The Crimson Sword by Eldon Thompson

Author:Eldon Thompson
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780061840975
Publisher: HarperCollins

Stop shaking me, he demanded. Let me sleep….

Jarom's eyes popped open. Alternating flashes of light and dark danced before his vision.

"Allion?"

Relief flooded the other's concerned countenance. Still, the hunter shook him once more for good measure.

"What…How did you—"

"U'uyen," Allion answered, saving him the trouble. "He came through the door and led me down here. And by the looks of it, not a moment too soon."

The archer twisted to one side, allowing Jarom to gaze groggily past him to where Cwingen U'uyen leaned over the recovering Kylac Kronus, helping the youth to examine his wounds. Beside them lay the corpse of the serpentine lizard, a twitching heap of ruined flesh.

Brushing aside Allion's protests, Jarom struggled to his feet. Torrents of agony welcomed his return to consciousness, lancing through his head and his side and causing him to slump back against his friend. Doing his best to ignore the shooting pains, he stumbled through the haze to join his companions.

Kylac looked up as he drew near, and offered a grim nod. "Well fought."

Jarom shook his head, unable to recall just then whether he had actually been of any assistance to the youth in his battle against the earth-dwelling creature. All he could think about was how miraculous it seemed, given the nature of the beast, that they had managed to evade more-serious injury.

He looked then at U'uyen, who glanced over long enough to accept his appreciative nod. He knew not what he should feel toward the courageous Mookla'ayan, but guilt was certainly a part of it. The elf appeared physically unscathed as a result of his passing through the magical door that had separated them in the tunnels above; however, if the tormented look in his eyes was any indication, then the native was suffering far more than Jarom could imagine.

"Lord, you two took a beating," Allion berated. "But I suppose you deserve it for leaving me behind like that."

Kylac brushed the scolding aside with a simple gesture, and a grim silence settled over the group. For a moment, their eyes drifted from face to face and about the chamber, each man taking quiet measure of his companions and surroundings. Their final torch smoldered upon the floor, having burned itself out during the struggle. All that remained was the eerie blue light.

"The door," Jarom remembered suddenly, casting his gaze in the direction of the enchanted portal.

"What about it?" Allion asked, dubious.

"We never tried it," Jarom said, moving already toward its glowing surface.

"It looks exactly like the one above," Allion observed.

Jarom knew what his friend was thinking. They were never going to be able to open it. And perhaps the hunter was right. But they had come this far, and had nowhere left to go. It only made sense to try.

He stopped before the massive slab, letting his eyes and then his fingers play about the sculpted surface. Glancing back at his companions, he saw only doubts and resignation. Ignoring their bleak stares, he muttered a silent prayer and pressed his shoulder against the unyielding stone.

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