The Divine Unleashed (Book 3) (24 page)

No sooner had he dropped the amulet to his chest when it heated up to the point of almost burning him. 
Morg is trying to find me,
Kade thought.  The Evil Chosen let out a scream of rage and then the amulet cooled. 

The tunnel started to lighten enough for Kade to see the ground in front of himself so he let the blue flame fade away.  Morg’s voice was getting louder the more they progressed.  Kade’s stomach twisted into an even tighter knot as the moment approached for him to finally end this, or fail every living thing on the planet.  It occurred to him that it was not just every living thing but everything that had passed, also.  This was too important.  Too much depended on him.  The responsibility was crushing.  He swallowed hard, as he forced one foot in front of the other.

“Stay to the left,” Ven said, startling him.  “There are several traps on the right.” 

Kade closed his eyes and performed the Reveal Calling.  Sure enough, there were several traps along that side of the tunnel.  Had they blindly walked into those, it would have been enough to bring their hopes of ending Morg’s reign to a crashing halt.  Kade could feel sweat running down his back.

“Thank you,” Kade said to Ven.  She smiled with pleasure at the praise.  It was odd seeing her smile while in the beast form she currently held.  That smile would have sent someone screaming if they did not know better.

They continued on.  The light was getting brighter and the laughter was getting louder with each step.  Morg went silent and the amulet heated up again.  Kade leaned forward, letting it hang from his neck.  A moment later, Morg let out a string of curses and the amulet cooled down once more.

“Where are you my little nuisance?” Morg asked, every word dripping with sarcasm.  “You are not smart enough to just go bury your head in the sand until I am ready to collect you.”

Darcienna squeezed Kade’s hand.  He realized fury was rising in him at a dangerous rate and took a deep breath to calm himself. 
When did the fear leave me?
he asked himself as he unclenched his jaw and forced his mind to think.  His hands were clenched into tight fists, and his elbows were slightly bent as if ready to fall into a fighting stance.  Now was not the time to act irrationally.  If he was to succeed, he needed to do it while thinking.

“There is one more trap just ahead,” Ven said as she pointed to the ground.  “That is the last one, and then we will be in his main chamber,” Ven said in a hushed voice, afraid of speaking too loudly, even though she knew their sounds were masked by the calling.

Kade closed his eyes and saw that there was, indeed, a Detection Calling spanning the entire tunnel.  It was too far for them to jump.  Kade studied the ground as he moved carefully, trying to formulate a plan.

“Ven, is there a chance you could take a form that he trusts and take the staff?” Kade asked, hoping for an easy solution.

“He trusts no one,” Ven said as she gave a sarcastic laugh.  “He is suspicious of all and would rather kill anything that got too close before asking why they were there.  No.  I would have no chance.  Besides, he does not allow anyone in this room.”

“Then we will find another way,” Kade said as he studied the ground.

“What is it you see?” Rakna asked.

“There is a Detection Calling that goes for about fifteen feet and spans the tunnel.  We have no choice but to find a way over,” Kade said.

Rakna moved up next to Kade, studying the floor and then the walls.  She moved over to the side of the tunnel and surprised Kade with what she did next.  She put one leg up on the wall and then the next until she was up at the top of the tunnel.  Kade had never seen her off the ground like this, but he should have realized that it was possible.  She was, after all, a spider.

“The dragon will need to stay,” she hissed quietly.  “But the rest can cross with my help,” the queen said as she lowered a web that drifted on the light current of air that wafted through the tunnel.

Kade took it in his hand and expected it to break apart at the gentlest touch, but it held.  Still expecting it to break, he pulled hard, but again, it held.  Unfortunately, it showed signs of cutting into his hand.  He thought about it for just a moment when another idea came to him.  He tied a loop at the end and stepped into it with his boot.  The queen lifted him off the ground while he wrapped his arms around the light webbing.  It was obvious she was straining as she cautiously lifted one leg, preparing to walk along the ceiling.  She quickly put it back on the ceiling and gasped.

