by J. Thorn
Shane retched when he saw the trickle of dark fluid trailing his old friend. He looked up at Lellan’s skewered silhouette and shook his head.
The impalement did not kill instantly. Men had survived days with the wooden stake piercing their bodies. Some lasted so long that the executioner finished the evisceration begun by the stake.
Shane knew Lellan would get no such mercy from the Serpent King. He would remain on that stake until the vultures picked his flesh from it.
Chapter 62
“I have not seen much of you.”
“There is much to do.” The Serpent King poured himself another mug of ale and stared across the table at Ri. “I’m assuming you are not weakening my forces.”
“You know my role here and my effect on the people. Why such concern now?”
He shook his head, stroked his beard, and looked up at the top of the tent. “The business with Lellan left me unsettled.”
“Why?”
“How many others are of his mind? Who else plots to grab the reins of the One World from me?”
Ri moved around the table and sat on top of it. She put her right foot on the Serpent King’s shoulder. “It does not matter, does it?”
“In the end, it does not. I must take the capital before an ambitious lord major tries. Once we get inside, they will all die like dogs.”
Ri pushed her hips towards the Serpent King. She showed him her glistening flower, a tantalizing reach from his lips. The Serpent King declined the offer.
“Why do you not take me?” she asked, moving her hand between her legs. He knocked her foot off his shoulder and stood up, spilling the mug of ale. Ri squealed in surprise.
“I don’t have time for your games. Tomorrow we meet the enemy.”
“That was never a concern before.”
“You are changing.”
“What do you mean?” She pulled the robe shut and stood to face him.
“You and Gishwan spend most of your days sleeping, and most of your nights prowling the camp. I’ve looked the other way, but I fear your hunts deplete my forces.”
“They are not your forces, you arrogant bastard. They are his. You command them.”
“Nevertheless, they must be victorious and take the capital, and they cannot do that if you and the other temptress drain them, night after night.”
Ri clutched the edges of her robe, sealing off the sightline to her creamy skin. “We’ve drained you night after night, and that hasn’t been a problem.”
“I’m talking about the bloodletting, not your sexual perversions.”
“We convert and recruit them for the Dark One. The men will fight with his strength. We drain weakness from them.”
“That is not all you drain.”
“Maybe you wish we spent more time taking fluids from you?” Ri tilted her head down, looking at the Serpent King through her hair. She tucked a renegade wisp of it behind her ear.
“You are filthy whores. If men saw you as you are, they would vomit and spit in your faces.”
“What if they saw you the way you are, Serpent King? Would they follow a cowardly woman into battle?”
The Serpent King hit Ri with the back of his hand, knocking her to the floor. Anger flushed through her body and her true form burst through the disguise. She stood and bared yellowed fangs, dripping with rancid drool, at the Serpent King. Her hair stood in bristly patches on a knotted skull. Bones stretched and prodded underneath gray, mottled skin, snapping like fat on a hot iron. Her breasts hung down in narrow tubes of flesh. Her red eyes flared and her black tongue tasted the air between them. She spoke with her true voice, across many ages.
“Never forget, you putrid wench, that I am the priestess of Miklin, an Angel of the Dark. I belong to him and serve him. If you strike me again, the Dark One will feast on your diseased soul.”
A bony claw reached out and grabbed the Serpent King by the neck, tightening like a vise and lifting him off the ground. While his feet kicked in the air, his face turned shades of blue.
A deep, insidious laugh rose from within Ri as she moved her face closer to his. Her breath reeked of sulfur and her spittle burned like acid. She dropped the hand from his neck and he fell to the floor, gasping for air.
“If you interfere with the work that Gishwan and I do, you will answer to the Dark One. There will be no further warnings or demonstrations.”
The Serpent King pulled himself up on one knee. His right hand moved towards his sword. He released the grip when Ri crouched into a warrior’s stance, and he picked up a dagger from the floor and faced her, rubbing his eyes with both hands. She stood in her flowing robe, the illusion of supple flesh hiding the disgusting reality of the demon.
“I also serve. Do not get in my way.”
She threw her head back and roared in laughter. “I will be sure to heed your warning,” she said with a velvet purr.
Ri left the Serpent King on the floor, nursing the purple bruises on his neck. She turned her shoulder into his as she passed by on her way out, and he grit his teeth in response to her snickering exit.
Ri saw Gishwan moving through the camp. The flow of her garments and the turning heads of soldiers left little doubt of her location. They met under a tree, out of earshot of the warriors camped in the area.
“It is a delight to suck blood and seed from virile men,” said Gishwan with a wink. Ri saw flashes of red and orange in her glaze.
“I never tire of the festivities. Where is Shane?”
“Recovering,” said Gishwan, the red sparkle still in her eye.
“Is he still submissive?”
“Yes, he will not stray far from our command. Why do you ask?”
“I came from the Serpent King’s quarters.”
