CHAPTER FIVE

Bullant sniffed the air inside the dark tunnel as he dropped down through the hole in the ruins. It smelled of smoke and brimstone. The air was hot and heavy; almost immediately sweat began to run down his spine and drip from his eyebrows. His men were busy setting up a barricade and tripwires; the Seeker would come back this way and Bullant would capture him. He grabbed one of his troops as he passed by, a load of wood for the barricade in his arms.

"Is it my imagination or is it really hot in here?"

The soldier gulped and looked at the ground.

"It's a bit warm sir."

Bullant grunted and let the soldier go. He stomped down the corridor towards where the rest of his men were working.

"Any of you leadheads know why it's so damn hot?"

His men stopped their work and looked at each other blankly. Finally one of the scouts spoke up.

"No idea sir, but it's definitely been getting warmer in the last hour. We're working hard, that'll heat up a small space like this but, well, I think I smell smoke."

"Yeah, smoke. I thought that I smelled smoke." Bullant would have to remember the scout, give him more responsibilities, see how he handled it. "And maybe brimstone?"

Another soldier's eyebrows shot up, like he'd just had a revelation. He was of the big dumb farmboy genus. "That's what that smell is. I was thinking that it smelled like spoilt eggs in here, and back home my pa always said spoilt eggs smelled of brimstone."

"Great, thanks for the homespun wisdom soldier." Bullant rolled his eyes. "Does one of you morons have a theory why it's getting hotter and smells of brimstone. Were you all just planning to ignore it? Did I not tell you to report anything--"

"It's the Rourazar. Giant fire snake beetle thing. It's melting it's way up through the floors below. It's going to kill us all."

Bullant looked around for the soldier who had spoke, surprised at the clarity of the answer. He looked at the smart young scout, but he was staring wide-eyed down the hall. Bullant followed his gaze and just down the hall stood a man who could only be the Seeker. He was young, good-looking, and in excellent health. Dressed like a commoner, carrying a gleaming silver sword. He was shorter than Bullant had expected, and less hard. He almost seemed to have a gentleness to him.

Behind him was another older man with a horse face and the ink stained fingers of a printer. Must be the mapmaker from South Gaston, he thought. He was looking pretty ragged, leaning against the wall and gasping for breath.

"Is this some kind of trick?"

"No trick. That brimstone you smell? That's the Rourazar, melting through the floor two levels down. Unless it's already made its way to the level below us. It took a while to work it's way up the first staircase, and we had a pretty good lead on it a first, but once it got into the crypt, it just went through the floors. You can send a man back the way we came, it won't take him long to find it."

"You can't expect me to buy this nonsense, can you?" Bullant raised a hand and motioned to the scout to go check out the path. "As ruses go Seeker, this is a pretty ridiculous one."

"I'm telling you – What's your name? Look, whoever you are, I'm telling you the absolute truth. There is a two hundred foot long armor plated snake that can melt its way through stone about fifty feet under us, and it's coming up here to kill us all. And then probably the rest of the Midlands. Unless I stop it. With your help."

"The name's Lieutenant. Lieutenant Bullant. What do you mean unless you stop it?"

"I'm Richard," offered the Seeker, then jerked a thumb over his shoulder towards the mapmaker. "This is Sebastian. And what I mean is the Sword of Truth is the only thing that can kill it. I'm the only one who can wield the Sword of Truth."

"So obviously you must kill it," Bullant chuckled. "And I must let you go and run away very far away."

Bullant could tell from the look on Richard's face that he'd expected to have to do a lot more explaining. Given the intelligence of the average D'Haran soldier, Bullant couldn't blame him for being surprised. Even Bullant had preferred to follow orders and not think very hard, that is until he came under the command of Voltarro. The older commander had impressed on him the need for intelligence in a soldier, and had taught Bullant how to think things through.

"A very convenient story Seeker, but you forgot to make it believable. In a moment my man will be back with nothing to report except that you've burnt some trash, and your ruse will be over. Then you will lay down your sword and surrender, or my men will turn you and your friend there into pincushions."

"And if your man confirms my story?"

Bullant smiled at the Seeker. "I don't think we'll have to --"

Bullant was interrupted by muffled shouts coming from down the corridor. A moment later the scout came rushing back up the hall, screaming his fool head off. Without a pause he ran past the Seeker, then Bullant, heading for the hole.

"What did you see?"

"Giant fire beetle snake thing! It's right below you!"

Bullant glanced nervously at the ground beneath his feet and then fixed his stare on the Seeker. His men were already retreating down the hall, though the cowards at least had the decency to walk backwards, as if they we're falling back.

"You said you can kill it?" Bullant offered nervously. "So go kill it. I'll wait here for you, I'm in no hurry to arrest you."

"Yeah, there's a problem. I don't know how. You have no idea how hot that thing is. If I get close to it I'm going to catch on fire. That's why I need your help. I don't know what to do."

Bullant stared dumbfounded at the Seeker.

"Are you asking me for help?"

The Seeker slowly nodded. "I think I am."

