Curse of the Shadowmage - Mark Anthony [99]
The acrid steam burned in their lungs.
Ferret scratched his stubbled chin nervously. "Let me guess-the Shadowking did his own decorating, am I right? The gloomy neo-gothic overtones highlighted by the retro-apocalyptic blasted rock are a dead giveaway." He clapped his hands together. "It simply screams 'Shadowking'"
Kellen gave the weasely thief a curious look. "You're a silly man, Uncle Ferret."
Ferret shot Kellen a crooked-toothed grin. "I know. But don't underestimate silliness, Kellen. It's a surprisingly good self-defense mechanism, and a whole lot more fun than panicking."
Kellen reached out and gently patted the thief's hand. "If you say so, Uncle Ferret."
A high-pitched whinny rang out on the frigid air. The companions turned in surprise to see a riderless horse trot toward them across the windswept ridgetop. It was Mista, Caledan's gray mare. When Mari grabbed Mista's bridle, the horse snorted nervously, rolling her eyes. Mari stroked the smooth arch of the horse's neck, trying to calm her.
"Caledan," she said hoarsely. "He's already here. We're too late."
"Perhaps," Morhion replied. "But perhaps not. We must believe that there is yet time to save him."
Mari's shoulders trembled. She clutched at Mista's mane. "I don't know if I can do it, Morhion," she whispered, shaking her head.
"Do what, Mari?"
"Look at him," she answered in anguish. "I don't know if I can face him if he's… changed. To see him, turned into a… a thing of evil. I'm not sure I have the strength to bear it."
Morhion took a deep breath. He was not certain he could bear it either. Yet maybe he did not need to be so strong. Maybe none of them did. He reached out and gripped Mari's shoulder. "We can all do it together, Mari he said softly. "Together, we will be strong enough."
A fragile smile touched her lips. "Promise?"
He nodded solemnly. "I promise." Abruptly, a low laugh escaped him. "Did I not warn you that one day, when you least expected it, I would be on your side?"
"Well," she said with mock indignation, "it's about time."
Morhion smiled at her. Then his gaze was drawn downward, into the mist-shrouded vale. "Well leave the horses here," he said.
Traversing the steep slope down into the crater was an ordeal. At first, Morhion worried about Kellen's ability to climb the jagged cliffs. Then he realized his fears were unfounded. Kellen moved as nimbly down the treacherous slope as did Ferret. Boy and thief picked their way lightly over sharp rock outcrops and across expanses of rock scree. Mari and Morhion followed more carefully. At one point the mage's boot slipped on a patch of loose rubble, and he lost his balance altogether. He would have gone sailing over the edge if Serafi had not materialized before him. The spectral knight raised his ethereal gauntlets, and a blast of frigid air blew Morhion backward. Serafi said nothing. He did not have to. Morhion knew the knight had saved his life for one reason only: to protect the body that the dark spirit would soon possess for his own. With a flash of his burning eyes, Serafi vanished. Mari and Morhion exchanged grim looks. At last they reached the bottom of the crater, Ferret let out a low whistle. "so this is what the Abyss looks like. Not that I can say I was really all that curious to know."
The vale of the Shadowstar did indeed look like some dismal limbo for the damned. Perhaps it was, at that, Morhion thought with a bitter, silent laugh. Serafi, Caledan, Morhion himself-who were they but lost souls one and all?
Cautiously, the four made their way toward the center of the blasted vale. The sulfurous reek was almost over-powering. Tatters of steam scudded across the rocky ground, and a dull red glow hung on the air like a bloody miasma. Acrid steam rose from countless fissures in the dark rock, and it was from some of these crevices that the ruddy light emanated.
Morhion wasn't exactly certain when he noticed the thrumming. Abruptly he halted, cocking his head. By the expressions of the others, they had heard it as well. It was a vast sound, and incomprehensibly complex.