Dark Sun: Prism Pentad 1 - The Verdent Passage (32 page)

Nok stopped at the edge of the bridge. Without putting down Ktandeo's cane, he hefted the
Heartwood Spear and threw it. A concerned cry escaped Sadira's lips, but the spear sailed
across the gap as though borne on a
cushion of air. It sank half its length into the trunk of a ruby-leaved tree growing
behind the boulder on the other end of the bridge.

Nok faced the four companions and used Ktandeo's cane to gesture across the gorge. “There
is the spear you seek. To prove you are worthy of it, you must pull it from the tree.”

After studying the bridge, Rikus said, “This thing doesn't look sturdy to me. Maybe we
should go across one at a time.”

Agis shook his head. “I don't think so. There's more to this test than crossing a bridge
cautiously,” he said. “Kalak is surrounded by guards every bit as powerful as you. I
wouldn't be surprised if he or some of his people are masters of both the Way and magic.
To defeat him, we're going to have to work together.”

“Four people can't throw a spear,” Rikus countered.

“True,” Sadira said. “But the spear won't strike unless we coordinate our efforts to
overcome Kalak's defenses. I think Agis is rightÑNok is testing our ability to work
together.”

The mul cast a wary eye at the vine bridge, then nodded and looked down at the halfling
chief. “We need our; weapons and some rope,” he said, gesturing at the warriors who had
brought their property along.

“Rope, you can have,” Nok said. “You won't need weapons.”

Rikus looked doubtful, but accepted the rope without protest. “I'll lead the way,” he
said, tying one end of the line around his waist and passing the other to Sadira. “Sadira
and Agis will follow, and Neeva will bring up the rear.”

“Rikus, I'm hardly vulnerable, and it might be best to have my skills in front,” Agis
said, stepping forward. “I'll lead.”

Sadira caught the noble's arm, afraid that the discussion would deteriorate into an
argument. “Rikus is right. If you're in the middle, you can protect us all. If you're in
front, it'll be impossible for you to protect us against an attack from the rear.”

Reluctant, Agis nodded, then stepped back into line. Once the four companions had all tied
themselves into place, Rikus led the way onto the bridge. Sadira followed next, with Agis
and Neeva behind her. They moved slowly and carefully, holding onto the handcords and
keeping a careful eye on the braided vines beneath their feet. Though the bridge swayed
and rocked with each step, it showed no sign of coming apart under their weight.

They were about a third of the way across when Rikus suddenly stopped. He stared at the
walkway, gripping the handcords so tightly that his knuckles were white. “What's wrong?”

No sooner had Agis asked the question than they all saw why Rikus had halted. The vines
were writhing and twisting at his feet, re-growing in a different pattern before their
eyes. The bridge wasn't coming apart; it was reforming itself into two separate pathways,
each running in a slightly different direction.

Without releasing the handcords, Rikus took a tentative step. His foot sank through the
writhing mass of vines. Only his secure grip saved him from plummeting into the river that
snaked like a silver line far below.

“Don't move!” Agis cried. “The bridge isn't changing. It's a psionic illusion!”

“Where is it coming from?” Sadira asked, looking over her shoulder.

She did not need to finish the question, for the noble was already facing Nok. The two men
had locked gazes and were staring at each other like gladiators in a death match. Agis
gripped the handcord with tightly closed fists, but his legs trembled and lines of
perspiration ran down his neck. On the other side of the noble, Neeva stared at her feet
in horror.

Sadira looked down. There were three separate bridges beneath her feet. “Don't turn
around, Rikus. Neeva, when I say to, cover Agis's eyes and close your own.”

Plucking a handful of flower buds off the vines forming the wall, the sorceress pointed a
hand toward the forest behind Nok to summon the energy for a spell. She had hardly opened
her palm before she felt the incredible power from the massive trees rush into her body.
For the first time in her life, she found it necessary to close her fist and cut off the
flow of energy before it overwhelmed her.

Pushing aside her shock, she cried, “Now, Neeva!”

The gladiator cover Agis's face with a hand and shut her eyes. Sadira tossed the buds at
Nok and spoke the incantation that would shape her magic.