“I am not able to lift you without falling.  I fear this is not going to work,” Rakna said as she worked her way back down the wall.

“Let me help,” Ven said as she approached Rakna and held up her hand, preparing to touch her.  Rakna took a step back as she eyed Ven suspiciously.

“Ven?” Kade asked.

“I need to touch her,” Ven said, confused at the queen’s reaction.

“Why?” Darcienna asked.  Kade did not like the suspicion in her voice and showed his displeasure by the glare he gave her.

“I can change into a spider but that does not mean I am a spider.  I will no more be able to climb the walls than you can,” Ven said as she answered Darcienna’s question while looking at Kade.  “But, if I can take in just a small amount of her life force, I can become just like her with all of her abilities.  Do you see the difference?”

“Will it hurt her in any way?” Darcienna asked, trying to keep the accusation out of her voice.

“She will not feel a thing,” Ven replied.

“I find this acceptable,” Rakna said as she moved forward into Ven’s outstretched hand.  The shapeshifter let her hand settle onto the queen as her fingers sank deep into her plush fur.  Ven closed her eyes and a smile slowly crept across her face.  It almost appeared as if the shapeshifter was experiencing pleasure as she soaked up the queen’s essence.  She took her hand away and changed into a beautiful, white spider.

Kade walked between the two and looked back and forth, amazed at his inability to recognize the true queen.  Ven spoke, but it was with Rakna’s voice.  It was eerie, and he had to be honest with himself; it was a bit unsettling.

“This should work,” Ven hissed as she smoothly worked her way up the wall to hang from the ceiling.

“I believe it just might,” Rakna hissed as she moved up the same side, avoiding the traps along the opposite wall.

After learning how it was done, Ven let out her web, as did Rakna.  Kade made a loop from both webs and stepped into it.  Rakna lifted a leg and moved forward.  Ven followed her lead and mimicked her actions.  Soon, they had a system where the queen would take a step and then the shapeshifter would take a step.  It was slow going but it appeared as though this was going to work.  Kade looked up at the two snow-white spiders and marveled as the queens worked their way across.

“Let me know when we are far enough,” Rakna called down to him.

“That should be good enough,” Kade said. 

She gently lowered him to the ground and gave a grunt when the weight no longer threatened to pull her off the ceiling.  The two spiders quickly skittered across the rock to Darcienna.  She looked at each spider, trying to figure out which was the shapeshifter, but quickly gave up, realizing that there was no way to tell.  With a sigh, she stepped into the loop from each spider and was soon lifted off the ground.  Rakna and Ven were grateful for the weight difference between the man they had just carried and the woman who now hung down below them.  This was clear as both spiders moved along at a quick pace without waiting for the other to get set.

It was not long before Darcienna was standing next to Kade.  Ven changed into some sort of insect and easily flitted over to land on Kade’s shoulder.  Darcienna watched, waiting for Ven to change back into the beast, but the shapeshifter was content to stay in the form she was in.  Kade glared hard at Darcienna, not believing he was going to have to deal with this.  Darcienna saw the look on Kade’s face and quickly raised her hands in surrender.

Rayden, you must stay there until I call.  It is critical that you do not try to follow until I send for you,
Kade thought as he locked eyes with the dragon.  Kade could feel the dragon’s protest through the link.  He explained as best he could, but in the end, he had to settle for promising to let Rayden join the fight when it was time.

“They have found the cave.  The clutch is divided.  The king and a large group are trying to draw the army away but something keeps them focused on the cave.  It will only be…,” the queen was saying when she paused, listening to the far off voice.  “The king says the Master Chosen is unable to hold the Illusion Calling any longer.”  As if to confirm what Rakna had just said, Morg let out a scream at his army.

“Ignore them!” Morg raged.  “They are protecting that cave for a reason.  Kill them all and get in that cave!  Kill them or I will make you suffer!”

“Kade,” Rakna said in panic.  She did not try to hide her fear.  Kade could feel his heart start to pound hard. 

