Eleck tried to swallow and failed. The hulking presence of the black knight had his throat as dry as any desert. When he’d asked Master Connor for reinforcements he’d devoutly hoped for almost anything other than the unstable man in black. The four red-scales standing at his side seemed like wholly inadequate protection. A good ten feet from them Delia trembled like a leaf in a stiff breeze. He knew just how she felt. It was only with a great effort of will that his own knees didn’t knock.

They stood just outside the corrupted forest looking up at the cave that served as the entrance to Eleck’s base. He could remember a time when walking through the demon-haunted stretch of woods had twisted his heart and made him question everything he was doing.

Now the dead trees and ash served as nothing but a nuisance to be gotten through as quickly as possible. Eleck was damned and no amount of feeling sorry for himself would change his fate. It astonished him that he could still interact with the earth force at all. Not that it should have. The energy flow didn’t care who he was or what he had done. It had no will or sense of morality. It simply was.

“Where are the rest?” the knight asked. “I was under the impression there were more than two of you.”

“The others are up in the cave, sir. It’s necessary for the bulk of my acolytes to remain at the ritual circle to keep the power flowing.”

A hollow grunt from behind the mask. “Then they are most likely dead. Your enemies beat us here and one of them is very strong. I can sense his soul force from here.”

Eleck’s mind raced. If his acolytes were dead how would he complete the project? And if he couldn’t complete the project how would he convince Connor to spare him? The answer was as plain as the skull on the knight’s breastplate. He couldn’t.

“Can you complete the master’s task without your servants?” the knight asked.

“Of course, sir. But first we need to evict the trespassers.”

Delia tugged on his robe. “How, Master?”

“Shut up and do not speak again.”

“What is the worm mewling about?”

“Nothing, sir. She’s just worried about her friends.” Eleck prayed to any and all powers that the black knight would believe him. The helmed head nodded and Eleck’s heart slowed to something approaching normal.

“You are fortunate that I’m here.” The knight flexed the fingers on his scaled hand. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting this enemy again.”

Eleck blinked. “You know our enemies?”

“One of them at least. He cost me a great deal. Killing him will make this trip worth my time.”

Eleck tried to imagine who would be stupid enough to challenge the armored giant. Whoever it was must have a death wish.