The Godling Chronicles : Bundle - Books 4-6

by Brian D. Anderson

  “It’s good to see you looking better, My Lady,” remarked Victis. “It would seem that you’re more than ready for battle.”

  Bellisia smiled and sheathed her sword. “Sometimes the words of a good friend can help where sleep cannot.”

  It wasn’t long before the seekers returned. A tall, dark haired elf approached, a perplexed look on his face. For a moment he just stood there in silence.

  “What’s happened?” demanded Lousis.

  “I do not know,” he admitted, shaking his head. “They’re…they’re all dead.”

  “Who’s dead?” asked Victis.

  “The Angrääl army,” he replied. “Every last one of them. Some burned to ashes, others ripped apart, hundreds piled on top of each other…but all dead.”

  Lousis and those around him exchanged looks of utter confusion.

  “Show me,” the king ordered.

  The elf bowed and quickly set off, with Lousis, Victis, Chiron, and Bellisia all following close behind. They had only gone a few yards when Mohanisi joined them. The king’s guard sprang to life, surrounding the entire group.

  “We should use caution,” said Mohanisi, troubled by the news.

  All nodded in agreement.

  The tension was high as the seeker led them to the edge of a large open field. By now, acrid smoke was already burning their eyes and choking their breath, while the stench of burned flesh and charred earth was almost unbearable. Some three hundred yards ahead, a tall hill spanning the entire breadth of the field rose up. The seeker stopped and pointed, but it was unnecessary. The carnage was easy to see.

  Beginning at the base of the hill and rising all the way to the top, mutilated and charred bodies were scattered literally everywhere. At the crest, possibly thousands of corpses had been unceremoniously thrown together and heaped into giant mounds more than twenty feet high. The catapults at the rear of these mounds were still smoldering, causing the air around them to ripple from the heat, so giving the horizon an even more disturbing appearance.

  “They picked a good spot to fight,” was the only thing Lousis could find to say. But his words went unheard.

  “What could do this?” gasped Bellisia.

  “Only Darshan possesses such power,” said Mohanisi.

  “Apparently not,” corrected Victis.

  “We should leave,” said one of Lousis’ guards. “Whoever – or whatever - did this may still be nearby.”

  “We are no safer in our camp than we are here,” countered Lousis. “It would seem that our army is no protection at all from whatever danger is out there.”

  “Look!” exclaimed Chiron, pointing to the top of the hill.

  At first, only the elves could see what Chiron was pointing at through the ripples of intense heat. Then Lousis and the other humans saw it as well.

  From amongst the monstrous piles of bodies, a lone figure emerged. It descended the hill with slow, deliberate steps and headed straight toward them.

  As it came closer, the features became clear. It was a young man of no more than twenty years old with shoulder length, sandy blond hair. He appeared wholly unremarkable in every way: from his medium build and average height, right through to his commonplace attire of a plain white tunic and tan trousers. A small dagger was tucked in his belt, but other than that he looked to be unarmed. Lousis could see that the man’s eyes were fixed firmly on him.

  He halted his guard as they moved to intercept the newcomer. “If he is the cause of this devastation, there is nothing you can do. And if not, then I doubt he is any threat.”

  Though still out of earshot of Lousis’ words, the man raised his hand and called out. “I am no threat, my king. Please do not fear me.”

  Lousis scrutinized the young man closely. There was truly nothing to indicate he was dangerous. In fact, the most remarkable thing about him was that he appeared entirely unremarkable. He wasn’t ugly, yet not overly attractive – the type of person who could easily pass by completely unnoticed. He stopped a few yards away, as if sensing the tension building.

  “Who are you?” inquired Lousis firmly. “And what do you know about what happened here?”

  The man tilted his head and smiled. “Who am I? I am a friend. And as far as what happened here, I am happy to tell you. But first, do any of you have any food? I have not eaten in….” He burst into laughter. “Well, let us just say that it has been a very long time.”

