Robert Keller - The Hand of Tharnin

"Get away from me!" Vorden hissed at Jace. The gauntlet's blue stones flared up in warning. "One step closer and I will burn you to ash!"

Calmly, Jace stepped back a bit, raising his hands to show he had no intention of attacking. "Just consider my words, Vorden."

"You will surrender to us immediately," said Trenton, "and face trial for your crimes. As prisoners, you will be treated fairly."

"I never liked you, Trenton," said Vorden. "In fact, I don't think anyone likes you. So keep your mouth shut before you provoke my rage."

"Vorden, we are all weary of bloodshed," said Shennen. "Your plan has failed and Dremlock has won. Let us just end this peacefully."

Vorden glowered at Shennen. "Do not speak to me, Birlote. Your kind is the enemy of Tharnin, and your very existence offends me."

"If you just surrender," said Lannon, "we can find a way to help Taris. He was bedridden and barely clinging to life last I knew. Don't you feel even a tiny bit of loyalty to Taris, Vorden?"

"Taris is just another foul Birlote," said Vorden. "Besides, the poison from the gauntlet is very potent, yet temporary. If he survived this long, he'll likely recover-though I'll be glad to kill him later when I get a chance."

Lannon felt a surge of hope at Vorden's words.

"Please, Vorden!" said Aldreya. "No more war!"

Vorden smashed the gauntlet against the floor, shattering stone. "If another Birlote dares speak to me, I'm going to begin tearing off heads! And how will you defeat me without your precious prince and his Flamestone? I'm well aware that only Vannas can use that weapon."

Lannon sighed. "Why don't you just listen to them, Vorden? Can't you see the truth of things, that it's over?"

"No, Vorden can't see any truths," Jerret spoke up. "He's nothing but a blind puppet of Tenneth Bard."

Vorden sneered at Jerret. "Who speaks? Some nobody from Dremlock? I'm surprised the Knights even let you ride with them, Jerret."

His face crimson with anger, Jerret stepped toward Vorden and raised his sword. "Fine words coming from a coward who invades the minds of others. I'll bet I could make you regret a few things, Vorden."

Vorden laughed. "A pathetic Squire with no talent. You couldn't have defeated me before I was blessed with the Hand of Tharnin, Jerret. What makes you think you have a remote chance now?"

Jerret took another step forward, but Shennen seized his arm. "Let it go, Squire. Vorden is simply trying to bait you."

But Furlus Goblincrusher pulled Shennen's hand away from Jerret. Furlus' eyes held a strange glint. "Let the Squire have his say, Shennen. He has come through pain and blood and has earned the right to speak."

"I can defeat you in a fair fight, Vorden," said Jerret, his chin thrust out. "I've been training hard in preparation to kill you!"

Vorden bellowed laughter. "So you think you can beat me sword to sword? I find that idea so absurd that I'll make a bargain with you-if you can defeat me in an honorable duel, my Knights will gladly surrender to Dremlock. But if you fail to defeat me, I will cut off your head."

"Consider it a duel then!" Jerret snarled. "But you cannot use the Hand of Tharnin. You must remove it first."

"I will never remove this gauntlet," said Vorden. "But I will make its power sleep. It will be a fair fight, all things considered."

"This is not going to happen," said Trenton, looking appalled. "Dremlock does not pit Squires against each other."

"I'm no longer a Squire," said Vorden. "I am the Black Knight!"

"Jerret will not partake in this duel," said Shennen, "if I have my say. But I will gladly take his place."

"I have the final say," growled Furlus. He strode over and looked Jerret in the eye. "Can you defeat Vorden in fair combat, Squire?"

"I can, Master Furlus," Jerret said, his eyes blazing. "Just give me a chance to prove it!"

"It will be a duel to the death," said Furlus. "If you find an opening, do not hesitate to kill him. In fact, you are obligated to kill him, to save us from greater bloodshed. I'm allowing this duel in the hope, and the belief, that you can end this before more Knights are slain. I do not take this lightly, Squire. You realize that we cannot interfere, that if you falter, we will be forced to let your foe kill you?"

Jerret swallowed and nodded. "Understood."

Lannon could barely believe what he was hearing. Furlus seemed content to let a young man fight to the death against his former friend, and though Lannon knew the life of a Divine Knight was full of harsh choices and sacrifice, he was still appalled at the Tower Master's decision. It was obviously the threat of the Hand of Tharnin that drove Furlus to take such action, but Lannon could never have made that choice. And Lannon blamed himself for Jerret even being there.

Furlus turned back to Vorden. "I will agree to this honorable duel-if your Knights will give up their weapons. If you win the duel, their weapons will be returned. I want to ensure that you keep your end of the bargain and fight fairly. Also, if you fall, your Knights must surrender immediately."

"I object to the terms," said Almdrax, scowling. "We stand to gain nothing from this duel, my lord."

"Well, I agree to the terms," said Vorden, "and I do have something to gain. Actually, I'm simply looking forward to cutting off Jerret's head. Besides, Almdrax, do you really expect me to lose?"

Reluctantly, the Legion Knights handed over their weapons. The blue stones in Vorden's gauntlet lost their shine and the metal went cold and grey. He drew his spider sword.

But when Jerret laid eyes on Vorden's powerful magical sword, he looked uncertain. "I can't compete with that weapon! It will cut right through my own blade. You have to use a normal sword, Vorden."

"I only use this sword," said Vorden, shrugging. "Sorry."

"Take this one," said Trenton, handing his sword to Jerret. "It's made of Glaetherin."

Jerret took the sword and bowed.

"Wait!" Lannon said. The last thing he wanted to see was this duel to the death, but he couldn't let Jerret fight at such a disadvantage. He drew his Dragon sword-the extremely expensive weapon made of rare Goblin bones that Taris Warhawk had purchased for him as a gift. "Use this instead. It's very light."

Jerret returned Trenton's sword and took Lannon's blade in hand. He swung it about, marveling at the lightness of it. "Thank you, my friend."

Lannon was now supposed to watch while one of his friends killed the other one. He couldn't bear the thought of it.

The two combatants faced each other, blade to blade. Vorden smirked. "You're going to lose your head, Jerret. What do you think of that?"

"You should never have taken my free will!" said Jerret. "Whatever you did to me back at Dremlock-I've found no peace since. And I'll never find any peace until you lie dead at my feet."

"It haunts your mind," said Vorden, "because I crushed your puny will. I made you realize how easily you can be enslaved by Tharnin. Now you want revenge, but you should be angry at yourself."

"Wise words from a monster," said Jerret.

"If I'm such a monster, Jerret, then why aren't you attacking? Don't tell me you came all this way with vengeance in your heart, only to lose your nerve."

With a howl, Jerret swung the Dragon sword at Vorden's head. Vorden deflected the stroke easily with his own blade. "So predictable, Jerret!"

They traded a flurry of blows, and then backed away from each other, panting. The grin had vanished from Vorden's face. "You've learned some new skills, Jerret. Looks like you're not as lazy as you used to be."

They drove in on each other again, and Jerret landed a blow on Vorden's shoulder that was deflected by his armor. Vorden retaliated and cut a shallow wound in Jerret's shoulder though his chain mail-just a scratch, but Jerret seemed wracked with pain for a moment. The bite of the spider sword was a bitter one.