Bullant looked at his men, they were as confused as he was.

"Okay. I think that we should --" Bullant paused, trying to come up with a plan. The ground at his feet was growing warm. He couldn't think, he just wanted to be somewhere else. "I think we should perform a strategic retreat to more open ground and consider our options."

The mapmaker leaned forward and slapped the Seeker's arm with the back of his hand.

"See, I told you he'd say we should run away."

"But first," Bullant added. "First I need to take the sword, and put you both in chains. Just for right now."

***

On the surface Bullant's men gathered in a small crowd around Richard and the lieutenant. Heavy iron manacles decorated Richard's wrists, and Bullant wore the Sword of Truth at his side.

Together they considered the area. The ruins were a dense tangle of fallen stone and the remnants of long crumbled walls, surrounded by a large ring of bare and dead earth. Smoke was now pouring out of the dark hole at the center of the ruins. The fire worm must have reached the partial wooden barricades Bullant's men had set up.

"Gather the horses and then ready your bows men! I want you spread out and forming a line along the ruin's perimeter." Bullant shouted and the D'Haran soldiers immediately fell about to their tasks. "As soon as that thing is visible, I want it full of bolts. Aim high, for its head. That may be our only hope."

"I don't think that's going to work," Richard offered. "You're going to have to give me back my sword."

"I know. I'm just trying to pretend I have other options. Right now however you have no idea how to get close enough to the creature to use the sword. Until we know how to do that, you're my prisoner and I'm holding on to it, and you."

"At least let Sebastian go, he's just here to help me read a map. You don't need him. Give him a chance to get away."

"You're both traitors to the D'Haran empire and prisoners. Neither of you is going anywhere. Mark my words Seeker, I may give you back your sword, I may release those chains, but it will only be when I choose to do so, and they will go back on the moment that creature is dead."

"Speak of the keeper and the keeper arises," muttered Sebastian.

Richard glanced back at the hole. Flames licked the sides of the pit, which now glowed with a hellish red light.

"It's coming."

"Ready yourself men!"

The Rourazar burst from the ground, launching itself into the air. Bullant's jaw dropped as his eyes went wide.

"By all that is holy!"

The bulk of the worm's body crashed into the ground and it curled itself up, just like the rattling snakes Richard sometimes encountered back in the Westlands. It's seven eyed head rose up and scanned the open clearing around the ruins.

"Fire! Dammit, fire!" screamed Bullant and his men let loose with a hail of bolts. As far as Richard could tell the bolts had no effect, bouncing harmlessly off it's armored shell.

The creature's gaze seemed to settle on Richard; it uncurled itself rapidly and began slithering straight towards him. It was impossibly fast for something so huge. Bullant's men dropped their crossbows and turned to run. The worm hit their line too fast however, and a half dozen men were instantly reduced to charcoal as it slammed into them. A seventh soldier died as it brushed passed by him, his tabard bursting into flames and his blood boiling as he fell to his knees. The creature barely touched him.

"Run!" Bullant shoved him, sending him staggering. Richard ran, with Sebastian right behind him. Bullant bolted in the opposite direction, and it took Richard only a moment to recognize what was happening. The Rourazar shifted direction slightly, aiming for Bullant.

"Bullant! It's the sword! It wants the sword!"

"What?" Bullant stopped, confused. He then seemed to realize the creature was pursuing him. For a moment Richard was certain Bullant would die. Fear seemed to have paralyzed him. At the last moment he regained his wits, and dashed to the side as the creature barreled through the spot where he'd just stood.

Bullant ran as fast as he could, zigging and zagging in a futile hope of keeping away from the creature. Meanwhile Richard grabbed Sebastian by his vest and dragged him towards the D'Haran's horses. The dozen or so soldiers who remained were mounting up, clearly ready to beat a disorganized retreat and none to concerned about their commanding officer.

"Get on a horse," Richard commanded. Sebastian starred at him. Richard realized then that the poor mapmaker was nearly catatonic with fear. "Sebastian! Get on a horse! You've got to get out of here!"

"Where will I go?"

"Just follow the D'Harans, they'll lead you out of here."

Already the first of the D'Haran soldiers was riding for the far edge of the clearing, hoping to make it to the forest beyond.

"They'll throw me in prison!"

"Better prison than to die under that thing's belly!"

Richard put his hands together to form a step and tossed Sebastian up on the back of one of the D'Haran's heavy warhorses. He slapped the horse's flank and it took off, following the other horses. Richard spun about. Several horses remained, the mounts of the fallen soldiers. He ran towards one of them and leapt onto it's back, grabbing up it's reins. With his wrists in manacles controlling the horse would be difficult, but manageable.

"Heeyah!" he screamed as he spurred the horse forward. Sebastian and the D'Haran soldiers fled towards the far forest. Richard wheeled the horse around and charged towards the fire worm.

Moments later and he was riding alongside it. It was fast, faster than a man, but not so fast as the galloping horse and Richard was quickly able to overtake it. Bullant was just ahead of it, still dodging back and forth. It was a smart move, exactly the means a rabbit uses to stay ahead of faster, larger dogs giving chase. While he couldn't hope to outrun the beast, it was slow to turn and it's own momentum prevented it from making quick changes in direction. A man on foot could change course almost instantly.

