Lightgiver

by Gama Ray Martinez

  “It senses magic,” Lina said through clenched teeth. “I think I can distract it.”

  Jez nodded and took to the air. A skilled illusionist such as Lina could deceive not only the five standard senses but also the ones associated with each of the seven dominions. All around him, Jez felt illusions of protection magic come into existence. Dimly, he was aware of those of destruction and knowledge, the other dominions he’d been trained in, but he didn’t sense those nearly as clearly. The fog creature lashed out at all of them, though it seemed not to be able to see Jez. He drove his weapon into the center of the writhing mass of tentacles. The creature’s scream shook the land around them. It flailed wildly, catching Jez with a tendril and sending him flying. He righted himself just in time to see Ziary dive down from above and impale the beast. The scion dragged his blade all the way to the ground leaving a gash that spurted fire, but it still wasn’t enough.

  “So you don’t like fire,” Jez said, his hands already crafting a working.

  While ember magic was in the dominion of destruction, protection could produce something close. It wouldn’t burn wood or flesh, but demons were another matter. A flaming arrow shot forward, splitting tenfold while still in the air. Each piece impacted the creature. Jez waved a hand, and burning lines appeared between the arrow’s remnants, forming a net of pure flame. Jez closed his fist and the net tightened. The fog beast snarled and tried to get free, but the bands around it held fast. Smoke rose from its body, and the smell of burning fur came so strongly Jez thought he was going to be sick, but he managed to keep his lunch down. It cried out once more, then went silent. Its form became nothing more than a blackened husk that collapsed into a pile of ash. The fog was gone.

  “We should hurry,” Jez said. “Someone else has to have heard that.”

  Lina stared at the remains for several seconds. “How come it didn’t vanish?”

  “When you destroy a demon’s physical form in the mortal realm, its essence returns to the place where its power resides, normally the abyss, but here, if a demon is destroyed, their essence has no place to retreat to.” He waved at the fog demon. “Whatever that thing was, we didn’t just banish it. It’s been completely destroyed, and I don't want to be around when its friends show up.”

  Both Lina and Osmond nodded, and they continued down the hill, leaving the demon corpse behind them.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  Walking hurt, and with every breath, the coppery taste of blood filled Jez’s mouth. The fog demon had apparently hurt him more than he had realized, and after a few minutes, he had to stop to catch his breath. Osmund kept looking up the hill, in the direction of the demon’s corpse.

  “Sorry,” Jez said. He coughed into his hand and felt something wet splatter there. When he pulled it away, it was red with blood. “Oh, that can’t be good. Osmund, you didn’t manage to pick up any healing from the beast men, did you?”

  Osmund shook his head. “I only saw Penar once that entire time.”

  “It wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t so hot.”

  Lina stepped up to him. “Let me try something.”

  She put a hand on his forehead, and the heat seemed to leech away. He felt like he was out on a cool autumn evening. It wasn’t long before he stopped sweating.

  “I didn’t know you could do that.”

  “I can’t,” Lina said. “Not really. You just think you’re feeling cold. This is a dangerous working, though.”

  “It’s an illusion,” Jez said. “It can’t be that dangerous.”

  “Jez, your body feels heat for a reason. It knows how to react to it. If I make you think you’re not feeling heat, your body won’t know what to do.”

  “What does it matter as long as I don’t feel it?”

  She raised an eyebrow. The red sun of the abyss accentuated her scar. “You might be able to push yourself a little harder, or your body might cook itself from the inside.”

  “Really?” Above them, something screeched, and Jez had to squint to see a flock of dark figures flying overhead. He didn’t know if they’d been spotted, but he didn’t want to take the chance. “Never mind. Let’s keep moving.”

  He still got tired, and the pain of breathing didn’t go away, but without the oppressive weight of the heat, moving became a little easier. He kept watching creatures flying in and out of the dark clouds, but none came close. Near the base of the hill, they found a cave and ducked inside. It was little more than a crack, only about six feet wide and barely taller than Osmund, though it went back farther than they could see. Lina made a light. The red stone that made up the walls made it seem like they had been swallowed by some great beast. Osmund took Ziary’s form, which was even more cramped in the tight space, and went to explore the interior of the cave while Jez and Lina stayed near the mouth.

  “What are we going to do now?” Lina asked.

  Jez let out a breath. “I’m not sure. I keep thinking we have to go back to the library. We basically gave Sharim the thing we’ve been trying to keep from him, so we know the knowledge of how to get out is in the library somewhere.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Of course. Enki...” He hesitated. “Mirel told us. I don’t think she could’ve lied, not if she was a Lightgiver.” He wracked his brain, trying to remember the exact words Mirel had used when pretending to be a demon. She could’ve led them to believe something that wasn’t true without speaking a single lie. Finally, he shook his head. “I don’t remember what she said. Still, if nothing else, the library is made of real stone, and I might be able to use it to get back home.”

  “How do we get in there?” Osmund asked as he came out of the shadows.

  Jez coughed up more blood and shook his head. “Let’s get some rest. Maybe in the morning...” He waved his hand toward the mouth of the cave. The effort made him feel dizzy, and he leaned against the wall. “Or whatever the closest thing to morning is here, we’ll be able to think of something.”

