EPIC: Fourteen Books of Fantasy (365 page)

Chaudre
looked
down
at
Lee
with
a
cold
smile.
“It’s
a
pity, you
would
have
become
quite
powerful.”
His
fist
trembled
as
he raised
his
arm
for
the
final
blow.
“Send
my
regards
to
my father.”
The
light
from
the
jewel
pulsed
rapidly
at
Chaudre’s back.
Lee
glared
furiously
and
prepared
himself
for
death.

Just
as
he
was
on
the
very
point
of
striking,
Chaudre’s
face suddenly
distorted
and
he
cried
out.
Lifting
his
knee
from
Lee’s neck,
he
spun
around.
Thrashing
wildly,
he
sent
a
lone
figure flying
across
the
room.
Lee
could
see
a
small
dagger
protruding from Chaudre’s
back.
Knowing
that this
was
his
only chance,
he quickly
rolled
and
reached
for
his
sword.
Chaudre’s
shrill screams
and
curses
raked
at
Lee’s
ears
as
his
hands
wrapped around
the
hilt.
He
swung
at
Chaudre’s
exposed
neck.
It
was like
striking
iron.
His
blade
only
managed
to
pass
half
the
way through
before
sticking.
With
his
remaining
strength,
Lee
kicked Chaudre
in
the
chest,
freeing
the
blade
and
sending
him
flat
on his
back.

Lee
fell
to
his
knees
and
stared
the
body
for
a
moment.
The same
grey
smoke
billowed
from
the
wound.
This
time
the
smell was
so
powerful
that
he
nearly
emptied
his
stomach.
He staggered
to
his
feet
and
stood
over
Chaudre’s
lifeless
body.
The smoke stung his eyes as it filled the room. The
Jewel
of

Dantanos
had now become dim, and its pulse slow and rhythmic.

Lee
then
remembered
the
figure
that
had
saved
his
life.
He looked
up
and
saw
a
body
lying
a
few
feet
away.
He
ran
over and
immediately
recognized
it.
It
was
Millet.

“No!”
he
cried,
dropping
to
his
knees.
To
his
relief
he
saw Millet’s chest moving up and down. “Thank the Gods.” He cradled
Millet’s
head
in
his
arms.
A
few
minutes
later
Lee
heard a
weak
groan.
“Millet?”
Lee’s
voice
was
soft
and
kind.

Millet
opened
his
eyes
and
squinted
up
at
Lee.
“My
lord?

Are
you
hurt?”

Lee
laughed
with
a
combination
of
relief
and
amusement. “Yes,
my
friend.
But
thanks
to
you,
I’m
fine.”

Millet
looked
at
Lee
curiously.
“So
I
take
it
we’re
friends now.”
He
grabbed
Lee’s
shoulder
and
pulled
himself
upright.
At first
he
tried
to
stand,
but
Lee
prevented
it.

“Rest
a
moment,”
said
Lee.
“You’re
lucky
he
didn’t
kill you.”

Millet smiled
and
rubbed
the
back
of
his
head. “For
a second,
I
thought
he
had.
Who
was
that
creature?”

Lee
glanced
back
at
the
body
of
Chaudre.
The
smoke
was decreasing.
“He
was....”

He
paused
as
he
noticed
the
light
from
the
jewel
beginning
to grow
brighter
and
pulse
more
rapidly
once
again.
“Can
you
walk?”
His
voice
was
urgent.

Millet
nodded.
“Yes,
but....”

Lee
shot
up
and
pulled
Millet
to
his
feet.
“There’s
no
time to
explain.
Go
back
to
Jaleel
and
the
others.
Tell
them
they
must leave
at
once.
I’ll
be
right
behind
you.”

The
look
on
Lee’s
face
told
Millet
there
would
be no debate
on
the
matter.
He
turned
back
to
Lee
for
a
moment, worried.
“Hurry.
This
is
a
foul
place.”