  Lousis looked over his shoulder and nodded. One of the guards pulled a strip of dried meat from his pouch and tossed it over. The throw fell short, but the man’s movements were nimble. He was able to catch the offering well before it hit the ground.

  “Thank you,” he said, tearing off a piece.

  He moaned with satisfaction while slowly chewing the meat, savoring each moment it was in his mouth. At last, he swallowed and sighed. “I hope there is more.”

  “Indeed,” said Lousis. “And you are welcome to as much as you like if you can answer my question.”

  “Which question is that?”

  Lousis glowered. “Do not play games with me, boy. I want to know exactly what happened here.”

  “You have fed me,” said the man, unimpressed by the king’s display of anger. “And in return I will tell you that your enemy was slain by the power of heaven. A power sent by the one you know as Darshan.”

  The name caused everyone to stir.

  “And are you this power?” asked Lousis.

  The man nodded. “I am. I am the wrath and the hammer. I am the storm that comes to sweep away those who would destroy you.” He bowed low. “My name is Melek. And I am at your command.”

  “You tell us that you were sent here by Darshan,” Lousis said incredulously. “How do we know this to be true?”

  Melek glanced over his shoulder at the carnage littering the hillside. “Is that not evidence enough for you? I have defeated your enemy. I have saved the lives of many a brave elf and human who would have undoubtedly died in battle against a superior force. And I will continue to do so - unless you command otherwise.”

  Lousis thought for a long moment before taking a deep breath. “Will you accompany us back to our camp? There you can be better fed and we can talk further.”

  Mohanisi stepped forward. His eyes denoted mistrust and apprehension. “If Darshan sent you, why is it he has never mentioned your name to us?”

  Melek chuckled. “My dear elf. Darshan was only made aware of me recently. His bravery is the reason I am here, and I am deeply in his debt.”

  His smile vanished. “And if I was your enemy…” The ground began to tremble, then stopped after a few seconds. “But I am not. And your childish fears are unnecessary.”

  All the elves stared in wonder.

  “Only once have I felt such power,” gasped Chiron.

  “Then you know that I cannot be false,” said Melek. “For I am the same as Darshan.”

  “How can this be?” asked Mohanisi.

  Melek grinned. “If we can obey our king and return to your camp,” he suggested, not even trying to disguise a demeaning tone. “Perhaps then I can eat and you can hear my tale in full.”

  Mohanisi stepped back, his face still awash with doubt.

  Apart from Melek humming an odd little tune over and over again, the journey back to camp was made in total silence. During the trek, the fact that Lousis’ guard made a great show of forming a protective barrier between the two monarchs and their new guest seemed to amuse Melek greatly. Frequently he waited for a small gap between the guard’s horses to appear, then lured them into thinking that he was about to dart through it. As they hurried to close the gap, he would back off and laugh softly. The guards were much less amused.

  After arriving back at the camp, Louis ordered his captains to stand down and then led Melek to the southern end of the settlement. Here, he ordered a tent be erected and food prepared for their guest. Melek thanked the king and waited patiently until his accommodation was made ready. A number of curious glances were
shot in his direction as he stood there. Rumors were already spreading, and the general mood was changing to one of trepidation and confusion.

  Once all was prepared, Lousis showed Melek inside the tent and over to a small table in the corner. On this sat a bowl of beef stew and a plate of fruit and bread. A bottle of wine together with a small wooden cup completed the meal.

  “I’m afraid that this is the best we can do under the circumstances,” said Lousis.

  Chairs for the rest of the group had also been brought in and arranged in a semi-circle at the tent’s center. Lousis had already instructed his guard and the seekers to keep what they had seen to themselves for the time being. Rumors may be unstoppable within an army, but he did not want to spread the word that a god other than Darshan now walked amongst them. Not until he could be sure of Melek’s sincerity and intentions.

  Melek ate ravenously, stuffing the food into his mouth and gulping down the wine as if he was on the brink of starvation. When all was gone, he let out a sad sigh.

