Ivatelo stood alone, a look of unbridled remorse spread across his face. He motioned to the demigod almost longingly. But unlike the others, he would not avert his gaze. Even in penitence, he would pay no homage to a false idol.
Yansarian addressed Ivatelo scornfully.
“I see before me a man who should not be. Too long has his soul wandered this land. Too guilty is he of grievous crimes. For he has committed the greatest of all sins, betrayal.” Venom filled Yansarian’s voice as he slowly circled the magic, expounding upon Ivatelo’s damnation.
“One who is so deceitful deserves nothing less than to be consumed in ice and devoured by the demons of old. For you committed this crime twice. Once against men, your very kin, and yet again against the gods.” Yansarian regarded Ivatelo with eyes that perceived all.
Ivatelo was hiding a dark secret, realized Dolum, but it was something the dwarf never would have guessed. It was worse than mastering dark magic, worse than being undead. Ivatelo was a former servant of the Wyrm. Dolum felt tainted just standing in the man’s presence.
“A righteous god would strike you down where you stand,” continued Yansarian. “But I can see into your soul, Jeremiah of Brothlo. The demons have already consumed you and your body has become naught but a vessel. The horrors you once so proudly wrought now paralyze you in fear.” He drew close to the magic, a towering menace, and told Ivatelo’s fate. “Clemency I do not grant. Nor will I strike you down in righteous retribution. Repentance is no easy task, and it is to this end I will let you be.” With his declaration finished, Yansarian passed on into the crowd of lumani.
Bently immediately set upon the magic, pointing his finger with malice. “The Guardian has shown you pity, Ivatelo, but I may not. Be quick to explain yourself, or I’ll take off your head and leave you here to rot for all eternity.”
“You are justified in your mistrust,” said Ivatelo softly. “I have betrayed your people as much as any.”
Desperous limped forward. “I recognize your name, Jeremiah of Brothlo. Despite the Guardian’s declaration, I know your betrayals were not as faulty as they would seem.”
“So some might say,” said Ivatelo. “But I would never dare to make such a claim.”
“Then who are you?” demanded Bently.
“A friend to your cause. Isn’t that enough?” Ivatelo’s face was shadowed by shame.
“Tell them your tale,” said Desperous, as he held his hand up to his ashen brow. “Lest they grow more suspicious of your intent.”
Ivatelo bowed his head. “I was a disciple of the Wyrm. In my youth I was deceived by their promises of power and enlightenment. I helped create the army of dark children. I commanded the lumani legions as Useran and Temora fell. I watched helplessly as the Wyrm scoured Halgath. It was then that I saw the world as the Wyrm envisioned it; they would have us on our knees, or not alive at all. I betrayed them. The lumani revolted against the Wyrm on my command.” He nodded to Desperous. “I fought alongside your father at the Battle of Brothlo, and I looked on with pleasure as the Guardians purged the Orb of Rotti and blasted the Wyrm into extinction. I deserved death for my misdeeds, but the Weaver fated me to a different end.”
“You bartered your service in exchange for your life,” said Bently. “What was it that King Johan wanted?”
“The Orb of Azure,” said Desperous.
Ivatelo nodded. “When I failed to produce the Orb, Johan condemned me to the depths of Coljack, fearing that I was hiding it for myself. For many years I felt pangs of remorse and heartache for my crimes. I tried to come to terms with the treachery within my soul. But fate had one more vile twist.
“In the wasting days of my life, a Taper magic was placed in my cell. He was a brilliant, albeit misguided, young man named Demetry. He had been condemned to prison for practicing the dark arts. I took him under my wing as a last tribute to humanity. I wanted to create something pure out of the darkness surrounding me. But then I learned the truth of the king’s vile intent.
“King Johan had placed Demetry within my cell for a purpose. He had guessed my weakness, and in training the youth I forged a honed blade for his arsenal. In time, the king would summon Demetry. Few could refuse King Johan’s bidding when standing before his ebony throne. My actions had damned Demetry to death or war, whichever the king saw fit; I could not bear knowing that the torment I had brought upon this world would continue after my death.
