The Destroyer Book 4

by Michael-Scott Earle

  Entas believed a crossbreed could utilize the O’Baarni’s powerful magic and use the Radicles without an Ovule. The orbs were difficult to obtain and I did not know how many, if any, existed on the world where my daughter waited.

  My plan worked perfectly. Almost too perfectly. Their offspring was discovered by one of the nobles of this world and adopted as his own. His home was close to the Radicle Vaiarathe would come through, and all I needed to do was instruct the girl to awaken Kaiyer, tell him my daughter’s name, and then my love could finally save our daughter.

  Except the bitch was too fucking strong.

  Or stupid.

  Probably the latter.

  I pleaded with her. I asked her hundreds of times to find Kaiyer, or to find Vaiarathe, so that the girl could wake her father. Nadea did not listen. She woke from her dreams and recalled nothing of what I had said. The situation was beyond frustrating. I had laid all my hopes upon this girl and for many years it seemed as if she would fail, though all of the other pieces were finally in place. Entas could do little to help.

  Finally, I discovered a method that made my words stick in her brain when she awoke. Nadea was not responsive to my gentle pleas for help, but she was terrified of me when I screamed at her. The fear seemed to bind most of my messages, and when the girl woke, crying from her nightmare of me, she would quickly jot down what she remembered in her journal. She got most of it wrong, but for every step backward, I made two steps toward educating the girl and she slowly became obsessed with discovering Kaiyer.

  I was the terrible Singleborn again and I hated it.

  “I just worry about Jessmei making that climb.” Nadea’s voice interrupted my thoughts. They were looking from the edge of the cliff at the human soldiers at the base of the canyon. Kaiyer could have destroyed them with a wave of his hand and a shred of his magic, but he did not remember how to use his power, nor the extent of it.

  “It will be okay,” he assured her.

  “Good idea. Let’s go back.” Nadea smiled at him and my felt my stomach flip with anger.

  “I’m sure he’ll remember soon. He has not forgotten how to fight and made quick work of those humans that captured his new friends. When it matters, he will use his power,” Entas reassured me again and I nodded to him. I knew the old man was trying to make me feel better, perhaps he was even experiencing the same frustration I was, but at the moment, I did not want any words of encouragement.

  I just wanted my daughter to meet her father.

  Kaiyer and Nadea walked back to the area where they ascended the cliff to reach this high jungle. Entas and I followed but did not speak to each other. The sun was close to setting, but I knew that Kaiyer would be able to see in the darkness.

  “We should climb up tonight,” he said to Nadea. She nodded but instead of speaking, the girl set about anchoring their climbing rope to the rocky ledge of the cliff and tying the loose end of the length to a tree nearby.

  “Tell him!” I stood in front of her when she tied the rope around the tree, but of course she didn’t hear me.

  “You should yell louder.” Entas chuckled. “I think your Dead Gods almost heard you that time.”

  “Fuck you, Entas.”

  “Don’t get mad at me.” The weird monkey man shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve done nothing but help you. Don’t forget that I also want your daughter saved from the Radicle.”

  “He’s attracted to her,” I admitted. “It angers me. I apologize.”

  “She is attracted to him as well. What can you do? They will probably fuck each other as soon as they get back to the pretty blonde girl’s castle.”

  “Now you are just trying to enrage me!” I growled.

  “Try.” Nadea handed Kaiyer the rope and he gave it a few tugs to ensure that the tree would hold his weight. Then he slid off of the edge of the cliff and began his descent. The woman followed a few seconds after him.

  “What are you willing to sacrifice for your daughter? Maybe if they are lovers, it will be easier for her to remember your instructions.”

  “That sounds unlikely. Stop talking about it,” I seethed.

  “You are not alive anymore. If you want Vaiarathe to survive the Radicle, you’ll have to stay here and observe his new life. He will love again.”

