The Twisted Gate

by Matt Glicksman

  Flinch chimed in, "The oasis in the black desert."

  Alejjir shot him a look, and the jester fell silent.

  "The oasis in the black desert?"

  "The aftermath of the demon lord's purge," the Marksman said. "A wasteland of black soil with no sign of life or anything. And in the middle of it all, a tiny patch of earth, untouched by the purge, where the beast stood."

  Erynion reflected on the words. This was exactly what he witnessed when he woke up after the first night.

  Alejjir raised his eyebrow. "Something wrong there, friend?"

  "Nope."

  "I know. It can be terrifying. I was caught in it sixteen years ago, reducing me to the lesser iymed who stands before you now. Whatever came out of that gate first is by far the most powerful and most dangerous creature on the Surface."

  Chapter 14

  Orders from the Sanctuary

  The sky was losing light and dinnertime was fast approaching. The city of Nolka rested uneasily thanks to the excitement of the previous night. Despite no indication of a demon threat, many citizens remained inside once dusk arrived. Even around the rectory, there was little activity. Don Millan reported to the office of the archdon. The old priest was using his elbow to prop up his head while Eriph was reclining against the wall with his arms crossed.

  Millan approached the desk. "Your Grace, is something the matter?"

  "Nothing serious. I'm only concerned about the demons who got away."

  "I have to ask. What were those arrows? It was like a scorcher was attacking us with some unholy spell."

  The scorchers were a guild of elite archers with limited abilities in enchantment. They could temporarily imbue their arrows with fire, ice, and holy energy, depending on what specialty they chose.

  "A scorcher? Maybe when he was alive," Eriph said.

  "You don't think—" Millan was afraid to complete the thought.

  "Why not? He was never cleansed. He just died. It was only a matter of time before he came back."

  Feranis nodded. "There's no doubt about it. Our group was attacked with arrows of deceit. I don't know of any other demon with such an ability, or with such audacity to attack priests in the daylight. During the Assault, he rained down thousands of those arrows on Light's Haven. It's definitely the Marksman."

  Millan struggled with the idea that after over a decade of peace, two of the greater iymed had reappeared. "First the Seductress, and now the Marksman?"

  "I know. Now throw a possible demon lord on top of that. Verago is definitely up to something. The strange part is the Marksman doesn't seem to be a greater iymed. Thank the angels for that, otherwise we may not have been so lucky. But, we accomplished our goal. We saw what happened to Nesinu, and we destroyed the gate. Were the horses returned to the stables?"

  "I believe Don Niktosa took care of that, Your Grace."

  Feranis stroked his chin. "Good. Good. Let's discuss what we must, and then we can all grab some dinner. After everything that's happened, I think we could all use a good meal, followed by some rest. When we returned to Nolka, I sent my report to the Council. About a half an hour ago, I received a letter from Light's Haven. The first portion was regarding your Exclusion, Eriph. By tomorrow, it'll be public knowledge that you are no longer in the Candelux guild."

  "Whatever will I do now?" Eriph reeked of sarcasm.

  "Yes, well, I'm sure you've got an idea. The Prima has also sent out instructions for all cities and villages to be on high alert. Anyone associated with the Brotherhood is to be detained. We could really use the information you brought from Alovajj. Also, major cities will have strict entrance policies as bloodseekers will be used to determine any demon threats."

  "What about Erynion? The seeker couldn't sense he was a demon," Millan pointed out.

  "Each report includes a description of what the demon looks like. Tall with long white hair and a nasty scar across his face. He'll be hard to miss, especially with the Devil's Eye exposed."

  "So, will they be sending a bloodseeker to Nolka?"

  "A few actually, not that you should worry about Nolka," the archdon said. "The last portion of the letter is for you, Don Millan. You are to report to the Sanctuary for reassignment."

  "Reassignment?"

  "Yes, and there's something else. During the evacuation, you brought all the horses from your stables, including Don Skully's. In his absence, his possessions will be handed over to Candelux in Light's Haven. You are to take his horse with you and drop it off at the Sanctuary. It's all explained right here. Give this letter to Kona Magara at the stables, and she'll have the horse prepared for you."