“With a heavy heart, I helped Demetry escape, hoping that I might free him of Johan’s reach. In our flight I was killed; it was a death I happily accepted. Yet Demetry would not let me pass.” He shook his head in sad remembrance. “I underestimated the boy. He raised me as you see me now, setting himself into a cycle of sin and along the path of darkness forever.”
Dolum had not said a word throughout the entire tale, but there was something vexing about that final part. Something he could not ignore. If Ivatelo was raised by the necromancer, that would mean...
Bently’s hand was on his hilt before anyone could stop him. “You’re a puppet of the necromancer!” Bently’s eyes flared. Steel hissed from his scabbard.
Ivatelo stepped back in alarm.
Desperous slammed Bently’s crossguard flush with his scabbard mouth. Try as he might, Bently could not contest Desperous’s strength.
“Am I Ivatelo’s puppet?” demanded Desperous.
Bently averted his eyes.
“Is the magic plucking my strings?” continued Desperous. Even Dolum, who had nothing to do with bringing Desperous back from the dead, felt the sting of Desperous’s accusation.
Bently relented and released the handle of his sword.
Dolum sighed with relief. He had little doubt what Bently would have done had Desperous not intervened.
“The necromancer has released me, just as I have done for Desperous,” said Ivatelo. He watched Bently’s hands carefully. “But in a way our souls are still bound. I can hear whispers of his consciousness on the eaves of my mind. Demetry has achieved a power I did not know was possible in the blood of men. Instead of becoming a weapon of the king, he has become a weapon of his own will. And with time, he will only grow in strength.”
“Yet he is only one man,” said Dolum.
“True,” said Jeremiah. “But I have taught him a magic few, if any, could contest. A magic I learned from the Wyrm. With an army to my back I could face him, and maybe achieve victory. But he, too, has an army, and it is greater than yours. So when I discovered that your mission was to awaken the Guardian, in that I found hope.”
“Perhaps all that you say is true, but how was it that our paths crossed in the woods?” challenged Bently.
“We crossed paths because I willed it to be so,” said Ivatelo matter-of-factly. “I have and will continue to do what I can to right the wrongs I have created. In the week before I met you, all of the southern ador was scoured by parties of dragoons. Most were scouts, searching for safe routes of passage for the advancing army. But a few were trackers. Not all were as wary of a lone old man as they should have been. They were searching for a party of elves who had crossed the Jasmine. One dragoon let slip the word Coralan. Then I knew. I had to find you, and I became the tracker.”
“You were following us?” asked Bently.
“Not for long.”
“Then what of your house? What coincidence is it that we happened to be so close?”
Suddenly, Dolum found that they were standing within an old cabin with walls lined with weathered clapboard. It appeared as real as life, save that there was no ceiling and the towers of Coralan could be seen soaring beyond. Bently looked about the room dumbfounded. Desperous simply smirked.
“I can do much to deceive the minds of men if it is my will,” said Ivatelo.
A strident call sounded atop the curtain wall and the vision tumbled away.
“Incoming, another dragon!”
Many of the lumani scrambled to reach the battlements, while others fell into place to block the broken arch
way. Dolum immediately recognized the fault in their actions.
“Don’t shoot!” screamed the dwarf as he pushed through the lumani ranks, frantically waving his arms. The dragon was not undead. It was Camara, and she was in dire need. He jostled his way to Yansarian’s side and quickly recounted what had befallen the dragoness. The Guardian needed no second bidding.
Camara flew over the wall of the citadel with great strain, her chest barely avoiding the crenelations that studded the battlements. With each flap of her shredded wings she lost altitude, until finally she could go no further and fell from the sky. Yansarian muttered a rapid chant. In an instant, her fall was halted in an aura of blue light. The Guardian gently settled her to the ground and approached with a look of deep concern creasing his stiff face. Camara’s breath issued from her throat in irregular bursts, her eyes were wide with pain.
