Richard Knaak - Legacy of Blood

With each loss, Norrec's mind edged nearer to what it had more or less been like before the armor had claimed him. The memories and thoughts became wholly his own, not that of a murderous demon master. Yet, he could never be rid of the terrible days since the tomb, never be rid of the horrors and death of which he had played an unwilling but great part.

And when it was done, the white-haired figure stretched out a gauntleted hand again, summoning the helmet. Placing that in the crook of one arm, Horazon's puppet looked over Norrec and the others.

"It is time for the world to forget Bartuc and Horazon. You would do well to do the same, all of you."

"Wait!" Kara dared approach the enigmatic form. "One question. Please tell me-did you send this one," she indicated Horazon's host. "To find me in Lut Gholein?"

"Yes… I sensed something amiss and knew that a necromancer so near-a necromancer who should not be in the city above-had to be involved. I needed you closer so that I could discover why. As you slept, as you ate, I learned what I needed to know from you." He stepped back from her, from all of them. "Our conversation is at an end. I leave you on your own now. Remember this, though; the Arcane Sanctuary exists in many places, has many doorways-but I advise you now to never seek it again."

His darkening tone left them with no doubt as to what he meant by the last. Horazon had no desire to be a part of the living world again. Those who would disturb him would risk much.

He suddenly seemed to lose form and substance, bits of him crumbling away as if even flesh and metal had become grains of sand. With each second, the armored mage looked less like anything mortal and more a very part of the landscape.

"Norrec Vizharan," Horazon called in that odd, echoing voice. "It is time to create your own legacy…"

Clad in the same garments he had worn upon entering Bartuc's tomb-even his own boots having somehow been returned to him by the astounding sorcerer-Norrec pulled free from the revenants and started forward. "Wait! What do you mean by that?"

But Horazon's host, now a man completely of sand, only shook his head. Of all of him, only the eyes remained somewhat human. Even as Norrec neared, the figure shrank, his sandy form melting into the dunes around. By the time the veteran fighter reached the area it was already too late… only a small lump of loose grains remained to mark Horazon's past presence.

Seconds later, even that no longer existed.

"It's over," Kara quietly remarked.

"Yes… it is," agreed Sadun Tryst.

Something in his tone made Norrec now turn to the two ghouls. Both undead had a peculiar look in their eye, as if they waited for something else to happen.

The necromancer guessed first. "Your quest is over, is it not? Just as with Horazon, your time in this world is at an end."

Fauztin nodded. Sadun gave what seemed a sad grin-or perhaps his failing flesh and muscle simply made it seem so. "He came… when he felt… the armor stir… but too late… so he granted us… this chase…but with… the promise that… when it finished… so would we."

" He? " Norrec asked, joining Kara.

"But it was my spell and my dagger that brought you back!"

"His trickery… to throw you… off…" The smaller of the undead looked around. "Sanctimonious… bastard… can't even show up… now that it's… over…"

However, as he finished, a brilliant blue light suddenly shone down on the four, turning their small patch of desert as bright as, if not brighter than, a cloudless day at noontime.

Sadun Tryst would have spat in disgust, if such a simple feat had been within his ability any more. Instead, he shook his head-or rather, let it rock back and forth once-then added, "Should've known… better… damned strutting… angel!"

Angel? Norrec looked up in the direction of the light, but found no source for it, much less an angel. Still, what else could explain so much?

The ghoul glared at it. "At least… show yourself…" When nothing happened, he glanced at Norrec and added, "Typical. Just like… his kind… hiding in the… shadows… pretending they're… above it all… but putting their hands… in everything."

"I know this light," Kara muttered. "I caught a glimpse of it in the tomb. It's what drew me away from your bodies."

"He likes… his tricks… the archangel does." Tryst eyed Fauztin, who nodded again. To the two living members, the wiry revenant continued, "And for his… last one—"

"Damn you, Sadun, no!" Norrec scowled at the heavens, scowled at the unseen archangel. "It's not fair! They had no choice in the matter—"

"Please… it's… time… and we… want it so… Norrec…"

"You can't mean it!"

Sadun chuckled, a harsh sound. "I swear it… on my… life, friend…"

The blue light focused suddenly on the revenants, bathing them in such brilliance that Norrec had to shield his eyes. Fauztin and the smaller ghoul became harder and harder to see.

"Time to… buy that… farm… you always wanted… Norrec…"

The light flared then, becoming so intense that it momentarily blinded the veteran and his companion. Fortunately for both, the burst lasted only a few seconds, but even with that, by the time their eyes recovered, it was to find that not only had the heavenly illumination completely faded away-but with it had gone the two undead.

Norrec stared at the spot, at first unable to speak.

A hand touched his own. Kara Nightshadow gave him a look of sympathy. "They have moved on to the next step in the eternal journey, on to their next role in helping to maintain the balance of the world."

"Maybe…" Wherever they had gone, Norrec knew that he could be of no aid to them. The best he could do was keep their memories alive in him-and do something with his own life in honor of the friendship the three had built. He glanced up again, noticed for the first time that the ever-present storm clouds had finally quieted. In fact, they had already begun to dwindle to the point where patches of clear sky could be made out.

"What will you do now?" the necromancer asked him.

"I don't know." He glanced in the direction of Lut Gholein, the only sign of civilization for days. "Go there first, I suppose. See if they need any help cleaning up. After that… I just don't know. What about you?"

She, too, looked to the far-off city, giving him a chance to study her profile. "Lut Gholein makes sense also.Besides, I wish to discover whether Captain Jeronnan and the King's Shield are there. I owe him a debt. He treated me well, as if I were his own daughter-and he probably fears I drowned at sea."

Having no desire to part from her company just yet, Norrec responded, "I'll come with you, then, if you don't mind."

That brought an unexpected smile from Kara. Norrec liked it when the dark-haired woman smiled. "Not at all."

Recalling the ways of the many nobles he had served, Norrec offered her his arm, which, after a moment's hesitation, the necromancer took. Then, together, the weary pair made their way through what remained of the ruined dune and headed back toward civilization. Neither looked behind them to where the head and body of General Augustus Malevolyn already lay half-covered by the drifting sand, where Horazon and the armor had faded into the desert itself. The weary, battered soldier especially had no desire to be reminded of what had happened-and what could have happened if matters had taken a turn to the dark.

The legacy of Bartuc, the legacy of the Warlord of Blood, had been buried once again from the sight and knowledge of all… this time hopefully forever.

Night fell upon the desert of Aranoch, a solemn, brooding night. The creatures of the day hurried to the safety of their lairs while those who hunted in the darkness came forth in search of careless prey…