The ground shook, and a muted whomp of heroic proportion announced charges going off under the walls. Cracks appeared in it, and it seemed to sag a little, but it didn't fall. Worse and worse. Could Chord could lift us to the top of the tower? Only to face another sealed trapdoor, I realized. The racing footmen were upon us in any case, and I drew my Roundel, determined to go down fighting.

Suddenly the tower doors swung inwards on their own, like the gates of heaven opening. At first I thought it was Chord's doing, but a questioning glance gathered a head shake from the mage. Chord was quick to take advantage however, and the saucer piloted in, turning somewhat as it bumped the doors open further in passing through.

Several angry defenders leaped after us, but in the the portal, a red barrier flashed, and our harassers bounced back from it. There was some further rumbling, and at the edge of my vision, I saw a section of wall gave way. It fell into a mountain of rubble, but a climbable one, for Wayland's bowmen appeared over the top of the heap. As the platform continued to rotate, my view through the doorway slid away.

The keep was torch lit and fire glow wavered along copper walls, skipping over deep black shadows. Adjusting, I took in the room. Deeper than the blackest of the shadows, two pits bored into me from a huge and hunched figure against the far curve of the tower. It shambled forward, raising one long simian arm, drawing a pointed claw to shriek and spark upon the platform's wards. The arms men, shields forgotten, scrambled back to the platform's furthest end. Chord cursed, working furiously to re-balance it.

Thavis placed a hand on my shoulder, staring defiantly at the apparition, as if his purpose in life were to confront it.

"So," the demon rumbled, "It has been awhile, O Visitor. You took your time in the coming, and I am bored with waiting."

I fought down the cold clamping my chest, and spoke. "You opened the doors? Why are you here? Why do you wait here? Where is Dimanda, and what is it you want?"

"Why, I stay for you, little visitor. Veddek wards me here." The thing lofted one arm, pointing up.I followed the motion, noting for the first time, that there was no partitioning ceiling. Instead, the tower went up into pitch darkness, a vertical tunnel crossed by an occasional beam. Beyond the truss works, a blue glow, like some distant moon, limed the underside of the flat roof. Of course, I thought. As Chord said, it didn't matter whether the ward was above or below. It only seemed that the demon was unbound. Like Chord's keep, treads wound up the keep walls, but there were no upper rooms, no other floors in it, save perhaps, at the very top. The distant blue ward encompassed the full diameter of the tower, glowing...waiting for fools like myself to pass within.

"You do not need your...circle, little visitor. I am here to keep out the Duke's minions."

I glanced back at the eight arms-men. "Not too successfully, then."

"Ho! Not Wayland's men, specifically. The abjuration refers to Felway's troops, and other court spies. Though, had Veddick thought on it, he might have included Wayland's tools as well, but that was not the bargain he struck. I am to tell you your Dimanda is at the tower's top. I am impelled to allow you to go there, if you choose... you were expected to come, sooner or later, one way or another."

So the Duke was a pawn in this after all, I mused. Veddek's concern was only to gain the artifacts. Undoubtedly this thing has already notified Veddick of my arrival, though it seems to be playing its own game here. So the mage knows, and waits for me to come to him. Unsurprising, that...

"But, if you work for Veddick..."

The brute roared. "The Aos Si' are no man's chattel! The Mage Veddick seeks to usurp the land, double-cross it's petty rulers through use of us, but it is we who control this game. Our bargain was with Credine of old, bound by the artifice of Crown, and Sword, that only his household would command in these lands. As Veddick is not of his house, who summoned this circle matters not. I can deal with any I see fit," the horror grinned, "to bargain with. Even," and at this its lambent eyes glowed stonily at me, "with you. You were pulled here by our purpose, not by the will of Veddick, to render us our due. We can free you from this place, return you to your homeland. Give us the Crown and Steel of Credine, Avatar. You owe nothing to these avaricious, backbiting swine, who cross-bargain only in thirst for power over each other."

