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Over at the other tower, Moon deflected a ferocious cut and hammered a left hook into Kirinos-Halbro's jaw.
The usurper king staggered back a step, then his sword swept out, scouring a cut across Moon's jerkin as the Axeman swiftly stepped back.
Kirinos-Halbro was a huge figure, almost as big as Moon. When alive, he had been a mighty warrior and unmatched swordsman, and these attributes had been enhanced by the unearthly vitality of a Suanggi.
The two giants circled each other warily. There was no mockery in the Usurper's eyes, and Moon's mouth was set in a grim line for though a soul-stealing demon, it was clear he faced an opponent of considerable skill.
Kirinos-Halbro surged at Moon, his great sword cleaving the air. The Axeman side-stepped and swept Ausak down, the black blades crunching through the Usurper's shoulder and chest.
The former king stopped and looked disbelievingly at the axe jutting from his flesh. Moon tried to jerk Ausak free, but it was stuck. Raising his leg, he planted his knee on the Usurper's chest and yanked the axe free. Blood spurted and Kirinos-Halbro fell.
Moon stood, chest heaving, a bewildered look on his face as he gazed down at the fallen Suanggi. It was almost as if… but he dismissed the matter as Elphemina walked up to him, and together, they moved toward the dark doorway gaping at the bottom of the tower.
Upon entering, they found themselves in a circular chamber. Both looked around in bemusement for the only thing that broke the seamless singularity of the chamber was a swirling, liquid-like, dark rectangular mass set in the far wall.
Glancing at the Axeman, Elphemina walked over to the dark mass. Moon, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all followed her. Wondering how liquid could be suspended vertically, he tentatively poked it with his finger. It was icy cold, and his finger went through it.
Withdrawing his finger, Moon glanced at Elphemina and shrugged. “I think it is some kind of doorway,” she said. “Well, let’s see where it leads to,” the Axeman responded, grabbing the High Priestess's arm and stepping through it.
Moon and Elphemina felt like they were stepping through an icy-cold waterfall, then they found themselves in another chamber. The chamber was encircled by high windows of thick greenish glass, which let in a semblance of illumination from the pulsing light outside. Ahead of them was a figure sitting legs folded, on the floor. The figure rose sinuously and regarded them silently.
They saw it was a tall powerfully built man in a dark robe girded at the waist by a thin golden belt, such as a priest would wear.
“What are you, man or demon?” Moon grated, eye narrowing. “I am Surgat,” a voice resounded painfully in the Axeman's head.
Her eyes concerned, Elphemina grabbed the Axeman by the arm and stepped in front of him, only to reel backward, her hands held to her head. Screaming in pain, she fell to her knees.
Snarling, Moon hefted Ausak and charged at the figure, only to stop abruptly as if he had run into an invisible barrier. His axe fell from his hand and he lurched backward before also dropping to his knees.
Once again, Moon was a stripling of sixteen winters facing the enraged bear in the mountains. A fierce snow storm lashed huge snowflakes into his face, burning his skin like fire. Gritting his teeth against the unexpected pain, he reached for the dagger in his belt, but found it wasn't there. Horrified, he backed away, but he couldn't flee, for the deep snow underfoot hampered him. Bending down, he picked up a thick broken branch and faced the bear. As the enraged beast bore down on him he dealt it a fearsome blow on the head. The branch snapped in two, and the bear was upon him.
Razor-sharp claws slashed down, laying open his face. He screamed in pain, then all went dark. When light returned, he could see his blood soaking into the snow and what looked like eyeballs. The agony in his face was almost intolerable. Reaching up, he gingerly felt his face, and to his horror, there were only two gory holes where his eyes should have been. He was blind! But if he was blind, how could he see his eyeballs resting on the snow at his feet?
Leaning forward, he looked again, and there they were lying in the snow, looking up at him. He opened his mouth and screamed his agony and utter despair to the snow-laden skies.
All went dark. Then he was back in the settlement. He could feel the heat of the roaring fire in the hearth of the long house, hear the voices and laughter of the men as they ate and drank, and the sound of the howling wind outside. A loud voice called to him, and he lifted his head trying to make out the direction it had come from.
The voice called again. “C’mon man, are you not hungry, or should I give it to the dogs instead?” Other voices were raised in cruel laughter, but pinpointing the voice offering him food, Moon crawled toward it, wincing and grunting in pain as he navigated a way through the boots that dug painfully into his ribs. One caught him in the mouth, crushing his lips against his teeth, and he tasted blood. Finally, he bumped into an outstretched leg.
