***
He had heard the dragon destroy the entrance to the canyon and roar furiously. He had crept forward and taken a look. Kian couldn’t tell if the dragon had gone or not, but he did see he would not be leaving the ravine the same way he came in. The opening to it was completely gone, blocked by tons of rumble. Returning to the back of the canyon, he sat down and waited. Night had settled over the plain and he could hear the cries and roars of many creatures as they hunted in the darkness.
He could see well enough. The moon was bright and his eyes worked well in the dark, but he would have liked to start a fire just for the comfort it would bring. He was unarmed and at the mercy of whatever stalked the night. The dragon might not be able to fit inside the gulch, but there were things out there that could. Sitting in the small indention in the rock wall, he pondered his choices.
His sharp hearing picked up a slight sound and he smelled a foul odor. Magic had been cast near to where he sat. He scanned the darkness, and thought he saw a shadow move. Kian’s predatory instinct took over and he slowly came to his feet, peering into the moonlit canyon. He might be unarmed, but he could still fight.
A thunderous voice broke out of the night. “At last we meet, warrior.” The unseen speaker’s tone was deep and sinister.
Kian searched the area. His sharp eyes saw a humanoid shadow on the rock wall, yet he saw no one casting it. Nearly seven feet tall and heavily muscled, the large outline also had goat-like horns protruding from its head. Cautiously approaching the shadow, he reached out to touch it. Two snow white eyes snapped open. Their black pupils were thin vertical lines, reminding Kian of a serpent. He jumped back as the shadow stepped from the canyon wall. Its entire powerful body was covered in smooth, black scales. The whites of its eyes were the only color that could be seen in the obsidian silhouette.
Fear gripped him, the thing reeked of malevolence. The monster inside him came alive, and only his will held it back from attacking the creature standing before him.
“I have gone to great lengths to bring you here, Slayer.”
Kian’s brows drew together and his feet shifted.
“Yes, I know a great deal about you, Kian Cardan. Vanguard and the Circle did a fine job of informing me of your history and the circumstances of your…condition. Now, the great Tanissuel has delivered you into my hands.”
Body tensing, Kian’s hands balled into fists. “Who are you?”
The creature raised a large, talon-like hand. “A very good question. I guess you could call me a herald, a messenger for one far greater than I.”
“Who do you serve?” Kian asked, teeth gritted.
“I belong to the night, the shadow that covers the hearts of men. My lord is beyond your limited comprehension. You could never understand his true nature, mortal.”
Kian’s golden eyes narrowed. “It sounds like you and your lord are evil?”
“Some may visit that judgement on us, but evil is only a perception, Slayer, a lie men tell themselves when they feel they have been wronged by another. Can you define evil, warrior?”
Kian nodded. “It is a wickedness that corrupts and twists men's souls and makes them hurt others. It is an affront to their fellow man.”
“Ah I see, spoken like a true elven hero, but by your own definition, you are evil, warrior?”
“No, I am not nor will I ever be,” Kian said, anger filling his voice.
“I would say King Havalon and his sons would debate your claim, and in this world, those who follow the Holy Tome think you a demon, don’t they?”
Kian looked away, shame touching his conscience.
“See, warrior? Evil is a falsehood, an invention of the mind. One is only evil through another’s viewpoint.”
The monster inside him wanted to kill the shadow thing. He knew what evil was, he didn’t need a lesson from this horned devil. “Tell me why you came here before I lose patience with you.”
It smiled, revealing white fangs that protruded from its mouth. “I have come for you, Slayer. It took more power than you could ever imagine for my lord to send me to this world. It is by his design that we meet.”
“Why me? I am nothing.”
“We have common enemies, or will have, should I say.”
“What enemies? Speak plain, devil.”
“Oh, I wish I could, it would make our encounter so much easier, but I cannot. It could alter your destiny. Suffice to say that if you wish to protect the ones you love, you will cooperate with my demands. If not, everyone you know will perish to those who will one day come against you.”
