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Back The Hidden Relic Save as PDF
Chapters (75)
  1. Map
  2. Prologue
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. 59
  62. 60
  63. 61
  64. 62
  65. 63
  66. 64
  67. 65
  68. 66
  69. 67
  70. 68
  71. 69
  72. 70
  73. 71
  74. 72
  75. Epilogue

Bartolo heard the sound of trumpets, but it was the enemy's call to attack. The sixty avengers led the charge.

"I cannot retreat," Jehral said.

"Scratch your honour!" Bartolo said. He turned to Shani. "Stand by me. I'll carve a way out."

Shani smiled sadly. "You know that's impossible."

"Then I'll take as many of them with me as I can!"

Bartolo drew his zenblade and called forth its power. His armoursilk blazed like the sun as he pointed his weapon at the avengers leading the charge.

Jehral lifted his scimitar above his head. "Charge!" he cried.

The Hazarans cried out as one, spurring their horses into action.

Just outside the gates of Seranthia, the two forces met in one final cataclysmic crash of blood and death.

59

59

EVRIN Evenstar sighed as he regarded his handiwork. He'd done what he could, built what wards and traps he was able to, but he was too weak, his injuries were too great and now he could do no more.

He lay on his back, his breath coming hoarsely as he looked at the still, reflective surface of the pool. The stone was hard behind his back, but if he moved the pain would overwhelm him. Better to stay like this.

He glanced at the blood-stained bandage on his right leg and chuckled. The cloth had been so crudely wrapped around the gaping wound that he could still see down to the bone. The skin around was mottled with colours of blue and black, puffy and inflamed. The bones in his other leg rubbed against each other whenever he moved. It took all of Evrin's effort to suppress the pain and stay conscious.

The source of Evrin's humour wasn't his injuries; it was the fact that here he was with all the essence in the world in front of him, and yet he lacked the strength to do any more with it. There was a time when he could have healed himself without a second thought. Those powers were forever lost to him now.

"Evrin Evenstar. Killed by gangrene," he muttered. "What an epitaph. Could at least have been a sword."

Evrin had done what he could. Now he could only wait.

Two days ago, passing time in the chamber with only himself for company, Evrin had run out of food. An hour ago he ran out of water. The pool was tantalising, but it wasn't filled with water. Unlike the Primate's foul elixir, this oily black liquid was tasteless, but quenching Evrin's thirst was impossible. The raj ichor wouldn't kill him, but drinking the essence would give him no benefit besides making him quite ill.

Evrin looked around the vaulted chamber, wanting to fix his eyes anywhere but on the reflective surface of the pool. It was hard not to, however, for there was only a crescent-shaped gallery of stepped stone; everywhere else was taken up by the walled pool.