“Is that why you made me come out here? To take revenge for what happened when we were boys?”
Kasimirh sent a fireball at him, but this time Ferhdessar managed to avoid it. His brains were working at full speed. How could he save himself from this predicament? This hadn’t been the plan. He didn’t want to die without so much as injuring Kasimirh. That was no way to impress other people.
“Of course not. That would be childish. You are, however, still my enemy, so it’s best to eliminate you.”
“Well then, what’s taking you so long?” Ferhdessar had pulled himself together again. He put his arms akimbo and straightened his shoulders.
A quick attack from Kasimirh swept him off his feet again. “I want to savour the moment. And I want to tell you how grateful I am. Thanks to you, Jakob crossed my path.”
As Kasimirh started to relate his story, Ferhdessar crawled back up. He walked around the outer circle until he reached the entrance to the maze.
“Chased by your taunts, I fled the town and reached the catacombs. I knew you guys wouldn’t dare to follow me, so I had built myself a hiding place there. That’s what you had condemned me to: a life among stinking bones. But still, it was better than falling into your hands again.”
Ferhdessar came to a fork and tried the left path. Kasimirh went on. The tone of his voice became more gentle as he remembered the good things. When Ferhdessar quickly glanced at him, he noticed that the prophet had his eyes closed.
“Suddenly a bright light filled the room full of graves. For a tiny second I thought that you had followed me after all. But it was someone else who asked me to come forth. He had a soothing voice. Carefully, I stepped out from behind a pillar. In the middle of the room – surrounded by a circle of light – stood a man who I had never seen before. He stood with his back straight and hardly leaned on the staff that He was holding in His hand. The bright light was coming from a stone in the staff. His clothes were plain but well matched, and they added to His confident appearance. There was a smile on His lips, but at the same time His eyes looked worried. He introduced Himself as Jakob and asked if I was all right.
We sat down in a corner of the cave. Jakob put fresh heart into me. He acknowledged the powers hidden within me. He told me to never doubt myself. I asked Him if He was a sorcerer and He laughed. I’ll never forget what he said in response, ‘Some will call me a sorcerer, others will call me a fraud. But I am neither. I am God. The only God, even though many would claim differently. I created the earth and its inhabitants. I took care of my children until they turned their backs on me. I understand how you’re feeling, my son.’ All that time He had His arm wrapped protectively around my shoulders. He promised me that He would be my teacher.”
Kasimirh looked up at Ferhdessar, who had progressed halfway through the maze by now. With a wave of his hand the prophet lifted him up and dropped him outside the labyrinth. Ferhdessar cursed.
“Listen to me, Ferhdessar. I want you to understand what I’m offering Merzia. Maybe it will help you to die peacefully. I’ll take good care of the country, I promise.”
“Merzia doesn’t wish to be ruled by you.”
“No, not by me. But how can they refuse Jakob? Don’t the people know what God has to offer them? I’ll lay odds on it that Yvar made the decision for his subjects all by himself, but that’s not the right way. Everybody should consider Jakob’s offer themselves. If the people would realize what He has to offer, they won’t have to think twice.”
“Jakob’s gift is death.”
“No, it is not!” Kasimirh’s voice became fierce. “Jakob’s gifts are peace and knowledge. Listen to me!” Ferhdessar only barely managed to dodge a fireball. “Jakob is disappointed in mankind. He taught them during the Golden Era and He gave them the world, but by way of thanks they turned away from Him. He had resolved to never return to the earth again, but He made an exception for me. He descended from heaven to teach me.
Those lessons were overwhelming. I suddenly had the whole world at my feet. My head was overflowing with information that I could only partly comprehend. Just the idea of having all this knowledge gave me a fantastic feeling. Jakob also told me about the history of the universe and how the people caused the divide between the heavenly and the worldly during the Second Era. With all the knowledge that Jakob had given me, I couldn’t understand why the people had done such a thing. I did, however, understand Jakob’s feelings of powerlessness and anger, which strengthened the ties between us.
I so badly wanted the people to have access again to all the knowledge that He had given me. So I begged him to give all the inhabitants of the earth a second chance. At long last, Jakob agreed and gave me my assignment. If I can see to it that unity is restored to the world, God will bring about a new Golden Era. He will give everybody the knowledge that He gave me. How can lord Yvar refuse such an offer? Why are you so opposed to this idea, Ferhdessar?”
“I don’t want to follow a madman who strives for world domination in the name of a God that doesn’t exist,” Ferhdessar said provocatively. In order to take part in the fight again, he had to make Kasimirh lose his temper. “Jakob is nothing but an assistant to the other Gods. A glorified nobody, just like you!”
His plan seemed to be working. Kasimirh flew into a rage. The stones that he had laid out so carefully, started to float. “Jakob also gave me a warning. If I were to fail and the people would turn their backs on Him again, He would make the world end. Water has created the world, but it can just as easily destroy everything. Do you want to be responsible for that?”
The prophet was making the stones circle around the two sorcerers faster and faster. Then he pointed at Ferhdessar. The stones attacked him as if they were fired at him. Ferhdessar tried to defend himself but was only partly successful. He fell flat on the ground. Kasimirh lowered his hands and the stones fell down from the sky like hail, pummelling Ferhdessar’s body.