“I am going to cloak us,” Kade said as he planted his feet, feeling the queen’s panic becoming contagious.  He spun through the moves for the Transparency Calling and everyone faded from view.

“Kade!” Rakna said again more insistently.  She was losing her composure as the realization of her clutch being destroyed threatened to overwhelm her.

“I understand,” Kade said.  “Have faith.”  It was all he could think to say as he fought to keep from rushing to his death.  The clutch was in dire trouble, but if he did not do this right, they were all finished.

Something had to be done and it had to be done now.  Kade looked at the next bend in the tunnel and saw light dancing on the walls as a flame from the chamber shown directly on it.  Morg’s voice was clear, as if he was standing just a short stride away.  The four of them crept down the tunnel to the next bend and stopped.  Morg was pacing at the far side of the room by a pool of water that had a scene dancing on the surface.  He screamed at the image and then raised the staff with both hands held high over his head and slammed it into the pool as if to crush something.  Water splashed in all directions.

The pool of water was in a rock formation that was six feet across and came up to Morg’s waist.  It almost reminded Kade of the well back where he had grown up except the walls of this well were much thicker and there was no bucket.  The outside of the well was made of large rocks the size of a man’s head.  The pool was no more than two feet deep.  The water flashed colors and lights as an image played out.  Kade wanted desperately to see what the image displayed, but from where he stood, that was not going to happen.  Morg leaned over and peered closely into the water as the ripples settled down into images once again.  The evil Chosen stood as the muscles in his jaw flexed.

“Where are you?” Morg raged as he held the staff in front of himself and closed his eyes.  Kade clenched his teeth hard as he did his best to ignore the scalding hot medallion on his chest.  “WHERE ARE YOU?” Morg screamed loudly as he shook.  His face contorted into one of hate, rage and insanity.  He let out a yell as he turned toward the tunnel where the infiltrators hid.  After just five steps, he turned and raced back to the edge of the pool to peer at the scene once more.

Morg paced wildly about, not straying far from the pool of water.  Again, he walked toward the tunnel where the small group was hiding but never even considered looking in.  It was clear that he was very used to the tunnel being empty.  Morg had become complacent as his eyes passed over the area where the tunnel was as if it were not even there.

Kade tried to calm his heart, but it was racing.  The combination of fear, anger and the anticipation of confronting Morg made it hard for Kade to think.  Just one look at the Chosen carrying that dreaded staff brought back the memory of the immense weight that had crushed the life out of him back in Doren’s secret study.  Kade struggled to formulate a plan.  Anything.  He was hoping a solution would present itself by now, but he was still at a loss.

The room was not small by any means as it reached approximately two hundred feet across, if not a little more.  The ceiling rose nearly fifty feet into the air with a small opening at the top for light to come in or smoke to escape.  The walls were of solid rock with torches every ten feet or so until they got to the back of the room where there were none.  Even if Morg were to look around the room, he would not see someone standing in the tunnel unless he looked directly at them trying to see them.  There was a large bed with pillows and blankets so rich looking that any king would have been envious.  The bedposts were jeweled and sparkled as the light from the fire danced off them.  Directly in the middle of the room was an opening in the floor that was ten feet wide and went all the way to the base of the mountain.  There was a bookcase that was large enough to hold hundreds of books, if not a thousand.  There were books strewn all across the floor as if someone had discarded them after not finding what was being searched for.

The darkness was a blessing as Kade, ever so slowly, leaned around the corner.  He moved like a cat, afraid that Morg may see or sense him, even with the callings active.  He closed his eyes and checked the area for traps but found none.  He took a deep breath to steady his nerves and pursed his lips as he let the air out.  His eyes focused on the staff that was so close, and yet, so far away.

Kade watched, hoping that Morg might lay the ancient artifact down for just a moment, but it became clear that he slept with it in an iron grip.  That staff might as well have been an extension of his body with how tightly he held it.  No, this was not going to be as easy as he hoped.  But, he still had the element of surprise on his side.