Halls of Power (Ancient Dreams Book 3)

by Benjamin Medrano

  “I am,” Elissa finally answered, swallowing hard as she stood up straighter, looking the goddess in the eyes. “I fear aging, and am willing to serve you completely if you will grant me my desire.”

  “Then let it be done.” Tyria flicked her sword toward the bier where she’d laid, and a bolt of brilliant purple flame lanced out. It stopped over the platform, surging into a swirling column of intense fire, and the goddess looked at Elissa seriously. “If you speak truly, step into the flames, Elissa. The baptism of fire will be painful. It will search your heart for duplicity and falsehood. Should you be attempting to deceive me, you will die. If you succeed, the flame will enter you and temper your body and soul into its vessel. So long as you serve me, the flame will preserve you through countless ages, such that only another god could quench it. You will not die of age, though you could perish by the sword. However, should you turn from me, the flame will rage once more and incinerate you where you stand.”

  The description caused the blood to drain from Ulvian’s face. While he’d known that a goddess could grant immortality, he’d never expected something like what Tyria had just offered. Clearing his throat, he asked cautiously, “Is that not a bit extreme, Lady Tyria? It’s just immortality, is it not?”

  “Just immortality? Do you really think so little of breaking the chains of death and time on a mortal lifespan?” Tyria turned to Ulvian, her voice scathing. “While it may be her destiny to live on beyond her own lifespan, it also may not. Not even a greater god would dare to grant immortality on a whim, and I am not a greater god. I am a demigoddess, and all things have their price.”

  “I… I apologize, Lady Tyria, I did not realize just how difficult of a matter it was,” the Archon replied quickly, taking a step backward.

  “It also explains why I have had such a hard time finding a way to attain eternal youth. How could it be easy to gain such a gift?” Elissa asked, and slowly, hesitantly, she smiled and nodded, taking a deep breath. “I may fail. I think I’m being honest with you, Tyria, but I do not know for certain. I will try, though.”

  “As you wish,” Tyria replied, and both of them watched as the sorceress stepped toward the flame, one hesitant footstep after another.

  As she approached, Elissa’s white robes began to blacken, but the priestess seemed emboldened, moving more quickly. She paused only a moment before stepping into the fire, vanishing into the flames completely. A shriek of pain echoed through the room, prompting a wince from Ulvian before it cut off abruptly.

  “Did she just…?” he asked, swallowing hard.

  “No. Now, tell me what it is that you desire, Ulvian. I can see the impatience in your eyes, and I will consider what it is that you request,” Tyria told him, her voice much less friendly than it had been with Elissa.

  “Kelvanis is under siege. We’ve been expanding into the west, and encountered the two elven nations of Sifaren and Yisara, and have been enslaving them as well. Things were going well until recently, when a dungeon began subverting the magical slave brands we used, and also created a city in a single night that has rallied our foes against us.” Ulvian abandoned his elaborate pleas, based on how easily Tyria had seen through Elissa’s lies. “Now we are waging a battle on four fronts, against the city of Beacon and against both elven nations, which is straining our army to the brink of failure, since we are also dealing with rebels in our own cities. Worse, our neighbors Morak and Alcast appear to be preparing to join the battle as well, while my agents report their ambassadors are spying on us. I need whatever help you can give.”

  “That is not the only reason you wish for my help. What is the other?” Tyria asked, staring at the fire over the bier, and Ulvian winced as another cry of pain came from within the cloak of flames.

  “Well… recently I was attacked, and two women who’d been blessed by your angel Zenith and rejuvenated by a drop of your blood escaped. Diane and Jaine Yisara, both dawn elves and beautiful. Their loss has angered me, and I want them back,” he admitted.

  “I see. You are brave, Ulvian. I will go and cleanse some of Kelvanis of its filth, but I will target those that my faithful see as their enemies, not whomever you wish me to.” Tyria smiled as she flexed her wings. “If I do as you desire, it is because I believe it to be necessary, nothing more.”

  “But—” Ulvian began, only to find himself unable to speak at her angry glare, the power almost crushing him in place.

