Calis said, “This one looked to be fleeing, to be protecting this artifact.”
Miranda said, “Or he was stealing it.” She shook her head in frustration. “Speculation gets us nowhere. Let’s continue.”
Calis nodded and signaled, ordering the column downward.
They moved through gallery and plateau, around and around as they descended into the heart of the well. At an otherwise nondescript tunnel, Calis signaled them to turn.
The column entered the tunnel, which led downward .at a steep angle. As they moved deeper into the tunnel, the temperature quickly rose. It had been getting bitter at night in the mountains, and the tunnels had been just as cold, but as they moved downward, each step seemed to take them toward heat. And as it grew hotter, an odor also grew. It stank of sulfur, and the sweet sick smell of rotten meat.
They entered a broadening tunnel, and Calis signaled; every man drew his weapon. They had discussed this part of the mission until each member of the company could repeat orders in his sleep.
This was the first of the Pantathian galleries, and inside they would find serpent priests, and breeding females. Eggs and young would be housed in some sort of crèche, and the orders were simple: enter and kill every living thing.
Calis signaled and the charge began.
It ended almost as quickly as it began.
The stench in the gallery was far more oppressive than it had been in the tunnels. The overwhelming odor caused more than one man to double over and retch. Everywhere they looked, bodies lay scattered. Most were Pantathians, some infants of that race, while others were alien, the Saaur. But not one was intact. The lone Pantathian they had encountered in the tunnel was almost undamaged compared to those within this hall. The body parts had been strewn around the hall and everywhere the rot of death filled the air with an almost unbearable stink.
Calis pointed to a throne. A figure lay at the foot that had once sat upon it. It was a Pantathian corpse, and it was mummified, and it lay in pieces.
“There,” Calis choked, trying to keep his composure while lesser men retched and vomited.
Miranda and Boldar both seemed immune to the smell, and they moved to the corpse. Miranda waved her hands and spent a full minute inspecting the mummy, then turned and said, “Artifacts?”
“Armor, sword, shield, all of what you’d expect,” answered Calis.
“Well,” said Miranda, “someone got to those items before we did.” She looked around the cavern, inspecting the carnage as one of the soldiers lit a lantern, illuminating the large hall. “Those died defending and paid a price. The one we found must have been days in dying.”
Erik took two men and looked around in neighboring galleries. In one large pool of hot water a half-dozen smashed eggs lay, some with half-formed Pantathians floating in scummy pools. In another gallery they found a dozen tiny figures, babies from their size, and among them lay the bones of many creatures, some of them human.
After they inspected the entire area, Erik reported back. “Captain, it’s the same as here.” He lowered his voice and said, “I don’t see a single wound that looks like it was made by a weapon.” He pointed to a dead Saaur warrior’s upper torso. “He wasn’t cut in two, Captain. He looks like something tore him in half.”
Boldar Blood said, “I’ve seen a few creatures that could do that.” He glanced at Erik and Calis, his face masked by the alien helmet he wore, his eyes not visible in the black eye slits. “But very few, and not on this world.”
Calis and Miranda looked around and Calis said, “Something came through here like a fire through summer grass and killed everyone.”
De Loungville said, “Well, someone saved us some butchery.”
Calis looked disturbed for the first time since Erik had met him. He said, “Bobby, someone has walked off with items of power unlike any seen on this world since my father donned the white-and-gold armor.”
De Loungville said, “There’s a third player, then?”
Miranda said, “By all appearances, there is a third player.”
“What now?” asked de Loungville.