Robert Keller - The Heart of Shadows

His eyes blazing, Jerret hacked at a Wolf with his broadsword and cut a large gash in its side. Yelping, the Wolf turned and charged at Aldreya. She hurled a green fireball from her dagger into its face, where it exploded into sparks. Yet the Wolf-now blinded and burned-kept charging, until Shennen cut it down with his Flayer and ended its life with two more quick thrusts.

A Red Knight went down, crushed beneath an Ogre's foot. Another Knight broke his sword on an Ogre's breastplate, before he was batted into the chamber wall by the giant's spiked club. Soon the chamber was full of cries of battle and pain, along with fire and sparks, the stench of burning flesh, and flailing weapons.

As the Knights battled the Ogres and Wolves, the members of the Divine Shield held together. They formed a circle around Vannas. Shennen cut down a Wolf that tried to get to Lannon, and again, it took the Blue Knight multiple strikes to finish off the beast. Daledus lured an Ogre away that was charging at the Squires, hacking at it with his oversized axe. The Dwarf ducked as the Ogre swung its fist at his head, and he taunted the beast. Two Knights raced over to help him.

In frustration, Prince Vannas broke from his circle of defenders to try to get a clear shot at his foes. He blasted fire from the White Flamestone and burned a hole through an Ogre's armor and the heart beneath. The Ogre glanced down in surprise, then toppled over in death. Vannas cried out in triumph, even as a Wolf barreled into him from behind and knocked the Flamestone from his hand. The prince was taken down hard to the floor beneath the beast, and only his training as a Divine Squire allowed him to withstand the crushing weight on his back.

Lothrin shot the Wolf that was crouched atop his cousin, his arrow piercing the creature's eye. The Wolf leapt off Vannas, staggered around with the arrow protruding from its eye, and then went for Jerret-who promptly crushed its skull with his broadsword. Nevertheless, the Wolf somehow tried to rise again, until Jerret struck two more blows that completely beheaded the beast.

Lothrin swiped up the White Flamestone, then ran to check on his fallen cousin. Vannas was stunned but still conscious, a bloody gash in his forehead. The circle of defenders quickly closed around Lothrin and the prince.

"Protect Vannas!" Taris ordered, disgust in his voice at what had befallen the prince. "And guard the Flamestone!"

Jace flung himself at another charging Ogre, trying to strike the creature's head with his fist. Even the giant, cloaked form of Jace looked small in comparison to the Ogre, as the sorcerer leapt through the air. The Ogre caught Jace with one hand, by the throat, and shook him viciously before flinging him into a pillar. Jace dropped to the floor and lay stunned.

Using the Eye, Lannon seized the Ogre that had dispatched Jace and froze it. But the beast was too strong to be contained, and it soon broke free of Lannon's grasp and continued its charge toward the Squires.

Taris' dagger burned almost white hot, and he flung a massive fireball into the advancing giant. It struck the Ogre's breastplate and exploded in a blinding flash of light that threw large, buzzing sparks and hissing bits of burning hide and flesh all over the chamber. The Ogre stumbled and went down, nearly falling on Shennen (who swiftly sidestepped it), a gaping hole burned through its chest. The Ogre shuddered twice and then went motionless in death.

Two Wolves isolated Galvia. She swung at one with her smoldering hammer and missed, scorching and shattering the stone floor. As Jerret and Aldreya moved to help her, one of the Wolves bit into Galvia's stomach with its oversized teeth. She cried out in agony and dropped her hammer, as the Wolf ripped at her flesh.

Aldreya blasted one of the Wolves with a fireball, and the creature fled yelping into the fray, smoke rising from its fur. With a cry of rage, Jerret drove his burning broadsword into the Wolf that was biting Galvia. The Wolf released Galvia and tried to escape Jerret's blade, but Jerret drove it to the floor and pinned it. Lannon ran over and cut off the Wolf's head with one solid stroke.

Galvia slumped to the floor, blood pouring from her stomach. Her face was pale, her eyes rolled back in her head. Aldreya knelt by her and tried to comfort her, while Jerret charged back into battle.

Lannon froze another Ogre, and three Knights drove their burning blades into it before it could break free. Still, the Ogre staggered around, howling in pain and swinging its club. Lannon seized its heart with the Eye, seeking to end its life. But the heart was protected by dark sorcery and resisted Lannon's efforts. At last, the creature perished from its massive wounds and fell to the floor.

A wave of weariness washed over Lannon. Using the Eye to seize objects-especially objects the size of Ogres-put a great strain on him and quickly drained his energy. He raised his sword and let the Eye falter, opting to fight as a Blue Squire and save what little strength he had left.

The two remaining Ogres, and the remaining Wolves, were dispatched by the Knights, as the Divine Shield simply held formation and waited. When the battle was ended, two Knights were dead and three more injured to the point of being ineffective. Taris ordered Galvia and the wounded and dead Knights taken back up to the surface. Galvia was the most severely injured of the group, and after briefly checking her wounds, Taris looked grim.

Taris ordered some of the Knights to stand guard by the tunnels, while the company regrouped and tended to the wounded. Many of the Knights were injured but still able to proceed with the mission after a few bandages were applied along with a bit of healing sorcery.

They held a moment of silence to honor the fallen Knights. Then Taris spoke a few words of praise for them and their heroic deeds. After that, it was back to business and any grieving was done silently.

Prince Vannas shook off his daze, wiping blood from his forehead so a bandage could be applied. He demanded the White Flamestone be returned to him. "I'm a bit sore and groggy," he said, "but I can continue on."

Lothrin hesitated, his gaze fixed on the Flamestone that was cupped in his hands. His eyes looked distant, as if he were deep in contemplation.

"Trust me, cousin," said Vannas, "I am okay to proceed." He extended his hand, and reluctantly Lothrin gave him the Flamestone.

Taris glowered at the prince. "You may continue on, Squire, but next time you had better stay in formation! I thought you had more sense and were better trained than that. You could have easily gotten yourself killed and lost the White Flamestone to our enemies."

Vannas bowed. "My apologies, Master Taris. It was foolish of me. But I was simply seeking a better vantage point from which to…" He let his words trail off, as Taris turned away angrily and ignored him.

Jerret kicked the body of a slain Wolf. "If Galvia dies, I'll kill every Goblin in Silverland. Mark my words!"

Aldreya put her arm around Jerret. "Galvia is a Grey Dwarf, and I think she'll be fine once the healers tend to her. Her kind can handle such wounds. She won't be happy to be out of the action, though."

Jerret nodded, the usual sullen look gone from his face. He seemed back to his old self, his concern over Galvia perhaps taking his mind off Thrake. "I don't blame her. Not when there are Goblins to be hunted."

Jace groaned and leaned heavily against a pillar, lighting his pipe. He rubbed his shoulder. "Ogres are rather strong, and not as stupid as many believe. These ones had an odd look to them, by the way."

Trenton, who'd done nothing during the battle except hold formation, nodded in agreement. "Yes, I've never seen anything like this. It is almost as if they were a new breed of Goblin, very difficult to kill."