Wheel in the Sky 9
“Traitor!” The material of Martus’ mantle lost its hard edges, became a black cloud that condensed into a ropy column stretching to the ceiling. The limb hoisted the krypterion into the air, where he dangled like a hanged man, shouting evacuation orders. Strips of dark material spun out from him to wrap around students and acolytes and haul them to safety
Saria knelt down and brought the godsnare out of the hole Voidcleaver had made in her cloak. She had to work quickly
Martus cried out as he launched his assault. He stood upright on scuttling legs while razor-sharp ribbons arced out at odd angles, probing for a clear entry past Voicleaver’s eldritch blade.
Candegar kept Voidlcleaver close to his centre and flicked the blade out with blindingg speed, trying to slice off the attacking limbs.
There was no clash of metal or grunt of exertion. Only a pulse in Saria’s abdomen and a smear of darkness in her vision.
These were not two men fighting. They were puppets being smashed together by powers greater than both of them.
She stilled her fear. Controlled herself.
The black smear hung in the air like smoke made solid, swirling with rectilinear currents as it sliced at Candegar with jagged psuedopods. But the fell material drew back whenever Candegar’s blade came close, as if afraid to touch that green-black metal.
Ground and center, she thought. Ground and center until her concentration was a pinpoint. By sheer will the world narrowed down to her task.
Candegar moved so fast he was almost invisible but he was trapped in this cell and Martus could attack many places at once. Already streamers of his mantle material stuck to the walls and floor and pulled taught, tightening into a web.
Martus would surely kill Candegar if Saria did not…finish the godsnare.
The little crank turned and every person or near-person in the cells turned to look at her.
“No, you fool.” Martus drew back from Candegar and swept toward her like an angry thunderhead.
Saria dropped her device, raising useless hands against the obsidian tentacle that bolted toward her face.
But Candegar was not finished with the krypterion. He flashed forward, dagger out, and severed the questing limb. Saria had a glimpse of the tentacle’s internal structure. Like a sheet of black silk folded and refolded upon itself, pumping with oily fluid.
Then Martus fell to the flagstones and Candegar began to laugh.
Or something laughed through him.
“Such access,” he said or was made to say. “Such power!”
Martus scrambled to his feet, but Candegar spun, impossibly agile, and his eldritch blade ripped through the Krypterion’s mantle and flesh.
Blood and black oil sprayed.
Martus’ cowl seemed to liquidate before it peeled back from his face and Saria could see now that his eye sockets were filled with the same black flailing substance that ran up his face and connected with the writhing mass that covered his otherwise bald head and neck. The Krypterion’s scream pulsed through her abdomen and threatened to pierce her ears.
“Enough of that!” Candegar said and he moved in too fast for Saria to see, Voidcleaver held low to take Martus in the heart.
Martus moved with insectile speed. Slick tentacles scrabbled at the ground, pulling him away from the other man.
“No! I will have the rest of you!” Candegar screamed but Martus gained speed faster than he could charge him and soon he was gone.
So, Saria realized, was every other person in the dungeon capable of walking.
The godsnare. She’d activated it, sent out the invisible signal that would call down the wrath of a Power that would make Candegar or Martus look like insects.
“Come on,” she shouted, but the Hero’s fingers closed around her wrist.
Candegar grinned blindly, and his knife pulled his arm upward, point aimed at her throat.
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