They headed to the mouth of the cave, Xenon following willingly, seemingly unconcerned about going into a dark, dangerous place.

  “Keep out of the taint.” Verne warned as they stepped beyond the light that the moon gave.

  “According to the Order, it only affects women.” Judd remarked.

  Verne cleared his throat. “Oh…yes…well…just in case.”

  They travelled along the tunnel, following it quietly, keeping out of the stream of taint. It would have been pitch black if not for seams of fluorescent mineral that gave the barest of glows.

  “Do you think it’s natural?” Verne asked, peering at the blue/green glow.

  “I think I would check first before touching it.” Judd whispered. “We need to keep moving. Chief Bear will be leading the attack on the unicorns soon. Watch your head, Xenon…it gets a little low here.”

  “Judd…up ahead…what’s that glow?”

  Judd frowned. “Never mind the glow…what’s that sound?”

  Verne clapped his hand over his mouth. “Forget the sound…what’s that stench?”

  “A combination of blood and seawater.”

  “You sure?”

  “Trust me,” Judd shook his head, “that’s a smell I’ll never forget.”

  They crept forward, leaving Xenon behind with a stern warning to stay, to where the tunnel opened into a cave that appeared to be a roughly circular shape with a slope leading down from the tunnel to the floor. Stalagmites and stalactites formed pillars all the way around the centre where there was a pool of sea water, fed from a tunnel that led even further east out of the cave. At its very end there was light and the sound of waves crashing. The edge of the pool, a natural rocky lip, was stained with blood upon blood upon blood and at the bottom of its deep embrace were the discarded bodies of narwals, each one dehorned. The horns were scattered around the pool’s edge, glistening, sharp and long.

  Between the natural pillars were bubbles large enough to encompass a horse which seemed to be exactly what they were designed to hold. They were semi opaque, glowing with a red/pink light except for where the body of a horse could be seen inside. Some of the bubbles had horses without horns and others had horses with horns.

  Judd and Verne could hear a horse kicking and screaming against its unicorn captors that had driven it into the cave, all the way to the bottom. They scrambled forwards to see a mare fighting tendrils that came out of one of the bubbles, wrapping around the horse, sucking it into the bubble. Once inside, the bubble became unbreakable though they saw that the mare bucked and reared, twisted and fought, writhing and then…

  “Is it dead?” Verne whispered, the body of the horse becoming still.

  “I think it’s ready to be bonded with one of those narwhal horns.”

  “Narwhal?”

  Judd nodded. “I’ve seen one, stuffed and preserved with the horn sticking straight out of its face. They’re extremely rare up north but down south where its colder…hide!”

  They darted up the ramp and into a shallow crevice as the unicorns, that had forced the mare into the bubble, closed in on their position, heading for the tunnel. Judd and Verne held still and quiet as the brutal beasts passed so close by they could have been skewered with their horns where they stool. Judd breathed out when they moved on through the tunnel.

  “Judd,” Verne shook him, whispering urgently, “what in Maul is that?”

  Judd looked up, his spine curling up like a leaf withering.

  In the ceiling of the cave, obscured from direct sight by the natural pillars, was an eyeball staring at the bubbles of red and pink, set into a socket of the same hue with little tendrils clinging tightly to the stony surface like a permanent guard.

  “It looks like…”

  “The mangrove swamp…the thing that grabbed Aalis.” Judd nodded.

  Verne shivered. “Can it hear us?”

  “I don’t know…it just looks like a giant eye…”

  Verne looked at him. “What is this place?”

  “I think it’s how Maul makes unicorns.” Judd shuddered.

  “Makes them?”

  “Mashes horses together with narwhals to make unicorns…infused with Maul blood and with an insatiable need for human flesh.” The bile in his throat was burning. Judd desperately wanted to spit it out.

  “That’s…insane!”

  “I’m not going to argue…what’s that?”

  They both turned to the tunnel where the sounds of screaming and whinnies were echoing along its length.

  “No!” Verne’s skin prickled cold. “Xenon!”

  “Stay back!” Judd grabbed Verne and yanked him back as Xenon was driven into the cave, teeth barred and seething at his captors, one of whom was bleeding green from several wounds and the other had its horn broken off. Despite Xenon’s fury and might, he couldn’t match two unicorns who ganged up on him, driving him further and further down.

  “Judd,” Verne was desperate, “they’re going to make him a unicorn!”

  “I know…I know…” Judd pushed his hands through his hair. “It’s not enough to simply rescue Xenon. With this place operating in the north, beyond the wall…we have to destroy it.”

  “How?”

  “I have no idea.” Judd admitted and they both flinched at Xenon’s scream.

  Verne stepped out of the nook. “What if I hit that big eye with an arrow?”

  “I don’t think that’s enough to kill it.” Judd frowned. “Is it…weeping?”