“I have no choice but to kill you Ferhdessar, and I’m going to do the same to your king. I know that you’ll never pledge your allegiance to Jakob. As long as you’re both alive, I cannot fulfil my assignment.”
Ferhdessar charged energy into his fist. The prophet had made a mistake by destroying the labyrinth. Now Ferhdessar was no longer powerless. The magic in his hand was almost too much to hold on to any longer, but he boosted it up a little more regardless. His fist was throbbing. When he extended his fingers, the magic shot away. Kasimirh screamed when he was smashed into the ground.
Ferhdessar released two more fireballs. Only one hit its target. Kasimirh got back up. He fended off Ferhdessar’s attacks and immediately struck back. Several trees caught fire, giving the clearance a spooky atmosphere. The prophet threw Ferhdessar backwards. With his hands on his knees, Kasimirh tried to catch his breath.
Ferhdessar rummaged around in his pouch. His hand touched a cold, metal disc. It was but small and there was a hole in the middle so that it could be worn on a lace around one’s neck. It had been in Ferhdessar’s possession for a very long time. The man he had bought it from had told him that it contained the power of all the Gods. Ferhdessar had never really believed that. So he contemplated looking for another object.
He was roused from his thoughts by an attack from Kasimirh, which was immediately followed by another attack. He was out of time, he had no choice but to trust in this object. In his mind, Ferhdessar called upon all Gods save one. At the same time he gathered energy into his hands. His body was tingling. The object was working after all! He released the power. It crashed with great force into the shield that Kasimirh had put up.
Panting, Ferhdessar remained lying on the ground. This spell had required almost all of his energy, but it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough! Ferhdessar sobbed.
Do it again. But do it right this time!
At first, Ferhdessar didn’t understand the order. Like most magical items, this disc hadn’t come with a manual. How was he to know what he had done wrong? But it slowly started to dawn o
n him. “But I’ve used up all my powers!” Do it again! But right this time!
He clenched the disc firmly in his fist again, willing to die if that was what it took to defeat Kasimirh right here and now.
“Wigg, Gaia, Ischa, Trudh, Phoibos, Gunnan, Wardan, Anleifer, Kyl, Alos, Felcita,” he hesitated for a second, “Jakob!”
Magic shot through his veins like fire. Each and every hair on his body stood on end. The fire around him had gone out, but the clearing seemed to be illuminated even brighter than before. Everything felt even more intense than when Ferhdessar had called upon the power of the water. The magic accumulated in his arms. Ferhdessar’s breathing became shallow, because the magic was drawing upon his life force as well. It was both frightening and overwhelming. What little survival instinct he had left screamed at Ferhdessar to let go of the magic. But at the same time there was nothing he wanted more than to hold on to it. He wanted to feel the power of the Gods inside his body forever.
Suddenly the magic let go of him. Ferhdessar stumbled forwards, reaching out for the magic that was moving away from him. He fell headlong. Kasimirh’s shield was destroyed with a loud bang. There was a scream. Ferhdessar lifted himself up a little bit, but there was no trace of the other sorcerer. Exhausted, he fell down again. Almost immediately somebody kneeled beside him. For a moment, Ferhdessar feared that it was Kasimirh, but the person spoke with a woman’s voice.
“That was quite an attack, sorcerer.” It was Afifa.
“Did you see it?” Ferhdessar whispered. He looked at her through his eyelashes. It cost too much effort to lift his head.
She nodded.
“Did you see what happened to him? Have I beaten him?”
Afifa shrugged. “We’ll look for traces of what happened to him later.”
She put her hands on his temples. The warmth of her touch spread in waves through his body. It was overwhelmingly intense and he felt how the energy immediately started to heal him.
“You’re a healeress?” He tried to push her away.
“Yes, so what? I’m just trying to help you,” Afifa grumbled as she kept doing what she was doing. “You’ll die if I don’t do something.”
Ferhdessar tried to get up, but he couldn’t. Then everything went black.
18
Lilith tilted her head back so that she would be able to breathe the second the servus pushed her above water. As she sucked in the air, her gaze travelled the horizon. In every direction she looked, she saw nothing but the sea. A wave washed over her and Lilith swallowed a large gulp of water.
“Please, stay on the surface a little while longer so that I have more time to breathe,” she gasped. The servus usually didn’t let her draw more than three breaths of air, but that was barely enough.
The servus said something and pulled her under again. Lilith noticed it too late. She swallowed down another gulp of salt water. She hadn’t heard what he had said, but she was beginning to understand what he had meant. It was clear that he wasn’t going to let her die. Lilith closed her eyes and hung on to the creature’s waistband. She had to hold on to him, otherwise she would surely drown.
Only when something grazed her body, did Lilith open her eyes again. She propped herself up to see where she was. She was on a pebble beach that transformed into bare rocks farther down. The servus followed her gaze.
“Wait here for master.”
Lilith nodded and looked for a place where she could sit. The servus went back into the water and disappeared. For a moment Lilith thought that he was leaving her behind, but then he reappeared and walked onto the beach. She noticed that his skin had a more greyish colour than she had seen on any of these creatures before. He also kept scratching himself.
