Allan Cole: The Gods Awaken

Leiria peered down at the courtyard. Though the airship still wasn't low enough for them to make out individual faces, there was no way she could miss Rhodes, ruler of Hanadu, the northernmost kingdom in Syrapis.

He was a giant of a man sitting on a huge, gaudy throne, placed on a platform in the center of the courtyard. The only other people on the platform seemed to be two liveried attendants. Leiria spotted a dozen or so uniformed soldiersa€™ but they were scattered throughout the crowd, rather than being in any sort of military formation.

"That's a scene with peace painted all over it," Leiria said dryly. "I wonder why I'm not impressed?"

Palimak curled a lip. "Maybe it's because Rhodes is the last and trickiest of the bunch," he said. "And neither one of us thinks that after all this time he's finally going to roll over on command like a dog!"

Just then the crowd stirred and the sound of fierce martial music thundered upward. Banners waved, flags were unfurled and a hundred or more colorful kites took flight.

"I think that's our official welcome," Leiria said. "Either that, or a declaration of war." She was only partly joking, knowing from bitter experience how quickly the Syrapians could turn on the unwary.

Palimak patted the fat purse hanging from his belt. "I've got enough gold here to light up even King Rhodesa€™ scowling face," he said. "With promises of more to come for his cooperation."

He laughed. This time it wasn't forced. "My father used to always say that if you sue for peace you'd better bring both swords and money. I didn't know what he meant then, but I sure do now!"

Rhodes was notorious for his greed: Palimak was counting on this in his bid for peace, as well as on the bloody defeat the Kyranians had handed the king's forces not one month before.

"My best bet," Leiria said, "is that any treaty we work out with Rhodes will be violated by spring."

Palimak laughed. "That long, huh?" Then, more seriously: "If this is the right place-the castle I saw when I was with my father that day-then all we need is a couple of weeks and a free hand. After that, King Rhodes can do whatever he wants-up to and including going to the Hells."

The airship had made a full circle and they were once again hovering just off the rear of the castle-the waterfall and the cave now in clear view. Palimak leaned far over the rail to get a closer look. The tide was running out fast, water retreating from the bottom of the cliff face at an amazing rate.

Palimak probed the atmosphere with his magical senses. Instantly, he felt a powerful force dragging at him, as if his spirit self was a bit of flotsam caught in that raging tide.

Instead of breaking away, he fought against the force, wave after wave of sorcery smashing over him.

Leiria was shocked at his sudden struggle, seeing the blood drain from his already pale features. Talons emerging to cut into the rail as he gripped it. She had an urgent desire to grab him and rip him away from whatever invisible enemy he was fighting.

But she steeled herself to remain a witness, knowing there was nothing she could do to help.

Then Palimak gasped. "There it is!" he said, voice shaking with effort. "The island! And the idol, too! Just the way I remember it!"

Leiria dragged her attention away from Palimak. Below, about a hundreds yards from the cliff face, a small rocky island was emerging from the frothy waves.

Towering over the island was an immense stone image of a demon, with a long narrow face and heavy brows arching above deep-set eyes. The sculptor had given the demon a sad smile, which added to the overall effect of making the demon seem very wise.

"It's Lord Asper!" Palimak breathed.

Magical tendrils reached out to take him and suddenly he was a small boy again, gripping Safar about the waist as the great white warhorse, Khysmet, bore them both through a blinding snowstorm. Behind them an enormous ice beast was closing in fast as Safar shouted the words of a protective spell.

"Let me help you, father!" Palimak cried out, adding his own magic to the spell.

Safar hurled a magical jar into the beast's path and Palimak heard an explosion, followed by a shriek of agony. Then he gasped with relief as he sensed the beast falling away. But he knew instinctively that this wasn't enough and the ice beast would soon be upon them again.

He peered around his father and saw the beautiful Spirit Rider racing ahead on a black mare. She held a blazing magical torch high to guide them through the storm. They were heading for the point of a narrow peninsula, waves breaking on either side.

To Palimak's amazement, the Spirit Rider didn't stop when she reached the end of the peninsula. Instead, she rode her mare right out onto the water, leaping across the surface as it were a broad, firm king's highway.

He felt his father tense and knew he was wondering if he should follow. Then Safar relaxed-decision made-and gave Khysmet his head. Immediately the stallion sprang across the water, running after the mare with no difficulty.

They rode like that for a time, hooves splashing in what seemed like shallow water, while on either side enormous waves boomed past. Soon the novelty wore off and Palimak dozed. He slept fitfully, waking every now and then to see the beacon still moving ahead of them.

Then Gundaree and Gundara were both shrieking in his ear. The two little magical Favorites, his ever-present guardians, were both crying out at the same time: "Beware, Little Master! Beware"

He felt a rumbling beneath him and he shouted a warning to Safar. But his father was already coming up out of his stupor, steadying them as Khysmet shrilled surprise and bounded high into the air. When he came down, his hooves skittered on slippery rock, but then the nimble-footed horse steadied himself and they were racing over stony ground.

At that moment a blast of cold winds swept in from the side, sweeping the snow away. Palimak gaped at the sight. Hunched over the little island they now found themselves on was a huge statue of a demon.

Palimak felt his father jump in shock, as if he'd been stung.

"Asper!" he said in a harsh voice. "It's Asper!"

As they rode toward the statue Palimak lifted his head and saw something loom up just beyond. About a hundred yards away was a tall, sheer cliff face, unmarked except for a wide cave mouth in the center. At the top of the cliff that was some sort of black stone structure. Palimak dully wondered what it was. Then he saw several turrets and he realized it was a castle.

Just then he heard the Spirit Rider shout and his head snapped back. He saw her poised on the mare, waiting at the steps of a wide stairway that led up to the statue's open mouth.

She shouted, "This way!" And plunged up the broken staircase to disappear into the mouth of the statue.

Safar didn't have to urge Khysmet on. The big horse leaped after the mare with such force that Palimak's grip around his father's waist was nearly torn away. A heartbeat later they were inside the idol and all was darkness.

There was a flash of light and he felt a shock shiver through his body, rattling his teeth. Dazed, he realized his father had vanished. And now Palimak was holding Khysmet's reins. More puzzling still, his hands were no longer those of a small boy, but were large and muscular.

Khysmet whinnied and Palimak instinctively leaned forward, ducking under the dim shape of a low overhang. From far ahead he heard the rhythmic pounding of drums. A great chorus of voices chanted words he couldn't quite make out.

Then, soaring over the chorus, he thought he heard a familiar voice. Recognition dawned and he shouted,

"Father! Father!"

A voice full of agony cried out in reply: "Palimak. Help me, Palimak!"

At that moment a great explosion erupted, lifting him up and hurling him away on a hot fierce wind.