Epilogue

EPILOGUE

They were all gathered at the glade. Nikki seemed to be a mixture of sadness and resoluteness. Gage was also moody and that made times difficult for his apprentice. Crystal was the only saving grace. Her presence and her attention to the elven mage probably saved Dylan from unjust treatment on several occasions.

Even Crystal's parents had come. The strange High Priest, Sam and his wife Calista would not be put off. This parting was much too important.

Coran, still partly in a state of shock at learning of his true heritage, was only a little less moody. The tall, dark man had suddenly found a passion for learning the legends of the Blackheart Dynasty, however terrible and dark it may be. He was determined to make up for the deeds of his ancestors, and given that he had been raised by Avery and Nikki, his outlook on life was certainly more benevolent than that of his ancestors.

Dylan and Cindy sat by the fire holding hands. They listened to their benefactors speaking of old times and things that had happened long ago. Cindy whispered that she felt really sorry for Nikki. Crystal, who sat nearby tried to explain that the culture of elves was much different to that of men. Once the children had been raised and went out on their own, the father and mother often would separate and were free to choose new mates. It was a tradition that reflected the long lives of the elves. She seemed pretty sure that Gage would not leave her, but then again, she felt pretty sure that he would live for hundreds of years after she had died an old woman, and then he might seek another mate. But while she was still alive, Gage would stay with her.

The crackling of the fire and the cups of wine eventually put both youths into a stupor. Dylan did not remember nodding off, nor did he remember being put to bed. He woke the next morning and dressed quickly. His first thought was, of course to find Cindy, then to attend to his master.

He found both in the main lodge eating breakfast.

"Ah, Dylan," Gage beamed. "Come on in, my boy."

"Can I get you something, master?

"No need," Gage answered. The truth was that as long as they were in his mother's house, she would not allow the apprentice to be a servant, and if he tried, Nikki would very likely take a switch to the mage.

Armegon and Ultrecht were both at the table as well. They watched Dylan approach with approval in their faces. "My uncles and I have been discussing you," Gage told his ward. "You have performed exemplarily on this journey and you have proven yourself beyond your years. I do not know if it is your quick mind or my teaching or what, but I am very proud of you." Gage sighed.

"Before we leave," Armegon added, "we wanted to thank you for all your help."

"And we wanted to let you know that we are very impressed with you," Ultrecht added. "I foresee a bright future on the horizon for you."

"They have also urged me to do something that is very unusual. Your time as my apprentice has been very short—only a year and a half--but you have shown skill at casting spells and calm under stress." Gage smiled and placed a hand on Dylan's shoulder. "And even though it is normally beyond the years of one such as you, my uncles have suggested that I petition the guild to advance you to the rank of Journeyman. Even though I normally would not expect it of someone so young, I am inclined to agree. If the guild accepts the petition, you will be tested, and if you perform adequately, you will be given the black robe and white sash of a journeyman. You will still serve me, but that will allow you to study and work with all spells and not just the few that I have taught you in defiance of the common practice regarding apprentices."

There was a twinkle in the elf's eye as he placed a hand on his charge's shoulder. "I know that you and Cindy have become fond of each other and I encourage your relationship, but I must ask you to postpone any permanent plans for at least a year. Then when you are seventeen years old, I will be honored to provide you both with a home and money to begin your lives together."

Dylan was awestruck. He did not know how to respond, but Cindy saved him from an awkward silence with a hug and a squeal of excitement. Then Dylan managed to stammer some form of acceptance and thanks.

"Ahem." Avery stood in the doorway. "I know that it's a difficult thing to do," he said, "but the alignments are approaching and if we are going to do this, then we have to do it soon."

"Right," Armegon agreed. "The opportunity to do this will not happen again for a long time, so let's take advantage of it."

Ultrecht and Armegon stood and walked to the door. Everyone followed them. In the center of the glade, near the fountain, an arrangement of stones and marks had been arranged in the form of a triangle. Within the triangle was a circle large enough for several people to stand in comfortably. Already in the circle were three packs, two small trunks and a few bags.

"I've packed enough for us to live on for a few weeks if necessary," Avery explained as he led them to the circle. "With luck, we will find ourselves close to our old homes and there will be no need for this stuff, but it pays to be prepared."

Ultrecht nodded. Then he turned and gave Nikki a quick kiss on the cheek as well as Crystal and Calista. He knelt and gave Cindy a big, warm hug and then proceeded to shake the hands of Rathe, Gage, Coran and Dylan.

Armegon hugged all the women and also shook the hands of the men. His farewell to the High Priest, Sam, was very long and tender in the form of an embrace and a kiss on the cheek, which made Sam blush.

Avery and Nikki held hands for what seemed like an hour, just gazing into each other's eyes. It seemed as if words were not necessary, and Dylan had to remind himself that it was the way of the elves to part company in this way. He certainly did not think he could do it, and when it came to Cindy, he was sure he never would.

Finally, Avery released Nikki and embraced his two sons together. "I was born in another reality," he told them, "and that is where we are trying to return to. I want you both to know that you are my sons and you are the greatest things that I have ever been a part of." There seemed to be a moisture in the ranger's eyes. "This is your world. We leave it in your capable hands. You have my blessing and my everlasting love."

"Avery," Ultrecht called. "It's time."

The ranger disengaged from his family and stepped into the circle. He stood next to Armegon, and the two halfelves faced the friends that were remaining behind. Behind Armegon and Avery, Ultrecht stood. He placed one hand of each of his companions' shoulder. "Brothers we were before this chapter began, and brothers we are as we turn the next page," he waxed philosophically.

Bowing his head and muttering words that Dylan barely could catch, Ultrecht began to weave a very powerful spell. The lines of the magic circle flared brilliantly and there was no doubt that the very fabric of space and time and the planes themselves was being warped.

When the light became too bright to look at, Dylan closed his eyes and turned his head. He squinted and could see his master covering his own eyes with a hand. Crystal was there too and she had bowed her head to avoid the light.

After a few moments, there was a loud thunderous crack and suddenly the light was gone. Turning back to where the circle had been there was only scorched ground left.

"Well, I guess it did allow him to go," Coran observed.

"What?" Crystal asked.

"Father's sword, Liberator," Coran explained. "We wondered if it would allow him to leave since he was bound to it."

"But the sword isn't here," Calista observed.

"Liberator is not exclusive to our universe," Sam advised them. "It travels to where it is needed. I would not be surprised if they do not arrive at where they wanted to go, but went to where they were needed."

"So they may never get back to their homeworld?" Crystal asked.

"Perhaps they will. After all, they do not age. Given long enough, they may eventually return home, or perhaps, their home was where they were needed most."

"Imagine," Coran softly offered, "an eternity of traveling from universe to universe going where they are needed most."

"There are worse fates," Gage noted.

Wiping a tear from her eye, Nikki added, "but none more noble."

Gage sighed, and reached into his robe. He pulled forth a scroll case. "What is that?" Nikki asked as she leaned against her son.

"I am not really sure," Gage told her. "Uncle Ultrecht gave it to me and told me to keep it sealed closed until all hope was lost."

"Do you think it's a spell?" Crystal asked.

"Most assuredly," Gage answered. "But I do not know what it does or how it works."

"Will you ever open it to find out?"

"I doubt it," Gage answered. "I do not think there will ever come a time when there is no hope."


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Chapter 23

CONFRONTATION


The sensation was much different. It happened much more quickly and with much less discomfort. In only a second, a familiar glade came into focus. Dylan found that comparatively, the plane shifting spell was much more convenient, faster and comfortable than the natural conduit. Its only disadvantage was that it could be traced and sensed too easily.

Algol had been snoozing in the shade near Nikki's cabin. When they materialized, he lifted his head and sniffed the air, then he calmly stood and padded over to where they were gathered. He went straight to Crystal who greeted him fondly.

Dylan and Cindy were wrapped in each other's arms and seemed reluctant to separate. It was not until Nikki, herself approached, barely as tall as Dylan, himself, and urged everyone to wash up for supper. She said it with such calm, that it was as if they had been there all along and had not just returned from a mission to the lowest of the Nine Hells.

Gage urged Dylan to follow Crystal, Rathe and Coran to clean up and change clothes. "I must contact father and tell them that we are back," he said.

Dylan and Cindy, hand in hand, went to where fresh clothing had been hung out on a string to dry in the wind. They selected some that would fit them. Then Cindy went with Crystal into the small shack to clean up while the men did so out by a flowing stream that flowed behind the shack.

Gage closed his eyes and cleared his mind. He used the same spell he had used before to contact one of his uncles. He could have contacted his father, but the magic to do that was a more draining spell and he was already drained from what they had just gone through.

