by N M Thorn
“Gwyn,” said Mrak Delar, worry clawing through him, “can you speak plainly for once? What’s going on? No riddles! Where is Gunz and what is he doing?”
“Gunz is in Los Angeles. He is fighting as a captive for the California House,” said Gwyn quietly. “He is a slave, Mrak.”
Mrak stiffened, staring heavily at Gwyn ap Nudd as the word “slave” resonated through him with pain. He shook his head, words stuck somewhere in his throat.
“I know, Mrak, slavery is a painful subject for you,” said Gwyn ap Nudd, sympathy warming up his cat-like eyes. “But Gunz did it for a reason. Actually, for a couple of reasons. He found Yaroslav, Akira’s son. Novak, the Head of California House, abducted him. But the main reason Gunz went through all the troubles was because he suspected Novak was not who he said he was. And from what I understand – he is right.”
“Who is this Novak?” growled Mrak Delar and the glass walls of Gwyn’s house trembled. “I’ll kill him myself.”
“You can’t, Mrak,” continued Gwyn ap Nudd, throwing a worrisome glance at the glass ceiling of his house. “Gunz suspects Novak is one of the dark souls Morena released from the Dark Nav last year. He was able to get close enough to him to confirm his suspicion. It means that no mortal weapon can kill him. Only the curse that Chernobog placed on his soul can send him back.”
“Okay, I understand,” said Mrak, slowly getting in control of his power. “So, what can I do to help?”
“What Gunz couldn’t do was find out Novak’s true intentions,” continued Gwyn ap Nudd. “As a captive fighter, he is not close enough to Novak to learn the truth. This is where you come into play, Mrak. I need you to get close to Novak. Get him to trust you. We must know what he is planning and stop him before he does something unspeakable.”
“And how do you propose I do it, Gwyn?” asked Mrak, leaning back in the couch. “Novak has never met me. He doesn’t know me. Why would he trust me?”
Gwyn ap Nudd got up and walked around the coffee table, stopping in front of him.
“He will trust you, because you are going to give him my son,” he said quietly.
“What?” asked Mrak Delar rising. He was standing in front of Gwyn ap Nudd, staring up at him in horror.
“You heard me,” said the Lord of the Otherworld dryly. “You will give Novak my son Aidan. You will help him enslave a god. And Aidan is not going to know that it’s an act. He will put up a fight. So, be ready. And after that, you will keep playing your part, and if it means that you have to betray Gunz and Yaroslav too, so be it. You do whatever it takes, and you don’t stop until you know what Novak’s up to. Am I clear, Ancient Master?”
“No. Gwyn, I can’t do it,” said Mrak Delar, backing away from Gwyn ap Nudd until he fell on the couch. “You’re asking me to betray people I care about. I can’t—"
“Ancient Master,” said Gwyn ap Nudd, putting his hand on his shoulder. “I’m not asking you. I’m ordering you, and you will do as you are told.”
“No, Gwyn, please,” moaned Mrak Delar, his fingers digging into the thick mane of his obsidian hair. “I’m begging you, don’t ask me to do it… I can’t…”
“Mrak, I’m sorry, but it has to be you,” said Gwyn ap Nudd, lowering himself on the couch next to Mrak Delar. “I can’t do it, and neither can Kal. No one would believe us. But you are a different story. You have a colorful past and it’s not a secret. If Novak decides to check your background, he’ll find out that you tortured the Young Master of Power in your dungeon for a year and you were known as the worst dictator who ever reigned over Kendral—”
“And I have to live with it for the rest of my life!” barked Mrak Delar, anguish shredding his heart. “And you know that it wasn’t me. I was controlled!”
“I know that, Mrak,” replied Gwyn ap Nudd calmly. “Of course, I know that you’re not that man. But outside our small circle, not too many people know about it. Novak certainly doesn’t know, so you are the only person among us who can do it. You give him a god and help him tame the young Fire Salamander. He will trust you.”
For a few minutes, Mrak Delar sat silently, hiding his face in his hands, slowly rocking back and forth. He wasn’t really thinking – his thoughts were scrambled. He understood that Gwyn ap Nudd was right. Nonetheless, the thought of bringing the evil dictator of Kendral back to life was killing him inside.
