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Chapter 316: Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Rhuuk must have been fatigued from his relentless combat, as he was carrying the pair. His swings lacked their usual ferocity, and I assumed he had depleted much of his aether; he wasn’t using his tattoos at the moment. Even though the dungeon enhanced the recovery of aether, he could not charge forward recklessly.

We paused in the short corridor to the ice demon chamber to watch the other two progress. Mynasha observed, “They both look to be conserving aether, probably for the fight with the ice demon.”

I was not as certain. “Will they try to steal the horns when we come out?” I asked.

“No,” she said, then hedged, “Possibly. Maybe they are conserving aether to confront us after we fight the demon and are weakened.” At least she was admitting to herself that honor was secondary to the prize of being the Supreme.

My hand brushed the blue glowstone to my right. I took a modest block of it into my space. I needed to conserve my own aether, as I had only recovered about two-thirds of my capacity. While Rhuuk fought, I spared a glance into the ice demon chamber. Frost coated the blue glowstones within, and a thin layer of snow covered the icy floor. It was a treacherous environment to fight in, and we had been warned that the longer we fought, the colder the chamber would become. Since we would be sealed inside the freezer, it would be a death sentence if we couldn’t slay the demon quickly. Of course, Maveith had the ring of warmth that would have helped.

I tried to find the demon. We had been told the ice demon blended into the floor to look like a snow-covered stone, but from my vantage point, I could see a dozen or more large stones. I was slightly concerned that the demon might resist my dimensional space, resulting in a desperate fight. From Glasha, I knew it was a highly magical creature, capable of creating a frozen aura around itself.

It was also covered in a white, bony, plate exoskeleton, making it difficult—even with a runic weapon—to locate flesh. Maveith’s bludgeoning hammer would have been handy for this encounter.

“Are we going?” Mynasha asked, seeing my uncertainty as the competition drew closer.

“I say we let them fight the demon and take the horns when they exit.” Mynasha looked uncertain at the suggestion. She had followed my lead so far and I had carried her.

“We cannot kill them,” she stated resolutely, but didn’t say we couldn’t rob them. I nodded, sheathed magebane, and the black spear appeared in my hand. Having watched Rhuuk practice, I thought the spear was a better weapon to keep him at a distance since his broadsword had longer reach than magebane.

We watched the pair work slowly through the dretches and blood stirges to reach the corridor where we were waiting. They came up short, not expecting to see us there. Jhuarkasha barked mockingly at us. “Too afraid to fight the demon?” It was a weak taunt, clearly crafted to lure us into killing the ice demon. The cleric lacked cunning, among other things. I could see him being a puppet of the warlords, but I didn’t know if Mynasha had the fortitude to stand up to them either. Not that I cared for the fate of the Caliphate.

My eyes slid to Rhuuk, and I tried to read his intentions. Rhuuk was covered in dretch and stirge blood but showed no signs of fatigue. Even though Jhuarkasha was the candidate, Rhuuk was clearly the one in charge. Mynasha was waiting for me to answer the insult. Apparently, I was the one who spoke for our team. “How do you know we have not already defeated the ice demon?”

The cleric peered into the snow-blanketed, icy chamber beyond, his face betraying panic. If we had both sets of horns, we could complete the third Trial. The snow lay undisturbed, making it evident that we had not yet crossed the threshold into the demon’s domain, but uncertainty was on the cleric’s face. “They have not,” Rhuuk voiced aloud, figuring it out, not breaking eye contact with me. His eyes drifted to the spear for a split second and then moved back.

“The demon is all yours.” I gestured slightly with the spearhead to let them pass, but they didn’t move. It was a standoff. I think they planned to take the horns from us when we exited—but that was also our plan. I assumed they had intentionally slowed to let us enter first. They had been acting more fatigued than they actually were, as well.

Jhuarkasha tried not to give away their intentions, but turned to Rhuuk for orders. The tendons in Rhuuk’s hand flexed, and I watched the tip of his blade for movement. His eyes held an eagerness to test his skill against mine, but he was also intelligent. He had studied me on numerous occasions and had seen what my dimensional space held.

