Tex grabbed them.

  Having got what he needed, Tex rushed the girls through the door and ran upstairs. The hellhound’s growling still filled the room as it continued to attack Bankim.

  Tex climbed the stairs with his arm around Neesha’s waist. She looked shaken but relieved.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t help,” she said. “My Light Magic is extremely weak down here.”

  “Doesn’t matter,” Tex said. “We got you back, that’s the main thing. Now let’s get you out of here.”

  Tex rushed the girls up the stairs, praying that they would find their way back to the village before Kdar Tol’s fleet arrived on the shores of Fimm.

  Hurrying out the door and down towards the bank of the lava river, Tex glanced around for the ferryman.

  “Nozphinnigan! Hello!”

  The cloaked figure appeared a little way downshore. “What? Who’s yelling!”

  “Er, I beg your pardon, Sir. I’m afraid I must make haste to return. Great matters of state demand that I—”

  “Oh, ‘great matters of state’!” the ferryman exclaimed, raising his hands sarcastically. “Great matters of state! Well!”

  He turned towards the river, muttering. “He is a statesman! A very important personage. What rot! As if I’ve nothing better to do…”

  He shambled towards the burning river, grumbling.

  But the boat appeared, and Nozphinnigan didn’t protest when everyone climbed in, so Tex bit his lip. Probably better not to say anything and dig a hole, he figured.

  When they reached the other side and climbed back to the shore, Emi turned around to curtsey, but the ferryman was already fading from view.

  They ran up the rocky bank and found the steep trail leading up to the tunnel. Then it was a steep, slippery climb through the darkness until they finally emerged on the next level.

  Tex had to stop running and wait for the girls. Bmimi probably could have kept running for as long as Tex, but Emi and Neesha were exhausted.

  As they walked along the shore of the lake, the shades of damned men and women writhed in the waters, howling and lamenting.

  One of these spoke intelligibly, and he addressed Bmimi:

  “Wait! Oh, please, I beg thee! Speak with me for a moment.”

  Since this ghost was close to the shore, they could vaguely see its features.

  As if looking at someone through darkness, they saw the faint outline of a long beard and a formidable, aged face with bushy brows.

  The ghost spoke urgently to Bmimi: “I know that your people are friendly with the Aramantha. You share the same fields and mountains with them.

  “I know this because I was an Aramantha, born of the Rama tribe.” He hesitated. “Have you ever conversed with any of the Rama tribe?”

  “I have, Sir,” Bmimi said. “The Rama tribe raised me. I consider myself one of them.”

  The ghost let out a cry of joy. “Wonderful! Thank the gods! And you are returning to the land of the living now?”

  “Yes, Sir,” Bmimi said. “But we are in a hurry. I’m sorry–-”

  “I’ve no doubt that you are, but please stay for a moment. I promise I will make it worthwhile.”

  He raised his shadowy hand. A pebble glowed in his palm. It gave off a radiant blue light. Oddly, the more you looked at it, the brighter it seemed to get.

  “This is an Imaginatum Stone.”

  Neesha stopped and craned her neck forward, looking at the little pebble in disbelief. She and Emi exchanged a glance.

  “And what is it you would have us do to earn this stone?” Neesha said. “Please be quick, Sir, for we really must go at once.”

  “I only ask of you one thing. I … I don’t know how much time has passed since I arrived here.” He scratched his head. “But do you know a man named Hid?”

  Bmimi shook her head. “No, I don’t believe I …” Her ears perked up. “Wait… Was he the old seer?”

  “Yes, yes!” the ghost said. “He wasn’t old when I knew him, but yes. So, you know him then!”

  “Well, no, but I remember him from when I was a little girl. He was kind.”

  “Yes,” the ghost said wistfully. “He was kind. Please tell him something for me.”

  “But, Sir, I can’t tell him anything. Hid passed away years ago.”

  This greatly troubled the ghost, but he perked up. “Wait! What about his daughter?”

  “Oh, yes,” Bmimi said. “I know her. She is still alive and well.”