  Millan grasped the folded paper. He hadn't considered the possibility of Nesinu or Don Skully being gone for good. "I have to go to Light's Haven?"

  "Does this surprise you? Until there's evidence to the contrary, Don Skully, may the angels guide him, is assumed to be dead. And with Nesinu destroyed, you have no home to go back to."

  Millan broke eye contact with Feranis.

  Eriph clicked his tongue. "I doubt he needs to be reminded."

  "And you," Feranis addressed the excluded priest. "I've been given explicit instructions not to include you in any Candelux affairs from here on out."

  "Is that in reaction to today?"

  "No, it's just something that Prima Mashira added. I actually left you out of today's official report."

  Eriph placed his hand on his chest. "Awfully nice of you."

  "Don't mention it. She probably assumed you tagged along, but seriously, don't mention it. And seeing as how the announcement of your Exclusion isn't official until tomorrow, I would be grateful if you shared the information concerning the Brotherhood. That is, if you're still willing."

  With his ties to Candelux broken, Eriph was free from any obligation to help the priests. The suspense mounted until he pushed off from the wall and produced a piece of paper from his pocket. "I took the liberty of writing down the names of some of the higher-ranked members."

  "How did you get these names?" Millan asked.

  Eriph let the list float down to the archdon's desk. "When the Brotherhood fractured after the Assault, many of those who followed Shinigami stayed in touch with those that didn't. Friends. Family. Some of the information also comes from captured iymed."

  "Let's see here." Feranis's index finger glided down the paper. Millan strained his neck to take a peek.

  "Some places even have the overseer listed, indicated by the O next to the name," Eriph stated. "As far as we know, there's still no Grand Overseer."

  "So, this one at the top. Overseer of Nolka would be Eleza."

  "Correct."

  "Eleza?" Millan's mind conjured up the lovely face, dark hair, and blue bandana.

  Feranis glanced up from the paper. "Yes, do you know her?"

  "No," Millan answered abruptly. Eriph and Feranis both stared at him silently. Not wanting to be associated with a leader of their greatest living enemies, the young priest determined he may have been overzealous in his response. He felt the heat in his face and stuttered. "I…I mean, no. No, I don't know her, but I…I think I ran into her on the street this morning. I mean, I ran into someone, and I think her name was Eleza."

  Feranis bit his lower lip. "Hmm, seems odd. You just happened to run into the overseer?"

  "Well, I didn't know she was the overseer," Millan nearly shouted in his defense.

  "Did she ask anything of you?"

  "Um, no. She simply thanked me for keeping the city safe. What? That's it. I swear."

  "Can you at least describe her then?" the archdon asked.

  "Sure, I suppose. She was shorter than me."

  "That narrows it down, doesn't it? What else?"

  "She had black hair. Uh, a white shirt with no sleeves. Her skin was a darkish, lightish color."

  Eriph smirked. "'A darkish, lightish color'?"

  "Well, yeah. It wasn't really dark, and it wasn't really light."

  "What about her eyes?"

&
nbsp; "They were nice."

  Feranis groaned. "Color?"

  "Oh. Brownish? Maybe with some green? Or was it yellow?"

  Eriph snorted as he stifled his laughter.

  The archdon rubbed his forehead, making the creases more pronounced. "That's fine. We'll find her."

  Millan frowned. Her picture was in his head, but the details weren't so clear. He slumped down in the chair.

  Feranis resumed his search of the list. "Millan."

  "Yes, Your Grace?" The Nesinu priest finally cast out the image of Eleza.

  "What was the name of your watcher captain again? The one that's missing?"

  "Captain Pirok."

  Feranis rotated the paper and slid it to the other side of the desk.

  Millan checked the name the archdon was pointing to. "No, it can't be. But that section is for members in Nolka, not Nesinu. There must be another Pirok."

  "How long ago did he arrive in Nesinu?" Eriph asked.

  "I don't know. It was after my Acceptance. Around two years ago?"

