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bled into life； rolling open on oiled runners。 We huddled back into the column's slender shadow as whips cracked and the wagons moved through。 A charnel smell wafted over us as they moved past； and I saw with horror that the wagons were heaped with bodies。 There were some still living among them； for I saw movement and heard desperate pleas。
As the third wagon was dragged by us； one of the women faltered in her chains and fell to her knees。 Her rags were clotted with dried blood。 They came open as she fell； and I saw a gaping wound in her belly； and the glistening of entrails。 She looked up； and for a moment our eyes met； but hers were as blank as an oxen's。 A whip snaked out； cutting a bloody furrow in her cheek。 She did not show pain or emotion； but only rose dumbly to her feet and gripped the chain to labor on。
As the last wagon moved through； Janos hissed for us to follow。 We leaped on the back and clung there； struggling for a grip on gore…soaked wood。 The gates rumbled shut； and we were inside。 I looked back and saw with numb acceptance that there was no one to operate the gates。 Moments before the wagon was jerked around a turn； I spotted an odd shadow near one of the gate's huge hinges。 The bars there were bowed and twisted from some accident。 I risked my grip and nudged Janos； and he saw it； too： a gap just large enough for us to squeeze through。 We jolted along a dark passageway。 Somewhere in the wagon a man groaned ceaselessly； then I heard a child cry； and almost wept。 But the cry had stirred my anger and that anger pierced a hole in Mortacious' black sorcery。 It was only a small hole； a pinprick at best； but it was enough to allow a slender light of courage to peep through。 I still feared Mortacious： my flesh still flinched under his spell's cold net； but if he came upon us now； he would find a man…not a scuttling rodent。 A big door boomed open； and light flooded down the passage。 As we leaped from the back of the wagon； a wave of intense heat followed the light。 It seared the lungs and turned the roots of my hair into small； hot needles。 But I still had sense enough to catch Janos' signal： we ducked under the slow…moving wagon and used it as cover as we crawled the rest of the way on our hands and knees。
We were in a vast chamber of pain and death。 The floor and walls were mirror smooth and blazed with reflected light and heat。 The most ghastly scenes and demonic creatures decorated that surface and were granted lootion by black wizardry； so they swirled and flowed from place to place； making an obscene nightmare of fang and talon； rack and long； cracked bone and severed muscle。 One…third of that chamber was filled by a monstrous open furnace。 An unholy fire raged； with blue flames taller than a man shooting up to arc and curl and writhe like serpents driven mad by intruders in their nest。 The flames were stoked by huge bellows with great clanking chains that moved to an invisible will； with each stroke the bellows gathered in a torrent of shrieking air； with the other； it expelled the air as a howling wind。 An endless belt； such as would turn a carpenter's lathe； but as wide as a city lane and made of meshed metal； was suspended over the roaring fire； driven by thick…toothed gears manded by sorcery。 Far overhead； rising like a hollow mountain； was the great chimney。 Its interior was a gaping red maw； with long； white fangs nestled about its entrance。 It was a grotesque idol to a dark god； a demon master。 All we looked at…chamber； furnace； fire； belt； and chimney… was the engine of Mortacious' black powers。 We hid behind the wagon load of gore for more minutes than I now care to ponder； and watched what fed that awful engine； and what it produced。
The men with whips manded their ragged slaves to empty each wagon。 The corpses were slung on a bloody pile by the belt。 If any emerged from the wagon still alive； the whip men drew short swords from scabbards at their belts and corrected the error of stubborn life。 When the butcher's heap reached a certain size…I did not calculate their grisly measurement…the slaves were ordered to toss the bodies on the moving belt。 The flames leaped higher in hungry contemplation of their meal。 The bellows shrieked and howled in demon song。 I turned away as the first body crossed into the heart of the fire； but Janos bade me to turn back and witness Mortacious' evil。 The corpse leaped as if in agony when the blue flames arched to embrace dead flesh； it writhed and bent this way and that。 Then the body burst into flame； and sparks and black smoke rose up and filled the room with that wretched； greasy odor we smelled when we first arrived in this terrible city。 The smoke curled into a thick column； with sparks leaping and dancing about in its belly。 The column lifted up and up and was greeted by the chimney's red maw。 My stomach lurched as I saw the huge fangs had e to life； gnashing and clicking together in ghastly appetite。 I heard the obscene sound of a giant； invisible diner breaking fast； slurping and sucking with delight as the smoke； laden with a life's hot cinders； passed into the night。
Janos gave me a nudge； and my eyes jolted back to the belt； where I saw the corpse plete its hellish journey。 I heard Maeen gasp； as he took in what my own disbelieving eyes were witnessing。 Instead of a blackened mass of burned meat and bone； the corpse looked exactly as it had before。 In fact； the only marks on it were the bloody wounds it had suffered when it was still a man； with a life to win or lose。 But disbelief was followed by plete confoundment when the belt delivered the corpse to the other side。 As the body flopped to the floor； one of the whip men stepped up and gave it a mighty kick。 He kicked it again and again； as if death were not sufficient to satisfy revenge。 Then my mind screamed for some kindly god to deliver me from this place； as the corpse twitched into life。 Three more of the whip men joined the first； lashing at the man who had e back from death。 They tormented him to his feet。 He shambled about； a hulk given purpose in pain。 For the first time I saw him clearly。 Their victim had long； white…blond hair； matched by a still…longer beard of the same color。 I remembered the battle we had seen before being captured and realized this man was the chieftain whose death we had witnessed。 Now he stood before the whip men； alive again。
