James said, "It's heading for the guest wing."

Arutha caught up with the creature and slashed at it with his sword. The blade pa.s.sed through the man-shaped shadow, which hesitated, its head moving as if it was looking around, then it continued on.

"You got its attention," said James, "but it doesn't seem harmed."

Arutha said, "I welcome any suggestion as to how to stop this creature."

"Keep hitting it," said Amos.

Arutha again overtook the moving shape and struck it several times. The shadow flinched and turned this way, then that, then it fled straight up to the ceiling where it looked like a painted human silhouette. It paused for a moment, then resumed its journey.

Then the fireball went out and the creature vanished into the gloom.

James pointed, "There!"

Father Belson said, "If I cast another globe, I may not be able to do much else."

"Have you any spells that might stop this creature, Father?" asked Arutha, hurrying at a fast walk after James.

"Most of my order's spells suited for combat tend to result in extreme damage, Highness."

"I would risk a fire in the palace to stop a war, Father."

"But it might not do any good," said the priest.

William said, "Should I run ahead and make the guards ready?"

Arutha said, "Ready to do what? Their weapons are no bar to that thing."

James was hurrying along, keeping his eyes on the ceiling, lest he lose sight of the ent.i.ty. Amos shouted, "Clear the way!" as they reached a more heavily trafficked hall.

Servants and guards stationed at the corners looked over at the odd sight of their monarch and several members of his council hurrying along, eyes cast upward to the ceiling. When they glanced up, all they saw was a slight flickering of shadows, but nothing else.

James said, "Now, at least, I know who was killing magicians in Krondor and why."

"So the Prince couldn't send for anyone to stop this thing?" said William.

"Or check the trunk with different magic than used by the good Father," said Amos.

"What else do you know of these creatures?" Arutha asked James.

Keeping his eyes on the moving shadow on the ceiling, James said, "All I know is what one of the old street magicians told me of this conjuration. It's mindless. Once set on its task it does not stop until it's killed its prey or is destroyed."

The cleric said, "There are counter-spells for specific magic, but I have no idea what would be required for this one, and I hardly have time to consult my superiors at the temple, or request help from the other orders."

William said, "I may know something."

"What?" asked Arutha.

"I'm guessing, but I've got an idea."

James said, "Don't be shy, Will. We're nearing the guests" wing."

"It has two possible ways to kill, as I see it. It either solidifies and tries to kill the duke as a man would, with a weapon or by strangling him or-"

"Breaking his neck," supplied Amos. "Yes, we get the idea.

Go on." rcal , "Or it has to . . . afflict the duke with a poison, or an illness, or something of that sort."

Arutha said, "Father, if it strikes the duke with an illness or injury of some sort, can you help?"

"I can keep the duke alive," said the priest. "Certainly long enough for you to bring other healers to the palace."

"What if it turns solid?" asked James as he reached the large doors leading into the duke's quarters. "Open the doors!" he shouted to the two soldiers guarding them.

To Arutha, Amos echoed, "What if it turns solid?"

"Then we kill it," answered the Prince.

Running ahead, William ordered guards to open the doors before James lost sight of the flickering shadow on the ceiling. In moments they reached the duke's private quarters. The creature ignored that door and continued on down the hall. It reached another set of doors and paused. Arutha shouted, "Open those doors!"

The guards hesitated for an instant, then complied, but in that brief moment, the creature seemed to slip between the top of the doors and the jamb.

Vladic, Crown Prince of Olasko sat up in bed, the woman at his side sliding under the covers, as if to hide. "What is the meaning of this?" shouted Vladic.

James looked up at the ceiling and then around the room. "Father, if you please," he said in an insistent, pleading tone.

The priest cast another fireball, and Vladic drew back. "What is this?" he demanded, getting out of bed and grabbing his sword.

"There!" cried James as the creature came into sharp relief again. It crouched on the wall behind Vladic.

William, seeing where James pointed, leapt forward, grabbed Vladic and yanked the Prince away.

At that moment, the shadow stepped down from the wall to the floor. Before everyone's eyes, it swelled, filled out and became solid.

Arutha moved in front of Vladic and said, "Pardon, Your Highness."