He bent over the fountains and cast his spell. The reflection in the water wavered then changed to show Ultrecht with Avery off in the distance behind him. Avery stood hundreds of feet tall and was swinging the massive sword and cutting through whole armies of devils like a scythe through grass.

"Gage?" Ultrecht asked. He did not seem hurt, but there was a sensation of fatigue in his voice. "Are you back?"

"We are, uncle. We got it all, the girl and the staff. We are back at mother's place. Please hurry, I think we will be followed. We only barely got away. As soon as they know where we went they will..." Gage's sentence was cut off by a flash of light and the young elf mage was thrown across the compound. The spell broke and the vision faded.

Gage lay against the cabin wall. He knew that he had at least one broken arm and possibly more damage. He could see three creatures emerging from warped air next to the fountain. Two were the Arch Devils Geryon and Asmodeus. He had seen drawings of them before and knew their descriptions from the lore he had read before at the Academy. The third figure was waiting behind the still expanding gateway. What ever it was, it was big.

"It appears we are not expected," Asmodeus said with a silky voice. He was handsome. His hair was dark and well groomed. He possessed horns, but they were very small and black and blended in with his hair. His skin was pale and his body was that of a healthy man. Only his red eyes and his height gave him away as being something other than what he was. He must have stood over a dozen feet tall.

The other devil was definitely inhuman. His head was human and his torso was that of a gorilla with bat wings, but from the waist down he appeared serpent-like and about thirty feet long. He held forth a hand and a scroll appeared in it with a puff of smoke. The arch devil then read the scroll aloud. Instantly, at least a hundred lesser devils appeared.

Gage sat stunned. He was vaguely aware that Rathe and Coran had joined him. "I must admit that the ploy was very good," Asmodeus offered as he approached the downed mage. "Your friends had me completely distracted." He laughed and the sound had a calming effect on Gage. The mage shook it off. He knew Asmodeus had the ability to charm and beguile even him if he was not on guard. He feared that his brother and the others would not be able to resist.

"I should have been more suspicious when they were beaten back so easily. He turned his full gaze on Gage. The mage felt his heart go cold and knew that he could not withstand the spell for long.

"Now, mage," the arch devil addressed him. "Where is the staff? It is my property. You may keep the girl child, but the staff I want back."

"That you will not have," a familiar voice said from the fountain.

The gate that had delivered Asmodeus and Geryon was still there, but it shimmered in a silvery light and had ceased to grow. The monster trying to get through was blocked.
Armegon stood next to the gate. He flowed like a living flame into incandescence. Slowly walking towards them was Ultrecht. His face was grim and his hands were clenched.
Without a sound, Avery appeared beside Gage and Rathe. The healer touched his son gently and immediately Gage felt his body mended and his strength return.

"Ah, Ultrecht," Asmodeus crooned. He took two steps forward and bowed with a hand extended in greeting. "How good it is to see you again."

"What?" Ultrecht asked, "no high speech? Have you finally gotten rid of all the 'thee's and 'thou's?"

"You are not a god or noble. Let's dispense with the formalities and get down to business. As I recall that's the way you like to do things."

"Fine," Ultrecht agreed. "Let's begin by stating what we both know." He let his arm sweep around the compound at all the devils that were awaiting orders from their lords. "We both know that a fight here and now would kill most of everyone in sight with the exception of you, Geryon and we three."

Ultrecht gestured at Gage and Rathe and Coran. "You know that the death of our children and friends is unacceptable to us, and you also know that if you did kill them, we would tear Nessus apart stone by stone until we found you and then Avery would put The Godslayer through your neck and give you a permanent haircut." For emphasis, Avery drew Liberator. The proximity of such evil made it very difficult for the ranger to control the weapon. "You know who forged that sword and that its power supersedes even yours." Ultrecht took the offered hand and shook it. "Instead of that kind of nasty business, what do you say we make a deal?"

"You want to deal with this?"! Armegon asked incredulously. He was fit to be tied and filled with rage. "I say we start with Avernus and that multi headed freak pet of his."

Asmodeus glanced back at the gate. "Yes, she will be most displeased that she is unable to join us. But that is beside the point. Ultrecht is right. You do not wish your friends to die and I do not wish to die either. Perhaps some sort of agreement can be made. Come, let us discuss it."

Asmodeus and Ultrecht walked away for a bit. Armegon, seething in fury was joined by Avery, who made great efforts to calm the sorcerer down.

"I knew that Ultrecht was acquainted with Asmodeus, but I didn't know they were friends," Avery commented.

"I didn't know they had ever met," Armegon growled. "Consorting with devils? What else has he been up to?"

"Calm down. If you think about it, his philosophy is much closer to theirs than you can imagine. You know how he likes bureaucracy."

"But these are the Dukes of Hell!"

"They aren't the same Dukes of Hell we fought those many years ago. They are different. Give them a chance."

"You like them?"

"No. I can respect their belief in law and order, but their disdain for life and freedom makes me ill. I would just as soon destroy them, but look at what such a fight would cost us." Avery indicated where Gage, Crystal, Dylan and the other stood. "Not to mention that they would be able to flood the southlands with their kind because of those idiotic Chira."

Armegon had calmed to the point he was no longer glowing. He still fumed and his face was flushed red, but he had to admit that what Avery had told him was true. He did not want to see Coran and Gage harmed, or any of the others for that matter.

After a few more moments, Asmodeus and Ultrecht concluded their discussions and returned. "A bargain has been made," Asmodeus announced. "We will withdraw," he told his allies. He nodded at Ultrecht who removed the barrier to the gate. The devils began to march through the gate led by Geryon.

Asmodeus remained behind briefly. "You will keep your word," he questioned.

"I will," Ultrecht answered. "And so will you."

Asmodeus bowed. "Then I wish you a good journey and goodbye." Then he turned and passed though the gate. The warp dissipated immediately.

"So what happened," Armegon demanded. "Did you just make a deal with the devil?"

"Yes," Ultrecht explained. "The staff is ours to keep and Asmodeus will not make another attack on the realm of men for one thousand years." He turned to Gage and Coran. "You have that long to figure out how to destroy the staff. By the terms of our agreement, we are forbidden to tell you how."

"In a thousand years, we can be ready for their attack," Armegon was confident.

"Perhaps, but we won't be here," Ultrecht answered.

"What do you mean," Avery interrupted.

"Part of the deal is that we three have to leave this world. The devils want a fair chance to conquer the mortal realm. They can't get that as long as we are defending it."

"Who says that they should get a fair chance at all?" Avery argued.

"It's either this way or they launch an all out attack against us now from all of the Nine Hells at once. They will, no doubt, try to recover the staff, and even we three can't safeguard the lives of those we love against that much force unless we are reunited by the Tome of Creation, and we already decided that we couldn't do that."

"And how do you propose we leave this world? The Well of Time?"

"No. After our victory at Gly-ou-vogue, The Creator gave each of us a gift. Mine was the knowledge of how to travel to different worlds."

"So do you think you can take us home again?" Armegon asked, his anger all but gone.

"I think so. I'm curious to see how much interest my accounts have earned."

"How can you think of money at a time like this," Avery scolded. "You want us to leave our families and friends defenseless against the Dukes of Hell."

"No, I want to buy them a thousand years to destroy that staff."

"I bet you didn't tell that to the devil," Armegon scoffed.

"Of course not. I only said that WE would not try to destroy it."

"The devils are immortal and a thousand years to them would be nothing. I think I can see why they took the deal," Avery posed.

"Assuming, of course, that they keep their word," Armegon countered.

"Oh they'll keep it," Ultrecht answered. "I made it plain that we would leave Gage and Coran the means to summon us back, should they not keep it, and our first action on returning would be to destroy the staff."

Ultrecht stared pointedly at Avery. "I'm sorry. I know that this is going to hurt you more than any other. But it was the only way out of the mess."

Avery nodded. His eyes found the eyes of his mate. She had been standing nearby listening and her hands had gone to her mouth as tears welled up. She knew what was about to happen. To save the lives of her and her children, her heart had to break.

"Come," Avery urged everyone. "Let's go inside. We'll cook and talk more. But for the moment I want to go home. This home."

Inside the cabin, Nikki served up the stew and bread. Then when her guests were all eating happily, she took Avery by the hand and led him outside.

Ultrecht was explaining to Armegon and Gage how the alignments of planets could be used to create warps that passed not only between planes, but between universes. "There is a random factor involved," Ultrecht concluded, "But the odds are we will get where we want to go."

Dylan and Cindy and Crystal sat with Coran and Rathe. The staff lay on the table and Coran caressed its surface in wonder. He could feel the power of the thing and he knew that it was within his ability to take the staff up and command an army of the dead. But the very nature of the staff was evil and the thought of doing something like that sickened him. He knew that the staff had to be destroyed. Yet there was something alluring about it; something that had to do with his blood and that of the older man who had been a prisoner in the Tower of Solitude.