“You can have the goliaths if you give us the hellhound skull.” The warlord’s statement threw me off. He laughed darkly at my surprise. “You thought we wouldn’t find out why a human would help a candidate in the Choosing?” Damn it, Maveith! I assumed that his actions had revealed why we were here.

“We didn’t tell anyone,” Mynasha said quietly from my side.

“I know,” I said while maintaining eye contact with the warlord.

I tried to regain my mental footing, thinking out the implications. There had to be spying and divination magic, but Maveith’s attempt to contact his sister was likely the reason they knew. I shook my head slowly. It didn’t matter. I was certain the bulky pack Jhuarkasha carried had the snake demon horns. If we left the dungeon, he would have leverage over me, as Zorana and Myra were his slaves. Maybe he wanted something more—something he had seen in my dimensional items? A slight anxiety stirred in me. I couldn’t let him live.

I grinned, showing confidence. “How about a friendly wager? We will put up our hellhound skull for the snake demon horns. The winner walks out of here with both. Just me and you, no need to get the clerics involved.” If Mynasha was involved and we moved to the large chamber away from the walls, she could probably end this quickly. But I was worried that Jhuarkasha could shield Rhuuk and prevent my attacks.

I was going this route because I had doubts about fighting the ice demon, and then having to fight Rhuuk right after. Glasha had indicated the ice demon was not much weaker than the shadow demon, and we had hoped not to fight either.

The warlord didn’t take long to answer. Rhuuk looked at the spear and my sheathed blade, clearly wanting both artifacts on his face. That was why I was surprised when he answered, “No, human. You have no honor.”

Really? We were talking about honor now!? I ground my teeth, but I had learned enough about warlord honor in our months in the Caliphate to twist it to my advantage. “I killed Warlord Trakor; it was I who brought down his roc, Chaostail, north of Varvao,” I said. “I claim his honor as mine.”

“You lie, human,” Cleric Jhuarkasha yelled at me, spittle flying from his mouth. Stealing a dead man’s honor was dishonorable and had to be met with an honor challenge, so I thought I would force a fight either way. Mynasha had taken a step back from me, also stunned by my claim.

Warlord Trakor had led the expedition to conquer western Telha; his unexpected death nearly doomed it, causing infighting among the remaining warlords and clerics. From Glasha and Tarnasha’s conversations, I knew Trakor had been an ally of Rhuuk, but I did not know how deep the alliance went.

War Cleric Mynasha had been at the head of that fleet as the strongest cleric, and I had just stunned her by admitting that I was the pain-in-the-ass Hound who had killed Pathfinders and warlords alike, nearly thwarting the annexation.

I could also claim Pathfinder Rakuh as my victim and claim his honor, but I thought I wouldn’t need to, given Rhuuk’s reaction. I had killed Rakuh in an honor duel when I freed the goliath slaves in Kraken Bay. That Pathfinder was the patriarch of the Sun Shadow Clan and was respected throughout the Caliphate. Glasha had warned me that several warlords and clans would seek to avenge his death.

My eyes had not broken their contact with Rhuuk’s. Some people didn’t need a Truthseeker to read the truth in another. “No, I believe he tells it true.” Rhuuk’s breathing had slowed as he prepared mentally and physically. “Death or surrender?” he asked, setting the terms.

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“Death,” I didn’t hesitate to respond.

“No!” Jhuarkasha barked, gathering his wits. “Surrender!”

“Not your decision, cleric. It is my honor to barter,” Rhuuk said dismissively. I caught something in their exchange. Was this an act? I had only recently learned the orc language so the nuances were still a little lost on me, but reading body language was something I had gotten good at from all my weapons practice. They had been expecting this outcome—maybe they even desired it. Don’t doubt yourself, Eryk, I told myself. I could beat Rhuuk.

“We should move out to the large cavern.” I gestured with my spear, not liking the ice demon at my back.

“I am comfortable here,” Rhuuk said, motioning Jhuarkasha away. At least Jhuarkasha didn’t cast any spells on him—or at least none that I noticed with my aether-infused sight active.

