Laugh of Destruction (Book 3 of the Death Incarnate Saga)

by Jr H. Lee Morgan

  Big Tim stood in the crowd, larger than the average man, and came forward. “I’ll fix you up my best stew and finest brew.” The tavern owner then departed quickly.

  “Wait, from the lake? What of our people and livestock?”

  Metak explained patiently “All were gone before the attack thankfully. They are safely hidden and will remain so till we meet up with them.”

  Cage looked up as Brooke and Meeka knelt by his side. “Let us help.” The priestess said. “If we are going to still fulfill our roles, you will need a bath as well.” She touched his blood soaked features. Neither woman were un-bloodied themselves though they escaped harm. Meeka simply twisted her ankle some.

  Daku huffed before climbing up his master to lay across his shoulder. With help, he stood again. Someone offered a pump behind one of the buildings so everyone could wash up. After they came back refreshed, no blood lingering on any clothes, Big Tim had a large steaming bowl of vegetable stew, fresh biscuits and a large mug of foaming, honeyed ale ready.

  While Cage ate on a bench, the families of the four deceased brought the bodies and were deeply thankful he Jumped them to an area he knew of. They left crying, but couldn’t help it. By the time he finished eating and felt full, much of the tribe bathed again while Kote’s people began taking chairs outside and moving benches to surround the circular platform as directed intentionally by the elders. It was clear they made paths for a reason.

  When Cage gathered all the blood off fabric, his people started getting anxious. Since he couldn’t wait he caught the attention of Cillian and Ren who came over swiftly. “Let’s go interrogate and learn why they attacked.”

  “This way.” Ren said and led the group towards the headquarters of the home guard and jails. Inside the moderate size room stood ten alert guardsmen, watching the modest iron cells closely.

  In the sturdy jail cell, Cage noticed all four men had their hands cut off and bound in bloody linen. But the leader he dismembered was in far worse shape, unable to even cower as he lay helplessly in the center. Their earlier greed and lust was forever gone in each expression since they could see their lives wouldn’t last long. The four who still had legs cowered in a corner. “Hello boys!” Cage sais as he stood in front of the cell, all the other men gave him plenty of space. His words startled the five and they all whimpered in a way. Cage leaned against the bars with great ease as Daku glared from his shoulder seat. In a casual tone he said “Here is how things will go. You all know you are all going to die for your actions today. If you tell me everything I wish to know, will determine how long you will suffer. If I don’t find what I want I’ll chain you outside until you die of thirst, sun poisoning or even be mauled by a hungry predators. Your only alternative is to tell me everything and I’ll end your suffering swiftly.” Before he began he whispered the truth spell, wedging the magic in each of their minds. The use of such magic was miniscule compared to earlier.

  Directing the questions to the limbless man Cage said “Who are you and why did you lead the attack today?” When the man held his tongue it made the interrogator smile grimly. “Nothing to say?” no response except from a heated glare. Extending an arm through the bars, Cage magically gripped the torso and jerked him chest and groin first into the adjacent wall with a loud clang, making the man scream. “How about now? … No?” Another groin shot against the cell bars resulted.

  The man’s eyes widened when he saw the mage about to flick his wrist again to shout “No more!” A hard silence lasted a short time so the man could regain some sense of himself. “I gave up my name when I became the Bandit Lord of Vlara.” Behind, there were clearly unexpected murmurs between the men. Because the spell remained in effect, it was true. Cage upheld the leader and brought him closer while upholding the levitation so they looked eye to eye. “As for today, we were promised riches, women and power.”

  “Really?” Cage tilted his head. “By whom?”

  “Don’t rightly know, but he paid a great amount of gold and well made swords with promises for more. The one who hired us was someone’s underling. We came from our hideout for this.”

  “Tell me about this underling.”

  The Bandit Lord expression was pensive, learning too late the mage made it impossible to say anything other than the truth. Nothing left to live for, he didn’t care anymore. “Not much to tell, Mage. He was like any underling. Carried a less than average sword, crossbow and a dagger.”

  “That is too vague. You’re clearly smart enough to lead bandits. You would have been killed long ago if you didn’t notice things.” Flattery put a cracked smile to the man’s lips. “This man must have said something meaningful… A name, place, where he was heading. Did he reek of body odor, have missing fingers, twitchy eyes, a hooked nose, visible scars…”

  Something seemed to click in the man’s expression, making Cage’s eyebrow quirk. “Now that you mention it… he did smell… I remember he smelled of pungent chemicals. He smelled of opium… More like he bathed in the stuff and never took another bath in anything else.”

