EPIC: Fourteen Books of Fantasy (362 page)

“How
did
you
get
it?”
asked
Millet.
“The
temple
is
well
guarded,
and
they
would…”
His
voice
trailed
off
as
he
saw
an evil
grin
and
a
sinister
glint
in
Jaleel’s
eyes.

“The
rest
of
the
map
convinced
me
that
the
jewel
is
real,” said
Jaleel.

“Where
is
it?”
asked
Lee.
“Can
we
see
it?”

Jaleel
threw
his
head
back
and
laughed.
“I
would
be
a
fool to
tell
anyone
that,
now
wouldn’t
I?
No,
I
have
it
safely
hidden.” “So
what
happened?”
asked
Millet.
“Clearly
you
haven’t found
this
jewel
yet.”

“No,”
admitted
Jaleel.
“I
brought
my
crew
here.
We
found the
cave
and
tunnels.
Everything
was
as
it
should
be.
Until
about six
days
ago.”
He
paused,
and
bowed
his
head.
“That’s
when
it appeared.”

“That’s
when
what
appeared?”
asked
Millet.

“We
were
exploring
the
tunnels,”
said
Jaleel.
“Some
had been
blocked
off,
so
we
were
digging
them
out.
Then
it
came.
A blackness!
That’s
the
only
way
to
describe
it.
It
was
like
a
living

thing.
It
came
from
deep
inside
the
mountain
and
started
picking us
off,
one
by
one.”

“I
don’t
understand,”
said
Lee.
“What
do
you
mean
by
blackness
?
Like
a
cloud
of
smoke
or
something?”

“I
mean
blackness,”
Jaleel
replied.
His
voice
was
distant, yet
boiled
with
anger.
“Our
torches
and
lamps
burned,
but
the light
disappeared.
When
it
was
gone,
it
left
death
behind.
I’ve lost
seven
men
so
far.”

“Why
not
leave?”
asked
Millet.

Jaleel
turned
and
met
Millet’s
eyes.
“I’ll
not
run
like
a coward.
Not
after
all
these
years
of
searching.
I’ll
find
a
way
to kill
it.”

“If
there
is
a
way
to
kill
it,”
added
Lyndria.
“So
far
we can’t
lay
a
finger
on
it.”

“I’ll
find
a
way,”
said
Jaleel.
“These
dogs
can
run
if
they want.
I’m
staying.”

“I
take
it
your
men
want
to
leave,”
remarked
Millet. “That’s what I was doing when you found me,” said Lyndria.
“Trying
to
track
down
two
deserters.”

The
sound
of
footsteps
and
angry
voices
could
be
heard approaching.
Moments
later,
a
group
of
dust
covered
men
began to
file
in.
They
wore
torn,
thin
clothing,
far
more
suited
to
life aboard
ship
than
amongst
the
mountains.
They
carried
a
variety of
weapons,
ranging
from
daggers
and
clubs,
to
short
swords and
crossbows.
They
were
unwashed,
bruised
and
agitated. Fifteen
men
in
total
filed
inside.
Jaleel
and
Lyndria
rose
to
their feet
and
faced
the
mob.

A
short,
stocky
fellow
with
dirty
blond
hair
and
flat features
stepped
forward.
“Captain,”
he
said.
“It’s
time
we
gave up
on
this
madness.
We’ve
had
enough
of
us
dying
for
nothing.”

Jaleel
stepped
forward
and
drew
his
blade.
“Silence,
you cur!”
His
form
seemed
to
grow
as
his
voice
boomed
throughout the
cavern.
“If
any
of
you
think
you
should
be
the
new
captain, now
is
the
time
to
try.
I
promised
you
riches.
And
on
that
word
I stand.
But
if
any
of
you
think
to
scare
me
into
turning coward…”
He
fingered
his
blade
and
grinned.

The
man
took
a
step
back.

“It’s
not
like
that
captain,”
he
continued,
nervously.
“It’s just
that
we
keep
getting
killed.
Whatever
devil’s
here,
we
can’t
fight
it.”

