The Ivory Star

Chapter 25

The three Eagle Knights stared in grim apprehension at the monstrous effigy before them.

"It's huge!" Darius breathed, his breath forming a misty plume lost in the cold mountain wind.

"I can't imagine how we didn't find it sooner," Eric said.

Capian said, "Red Priest magic, no doubt. Theirs is more powerful than ours in many ways. They simply desire any unwanted visitors not to see it. So, unless you fairly walk into it, you'll never find it. I'll wager it was sheer luck that got us close enough to see it in any case."

The huge carving rose above them as they hid among some fallen boulders a hundred paces away. The entire face of the towering cliff was carved in the likeness of a leering, fanged skull, perhaps a hundred feet tall. Bonfires blazed in the cavernous eye-sockets high above, casting smoky orange haloes into the night. The slim crescent moon provided little light as it rose just above the craggy Vicorian Mountains. Flickering orange torch-light glowed from deep within the gaping fanged maw, silhouetting the vague, black-robed figures standing guard at the entrance of the mountain.

"The Key is in there," Eric said.

Capian took a deep breath, let it out again. "This will be difficult."

"Aye," Darius said.

Eric took a deep breath. "I must go alone."

His companions stared at him in disbelief, protests frozen on their lips.

"Once again, I must do this alone," Eric said. "One man has a better chance than three of infiltrating a place such as this. The Red Priests are looking for more than one man. The problem here lies not in fighting our way in and out again, but in getting past them and grabbing the Key before they know of our presence."

Capian sighed, "Once again, my friend, you're probably correct, much as it pains me to see you enter that adder's nest alone."

Eric tried to reassure them, sensing their frustration and worry. "I'll be fine. Besides, I sense that most of them are sleeping anyway."

"I didn't think they ever slept."

Eric said, "They are but men, Darius, however monstrous they make themselves up to be."

Capian warned, "Don't underestimate them, Eric. No one knows what power they truly possess. You say they are just men, but you may be wrong."

Darius said, "But how do you plan to get in?"

"Through the front door." Eric smiled grimly, as he reached out and touched the mind of one of the Red Priests guarding the entrance, implanting the suggestion that he had heard something, and must investigate.

"What are you—?" Darius began.

"Look!" Capian hissed.

Eric said, "He comes."

They watched the Red Priest warily approach their position.

"I'm not sure Sordus could even do that!" Capian said, staring in amazement at Eric.

But the Red Priest came, and when he walked around the boulder, out of sight of the entrance, they dispatched him quickly and silently.

As Eric quickly donned the black robes and scooped up the wooden staff, Capian said, "If you're not out by dawn, we're coming in after you."

Eric clapped him quietly on the shoulder. "I sincerely hope that will not be necessary. If I'm not back by dawn, it'll probably be too late."

They wished him luck, and he made the attempt.