Chapter 3

Descent

'I still say that there is no right way through Kish,' said the Magician with a sigh. 'I think that it's just making things up as we go along!'

Diana had to agree that Presto's explanation of their predicament was by far the most logical of the many that had been suggested over the past hour. And Presto seemed very attached to the idea as well.

Eric didn't say anything. The Cavalier had, for once, grown tired of the sound of his own voice, and didn't argue with the Magician. So it had been Presto and Diana herself that had mulled over the various options.

'But how?' she asked. 'And why? You can't really think that a city can think! Not in the same way we can.'

Presto shrugged.

'I don't know,' he said. 'But I can't see any other way of explaining it.'

Diana looked round warily at the buildings as they passed. Was this city really thinking? Was it watching them? Was it planning something?

The Acrobat shivered, in spite of the dry warmth of the air.

'The sooner we get out of this place the better,' she murmured.

As they walked on, for the first time in many minutes the road began to curve to the right, and then finally it branched into two.

Diana frowned and glanced at the others without speaking. From the look on Eric's face, there was no question of splitting up, so she followed him without question as he marched off down the right hand side. Presto did the same.

A few minutes later they came to a dead end. The three of them turned a corner and almost smacked straight into a stone wall!

It came as such a surprised that they stood there for a moment, just looking at it.

Eric, predictably, reacted first.

'Funny!' he said loudly, scowling at the surrounding walls. 'That's just hilarious! Always choose! You and Dungeonmaster are in league just to annoy us!'

'Eric!' said Diana. 'That's not helping!'

'It's helping me!' he snapped back.

'Maybe it's some sort of clue,' said Presto. 'A "dead end" could mean… um… oh!'

He looked round at the two others, and Diana scowled at him.

'This isn't Scooby Doo!' snarled Eric. 'We don't need clues, we need to get out of here. Preferably before something bad happens.' He turned round to look at the walls. 'Y'hear that! We just wanna get out of here!'

'Look!' said Presto. 'There's a carving on that wall. At the bottom.'

Eric muttered something unpleasant under his breath and rolled his eyes. But Presto was undeterred. He moved forward to get a closer look, and Diana followed.

Kneeling on the ground, the Magician cleaned away some of the dust and sand from the wall. He had been right, there was a carving.

'Well,' said Eric loudly, standing with his arms crossed. 'When you two decide to stop playing Mystery Inc, I'll be waiting over here.'

Diana didn't bother to reply. Neither did Presto. Suppressing the urge to giggle, Diana peered at the carving.

'What do you think it is?' she asked.

Presto shook his head.

'It looks like a procession of some sort,' he said. 'I suppose…'

The way he said it made Diana instantly worried.

'Yousuppose…? What else could it be if it wasn't a procession?'

'Well,' said Presto, 'it's just that this place was supposed to be a Necropolis. A city of the dead.'

'Oh,' whispered Diana.

'Well, it doesn't look like any funeral procession I've ever seen!' said Eric loudly.

Both Diana and Presto jumped. The Cavalier was standing right behind them, his hands on his hips, frowning down at the carvings.

'Eric! Stop doing that!' snapped Presto, wiping his forehead with the Hat. 'You're gonna give me a heart attack!'

'Besides, when have you ever seen a funeral procession?' said Diana smugly.

But the response she got for her little jibe was not what she had expected. Eric's face darkened, not in annoyance but in sorrow. She had never seen him look like that before. Just for a moment, he looked as though he was about to cry.

She would have said something, but the moment was broken by the Magician.

'More importantly' said Presto, a little too loudly, 'weren't you supposed to be waiting over there? Hmm?'

Eric just gave a small shrug, his expression suddenly back to normal.

'I got bored, so sue me!'

Presto gave a small snort and turned back to the carving.

'I think this must be important,' he said seriously. 'Why else would the City have shown it too us.'

