Amos Daragon_ The Mask Wearer - Bryan Perro [52]
“I’ll go to the castle with Medusa now,” Amos said to Junos. “She’ll take me to the sorcerer. Wait till you hear from me. I’ll tell you when to attack.”
Solemnly, Junos shook his friend’s hand.
“At your disposal, Mask Wearer! Good luck, Amos! I think that Crivannia would be happy with her choice if she could see the way you’re leading this fight.”
“Thank you, Junos.” Amos smiled. “See you soon.”
Medusa entered the castle with Amos by her side. He was wearing a bag over his head, and his hands were tied behind his back. The young gorgon was pulling him behind her with a rope. She pretended to limp and was using the ivory trident as a cane. She easily passed in front of the gorgons keeping guard and went before Karmakas.
“I’ve captured the mask wearer, master,” she said. “I bring him to you in person.”
Abruptly, the sorcerer asked, “Why did you not turn him to stone, ssss, as I asked, ssss, you to do?”
“His powers are huge, Father, and he is resistant to my magic,” she answered, lowering her head.
Karmakas approached Amos and pulled the bag off his head. When he saw his face, he burst out laughing.
“This is who you, ssss, captured? This is a mere boy, ssss, who dares to stand up to me?” He shook his head. “Well, come here, ssss, and watch what is going, ssss, to happen to your army!”
Medusa stood aside while Karmakas pushed Amos toward a balcony at the top of the highest tower of the castle.
“Look at my power, ssss, and watch your men die!”
The sorcerer lifted his arms and muttered a magic formula. From the fields surrounding the city, a thick yellow and green smoke rose. All around, and for perhaps half a mile, an opaque cloud covered the land and part of the forest.
“Whoever breathes this, ssss, air will die poisoned, ssss. Your knights will not, ssss, resist for long.”
“My men are indestructible, Karmakas,” Amos answered calmly. “In fact, they’re still standing!”
The mask wearer focused hard, and by his sheer will made the wind rise. It slowly pushed away the thick cloud, and the sorcerer could see that, in the distance, all the knights still remained standing. They had not budged. The poison had had no effect on them.
“Who are you, ssss, young human?” the sorcerer asked, trying to keep his composure. “Who sent you, ssss, and how can you counter the effects of, ssss, my magic?”
“I am Amos Daragon, your worst nightmare!” Amos answered with a ferocious smile.
“Very well, ssss, we’ll see what your knights can do, ssss, against this!”
Karmakas asked Medusa to keep an eye on the prisoner and left the room. Then he ordered the gorgons to gather in front of the great city gates. Amos lost no time in creating a sphere and sent a message to Junos.
“I believe Karmakas is preparing an attack. Get ready!”
In the gray shadows of sunset, Junos could see the gorgons band together in front of the city gates. On his command, the knights moved forward noiselessly among the ruins of houses and streets filled with debris, and formed a semicircle around the snake-haired women. None were to escape. The men of Berrion were tired and tense, but they knew that if they won this battle, they would be able to sleep before heading home.
Karmakas forced his way through his gorgons. “Now, ssss, go and annihilate this, ssss, miserable army!” he ordered. “Open the portcullis!”
Before anyone had time to activate the mechanism to open the portcullis, Junos shouted, “The torches!”
Almost four hundred torches were lit at the same time. The gorgons cried out in surprise and Karmakas ordered them to attack the intruders. Walking backward, the knights advanced toward the female warriors. Shield-mirrors were attached to their backs, allowing them to raise their torches with their right hand to give light. In their left hands, the men of Berrion