The Scarab's Curse by Craig Halloran

Author:Craig Halloran [Halloran, Craig]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Two-Ten Book Press
Published: 2017-02-17T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

“Now you want to take a rest from your mindless battering?” Finster marched over to Moth and kicked him in the thigh. “Ouch!” With the chain rattling behind him, he dragged himself back over to the door. He placed his hand on the lock. “Listen to me again, Moth. We can break the mechanism. Together. I have just enough energy for it. We must try.”

Moth closed his eyes.

“Unbelievable!” Desperation began to set in. His stomach quavered. His limbs were weak. Even with the beetle out of him, the thing had taken a toll. He was fragile. Feverish. A raspy quality clung to his breath. “We aren’t going to get many more chances at this. Time is fleeting.”

Moth let out a sigh. It was the kind of sound an animal let out just before it died, when all of the vibrant strength in its limbs had failed. The taut muscles in the barbarian’s body eased.

Head sagging, Finster shook his chin. “I suppose I can try it without you.” His fingers dusted the metal on the locking mechanism. It was a stalwart lock made of heavy, unbreakable parts. The construction was of the finest craft. Everything in the Red Citadel was.

Finster closed his eyes. Summoning his sorcerous powers, he explored the inner workings on the other side of the metal plate. He tried to feel the tumbler within. He wanted to move it with his mind. The lock, however, had a special design. Unlike the common sort, it was designed to hold against wizards.

Perspiration built on his forehead. Gasping, he stepped away. “I… I can’t do it. Nothing more aggravating than locks that a wizard’s tools can’t penetrate.” He placed his hands on his knees. “Moth, you have to help. Even someone little smarter than cattle deserves to frolic among the manure again. If we can’t get past this door, I can’t get you out of this cursed citadel.”

The barbarian’s chin slipped to his chest.

Turning away, Finster took hold of the bars. They were solid steel, a full inch thick in diameter. It wasn’t so long ago I could bend this metal like a noodle. When I was at full strength, at least. He tugged on the metal. The bars were vertical and horizontal, making one solid piece, more like a gate than a door. He touched the inside of one of the bars’ angles. Am I not the Master of the Inanimate? I can do this by myself. He channeled his energy. He envisioned the metal coming to life, spreading apart. There was a discernable creak of metal. The bar in his grip bent the slightest bit.

Moth came alive. On his feet, the big barbarian stepped across the cell. He grabbed the bars with savage intensity. An animal-like hurk sound erupted from his lips.

Finster funneled more energy into the metal, spreading it out, attacking the angles. Veins popped up at his temples. His mind pulled at the bars.

The hardened metal began to bend. The barbarian’s great efforts doubled. He let out a guttural cry.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.