The smoking red apparition pulled back , gesturing towards me in a righteous bow. "I put our aid at your command!" It left me a moment to wonder about my own lost ancestry, my true heritage, for a moment.

Clearly, Nuada's claideb, the sword Corm-Da, did more than transport me here, it in effect, bonded a right to exist here, the crown, somehow, maintained the Ka of Credine, as separate from the this places own power structure. The power Credine imported with him. Perhaps stole, would be the better term, from Earth. Together, they were the mortgage to this kingdom, and to power within it.

"But," continued the beast, "perhaps there is other business to discuss? Other things you need, that I can supply?"

"I need Dimanda out of here!"

"Yes! Yes you do, for Veddek would bargain with you, against his hostage, but will you receive the fruits of negotiation? I offer you Dimanda's, and your own, freedom. I will unchain you from this land. The price, likely the same, but bargaining from within the circle, I am bound to honor my trades, as Mage Chord can tell you. I doubt that can be said of any bargain struck with Mage Veddek. Believe me, for I cannot lie within the circle, when I say you will not receive satisfaction from him."

Chord hissed at my shoulder. "Would you trade us all into slavery to demons? What he will ask for, will change the balance of things. We discussed this. This land will become part of his kind's dominion."

The demon laughed, a deep, chilling tone that echoed from the walls and spoke of hidden horror. "I will bargain generously, visitor. We are a patient breed. I can give your friends a hundred years of peace. None that you know will yet be living when we come. You may take any you choose home with you , honored visitor. I can tell you that once, long eons ago this place was ours, if you need justification. In your land, we are called the Aos Si', or dark elves of the shadow world. This was once a part of that world. Our influence it was, that took away Credine's energy and used his stolen crown to manifest the Burlies; and that," the apparition leered, "is something even your little mage did not guess. We were driven from this land by Credine before even the Nublin walked it, and wish rightfully, only it's return. What we want none here would give us. But think, you can save yourself, and only be giving back that which is ours."

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

These were words I had heard before.

I thought of the Nublin, the towns here, the beautiful countryside. Then I thought of the incarceration I had endured at Wayland's hands, the fierce attacks of the Burlies, the robberies and beatings I had sustained. I thought of Dimanda. I could save her certain this way, but would it come at a cost she could endure? I had to choose.

The Corm Da heated at my back, pulsing. There was movement at the doorway, and Gort strode in. I had not expected that, but hadn't clearly stated where Gort was to tunnel out to, either. I wondered if that meant the battle outside had swept past us, but decided not, since the promised archers had not entered the tower, and remembered the unstoppable nature of Gort. Thavis had gone beet red at my side, grinding his teeth. "Bastard fiend of hell! Never would Sir William barter with the likes of you for any reason! Kill him, my lord, and be done with this foul thing!"

Thavis was correct, of course. Seeing Gort, I realized that perhaps not all of my previous plan was entirely without merit. We still stood within our own portable circle of protection, something I doubted anyone had planned against.

"Be quick, Little Smith," rumbled the Aos Si'. I tire of holding back the massing troops of Felway. Perhaps in faith, it is only Wayland's men I should be abjuring entrance to. Your mobile circle will not stop them, and I fear, they are wroth to be at the duplicitous Veddick, and his hostage is after all, just another Waylander."

"I think," I said, "it's time to sort out what belongs to who. Gort, the chain."

Gort pulled the coils off and tossed me the free end. While the demon looked on angrily, but impotent from outside our little circle, I locked the end of it around my waist, and set the band of Credine on my brow."Is this what you would bargain for?" I asked, pulling the now glittering Corm Da from my back. A countdown started in my head. I figured I had about three minutes, tops. The chain should act just as if Gort wore the artifacts directly, and begin sapping the energy from it. The power moved through the metal, from the burlies, or Gort, by means of the sword to Credine. From Credine, by the crown, thanks to the Aos Si, back to ground, like a battery discharging, if I could bring that about.

A fire raced through me, and I dissolved into the background, making room for an emerging, and angry God powered by the Ka now draining from Gort.

