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But with that command, Sabine sensed Lanthe&039;s poas depleted once more

Rydstrom appeared stunned, evenfor you, dee of one of the blankets that N&iu hi her body She&039;d asked the Valkyrie, "Why are you doing this? For your army? Or for Rydstro it for you"

"Sabine, I don&039;tyou are sick?"

"I ath to give this to you But it&039;s starting to fade You have to use this to kill Oive you the antidote?"

"The Hag will helpbut only after Omort dies There&039;s notmuch tiht coht Oh

time-"

"You can do this You must Destroy him forever It&039;s your due"

47

This was all a trick? Sabine had warned hiain I always have a plan, she&039;d said Nothing is as it seems with me

Here was his chance to destroy Omort, and as he took the sword fros for hi in him he felt that she returned his love "Sabine-"

"Kill first talk later Please"

He gave a grave nod, then turned to Lanthe "Co Sabine in her arotten your powers back, then heal her," Rydstrom said

"I&039;m out, demon I&039;m tapped I can&039;t help Sabine, I can&039;t stop the fire de down that door, and I can&039;t freeze Omort for you to simply behead hiht you"

Rydstro up to slay a sor-cerer Oht of the weapon

"How did you get that inside here? Sabine?" He briefly appeared devastated, before his crazed look returned To Rydstrom, he said, "You forced her to do this She would never willingly betray me"

From his scabbard, Omort dreith a mystickal blade of concentrated fire "Even without my sorcery, I will still take your head! I look forward to ht for her"

I do, too "In any other circu you," Rydstro on Oht, I just don&039;t have ti Omort, not for his crown, but for the life of the wo each other Omort struck first, but Rydstro off Oed that sword true," Oed oncespeed

Rydstroood-just as he&039;d been nearly aHe telegraphed noeach other for weak&039; nesses Oet to his back Rydstrom pivoted around with his sword for a clean block

The sorcerer had skills and technique, but so did Rydstroth

When Rydstroh with all the power in his body,the sorcerer&039;s weapon quake in his own hands, jarring hiain, their swords clashed Then Ryd­strouard, and delivered a particularly punishing blow against his sword O weaker

Just when Rydstroe to end this, O it over Ryd­strom&039;s head

His vision obscured, Rydstro the worst of Oh Rydstro a line across his chest

The sorcerer caht as he was able to see once more Rydstro a backhanded blow

It landed true Omort&039;s head thudded to the floor His corpse dropped to its knees before sluet to Sabine But Rydstrom couldn&039;t repeat the mistake he&039;d made the last time he&039;d faced this foe He forced himself to wait for the space of several heart­beats

These er than the nine hundred years I&039;ve waited for this

The sorcerer did not regenerate A wall of hanging tablets ca across the floor With the death of their master, the revenants dropped

ail around them

Rydstroed for Sabine The weapon had fulfilled its

fated task

Lanthe reat doors of the court began bowing as fire deing around, readying for battle once more

Over his shoulder, he said to Lanthe "Still noth­ing?"

"No, but if we can -"

The doors began to s warriors of the Pravus, mainly fire demons, rushed in The tide slohen they spied Omort the Deathless, sprawled beheaded by his throne

The call arose a the fire de their pal fire, they could kill hiain as the pain

hit-Suddenly, the fire demons&039; attention shifted fro behind him "Need some help?" Cadeon called When Rydstrom twisted around, he found his

brother-and Cadeon&039;s entire crew ofbloodthirsty

It hit Rydstrom then-with Omort&039;s death, Cadeon could trace once more And he&039;d led his men here

Just as the ed for her, battering any oppo­nents in his way When he reached her, he shoved the sword in his belt, then cradled her in his arone unconscious

Lanthe said, "We have to find the Hag! She&039;s the only one who can cure her"

Rydstro fro her for help!"

"I&039;ve got this!" his brother called back as he slashed at opponents with abandon "I have soainst these fucks! And I&039;ht behind Rydstrom as they rushed for the exit "Demon, head for the base-"

She was abruptly cut off When Rydstro across the floor

A wild-eyed Hettiah had tackled her, blocking her way to the door "You and your sister will pay!"

Lanthe snatched up a sword from a fallen revenant "Take Sabine! Go!"

Rydstro down the corridor stairs, before re he could now teleport as well He traced Sabine into the bowels of the castle But there were chaes He turned in a circle, bellowing, "Hag, where the hell are you?"

"In here," she called He followed the sound of her voice to a chained a poisoner&039;s laboratory Atop long tables were dissected creatures, fers&039; legs hung fro, however, was not what he was expecting Instead of the crone, a pretty elven brunette stood before hili

"Save her" Rydstrom rasped "You have to save

her"

Without glancing up, she said, "And why should I?" "Because I defeated Omort I think his death has

freed you"

"Well, there is that" She aze "For five hundred years, I&039;ve waited for the sorcerer&039;s curse to end Lay Sabine on the table" Rooting through a safe, she withdreooden cases, opening the first one Within it lay a vial of black liquid

When the Hag offered the antidote, Rydstro the vial to her pale lips He glanced at the Hag "Do you vow this will cure her?"

"Cure her of the morsus? Yes, I vow it But I can&039;t help her with the bitchiness"

He scowled at her, then dripped the contents between Sabine&039;s lips

Waitingnothing"Why&039;s it not doing any­thing?" he snapped

She shook her head, baffled "It should have worked by now It must be too late"

48

Are her cheeks pinkening? Is she healing?"

Sabine heard Rydstrorees

"They are" Was that the Hag? "It figures the sorcer­ess would milk the tension for all it orth"

When Sabine ods, cwena I&039;m here with you" When she opened her eyes, she found his were fierce but tender as he gazed down at her He brushed the backs of his fingers against her cheek

The Hag muttered, "I&039;ll leave you two alone"

"Wait," Sabine said Who was this fe? "Where&039;s Lanthe&039;s cure?"

"I left her vial on the table beside the rhinoceros testicles"

"Oh" Free They were finally free of O was apparently free as well "How is it that you aredifferent?"

"OI gave about a sorceress Omort would fall in love with At least, as much as he was capable of it Sabine, your brother didn&039;t seek you out for the deht you for himself But as soon as I saw you, the prophecy ca would wed and have a son ould unlock the well&039;s power"