Part 4 (2/2)

We had to race to keep up with him, through broad corridors, across enormous chambers, up immense stone stairways. Eventually we emerged onto the battlement overlooking the castle grounds. We joined Armadon at the edge of the wall. Far below several ghost-like beings were ramming one by one into the ma.s.sive gate of the castle. Their actions were systematic, void of thought or reason.

”What are those?” I found myself saying.

Looking down on the eerie scene Armadon seemed genuinely puzzled. ”I've never seen anything like them. I doubt they are agents of Rath. He has never come against me with anything but mundane troops.”

The dark figures tore at the metal gate with phantom teeth. Sparks ignited around them at each impact. In the flurry, I tried to make a count. It looked like six, maybe seven. With a hideous sc.r.a.ping noise one of the creatures broke through.

I bolted to the other side of the battlement and peered down into the courtyard. Like a snake the ghastly specter weaved in and out of men and architecture. Its eyes glaring back and forth. Seeking its prey. Its tail trailing behind like a gossamer cloth.

It chewed into its first victim and my stomach wretched as the man let out an awful scream. I brought up the web and attempted to pull at the demon's threads. --But they wouldn't move! In desperation I created a hole beneath the man. He fell and I sealed the hole with a flat piece of metal. The creature bit wildly at the barrier. I had prevailed for the moment but this was a small victory. More demons had broken through.

Kitaya reinforced the front gate while Armadon, Corel, and I fought hard to isolate the specters from the soldiers. After much effort they were finally contained. Three were trapped in the center of the courtyard, four outside the gate. They wailed and bit but the barriers stood.

”Why don't they just fly over?” I wondered aloud.

Armadon answered. ”They seem to be hovering by air propulsion. See the sand below them pus.h.i.+ng away? It must not be strong enough to lift them any higher.”

Troops moved into position above the courtyard with crossbows at the ready. The tips were set on fire and they waited. I looked at Armadon.

His face tightened. ”Fire!”

A volley of burning wood descended into the trap. The demons' wailing pierced my eardrums and increased in pitch until I found myself covering my ears-- yet the others seemed unaffected. Then it dawned on me, earplugs! I made some and quickly and stuffed them in. Unfortunately the humans did not have the same luxury. Screaming in pain, delirious from the excruciating noise, two soldiers fell to the ground from the battlements.

The wailing ceased and I looked down into the courtyard trap. Nothing remained of the creatures; the fire had consumed them utterly.

Corel made her way back over to the group. ”Could these be Gaza's?”

Armadon nodded. ”That would be my guess.”

Kitaya cried out, ”They are gone! I only turned away for a second!” Her voice was shrill and panicked.

We gathered on the outside edge of the battlement and looked down. The trap outside the gate was empty.

Kitaya looked nervous.

Corel looked concerned. ”Before this gets any better,” she said in a low voice, ”it will probably get a lot worse.”

”Much worse,” said Armadon. ”We need to formulate a plan.”

CHAPTER 5.

AN UNLIKELY ALLY.

001001011001110.

After much deliberation it was decided that I I should be the one to go and look for Humphrey. I knew little about Rath or Tiko and I felt confident that I could get Humphrey to talk. No one else, however, shared my optimism. should be the one to go and look for Humphrey. I knew little about Rath or Tiko and I felt confident that I could get Humphrey to talk. No one else, however, shared my optimism.

Corel and Armadon made preparations to infiltrate Rath's camp to find out more about the woman and child. According to Armadon's sources this information could be found inside a small black box. If they found the box, they were to contact us through the web.

Kitaya and I shared a private moment on the battlement of Armadon's castle. I wanted her to come with me to find Humphrey but everyone else thought it would be better if she went to find Tiko. He was known to be a womanizer, and Kitaya would undoubtedly have the best chance of persuading him to join us. Not only was she beautiful but Tiko had never seen her before-- and he was always looking for a new plaything.

The thought of Kitaya using her beauty to entice Tiko into cooperating with us bothered me to no end. Though we'd met only yesterday, somehow I felt I'd known her forever. And secretly I hoped that one day our relations.h.i.+p would grow into something more. Perhaps when this whole thing was over I would tell her this. But not now. So we parted ways. And my heart felt heavy.

