EPIC: Fourteen Books of Fantasy (364 page)

“Perhaps
I
could
convince
them
to
leave,”
Lee
offered.
He began
to
suspect
Chaudre
was
insane.

“Most
of
them
would,”
said
Chaudre.
“But
the
one
called Jaleel
will
never
give
up
his
quest.
I
have
watched
him
from
the moment
he
arrived.
His
obsession
is
beyond
redemption.
He
will never
give
up.”
He
began
to
rock
back
and
forth.
“I
will
make him
watch
as
his
men
are
killed,
one
by
one,
until
he
is
utterly alone.”
The
shadow
around
him
darkened
and
began
to
creep out.

Lee
shifted
backward,
not
wanting
to
be
within
the encroaching
darkness.
“How
do
you
do
that?
Is
it
something
I could
learn?”

The
shadow
receded,
then
vanished.
Chaudre’s
face returned
to
the
gaunt
husk
it
had
been
before.
“No.
The
jewel
has
helped
me
gain
power
beyond
any
of
our
kind.
It
has
shown me
things
I
never
imagined.”
He
leaned
in.
“I’ve
seen
the
other side.”

Lee
struggled
not
to
cringe.
“The
other
side
of
what?”

“The
other
side
of
life,”
he
replied
in
a
whisper.
“The
other side
of
death.
I
have
seen
what
the
Gods
see.
It
has
taken
many years,
but
I
am
finally
learning
all
its
secrets.”

Lee
furled
his
brow,
looking
closely
at
Chaudre.
His
skin, though
thin
and
pale,
showed
no
sign
of
age.
He
smelled
the
air- dust
and
rock.
A
man
would
have
a
scent.
His
clothes
were
old and
threadbare.
“How
long
have
you
been
here?”

Chaudre
shrugged.
“I
don’t
know.
The
war
had
been
won for
ten
years
when
I
set
out
for
the
mountains.”

“Which
war?”
Lee
asked.

Chaudre
chuckled
mildly.
“What
do
you
mean
‘which war’?
The
war
with
the
elves,
of
course.”

Lee
sat
in
stunned
silence
for
a
long
moment.
Finally
he managed
to
speak.
“That
was
five
hundred
years
ago.”

Lee’s
words
appeared
to
have
little
impact.
Chaudre
tilted his
head
and
smiled.
“I
no
longer
feel
the
passage
of
time.
It slows
only
when
I
have
dealings
with
outsiders…like
you.”
His eyes
narrowed.
“It
is
odd
that
one
such
as
you
would
arrive
at the
same
time
as
the
others.”

“I
had
no
intention
of
coming
here,”
Lee
explained.
“I
am on
my
way
to
Dantory
to
learn
from
a
sword
master.
We
were set
upon
and
brought
here.”

“Then
why
were
you
in
their
company?”
His
voice
hissed.
“And
why
were
you
hunting
me?
It
does
not
appear
as
if
you
were
set
upon.”

“They
are
holding
my
servant
hostage,”
said
Lee.
“I
agreed to
help
them
if
they
let
us
go
free.
I
knew
nothing
of
you
at
the time.”

He looked at Lee
doubtfully. “You allowed
them to capture you
and
gain
leverage
on
you?
You
could
have
slaughtered
them like
sheep
at
any
time,
and
you
expect
me
to
believe
that?”
The
shadow
returned.

This
time Lee noticed the light emanating
from the
jewel
as it
began
to
pulse.
“I
have
only
just
begun
to
learn
how
to
use
my strength.
That’s
why
I’m
going
to
Dantory.”

“And
what
do
you
think
you
can
learn
of
power
from
those that
have
none?”
He
waved
his
hand
dismissively.
“Humans
are
weak.
If
you
think
you
will
gain
strength
through
them,
you’re mistaken.
And
if
you
think
I
am
willing
to
allow
you
to
replace me…”
The
air
chilled
and
began
to
stir.

“I’m
not
trying
to
replace
you,”
said
Lee.
He
could
feel
his situation
becoming
increasingly
dangerous.
Chaudre’s
obvious madness
was
taking
a
greater
hold
with
each
passing
second.
“I

don’t
even
know
what
I’d
be
replacing.”
The
thought
of becoming
like
this
wretched
creature
sent
shivers
down
his spine.
“Please,
just
allow
me
to
speak
with
Jaleel.
I’m
sure
I
can convince
him
to
leave.”

“He
will
never
leave,”
mumbled
Chaudre.
The
muscles
in his
hands
quivered
as
his
fists
clenched.
“None
shall.”
The
air went
still,
and
his
last
words
echoed
throughout
the
chamber. “The
jewel
is
mine,
and
no
others.”

Before
Lee
could
move,
Chaudre’s
fists
shot
out,
striking him
squarely
in
the
chest.
The
fierce
impact
sent
him
sliding
ten feet
across
the
polished
floor.
In
an
instant,
Chaudre
was
up
and on
top
of
him.
He
grabbed
the
back
of
Lee’s
shirt
and
threw
him into
the
wall.

“Wait!” cried Lee,
barely able
to catch
his breath.
His chest throbbed,
and
his
head
was
splitting
from
the
impact.
“I’m
not here
to
take
anything.”

“Lies!”
his
voice
screeched,
tearing
at
Lee’s
ears.
“My father
sent
you.
He
sent
you
here
to
kill
me.”

Before
Lee
could
respond,
Chaudre
charged
in,
his
speed making
him
nothing
more
than
a
blur.
Lee
tried
to
draw
his sword,
but
a
rocklike
fist
smashed
into
his
jaw.
He
felt
as
if
his head
would
be
ripped
from
his
shoulders
by
the
force.
His
feet lifted
several
inches
off
the
ground
as
he
slammed
once
again into
the
wall,
the
taste
of
blood
filling
his
mouth.
Fighting
off unconsciousness,
he
pushed
himself
erect.
Chaudre
was
standing a
few
feet
away,
glaring
furiously.