“I’ll
fight
it,”
said
Lee.
He
struggled
to
his
feet.
“If
you release
us
and
return
our
horses
and
gear,
I’ll
kill
your
devil
for you.”

“Are
you
insane?”
cried
Millet.
“Sit
back
down
and
be
quiet.”

Lee
ignored
Millet
and
stepped
forward.
“What
do
you
say?”

Jaleel
nodded
with
approval.
“You
may
be
foolish
boy,
but you
have
more
courage
than
this
lot.”
He
looked
down
at
Millet. “And
what
about
your
friend?
He
doesn’t
sound
like
he’s wanting
to
go
with
you.”

“I
don’t
need
him,”
replied
Lee.
“He’d
just
get
in
the
way.” Jaleel
lowered
his
head
in
thought
for
a
minute.
Finally,
he turned
to
his
men
who
were
still
shifting
and
shuffling
uneasily. He
pointed
to
the
man
who
had
spoken.
“You.
Take
your
blade and
hold
it
to
the
old
one’s
throat.”
The
man
obeyed.
“I’ll
cut you
loose.
If
you
try
to
flee,
your
companion
dies.
Understood?”

Lee
nodded
sharply
and
grinned.
“Don’t
worry.
By
the
end of
this
day
you’ll
have
your
treasure,
and
we’ll
be
away
from this
place.”

Jaleel
grabbed
Lee,
spun
him
around
and
cut
his
bonds. “Give
him
his
blade.
He’ll
be
needing
it.”
He
met
Lee’s
eyes. “Don’t
even
think
about
betrayal
or
you’ll
follow
your
friend
to the
afterlife.”

He
walked
over
to
Millet
and
lifted
him
to
his
feet
as
if
he were
a
small
child.
“You’ll
come
with
me.”

The
Jaleel’s
crew
made
way
as
he
walked
Millet
out.
Slowly they
followed
after
their
captain.
Lyndria
was
leaning
against the
wall
across
from
the
fire,
a
tiny
smile
on
her
lips.
Lee
saw that
his
sword
had
been
left
by
the
entrance
and
retrieved
it.

“Bold
move,”
said
Lyndria.
“Stupid,
but
bold.”

Lee
fastened
his
sword
to
his
belt.
“I
don’t
believe
in demons.
And
it
seemed
like
the
best
way
to
get
out
of
here
with my
hide
intact.”
He
sat
beside
the
fire.
“What
are
you
doing here,
anyway?
You
don’t
look
like
the
pirate
type.”

Lyndria
cocked
her
head.
“You’d
be
surprised
what
a woman
can
be.”

“Don’t
get
me
wrong,”
said
Lee.
“I
have
no
doubt
you
are capable.
You
seem
to
hold
your
own
well
with
this
lot.
I’m
just saying
you
don’t
appear…well…pirate
like.”

She
walked
over
and
sat
beside
him.
“I’m
here
to
kill Jaleel.”

Lee’s
eyes
shot
wide.
“What?”

Lyndria
laughed
softly.
“Don’t
worry.
He
knows.”

“I
don’t
understand,”
said
Lee.
“He
knows
you’re
here
to kill
him?
How
is
this
possible?
He
doesn’t
come
across
as
a
man who
would
allow
such
a
thing.”

She
shrugged.
“Jaleel
is
a
more
complicated
man
than
you can
know.”

“You
sound
as
if
you
admire
him,”
said
Lee. “I
do,”
Lyndria
replied
quietly.
“Very
much.”

“Then
why
do
you
want
to
kill
him?”
Lee
shook
his
head.
“It
doesn’t
make
sense.”

Lyndria
sighed
heavily.
“Because
he
killed
my
father.”
She glanced
over
to
see
Lee’s
stunned
expression.
“My
father
was
a sailor
on
an
Althetan
merchant
ship.
Jaleel
attacked
his
vessel and
killed
everyone
on
board.
When
I
found
out,
I
tracked
him down
and
tried
to
kill
him.”
She
closed
her
eyes.
“I
failed.”

