Demon Lord VII - Dark Domain

by Southwell, T C

  “Setiss. I am Bane, the Demon Lord. You will remain in this room until I dismiss you. You will obey these mortals, and you will offer them no harm. You will answer their questions truthfully in all matters, and you will allow them to examine you in any way they choose. You will do nothing else.”

  The demon’s eyes flashed. “Lord.”

  Bane turned to Sarjan. “Now I must leave.”

  “Wait.” Sarjan eyed the demon. “Will it obey your orders after you leave?”

  “Yes.”

  “It’s just... air, isn’t it? And steam?”

  “It is a noxious gas of some sort, usually mixed with sulphur, which is why it stinks. If you want to know more, study it.”

  “Right.” Sarjan glanced at his minions, who stared at the demon with wide, horrified eyes. “Could you wait a few minutes?”

  Bane folded his arms and sighed, a slight frown tugging at his brows. Sarjan turned to the demon and pointed to the far side of the room. “Go and stand over there.”

  Setiss drifted across the room, making the people retreat.

  Bane snorted. “You think I am lying, Sarjan?”

  “It’s possible. It might kill us after you’re gone.”

  “If I wanted you dead, I would do it myself, and you heard me give him the orders. He cannot disobey me, and now he cannot disobey you.”

  “How dangerous is it?” Sarjan asked.

  “He is only a minor demon. He could kill you one at a time, and you could not stop him. Your weapons would have no effect.”

  “Is there no way to destroy it?”

  “Only a dark god could do that.”

  “What about the shredder room?”

  Bane shook his head. “That would only vanquish him, which would release him from my summoning.”

  “And then it could return and avenge its humiliation?”

  “He could, but that is unlikely.”

  Sarjan looked intrigued. “Why?”

  “Because demons generally have better things to do, amusing themselves in man form, mostly. He will not find your examination humiliating, I assure you, and you cannot harm him. He will enjoy your fear and taunt you endlessly. He will play tricks on you to frighten you until you order him to stop, whereupon he will find something else to shock or scare you, unless your orders are too specific for him to circumvent. He is a demon; what do you expect?”

  The commander nodded. “You say it’s a minor fiend, what could a larger one do?”

  “A greater air demon would be able to kill everyone in this room within a few moments. They are a lot bigger and more powerful. Direct your questions to Setiss. He has all the answers you crave.”

  Sarjan turned to the demon. “Setiss, come here.”

  The demon swooped across the room and loomed over Sarjan, who retreated with a curse, bumped into a table and made the paraphernalia on it rattle.

  Bane sighed. “Move away from the mortal, Setiss.”

  Setiss drifted off with a hissing snigger, stopping a few feet away, where it regarded Sarjan with sparkling eyes. The commander glanced at Bane, who said, “You cannot be so vague with your orders. He will exploit your every mistake for his own amusement. Remember, he cannot harm you, so there is no need to fear him.”

  “Right.”

  “Now, I will leave you to your study. You may fly your ship back to your own country if you are in danger here.”

  “I... Thank you. Will you be coming back?”

  “I will have to dismiss Setiss, but whether or not I will allow you to see me remains to be decided. Why?”

  Sarjan’s expression was uncertain, which Bane took to mean that he was torn by some inner conflict. “I’d like to ask you some more questions, if you don’t mind.”

  “Is there any chance I can convince you that I am not a dra’voren?”

  Sarjan frowned. “Perhaps.”

  “Then if you wish to speak to me, say my name and ask me to come. I might.”

  “Is that... praying?”

  “Yes.”

  Sarjan’s eyes hardened. “I’m not going to pray to you. You’re not a god. There are no such things as gods.”

  “Then do not.” Bane swung away, and Kayos cast his shield over him.

  The Grey God fell into step with him, smiling. “You waste your time.”

  Bane left the aseptic room and strolled down a corridor, not particularly caring where it led. “Maybe. What are we going to do about Tolrar? He will not follow you into the shredder room now, and I have no wish to be stunned, even though Sarjan has sworn not to kill me.”

