Calard swore and dived after it。 Someone tripped over him and fell sprawling； and he grunted as he
was kicked and trampled； but he ensured that he kept his eyes locked on the holy sword。 He reached for
it； and his fingers grazed its hilt tantalisingly； but then it was kicked away again； this time disappearing into
the crowd。 Glancing over his shoulder； he saw Bertelis storming towards him； hacking down knights；
ladies and feral peasants alike； and he swore again。
Fighting back to his feet； he tore the shield from his arm and hurled it aside。 He reached up over his
back and yanked his hand…and…a…half sword from its scabbard as Bertelis drew close。
Had he been a fraction slower he would have been dead； and he only barely managed to block
Bertelis’s blow slicing in at his neck。 He was knocked back a step and Bertelis came after him； getting
inside the reach of his longer blade。
He was completely outclassed； and they both knew it。 Confident that Calard could not match him；
Bertelis was now fighting well within his own limits； and his form was slipping。 Calard’s anger swelled； he
was determined to punish Bertelis for such arrogance； but knew he might only get one chance。
After a few more passes； Bertelis lunged。 Calard sidestepped neatly； turning side…on to let Bertelis’s
momentum take him past him。 His brother’s blade slid by him； a hair’s…breadth from his throat。 With a
grunt of exertion； he rammed his sword’s heavy pommel into the side of Bertelis’s head； putting his whole
armoured weight behind it。
The move was expertly delivered； his timing perfect； and it should have caved Bertelis’s skull in。 His
brother’s head snapped back； but he did not fall。 Calard used the moment to step back； adopting a
ready stance with his blade held high； its point levelled at Bertelis。
A trickle of blood ran from Bertelis’s temple； but he appeared otherwise unaffected by the blow。 He
reached up to the wound； and then licked the blood from his finger tips。
‘For that； I’m going to make this really hurt；’ said Bertelis。
Calard lunged at him and Bertelis danced out of the way。 Calard turned； sweeping his blade
overhead and bringing it crashing down in a heavy； diagonal strike。 Bertelis parried it early and leapt in
under the blade to grab Calard by the throat。 He moved so fast； he was little more than a blur。 His grip
was like iron； and his snarling face was close。 Up close； he looked barely human at all； his eyes glinting
with fathomless hunger and madness； his skin almost translucent； and his expression twisted and bestial。
‘Orlando’s blood was so sweet； so innocent；’ he hissed。 ‘It was like nectar on my lips； sweeter than
the finest wine。’
Bertelis lifted Calard off his feet； holding him aloft with one hand before tossing him aside like a child。
Calard slammed into one of Merovech’s knights； bowling him over； and they fell in a tangled heap。
Calard was up first； and as the knight grappled with him； he pummelled his elbow into the man’s face；
dropping him instantly。
Calard staggered to his feet； dragging his sword up。 Bertelis’s boot slammed down on it hard；
snapping the blade halfway up its length； and Calard reeled back。
A knight lunged at him with a drawn sword； and Calard swayed to the side； avoiding the killing
thrust。 He stabbed the jagged end of his shattered sword into the man’s face； and he fell away with a
strangled cry。 Another knight swung at him from behind； but Calard sidestepped neatly。 Grabbing the
man’s arm as he came around； he pulled him off…balance； shoving him into Bertelis’s path。
Without blinking； Bertelis ran the knight through； and the tip of Bertelis’s blade burst from his back。
He dragged his sword clear； and hurled the man aside。
Calard took a moment to survey his surroundings。 The attack by Mortis’s feral brood had taken the
knights by surprise； but they were fighting back now； gathering into tight huddles to support each other；
and both sides were taking heavy casualties。 Bodies were strewn across the chamber floor； and more
than a few of the hunched peasants had dropped to the ground to feed； unable to restrain their hunger
amid the sight and smell of so much blood。
He saw Mortis standing alone； up on the balcony where the monster had appeared； watching the
mayhem unfold。
The immense beast and Duke Merovech had taken their fight up onto the raised dais where the five
statues sat enthroned； separating themselves from the chaotic melee below。
The creature was bleeding from a dozen wounds； but it did not appear to be slowing。 Merovech
danced and weaved like a dervish； ducking under blows that would have torn him in half； twin blades
