'Who dares approach this most terrible place?'
Balduur raised an arm in a half-hearted version of a warrior's salute. Fury had seen it before. While ordinary warriors gave elaborate salutes, great warlords went out of their way to be casual. As the flames leapt about his knees, Balduur stood nonchalantly and gave his name and lineage. The recitation went on for a long time. When it had finished the guardian looked down reproachfully.
'You took a long time to get here.'
'I got held up,' Balduur said.
He entered the eighth circle and they continued to exchange pleasantries. Fury's attention turned to the boy. The guardian of the sixth circle stood as rigidly as before but his appearance was changing. At first the colour of granite, his complexion was taking on more lifelike tones. His eyes opened. Fury remembered them from their earlier encounter. They were unnaturally bright. When the boy was aroused they shone as if there was a light behind them ... and they shone like that now.
'I know you!'
He pointed his windmill at Fury 'You're the rotten cad who got me into trouble. You brought that girl into the seventh realm when you shouldn't have.'
'I've come to take her back,' Fury shouted.
'Well. You can't you've caused enough trouble already.'
'Please ...'
Fury stepped forward and a bolt of light shot from the windmill. He felt the heat and leapt back, dragging Alison with him. They stumbled across to the eighth circle and collapsed into it. The ground shook and they heard the old man.
'Who dares violate the sanctity of this most awful place?'
To Fury's relief the old man's anger was directed at the boy. He pointed his battleaxe at the other guardian and the two started to argue.
'I have warned you not to invade my domain.'
'Go back to sleep, you silly old fool.'
'My patience is exhausted, tiny runt.'
Their eyes blazed and it seemed to Fury that they were about to engage in fiery combat when Balduur placed a hand on his back and propelled him into the sixth circle. Alison followed and they reached the edge of the cliff.
'Come back, you filthy rotten stinkers.'
The boy yelled as they jumped over the edge. Alison glanced over her shoulder and saw Balduur plummeting down towards Morpeth's Mouth. He raised his hand and she returned the salute.
***
Waves lapped against the rocks and she dragged herself from the water. Fury clambered up beside her. Alison was freezing but that didn't matter. The scene more than compensated. There were boats and they were not dragon boats. They were yachts and they were engaged in a race. One was heading straight at them. She got to her feet and waved. A man in the yacht waved back. He had a phone and pointed to it.