'I'm gonna say this again, even though I know you know what it is I'm gonna say,' said Eric. 'Cities don't think!'

Presto wasn't listening.

'It is a procession, people watching, and that could be a coffin.' He scrapped a bit at the wall.

'Terrific! Now we have coffins. This just gets better!'

'Eric!' said Diana. 'This is a Necropolis. Stop acting so surprised.'

'Do you think it's a warning?' said Presto. 'Y'know, about the thing that's driving away everyone away?'

'Everyone except us!' put in Eric.

'But if it is a warning,' said Diana warily, not liking the way this train of thought was going, 'then what does it mean?'

'A warning about death?' suggested Presto.

'That's not exactly a helpful suggestion,' snapped Eric. 'Do we really need a warning for that?'

'Well, no, I suppose not,' admitted the Magician.

'What else could they be?' asked Diana, peering at the carving. It was difficult to make out the details, but there was something about it that made her uncomfortable. It didn't look like a funeral procession, it looked as if they people were actually chasing the coffin away. And the people didn't really look much like real people either.

'Those don't look very much like people,' she said at last.

'No,' agreed Presto. 'No they look kinda like… um… like…'

Diana didn't like the way he hesitated.

'Like what?' demanded Eric.

'The way they're drawn,' he said slowly, 'It's kinda like… well, it might mean that those things are… Undead.'

There was an unpleasant silence. They had heard about the Undead from some of the people they'd met in the Realm: Vampires, Mummies, Skeletons, Zombies; all variations on a theme. They had met some of them before, and it was an experience that Diana didn't wish to do again!

'We'd better hope that it's "might",' said Eric, with a heavy sigh. 'We really don't want to meet anything like that! Not while the others are missing.'

Presto's lip curled up in distaste, but he nodded.

'Oh, relax guys!' said Eric suddenly, and in his best sarcastic voice. 'The best way to deal with the Undead is to get away from them as fast as possible!'

'Or cremate them,' added Presto.

Eric sniggered, but it was a forced snigger, and suddenly made Diana very uncomfortable.

'I wonder if…' started Presto.

'Exactly,' interrupted Eric. 'Wondering. Thinking. That's what we're doing wrong! It's pure guesswork, Presto! And it's not helping!'

'And neither are you,' said the Magician. 'This could help us get out of here! Or warn us of what's ahead.'

'Or it could just be a nice carving,' replied Eric.

'Yeah,' said Presto with a touch of sarcasm. 'Yeah, it could. But I would like an explanation.'

The two boys stared at each other, and Eric looked away first.

'Ok,' he said. 'Maybe you have a point. But it's not going to do us any good just standing around here, is it.'

Presto gave a rueful nod.

'Good,' said Eric. 'So let's just get out of here! And stay out of the way of anything nasty. C'mon!'

He turned round and headed off the way they had come.


'Well,' said Hank slowly, 'I didn't think I'd ever see an end in this place!'

'Me either,' said Bobby, and Uni added her bray as an echo of approval.

They stood at the stone wall, more surprised than anything else.

It was definitely an end, there was no way round and no other way out but back the way they had come. The wall itself seemed to be just blank, with no cracks or blemishes on it. It was just a flat block of stone that towered up high above their heads. There seemed to be no way to climb it. They would have to go back the way they came.

'Why would the city have led us here,' said Sheila. 'I suppose it would have to have a reason.'

Hank nodded uncertainly.

He reached out to touch the wall in front of them. Though it was made of sandstone, it felt much smoother than he'd expected, and warm to the touch.

What could it be trying to tell us? Hank wondered, his hand still resting on the wall. Is it trying to warn us? Or help us get out?

Hank glanced round at the two others. Bobby had a look of bored disbelief on his face, Sheila just looked worried.

His hand dropped down to his side and he stared back at the wall. This was getting them nowhere.

'Is there anything written on it?' asked Sheila. 'Or a painting?'

Hank shook his head.

