Killing the twin gave Emerek manic energy and impatience. He kicked his horse constantly, urging it up the slope. The rest of the group kept up, but gave him room. There was an unpredictability in his movements that set everyone on edge. Xantia also made sure she was positioned well away from the surviving twin whose face was a murderous cloud.

The day was full of dread. Almost as soon as they left the camp in the morning Xantia felt it - a nameless fear pushed at her. It began as a vague uneasiness. She found herself glancing twice into shadows and noticing every least noise the forest made. The bloodknights must have felt it too. They nervously glanced over their shoulders and laid their hands on the hilts of their weapons. As the group climbed higher up the forested slope the feeling grew in intensity. Xantia's heart rate rose. Her breathing became more shallow. Even though she could not see anything she knew she was being watched by something vengeful, something dangerous.

"There's something lurking in here," Noldorae whispered as his big head swung from side to side, looking into the forest.

"I sense it too," said Drander. "Be on your guard."

The only one who seemed blind to the menace was Emerek. The sorcerer pushed his horse ever harder forward. In his impatience and eagerness he was creating a gap between himself and the others.

Suddenly Scarface screamed out in terror. He pulled the reins of his horse so hard the beast reared up on its hind legs.

"Look!" he pointed upwards. Xantia could only see blue sky half covered in clouds.

To her side Noldorae swore loudly. His heavy mace swung out, ready for combat.

"It's in there!" the huge man pointed into forest. "It's coming!"

Xantia's heart was racing. She pivoted in her seat and looked where Noldorae was pointing. There was only forest.

"I can't see it!" she said. "Where is it?"

Behind her the twin screamed. "Asps! They're everywhere!" She squirmed in the saddle staring at the ground. She tugged on the reins. The horse reared. She pulled its head to the side. Xantia looked at the ground below the rearing horse. There was nothing but pine needles and tree roots.

"I can't see..." she began to say. Then she saw it. Fifty paces away a hellcat appeared from behind a large rock. The beast was twice her height, bigger even than the monster that had torn Prall in half. Its mottled fur was matted with filthy stains. Its muzzle was red from some recent feast. Its yellow eyes fixed onto Xantia. "Hellcat!" she screamed. With perfect agility it vaulted over the large rock in its path. Xantia fumbled at her long knives. The horse beneath her stamped nervously. It shook its head from side to side. The hellcat loped down the hill towards her.

I'll be dead in an instant on this horse.

She threw herself off the horse. She hit the ground with a shoulder roll and came up facing the hellcat. It growled low and menacing as it padded towards her.

"Help me!" she shouted. The beast crouched to spring.

Xantia tried to step behind a nearby tree but her feet would not move. Pain lanced through her legs. She glanced down. Her legs were thigh deep in brambles. They drew blood through her leggings. Every least movement made the thorns bite deeper into her skin.

The hellcat pounced. Xantia was struck in the chest and thrown to the ground. The brambles twisted around her arms as if they had a mind of their own. She was completely immobilised.

"Help!" she cried. Suddenly she was aware of her heart. It was racing, pounding in her chest.

Calm down! Calm down!

Her breathing became desperate gasps for air. The hellcat quietly showed its fangs and bent its head down towards her.

A wave of cold brushed past her. For an instant the hellcat looked faded, less intimidating. It seemed not to notice the cold, but to Xantia's eyes it looked less solid somehow. Another wave of cold, stronger than the first, washed over her. It carried with it the scent of blood. There was no mistaking it this time - the hellcat became transparent for a moment. Her arms were no longer bound with brambles.

What?

A third wave of blood-scented cold passed over her. The hellcat disappeared entirely and did not return. Xantia closed her eyes and tried to slow down her breathing. When she felt calmer she stood up and took stock of the situation.

Emerek stood uphill from her. His eyes were closed, his chin dipped, and his arms thrust out wide. He was perfectly still apart from his lips which were moving rapidly. The captain, Noldorae and the twin were also lifting themselves off the ground.

The captain walked to Emerek and handed his sword, pommel first, to Emerek while kneeling before him. "I failed you, Emerek."

Emerek opened his eyes. "Yes you did. You all did. The land before the tunnel entrance has an enchantment of fear on it. You are all cowards! Am I the only one among us of any courage? If I had not been here to save you from your fear you would all be like him!" Emerek pointed to Scarface. He lay still on the ground. His lifeless eyes were wide open, staring at the sky.

"What happened to him?" Noldorae asked.

"He died of fear," Emerek answered. "His weakness was so vast that his heart must have burst."

Emerek looked down disdainfully at the Captain who still knelt before him with sword offered. "Get up," he spat. "But the next moment that any of you show weakness I will not be so lenient. Stay close to me until we enter the tunnels so that my power can protect you from your own spinelessness."

He spun around, mounted his horse, and kicked it into a trot towards the mountain. The others spread out to find their mounts and hurried to catch up with the sorcerer's retreating figure.

***

Gretch the Hunter slid effortlessly down the rope left by the barbarians.

Ah. A fresh air tunnel.

But for what?

It's too large and perfectly formed to be a mine. If the tunnels are this big whatever chambers they supply air to must be deep inside.

The hole in the mountain was dark. He closed his eyes and focused on hearing. Faintly ahead he could hear the echoes of the barbarians' conversation. He silently slid a knife from its sheath and entered the darkness.

It did not take Gretch long to catch up with the barbarians. He stopped outside the range of their torchlight and made sure that all of his metal was concealed by the rough cloak of rodent skins he had fashioned during the days of bending Berlavi to his will.

What are you doing here little barbarians?

***

The tunnel was completely straight and featureless. Maybe it was the dark, or maybe the realisation that they were so close to their goal, either way doubts began creeping into Alam's mind as they trudged downwards.

"Frost, that sorcerer, and the bloodknights are going to get to Clarisai first. I can feel it in my bones," said Alam. "What are we doing here Tajar? We aren't some heroes of legend. Guess what Sapphire called us when I saw her by the forest?"

"Sapphire?" Tajar stopped in sudden interest. "I've been thinking a lot about her lately. What did she call us?"

"Insignificant."

"Really?" said Tajar clearly hurt.

"She's right. We are insignificant. There's nothing special about us. Even if we find Clarisai before the sorcerer and the bloodknights what are we going to do? And if we don't get there first she'll be dead. There's no way that we can kill a sorcerer and five bloodknights."

"Alam, despair doesn't suit you."

"But what are we going to do? We don't have any kind of plan at all."

"You were trained by Urlock so of course you like to have a plan. I was trained by a hunter, and hunters know that during the chase there can be no plan other than stalk your prey, chase it down, and kill it."

"So we're the hunters and Clarisai is our prey?"

"Yes, but in this case we're not going to kill her."

"Thank you, Tajar. I see what we have to do now."

"What's that?"

"Stop stalking and start chasing." Alam launched himself forward in a run. "What is the good of caution if we're too late?"

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The end is near! I would love to see your votes and comments.

-Y. V. Qualls