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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。〃