Asgoleth the Warrior - By Bill Kirkwood Page 0,27

could see nothing and there was no cry of alarm from sentries, so far so good.

He pushed the statues foot and the base swiveled open to reveal a narrow set of stone steps which disappeared into a deep dark hole in the ground. With a last swift look around, he slid down into the blackness and the base swiveled back into place above him. He was in pitch darkness now but he needed no light to find his way through that passageway. Unerringly he followed its twists and turns until he finally reached the secret entrance to Amira’s chambers.

In the darkness he listened but he could detect no sound from within. Cautiously he slid the panel open and peered in. The room was in darkness but silvery moonlight gave enough illumination for his wilderness bred eyes to detect the slim female form that lay upon the bed. Grinning he stalked silently forward.

He placed a strong hand over her mouth to stifle any cry she might make then a snarl twisted his lips. This girl was not Amira. The girl’s eyes were wide with terror as he leaned close and whispered,

‘Make any noise and you die, do you understand?’

She nodded and he slowly removed his hand, ready to slap it back into place at the first sign of treachery. The girl remained silent, gazing at him with wide frightened eyes.

‘Who are you and where is the princess Amira?’

‘My name is Alana, great warrior. I was placed here by Lord Demos to act as bait. Flee swiftly warrior for Demos controls me with his sorcery. He sees what I see and hears what I hear. Go now before it is too late.’

For a long tense moment he glared into her eyes and in them he could see a faint red flicker and then the door crashed open. He whirled, sword rising to meet the Akonite warriors who came charging into the room; behind them, in the corridor beyond, stood a tall, dark, bearded man, Demos himself. He was screaming to his soldiers,

‘Kill the dog, a bag of gold to the man who brings him down.’

The men rushed forward eagerly, they were six to his one and they were confident that the gold would soon be theirs. They reckoned without Asgoleth’s barbarian ferocity. His wild, bloodcurdling war cry filled the chamber as he leapt to meet them. Two fell choking on their blood as his great blade drank their lives. The remaining four, taken aback by this madman’s assault, froze momentarily. It was enough for in that moment he was among them and he was like a wolf among a flock of sheep.

In the close confines of the doorway they got in each other’s way but Asgoleth was not hampered by fear of killing a comrade and his blade smashed forward and impaled one of the Akonites. The warrior behind expected Asgoleth to take time to pull his blade free and he grinned cruelly as he raised his sword. Before this barbarian pig could wrench his sword free he would be dead.

Asgoleth did not give him time to bring his weapon down. He simply let go of the hilt of his own weapon and smashed his iron hard fist into the others face. Bones crunched under that terrible impact and were driven deep into the man’s brain, killing him instantly. The warriors face dissolved into red ruin and he slumped to the floor.

As the man fell, Agoleth pressed home his attack by reaching out and grabbing the helmeted heads of the two remaining soldiers. Their helmets rang as they were smashed together and they too fell, leaving Asgoleth and Demos face to face.

Demos snarled in fury and lashed out with his jeweled sword and only the Calthians swift backwards leap saved his life. The point of the blade sliced through his tunic and opened a slit in the skin of his chest and Asgoleth cursed.

Demos laughed and cried out,

‘Now you will die for your foolish attempt to rescue the princess you dog.’

He lunged at the barbarian but Asgoleth rolled aside, drawing his dagger as he did so. The off-balance tyrant’s eyes opened wide in horror as he saw the dagger slicing up at him. He threw himself desperately aside and cried out in pain and fury as the blade buried itself in his thigh.

Asgoleth sprang to his feet and swiftly retrieved his sword. He glared down at the squirming Demos who snarled in disbelief as he saw death towering above him.

The sound of