  "Well, this is a cumulative list over the past ten years. Names are added, but rarely removed. Some of the people on this list might even be dead," Eriph said. "It's possible his name was discovered while he still lived in Nolka."

  "It's certainly a possibility." Feranis shrugged. "But it's not like I learn the names of all the watchers."

  Millan clenched his fists as he relived the night of the evacuation. "He stayed behind on purpose."

  "I'm sorry, Millan." Eriph patted the priest on the shoulder.

  The archdon pulled back the paper. "Yes, the treachery of the Brotherhood affects us all. That's why they'll be imprisoned. I cannot thank you enough for this list, Eriph."

  "You're welcome. I only wish the Prima would look at it as well."

  "Perhaps, in time."

  As Feranis and Eriph continued to review the list, Millan spaced out. His heart ached as he came to terms with Pirok's treason. The whole village had trusted this man with their safety. Millan had no doubt now that Pirok had betrayed Don Skully. Nesinu's head watcher probably even helped the demon lord destroy the only home he had ever known. The priest's gaze swept across the floor and over to the corner that housed the archdon's staff with the star on top. It wasn't the ornate weapon that caught his eye, but rather the wooden handle beside it.

  "What's this?" Millan inspected the long piece of oak with a broken blade protruding from one end.

  "What? That? Just a souvenir from last night," Feranis said. "I don't believe Reaper will be needing it. I was going to get it reforged."

  The second piece of the scythe blade lay on the ground beside its counterpart, and Millan studied it. "It's not dark anymore. You disenchanted it?"

  "That's right. What do you know of enchantments?"

  "Don Skully taught me about how Archdon Bamby was the first enchanter, how to sense the aura of an enchanted object, disenchant it, and even enchant it again with holy energy. I wasn't very good, though."

  "I get the feeling Don Skully taught you more than he should have. Dons aren't supposed to be instructed on such blessings. It's best they stay focused and master the basics of fighting and cleansing demons before trying to learn a specialty like enchantment."

  "Oh, I…I'm, uh—I'm sorry," Millan stammered. "I…I didn't know."

  "Don't let it worry you. Although, perhaps you should refrain from telling others."

  "What's your ratio?" Eriph asked.

  Millan had never heard the term before. "My ratio?"

  "You know, for enchanting. Time to cast compared to time to last?"

  The archdon clarified. "He means, how long do your enchantments remain relative to the time you spend casting the blessing."

  "Oh." Millan thought for a moment. "Not very long. Probably like three times longer than my cast?"

  "Better than one, but that's really low." Eriph nodded at Feranis. "How about you, old man?"

  Feranis glared at the former don. "I haven't kept track for years now. Last time I checked, it was just over five hundred."

  "Whoa!" Millan blurted out. "Five hundred?"

  "Years and years of practice. Many bloodseekers and guardians have come to me requesting my services."

  "That's amazing." Millan was still stunned.

  Feranis took a deep breath. "Well, it's been a long day. I think we can call an end to our meeting here. I don't know about you two, but I'm famished. Eriph, will you stay on in Nolka? As my guest, of course."

  "Thank you, but no. I'll join you for dinner, but tomorrow I ride for Royal Oak. And then after that, on to Alovajj."

  "Very well." The archdon shoved his chair back.

  Millan spoke up. "I'm sorry, Your Grace. I don't mean to keep us from dinner, but may I speak with you alone?"

  Feranis slowly lowered himself back into his seat.

  Eriph winked at the old man. "I'll save you a spot at the head table. Don Millan, it was a pleasure meeting you."

  "And you as well."

  The excluded priest hoisted the shield over his shoulder and left the office.

  Feranis cleared his throat. "Now, Millan, what is it you wish to discuss with me?"

  "I was talking with Eriph during the expedition, and the subject came up concerning Don Skully."

  "Ah, I see."

  "I've never been outside Nesinu except for my Acceptance. Don Skully never told me about his life before coming to my town. I didn't know he was an archdon. I didn't know he was an advisor. Eriph suggested I speak with you to find the truth about what happened. What was his involvement with the Death Gods? Why was he demoted from his rank as an archdon?"