  Osmund and Lina exchanged glances. Lina put a hand on Jez’s shoulder and started to say something, but Osmund spoke over her.

  “That’s a good idea. Get some sleep. I’ll stand watch.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  “What’s wrong with him?” Lina’s voice asked.

  Darkness surrounded Jez, but it wasn’t of the ordinary sort. He could see himself perfectly clearly, but everything else was complete darkness. In the distance, he heard a soft whispering just loud enough to hear, but not enough to make out the words. He had the uncomfortable feeling it was the shadow Luntayary had locked away in his mind. He took a step away from it and the sound of his footstep seemed to echo forever.

  “He almost had his guts ripped out by a demon,” Osmund’s voice said.

  “Hello?” Jez cried out. His voice sounded hollow. He guessed at where the voices were coming from and ran in that direction.

  “Will he be all right?” Lina asked.

  “The wounds I got from that demon hurt more than they should, and they haven’t gone away. I’m not sure we can heal naturally here. We need to get him back home.”

  “So that’s where you are,” another voice said.

  “Mirel?”

  The voice laughed. “It took me a while to make it past the wards on your mind. They were impressive. I don’t think I would’ve been able to manage it if you hadn’t already given me a link to your mind.”

  “When you gave me the fake memories of library.”

  “You figured that out, did you?”

  “Well, we can’t exactly launch an assault on a library full of demons,” Lina said. Her voice seemed far away.

  Jez shrugged. “You were still trapped in the abyss when the library burned. It wasn’t hard to figure out. You never actually told me it was a true vision. I assumed that on my own. What I don’t know is why you’re confirming that for me,” Jez said to the disembodied voice.

  “Maybe I don’t think you can get free of me anymore, so I have no reason to hide it
. I do, after all, enjoy dispensing knowledge.”

  “What was that?” Osmund asked.

  “Or maybe I’m a distraction.”

  On instinct, Jez raised the wards around his mind. There was resistance there, but it was a weak thing, and he cut through it easily. Mirel started to say something, but her voice cut off. Jez’s eyes snapped open just as Ziary’s sword cut a bat demon out of the air. The acrid smell filling the cave told Jez it hadn’t been the only one, though the air was empty. He picked himself off the ground and saw piles of ash scattered about.

  “What happened?” Jez asked as he sat up.

  “We can’t stay here,” Osmund said. “They know where we are.”

  “I think they’ll know where we are regardless,” Jez said.

  The other two looked at him, and he explained about Mirel linking with his mind. Lina nodded and placed a hand on his forehead. She closed her eyes for a second.

  “I can feel it.”

  “Can you undo it?”

  She cocked an eyebrow. “Jez, it’s afur work. I don’t have the power to undo one of their workings.” She took a deep breath. “Maybe I can do something, though.”

  She began to chant. Her eyes became twin points of violet light that shone as a stark contrast to the nearly universal red of the landscape around them. They grew brighter until Jez couldn’t see her face. She threw out her hands, and motes of light shot out of the cave. Lina stopped chanting and sank to the ground. Jez moved to help her. She started to wave him off, but after a moment, she took his arm.

  “I’m fine. Just give me a second.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I couldn’t hide you from her, but I sent out false links. Each of those lights will feed her a fake location. We should still move though. She already knows about this place. Can you walk?”

  “I think so.”

  “Any idea where we go?”

  Jez looked at the dead demons. They could only be killed because this was where their place of power resided. Otherwise, the destruction of their physical form would only banish them. Demons weren’t the only spirits though. It was an incredibly foolish idea, but they were desperate.

  “Before we go, there’s something I want to try.”

  “Can’t it wait?” Osmund asked.

  Jez didn’t answer. Instead, he just started walking in a slow circle. Walking a circle instead of drawing one was a poor substitute, but he didn’t have any materials, so he had to make do. As far as the summoning itself, he thought he could manage. He’d worked out how to do this long ago, though he never thought he would have to use a walking circle. He wouldn’t be able to protect himself from the being summoned, but if all went well, he shouldn’t need to. He started chanting, and his friends, realizing what he was doing, backed away. He lifted his arms and called out the name of the being he wanted to summon.

  “Shamarion.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  A bright blue light appeared in the center of the circle. It bobbed for a few seconds before brightening so much they had to turn away. When they looked back, Shamarion stood there, his sapphire robes practically shining. The scent of sulfur retreated a little, and Jez felt stronger.

  “Luntayary, I did not expect to find you here.” He looked around. “Truth be told, I did not expect ever to walk these grounds.”

  “You’re safe, right?” Jez asked.

  Shamarion inclined his head. “You summoned me. The core of my power remains at the Keep of the Hosts. I can be banished here, but I cannot be destroyed.”

  “We need help,” Jez said. “Sharim and Mirel have the Library of Zandra.”

  “Mirel?”

  “An afur, but one that went to the other side. She tricked us.”

  Shamarion scowled, but his expression softened after a second. He shook his head. “I cannot face the whole of the hordes of the abyss, not alone.”

