Fellblade

VIII

Siareth's Cellar

'Sigmar's balls, you're so fat!' Merideon sneered at the vast ogre trampling towards them. 'What did you eat today?'

The Red Wolves had descended into what at first appeared to be Siareth's cellar. However, the creatures living in it were a bit heftier than the average rat.

The ogre stopped in mid stride, confused. Smirking, the noble swished his rapier and the men charged in from all sides. In a flurry of sword blades and dark blood bursting to spatter the floor, the beast was felled.

A shadowed corridor faced them, its end hidden in blackness. There were no torches adorning the walls, and the only light source was that of the lantern swinging gently from Merideon's fist. The stones were smooth, and clearly set.

There was something strange about the passage, something sinister. The atmosphere was tense, as if orcs were about to spring from the walls.

'This is dwarf work,' Skurdi growled. 'Siareth was sittin' on top of a dwarf fortress, by Grimnir.'

'We've made it,' Merideon breathed. His thoughts flashed to Gabrielle.

'Not yet, manling,' the slayer responded. 'We've yet to even enter it. Beware what horrors we may yet encounter.'

'Aye,' Kurt agreed, 'the Soulstone will not be lying there unguarded.'

The outlaw began to move forwards, his orcish blade unsheathed.

'Wait!' Skurdi reached out and grabbed Kurt's jacket, pulling him back. 'The place is likely trapped. A little caution on the part of you humans would do you good.'

'Whatever you think, dwarf,' Kurt spat back. His vicious scars running down his face made him look daemonic in the lantern light. But he stayed where he was.

'This is where we need a ten foot pole,' Merideon sighed, almost bored. He took a coin from his pouch and made to flick it down the corridor.

'Wait,' the slayer snatched the coin from him.

'It's not gold, you fool.'

'Watch your tongue, manling, or you might find it rammed down your throat.'

'Will you two shut up?' Kurt snarled. He snatched the coin and hurled it down the passage.

Nothing happened.

'Seems fine to me,' he snapped and started off.

'The coin barely weighs anything!' Skurdi was glaring at the outlaw. But it was too late. Kurt had walked cautiously across the threshold and onto the flagstones.

Silence.

He took another step forwards, onto a second flagstone. More silence. Just as he thought everything was safe, he heard a dull thump beneath the floor and a click overhead.

'Get down!' He shouted, throwing himself to the floor. In his rush his waterskin came loose from his belt and clattered to the flagstones, spilling its precious water.

His body hit the floor, causing a small typhoon of dust to rise. Immediately, he looked up to see the others standing around him. There was a mechanical grinding sound.

'Good work, Waldheim,' Skurdi grunted. He pointed at the corridor's end, where a stone slab was being raised up to reveal a large, oak door.

Feeling somewhat like a fool, Kurt struggled to his feet, sheathing his sword. As he did so he caught sight of his reflection in the spreading pool of water.

'Hmmm…not a bad look,' he mused, tracing a hand over the hideous scars on his face.

Placing his ear to the door, the outlaw listened. There was certainly something, it sounded like the tramp tramp of armoured boots on the flagstones.

And it was getting closer.

Kurt eased the door open with his boot. An excruciatingly loud creak echoed in the still air. Weapons at the ready, the party ventured into the next passage.

A long corridor greeted them, lit by burning braziers. Suddenly the door at the far end burst open and a troop of several hulking armoured figures marched through. They were heavily armoured and carried large, double-handed axes. Upon catching sight of the companions, their leader raised his hand and issued a command.

'Intruders. Destroy them!' The voice sounded metallic from behind the helmet.

Once again the Red Wolves were plunged into the cut and thrust of close combat. But with no wizard amongst them to act as a healer, they would have to be careful.

While Morgan and Skurdi carried out their usual combination of hacking, Kurt rolled aside as a huge axe swept through the air above him. He struck out with the Bloodletting Sword but the blade simply clanged off the chaos warrior's infernal armour. Cursing the gods, he danced aside again as the axe smashed into the flagstones, splitting one in half and sending stone fragments flying.

