Part 20 (2/2)
”What nohispered Williaar said, ”Remember our way back One of us has to reach the Prince and tell him of this place”
Neither James or William answered
They moved carefully to the intersection, then turned to the left to follow the two men
A hundred yards down the corridor, they could hear voicesbefore the entrance to a large, well-lit gallery Their backs were to the three invaders
Jalanced around and then pointed to a portal with stairs leading upward He moved quickly up the stairs and the others followed
They found theht have been a sinally have been an arainst the far wall
Clearly they had found the location of the ancient Keshi+an fortress, and were in basements that had been hollowed out of the rock upon which it had once stood The murmur of voices from below masked James's words as he whispered, ”Those servants orked in the ar on down there?” asked Williae then quickly pulled back
Even in the indirect light froo pale ”Take a breath before you look,” he whispered
Willia black robes or cloaks, all watching a ceremony directly across from where the three of them hid The ancient armory was now a temple, and the brown stains upon the wall clearly showed it was a temple dedicated to dark powers
Four men ere obviously priests were in the midst of a sacrifice, and that sacrifice lay bent backwards across a large stone, hands and feet held tightly by four black-robed er than a tall hly the same shape as a horse's head, the creature's snout was pointed, like a fox's, but two long tusks protruded doard Twisted horns, like a goat's, rose from behind pointed ears And where the eyes should be, two flaan to chant and the assee is that?” asked Treggar
”Sounds Keshi+an,” said William, ”but no dialect I'm familiar with”
Suddenly a drum boomed and a horn blew, and the h hirew louder and one opened a large tome, then olden bowl fro nearby He moved to the victi never stopped
The three standing priests picked up the pace of the incantation, and the witnesses answered The asserew louder, more insistent
With a flourish, the chief priest revealed a black knife, which he held before the eyes of the victim The man was naked save for a loincloth, and unable to ht of the knife
Then with a deft move, the blade sliced the man's neck, and blood fountained from the wound The boas lifted to receive the blood, and as the first drops were caught, Jah hih his voice wouldn't be heard over the chanting by the gar
Willia”
Suddenly the rooh the torches in the wall-sconces burned no less brightly A black cloud coalesced and took shape behind the altar upon which lay the noitching victirew more solid by the second, and the voices of the priests rose in unison
Retreating to the back of the small servants' loft, James said, ”What was that?”
”A demon,” said Williaht not notice us in the shadows, but that de in a crouch, and started back down the stairs
Screaar said, ”What was that?”
”The blood was only used to bring the thing here,” suggested Williaar's battle-hardened expression couldn't hide the fact that the blood had drained froly stand and die?”
”Fanatics,” said James ”We've seen thear nodded ”The Black Slayers”
”We ot the men to crush this co theicians or priests in his co an attack upon the Prince at the Abbey of Sarth, James said, ”It won't be the first time Arutha's faced a dear ”We have to start back They're distracted now, but for how long?”
James nodded and led the way
Quickly they made their way down the steps and retraced their way up the corridor, heading toward the secret entrance The entire way the sounds of ht the murders had stopped, but just as quiet descended it was shattered by another scream
When they re-entered the darkened portion of the tunnels, James relit his taper
Williaar said, ”He wouldn't That was one of our Pathfinders”
Ja
They reached the exit and Jaht to Willia ainst the hidden door and pushed to open it
Nothing happened
THIRTEEN - Concealain
”What's wrong?” asked Treggar