Knights: Book 02 - The Hand of Tharnin (5 page)

"It was your imagination," said Jace, looking uncertain. He raised his eyebrows. "The Temple door was locked, so logic dictates nothing could possibly be in here. Now give me some torchlight to work with."

Lannon started to turn, and the crimson lights appeared again--but this time they hurtled toward him with a flapping of wings. He watched, stunned, as a man-sized, bat-shaped form leapt onto him. Claws ripped into Lannon's chest as he was lifted up and flung atop the altar, the monstrosity lying on top of him. It was a Bloodfang--a type of Goblin that could shred flesh from bone in seconds.

The Eye of Divinity sprang to life on instinct, and Lannon was able to freeze the creature before it could tear him to pieces. The Bloodfang's strength was enormous, and Lannon struggled to hold it in place. He cried out to Jace for help, yet he was certain Jace could do nothing. Even though Jace was a former Knight and supposedly some kind of sorcerer, he carried no weapons and just didn't seem like someone who would be skilled in a fight.

Drool dripped on Lannon's cheek, as the crimson eyes glowered down on him with rage. Lannon gagged on its stench--the stench of its body, its breath, and its evil aura. The creature was the most hideous thing Lannon had ever seen--a bat-like abomination of claws, teeth, and insane fury. Intelligence gleamed in the beast's dark eyes, a sinister knowledge of how to kill. Its rage was so potent it seemed to break the power of the Eye of Divinity, and the fangs descended toward Lannon's throat. Lannon was certain everything was going to end on that altar.

Then Jace's huge, bony fist crashed down on the Bloodfang's skull. The Bloodfang leapt off of Lannon, let out a wounded screech, and flung itself at Jace. Jace struck it again with an astoundingly swift blow to the head while sidestepping the creature's charge.

The Bloodfang staggered, its wings quivering and dark blood pouring from its mouth. Then it finally collapsed into a trembling heap. It shuddered violently a few times and then stopped moving.

Jace rubbed his knuckles. "That kind of hurt."

Lannon sat up, gazing in disbelief at the fallen Bloodfang. "You...you killed it with your bare hand?"

Jace shrugged. "Not exactly. It's a sorcery technique." He shone the torch around, and finding no further danger, checked Lannon's wounds. "In ancient times," he went on, "the technique of the empty hand--or Shattering Fist--was common among the Knights of Dremlock. It went out of style as more advanced weapon enchanting skills were developed. Later, it was ruled forbidden sorcery for some foolish reason. Anyway, I may be the only one left who practices it."

"It seems quite powerful," said Lannon, grimacing in pain as Jace probed his chest. "How badly am I injured?"

"You could stand to pay a visit to the Hall of Healing," said Jace. He sighed. "Although...questions will be asked. A Bloodfang is not poisonous, though, in spite of what most people believe." He smiled. "Remember, I'm an expert on Goblins. I wrote the book on them."

Lannon stared at the Bloodfang, feeling sick inside. "It nearly killed me."
 
He clutched his forehead in frustration and groaned. "It seems like someone or something is always trying to kill me lately. I'm not sure how much more of this I can take. I'm not sure I even want to be a Knight anymore. I'd rather stay alive."

"Sorry to inform you," said Jace, "but it's too late to consider that. Even if you left Dremlock, your foes would hunt you down. You're too much of a threat for them to ignore. You're better off under the protection of this kingdom."

"I guess you're right," Lannon said, his voice heavy with gloom.

"Regardless," said Jace, "here we have another assassination attempt, but how could the creature have gotten in here? Someone must have unlocked the Temple door, and then locked it again. But how would they have known we were planning to... Unless the creature slipped in behind us somehow." Jace wiped sweat from his brow. "I need to stay more alert. That should not have happened."

"I just want to go back to my room," said Lannon. "If, that is, you think I can heal up on my own."

"The wounds aren't very deep," said Jace. "You should be fine with some rest and meditation. Though you'll be a bit sore for a day or two. We can try again when you're feeling up to it. Just make sure to use your cloak to conceal your injuries from the guards, or you will be questioned. I'm going to stay and examine this creature. I'll meet up with you later."

"I don't have a torch," said Lannon. "The woods are very dark." He shuddered at the thought of walking the trail alone.

"Nevertheless," said Jace, "you better get going. Use the Eye of Divinity to guide you and warn you of danger."

Lannon hesitated, afraid to summon the Eye.