Vladic, ignoring his own nudity, stood with his sword at the ready. "What is that?"

"Something that doesn't want you around, apparently," said James, coming to join Arutha. He had his sword out as well.

The shadow-form now appeared fully solid, looking like a man without features, hair, or any visible blemish, painted coal-black. No light reflected from it.

Arutha slashed at it and, as the creature hesitated, the Prince's blade cut through it.

Then it sprang for Prince Vladic.

EIGHTEEN - Unmasking

William leapt.

He knocked Prince Vladic aside as the monster lunged. Soldiers hurried into the room, while Amos and Arutha prepared to attack. Several hurled themselves at the shadow-stalker in an attempt to protect their prince, and the first of them tried to shield-bash the stalker, to knock it off balance. The shield rang as if he had struck a tree bole, and the stalker slashed with his hand. The soldier's throat dissolved into a red fountain as blood sprayed across the room.

James worked his way around behind the creature, as Arutha shouted, "Archers!"

One soldier hurried out of the room to relay the order, while two bearing long pikes attacked. The weapons were decorative, heads gilded and hardwood polished, bearing the royal pennon of Krondor, but they were still fully functional. Both men were well-schooled in their use and approached the stalker, barbs ready to hook and pull, points ready to impale.

The first soldier thrust with all the force he could muster so that the steel point should have impaled the creature, but it slid off harmlessly. The shadow-stalker paused for a moment and caught the pole under one arm, then with a sharp blow struck with the other hand and snapped the pole as if it were kindling.

'That's solid oak!" said Amos.

William was up and pulling Vladic across the bed, past the young woman who was now crouched down on the other side from where the stalker was cornered. Sensing that its prey was leaving, the creature leapt upon the bed, and the young woman screamed and cowered even lower. The shadow-a.s.sa.s.sin ignored her.

Arutha hurried around and lunged at the creature, the point of his blade sliding off its featureless hide. "Highness!" shouted James. "You're doing no good; please avoid getting yourself killed."

Amos took a more direct approach, grabbing Arutha's shoulder and yanking him back as the monster turned and lashed out at where the Prince had stood a moment before.

"You're irritating it, Arutha," said the former pirate.

Archers entered, bows at the ready, and let fly as William half-dragged Prince Vladic out of the room. The arrows merely glanced off or broke as they struck the stalker's hide.

"This is doing no good!" shouted Arutha. "Fall back, but slow it down!"

Soldiers with shields and swords moved to form a shieldwall and more soldiers with pikes fell in behind. The shield-bearers braced themselves, their shields overlapping like scales. From behind, the pikemen reached over and formed a steel barrier, but the creature ignored it, walking into the points. Strong men braced themselves as the heavy shafts were pushed back.

The stalker raised both arms and smashed downward. One pike on the left shattered, while another was knocked to the stone floor, flying out of the grip of the soldier holding it. More soldiers hurried to support those who faced the monster, and their sergeant looked to William for instructions.

"Pin it against the wall," said William. "Use shields and be cautious, for it is extremely powerful."

The sergeant shouted, "You heard the lieutenant! Charge!"

The shieldmen and pikemen charged as one, and the creature was borne backward. It resisted but could not get traction on the smooth stone floor.

More men arrived and slowly they pushed the stalker away from Prince Arutha and the others. The stalker sensed its prey escaping, and its struggle intensified. It drew back an arm and lashed out, crushing the face of the closest soldier. He fell, tripping two soldiers behind him, and the ma.s.s of soldiers pressing the creature back disintegrated.

Suddenly the stalker was flailing, first with one arm, then the other, smashing back any soldier who hindered it. The blows were pulverizing, breaking arms, smashing shoulders, crushing faces. Tough, experienced veteran soldiers were tossed aside amid cries of agony and fury, as if they were no more than bothersome boys. Injured men were held in place by the press of other soldiers. More than one unconscious man was held upright until the movement of the ma.s.s allowed them to fall, threatening them with being trampled.

More soldiers raced in to protect their monarch and his royal guest. Again they pressed the stalker back, pushing it to the floor. The soldiers piled onto the stalker, pinning it to the floor. The groans of the men near the bottom of the heap revealed the price paid for enduring the weight of the men and armor on top of them. Those closest to the creature risked their own lives twice, from the creature's blows and the crushing weight of their own comrades.