Gwyn ap Nudd went to his kitchen and came back with a bottle of wine and two glasses. He filled the glasses with a dark-red liquid and offered one to Mrak.
“Gunz didn’t want you involved,” said Gwyn ap Nudd, taking a sip of his wine. “His wyvern made it very clear that he didn’t want you or Kal anywhere next to Novak. This is why he asked me for help and not the two of you.”
Mrak Delar took the glass and drank everything at once. He put the glass back on the table and Gwyn filled it to the brim again.
“Why?” asked Mrak Delar, taking the glass.
“He didn’t want you to see a collar on his neck or get exposed to slavery again,” explained Gwyn with a sigh. “The young Salamander cares about you, Master. He said that he already hurt you and Kal enough.”
“Okay. When?”
“Soon,” replied Gwyn ap Nudd. “You’ll spend the night in my house. Take any room upstairs. Tomorrow is a big captive event where Gunz is going to face Yaroslav in the cage. I’m sure Aidan is going to be there to stop the fight. It’s your only chance to get in.”
Silently, Mrak Delar got up and headed upstairs, grateful that the Lord of the Otherworld didn’t try to stop him.
Inside he was numb.
He was dead.
The only thought that was still alive in his mind was that in a few hours, he would have to become the man he once was. The man he loathed and despised. Many years ago, he was controlled and compelled to be that evil despicable thing… He brought Kendall to the verge of poverty and famine. He killed, tortured and enslaved with no remorse.
And now he would have to become that evil thing again.
Against his will…
Against his better judgment…
Chapter 30
~ Master of Power, Mrak Delar ~
Back to present time
“Well, Aidan, you know the rest,” finished Mrak Delar. “Gwyn ap Nudd opened a portal for me before the event started and I had a few minutes to make a deal with Novak. Then I teleported right into the middle of the mess you created in that captive event, and I did exactly what your mentor ordered me to do. I captured you and helped Novak break Gunz. So, if you still wish to kill me – go ahead. I deserve it.”
For a while Aidan remained silent, his fingers playing mindlessly with the pommel of the black sword. Then he sighed and pushed the sword back to him.
“No, Mrak, you don’t deserve it. I hope Gwyn knew what he was doing,” he said quietly, shaking his head. “I’ll be honest with you. It’s a little hard for me to look at you after everything you’ve done, but I’ll get over it… And Gunz will, too. Eventually. He said himself that with understanding, forgiveness comes easier.”
Mrak Delar got up and turned away from Aidan. Remorse was twisting him on the inside, and he didn’t want Aidan to see it. It took him a moment to compose himself and turn back.
“Everything I’ve done has been for nothing,” he said flatly. “I don’t know what Novak is up to. Not entirely. And I can’t continue, because if I will, Gunz will die. And this is where I draw the line. I was willing to sacrifice my soul, but I’m not willing to let my friend die.”
“How can you be sure Novak is planning to create the Living-Dead Flame?” asked Aidan. “The spell itself requires an enormous amount of magical energy and I don’t think any of the masters of the Dark Arts have what it takes to create it. Besides, to extract the essence of Death, he will need a specific ceremonial athame that is one of a kind and as far as I know, it was lost centuries ago.”
“He found the athame,” replied Mrak Delar. “I saw it with my own eyes. All this time, the athame
was in some museum here, in California. He compelled demons to steal it for him. As you’re well aware, there is only one use for this athame – extracting the essence of Death.”
“Damnit!” Aidan cursed, slamming his fist on the wall.
“Also, I saw a set of chemicals in his lab that is needed to conjure the Living-Dead Flame,” continued Mrak Delar. “So, now he has everything he needs. He has the ingredients and the athame. He has Death imprisoned and he has the Fire Salamander to bring the Living-Dead Flame to life. And since he is one of the dark souls, then we might have to consider the fact that Morena infused his soul with the energy of Chaos before releasing it. If that’s the case, then he has more than enough dark magical energy to sustain and complete the conjuring spell.”
“Any idea what he is planning to do with the Flame?”