  “I can have more brought if you wish,” offered Lousis.

  Melek held up his hand and shook his head. “No thank you, Your Highness. This must all be quite confusing, and I am sure you are anxious to hear answers.”

  “Indeed,” Lousis affirmed. “You can begin by telling us how you know Darshan?”

  “The answer to that is not as straightforward as it might seem,” Melek replied. “But I will try to tell you as simply as possible.” He stood up and carried his chair over to join the others. “As I have already told you, I am the same as Darshan - a god. At least, that is what you call us. I was imprisoned in a place called Shagharath until Darshan freed me. In order to repay this debt I have pledged to help him vanquish the one you know as the Reborn King. Or the Dark Knight, if you prefer.”

  “I have heard of Shagharath,” said Bellisia.

  “As have I,” added Chiron. “But only as a legend. I never thought it to be a real place.”

  Melek’s eyes darkened. “It is very real, I can assure you. I languished in that nightmare longer than you can imagine. And there I thought I would spend eternity. That is, until Darshan came. Through his mercy I have a second chance at life…now that I am free.”

  Mohanisi leaned in to meet Melek’s eyes. “You say you were a prisoner. How did this happen? How is a god imprisoned? And by whom?”

  Melek sniffed. “By those I trusted most. There are many things you do not know. Many tales you have not heard. That the nine gods worshiped in this world were not the first created is one of those tales. I was the first and most powerful. And then....”

  He paused as if the words would not come. “And then my wife, Ustrea. She came next. Together, we gave birth to the nine gods you know today. They are my children and I loved them dearly. And it was my love for them that caused my downfall.”

  “Are you saying that your children imprisoned you?” Mohanisi pressed. “How could that be accomplished if your power is so great?”

  Melek frowned. “Are the gods not imprisoned now? Was this not accomplished by a mere human? I was betrayed; that is the truth. If you do not believe me, I will speak no more of this until Darshan arrives.”

  “I meant no offense,” said Mohanisi, though his tone was unapologetic. “Please continue with your tale.”

  There was a long pause as the pair locked eyes. Finally, an understanding smile crept over Melek’s face. He gave a soft laugh. “You are right to question me, of course. I forget how mortal minds work. I have been alone for such a long time.”

  He leaned back and folded his hands in his lap. “As I was saying – eventually I was betrayed. In spite of my warnings, and directly against the commands of the Creator, Gerath wished to rule in the mortal realm. He came down from heaven and demanded worship and sacrifice. Those who would not bow to his will were destroyed. My wife and the rest of my children wanted to rise up against him, but I knew they were no match for his power. So I did the unthinkable. I created Shagharath as a place to contain his evil, then forged a weapon known as the Fangs of Yajna that was able to send his spirit there.”

  A frown formed on Melek’s face. “But Gerath was clever. He discovered my plan and set about poisoning the minds of his brothers and sisters. Eventually, they all turned against their mother and me. They stole my weapon, then lured us into a trap. We fought on the shores of what you call the Western Abyss – and in the end it was not Gerath, but his parents who were both cast into the hell of Shagharath.”

  “Is your wife still there?” Mohanisi asked.

  Melek shook his head and shut his eyes. “Ustrea could not bear her fate. Before too long she threw herself into the pit of oblivion. Her light is no more.” His words were a lament.

  “I am sorry if I have caused you pain with my persistence,” said Mohanisi. “But these are things we must know if we are to trust you.”

  Melek smiled. “I understand. And I would like to tell you the tale in full, but that is far longer than you can ever fathom. You would grow to old age before hearing even the half of it. Darshan was able to know me and trust me because we are kin. As for you, I can only answer your questions and hope that you recognize truth when you hear it.”

  “I want to believe you,” said Lousis. “Another god as an ally would be more than I could dream of. But I must still be cautious. Darshan is not here to corroborate your story.”