“What if I say no and just leave?”
“I have placed a spell on this canyon. Doing as I ask will break that spell. If you refuse, you’ll be trapped in here till your hateful sun burns out.”
He did not doubt the creature. He could smell the magic and was unsure if he could break through its power or not. He was trapped. Kian closed his eyes, trying to calm himself. The monster was shaking the bars of its cage and it wanted to rip this smug thing apart. The Herald stretched out his hand and a small pool of thick, dark water appeared between them. It was twice the size of a large shield, its surface smooth as glass. “All I ask, mortal, is that you reach inside the pool. A simple thing, really.”
Reason told him he had no choice and there was little doubt the shadow devil had the power to trap him here, yet he opened the cage.
Leaping across the strange pool with murderous intentions, the Slayer reached for the devil’s neck, only to have Herald backhand him and send his body flying into the canyon’s rock wall. The devil’s strength was immense and it was on top of him before he could get to his feet. Black blood sprayed from his mouth as it pounded his ribs and face.
Kian tried to fight back, landing blows that would have snapped the bones of a normal man, only to be hurled through the air to smash heavily into the side of the ravine. Picking Kian up off the ground with one clawed hand, the Herald began to hammer his abdomen repeatedly with its fist. The air inside him fled his body like a frightened virgin on her wedding night. The thing dropped him to the ground, kicking his ribs twice more for good measure.
Shaking his head and trying to clear his mind, Kian managed to get to his hands and knees. “Even your strength is no match for mine, Slayer.” It pointed a clawed finger at the pool. “All I ask is that you reach into the pool, or would you rather be beaten into submission? For I swear by my lord’s house that if you do not yield to my demands, I will batter you till you cannot stand.”
Kian lunged, grabbing the dark thing by the leg and sinking his fangs into its tight flesh as deep as he could. The Herald cried out in pain. It took several powerful kicks before he dislodged Kian from his calf. Black ichor poured from the large bite in his leg. “I guess we will do this the hard way, mortal.”
Kian spit a large chunk of the shadow devil's own black flesh at him in reply. Grabbing the swordsman by the hair, it began dragging him towards the dark pool. Kian struggled but the devil pounded the back of his head several times until his mind clouded and his vision blurred. He felt the icy cold of the strange fluid as his arm was thrust down into it. The devil thing began to chant in an unnerving tongue and the liquid glowed eerily.
Kian tried to pull his arm free, but it was as if it was encased in frozen iron. “Bring forth what is inside the portal, Slayer, and I advise you to be quick if you wish to keep your arm. I can’t hold the gateway open for long,” the Herald said, its voice strained.
His hand touched something familiar and he grasped it. The pool’s vice-like hold relented and he slowly pulled his arm free from the pool. Kian’s arm was dry but terribly cold. Rolling onto his back, he gazed on what he had freed from the strange water.
The sword was so black he thought he had pulled a piece of midnight from the huge puddle. “Now you truly are a child of the Forever Sea. Can you begin to feel your true nature, mortal? In time you will see the how generous my lord has been to you, and you will beg to bend a knee to him.
The sword is called Silence. Use it well, Slayer.”
Kian struggled to his feet and raised his eyes from the sword. “Who wishes me to serve them?”
“No one, but one day, you will swear fealty to my lord and be proud to call yourself his vassal. For now, mortal, serve the sword or serve yourself, it matters little. All that is important is my lord’s will has been done and he will be pleased.”
The shadow smiled at him, once again showing his dagger-like fangs. Kian's arm was a blur. The fearsome sword sailed through the air and buried itself to the hilt in the Herald’s chest. The horned thing fell to its knees with an inhuman cry breaking from its lips.
“I don’t serve this sword or anyone else,” Kian growled, causing black blood and drool to fall from his busted mouth. He quickly limped over and pulled the sword free, kicking the dark creature into the pool where it sank without a sound. The portal itself contracted until it had completely vanished.
