Darkness Falls (Tales of the Wolf)

by A. E. McCullough

  Darnac gazed out over the gathering. “It’s good to see them laugh.”

  Chikk smiled. “Yes. Most of the time I forget how young they really are.”

  “Do you remember when you were in your teens? I don’t.”

  “Liar,” Chikk replied with a laugh. It was a wholesome sound. “It was only two and a half centuries ago. You act like it’s been forever. You aren’t that old.”

  Darnac grinned. “It’s not the age but the mileage. I’ve travelled many a dark paths in my years. Some of them are best forgotten.”

  Chikk shook her head and turned ever so slightly to face him. “No, it was those journeys that made you who you are today.”

  Darnac turned fully to face his former lover. “I’m sorry about all this. If I hadn’t run into you in Otrar that day many years ago, Lalith may not have remembered about you.”

  She shook her head. “No. If you hadn’t rescued that Highlander fellow and made sure he boarded the Ebony Eagle, I would either be dead or a slave right now. The pirate Galtero and his trireme the Reaper had us dead to rights but Hawkeye was a wily one and figured out a way for us to win. Hell, Tok owes him his life.” She paused and chewed on the inside of her lip. “I often wonder what happened to Hawkeye.”

  Sadness came over Darnac’s face. “He died. Blackfang killed him and Lalith killed his bride. It was a sad day.”

  Chikk cocked her head to the side. “You liked him.”

  “Aye, he was a man of honor.” Darnac cracked a slight smile. “He saved my life once but only because I was outnumbered five to one. When I asked him what he would’ve done if I’d been fighting one on one, he told me that he would’ve passed me by. I remember that he said that a man should be able to stand on his own, for good or ill.”

  Darnac paused for a moment, then reached down into his booth and pulled out a small bone-handled throwing knife that was highly polished and seemed as sharp as a razor. However, it completely different from the rest of his weapons. “This blade killed a friend of Hawkeye’s that night. He asked me to return it to its owner one day.”

  Chikk furrowed her brow. “And why hadn’t you?”

  Darnac’s eyes narrowed as he looked across the room. “Because for the present time, the Dark Lady has forbidden me to kill him.”

  Chikk followed his gaze and saw that Espen and Mortharona had joined the gathering. Suddenly, several pieces fell into place. She now suspected part of the reason for the animosity between the Blademaster and the Poisonmaker. Personally, she did not care for the heavily tattooed gnome. He was cocky and arrogant but more than that, he smelled bad. Not wanting old memories to spoil this night, she reached out and looped her arm around the Blademaster’s arm.

  “Come on Dar, it’s been a long time since we were both kids but let’s do our best to be as carefree as our students.”

  Darnac allowed himself to be pulled aside as she guided him to the dance floor. “I don’t dance.”

  “Ha! That’s not how I remember it.” Chikk glanced around until she spied one of her students nearby, the busty redhead Ursula. “Scarlet. Hold this,” as she slipped off her black leather baldric and ever present cutlass.

  “Yes ma’am.”

  Chikk raised one eyebrow and lifted her chin ever so slightly. “And?”

  Darnac relented and looked around. “Isengrim.”

  Gray rushed forward. “Yes Döcent?”

  Darnac unbuckled the harness that held his twin sabres of silver and handed them to his student. “Hold these and don’t let anyone touch them.”

  Gray nodded. “Yes Kënnári.”

  Darnac grinned at the elvish title that his student used since it meant both honorable teacher and venerable master. Turning his attention back to the beautiful sea captain, he held out one hand and bowed low. “I believe they are playing our song, m’lady.”

  Taking his hand, the two dark elves began dancing. It was something neither of them had done in over a century but dance was part of the formal education of the Avaris nobility and it had been drilled into them as children.

  * * * * *

  Not everyone was enamored by the grace the two dark elves displayed on the dance floor.

  One being that watched from the deep shadows was beyond the simple joys of dance, music and laughter. Day after day, reason and logic faded until eventually all that would remain was the hunger.

