Chapter 3

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Three creatures emerged from the tunnel and made their way across the silent cavern.

The first was tall and skeletally lean, its skin white and smooth and hairless. It had no eyes. Its face was completely featureless except for two slits where a nose should be and a short, vertical slash underneath, approximating a mouth.

The next looked like a gaunt, emaciated man, its bones clearly visible under its skin. It was bald. Its eyes were empty holes, its mouth gaping and toothless. There were weeping sores over much of its body.

The last looked like it was formed of blocks of red granite. Its fists were the size of small boulders. A deep gash ran diagonally across its face, through one eye and across its mouth. From the depths of the gash came a flickering red glow.

They stood over the unconscious forms of Rome and Quyloc, staring at the crack in the stone.

The binding is broken. You are free of the Gur al Krin now, came the voice from beyond the wall. Go now. Prepare for our return. Leave these two on the sand. See that they do not remember what happened here.

The white-skinned one held out its hands, palms outward. In the center of its forehead a single, red-rimmed eye suddenly opened. “Kasai hears and obeys,” it said.

The mouth of the emaciated creature stretched unnaturally wide and a high, piercing voice came from it. “Gulagh hears and obeys.”

The rock-like creature slammed its massive fists to the floor with a thunderous boom. “Tharn hears and obeys,” it grated.

Gulagh placed one hand on each of the unconscious men’s foreheads and an eerie, moaning sound came from it. When it was done, it stood and started for the tunnel. Tharn picked the men up and followed. Kasai gathered up the black axe, wincing as it touched the weapon, and followed the other two. None glanced back at the dead form of the black-shelled creature.

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