  Tyria said nothing more, her radiance increasing once again as she took flight. There was no bunching of muscles to warn him that it was coming, no blast of air as her wings began beating. She simply took flight, and vanished through the roof as though it weren’t even there.

  Ulvian watched her go in a daze, then let out an incredulous laugh. “In what way is she supposed to be under my control?”

  The violet flame burned Elissa in ways that she couldn’t comprehend. When she’d first approached the fire, while it had scorched her robes, she’d felt no more than uncomfortably warm, which had fueled her confidence to actually step into it. If it had burned at her approach, she wouldn’t have dared to step inside. The moment she’d stepped within the flames, everything had changed as her clothing combusted instantly at the fire’s touch, leaving her almost naked. Only her holy symbol and the chain holding it survived the incredible heat of the flames, and even the ring she was wearing began to glow, then melted and evaporated in an instant.

  Worse was the way the flame seared her very spirit, bypassing her flesh to inflict agony on Elissa’s innermost self, as though her soul had caught fire. As she screamed, the sorceress considered trying to flee, but the rational part of Elissa’s mind repeated what Tyria had said. If she failed this, she would die, and that all things had their price. So, despite the agony that wracked her body, Elissa steeled herself, letting out a bare whimper as the fire spread into her mind.

  The violet flames were a fragment of Tyria’s power and consciousness, Elissa realized a moment later, her eyes going wide in shock and fear. Considering what she’d done to help Ulvian, that meant that if the goddess was feeling vengeful she could kill Elissa instantly.

  Only as the power continued coursing through her mind did Elissa relax marginally, realizing that the fragment of consciousness wasn’t relaying her knowledge back to the goddess. What it was doing was scouring her mind, painfully searing its way through her thoughts as it sought out her many deceptions, lies, and manipulations from over her lifetime. Every one of them it found sent a spike of intense pain through her, as though the flame disapproved of what she’d done.

  At the same time, with every spike of pain, Elissa felt as though the fire had burnt something away, as though it were offering absolution for her sins. As what felt like liquid fire coursed through her veins, Elissa came to almost look forward to each surge of pain and the sense, as though a shackle binding her had come undone. The worst surge of pain came from the memories of the phoenix egg, though, and it prompted another moan of pain, as the surging spike of agony nearly drove her unconscious. For a long moment she thought she would die then and there, before the pain subsided and she began to recover.

  In comparison, the fires seemed far gentler about Elissa’s deeds since she came to Kelvanis. There were a few spikes, in particular when she’d taken the drop of blood for Diane and Jaine, and yet it wasn’t nearly as bad as it focused on more recent events. The fire surged and quickened as it sought out her most recent past, then went through her thoughts, dreams, and desires, burning through them as it sought out even the most hidden parts of her mind, unearthing dreams that until now Elissa had long since forgotten, from the moment she learned her first word outside of Silence and dreamed of becoming a legend. Yet despite everything, she was startled as the trial came to an end and she found herself feeling… almost at peace.

  The fire still blazed around Elissa, glittering with a scintillating light as it blocked sight of the room around her, and she felt it making Tyria’s offer. It was offering her a chain, a new
shackle to replace all those it had burned away. It offered her what she’d dreamed of, eternal youth, but only if she chose to chain herself to the goddess. To her own surprise, Elissa hesitated, wondering if chaining herself to another would truly be a good idea, even for her long-treasured dream.

  But at long last she whispered softly, “I accept, Lady Tyria. I will be your servant, for as long as I live.”

  The fire surged at her words, and then rushed into her body. Unlike the pain from before, this time it was a welcome heat, a fire that surged into her veins with a sense of passion, power, and unswerving perseverance. The heat pooled deep inside Elissa, leaving her body aching with the strength of it, but in a way that was utterly wonderful. Finally she fell to her knees on the bier, panting in the aftermath.

  She didn’t realize that she’d been sweating profusely until the fire was gone, and the air felt cool, chilling her skin and causing goosebumps. Ulvian was looking at her, almost staring.

  “You lived. I must admit to some surprise, considering the situation.” He spoke drolly, shaking his head. “I wasn’t expecting that out of her. I thought she was going to be under my control.”

