The Sanguine Scroll by James E Wisher

Author:James E Wisher [Wisher, James E]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sand Hill Publishing

Chapter 15

Eddred wasn’t going to lie, at least not to himself. The endless dark halls were giving him the creeps. He and Adam had made so many turns that he no longer had the slightest idea where they stood in relationship to the chute where they arrived. They had also seen no sign of any of the mercenaries or Lilly and Uther. They might have been alone in the world down here.

“Do you have the slightest idea where we’re going?” Eddred asked.

“Not really, Majesty. I’m simply taking every left and hoping for the best. At least we haven’t come to a dead end.”

If that was what passed for good news, they were really in trouble.

As if to put an exclamation point on his dark thought, a scream echoed down the passage. It sounded like a man. One of the mercenaries maybe.

A second scream was quickly cut off. Definitely not a good sign.

“Do we investigate, Majesty?” Adam asked.

“It sounded like the scream came from ahead of us,” Eddred said. “Unless we want to turn back, I don’t think we have any other choice.”

Eddred laid a hand on the hilt of his sword but thought better of drawing it. He wasn’t much of a swordsman at the best of times. His battle with the ghoul last year made it perfectly clear that against supernatural threats, mundane steel, no matter how fine, was of little use. He really should have invested in a mithril blade, but never really thought of himself as a fighter.

That was a decision he’d come to regret many times during this conflict.

They kept pushing forward, more slowly now. After the screams, the silence seemed even more leaden. A few minutes of walking brought them to a small chamber, the first they’d encountered since entering the tunnels.

Adam raised the lantern to give them a better look.

Eddred wished he hadn’t. Three bodies lay on the stone floor. They’d been mangled almost beyond recognition. Only modestly intact strips of cloth from one of their tunics showing a black sword confirmed it was the mercenaries. Probably the first group given the number.

On the opposite wall Eddred spotted a square opening identical to the one that dumped him and Adam into the maze.

Adam set his lantern on the floor and bent to take a closer look at the bodies. He didn’t actually touch them, thank heaven.

“Ghouls, you think?” Eddred asked.

“Doubtful. If it was ghouls, more of the bodies would be gone, eaten or dragged off. Despite their condition, everything seems to be here save one important component, the blood.”

“I’ve read about vampires, but never saw anything about them doing anything like”—Eddred gave a disgusted wave at the remains—“this.”

“Amet Sur was a master necromancer. Whatever’s down here could be something entirely new. Whatever it is, if it’s a creature of corruption, our lanterns will keep it at bay. Unless there’s something else you wish to see, we should move on.” Adam straightened and collected his lantern. “It’s a fair hike back to the last intersection.”

It felt wrong to just leave the unfortunate men lying on the floor.

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