The Unknown Man: Book 1 in The Keepers of the Orbs Series (14 page)

He ordered a group of soldiers to secure the women, elderly, and children. If the gods meant for him to die today, he would do everything in his power to save as many as he could. He decided to lead this group himself and issued orders to many of his remaining high-ranking officers. He peered over his shoulder at the wall one last time before following his soldiers to the hold. Situated deep in the base of the castle, it provided the adequate protection necessary to make a last stand, especially with all of the murder holes lining the halls leading to the hold. He filed them into the room, trailing behind his soldiers, as utter chaos greeted him. He tried to calm the people as much as possible while his soldiers sealed off the room. He took the time to glance around and spotted the Lord of Korloth cowering in a corner, behind a couple of elderly women. Despair and fury filled him. He wondered what the lord had done to occupy his time during the initial stages of the battle; he hadn’t expected him to be cowering in a corner of the hold and it disgusted him.

Screams, both frightened and bloodthirsty, filled the halls outside of the hold. The Minotaurs had breached the gates. Rams battered the thick wooden doors as vile sounds persisted outside. He ordered the soldiers to be ready. He knew that he could’ve saved all of these people from a useless death by handing the lord over as the messenger requested; the sniveling coward didn’t even have the nerve to stand up and protect his people. Rhovick's eyes filled with anger and he tossed the lord a snide glare. “You. Somebody give him a sword.” The lord shied away, not wanting to engage in combat. Rhovick marched over to the lord and thrust a sword and shield into his hands. “These are your people. The least you could do is fight to save them.”

The lord still balked at the weapons. “You don’t understand. I don’t know how to fight. I...I...I’ve never been in combat before. I would be useless...”

Infuriated, the general interjected, “None of that matters!” He thrust his arm in the back of the lord to nudge him forward. “You made these people swear fealty to you. Isn't it time you showed them what they swore to?” He edged him forward, and it seemed the lord had started to comply. “Now join your soldiers and pray your death is swift. At least you’ll show those that we lost didn’t die in vain.”

The pounding of the rams on the door took its toll and it began to splinter. One fierce blow more and the door would cave. He ordered his soldiers to draw their weapons as another crash obliterated the door. It fell apart in pieces and the Minotaurs rushed into the room. He ordered the attack as screams from the civilians filled the air. Rhovick led the charge and cut down the first two Minotaurs entering through the remains of the once thick door. He was just warming up, careful not to lose his footing on the slick green Minotaur blood gathering around the heaps of the first two corpses. The Humans continued to attack—even though their numbers dwindled—urged on by their fearless general. He spun to meet an oncoming attack, a mace smashed against his helm, and everything went black.

When Rhovick regained consciousness, the screams were gone. His head pounded from the splitting headache hurting even his vision. He could feel dried blood plastered to his face. He tried to look around the room, but his vision blurred, hampered from the blow he received to his head. Once it cleared, he looked around. He sat in a chair in the throne room.

He tried to reach his hand to his head to feel where it hurt the worst, but he couldn’t move.
Am I paralyzed
? He couldn’t be sure. His vision returned to normal and he glared at the strange man sitting on the throne with several other figures surrounding him. Some talked into his ear and others read from the parchment they held. What kept his attention, though, were the red eyes of the man sitting on the throne, whom he presumed to be Lutheras. As Rhovick stared, Lutheras noticed him. A weary Goblin stood next to Lutheras and the wizard whispered into the Goblin's ear. Receiving his instructions, he turned and darted out of the throne room.

With the Goblin dispatched, Lutheras rose and made his way to the general. He walked down the stairs leading from the throne with a grin on his face, revealing his white teeth. He pulled his cloak back, revealing his pale face. His red eyes magnified how pale his skin was. He made his way across the throne room, appearing to almost glide over the rough stone floor. Rhovick tried to look around, to see if he could make anything else out in the room. He caught a glimpse of another man bound to a chair to his right, but couldn’t make out who it was. After a moment, the other person moaned and he recognized the voice. The general’s lord occupied the chair, and groaned from the pain he had been subjected to. His moans grew louder as Lutheras closed in on Rhovick.