Chaudre
sneered.
“My
father
sends
a
fledgling
to
dispatch me?
A
powerless
child?”
He
began
to
pace
back
and
forth.

Lee
spat
blood,
then
wiped
his
mouth.
“I
have
never
spoken to
your
father,
or
any
other
God.”
He
glanced
at
the
jewel
.
The pulses
of
light
were
now
coming
more
rapidly.

“Your eyes betray you,” said Chaudre. “You covet the

Jewel
of
Dantenos
.
You
seek
its
power.”

“You’re
not
speaking
sense,”
countered
Lee.
“I
told
you,
I didn’t
even
know
you
were
down
here
until
you
attacked
me. And I
have no desire
to kill you, or take anything from you. You must
believe
me.”
He
knew
his
only
chance
was
to
calm
his opponent.
Clearly,
Chaudre
was
faster
and
stronger
than
him. Was
it
the
jewel
that
gave
him
this
astonishing
power?
Lee
did not
know
for
certain,
but
he
guessed
that
it
was.

“You
think
to
deceive
me,”
said
Chaudre.
“But
I
can
see through
you.
It
speaks
to
me.
It
tells
me
you
are
false.”

“What
tells
you
this?”
asked
Lee.
“You
mean
the
Jewel
of
Dantenos
speaks
to
you?”

Chaudre
seemed
to
not
hear
Lee’s
words.
“I
haven’t
found the
way
to
open
the
door
to
heaven
yet.
But
that
doesn’t
mean
I will
not.
He
has
no
right
to
send
you
here.
I
have
sacrificed everything.
What
more
could
I
have
done?”
The
shadow
darkened
around
him.
The
light
from
the
lanterns,
as
well
as
the glow
from
the
jewel,
was
sucked
into
the
gloom,
leaving
a
pitch black
spot
of
complete
darkness.

“Listen
to
me,”
Lee
pleaded.
“Allow
me
to
leave
and
I swear
that
I
will
convince
the
others
to
go
as
well.
I
have
no desire
to
possess
the
jewel.
”

Chaudre
stopped
pacing
and
squared
off
on
Lee.
“The pirate
captain
has
sealed
his
fate.
He
is
a
victim
of
his
own
greed and
selfishness.”
His
voice
sounded
as
if
a
dozen
men
were
all speaking
at
once.
“I
will
slaughter
his
men,
and
the
girl
as
well. And
only
after
he
has
lost
everything
will
I
allow
him
to
die.
He will
never
leave
here.
And
neither
will
you.”

Lee
slid
his
feet
apart.
This
time
he
would
be
ready.

His
opponent
moved
in
quickly,
the
darkness
trailing
behind him.
Lee
reached
for
his
dagger
and
threw
it
with
all
of
his strength.
But
it
was
not
aimed
at
Chaudre.
The
dagger
whizzed through
the
air
toward
the
jewel.
Chaudre
let
out
a
piercing screech
as
the
sound
of
steel
striking
its
target
rang
out.
The pedestal
wobbled.
The
jewel
began
to
slip
from
its
cradle.

Chaudre
slid
to
a
halt
and
leapt
across
the
room
in
a
single motion.
Just
as
the
jewel
was
about
to
fall
free,
he
managed
to grab
and
steady
it.
He
then
turned
his
head,
snarling
viciously
at Lee,
who
was
already
rushing
in
with
sword
drawn.

With
a
blood-curdling
cry,
Chaudre
ran
headlong
into Lee’s
attack,
leaving
the
shadow
in
his
wake.
Lee
swung
his sword
in
a
tight,
low
arc,
trying
to
prevent
Chaudre
from ducking
beneath
and
putting
him
off
balance.
But
Chaudre
was too
fast.
He
stopped
instantly,
allowing
the
blade
to
pass,
then struck
Lee
hard
on
the
temple.
Lee
spun
from
the
force,
bringing his
blade
around
defensively.
Another
crushing
blow
struck
the center
of
his
back,
sending
him
sprawling.

The
moment
he
hit
the
floor,
Lee
rolled
over
and
brought up
the
tip
of
his
blade.
Chaudre
had
moved
directly
at
him,
and the
sword
found
flesh,
slicing
across
Chaudre’s
forearm.
He cried
out
and
kicked
Lee’s
ribs,
sending
him
sliding
several
feet across
the
floor.

Lee
struggled
to
his
feet,
looking
in
amazement
as
acrid grey
smoke
rose
from
Chaudre’s
wound.
The
stench
of
death and
decay
fill
the
room.
He
could
feel
that
his
ribs
were
broken, and
his
head
was
spinning
from
repeated
blows.
Ignoring
the pain,
he
swallowed
hard
and
moved
in
with
all
the
strength
he could
muster.
He
thrust
at
Chaudre’s
gullet,
but
found
only empty
air
as
Chaudre
twisted
deftly
and
brought
the
back
of
his fist
across
Lee’s
cheek.

Lee
lunged
desperately,
but
another
blow
sent
him crumbling
to
the
floor
again.
Once
more
he
tried
to
rise,
but
a swift
kick
to
his
abdomen
flattened
him
and
sent
his
sword falling
from
his
hand.

Chaudre
ground
his
knee
onto
Lee’s
neck
and
laughed maniacally.
“You
are
to
be
congratulated.
My
flesh
hasn’t
been broken
in
a
very
long
time.”
He
held
out
his
arm,
and
Lee watched
in
horror
as
the
smoke
disappeared
and
the
wound closed.