  “Can you tell her something?” he said eagerly. “Tell her you spoke with Yugo’s shade.”

  Bmimi started. “Yugo! The magician?” Her ears fell back, and she staggered away.

  The ghost of Yugo raised its arms imploringly.

  “Wait! I know you’ve heard the stories… How I was corrupted and did evil things. Please believe me; I have repented. I repent every day and wish I could live my life again.

  “Please tell Hid’s daughter I said that. And tell her this: I wronged your father and I am sorry, from the bottom of my soul, I am sorry. That’s all; she’ll know what it’s about.”

  Bmimi’s face softened, and a look of pity came into her eyes. “Alright, I’ll tell her.”

  “Thank you! Here, take it”

  He tried handing the pebble to Neesha, probably because she was the closest. But she shrank back.

  “No! Tex, you take it.”

  “Alright,” Tex said, hastily stepping forward and opening his palm.

  The pebble fell into Tex’s hand. Without a thought, he put it safely in a pocket inside his animal skin, and they continued their journey back to the world of the living.

  Chapter sixty-two

  THE LAST STRETCH of the tunnel was almost pitch dark, so Bmimi led the way.

  “Keep going, everyone!” she said. “We’re almost there. I can already smell the village.”

  A minute later, she paused, sniffing the air urgently.

  Tex bumped into her. “Sorry … Something wrong?”

  Bmimi took a few more sniffs, straining her ears at the same time. “Something’s happening… I can sense the fear.”

  “Alright, go,” Tex said, putting his hand on her back, urging her onwards.

  They continued through the darkness, climbing up the muddy slope. After a minute, Neesha’s voice came from behind Tex.

  “I hear something … Something behind us.”

  Tex turned his head back. “Jeff, maybe?”

  Neesha listened for a moment. “There! Did you hear that?”

  “I heard it,” Emi said. “Growling and breathing, and feet trampling. But it sounds like more than one.”

  Tex gritted his teeth. “Fuck. Alright, let me go in the rear. Everybody move.”

  They rushed onwards. Soon, a dim light broke through the darkness, and the wet dirt walls became visible.

  Tex heard the noise now: snuffing and snapping, and hooves or claws running over the ground, some distance behind them.

  They finally reached the end of the tunnel. Above their heads, through the hole in the ground, they saw stars twinkling in the dark sky.

  Bmimi deftly leapt up the dirt wall and scrambled over the top. Then she leaned down and reached her hand out.

  “Come on. I’ll help you up!”

  Voices drifted down from above: “They’re back! They’ve returned!”

  Tex lifted Emi and pushed her butt as Bmimi grabbed her hand and pulled her up.

  Faces soon peered over the edge, and there were many helping hands to pull Emi up.

  Tex could hear Grendel greeting her: “You’re back! Is … is everyone okay? Did you … find Neesha?”

  “Yes, we’ve got her!” Emi said.

  “Oh, thank the gods!”

  When Tex lifted Neesha, he heard something trampling the dirt and hissing in the darkness behind him.

  It definitely wasn’t Jeff.

  Tex watched as Neesha was pulled over the top. Then he spun around and came face-to-face with a demon. In fact, most of it was just face — a big curling nose, enormous bloodshot eyes, yellow teeth.

  Tex punched its massive nose, sending it stumbling backwards.

  “Demons!” he yelled, giving the fiend a kick before turning and scrambling up the muddy wall, taking hold of a sturdy hand.

  “Spears! Arrows!” he screamed as he emerged onto the grass of the village.

  Down at the bottom of the hole, the face emerged from the darkness and began trying to scramble up.

  Steelfarr and two of his men came running. “Lord Tex! The enemy is here!”

  Tex grabbed a spear from Steelfarr, trying to keep his head calm. He could only put out one fire at a time.

  “Deal with these demons first,” he grunted.

  “Demons?” Steelfarr stammered.

  Several archers leaned over the hole and shot arrows at the face. It screamed in a high-pitched, whining tone, falling into the dirt with arrows in its eyes.

  A few more demons crowded around it and began scrambling up. Even more followed behind them.