  “Look somewhere else or grab me some clothing, you decrepit pervert,” Elissa snapped, then paused and took a long, deep breath before continuing. “Tyria is a goddess, and before she was who she is, she was a goddess of the sun, and I forgot that part of her nature is the divination of truth. We turned her into a goddess of passion and flame, Ulvian. That merged with many of her old values to an… unexpected result.”

  Ulvian turned away politely, walking over to a closet and opening it, considering a moment before removing a dress as he replied, his tone recovering to reveal a hint of amusement. “I don’t believe that I saw much in the way of passion, personally. Unless you count rendering you naked. At least the succubi spent far too much time collecting clothing, otherwise I might’ve had to go raid Diane’s wardrobe.”

  The priestess looked at the dress, a relatively simple, sheer black silk dress, and shrugged. “At least it’s close to my size. Assuming that I haven’t changed anywhere.”

  Elissa took a moment to look herself over, and found that she didn’t look much different. Oh, a few calluses were gone, as was a fading cut from where she’d mishandled a book a few days back, but otherwise she seemed almost entirely the same, if she ignored the fire burning at the heart of her mind, the connection to Tyria incarnate. She took the dress, slipping into it. “While you may not have considered it to be passion, think about it, Ulvian. Do you show your obsession with your demonic lady on a daily basis? I don’t think you do. I didn’t show my desire in every action, and there are those who are just driven by their beliefs. I think she’s one of that type. She isn’t a succubus, after all, she’s a goddess who’s saving herself for one she considers worthy.”

  “That makes a certain amount of sense. Now I just have to figure out what she’s going to do, and how to convince her to help,” her old friend said thoughtfully. Before either of them could speak again, the faint sound of horns and alarm bells managed to penetrate the walls, and he looked up in surprise. “What now? Haven’t we had enough disasters over the last few weeks?”

  “Obviously not. Let’s go, there isn’t any real need to stay here for now,” Elissa told him, wondering why she felt so calm.

  Ulvian led the way through the halls, and fortunately leaving his laboratory was much easier than entering it had been. If it hadn’t she would’ve thought he was suicidal. The moment they stepped outside of the door, a captain of the city guard was waiting, and the man saluted, his voice trembling. “Lord Archon, an angelic woman suddenly appeared over the city, and has set fire to at least three buildings in the noble district, including the embassy of Alcast. The mage corps is mobilizing, but she’s outside bowshot and too high for the ballista to get an angle on her.”

  “Gods damn it… remind me to have the ballista rebuilt later, Captain. What are we going to do if we have drakes attack? The woman, does she have purple hair and glow with a brilliant light?” Ulvian asked, continuing down the hall with Elissa and the Captain at his heels.

  “Yes sir, she does. How did you know?” the man replied, confused.

  “We just had a visitation by Tyria herself, Captain, and she seemed displeased by something,” Elissa explained, her complacency cracking as she wondered what the goddess was doing. “She vanished not long ago, and that was what she looked like.”

  “A… a goddess? Tyria herself?” The blood drained from the Captain’s face, and they emerged onto a balcony.

  In the distance five columns of smoke were rising from the nearby noble district, and even from here Elissa could see the fires burning brightly, with a faint purple hue to them. In the sky above the district the brilliant armored form of Tyria flew. As they watched she made a gesture with her sword, and from the flaming blade lashed out an intense stream of flames toward another building. A glittering shield sprang into existence around the building, blocking the flames, but the fiery attack seemed to go on and on.

  “That’s Adjudicator Balstad’s manor,” Ulvian murmured, his hands tightening on the railing. “What’s she doing?”

  The barrier cracked and shattered under the continual assault, and the flames engulfed the estate. The Captain swallowed and asked, “Orders, Your Excellency?”

  “Stand down and don’t attempt to attack her! I don’t know what in the hells she’s doing, but we don’t want her to come after the army!” Ulvian spat out, even as the alarms continued to ring.

  “Yes, sir!” the man replied, dashing off quickly, presumably to tell the mustering forces not to attack the goddess.