“Oh,” Gishwan said with a nod and a giggle.
“No, it’s not what you think. He hesitated and I disciplined him.”
Gishwan’s body straightened and she looked at Ri’s face. “In what way?”
“He threatened me. He said that we should not get in his way and that our activities weakened his soldiers.”
“That is foolish. We prepare them for the final battle, to do his work.”
“Yes, and he knows this. That troubles me. We held our pact and have known each other’s roles for a long time. Why does he second guess it now?”
“Nerves? He still has mortal blood running through his veins.”
“Why would he worry when we have equipped his forces with the most powerful weapons on this plane?”
“He fears us. We do what he cannot. He commands the soldiers, but we command the movements of the Earth Goddess and all of her creatures. Does he fear what will happen after the One World falls?”
Ri thought hard about Gishwan’s question. “Maybe the Dark One has not revealed this to him, and that causes him anxiety.”
Gishwan shrugged. “Ri, we have work to do before the final battle.”
“I have spent far too much time on this nonsense. If he proves to be any more trouble, I will let the Dark One deal with him in the realm below.”
Two warriors sat around a fire, smoking herb and telling stories of battles past. They sensed the arrival of the women, but did not acknowledge their presence.
The men stared down at their feet and the embers of the fire. Ri walked over and placed her hand on the shoulder of the man on the left. He shook as if prodded with a hot brand.
“Let us attend to your needs, soldier,” said Ri.
She looked at Gishwan with eyes of desire. The man said nothing, getting up and following the women into the tent. Stories circulated about men who had spurned their advances and then disappeared into the night. As the three entered the cursed tent, Ri and Gishwan turned back to face the lone man at the fire. Their eyes burned with an ember glow and black tongues slithered through sharpened fangs. The soldier shivered in front of the blazing fire. He pulled his cloak shut and looked high in the night sky at the Star of the North. Without a sound, he mourned for his friend
and celebrated the fact that he had avoided the same fate.
They pushed the soldier onto his back, baring his neck and chest. The two demons swirled around him, cackling and breathing the smoke of Miklin in his face. He closed his eyes and thought of his friends and family. Until they stole his essence, those memories were his. Ri and Gishwan dropped their façade and appeared in the tent as they were. As the blood began to leak from his neck and chest, the soldier closed his eyes and thought of home.
Chapter 63
Sasha broke through the trees and stopped a few leagues from the capital. She sat on her horse and stared into the horizon. The wall surrounding the city reflected the sunlight and stood guard like an obedient soldier. Riding in silence, she approached the main gate.
“I am here to save the Empire, and I request entrance to the city.”
“Who has given you clearance?”
“I need to see the lord major right away.”
The guard suppressed a chuckle and looked at his partner with a smile. “Yes, he told us to expect you.”
Sasha bristled at the sarcasm and did her best to remain composed. “Listen to me. I have ridden hard and fast from the city of Risenachen near the Great Sea. That fair city has died. Its residents have fallen to the affliction. The disease spreads across the One World. I have seen its devastating wake. If you do not let me in to speak to your health officials, this city will die as well.”
The guard raised his eyebrows when he heard Sasha say “Risenachen.” Even a man of his low rank recognized that place as the heart of the coalition. “I will query the commanding officer. Wait here.”
Sasha walked tight circles, glancing from the horizon to the guard station. The guard returned and the gate slid open. He waved Sasha through it without another word.
The capital’s population and size rivaled Risenachen, but the mood pulled the stars from the heavens. The sound of her horse’s hooves reverberated off stone walkways and walls. She tasted the gritty dust left to cover the avenues, and the smell of rotting fruit saturated the area near the marketplace. During normal times, busy people would have swamped the main thoroughfare. Every few blocks, Sasha spotted a person walking or exiting a building. They all wore the same look of resignation and depression on their faces. Shops, cafés, pubs, and businesses were closed. The city slept in its coffin, waiting for death.
The guard gave Sasha no instructions and no directions. She assumed that at some point, an official would greet her. She heard the clacking sound of a galloping horse and moved to the side just in time as a mounted warrior, fierce and proud, came around the corner and almost ran her down.
“Are you the woman from Risenachen?”
“Yes.”
The rider gave Sasha a hard look. “Follow me.”
They rode through the city at a full gallop, empty buildings and abandoned structures flying by. The warrior hitched his steed and took the reins from Sasha. She dismounted while he secured her horse to the post.
“These are the headquarters of the lord major. He will give you a brief audience, so do not waste it. The governmental infrastructure has collapsed, and this man is the de facto ruler. He prepares for war. Choose your words with purpose.”
Sasha crept into the building. Armed soldiers moved through the hallways, not bothering to look at the outsider. The tension sucked the life out of the air and gave the warriors a frenzied look. One man walked towards Sasha and motioned for her to follow him down a hallway. She appeared before a polished wooden door. The soldier pushed it open and led her inside the room.