Jace touched Lannon's shoulder, and the lad's fear diminished. Jace seemed to harbor some strange power in his touch that could put Lannon instantly at ease. "You should fear the blinding darkness, Lannon. Not your sorcery. Now if you'll excuse me, I really must set to work on examining this foul creature."

 
Lannon nodded and left. He didn't feel up to much of anything beyond hiding in his room and hoping all of his troubles would go away on their own.

***

 
When Lannon arrived at his room, the guards gave him a stern reminder that he wasn't to go anywhere without them, but they didn't report him (perhaps to save themselves from being questioned). Once in his room, Lannon found Vorden awake and sitting on his bed. Vorden seemed relaxed and in good spirits.

"Good to see you're still alive," said Vorden.

"Keep your voice down," said Lannon, sitting on his own bed. His chest throbbed in pain but wasn't bleeding. "And I'm actually quite lucky to be alive. I was attacked by a Bloodfang. I'll likely have a few scars."

"A Bloodfang?" Vorden's dark eyes widened. "I remember the one we saw beneath the Old Keep. You
are
lucky to be alive."

Lannon rubbed his temples. "I don't know what to do, Vorden. Everything is in chaos. Taris and Furlus are wounded. And now I'm stuck with this crazy Jace fellow who I'm not sure I can trust. Furlus told me to take the fight to my foes, but where do I begin? I don't even know who my foes are, or where they might be lurking. All I know is that my enemies want me dead."

"You're kind of at a crossroads," said Vorden. "Things are happening all around you, but you're not sure which path to take."

Timlin sat up. "All evil seems to come from below Dremlock. Maybe you should go down there."

"I'd rather not," said Lannon, chilled at Timlin's suggestion. The dreary, Goblin-infested mining area below Dremlock was the last place he cared to visit. There seemed to be nothing down there but evil and death.

"We could go together," said Vorden, "like last time. If Tenneth Bard is still alive and behind all of this, we could finish him off." Vorden reached under the bed and brought forth a dark sword that seemed adorned with spider-web runes. It was the sword he'd found in the mines and said he'd gotten rid of. "Yeah, I still have it. And I still intend to behead Tenneth Bard with it."

Lannon groaned, overwhelmed by frustration. "Vorden, you said you'd tossed that thing down a well. Now I have this to worry about."

"That sword is evil," said Timlin. "It will destroy you, Vorden."

Vorden chuckled. "Enough with the silly doom and gloom talk. This is not an evil sword. It does bear some unknown enchantment...something very interesting. Little shadows..." He turned the blade over, and for an instant, tiny, shadowy spiders seemed to be crawling on his flesh. His face looked unusually pale. Then his appearance became normal again.

Lannon's mouth hung open. "I just saw...something."

"It's an enchanted blade," said Vorden, shrugging. "You have one of your own, Lannon. Your sword is made from the bones of a Dragon--a type of evil Goblin. I would say that your sword is potentially more dangerous than mine."

"It's possessed by the Deep Shadow!" said Timlin. "I should tell the guards."

Vorden's eyes narrowed. "You better not."

"I can't worry about this," Lannon muttered. "I have too much else to worry about. Like how to stay alive."

 
A bit later, the door opened and Jace strode in. He held a silver ring in his hand, one engraved with crossed swords. "Is this item familiar to you Squires?"

"That's Master Garrin's ring!" said Timlin. "How did you get it?"

Jace's piercing gaze fell on Lannon. "I found this ring on a chain that was hanging from the neck of the Bloodfang that attacked you. The ring was tucked inside a pouch-like flap of skin."

"Then Master Garrin is dead?" said Lannon. "The creature killed him and took his ring?"

"No, he is quite alive," said Jace. "I suspect he willingly placed this ring on the Bloodfang, so that if the creature failed to assassinate you, Garrin would be exposed to Dremlock as the one who plotted the assassination."

"That doesn't make any sense," said Vorden. "Why would Garrin want to be found out if his plot failed?"

"It's the work of Tharnin," said Jace. "A test of faith. Garrin had to be held accountable in case of failure. I've seen this type of thing many times before. Someone ordered Garrin to place his ring on the Bloodfang's body--to motivate Garrin to succeed in his task. But he failed, and now he is exposed as a puppet of Tharnin. And soon the High Council will know of his treachery."

"That's a serious accusation," said Lannon, glancing at the open doorway nervously and keeping his voice low. "But I'm not surprised." So the truth had finally been revealed. Garrin was corrupted and seeking to kill Lannon. Lannon's heart was heavy with grief. Once, Garrin had been a wise and kind teacher. Now, he was a monster beyond trust or hope.