  Instantly everything fell in place. Cage turned to Cillian and together they said “Tran.” That was the only real reasoning that logically made sense. Mayor Cillian continued “He would be the only one capable of this. Tran is the only one who has any reason to do this. His grudge ran deeper than I expected after his operation was burned to the ground, after he took my daughter and got away from you…”

  “Agreed… I’m going to put a stop to this when I’m recovered. He went too far this time and tried covering his tracks with these assholes to do what he cannot. He got sloppy again.” Came Cage’s vow. “I let him go and wouldn’t have thought of him again till he wanted petty revenge. This knowledge doesn’t leave the room.” Each man nodded when he sat his eyes on them. Such news would only cause panic before the man was caught. “Now back to business.” He returned to questioning. “Twilight highly regulates magic, but the kingdoms do not allow common men to use protective crystals outside of war. How is that a roving band of bandits managed to procure three hundred and twenty two crystals capable of blocking magic and projectiles?”

  “Before I became Bandit Lord, my predecessor managed to kill a convoy and we kept them hidden for only our most dangerous jobs. Apparently they weren’t good enough.”

  “Apparently.” He smirked. “And the axe?”

  “Passed from Bandit Lord to Bandit Lord. Since you bested me, it’s yours.”

  “Good to know. Well… I’m done.” Cage turned around to the others. “You boys have anything else to ask before I kill him? He’s been forthcoming so far and I keep my word.”

  Ren nodded. “We are well aware of your word. If he is the Bandit Lord as he says he is, he has a great price on his head. His crimes are well known throughout the kingdom and is wanted dead, not alive. If you take his head, is there a way to keep it from rotting?”

  “Get me some water and I can freeze it.” Ren gave the nod to one of his men who left instantly. “Bandit Lord, this is goodbye.” With a flick of his finger the man’s heart ceased to beat. In a moment, the man lost the light in his wide eyes. “Next!” he said as he dropped the limbless corpse and looked at the cowering bandits.

  By the time the guard returned with a full bucket of water a third, handless man was being interrogated. Soon, every man was dead on the floor. Ren ordered his men to behead the Bandit Lord and drag the bodies out the back to be dropped with the gathering pile near the forest. Cage then froze the head in ice and placed a preserving spell which had a word to end it once it was delivered to Vin’re. A letter was written detailing the event along with the phrase to thaw the ice. Ren declared that in the morning he would personally deliver the head, but was given a much more reasonable alternative and was grateful.

  When everything was sorted Cage and Daku stepped out to bury the bodies to find darkness had fully set in. Many voices hummed in the air, but terror had diminished and left raw nerves though there wouldn’t be a second attack.
During the hours of interrogation allowed some sanity to return to the town. With their exit of the building they were met by an elder to learn everyone was ready. “We’ll start soon,” he promised. “but I have to dispose of the corpses.”

  The elder gave a nod and followed him and Cillian to the heap of gathered corpses just outside of town where several of the living waited. Blazing torches lit the area, but it didn’t help the compounded stink of hundreds of bodies who likely hadn’t bathed once in at least a year.

  Daku sneered and watched as Cage gestured for everyone to step back before thrusting his arms. A sharp burst of magic opened a fissure beneath the heap. Bodies began to drop by the dozens and sink into the black hole. Those alive watched the mass grave in awe for they would have taken all day at least to dig a pit or burn the dead, but in under a minute they were all consumed beneath the ground. Cage then forcibly clapped his hands together and the fissure crashed similarly closed. Daku looked to his partner and used his long, soft tail to wipe the sheen of sweat from his brow while still lounging across his shoulders. Between panting, Cage said “Thanks.” and gave the griffin a scratch under his chin. Daku purred in gratitude.

  Some began to talk, but Daku said “Give him a few minutes to rest.”

  “But I have the board he requested.” A man said, holding a plank of wood.

  “Oh… forgot about that.” Cage remembered adding something to a passerby who went to collect the bodies and bring them here. He let the man closer with a hand gesture and soon held the four foot tall piece of wood. With his free hand he pointed a finger near the head and conjured an orange flame which he then manipulated into the same infinity symbol marking between his shoulder blades. He then pushed the flame to the board to brand it before handing it back to the man. “Drive that in the center where I buried the lot.”

  “Sure thing, but may I ask why?” The man took the obvious headstone.