Coran had asked his parents before if he was adopted, and they assured him that he was Gage's twin brother, even though they did not even closely resemble each other. His father had told him that there was an unusual event that happened during his mother's pregnancy and that it had to do with the Renegade House Blackheart, but that was long past and they were all thought to be dead.

Now Coran suspected that it was not true and that he, himself was the last of that line. If that was true, then he was of noble blood and that meant he had responsibilities to that blood. A whole new world of possibilities and opportunities were unfolding before him. The final words of the older man played on his thoughts and he was resolved to right the past wrongs, and if he was of noble blood, he would find his kingdom and rule with compassion and justice.

It seemed as if there was a passing of the torch in progress. His father and uncles had protected the whole world out of anonymity for years after they had delivered the people from the yoke of the gods. Now they were preparing to leave after saving them from the Dukes of Hell. The mantle was falling to Gage, and himself and their friends to guard their world going forward. At least they were not alone. Over the years they had made numerous friends and Sam, the wise high priest would be able to guide them when they needed direction.

Who knew? There may come a day when the young Dylan, Cindy and Coran's own child would go off and save the world from some terrible fate. Who knew from where tomorrow's heroes would come?

Chapter 22 Part 2

There, in the corner of the small room was Dylan's heart's desire. She was curled up in a small helpless ball trying not to look at them.

Dylan ran across the room and knelt next to Cindy. He reached out and touched her arm.
"Cindy," he called to her softly.

With a start, she turned toward him, eyes wide and trembling. "No more, please. I want to wake up. Don't torture me like this."

"No Cindy," Crystal added as she too knelt next to Dylan. "It's not a dream. We're here to take you home."

"No," she shook her head. It was plain she wanted desperately to believe her eyes, but dared not or risk her sanity. "It’s another trick."

"You don't believe your eyes," Dylan said gently, then he took her face in his hands. "Then believe your heart," he gave her a long and tender kiss.

At first she tried to withdraw from him, but as the kiss lingered and he poured all his heart into it, he felt her reach out to him and hold him close to her with the strength of desperation.

"That's enough kids," Crystal interrupted. Dylan pulled back and Cindy's eyes were fastened on him filled with adoration and hope.

"You came for me," she wept.

"Of course I did," Dylan told her. "I would have come, even if I had had to do it alone, but as you can see, he nodded to Crystal, who was standing and walking to the door, I didn't have to. Coran, Rathe and Master Gage are here too."

Dylan helped Cindy to her feet and out of her cell. Coran came trotting over to them. "Are you okay, Little Bit?"

Cindy clung to Dylan like a drowning child to a bit of driftwood. "I think so," she answered. "Just get me out of here and home."

"Well we can't leave just yet," Coran broke the news to her. "We still have to find that staff or things back home are going to get worse and we will all wind up back here again."

Cindy looked as if she were about to cry. Crystal put a hand on the girl's shoulder in comfort. "Gage, can't we send her and Dylan back ahead of time?"

"We could, but that would alert the greater devils that we are here. They would come after the rest of us and they could follow the spell to attack Dylan and Cindy unarmed back home. Believe it or not, until we all can travel together, they are safer here with us."

"Why do you have to stay?" Cindy was on the verge of tears and begging.

"We have to get the Ebony Staff. The devils are using that to control all the undead back home. Someone named Miguel Blackheart is a slave here and is using it."

"I've seen him," Cindy told them. "They keep him in this tower at the very top. I saw him when I was first brought here, and he had a black staff. At first I thought it was Coran, but much older. I think it must have been the dark hair and eyes."

"To the top of the tower then," Coran urged. He led them back to the stairs and he and Rathe performed the same routine on three floors before they had the first hint of trouble. On the fifth level, there were three devils on guard, instead of the usual two. One of the guards managed to get off a cry of alarm before Rathe killed him too.

"That cuts it," Rathe swore. "The fat's in the fire now."

Coran turned to Crystal and Dylan. "Set all the prisoners on this floor free, quickly."
Dylan ran. He unbolted a door and opened it then ran to the next door. By the time he had gotten to the end of the curving corridor, he had opened nine cells. He ran back to the landing, dodging stunned prisoners as they stumbled out of their cells. Then they rushed up the stairs. At the next landing, they rushed the devils again, but this time they were expected.

Rathe managed to kill the lesser devil with his axe, but Coran's attack was thwarted when he suddenly fell to the ground entangled in thick webbing. The other devil was beginning another spell when nine jolts of light slammed into its chest from Gage's fingers. The devil staggered and fell to its knees. Then Rathe's axe finished the job.

Again, Crystal and Dylan rushed down the corridor turning the prisoners loose. He almost hated to do it. At first he had not understood why they were freeing the prisoners when they had not before, but as he thought on it he understood that Coran was using the former prisoners as fodder to slow attacks from below. It seemed wrong to throw those lives away like that, but in a way, at least they were being given the chance to die free and to have purpose.

As they approached the next level, their approach was observed and the devil guards charged down the stairs to in attack. Gage loosed a blast of flames which sent the minor devils flying in all directions. The other devils countered with flames of their own, but Gage had been ready for that, and threw up a wall of ice to block the flames. Then after the flames had passed, Gage followed the wall with a ram of pure force turning the shards of ice into daggers that inflicted massive damage to the enemy.

They won the next landing and again released all the prisoners. As they again took to the stairs, they could hear scuffling below and yells of pain and anguish mixed with cries of rage.

"We don't have a lot of time," Coran warned as he ran up the stairs two at a time. Rathe and Gage were hot on his heels with Crystal, Dylan and Cindy following.

When they got to the last landing, it was empty of devils. Coran drew to a stop and cautiously rounded the corner. There was a blast of flame and Dylan saw Coran flung backwards against the wall and fall in a heap.

Rathe charged and Gage paused only long enough to pull a glass rod from his shoulder bag. Then he too ran around the corner. Crystal stopped at the corner and did not allow Dylan or Cindy to follow until she had peeked around to see what waited.

There before them was a greater devil. It was huge, no less than twice the size of Rathe. The space was plenty large enough for it to spread its wings if it was so inclined. They were at the top of the tower and there was no roof.

Gage loosed a bolt of lighting and the monstrosity waved irritably and sent the energy flying into the rock walls, gouging a deep furrow. With the backswing of its hand, the creature creamed Rathe along the side and slammed him into the opposite wall.

Gage took a step backwards as Crystal grabbed Coran's dropped sword and rushed forward to stand by Gage. Dylan then was able to watch the scene from the corner.
He saw Gage rummaging frantically in his shoulder pack as the devil stepped in towards him and swiped at him also.

The nimble elf dodged the attack, but in doing so, fell backwards, the contents of his shoulder pack spilling out. A scroll tube rolled all the way back to the corner where Dylan reached out and grabbed it.

Desperate for a way to help, Dylan opened the case and pulled the scroll from inside. It was sealed with a wax spell-bond. Dylan knew enough about those to know that whatever spell the scroll contained, anyone could cast it, even a child. It required only breaking the seal.

Dylan turned the scroll over and saw the writing on the outside. He read the spell name and description. It was labeled as a frost hammer. Dylan did not know if it would help, but his master was in dire need of even a distraction.

Stepping around the corner, Dylan raised the scroll and broke the seal. The scroll unrolled itself and burst into flame. The flames clung to Dulan's hand, but did not burn him. Instinctively, he knew what to do and he thrust his hand out with his fingers pointed at the devil.

The flames shot forth and froze in mid-flight into a long pole of solid ice shooting like an arrow through the air. The pole entered the chest of the devil and then skewered the creature. The devil looked shocked as it fell over backwards.

Coran groaned and Cindy helped him to his feet. Crystal and Gage ran to assist Rathe. Dylan grabbed the fallen packs and ran to join his master.

"That was good thinking," Gage told his student as he retrieved the shoulder bag. "It is not what I had in mind, but it did quite well."

Across the opening, beyond the fallen body of the devil, there were two doors. One was open and the room was empty. The other was closed and locked. A barred window near the top showed a dim light within.

Peeking though the window, Crystal saw an older man sitting in a chair. The prison cell was much larger than the ones on the lower level, and was almost luxurious. The furniture was cushioned and clean and there was a variety of food on the table as well as a bottle of wine. The old man was facing away from them, but lying on a table near the door was a staff made of black wood. She could only assume that it was the Ebony Staff.

Crystal was gently, but forcefully pushed aside. A brief glance in the window and then Rathe stepped back and brandished his full weight and strength against the door in a hearty slam. The wood shattered around the lock and the door fell inward. The Minotaan ducked through the doorway and stepped into the cell to allow the others in.