Kian gazed down, fascinated by the sword's dark beauty. No etchings or intricate carvings adorned the blade’s simple design. He slowly ran his hand down the ebony blade. It was made from a metal lighter than steel, the sword would be quick. He thought he heard it whisper to him, but he couldn’t be sure. His head was still jumbled from the beating he had taken.
He wanted to keep it, but he knew where it would end. Tossing the sword away, he noticed that it made no sound when it struck the rocky ground. Shaking his head, he turned his back to it and staggered away, holding his battered ribs.
Leaning back against the hard stone of the canyon wall, he sat with his head down. He was suffering a great deal from his wounds. Closing his eyes, he shut out the pain.
His mind wandered, back to the war in Bandara and the savage and cruel things he had done to put the queen on her throne and keep those he cared about safe. It still ate at his conscience. He had tried to tell himself that it was the Mistress’s sword Malice that had prompted his actions, it was easier to blame his actions on the wicked blade, but the fault had not been with the sword. Tavantis had left a wild beast inside him, it was vicious and unrestrained, but it was a feral thing and acted on instinct. Though it could be savage, it was not evil. The fault was his, the Forever Sea that had taken his soul and changed him. The dark water tried to make him into something inhuman and sadistic.
Every day, he fought the rising tide of darkness that threatened to consume what was left of his humanity. That battle had been lost in Bandara. The dark monster had broken free. Perhaps the pope was right, maybe he was becoming a demon? Kian looked at the sword lying on the ground. He should leave it, but the sword could come in handy if he ran into any more trouble. Kian knew then he was only making excuses. He couldn’t leave the dark blade behind even if he chose to. Somehow it beckoned to him, promising to fill the empty place inside him. Silence told him it could take the place of his wayward soul.
It felt good to see the sun. He struggled to stand, still hurting from the previous night’s battle. If not for his inhuman constitution, he would have been laying in the canyon for a couple more days before he could travel.
Sticking the sword through his belt, he began to ascend the wall. It had not been a hard climb and he reached the top easily despite his injuries. He gazed up into the sky and then out across the desolate plain. The dragon was nowhere in sight.
His body and mind were weary, every move seemed to make his muscles shriek. Blocking out his discomfort, Kian made his way down to the plain. He had not gotten far when he saw the Goddess of Justice standing just ahead. Her blonde hair blew free in the wind, and she wore dark armor with her silver sword on her hip.
She looked away from him. “I thought you might be dead,” she whispered with emotion.
“Not yet. Why are you here?”
“I want to…” Syann stepped back, noticing the blade at his side. The goddess was clearly disturbed by the black sword. “Did my mother give you that…thing?”
Kian shook his head. “No, I think it was something far worse than your mother.”
Ashlyn knew she would miss Lucan, but she didn’t know it would be so much. His smile and infectious laughter, the way he stroked her hair, his kisses, all the little things she had taken for granted. They were all gone and she wanted them back.
Ashlyn regretted not giving herself to Lucan the night before he rode out. Like always, she had been too big a coward. It was so stupid. She was a grown woman, there was nothing to be afraid of. The reasons for her apprehension were as much mystery to her as they were to Lucan. She had never completely surrendered herself to him and he had always been very patient and understanding with her unfounded doubts.
Oh, they had done things to pleasure each other, but never had she let him have all of her. Not that he hadn’t tried many times, but she had always refused him. Lucan was sweet about it and accepted her rebuffs without complaint. Ashlyn was fearless when it came to flying above the crowd or walking the streets of the Wheel alone after dark, but when it came to having a man inside her, she was like a frightened child.
It didn’t matter now, he was gone and the opportunity had passed. She had said a little prayer in the early hours of the morning, asking the old love goddess Valintina to watch over him. She knew it made her a bit of a pagan to pray to the old gods, but she didn’t think it would hurt just this once, and she wasn’t very religious anyway.