The buds disappeared in midair, and a spray of brilliant hues blossomed before the
halfling's eyes. It was the same spell she had used to save Rikus from the gaj, but with
the forest's energy, the effects were more spectacular. The colors were deep and dazzling,
competing with each other for splendor, mesmerizing in their radiance. Nok's eyes went
glassy. Though Sadira had not directed the attack at the halflings behind the chief, even
they seemed shocked.

The spell faded almost immediately, but Nok and the other halflings remained stunned. It
would take them at least a few moments to recover from its effects.

As his mind was released from combat, Agis's knees buckled. Neeva opened her eyes and
caught him.
“Are you well?” she asked.

Agis gripped the handcord and nodded. “Thanks to Sadira. I've never faced such a powerful
mind!”

“Kalak's will be stronger,” Neeva answered.

At the front of
the line, Rikus called,
“I see one bridge again! Let's go!”

They continued forward faster than before, but also with more apprehension. With each
step, Sadira expected Nok to recover. When they passed the midway point of the bridge
without another attack, she hazarded a glance over her shoulder. The halfling chief stood
on the far side. His eyes were clear, and he was studying the companions with an air of
detached interest.

Rikus yelled, “Get ready! We've got trouble!”

Sadira faced forward. The group's weight had depressed the bridge enough to create a steep
slope between the center and the ends. The granite ball on the far side of the bridge had
left its resting place. It was rolling down the V-shaped channel, picking up speed as it
traveled. Rikus braced himself to catch it.

“Rikus, down!” cried Agis.

The mul cast an angry glance over his shoulder. “Are you mad?”

“Do it!” Sadira snapped.

Rikus looked back at the boulder. It was shooting down the trough with terrifying speed.
Taking a hard gulp, he dropped to his belly and wrapped his arms around the walkway.
Sadira did the same, craning her neck to watch Agis.

The noble closed his eyes, then held out an arm as if he intended to let the boulder roll
up it. He cupped his palm, then tipped it toward the side of the bridge.

The sorceress looked forward again. The ball was almost upon them. Rikus flinched and
dropped his face into the vines, yelling, “Never trust a noble!”

The ball lifted into the air, passing just above the mul's bald pate. By the time the
boulder reached Sadira, it was even higher in the air. It arched up before drifting out
over the handcord, then plummeted into the gorge below.

For a moment, Sadira lay motionless, trying to slow her pounding heart.

“What was that about trusting nobles, Rikus?” asked Agis. Though his voice was weak with
fatigue, there was a wry grin on his face.

Rikus looked over his shoulder. “You sure took your time toÑ” He broke off in midsentence.
Sadira heard the throb of huge wings beating the air, then the mul called, “Duck!”

Two gigantic dragonflies zipped past overhead, their hooked feet slashing through the air.
The sorceress rose to her knees and peered over the handcord. The two insects had already
flown past. Nevertheless, she could see that a halfling sat behind each beast's glittering
compound eyes. The riders pulled the mounts into a steeps, banked turn.

“Crawl, Rikus!” yelled Agis.

The mul obediently moved forward on hands and knees. The others followed close behind,
keeping their heads below the handcords. The two insects streaked past again, their
gossamer wings shimmering with the ruby light of dusk.

Sadira made the whole line pause while she peered through the side of the bridge. The
halflings were again banking their mounts. Unfortunately, this time the riders were
holding their palms toward the forest, collecting the energy to cast a spell.

“Magic!” she hissed. They crawled forward as quickly as possible.

“I hear them behind me ” Neeva shouted, looking fearfully over her shoulder. Yet the
dragonflies and their riders were nowhere in sight. An instant later, Sadira heard the
throb of wings at the back of their line.

“Oh no,” the sorceress cried. “They're invisible!”

A dragonfly appeared above Neeva, the spell that had hidden it from sight negated by the
suddenness of its attack. The halfling on the creature's back shouted a series of strident
commands. The beast dropped onto the woman and locked its six legs around her body.

“Help me!” Neeva shouted, struggling to turn so that Agis might have a clear attack on the
giant insect or its rider.

The noble formed a short loop from the slack in the rope connecting him to Neeva. Stepping
past the dragonfly's long tail, he flipped the noose over the rider's head and jerked the
halfling off his mount. The warrior landed screaming on the handcord. Agis shoved him over
the side.