"You are wasting your time," the man in the chair called over his shoulder. He stood and turned to face them. He was handsomely tall with black hair and black eyes. "Only one of my blood can take the staff."

Rathe was still in front of all the others so his was the first reaction. His bovine eyes went wide and there was a grunt in his chest. Finally he answered the old man. "I think we have just that," he said as he stepped aside.

Coran was immediately behind Rathe and when the Minotaan stepped to the side, Coran found himself staring at what might be a mirror. The man before him looked almost exactly like him except for the age. It was amazing.

Miguel Blackheart stared back at the young man he suddenly found himself confronting. "Who are you?" he asked incredulously.

"I am Coran," Son of Avery, who some call The Forester, and Nikki the Druid of the Northern Great Deep.

There was a smirk on the face of the older man. "So the line had not ended after all," he muttered quietly. "Oh how it will infuriate them." He appeared thoughtful for a moment. “You are the Light of Yesteryear.” Finally the older man gestured to the table where the staff lay. "Go ahead. Take it. Your blood will protect you."

"You don't want it?"

"No," Miguel answered. "It has kept me a slave as much as has Asmodeus. With that damned staff gone, they will most likely kill me. At least my torment will be ended."

"You could come back with us," Gage offered.

"No. I am a slave here. I entered slavery willingly in return for my life long ago. I am bound to Nessus now, until I am put to death, a pleasant prospect for one in my position."

Coran wanted to know more. "Why do we look so much alike? Are we related?"

"Yes, and no," Miguel answered. "It is a long story and you do not have time. Perhaps you can ask your father and mother. They can probably tell you more. I admit I very much would like to get to know you, but there is no more time. They are coming."

Shouts could be heard from the stairs, indicating the approach of the guards and probably even greater devils. Miguel placed a hand on Coran's chest. "I am no longer the man I once was. I have changed much and now I have one last duty to perform before I pass on. I charge you live your life as you have been raised. Do not succumb to the passions of power and greed. When you know the truth of your blood, you will know what you must do. Now go." Miguel stepped back and away from them

Gage instructed everyone to gather around as Coran took the staff from the table. It was not made of black wood as it first seemed, but it seemed to be forged from pure shadow. It grew warm in his hand and there was a tingling in his arms.

Gage opened another scroll and began to read from the page. Coran watched Miguel fade away.

Chapter 22 Part 1

ASSAULT

"By all that's holy tell you're kidding," Rathe gasped. The very thought of walking up to the gate and knocking was insane at best.

"I am not kidding, but perhaps I had better explain further," Gage replied.

"Oh, do tell," Coran urged. "Tell me, brother dear, how you plan to do that."

"Our friend who keeps visiting us every two hours is going to provide us an escort."
In the dim light of the Citadel, Dylan could see his master grinning, and then a smirk appeared on his brother's own face. "That's dangerous, and father would not approve."

"Father is not here, and Uncle Armegon would love it."

"What are you two talking about," demanded an agitated Crystal.

"He wants us to sneak in under the guise of slaves," Coran told her. "Remember the story father used to tell us about the straw golem and the tin golem and the lion who could talk? Remember how they got into that castle? Well it's similar," Coran explained.

"And how are we going to get the devil to cooperate?" Crystal asked skeptically.

"I am going to dominate him," Gage answered.

"Whoa, fellow," Crystal was very upset. "That's not a walk in the park and you know what happens if you fail?"

"I know all too well, but he is a minor devil and I will have the advantage. So I do not think I will fail."

Crystal went silent, but Dylan could stand it no longer. They had been talking around something and he wanted to know. "Master, what are you going to do?"

Gage sat his charge down and knelt in front of him. "I am going to try to subdue the devil who is on lookout. It is a form of mental combat. If I win, then the devil must do what I say until I release him. It is the law that they live by."

"But if he looses, then he'll wind up like those slaves out there," Crystal cut in, "and so will we."

There was a hint of irritation in Gage's voice. "Do you have a better idea?" he asked. I do not know how long Cindy will be safe in there. I think we need to take some risks."

Crystal was clearly unhappy, but she bit her lip and turned away. "We are going to have a long talk about this later," she said over her shoulder.

Dylan had never heard Crystal so angry and he had never seen his master so hurt by her words.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked Gage.

"No," his master told him. "But if something happens, if something goes wrong stay with Coran. He will protect you." It dawned on Dylan just how dangerous the plan his master was proposing was going to be.

Give me a moment to get ready, he told Coran as he removed his cloak and robe. He wore a pair of shorts and ankle high boots. Then he took some dirt and rubbed it on his skin, making him look as if he had been dressed like that for some time. He mussed his hair and spat on his hands and rubbed them against the rocks to get them dirty.

"Okay here is what will happen," he said. "I will go and lay out in the open where the devil will see me. He will think that I am a slave trying to escape. He will try to dominate me and when he does, I will turn it against him. He will think I have a broken will and no strength, so when I hit him with my will, he should not be expecting it. The battle should be quick."

"'Should', being the operative word," Crystal muttered, but after a pleading glance from Gage, she went quiet.

"I'll be nearby watching," Coran interrupted. "If it looks like it's going badly, I can kill the devil, or at the very least distract it until Gage can disengage."

Gage took Crystal's hand in his own for a few moments, neither saying a word, but a whole conversation passed in just that touch. Then Gage left the hidden pavilion with Coran close behind him.

That was the worst part. The wait was nearly unbearable. They knew from earlier observation that the sentry could take as much as two hours to arrive, so there was no telling how long they would have to wait before they could find out if Gage and Coran had been successful.

A thousand notions passed through Dylan's mind. He thought of all the many things that could go wrong. It occurred to him that Gage was the only one who could perform the necessary spell to get them out of Nessus, and only Gage or Coran could summon one of the archmages. If they both were killed, they would be stranded in the lowest plane of the Nine Hells. Their food and water was already more than half gone. At what point would starvation force them to surrender or die?

That thought led to a curious question, and partly out of desperation to occupy his mind, Dylan posed a question. "The whole time we have been here, I haven't seen any sign of farming or anything. How do the devils feed themselves?"

Crystal looked up from where she had been rummaging through a pack. "Devils are not alive in the sense that we think of life," she told him. "They are a different form of life. They do not eat food. They feed off emotions of sorrow and fear and other negative feelings. That is why they are always trying to get the souls of those whose lives are full of darkness down here."

"That is why evil people come here when they die?"

"Essentially. A soul burdened by evil naturally gravitates to these lower planes. The devils reside here for that reason."

Dylan nodded and tried to pass the time by thinking about what she had told him and focused on his studies. Of course she would know, he reminded himself. She was the daughter of a high priest.

Crystal was darning the knee of her spare trousers. It was obvious that the action was being done to take her mind off what was going on. She kept glancing out the front of the pavilion, and twice she had to stop her sewing and rip out the misaligned seams and start over.

Rathe sat with his back to the others. He sat with his battle axe across his lap making long strokes with a sharpening stone. The stone mad a whispering hiss as it passed across the blade.

Dylan kept watch. It was not really necessary as everyone was awake and alert. The day had not been difficult and no one was really tired. Some of them had taken naps while they had watched the Citadel during the day.

Dylan maintained his vigil for at least an hour before he heard a noise. He strained his eyes, but the light coming from the Citadel was not enough for him to see what was happening. The noise did not sound like a fight or struggle, but like small pebbles falling down the side slope from above. He hoped that a large rock did not fall onto their pavilion as the canopy would never hold it up.

A few minutes later, a figure emerged from the dark. As it drew closer, Dylan could make out the figure of Coran. He had a smile on his face and he was soon followed by Gage and the devil that they had seen earlier. Gage pointed to a place outside the pavilion and the devil obediently sat on the ground, it's eyes wide and staring. Those eyes were not mindless, but burned with hatred. Those eyes followed Gage wherever he went.

"That was not as hard as I expected," Gage told them as he sat down. There was a huge welt across his back. "He was totally unprepared for my attack."

"I thought you were going to lose it when he used that whip on you," Coran added.

"It did shock me," Gage admitted, "but it also infuriated me. I think I could have made a fair sorcerer if I had chosen to go that path."

Crystal had abandoned her sewing immediately upon seeing them arrive. She quickly attended to Gage's back with a salve and fussed over his injury quietly.

Rathe stood at the entrance to the pavilion looking down at the devil. "He is under your control?" Rathe asked, fingering his newly sharpened axe.

"Yes," Gage answered. "Every now and then he tries to fight back, but I have sufficient strength to hold him until we are done."

"So now what do we do?" Rathe asked.

"I want to take some time to pump this guy for information," Coran suggested. "We might be able to get something useful."