  “What in the hells is she doing?” Ulvian demanded, looking at Elissa incredulously.

  “I have no idea. What did you tell her while I was in the fire?” she retorted, crossing her arms in front of her. “It could have had an effect on her actions.”

  “I don’t see how! I just—” Ulvian began, only to be cut off as Tyria spoke, her voice ringing out across the entire city with rumbling power.

  “People of Kelvanath, I am Tyria, the Eminent Flame. There are those among you who are my faithful, and many of them are among the most downtrodden and weakest of individuals. It is my creed that my faithful should serve worthy masters. Yet despite this, some of those masters were not worthy.” The goddess emphasized the last three words, then paused for a long moment. When she continued, her voice was filled with both anger and sadness. “The worst of these I have punished this very day, but they are merely the beginning. Those of you who are unworthy, consider carefully and change your ways, lest I bring my wrath down upon you. Those who are worthy, know that I am watching over you and will defend you against all foes.”

  As her voice echoed through the city, the goddess paused only a moment before vanishing upward into the clouds, like a star ascending to the heavens. No, not to the heavens, Elissa realized. She was moving to the northwest, toward the war front with Sifaren.

  “Now we know, Ulvian. What is it that some people say? Be careful what you wish for. If you get it, it may not be what you truly desired,” Elissa murmured, shaking her head and smiling thinly.

  “I… take your point, Elissa. Still, if it can win the war I think it’ll be worth it.” Her old friend took a deep breath before nodding and straightening. “I suppose I’d best find out just how much damage she did.”

  “I’ll go back to the temple. I’m certain there will be questions that I need to answer as well,” Elissa told him, nodding her goodbye as she headed down the hallway.

  She didn’t mind the looks of shock and fear that she saw on the faces of many of the soldiers. Far more gratifying were the looks of amazement and hope on the faces of the slaves, many of whom had been hopeless for such a long time. Elissa could think of few ways that Tyria could have better cemented her place in the hearts and minds of the slaves of Kelvanis.

  With that in mind, she quickened her pace. It would be a busy day, sh
e expected.

  Chapter 42

  “Why are you by the window?” Diane asked, yawning widely as she did so.

  “Mmm… I’m just looking out past the wall,” Wenris replied softly, the succubus completely naked as she glanced over her shoulder. “Why? Would you like me to come to bed sooner?”

  Diane blushed and looked down, swallowing hard. A part of her wanted to deny it, but she’d rather be honest. It seemed to amuse the succubus. “Yes, I would. But I was also curious as to why you’re looking outside. You seemed far more intent on it than I would have expected.”

  “Really? Well, you are more perceptive than most of the others in the city, and you know me modestly well…” Wenris replied with a grin, turning toward Diane and prompting another blush. “As to why, well, I do believe that Kassandra is planning on paying the army outside a little visit.”

  “Kassandra? You mean the vampire? That seems rather dangerous,” Diane murmured, frowning as she dropped her gaze from the demon to be able to think more clearly. “Isn’t she one of the survivors from old Everium? I’d think it’d be safer for her in the city.”

  “Oh, it’d certainly be safer for the besiegers!” Wenris laughed at the suggestion, shaking her head and smiling broadly. “You haven’t really learned much about her, or Cortin and Nora. The two were just students, Diane, and yet they’re now considered powerful spellcasters and teachers. Kassandra is likely almost as powerful as the Archon.”

  Diane’s eyes went wide at the explanation and she swallowed hard, her voice soft as she replied, “Oh. That explains it, then.”

  The demon smiled and shrugged. “We’ll see how things have gone come morning.”

  The city guards never saw Kassandra ghost past them, and that was as it should have been. With her attunement to shadow magic, the vampiress knew that few beings aside from demons or undead could even begin to use shadow magic so naturally. She’d taken the time to blend into the shadows and slip past the elves on guard, and she actually was gratified that one man seemed to notice something as she passed by. Either she was more incompetent than she thought, or the man was more perceptive than even most elves. She preferred to think it was the second, and paused over the parapet of the gatehouse.