'Doesn't seem to be,' he said. 'Maybe we just came the wrong way.'

'But the City brought us here!' said Bobby.

'Meah!' echoed Uni.

'Yeah,' said Sheila.

This was getting them nowhere, fast! With a frown, Hank knelt down near the wall, and ran his hand over the wall, starting from the bottom and moving up. It was warm to the touch, and seemed warmer at the bottom than it had been higher up, and very smooth. Only the smallest flecks of sand brushed off on his hand. There seemed to be nothing underneath.

But as he moved his hand, he did sense slight variations in the surface, like soft bumps. He frowned.

'Maybe there was something here, once,' he said. 'Maybe it's been worn away.'

'That doesn't help us,' said Sheila.

'No,' agreed Hank. 'It doesn't. Well, there doesn't seem to be anything else here to help.'

The others nodded, and they turned and walked back the way they came.


Diana, Eric and Presto walked on through Kish as the city had slowly changed around them.

The buildings had stopped being ornate, and even looking like proper building! These looked more like giant, carved stones. They had no windows, or even doors that Diana could see. In fact, though she didn't like to admit it out loud, they were beginning to remind her of giant gravestones.

The two boys were talking together, but Diana was content just to listen and to think about what had happened.

'We're making good time,' said Eric.

'I hope the others are too,' said Presto.

'Hank will look after them. They'll be fine.'

'All we have to do is find them.'

'Relax, Presto, they can't have wandered off too far. They've gotta be around here somewhere!'

The Acrobat glanced across to Eric as he talked. He seemed worried, for all his calm and assured comments. It surprised her that she noticed! Since when had she learned so much about the Cavalier? Since when had she cared that much, either!

'This feels all wrong,' murmured Presto.

'I know, but we don't have a lotta choice,' said Eric with a sigh. 'Dungeonmaster told us it was dangerous in Kish, away from the safe path.'

'But what guarantee do we have that this is the safe path,' insisted Presto.

'Look, do you have any better ideas?' snapped Eric suddenly. 'I'm doing the best I can over here!'

The Magician muttered an apology and looked appropriately chagrined, but Diana couldn't help grinning. That was the Cavalier they all knew and loved!

'Well, we are safe at the moment,' she said, feeling that Eric needed her support. 'Ok, we've managed to loose over half our party, but we're still doing ok.'

Eric turned to give her a smile, but the warm look suddenly changed into a full-scale scowl.

'You know what you've done,' he said crossly. 'This is your fault!'

'What are you…?'

Eric lifted his hand and pointed over her shoulder, and Diana turned to look.

What she saw made her blood run suddenly cold.

Not far away, there were large, shambling creatures that seemed to be growing out of the very walls of the city. It was difficult to make out exactly what they were, they were of a similar colour to the sandstone of the buildings, but Diana's instincts told her that they were not going to be friendly!

The images at the wall returned to her and she shivered. What if these were Undead creatures? And what kind?

'What are those things?' asked Presto, starting to back away down the street. 'Can you see.'

'I can't tell,' she replied.

Eric blankly stared at the creatures, his breath sounding short and shallow.

'I can,' he said quietly. 'Undead… Mummies.'

There was a moment's pause, as the three of them stood, frozen in surprise. Diana squinted, looking at the creatures, hoping Eric was wrong. But her in her heart she knew he was right. And there seemed to be a growing number of them!

'We could fight,' suggested Presto, waving his hand over his Hat. 'I mean, they're only Mummies, all we need is some…'

'No,' interrupted the Cavalier, in a scarily calm voice. He took hold of her arm and Diana started to pull away, but she glanced back. A cold knot formed in her stomach. Eric was right, the numbers were growing! They seemed to be much closer as well!

'We go with Plan B,' he said, his voice still with that same eerie calm.

'Plan B?' asked Presto.

'RUN!'


'Do you think they'll be ok?' Sheila asked him as they walked along.