Rhuuk was an imposing warrior, built like Maveith and more agile than Benito. With his tattoos, he was probably faster and stronger than me, and on top of that, he had more combat experience. But what he didn’t have was a dimensional space.

The blue-lit corridor we were standing in was twenty feet wide with a ceiling to match. Rhuuk’s stance changed as he gracefully circled my right. Mynasha backed away from me, and I think Rhuuk knew she couldn’t use her lightning in proximity to the glowstones.

His footwork was some of the best I had ever observed. It gave away nothing of his intentions, and he glided like a feather, barely disturbing the ground. I almost felt embarrassed watching him, knowing my own footwork paled in comparison. I would have liked to cross blades with him for no reason other than to add him to the dreamscape, but I was not risking my life.

I circled him, watching closely while the two clerics looked on for a minute, before he narrowed his eyes and moved in closer. When he came within ten feet, I attempted to move a portion of his chest to my dimensional space. Instead, thunder rocked the area, and I was thrown backward, tumbling in a daze across the ground. I barely had enough awareness to realize I was heading in a very bad direction—toward the ice demon room. I laid out my body and skidded to a stop. I was conscious, but my head hurt and my aether was depleted. I fumbled in my pouch for a lesser healing potion.

The healing potion worked too slowly, my vision crystallizing. At least it looked like Rhuuk hadn’t been spared. He was picking himself up off the floor of the main chamber, Jhuarkasha hovering over him but reluctant to help and interrupt the honor duel.

I realized what had happened slowly. This had happened to me once before when I had tried to place the belt with small dimensional pouches into my dimensional space. Another dimension could not exist inside another and was forcibly expelled. Did that mean that Rhuuk had an artifact on him—or had his own dimensional space? My hearing returned as I stood, and Mynasha was hovering, uncertain if she should help. I probably should have gotten more clarity on the rules before we started.

Rhuuk looked angrily at Jhuarkasha from the ground. Jhuarkasha stepped back. “I didn’t know you would be affected too!” The cleric said apologetically, some fear in his voice. I had been set up. They had figured out the extent of my abilities and prepared a counter. I was stupid for not realizing it. Rhuuk struggled to his feet, clearly suffering from the concussive blast. He fumbled for his own healing potion, and I looked for my spear. Fuck, it had rolled into the demon’s chamber behind me. Shit—one of the snow-covered rocks was creeping closer to it.

I drew magebane and started to advance on Rhuuk, who still seemed disoriented, but it wouldn’t last. And it didn’t. He retrieved his blade before I closed in on him. He parried my first attack and regained his footing as his mind cleared from the healing potion. I pressed as best I could, but he was clearly channeling aether to his tattoos, as he was faster than me. I didn’t think that was fair, as my aether pool had been drained in the explosive feedback.

I was forced back as Rhuuk regained himself. My hope was that he would expend his aether on his tattoos, and the fight would be even once again. I was tracking my own aether, which was recovering painfully slowly. Realizing he had the advantage, Rhuuk pressed the attack. I grunted when I blocked a heavy swing, my shoulder aching from the force behind it. I told myself to just parry or dodge in the future. So much for consuming essences like candy for the last two years. I was physically outmatched.

Rhuuk was deft with his broadsword and difficult to read. I was soon sporting a deep cut on my right thigh and bicep. The leg wound hadn’t reached the muscle, but the wound on the arm had. If my shield hadn’t been in my dimensional space, this might have been more of a fair fight, but as it was, I was at a disadvantage. The exchanges got more and more violent as I went on the defensive, retreating. I took another cut to my same injured arm; this time, he reached the bone, making that arm useless.

He paused, finally drawing in heavy breaths, and the emptiness in his eyes told me he had exhausted his aether. Only a few minutes had passed, and I began to retreat toward the ice demon room. In a prolonged fight, I realized I would lose. Maybe I could lure him into the demon chamber and turn the demon against him. Rhuuk wasn’t stupid and didn’t move, allowing me to step back. He was content to recover his aether so he could recharge his tattoos. After gaining some distance, I took the chance to drink a lesser healing potion from my belt. He frowned, clearly displeased. He might have thought the Titans had destroyed all my potions.

