Sword of Kings
Chapter 52– The End Is Near

by Bill W

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Legal Notice:
The following story contains descriptions of graphic sexual acts. 
The story is a work of fiction and has no basis in reality.
Don’t read this story if:
**You’re not 18 or over,    
**If it is illegal to read this type of material where you live,
**Or if you don’t want to read about gay/bi people in love or having sex.

The author retains copyright to this story.  Placing this story on a website or reproducing this story for distribution without the author’s permission is a violation of that copyright.  Legal action will be taken against violators.

I wish to extend my thank you to Emoe57 for his editorial assistance with this chapter.

E-mail responses to the stories, story suggestions, or other ‘constructive’ comments or advice may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com.

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Unable to find the Sword in Madumda’s private apartments, Kieren and the others were increasingly frustrated. They were running out of time and still hadn’t secured the fabled weapon. If Kieren were going to be able to use it to destroy the Dark Lord, they would have to come up with it soon. The companions had been positive the Sword had to be hidden somewhere within these three rooms, yet they had nothing to show for that belief. Since their efforts had proven fruitless, they began to question their conclusion.

“Jana, are you sure there aren’t any other places in the fortress that are guarded?” Alaric asked her, in an effort to gain further insight into the problem. “Could there be another place where the Dark Lord might be hiding this Sword?”

“No, my lord elf,” Jana replied. “I have heard of no other guards being used, other than at the gate into Treblanc, the entrance into this building and outside these rooms.”

“Then it has to be here,” Rhys insisted. “We’ll have to search every millimeter of this area again. We’ll start in this room and then move back through the other two, until we are successful.”

“But we searched the entire place already,” Garreth whined, as his concern grew that they were going to be discovered, if they tarried there much longer.

“That may be, but we need to do it again,” Rhys told him. “The Sword HAS to be here somewhere.”

“I definitely agree,” Quintain stated emphatically, supporting the Akiktite. “We must search these chambers once more. It must be hidden extremely well, so this time we must look beyond the obvious and seek out signs of any possible hiding places. You must let us know if anything seems out of the ordinary, no matter how minor it may appear.”

The others concurred with the dwarf, although Garreth did so reluctantly, and they moved back to their search areas to start over again. “Wait,” Alaric announced. “I think we need to switch places and get fresh eyes at every location.

After agreeing, they quickly decided who should switch with whom, before they started looking again. Each of the various individuals moved about their ‘new’ section, carefully seeking any indication of a hidden compartment. Secretly, they each wanted to be the one who would discover the Sword.

While the others were busy with his or her investigation, Qaim suddenly stopped and stood uneasily in the middle of the room. At first no one seemed to notice this, but that all changed when he spoke up. “Qaim no like this thing,” the aignx announced, while pointing at the sphere in the corner of the room. “It give Qaim bad feelings.”

“What do you mean?” Kieren asked, looking nearly as concerned as their guide. “What is there about it that bothers you? Is it magical?”

“Qaim not sure. It kind of like when we crossed over place where wizard put cloth over your eyes and things in your ears.”

“You mean when Beraut prepared us to cross the Valley of the Dead?” Garreth asked, looking astonished.

“Yes, like then. It make Qaim’s skin crawl. Qaim feel funny all over.”

“Why would that thing affect him so?” Sedain wondered, aloud. “And what could it possibly have to do with the haunted valley?”

“Methinks it is another part of Madumda’s evil magic,” responded Turquinine.

“Yes, I think we all agree about that, but how?” Alaric continued. “Everything in this room is part of his magic, so why does that orb affect Qaim more than anything else?” Jana stood searching her memory for a tidbit of information she had heard in the kitchen one day, but she couldn’t quite recall what it was, other than it had something to do with her master’s room.

“Could it have anything to do with the Sword?” Garreth wondered, hoping that might be the answer.

“I don’t believe so,” Rhys advised him. “I think the magic of the Sword would be positive and something that would reassure an innocent like Qaim, not frighten him. The Sword might have a negative effect on Madumda, or others dealing in black magic, but I don’t believe it would affect the aignx that way.”

“Could it have anything to do with the Condors or that thing that chased us after we killed the troll?” asked Kieren, trying to come up with an explanation for its air of foreboding.

“Well, I suppose those might be possibilities,” Rhys responded, mulling the suggestion over in his mind, “but there is no way for us to know for sure. The only way we could be certain would be to destroy it and see what, if anything, Madumda loses control over. The only problem with such a plan would be the Dark Lord would immediately know we were here and what we had done.”