  “We can still do more with your help than without it.”

  “You misunderstand. I did not mean I wouldn’t help.” He smiled, an expression which seemed out of place, given where they were. “I said I could not do it alone. Give me a little time. I can gather support from the other pharim. The demons have been coming into your world since your kind first began to walk the earth. I think it is time we returned the favor.”

  For a moment, all three of them were shocked into silence. It was Osmund who finally spoke.

  “You’re going to lead an invasion against the abyss.”

  “With Luntayary’s aid.”

  “My aid?”

  “Of course. I cannot return here unless I am summoned.”

  Jez nodded. His mind reeled from the implications, and he could see his feelings reflected on the faces of Osmund and Lina. The pharim invading the abyss itself. He could hardly believe it. This was the stuff of legends. He tried to swallow, but his throat was dry. When he spoke, his voice was raspy.

  “How long do you need?”

  “A day.”

  “A day?” Jez gaped at him. “To gather an army of pharim to lead against the hordes of the abyss, you need a day?”

  Shamarion scrunched his brow. “I see your point. We shouldn’t delay, or the opportunity will be lost. Half a day.”

  Jez could only stare. “What exactly do you want me to do?”

  “Do not be killed, and when you summon us, do not call for me. Call for pharim in general, and don’t add the limiting rune. We cannot always tell where a summoning originates, and that will allow us to respond without having to choose to enter the abyss willingly.”

  “But...” Summoning without a limit rune was incredibly dangerous. It opened the door for a multitude of beings to come through, none of them controlled. In this situation, however, that was exactly what he wanted. “Never mind. We’ll call you when the time is right.”

  Shamarion’s eyes snapped to the cage mouth. He curled his fingers around the hilt of his sword for a second before releasing. “I should leave this place. My presence is attracting unwanted attention, and you’re not ready to face the things that are found here.”

  Jez nodded and brought his hand to his throat. “Believe me, I know. We need to go too. Mirel has probably already sent others to find us.”

  Shamarion inclined his head and disappeared in a flash of blue light. Outside, Jez heard the rumbling of heavy footsteps. He looked to Osmund. “Did you find another way out of here?”

  “The cave goes on for a long time. There might be, but I didn’t find it. I wouldn’t want to get lost down there, though.”

  “Jez, there are probably other demons down there too,” Lina said.

  The thing outside roared so loud dust came free from the ceiling. The three exchanged glances. “Well, we know there’s definitely something out there, and Shamarion specifically asked us not to die, so I think we should try our luck in the cave.”

  It roared again, but this time, creatures from deep within the cave responded. Dozens, if not hundreds, of roars sounded from within the earth. They were coming closer. Jez pursed his lips.

  “Or maybe we should just go outside.”

  CHAPTER FORTY

  “Lina, can you send out decoys?” Jez asked.

  She nodded, and images of Luntayary and Ziary appeared. They were imposing, but they didn’t look quite right. They didn’t have the same presence as their real counterparts. Ordinarily, they’d be good enough.

  “What senses are you using?”

  “Sight, smell, and sound. There’s a little protection and destruction, but I’m not that good at those. They won’t hold up to a close examination.”

  “Hopefully, they won’t need to. I think that should be enough for a little while.”

  “Are you ready?” she asked.

  Jez took on Luntayary’s form and nodded. Ziary stepped up next to him and did the same. Their false images extended their wings. There wasn’t enough room for them to do that in the cave, and their wings passed right through the stone. A second later, they flew out. Jez a
nd Ziary exchanged glances before running out of the cave and taking to the air.

  The thing stood at least twenty feet tall and was wreathed in flame. Bat-like wings rose from its back. Bone spikes jutted from its arms and legs. Deep red scales covered its body wherever bone wasn’t showing, and a pair of curved horns came from its head. Fire billowed from its nostrils with every breath, and a forked tongue flickered from its mouth. Burning cracks ran up and down its body which constantly spurted fire and smoke. It had three sets of eyes, each burning like fire. Fear welled up inside of Jez, but he forced it down. He knew this creature.

  “That’s a phobos,” Jez said.

  “That doesn’t look like a phobos,” Ziary said.

  “It’s a phobos that has its full power. It won’t be as easy to beat as they are in our world.”

  One of its clawed hands grabbed at the fake Jez but passed through the image. The creature roared, and Jez felt the impulse to run, though Luntayary’s power blunted it. Ziary shifted his weight.

  “Fighting a phobos has never been easy.”

  Jez nodded, and Ziary shivered. As if detecting the gesture, the phobos turned and focused its six eyes on them. The illusions buzzed around it, but it ignored them. Its hand slashed forward, but Jez flapped his wings, and its hand passed beneath him though it came close enough for him to sense its power. He felt an echo of his own. Ziary’s sword sank into its arms, but it barely seemed to notice. Its hand shot forward and closed around Jez, and the world vanished.

  The boy was on the ground in tears. The creature raised its foot to bring it down on the human, but a ball of force hit his leg and sent him to the ground. He got to his feet and saw another boy, even younger than the first. The child threw power, and the next thing the creature knew, it was back in the abyss, its form dissipated.