Krondor the Betrayal (43 page)

297

Raymond E. Feist

James shouted, ‘‘Bring rocks!’’

Immediately soldiers came pulling shallow wagons on wooden wheels that carried large stones, ranging from the size of a man’s fist to the size of huge melons. Soldiers slid poles under the carts and levered the carts upward, with one holding a large rope handle on the side of the cart.

The contents of the cart spilled over the wall, showering the goblins with stones, effectively scraping them off the cliff face.

Screams from below showed the efficacy of the defenders’

response.

‘‘This is a diversion,’’ James said. ‘‘Locky, check the other two walls while I go to the gatehouse.’’

Locklear hurried off, and James ran along the palisades toward the gatehouse. He knew it was going to be a long battle, one without quarter. If we can just make them retreat, he said silently to himself as he hurried to the gates.

Gorath approached the hut with caution. They had been attacked by three of the Panath-Tiandn en route, and Owyn had depleted the crystal staff. He had been forced to hold one at bay by clubbing it while Gorath killed the other two, then dispatched the last.

Gorath yanked back the sword with a grimace of pain.

‘‘What?’’

‘‘There’s a barrier at the door. As soon as I touched it with my sword I felt a shock shoot up my arm.’’

Owyn hesitated a moment, then removed the Cup of Rlynn Skrr from his belt pouch and tentatively touched it to the door.

He felt power surge into the cup and saw it flicker a moment, as if illuminated, then nothing. He pushed aside the curtain and entered.

Pug stood in the middle of the room, looking disoriented.

He blinked at the light, and asked, ‘‘Tomas?’’ He tried to rise, with the aid of a crystal staff, the twin of Owyn’s, but sat back down after a feeble effort.

‘‘No,’’ said Owyn as he entered, with Gorath behind.

‘‘Tomas was injured in an attack on Elvandar. He recovers from a poisoned wound. We came in his stead.’’

‘‘Who are you?’’ asked Pug. Then his eyes narrowed. ‘‘Wait, 298

KRONDOR THE BETRAYAL

I remember you. You’re the boy who came to Krondor with Squire Locklear, months ago.’’

‘‘Yes, and do you remember Gorath?’’

Pug nodded. ‘‘The moredhel my daughter tried to read.’’ Suddenly his eyes widened. ‘‘Gamina! I must find my daughter.’’

‘‘We know where she is,’’ said Owyn. Lowering his voice he said, ‘‘More or less.’’

Pug seemed disoriented. ‘‘I am weak, but my memory has been returning.’’ He looked at his right hand, which Owyn noticed bore a nasty old scar across the palm. ‘‘But my powers have fled, and I remember almost nothing.’’ He looked at Owyn and Gorath. ‘‘You claim you come in Tomas’s stead, but how can I be sure you’re not here on behalf of our enemies?’’

Gorath looked incensed. ‘‘You accuse us of being false? You think us spies?’’

Pug said, ‘‘I only know you were the first tool of Makala.’’

‘‘Makala?’’ Owyn’s expression was confused. ‘‘The Tsurani magician?’’

‘‘This was his plan,’’ said Pug. ‘‘I’m not saying Gorath is a willing tool, but he was as much a part of Makala’s plan as Delekhan is.’’

‘‘Delekhan is also a tool of this Makala?’’ asked Gorath.

‘‘I believe so. When you first brought word of Delekhan raising the war banner of Murmandamus over Sar-Sargoth, I became alarmed. Having seen Murmandamus’s dead body with my own eyes, I knew he no longer lived. But I thought it possible the Pantathians were responsible, using a rumor of Murmandamus’s survival as a goad to once again rally the moredhel to try to seize Sethanon.

‘‘I used my abilities to get what information I could, as did agents of the Prince, and between our efforts we realized there was no link between the Pantathians and Delekhan. I then judged Delekhan but a simple warlord seeking to seize power for himself under the guise of seeking to free Murmandamus.’’

Pug looked weak, and Owyn said, ‘‘We have water and some food.’’ He offered water to Pug, who drank deeply.

Pug waved away the food. ‘‘Later. Something Gorath said when speaking to my daughter nagged at me, and now I real-299

Raymond E. Feist

ize there was a link before me that had been apparent had I but the wits to notice.’’

‘‘What was that?’’ asked Gorath.

‘‘You said that Delekhan had displayed the helm of Murmandamus as proof he still lived.’’

‘‘Yes, the dragon helm, black with lowered wings on both sides of the head.’’