  The big eye closed tightly, a line of liquid forming along the seam where the lids met. It pooled together, trickling along to the corner where it joined a small stream that dribbled down the decline, past their location and out through the tunnel.

  “Taint?” Judd whispered. “It’s crying…taint?”

  Verne shook his head. “Emeri said that taint was very likely a by product of the mountain of Maul when it churns out monsters…and it stinks because it’s got something to do with the volcano.”

  “There’s no volcano here.”

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  “No, but the rivers of lava do run through this mountain range. They run past Fort Omra and heat the mountain lake…” Verne’s eyes widened. “Oh! Oh!” He grabbed Judd. “I know how to destroy this place!”

  “How?”

  “Taint is flammable!” Verne pointed at the opalescent trickle at their feet. “Set it alight and it’ll burn this place out.”

  Judd was going to argue when they heard Xenon whinny, his furious but defeated cry echoing across the cave.

  “Arrow.” He ordered Verne who thrust one at him. “Get ready to run!”

  “Ready.”

  Judd knelt and using the metal arrowhead against his sword, scraped sparks into life. He wasn’t sure it would work. Surely water couldn’t burn…

  …yet apparently, taint could. It flared into a blue green flame and flew out both ways, following the line of taint, one out of the cave and the other, tearing up the incline, up the wall, ripping across the eyeball. It trembled and shuddered, its pupil turning into a tiny sliver. Though it had no voice, Judd could hear its roar of rage.

  “Run!”

  They bolted to the incline, the unicorns already galloping up it, one with its head lowered, its horn heading straight for Judd. Verne fired into its ankle and it tumbled over into the alight taint, the second dehorned unicorn tripping over the body of its comrade and they became a tangle of broken legs, their teeth still snapping and biting at them.

  “Go, go!” Judd bellowed and they leapt past the unicorns who were now on fire, their bodies caught in the blaze. The flames were chewing through the eyeball in the ceiling, streaking down the stalagmites and stalactites, ripping across the bubbles where the bodies of the horses lay. One exploded and Judd and Verne were thrown sideways, scraping at the contents that had been sprayed all over them. Judd turned back and saw the limp lifeless body of the horse on the ground. He whispered an apology to it as more and more of the bubbles exploded, the entire cave on fire and turning into an oven.

  “Judd, come on!” Verne cried, having mounted Xenon who had torn up the incline as fast as his powerful legs could propel him. Judd grabbed Verne’s hand and was hauled up as best he could, Xenon already galloping along the tunnel, dodging the streak of fire as the taint stream burned. Xenon leapt from side to side, keeping as far from it as possible. Judd and Verne’s only job was to hang on for dear life as the stallion burst out of the cave, the flammable taint still burning but now there was so much more room to avoid it.

  Xenon continued to run, slowing to a canter, his chest huffing frantically. Judd could feel the tension in him, the adrenalin streaking through his veins.

  “Let’s get out of this gully.” He said and Verne nodded, urging Xenon to keep moving.

  “This is where we saw the horses before!”

  “The nomads might have already killed the unicorns and reclaimed the horses. We keep following the gully!”

  They travelled along it as the sides became lower and then shallow until they emerged from the gully onto the steppelands where the landscape was bathed in broken moonlight.

  “Judd, look.” Verne pointed to where they’d come from.

  It wasn’t hard to see what Verne was pointing at. There was a bright light from the cave entrance at the far end of the gully. There wasn’t any smoke but it glowed more brightly than the moon’s weak light.

  “That should do it.” He shook his head. “Brilliant Verne, just brilliant.” Verne sighed. “What’s wrong?”

  “I didn’t get to kill that centaur…or at least give it my pointed regards.”

  “I’m sure the nomads made it pay for its actions.” Judd twisted. “Where are they?”

  “I think they’re nearby.” Verne paused. “I can hear one of them talking.” He frowned. “What’s veshelt havak?”

  “I’m not sure…”

  Xenon reared, throwing Judd off with the unexpecting motion, his body tumbling into a bush. Verne clung on for dear life, a large sword coming down where they had been only a split second before Xenon had reared. The centaur bellowed and reared, forelegs flailing about and Xenon leapt into a gallop, out of the path of the centaur’s deadly weapon. Judd yanked himself free of the bush and clambered to the top of a rise. The centaur was chasing Verne on Xenon across the steppelands. The mash up of man and horse had sheathed its sword and drew forth its bow. Several arrows came alarmingly close to hitting both Verne and Xenon.

  “Verne!” Judd cried as loudly as he could. “The gully!”

  Whether or not Verne heard or the quick thinking archer had the same idea, Xenon immediately twisted out of the path of the centaur and galloped towards the gully, flinging stones with his large hooves. Judd ran along the gully until the sides were at head height. The centaur swore in ancient Terra and thundered after Verne and Xenon. The archer and the stallion passed Judd, the centaur close behind. Judd didn’t give himself a chance to doubt, sprinting along the edge and flinging himself onto the centaur’s back.