  “That brings me to another question,” Bellisia interjected. “Why is Darshan not with you?”

  “When he released me from Shagharath, his physical body was far away from here,” Melek explained. “But I had not yet taken a physical form so was able to see vast distances in a single instant. When I saw that the friends of my liberator were on the verge of defeat, I chose to take form here so as to aid you in your hour of need.”

  “And we thank you for that,” added Lousis. “But tell me…how did Darshan know of you? None of us have ever heard the name Melek before. And how did he find a way to release you?”

  “I am afraid to say that one of his friends sacrificed her life in order to help him secure my freedom,” said Melek. “A human named Maybell had knowledge of my imprisonment, and of how to release me. She was the only human who knew of my plight. She understood that with me at Darshan’s side, the war would quickly be over and thousands of lives saved. Unfortunately, it meant that she had to accompany him to Shagharath.” He lowered his eyes. “Her body was destroyed in the process.”

  “I knew Maybell,” said Lousis. “She was a good, kind woman. I am saddened to hear of her passing.”

  Melek stood and surveyed the gathering. “I know you have many reservations. And that your questions are more numerous than the stars. But if you will allow me to prove myself through my actions, by the time Darshan arrives you will already be calling me friend. Together we can beat back the darkness that threatens to encompass this world, and ensure that it never returns.”

  “How do you propose to prove yourself?” asked Lousis.

  Melek flashed a toothy grin. “By rescuing the rest of your army. Those who fight in the south will surely be defeated if no help comes. Let me save them before it is too late.”

  “You know of their fate?” asked Lousis, anxious to hear news of Nehrutu and Aaliyah.

  “Your enemy is clever,” Melek replied. “He sent an army to meet them and sank most of their vessels. At this moment they are attempting to break through to join you.” He shook his head. “They will not succeed.”

  “How do you know this?” asked Chiron.

  “Partly because of what I saw when I left Shagharath. And partly because I pried it from the mind of the enemy commander.” His grin turned malicious. “He was most helpful.”

  Lousis rubbed his chin. “Can you give us time to discuss this?”

  “As you wish, Your Highness. But know that each minute of delay is another life lost.”

  Lousis nodded slowly and stood. The others did the same. “Please make yourself comfortable,” he said. “My gu
ard will be just outside should you require anything.”

  “Thank you,” said Melek. “If I could have some more to eat….”

  “I will see to it at once,” said Lousis. He then turned and led the others out.

  * * * * *

  Melek watched with an artificial smile as they departed. He held his fleshy hands in front of his face and groaned.

  “Is this what I am reduced to?” he muttered.

  His subtle yet effective use of the flow of the spirit had worked. He could have easily used more force while manipulating their minds. But if he had, the elves present might have sensed what he was doing.

  Better this way, he thought. To leave Darshan’s friends mostly unchanged may be the wiser course. Not that he will need much persuading once he learns the truth about his foe. Then, he will have no choice but to accept my help. And after that, he will give me his in return.

  A short time later a soldier entered with more food. Melek thanked him and began devouring the meal. The body he had used to create his physical form had been nearly starved. But if he’d remained in spirit form any longer than he had, he would have simply blinked out of existence. He’d needed to bind himself to the earth quickly, and this poor creature was the only human close enough to the Angrääl army for him to reach and destroy it before battle commenced.

  I should have just used a soldier, he thought. In any event, it was far too late now. This was his body in this world until heaven could be unlocked....unlocked and conquered.

  * * * * *

  Lousis led the others to the very far edge of the camp. Here, he hoped, they would be beyond the hearing of a god, though he doubted it. He could feel the eyes of the soldiers following him as they passed by. Though the secret of exactly what had happened to the enemy army was being well kept for the time being, there was no hiding the pillars of black smoke rising from their position. Combined with the arrival of a young man who was immediately allowed to speak privately to both himself and King Victis, not to mention all of the most senior elves, it was clear to everyone in the camp that something significant must have come about.