Robert Keller - The Eye of Divinity

"I agree that it is likely," said Taris.

"This is strong evidence," said Caldrek. "Shouldn't we send someone back to report it, while the rest of us search for the assassin?"

Taris was thoughtful for a moment. At last he said, "Who should be sent back? We have need of everyone, it seems. I suggest we go a bit farther and poke around a little more, before we have Cordus commit any Knights to these mines. This could be a mere diversion, while the true attack takes place above."

"Then let's get moving," said Furlus.

The company entered the tunnel, which led them a short distance before giving way to a round chasm spanned by a stone bridge. At its center, the bridge widened out briefly and displayed what appeared to be a pool of water. On the other side, another tunnel mouth could just barely be seen in the flickering light. The sound of rushing water came from the depths of the chasm below.

Furlus waved a lantern over the bridge. "Looks sturdy enough. But that's an odd place for a pool of water-in the middle of a bridge. We better go on ahead and check it out. Squires, you stay here. Saranna, you and your wolf stay with them and guard the rear."

The four Knights walked halfway across the bridge to the pool and gathered around it. The water was green and slimy looking.

"What do you make of this?" said Taris.

Furlus shook his head. "My knowledge of this area isn't good. I don't remember reading about any bridge over a chasm, or a water pool, but I do know there's a big river that flows through the mines. That could be the river down in the chasm."

Caldrek shrugged. "This pool looks harmless."

Shennen knelt by it. "Perhaps, but there is something more."

"It could be another trap," said Taris.

Even as he spoke, a dark arm arose from the pool, vine-like and dripping with algae, displaying a hand with ten fingers. The fingers, which had little green sprouts on the ends of them, wiggled about for a moment, while the others gazed on as if hypnotized. Then, with blinding speed, the hand swatted Caldrek off the bridge. It struck him with such force that his breastplate split. Only his startled cry was left to mark his passing, as he plunged into the blackness below. A moment later a splash could be heard.

The others stared in shock, trying to gather their wits. Then Furlus dropped his lantern and swung his axe at the arm, but it was like chopping into a twisted root. The axe did little damage to the wood-like flesh, and the arm shot out and coiled about Furlus, lifting him into the air and striving to crush the life from him. His axe clattered to the stone, just on the pool's edge where flaming oil from his fallen lantern lay burning.

Then another arm rose from the pool, and this one batted Taris towards the chasm. He caught hold of the edge of the bridge as he went over and hung there, while the shovel-sized hand groped for him, its fingers wiggling and probing. He struggled fiercely to avoid the hand and pull himself up.

Shennen leapt over to help him, but the hand lurched over and bumped the Blue Knight's leg. Shennen fought for balance and then the hand bumped him again from behind. He toppled forward off the bridge. With spectacular agility, he twisted about and grabbed for the edge, but his hands fell just short of their goal, his fingertips scraping the stone. He fell silently into the chasm.

"Stay here!" Saranna ordered the Squires. She and Darius bounded out onto the bridge. When she reached Taris, she hacked at the arm that was threatening him, but her saber could not sever it. The hand batted at her several times, but each time, despite its terrible swiftness, she somehow managed to dodge it, continuing to hack away. Finally she was able to sever it and the arm slipped back into the water.

Saranna looked to Furlus. The Olrog was being squeezed viciously, but he was holding his own, his muscles bulging from the strain. His face was deep crimson, his eyes crazed with fury.

She turned to Taris and knelt, extending her hand.

"Watch your back!" Taris cried, but it was too late.

Another hand shot out of the pool and swatted Saranna's backside, knocking her headfirst into Taris and sending them both tumbling into the darkness.

With a snarl, Darius bit at the hand, but it managed to get a hold of him. It lifted the wolf into the air and tossed him from the bridge.

"We have to help them!" exclaimed Aldreya, starting forward. Her stone dagger began to burn with the green fire.

"Stay back!" Furlus bellowed at the Squires.

Aldreya paused, a desperate look in her eyes.

Vorden grabbed her shoulder. "We can't fight that thing!"

With a grunt, Furlus suddenly snapped the arm that held him in two, and the Olrog dropped into the pool. He grabbed the edge and hauled himself out, retrieving his axe. He drove it against the remaining arm and somehow lopped through it in one fierce stroke. The waters went still for a moment. He held his axe ready.

"Get away from there," Aldreya cried to him.

But Furlus would not retreat. He held his ground, his face twisted in a grimace of rage over what had happened to his companions.

Then a huge hand shot out of the slimy water-twice as large as the others. It seized Furlus before he could react. It lifted the Olrog high into the air, shook him furiously, and then flung him into the chasm.

The huge hand then wiggled its fingers before sinking below the surface of the pool again. Everything went deathly still, save for rushing of water deep in the chasm below. The Squires glanced at each other, pale and horrified.

But they had little time to mourn, for they suddenly heard something approaching from behind. They could hear groans and heavy, dragging footsteps. There was a sound like something metallic scraping the stone.

As the Squires watched, a huge form dragged itself into the lantern light. It was a Cave Troll-but certainly not one that was full of vigor. Its grey flesh was wrinkled and cracked with age, its face was mapped with countless lines, and long white hair grew on its body. It was somewhat thin, with its ribs standing out under its withered skin. In one hand it carried a dark sword, holding it by the blade. One of its feet had somehow become lodged in a metal bucket, and unable to free the foot, the Troll simply dragged the bucket along with it. It was a bizarre and pathetic sight.

The Troll caught sight of them and snarled, showing only a few remaining teeth. It raised the sword handle up high like a club.

"What should we do?" cried Lannon, glancing first at the Troll and then at the bridge where the dark pool stood. The Troll blocked their path back.

"Run for it," said Vorden. "We can make it."

"But those big hands!" cried Timlin, pointing at the pool. "What if they come out and grab us?"

Aldreya glanced back and forth from the Troll to the bridge, her burning dagger held out at arm's length. "We can't beat a Troll," she said.

"But the hands!" Timlin insisted.

"They won't catch us," said Vorden. "Now come on. All at once!"

As the Troll drew close, the Squires raced across the bridge. They tried to run as swiftly and silently as they could. Somehow, they made it around the pool and to the other side of the bridge without provoking the hands in the water. They stood panting, watching in fascination as the Troll staggered slowly after them.

When the Troll reached the pool and started around it (making its thumping, scraping racket in the process), the remaining giant hand groped up out of the water, wiggled its fingers, and swatted the Troll. The Troll stumbled backwards, the sword falling from its fist and clattering to the stone. Snarling, the Troll tried to grab for the wiggling hand, but it swatted the Troll again and this time knocked it off the bridge. A big splash arose from below. The hand then slipped back beneath the pool.