Armadon advised me to seek the aid of Sajin Barrows. As it turned out he was the second most prominent figure on the planet.

The architecture of the capital city of Oonaj, like forms in a distant dream, towered in magnificent splendor. Their phantom shapes were familiar but their origins could not be attained. I knew them from another time and yet somehow the structures did not seem to go together; pyramids and battlements, marble temples and stone monoliths? In the midst of these a mighty skysc.r.a.per reached up into the clouds. It was breathtaking to behold, yet it left me with a sense of foreboding.

In the center of the city, rising up with majestic grace, stood the royal castle. Inside this ma.s.sive stone structure stood a smaller building. I studied the capital building from a distance. I didn't want to just walk in through the front gate. That That would catch Gaza's attention. After all, it wasn't every day that Sam' Dejal, the G.o.d of reason, popped in for a visit. would catch Gaza's attention. After all, it wasn't every day that Sam' Dejal, the G.o.d of reason, popped in for a visit.

I circled the building and decided to go in through a barred window of what looked like a large empty storage room. I melted the bars quickly, climbed in, and silently moved across the room to the door. The door gave a faint creak as I carefully opened it and peeked out. A man pa.s.sed by and I made a quick mental note of what he was wearing. Energy leaked from my hands as the threads twisted and bent to form the image of the man's clothing. Piece by piece the shapes formed in wire frames and then material was added. When I was finished I ran my fingers across the odd fabrics. Each item had its own distinctly different texture, weight, and smell. They couldn't have been any more real.

I was still a little slow at making things from the blue threads, but given time I was sure I could make anything no matter how complex. All I needed was a vague idea of shape and material and the web did the rest. I closely examined the cotton s.h.i.+rt. I had simply thought: cotton cotton and it had appeared out of nothing. Every pore was present, every st.i.tch in place. and it had appeared out of nothing. Every pore was present, every st.i.tch in place. Fascinating. Fascinating.

Now all I needed was a way to hide my eyes. It took a moment but then an idea came to me. I created a handkerchief and a white cane. I would be a blind man. Using a trick I'd learned from Kitaya I made the cloth visible from only one side. To everyone else it was a thick covering, but to me it was as transparent as plastic wrap.

I stepped through the door and started walking down the hall casually tapping the cane for effect. A woman pa.s.sed by giving plenty of room, but she took little notice of me. It was the same with the two soldiers standing guard at the next intersection. I continued following the hallway around in a large arc and pa.s.sed by several more intersections. Each had two men standing guard, but no one paid any attention to me.

For several minutes I searched up and down the long corridors. I couldn't put my finger on it-- but something was wrong. Like the architecture of the city the objects and people here didn't seem to fit together. Paintings of all sizes littered the walls, some ornately framed in precious metals, others surrounded by brightly painted wood. In some areas images were carved directly into the finely sanded surfaces and in other spots crude cave drawings could be seen. Soldiers, statesmen, and an a.s.sortment of employees rushed about their daily tasks wearing suits and swords. Some carried briefcases, others held rolled up scrolls.

After awhile the corridors began to blend into one another, but then I saw a man who looked like he might be able to help me. He wore a security badge. I waited until he finished speaking with two guards then followed him down to the next corridor. I checked in front and behind. All was clear.

”You, sir, could you help me please?” I stated loudly.

He stopped and coolly replied, ”What do you need? I am very busy.”

I moved closer and revealed my face.

His eyes widened. ”I am sorry, your holiness. I- I did not recognize...”

”I do not wish to be recognized. Will you help me?” I asked gruffly.

”Y- Yes. Yes of course.”

”I am looking for Sajin Barrows.”

”H- he is in the council chambers. I am not authorized to go in-- b- but I know someone who is.”

”Can we trust this person?”

”Yes.”

”I will emphasize I do not not want it known I am here. I am trusting you will keep this in confidence.” want it known I am here. I am trusting you will keep this in confidence.”

”You can count on me, lord.”

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