can do is concentrate on whatever task is at hand. Now you must get some sleep, for tomorrow at dawn we search for the Black Flamestone."

Lannon returned to his tent and lay down beneath his quilt. Jerret was still awake and sitting up, though he kept yawning. At first Lannon thought his mind was too burdened to allow for sleep, but then he remembered his training and began meditating--with his focus on getting some refreshing slumber. Moments later, he started to drift off, and he welcomed the comforting embrace of deep sleep. He hoped he wouldn't have any dreams.

***

Later, Lannon was awakened in his tent by Jerret, who was shaking him furiously. Jerret's eyes were wild in the lantern light and his broadsword was in hand. Lannon could hear shouts coming from outside the tent, and he sat up, reaching for his blade. "What's going on?" he asked.

"We're being attacked!" Jerret yelled. "Everyone, wake up!"

The other Squires awoke and rose--with the exception of Galvia, who remained lying down due to her wounds. Vannas drew the White Flamestone from its pouch, and Aldreya drew her dagger.

"The Blood Legion has broken the agreement!" Jerret growled, rage in his voice. "They're going to pay dearly for this!"

Galvia tried to get up, but Jerret motioned her to remain where she was. "Just stay in here, okay? You can't fight in that condition."

Reluctantly, Galvia slumped back down, groaning in pain.

The Squires stepped from the tent to find a fortress in chaos and confusion. Knights and Legion soldiers were scurrying about with flaming weapons, but they didn't seem to be engaging any foes. They seemed to be frantically searching for something. The rest of the Divine Shield was gathered just outside the tent, and Taris was calling for his Knights to get into formation.

"What's going on?" Lannon asked, as he struggled to make sense of what he was seeing. Clearly the Blood Legion wasn't the problem, as their fighters seemed just as confused as Dremlock's Knights.

"Something is attacking us," said Taris, his voice calm in spite of the circumstances. "All of us. Possibly the Specter, though we don't know for sure yet since we can't see it."

Screams came from the Soldier Barracks, but Taris raised his hand to indicate everyone should hold formation. "No matter what happens, stay in position. We'll let our foe come to us."

Suddenly, a nearby Knight cried out a warning. Something was hovering beside him in the torchlight--a shimmering mass that looked like a pillar of dark, transparent smoke. The Knight struck at the smoke but it somehow eluded his sword. He swung his weapon again, and this time the sword was batted aside by what looked like a metallic, clawed hand lashing out from the smoke. Another clawed hand ripped through the Knight's armor, and the Knight was suddenly engulfed in crimson fire that blazed so hot it burned him to ash, armor and all. The other Knights tried to attack the shadow, but suddenly it was gone.

"It has to be the Specter!" Trenton said. "It will seek to kill us one by one, right down to the last warrior--just as it did the members of the Blood Legion who once occupied this fortress!"

Taris didn't answer. His eyes burned with focus.

"We have to find a way to corner it," said Jace, "and subject it to multiple attacks. Otherwise we don't stand a chance."

"We will hold formation," Taris insisted. The cloaked, hooded sorcerer held his burning stone dagger in front of him, but otherwise he didn't seem to be preparing any significant attack.

"Lannon, help me find this enemy!" said Vannas. The Birlote prince held the White Flamestone in a trembling hand, his confidence shattered by his inability to locate any sort of target. His fur cloak hung open to the waist, leaving only his thin tunic to protect him from the freezing air, but he made no effort to button it. His eyes were wide as he scanned the grounds.

Lannon searched the fortress (the parts of it that were in range of the Eye) yet saw nothing but anxious and confused warriors. It was another snowy night, with glittering flakes swirling through the air and helping to hide whatever was attacking them. Lannon's gaze pierced the snowflakes but couldn't lock onto whatever foe was moving around the fortress. Lannon knew their enemy had to be incredibly fast to escape the sweeping gaze of the Eye.

More cries arose from around Blombalk. Some of the Legion Soldiers had gathered close to the Divine Knights, their focus only on survival. Timlin had exited the Council Barracks and stood flanked by his Goblin Lords and surrounded by Soldiers. Due to their training, everyone was attempting to get into, and hold, defensive formations. Yet some of the Soldiers were still running around the grounds and looking confused.

One of the tents suddenly burst into flames, and then a huge Greywind horse was lifted by an invisible force and flung through the air to its death. With a battle cry, a Red Knight hurled a flaming lance at something--but the lance missed and lodged in the fortress wall. Archers fired arrows but never seemed to hit anything.

"Keep searching, Lannon!" Taris commanded.

Lannon did as ordered, but he didn't catch so much as a glimpse of their foe. Meanwhile, a Knight was seized by a shadow and dragged away from the group, howling and hacking at the shadow with his blade. More lances and arrows were launched at the shadow but never made contact. Moments later, the Knight had been burned to ash by crimson fire.

Trenton Shadowbane groaned in frustration. "Jace is right--we need to corner it somehow or we're all going to die!"

Shennen whirled about, blade in hand, his keen Birlote eyes scanning the fortress. "How can we kill a creature that swift?"

Jerret stood with a helpless look on his face, his anger having turned to shock and the battle lust drained from him.

Suddenly, Lannon caught a glimpse of a blob of immensely powerful sorcery. He pointed toward it. Vannas launched a ray of fire at it from the White Flamestone that blew apart a section of the fortress wall but didn't seem to hit anything else. The prince shook his head in disgust.

Lannon lost sight of their foe again.

"What kind of enemy is this?" Daledus said, his eyes wide. He turned this way and that, gripping his huge axe. "It's merely toying with us!"

