Free Chaos Unleashed by Drew Karpyshyn Page B

the farm.”
    This time, Keegan didn’t offer any objection.
    He’s almost out on his feet,
Scythe realized. He was slumped forward, his arms wrapped around Rexol’s staff to keep himself upright.
    The monk had obviously been paying more attention to Keegan than she had. For a brief moment she felt a pang of guilt, then pushed it away.
    It’s not my job to babysit him.
    She couldn’t really blame him for his weakness. Jerrod was sustained through the Order’s ability to draw on their inner reserves of Chaos, and somehow the Sword was giving her extra reserves of energy. Apparently, the Ring he carried didn’t offer the same benefit.
    Jerrod was helping Keegan now, lowering the exhausted young mage gently down to the ground.
    Maybe I could let him carry the Sword tomorrow,
Scythe thought as she dug the blanket out of her pack and wrapped it around her shoulders.
    But she discarded the idea as quickly as it had come to her. Letting Keegan carry the Talisman for a day or two probably wouldn’t be much use. The physical augmentations Scythe now enjoyed hadn’t taken effect immediately; they’d built up slowly as she’d carried the weapon, its heft on her back and shoulders becoming more comfortable and familiar with each passing day.
    And if Jerrod is right, the Sword won’t work as well for him as it does for me anyway. He said we all have Chaos in our blood, but it manifests itself in different ways. Maybe I’m the only one who can call on the full power of the Sword.
    On some level Scythe knew she was rationalizing, coming up with reasons to hold on to the glorious weapon. But logically, there was no reason to give it to Keegan. If they ran into trouble on reaching the village, what good would it do for him to have it? She doubted Keegan even knew how to hold a sword properly. And if things got bad, he’d call on the power of the Ring, anyway.
    Assuming he still can. He seems so frail right now. It’s almost like every time he uses the Ring to unleash magic on the world, a piece of him burns away. Even carrying it seems to be slowly draining him.
    Scythe suddenly felt like she was teetering on the edge of some great revelation or understanding—something profound and critically important. And then she sensed figures in the darkness, closing in on them from all sides, and the moment was gone.
    “Inquisitors!” Jerrod hissed, his own awareness identifying the threat at virtually the same time as Scythe.
    How did they get so close to us without his noticing?
Scythe wondered, leaping to her feet and tossing her blanket aside, even as Jerrod did the same. Keegan reacted more slowly though he did manage to gain his feet.
    “You are outnumbered,” a voice called out from the darkness. “And surrounded. Surrender is your only option.”
    “How many?” Keegan asked, peering around helplessly in the darkness to try to get a glimpse of the enemy. Rexol’s staff was clutched firmly in his good hand, but he wasn’t leaning on it for support anymore. Now he held it like a weapon at the ready.
    “Two Inquisitors,” Jerrod said, laying out the odds. “And six ordinary soldiers. Mercenaries, probably.”
    The figures had drawn close enough for Scythe’s keen eyes to make them out. The two Inquisitors stood in front of them, blocking their way forward. Two soldiers had circled behind them to cut off their retreat, with two more on the left and the last two on the right.
    But they can’t see any better than Keegan,
Scythe realized.
They’re basically just holding their positions. The Inquisitors are the only real threat!
    “Protect him,” she said, grabbing Keegan by the shoulder and shoving him toward Jerrod as she sprang into action.
    Reaching back over her shoulder she seized the Sword’s hilt. A quick flick of her wrist severed the cloth bindings holding it in place, and she whipped the weapon up and around in front of her as she charged straight at the two Inquisitors.
    Someone shouted at her to stop, but