“What are we going to do with you?” Silver asked rhetorically.
“You are going to pick a name for her.” Leigh huffed, as she moved aside bushes to come and stand next to her. “And she is going to stop trying too hard to be free of the pen.”
Silver smirked; I think Theria just likes my company, unlike some people.”
“You deserved every shout Lena hurled at you!” Leigh retorted, “This is your magic and your life-long companion. You were completely ignorant of everything to do with her; you couldn’t even tell me that she was a she!” Leigh then stood stock still. “Did you just say Theria?”
Silver thought back. She had, hadn’t she? “I guess it just slipped out.”
Leigh looked overjoyed. “It took you long enough.”
Now that Silver thought about it, the name was alright, as names went. She stroked the pup’s – Theria’s – back. “Well, now that this is over with, is it safe to return inside of my own caves?”
But just then there was an unwelcome knock inside her mind. Gaillean was speaking to her mentally.
“If you wish to learn to use your powers in this world, you will meet me in your training ring in five minutes, be late, and you will wait for another week.”
With that ultimatum in mind, she carefully passed Theria to Leigh before she ran using her advanced speed to get there with two minutes to spare.
Gaillean was already waiting.
“Well done. I had expected you to keep me waiting out of spite.”
“The sooner I learn this the sooner I get out of here.” Silver muttered. “Now teach me, if you think you can. Personally I have my doubts.”
“I don’t have to teach you.” Gaillean informed her. “The only thing you really need to know is what you’re doing wrong, which is a lot of things, but for this particular exercise is just one crucial mistake.”
“Enlighten me then, oh great one.” Silver rolled her eyes.
Gaillean sighed. “You are making the mistake of falling back on how you used your old powers, the ones that you owned. You possessed the magic in that situation. Your new powers make you more of a conduit for demonic energy. You do not possess magic, you merely channel it, which makes you all the more powerful because the only way you can run out of power, is if you pull all of the magic from the demonic realm. Needless to say, that isn’t possible. You shouldn’t be searching inside yourself for power; you just need to draw it to you, creating a portal. Once the portal is established, the energy from both worlds will mix, so any energy you take from the demonic realm and release on this realm will flow back through again, so no adverse effects are suffered by anyone.”
“So I just create portals?” Silver was disappointed. “What’s the point of that?”
“Were you not listening? You wield demonic energy, you can use the powers of the demons that you have been studying, and draw those same demons through the portals you open, commanding them to do whatever you wish using a never-ending supply of power.”
Gaillean looked unimpressed that she was so skeptical of her powers, so when he grabbed for her hands, she automatically brought a knife up and sliced a cut up his arm. Golden blood flowed for a few seconds before he healed.
“What was that for?” He demanded, furious as he tried to wipe the blood from his arm and onto his trousers. Droplets of it hit the ground below them and flowers and plants began to sprout instantly. Gaillean ignored it pointedly, but Silver noticed and in the back of her mind contemplated.
“You tried to touch me!” Silver retorted. “Give a woman some warning, daddy dearest!”
“I only tried to move your hands into the right position you silly –” Gaillean seemed to remember his composure all of a sudden. “Can I please move you so that you are in the correct position?” He almost appeared contrite.
“Demonstrate; I will move myself.” Silver replied slowly, confused by his sudden change of demeanor.
Gaillean moved so his feet were shoulder-width apart and his arms were slightly raised.
“The movement I would suggest you begin with is this.” He raised his arms, his hands turning as he did so that they ended up palm out and his arms were held straight in front of him.
Silver practiced the movement, and then heaved a sigh of frustration.
“Nothing’s happening.” She growled.
“Did you expect it to? I only taught you the basic motion, not the technique.” He gave her a smug smile. “Move your hands back to the start. Now feel with your fingertips, can you feel anything?”
Silver grumbled but did as he asked. Nothing, she was about to complain when Gaillean spoke up.
“Try taking off your gloves.” He suggested.
Her gloves? She pulled them off, unsure what difference it could possibly make, and dropped them on the ground.
“You are feeling for an edge, from what I understand it should be as fine as a strand of hair.”
“From what you understand? You mean you don’t actually know?” Silver was beyond irritated now. “So much for omniscience!”
“Shut up and focus.” Gaillean snapped.
“Bossy much?” Silver asked, but continued to feel for this edge he was talking about, still nothing. “Nothing.” She sighed, lowering her fingers.
They caught on something, like a piece of fine wire. Instinctively, she pulled her hands upwards as her father had told her, yet when it got to the point where he had put his palms facing away from himself, Silver turned her hands palm up.
A glowing oval formed in front of her, like some kind of mirror, it only showed her reflection. Intrigued, she reached out and touched the centre, instantly ripples spread out to the edge and then disappeared.
Gaillean clapped slowly. “Well done, I didn’t expect you to manage that so easily.” He circled the portal she had made. “This as I think you have already realised is a portal.” He continued to circle it as if scrutinizing it. “If I am not mistaken, this one would lead you out somewhere in the third world if you were to enter it. As you keep practicing you will learn to direct the other end of the portal to where you wish to go. You will also use the portals as weapons.”