The dragonfly flapped its four wings, knocking the noble aside. It rose into the air with
Neeva still clutched in its claws. She struggled in vain to pull herself free.

Rikus screamed, “Help her!”

Agis grabbed the female gladiator's legs and locked his own feet around the bridge's
handcord.

Sadira fished a piece of silk from her pocket. The sorceress pointed her free hand toward
the trees. Flicking the silk at the dragonfly, she recited her incantation. The strand
disappeared, and a gooey white web appeared on the insect's wings. The dragonfly tried to
force its wings to beat through the stringy webbing, but it was no use. The creature and
Neeva dropped into the gap.

Grabbing the handcord, Agis braced himself. Neeva quickly fell the length of the rope
connecting her to the noble, and the suddenness of the rope snapping taut made the noble
groan.

Sadira dropped to the walkway and wrapped her arms and legs around the vines. Through the
thick tangle beneath her face, she could not see what was happening between Neeva and the
giant insect.

Rikus stepped over her, reaching for the noble. It was only then that the second dragonfly
appeared above Agis's head. Its rider leaned over to cast a spell. Sadira screamed a
warning, but she was too late. Agis's eyes fluttered, his head tipped back, and he fell
into a magical slumber.

His hold on the bridge gone, the noble slipped over the edge and plummeted after Neeva.
When he'd fallen the length of the rope connecting him to Sadira, the noose bit deeply
into her flesh. A jolt of sharp pain shot through her abdomen. Though the impact
threatened to
rip her from the bridge, too, the sorceress clutched the walkway vines and prayed she
would have the strength to hang on.

Rikus grabbed the dragonfly hovering overhead by the wing. There was a loud crackle and a
sound like shredding cloth. The mul pulled the creature's wing from its body and tossed
the mangled limb from the bridge.

As the insect screeched its pain, the rider reached for his dagger. Rikus knocked the
halfling senseless, shattering his nose with a casual backfist. The dragonfly raked its
claws across the gladiator's chest, but the mul only gritted his teeth and ripped another
wing off the creature.

Rikus dropped both the rider and mount over the side of the bridge, then grabbed the rope
and pulled Agis up. The mul passed the noble, still under the thrall of the halfling's
sleep spell, to Sadira. She cradled Agis's head in her lap and shouted at him. When that
did not work, she slapped him across the cheeks, hard. He remained asleep.

“Typical noble,” Rikus grumbled.

Neeva came next, covered head-to-toe with black goo. In her hand, she clutched a
dragonfly's head. There was no sign of the rest of its body.

“Are you hurt?” Sadira asked.

The gladiator looked up and wiped the insect's blood from her eyes. “No. Just a few
scratches,” she answered.

Rikus pulled Neeva to her feet, then took Agis from Sadira. “Good. You carry the noble,”
he said, placing the sleeping man in her arms.

The mul stepped past Sadira, then cautiously led the way forward. Though they were
constantly watching for another of Nok's tests, they reached the end of the bridge without
further incident. Rikus immediately went to the tree and reached for the spear.

“Wait,” Neeva called, dumping Agis's body on the ground. “Nok's coming.”

Sadira and the mul looked back across the gorge. The halfling chief strode across the
swaying bridge as if walking down a trail, not even bothering to hold the hand-cords.
Behind him, moving somewhat more cautiously, came two dozen halfling warriors. None of
them looked happy.

“We've passed enough tests,” Rikus said.

The mul gave the spear a mighty tug. When it slipped out of the tree easily, he stumbled
and nearly fell. He stood with the weapon in hand, regarding its balance and shape in awe.
At last, he looked up and said, “I feel its power. My hands are tingling!”

Nok stepped off the bridge, cradling Ktandeo's cane in his arms. He regarded the mul with
a look of disdain, as if Rikus had offended him. The gladiator returned the scornful
expression.

At last, Nok said, “The Heartwood Spear will penetrate any armor. It will defend you from
the energies of the body and those of the worldÑfrom the Way of the Unseen and from magic.
Now that you have this wondrous weapon, what will you do with it?”

“Kill Kalak,” Neeva said, taking the spear from Rikus's hands.

The halflings behind Nok gripped their daggers meaningfully. Sensing that she and her
companions had not yet passed Nok's most important test, Sadira took the Heartwood Spear
from Neeva's hands.