“I’m afraid he knows part of that already,” Kieren announced, looking more than a little concerned and embarrassed that he hadn’t disclosed this fact earlier. “I think he knew we were in Treblanc the second I used the medallion. Beraut warned me its use could be felt by others with magical power.” Immediately, concern overtook them all, once they realized Kieren was most likely correct in his assumption.

“Could that thing hurt us?” Garreth asked, bringing their attention back to the sphere.

“I don’t think so,” Alaric told him. “We’ve already been in here for a considerable amount of time and it hasn’t harmed us in any way yet.”

“A point well taken,” Turquinine concurred.

“We mustn’t dwell on this any longer,” Quintain suggested. “We need to get back to the task at hand. We have to focus on finding the Sword, before Madumda returns to confront us. If he knows we’re here, then he may show up any moment.” The thought of Madumda suddenly appearing and attacking them was enough to stop anyone from dallying longer and caused each of them to redouble their efforts to locate the talisman.

Since they were staying in that room, Qaim purposefully moved away from the frosty orb, still uncomfortable with being in such close proximity to it. He now searched the opposite corner of the room, putting himself as far away from the sphere as he could get, without leaving the room entirely. Once there, the aignx suddenly became very interested in a support beam that stood in the corner. It was one of the interior trusses that helped to bear the weight of the building. There were many others like it throughout the three rooms, but this one seemed to have garnered the aignx’s curiosity. As Qaim studied it more intently, Jana suddenly spoke up.

“Wait,” she said loudly enough to startle the others, “I just remembered what it was I heard about this place. One day while working in the kitchen, one of the guards came down to see the cook. He plied his charm, not only to get a little more to eat, but in an attempt to set up a rendezvous with her for later that evening. When she didn’t seem very interested in his advances, he began to tell her secrets, in order to gain her trust and acceptance. He told her about many different things that had happened within the fortress walls, but it was the one he told her about these rooms that stuck with me the most. These rooms are dangerous and we shouldn’t be in here.”

“Why? What did he tell her about this area?” Kieren demanded, as this tidbit of information only heightened his concerns.

“He told her he was often required to accompany prisoners to Madumda quarters, so they could be questioned there. He said the fettered men would struggle the whole way, since they knew about the Dark Lord’s reputation to use any means necessary to get the information he wanted. They were all terrified about what awaited them, so they fought to get free before anything could happen. Well, after they took the prisoners inside, they would strap them into chairs, to await questioning. When the guards returned to get the prisoners later, he claimed those who had been interrogated were just mindless shells of their former selves. They had no spirit or fight left in them. He said it was as if their minds were dead, but their bodies failed to realize it. He told how strange it felt to deal with those people from that point on, as they willingly did whatever they were told.” Jana was looking at everyone’s faces and could see they were hanging onto her every word, trying to figure out what it might mean to them.

“He told the other kitchen maid that some of the soldiers thought the captives had been hypnotized, while others claimed the Dark Lord had stolen the minds and souls of those brought there. They even concluded Madumda must keep their spirits stored somewhere within these rooms, because very little was ever taken out of here. I believe that story, for I have seen those who fit that description. They move like the dead walking. This is an evil place and the magic here is very powerful and very wicked. We must leave here before something like that happens to us.”

Jana was visibly trembling now, convinced that what she had reported was the truth, and made a sudden move toward the door. As she went to pass by him, Alaric grabbed her by the arm, to prevent her from going anywhere. He also talked soothingly to her as he did so, hoping to calm her down.

“If something like that were going to happen, it would have done so by now,” he told her, reassuringly. “I don’t think things like that can occur, without Madumda being present to cast his spells or whatever else he might have to do to make it happen. I doubt we have anything to fear, as long as we finish before he arrives.”

“And what if he does return?” Jana wanted to know, looking even more terrified by this prospect.

“Well, if he should return, that would place us in a great deal of danger, unless we have the Sword in our possession before then,” Rhys informed her. “Therefore, it would be to our advantage to continue searching, until we find it. That is the best possibility of defending ourselves against his powers.” The others agreed with his logic and immediately went back to hunting for the Sword. Jana, however, spent most of her time watching the doorway, anticipating Madumda’s return, rather than looking about the room.

The others had been busily checking their assigned areas, when Qaim spoke up again, causing them all to come to a complete halt. “Qaim find a secret door,” he announced, quite blandly, but the others got very excited about his discovery.

“Where?” Quintain wanted to know.

“Here, in this corner,” Qaim told his diminutive companion.

“Well, open it,” Garreth said, almost breathlessly.

