Catlorian II
Temples
by
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From Chapter 35, “Catlorian II: Temples”:
Morgan watched the two reenter the cabin and then she heard the weak scream. She drew her blades and started for the door but drew up short when a tall blonde man in rich red clothing and satin cloak stopped her.
“Walk away, Morgan.” he said softly. “These are mine.”
Morgan knew Thaddeus, what he was. The tone told her that whoever was within that cabin would pay dearly for their role in the slavery of the children. She nodded and made her way back toward the trail confident that her presence was no longer necessary.
Thaddeus heard the whimpering and pleading of a small feminine voice and the slap. He frowned and closed his eyes for a moment. Then, he disappeared.
The man who’d sat in front of the cabin earlier had the small girl, maybe eleven or twelve years old and nude, down on the floor in the back of the cabin, his pants down to his knees. The girl’s hands were tied and she was crying hysterically. The two other men in the room grinned as they watched.
“Room for one more, boys?” came the cold voice from behind them and they turned.
Flesh drooped from the bones in the clawed hands that grabbed their throats and lifted them both from the floor. A quick twist, two loud snaps and the bodies went limp. Then the lich moved up behind the rapist and grabbed him by the back of the neck. The girl screamed as the creature turned the man’s face to him and changed hands, wrapping the bony fingers of his left hand about the man’s neck.
“You wish to be evil?” came the cold remorseless voice. “I will show you evil!”
Then the lich pulled the man’s face close and opened its maw. Light and smoke streamed from the man’s mouth to enter the monster and it fed until there was naught left but a bony husk. The lich dropped the drained carcass in a heap and turned to the girl.
She’d backed into the corner and held her arms over her head with her knees to her chin. She had closed her eyes. Thaddeus reached for her, but noticed for the first time that he’d let his illusion fall. He quickly initiated the spell and reached for the girl with a soft hand. As his hand touched her, she screamed.
“It’s okay, little one.” he said softly. “No one is going to hurt you ever again.”
She opened an eye, the one not swollen after being slapped. She looked at the red clothed man and glanced about the room furtively.
“They won’t hurt you again, child. They paid for that.”
“B-b-b-but, where’s…”
“Oh, he’s gone too, but he is a friend, though he looks dreadful.” Thaddeus said with a grin as he knelt before the naked little girl. He looked about the room and, finding nothing to cover the cold child, waved a hand and a light blue robe appeared in his hand. “Here. Let’s get you warmed up a bit.” he said as he reached to put the robe about her.
She pulled back and wrapped her arms about her bare legs and rocked back a forth, fear in her eyes. Thaddeus felt something then that he hadn’t felt in centuries. He felt this one’s pain and anger and fear. Everything this small child felt ran through what was left of his soul.
“It’s alright, little one. I’ll just put it here and you can pull it about you. It’s okay.”
She took the robe from the floor and, with an effort to conceal what was left of her modesty, pulled it over her shoulders and pushed her arms through the sleeves. They were too long but she left her hands within the sleeves and pulled her legs up into a fetal hug.
Thaddeus thought for a moment and looked at the door. Then he looked at the girl, her eyes still on him with fright.
“Look, little one, there is no way I can tell you that you are safe after what these bastards did to you, but there is a lady outside who will take care of you. Will that be all right?”
The little girl nodded shakily and Thaddeus got up to walk away.
“Please don’t leave me!” she screamed.
He knelt back where he’d been quickly. He thought about it while he looked into the little girl’s green eyes. Then, he said, “You saw that I pulled that robe from the air, right?” She nodded shakily. “Well, that’s because I am Mage. Now, being Mage I can whisk us out of here and to that nice lady I told you about. Can you trust me for just a little bit?”
Her visage was filled with fright, but she held a small shaking hand toward him. Thaddeus slowly and gently took the very ends of her fingers and asked, “Are you ready?” She nodded and they both vanished.
Thaddeus appeared before Morgan DeVilleforte as she made her way quietly toward the cart.
“Sorry, Morgan, but someone needs you desperately.” Then, he touched her shoulder.
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About the Book
The first moves in the battle for Ta’el have been made and the Savon’el is once again whole. Now, innocents are being enslaved and powerful artifacts that could be used to devastating effect were being sought by the agents of the evil one. Men and women of strength, valor and conscience must place themselves willingly between the innocents and those agents. These must also remove those same artifacts from the hand of the evil master, Lord Banshe’e.
Morgan DeVilleforte, a skilled mercenary of honor, is one of those adventurers determined to do whatever is necessary to defend the innocent. She and a group of diverse adventurers now chase evil across the face of Catlor to bring justice and vengeance. The great Lord Commander Dekion DeLough embarks on a mission of mercy with Lilith the Sorceress, a rogue daku bent on defending those who cannot defend themselves and bringing about an end to the enmity of her race to all others. She also seeks two powerful artifacts to keep them from the hands of evil. Other brave souls… Mages, clerics, mercenaries and rangers… join them down dangerous paths in order to free, protect and deliver those from forced captivity to the light of the sun of Ta’el.
Catlorian II: Temples continues the exploits of men and women of valor bent on thwarting Lord Banshe’e in his one-minded pursuit of vengeance against an entire world.
About the Author
R.L. Pool served in the United States Army and traveled to several continents as a function of that service. After his retirement in 1988, he began work as a metrology technician for a branch of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Pool is a father and grandfather and currently lives in Leakey, Texas. This is his second book in the Catlorian series.