Gage had finished dressing again. He and Coran went over to where the devil sat. Gage and the creature stared at each other intensely. Sweat broke out on the mage's forehead, then the devil looked down and bowed its head. "He will answer your questions," Gage told his brother. "He will speak the truth, but beware, he may try to leave things out and use only half truths."

Coran nodded then addressed the devil. "What is the cause of lights we have seen in the distance at night?"

The devil, eyes still boring into Gage, turned its head only slightly. It's breath stank of rotted meat and its voice reminded Dylan of grain pouring from a sack. "The three who are one have invaded from the realm of men. My Lord Asmodeus has rallied the armies of Nessus to repel them."

"How does the battle go?" Coran pressed further.

"The three have withdrawn, but still remain in Nessus."

"What does your lord plan to do next?"

"I am not privy to my lord's plans."

"What do the other Dukes of Hell do?"

"I do not know."

"What do you think they will do?"

"I think they will watch for an opportunity to overthrow my lord, or they will watch for an opportunity to save my lord and gain his favor."

"Ask him where Cindy is," Crystal demanded. Her impatience was understandable as Cindy was her responsibility.

Coran nodded and again addressed the devil.

"Do you know who Cindy is?"

"No," it answered.

"Are there mortal hostages in the Citadel?"

"Yes."

"We seek a young mortal woman of about 15 or 16 years in age. She was brought here only recently. Do you know of her?"

"I do not."

"Where do they keep such hostages?"

"In the Tower of Solitude," the devil struggled visibly and Gage, jaw tight reasserted his will on the creature. Dylan felt a tightening behind his eyes.

"If you do that again," Gage informed the devil harshly, "I will crush you like an insect."

"What did he do?" Crystal asked.

"He tried to dominate or possess Dylan to hold as a hostage and gain his own release."
Crystal put an arm around Dylan and pulled him closer to her as if she could protect him.

"You have him under control?" Coran asked.

"Yes," Gage answered. "You may continue."

"How do I get to the Tower of Solitude?" Coran asked.

The devil began to give directions, but it quickly became apparent that without a map or knowledge of the interior of the Citadel, that those directions were useless.

"Can you lead us to the Tower of Solitude?"

"Yes," the devil answered, a bit too quickly for comfort.

"How is the Tower of Solitude defended?"

"There are two guards at the entrance to the tower and one guard on each level."
Coran considered this then asked a final question. "Will any of the guards know where Cindy is?"

"If she is there, they will know," the devil answered.

"Do you know of the Ebony Staff?"

"I know of it."

"Do you know where it is?"

"I have no direct knowledge on that matter."

"Explain that answer." Coran seemed a bit agitated.

"The staff can only be wielded by a mortal hand, and at present that is the hand of Miguel of the House of Blackheart, a slave."

"Where is this Miguel?" Coran asked.

"In the Tower of Solitude with the other prisoners," the devil answered.

Coran left the devil and returned to the pavilion. "I think this will actually work," he told them. "The only problem we will have is in monitoring what the thing says to other devils. They don't use common tongue with each other."

"I can tell," Gage answered. "It will require a spell and the spell only lasts for about two hours, but I will be able to understand what it is saying."

"So we get it to lead us into the Citadel as slaves, then to the Tower of Solitude. Once we get in there, we can attack and dominate one of the other devils and learn where Cindy is, get her and then get out of here and back home," Coran added.

"Can you dominate another devil and keep this one under control at the same time?" Rathe asked Gage.

"I do not know," Gage admitted. "If I did not have to do anything else, I believe I could, but if something comes up and I need to concentrate on a spell or something, I think they would both try to break free of my control and I would not be able to stop them."

"We can't risk that," Crystal insisted. "We can't just let this one go when we're done with him. He'll either attack us or alert the others."

Rathe had the answer. With his back to the devil, he drew a single finger across his throat. "Problem solved," the huge Minotaan said.

"We'll have to leave a lot of our stuff behind," Coran decided. "We can drag some of it lashed to our backs like pack mules, but we can't wear anything other than what the slaves are wearing."

"Once we get inside, our devil will escort us to the tower as if we were new prisoners. Once we are in the tower and in control of another devil, there will be no need to try to hide our true identity." Gage added.

"Then let's get ready," Crystal urged. "Cindy's suffered long enough." She began disrobing. Dylan turned his back and also began to strip down to his loincloth. He felt very conspicuous.

Coran took down the pavilion and cut the tarp into rough squares and made ponchos for each of them. They tied the ponchos with rope and used the rest of the tarp and rope to make baggage packs. Then they strapped the packs onto each other. Rathe carried the bulk of the load including armor and weapons. The food and water and spare clothing they abandoned. With any luck they would no longer need those things. They did make use of the water, however to make mud which they applied liberally to hide the good condition of their foot wrappings and the boots underneath also to hide the good condition of their exposed flesh and hair.

Gage was speaking to the devil. Dylan only heard some of what was being said, but it was enough that he could tell that Gage was instructing the devil in detail what was expected of it, and what it was to do.

"You will not seek to escape, you will not attempt to warn the other or reveal my control over you. I can speak your tongue and will know if you do," the mage warned his servant. "You will act as a slave driver and we will act as the slaves. Once we are inside, you will lead us to the Tower of Solitude under the guise that we are delivering supplies and that we are prisoners to be locked away."

Dylan was unable to hear any more because the devil and Gage began to converse in a series of hisses, snarls and grunts, that Dylan assumed to be the devil's language.
When they were ready, the last of the rope was used to tie them together in the form of a pack train of slaves. The devil had his whip and cracked it in the air as Gage instructed.
They walked boldly across the packed ground to the end of the causeway. Then they followed the causeway through the marsh toward the outer gate of the Citadel of Despair.

The ploy worked surprisingly well. Apparently the devils did not even remotely expect such a guise and when the doors to the Citadel opened, there were only a few words and mutterings exchanged between the devils manning the gate and the one they had enslaved. The devils that handled such menial labor and duties were of the lowest caste.

Dylan saw many more of different types of devils as they went deeper into the dark corridors of the Citadel. Occasionally they would pass a higher ranking devil and he would force them to pause as he passed. On occasion a ranking devil would inspect Crystal with lusty eyes, but eventually would move on.

The interior of the Citadel was like a tunnel of sorrow and sadness. The halls were like a tomb or ancient crypt. The smell of brimstone was everywhere and it made Dylan's eyes sting. They had been walking for an hour and even Rathe was showing signs of tiring from the burden of the heavy pack.

They had passed numerous passages all marked in a sharp and angular lettering when finally the devil driving them indicated one passage in particular. They turned down that path and passed into a large open courtyard. The place was littered with bones and several huge devils, monsters from the darkest of dreams were feeding on some poor creature and barely even noticed them pass, which was fortunate, because the sheer presence of the horrors made Dylan's knees go weak.

It was another half hour when finally they turned down a smaller corridor that ended at a set of doors that were closed. Two devils that resembled more of what Dylan pictured devils to appear as stood there. They had the lower legs of goats and horns on bald heads with a flesh tone not too unlike Rathe. They also possessed tails and carried spears.

The devil driving them spoke harshly and the two guards looked at each other for half a moment before one shrugged and opened the door to let them inside. The door closed behind them as they filed into the building and faced another devil seated at a desk. The devil at the desk looked over them critically and stood. He appeared more human. His eyes were red and he sported a head of slicked back black hair and a goatee. There were horns on his head also, and when he opened his mouth, his breath smelled of sour milk and his teeth were jagged.

Their slave told the story of how they were servants delivering supplies and were to be locked away as prisoners. This brought a frown to the face of the higher ranking devil. He was more suspicious of things out of the ordinary and their plan was in jeopardy.

Suddenly there was a shuffle behind them and Dylan felt a hard tug on the rope knocking him off balance and sending him to the floor. From his place on the floor, Dylan saw Rathe reach out with a huge hand and grab the devil by the head. He twisted sharply and there was an audible snapping sound, then Rathe lifted the devil off the ground and slammed him violently against one wall.

"Sorry," the Minotaan offered as they all untied themselves. "He wasn't buying into our ploy."

"You did just fine," Gage answered. Now if you can take care of our other problem, we can move forward with finding Cindy and that staff.

Dylan turned his head. He did not want to witness what happened next. Just as he was averting his gaze, he saw the eyes of the devil that they had enslaved. It knew it was about to die, but could not break free of Gage's domination. What a terrible way to die.

Rathe was much more quiet the second time, and soon they were dressed again and armed. "We go up the stairs and find someone who can lead us to Cindy and the staff," Gage ordered.

Coran and Rathe took the lead. They moved as quietly as possible. Rathe had elected not to carry his metal armor and instead wore only leather. Coran's armor, though still mostly metal was sewn to a leather base garment so the metal plates did not normally touch.
Gage had one hand in his spell bag and Crystal and Dylan brought up the rear, Crystal keeping a constant eye behind them for signs of pursuit.