Merideon was having less trouble. His gunshots ricocheted around the walls, several of them punching through his opponents armour and slowing it down. A quick few cuts and slashes brought it to the floor.

As the ring of steel and muted battle cries of the warriors split the air, another dark form materialized from the gloom beyond the far doorway. Its armoured bulk far surpassed those of the warriors, and huge skulls leered from massive shoulder pads. A black cloak edged in scarlet silk fluttered about the polished, black armour, and two orange balefires stared out from behind a steel helmet fashioned like a grinning skull topped with majestic horns. As the champion entered the combat, he glanced about the fallen bodies of his warriors, and let out an angry roar.

'Mortals! You will die for this behaviour!'

Striding forwards like a juggernaut; he backhanded Morgan, sending him flying against the wall. The knight fell unconscious in a crash of steel plates. Skurdi killed his current foe with a chop to the gut and, shoving the corpse aside, charged into the champion. The giant axe head battered him aside and the dwarf was sent rolling across the corridor.

Kurt slammed his fist into the warrior's groin area and followed through with a swift kick. As the monster stumbled backwards, he lifted his orc sword and rammed its hilt against the iron helmet. The warrior fell in a heap, and Kurt was quick to spin the blade and thrust it downwards through the warrior's jugular.

Suddenly a huge armoured gauntlet grabbed the back of Kurt's collar and pulled him backwards. He was thrown a short distance, coming to rest against a dead warrior.

'What the…'

'You dare to invade this place?' A harsh voice intoned. 'My master will…'

'Be dead when we meet him,' Merideon snapped.

The noble stepped over the body of his foe, swishing his rapier menacingly.

The chaos champion turned to face Merideon, his eyes glowing. There was a bark of what was supposed to be laughter. For a moment the two figures paused, sizing each other up. Then the champion nodded.

'In here, human,' he growled. 'I will fight you.'

'Very well.'

The dark warrior retreated, cautiously, into the room beyond. Merideon glanced left, then right. The other warriors were dead, and his companions were groaning as they picked themselves up from the floor.

'Follow if you will, but don't interfere.'

'What?' Kurt asked rubbing his ears. 'What was that?'

But Merideon had already gone.

The chaos champion breathed and a wisp of dark smoke issued from his helmet. Merideon swallowed, but gripped his rapier firmly. This could possibly be the hardest fight he had taken part in as a duellist. Then the combatants closed in.

The champion's axe clashed with the rapier, nearly breaking the blade. Driving the noble back, he swung again, missing Merideon by a hair's breadth. Sparks flew from the evil armour as Merideon's sword scratched its surface. He quickly realized using such a weapon would be fruitless. Backing off a little, he discarded the rapier and unsheathed his Sword of Heroes, the blade gleaming orange-yellow in the light.

The giant axe dug into the ground. Taking advantage, Merideon thrust with his sword, feeling the heavier weight of the blade. The tip glanced off the champion's armour as he turned to intercept the attack. An armoured gauntlet grasped the front of Merideon's shirt and hurled him backwards to roll in the dust. Unperturbed, he sprang to his feet and rushed back at his opponent.

Ducking beneath the swing of the champion, he struck out at the champion's legs. This time the sword bit through the armour, slicing through flesh and bone. The champion gave vent to a howl of agony as he fell to his knees. With one leg nearly severed, he was an easier target for Merideon. The noble laughed cruelly, cir circling his downed foe. But he had underestimated the gifts of the Dark Gods.

The sword of Heroes slashed down towards the champion's shoulder. Surging to his feet, the champion raised his axe and deflected the blow with an explosion of sparks.

'What in the name of…'

'Khorne is hungry, mortal,' the champion intoned. 'And you are my prey.'

Just then Kurt entered. Seeing the battle in swing, he issued his own warcry and charged in.

'Kurt no!'