"We will meet with the High Council tonight," said Jace. "All of you must attend. Jerret Dragonsbane was attacked by a poison arrow earlier this evening while walking on a trail. The arrow grazed his arm. He is alive, Lannon, but it proves that your friends are in danger as well."

Timlin's face went deathly pale. "You mean..?"

Jace's gaze was stern. "Indeed. Someone wants all of you dead. Not injured, not questioned--but dead as dead can be." He smiled. "But that doesn't mean we can't spoil their plans, now does it?"

The three Squires, led by Jace and the two guards, walked the wooded trail to the North Tower. Lannon kept trying to peer into the shadows beyond the torchlight, wondering if a poison arrow was pointed his way or if another Bloodfang (or something worse) was lying in wait for him. Lannon would have preferred to meet with the High Council in the morning, as he was still sore and shaken from the attack in the Temple, but the Knights didn't like to wait when it was an issue of great importance.

They found the High Council gathered at one of the long tables in Dremlock Hall (the Great Hall of the North Tower) minus Furlus Goblincrusher and Trenton Shadowbane. Taris was present, having healed rapidly, with half of his face bearing an ugly scar from his burns. Also seated at the table were Aldreya and Jerret (Jerret's shoulder was bandaged from the poison arrow attack) and Garrin Daggerblood. Garrin's eyes smoldered with anger. A crackling blaze in the large stone fireplace made the room comfortably warm, but the atmosphere seemed cold and full of tension. Also present was a bearded, muscular, dark-skinned Red Knight named Thrake Wolfaxe. Thrake was not a member of the High Council, but he was a high-ranking and respected Knight.

 
Garrin glowered at Lannon, his expression promising the Squire that he would suffer greatly. Lannon looked away in disgust, hating what Garrin had obviously become. To Lannon, Garrin's eyes looked savage and evil--infested with the Deep Shadow. They reminded Lannon of Goblin eyes.

Jace motioned for the Squires to sit, though Jace remained standing--a figure that towered over everyone present. He wiped sweat from his forehead and adjusted his cloak. His curly black hair was in disarray, but his eyes were stern with focus. "I'm sure Cordus informed all of you why I have asked for this meeting." He held up the ring, which looked quite small in his hand. "The evidence is clear. Garrin Daggerblood is behind the attempt on Lannon's life."

Garrin slapped the table in outrage. "How dare you accuse me of such a crime? You, who are an outsider--a failed Knight expelled from the Divine Order. And where did this so-called assassination attempt take place? And when?"

Jace's gaze never wavered. "In the Temple. After dark."

"And what were you doing in the Temple at that hour?" said Cordus. "The Temple is locked when the daily gatherings are finished. After dark, it is a forbidden area."

"Exactly!" said Garrin. "How can this Jace fellow even be trusted, now that we know he cares nothing for the Sacred Laws of Dremlock?"

"We should not have entered the Temple," said Jace, looking a bit uncomfortable. He cleared his throat. "It was ill advised and I take the blame for it. We were seeking evidence with the Eye of Divinity. So we bent the rules a bit."

"Such behavior is not tolerated," said Cordus. "You must seek permission from a Tower Master before you enter any forbidden areas. And Lannon must be guarded by Knights at all times. Is that understood?"

"Perfectly," said Jace, bowing. "It won't happen again. Nevertheless, we did enter the Temple and Lannon was attacked. Oh, and Garrin's ring
was
found on the Goblin. That's very strong evidence of his ties to Tharnin, wouldn't you say?"

"It is nonsense," said Garrin. "My ring was stolen from me yesterday...from my bedchamber. Someone has tried to plant false evidence, to divide the Knights of Dremlock by creating suspicion in order to weaken us."

"That explanation is plausible," said Vesselin Hopebringer, the ancient Lord of the White Knights. His wrinkled hands trembled as he sipped water from a silver goblet. His face was barely visible beneath his huge white beard. "Garrin has always been an honorable Knight and a fine teacher. Why should we now accuse him of being a liar and in league with the Deep Shadow?"

"I agree," said Krissana Windsword, the Birlote archer. "The accusation is extremely serious. We must give Garrin the benefit of the doubt. This could be, as Garrin said, simply an attempt to divide and weaken us."

"Taris, what do you think?" said Cordus, stroking his unkempt black beard thoughtfully. "You know Garrin better than anyone here."

Taris' face, which was partially concealed beneath the hood of his cloak, showed no emotion. "I suppose we have to believe Garrin, without stronger evidence against his claim. But we should investigate further."