Lee
nodded
sharply
and
watched
Millet
until
he
had disappeared
through
the
doorway.
He
picked
up
his
sword
and approached
the
pedestal.
With
each
step,
the
Jewel
of
Dantenos
grew
brighter,
until
Lee
had
to
shield
his
eyes.
He
lifted
his sword
and
prepared
to
strike.

“
Kill
him,”
A
voice
echoed
in
his
head. Its
tone
was
neither male nor female, but held a delicate quality that was both seductive
and
pleasing.
“Kill
him,
and
my
power
can
be
yours.”
Lee
slowly
lowered
his
sword
and
stared
into
the
jewel
.
Its intricate
beauty
entranced
him.
Its
facets
were
immeasurably complex,
and
its
color
impossibly
radiant.

“He
is
weak,”
the
voice
continued.
“He
could
never
truly possess
me.
Not
like
you,
my
love.
Kill
him
and
stay
with
me.
I can
show
you
the
secrets
of
heaven.
Together
we
can
live
in immortal
bliss.
Together
we
can
create
paradise.
Kill
him.”

Lee
looked
over
at
Chaudre.
The
smoke
had
ceased
to
rise, and
his
body
stirred.

“Kill
him,
now.
Before
it
is
too
late.
I
will
give
you everlasting
life.
Kill
him.”

Chaudre
sat
up
and
turned
to
Lee.
His
hollow
eyes
stared desperately.
His
skeletal
frame
shuddered
as
he
tried
to
stand, but
was
only
able
to
kneel.
He
opened
his
mouth
to
speak,
but no
words
came.

“Hurry!”

The
feeling
of
intense
urgency
struck
at
Lee’s
mind.
He wanted
to
kill
Chaudre.
More
than
anything,
he
wanted
to
end his
life.
He
took
a
step
toward
his
once
powerful
attacker,
now
a pitiful
shell
of
a
man.
Chaudre
tried
to
cry
out
again,
but
still
no sound
passed
his
lips.

“Everlasting
life.”

Lee
stopped.
Chaudre’s
legs
wobbled
as
he
gained
his
feet. His
frail
appearance
and
feeble
movements
made
Lee
angry. Certainly
this
pathetic
creature
was
not
worthy
to
possess
such
a treasure.

“Yes.”

Chaudre
again
tried
to
speak.
This
time
Lee
heard
his words.
“It
lies.”

Lee
turned
and
gazed
at
the
jewel.
In
that
moment
he regained
his
wits.
“I
would
rather
die
than
become
like
him.”
He raised
his
sword
high,
the
sinews
of
his
arm
filled
with
sudden strength
as
he
struck
the
jewel
with
all
his
power.
The
deafening sound
reverberated
throughout
the
entire
chamber.
The
jewel
shattered
into
a
thousand
tiny
pieces.

Chaudre
let
out
a
loud
gasp
before
falling
to
his
knees.
Lee started
toward
him,
but
halted
as
the
man
shrieked,
then
burst into
blue
flames.
The
heat
radiated
intensely,
and
even
from several
yards
away,
was
enough
to
drive
Lee
back.
In
a
few moments
the
fire
died,
leaving
nothing
put
a
small
pile
of
white ashes.

Lee
heaved
a
sigh,
turned,
and
walked
over
to
the
empty pedestal.
By
now,
the
pain
of
the
injuries
Chaudre
had
inflicted on
him
was
beginning
to
set
in.
With
a
grunt,
he
hefted
the jewelled
pedestal
over
his
shoulder
and
slowly
made
his
way back
to
Jaleel
and
Lyndria.

Jaleel
was
sitting
alone
against
the
tunnel
wall.
He
tilted
his head
and
nodded
approvingly
as
he
saw
Lee
approach.
“Not returning
empty
handed
I
see.”

Lee
dropped
the
pedestal
at
Jaleel’s
feet.
“Where
are
Millet and
Lyndria?”