The Ranger thought for a moment, trying to decide if he aught to humour her. But she didn't seem overly anxious about their missing friends.

They were still trudging slowly through the narrow, dark streets of Kish, but fortunately, they seemed to be going the correct way, or at least a different way from before. The buildings had changed into huge monoliths of sandstone that didn't feel like real buildings at all.

'I'm sure they'll be ok,' Hank said after a pause.

'You really think so?' added Bobby with a grin. 'You know what Eric's like!'

The Barbarian sniggered, and Uni joined in as well. Hank gave the young boy a slight smile, but still nodded.

'They'll be ok,' he said calmly.

The Thief gave Bobby a proper big sister look, for being rude about someone behind their back, but she didn't press the matter. Maybe she thought the same as her brother as she hadn't had much of a high opinion of Eric's leadership skills before, but it was more likely that she was just worried.

It surprised Hank that he wasn't more worried about the others, but it wasn't like they had never split up before, even if this time it wasn't voluntary! Over the past few weeks, maybe the past few months, since the trip to the disaster with the Box of Balefire and their impromptu trip to the Underworld, Eric had slowly changed. He'd changed before, it was true, even then he seemed to be a different person from the one who's arrived in the Realm, but he'd grown up since the Underworld and become someone that they could actually rely on.

The thought made Hank smile. He'd never expected to be able to rely on Eric. Ever!

A few minutes later, the road began to curve again, this time much more sharply. Hank slowed his step, feeling nervous. This city seemed to have a much better idea of what was going on than he did, and that was a feeling he didn't like.

Ahead, down the street was a much larger building. It looked like a Pyramid, judging by the top, but he couldn't see the sides.

They ground to a halt.

'Um, correct me if I'm wrong,' said Sheila slowly, looking up at the structure, 'but I don't remember seeing anything this tall when we stood by the Entrance Stone to Kish.'

Hank looked upwards at the Pyramid as well and nodded, though he wished he didn't have to. There hadn't been anything like that; and they would have seen this Pyramid! It was huge!

'Um,' said Sheila, her voice much quieter now. 'Um, that's not good, is it!'

'No.'

'Meah!' echoed Uni, looking anxiously up at them. Bobby tried to reassure the scared Unicorn by patting her head, but that didn't seem to work. Uni hung her head, looking miserable.

'Disappearing friends, strange roads, bizarre buildings! I wonder what else we'll find in Kish,' said Sheila.

'Hopefully, nothing,' said Hank.

'Or Mummies,' said Bobby calmly.

At first, Hank thought the Barbarian was joking, but as he looked round to add something clever as a comeback, he saw Bobby pointed down the street behind them.

There were tall, humanoid creatures shuffling along to wards them, their arms outstretched. They were, unfortunately, close enough to see exactly what they were. Bobby was right; the creatures were Mummies! And there were lots of them!

Hank took one look and didn't hesitate.

'Run!!'


'Mummies,' muttered Presto. 'Of… course… Mummies. We're in a Necropolis, that would be… the most sensible explanation.'

They were running, and it surprised Diana that the Magician could find enough breath to talk to himself!

'It's so… obvious! Shoulda… known.'

Diana glanced back. It was obvious to her! What did Presto know that she didn't?

'What do you mean?' she asked.

'Picture… was a… clue,' he replied. 'Shoulda seen… it coming!'

She looked at the Magician, seeing the sweat on his face, and smiled. It would be cruel to ask for an explanation right now!

'So where… are… we going?' panted Presto.

The warning of Dungeonmaster was loud in Diana's head, as the Cavalier answered.

'We… have to… stay on the… safe… path,' gasped Eric.

They had started off jogging, and the Mummies had seemed to be unable to keep up, but every time they tried to stop of a rest they just kept on appearing relentlessly. The extended run hadn't bothered Diana, but the two boys were obviously suffering, and they hadn't been able to catch their breath for the last twenty minutes. While they were used to the exercise by now, it was harder work than they were used to!