  Even now, it was hard for Blackfang to focus on his mission. Only a small fraction of his reasoning remembered why he was even here. Until he focused all of his attention on the deadly dark elf and he could almost feel his old self returning. The Blademaster held the key. Somehow he was the solution his problem and he wanted it. Now!

  * * * * *

  Gray stared openmouthed at the unnatural grace Darnac and Chikk displayed as they glided around the dance floor. But he wasn’t the only one. Everyone had stopped to watch as the pair moved in perfect rhythm with the music. They spun and jumped in perfect time. Occasionally, Chikk would leap into the Blademaster’s arms or Darnac would lift her high into the air and they would spin. It was mesmerizing.

  Gray sensed that he was not alone.

  Taking in a deep breath, he knew that Galvorn and Tamina had joined him. Nevertheless, an unfamiliar scent was also there and it pulled his attention away from everything else. He looked around the room. There was nothing new in sight but he knew something foul was nearby. Even as he took in another deep breath and tried to locate its source, he felt the Blademaster’s twin swords begin to vibrate in their sheaths.

  Before Gray could voice his concerns to his friends, there was a chorus of screams and a huge bundle of fur and muscles came barreling through the gathering.

  * * * * *

  For a few minutes, Darnac was no longer the Blademaster of Avaris.

  He became one with the music and lost himself in the dance and his memories. He was just Darnac Penumbra, a young noble with a promising future. With his family’s connections and wealth, he did not have to worry about joining the military after his time in the Academy. He had dreams of a simple life, spending his days in study or pursuit of pleasure. But then, the Council of Shadows took note of his natural abilities and decided that his destiny needed to be controlled. And his whole world crumbled.

  As Darnac’s thoughts turned to darker times, his mind snapped back to the present. His instincts, honed to perfection in over two centuries of battle, screamed that danger was nearby.

  Chikk felt the change in her partner’s posture and movements. He was still moving with the music but he was no longer in perfect time with it. She was about to say something, when screams filled the room. Then, she was flying across the room as Darnac pushed her out of the way from the huge black werewolf that had suddenly appeared in their midst.

  The Blademaster’s act of valor cost him dearly. By making sure Chikk was safe, he was not able to dodge as the werewolf grabbed him with one large hairy hand and lifted him from his feet. Blackfang’s long canine tongue rolled out of his mouth as he drew back his lips to display his sharp teeth and the fur on the back of his hackles rose up as he growled. “Where are they?”

  Darnac could feel the cursed Highlander’s claws digging into his skin as he hung there. He did not even try to break free, the beast was too strong and he knew it. However, the crazy brute wanted to talk which meant he had options. Even though it was a bit hard to breath, he managed to say. “Hello Blackfang.”

  Blackfang shook him slightly and raised his other hand as if he planned on punching him. “Where are they? I want them. I want them now.”

  “You cannot have them. They are mine. Besides, they would be useless to you.”

  “Not if you’re dead.”

  Darnac kept one hand on Blackfang’s arm to help hold his weight up, while he dropped the other one to his belt where his ever present dagger lay. “You wouldn’t be saying that if I had my blades in my hands.”

  Blackfang laughed. It was a deep chuckle, full of hatred and malice. “I know
your secret. You cannot kill me, unless you want your head to explode.”

  Darnac’s attack was lightning fast. Drawing his dagger, he rammed it to the hilt right through the meaty part of Blackfang’s forearm, between the ulna and radius. This strike caused the unconscious reflex of loosening Blackfang’s grip that allowed the Blademaster to fall back to the ground.

  Blackfang roared with anger. “I’m going to kill you!”

  Darnac shook his head. “I think not. At least, not today.”

  “Why? What is going to stop me from ripping your limbs off one by one.”

  A small smile crept over Darnac’s face as his eyes flicked to the left and right. Blackfang slowly looked around to find himself completely surrounded.

  * * * * *

  Gray had never fully expected to be this close to his father’s killer. He might have dreamed about it but he never thought it would come true. But now, his uncle was less than twenty feet away and holding his Kënnári by the throat.