“Lyndria
is
helping
him
back
to
the
others,”
Jaleel
replied. “He
took
quite
a
blow.
He
convinced
my
men
to
let
him
follow us.
I
guess
he
should
have
stayed
put.”

Lee
frowned.
“If
he
had,
we
would
all
be
dead.
Millet
saved
your
life…and
mine.”

“Is
that
so?”
said
Jaleel.
“I
would
be
interested
to
know
how
he
did
this;
and
where
the
Jewel
of
Dantenos
is?”
He
glanced
at
the
pedestal.
“This
is
indeed
a
treasure.
But
I
am more
interested
in
what
it
held.”

“There
is
no
jewel
,”
said
Lee,
taking
a
seat
beside
him.
“I destroyed
it.”

Jaleel
shifted
to
face
Lee.
“I
hope
for
your
sake
that
is
a joke.”

Lee
told
him
about
his
encounter
with
Chaudre,
and
of Millet’s
bravery.

Jaleel stared
in
disbelief.
“How
do
I know
you’re
not
trying to
keep
the
jewel
for
yourself?
How
do
I
know
that
you
haven’t hidden
it,
hoping
that
once
we’re
gone,
you
can
return
for
it?”

Lee
shrugged.
“Stay
if
you
want.
I
don’t
care.”
He
pointed to
the
pedestal.
“But
this
should
buy
our
way
out
of
here.”

Lyndria
approached
and
knelt
beside
Jaleel.
“Don’t
be
a fool,”
she
said.
“It’s
time
for
us
to
go
home.
Thanks
to
Lee
and Millet
we
have
enough
to
make
us
all
wealthy.
Let
them
go,
and give
up
this
madness.”

Jaleel
scowled
at
Lyndria.
“You’re
a
trusting
idiot.
I
will not
be
denied
my
prize.”

“You
should
know
that
the
men
will
no
longer
stay,”
she said
gravely.
“They
don’t
care
about
the
treasure.
They’ve
seen enough
of
this
vile
place,
and
they
long
to
return
to
the
sea.”

Jaleel
met
her
eyes.
“And
you?”

She
sighed.
“I
will
stay
as
long
as
it
takes
for
you
to
come to
your
senses.”

Jaleel
stared.
Finally,
he
turned
back
to
Lee.
“Do
you
swear that
you
have
told
me
the
truth?”

“Yes,”
he
affirmed.
“I
swear
it.”

Jaleel
took
a
deep
breath
and
smiled.
“Then
I
will
tell
the
men
we
leave
as
soon
as
we
can
make
ready.”
He
stood
up, holding
on
to
Lyndria’s
shoulder
and
wincing
from
the
wound on
his leg. “Lee, if you would be so kind as to carry the treasure, we
can
get
going.”

With
great
effort,
Lee
put
aside
his
pain
to
pick
up
the pedestal
and
follow
Jaleel
and
Lyndria
back
to
the
chamber where
the
men
awaited.
Millet
was
sitting
quietly
by
the
fire with
a
cup
of
wine.
He
smiled
as
he
saw
Lee
enter.
All
eyes
fell on
the
pedestal
as
Lee
dropped
it
to
the
floor.

“Look
lively,”
shouted
Jaleel.
“We’re
rich.
It’s
time
to
go home.”

The
men
erupted
in
thunderous
cheers,
gawking
at
the treasure
Lee
had
returned
with.

Millet
got
up
and
walked
over.
“I
take
it
we
are
to
be
released?”

Jaleel
smiled
broadly,
his
gold
teeth
shimmering
in
the firelight.
“As
promised.”
He
caught
the
arm
of
one
of
the passing
men.
“Give
them
back
their
horses
and
gear.”
The
man nodded
and
sped
away.
“Of
course,
you
are
welcome
to
come
with
us.
Baltria
is
rich
with
opportunity,
and
I
think
the
two
of
you
would
do
well
there.”