Robert Keller - The Heart of Shadows

Lannon nodded, wondering if such a thing were possible.

Aldrek sat down with his back to a tree, looking defeated.

As they rode on, they discovered the bodies of those who'd dared to challenge Timlin's might. Soon afterwards, they entered a small clearing and encountered Timlin Woodmaster, who was standing in the snow holding the Black Flamestone. Timlin's eyes were black in the torchlight, and his face held an insane look. He was grinning and staring off into space. When he noticed the riders, he fixed his gaze on them and the grin broadened.

"More of you, huh?" said Timlin.

Lannon quickly removed his mask, opting to try to reason with him first. "Timlin, it's me! You're being influenced by that Flamestone!"

Timlin shrugged. "So what, Lannon. You're influenced by that wretched Eye. If people won't let me live in peace, then they will surely die."

Shennen sat motionless on his horse, Flayer in hand.

"I want to let you live in peace," said Lannon, "but the Black Flamestone will never allow it. It has turned you into…something you're not supposed to be. It's destroying you, Timlin!"

Timlin laughed. "Do I seem like a wild beast to you, old friend? Well, I am a wild beast that is being constantly hunted-a wild beast who will fight furiously when cornered. The Black Flamestone has freed my soul from the grasp of the Deep Shadow. Tharnin is gone from me, Lannon. Every last bit of it. Now all I want is peace."

"A greater evil has replaced it," said Lannon. "Now you're just a prisoner of that stone. It belongs to the Divine Essence, Timlin. Hand it over and allow me to take it to Dremlock. Then you can truly be at peace."

Timlin hesitated, then sighed. "Lannon Sunshield, fool to the extreme. You want to save everyone, but this time you've got it wrong. I don't need to be saved. I'm complete now in a way that, sadly, you can never understand. All the bad things in my life have been erased, and now all that matters is this." He held up the Black Flamestone. "I spent my childhood beaten and starved by my father, living in a hole in the ground. And my mother did nothing to protect me. It always made me hate life and myself. But now I love life…because of this."

"Let it go, Timlin," Lannon pleaded.

"Okay," said Timlin. "I'll let it go!" A beam of fire shot from the Flamestone at Shennen. The fire was like a shimmering mass of dark-blue and red serpents, writhing furiously, and Lannon thought Shennen was about to be burned to ash.

But the agile Blue Knight somehow had anticipated the attack, and he was in the process of flinging himself from the saddle when the beam struck. Shennen's horse was, sadly, completely obliterated and Shennen was flung across the clearing-his armor split open and smoking. Shennen lay still, possibly in death.

Horrified, Lannon seized the Black Flamestone with his power and yanked it from Timlin's hand-all the while cursing himself for trying to reason with Timlin. He brought the Flamestone to him and thrust it in his cloak pocket.

"You struck down Shennen!" Lannon cried.

"I don't care!" Timlin hissed. "Anyone who gets in my way must die!"

Lannon groaned, wishing Timlin could somehow catch a glimpse of reason. "Haven't you done enough damage?"

Timlin's face contorted with rage and hatred. "It was you fools who came after me! And now you're going to steal the Black Flamestone from me, because I wouldn't give it willingly?" He still appeared to be charged with dark energy, and he strode toward Lannon, drool running from his mouth.

Lannon raised his sword. "Stay back, Timlin!"

Timlin paused, still seething with rage. "I'm ashamed that I once called you a friend. You're nothing but a dirty, wretched thief!" Timlin drew his Flayer, and it burst into dark-blue flames. "You've earned yourself a death sentence this night, Lannon! You could have stayed away from me and played your little Knightly games. Instead, you dared to come steal from me that which has brought my life joy and meaning and set me free!"

Lannon glanced at Shennen with the Eye, and found he was injured but still alive. "I'm sorry, Timlin. But if you try to take back the Flamestone, I'll be forced to kill you. And I don't want to do that. I spared Vorden, but I won't be able to spare you…not with all that evil sorcery inside you."

"I don't want to be spared," said Timlin. "If I can't have the Black Flamestone, then I'd rather die. I ask for no mercy, and I will give none!"

The power radiating from Timlin was so immense that it overwhelmed Lannon, and something began to stir inside him. It was the Dark Wave, the mysterious power released by the Eye on rare occasions. It was the power that had blasted Tenneth Bard into ruin. It grew inside Lannon, and his whole body began to tremble. Lannon realized that this could be his lucky break, but he would only get one shot at Timlin. It would mean killing him, but Lannon knew he couldn't hope to take him prisoner. Timlin was far too dangerous for that.

As Timlin drove forward with his burning Flayer, Lannon unleashed the Dark Wave straight at his chest-and missed. Somehow Timlin dodged the beam of sorcery, twisting to one side. Lannon's energy struck an oak tree instead, blasting it into fragments.

Instantly Lannon felt drained, and he collapsed to one knee. Timlin resumed his charge and swung at Lannon's face, but Lannon blocked the stroke and shoved Timlin backwards. With one hand, he took out his Glaetherin throwing star.

Timlin shook with mindless rage. "You…you thieving wretch!" He threw back his head and howled. Then he stumbled toward Lannon.

Lannon was down to his last shot. If he failed, he had nothing left to counter Timlin's might. With a flick of his wrist, he flung the throwing star at Timlin's chest-willing it along with all the power of the Eye he had left. The blade shot out faster than an arrow and tore through Timlin's stout armor-deep into his chest.

Timlin glanced down, his eyes smoldering. "What did you…?"

Lannon yanked the star blade from Timlin's body.

Timlin staggered, his eyes wide. He clutched his chest. "Only true Glaetherin could pierce this armor…" He sat down in the snow, bleeding profusely.

"I'm sorry, Timlin," said Lannon, feeling horrible inside.

"I think I'm dying," said Timlin. "Can I hold the Black Flamestone one last time? If I die, I will never…never get to hold it again…"

Lannon shook his head, hating what things had come to.

Timlin growled and tried to rise, but slumped down again-facedown in the snow. "I did this all to myself, didn't I? I'm the one to blame?"

"I don't know," said Lannon, sighing. Certainly Timlin wasn't to blame for what had happened in his youth, but betraying Dremlock and joining the Blood Legion had been his choice. He could have battled his demons instead of surrendering to them. Still, Lannon had no answer for him. "You did your best, I guess. But at least it's over now. And at least you're no longer a puppet of the Deep Shadow. Goodbye, my friend."

"Goodbye…" Timlin whispered, closing his eyes.

Lannon continued to gaze down at him, overcome by sadness. Then he remembered that others still needed him, and he went to Shennen and helped the Blue Knight to his feet. Shennen was dazed, scorched, and bleeding-but not critically injured.

"Is Timlin dead?" he asked.

"I believe so," said Lannon, thinking Shennen would be pleased. "If not, he will be soon. I couldn't save him."

But Shennen only bowed his head in sadness.

As Lannon, Shennen, and Aldrek were on their return journey with the Black Flamestone, the others were still tending to the dead and wounded. The battle had been, as predicated, horrific, with forty-two Knights dead and dozens more having serious injuries. Divine Knights were few in number and difficult to kill, so the loss of more than forty was quite devastating to Dremlock. However, Bellis had gotten the worst of-losing hundreds of fighters, including several of their prized Thallite giants, to the blazing weapons of Dremlock.