“No, not yet,” the aignx warned. “Too much magic here. Qaim not feel magic until he really close. Now magic very strong. Qaim no hurry. Qaim be careful and then open door.”

“You take your time,” Rhys advised him. “We don’t want you setting off any traps or inadvertently signaling the Dark Lord as to how close we are to his prize.”

Qaim nodded and then went about studying the area further. First, he used his eyes and nose to uncover anything that might give him an advantage or a clue about what was there. After that, he used his ears and deft little fingers, although they weren’t quite as dexterous with the bandages around his palms. He would feel about for the hidden catches and then listen for them to release. The others stood, holding their breath, as they watched him performing these tasks, all the while thinking back upon Beraut’s words, when he advised them about the aignx’s special talents.

Even though the wizard had explained how valuable their hairy little guide might eventually become, none of them really fathomed how irreplaceable he would prove to be. Other than in his home in Briarwood, he had seemed quite useless before they reached the secret backdoor. It was at that point when he began to astound them with what he could do. They were totally amazed by how he instinctively seemed to know where the door was located, even under the mounds of snow, and how he was able to neutralize every trap they encountered. They were ever so grateful as he harmlessly set off these deadly devices, noting any one of them could have killed most, if not all of them, at any one time. After that, they watched in awe as he guided them through the maze of intersecting corridors, until they discovered Jana and she led them the rest of the way. Now, the aignx impressed them, once more, with his special talents, but it was obvious this task was even more complex than any of his previous challenges.

None of the companions dared to move or speak, as Qaim noiselessly went about his duties, but they nearly jumped out of their skin when a loud click signaled the final latch had been released. “Qaim open door now,” he dryly announced. “Qaim do as you ask.”

“Excellent job,” Rhys praised him, even though he couldn’t tell what sort of reaction the aignx made in response to his words. “You have done well.”

“I agree Qaim has proved his usefulness,” Sedain suggested, although lacking the same enthusiasm, “but please allow me to check this out further, before we go rushing to conclusions. I believe a certain amount of caution is required, so I request to be allowed to look for other dangers, especially if this is the hiding place of the Sword. I consider myself expendable and, therefore, volunteer for this duty.”

“You are far from expendable, as you have proven several times already,” Rhys corrected him, “but I believe your suggestion is a wise one. If you wish this job, then you have earned the right. Do what you think you must, but don’t be afraid to ask for assistance. The rest of us will remain alert for signs of danger while you work.”

The dwarf moved over to the door, which Qaim had opened just a crack, and studied it for traces of other hazards. Qaim, who had overheard the conversation, was puzzled by their continued concern. As he watched the dwarf’s cautious actions, he wondered why they didn’t think he would have discovered any other devices that might be present. Now, he spoke up, on his own behalf. “No more traps. Qaim take care of all traps. You not need look for more.”

“I believe you, Qaim,” the dwarf responded. “It’s just that I’d rather be safe than sorry.” With that said, Sedain returned to his task, and within minutes he was pulling the door open, completely. Almost as one, the companions moved closer to the hidden compartment, straining to see what was contained within. As the sunlight glinted off something inside, there was a collective gasp as they each caught their first glimpse of the object of their search. It was more beautiful than any of them had ever suspected, even considering the decades of neglect and concealment it had endured. Yet now, it shimmered in the bright light of day.

Quintain turned and scanned the faces of the others, to see if they were in as much awe as he was, before moving back to the compartment, so he could inspect it more completely. The dwarf intentionally avoided making any contact with the Sword itself, since he didn’t understand the nature of its power or if it might harm anyone, other than someone of royal blood, if they touched it. After several more seconds of gawking at this magnificent object, he turned toward his young companion and spoke.

“Kieren, this moment belongs to you and your bloodline. It is your honor to reclaim this talisman on their behalf.” The dwarf stepped aside, as the others began to urge Kieren to take the first step in fulfilling his destiny, while leaving him an unobstructed pathway to the Sword’s hiding place. Timidly Kieren moved forward, fascinated by the beauty of this meticulously crafted weapon. Suddenly, it seemed as if some unseen force were lifting his arm and pulling it toward the magnificent blade, until his skin came into contact with the cold metal hilt.

Slowly, he moved his fingers over the delicate workmanship, not completely certain about what he was expected to do next. Awkwardly, he let his hand wrap around the majestic grip, until he determined it was time for him to grasp it securely. His heart almost stopped beating, when he began to lift and remove it from its hiding place, and he was most assuredly amazed by how light it actually was, as opposed to what he expected. Slowly, he withdrew it from the compartment and turned toward his friends, holding the Sword aloft, for all to see. Everyone was beaming with pride at this accomplishment, having sometimes privately doubted they would ever get this far. Suddenly, they had to stifle the urge to shout out in jubilation, as Kieren proudly displayed the matchless Sword and the warm glow of success swelled within their breasts.

