The Soulweb by Steven M Nedeau

Author:Steven M Nedeau [Nedeau, Steven M]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-04-21T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15Mark of the Spider

Arnor and Thargus rushed toward Jaron, Ellian, and Keras. Eyes closed, Neeva held Verne’s hands. Jaron and Keras pulled to keep the two of them from sinking, each holding on to one of Verne’s arms. Ellian joined, gripping Neeva’s shoulders, and heaved for all of his might. The five of them sank into the stone.

As the hapless group submerged, into seemingly liquid rock, Rennek dove and threw his arms around Jaron’s shoulders. Jel and Anna grabbed on to Keras, but Neeva’s magic wasn’t strong enough to bring anyone else with them. Rennek, Jel, and Anna were not descending with the others and were left kneeling and looking at the ground where Neeva, Keras and the three young men had been. The soles of Ellian’s boots disappeared moments before Thargus was able to reach them. The dwarf bruised his hands as his palms skinned the stone. Arnor fell in a heap on top of him. They stared at the ground, pawing at it, as if to dig through to their companions.

“You lost them!” Arnor hissed.

Thargus kept searching the stone. “How did they get through that?”

“A spell! Where did she take them?” Arnor joined in the digging.

Anna, Jel, and Rennek gaped at the ground. Even living their whole lives inside a city that contained the Hall of Elements had not prepared them for the depth of influence upon the physical world that this magic contained.

Thargus sat back on his haunches, pushing himself up. “We cannot follow them,” he paused, looking behind him, “and we cannot stay here. We have to move.” He grabbed Arnor, and with much difficulty, for Arnor resisted, stood him up and spun him so they were face to face. “If we stay here, we die.”

Arnor pushed him away. “Maybe you’ll die, Hammerfist, I’m digging.”

Thargus pushed back. “No, you will lead them to Jaron. This will take you too long to get through.”

The glare Arnor threw at Thargus overflowed with hatred. “And you care, why? The guards knew you. This is where you started. That beating you took, when we got here, wasn’t easy, I bet. Why didn’t they kill you? They wanted to. What stopped them?” Arnor demanded. He raised his spear. “I should kill you now. Is there a reason I shouldn’t?”

“I can find Jaron’s father.”

Arnor balked in his advance to consider this, then he stepped forward again raising the spear tip.

“Loren is alive.” Thargus’s hands were up and he stepped backwards a pace or two. “I know he is, and I know where he is. I can’t explain now, not here. They are coming.” He ran backwards, away from the ghastly soldiers chasing them. When he saw Arnor, Jel, Anna, and Rennek start following, he turned and yelled, “Hurry!”

Moments later, the dead arrived at the scene of the mage’s disappearance and stopped. They inspected the ground where Neeva’s magic had allowed their target to escape. As they considered their next course of action, a patrol of goblins with dogs came up from behind.

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