Faith of the Fallen   ::   Goodkind Terry

"Ichoose life," he said.

"I know," she whispered with a smile. "I saw the statue. Now, move your hands for me. I need to have mine there."

Richard let his hands slip to his sides as hers covered his wound. He felt helpless. He could focus on nothing but the searing pain.

He felt magic tingle into him, following the damage down deep inside him. He clenched his teeth as he held in a cry.

"Hold on," she whispered. "This is bad. It will hurt, but then in a while it will be all right."

"I understand," he said. He gasped sharply. "Do it, then."

The pain of her magic seared into him like white-hot coals thrown on bare flesh. He almost cried out, but then the pain abruptly ceased. Richard lay with his eyes closed, panting, waiting for it to start again. He felt her hands slip from him.

Richard opened his eyes and saw that Sister Alessandra's eyes were opened wide. For an instant, he wondered why.

And then he saw a foot of steel jutting from her chest. Her fingers went to her throat as blood gushed from her open mouth. A silent scream formed on her lips.

A bony hand shoved her aside.

She had been impaled on the sword Richard had used to fight Kahlan. His hand blindly went for the hilt he knew was there, but a foot kicked the Sword of Truth aside.

Death's own skull grinned down at him.

"You are a troublesome man, Richard Cypher," came the grating voice from the darkness above. "But at last, that trouble is ended."

The tall angular figure in robes and a creased cap towered above him as he lay helpless on the cold wet floor.

"This little rebellion of yours will be crushed, I can promise you that much, before you die. Their foolish little tantrum will be brought to an end. The people will soon come to their senses. Your kind appeals only to the extremist fringe. Most people see their duty to their fellow man. Your efforts have been for nothing."

Brother Narev swept his arm around, as if in introduction.

"An appropriate place for you to die, don't you think, Richard? These rooms are the future questioning chambers. You eluded the chambers once, but not this time. You will die in one as you should have died in one before.

"I, on the other hand, will live here a long, long time, and see the Order bring morality to the world. Down here, in these chambers, radicals like you will confess their wickedness. I just wanted you to know, before you are embraced in the Keeper's cold arms for all eternity."

Brother Narev's skeletal hands clawed as he called forth his magic.