It stands before me, this stealer of my essence. This disruptor of my dreams, would be thief of my lands. I roar, and fly at the dark elf, as it drools and makes its feeble spells against me. Me! With my own essence! How foolish and weak it is! I bury the Corm Da in it, draining it away to nothing, and smite the head from it before it vanishes. A chain lies around my Avatar's waist, linked to his toy. I move to tear it away, but feel it feeding me, and there is another thief near. On the tower above me, I know...The shadow of my avatar reminds me of this. Another would be thief of what was mine!

In some cloister of my mind, I see, from the corner of Credine's vision, men in Felway's livery pour through the door of the building. Chord, aghast, pulls forth a long knife, and Thavis leaps down with a cry. My few shield bearing soldiers crowd down off the platform behind him, draw their long swords and rush to defend the entrance. Thavis takes one with his point, and his blade flashes back and forth, parrying first one, then another. An arrow shaft appears in the leg of Chord, who sags to the platforms rough boards. I should have guessed the demon's wards would vanish with it's demise. I struggle to regain some control of my body , but Credine's grip is fast. Helplessly, my gaze is turned away from the melee.

Others leap from the same platform as had I, to meet some attack, but this is not my concern. Above lay my enemy now. I reach out, and up, ascending to meet my nemesis. A wooden wall marked with Burlie blood, confronts me, but I burst through it, for wards impenetrable to an Aos Si' cannot hold such as I. A man stands with a chained girl upon it. Dimanda, the name comes to me. The man, Veddek, some human mage, a wayward child of my own house, plotting against me!

Three pylons rise around them, and I feel a drag upon me. The toy pulls itself up through the rent I had made and stands watching, still feeding me, making me stronger with every passing moment. I laugh as the mage makes feeble passes in the air before me, calling on the services of the Demon I had slain below."I rule here, small man! Betrayer!"

The Corm Da whirls its dance of death, and I come forward against my enemy. The girl struggles, chained to one of the pylons, but I have no eyes for that. I turn to face this ...Veddek. The man raises a metal stick before me. There is a noise and smoke, and pain lances through my avatar's shoulder. I feel bones breaking that I cannot bother healing. I rage again and step forward. Another noise, another pain, but still I advance. My sword flies, and the metal stick shears. Another stroke, and his head follows, bouncing to the tower roof. I look up at the sky above me. It is the perfect time. A few words, a virgin sacrifice, then I...

My power gathers now at the surface of the land, beneath a full moon. I feel it, strong and pulsing, awaiting my call. I have only to stand central to the pylons in this high place for a few more moments, perform the rite, and all will come to me again!

I am thinking furiously, unable to speak, locked in my own body. Dimanda is shreeking, cowering above the beheaded remains of Veddick.  There is only one chance. I remember Gort waking me at Chord's tower, saying I called to it. I concentrate everything of my mind to reach for the Golem.

The toy, still until now, walks to the side of the tower and jumps off. I feel a tugging weight hanging from the chain, and remember it, around my waist, William's waist. Curious, I walk towards the tower wall to see what had become of the toy. As I approach and look down, the pull lessens, the chain slackens as the clay man touches ground, spearing the chain end into the earth. A great bolt of light blooms below. The air is filled with it from horizon to horizon, and the world shakes. My power rushes away from me, gushes down into the earth of this place, and I diminish, and I fade...

I feel hands pulling at me and fierce pain. Thavis, a worried look on his face, bends above. At his shoulder, nursing a bleeding leg, Chord echoes the expression, and next to him, the soft features of Dimanda, tears and admiration mixed in her eyes.

I try lifting my arm to her sweet face, and awash in pain, almost pass out.

"We thought you dead, at first," said Thavis, working at my waist. "The walls fell, and Wayland's arms-men came down upon Felway's from behind before they could end us. We made the tower top as soon as we could."

They stopped trying to move me. Blood spattered my left, crushed shoulder, and right leg. Chord grimly pulled a soft bag from his belt, and began a chant. Red dust whisped down, and there was more pain than can be imagined in it, and I retired from the world.