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  She pressed the button, and the baan stopped humming.

  They could hear the dragon. It was still dying, still flopping in agony. The vitality of the monster must be incredible.

  “Do you remember the spell for opening a gateway?” Elissa shouted.

  “The gateway is near Bel Ruk’s Tower,” Himilco said. “Do we dare attempt it?”

  Elissa laughed. It was a mad sound. “Not if you wish to remain stranded in this terrible realm for the rest of our short lives.”

  Himilco flexed his fingers. “You have an excellent point. Let us hurry.”

  -23-

  Elissa ran toward the nearing green tower as she gripped the knife of Ankey. They had left the dying dragon far behind.

  “We have been used,” Himilco said between pants. The Gray Wolf helped the sorcerer run, holding one of the traitor’s arms.

  The desire to sink the magic knife into Himilco’s heart was strong. He’d opened Karchedon to the Prophetess. He’d sent enchanted killers after her father. This was his fault as much as anyone’s. Yet, that wouldn’t help her escape Avernus, nor would it free Karchedon from Bel Ruk’s tyranny.

  “I have wronged you,” Himilco said.

  Elissa nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

  “What is that?” the Gray Wolf asked. He pointed with his free hand.

  A dark cloud issued from the top of the green tower. Soon, the cloud began to take on a face’s shape as it hovered above the tower’s battlements.

  “Bel Ruk,” Himilco whispered.

  “Is that his true form?” Elissa asked.

  “I have no idea,” Himilco said.

  At that moment, a milky beam lanced from the dark sky. The beam struck like lightning against the ground near Elissa’s feet. Rocks exploded in a shower. Himilco and the Gray Wolf tumbled off their feet. Elissa rolled like a cat. Then, she stood back on her feet and pivoted.

  Ophion flew in the sky. Blood dripped from his side. His mighty jaws hung open. He aimed his device a second time.

  A thunderous voice boomed from the direction of the cloud. The voice shook Elissa’s bones. She turned around in fear. The black cloud had opened its mouth.

  As Elissa watched, the dragon redirected its weapon. A milky beam sliced into the cloud.

  The face of Bel Ruk recoiled, and the sound of pain was deafening, like booms of thunder. The beam struck again and then quit.

  In the air, the wounded Ophion shook his device. Then, the dragon screeched. The creature dropped the device and madly flapped away.

  The black cloud gave chase, drifting through the realm of Avernus.

  “We must run,” Elissa said. “We must use the gateway while we can.”

  They ran. Soon, Elissa and the Gray Wolf each took one of Himilco’s arms, helping the sweaty, panting priest race across the rocky ground.

  In time, they stood before a circular group of black megaliths. In the center, another megalith lay on its side. Glowing hieroglyphics pulsated on the stone.

  “Hurry,” Elissa whispered.

  Himilco laid a hand on the stone as he wheezed for air.

  A loud sound of triumph came like thunder from in the distance.

  “Bel Ruk devours Ophion,” the Gray Wolf said. He had a large hand shaded over his eyes as he looked into the distance.

  Himilco grew pale.

  “Hurry,” Elissa told him.

  “What does it matter?” Himilco asked. “If we make it back home, Bel Ruk will punish us later.”

  “Let us worry about that in Karchedon,” Elissa said.

  Himilco glanced at her sharply. He must have heard something in her voice. He shoved himself off the megalith, raised his arms and began to chant.

  The Gray Wolf kept looking off into the distance. Once, Elissa looked too. The face of Bel Ruk drifted toward them. The god came on much too fast.

  Elissa wanted to tell Himilco to chant faster, but she refrained. A blue light appeared above the middle megalith. The light grew much too slowly. At last, a small opening appeared in the light.

  “It is the best I can do,” Himilco said.

  Elissa didn’t wait. She dove through the hole and tumbled into the inner sanctum of the Temple of Bel Ruk in Karchedon. She landed near the fifty-ton obsidian block.

  A moment later, Himilco squeezed through and then the Gray Wolf. A loud shout followed them, reverberating with anger.

  “What do we do now?” Himilco wailed.

  “Close the gateway,” Elissa said.

  “I don’t know the needed spell.”

  Elissa drew the knife of Ankey, the baan. She pressed the button and the blade vibrated with power. “I think I do,” she said. She stepped beside the sacred obsidian block and sliced with the blade, cutting off a piece as if cutting paper.

  As a chunk of obsidian hit the floor, Himilco said, “That’s ingenious.”

  Elissa ignored the priest as she hewed the giant block of stone—the gateway. Soon, the opening, the rent between worlds, closed with a snap. Elissa kept slicing the block as the Gray Wolf and Himilco shoved the hewn pieces far away from the central mass.

  -24-

  Himilco rose from where he had rolled a heavy chunk of obsidian. The Rhune kept cutting the dwindling block. She was dedicated to the task. That was a pity. She had saved his life and probably saved Dar Sai from fearful degradation at the hand of Ophion and his people. She’d destroyed Bel Ruk’s means of hurting Karchedon and his own personal fate.

  I must hurry to the Great Altar outside and make sure the Prophetess never awakens.

  First, however reluctantly, he needed to kill the Rhune. He owed her much, but his life was more precious to him than so-called honor. He took a steadying breath as she finished the task. Taking a sorcerous stance, he prepared a hammer-fist spell. He would make this quick and painless. It was the safest thing to do.

  He opened his mouth to utter the needed words. Strong forearms clamped around his head from behind. That surprised him.

  “What are you doing?” Himilco shouted.

  Behind him, the Gray Wolf moved his arms in a fast motion and with savage strength.

  -25-

  Elissa whirled around as she heard neck-bones snap. The Gray Wolf of the Gepids broke Himilco Nara’s neck. The massive barbarian stepped away from the priest as he let go. The traitor crumpled onto the floor in a seemingly boneless heap.

  The Gray Wolf looked up. “He was about to kill you. For once, I could not allow it.”

  Elissa blinked several times. “I was trying to make sure Bel Ruk could never reach us.”

  “Himilco always struck before the other person was ready.”

  That was something the troubadour might have said. Elissa nodded. “It is my final lesson,” she said. “Thank you.”

  “I thank you,” the Gray Wolf said.

  Noticing she still held the humming baan, Elissa clicked it off and tucked it away. “What will you do now?”

  The barbarian’s brow furrowed. “Return to the north, I suppose.”

  “Stay here with me,” Elissa said. “I could use a warrior like you, one I can trust.”

  “What do you plan?”

  “The Nasamons still rule Karchedon,” Elissa said. “I plan to cast them out of the city.”

  “How?” asked the warrior.

  “I don’t have a plan yet, but I will soon. Will you help me?”

  The Gray Wolf glanced at Himilco’s corpse. He nodded slowly. “Yes. I will help. But I have no idea how we shall escape from this temple.”

  “I do,” Elissa said, moving toward one of the walls. “There is a secret exit around here somewhere. You must help me find it.”

  The massive barbarian paused only for a moment. Then, he hurried toward a wall, helping the Rhune search for the secret exit.

  The End

  To the Reader: I hope you’ve enjoyed Rhune Shadow. If you would like to see the story continue, I encourage you to write a review. Let me know how you feel and let others know what
to expect.

  -- Vaughn Heppner