Soul Under the Mountain (Legend of Reason Series) (39 page)

Guards in more ornate armor poured out of the open doors and waited at the top of the steps.
Each soldier at the front overlapped his large shield
with the soldier next to him and leveled his spear, forming a phalanx. The twins grumbled as they approached the steps, knowing a phalanx would be more difficult to penetrate than just walking through swinging swords. The fact that they would have to fight up the stairs would make it even harder.

They bounded up the marble steps and pushed their weight into the line. Spears ripped their skin but they ignored the pain. Other spears shot out from under the shields, cutting their feet and legs, but it did little to slow them as they pushed against the line. There was little that the twins' weapons could do to break the phalanx, so they relied on their incredible strength. They pushed with all their might, ignoring the annoying sting of spear and sword.

Gewin grabbed the edge of a shield and began rolling the metal backwards
with his powerful hands
. The stunned soldier could not believe his eyes, and suddenly could do nothing but stare. Seeing the weak point in the line, both twins pushed, peeling away the metal shields at the same time. The soldiers behind, however, were not so easily stunned. They pushed back hard, solidifying the line and thrusting their spears out passed the stunned soldiers at the front line. Over and over spears entered their purple skin, and it began to be very painful. The twins became enraged.

Gorin backed up and swung the hammer. It dented a shield and sent one of the soldiers rolling backwards into his men. Before Gorin could swing again, another soldier filled the gap, but the hammer fell on him too, and created another hole in the line. The Medorans were persistent, but eventually the twins knew they could break the line.

"Enough," came a voice from the doorway.

Everyone froze, including the twins. Gorin looked to see who could have given the confusing order
to cease fighting. Behind all
the soldiers in glinting armor stood a man in tattered black robes. He had his arms held up, prompting the Medorans to stop what they were doing. None of them were sure if they should obey the order, and they just stood rigid and still.

"Medorans, stand down," the man said again.

"You heard him, Medorans," Gewin yelled. "Drop your shields and let us in."

"You will not enter the Emperor's Hall and harm the Emperor," one of the soldiers said.

Gorin laughed. "We do not want Uritus Tecadelion."

"No," Uritus said. "You are here for Tannis Tirinius, correct?"

"Yes. Now have them lower these shields and spears."

"Most of them will not let you through while blood still pumps in their veins.
Most are loyal to the army and not to me.
But some are more sympathetic to my cause than that of Tannis Tirinius. Some of these men will lo
w
er their shields
, but they
must find the courage to do so amongst their fellow soldiers. Surely once they reveal that they conspire against the General of the Medoran Legions, their fellow soldiers will kill them
where they stand
. It will take great courage to be the one to first lower his shield and allow these creatures to pass. Who among you possesses
such
courage?
Who among you will lay down your life for the greater good of the people?"

The line of soldiers shuffled nervously as they turned their heads side to side, suspicious of their fellow soldiers.
Their armor rattled as they fidgeted nervously, now having to worry about the purple enemies in front of them, and also possible enemies beside them. Where weapons had failed, Uritus had managed to weaken the phalanx with suspicion and doubt. Even if his words were lies, the line could now be penetrated more easily.

After a long silence, one of the shields finally dropped to the marble, clanging as it bounced down the stairs. Another fell, and then another, and the twins rushed over to the commotion. Soldiers were busy stabbing the betrayers with their swords and knives, and there was just enough of a gap to step through the phalanx. Some of them yelled out orders to repair the breach, but it was too late. The twins hammered and slashed their way into the Emperor's Hall, and no mortal could stop them.

——————

Vohl peeked down the corridor and up the marble steps covered in bright red carpeting. The Forum in the North Hall was the safest place in Brinn, being that it was surrounded by the mountain on all sides but one, and there was only one way in or out. The steps Vohl watched led up to the main levels of the Emperor's Hall, where hundreds of Elite Guard troops would lay down their lives before allowing anyone passed them.

Vohl leaned back from the doorway. "I hear weapons on armor and the screams of men. They are coming."

"That's impossible," Alana said. "There's no way they can get
through
all those guards. You must be hearing things."

"Indeed I am hearing things, Alana. That is what I am tr
ying to tell you."

Alana shook her head. "It's a saying, Vohl.
Are you sure you heard something? I can't hear a thing."

Vohl paused for a moment with his hand raised. "There. Did you hear that?"

Alana's eyebrows lowered as she cocked her head. "I heard something, I guess. It could be anything though. I certainly can't make out the sound of weapons hitting armor."

But it wasn't long before the sounds were loud enough for everyone to hear. Vohl peeked around the corner of the doorway again and looked up the stairs. Off to the sides, where carpet was absent, dark red blood dribbled from the top step like a tiny
,
gruesome waterfall. There was still no soldier or foe in sight at the top of the stairs, but there was no longer any doubt that there were now enemies within the walls.

A handful of severed heads were thrown or kicked down the stairs. One still wore a helmet, but when it reached the bottom the head spun free of the metal and rolled to a corner.
The dead face was frozen in a silent scream.
It was an utterly ghastly sight
; with no honor or respec
t given to the innocent soldier who lost his life
defending the Emperor's Hall.

