Pools of Darkness - James M Brown [113]
The door shuddered and fell inward with a splintering crash, crushing the four mercenary guards who were posted behind the door.
Still invisible, Miltiades took the lead with Ren. Ahead, a long corridor filled with skeletal troops stretched onward, ending with another door. A stench like that of an ancient, moldering tomb nearly overpowered them, but the two warriors spurred their mounts into the massed defenders, hacking and slaying as they pressed on. Bony hands and rusty blades bounced off Miltiades and his magical horse, Stolen's magical barding and Ren's chain mail. Dozens of blows landed on the powerful fighters, but none caused so much as a scratch.
The hundred or so skeletons, the weakest of Marcus's guards, were quick work for the ranger and paladin.
Stolen and the ivory steed kicked and trampled as they went, crushing bone with every hoof.
The warriors' attacks caused their invisibility to fade, but the spell had served long enough to get the group into the tower. Evaine, Gamaliel, Andoralson, and their horses were still invisible, however, although the two warriors had no trouble knowing where they were. Loud crunching and snapping under the horses' hooves announced their presence as they picked their way over heaps of shattered bones and skulls.
Evaine stepped up to the door. Instantly it glowed green. "It's not locked," she whispered. "There's a huge chamber on the other side. I don't detect any movement, but there might be creatures hiding within."
Ren and Miltiades pushed the doors open, spurring their horses forward. The three companions followed closely. All stopped short at the appearance of a fifteen-foot-tall wizard in red robes glaring down at them.
A scraping voice boomed out of the stale air. "Finally you've come! Too bad my guards weren't nearly enough of a challenge for you. Let me see-how would you like to battle a-"
"Sanddunarum!" Evaine shrieked. A jade mist arose from her hand and swirled about the giant wizard. The image warped and shifted, then shattered into millions of emerald facets. Ren and the others ducked, but when they looked up, no pieces of the wizard could be seen anywhere.
"Gods be damned!" the real Marcus screamed in frustration at the destruction of his magical trap. All heads turned to see a red-robed mage hidden in an alcove at the rear of the chamber. "Well, brave heroes," he taunted, "join me upstairs-if you dare!" The wizard lifted off the floor and flew up a side stairway. The sound of his evil laughter drifted down in his wake, echoing in the chamber.
All along the sides of the room, portions of the golden stone walls shimmered and dissolved. Twelve alcoves were revealed behind the illusionary walls. Masses of zombies and skeletons poured forth from their hidden niches.
Undaunted, Miltiades charged forward on his ivory steed, swinging and crashing through the undead swarm. An unearthly clattering of blades against bones echoed in the stone chamber. Andoralson cast powerful spells against the walking dead, causing waves of the creatures to wither before him. As the first wave fell, the druid became visible again.
Ren turned Stolen to follow Marcus up the stairs, but Evaine shouted a warning to the ranger. "The pool is hidden underground! If we go up, we're probably walking into the wizard's traps. Ignore him for now. If we destroy the pool, we may destroy him with it." Leaping off her horse, she canceled the spell concealing her mount so the ranger could find her, but remained invisible herself.
Ren hated leaving enemies at his back, but the druid and paladin were efficiently mowing down the undead horde. Bodies were stacking up and clogging the room. He nodded, then took the lead down another set of stairs. The crashing of swords, screams of the wounded, chanting of the druid, and Miltiades's war song reverberated behind them.
The spiraling steps were wide and deep, perfect for fighting, Ren noted. Two complete