Read Online The Tomb of the Dark Paladin by Tom Bielawski - Free Book Online

banks of the river were lights, some were the lights of a torch or campfire while others were of a less obvious purpose. After what seemed an eternity, his saw a torch off to the right. This torch seemed to beckon to him, so he willed himself closer. As he reached out to touch this torch he felt himself being sucked into it, and found himself standing in the courtyard.
    It was as though time stood still, every person seemed rooted to the ground and no one recognized that he was there. The atmosphere was eerie, almost dreamlike. Each person he passed seamed to scream out to him incoherently, yet their lips did not move. Was he hearing their thoughts? Was his mind reaching into the lives of each person? He had never done this before, and it seemed a frightening power. What if those in the shadows could do this? What if he could not leave?
    The situation in the courtyard was desperate. Knights of the Hand and men-at-arms seemed prepared to charge Ederick and Bart, who were face-to-face with a hurkin wizard. He had not seen Bart in a quite a while, and sensed a new burgeoning power within the man. The Tides swirled and raged about him like an unseen storm of magic ready to unleash its fury.
    All of the Hand's men wore feverish expressions, even Bishop Rohan seemed intent upon challenging his friends. In fact, Ederick seemed frozen atop his horse in mid-charge, his arm held high and a war cry upon his lips. What happened? Perhaps the wizard had them under a spell. Hurkin magic did not rely upon the Tides but upon the life forces inherent within the things and people around them. Their spells were based upon an ancient language, one that had a power of its own that could draw out energies and shape them. The study and use of that magic was mysterious and intense, it required years of study to master just its basic tenets.
    Curious, he moved nearer to the wizard and thought to take his wand, hoping that perhaps he could at least hinder the magic-wielder. As he moved closer it became harder to walk, it felt like he was trying to walk through chest deep water. Shadows shifted and swirled all around him now, striking out at him angrily though doing him no actual harm. When he reached the wizard's side the shadows became more intense and started to swirl around the hurkin's feet, creeping up his legs. Sparks began to form at the tip of the wand and Carym knew that magical forces were being harnessed and channeled before him, though in a way that was alien to his own knowledge.
    He reached out to grab the wand and felt a sudden and oppressive power fall over him. It was as though the eyes of Umber bore down upon him and ground his very will into nothing. His knees weakened, he wanted to retch, but he managed to resist. He sensed the sudden presence of the dark god now and knew that the longer he remained in this state the more likely Umber's grasp could reach him. It seemed as though he were now able to perceive tiny movements of those around him. Was time speeding up? Or was he about to be sent back to reality and the normal flow of time?
    He forced himself into a desperate lunge for the wand. As his hand closed around its bony shaft, a powerful and numbing shock ran up the length of his arm. He rubbed his hand and looked at the wizard. He wondered then if the magic-wielder had placed wards of protection about himself, or if this were the inherent nature of the parallel realm in which he now walked. He suspected the latter but what could he do? The wizard's arm had not budged and the energy collecting about the tip threatened to burst forth and overwhelm the mounted knight. 
    To his amazement, Carym's own fighting stick appeared in his hand in answer to his mind's call. He raised his staff high and channeled the power of the Tides into the shaft of wood. Then he slammed the butt of his the stick into the horse's flank with all his might while calling out the word in the Sigil language that bent the Tides to his will. As he expected, the