‘‘But last I saw that helm, it lay in a basement below the keep of Sethanon in an ancient stone hall,’’ said Pug. ‘‘By no arts I know could Delekhan have reached the place where that helm lay. Someone else had to fetch it and return it to him.

‘‘There are only four I can think of who might have the powers to discern the location of that chamber, and be able to find a way within: Macros the Black, myself, Elgohar of the Assembly, and Makala. Macros has been missing since the end of the Riftwar, Elgohar has served me well and has been busy with students at Stardock, leaving only one other.’’

‘‘Makala,’’ said Owyn. ‘‘But why is he doing this? I mean it explains one part of this puzzle that had frustrated Squire James, the part played by Tsurani in all this—’’

‘‘That was what alerted me,’’ said Pug. He finally stood, shaking a little. ‘‘When nothing tangible is apparently being gained in a transaction, one must assume something intangible is being exchanged.’’

‘‘Information,’’ said Gorath.

‘‘And service,’’ said Pug. ‘‘I am now certain The Six you have spoken of are Tsurani Great Ones under Makala’s direction. He admitted as much.’’

Owyn asked, ‘‘But why is Makala pushing Delekhan into a war with the Kingdom? Is it revenge over the Riftwar?’’

Pug was silent a minute while he framed his answer. ‘‘What I tell you touches upon some of the most vital interests of Midkemia, not just the Kingdom.

‘‘When the battle of Sethanon raged, Tsurani soldiers came to help, as did two friends of mine from the Assembly on Kelewan, Hochopepa and Shimone, and it’s obvious that despite the usual Tsurani reticence, gossip of the final events of that battle reached certain ears on Kelewan.’’

Pug took a deep breath, as if telling the story took strength 300

KRONDOR THE BETRAYAL

he didn’t have. ‘‘Deep under the City of Sethanon lies an ancient chamber.’’ He put one hand around his other balled fist to demonstrate. ‘‘But it is really two chambers in one space, one out of time with the other.’’

Owyn’s eyes widened. ‘‘Shifted in time? Only the most powerful of magicians could even conceive of attempting to reach it.’’

Pug nodded. ‘‘The first chamber, in our time, is where Murmandamus died, and there Makala would have found the helm he gave Delekhan.

‘‘The other chamber, however, the one that is always seconds ahead in time, is his real goal. It contains an artifact of immense power, a thing so dangerous it could spell the end of all life on the world of Midkemia. A mortal could stand in that chamber until the end of eternity and never ‘catch up’ with the objects placed in the time shift; he would always be a few seconds too late to see the artifact. And that is what this war is about; it’s a diversion on a massive scale to allow Makala to establish the spell he needs to shift time to get into that chamber.’’

Gorath said, ‘‘What is the need? Why send thousands to needless death to reach this second chamber if it is in the same place as the first? If he is a magician of such mighty arts, why not use his skills and slip into this other time using stealth?’’

Pug said, ‘‘I have studied this object for nearly ten years and have only begun to gain an inkling of knowledge as to its nature and purpose. In the wrong hands, it could wreak havoc undreamed of in our worst nightmares.

‘‘Because it is so vital that no one reach this artifact, I erected additional defenses around it. As I said, it is shifted in time, an act of the Valheru that I have left in place.

‘‘And,’’ said Pug, ‘‘secreted within the vast cavern is an ancient dragon, a guardian oracle of special abilities. Even my powers would be sorely taxed to best this remarkable creature, and if any agency should threaten this dragon, she would call to the King, who has placed a special garrison near Sethanon, stationed in the Dimwood against just such a risk. I am certain someone of Makala’s intelligence has discovered that force, and I believe he intends to use Delekhan’s forces to attack that garrison so he can gain entrance to the lower chamber without 301

Raymond E. Feist

soldiers coming to the dragon’s aid. Even if the dragon is vanquished, Makala and his confederates will have their hands full in reaching the time-shifted chamber. They could not hope to do so while Kingdom soldiers were attacking them. They need many hours preparation once they best the dragon.’’

‘‘The dragon!’’ said Owyn. ‘‘It’s the one I spoke with at Malac’s Cross!’’

‘‘Yes,’’ said Pug. ‘‘The old statue is used to contact the oracle, so that any who might come looking for her will be led astray.

If you spoke with her, your mind was at Sethanon.’’

Owyn looked at Gorath. ‘‘Then that would be why she said you would play a critical role in this.’’ Looking at Pug, he said,

‘‘And it also explains Delekhan’s plan! Prince Arutha sent us to find you because he fears Delekhan will employ magic in his attack on Northwarden. James thinks once they’ve come through Northwarden, Delekhan’s army will use boats to go downriver to Romney, then overland to Sethanon. Can you stop them?’’