Weapons, Silver smiled, now he was speaking her language.
“Teach on.” She offered.
“You can be taught further when you can do that again. Get rid of this portal and then create and destroy another hundred. That is when you will be taught the next step. I won’t tell you anything more unless you do this.” He walked to the edge of the dirt ring, “Begin!”
Silver groaned, what was it with this guy and repetition? She waved her hand across the portal, dissipating it into thin air before she felt once again for that fine invisible edge. The things she did to use her magic.
After she reached her seventieth portal, Gaillean began to blabber magical theory at her.
“If you open a portal, whichever world it is opened to with automatically exchange energy with this world. You will be able to harness the specific energies of each world, for example, it is likely you will be able to wield demonic fire when a portal to the first world is open. The portal does not have to be close by for this to work either.” He paused, “For this reason, you may wish to create permanent portals to each world in a highly guarded place.”
“My caves are too well known.” Silver grumbled as she created and then instantly destroyed a portal. “I have decided I will be moving from them shortly. The kingling owes me a castle anyway.” She created another portal.
“When did he promise you that?” Gaillean looked bemused.
“I told him that when I won against Kobos I wanted my own castle so that I could mount his head on a pike in front of it.” Silver smirked. “Unfortunately I vaporised Kobos so I won’t be able to decorate it the way I would like, but a promise is a promise.” Then she thought about it. A castle would be too obvious, and easy to get to. “On second thoughts, I think I’ll stick underground, it’s easier.” She dismissed another portal.
Each time it got easier and e
asier, faster and faster. Maybe there was something to be said for all this repeating, but that would mean admitting Gaillean was right to be frustrating, which he wasn’t.
Gaillean made her conjure portals through the day and into the dead of night. When he ran out of different ways to conjure them, he taught her to make them move, throw them like discuses and conjure them inside of other beings, killing them. Once he was satisfied that she could conjure them effectively enough, he taught her to call beings through them using visualisation, for which her field notes came in handy. Every type of demon was called a hundred times, and she did not sleep or eat while Gaillean pushed her hard for two days of solid magic.
Commanding the demons while they were on the same world as her was easy, yet Gaillean made her prove she could do it verbally and using her mind. He was being paranoid, testing her ability to control individuals and groups and then a mixture of both. They were interrupted twice by Theria getting free, after which Lena would rush up, apologise to the Ancient and then run off with her again.
When the third day was up, Gaillean finally ungrounded her.
“You are free to go wherever you wish; you have learnt all that I can think to teach you.” He told her before teleporting away suddenly.
“Finally!” Silver yelled into the space he had occupied just moments before.
The first thing she did was check to see that his irritating restrictions really were gone, she ran all the way to the walls of Morendor before she returned to get her weapons. With quick instructions to Lena to keep an extra sharp eye on Theria – who was finding it harder and harder to escape now that she had doubled in size, she left the caves through the passageways, remembering the way to Morendor like it was yesterday.
Chapter Sixteen
DEADLY ASSETS
The Kingling’s study was the same as it had always been, messy, filled to the brim with paperwork and he still had that same chair that she had commandeered in her past life. If she had to guess, she’d say that his desk still bore the hole where she had driven a dagger into it as well.
That very desk was where he was still sitting, even though it was the very early hours of the morning, scribbling furiously.
Silver conjured a portal to the second world and conjured through it two of the nycto-demons from the pack she had stayed with.
Darkness filled the passageway and she switched to her other vision before commanding the demons to enter the study through the hidden door in the fireplace. Marten heard the door open, and looked up, but she knew he wouldn’t be able to see anything but tendrils of darkness seeping into the room and blanketing everything in an impenetrable black cloud.
Silver stepped through once the entire room was covered, smiling at the sight of the kingling with his sword out trying in vain to see through the darkness. He even switched his eyes into those of the animal traits, hoping his other half could help him. Poor little halfling.
“Did you miss me, little king?” Silver goaded as she stepped right in front of him and waved her hand in front of his face.
“I should have guessed.” He groaned and lowered his sword, but didn’t sheathe it. “What took you so long?”
“Daddy issues,” Silver replied with a smirk. “Don’t you just love family?”
“Could we lose the dark?” Marten asked. “I prefer to see the person I’m talking to.”
“My friends are rather shy and prefer this.” Silver smiled, watching the two nycto-demons circle the room. “Now, how long till my half-sister returns and I have to go?”
“I’ll make a deal, lose the darkness and I’ll tell you.” Marten bargained.
“But I can see you just fine.” She whined. “Besides, it doesn’t really matter when she comes, no one can see in the presence of this species of demon except for me. I just wondered when my sister and I would be getting a little catch up session.”
“Why did you bring demons into this world? The Ancients won’t sanction this.” Marten warned.
Silver just laughed, “Oh, kingling, who do you think taught me to use my powers if not them? I certainly wasn’t enrolled under your precious queen of wytchdom, was I?”
Marten went stock still. “They wouldn’t.”