  He had to act. Without thinking or considering his actions, Gray shifted the weapon harness to his left hand, grabbed one of the hilts of Darnac’s swords with his right hand and pulled it free.

  The silver saber nearly leapt out of the scabbard of its own accord and glowed with an unearthly white light. Gray imagined that he could almost feel a beating or rhythmic pulse coming from the sword but also, a deep sense of regret filled him. Assuming a fighting stance with the blade held above his head but pointed toward Blackfang, Gray waited for the right moment to strike.

  * * * * *

  Suddenly, Galvorn was in the middle of the worst dilemma he could imagine.

  His Kënnári was being strangled by his father. Granted, Blackfang had never been nice to him but that did not lessen the fact of who he was or the crux of the situation he found himself in. However, even though Galvorn’s mind was taken up with this quandary, his body reacted out of instinct. Drawing his sicáe, Galvorn quickly transferred it to his off hand when Isengrim shifted his teacher’s weapon harness his direction. He had always been taught to make use of the best weapons available. Even though he’d been cautioned time and time again about handling Iram et dolorem, he wasn’t about to ignore a superior weapon in favor of an inferior one.

  Grabbing the other sword with his left hand, he mirrored his partner’s fighting stance and waited. Galvorn also felt the pulsation of an imaginary heartbeat from the silver saber but it was the silent urging to attack he felt from the blade that threatened to overwhelm him.

  * * * * *

  Darnac’s smile grew larger as the werewolf realized that he was surrounded.

  “I might be forbidden to kill you but they aren’t.” He paused for a moment and shifted his stance slightly just in case the damned werewolf decided to attack. “You now have two options, attack and die or leave and live. It’s as simple as that.”

  Blackfang growled at him and took a step back. “This isn’t over Blademaster.”

  The werewolf reached down and pulled out the offending blade protruding from his arm. Dropping it on the floor, he turned to leave and paused when his eyes found Galvorn and Graytael. The two young warriors seemed to be mirror images of each other. They were in the exact same but opposite stance. Above their heads were the blades he was seeking. Just the sight of the magical blades filled his mind with hope and drove back the madness that constantly ate at his consciousness. However, seeing his son holding a weapon against him brought his anger to a boil and threatened to overwhelm his control once again.

  Nevertheless, there was something more, a scent from out of the past filled his nostrils and tugged on a memory. Blackfang desperately tried to get ahold of the elusive scent but then his eyes found Mortharona and rage overwhelmed him once again. This was Lalith’s new lover and just one more reason she was no longer his. He pointed his finger at the dark haired light elf.

  “You! I know you!”

  Mortharona calmly drew his twin short swords and took a small step forward. “Aye you hairy bastard. I spent months fighting in your beloved Pit but you never had the courage to face me one on one.”

  “Those were good days.” Blackfang grinned at the memory but other than that, he ignored the dark haired elf and stomped his way out of the gathering.

  “Coward,” yelled Mortharona but moved to follow him in case the dangerous werebeast decided to double back.

  Chikk rushed to the Blademaster’s side but he waved her off and stepped up to his prize students with his hands outstretched. “My swords gentlemen.”

  Without hesitation, Gray reversed the silver blade and presented the hilt to his instructor.

  After a brief few seconds of indecision, Galvorn copied his actions. As he stepped back, he jerked his arm up as a brief flash of pain invaded his elbow. He glanced down and saw a trickle of blood from a new scratch. As Václav, the disgraced Cobra warrior of the Primus passed by him with the Blademaster’s harness and sheaths, he must have bumped into it and scratched him. As his mentor began talking, he did not give it a second thought.

  “Well done Shadow and Stalker.” Darnac raised his voice slightly and turned in a wide circle to take in the entire group. “Well done everyone. You’ve made me proud.”

  Gray and Galvorn beamed at the compliment but they were not alone. All around them, the students were smiling and chatting about what had just happened.

  Darnac leaned into his two prize students. “Outstanding job. When the gala is over, come to my quarters. I want to talk with you both.”