Most importantly, as the potion worked, my wounds closed, and the potion mitigated my blood loss. I was feeling some weakness from the blood loss, just another sign that things were not going well for me. I was at the entrance to ice demon room, but Rhuuk did not follow, clearly understanding my intention to lock us inside. “You cower like a human,” he berated me. “You are not fit to be a First, or to be allowed in this dungeon.”

I wanted to laugh. He somehow thought his insults would make me come to him. Minutes passed as we continued to stare at each other with thirty feet separating us. Rhuuk was forced to cut down a dretch that had wandered too close. I was content to let my aether recover. With the channeling ring and my attribute, I think Rhuuk would be shocked how fast I could replenish my aether.

I was now able to cast a few air shields or retrieve items from my dimensional space. I used some aether to boost my blood. Perhaps Rhuuk thought I poorly channeled aether or believed the backlash had damaged my dimensional space.

I dissuaded him from thinking that as the black blade appeared in my other hand. His eyes narrowed at the weapon, but he clearly did not realize it was Orc’s Torment—at least not yet. The clerics watched from opposite sides of the entrance. Mynasha looked worried and frustrated at the same time. Rhuuk took a moment to reach under his armor and toss aside metal fragments. Was that what had repelled my dimensional space? Or was he trying to deceive me? I hated clever opponents.

I looked back at the black spear. The ice demon disguised as a rock had crowded close to it, hovering near it. That irked me, as I didn’t want to lose the powerful weapon. I checked on my aether and walked out to the corridor to confront Rhuuk. He changed his posture very slightly. Maybe he was not ready to receive me, recovering himself.

With magebane in one hand and Orc’s Torment in the other, I pressed my attack. He started to backpedal, on the defensive now that I had the advantage with two blades and he could not use all his tattoos. He still enhanced his speed and strength for quick exchanges, but I was now focused on wearing him down, rather than being baited by openings. One thing I did have was bottomless endurance.

He was very deft with the broadsword and it took time before Orc’s Torment finally cut through his gauntlet and sliced the back of his hand. His hissed but didn’t cry out as he retreated further into the open cavern. Jhuarkasha was confused and nervous at the turn of events.

Rhuuk’s eyes were locked on the black blade. “You have no honor to bring such a vile blade into the Caliphate.” I didn’t respond, but a smile crept over my face. I could tell he was desperate. I circled and made him kill a dretch while he sought an advantage.

Minutes passed as we played a game of cat and mouse. Konstantin would be mad that I was playing with my food, but I had a plan. An effect of wounds from Orc’s Torment was that magical healing would be ineffective; Rhuuk learned that after I cut his hip with magebane. He swiftly drank another healing potion and growled in frustration as it failed to heal his wounds.

That poison now flowed through his body, but frustratingly, he was still able to command his aether enough to activate his tattoos. I almost lost my arm trying to take advantage of an opening. I could have used an air shield to pressure him, but I had another fate in mind for him.

I asked as haughtily as I could, “Violet or blue?”

His confusion was evident on his face. “Violet or blue?” he echoed.

“Yeah, what is your favorite color?” I asked, gaining confidence as I closed.

“It does not factor into the contest,” he retorted angrily.

I had stopped a dozen feet away. “Actually, it does,” I stated. “I wanted to know …” I paused dramatically as a cubic yard of violet glowstone appeared above his head. He had no chance of seeing it with his helm’s visor. As the stone fell, too slowly for my liking, I finished, “…what color to make your tombstone.”

Panic appeared briefly on his face as the pressure settled on him. He made the mistake of trying to resist instead of getting out of the way. The stone crushed Rhuuk, and a squirt of his bodily fluids splattered on me. Some of his limbs still stuck out from under the glowing violet stone, but he was most certainly dead. Technically, I could say that I hadn’t killed him if questioned by the Elders.

“Guess I won. I believe that is ours,” I stated tiredly, looking over at the astonished Jhuarkasha, indicating his pack with the snake demon horns.

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