Richard spurred the horse again, pushing it to it's limits as he closed with Bullant.

"Bullant!"

The D'Haran lieutenant looked up at the sound of his name and stopped. He cast a nervous glance over his shoulder: the beast was almost on him. As it reared up to strike down on him Richard passed between the two of them. He reached out with manacled hands and Bullant reached up for him. Their hands met and Richard pulled hard, dragging the soldier off his feet and throwing him up on the back of the horse. The worm crashed down in empty space, close enough that both men could feel the waves of heat emanating from it's armored shell.

Richard yanked hard on the horses reins, bringing it around in a tight circle and heading off across the clearing.

"Where are my men?"

"Right ahead of us, they've already retreated."

"We have to find them."

"We will. Any ideas on how to stop that thing yet?"

"Not really. You?"

"Still got nothing."

The two men rode in silence, rapidly putting ground between them and the Rourazar. For it's part it spent a moment thrashing about, as if angered that it's prey had escaped. Then it twisted on itself and took off after them.

The forest was dark and cool as Richard and Bullant entered it, with only a settling cloud of dust to mark the soldiers passage. It exploded into flames as the worm followed them in.

***

Richard and Bullant rode hard for the next hour and eventually caught up to Bullant's men as the sun set in the West. They reduced their speed to a quick trot and watched the horizon behind them. The Rourazar's movements were easy to track in the twilight, as it left a flaming trail through the forest wherever it went. Despite the distance they'd manage to put between themselves and the creature it seemed to pursue them unerringly. Richard sensed that it could track the Sword of Truth. The creature did not seem intelligent, but clearly it had some awareness. It knew the sword meant death, and was determined to slay its wielder.

"It's going to destroy the midlands," Bullant mused. "Burn everything to the ground."

"If only there was some way to douse it's fire. Maybe we could lead it far into the mountains north of here, where sheets of ice fill entire valleys?"

Bullant's eyes went wide. "That's brilliant!"

"You think? It's so far, it will be hard to stay ahead of that thing forever, especially without fresh horses. And who knows how many towns lie between here and there."

"No, not that. That was a stupid idea. But what you said before, about dousing it. That's genius."

"So what's the plan?"

"You leave that to me." Bullant cast about for a moment before he spotted the scout. "Hey you, come here."

The scout angled his horse towards Bullant and trotted over.

"You know this area pretty well, yeah?"

"Yes sir."

"There's a dam around here, right? Old stone thing?"

"Aye, you mean Grindor's Revenge. Crazy old bastard wizard built it nearly two hundred years ago. Said he hated having a river in his backyard. Upset a lot of people when he changed the course of the river, but the dam is still there."

"Can you lead us there?"

"Yes sir. We can be there in about an hour, maybe two."

"Get on it then."

The scout rode up to the lead horses and took point.

Richard looked at Bullant quizically.

"Whats this about a dam?"

"We're going to douse your fire worm. Behind that dam is a lake, a lake fed by water coming off the mountains. Almost as cold as ice, and there's a lot of it."

"And how are we going to get the Rourazar into the lake? I don't think it swims."

"You let me worry about that."

They rode in silence for a few minutes longer.

"Are you really going to turn me in if we pull this off?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You're an enemy of the D'Haran people. You must be punished for fomenting revolt and plotting against the Empire."

"I'm not an enemy of D'Hara. I'm an enemy of Darken Rahl. I don't want to stop D'Hara, I just want to stop Rahl."

"I don't see the difference. Rahl is our Emperor. His will is the will of D'Hara, and to stand against him is to stand against D'Hara."

"Darken Rahl is a madman."

Bullant scowled.

"You know what he's planning? With the Boxes of Orden?"

"I'm not privy to the Emperor's plans. Whatever he does, I'm certain he has the best interests of both D'Hara and the Midlands in mind."

"You can't really believe that. He intends to make slaves of everyone. Don't you get it? That's why he tried to steal the power of the Confessors, that's why he's been hunting the Boxes or Orden. He won't rest until every man, woman and child in this world is forced to bend to his every whim."

"I think you're being a bit hysterical, don't you?"

Richard stared hard at Bullant, who turned to meet his gaze.

"Look me in the eye and tell me you trust Darken Rahl to make your every decision for you, to control your every thought."

Bullant turned his gaze away and studied his horse's reins. Behind them the soldiers whispered and murmured amongst themselves.

"That's what I thought."

Bullant was quiet for a long while, then finally looked at Richard. "An empire needs an emperor. There must be a leader. Without Darken Rahl to lead us, who would we turn to?"

"You seem like a thoughtful man Bullant. Have you ever considered leading yourself?"

The look on Bullant's face told Richard all he needed to know. Bullant turned away from his gaze and stared down the road ahead. After what seemed an eternity of silence, he glanced back at Richard.

"These Boxes of Orden. Tell me more about them."