“Whom do I have the pleasure of confronting?” His red eyes read the general's face. “Are you General Rhovick? The man who claimed he would see my head on a pike?” His thunderous laughter filled the room and he leaned in close enough for the general to smell his foul breath. “How does it look? It would be pretty on a pike, would it not?” His raucous laughter resumed then he stopped silent, glaring at the general. “Now, I think
your
head would be much more fitting on that pike.”

In a blink, pain ravaged Rhovick, unlike anything he had ever felt before—disturbing images of death and despair filled his head. He tried to twist and thrash from the pain, but he couldn’t move and sat motionless. It only lasted a few seconds, but the time seemed like an eternity. His head felt as if it would explode. His heart beat so fast, it felt as though it would burst from his chest at any moment. When it ended, he regained his breath, as ragged and forced as it was. Air filled his lungs which gave him the opportunity to blurt out, “Kill me and be done with it! What are you waiting for? DO IT!” Pain racked his body again.

“You think I would kill you and let you find your refuge in death.” More laughter burst from his mouth. “No, I won’t kill you that quickly. You have information. Information I need. Information you will give to me. Tell me what I need to know, and your death will be swift. Keep this information hidden from me, and I will ensure you experience more suffering than you can ever conceive of.”

The pain once again subsided, giving Rhovick the opportunity to speak. “I won’t give you any information. I would rather die!” He spat in the direction of Lutheras before the pain overcame him again. He wanted to reach up and claw at his face, but couldn’t because he couldn’t move.

“Then be ready for your demise. It amazes me how some people put honor before their own survival. All I’m asking is for a small bit of information. You don’t even know what it is I seek, yet you already have decided you would rather be tortured than comply with my demands. You will learn, oh yes, you will learn. Everyone always tells me what it is I’m seeking, it’s just a matter of how long it takes me to get it.” He said casually while his lips curled into a grin again. “You could save a large deal of my energy if you will just tell me what it is I wish to know.” He looked at the general and stared down deep into his eyes. “No? Then feel more.” Wrinkles appeared in his skin around his eyes and his mouth as he sent more energy into the general.

Rhovick wanted to die; the torture was hideous. It felt as if electricity destroyed his body, while the twisted and contorted images of death and torment continued to flash through his mind. These images spared no one. Men, women—young and old—even children. All killed in various ways. He didn’t know how long he could withstand it.
What can I do to make Lutheras kill me?
He eyed the pale-faced wizard, still suffering. He could tell the effort Lutheras put into his attack taxed him. Through the pain he shouted, “Is that all you have? I thought you said this would be torture.” He managed a forced laugh.

Lutheras' pale skin started to turn red, which matched his eyes. “Is this all? Is this all? I will show you pain that will make you regret those words.” He increased the flows of energy he sent toward the general. He wanted to be careful to ensure he didn’t go too far—sure the general kept the information he sought. Within moments, the general's head fell forward as he slipped out of consciousness. Lutheras let go of his control of the flows of energy, certain the general would be unconscious for a few minutes. He switched his focus and walked over to the lord, who still sat groaning.

“Now that you have awakened, are you ready to tell me where you’re keeping the orb?”

The lord still reeled in pain. Tears streaked down his fat face as he sobbed, “I already told you, I don’t know of any orb in Korloth.” Sweat joined the tears and accumulated on his brow, dripping down his face. “Believe me, if I knew of an orb, I would tell you.”

Lutheras stared hard at the man. “I believe you.” Lutheras' eyes grew wide as relief crept across the lord's face. “You’re useless to me then.” Streams of fire swept toward the lord, who screamed and tried to move from what bound him. The lord turned into a human torch; the fire engulfing him as his screams persisted. Within moments, his shrieks subsided and what remained of his eyes rolled back in his head. He appeared to be dead so Lutheras removed the invisible bindings holding the man in place, allowing the body to slump forward in a crumpled mass. He turned his attention back to the general who had started to moan and groan as he awoke.

