Asgoleth the Warrior - By Bill Kirkwood Page 0,32

Whoever was out there in the darkness had dealt him a heavy blow this night but it was a blow he would recover from.

Once he had the Heart of Ra in his possession he would be truly invincible. Then let any who doubted him come forward. They would all die and their deaths would serve as a warning to others. He grinned at his ambitious dreams then froze as a long, blood curdling cry rang out. The sound echoed among the tumbled rocks making it impossible to locate its source and men clutched the earth and bit their lips in fear as they listened to that unholy noise. Such a cry could only come from the lips of a demon and all knew that these desolate wastes were home to such creatures.

Demos too trembled at the sound but not because he feared some demon of the wastes. He had heard that ghastly cry before when Asgoleth the Calthian had hacked his way out of the palace back in Torr. That barbarian had almost killed him then and now, here he was again, still stalking his prey. Suddenly, Demos, despite all the power he wielded, felt terribly, terribly afraid

The fear though was only a temporary thing and then his arrogance reasserted itself. He would not allow a filthy barbarian animal to destroy his plans. He reached out and gripped the arm of a soldier lying nearby.

‘Make your way to my tent and bring the princess Amira here to me. This barbarian has vowed to rescue her and that shall be his undoing, go now.’

The man gasped, ‘Aye my lord’ and slithered off into the darkness.

Demos grinned coldly into the night. Somewhere out there was a man foolish enough to think he could defy the will of Demos. Well he would soon learn how foolish he really was. Time passed with agonising slowness and Demos began to wonder if the soldier had made it. Then he heard a soft clanking sound and looking behind him he grinned as he saw a squad of his men approaching safely concealed behind a wall and roof of linked shields. No barbarian arrow would penetrate that barrier.

Within moments he too was behind the barrier and he gazed with cold satisfaction upon the swooning form of Amira. She would be the instrument of her would be rescuers doom. He would enjoy making her relive her part in this when the barbarian was dead. He raised a hand up to his mouth and called out.

‘Hear me Calthian; the princess is with me now. If you open fire again you may hit her.’

There was no answer but there were no arrows either and Demos grinned and went on.

‘Unless you surrender to me now Barbarian I will have her tortured to death. If you doubt me, listen.’

He turned to Amira and once more raised his hand. The gem pulsed with hellish ruby life but not as brightly as before. Using his power to blast the shadows beyond the perimeter of the camp had weakened him but he still had energy enough to carry out his threat. From the pulsing gem upon his finger a beam of red light leapt forth and the soldiers holding Amira jumped aside with frightened curses upon their lips as she was enveloped in a red glow.

Her eyes flew open and a long, pain filled, shriek was torn from her as that hellish light worked its grim magic upon her body. Again and again she cried out in her torment until Demos finally lowered his hand and the beam died away allowing her to fall sobbing to her hands and knees upon the ground. Demos called out,

‘Did you hear that Barbarian? That was just a taste of the agonies she will suffer unless you surrender to me. The dawn is but an hour away, you have until then to decide. Her life is in your hands.’

Amira raised tear filled eyes and glared at her tormentor with hatred and loathing.

‘He will not give himself up to you, you pig. He will hunt you down and slay you.’

Demos sneered at her and said,

‘How little you Know, little princess, this hulking brute of a barbarian desires your freedom not your death. He will surrender.’

‘Never!’ she cried, ‘Never! He will kill you, you animal.’

Demos smiled,

‘We shall see Amira, we shall see.’

They fell silent then and began the short wait for dawn.

As the eastern sky grew brighter and the rays of the rising sun drove back the shadows of the night,