"I feel the same way," said Cordus. "The evidence is not enough. It appears there is no need for a vote."

"I think this is a rather large mistake," said Jace, sighing. "Frankly, I'm stunned at this decision. I'm convinced Garrin Daggerblood is in league with Tharnin. He
reeks
of Tharnin. I have become quite adept at identifying puppets of the Deep Shadow over the many, many decades that I've been alive. All of you must bear in mind that I am very old--older even than Vesselin Hopebringer, who has seen more than one-hundred and thirty winters."

"So very old," snarled Garrin, "yet with the face of a young man. Forbidden sorcery. You have altered your body with evil."

"My ways are forbidden to Dremlock," said Jace, "but they are not the ways of Tharnin." He glanced at Taris Warhawk for help.

"Jace speaks the truth," said Taris. "His sorcery is acceptable beyond the walls of Dremlock--though extremely rare among Noracks. There are plenty of Birlotes, and even some retired Knights, who use sorcery to preserve youth--though I admit Jace has done an exceptional job of it. In no way is that an indication of the influence of Tharnin."

"I agree," said Krissana Windsword. "There are Birlotes with extremely noble hearts who live for centuries. While I find it highly unusual that a Norack can preserve his youth to such a degree, it has been known to happen."

"Jace, you may continue," said Cordus.

"What I was saying," Jace went on, "is that I have great experience in matters like these. I know a slave of the Deep Shadow when I see one."

"Yet you are reckless," said Cordus. "Your life has been one of turmoil. You have made many wretched decisions, and in spite of your age, you apparently haven't learned wisdom. You act impulsively and put everyone around you at risk. Truthfully, you seem lost in your own little world."

Jace lowered his gaze. "Fair enough. I have made my share of mistakes. And yes, I've spent far too much time with my nose buried in books." He fidgeted uncomfortably. "But I'm telling you this man is guilty!" He pointed a long finger at Garrin. "Heed my words, Council members, or face this puppet's wrath!"

"Filthy lies!" Garrin retorted.

"Enough," said Cordus. "We have made our decision. Garrin, you are dismissed. You may return to your duties unrestricted."

Garrin rose and bowed. He sneered at Lannon as he walked past on his way out, letting the Squire know he wasn't finished with him.

Lannon groaned inwardly. It didn't surprise him that the ring was not enough evidence to sway the High Council. Garrin Daggerblood was well respected in Dremlock. But like Jace, Lannon was certain that Garrin could not be trusted. To make matters worse, Garrin was a powerful Blue Knight skilled in the arts of stealth and assassination. If he wanted Lannon dead, Lannon would have his hands full trying to protect himself. Garrin knew many silent ways to kill.

"Now, I have a question," said Cordus, addressing Jace. "We're paying you a lot of silver to dig up answers, and though I admire you for finding Garrin's ring and bringing the issue to our attention, I feel a bit cheated. Is that all you have for us? What of the demon man and his gauntlet?"

"As a matter of fact," said Jace, "I do have an update on that situation." Jace pulled a leather-bound book from a pocket of his cloak. He held it up. "I found this in the East Tower Library, covered in dust in a storage room. It reveals drawings of an item similar to the demon man's gauntlet--an item called The Hand of Tharnin. It is said to be an unstable weapon, causing madness, and thus it is a forbidden device under Tharnin law. The gauntlet was wielded by a powerful Black Knight who went mad and slaughtered his fellow warriors. The gauntlet was lost three centuries ago during a great battle." Jace scratched his head. "Well, that's all I can gather so far. The book is written in old Knightly code, difficult to translate, which is probably why it was all but discarded. And I suspect it is probably somewhat inaccurate."

"Anything else?" said Cordus. "Anything a bit more useful?"

"Yes, one more topic," said Jace. "I saw the demon man. He visited me in the forest and told me to bring Lannon to the ruins of Serenlock Castle--that he would face Lannon in a duel to the death."

Gasps arose from the High Council members. Cordus motioned for silence. "Why did you not report this immediately?"

Lannon shuddered. He hoped the Knights would not agree to the demon man's request. Considering what had happened the last time the demon man had gotten close to Lannon, he doubted they would.

"It happened earlier," said Jace. "I was focused on the evidence against Garrin Daggerblood and I didn't want to distract from this issue. Bear in mind that I am not a Knight. I don't have to report anything that doesn't pertain to the issue I'm being paid to resolve. Regardless, I have now reported the incident.

