Kormak saw something alien and wicked staring out of them. An odd burbling laugh emerged from the possessed man’s mouth.
“Free! Razhak is free! At last!” He spoke the words in the Old Tongue.
Kormak stepped forward determined to run the demon through with his sword. The glow was already fading in its eyes and it looked completely human now. Its eyes widened as it saw what Kormak carried and recognised its fatal potential. It realised its hands were empty and it turned to run.
Kormak felt his limbs begin to slow. Suddenly he felt feverish. No, he thought this was not the time for his illness to recur. Then he realised it had not. Lord Tomas was chanting a spell, and it was taking its toll on Kormak.
Kormak’s gaze flickered towards the Ghul. Tarsus was trying to block Wesley’s escape, but the possessed knight simply punched him in the face with one gauntleted fist. The old wizard’s head snapped back and he fell. Kormak felt a wave of dizziness overcome him and realised that Lord Tomas had somehow increased the power of his spell. Kormak turned to face him, barely able to stand. The noble continued to chant. Kormak could barely manage to remain on his feet.
Gathering his will-power he reeled towards Tomas, so dizzy he was certain he was not going to be able to make it. All he was doing was putting himself within striking distance. There was nothing else he could think to do.
His feet felt like lead. The contents of his stomach threatened to pour from his throat. The whole room seemed to turn on its axis. Lord Tomas smiled in triumph. Behind him Lady Kathea rose from the altar. She lifted the heavy weight of chains and bunched them in her hands and then swung them with all her strength at the back of her husband’s head. Tomas fell as if pole-axed. Kormak lunged forward with his blade and took him through the chest. Tomas turned and looked at him, surprise and shock in his eyes. “That was not very sporting,” he said. “I expected better of you, Guardian.”
Kormak pulled his blade free then turned and tried to stagger after the fleeing Wesley, passing the slumped form of Tarsus on the stairs. He was panting when he reached the top. He could see that the main gate was open and the tracks of a horse led from it. Wesley or the thing that possessed him had fled into the night. Kormak needed to find his horse and pursue.
He noticed men at arms racing towards him. Some of them held swords, some of them held crossbows. A few of them were already moving to shut the gate. The rest of them surrounded him.
“You must let me go,” Kormak said. “The demon is free.”
“You are going to a cell,” said the guard. “Till we get to the bottom of this.”
Kormak considered jumping them, but they were too well-armed. All it would take was a single crossbow bolt and there would be no one to hunt down the demon.
“You are making a mistake,” Kormak said.
“We’ll see about that,” said the guard.
Lady Kathea entered the cell, flanked by men at arms. She looked Kormak up and down and said, “I must apologise for the misunderstanding, Sir Guardian. I have explained what happened to the guards. They now know that Sir Wesley went mad and killed Lord Tomas. They know he stole our master’s treasures.”
Kormak shrugged. He knew she was telling him this so he did not contradict her story. He was glad she was on his side but it had taken her time to sort things out and now the Ghul had a full day’s lead. It would take Kormak some time to overhaul it and by that time it might have found a new victim, making the hunt far more difficult.
“Where is the wizard, Tarsus?” Kormak asked.
“He is in a bad way,” Kathea said. “He was extremely ill and he hit his head badly when Sir Wesley struck him. I doubt he has long to live. He was a very frail old man.”
“Give him my best wishes,” Kormak said. “I need my horse and my sword and my Elder Signs.”
“You are going after Sir Wesley?” Lady Kathea
“Free! Razhak is free! At last!” He spoke the words in the Old Tongue.
Kormak stepped forward determined to run the demon through with his sword. The glow was already fading in its eyes and it looked completely human now. Its eyes widened as it saw what Kormak carried and recognised its fatal potential. It realised its hands were empty and it turned to run.
Kormak felt his limbs begin to slow. Suddenly he felt feverish. No, he thought this was not the time for his illness to recur. Then he realised it had not. Lord Tomas was chanting a spell, and it was taking its toll on Kormak.
Kormak’s gaze flickered towards the Ghul. Tarsus was trying to block Wesley’s escape, but the possessed knight simply punched him in the face with one gauntleted fist. The old wizard’s head snapped back and he fell. Kormak felt a wave of dizziness overcome him and realised that Lord Tomas had somehow increased the power of his spell. Kormak turned to face him, barely able to stand. The noble continued to chant. Kormak could barely manage to remain on his feet.
Gathering his will-power he reeled towards Tomas, so dizzy he was certain he was not going to be able to make it. All he was doing was putting himself within striking distance. There was nothing else he could think to do.
His feet felt like lead. The contents of his stomach threatened to pour from his throat. The whole room seemed to turn on its axis. Lord Tomas smiled in triumph. Behind him Lady Kathea rose from the altar. She lifted the heavy weight of chains and bunched them in her hands and then swung them with all her strength at the back of her husband’s head. Tomas fell as if pole-axed. Kormak lunged forward with his blade and took him through the chest. Tomas turned and looked at him, surprise and shock in his eyes. “That was not very sporting,” he said. “I expected better of you, Guardian.”
Kormak pulled his blade free then turned and tried to stagger after the fleeing Wesley, passing the slumped form of Tarsus on the stairs. He was panting when he reached the top. He could see that the main gate was open and the tracks of a horse led from it. Wesley or the thing that possessed him had fled into the night. Kormak needed to find his horse and pursue.
He noticed men at arms racing towards him. Some of them held swords, some of them held crossbows. A few of them were already moving to shut the gate. The rest of them surrounded him.
“You must let me go,” Kormak said. “The demon is free.”
“You are going to a cell,” said the guard. “Till we get to the bottom of this.”
Kormak considered jumping them, but they were too well-armed. All it would take was a single crossbow bolt and there would be no one to hunt down the demon.
“You are making a mistake,” Kormak said.
“We’ll see about that,” said the guard.
Lady Kathea entered the cell, flanked by men at arms. She looked Kormak up and down and said, “I must apologise for the misunderstanding, Sir Guardian. I have explained what happened to the guards. They now know that Sir Wesley went mad and killed Lord Tomas. They know he stole our master’s treasures.”
Kormak shrugged. He knew she was telling him this so he did not contradict her story. He was glad she was on his side but it had taken her time to sort things out and now the Ghul had a full day’s lead. It would take Kormak some time to overhaul it and by that time it might have found a new victim, making the hunt far more difficult.
“Where is the wizard, Tarsus?” Kormak asked.
“He is in a bad way,” Kathea said. “He was extremely ill and he hit his head badly when Sir Wesley struck him. I doubt he has long to live. He was a very frail old man.”
“Give him my best wishes,” Kormak said. “I need my horse and my sword and my Elder Signs.”
“You are going after Sir Wesley?” Lady Kathea
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