The servus gave her a fish to eat. The animal’s dead eyes were staring at her. Lilith, however, was too hungry to let that spoil her appetite, so she took a big bite. The scales crunched between her teeth. It tasted awful, but nevertheless she took a second bite. Then she threw the fish away and picked some bones from her teeth. She’d rather go hungry than eat the entire fish. The servus, on the other hand, was eating his meal with relish.
Lilith asked the servus for something to drink. The creature gestured that there was no fresh water around. He didn’t seem worried about it, but Lilith was.
“Do you have a name?” she asked him.
Since she was stuck with a creature that she hated, she’d better try to make the most of it. She was dependent on him, after all.
“Call me meistri.”
At first Lilith thought that she hadn’t heard right, but his conceited grin told her otherwise.
“Meistri,” she whispered. She knew that the servi used that word to address the Muircadhi they served. Then she shook her head.
“No, I won’t call you that.”
He got up and struck her temple. “Disobedient slave.”
“I’m not a slave.”
The servus hit her again, but now Lilith got up and hit him back. She managed to strike him once before he clasped his hands around her wrists. Then she resorted to kicking him. He groaned and loosened his grip. Lilith pulled her hands free and took another swing at him. The servus jumped at her, pulled at her arm and placed his leg in front of hers. Before she knew it, Lilith was down on the ground.
The servus went to sit on her, making it impossible for her to move.
“I meistri, you slave.”
Lilith twisted and writhed to break free. He pushed her arms and legs even harder against the rocks. The sharp stones pressed deeper into her stomach. The servus bent over and whispered the same words into her ear.
“No,” Lilith screamed.
Before she had even noticed that the servus had let go of her hand, she received a blow to her head. The servus immediately grabbed her arm again, so she couldn’t even react.
“Say it,” he hissed. Spit splattered against her cheek.
Lilith shook her head and looked hard at him from the corners of her eyes.
Totally unexpectedly, the servus let go of her. Lilith didn’t understand. Did this mean that she had won? The creature turned around and ignored her.
For the first couple of hours, Lilith was glad, but that feeling soon disappeared. The servus ate without sharing with her. Nor did he offer her the fresh water he had found somewhere. Even though her good mood had vanished, Lilith didn’t give in.
At least, not until the next morning, when she had searched the entire island without finding anything to eat or drink. Lilith longingly looked at the sea, but she knew that the water wasn’t drinkable. The servus walked onto the beach and sat down on a stone across from her. He ate a couple of fishes with lots of background noises. He washed them down with water from a waterskin. It suddenly hit Lilith: he got the water somewhere else. From some island where she couldn’t go because she couldn’t swim. Until then, she had hoped to find the spring sooner or later, but now all hope went up in smoke.
Lilith waited until the servus disappeared behind some bigger rocks and sneaked to the place where he had been sitting. She carefully pulled the waterskin towards her. A shove in her back made her fall headfirst.
“Let me drink something.”
“What?”
“I’m thirsty.”
He shook his head. “What?”
Lilith hesitated but then she whispered, “I beg you to let me drink something, meistri.”
He knelt down beside her and pulled her head back by her hair to pour water into her mouth. Lilith swallowed as fast as she could. It was delicious, but the servus kept pouring water into her mouth. Lilith tried to turn her head away.
At long last, the servus took the waterskin away. Lilith wanted to get up, but he pushed her back down. She looked up at him, afraid. He looked at her expectantly. Lilith closed her eyes and bowed her head.
“Thank you, meistri.” It was hard for her to utter the words, but the servus had won.
The creature grinned and took his foot off her shoulder. Suddenly his face be
came grave. He stooped down and in one and the same motion he straightened himself and flung a stone. A bird squealed and fell to the earth. The servus was immediately there when the bird hit the ground. He made sure that it was dead before he threw it into Lilith’s lap.
“Ferhdessar send spy,” the servus explained.
Lilith stared at the animal in her hands before she looked at the horizon. Was this a sign that Ferhdessar was still alive and that he was coming after her? If that was true, it also meant that Kasimirh was dead. The fight between the two sorcerers must have left either one dead.
The longer Lilith thought about, the more credible it sounded. She sighed, neither disappointed nor relieved. She didn’t know what to think. Until one of the sorcerers showed up, it would be unclear what her future was going to be like.
Then she started. What if nobody came? Then she would be stuck on this island with a servus who could make her do anything he liked.
“Jakob, please help me,” Lilith sighed. “Help me out of this mess.”
Kim ten Tusscher
Broken in Twilight
THE LILITH TRILOGY, BOOK 2
Published in The Netherlands in 2010 by Zilverspoor
English edition published in 2017 by Kim ten Tusscher
1
Seraph held Nander tight. They were crammed into a small hut, together with the other half-bloods. Frightened screams of children calling out for their parents filled the crowded room. The older ones were trying to comfort them. But it was only when it gradually started to dawn on the children that their parents had been murdered that day, that silence crept over the cramped space.
The Lilith Trilogy Box Set Page 30
