Tantrics Of Old (46 page)

Before the arrival of the Horseman, the hooves got unnaturally loud; and in the distance Kali saw trees shrivel up and die as it moved towards the clearing, towards the courtyard.

Death burst into the clearing, and Kali stared for the first time in his life at the ancient rider and its steed. Death’s horse was a pale, almost-white mount; it was dead. Its skin had rotted in places, and its entire rib cage hung out, as did parts of the neck bones. Bits and pieces of broken armour hung on to its decaying body almost reluctantly, and it had two huge wings sprouting from behind the front legs—the wings were long gone though, just the winged bones remained, folded gracefully on either side. Its eyes were a menacing red, and it neighed angrily as Death pulled the reins. The grass beneath its hooves dried up and died as it trotted to a stop inside the courtyard.

Death screamed in anger. It was a tormenting, terrifying scream, the likes of which had never been heard in the forest before. It was complete and utter anger; it made one shiver in fright, it made one simply want to give up. It screamed and then looked at Kali.

‘Horseman. Haven’t seen any of your kind here in my forest,’ Kali said.

‘I sensed him here!’ Death hissed in reply, ignoring Kali. ‘He was here!’

‘If you’re looking for Adri Sen,’ Kali said, ‘I know where he is.’

Death was silent.

‘He went that way,’ Kali said, pointing a finger truthfully towards the ruins.

Death stared at Kali. ‘You’ll have to do better than that,’ it rasped.

Adri was running. Ahead of him he saw Fayne lope heavily with both Maya and Gray slung across his shoulders. The assassin was still faster than Adri.

I thought you could not stand up
, the Wraith said.

Adri, silent, continued running among the ruins, trying to keep up with Fayne.

Oh I see. An act, for Kali. Make him believe he’s got you. Until the right moment
.

‘Only way to beat him,’ Adri panted.

They ran through a path they had not taken before. They ran and ran until they reached a small tunnel leading inside a half devastated hall. Adri paused in the tunnel to catch his breath, as did Fayne.

‘What now?’ Fayne said, in between gasps.

‘The Horseman is here,’ Adri panted back. ‘We have to hide somewhere secure.’

Fayne nodded and darted into the hall. Adri followed him.

‘I cannot bring him to you. He’s already escaped my grasp,’ Kali said. He was slowly beginning to get nervous. This was not how he had hoped it would be.

Liquid darkness swirled around Death, and Kali found his gaze wandering off, mesmerised by the darkness, again and again.

‘You would not bring him to me either way, human,’ Death said. ‘I think you are hiding him.’

‘Rot! I just tried to kill him!’ Kali shouted.

‘Or so you would want me to think,’ Death growled. ‘You are a Necromancer like him. I think—you protect him.’

‘You are wrong!’ Kali spat.

‘Why is he not here then?’ Death asked.

‘He
just
ran.’

‘And you allowed it?’

‘He distracted me.’

‘Convenient. But it doesn’t work for me, I’m afraid. I sensed his presence here a while back, and now I can’t sense him anymore. It has something to do with
you
, Tantric.’

‘He’s wearing a moon pendant, that’s why you can’t sense him. You are a fool, you are running after the wrong prey.’

Death’s steed neighed angrily. Death calmed it with a stroke on the half-melted neck.

‘Curious,’ Death said. ‘If he is hiding from me with a moon artefact, how does he lose possession of it and then gain it again?’

‘Bait,’ Kali said. ‘I would have killed him. He did it himself to distract me.’

Death laughed, a laugh that froze Kali’s blood.

‘He will know better than to bait me. He does not stand a chance if he stands up to me and he knows that. Why does my coming here distract
you
anyway, human?’

Kali looked at the Demons. His hands tightened, his fingers beginning protective gestures. ‘He thinks you will kill me.’

Death looked straight at Kali, his gaze boring into the Tantric’s eyes. ‘I think,’ the Horseman spoke, ‘I shall oblige him.’

‘There is a vault here,’ Fayne spoke.

‘That means only one way in or out,’ Adri said. ‘But we might be able to temporarily seal it off from the inside.’

‘If the vault was meant to hold magic, it will hide our vibes well,’ Fayne said.

‘Worth a shot. I don’t see many options anyway, and this is much better than playing hide-and-seek among the pillars.’

They entered the small door inside an ancient fireplace; most lords hid their vaults behind fireplaces, where a magical fire burned around the clock. There was no magic in the fireplace now, but hopefully the vault would still work. They entered a narrow tunnel, constructed out of rock, and light diminished rapidly as they progressed through it. At the other end of the tunnel was a spiral staircase, leading down.