  They nodded and watched as he milled through the crowd, placing a reassuring hand on a shoulder here or a simple pat on the back there. Darnac never treated anyone any different from anyone else, no matter what coterie they belonged to. All that mattered to him was how they performed in his class but now, he added another category; how they had performed when he was threatened.

  Chikk Forlorn spent a moment talking with Mouse and Scarlet before moving over to join him and the two dark elves disappeared into the bowels of the compound even as the band began playing again.

  Tamina with the redhead in tow joined Gray and Galvorn. “Hi guys, this is Ursula. She’ll be joining us in the Primus as of tomorrow.”

  “Scarlet, call me Scarlet.” She smiled. It was a pretty smile. She had a round face and a slightly long nose. She was not beautiful by any stretch of the imagination but she was not ugly either. Of course, she did have overly large breasts for a thirteen year old girl which helped her popularity with many of the boys, although Scarlet judged people by where they looked when she first met them. To their credit, both Gray and Galvorn looked her in the eyes as they chatted. She had pretty green eyes.

  Jardan, Nergüi and Dovan soon joined them and the conversation shifted from the appearance of Blackfang back to the games and rumors that the kids had heard. There were always rumors and they ran the gamut from the defeat of the Dark Alliance army to the fall of Asylum. They argued back and forth over imaginary points and even wild strategies to accomplish such feats.

  Normally, Galvorn was right in the middle of the arguments but at the moment he was feeling light headed.

  Gray noticed the difference and as much as he was enjoying the time away from training with friends, he used his partner’s discomfort as an excuse to leave the gathering. A short time later, the two half-elves were moving through the passageways back to their own section of the compound.

  Galvorn stumbled against one wall. “Grim…I don’t feel well.”

  Gray grabbed his arm and helped him along. He could feel the heat radiating from his skin. “Come on Gal, we’re almost there.”

  Reaching the doorway to the Wolf’s Den, they passed it by and turned right down the next corridor. It was actually a cul de sac with a large iron bound door at the end. Gray did not dawdle and bounded hard on the door with the hilt of his sicáe. Something was wrong with his half-brother and Darnac would know what to do.

  When the door opened to reveal the scantily clad sea captain, it did not even
faze him. Pushing past her, Gray dragged the semi-conscious form of his partner into the sparsely furnished room. “Kënnári! Something’s wrong with Galvorn!”

  The Blademaster was beside him almost immediately. “Put him on the couch!”

  Ignoring the fact that he was only wearing a loincloth, Darnac began the process of checking out his Onus while barking out questions. Gray answered the questions as best he could. How long ago did the symptoms begin? What did he eat? Has there been anyone strange hanging around? Numerous other questions that didn’t make sense to the half-elf, until finally the questions stopped when Darnac discovered the scratch on Galvorn’s elbow.

  “He’s been poisoned.” The Blademaster looked up and made eye contact with his lover. “We need an antidote.”

  Chikk pried open Galvorn’s mouth and looked at his tongue. It was black and swollen. “We don’t have time enough to distill one. Besides, we aren’t even sure which poison he used.”

  Poison. Something tugged on Gray’s mind and then it hit him. The first day he met Darnac he learned a lesson about poison. Digging in his pouch, he pulled forth the murena lapis that Darnac had given him that first day. Holding it out Gray asked, “How about a lamprey stone? Will it work?”

  Darnac did a double take at the presentation of the rare stone but did not ask any questions. He grabbed the brown crystal and placed it on Galvorn’s forehead. The murena lapis began to glow immediately. It took several minutes before it blinked once, slightly less time for the second and only a fraction of the time for the third.

  Darnac breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back. He retrieved the lamprey stone and handed it back to the half-elf. “Isengrim, once again I’m impressed with your quick thinking. I forgot that I gave you one of these stones that night in the desert.”

  Gray shrugged. “You didn’t ask for it back, so I held on to it for safekeeping.”

  “It is good that you did and even more so that you had it with you.”

  “Everything I own that’s important to me is with me at all times.”

  Darnac nodded. “That’s a good philosophy to have, especially given your situation.”