'Look!' cried Presto suddenly. 'Look… at that!'

Diana's eyes went wide in amazement, ahead loomed a huge structure, and it looked like a pyramid.

'I didn't see a Pyramid before!' Diana said.

'Me… neither,' replied Eric between gasps.

Diana frowned. Somehow the sudden appearance of a giant Pyramid didn't make her feel any better. Didn't they have enough to contend with without large buildings materialising out of nowhere?

In spite of the following Mummies, Diana slowed to a halt. Both Presto and Eric followed her example without any questions. They stood together, breathless, and Presto leaned against a wall as Eric doubled over, gasping for breath. Diana glanced back. the Mummies were a fair way behind. They could grab a moment's rest and still be ok.

'I don't think we should be going this way,' she said.

'Why… not?' asked Eric.

She was at a loss to explain what she meant, so she smiled at Eric and shrugged.

'That's… it?' He stared at her in surprise.

Diana nodded again.

'That's not what… you'd say to convince… Hank!' he replied.

But instead of arguing some more, the Cavalier cast a confused look at Diana then took a glance behind. The group of Mummies were getting closer.

'Regardless of what… you think… we don't seem to have… a lotta choice!'

The Pyramid loomed ahead, and just looking at it made Diana nervous. Things that suddenly appeared out of nowhere were never good!

'Just a moment more,' said Presto pleadingly. He leaned back against one of the walls, and closed his eyes, still out of breath. Pulling the Hat off his head he wiped his forehead with his sleeve. 'I'm exhausted!'

She glanced back to the Mummies. They were definitely getting closer. Waiting any longer was probably a bad plan. They had to keep moving.

She was just about to say something when there was a cry from behind her.

To her horror, Presto was struggling against the wall. Old, bandaged covered hands pushed their way out of the sandstone, and had grabbed him by the shoulders. One arm had already disappeared. He couldn't get free.

Eric took hold of the Magician's other arm, and was pulling as hard as he could. As he struggled to get a good hold, Presto cried out in pain.

'Diana! Help me!' said the Cavalier desperately. 'Hold on, Presto! Hold on!'

The Acrobat grabbed the free arm and pulled as well, but Presto just cried out even more.

Seeing the Magician's face screwed up in pain like that struck fear into her heart. She knew suddenly that they weren't going to be able to pull him free. She looked to Eric, and his expression told her that he was thinking exactly the same thing.

Presto cried out again and was sharply tugged backwards.

'Hold on!' said Eric desperately. 'For God's sake Presto hold on!'

After another tug, Presto seemed to be half way into the wall. The back of his head had disappeared and most of his side. Another set of hands appeared and grabbed his left leg.

'Help me!' cried the Magician. 'I can't get to the Hat!'

'We're pulling him apart!' said Diana. 'Eric what are we gonna do!'

But Eric wasn't listening to her; he was looking in horror down the street behind them. And Diana suddenly realised what he was staring at. She whipped round. The Mummies were even closer, only a few seconds away, their hands outstretched to grab at them.

She could see the mottled, dead flesh, and the disintegrating bandages that wrapped them up. The stench of rotting meat filled the air and she fought to keep from being sick. Diana and Eric both stared at the Magician. He was half pulled into the sandstone of the wall, one side of him had already gone.

'Run,' gasped Presto.

Eric looked at his friend, unable to say anything.

'Please,' he whispered, looking directly at the Cavalier.

Diana watched as Eric shuddered, indecision written all over his face. A moment later, Eric grabbed her hand and pulled her away.

But they were a fraction too late.

The closest of the Mummies attacked, catching both Diana and Eric by surprise. In spite of that, Eric still managed to get the Shield round fast enough to deflect the blow away from Diana.

Unfortunately, he slipped as it struck and the Mummy's hand swipe at his leg and Eric cried out in pain.

