The Gods Awaken

CHAPTER SIX

Palimak crouched in darkness so complete it felt like he was being smothered in a damp blanket. There was no sound other than that of his breathing and the steady drip, drip of water oozing from the unseen ceiling just overhead.

It was painfully cold-like pincers squeezing his joints where they stretched the material of his woolen costume. Icy sea water made a thin, salty sheet on the floor of the tunnel, burning through the soles of his boots. The steel cap on his head, meant to ward off blows from swords or war clubs, was a painful halo of cold.

Suddenly, he felt as if all his energy was being sucked through the cap and he swept it off. The cap fell to the floor with a heart-jolting clang. At that moment a drip of freezing water plopped down and he jumped as if an invisible monster had clutched him by the back of the neck.

"No need to be alarmed, Little Master," Gundara said. "There's no one here."

"Except for the rats," Gundaree added. "You forgot to mention the rats."

"I didn't forget anything," Gundara snapped. "I just didn't want to make our master nervous."

"Maybe he should be nervous," Gundaree argued. "They're pretty big rats."

The two Favorites were each perched on a different shoulder and although they were invisible in the darkness Palimak could tell from their weight that they were full size-about three hands high.

"I don't care how big the rats are," Gundara said. "Our master is very brave."

"Maybe so," Gundaree said, "but there sure are an awful lot of them. And they're getting closer!"

"Stop it with the rats," Palimak ordered. "And get busy making a light."

"I was only warning you," Gundaree grumbled. "No need to snarl at me, Little Master."

"Honestly," Gundara said to his brother, "you're such a quarrelsome thing. I wish Mother had eaten you, like I told her."

"Shut up about Mother!" Gundaree snapped.

"I will not shut up!" Gundara stormed back. "You're nothing but a-"

"Light, please!" Palimak broke in.

"All right! All right!" Gundara said.

There was a low muttering from the two Favorites, then a clatter of little talons as they cast the spell.

Crack! and a glowing ball suddenly appeared, hovering some six feet off the tunnel's floor.

"There's your light, Little Master," Gundara said.

Palimak started when he saw scores of small, furry bodies dart away-seeking the cover of the darkness that loomed just beyond reach of the dim, swirling light.

"And there's your rats," Gundaree said with some satisfaction. "Told you there were a lot of them."

Palimak suppressed a shudder. "Get rid of them," he commanded.

"You're supposed to say a€?please,'" Gundara sniffed, acting hurt.

"Goodness, gracious," Gundaree said. "You'd think we never taught him how to be polite."

Palimak sighed. Bequeathed to him by his father, the two Favorites had watched over him since he was an infant-a mixed blessing despite their powerful magic.

Although they were twins, they were exact opposites in appearance. Gundara had the elegant body of a man, but the head and claws of a demon. Gundaree bore the face of a darkly handsome human perched on a demon's torso. Both were fashionably dressed in tunics, tights, capes and burnished boots. They were greedy, irritating, quarrelsome and had no use for anyone other than Palimak. Although they were commanded to obey him, it was no good arguing with them when they got into one of their moods.

" Please!" Palimak said.

"I'm hungry!" Gundaree complained.

"Pleases go down better with a few treats," Gundara added.

Suppressing a groan of frustration, Palimak dug into his pocket and pulled out a handful of sweets. The two Favorites quickly gobbled them up.

Gundara burped. "Is that all?" he asked.

"We're still hungry," Gundaree added.

"One more word," Palimak gritted, "and I swear I'll turn the two of you into big, fat, slimy slugs!"

The Favorites gulped, then leaped into action without further delay. They jumped to the floor of the tunnel. There was a purple flash and suddenly they transformed into two very large, very deadly cats.

The cats/Favorites darted forward into the darkness. An explosion of fierce yowls and frightened squeals soon followed. A moment later Palimak found himself dodging a stream of gray bodies as the rats bolted out of the gloom and ran straight for him.

"What the hells!" he shouted, as a monster rat ran up his leg.

He swatted it away. Then he kept on swatting, kicking and cursing as a veritable river of squealing rodent bodies flowed around him, over him and even between his legs, trying to escape the Favorites.

Then it was over and he stood angry and panting as Gundara and Gundaree calmly strolled back into the light in their original forms.

"They're gone, Little Master," Gundara piped.

Glaring, Palimak opened his mouth to give them a piece of his mind. Then he shrugged. What was the use? It was his fault for not being specific. Given more than one way to do things, the twins usually chose the route that gave their master the most trouble.

To keep the peace, he managed a "Thanks, boys," then got down to the job at hand.

Palimak motioned and the two leaped back onto his shoulders. He stalked onward, the glowing ball bobbing in front of him, lighting the way. Almost immediately, however, he was brought up short and to his dismay he learned the reason why the panicked rats had rushed him. The passage ended abruptly in a blank-faced wall

"Oh, we meant to tell you, Little Master," Gundara said, "the tunnel doesn't go any further."

Palimak was stunned. "What happened?" he croaked. "This isn't how it looked in either of the visions!

There was an opening! I saw it clear as day. Both times!"

"There's one thing wrong, Little Master," Gundaree said.

"Two things, actually," Gundara added.

"Oh, shut up, you!" Gundaree demanded.

Palimak growled for silence and got it. He knew very well what his trouble was. Or he could take a damned good guess, at least. He should have realized at the start of his journey through the tunnel that it wouldn't be so easy. From the moment he'd entered the mouth of the Idol of Asper he'd sensed a wrongness. It felt like a place where the blackest of magic had been practiced a long time ago.

Although there was nothing visible present, he sensed the damp corpses of ancient castings. The sense of danger had been so strong that he'd sent Leiria and the other members of his party away while he cast his arsenal's strongest series of protective spells.

The danger had seemed to lessen. But no sooner had he and his guards advanced down the tunnel again than the feeling of danger returned, just as strong as before.

Although Leiria and the others had argued fiercely, he'd made them wait at the entrance while he explored further, casting cleansing spells as he went on so there'd be nothing to worry him when he retraced his steps.

After five hours of searching through the darkness-using up the magic in one lightball after another-he'd started to realize why King Rhodes had looked at him so strangely when he'd made his request.

"The idol?" he'd said, surprised. "No one goes into the idol!"

"Nevertheless," Palimak had responded, "that's what I want to do."

Oddly enough, King Rhodes hadn't questioned him further. And his eyes had seemed to gleam with mysterious pleasure when he'd granted permission.

As he studied the blank wall once more, Palimak again puzzled over the king's reaction. When he'd entered the tunnel and encountered the spore of the old spells, Palimak had assumed Rhodes was hoping some evil magical presence lurking within the passage would do the job the king had been attempting since the Kyranians first landed in Syrapis. Which was to kill Palimak.

But now Palimak had reached the end of the tunnel and there was nothing apparent that posed any danger.

Gundara suddenly tensed on his shoulder. "Beware, Little Master!" he said.

Palimak was startled. "What's wrong?"

"There!" Gundaree said, pointing at the wall. "It's waiting!"

"And it's really, really hungry, Little Master," Gundara added.

"Maybe we'd better get out of here," Gundaree said.

Ignoring them, Palimak drew his dagger, reversed it, and started tapping on the wall. There was a sound like the beat of a drum. The wall was hollow! And then suddenly, steam started wisping off the face of the wall.

Palimak ignored it and continued tapping.