Lee
laughed.
“So
you
already
tried
to
kill
him,
and
he
not only
let
you
live,
he
also
made
you
part
of
his
crew?
And
he called
me
a
fool.”

Lyndria
shot
Lee
and
angry
glance.
“He’s
no
fool.
He allowed
me
to
live
and
join
his
crew
out
of
mercy…and
pity.
I told
him
that
if
he
didn’t
kill
me
I’d
try
again.
But
instead
of cutting
my
throat,
he
spared
me
and
offered
the
chance
to
serve on
his
crew.
In
exchange,
when
I
was
ready,
I
could
try
again. But
only
if
I
did
so
facing
him.
No
poison,
or
knife
in
the
back.”

“And
you
agreed
to
this?”
asked
Lee,
in
disbelief.

“Yes,”
she
replied.
“When
I
fought
Jaleel,
I
was
no
match for
him.
But
when
next
I
face
him…I
will
be.
My
father
shall
be avenged
honorably,
and
I
will
not
have
to
seek
Jaleel
out.”

“I
don’t
know
if
I
could
stand
it,”
said
Lee.
“Looking
at
the face
of
my
father’s
killer
every
day.
How
do
you
resist
the temptation
to
kill
him
in
his
sleep?”

“She
has
honor,”
came
the
voice
of
Jaleel
from
the entrance.
“Otherwise,
I
would
not
have
spared
her.”
He
had donned
a
grey
cotton
shirt
and
a
light
leather
breastplate. “Come.
It’s
time
to
hunt
the
demon.”
When
Lyndria
stood
as well,
he
held
out
his
hand.
“You
stay
here.
It
wouldn’t
do
if
you were
to
die
before
you
can
kill
me.”

“Yes,”
said
Lyndria,
defiantly.
“But
I
won’t
have
the demon
do
my
work
for
me.”
She
hurried
from
the
cavern, returning
a
moment
later
with
a
short
sword.

Jaleel
tossed
a
scabbard
to
Lee
that
held
a
small
dagger. “Many
of
the
tunnels
are
too
narrow
for
a
sword.”

Lee
checked
the
blade.
It
was
well
balanced
and
sharp.
The hilt
was
plain
wood
wrapped
in
soft
leather.
“This
will
do.”
He shoved
it
in
his
belt.
“I’m
ready.”

Jaleel
nodded,
then
left.
Lee
followed
with
Lyndria
at
his back.
Just
outside
was
a
broad
corridor
that
forked
off
after about
thirty
feet.
The
walls
were
rough
and
jagged.
Clearly
a natural
formation.
The
air
reeked
of
men,
charcoal
and
dust. Lanterns
along
the
floor
lit
the
area,
albeit
dimly.
As
they approached
the
fork,
Jaleel
reached
down
and
picked
up
a lantern.
Lee
did
the
same.
They
turned
right
and
walked
for
ten minutes
through
a
series
of
winding
tunnels.
It
wasn’t
long before
Lee
knew
that
without
guidance,
he
would
be
hopelessly lost.

“How
far
do
these
tunnels
go?”
he
asked.
“Miles,”
replied
Jaleel.

“Then
I
hope
you
know
where
we’re
going.”
Lee
tried
to wipe
the
dust
from
his
face,
but
only
managed
to
smear
it.

Jaleel
ignored
him.
Soon,
they
came
to
another
fork
and
he held
up
his
lantern
to
the
wall.
There,
etched
in
the
rock
was
the symbol
of
Dantenos.
“This
is
how
I
knew
my
map
was accurate.”

Lee
ran
his
finger
over
the
marking.
“Does
your
map
say who
left
this
here?”

Before
Jaleel
could
answer,
the
air
began
to
stir.
A
howl like
that
of
the
wind,
yet
more
substantial
and
deeper,
echoed from
the
darkness
to
their
right.