The stairs to the first landing were not long and they soon against a wall near a corner. Around the corner, they could hear sounds of movement and some quiet speech. They waited a few moments, but to wait too long invited the risk of discovery. "Remember," Gage told them, "we need one alive. The rest need to be dispatched as quickly as possible."

Rathe nodded then took a deep breath and with battle axe in one hand, he turned and ran around the corner with Coran right behind him. Gage also rushed forth and then Dylan and Crystal followed.

By the time Dylan and Crystal rounded the corner, the battle was over. One devil, one of the minor caste devils, had been cloven in two by the battle axe and another devil, one like the one they had encountered at the bottom of the stairs stood against a wall with Coran's sword point at its throat.

Gage stood before the devil. "You know what I am," he said in common speech. The devil's eyes narrowed as he nodded. "Good, do not make this any harder than it is. Do as you are told and you will be set free. Try deception or disobey and you will end up like all the others who have opposed us. Is that clear?"

"It is," the devil answered.

"Good. We seek two things. First we seek a mortal girl of age fifteen or sixteen. She was brought in a few days ago."

"I know of whom you speak. She is in this tower, three doors down. She is unharmed and unspoiled."

Crystal and Dylan both ran down the hallway counting doors. Dylan's heart was pounding violently as he came to the door and yanked it open.

Chapter 21 Part 2

The night that followed was as sleepless as any Dylan had ever remembered. There were periods in which he was fitful and drifted in and out of sleep to the point that he was no longer certain what was real and what was dreamt. He remembered bits and pieces of conversation between his companions, and other bits and pieces that, once he was again fully awake, realized were not real, though they had seemed so at the time.

Dylan pulled watch with Rathe again during the night. The intensity of the explosions and diversion that Armegon, Ultrecht and Avery were making were not as prominent. Dylan secretly wondered if that was because the battle was moving further away or because they had grown tired and returned to the realm of men and elves, the prime plane.

He wondered those thoughts aloud in the darkness, and Rathe laughed. He suspected, though the Minotaan could not be sure, that Armegon and company were holding back so as to keep from completely routing the devils' army. He reminded Dylan that the diversion was to draw attention away from them and the Citadel.

"I think that it most likely that Gage and Coran's father and the two archmages thrust deeply into the heart of Nessus and then began a fighting withdrawal. That would keep the devils' occupied, and make it appear as if our people were being driven back." Rathe seemed pretty confident. "Remind me after all this is over and I'll tell you some more of the stories my father told me. I know that it sounds improbable that three lone individuals could launch an attack on the Nine Hells, but you must remember that it was these same three who took on all the gods and the Godking, all those many years ago."

Dylan had to agree that it was difficult to imagine. There was the wise enigmatic Ultrecht who had long ago given him his first lesson in the thoughts of women when he was in the academy. There was the strange and, yet jolly Armegon, who Coran had once described as a tantrum in a robe. And there was his master's father, who seemed so peaceful at times, and yet carried the legendary Sword of Justice. They seemed to be content to let the world carry on and yet had the power to make wondrous changes.

Dylan contemplated those thoughts well into the night when Coran finally relieved them of watch. Then Dylan tried, with little success, to go back to sleep.

Though he did not get much in the way of good sleep, at least he was well rested when the morning arrived. He still felt as if he could sleep another night, but that may have been due to the fact that the temperatures had returned to a moderate, and even comfortable level. There was no telling how long that would last, and Crystal said so fervently as she urged them to hurry and get underway while the weather held.

As they resumed their voyage, they made their way down the side of the ridgeline towards the vast expanse below. It took them at the very least an hour to get to the bottom. They were lucky in that no one was injured at one point when the gravel underfoot became loose and some sliding was involved. But eventually, they stood where the slope played out in a broad plain of dry rock and sand.

Crystal did not like the look of what she was about to walk upon, and insisted that they all tie each other off with rope. She admitted that she could not put her fear into words except to say that it looked too easy. Nevertheless, her instincts were heeded and Crystal and Coran were tied off at the front while Gage and Rathe were tied at the rear. Dylan was tied in the middle.

They began across the open area with some apprehension. They had not seen any flying devils in many hours, and hoped that they would not see any more at all, since there was no way to hide out in the open like they were. They were exposed to any who flew by and would be impossible to miss.

Crystal reminded them that they estimated about two days of marching to get to their destination. They would march until it became dark, then they would sleep and wait for the next day. Then they would have to negotiate the river which they had seen from the ridge, and then they would have to approach the Citadel without being seen. Gage was still unsure how to do that. He could cast a spell of invisibility, but such a spell was primary and illusion and he did not know how well it would work in Nessus or how long it would last.

For the first hour the ground was a packed layer of crushed rock and sand. The footing was easy except for the occasional pebble that, if stepped on wrong, tried to twist an ankle or two. At lest they were not climbing uphill or wading a swamp, Coran remarked at one point.

After an hour had passed, Dylan noticed a strange smell. It reminded him of sewage and rotten eggs. At first he did not say anything, but as the odor grew stronger, he spotted Rathe tie a rag across his large nostrils.

"What's that smell?" he finally asked.

"Brimstone and filth," Gage told him. "It is coming from ahead of us. We will have to make our way through a maze of marsh or something as we get deeper into the wasteland. We will try to avoid going through the muck. It is filled with disease and some of the foulest stuff in all the cosmos."

After a couple of hours had passed, the packed gravel gave way to bare rock again. The rock was not flat, though. It was pocked with shallow depressions that seethed with liquid clay or mud as near as Dylan could tell. As he passed one by, a bubble slowly surfaced and popped assaulting his senses with an almost overpowering reek.

"Well I suppose I was wrong," Gage confessed with a cough. "I had read that there was a marsh near the river that was filled with sewage, but it seems the text was wrong. This is where the smell is coming from."

"Well let's dot stop to idvestigate," Coran urged holding his nose closed.

"Agreed," Gage said as he rummaged through his shoulder bag. "But I must get a sample of this. There is no telling what latent powers it may contain."

"You mean other than repellant?" Rathe asked.

Gage carefully knelt by one of the mud pots and filled his flask with the noxious substance. When it was in the glass bottle, he stoppered it and held it up to look more closely.

"Come on Gage," Crystal urged. The mage put the bottle away and rejoined them.

"Can you get us through the area?" Gage asked.

"I think so," Crystal answered. "There's plenty of space between the muck pools."

"Then by all means lead on," urged Rathe. "I don't want to have to camp out with this smell around."

Crystal nodded and began leading them around and about the mud pools. She seemed to be looking to skirt around the larger ones as far as possible staying closer to the small ones and only then if it was necessary.

At first, Dylan thought it was because the smell was stronger near the larger ones, and he could tell that it certainly was, but as he walked along, his feet occasionally made a sound like stepping in water. He then noted that the ground near the larger mud pools seemed moist and covered in dirt. It was just dawning on him why Crystal was avoiding the larger pools when off in the distance, he saw one of the pools erupt sending mud everywhere.

"I was afraid of that," Gage muttered as he began rummaging through his shoulder bag. He extracted a glass ball about the size of an orange. "It's an emergency shield," he explained to his apprentice. "The spell is encased in the glass. If I smash the glass, the spell will activate."

"How does that work, master?"

"What, the spell?"

"No, the glass ball," Dylan asked.

"Well, to answer your question," Gage explained nervously, "time is suspended within the sphere and the spell that stops time is dependent on the integrity of the glass sphere. When the sphere breaks, the time spell fails and the spell within will activate."

Dylan understood and reflected on the clever application. His master interrupted him, though. "But I do not want you to concern yourself with this kind of magic. Learn spell casting first. Then you can learn enchantments."

"Who made that?" Rathe asked out of curiosity.

"Uncle Ultrecht," Gage answered. "It is a very powerful half shield spell. It will last for a long time, it will move with us, but it won't protect us from magic, heat, cold or lighting. It will only protect us from projectiles such as flying mud or water or whatever."

"You could have used that before on that terrible rain, couldn’t you?" Rathe asked.

"Yes, but then I would no longer have this. It is for emergencies only. Once it is used, it is gone."

Crystal led them along for another two hours. Several more mud pools erupted, most of them farther away, but the deeper into the wasteland they went, the more frequently the pools erupted, and the closer together the larger pools occurred. Fewer and fewer of the small pools were to be found and reluctantly, Crystal was cautiously approaching a pool and then running past it when it began to bubble violently. She urged everyone to run hard, and they only barely missed being covered in the foul stinking sludge.

They paused briefly to catch their breath. "Well it was bound to happen sooner or later," she told them. "But at least now we know that there's a bit of a warning before they blow up."