The general’s eyes readjusted and focused on the room. He became aware of the corpse lying on the floor in front of him.

Lutheras smiled as the general took in his work. “He would be useless to me, so I disposed of him.” He shrugged. “Don’t think you’ll be let off the hook that easily. He was a useless nuisance who would have betrayed his own mother.” He laughed at this. “You won’t succumb so easily. I can see this clearly now. You will die. Mark my words on that, but not just yet, general. I do have a use for you now, though.”

Rhovick worked up the nerve and said, “I will never give you what you want. So why drag me along. End my life, or I will find a way to do it myself.”

Lutheras chuckled. “I don’t doubt it, but first answer this. I’m seeking an orb. It’s shaped like an hourglass and is housed somewhere within this city. Tell me where it’s located and I will end your life peacefully so you don’t have to.”

The general laughed and cringed at the pain it caused. “This is what you’re after? You invade a city chasing something from a child's fable?” His laughter grew louder and boomed around the throne room. “They only exist in stories, Lutheras. If you’re keeping me alive for that, you’re wasting your energy.”

Deep lines filled Lutheras’ forehead, his anger growing as he inflicted more pain on Rhovick. He turned to one of his minions. “Take the general to the cells. Have the guards keep a close watch on him so he doesn’t do anything stupid; I’m not done with him.” He stopped his attack on the general and walked back to the throne, stepping over the corpse of the lord. “And take care of this. I want it out of my throne room.” He sat on the throne, signaling for Eldrin to join him.

Eldrin walked closer to his master. “A glorious victory today, my master.” He bowed his head. “Did you get any information from those two?” He looked over his shoulder as two soldiers led the general out of the throne room, and two others dragged the lord’s body out.

Lutheras sighed, “No, they were both worthless. If anyone knows the whereabouts of the orb though, it will be the general. And given time, he will disclose the location to me.”

Lutheras sat in silence for a moment stewing. “I don’t understand. I know, the orb is here. Where have they hidden it? It has to be here!”

Eldrin tried to calm him down. “My master. If you say it’s here, then it has to be here somewhere. It’s only a matter of time before the Minotaurs find it and bring it to you. There is no reason to get upset.”

Lutheras glared at him. He didn’t like when Eldrin corrected him. Through clenched lips he said, “You’re correct. Find out if there are any secret passages below the palace. If there are, investigate them and find me my orb.” He dismissed him from the throne room with a flippant wave, and Eldrin left to follow his orders.

The halls of the prison cell felt dark and cold. The stench of stagnant air filled with urine and decay permeated the chambers. For the third day in a row, Lutheras walked down these dark halls to question the general. The glow of his eyes almost brightened the dim area. He pulled his cloak close to his face. Four Minotaurs accompanied him in case of any trouble. He reached the cell holding the general and ordered the door open. The general lay on the floor with his shirt removed, and he looked like he had lost a considerable amount of weight. Lutheras glared around the room, noticing the bread they had offered the general for breakfast hadn’t been touched. Three rats hovered over it, gorging themselves on the dried morsels while their beady eyes reflected what little light the room offered, unaware anyone had entered.

Lutheras uttered words creating an orange globe which lit up in the palm of his hand, it illuminated the whole room. He removed his hand and the globe of light hovered in midair. As he moved around the room, the globe followed him. Aware of the sudden light, the rats scurried out through the cracks and crevices forming over time in the stone walls of the cell. The general rolled over, aware more questioning and pain would be forthcoming.

He eyed Lutheras. “Back for more are ya? I have told you you’re chasing a child's fairy tale. There are no orbs in Korloth.”

Lutheras flashed an angry glare at Rhovick, before shifting to the uneaten food again. “Trying to starve yourself? When will you learn when I tell you death won’t be that easy for you, I mean it?” He kicked the plate over to the general. The bread fell off the plate, coming to a stop on the dead rat. “Eat it, or I will force you to eat it.”