The Gates of Night_ The Dreaming Dark - Keith Baker [101]
“It seems the natives of this place are preparing to invade Eberron. We inadvertently provided them with the key needed to restore passage between the planes. Now we must destroy it, and it seems that time is of the essence.” Lei looked around the party. “We were told that a guide would be waiting for us, but they said nothing about the form it would take.”
Jode cleared his throat.
“What?” Daine said. “You’re our guide? But you said you were barely conscious before I … drank you.”
“You wound me,” Jode said. “Haven’t I always made it my business to know the lay of the land? And as for time, you’ll find it’s not what you’re used to. It’s been over three months since our first conversation in dreams, Daine, and I’ve made quite a few friends in the fringes. Your story explains a lot of things. There’ve been rumors flying around about activity in the core. And I do mean flying around.”
“You have been to the heart of this realm?” Pierce said, a hint of surprise in his normally impassive voice.
“No, no,” Jode said. “But I’ve talked to a few who have. Archetypes, mainly—ideas that draw strength from multiple dreams. You know, like when you dream you’re supposed to be taking the Test of Siberys, and you suddenly realize you’re not wearing any clothing? I’ve met the anxiety that generates. Edgy, easily embarrassed, but not a bad fellow.”
“Hey, Daine!” It was another voice he hadn’t heard for years—the voice of a man he’d killed. Morim d’Deneith, another of Alina’s guards. Unlike Daine, Morim enjoyed his work. A cruel grin split his face, and there were spots of blood on the leather of his gauntlets. “One of the guests had an accident in the foyer. Lady Lyrris wants you to clean up the mess.”
“In a moment,” Daine said. The sudden appearance of the dead man was a jolt, bringing back memories Daine had tried to forget. “I’m in the middle of something right now.”
“And you can get back to it when you’re done,” Morim said, taking Daine’s arm. He was a stocky, powerful man, and his hand felt like a manacle around Daine’s wrist.
“Let go, Morim,” Daine said. He pulled at the guard’s grip, but his rival simply grinned.
“So you’re saying you have other business? Something more important than Lyrris’s orders?”
“That’s right,” Daine said.
“Too bad.”
Everything fell into slow motion. Morim raised his hand to smash Daine in the face, but there was a long blade of energy where his fist should have been. As this spike flashed toward Daine’s eyes, he ducked beneath the blow, using his momentum to pull at Morim’s wrist and fling the thug to the ground. For a moment Morin was suspended in the air, caught by the strange flow of time. As soon as his hand slipped away from Daine’s wrist, everything sped up. Morim slammed into the ground, and Daine staggered away from him.
Morim rose to his feet—but he wasn’t Morim any more. Both hands were curved, glowing blades. His flesh and clothes burst, revealing the red chitin armor of some monstrous insect or crustacean. His head was wider, flatter, and a host of burning eyes were pressing forward through his skin.
You’re an interesting one, traveler. The telepathic projection still held traces of Morim’s voice, but it was overshadowed by a malevolent alien presence, thick and cold, oil running through his mind. More awake than you should be. Let’s see what happens when you die.
Daine drew his sword and dagger, setting himself on first guard—and then blinked. The dagger in his left hand wasn’t his dagger. Instead of black adamantine, it was plain steel. It was a trivial thing, inconsequential in the grand scheme. But it was a distraction, and that was all the creature needed. The horror ripped free of the remnants of Morim’s flesh, lashing out with both blades.
And ran into Pierce and Lei.
The darkwood staff was in Lei’s hands, the striking end studded with vicious thorns. Pierce’s flail ended in a true ball of fire, a blazing orb that smashed through one armored shoulder. Daine recovered his balance and made a deep thrust, sinking the point of his blade into one of the creature