Blood of the Red

Chapter 41 - Ingold

The door started to swing wide as Ingold set the circle key to it. Gartus followed through, giving no pause to any beyond. Three fiery runes spelt themselves across his broad chest as he stepped into the waiting circle of Blood Guard.

"Eo-Dac-Ita."

The runes ate their way into his scales. They hissed and spat like boiling metal.

"Eodacita! Rei!"

A fourth rune seared its way across Gartus's forehead and he fell pole-axed. The Blood Guard stood arrayed in ranks, three deep, crowding the room. Ingold could see a priest at the rear, stepping forward. The Blood Guard moved aside before him. The priest wore no mask, his tattoos named him Gate-Keeper. He clapped gently,

"So, you survived the Sanctum. Very resourceful." His mockery seemed familiar.

"I don't recognise you priest," Ingold called out. "What have you done with Gehel Arimess, is he now too exalted to face me?"

"He is too dead, Ingold Stannith," the priest said. His face contorted into an ugly sneer. "Death, however, is not always an insurmountable obstacle."

Ingold frowned, something about the expression rang a bell. "Jedax?"

Jedax smiled broadly. "Capture him alive. Kill the boy. And watch for the Arkasian."

Instinctively Ingold drew his sword. He looked at the broken blade, then at the first dozen men closing on him.

"Run Dain. Run to Cordus!"

Dain stood his ground. His voice sounded in Ingold's head, though his lips stayed tight together.

"Wait." The word sunk through stone.

All the Blood Guard stopped as if each were clenched in the grip of an invisible fist. They looked at Dain, puzzled, wondering. He walked past Ingold, who reached for him too late. The small boy would be lost amongst the warriors, but they parted before him, pushed aside.

Dain stopped before Jedax. He looked at him calmly.

"Rotar." The name of the Blood Guard whose body Jedax's blood had fallen upon and stolen.

Jedax twitched convulsively. His hands reached for his own face. "Kill him! Now!"

The Blood Guard watched, motionless.

"Rotar," Dain spoke again, not raising his voice. "Rotar, it is not a nightmare, you are not dead. You will find your way back if you fight him. Never give up. You will win."

The hands at Jedax's face clawed, dragging long scratches from brow to throat. The priest made an ugly noise. "Kill him." His balance was unsure now, unsteady on his legs, half bent over, he backed against a wall.

Dain walked on through the guards. He turned at the doorway to the corridor leading to the bridge.

"Ingold?" he asked.

Ingold looked about him. None of the Blood Guard would meet his eye. Gartus struggled to all fours. With Ingold's help he gained his feet. Gartus eyed the men around him, several turned away.

"Yes," he growled. "Yes, I look pretty scary. You let them feed you too much Blood and you'll look like this too. If you don't burn first." He jabbed a talon at the shuddering priest. "I may look a sight, but that, that is truly ugly. You're better than that. You know it. You knew it when the boy spoke to you. Help Rotar throw him out."

Gartus turned his back on the Blood Guard and followed Dain. Ingold glanced around, shrugged, and hastened after them. His last glance back showed the Blood Guard closing in a circle around Jedax in his stolen body.

On the bridge Ingold halted them. "You can do that again? If you can, we can get out of here without getting wet. You wouldn't want to try the Crimborne, Dain."

"I can," said Dain. "While we are close to Cordus I can. I want you to promise me one thing though."

"What?" Ingold narrowed his eyes.

"Help me out of the city. Get me to the obelisk before you go after the king."

Ingold felt suddenly guilty. "Of course I will. I'm not leaving you here, and I'm certainly not taking you into the palace ... Gartus is hardly dressed for it." The joke felt like ashes in his mouth.

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