Echoes of Demons (The Memoirs of Abel Mondragon Book 2)

by Chase Erwin

  Jonathan sighed. “Because, princess, there had been a threat of pirate activity on the sandsea, and we had reason to believe the Ravens may have several groups of sand pirates on their payroll.”

  Meanwhile, the Winds were talking amongst themselves in their carriage. Occasionally, their heads turned towards me. I would smile and wave at them, but each time they would turn back and talk in hushed whispers again.

  Sure, guys, I thought. That doesn’t make me feel awkward or weird at all.

  “There’s something up ahead,” Irek said from his driver’s seat, pointing with his right hand. “I just caught a flash of something.”

  “I see it too,” Jonathan said over the sounds of galloping. “Hyah!” he commanded the horses to run faster. We all gripped the sides of the carriages as we raced forward.

  The trees began to be sparser as we saw something indeed gleaming with what little sunlight remained. It appeared to be a large carriage with a gold frame.

  “Great Mother,” shouted Enwel. “It’s Father’s carriage!”

  “Faster, damn it!” Jonathan yelled at the horses, who huffed and puffed as they pushed themselves to obey his commands.

  When we were just a few short yards away, Jonathan commanded the horses to stop. We all lurched forward, and before coming to a complete halt, Enwel leapt out and ran towards the king’s carriage.

  “Enwel, stop!” Jonathan pleaded, but to no avail.

  The carriage was overturned, slumped to one side in a ditch. The horses were nowhere to be found. Jonathan and Enwel hurriedly examined the wreckage.

  “There’s blood all over the inside of this carriage,” Jonathan muttered grimly.

  Enwel’s face twisted between expressions of fear, grief and rage. “Where is he?! Where is he?!” She got into the ditch and tried to push the carriage back onto the path. While her brute force was causing the chariot to budge, it was nowhere enough for her to single-handedly move it.

  However, it was enough for her to see what lay underneath the chassis. She screamed.

  “What? What is it?” Jonathan came running over, unsheathing his sword in the process.

  “Jonathan – don’t,” she warned. But he did not listen. He came around to flank Enwel’s side, and grimaced at what they saw.

  “What is it? Beltrin said, exiting our vehicle.

  Enwel’s words caught in her throat. “It… it’s three of our guards,” she said.

  “Fry, Carstairs and Harper,” Jonathan confirmed. “It looks as if the carriage fell on top of them” –

  “It was tossed on top of them, thank you very much!” A voice echoed out at us from the horizon, causing Enwel to spin on her heels immediately.

  “Domnall?!”

  A tall man stood far away from us – several hundred feet away, atop a hill. But his voice hit our ears as if he were standing beside each of us.

  “Hello, good sister,” he said. His words dripped with darkness.

  “Domnall,” Enwel said. “Please… please say this isn’t true. Why are you here?”

  “It is time,” was Domnall’s response. We waited for a continued explanation.

  “Time for what?” Enwel demanded.

  “It is simply time,” Domnall repeated.

  “Where is our father?”

  “I have him,” Domnall replied.

  “Where?!”

  “Don’t be so shrill, sister dear,” Domnall said. “It’s an unbecoming trait of the supposed heir to the throne.”

  I strained to look towards Domnall, but there was a haze shrouding his face.

  “It’s time that you and I discussed matters of the kingdom,” Domnall said. “Here, why don’t you all come up to the hill and we can have a little chat?

  “Show me you are unarmed first,” Jonathan yelled.

  “Jonathan, is that you?” Domnall asked. “What a treat! I haven’t heard that demonstrative voice since I was a teen.”

  Jonathan unsheathed his longsword. “I said, show me you are unarmed!”

  The fog began to clear. Domnall had a knapsack slung over his shoulder, which he set to the ground. He held up his arms and slowly spun in place. “No swords, no blades of any sort,” he said. “Satisfied?”

  “For now,” Jonathan said.

  “Feel free to keep your sword drawn,” Domnall said. “In fact, all of you, draw your weapons if you wish! I have nothing to hide.”

  Remi kept her hand on her sheathed sword, but the rest of us who were supplied with daggers or swords decided not to bear arms.

  We slowly grouped together and walked deeper into the clearing, unsure what Domnall would say or do at his impromptu summit.

  12. Last of a Dying Breed

  “Little sister,” Domnall said. It was difficult to tell if he was conveying genuine happiness at seeing Enwel or if he was being sarcastic. “So glad to finally see you after so long. You haven’t changed. Have I?”

  “I don’t know,” Enwel said. She was keeping her nerves steady, but I happened to see her lip quiver. “You tell me.”

  Domnall smiled. “Well, I suppose yes, a few things about me have changed. But not the things that matter.”

  “You have been with the Ravens,” Jonathan said. “I can smell their swarthiness all around you.”

  “Rude,” Domnall scolded playfully. “I should still watch how you address a royal family member if I were you, Jonathan.”

