Part 18 (1/2)

There was no mistaking the resolve in Colwyn's voice. Knowing that at last they sat in sight of Lyssa's prison had revitalized him.

”We're going to get a lot closer to it. Closer than even madmen dream of getting.” He glanced at the sky. ”And quickly. It's almost sunrise.” He led the charge toward the Fortress.

They spread out, combing the slick surface, having trouble keeping their footing on the gla.s.sy substance. Colwyn couldn't help but admire the construction.

It was as smooth as the blade of a good sword and showed little sign of wear.

”Solid rock,” Torquil groused, ”or solid something, anyway. Might as well be rock. Not even a crack where an ant could force an entry. And steep enough to give a mountain goat pause.” He eyed Colwyn, his gaze dropping significantly to the glaive slung at the prince's belt. Colwyn noted the glance and his hand went to the weapon.

For a moment he considered using if.

Then he loosened his grip and shook his head. ”No, not yet. It's not the right time. Ynyr warned me not to waste its power.''

”You'll have no chance to use it if we. can't get inside.”

”We'll get in,” Colwyn a.s.sured him. ”We haven't come this far to be stopped at the last moment by the absence of a door.”

”How will we get in? Even if we can find a door, what makes you think it will open from the outside?”

”We must find a door.” He looked upward at the towering walls that rose toward the rapidly lightening sky. ”And soon.”

”Colwyn, watch out!” Oswyn yelled.

Above, a gap had opened in the side of the Fortress. Colwyn ducked just in time to avoid a blast of energy from the spear of a white Slayer. Other bursts struck all around him. Torquil huddled behind a dark protrusion. If they could just get within ax range of the Slayer...

Then another portal opened where none existed a moment before, and still another. The Slayers would step into the opening and attack, then retreat to the safety of the Fortress's innards. On open ground the men would have charged, but here they could barely cling like lice to the steep side of the Fortress.

Colwyn leaned out, tried to locate the nearest opening. ”We've got to get inside!” he muttered loudly. He waited until the Slayer stationed above had used his spear and withdrawn, then started upward.

But another appeared farther to the left and sent a stream of death toward Colwyn. He ducked, and lost his footing on the slick surface.

”Colwyn!” Torquil yelled. He reached out, and a blast of fire from above nearly severed his arm at the shoulder.73 But a thick-fingered, powerful hand had Colwyn by the s.h.i.+rt, pulling him to safety. An instant later the stocky, slow-witted thief staggered as he took the full force of a Slayer's spear.

”Rhun!” Colwyn shouted. Quickly he pulled the wounded man to shelter...too late. ”Rhun. A foolish act for a man who thought this adventure useless.”

The heavyset thief was breathing hard. He looked up at Colwyn, too stunned to feel the pain. ”I was wrong. The journey was worthwhile. Finish it for me.”

His eyes closed and there was no more hard breathing. Torquil had worked his way across to squat alongside. ”A brave man, good fighter. A little slow up here”-he tapped his head-”a lot bigger down here.” His fingers touched his chest.

Gently Colwyn set him aside, his teeth clenched in anger and frustration as he looked upward. ”We can't sit here like this. We have to charge them.”

Torquil shook his head. ”They'll pick us off as soon as we stand. We have to keep to cover or we'll end up like Rhun.”

”We've no choice.” Colwyn pointed skyward. ”Soon the Fortress will move. If we're trapped out here when that happens we'll probably die anyway.”

Again Torquil's gaze fell to the glaive secured at Colwyn's belt. It wasn't time, Colwyn knew. It wasn't time. But they were running out of options. His hand dropped to the ancient weapon, felt of the cold metal, the power there.

”Wait,” Torquil told him. He was looking out across the plain, back the way they'd come, away from the Fortress. ”Look there.”

A line of smoke and fire was coming toward them. Colwyn frowned. Slayers coming to trap them? He squinted in the still uncertain light. But it was Ergo who first made out the strange trident outlined against the Eastern horizon.

”Rell!” He stood up, nearly lost his thoughtless head to a Slayer spear.

”Stay down!” Colwyn ordered him. He sat and stared in wonder as the cyclops reined in at the base of the Fortress and began climbing toward them. The giant did not speak, did not pause, but continued climbing past the pinioned men, toward the first of the openings in the Fortress wall.

A burst from a spear struck him, then a second. He shook but never slowed, staggered slightly but did not loose his grip.

”He's s.h.i.+elding us,” Torquil murmured, watching in admiration as the cyclops continued his relentless climb.

Colwyn stood. ”Follow him! For your lives!”

Rell was at the entrance to the Fortress now. Another burst from a spear struck him even as he lowered the ma.s.sive trident and charged forward. The nearest Slayer hardly had time to scream as it died a tri-p.r.o.nged death.

There was a new sound, a slow ponderous rumbling from somewhere within. The entrance began to close around Rell. Arms the size of small trees shot sideways.

Even Rell could not stop the walls from closing, but he slowed them, even as fresh Slayers appeared to strike him again and again.

Torquil and Kegan were the first to slip inside beneath those straining arms, and the two Slayers perished under their weapons. The others followed, with Colwyn the last inside.

But while the walls still stood far enough apart to admit a normal man, they had closed too tightly for Rell to escape. He stood straining, but his strength was at an end.

”Torquil!” Colwyn shouted. ”Brace your ax in the opening!”

The thief tried, but the blade twisted and groaned against the walls. ”No good... there isn't enough room to get the blade in sideways.”

”No use,” said Rell. ”This is my time. Remember, Colwyn. Each to his fate.”

The last of his strength vanished and as it did so, the walls closed in on him with a rush. Colwyn and Torquil backed away, staring, helpless.

Behind them the others were also watching, but t.i.tch was the only one who spoke. ”He opposed it, and he died in great pain, just as he said would happen. I wish I could be so brave.”

”So do we all,” said Ergo, putting an arm around the boy. ”But we're all not like Rell.”

Fire exploded behind them and they rushed to deal with the fresh group of Slayers who appeared in the corridor beyond. There was no more time for regrets, nor would Rell have wanted them.

Ahead, the corridor suddenly opened into a vast chamber. Beyond lay a narrow74 bridge guarded by Slayers. Ignoring the abyss beneath, the men rushed onward. One caught a blast in the chest and died long before he reached the bottom of the chasm.

But they cleared the far end of the bridge, only to find themselves slowing as they entered still another pa.s.sageway. A few steps farther brought them to an intersection.

Torquil looked right, then left. The side corridor was indistinguishable from the one they were in.

”Which way? Both look alike to me.”

Colwyn took a step forward. ”Straight on, as we've been going.”

”How do you know that's right?” Bardolph frowned at the juncture. ”How can you tell direction in this place? There's nothing to judge by.”

Colwyn didn't hesitate, stepped confidently forward. ”I don't know how I know, but I know.” He nodded ahead. ”It's this way.”

”Then perhaps we should go another way,” Ergo put in, but his jest pa.s.sed unappreciated. No one was in a very jocular mood.