  “No. He loves me. He doesn’t care about that girl and neither do I.” I wanted to smack him, but I knew it was pointless. The man was slippery, and though he was more than annoying, I had come to rely on his help.

  “Oh. You don’t care about Nadea? After you spent thousands of years creating her? I find that hard to believe.” He raised a gray bushy eyebrow and chuckled.

  “No. I do not care about her. I’ve spent too much time on the bitch.” I was about to say more but Entas did a strange bird-like hop toward the rope and pulled a sword out of the air as if he had an invisible sheath hanging above him.

  Then he brought the weapon down on the rope.

  It cut cleanly, as if the blade was real and Entas’s arm had actually delivered the blow.

  “No!” I dove toward the rope as it slithered over the edge. I felt the smooth hemp slide through my palm before I could close my fingers. My entire body began to ache at the loss and I screamed again.

  All was lost.

  I crawled to the side of the cliff and imagined the horrific scene that awaited me. Kaiyer might survive, but the girl would be dashed against the rocks below like a drop of splattered red paint. Without her, Kaiyer would not know what to do, he did not even know who he was, he needed her to guide him to our daughter.

  Once I peered over the edge I sighed in relief. My love had grabbed onto the side of the cliff and also caught the girl. I watched him swing her onto the cliff face and then he looked up to see what had caused the line to separate from the tree.

  “Why?” I shouted my question to Entas.

  “Did you feel the rope?” He smiled.

  “Yes.” I looked down at my hand and saw a bit of red where the cord briefly slid against my skin. “How did I touch it? How did you get that sword?”

  “I think that you care about that girl more than you will admit. She is very similar to your daughter, don’t you think?”

  “No. She is nothing like my daughter. Explain to me what just happened.”

  “It is odd that you feel that way. Both Nadea and Vaiarathe have mixed lineage. They both enjoy traveling, climbing, and exploring. They both have inquisitive minds and are much smarter than the average human or Elven.”

  “Are you going to tell me about the sword and the rope? I thought we were past these games?” I felt my anger subsiding. If I really could touch items in the physical world, I might have a better chance of communicating with Kaiyer. Then I would not need Nadea.

  “You can create or touch anything that you want.”

  “What?” I rose to my feet and felt like murdering the man. “Why did you keep this from me? That would have made my quest much easier.”

  “That is doubtful. And I did tell you. You just don’t remember.”

  “I’ve recalled all of our conversations,” I spat at the little bald man.

  “Of course you have.” He nodded and winked at me. “It is a difficult power to harness. You must really want the object to appear or move. It won’t just happen. It is difficult to master and it will leave you feeling weak. It is not something you can do often.”

  “You don’t look tired.”

  “I know who I am. You are still confused.”

  “More riddles. I know who I am, Entas.”

  “Your apprentice is leaving. Do you wish to follow her?” He pointed at the edge of the cliff and smirked.

  “Show me how you made that sword. Then show me how you cut the rope.” I would not let him distract me.

  “You won’t forget this time?” He bobbed his head in the usual fashion.

  “No. You have not shown me before.” I was calm now and ready to learn. I would forgive him again because this existence was more than lonel
y. He was all I had and I needed him, as much as he infuriated me.

  “See that stone?” He gestured to the palm-sized rock that lay next to my foot. I nodded.

  “Pick it up from the ground.”

  “It will spin around my hand. See?” I knelt down and ran my hand through the stone. It swirled around my palm and fingers like it was made of oil.

  “I want you to think about picking up the stone and throwing it at me.” His face dropped the smirk and I followed his instructions. For a moment it seemed as if the rock became solid in my hand, but then it slipped from my grasp like steam.

  “You actually need to throw it at me. First think it, then do it, you only half considered throwing it at me.” He smiled again. “It is nice to know that, despite your words, you don’t actually want to hurt me.”

