Infernus raised a paw and roared, "No! You will remain in here! I command it!"
It took Kaz a moment to understand why Infernus suddenly seemed so anxious. If Tiberia crashed through the doorway, the presence of dragons would be revealed. Infernus clearly did not desire that information known to anyone, not even the clerics.
The crimson behemoth started a spell, but there was not enough time for him to complete it. Kaz threw himself to the side. The doorway and the surrounding walls gave way easily under the weight of the retreating giant. Kaz wondered if the clerics and guards still waited outside. If so, he almost pitied them.
The moment a gap appeared, the minotaur rose and darted through it. Tiberia was halfway out into the temple's front hall with Infernus following close behind. Whether it was his rage or the thought that the silver dragon had already revealed the truth about what was happening behind the doors, the high priest moved as if he did not care who saw him.
The scene in the hallway was one of chaos. A number of bodies were scattered here and there, victims of the collapsing doors and walls. Infernus had spoken true when he had said that his chambers were proofed against sound. Kaz found he had no sympathy for the servants of the high priest. There were still several alive, but they were doing little at the moment, save gawking at what had burst out of their master's chambers. Some of the more intelligent quickly turned and fled. There were some challenges even too great for rninotaurs.
Kaz was caught up in conflicting choices. He wanted to get Tiberia out of here. The silver dragon could not maneuver well, and at close quarters the advantage would continue to belong to her larger, more experienced foe. Yet, fighting Infernus in the sky was not something Kaz wanted Tiberia to face, either.
As he tried to get nearer to the silver, who had by this time made it out into the somewhat cramped hallway, Infernus burst through what was left of the wall. Pieces of marble rained down on those nearby. One cleric died screaming as he was crushed. Kaz dodged the first two pieces that slammed into the floor near him, then tripped over rubble just as he was almost out of range. Twisting helplessly, he fell onto his back. His sudden upward view revealed yet another enormous fragment bearing down on him.
Before he could react, strong hands gripped his shoulders and pulled him up. Honor's Face skittered away. Kaz finally pulled free of his rescuer's grip and glanced over to where he had been lying. The fragment had embedded itself deep into the floor. He would have been crushed. Grateful to his rescuer, Kaz looked next to him and discovered a wide-eyed Scurn.
"You vanished during the rescue, Kaz!" shouted the scarred minotaur, finally looking down at him. "I knew you'd come here! I knew you'd try to rescue the damned human whelp, and I want to help, for what the cleric did to me!"
"Scurn! Never mind that! Just get out of here! Only a fool would stay here!" Which means me, Kaz silently added.
"What's happened here? Where's the female? Why're there dragons, Kaz?"
He saw no use in lying to Scurn. "The girl's the silver one, and your precious high priest is the red! They're both dragons, Scurn! They've always been dragons!"
"Dragons? The high priest is a dragon? What nonsense is this?" Nonetheless, the other minotaur eyed the red differently.
"He's always been a dragon, you fool! Every high priest has been him for centuries? He killed them and then made himself look like them! Just listen to him!"
Perhaps Scurn might have disbelieved what, even to Kaz, sounded like nothing more than a fantastic tale, but at that moment Infernus caught sight of them.
"Gnat… and the unfortunate captain as well! How appropriate this is! You will get to die together after all!"
The voice was not exactly Jopfer's, but, from Scum's horrified expression, he clearly recognized the high priest.
A silver form again blocked the red one's path. "I said leave them alone!" demanded Tiberia. "Kaz is my friend! You can't hurt him!"
"As stubborn as a red you are, hatchling, but more repetitious, it seems." Infernus eyed the younger dragon again. "I see I must still beat that stubbornness out of you. You and your little friend have cost me dearly as it is!"
The two dragons faced off once more, their huge bodies wreaking havoc with the building each time they even moved a few paces. A portion of the ceiling caved in behind Infernus. Most of the remaining clerics and guards had retreated from sight.
"That's… that is.he high priest?" whispered Scurn.
"That's a dragon, too, Scurn, one that thinks it should control our lives, our destinies! It thinks it has the right to be our master!"
"Our master?" The other minotaur's expression grew grim. Kaz had touched the one point of agreement among all minotaurs. No one but a minotaur had the right to rule the race. Anyone else, anything else, was an enemy of the people. "He wants to be our master?"
The dragons snapped at one another. "That's right, Scurn. Our master, body, mind, and soul."
"Never… our master… Sargas take me for a fool!"
"Then we have to help the silver dragon! She's our only hope! We have to do what we can!"
Scurn nodded absently, his eyes still fixed on the red form. Kaz wondered if he was thinking of all he had done in an attempt to ingratiate himself to the high priest. "You're right, Kaz. You're right."
To the other minotaur's surprise, Scurn abandoned him, fleeing through the temple entrance and losing himself in the streets beyond. The action was so sudden, it left Kaz stunned. He had not expected much aid from Scurn- what could the other minotaur do against a dragon?-but he had not thought Scurn capable of such outright cowardice, regardless of his flaws or their past enmity.
Scum's flight did not go unnoticed by Infernus. "So much for your ally, minotaur! A sensible coward, that one!"
"But I'm still here, Infernus."
"As if that makes a difference, gnat!"
With his tail the red dragon battered the wall to his side, sending fragments flying toward both Tiberia and Kaz. Tiberia swatted away what she could and actually used one wing to deflect others from the minotaur.
"Be ready for me, Tiberia!" the minotaur called. Fortunately, the silver understood what he wanted, for Tiberia lowered her back end, making it simpler for Kaz to leap aboard again. Kaz hooked both feet into areas where the scales gave way a little, effectively creating stirrups.
Infernus moved forward only a breath after Kaz had gained his mount. Talon struggled against talon. Then, while the two behemoths battled, Kaz extended his good arm and opened his hand. Once more, Honor's Face returned to him.
The red dragon had attempted no further spells, perhaps preserving his strength for physical combat. It might even have been the result of Infernus having lived so long among the minotaurs. While they did not completely eschew sorcery, they preferred physical strength over the power of magic. A dragon who had worn the guise of a minotaur for centuries may have picked up some of the same tendencies.
Of course, even without magic, Infernus stood a good chance of defeating them.
Tiberia and the red snapped at one another, Infernus ever gaining advantage. Kaz struck whenever he could. Only one of his attacks had any effect on Infernus, a gouge in one paw. Anger fueled the red's attack, though, and almost immediately the ground gained was lost again.
The minotaur felt truly ineffective. With a dragonlance, he might have had a chance to spear Infernus and end this with his life still intact, but, despite the power of his axe, he lacked the reach to do more than harry his foe. If he hoped to be at all effective, he had to be able to reach Infernus's neck or strike his torso with the hope of piercing deep. Only then could he hope to do grave injury to the beast.