The pile of soldiers heaved, as if the stones beneath them shook, once, twice, three times. Then suddenly the heap collapsed, as if on a ball that had suddenly deflated. From within the pile a voice said, "Sire! It's gone!"

James shouted, "No it hasn't!"

A shadow slithered out from under the pile and moved across the room to Arutha and Vladic, where it rose and solidified again.

Arutha attacked.

His sword was a blur as he slashed at the creature. His blade had been given the power of an Ishapian talisman by Macros the Black before Arutha's final confrontation with Murmandamus at the end of the Great Uprising. Since then, only the demon he had killed at the fortress had tested the strength of that magical power.

This shadow-stalker seemed more annoyed than harmed by Arutha's blade. It flinched from Arutha's cuts and it lashed out at him with a powerful blow.

Arutha dodged aside, and James stepped in from the rear, striking as hard as he could with his sword. The blow rang as it bounced off the stalker, and James felt the shock all the way up to his shoulder.

Looking at Father Belson, James shouted, "Is there anything you can do?"

The cleric called back, "I can only think of one thing, but it's very dangerous!"

Arutha was caught in a duel he couldn't win, but he was effective enough in staying between the creature and Prince Vladic that Vladic was still unharmed. He shouted, "It can't be any more dangerous than this, Father! Do it!"

The priest stepped aside and began an incantation in the mystical language of his order. James again attacked the stalker from behind, and again felt as if he were striking unyielding stone.

The bedroom brightened and grew hot. Father Belson held his hand aloft, and above his head a ring of fire formed, swirling flames that could be felt by everyone nearby. The circling flames moved faster and faster, growing larger and hotter by the second. The priest finished his spell and shouted, "Run!"

No one had to be told twice. Everyone who could turned and sprinted out of the room, save Arutha, who attacked the stalker one last time to buy those around him a few seconds of safety before he, too, backed away, turned and ran.

Wounded men lying on the floor behind the creature crawled away, leaving behind unconscious comrades.

The priest shouted a single word in his order's secret language and the flames coalesced into a form as man-like as the stalker. The intense heat could be felt by those running: Arutha's back felt as if he was standing too close to a forge.

James turned and saw the flame creature interpose itself between the stalker and Vladic, who stood watching with mute fascination.

Father Belson cried out, "O creature of flame, elemental of fire, destroy that darkness!"

The elemental attacked and a wave of heat struck the onlookers, intense enough to make them retreat even farther from the conflict. Only the priest of Prandur seemed unfazed by the searing air near the creature.

The stalker turned from its inexorable pursuit of Vladic and defended itself. The creatures came to grips, silendy, and the only sound heard was the crackling of flames.

James left the hallway and moved through an antechamber into a side pa.s.sage. He ran down it, and crossed through a gallery, returning to the main hall near Arutha and Vladic. He signaled to a nearby guard, saying, "Go through there," pointing to where he had come from. "At the other end of this hall lie injured men. The heat is doing them no good. Call a squad and get them out of there."

"Yes, squire," said the soldier. He motioned for others to follow, and led a half-dozen men the way James had outlined.

Arutha didn't take his eyes off the struggle, but he said, "I should have thought of that."

"You're busy," said James, motioning for one of the remaining guards to remove his cloak. He handed it to Prince Vladic and said, "I know it's warm, but. . ."

Vladic, riveted by the scene before him, covered himself and said, "Thank you."

The two magical creatures were locked together, each gripping the other's arms, staggering first this way, then that, like two drunken wrestlers pushing one another around the arena. Each time the elemental came close to something combustible the item would smoke and char, or burst into flames if the blazing creature lingered long enough. The stalker slammed the elemental against the stone wall in an attempt to shed its grasp, but the elemental's fiery grip held tightly and it endured the blow in silence. Then the elemental spun and slammed the stalker into the wall in return.

Arutha said, "If this doesn't end soon, that thing is going to burn the palace down."

Several decorative tapestries were smoldering and two had started to flame. The stalker pushed the elemental backward, into a decorative table upon which sat a vase of fresh cut flowers.