It was too late. The champion's axe haft shoved Merideon aside roughly and the armoured beast strode towards the intruder. Kurt smashed into the champion. It was like hitting a wall of steel and the dark one laughed with scorn. He swept the flat of his blade against the outlaw, sending him crashing into the wall. Before Kurt could rise, an armoured gauntlet picked him up and jolted him into the wall even harder, cracks spreading from the point of impact.

'This is a duel between us, mortal dog. You will die for your insolence.'

Kurt's body was rammed against the wall once more before he was thrown bodily across the room. The next thing he knew a sabaton crashed into his ribcage, lifting him into the air and then he was gripped again and hurled against the wall. This time he struck a wall horn and he cried out in pain as it impaled his shoulder. He hung there on the wall, like a trophy, displayed as a warning to those who would defy the Dark Gods. The orcish sword dropped from his fingers to clatter on the floor.

Was this it? Was his time finally at an end? Well, he thought, at least it wasn't growing old and feeble in the dungeons of the Empire. The champion glowered at him before raising his hellish axe.

'Prepare to meet your ancestors, human. The realm of chaos awaits!'

The axe came whistling towards his head.

Gritting his teeth, he closed his eyes and waiting for the killing blow.

There was an explosion of rock shards and splinters of stone, which cut his face. He realized that the axe head was buried mere inches from his ear. Incredulous, he opened his eyes to see Merideon holding his sword double-handed, and plunging the blade into the champion's back. With a roar of anger, the champion whirled, ripping the axe free from the wall. The two combatants restarted their duel with renewed vigour, trading vicious blows that, had any of them landed, would've cut a man in two. The sound of them rang around the vast chamber, ricocheting around the inside of Kurt's head as he hung there uselessly.

'I am going to have one hell of a headache.'

Morgan and Skurdi stood in the doorway. Kurt could read the expressions on their faces. As much as they wanted to help out, their sense of honour prevented them from doing so. This was Merideon's fight. And Sigmar help him if he didn't prevail.

Suddenly there was a rumble of wheels and a doorway opened in the wall. A vast machine, looking something like a crossbow but with a snarling daemonic visage, opened fire on the other fighters. As Merideon and the champion duelled, Skurdi and Morgan ducked and rolled as huge blasts of blue fire exploded amongst them. The ceiling was shaking and Kurt felt more trapped than ever.

'Will someone get me down from here?'

'Get Waldheim,' Skurdi grunted. 'I'll take care of the mechanical beast.'

Whilst the knight assisted outlaw, Skurdi rampaged across the ruined hall towards the arcane ballistae. He caught a blast and gritted his teeth as power surged through his body. But he continued on defiantly.

'By the axe of Grimnir, die!' The trollslayer leapt the last few feet, his runeaxe glinting. The blade chopped downwards into the machine, splitting wood and brass beneath its edge. There was an apocalyptic explosion as the daemonic engine collapsed, sending tendrils of azure energy rippling through the room.

The champion was tough. His armour was near impenetrable, even with the mighty Sword of Heroes. The killing axe was deadly, and had caused its own share of cuts on Merideon. It was time to end the duel quickly.

'Take this, you behemoth!'

Twisting the ruby on his Doomfire Ring, Merideon stepped back, flinching, as its hellfire was unleashed. Instantly a column of infernal flames overwhelmed the champion. Knowing his demise was imminent; the follower of Khorne roared with rage and, like a living torch, launched himself at Merideon. The noble barely dodged aside as the axe lashed out, connecting with the wall in a burst of flames.

'Well, this is the doorway to the dwarven fortress,' Skurdi grunted, gesturing with his axe. Before them towered a massive portal, its edge lined with angular runes. Tall, horn-helmeted statues flanked the doors, which were ajar. A darkened staircase lay beyond, leading deeper into the depths. The inscription on the lintel had been damaged and Skurdi couldn't make it out.

'The Soulstone awaits, my friends,' Merideon said coolly. 'Come, let us celebrate our victory.'

'I think I'll wait until I have the stone in my hands,' Kurt snapped.

'It was metaphorical.'

'I'm sure it was. Now, after you?'

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