The Mists of Sorrow_ Book Seven of the Morcyth Saga - Brian S. Pratt [232]
“Look there!” Miko says in a hushed whisper. Pointing down below where they stand on the stairs, he indicates eight figures moving across the cavern floor toward the dark figure standing before the dome. Four of them are warrior priests, each of whom has hold of a man dressed in slave rags.
Jiron recognizes one of the men. “Tinok!” he breathes. He looks down at his lifelong friend as he is being brought forward toward the dark figure.
“Ozgirath,” says Brother Willim. When James glances to him he indicates the dark figure and says, “Ozgirath, the High Priest of Dmon-Li.”
Miko moves his hand to the pouch containing the Star of Morcyth but James stops him. “Not yet,” he says. If he brings it out of the pouch now, its light will flood the cavern and those down below will know they’re there. “Let’s get closer.” Already the light from the Star feels almost like it’s struggling to leave the pouch.
Still unobserved by those below, they start moving the rest of the way down to the bottom. James notices that the Little Brothers are not with them. Glancing back up to the top of the stairs, he can see a large concentration of them there watching. For just a moment he thinks that they have more sense than he does, then returns his attention back to the stairs and continues down after the others.
Ozgirath waits while the last four are brought to him. Something tugs at the back of his mind but he pushes it aside. Nothing can disturb what comes next. Reaching into his robe, he pulls forth a dagger. Easily a foot and a half long, the wicked looking weapon glows darkly from the runes inscribed upon the hilt and blade.
To make the gate permanent, he must drench it with blood from this world. At the same time it must be sealed with the darkest of magic. He motions for the first of the men to be brought forward. Unable to draw from the magic being sent by the temples as that is being fed directly to the dome area, he instead draws it from the twelve cowled figures. As soon as he begins absorbing their magic, they buckle and collapse.
When the warrior priest brings the first man before him, he plunges the knife into the man’s breast, spearing the heart. The man makes no sound as the knife is withdrawn. Blood begins to pump forth from the wound as the warrior priest turns and lays the man down at the gate’s base. The dark magic of Ozgirath keeps the man alive as his heart continues to pump out the needed blood.
The next warrior priest brings forward the next man and again, he plunges the dagger into the man’s breast. Soon, he too is lying at the base of the gate as his life’s blood is leaving his body.
At the base of the stairs, the four companions watch in horror as the first two men are sacrificed. The third man is then brought forward to stand before Ozgirath. Tinok is in line to be the fourth.
“Jiron,” James whispers. “You get to Tinok and get him out of here. You’ll be no use in the fight that is to come.”
Nodding, Jiron says, “I understand.” Moving along the wall beneath the stairs, he starts edging closer to where Tinok stands in the grip of the warrior priest.
James then turns to Brother Willim and asks hurriedly, “Will the Little Brothers come and help us?”
“I can feel their fear from here,” he says. “Against Hikuli is one thing. Against this…I don’t know.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the third man fall and the warrior priest holding Tinok begins to move forward. “Whatever happens,” he says, “Don’t let the knife fall.”
Miko and Brother Willim both understand what he’s talking about and nod.
“Miko,” James says, “it’s time to bring forth the Star.”
Miko gives him a nod as he opens the pouch containing the Star. At the same time, James pulls the medallion bearing the Star of Morcyth out from beneath his shirt. Light shines forth from both