  “Domnall, please tell them you’ve been working to stop the Ravens from interfering with Galek,” Enwel said. “Please say that’s what you’ve been doing.”

  “Oh, dear sister, of course that’s what I’ve been doing.”

  Enwel sighed in relief.

  “The Ravens don’t know the first thing about how to properly infiltrate the city,” Domnall continued. “They don’t know about the underground passageways connecting the five districts together. They don’t know about the shields that can be used to block magic… Well they didn’t, which would have made an overthrow campaign woefully inadequate.”

  “Domnall, why?” Enwel cried. “I don’t understand, what has happened to you?”

  “Nothing at all,” Domnall replied, smiling from ear to ear. “I said the things that matter haven’t changed. They haven’t changed since the day you were born.”

  Enwel shook her head. “I don’t understand…”

  “The course of this kingdom’s lineage was written on the day you were brought from Mother’s womb.” Domnall’s voice took a sudden hard edge as anger was bubbling to the surface. “From the time you were born, Father Dearest was going to give you the crown. Not me. As far as he was concerned, he only ever had the only child he wanted when you came along.”

  Enwel’s mouth hung open. “You cannot be serious! You had to have known I have no desire whatsoever to take up the role of Queen. Even if he had designated me, there would have been nothing to have stopped me ceding to you once he passed away.”

  Domnall grinned. Though we were not within arms’ length of him, we could all see the pearly white teeth gleaming from his mouth.

  “Secondhand goods, eh,” Domnall said. “Can’t give me anything but secondhand goods – that’s this family’s problem, always has been. Mother and Father always gave their old things to the poor houses. Who wants used handkerchiefs and table linens? Daily reminders that you will never be royalty, that royalty can just toss things aside for newer, prettier things? People in our town are starving, sister dear, and we give them things to put their paltry portions on? Talk about insult to injury!

  “That’s not fair!” Enwel snapped. “Daddy did much more than that!”

  “Did he ever make food for the people? Serve food for the people? Grow crops for the people? No. Nothing but toss off his old scraps for the peasants to fight over.” Domnall’s teeth were gritting together as he spoke. “This family had an overabundance of wealth and did nothing to distribute it equally among the people who needed it most.

  “So, one day I just told the old man to do it �
� make a change for once, instead of just paying lip service – and do you know what he did, Enwel, dearest? He cut me out of the will. Ha! With a stroke of a pen, he made me a peasant. As if that would hurt me? I never wanted a penny from the man in the first place. I wanted him to give those pennies to others. He just never got it through that thick skull of his!”

  “I hear you, Domnall, honestly I do,” Enwel said. “But as I said – it just would have taken time to make it right. Once Daddy abdicated, it would have been up to me to bring you back into the family. I would have transferred power to you and then you could do all those things you wanted on your own terms!”

  “Well, I simply couldn’t wait that long,” Domnall said. “The time is right, I said. And that time is now.”

  “Daddy is still King,” Enwel said with a petulant tone.

  “Not if I have anything to do about it,” Domnall said, his voice now tinged with rage.

  “What did you say?” Enwel’s eyes began to twitch. It was at that moment I looked up and saw storm clouds begin to build above us.

  “It’s time for a new world order,” Domnall said. “And that new order begins now. I come here today on a mission with my friends and cohorts at the Grey Raven, combined with a bit of personal business.

  He pointed a finger straight at me. “First I help return that one back to the Ravens, at which point they help me with my little project – taking Galek into my hands – my rightful hands.”

  “This isn’t the way to do it!” Enwel said as I instinctively inched closer to the group as a sort of shield. “Let me… let me talk to Father! I know he’s still upset with you but let me see how I could change his mind!”

  “I’m afraid it’s far too late for that, my dear,” Domnall said, kneeling at his knapsack.

  “I warn you, do not draw arms!” Jonathan pointed his sword towards Domnall.

  “Don’t be silly; I told you I have no arms,” Domnall said, reaching into the bag. “They’re still with the rest of the body.”

  With that, Domnall pulled out the head of King O’Hir.

  13. Storm Surge

  We stood in shock. I dare say nobody blinked. Domnall stood several hundred yards away, grinning gleefully, as he dangled the head of his father like a small child handling his first toy.

  Domnall held the head by its hair. Blood was still dripping from the sever point, and as Domnall gently swung the head from front to back, the blood pattered grotesquely against the ground.

  “I watched the life drain from this head,” Domnall said with a sick degree of pleasure. “I looked him right in the eye as he died, and knowing his last sight was of my blade inching through his flesh is the best gift he ever gave me.”

  His grin widened as he began to swing the head more forcefully, back and forth, and then finally released it with a grunt of exertion.

  It was at that point Irek noticed there was something stuffed in the king’s mouth.

  “Fireballs – hit the deck!”