  Instantly the man swatted and batted at him but it was impossible for him to reach Judd effectively from behind. Judd ducked the man’s blinded blows, scattering his arrows and throwing his sword from its sheath. Realising he’d been disarmed, the centaur went frantic, bucking and rearing, trying to fling Judd from his back. But Judd had endured days of Mavrish whipping him into shape and he was not about to let go to be trampled now. He grasped the centaur tightly around the waist even as he tried to unclench Judd’s hands. Eventually he gave up trying to throw Judd off, galloping through the gully, kicking up stones and slate, swearing vilely. Judd didn’t understand exactly what he was saying but the meaning was clear.

  “You can curse me all you want,” Judd yelled, “but I am not letting go!”

  He was dizzy, sick and his legs were weakening as the centaur galloped out of the gully onto the steppelands, throwing itself about. Judd might have been worried it would drop and roll, crushing him in the process but the centaur, because of the way it had been mashed together, couldn’t do so. It would be a battle won by attrition and despite the memory of Mavrish, grunting ferociously at him to hold with his knees, Judd’s strength was failing and the centaur was only becoming more and more enraged, dancing about on its rear legs, kicking and bucking, knocking Judd’s head against his back.

  In one of the frantic, momentary glimpses Judd had of the world during a brief moment when he dared to open his eyes, he realised they had left the flat plains and were on the edge of a severe drop, a devastatingly dangerous decline of slippery slate fragments.

  “Verne!” Judd yelled, praying the archer had followed them. “Now!”

  Verne was glad that Xenon was not afraid of battle and had eagerly followed the centaur, Xenon’s nostrils flaring and his ears bent back in savage determination. Verne caught sight of the centaur on the cusp of the, as good as, cliff, Judd still clinging onto him. He heard Judd cry his name, the drawstring already pulled tight and the arrow tip aimed at the centaur’s chest. Judd flung himself from the back of the centaur, clearing all obstacles and Verne fired. The centaur, immediately sensing his unwelcomed visitor had finally let go, twisted into a rear then spasmed as Verne’s arrow struck his chest. His silver eyes blazed and Verne felt rather than heard his vow of vengeance but didn’t pause in sending another two arrows in the same direction, all striking the centaur. The man/horse teetered on its hind legs, one hoof slipping…then the beast fell from sight with a howl that became a scream before it ended abruptly.

  Verne dropped his arm and swung off Xenon, sprinting for the cusp of the ravine.

  “Judd!” He yelled, the young man nowhere to be seen. “Judd!”

  The body of the centaur was easy enough to see, crumpled at the bottom of the decline, the slate that had been caught in its violent fall gathered around it. Its legs were broken and it lay still.

  “Judd!” Verne cried again, unable to see him.

  Judd heard his name being called and opened his eyes, double vision tormenting his already agitated stomach. He’d hit the edge of the cliff when he’d thrown himself clear of the centaur and the slate had slipped away beneath him, sliding him down to the bottom of the ravine, banging him about for good measure until he’d come to a stop and felt the overwhelming blanket of unconsciousness wrap him in its embrace. He fought it, opening his eyes again and saw the body of a horse nearby, the back of a man also facing him. Though he was shaky and nauseated, Judd could see the man’s chest was still moving, panting sharply as though in pain. Judd used his sword to force himself to his feet, his breastplate scratched from the rough landing and stumbled around to face the centaur. He lifted his sword up, ready to smite him according to the method of the knights of old…

  …then paused.

  The centaur was holding onto something around his neck. His eyes were closed and his teeth barred, panting in hissing breaths through the pain. Something about it, the connection with his own pain and the monster’s, stopped Judd from landing a killing blow. He fell to his knee, out of reach but still nearby, his mind returning to the terrible cave and its inhuman monster making factory.

  “Who were you?” Judd whispered. “Who were you before Maul did this to you?” Judd wiped the blood out of his eyes from a cut on his forehead.

  The centaur’s eyes opened and instead of silver, they were grey and soft, in pain but intelligent.

  “Danke.” The centaur said.

  “Danke?” Judd asked.

  The centaur yanked on the cord around his neck, freeing what it was he’d been clutching and held it out. Judd could hear Verne shouting his name, possibly to warn him but he inched close enough to offer his left hand, his right still on his sword. The centaur put the object into his palm, his fingers wrapped around Judd’s.

  “Raske danke.” He said with a sad yet relieved smile. Judd opened his mouth, not sure what he could say in reply as the centaur let his hand slip from Judd’s, his eyes rolling into the back of his head and slumping onto the ground.

  Judd stared at him, his jaw trembling, his heart wrung out like a damp cloth. He heard his name called urgently over and over, the sound of slate scattering nearby and felt his shoulder grasped.

  “Judd, can you hear me?” Verne forced him to meet his gaze. “Are you alright?”

  Judd swallowed, his fingers curling around the centaur’s gift. “I…I’ll live.”