  Tex fumed with rage. This could not happen. Especially not now.

  The archers fell back as a wrinkly black-haired fiend clawed its way over the top. Tex ran forward and drove his spear into its throat, sending it back down the hole.

  A familiar growl rolled through the tunnel like thunder. The demons stopped scrambling and jerked around towards the tunnel.

  “It’s Jeff!”

  Screaming and growling filled the tunnel as the hound fought five or six demons.

  “You said they’re here?” Tex said, turning to Steelfarr.

  “Yes, anchored offshore. They arrived not long ago, just at nightfall.”

  The fiends’ screaming died away as they retreated, apparently, down the tunnel, returning to the Underworld.

  But Jeff stayed at the bottom of the hole, pointing his snout down the tunnel and barking thunderously. A couple of mangled demon corpses lay at his paws, slowly dissolving into worms.

  Utu and Zila ran up to Tex’s side.

  “Ah! The demon dog!” Utu said, peering down the hole fearfully.

  “Don’t worry,” Tex said. “He’s our friend. Hopefully, he’ll stay and guard the hole.”

  At the sound of Tex’s voice, Jeff turned around and bounded out of the hole. A lot of people screamed in terror and scrambled away, raising their weapons.

  “It’s alright,” Tex said, patting the hellhound.

  Jeff wagged his tail and smiled, his tongue hanging out.

  Tex started slapping his side. “Stay here and guard the hole, okay buddy?”

  Jeff stretched his legs out and scrunched his mouth as Tex slapped his flank.

  When he stopped, Jeff gave one bark and then jumped back into the hole, where he sat down and pointed his snout towards the tunnel.

  ***

  The night was clear, and the yellow light of the moons glistened on the black water of the ocean. Standing on the hill that overlooked the beach, everything seemed so calm and peaceful.

  A breeze stirred the grass, and the white noise of the waves rushing up the beach was as beautiful as any music.

  Tex seemed to notice the beauty of everything to a greater extent than ever before. He realized how much he loved the place.

  I can’t die yet. I don’t want all of this to be lost.

  The tide was coming in. The moonlight shone brightly on the sails of Kdar Tol’s ships.

  The archers were organized on the hill.

  They’d done all they could.

  This was it.

  Tex glanced at Emi. She was leaning on the totem pole of Solis that overlooked the beach. Grendel was leaning beside her, and they were whispering.

  Utu, Zila, and Bmimi stood together, watching the fleet in silence.

  Neesha stood beside Tex. She rubbed his back. He could tell she wanted to talk, but she could see he was deep in thought.

  Unfortunately, his thoughts turned back to his rifle. He just couldn’t help it.

  Couldn’t help but think about how he’d killed Alok — thanks to the rifle. It shouldn’t even have been possible for a normal man to kill a sorcerer.

  And he did it just by making a slight movement with his index finger.

  But that was the thing about guns; they were the great equalizers. Bullets didn’t care if the target was a big, scary sorcerer.

  Tex sighed.

  If only he’d held on to his rifle, kept it slung over his shoulder at all times. He imagined how it would be if he had his rifle now.

  He’d deal with Kdar Tol exactly the same way he dealt with Alok.

  And yet, even then, he couldn’t have expected Kdar Tol to die as quickly as Alok had. They weren’t even in the same league.

  Maybe the rifle wouldn’t even have worked on Tol.

  Tex absentmindedly slipped his hand into the pocket inside his animal skin. His fingers came into contact with something small and hard.

  The pebble.

  What had the old magician called it? An Imaginatum Stone?

  He pulled it out and looked at it. It was glowing differently now, pulsing slightly.

  Neesha leaned closer. “It seems to be reacting to you. That’s a good sign. You’re developing a connection to it.”

  “Is that why you were so insistent that I took it?”

  Neesha nodded.

  “So how does it work?” Tex said. “What does it do?”

  Neesha shrugged. “I don’t know. I just knew it was something you definitely wanted to have.”

  “So you’ve at least heard of one of these things before, then?”

