Chapter 4 Part 19

Tyson pulled out his own light crystal. He knew that there had been no way he could make it into the tunnel before it collapsed. That damned Avery had blocked his way when he had stopped to get the packs. All Tyson had time to do was shove Seymore's body into the falling rocks.

Ultrecht's spell would protect Seymore from harm and would last forever if need be. Tyson himself would return and free Seymore once his place in this world was secured. He would free his friend and cure him fully of his injuries and then he would have an ally here.

"Well met, Tyson," Morteous said.

Tyson turned around surprised. "Well met," he replied.

"I am pleased by your performance so far," Morteous clasped his hands behind his back. Three soldiers joined him. "The light is unnecessary," he said. "The wights are under my control."

"I suspected as much, but if you don't mind, I would like to see where I am walking."

"Suit yourself," the warlock said. "I was impressed by the way you handled yourself. You deceived your comrades into thinking the wights had killed the fighter that you buried under the falling rocks." Tyson smiled. He had not been sure if he had been caught trying to hide Seymore's body.

His mind raced. "An excellent situation," he said quickly. "He is dead so his power is added to Lord Blackheart's. Yet, he is caught between death and undeath. Therefore, he is still revivable. When all this is over, he will make an excellent servant as well."

"We have fighters enough," Morteous said. "Why would we need another, regardless of his experience?"

"Ah, but m'lord, he is also a druid of no minor abilities," Tyson beamed as he bowed. "Such combinations are rare where I come from and I suspect they are not in abundance here either."

"That is of course a different matter," Morteous said. "But why did you bury the body?"

"Why not," Tyson explained. "What better hiding place for a suspended body than that of a collapsed mine roof. Who would look for it there save his friends and they know that he is with me. They think I will follow them and meet with them at their destination, so they will go ahead. By the time they find out different, it will be too late."

"You don't think they may try to rescue you?" Morteous inquired suspiciously. Tyson's story sounded too well thought out.

"They won't think of looking underneath the rubble at first. They know how quick I am and they know I would probably not be trapped. If they were going to return, they would magically pass through the wall." He looked around cautiously and his voice lowered to a whisper. "If they did return, I would suggest that we not be here. One on one, I am sure of my lord's ability to defeat them. But if they do make it through, it would be three of them to the two of us. The outcome may not be as favorable as we would wish."

Morteous frowned. Either Tyson was trying to insult him or the enemy was far more powerful than he had given credit. Morteous decided to heed Tyson's warning for safety's sake. "Let us leave then," he said finally.

Tyson breathed deeply then he followed the warlock as the latter headed back the way he had come. Inside, he was relieved. He had to get Morteous out of the tunnel before Armegon and Avery dug back through. He knew that they would. That was in their nature.

He just did not want them to burst through and see him collaborating with the enemy. If a fight had been started, his carefully laid plans would be ruined for whichever side he fought against.

The outcome of the battle was really in question. Tyson knew that Armegon would normally annihilate the egotistical creampuff of a warlock in a matter of seconds, but with Armegon in a weakened state, he could not be so sure. He hoped that he would be able to see the battle when it came, but knew it would not be wise for any live being to be between Armegon and Morteous when they went at it.

Tyson glanced back into the darkness where he and his associates had been. He wondered if he would see any of them again. He hoped they made it home, even if he didn't.