Crystal pressed onward, she approached each pool quietly and observed the bubbles then would hurry past it. On two occasions, the bubbles were too frequent for her comfort and she chose another route.

The frequency of the eruptions around them became more and more alarming, but Crystal seemed to know what she was doing.

Dylan casually watched one of the nearer pools erupt as they passed safely out of its range. For a brief moment he thought he saw something rising amidst the fountains of mud, but when he looked back at what he thought he saw, there was nothing there but cascading mud. He was sure that it was just his mind playing tricks on him and he held his tongue. A moment later another eruption occurred nearby and he watched closely to see if there was anything in the mud, but saw nothing.

The day was wearing long, and Dylan had no more desire to camp in the stinking area than did Rathe, but there did not seem to be an end to the mud pools. He silently wondered to himself if Gage's powerful shield spell that they had used several times before could keep out the stench, but then he remembered the horrible rain and the smell that they had had to suffer with in spite of the shield. He knew, then that unless they managed to get away from the horrible mud, then they were doomed to smell its reek all night long.

Dylan's thoughts were interrupted as one of the closer pools erupted. The column of mud rose above them with startling speed. Gage instantly threw the crystal sphere to the ground shattering it and releasing the powerful spell within. A shimmering appeared in the air about them and Dylan fully expected to see the rain of mud bounce off the shield, but it did not.

The mud did not cascade down on them like a fountain as it had been doing all day. Instead, the mud seemed to take on a solid form and bent back on itself. It was soon apparent that what they had witnessed was not an eruption of mud, but a huge tentacle had emerged from the pool. It was pure luck that the tentacle was solid enough that the shield repelled it as it attacked. There was, however, a flare of light as the appendage came in contact with the shield.

They were watching the tentacle feel around the boundary of the shield, a spark of light flaring every time it touched the invisible barrier, when another spark flashed behind them. As one they all turned with a start to find two other tentacles feeling out the barrier behind them.

"We need to get out of here," Rathe urged tightly gripping his battle axe.

"No kidding," Crystal swore. She uttered a few choice words that made Dylan's ears ring. Such language from a lady!

Gage knelt to the ground and gathered the broken shards of the glass. "Everyone stay close," he urged. "Take us straight out of here as fast as you can, Crystal. Do not worry about the eruptions now. The shield will protect us."

Crystal trotted forward hurriedly. She only avoided walking through the pools. She no longer made any effort to keep her distance.

Dylan glanced behind them to see the tentacles withdraw into the pools and then emerge again to their sides. "They're more of them," Rathe warned.

"No," Dylan disagreed. "It's the same one. It's following us underground."

"Gage, how long with that spell last?" Coran asked.

"Several hours, I think," the mage answered. "It is one of Ultrecht's. It will not time out for a long while."

"Let's hope it lasts long enough to get out of these blasted pools or else we're going to have to fight that thing," Coran warned.

"Let us hope that that is all we have to fight," Gage answered. "Let us hope that this is some mindless beast that is hungry for a meal and not a sentinel to inform the devils where we are."

No longer walking or trotting. They ran as fast as they could. Crystal set a blistering pace and Dylan was hard pressed to keep up. He was still a growing boy and his legs were not as long as the men. Crystal had a constitution hardened by her many travels in the wilderness. Tall Coran had long legs and was able to keep up as was Rathe. Gage, the elf was light on his feet and was also able to keep up. But inevitably, Dylan began to get winded as he was having to take almost twice the number of steps as Rathe or Coran.

His chest hurt and he was wheezing when he felt himself grabbed from behind and raised into the air. He almost cried out until he realized that it was a pair of Minotaan hands that had picked him up.

"Don't fear kid," the huge warrior grunted to him. "You're not heavy and I'm not even trying hard to keep up. I can carry you." Though he was grateful for the relief, Dylan felt a bit ashamed and the ride was not comfortable by any stretch of the imagination. Still without him to slow them down, they did seem to pick up the pace, and the pools passed by more rapidly.

For many long moments, Dylan watched until it began to occur to him that the pools seemed to be getting farther apart. He held his breath in hope and began to count the number of strides between pools. He almost cried aloud when his suspicion turned out to be true. That meant that they had passed the midpoint and were on the way out and away from the pools.

Crystal led them at the blistering pace and began to zigzag somewhat drawing them farther from the larger pools. It was a tactic that seemed to be working as the tentacles suddenly could not find them and they managed to put a little more distance between them and the mud colored appendages.

After about an hour, it was apparent that they had lost the tentacles. It was also apparent that they were approaching the boundary of the pools as they were much farther apart and in the distance there appeared to be a collection of rocks. They were not big enough to hide among, but it did indicate a change of terrain.

Finally as they seemed to pass the last of the mud pools, Rathe put Dylan down. They all paused for a few moments to catch their breath, in spite of the smell.

"There's not much daylight left," Crystal warned. "Unless we want to sleep with this smell, we need to keep moving." She started walking, but at a much slower and more relaxed pace, and though no one said anything, they were all glad of it.

Dylan was not sure how much longer they had walked when he noticed the sky getting darker. Night was approaching and they were still out in the open, but thankfully the smell was so weak that he could only just make it out in the air.

"This is a good a place as we are going to find," Coran announced as he urged Crystal to stop. "Let's use what light we have left to pitch a tent or something."

They used the blankets and a canvas covering to make a large cover that was held about four feet off the ground on one end by stacked packs. That was the best that they could do and so they all crawled under the cover and started to make themselves comfortable.

"We still need to keep watch," Gage warned. "The spell will function for many more hours, but that will not protect us from everything."

"I'll take first watch," Coran volunteered. It was quickly growing dark and there were no stars or moons to provide light, so Dylan had to wonder aloud how Coran was going to keep watch.

"With his ears and nose," Crystal answered with a yawn, "but after that bog, I'm not sure how effective his nose will be."

Gage sat next to his pupil under the canvas. "Your next lesson will be a speed spell," he told his apprentice. "Do not be distraught. You still have some growing to do and you have spent more time studying than working, so you do not have a great deal of stamina and strength. I plan to remedy that as well, but starting with the next opportunity, you will begin to learn how to speed your body up."

"How does the spell work?" Dylan asked.

"It increases your natural frequency," Gage told him.

"My natural frequency," Dylan asked.

"Yes, each person has a natural frequency. It governs how quickly they can do things. For example, clap your hands as fast as you can." Dylan did as he was told making the clapping sound in the darkness.

"Very good," Gage continued. "Now shake your head as fast as you can."

Dylan did so again. And though Gage could not see or hear the shaking of the head, he asked. "Did you notice that you shook your head at the same speed that you clapped your hands? That is your natural frequency. You would find the same speed for pumping your arm or beating your chest or anything of that nature. It also governs how fast you can move your legs and your feet. If we speed up your natural frequency, say to twice the speed..."

"I can run twice as fast?"

"Exactly," Gage confirmed. "It can be a handy spell, but it has a drawback. It will make you very tired and very hungry. It will drain your energy temporarily, so do not use it unless you need to." Dylan thought about the spell he was going to learn. Of course in the dark, that was all he could do, until he finally nodded off to sleep.

Just like with the previous nights, Dylan woke in the darkness. This time it was Crystal who was awake and on watch. Dylan could tell be cause she was humming a merry tune. He crept past his sleeping master and the light snores of Rathe and homed in on Crystal.

"Hello Dylan," she said as he approached.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"I heard you stirring, and I felt your body heat getting close."

"Oh." Dylan sat next to the huntress. "How long until daylight?"

"I'm not really sure. About two hours I think. You slept pretty long tonight."

"Have there been any explosions like the other night?"

"No. I think that the battle, if it is still going on, has moved farther away."

"I just want to get going again. I'm worried about Cindy. I miss her."

"No doubt you do. I know that she misses you too." Crystal chuckled. "Do you know when she first realized she was falling for you?"

"No, when?"

"At the Academy," Crystal told him. "But she would never let you know it. She was the one who pressured her master into apprenticing her out to me just so she could be with you."

"Why didn't she just tell me," he asked. "I'm sure Master Gage would have found some work for her with him."

"It doesn't work like that for women," Crystal explained. "We can't tell the men we love that we love them until they tell us that they love us first."

"Is that written down somewhere?" Dylan laughed at the silliness.

"Sport," she laughed with him, "that has been written in the annals of mankind since the dawn of time."

"So how did you get Master Gage to admit it to you?"

"I can't tell you that now," Crystal replied quietly.

"Why not?"

"Because your master is awake and listening."

At that, the elven mage spoke up. "Go to sleep, Dylan. Tomorrow is going to be a hard day."

Dylan sighed and lay back down. He had difficulty getting to sleep for well over an hour. Typically, he finally fell asleep with only about half an hour left before daylight.