Chaos erupted amongst the Legion Soldiers guarding Timlin, as two of them fell to the unseen assassin. Lannon's gaze faltered. He couldn't believe what was happening. The Specter--if indeed that's what was attacking--was far more powerful that he'd ever imagined. Only Jace had seemed to understand just how devastating this foe was. Lannon wondered if any of them would survive. He could imagine the sorrow at Dremlock once the kingdom learned of their fate.

"How long must we hold formation?" Trenton said. "Clearly, this isn't working. I suggest we go on the attack!"

"Holding formation is all we have," said Taris. "Otherwise there will be mass confusion, and that will work to our foe's advantage."

Lannon caught another glimpse of the blob of dark sorcery, and this time he tried to freeze it with the Eye. But the creature was so strong it broke his hold instantly and with such force that Lannon was shaken. More arrows and flaming lances were launched toward it, but as before, they didn't connect. The shadow darted away from the weapons in a flicker of motion.

But Lannon sensed that something had changed. The creature had become aware of him when he'd tried to freeze it with the Eye. Lannon could almost feel it watching him, planning his demise. He shielded himself with the Eye, though he doubted it would be enough to save him. He cringed, certain he was about to be burned to ash by crimson fire and that no one could save him.

An explosion of blinding crimson light flashed through the camp, and everything seemed to slow to a crawl. It was as if time itself had been slowed, as the shadow advanced toward Lannon. Everyone seemed half frozen around him, barely moving. Either his companions had been slowed by some form of sorcery, or Lannon was seeing everything at an incredibly fast speed. The Eye told him it was the latter. He watched in dread as the darkness took form--becoming a cloaked, hooded figure floating above the snow. Two clawed hands, bound in what looked like silver gauntlets, protruded from its cloak sleeves. A pair of crimson eyes glowered at Lannon from beneath the Specter's hood. Hanging from the Specter's neck by a silver chain was a dark blue gem webbed with reddish veins--the Black Flamestone.

In that flicker of an instant, Lannon saw that the Specter was a greedy creature that killed to possess any treasures others might be carrying. It was as ancient as a Great Dragon of Tharnin, a fiend that had existed for thousands of years in bleak, treasure-filled caverns. The Blood Legion had tried to control it, but they had underestimated its greed and had paid a grim price.

Lannon thought he was going to die, because surely no one could match the Specter's speed. In fact, everyone seemed to be moving so slowly around him it was pathetic. The Eye had slowed his perception somehow, but the Specter was actually advancing toward him in a blur.

But Lannon was wrong, for Taris Warhawk suddenly turned toward the Specter, his dagger white hot with fire. Taris flung himself against the creature and plunged the dagger into its chest. There was an explosion of green and white sparks and Taris was flung through the air.

Lannon's perception returned to normal, for the burning, injured Specter had lost its incredible speed. Taris landed on his back in the snow, blood covering his forehead from a vicious wound, and he lay still.

The Specter lashed out with its claws at the closest Knight, ripping the fellow's armor apart and shredding the flesh beneath.

Flund Greenhelm charged the Specter, slashing a wound into it with his flaming sword. The Specter retaliated and caught Flund in the throat with a claw. The Birlote Knight collapsed into the snow, clutching his throat, as the Specter fled through the maze of tents.

"Don't let it escape!" Jace yelled, charging after the Specter.

Shennen and Daledus ran after him.

The Squires started to give chase, but Trenton ordered them to stay where they were. However, Vannas ignored him and kept going. Frustrated at Trenton's order, Lannon tried to freeze the Specter with the Eye, but even deeply injured, it was still too strong and easily broke his hold.

The Knights hacked at it with flaming blades, but the Specter still had enough speed to dodge the attacks as it fled. It struck down two more Knights and a Legion Soldier--killing the Soldier with a terrible blow to the head that sent the man's body hurtling through the air.

Jace stumbled over a fallen Knight, taking three more Knights down beneath his huge body. Daledus tripped over Jace, but Shennen and Vannas leapt over the fallen men and remained in pursuit of the Specter.

Shennen flung his burning Flayer into the Specter's back. The Specter paused, then ripped the blade from its back and flung it away. It then resumed its escape attempt, swatting more Knights aside and dodging a large fireball from a sorcerer's blade. It turned and swiped at the sorcerer, but she shielded herself with magic and was only knocked away unharmed.

A roar shook the air, causing Lannon to whirl around. A wolf beast, covered in coarse grey fur, now stood on two crooked legs where Trenton had once been. Its demonic eyes were filled with rage and its muzzle was split open to reveal dripping fangs. The Investigator had once again transformed himself into the snarling, drooling monster that inspired fear and disgust in many of Dremlock's Knights.

The wolf beast bounded after the fleeing Specter with a speed far beyond that of any human. Trenton caught up with the Specter just beyond the circle of tents. The Specter turned and tore a gaping wound into Trenton's chest, halting his charge and bearing him down into the snow. The Specter then proceeded to rip into his throat, and in moments, Trenton lay shredded and covered in blood.

The Specter turned and started to float away, but the wolf beast rose up behind it, the injures knitting together instantly by dark sorcery. With a bloodcurdling howl, Trenton flung himself onto the Specter, tearing into it with teeth and claws and grim magic. The Specter seemed frozen for a moment as Trenton attacked it, its head bowed as it hovered, but then it suddenly batted the wolf beast aside. Trenton was flung several yards away, somersaulting over the snow.

By then Prince Vannas had reached the scene, and he blasted the Specter with white fire. The creature shuddered as it burned and finally turned into black smoke. The smoke itself soon drifted away, leaving no trace of the Specter except for the Black Flamestone that lay shimmering atop the snow.