Zane was down in Kesh with a half Legion of Kesh’s finest border Legionaries, “dog soldiers,” nearly a thousand men.

Tad was waiting in Krondor with five hundred more of the Prince’s own. Kaspar had another five hundred handpicked shock troops from the army of the Maharaja of Muboya waiting half a planet away with the young magician Jason ready to bring them here.

Any or all of them could be here in minutes. The only critical thing was one person using a Tsurani orb to get free of here and back to Sorcerer’s Island, where a simple order given would trigger a full-scale assault on this fortification.

As long as one person could get away.

Jim made his way slowly into the building, and down the circular stairs that began with a hole in the floor. He kept one hand lightly touching the wall on his left, while the other held the cloak firmly around him. The nature of this marvelous garment was reduced in proportion to his movement, but the steps were hardly wide enough to allow someone to pass, so he felt the need to reach the bottom as quickly as possible.

Five full circles and he knew he was approximately thirty feet below the surface, with the bottom still not in sight. Ten more and he saw light, and when he reached the bottom, he judged he was easily a hundred and fifty feet below the surface. It would be a wonderful climb back up, he thought, especially if he were being chased.

At the bottom, Jim discovered himself in a large room with ancient stone walls. Another of those damned ancient Keshian fortifications, he thought. This had all begun for him at that ancient site atop the plateau called the Tomb of the Hopeless, and now he found himself in one even more remote and dangerous.

Looking around for some sense of what to do, he noticed that only one of four tunnels leading away had a distant light at the end, so that’s the direction he chose.

The tunnel was also ancient stone, dry and dusty, but the floor showed the tread of many feet. He still had no concept of what this place was and why the mad magician Belasco and his demon minions had chosen to occupy this place, but he suspected whatever the reason, it was something he was going to regret discovering more than he regretted not knowing.

Reaching the end of the tunnel, he hesitated, clutching his cloak around himself and looking into the room with surprise.

A massive altar, ancient and stained black with the blood of the slaughtered centuries past, now was stained with fresh blood. Before it knelt three figures, bound in chains and forced to kneel—Kaspar, Sandreena, and Magnus.

Well, at least they’re still alive, thought Jim.