  “You cannot trust him. Tolrar is hardly a challenge for you. Go and tear him apart, as you long to.”

  Bane shot him a frown. “I do not long for that. I want him cast down, but if there was someone else who could do it, I would gladly let him.”

  “Alas, there is no one else who can.”

  “How fare Sherinias and Drevarin?”

  “Afraid, but safe for now.”

  “It is time I put an end to Tolrar.”

  “Wait.” Kayos took hold of Bane’s arm, halting him. “If I go with you, I can distract him.”

  “No. I do not need you to distract him, so stay away.”

  “I will do as I wish.”

  Bane shook his head. “Do not endanger yourself.”

  “Do I look like a fool?”

  “Not usually.”

  Kayos smiled and released him. “Good luck.”

  The Demon Lord rematerialised amid the billowing clouds of the light realm, some distance from Tolrar, who pounded on the birthing chamber with bolts of shadow that caused brilliant flares of blue incandescence, making Bane squint and avert his gaze. Remaining invisible, he walked up behind the dark god, who was too engrossed in his task to notice his presence.

  Bane raised his hands and unleashed twin streams of black fire at the back of Tolrar’s head. The dark god gave a bellow of surprise and shock, and Bane cut his power before it fed Tolrar’s Gather. His foe whirled, the light eating away at his exposed dark form in a savage rush of blue flame. Bane became visible and lunged at him, seized his arm and started to Gather.

  Tolrar howled and writhed as the white fire ate into him and Bane drained his power. He struggled to counter the double attack, but his droge form thinned and warped. His human face became translucent, revealing the darkness beneath it, in which his glowing yellow eyes flashed with fury. The remnants of his droge form faded away, and his dwindling arm shot out to slash at Bane’s eyes with claw-tipped fingers. The razor-sharp claws raked the side of Bane’s neck as he jerked his head aside. Tolrar roared a strange hissing name, and the hairs on the back of Bane’s nape bristled as he sensed a surge of power behind him that heralded the arrival of a dark entity. He released Tolrar and spun around.

  A massive creature loomed over him, its sinuous neck arching as it opened jaws filled with crimson teeth, a ruddy glow emanating from its gullet. Tolrar vanished, and Bane Moved in the instant before the monster’s teeth closed upon him, rematerialising several yards away. The beast god snarled and headed towards him with gliding strides, its silver-clawed feet digging deep into the diamond sand. It resembled a great dragon, only larger and more fearsome, its black scales edged with crimson, long silver spikes bristling along the back of its neck and spine. It halted when Bane raised a shield between them, its green eyes gleaming with rage. The beast god eyed the shield, snorted a burst of flame, and vanished.

  Bane stared at the spot where it had been for several moments, reviewing his narrow escape, then let the shield disperse. Kayos appeared nearby and approached him, scowling with concern and anger. Bane touched the scratches on the side of his neck and contemplated the blood on his fingers.

  The Grey God stopped in front of him. “That was close.”

  “How can Tolrar summon a beast god to his aid?”

  “It must be his friend.”

  Bane raised his brows. “How does one befriend a beast god?”

  “With diff
iculty. The commonest way to gain such an ally is to make the beast a god before it is born, foster it and train it to use the dark power, thereby damning its soul, then slay it and raise it from the Land of the Dead, helping it to achieve its full power.”

  “Like Arkonen did to me.”

  “Almost. It is a formidable foe. Beast gods are just as intelligent as we are. It is one of the gifts of godhood.”

  Bane fingered his wounds again. “But how did he summon it?”

  “He must have forged a strong mind link with it, as Arkonen did with you. That is how he was able to enter your dreams and speak to you.”

  “This makes defeating Tolrar a little more difficult.”

  “A little?” Kayos smiled, placed his hand on Bane’s wounds and healed them in a flash of power. “Beast gods are dangerous, especially ones as large as a dragon. Tolrar was lucky his friend was asleep when he needed it, so he was able to summon it. Next time, he may not be so fortunate.”