  I smirked and reached for it again. The rock seemed to solidify in my hand and I shot to my feet with a twist of my hips. My arm whipped out and the stone hurled through the air on an arrow’s path to the old man’s chest. His hand blurred at the last second and he caught the rock with a loud slapping sound.

  It felt as if I had been punched in my stomach, kidneys, face, breasts, and groin at the same time. I felt my knees hit the rocky top of the cliff first and then the rest of my body crumpled afterward. My lungs did not want to inhale and I could not move. I had almost forgotten physical pain. It had been eternities since I had felt anything this excruciating.

  “What is this?” I gasped after a few seconds of agony.

  “It’s the pain of doing something that is impossible for a mortal,” he replied. I realized that the pain felt the same as when I briefly touched the rope, but this was much greater and was lasting longer.

  “Do you feel like this every time you move objects?” The agony was subsiding and I was able to stand again. The sun was setting and it seemed as if I had lost more than a few minutes to the pain.

  “Maybe.” He shrugged his shoulders.

  “What if I practice? Will it become easier and less painful?”

  “I doubt it. But feel free to try.”

  I looked at another rock on the ground and debated hurling it at the man again. But then the thought of the dreadful pain intimidated me too much and I decided to practice later tonight when Kaiyer was sleeping. I needed to observe him and Nadea. I thought about them and the world blurred.

  “We need to leave as soon as possible.” Nadea was breathing heavily from her run through the jungle and Kaiyer was unpacking one of their horses.

  There were four other people in their group: the chieftain’s small blonde daughter, the large and muscular human with long gray hair who served as her protector, a tall man who stunk of the O’Baarni power but told them all he was a guide, and the young human male with mousy brown hair and a timid disposition. They all began to speak at once and ask Nadea idiotic questions.

  “How do I get her to tell him?” I asked Entas over the din of human drivel.

  “You could not communicate Vaiarathe’s name before, and I had no ideas for you then either. Perhaps if you help her, she will help you with Kaiyer.”

  “What do you mean?” I screamed with impatience.

  “Everyone wants something. Our subconscious seeks out our desires while we sleep. Guide her to what she wants in her dreams. She will come to trust you.”

  “But she already did what I wanted to wake Kaiyer. She just needs to tell him my daughter's name and lead him to the Radicle.”

  “Was that what she wanted? You wanted Kaiyer awake. She does not care about Vaiarathe.” He turned to the small campfire and the orange flames reflected in his silver eyes. “Maybe there is something else that she wants.” I followed his gaze and saw Nadea studying Kaiyer while he put a pack on the back of the boy. “You wanted to wake Kaiyer, but it appears that she wants something else from him.”

  “I won’t help her with that!” I spat the words.

  “You are wise, Iolarathe, and you have been observing humans and Elvens for countless years. You may not want to admit it, but you understand their emotions. You will figure out a way to get through to her.”

  “I don’t have years to test different tactics. My daughter needs to be freed now.”

  “Then maybe you should begin testing my idea as soon as you can.” He smiled at me and I sighed. The jungle smelled of human fear and fresh rain.

  “You are right, Entas.” I hated to say those words, but I knew they were true. “I’ve waited this long. I can be patient.”

  “See? You are growing wiser every day.”

  I looked at the woman’s back and wished I could smack her on the head and scream at her until she gave Kaiyer the name.

  “Believe me, I among all beings can understand how frustrating this is.” The old man began to laugh and it evolved into a gut wrenching cackle. I looked at him and saw Entas rolling on the jungle floor. His bamboo cane leaned against a thick tree and his hands clutched his sides as if he was trying to hold his stomach inside of his skin.

  I turned to follow Kaiyer’s human escorts to the base of the cliff and then I followed their climb to the top. It seemed as if Entas was still laughing when I arrived where he had cut the rope.

  But I was the only one that could hear him.