  “I’ve heard of Imaginatum Magic. The Sundvarr practiced it long ago, and many people feared it. That’s all I know.”

  Tex rolled the pebble in his palm, studying it closer. “I wonder how an Aramantha got his hands on it? I thought men didn’t have magic.”

  “They didn’t, really. That’s why Bmimi called him a magician rather than a sorcerer. He mostly would have done tricks.

  “But somehow he got his hands on a real magic item; maybe he even knew how to use it, judging by his reputation.”

  “Shit. I should have asked him. I just wanted to get back here, before…”

  Neesha put her hand on his arm.

  “Don’t second-guess yourself. There was no time to stop. Besides, magicians are notorious for being convoluted. He would have talked for hours without saying anything.”

  “I see,” Tex said, gazing at the pebble. He noticed it had stopped pulsing. “Hm. I wonder why its light changed a moment ago.”

  Neesha frowned at the pebble. “What were you thinking about before?”

  Tex smiled sheepishly. He felt a bit silly saying it out loud. “I keep thinking about my rifle. Can’t help imagining shooting—”

  He waved his hand towards the ships.

  Neesha’s eyes widened. She put a hand on her chin, frowning. “Hm. I’m not sure what to make of that, but it’s definitely … significant.”

  Tex nodded, thoughtfully. “Yeah, I mean, it’s called an Imaginatum Stone, so I presume it has some connection with your imagination.”

  “And that wand of yours — your rifle — you were very attached to it, weren’t you?”

  “I was fond of it, yes.”

  Shouts rose from the beach, cutting off the conversation. Broden came running up the hill.

  Lord Tex, the ships are moving in!”

  “Alright, make ready!”

  Two hundred-odd archers waited on the hill in silence, watching the sails billow as the ships move closer.

  Tex could see oars working in the water.

  “Alright, everyone!” he said. “Solis is watching. Your ancestors are watching. Make them proud!”

  The ships sped over the waves with surprising speed, landing on the sand and crowding the beach with vessels. Skrillings poured out, their black leather armor shining dully in the yellow moonlight.

  The Skrillings’ guttural cries carried up the hill as they raised their spears and charged over the sand.

  “Front rank!” Broden screamed. “Prepare arms!”

  The archers nocked their arrows.

  “Take aim!”

  The tide was high, and the Skrillings were running over dry sand. Hundreds of them, almost blotting out the beach with their black armor.

  Killing machines. All of whom had once been men — and some of them, perhaps, had even Aramantha.

  Broden thrust his spear into the air. “Shoot at will!”

  Chapter sixty-three

  ABARRAGE OF arrows rained down on the Skrillings. Some fell. Many others kept running with arrows sticking in their armor.

  The arrows probably weren’t a surprise this time. It was unlikely Tex had killed all the shamans on the island; some of them would have communed with Kdar Tol after their experimental raid attempt.

  Still, the archers were efficient. Many Skrillings tumbled to the ground with arrows in their legs, necks, or faces.

  But that hardly made a dent in their forces. Seeing them flooding onto the beach made it painfully clear how outnumbered they were.

  It wasn’t great for morale, but Tex was hoping to fix that by working a little magic — literally.

  A boulder sat near the top of the hill, still covered with dirt. It had taken a fair bit of manpower to dig it out of its spot in the forest and move it to the top of the hill.

  But they hadn’t stopped there. They placed hundreds of rocks of varying sizes along the top of the hill, stretching from one end to the other.

  They’d also placed several piles of stones in different spots in the village. Not enough — but they’d done what they could, given that they were short on both time and stones.

  Standing behind the rows of archers, Tex reached out with his mind, connecting with the springy force attached to the ground. It was easy to tell where the boulder was; he could feel the weight of it.

  All it took was one great push underneath the boulder to send it rolling down the hill like the booby trap that almost killed Indiana Jones.

  Unlike Indy, however, the Skrillings could not simply run out of the way — not when hundreds of them were crowded together like sardines.

  The boulder smashed through their ranks, crushing them into the sand, before rolling all the way to the water, destroying a boat.