  “I will still have to get rid of it.”

  Kayos nodded, then looked around as Drevarin and Sherinias emerged from the birthing chamber, the girl wan and shaking. She released Drevarin’s hand and ran to embrace Kayos, burying her face in his chest. He held her and stroked her hair.

  Drevarin cast Bane a lopsided smile. “You almost had him.”

  “Almost.”

  “Next time you will defeat him.”

  Bane gazed into the distance. “Now he knows about me, and he has a powerful ally.”

  “We could make use of the mortals again,” Kayos suggested. “He does not know about them. Take him to the shredder room.”

  “And be stunned.” Bane frowned. “I dislike the notion.”

  “It may be your best option. Tolrar will keep his friend close to him now, and fighting both of them will be extremely dangerous, especially in the mid realm or dark realm. I will protect you from the mortals.”

  “Beast gods do not enslave your kind, do they?”

  Kayos shook his head. “They just kill us when they can.”

  “Does that happen often?”

  “No, but sometimes they ambush us. The darkness always longs to snuff out the light. They are strong, and sometimes render light gods senseless with the violence of their attack, then kill them. Beast gods rarely enter domains, though. They prefer to dwell in the God Realm, where they wander the wastes killing stray mortals and dark beasts. Whenever one rises in a dark realm, they inevitably lay waste to the domain and kill its owner, although, if a light god flees into the God Realm, he or she can sometimes give a beast god the slip and return to their domain. Beast gods are invariably savage, but they are reluctant to tangle with another dark god, whether he is beast or man. In that respect they are like demon gods. I think this one remains inactive because of its friend, who clearly wishes to stay here for the sport, otherwise it would have destroyed this domain long ago.”

  “If Tolrar finds out about the ship, he will destroy it.”

  “He will have to find it first, and the men on the ship know there is another dark god loose in the mid realm. They will be wary.”

  Sherinias released Kayos and turned to Bane. “Bless you, My Lord, for saving us from that... monster.” She took his hand and raised it to her lips, then pressed it to her cheek and gazed up at him with adoring eyes.

  Bane inclined his head and retrieved his hand as soon as he was able. “I only wish I had defeated him, My Lady.”

  “You will.”

  Kayos clasped Sherinias’ shoulder. “Come, let us rest now.”

  Bane followed them to the gazebo, where he flopped down on a couch and summoned a cup of ambrosia. Sherinias shared Kayos’ cup again, making Bane wonder if she was unable to summon her own.

  “We should close the world gate,” Kayos said. “Tolrar will not follow me here now that he knows about you, Bane. He must think you want this domain for yourself.”

  “If I did, I would have let him and Jerriss catch and enslave you, then defeated him.”

  “Not necessarily. Some enjoy the chase.”

  Bane nodded and closed his eyes as the brilliance of the light realm made his head ache.

  Chapter Five

  Saviour

  Governor Predoran switched off the recorder on which he had been making a depressing report as his intercom beeped and his assistant announced that Major Ranjal was waiting to see him. Outside, columns of smoke still rose in lazy spirals from ruined parts of the city where fire fighters had succeeded in dousing the flames, while other areas continued to burn. The fleeing crowds had found shelter or transport into Bayona, and the cratered streets were empty save for fire fighters, rescue teams and soldiers. In undamaged parts of the metropolis, life had reclaimed a semblance of normality, with shops open for business and a few people buying food and essential supplies.

  According to news reports, citizens were stocking up, preparing for a siege or more strife, thereby causing shortages. Some areas of Sarlan lacked power, and looters made the most of the darkness to plunder and vandalise. Predoran had ordered soldiers to restore order in those suburbs, but lacked the manpower to stamp out the crimes. The fire dome still had gaping holes in it, although repair teams had been dispatched to fix the damaged emitters. Until the dome was restored, the city was vulnerable to attack by the dangerous creatures that dwelt in the Wastes. Predoran had received numerous gloomy reports, which he used to compile an overview for President Randoman, along with a request for aid.