Diana could see blood on the Mummy's claws. Without hesitating, she swung her Javelin round and it smacked into the creature, knocking it away from Eric.

Then she pulled him to his feet and ran.


'Keep running!'

'Look out Bobby!'

Hank took a despairing glance round behind them.

The street behind them was filled with animated corpses, and the stink of them wafted down towards them. Ahead was the Pyramid, and it seemed to be getting closer, but it was hard to tell, it kept disappearing from view. He was starting to get confused, it was hard enough to concentrate on where they were going without the extra added problem of the being chased.

The Mummies didn't stop. Nothing had worked, firing arrows, knocking down walls. Every time they thought they had stopped them, more kept appearing, melting out of the walls. They were relentless.

Why were there Mummies here? he wondered.

Hank shrugged. But he could remember what Dungeonmaster had said about Kish, that it was a Necropolis, and that inside the city there were many Realm heroes buried. He glanced round again. Were these the Undead forms of Realm heroes? If they were, why were they not "at rest" as Dungeonmaster had said they were? What had disturbed them? And why?

He had no chance to talk to either Bobby or Sheila about it, as they were too busy running. And as he ran, he couldn't help thinking about the others, and hoping that they were ok.

'Hank? Hank!'

He looked round sharply to see Sheila pointing at something, the Pyramid appeared to their left, down a small alleyway, and he realised they were extremely close to it.

He made a split second decision to change their course, hoping to loose the Mummies, or at least buy them a little more time.

The others followed, but the trick didn't seem to work. If anything, it seemed to bring the Mummies closer to them.

'Hank!' cried Sheila desperately. 'What are we gonna do? Hank?'

Before the Ranger could answer there was another cry, this time from Bobby. A moment later Hank could see why! Just ahead the street just vanished!

He skidded to a halt.

'HANK!'


Eric didn't say a word. He couldn't.

He was limping badly, and much slower, in spite of the help from Diana. He was pale, in spite of the frantic run and Diana knew why. She had seen his heart almost break in leaving Presto behind like that.

The rest of the Mummies weren't far behind them. And they were gaining ground. The moment of confusion as the two of them had broken free bought them a few seconds of a head start, but that wasn't going to last long.

Ahead, they could see the end of the road.

And it was a literal end; the road wasn't a dead end with a blank wall to stop them but there was a section missing from the road, as if a hand had scooped it out of the ground. There was no other way across other than to jump.

Diana heard Eric stifle a cry as he saw it, and he stumbled to a stop.

He turned to look at her, directly in the eye and she felt her heart twist. She knew what he was going to say.

'Your turn,' he gasped.

She looked him in the eye, part of her not believing what she was hearing, and part of her not wanting to believe it. She knew what he wanted her to do. She had only a few seconds to make the decision before all chance of escape was gone.

'Now!'

Eric: Was this the same arrogant, selfish, self-centred, annoying boy she had known so long ago at school?

She opened her mouth to argue, but he had clearly been expecting something like that. He ducked down and gave her a shove forward.

'No time,' he hissed.

Then he lifted the Shield as the first of the Mummies clattered into it. She saw him shake under the strain.

'Go,' he said. 'Please.'

The throng of Mummies pushed forward, their rotten, bandaged arms trying to break through the power of the Shield. The Cavalier sank to his knees.

She almost stepped forward to help him, but at the very last moment, he turned to look at her, and the pleading expression in his eyes stopped her in her tracks. Then suddenly, he seemed to be overwhelmed.

Eric was gone.

A fraction of a second later, she was running towards the gap, the Javelin extended in her hand.

She didn't look back, there was no way she could bear to look and see what had happened. And there was the noise of pursuit.

She had no choice.

Though Diana was fast, as fast as she could be, the toll of the events of the day were beginning to show.

As she leaped over the inky blackness of the gulf, aiming for the far side of the chasm she felt a jolt from the other end of the Javelin.

And she felt herself falling.