Yansarian ran his hand gingerly over her bloodstained snout. “My precious Camara, what horrors have you faced alone?” He motioned for all to stand back and closed his eyes, placing his hand firmly upon her brow. He spoke in a foreign tongue. At first it was barely a whisper, but the noise soon grew to a deafening roar. The silver script embroidered in Yansarian’s red cloak began to shimmer, growing in intensity until the light engulfed both him and the dragoness. When it receded, Camara’s open wounds were reduced to scars. Her breathing grew steady. Her frantic eyes closed as she settled into a deep slumber.
“We shall stay here for the evening,” called out Yansarian, his voice clearly strained. “The dragoness will take time to properly heal. Fortify the entrance. Set up camp.”
The lumani called out a unified chant of agreement and immediately set upon their tasks, blind to the true reason Yansarian was asking them to hold their position for the night. Dolum was not deceived.
The once mighty god was nearly incapacitated by the spell he had cast. Yansarian’s skin had turned translucent, and the inner sinew of his body showed through his exposed flesh. He feebly leaned upon Camara’s frame for support. Whatever strength the demigod had possessed at the prime of his life was gone.
Dolum turned to his companions to sound his concern, but found himself alone. Desperous was standing near Camara, staring blankly at the dragoness. He gingerly traced the fresh scar tissue that ran the length of his arm, pausing to press his thumb into the hollows created by the dragon’s teeth. Bently had retreated back to the tower stairs. His face was hidden in his hands. Ivatelo was nowhere to be seen, and had seemingly vanished from the courtyard.
Each of them was alone, thought Dolum, and worse yet, Laveria might be as well, for a gnawing fear began to grow in Dolum’s heart. What if all of their sacrifices had been for nothing? What if Yansarian was not the champion they had sought?
AFTERWORD
Wait! Before you go, if you enjoyed this book, please leave a review. In the crowded world of publishing, the only thing distinguishing one book from the next are the reviews – they are the lifeblood of indie publishing, and your feedback can help make or break a book. Your input is so crucial, and I am endlessly grateful for your support.
Sincerely,
Lee H. Haywood
BOOKS IN THE SERIES
Thank you for reading The Guardian. The rest of the series is available now in both print and ebook formats, while other books in the world of Laveria are currently in the works. For more information on my upcoming novels, visit www.leehhaywood.com. There, you can sign up for my newsletter to receive notifications about future sales events, send me an email, or connect with me on Facebook and Twitter. I would love to hear from you.
Books by Lee H. Haywood
The Order - A standalone prequel to The Gods and Kings Chronicles
A Wizard’s Dark Dominion
The Guardian
The Guardian Stone
The Saga Continues...
GLOSSARY
Avofew — One of the twelve lordly dragon broods.
Baelac — Dain of the Avofew clan.
Bailrich Ronin — General of the Luthuanian Rangers. Sworn protector of the Luthuanian High Council.
Batofew — One of the twelve lordly dragon broods.
Bently — Captain of the Elite Royal Guard. Bently serves under General Waymire Manherm.
Book of Requiem — The holy book of the worshipers of the Creators. Within lay the teachings espoused by the Guardians before the Sundering.
Braddock — A Halgan captain.
Byron Hearst — Also known as the Lan of Salmaen, Byron is King Salmaen's brother, and heir to the throne of Halgath.
Calycia Kelig Manherm — Often referred to as the Witch of Stone Keep. Calycia was the eldest daughter of Lycus Kelig, King of Karu. Married to Rudlif Manherm. She has one child, Evelyn. Deceased.
Camara — Dain of the Batofew clan.
Capernicus — The human kingdom is comprised of the fiefdoms Verlo, Soccoto, Orith, Emotria, and Hedrotria. Karu and Watsoto are vassal kingdoms.
Carrions — Soulless bodies under the control of a necromancer.
Coljack — A Capernican prison near the Zeveron River. It formerly served as a Wyrm fortress.
Coralan — Also known as Spire Island, Coralan was once the bastion of the Guardians. Located hundreds of leagues west of Laveria, the island's exact location is unknown.
Creators, The — The supreme deity in Laveria. Very few in Laveria pray to the Creators directly, choosing instead to worship one of the lesser god-saints.
Dai — An honorific title denoting the patriarch of a dragon brood.
Dain — An honorific title denoting the matriarch of a dragon brood.