“They resurrected me; do you not get the impression that they’re desperate?” Silver smirked though he couldn’t see it. “My father even trained me to make unbreakable swords and then took me to the demonic realm to learn about my new army.”
Most men would have been quivering at the very thought of demons, but Silver had learned that Marten was either too brave or too stupid to fear much.
“What do you want?” Marten asked in an odd calm.
“I want that castle you promised me.” Silver told him, “I died for it after all.”
“Sorry, we’re a little short of castles at the moment, why don’t you try again in a few hundred years?” Marten muttered, yet guilt was threaded through his eyes.
Silver smirked, “If a king died, I’m sure a lot of castles and palaces would be vacated.”
“If you were going to kill any of us for revenge you would have done it by now.” Marten argued.
“Oh kingling, have you forgotten the things I do when I get bored?” Silver asked. “Do you want a reminder, because I will.” She paused. “Last chance kingling before I take my own castle and cause you a lot more paperwork in the process.”
Marten said nothing, but he didn’t have to, his stubbornness and annoyance was written all over his face.
“Hard way it is then.” She motioned one of the demons forwards. There was that tell-tale hiss of sound as the nycto-demon sped past Marten, slicing open his side with ease. By the time the king of mortals clutched at his new wound, the demon was already crouched by Silver’s leg as she stroked its head with praise.
“Quit whining.” She ordered. “That’s nothing compared to all the men and women you just sentenced to die. My army needs practice after all.”
She sent the nycto demons back through the fireplace, following just far enough behind that Marten would see her silhouette through the shadow if he looked.
When she was back in the passageway she sent the nycto-demons through the portal with instructions to ready the others for prey and then sprinted back to her caves.
Leigh was waiting for her.
“I would like to point out that King Marten is my employer for the majority of the year.” She began. “Killing him would seriously damage my income.” The centaur kept pace with her as she strode towards the hellhounds’ nursery.
“I’m glad to know that your mercenary instinct remains strong.” Silver retorted. “I gave him a choice; he forgot that I always mean what I say.”
“So where are you headed?” Leigh asked as Silver climbed deftly over the gate that failed to keep Theria from escaping most of the time and into the pen.
The effect was instantaneous; she was almost toppled as six hellhound puppies leapt upon her. Even at a size larger than Great Danes they were still puppies and it showed. Although Silver doubted that they would mature even when they were full grown. That could be quite problematic as six horse sized creatures leaping on top of her would probably cause some damage.
She ran her fingers through their fur, shocked to find some of the fluff coming off in great chunks and leaving behind scales that were sharp against her fingers. A quick glance at their mouths revealed that their teeth were coming through as well.
“Are you all behaving?” She asked them. Theria whined and Silver almost laughed. “I know you don’t. Lena tells me about you every time I see her.”
The grey pup, Cicero, yipped and Silver absent-mindedly stroked his head. None of them could speak yet. Naphulan had said that they would at around two weeks. Perhaps they were traumatised by their mother’s death; Silver had heard that some people could be ridiculously sensitive like that. Personally she thought it fitting that her familiar had been introduced to battle early. In addition, hellhounds weren’t exactly peaceful by nature, so
why would their mother dying have any effect on them.
She brushed off the fur that they were moulting, allowing the kingling time to warn all of his people. Not that it would be necessary. She had no interest in a human fortress.
Leigh was still waiting for an answer, Silver realised as she turned around to find the centaur staring at her.
“I plan to take the dwarven fortress of Dalmorin in the north.” Silver informed her silent watcher. “These caves have lost their anonymity and thus their value to me.”
Leigh’s mouth dropped open. “But surely invading a dwarven fortress won’t go unnoticed! It’s a well-known and well-guarded stronghold. If you’re looking for anonymity find another unused cave rather than a huge dwarven mine sandwiched between the human realm and the elven forests!”
Silver sat down inside the pen and allowed the hellhounds to pile around her. Explaining this would be tricky. “Because no-one will know I have taken it over.” She began. “I knew King Marten would never give me what he owes me, so I thought about it and Dalmorin is perfect. It is completely unconnected to any other dwarven mine, which is a rare thing in itself. It’s closer to Morendor than these caves and at the same time it is closer than Elvardis. I will use the nycto-demons to cover my entrance. Then they will surround and capture the dwarves and bring them to me. I will bring a helio-demon through, and it will possess every single dwarf. The demon will take control of the dwarves’ minds, forcing them to behave normally yet at the same time they will follow my every command and worship the ground I walk on. Then I will use the dwarves mining skills to connect Dalmorin to the secret passageways between Morendor and Elvardis. When their work is done, I’ll decide what to do with them. I suspect a few may die in the initial attack, no matter, if anyone asks the dwarves under my command will only remember a terrible cave in.”
Leigh’s mouth moved for several minutes before she managed to speak. “What if one dwarf breaks free of the control?”
“They can’t, they won’t even know that they’re being controlled. They’ll think that my being there is normal. Their memories will be altered and the helio-demons will leave once the process is complete.”
Silver's Redemption (Soul Merge Saga Book 3) Page 11