When Dylan was finally awakened, the camp was mostly packed and ready to move on. He was pushed, none too gently in his opinion, when the canvas was taken down and folded. He quickly got up and pulled on his boots. Then he drew his cloak about him to ward off the slight chill in the air.

Once everyone was prepared and packed, Crystal started off in the same direction that she had been leading them all along. Off in the distance they could see nothing but flat plain. On the horizon, there was a haze that might be rock or mountains, and to the rear was a smog that hovered above the mud pools.

After three hours of walking, there appeared a dark line on the horizon, and after another hour, they had finally reached the river. They stood on a bluff overlooking the outer bank of a bend. Across the river, perhaps a quarter of a mile was a wide sandbar.

"So this is the River Styx," Gage announced. "Do not touch the water."

"Where does the water come from and where does it go?" Rathe asked. Dylan was glad, because he had been thinking the exact same question.

"No one really knows," Gage answered, "or if they do, they do not share the knowledge. Some say that the river comes from the elemental plane of water and passes through the outer planes before going to the prime material and ending at the Well of Time. But that is just speculation."

"Uh-huh," Coran added looking over the edge. "So how do we get across?"

"We fly," Gage told his brother.

"Fly?" Rathe's voice trembled slightly. "Minotaans don't fly."

"This one will, or else he will have to find a way home on his own," Gage told him. "Do not worry. The spell is simple enough and will last more than long enough for you to get across the river."

The mage rummaged through his shoulder bag and pulled out the components. Dylan, dutifully attendant, helped with the casting and first Rathe, then Crystal and Coran drifted slightly off the ground.

Gage gave each of them a hefty shove which sent them floating in the air across the quietly flowing water. Then he turned to his apprentice.

"Okay, Dylan, it is your turn. You have seen me cast this spell three times. Do you want to try it yourself?"

"Yes, master, but do you think I should? The price of failure here is high."

"A wise caution," Gage commended his pupil, "but I am confident you can handle this spell."

"Thank you, sir." Dylan read the words out of the book Gage held open for him and he took the feather from the spell bag that Gage carried. He summoned the power with the preamble. He gave the power direction and magnitude and applied the function with the feather. Then he set the completion parameters and closed the spell to balance the magic.
Instantly, Dylan felt himself grow lighter. He raised up on the tips of his toes with no effort at all. Then he lifted his feet and found that he did not fall. He just hovered.

"Master, this seems more like a levitation spell than a flying spell."

"That is very perceptive of you, Dylan," Gage agreed. "They are very similar. When this journey is over, we will go over the two spells in detail and I will show you the differences." With that Gage gave his student a hearty push and Dylan drifted out across the river. He looked back over his shoulder and saw his master casting the spell yet again, only this time there was a slight variation and Gage really did fly. He left the ground and lay his body out in the wind. Soon he had caught up with Dylan and using his hands, pushed the apprentice along before him. In no time, they had caught and passed the others. Then they reached the other shore of the river where Gage guided Dylan to the ground and nullified the spells. Then, as the others arrived he did the same to them. Before long, they were all on the ground.

"That was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be," Coran said with a grin.

"So far everything has been pretty easy. It is getting into the Citadel that is going to be hard," Gage warned.

"Any idea how we're going to do that?" Rathe asked.

"Actually, I was thinking we would hike over to that ridge line," Gage pointed at another rising of rock, "and hug the base of the line around that bend. The Citadel is on the other side. The rock will give us some cover. Then we can scope out the setting and make a plan for getting inside."

"That actually sounds like a good idea," Coran admitted. "At least it sounds better than just marching up to the front gate and knocking."

"That will be our backup plan," Gage joked.

They marched on with an elevated sense of confidence. It seemed that having passed through the mud flats and crossing the river, the ridge would be a little more comfortable because of the cover it could provide. Still when they finally got there, they discovered that the amount of cover was much less than they hoped. There were no loose boulders or recesses that had been present on the other ridge.

Gage speculated that since the Citadel was eons old, and the Dukes of Hell had always been in conflict with each other, anything that could offer an enemy cover or protection had long been removed. The ridge, prevent them from being seen by the inhabitants of the Citadel, though and that was something to be thankful for.

It took most of the rest of the day, but finally they rounded a jutting outcropping of rock and saw the Citadel of Despair. The place was immense and ancient. It was a collection of towers and spires surrounded by arches and thick walls. There was a wide spread of marsh land surrounding the walls like a moat. The size of the place became truly apparent when one considered that it was still at least thee miles away from them and encompassed their entire view.

"How are we going to find Cindy in there?" Dylan wondered aloud.

"Shhhh!" Crystal urged. "Try not to be so loud. They could have sentries."

"Okay, brother dear," Coran whispered, "as father would say: 'How now brown cow?'"
Dylan and Rathe looked at each other, confused, then they looked at Crystal who just rolled her eyes and shook her head indicating that they should ignore it.

"Well, I guess it is pretty obvious that..." Gage suddenly went still and silent. The others saw his expression change and they turned and followed his gaze.

Slowly walking along the edge of the rocks, only slightly above them and perhaps no more than two hundred feet away was a minor devil. Dylan knew it was a minor devil as it had no wings, but carried a long three pronged fork. It stood upright on two clawed feet and wore no clothing other than a loincloth. Its eyes were set deeply in its skull and it had a mouth filled with jagged teeth. Its head was bald and featureless except for a snout of a nose and a pointed chin.

They each held their breath so as not to alert the creature of their presence. It proved to be a wise precaution and was successful as after a few moments the monster turned and walked away.

"A sentry," Coran advised. "He is probably walking a route. He'll be back after a while."

"We need to find someplace else to stay," Gage replied, though it probably did not need to be said.

Crystal led them around another bend to where they were surrounded on three sides by rocks high enough to hide behind. Then per Gage's instructions, they pitched the canvas canopy and Gage used a cantrip to change the canopy's color to match the surrounding rock all while Coran climbed up the side of the ridge a bit to see if the devil was anywhere near.

When Coran returned he assured them that the canopy was almost invisible from above. They watched very carefully after that. The devil did eventually return about two hours later and only remained on location for a few moments before leaving again. Once more Coran climbed up to spy on him.

"He isn't one of the more intelligent ones," Coran told them when he returned. "He's definitely a sentry, but he has no clue we're here."

"That suggests that the thing we met in the mud flats was just a monster and not a devil," Gage sighed with relief.

"They watched the Citadel's outer boundaries for the rest of the day. At one point, a caravan of slaves appeared in the distance and walked along what must have been a causeway to the main gate. The slaves were all lashed together and driven by a devil with a whip. He used the whip liberally, but the slaves showed very little reaction to it.

"Their minds are gone," Gage told his pupil. "This is what happens to the people who try to summon a devil and fail to keep it under control. Those poor souls are damned for all time. The devils will never let them go and even if they could, their bodies back home have probably died and rotted."

"You mean those are not real people?" Dylan asked.

"Oh no, they are real. They exist here on this plane the same way a devil can exist on our plane. But unlike the devils on our planes, when one of those poor people were forced here by a devil, his body was possessed and probably destroyed when its use was over. They have no body to return to. Now they are slaves here."

"Are our bodies still back home?" Dylan asked.

"No, we shifted here of our own volition using a gate. We are completely here. The disadvantage to that versus a summoning is that if we die here, we really do die. If one of us had been summoned by a minor devil and then killed here, we would simply revert back to our real body, just very weak and injured, but not dead."

They watched on until night fell. This time, however, there were lights from the Citadel and torches were lit along the causeway. It became pretty clear that approaching the gate under cover of dark was not going to keep them from being seen.

"What about crossing the marsh," Rathe offered at one point.

"We may have to. We can try the flying spell again, but I really do not wish to be over such as that marsh. I do not know why but something about it disturbs me," Gage answered.

He was right. Dylan could feel it too. Something about the marsh bothered him greatly.
The sentry continued to pay regular visits to the same location, or another sentry which looked the same did. Fortunately their camp remained hidden and they were never spotted.

During the night, another troop of slaves approached the Citadel. One or two of the slave seemed to have some life left in them as they struggled against the bonds between them. At one point, one of them actually broke free and tried to run. The two devils behind him cut off any hope of retreat and with whips drove him towards the Citadel's gates.

The devils at the gate laughed and raised their own whips. The poor slave was being beaten savagely until in desperation he ran frantically out in to the marsh. He got no more than three hundred feet before several large hairy legs like those of a giant spider rose from the marsh and grabbed him.

Dylan could not tell much more about the legs due to the dark, but the back light from the Citadel did show what they did. They pulled in opposite directions and easily tore him limb from limb. The legs then searched around for the bits and pieces of gore and dragged them down under the water.

"So much for crossing the marsh," Rathe muttered. "Now what?"

"We go to the backup plan," Gage answered smugly.