‘‘In my present state, no,’’ said Pug. ‘‘Even as we speak I am regaining memories, and some of my physical strength is returning, but I fear it will be some time before all my powers return. In my blind haste to find my daughter, I used a magical artifact that promised to impart knowledge. But I would have been better served to have avoided it.’’

Owyn nodded. He reached into his pouch and again extracted the Cup of Rlynn Skrr. He held it out before Pug. ‘‘The being who called himself Dhatsavan said that this which robbed you of your ability could return it, but that I must aid you.’’

Pug reached out and tentatively touched the cup held by Owyn. Owyn felt a tingling in his fingers. Images, feelings, unfamiliar memories, a sense of power—all rushed into his mind. Softly Pug said, ‘‘This is a risk, Owyn, and in days to come you may find you have undertaken a burden you didn’t anticipate. But for the moment, it will aid me greatly.’’

Then Pug and Owyn slipped into darkness.

Owyn and Pug both roused at the same time as if from a deep trance, and found Gorath sitting next to them. ‘‘I had begun to fear you would never awake,’’ he said as he helped them both to sit up.

302

KRONDOR THE BETRAYAL

‘‘How long were we out?’’ asked Owyn.

‘‘Two days,’’ said Gorath. ‘‘You were in a trance, and if I put food or water to your lips you ate and drank, but you otherwise sat immobile holding the cup.’’

Owyn blinked and felt images and ideas swimming around in his head. If he focused on an object in the hut or concentrated on a subject, they faded, but if he tried to relax, the fragments of thought again swirled through his brain. He stood and felt dizzy.

Pug stood and took the crystal staff. He stared at his hand, and a flame erupted from the palm. ‘‘Interesting. I could never do that before.’’

Owyn said, ‘‘It’s a trick I learned from a magician named Patrus.’’

Pug said, ‘‘I seem to have abilities new to me, while those that should be familiar are just outside my grasp.’’

‘‘And I have new and strange images in my head that I can not quite grasp, either.’’

‘‘In time many things may manifest themselves to you and should you need aid understanding them, come to me,’’ said Pug.

Owyn looked at Pug’s staff, and said, ‘‘Mine has lost its magic ability, it seems.’’

Pug said, ‘‘We have to find you some more of the crystal that is the essence of magic, mana as some call it.’’

‘‘I thought the staff was mana.’’

‘‘No, come and I’ll show you.’’ He led them outside and looked around the alien landscape. Most of the plants were fibrous and tough, with growths on them that looked like frozen crystals. ‘‘That one over there,’’ he said. A single plant stood in the midst of others, but it was a golden color while the others were purple or blue. ‘‘This is not really a plant,’’

said Pug. ‘‘Touch your staff to it.’’

Owyn did so and saw a tiny flash, and the plant vanished.

He felt a thrum of power in his staff. ‘‘Look for the golden plants as we walk,’’ said Pug. ‘‘But for now, let us find my daughter and return home.’’

‘‘If it is not already too late,’’ said Gorath.

‘‘Dhatsavan must have known how long this would take,’’

303

Raymond E. Feist

said Owyn. ‘‘If we needed to flee before making this transfer of abilities, he would have warned us.’’

Gorath nodded. ‘‘We can hope that is true.’’

Owyn pointed. ‘‘He said straight north of here we would find an area utilized by the Valheru when they warred on this world. Near there we shall find your daughter. He said the Panath-Tiandn view her as holy and will not harm her.’’

‘‘That’s a blessing if true,’’ said Pug, the relief on his face obvious. ‘‘Let us go.’’

They hurried northward as the day wore on and stopped only once to drink water and rest. Owyn saw several golden plants and touched his staff to each, charging it with magic.

Near sundown they started to hear an odd, low sound coming from the north. As they got closer, the sound grew louder.

They reached a ridge and found a half dozen of the serpent creatures in a circle, with another dozen arrayed beyond, all bowing to a large hut with mystic symbols painted outside.

Gorath said, ‘‘This will be difficult, especially those two on either end with staves like yours.’’

Owyn said, ‘‘A moredhel spellcaster named Nago tried to freeze me with a spell; I’ve made it work once.’’

Pug closed his eyes, and said, ‘‘I . . . know which one you mean. The magic fetters that inflict damage. I . . . think I can cast that.’’

Owyn said, ‘‘If we can immobilize those two, then cast a ball of fire at the rest, maybe that will cause enough panic we can get inside and find your daughter.’’