“No. He wouldn’t let me anywhere close to all that,” said Mrak Delar. “I don’t think Novak trusts me.” He chuckled darkly. “I guess I didn’t do enough damage to the people around me to earn his complete trust. I also have no idea why he needed the Apple of Youth and the Water of Life. He sent Yaroslav and Gunz to the Land of Dreams to bring all that to him, but neither of these artifacts are needed to conjure the Living-Dead Flame.”
“Didn’t he say something about making an elixir of immortality?” asked Aidan.
“He did,” replied Mrak with a tired smirk, “but I don’t think he needs it. He is already immortal. Unless Chernobog finds a way to trigger the curse he placed on his soul, of course. That’s the only thing that can kill him.”
“We need to know what his plans are,” said Aidan. “He wasn’t the only dark soul Morena released. What if everything he’s doing now is just a small part of a bigger picture? So, what are we going to do?”
“Why is it even a question?” asked Mrak Delar. “We fight. We fight for our friends. We save the young Fire Salamander and we deal with Novak to stop him from conjuring the Flame.”
“But Gwyn ap Nudd was right. We need to know Novak’s plans. We must do whatever it takes—”
“To what end, Aidan?” growled Mrak Delar, desperation and anger breaking to the surface. “How far are you willing to take it? Is the life of your friend worth nothing to you?”
“Of course it is! But if we don’t learn the bigger picture, the consequences could be horrific. We need to think about the greater good—”
“Yeah… greater good… Every single life is precious, Aidan,” said Mrak Delar quietly. “The lives of those we love even more so to us. I can see that you think it would be the right choice for me to stay undercover and learn more about Novak’s plans. For the so called greater good. But did you consider the price we are going to pay and the risks of doing that? I already risked enough by letting Novak capture Death. Did it help me gain his trust? No! He still doesn’t share his plans with me.
“So, how much further do you want me to take it? Think about it, Aidan. If we let Novak go through with his plan, he will kill the Fire Salamander to conjure the Living-Dead Flame. Not only will we lose our friend, but we will give our enemy a terrible weapon. How is that going to benefit your greater good?”
“But is there any other way to stop him without blowing your cover?” asked Aidan. “Steal the athame. Without it, he can’t go through with the spell.”
“Already tried,” replied Mrak Delar tiredly. “Don’t bother, Aidan. Anything you suggest, I already tried. Novak is careful. He has human guards as well as supernatural – demons and vampires whom he can control with his necromancer’s magic.”
“Since when are vampires and demons a problem for you, Master?” asked Aidan, sarcasm layering his voice.
“They’re not a problem, Aidan, but you do realize that I can’t slip by them unnoticed, don’t you? Besides that, Novak placed powerful protection spells and wards on his lab. Even if I somehow pass the guards without them noticing me, I can’t break the wards without creating mayhem that would be heard in Kendral. There is no way for me to break in without a fight. So, if I have to fight, let’s do it right and for the right reasons.”
“I was just looking for a way to…” Aidan’s voice trailed away, and he shook his head. “I have no idea what I was thinking…”
“You were trying to find a way to keep the sheep safe and the wolves fed.” Mrak Delar chuckled, exhaustion settling somewhere in his knees. He sighed and leaned against the wall, folding his arms across his chest. “Sometimes there is no such way and we have to do a seemingly wrong thing for the right reasons. So, let’s take care of our friends and then we’ll see what we can do about the greater good.”
“When?” asked Aidan.
“My guess, in a few hours,” replied Mrak Delar. “By midnight.”
“So, what’s your plan?”
“Plan? We don’t need no stinking plan. We come. We see. We conquer.” Mrak Delar chuckled humorlessly, shoving his hands in the pockets of his pants. “A half-baked god of the Otherworld and an evil Master of Power against an indestructible master of the Dark Arts, infused with the energy of Chaos. What could possibly go wrong?”
“A half-baked god of the Otherworld?” repeated Aidan, his eyebrows rising. “Have you been watching local TV?”
