"He sided with the demons against me," the Sphinx said. "His willful treachery helped create this disaster. I thanked him appropriately."
"Will the artifacts do us any good at this point?" Kendra asked.
"My plan depends on recovering them," Bracken said, taking the Sphinx by the hand and fixing him with a level stare. "Will you shuttle in a strike force to recover the other artifacts?"
"It would be my honor," the Sphinx said.
"Fair enough," Bracken said, releasing his hand. "Targoron, Silvestrus, go with the Sphinx and retrieve the remaining artifacts."
"I need a better weapon," the Sphinx said.
"Take mine," Trask offered.
The Sphinx handed the Chronometer and the Font of Immortality to a nearby astrid, and then accepted the sword from Trask. "This belonged to the Gray Assassin," the Sphinx recognized, hardness entering his eyes. "It should do the job."
"You will engage the enemy only as a last resort," Bracken said. "Your priority must be to transport the artifacts back to us."
"And try to return my sword," Trask added.
"Graulas and Nagi Luna will not relinquish the remaining artifacts lightly," the Sphinx affirmed, swishing his sword through the air.
"Let me come," Seth blurted. "I'll take care of Graulas."
Bracken looked at Seth's sheathed sword. He hesitated, glancing at Kendra, who shook her head. Bracken rubbed his temple. "The Sphinx will take Targoron and Silvestrus first, then return for Seth and Peredor." Kendra gave Seth a worried frown. He tried to reassure her with a small smile. Bracken rested a hand on the Sphinx's shoulder. "After retrieving the artifacts, your priority will be to protect Seth and his sword."
There came a tremendous roar from the rift in the dome, a bellow of rage and triumph, easily overpowering the clamor of battle. An enormous figure came striding from the rift, a humanoid with a tremendous rack of contorted antlers. Body covered in thick fur, the personage stood taller than Hugo but shorter than the colossal Brogo. In defiance of the direct glare from the rising sun, darkness rippled around him. One fist held a huge, elaborate sword, edges bristling with spikes and serrations. Several corpses dragged on the ground behind him, affixed to his wide belt by black chains. An iron crown hugged the base of the antlers, atop a bullish head.
"Gorgrog," Bracken said.
"The time to move is now," the Sphinx insisted. "Go," Bracken ordered.
The Sphinx twisted the Translocator and disappeared with Targoron and Silvestrus. A moment later he reappeared alone. Seth stepped forward with Peredor. They each laid a hand on the Translocator. When the Sphinx twisted the device, they were suddenly inside the dome.
Enough sunlight gleamed through the gaping crack in one wall to light the dome, but persistent shadows remained off to the sides. The ceiling seemed to curve impossibly high. At the center of the room, demons continued to emerge from a circular void in the floor, the real gateway of Zzyzx.
From this closer vantage, the demons appeared much more terrifying. Targoron was already locked in combat with a six-armed foe, and Silvestrus put a spear through a two-headed brute with teeth like knives. Peredor brought his war hammer down on the head of a stocky, bearded foe with blue skin and bright yellow eyes.
Graulas stood not far off, near the wall, away from the throng of demons parading toward the fissure in the wall of the dome. His face broke into an eager, evil smile when he met eyes with Seth. In one hand he held the Sands of Sanctity. The other hand gripped a heavy spear.
"You came looking for me after all," Graulas said, boisterous voice penetrating the tumult. "I should have known. You have collected quite a sword. Again, you astonish me, Seth Sorenson. Sadly, my final lesson will be that any blade is only as mighty as the wielder. Come. We have unfinished business, you and I."
Several demons had beset the Sphinx and the three astrids, but the other demons ignored Seth. Maybe he didn't look threatening enough to worry about. Maybe they were leaving him for Graulas. Whatever the case, Seth found himself walking forward, closing the gap between himself and the demon who had tricked and betrayed him.
Seth gazed up at the ram head framed by a set of curled horns. Broadly built, thickly muscled, clad in a breastplate and greaves, Graulas did not appear sickly in any way. Seth kept his hand on the pommel of his sword, instinct telling him not to draw it yet. Graulas seemed to assume that Seth was an unworthy wielder of Vasilis, and Seth saw no reason to persuade him otherwise.
"I can sense your confidence in your weapon," Graulas said. "Vasilis is a celebrated talisman. I almost claimed it once. Much better men than you have lost it. Your cause is hopeless. No help can avail you today. Stop delaying. The sword will function better unsheathed."
If Graulas lunged forward, he could now reach Seth with his spear. Seth's mouth felt dry. The wild ruckus of the cavorting demons faded from his attention. How had he imagined he could defeat Graulas? The demon had torn down a house with his bare hands! He had usurped the power of the Sphinx!
Seth clenched his jaw. There was no turning back now, nowhere to run. His only allies were fighting for their lives. And Graulas had the Sands of Sanctity.
Seth no longer advanced. "I healed you and you killed my friend."
Graulas sneered. "Don't stop there. By healing me, you essentially opened Zzyzx."
"Yeah, well, I'm here to unheal you." As Seth pulled out Vasilis, the blade sang in his hand, glaring with a scarlet intensity he had not yet seen. The sparks of defiance inside of Seth flamed into fury and confidence.
Graulas grimaced, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. The demon glanced away, and Seth followed his gaze to Nagi Luna, who perched on a rocky outcrop cackling wildly. Grunting, Graulas jabbed the spear at Seth. The thrust seemed slow and clumsy, and Seth hacked the head off the spear with a quick sweep of his blade.
"You claimed the sword had not taken to him!" Graulas growled vehemently. Seth could tell that the demon was no longer speaking English, but he could still comprehend the meaning. Scarlet flames spread down the shaft of his spear.
"Try to claim authority over me, will you?" Nagi Luna jeered at Graulas. "Try to steal the glory of my conquest?"
Graulas threw the shaft of his spear at Seth, who dodged aside without trouble. "Curse you for this, hag," Graulas rumbled. "You'll pay. If I fall, I'll summon a curse that will--"
"Kill him, boy," Nagi Luna snapped.