Vohl finally saw the beasts at the top of the stairs. He could only see the tops of their heads, but it was enough to see that they were not human. Their dark braided hair looked slick with blood, although something in Vohl's soul told him that it was the blood of others, and not the blood of the beasts. It immediately made them more horrific and terrifying, and even though Vohl knew they could not kill him, he feared them. He especially feared for Alana; and of course for their target, Tannis.

Then a strange shimmering light enveloped the creatures. Vohl couldn't make out the details, but it appeared as if
another image of reality had been overlaid on top of them. It was a dazzling effect that Vohl had a hard time looking away from. A hand laid on his shoulder snapped him out of the trance.

"What do you see, Vohl?" Tannis asked.

"The animals are at the top of the stairs. All of the guards have been killed or they have fled. I believe they are using some sort of magical device right now. I can see ghostly images around them as if they are standing in two places at the same time—the top of the stairs and some other room. I think I might see an image of a person as well—perhaps more than one person."

"
What people?" Alana asked quietly. "Who are they?"

Vohl's heart sank and his knees went weak. "Us. They are images of us. They can see us here in the Forum. There is no hiding from them."

The
light went out and the
beasts be
gan their descent of the stairs, singing
a horrifying tune. Their deep voices echoed between the marble walls, making it sound as it an entire army approached.
They walked slowly, in rhythm with their dreadful song. They knew that their prey had no way to escape.

——————

Rommus ran through the colossa
l stone doors before they closed
. They sealed shut behind him with the
cracking grind of moving rock, and o
nce again the massive doors seemed to be nothing more than a decoration carved into the mountain stone.

The doors closing automatically was troubling to him, since he feared that Song would use the star of Tachion to return
to the present and become trapped on the other side of the door with Demeos. Or even worse, if Demeos
was n
o longer there as a guardian
, any number of horrible things might creep out of the void and enter the world of the living.

But Song never showed. Rommus couldn't wait any longer knowing that the hounds of Maeris were coming to kill him and his father. They were already at Taburdum when he had left to go to the void. Since then, they could be in almo
st any city in southern Medora.
Tannis spent most of his time in Brinn or Taburdum,
so
it was just a matter of time before they found him.

Rommus ran down the long line of statues as fast as he could. It was difficult to remember where to go to get back to the streets above, but he navigated as best as he could. While back at the strange altar with the golden lines, he had tried to ask to be taken to other, more familiar places besides the great carved stone door, but the voice ignored all of those requests. It simply repeated
the word that Song said meant
destination
. Rommus eventually gave up and decided to return to the door.

The labyrinth of the Mages was a mess of intersecting halls and he became lost very quickly. There were some sections that looked familiar, but every time he thought he knew where he was, he ended up at a dead end or in an unknown hallway. Song would have been a lot of help if he hadn't taken Demeos and his statue back in time. He had the halls memorized and would be able to get them out quickly.

But Rommus was alone. He was lost underground and he was becoming more and more frustrated. Everywhere he turned there were
empty hallways, but no way to get aboveground. He ran as fast as his wobbly legs would carry him. His lungs burned in his chest but he dared not stop to rest. His death could come at any second if Archenarius cut into his father's skin.

Then his spirits lifted. He still had no idea where he was, but he found stairs leading up to a higher level.
A little light poured in from above, and he knew he was going in the right direction.

——————

Tannis watched the creatures come through the doorway of the Forum. He and Vohl and Alana had backed up to the far wall of the semicircular room for the best protection. Only a handful of soldiers from Legion Archenarius stood between them and the monsters.

The grim song continued as they strolled towards the soldiers. One of the beasts held a golden war hammer, and the other held the golden sword Archenarius.
The one holding the sword licked the razor-sharp blade, and a dark pool of his own blood collected on his tongue. Tannis was surprised that it did not kill the beast at once and send him to the void, but he did not pretend to know all the rules about such magical items.

The soldiers were quite intimidated by the gesture. They stood their ground but their swords shook with fear. Alana and Vohl had drawn their swords as well. They held their weapons steady, but it was evident that they were afraid
too
. Tannis drew his own sword, and climbed to the top of a table to see over the heads of the soldiers clearly.

The one with the hammer spoke. "Leave now and no harm will come to you. We want the elder Tirinius. Exit this room and you make keep your lives and your souls."

"And if we refuse?" Alana said.

"Death for all of you at the edge of Archenarius, and an eternity in the void for your pathetic little souls."

None of them moved. Tannis could hear his own heartbeat as the beasts stepped closer. They no longer sung their song, but they still hummed the haunting tune. They brought a confidence to the fight that made everyone on the other side of the Forum tremble with fear. Even Tannis felt the cold hand of dread clutching at the heart in his chest. He was not afraid to die, but if dying meant killing his son, it was an entirely different story. He feared for Rommus, and it nearly paralyzed him.

Suddenly Vohl disappeared in a blur. His cape masked his position, but Tannis knew where he was headed. A flash of steel surprised the approaching foes, and a few wounds opened on both of them. The cuts in their flesh halted their song, but it did little to stop their advance. They swung their golden weapons at Vohl, but missed several times.
The hammer was too heavy and bulky to swing fast enough, and Vohl was able to avoid the blade of the sword.

But then the inevitable happened. The sword found its way to Vohl's gut, stopping him in his tracks. He crumpled to the floor instantly into a lifeless pile. Alana screamed and ran out to help him. Tannis called for her to stay but she refused t
o heed his words. She rushed over
to the fallen Vohl, hoping that she could somehow save him.