‘Well, down then,’ Adri said.

They began making their way down, but the stairs seemed to go on and on. The darkness grew steadily, but Adri was too afraid of using magic with the Horseman so near. He trusted Fayne’s vision, who was leading the way.

‘Whaa—?’ Adri gasped when all of a sudden, he felt a stone beneath his foot give way. It wasn’t the only one. With a roaring scream, all the stones gave way as the staircase beneath their feet collapsed. There was nothing to hang on to; Adri’s hands clawed only air as the four of them fell into darkness.

‘I have no argument with you, Horseman,’ Kali said, backing away slowly.

‘I believe you do,’ Death said. ‘Your confidence that I was summoned here by Adri Sen to kill you will in no way arouse my sympathy. And I feel you think you are well prepared for me, with these Demons and these spells you conjure under your breath as we talk.’

Death held its steed lightly and dismounted. The chains around him rattled noisily. Turning to Kali, it took a step towards him.

‘I am only defending myself,’ Kali said, now beginning to feel fear. ‘I do not need this, Horseman.’

‘Of course you don’t. You already know how it will end,’ Death said.

‘No! Keep away!’ Kali shouted with anger, backing away steadily.

‘Where is Adri Sen?’ Death rasped.

‘Keep away from me! He went that way, I told you! He’s hiding in the ruins.’

Death stood for a moment in silence, extending his senses.

‘You lie,’ it hissed at length. ‘No moon pendant can hide him if he is as close as you claim. No, this is an artifice. One that will not end well for you.’

‘Kill the damn Horseman!’ Kali roared at the Demons, jabbering in the Old Tongue, weaving protective enchantments of all kinds around him, calling more and more spirits to his aid from the other side.

The Demons dutifully rushed at Death with their swords and maces. Death extended a gauntleted hand from beneath his black shawl. A weapon materialised in his grasp—an enormous scythe. It was a beautiful and terrifying weapon, fashioned out of metal and rotten wood, a chain circling its entire length, two mammoth blades at one end, one above the other, both rusted beyond time. At the other end were a series of gems embedded in the wood. It seemed heavy, but Death wielded it easily and carelessly, spinning it like a toy.

‘I was calm before, human,’ Death whispered audibly. ‘I was very calm, and happy. I had found the means to my salvation. I had found the key.’

The Demons came at him together. He sank his scythe into one, killing it instantly. Turning around in a spin, he beheaded the other. A Demon struck with a giant sword, and the Horseman melted into darkness as the blade went through, only to materialise a second later behind the hapless Demon. Raising his scythe, Death sliced the Demon into two from the centre. It was a clean blow, and the two bloody pieces separated and hit the already blood-splattered ground. The last Demon came thundering down with a mace. Death caught the mace with its left hand and snatched it from the Demon; the Demon gaped in bewilderment as Death’s right hand swung the scythe, the last thing the Demon was ever to see.

Death turned to Kali. ‘But he escaped, this young human. He has been avoiding my gaze well. It has been
angering
me. This one human has infuriated me, frustrated me, and I have been hunting for him all over the Old City. Sometimes I think I sense his presence, or the vibes he leaves behind somewhere. His journey has been
eventful
, I think, and yet I do not find him.’

‘The ruins,’ Kali said, terrified, as the Horseman approached him. ‘For the last time, you
will
find him hiding there.’

Death stood before Kali. ‘Protective magic,’ he breathed. ‘How—
quaint
.’ He extended an open palm, and for a moment Kali thought something had exploded. It was the death knell of a hundred spirits that cried out before being ended from their state. His shields were gone.

‘Tell me, why do you wear a necklace of skulls?’ Death asked, breathing on Kali.

Kali felt the breath taking away his essence, his life force. He could not reply.

‘It is funny,’ Death continued. ‘You do it to terrify your victims, to strike fear in their hearts. You imitate the Dark Goddess whose power and grace you could never dream of touching. But right now,
you
are afraid. I can smell it.’

Kali was losing touch with consciousness, an invisible hand was beginning to choke him. What was he even thinking? There was no way he could have defeated this creature. He had known it from the start.

‘There is some truth in what you say, human. Before you die, die knowing that Adri Sen’s soul is mine, and mine alone. I will hunt him down no matter where he is, and if he has indeed tricked you as you say, you will have your revenge through me. After your end, I am headed for the ruins you pointed at.’

Something moved within the dark eyeholes in the Horseman’s mask. Kali screamed.