  Taryn, still seated in his wheelchair, reached on his left side and pulled a lever. His wheels sprouted solid armor and swung in front of him, creating an instant shield.

  The rest of us slammed ourselves to the ground, and as the head landed, it exploded in a tumultuous ball of flame. The shockwave sent us rolling from our flattened stances for several yards.

  Enwel leapt to her feet first. She pointed a finger at her brother. “You… indescribable bastard!” she spat.

  Domnall’s grin widened further.

  “You have yet to see anything, little sister, precious child, apple of Father’s eye,” he retorted. “This will be the day I see an end to the O’Hir rule over Galek and claim this land in the great name of the Grey Raven!”

  I glanced to my far right when I heard rustling among the high branches of the blackened tree limbs. Three men emerged from the trees – Ravens. Remi and Caeden looked to the left, and spotted three more gray-cloaked figures, all cocking crossbows.

  “Of course, not all my business here is personal,” Domnall said, taking a superior stance at the top of the hill. “I have also been sent on a task to reclaim some of Dr. Kane’s personal property.” He raised his arm and pointed at me. “Your master wishes you back home.”

  I chose not to let the boiling feeling from my arms subside. “I am nobody’s pet!” I screamed. Pointing my right arm at him, the electrical power condensed, shot out of my arm, and hit him square in his metal plated armor.

  The bolt did nothing but cause him to recoil back a few inches at most. The grin never left his face.

  “Mm, yes,” he mused. “Kane said you might be a feisty one. But we shall soon have you taken care of.”

  With those words, he held both arms out in front of him, closed his eyes, and muttered under his breath. The ground beneath us began to quake. Like the thunder rolling above our heads, there was a rumble of movement underneath our feet.

  From the smoking crater caused by the fireball, pale, leathery-skinned hands began to shoot upwards, grasping at earth.

  Enwel ignored the horde scrambling for freedom from the ground, and instead took off her shoes and marched a beeline towards her brother. Staring straight ahead at him, she made a waving motion with her left hand. A large thunderbolt landed in the trees where I had first seen the Raven cohorts were positioned, knocking them all off balance, and unable to shoot at her.

  As the princess confronted Domnall, Beltrin and the other Winds of Andusk huddled for a game plan.

  “Abel, you should run away, as fast as you can,” Beltrin said.

  “Are you insane? There’s no way I’m leaving you guys behind!” I was incredulous.

  “Seems a bit academic now, anyway,” said Taryn, gesturing behind him with his thumb. There was a group of at least five more Ravens convening on our battlefield from the direction we arrived in.

  “Look, whatever they’re going to do, just let them do it,” I said.

  “Are you insane?” Remi looked aghast.

  “No – if Domnall’s orders are to return with me, there’s no way he’s going to let the undead kill me. Remember? They avoided even touching me in the town square – they’re all acting under his command.”

  Just like my attempt to haggle with the salesman a few days earlier, I had absolutely no certainty my theory was correct, but I delivered it with as much confidence as I could.

  “I’ll stay and fight with you as long as I can,” I continued, “but if they get me, and you can see they’re not trying to eat me or anything, leave them be. Get Domnall and the Ravens first.

  “Right then,” Jonathan said, raising his sword. “I’ll engage them then – and try to hold them from advancing as long as I can.” He started down the path back towards the carriages and the advancing Ravens.

  “Fine, that’s your plan,” Caeden said, digging a hand into the soil as he spoke. “Taryn, are you in position?”

  “Go for it,” Taryn called.

  Caeden recited a spell, wrapped his free hand around the clump of soil he grabbed, then hurled it in Taryn’s direction.

  In a matter of seconds, dozens of thick brown vines grew in the shape of a box around Taryn’s wheelchair. Caeden picked up a nearby stone and hurled it at the box. There was a clanging sound and a small burst of orange energy as the box magically deflected the stone a few inches away.

  “Right, let’s break!” Irek dashed a few yards to the left of Taryn’s box. Remi took a position in front, several yards beyond Irek. Beltrin and Caeden paired up on the right side of the box. I decided to flank the rear of the box and keep an eye on the Ravens blocking our entrance. They did not seem to be advancing at that time.

  While Enwel and Domnall screamed at each other, the undead horde from the crater was crawling out and rising. The surrounding ground began to collapse as more creatures began to empty from within.

  It had been a mass grave, we collectively realized, and the masses were coming back up.

  Caeden crossed his arms and made a motion a
s if he were swimming, pushing water away from his body. A forcefield rippled across the field and knocked a few of the undead back into the crater, but those that had already regained their footing were unaffected.

  Crossbow bolts fired from both edges of the forest. One grazed Remi’s neck. She hissed in pain as a small trickle of blood began to eke out. The rest of the bolts hit the box containing Taryn and bounced off harmlessly.

  Beltrin and Irek took turns shooting bolts of fire and cold energy towards Domnall, but he was too far away for them to be of any effect.