  Chapter 46-Kaiyer

  The air was chilly and my breath came out in a warm fog that twisted before my eyes like a dancer. It was the soft part of the dawn, just before the sun would rise, when life was at its stillest point. The dark lake over which the Radicle stood was a silent mirror, reflecting the stars of the sky like the scales of the dragons I once battled.

  Our campsite lay two hours away by foot. Our band of rescuers, along with a hundred of the empress’s green-armored guards waited there. I could not sleep with the thought of my daughter so close, so I’d left a note for Jessmei and sneaked out of the tent in the middle of the night. The Elven sentries saw me leave, but I informed them I would be at the Radicle. They let me go. They knew they could not stop me.

  I walked toward the entrance of the Radicle and considered the path that had led me to this point in my life. Not the narrow path we’d taken through the Teeth Mountains, but the events of my life that had brought me here. It all began when I met Iolarathe. We had changed the world and brought forth a new one. Thousands of years had passed. Thousands of people had died. Everything had led me here, to this mystical shrine that would bring our child into this world.

  I was fortunate to survive. Iolarathe had died, Entas had died, my family had died. My generals were nothing but legend and history. But I was alive, my daughter was alive. If these Dead Gods the Elvens believed in were real, I wondered if they weighed the horrors I had inflicted upon these worlds with the good I had done. It was not fair that I lived while my people did not. I hoped Malek had finally found a love to rival what he had felt for Shlara. A love that could be returned in equal measure. I hoped Alexia found peace within herself and someone she could trust enough to share her heart with. I hoped Gorbanni got to spend his days breeding horses and teaching others to ride. I laughed, because when I thought of Thayer I knew all he wanted was to be free from the Elvens and fuck a bunch of women. I was sure he had achieved both goals.

  Shlara.

  I did not recall ever seeing her after Iolarathe’s execution. Maybe she had perished in the fire that destroyed her city. Maybe she survived and the destruction I had wrought only fueled and furthered her hatred of me. If I could have taken back any of the horrible things I had done, it would be that moment when I burned her. Though now I knew that would have left Iolarathe dead at Shlara’s hand.

  I would never be able to forgive myself for what I did to her, but I accepted that it had happened and I understood why I had chosen Iolarathe over Shlara. Since I could not forgive myself, I would focus on atonement. I would live a life that would make Shlara proud and grateful I had survived.

  Vaiarathe needed my love. I did not know what her personality was like, or what she would expect from me as a father,
but I knew that she was made from the woman I loved. I already knew I loved her beyond any other person I had ever known.

  Jessmei also needed my love and support while she navigated through her new role as the ruler of this country. The empress had not been pleased to find out that I was back on this world, and the brief conversation between Nadea, Jessmei, Telaxthe, and I indicated that she would attempt to stop me from gathering any of the political power Jessmei could bestow. Her subtle threats were coming from a place of fear, and I knew that I would be able to win her trust after a few years of treating her fairly. And for the time being, she was beholden to Jessmei and I knew Telaxthe would do nothing drastic that might anger the powerful queen.

  Alatorict and I had met briefly before I departed on this journey and we spoke at great length about Isslata. The conversation had been difficult due to the complexities of each of our relationships with the Singleborn.

  He was the father of the children she carried.

  I sighed and turned my thoughts away from the Elven general. He promised to speak with me again when I returned with my own daughter and I knew that I would have to beg the man to forgive me. Though I had killed Isslata in self-defense, it didn’t make our conversation any easier, and I still felt a tremendous amount of remorse over the death of my former lover.

  This Radicle was similar to the others I had seen: a gray-green tower that spiraled toward the sky. This shrine had half a dozen stone beds lining the first level. A staircase led up to the room where the Ovule would be placed on the control dais. I carried the leather bag that held the Ovule, but Nadea told me she could complete the ritual without it. As anxious as I was to bring my daughter forth, I knew it was better not to waste the powers of the Ovule, so I waited for Nadea to arrive. I had waited for Vaiarathe for thousands of years. A few more hours should not make a difference.