flashing。 He moved with preternatural speed； but the monster he fought was almost as quick； despite its
bulk。 As he watched； he saw the beast catch Merovech a glancing blow that sent the duke skittering
across the dais like a rag doll； crashing into the central altar holding the huge； dark chalice with
bone…jarring force。
The beast roared in victory and leapt after him but Merovech recovered quickly； and rolled under the
blade…like talons that hammered down towards him。 As he came to his feet； both blades carved bloody
furrows across the monster’s chest； and it hissed in pain。
Using the immense beast’s arm like a ladder； Merovech turned and leapt lightly up his enemy’s body；
spinning both swords around in his hands so that they were pointed downwards； like daggers。 Kicking
off the beast’s chest； he turned in mid…air and plunged both swords into its neck。
The monster bellowed。 Both swords were embedded to the hilt； and Calard could see their tips
protruding from the back of its neck as it thrashed around in pain。 It reached up and ripped both
weapons free； hurling them away from it； and blood gushed from the wounds。 Such a blow ought to have
been fatal； but the beast merely shook its head and dropped to all fours； and began stalking towards the
now unarmed Duke Merovech。
‘Your master’s going to die；’ said Calard as Bertelis closed the distance between them。
‘I think not；’ said his brother。 ‘No devolved varghulf is a match for him。’
Bertelis lunged； feinting high and coming in low with a brutal attack intended to disembowel him。
Calard saw it coming； and dropped his guard to block the vicious attack； but Bertelis had already shifted
the angle of his attack once more。
Spinning on his heel； Bertelis turned quickly； his head whipping around and his body following。 His
sword slashed across Calard’s shoulder； striking just under his pauldron。 The blow hacked through his
chainmail and padding； and bit deep into flesh before striking bone。
Before Calard could even cry out； Bertelis spun back around the way he had come and rammed his
blade into Calard’s body。 The tip penetrated just inside his hip； slipping through the slender gap under his
breastplate。
Calard gasped； and his shattered sword…blade dropped from his hands。 He fell to one knee； and
Bertelis loomed above him； his blade slick with blood。
‘Goodbye； brother；’ said Bertelis； drawing his sword back for the killing thrust。
A knight burst from the crowd nearby。 He had a sword in each hand； and he shouted at the top of his
lungs as he charged。
‘Calard！’ Raben cried； tossing one of the blades towards him。
Calard caught the sword； his fingers closing around the familiar hilt。
Raben swung a two…handed blow at Bertelis； who turned and blocked the attack with one of his
own。 Dropping to one knee； Bertelis slashed from right to left across Raben’s stomach； carving through
his chain hauberk and the muscle beneath； then rose and kicked the outcast away。
With a snarl； Bertelis rounded on Calard； but his eyes went wide as the Sword of Garamont impaled
him。
Calard was on his feet now； and he grunted with effort as gave his sword another shove； ramming it
up into Bertelis’s body。
Blood gushed from the fatal wound； and Bertelis’s face became increasingly gaunt； as if all the
moisture in his body was being sucked out of him。 His features became ever more skeletal and inhuman
as his translucent flesh withered； his lips drawing back to expose his savage fangs。 Calard stepped back；
a look of disgust on his face； and slid his blade free。
The Sword of Garamont was glowing with an aura of white light； and Calard looked upon it in
wonder。 Bertelis’s blood spattered off it； leaving the blade spotless。 The shimmering radiance felt like
sunlight on Calard’s face； and despite the mayhem surrounding him； he felt a sense of calm and assurance
envelop him。
Bertelis fell to his knees； blood pooling beneath him。 His flesh continued to shrink upon his skull； until
he looked barely human at all。 His hands had withered to little more than talons； and their veins； purple
and blue； stood out sharply。 He glared up at Calard then。 Hatred and fury burnt in his eyes； but also fear。
He hissed like a cornered animal； teeth bared； as if he were devolving before Calard’s eyes。
The luminosity of the sword in Calard’s hands intensified； glowing hot and pure； and Bertelis’s skin
began to blacken and blister beneath its glare。 He held his hands up； shielding his eyes； and they too
began to burn。 A pitiful wail emitted from his throat。
‘Lady； gi