The lord major sat behind a stone desk. Maps and scraps of parchment were spread out before him, and he held a smoking pipe in one hand, rubbing his forehead with the other.
“Come and sit,” he said. His lack of official demeanor surprised Sasha.
“I have—”
“Yes, I know what you have done and where you have come from,” said Machek.
Sasha bit her bottom lip and clenched both fists into white-knuckled balls.
“We’ve had scouts trailing you since you entered the great plain. I know you are not a threat, and I know you ride to save the Empire.”
“No, I ride to save the One World. I don’t care if the Empire goes up in flames.”
Machek looked up from his map with a slight grin. He held out both hands to Sasha, palms up.
“Sir, I saw the curse spread through my home. It destroyed my city while I slept. If you don’t listen to me, it will do the same to the capital.”
“I’m listening.”
“I have called it the affliction.”
“Yes. I have reports on what it is and what it does. That is not why you’ve been granted audience with me. Speak to the prevention of it or leave me be.”
“You must secure the gates. Do not allow anyone inside. One infected person can spread the affliction. The curse travels through the air and enters the mouth or nose. Any who might be exposed to the sick should cover their faces. In addition, any who succumb should be cremated as soon as possible.”
“Survival rate?”
“Maybe one in two hundred, at best. I am a rare survivor.” Sasha parted her robe to show Machek the scabs and scars on her body.
“You do not transmit the disease?” Machek took a step back from the desk without thinking.
“Lord Major, I will not infect you or anyone else. As best as I can tell, once the blisters dry up, the affliction does not pass to another.”
“Our Ministry of Health has dissolved. I wouldn’t even know where to send you.”
“Sir, if you allow me to remain at the gate, I can spot any person that may attempt to bring the affliction into the city.”
Machek gave Sasha a puzzled look. “What do you mean, ‘bring it into the city’?”
“Lord Major, I don’t have hard evidence of this, but I think a malicious force has unleashed this curse on the One World.”
“Who would commit such a heinous act?” As soon as the question left his lips, Machek knew the answer.
“I don’t know.”
Machek stepped out from behind his desk. He pushed regimental diagrams and official correspondence to the side. His eyes locked on to Sasha’s. “I will provide you a spot at the gate, a checkpoint. I want immediate word of anyone you detain or suspect.”
“Yes, sir, I can do that.”
“Before you return to the gate, follow my guard. He will place you in a room with a cot, some dried foods, and stale ale. Take some time to rest. Once I place you at the gates, you’ll remain there until we march out of them.”
Chapter 64
The coalition forces marched onward and the Serpent King’s caravan reached the outposts of the capital. A speck rose above the horizon, exciting the men and lord majors alike. Their destination was in view, their destiny within reach. The Serpent King’s caravan slowed its pace. Guards in the front lowered Lellan to the ground. The impalement had not killed him yet, and he groaned as his skewered body slid further down the spike.
The Serpent King dismounted, and Zona did the same. Zona’s sons had fallen in with another regiment, which the Serpent King approved. He thought it better for them to fight amongst friends and not within the sight of their father. The Serpent King walked up to the outpost. The gate swung back and forth in the breeze, its windows staring across the plain like the empty eyes of a skull. The memory of mildew wafted from the dry well. Birds cawed in defense of their nests strewn across the defensive palisade.
“My lord, would you like me to search the outpost to ensure your safety?” asked Zona.
“I do not think that is necessary, but please do so if you wish. Take two or three men and sweep it clean.”
Zona and two soldiers drew their weapons and moved through the gate. The outpost functioned as a fort, but on a lesser scale. The main gate opened into a courtyard with four turrets rising on each corner. The ghosts of snipers had rained death on those who approached the capital in battles of the past. Now, they reached
up into the vast sky without emotion. Living quarters stood on their left and a weapons storage area to the right. The commander’s quarters hid against the back wall of the courtyard, and the wooden doors on every room stood wide open. The men moved through the area, checking for traps and secret doors but finding none. Zona sheathed his weapon and walked to the Serpent King.
“Deserted, sir, just like we thought.”
“It appears as though Lord Major Machek has recalled all of his forces and concentrated them within the walls of the capital. I am certain this is the last outpost before we reach the wall of the Empire.” He took a pipe out and packed it with herb as he spoke. Zona eyed it and licked his lips. “Would you like to join me, Lord Major Zona?”
“Yes. I would be honored.”
The Serpent King motioned to a servant. The man ran with a pipe of herb and knelt before Zona, keeping his head down in the dirt and raising a hand so Zona could grab the pipe without bending at the waist. The two men stood in front of the outpost and smoked while the rest of the soldiers filed out, declaring it harmless. Behind them, other lord majors followed the Serpent King’s lead and broke out their own pipes.
“We shall reach the capital before the Sun God falls behind the Empire.”
“And I will get to look into the eyes of the tyrants before they fall.”
“What is your experience in the ways of war, Zona?”