"And what do you think of his request?" said Cordus. "A trap?"

"Of course it's a trap," said Jace. "But my guess is that the trap is simply that the demon man thinks he can kill Lannon in combat. I believe he is mistaken. I believe Lannon can defeat him."

Lannon gulped. "But he almost killed me!"

"I have to agree with Lannon," said Taris. "Not only was the lad nearly slain, but Furlus and I were struck down."

"Lannon wasn't ready for that encounter," said Jace. "I believe the Eye of Divinity learns and adapts, that it will be better prepared for the next encounter. I suggest a small company of Knights and myself escort Lannon to Serenlock Castle. There, we shall let the duel take place. I'm confident Lannon will defeat his foe, and then we will have the demon man back in captivity."

"It's an extremely risky plan," said Cordus. "It seems we would be doing exactly what our foes want us to do. That is not the way of the Divine Order. We should bring surprise to them instead."

The Red Knight named Thrake Wolfaxe nodded. "Cordus speaks true. It is never wise to do anything our foes wish us to do--even if it seems we can gain an easy victory. It is always better to do the unexpected."

"Knightly logic," said Jace, "is not always, well, logical. This time, the situation is clear. The demon man thinks he can kill Lannon, and he is wrong. The surprise will be when he finds himself defeated."

"I don't like this plan at all," said Lannon, hoping the Knights would agree with him. "It's way too dangerous. I don't think I can win!"

"Yet I believe you must try," said Jace. "The demon man said that if you fail to partake in this duel, he will bring Dremlock to the ground--striking from the shadows. He also said he would attack innocents all over Silverland. Surely, many people will die if you refuse. Are you prepared to let that happen?"

Lannon bowed his head and didn't answer, trying to think of a way out. Looking up, he saw that Jerret Dragonsbane was gazing at him. Jerret looked very troubled, as if he harbored some grim secret. Lannon wondered how deeply the poison arrow attack had affected him. Lannon expected Jerret to look away, but Jerret just kept gazing at him with the same disturbing expression.

"The Squires may speak," said Cordus, "for they too are at risk."

"Can't you do something, Lannon?" Jerret blurted out. "I don't want to be assassinated. You have the Eye of Divinity!"

"I don't want to die either," said Timlin, his face pale. "If someone tried to kill Jerret, I might be next!"

"I think you can do this, Lannon," said Vorden. "You have far more strength than you realize. I
know
you can do it."

"This is your chance to be a hero, Lannon," said Aldreya. "Better to die as a noble warrior than live as a coward. You should welcome this opportunity to prove yourself."

Lannon's face reddened with shame. Aldreya's courage made him feel terribly weak. He couldn't understand her thinking. He wanted to be a great, honorable Knight, and in order to meet that goal, he would have to confront his foes. But on the other hand, if he ended up slain in battle, he would never become a Knight anyway. It was a frustrating situation. But he knew if he refused an order to face the demon man in combat, he would be considered a coward--and cowards didn't become Divine Knights of Dremlock no matter what skills they possessed.

"Taris," said Cordus, "you know that I trust your advice more than the advice of any man alive. What do you think we should do?"

Taris sat in silence for several moments, his scarred face furrowed in thought beneath his hood. At last he shrugged. "I don't know for certain. But I agree with Jace that the Eye of Divinity can adapt--though we must bear in mind that it is a power that is not easily understood and unique to each person who possesses it. I can accompany the Knights to Serenlock. I will guard Lannon with my life. Yes, I think we should attempt this, rather than let the demon man attack us from the shadows. No matter which path we choose, there is great risk."

"I can send five Archers," said Krissana Windsword, "led by Fadar Stonebow, to follow on horseback and take position in the hills around Serenlock in case of an ambush."

"The Five Archers of Dremlock!" Aldreya said excitedly, to Lannon. "They were trained in my homeland of Borenthia before they came to this kingdom. Fadar Stonebow is the greatest Archer who has ever lived."

"Then who will guard the wall?" said Cordus, frowning. "Those Archers are essential to protecting our kingdom from outside invasion."

"We have other skilled Archers for that task," said Krissana. "Yes, the wall will be weakened in the absence of Dremlock's elite, but it will remain guarded. And protecting Lannon is vital to our kingdom."

"I don't like it," said Cordus, "but I'll trust your judgment on it, Krissana. And we do need to be alert to an ambush. We will send out the Elder Hawks to scour the land and make sure no large battalion of Goblins or Legion Soldiers is lurking along that route. If the way is clear, we will go ahead with the plan."