  Predoran gave permission for the major to enter, and set aside the recorder as Ranjal halted in front of his desk. “What is it?”

  “A stealth ship returning from a mission has spotted a group of people out in the Wastes, sir. They’re just beyond Minto Peak, and they’ve got army issue tents and groundsheets, but they’re civilians dressed in old-fashioned clothes.”

  Predoran considered. “They must be the people the traitor Nikira left behind when she returned. Are they armed?”

  “A few have swords.”

  “They’re the dra’voren’s followers.” Predoran tapped his fingers on his desk. “They could be spying for him, or he might use them to attack the city.”

  “There are only about fifty of them.”

  “Who knows what kind of threat they pose? They might be able to use the dark power, or, at the very least, they could cause havoc in the city with guerrilla attacks. The dome is damaged and we’re cut off from Bayona, with only one destroyer and a couple of frigates.”

  “And two stealth ships, sir.”

  Predoran frowned. “Those people are evil, like the dra’voren, otherwise they wouldn’t follow him. Bring some in for questioning, kill the rest.”

  Major Ranjal hesitated, but then nodded. “Yes sir.”

  Sarjan studied the fiend, avoiding its sparkling eyes, which sent chills through him. It had taken a great deal of courage for the scientists to approach it close enough to sample its gas, using a long tube attached to a suction bulb, which turned out to be a mixture of nitrogen, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide. There was little else to learn about it physically, since they already knew it contained dark power. Its temperature was well below zero and its presence chilled the room. Questioning it had become a trial of wits, for its answers were evasive, and it sniggered a lot. Sarjan walked around it for the umpteenth time, formulating another question.

  “How do you reproduce?”

  “I do not.”

  “How does your kind reproduce?”

  Setiss sniggered. “They do not, either.”

  “How are new fiends created?”

  “We form from the dark power.”

  “How is your element chosen?”

  “We do not choose it,” the fiend replied.

  “Then how did you come to be an air fiend?”

  “By forming in air.”

  “Why do you obey a dra’voren when he summons you?” Sarjan asked.

  “He commands the darkness.”

  Sarjan stopped to consider his n
ext question. “Is Bane a god?”

  “Yes.”

  “What is a god?”

  “Far more powerful than you, mortal.”

  The commander resumed his circumnavigation of the fiend. “Could he destroy this domain?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are the others with him creators?”

  “Some are.”

  Sarjan jumped as the general alarm whooped through the ship and hurried to the nearest com-screen to contact the central security station. “Report!”

  The security officer who appeared on the screen shouted, “It’s the dra’voren! He’s killing everyone!”

  Sarjan cursed, his mind whirling with dread, despair and disbelief. This was not what he had come to expect from the mortal dra’voren. It seemed out of character, but dra’voren were liars, and he could hardly claim to know Bane all that well.

  “Arm the guards with automatic guns. He can be killed with bullets.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Where is he?”

  “Number two mess hall.”

  Sarjan frowned. Bane knew the ship’s layout, so what was he doing in a mess hall? Closing the connection, he sprinted for the security station to see for himself. It was not far from the lab, on the same deck, and he reached it in a couple of minutes, bursting in. Four security officers stared at one of the screens, which showed a tall man in silver-trimmed black clothes standing in the centre of a wrecked mess hall. Long grey hair framed his chiselled features and a moustache and goatee bracketed his twisted, sneering mouth. Several eviscerated bodies were sprawled around him, and a few survivors hid behind the furniture. He blasted them with bursts of shadow, sniggering much like Setiss.

  Overturned tables and chairs leapt into the air when the fire struck them, sending those who hid behind them scrambling for fresh cover. The pale grey floor bore the scars of many blasts, and blood splattered the walls and slimed the floor. The dra’voren was clearly enjoying himself, toying with his victims. The gore made the footing treacherous, causing some of the fleeing people to slip and fall. The dra’voren swept the walls with black fire, burning away drab pictures in flares of white-hot flame.