Dark Children — A derogatory name commonly used to refer to the races of lumani, dragoons, and goblins. The dark children were created by the Wyserum during the War of Sundering.
Demetry — A former pupil of the Taper school of magic. Demetry was condemned to Coljack after his patron was killed in an accident.
Desperous Farsidian Alwin — Marshal of the Luthuanian military. Desperous is the oldest son of Marylyn Farsidian and Nochman Alwin.
Disias Goodwin — The adviser to King Johan.
Dolum Hearst — The only surviving trueborn son of King Salmaen. Often referred to as the Moch of Salmaen. He is second in line to the throne after his uncle, Byron Hearst.
Dragoons — One of the three races of dark children created by the Wyserum during the War of Sundering. The dragoons were exiled to the wastes of Eremor following the war.
Eremor — The ruined fourth realm of Laveria. After Eremor’s fall, the region was overrun by outlanders and dragoons. Few venture into the wastelands of the north.
Elandria — The fabled land one enters in the afterlife.
Elite Royal Guard — The personal guard of the Capernican king. Sworn members are referred to as guardsmen.
Evelyn Manherm — The only living heir to the Throne of Caper. She is the great-niece of King Johan Troushire and the daughter of Calycia and Rudlif Manherm.
Ferrivo — Dai of the Batofew Clan.
Goblins — One of the three races of dark children created by the Wyserum during the War of Sundering. Hunted nearly to extinction, only a few pockets of goblins remain free. Sometimes referred to as leprots in the Wyrm tongue.
Guardians — One of the two demi-god races. They were destroyed during the War of Sundering.
Gurwan Kelig — Prince of Karu. Uncle to Evelyn Manherm.
Halgath — Halgath was once the most prosperous kingdom in Laveria, possessing all lands wreathing the Bay of Rianna. Halgath lost most of its territory following the War of Sundering and is now little more than a city-state.
Hann Kelig — The current king of Karu. Karu is a vassal state to the Kingdom of Capernicus.
Hayne Kerris — Lord of Melock. Hayne serves on the Luthuanian High Council.
Horan — Dai of the Avofew clan.
Ilmwell — A Calabanesi god-saint. Chiefly worshiped by the dwarves of Halgath.
Ivatelo — An elderly magic of Kari dec
ent. Ivatelo lives on a small farm north of Taper.
Jeremiah of Brothlo — Formerly a commander of the Wyserum, Jeremiah served as King Johan's court magic until he was arrested and condemned to the prison Coljack.
Johan Troushire — The elderly King of Capernicus.
Jotham — Exiled from Capernicus, the outcast human serves as the court magic to High Lord Rancor.
Kelci Kelig Manherm — Sister of Calycia Manherm and wife of Waymire Manherm. Deceased.
Korre — Chieftain of the Rerra Clan. Korre serves as a commander in Sire Tyronious's dragoon army.
Lan — An honorific title denoting the heir to the Halgan throne.
Luca Marcus — Proconsul of the Order.
Lumani — One of the three races of dark children created by the Wyserum during the War of Sundering. It is unknown what happened to the lumani following the war.
Luthuania — Founded by Nochman Alwin and Cavius Farsidian, the elven Kingdom of Luthuania united the Talsa Ew and Talsa Lu peoples.
Magic — One who has the ability to channel the Sundered Soul.
Marith Vis — Second son of Steflan Vis.
Marshal — Considered by many to be the largest dragon in Laveria. Member of the Avofew clan. Marshal is the mate of Dai Camara.
Marylyn Farsidian Alwin — Wife of Nochman and mother of Desperous and Rancor. Deceased.
Melo Tener — Owner of the Jasmine fleet. Melo serves on the Luthuanian High Council.
Moch — An honorific title denoting the second in line to the Halgan throne.
Necromancer — One who utilizes the power of the Sundered Soul to raise the dead.
Nerso — Captain of the High Tower Guard and sworn protector of the Luthuanian High Lord.
Nexian War, The — A protracted conflict of vicious reprisals interspersed by periods of relative calm. The chief belligerents were the Kingdoms of Capernicus and Luthuania.
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