  Feranis placed both of his elbows on the table and interlaced his fingers. "I knew Skully very well. Ayristark too. During our time together, the three of us understood one another, saw eye to eye. We became very good friends during the twenty years that Ayristark was the Primus. As you know, when Mashira took over the role, Ayristark was chosen as her first advisor, as is the custom. I suppose it all started on the day of the Assault when Shinigami showed up in the castle. But the real issues didn't arise until a few months afterward when they had formed their group. Back then, they weren't called the Death Gods. They were Sect Eighty-Eight. They started small. Shinigami was their leader, and much of his support came from High War-Mage Drevarius. He was one of the two leaders of Summa Arcana at that time.

  "Sect Eighty-Eight had many ideas and suggestions for defeating Verago. As you may know, some of the things they proposed were dangerous to the people in many regards. As they publicized their plans, the issue first went to King Cato. Kings and queens have always had it within their power to disband any sect or guild, particularly one that is seen as a threat to the kingdom. Many of us were scared and wanted to see Sect Eighty-Eight go the way of the Royal Throne."

  "The Royal Throne?"

  "You've never—" Feranis shook his head. "It doesn't matter. It's just an expression. We wanted to see the sect gone, dissolved. As expected, because their questionable methods would be used against Verago and the demons, King Cato passed the judgement onto the newly appointed Prima Mashira. The matter was meant to be private, discussed between only the Prima and her five advisors. However, Ayristark found himself caught between the two sides, seeing merit in both arguments. Unable to come to a decision, he went outside the Council and discussed the affairs with Skully and myself. It would figure such a sensitive issue would be the one time we completely disagreed. I had no doubt Sect Eighty-Eight should be disbanded. There were too many risks and too many chances for loss of innocent life. Skully was on the opposite end. He thought they should be praised for their ideas. Our disagreement didn't help Ayristark, but eventually, I was able to sway him to my side. Even the promise of stopping Verago doesn't justify putting innocent lives in danger. As it turns out, three other advisors agreed with me as well."

  "And the last one?"

  "Advisor Mortis. He not only stood in favor of Sect Eighty-Eight, but he became one of the fou
nding members, along with Shinigami and Drevarius. He believed their sect was the answer we needed to put an end to Verago once and for all. Skully agreed, and he thought the people of the kingdom would support them if only they knew. I pleaded with him to let the Council handle the issue, but he and Mortis took it upon themselves to inform the citizens. Chaos broke out as people took sides. Light's Haven was divided. With little time to consult with her advisors, Mashira decided she had to act swiftly before word spread to the other cities. Backed by King Cato, she gave them all a choice. Disband or be exiled. And so, the members of Sect Eighty-Eight, including Advisor Mortis, chose exile. During her speech, the Prima famously referred to them as gods of death, a title they have since graciously accepted."

  Millan felt light-headed. "This is a lot to process. So, Don Skully never joined them?"

  "Not that I'm aware of."

  "And he was demoted from archdon because he supported them?"

  "No. Mashira didn't take any action against supporters if they left well enough alone. The Death Gods moved to Alovajj, and many chose to follow. Skully resigned his position willingly and took up residence in Nesinu, wanting to be as far from Light's Haven as possible. He felt betrayed, but honestly, so did I. Although, despite all that had happened, I still considered him a close friend. I requested this post in Nolka so I could be close by, in case my friend should need my help. But, he never wrote or said a single word to me for the past fifteen years. Stubborn."

  "I see," Millan said quietly. "Thank you for telling me."

  "You're welcome. Now if there's nothing else, we should go grab some dinner before all the food is gone. And don't forget to speak with Kona at the stables."

  "Of course. I'll head there after dinner."

  Chapter 15

  Master of Puppets

  There was still about an hour before sundown as the four demons followed the stream. For most of the trip, Flinch and Alejjir recounted the time they had spent together before the failed assault.

  "Yeah, and so with most of the greater iymed either killed, cleansed, or just missing, I eventually joined up with Sereyna," Flinch explained. "That's when I met Sonojj and Reaper. Poor Reaper."