“Yeah. We don’t have TV in Kendral,” he replied with a half-shrug. “I had nothing better to do. I couldn’t go home until I knew what was going on with Gunz and he made it impossible to find him. So, I stayed in Kal’s apartment, hoping… I have no idea what I was hoping for.” He sighed.
A sad smile crossed Aidan’s face. “I know the feeling. He completely isolated himself after Angie’s death. Wouldn’t let anyone in. And then he was gone. Just like that. Not a word to anyone. Even Jim and Akira were puzzled.”
“I feel responsible for him, Aidan,” said Mrak Delar, suddenly serious. “When I met him, he was just a normal young man. Human. I didn’t know he was a Fire Salamander, but I knew he was a Child of Fire the very first time I laid my eyes on him. I should have kept my mouth shut. He could have lived a normal human life. Now, he is—”
“No, Mrak,” objected Aidan. “You know that sooner or later the Fire Salamander in him would have found its way out. You just pushed it a little by showing him how to channel the fire. Anyway, how are we going to handle the situation with Novak?”
“Later tonight, I am meeting with Novak in his lab,” said Mrak Delar. “If I’m right, he’ll attempt to conjure the Living-Dead Flame then. When the time comes, I’ll summon you. I’ll need Aodh mac Lir in his full godly power, not Aidan. Be ready.”
“I’ll be ready, Mrak,” replied Aidan. “But wait a moment. There is something, I believe, I need to do.”
He touched the Guardian’s pendant, sending some of his magic through it and his eyes shone with the light of his power. For a few minutes he sat silently, his unnerving white eyes staring at the ceiling. Then his eyes returned to his normal blue color and he lowered his head with a tired smile.
“It’s done,” he said, rising.
“What’s done?” asked Mrak Delar, observing him with interest.
“I contacted the Archmage of the Guardians Order and asked for his assistance. This evening they’ll be ready,” explained Aidan. “We don’t know what to expect and I don’t want humans to get hurt in the magical crossfire. The Guardians will do what they do best – guard. They will create a protective shield over this whole building, driving humans away from this area.”
“I suppose it’s a good idea. I’ll see you soon,” said Mrak Delar and vanished from the basement.
Chapter 31
~ Zane Burns, a.k.a. Gunz ~
Theron stopped in front of a tall door and knocked.
“Wait there! I’ll call you when I’m ready!” Novak boomed from behind the closed door, notes of irritation in his voice.
The guard turned around, his eyes shifting from Gunz to Yaroslav and back. Gunz surveyed the area, realizing he had never been in this part of the building before.
“Where are we?” he asked
.
“Lab,” replied Theron flatly. “The master ordered me to escort the two of you here.”
“Lab?” Gunz frowned. The word didn’t give him a warm and fuzzy feeling. “Do you know why he wants us here? What is he planning to do?”
“It’s not my place to question my master,” growled Theron, exposing his fangs. “Neither is yours. When your master orders, you quietly bow and do what you’ve been told.”
Since the morning, Gunz had been trying to suppress his nervousness and irritation, and Theron’s words, like a catalyst, sent him over the edge.
“What’s wrong with you, Theron?” he hissed. Quick like a strike of a snake, his arm shot forward, seizing Theron’s collar. “You’re just another slave here, wearing a collar on your neck. Not even a fighter. Novak will kill you for his amusement without giving it a second thought. Why are you pushing me and Alucard around, like we’re your enemies? We’re on the same side. Don’t you get it?”
Theron snarled, a real animal-like growl escaping his lips and his eyes lit up with a furious orange glow as he started to transform. His fingers wrapped around Gunz’s arm, hooked yellowish claws puncturing his skin. Gunz let go and backed away.
“What are you, Theron?” he asked, staring at him with curiosity. He wasn’t scared. Just curious. Theron in his human form was strong and muscled, but as he started to transform, his muscles seemed to get bigger and bulkier and his eyes changed, resembling the eyes of a wild cat.
Theron caught his calm gaze and exhaled, his anger quickly deflating. “I’m a weretiger,” he replied. “Why?”
“Weretiger? I’ve never seen one before,” said Gunz observing him with interest. “Werewolves are strong. I can just imagine how strong and fast you must be! Why are you letting Novak push you around and treat you the way he does?”
