Carack

Carack Ch16 p3

Madron laughed.

‘So weak, so very weak, well then little mage what should I throw at you to finish you off? It is a pleasure to kill you at last.’ Madron laughed again and Sancret hung his head as he stood before him. Suddenly Madron lunged at the Warlock and put both his hands round his neck, he was by far taller, stronger and bigger than Sancret, who could have no hope of beating him in a physical fight. Tightening his grip and choking the Warlock, who futilely tried to pull the hands from his from his throat, Madron laughed and sneered.

‘It will be a pleasure to kill you personally as I did Zoy, it should be a comfort to you to know you die as he did!’

Sancret was forced back by Madron’s strength and ended up being pushed backwards over the wall of the well towards the surface of the water. Gerent wanted to cry out in anguish, he tried to fight the spell that held him motionless in the air but could do no more than reach out his arms.

‘Don’t touch the water!’ he willed Sancret, whose head went closer to the glassy surface as Madron laughed louder. The Mage’s face was almost black and the back of his head about to touch the skin of the well water.

Then the hold on the neck was let go and Madron fell backwards into the well with an anguished yell. There was no splash. Gerent watched in amazement as Madron turned into grains of sand as he touched the water, almost as if the well desiccated him, and the grains floated on the surface briefly before sinking from sight. Suddenly Gerent felt himself begin to fall and kicking his legs and screaming as the wall of the tower rushed upward past him on his downward plunge. His Brownie powers sprung to mind and he wished he were in the Observation room.

He landed with a jerk on his knees and looked up to see Sancret leaning with one hand on the wall of the well, looking pale, tired and bloody. Quickly jumping up Gerent pulled the Warlock away from the water, Sancret smiled at him, said:

‘I knew I was good at that transposition spell,’ and passed out.

Gerent called Umberstan as he gently lowered Sancret to the ground, the Brownie appeared at once with a worried look on his face.

‘Can we revive him Umberstan, we must send the message to Euny.’ Said Gerent, Umberstan produced a bottle of purple liquid, from which he removed the cap.

‘The mage gave this to me just in case it will give him a few minutes, but he is badly hurt, we shall need to tend him as soon as possible.’ Umberstan said as he poured some of the liquid into Sancret’s mouth. The warlock coughed and opened his eyes. Gerent helped him sit up saying:

‘You must send the message to Euny, Sancret do you understand?’

Sancret nodded.

‘Message to Euny, I know, help me to the well, boy, I think I made that stuff too strong. There, Gerent please hold onto me I don’t want to fall in.’ Sancret leaned forward to look into the well and swayed as he did so, Umberstan immediately made himself human sized and help Gerent support the warlock. The ripples in reverse ran from the outside of the well to the middle and the surface quivered to show Euny, Cam and Meendhu crouched under a dripping tree, as Gerent watched he saw a piece of parchment flutter down in front of Euny who grabbed it and read. Instantly the knight stood and started to give orders, Cam and Meendhu ran off in different directions. Euny looked up directly into Sancret’s eyes and smiled a broad grin of congratulations. Gerent wondered how he knew where to look. The image quivered and disappeared, Gerent and Umberstan transported the mage to his room where Gerent left him to the care of the Brownies. He called Ochrestan and asked him to inform those outside the castle of Madron’s defeat, after which he went to find M’zera. She was pleased at Sancret’s success but her thoughts were obviously with Cam and N’zar as they would now be going to attack Morvah in her castle. Ochrestan came to Gerent to report that he had informed everyone, which became apparent as the sound of celebrations rose in the air. Ochrestan also brought some salve to apply to Gerent’s ribs, which Gerent had forgotten all about in the excitement and urgency of the aftermath of the warlocks duel, Ochrestan then ordered Gerent to rest and Gerent was glad to do so.