The Hammer - Cor Series Book I

Chapter 43

A deep roar pummeled Corvan's ears. His eyes flew open, and he search for the source of the sound, but there was nothing to be seen except for a dense curtain of mist that rolled toward him from a patch of ghostly light. The roar must be coming from the waterfall on the edge of the Cor. Somehow, after hitting his head on the rock in the underwater tunnel, he had managed to get through to the open air.

Gently probing the lump on his forehead, he found it wet, hopefully just from the damp air and not because it was bleeding. His arm and shoulder were almost too stiff and sore to get his hood back over his head but once it was back in position, his shivering eased.

As he peered out under his hood, a shadow stepped into the pool of light and took shape in the swirling fog. A large lizard walked towards him; a short sword clutched in its claws. The Chief Watcher had found him.

Corvan struggled to get to his feet, but his body flatly refused. He fell back against a boulder, pain shooting down his neck and left arm then right down to the soles of his feet.

He closed his eyes and dropped his head onto his chest. There was nothing he could do to escape from the black lizard.

The gravel crunched in front of him, and a shadow fell across his eyelids.

"Oh, sir, I am so glad you have awakened, sir. I was beginning to think the death of cold had finally caught you."

Corvan's eyes popped open. Tsarek stood before him, a short unlit fire stick in his paw.

"Tsarek?" Corvan exclaimed. "You're alive?"

"Oh ues, sir, I am very much alive."

"But I was certain you were dead," Corvan said. "The burak had you in its teeth."

Tsarek chuckled. "Yes, it did, but buraks like to keep their prey alive until they get you back to their lair so they can eat you later. If you let your body go limp, they think you are too injured to move and don't bite down hard. They are lazy creatures and like to sleep after a hunt." He lifted his claw. "One of them will never awaken again."

Corvan managed a small nod, but it made his head swim and his stomach roll, so he closed his eyes and relaxed back against the boulder. That was why only one burak had attacked Tarran at the portal door. If he had known there was only one left, maybe he would've fought it and saved the man. He resisted shaking his aching head. He knew that was not the truth. One or two buraks would not have made any difference. At the time he had simply been too afraid to help Tarran.

"Is your pain great?" Tsarek asked as he gently rearranged Corvan's cloak close around his neck. "I am so glad you have this garment. Without it you would have died from the cold water."

Corvan looked up as Tsarek stepped away, a look of consternation on his narrow face. "But why did you close the door on me?"

"What door?" Corvan asked.

"Just after the last burak attacked your friend and dragged him away, I ran to you, but you shut the portal door on me."

"I didn't know that was you," Corvan replied. "I thought there was still two of the buraks and the other one was coming to eat me."

"But I called and knocked on the door, and you still didn't open it." Tsarek's wounded expression became even more pronounced, and he waved his short arms around. "It took me a long time to find another way in. I had to swim through much dark water and try many small passages. I made it through to the settlement just when you used your krypin to drop into the karst to fight the cave creature."

"So, it was you who threw the fire stick at my leg?" Corvan asked.

"I could see you were captured by its eyes, so I threw the stick and shouted. I did not want to see it kill you." Tsarek leaned in and wrapped his short arms awkwardly around him. "I missed you, Kalian."