“I hate to spoil this moment,” Alaric interrupted, “but I think it best we get out of this place, so we can confront Madumda on our terms, not his. There are other dangers we must concern ourselves with first, such as escaping this fortress before we are discovered. Kieren, cover yourself and the Sword with your cloak, because you must survive, even if the rest of us do not. Jana, would you be so kind as to lead us out of here?”

“Yes, I will, but only if you promise to take me with you,” the servant girl answered. Her body language told them she wasn’t about to compromise on this demand.

“Of course we will,” Kieren stated, quickly and emphatically. “Without you, we might not have been able to find this. We owe you much more than just freeing you from this dreadful servitude.”

The others eventually nodded their agreement as well, although they all weren’t as totally committed to the idea as Kieren. Some were worried about her safety, because there were many uncertainties they would still have to face. Others were thankful for her help in finding the Sword and, therefore, willing to take her with them, no matter what.

“Then follow me. I will show you the way out of here,” Jana announced, her face radiating appreciation. As she began to whirl around to leave, someone asked a question.

“Will we encounter any more guards?” Garreth wanted to know.

“Yes, I think so,” she conceded, “unless you go back the way you came. I don’t know that way, so you’d have to show me, after I returned you to the place where we met.”

“No, that way isn’t an option any longer and it would take us too far away from where we need to go,” Kieren stated, very matter-of-factly. “We must travel to the Plains of Asimae, so I can get help from Beraut before I confront Madumda. Is there a way out that’s not as well guarded?”

“No, the only way out I know of is through the main entrance. It has always been my understanding the only place to enter or exit this building is through that doorway, although I had heard rumors that the secret path my father had planned to use was still there. I suspect that’s the way you entered.” Jana scanned their faces, to catch their reaction and waited to see what they decided next.

“That’s certainly not encouraging,” Rhys remarked, “but I guess we don’t have a choice in this matter. In that case, let’s get moving.”

“Not quite yet,” Kieren announced, as he walked across the room to where the orb was located. “There’s still this sphere and the feeling Qaim had about it that makes me feel compelled to do something before we leave.” At this point, he reached out and touched it, letting his palm slide across the surface.

“What hast thou in mind?” rumbled the big Mitikuan.

“I’m not quite sure, but I feel I just can’t leave it,” the young man told them, while thinking it over.

“No, don’t mess with it!” Garreth urged his friend, as a look of panic washed over his face. “It’s some sort of magic, a power that could harm you if you try to do something to it.”

“I appreciate your concern, Garreth,” Kieren replied, “but we have been facing many dangerous situations throughout this whole mission. I can’t just back away from this now, because of what MIGHT happen. I don’t think this is nearly as risky as some of the other things we’ve been forced to deal with, but I have the feeling we just might lessen the Dark Lord’s grip somehow and maybe make it a bit easier when I face him later.” Everyone, with the possible exception of Qaim and Jana, got chills from the thought of his eventual showdown with the sorcerer.

“But that’s not a good reason to take an extra risk,” Garreth argued, not wishing to lose another friend.

“No, but it is also not a reason to ignore it either,” Kieren challenged. “I think that by destroying this, we will take away some of Madumda’s superiority. It may severe his control over his pets or neutralize some other magical advantage. I have to go with my instincts on this, my dear friend, and consider Qaim’s reactions when he first encountered it. I must take this opportunity if there is any chance it might weaken Madumda, even slightly.”

Once more Kieren began to investigate the frosty looking ball, searching for a clue as to what he should do with it. It appeared to be a solid covering, with no seams or visible openings, and the only other part to it was the wooden cross-frame on which it rested. Walking around it several times, Kieren didn’t make any comment or ask for suggestions, but merely continued to examine the oddity. After searching every inch of it, he finally decided what he must do.

Stepping back slightly, he lifted the Sword above his head, before forcefully slamming the cutting edge of the blade against its surface. There was a thunderous crack, as the Sword impacted the orb, followed by a foul smelling gust of wind, which blew everyone backward. Kieren, Garreth, Jana and Qaim were knocked completely off balance by this surprisingly forceful out-rushing of air. It caused them to either fall to the floor or be slammed against the wall, but none of them were seriously injured. The others fared better, mainly because of their superior size, increased weight or low center of gravity, and managed to stay upright. There was also an eerie noise that accompanied this act, presumably caused by the escaping wind, as it rushed through the opening Kieren had made.