“C’mon you blind dog, beg for your food.” came the voice. Moon sat up and raised his head, mouth open and drool running down his chin in anticipation. A hunk of meat bounced off his forehead and landed on the straw-strewn floor. Scrabbling on his hands and knees, he finally found it and raised it to his mouth.
Everything went dark, then he was sitting huddled in a filthy bearskin robe outside the settlement's ale house. He could hear sounds of merriment from inside. As he licked dry lips, he heard children run by, then stop. A large snowball hit him on the head, then a small stone – the pain sharp in the cold. He roared at the children to leave him be, but they merely laughed and threw more missiles at him.
Tears rolled down his cheeks. How can I cry if I don't have any eyes? The thought flashed through his mind, then he started laughing – hysterical mirth that turned into great sobs as his throat constricted and his chest heaved.
Elphemina forced herself to her feet as sharp pain lanced into her skull, making her eyes stream with tears. Gritting her teeth, she slowly lifted her right arm. The effort almost made her black out. Concentrating, she traced a pattern in the air and whispered the words of power. An orange-coloured light enveloped her and the sobbing Axeman still on his knees.
Moon shook his head like a great big bear, and got to his feet, his eye blazing, with Ausak Demon Bane in his hands. “You puking whoreson!” he screamed, hurling himself at Surgat, bringing the axe down in a vicious downward strike.
Surgat shimmered.
Gone was the man, and Ausak struck home in the body of a figure from deep nightmare. The head was round with pointed ears atop the skull, a single lidless eye in the centre of the forehead, and a wide gash of a mouth rimmed with sharp teeth the length of a grown man's forearm. A long, articulated neck connected the head to a thick scaled body that coiled and undulated like a snake. Long, questing, puckered tentacles protruded on each side of the body. Moon blinked in astonishment at what appeared to be eyeballs at the end of each tentacle.
Moon tore his axe clear in a welter of dark blood and ducked as the tentacles whipped at his head. Ausak sang out in a wide arc and several of the slimy protuberances flew into the air.
A tentacle wrapped itself around his neck and searing pain lanced through him. Screaming to release the agony, he sliced Ausak through the tentacle, ripped what was left from his neck, and threw himself once more at the creature towering over him, hacking and cutting.
Ausak tore great chunks of flesh from Surgat, but the wounds healed and the flesh grew anew each time the axe was withdrawn. But Moon, is his near-berserker rage was a man possessed. “You can bleed demon, if I keep cutting you, you will eventually die!” he hissed through clenched teeth.
Tentacles whipped at Moon, searing his flesh, to be sliced off by the slashing Ausak, and promptly regenerated by inhuman vitality and dark sorcery.
Elphemina stood watching the immense struggle between man and demon, then drew her sword. It blazed like the sun, chasing away the sickly green light coming from outs
ide. “Hold still Axeman!” she called.
Glancing over his shoulder, Moon did as bid, gritting his teeth against the pain, as more tentacles wrapped around him. He felt his head spin, but he held on grimly, tree trunk-like legs spread wide.
Changing her grip on the hilt, and holding the sword as a large dagger, Elphemina took three running steps and leapt onto the Axeman's shoulder. As soon as her foot hit, she pushed off with explosive power, soaring high in the air, sword held above her head, point downward.
A scream of exultation burst from Elphemina's lips as the blade plunged hilt-deep into Surgat's eye. She and Moon screamed in pain, as Surgat's ululation of agony echoed deep in their heads. Surgat's head twisted violently on his long, articulated neck, ichor from the terrible wound spraying the air. Elphemina held on to her sword grimly as she was hurled about, legs swinging.
Finally, she managed to wrench the sword clear in a gout of foul smelling gore, and twisting in mid-air, she landed on the floor, knees bent to absorb the impact. As the sword tore clear, the gash in the orb sealed, and it swiftly regenerated.
The head swung toward Elphemina, ghastly mouth open, and fangs dripping venom. Moon leapt forward roaring, and swung Ausak again. The axe bit deep, almost severing the neck.
The long neck slumped to the floor in a pool of dark reeking blood and the great body convulsed. It shimmered, and turned into a huge bloated mass festooned with large spikes, pulsing and expanding as if filled with air.
“Get down!” Elphemina screamed, throwing herself at Moon. As they hit the floor, the razor-sharp spikes whistled through the air above them. Some fell to the floor and others shattered against the green walls of the chamber. The bloated body moved forward in short hops, leaving mounds of slime in its wake. Four long arms armed with serrated pincers extended from the body.