Standing there in front of the barracks, she felt a little foolish, but somehow coming down here to the last place they had been together made her feel closer to him. Watching him ride away had been the hardest thing she had ever done. It felt as if part of her was missing.
Sliding down the old plank wall of the small garrison, she sat in the afternoon heat and wished she had made a different choice. Drawing her knees up and wrapping her arms around them, she looked to the west. The sun was in her eyes, but she could see the silhouette of a man walking towards her.
“What are you doing down here, lady?”
Ashlyn quickly came to her feet and slapped at the dust on her pants, surprised by Upton’s sudden appearance. The mercenary wore a crooked grin. His hair was freshly washed and tied back, and he was dressed in dark leather armor and riding boots. With the light reflecting off the hilt of his expensive rapier, he cut a striking figure. “Sulking, I guess. Why are you here? I thought the entire company had ridden north.”
The mercenary sighed. “The captain ordered me to stay and play lackey to the king. I am to ride north when Malric decides to take the field, though I don’t know if that’s ever going to happen. The king seems content to stay in Gallio while Achillus and K’xarr fight his war.”
“So you’re alone here?” she asked.
“Yes. I think it is somewhat of a punishment for the trouble I got myself into. K’xarr said I should do some thinking while I wait for Malric to leave. It’s not so bad, really. I have never minded being alone and I can have my pick of any bunk I wish,” he said with a dramatic sweep of his arm.
Ashlyn thought his tone was a little contemptuous and she was still a little leery of the man from Pantorini, but he was Lucan's friend. It wouldn’t hurt her to be a little considerate. After all, it was the polite thing to do. “I hate being alone. K’xarr should have left someone behind with you.”
“I thank you for your concern, but I’ll be fine. I don’t think it’s me you're really worried about, is it?”
Ashlyn’s looked at the ground. Was it so obvious her heart was aching?
Upton softly squeezed her shoulder. “I am sure he is fine. You should go on back to the circus, Ashlyn. When I rejoin the company, I will give Lucan your love.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you, thank you. He thinks a great deal of you, Upton, and it means a lot to me to know he will have you to watch over him when you return to the company.”
The mercenary ran his hand through his fine blonde hair. “I think a great deal of him as well. I have few friends, Ashlyn, but I count you and Lucan among them.”
Without t
he others around, Upton had a much milder disposition, and she liked it. “Since you're stuck here anyway, why don’t you come to one of my performances before you leave? I will see to it you are let in for free.”
“I will do that very thing, if I am able. Lucan has told me you are quite talented.”
“Well, if you come, you can judge for yourself.”
“If I’m able, I will attend,” Upton said, putting his hand over his heart.
“If you can’t, I understand, but don’t you dare go without saying goodbye to me. I would hold that against you,” she teased.
Upton chuckled. “Of course, lady. I wouldn’t think of leaving without seeing your lovely face one more time.”
Ashlyn blushed at the compliment and flashed him a smile. Leaving with a quick turn, she headed back towards the Wheel with a little more spring in her step. Maybe she had been all wrong about Upton.
***
Light broke through the crack in the door as Upton stepped into the barracks. Unbuckling his sword and tossing it on to one of the bunks, the young mercenary took a deep breath and rubbed his hand over his face.
“I don’t know why you just don’t take her. She was almost begging you to do it to her right out there in the street. My god, the woman is worse than a wharf whore,” his sister said, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder.
Upton slapped his hand down on the round table he and the others had played bones on. “Shut your filthy mouth, Ursula. Ashlyn is a good and moral woman, and I have no intention of ever harming her.”
She batted her long lashes at him. “Well, excuse me for trying to help you see her lustful nature. I know you’re smitten with her and I thought maybe you would like to take advantage of her now that she is all alone. I’m sure you could easily lure her down here and now that everyone has gone, it would be simple to do whatever you wanted to that little harlot. I would be more than happy to help.”
Song Of Fury (Gods Of Blood And Fire Book 2) Page 31