“Kieren, are you all right?” Garreth screamed, as he regained his footing and raced to his friend’s side. Kieren was slightly dazed by what had happened, but looked up and smiled at the young elf.

“Yes, I’m fine,” he admitted. “I have not been harmed, only knocked on my butt, but thank you for your concern.” Garreth smiled back and reached out his hand to help his friend stand again. Kieren grasped it and pulled himself off of the floor, nearly dragging Garreth down in the process.

“What was that all about? What just happened when you smashed that thing?” Garreth wanted to know.

“I’m not sure, but I think I just let more than the cat out of the bag,” he responded, while giving a wry smile. “I have the feeling the Dark Lord has been keeping something confined in that orb, though I’m not sure what. I am fairly certain, however, that he won’t be happy about what I’ve done.” While the two boys were looking back at the shattered sphere, someone else posed another question.

“What was that smell?” Jana inquired, while wrinkling up her nose.

“I think it was the smell of air that has been stagnant for much too long a time,” Quintain offered.

“I’d say it smelled more like the tanner’s shop back at Leander,” Garreth countered, while sniffing the air tentatively. However, the overpowering odors they had first encountered had already partially dissipated.

“I think it was more a cross between wet animal fur and a stagnant pond,” Rhys added. “It was repulsive, to say the least.”

“Enough!” boomed Turquinine. “Thou hast no time for such prattle. By now Madumda will know of our deeds and cometh to confront us. Mistress Jana, wilst thou lead us from this place?” The servant girl nodded, but was somewhat unnerved by the large knight’s domineering attitude.

“Our big friend is correct,” Rhys added. “This last act probably alerted the Dark Lord of our treachery in his quarters, even though he more than likely knew we were already in Treblanc. Kieren, it is time for you to secure yourself and the Sword in your cloak, just to be safe. Turquinine and Alaric, you will be responsible for guarding Kieren, as we attempt to get out of this place. Garreth, you stay with them. I will walk beside Jana, as she leads the way, and the dwarfs shall bring up the rear, protecting the others and our backsides. Now, let’s get back into the other room.”

Slowly, they opened the door between the two chambers, checking first to make sure no one else had entered while they had been doing their search. Once they felt safe, they exited the laboratory and stood inside the main room, each clutching tightly to his weapon of choice. Alaric walked over to the door that led out into the hallway and placed his ear against it, listening for sounds from the other side. He heard nothing that would alarm him, so he carefully opened the door a tiny bit, so he could peer out into the expanse beyond.

Qaim shied away from the bodies of the two guards as he passed by them and was anxious to get away from this place once and for all. Before long, Alaric opened the door completely and glided out into the corridor, closely followed by the others.

“Where to now?” Rhys asked Jana.

“This way,” she responded, pointing toward the passageway on their right. They moved stealthily in that direction, but they didn’t have to go very far before they found themselves at the top of a long, wide, elaborate stairway. From what they could see from the balcony, it led to a large foyer below.

“We must go down these stairs and through that doorway over there,” Jana urged, while pointing at the entranceway at one end of the foyer. “The door outside is at the end of the corridor that lies beyond that portal, but that will be the difficult part.”

“Why?” asked Alaric. “How many guards are stationed there?”

“Generally six to eight, I believe,” she told him.

“You’re not sure?” Garreth asked, amazed and concerned.

“Well, I’ve never had a chance to count them,” she admitted, somewhat offended by his question. “You forget that I’m not allowed to go to places like this. I have only been able to lead you because of the stories I have heard or because these levels are laid out much like the ones below. However, when it comes to how many soldiers will be there, I can only guess at their number, judging by the comments the guards have made while eating.”

“I’m sorry. I forgot how badly you’ve been treated here,” Garreth responded, shyly. “I’m truly sorry if I sounded harsh.”

“Don’t be,” she assured him. “I’ve been treated far worse,” she added, while trying to hide a tear that had been forming in the corner of her eye.

Silently, they began to painstakingly make their way down the staircase, constantly scanning the area, searching for any threats to their safety. As they continued inching their way closer to making their escape, they had just passed the midpoint of the stairway when the giant doors leading into the foyer burst open, allowing a very agitated Madumda to enter. As he slammed the doors shut behind him again, everyone froze in place. The warriors clung fiercely to their weapons, as their minds raced wildly, in an attempt to decide what course of action they should take next.