I heard fire burst from another body； above； the slurping of the godly diner。 Janos leaned close and whispered； 〃They're not alive。 They're still dead。〃 I shook my head； what could he mean？ But this was not the place for a full answer。 He signaled to Maeen that it was time to withdraw； and we slipped out of the chamber。 'Mortacious doesn't bring the dead to life；〃 Janos said。 〃He mands the dead！ He told me so himself； when he said he had the power over men's souls。 What we just witnessed was his power at work。 He fed the souls of those poor devils to whatever it is he calls his Master。 In return； his Master feeds him the sorcerous powers he lacks； and it gives him the corpses as his slaves。〃 Far down the corridor； we heard another soul being sucked from its shell。 Janos shook his head。 Even in this city of horror； newly gained knowledge made him marvel。
〃Why； there has not been a person we've seen since we were captured who is alive。 They're all dead！ All of them； except Mortacious。〃
I suddenly remembered the gaping wound beneath the wizard's scarf and his pains to hide it。 There were no exceptions。 Everyone was dead； including Mortacious。 The beast in the chimney was the only master of the realm； with a dead wizard as his chief slave。 I told Janos this； and once again I saw the hungry gleam in his eyes as he added new secrets to his understanding。
〃But what of us？〃 Maeen said。 〃May the gods forgive us for ever ing to such a place； but how do we avoid the furnace？〃 The wizard's plan was obvious。 In the morning we would join the dead who populated this city as slaves。 We would be walking； laboring corpses； and I did not say it； but I wondered if that state were to be favored over what would bee of my soul？
〃The solution is back in that chamber；〃 Janos said after a few moments。 〃If we pass through that fire as living men； we will have stolen his sorcery。 It is only the souls of the dead that our Lord Mortacious can claim。〃 I quaked in horror of his logic； but fear of what I had seen drove me to accept his reasoning。 〃There is still one great danger remaining；〃 Janos said。 〃When all twenty of us pass through that fire and gather at the other side； Mortacious will know in an instant。 A few…the three of us； for instance…might escape unnoticed。 But all of us challenging him will be as loud a jangle to his senses as any bell that has ever been cast。〃
Once again I was confronted with one of Janos' peculiar hesitations。 I knew my friend's imagination had raced beyond this place and was set on the road to his obsession。 The Far Kingdoms were calling him again； a wanton song that tested all his bonds。 But this was no time for doubt's ungracious mewlings； whether his or mine。
〃The only way to get to that furnace is to kill the men who guard it；〃 I said； using reason as bait； instead of emotion。 〃It will take all of us to acplish it。〃
〃Even then；〃 Maeen broke in； 〃the odds are slender。 And they get more slender still once we reach the streets。〃
Janos nodded。 〃Let's do it then；〃 he said。 〃Besides； I am weary of this wizard。 He marched the twenty of us in like whipped dogs。 But now it's time for the twenty of us to go out； and we'll do it as fighting men 。。。 as soldiers。〃
We went back for the others。 It was difficult to reenter Mortacious' palace； even though once more we saw no guards。 Janos told the men what to expect； and I was amazed no one balked at the horror to e or questioned what we had seen。 Perhaps being in this city of dead souls inured us all to terror。 My courage revived somewhat when we stopped in the armory Maeen had found； where our confiscated weapons were held。 My sword's steel was reassuring； although I wondered how effective it would be against the already dead。
If panic is Fear's sister； it was she gave us strength that night； while her brother fired our blood lust。 We fell on them unawares； those poor soulless men with whips and short swords forged only to cut a pliant path for final release。 They were silent when we came howling into the chamber； and silent they remained during the furious fight。 We cut them down and pierced them where they fell。 But as we moved on to reap their brothers； they rose up and came at our backs。 We were killing men who were dead when we slew them； then killing them again； and again。 We cut off their limbs； but they still had teeth to bite； and the lopped…off arms； attached to hands that still gripped swords； snaked across the floor in blind search for us。 So we severed every joint； chopped off every head； and gutted the flopping trunks that rolled about to knock us from our feet。 We were twenty butchers； half…mad with fear； wading through a slaughterhouse of meat no man could eat； grappling with poor beasts who did not cry out when we maimed them； and fought with only the wizard's hate to hold them up。
Finally； we were done。 Our clothes were blood…drenched uniforms； our faces gory masks。 We turned away from the demons our slaughter had conjured。 All of us knew the blood would remain even if we bathed in whole rivers of pure water。 The shame was undeserved； but fairness is a great stranger to life。 There was nothing we could do but swallow ugly fate and get on with it。
The furnace waited； and above the furnace was the demon who fed on souls。 Janos stood by the moving belt that clanked across the unholy fires that roasted those souls to the demon's taste。 He urged us to hurry； and we shambled to him as if we were already one of Mortacious' slaves。 I looked across the great belt and saw the blue flames leaping through the grate； and I heard the demon's gnashing teeth above。 On the far side of that soul conveyer； Janos said； was rescued life； on this side； eternal slavery。 He said he would go first to prove his theory； and warned that we must follow quickly； for he sensed the wizard was wakening。 I would go last； he said； to make certain the pace did not slacken。
Then cold； cold Reas