  Cage sat down in the grass to recover some. He had used a large amount of mana and he needed a good night’s rest, but he didn’t have such luxury. Slowly he fed his body with power to fight the draining effects of using magic. The sleeves of his robe covered the fact his diamonds twinkled in response to being used actively. To the man he said “Because tomorrow I’m going to contact Twilight and maybe Tate if I can to let him know what happened here. That is my mark which will let whoever they send know I was the one who did magic here and hold responsibility because of it. There will be a clear investigation, especially after what was learned. Now if you don’t mind, please stake that area and let me rest. When you’re done, go find a seat and get ready.”

  The group dispersed thanks to Cillian’s presence and the board displaying the infinity brand was plunged into the ground and hammered in. Only the elder and mayor silently stood over Cage as he took a meditative sitting arrangement. Daku rested from the same spot, but could almost feel their tension of the day dissipating with each slow, deep breath that began to synchronize. Cage felt himself relaxing, muscles uncoiling and rational priorities reasserting itself. Because of the meditation, focus sharpened and strength returned. And thanks to his diamonds he found a state where he became comfortable on the cool grass. Daku’s furnace-like body heat wasn’t easy when wanting to cool off around his neck, but the closeness and connection was more than a compromise.

  Refreshed after ten minutes, Cage stood and said “Let’s go.”

  Chapter 12

  Unknown, yet expectant whispers circulated in the heart of Kote as the citizens sat waiting around the erected platform. After the earlier danger passed, the people were looking forward to tonight’s final event, especially since they didn’t know what was going on. Cillian and Tiffa sat quietly together in the front with the seven Utala elders who didn’t say a word on the long bench they together shared. They were asked constantly when it would begin when the youngest elder returned to sit with her loves, but they smiled knowingly, making it obvious they weren’t going to tell. The odd part was, less than ten of the Utala could be seen standing around. The rest had simply disappeared one by one without notice till the crowd’s patience were growing thin and boredom made one search for something to do.

  In the distance there came a sizzling sound and the crowd quieted to look on in fear as the town’s torches were snuffed. Candles were blown out and windows closed loudly. The entire area plunged in darkness. Some cried out when the near complete darkness of the night consumed weak human vision, but Elder Metak yelled loudly “BE SILENT AND LISTEN!!!” to keep the people still and seated for their own safety. When order remained his words made them curious and silent.

  ‘Thump, thump’ There came a barely audible beat. A moment later it happened again. ‘Thump, thump.’ Louder it was this time, sounding like a gentle heartbeat. A third time it came. By the sixth it wasn’t imaginary or the beat of a heart, but from drums increasing the depth and perfectly timed strikes on leather surfaces.

  “Look.” Tiffa whispered beside her husband and pointed to a faint red light above the platform that slowly began to appear and pulsed slightly brighter with each drum beat. ‘Thump, thump.’

  Like the drums and light, there came a soft note steadily getting louder, adding a melody to the resonating beat of drums. Another light of soft blue appeared next to the red one, twinkling with the secondary underlying music. More instruments were joining the flow and for each one there came a joining orb of red, blue, green, gold, pink, violet and white several feet above the dark platform. The lights began to circle around each other faster and faster as the music sped up till, without warning, stopped and the lights disappeared instantly.

  All attention riveted to the wooden stand now.

  A rich voice then shocked the crowd as Meeka appeared, illuminated by calming blue lights swirling like tiny fireflies around her. Her song was one every person in Kote knew by heart, one of love, peace and happiness. But her voice was perfect, unable to be denied. To make her more dramatic the lights swirling around her made the blue dress constantly shimmer with the delicate rhinestones glistening. Her hair was styled in a way that made her beauty as powerful as her voice. Few had known she could sing, but now everyone listened to perfection.

  But she wasn’t alone as five more beautifully stunning women appeared like Meeka had, each having tiny wisps of light swimming around them. Their voices joined in a harmony unlike anything the town had ever heard. Since it was a circular stage, the six singers positioned themselves where each could look over the crowd who were beyond impressed.

  They started the song slowly, quietly, like the original beat of drums at first, and as their voices grew, music joined them.

  When it came to the point of the song everyone knew would get exciting, they weren’t disappointed as twelve breathtaking dancers appeared on the large platform in a burst of pink and red light, adding their physical energy to the song as Meeka’s voice not only reached the very back seats, but down to their very hearts. Some in the audience sung along, but not so loud as to butcher the perfection of Meeka’s ethereal voice or that of her sisters. Brooke and two of her sisters danced around Meeka, displaying a deadly grace forged through hardship that had made way for beauty the likes of which cannot be duplicated in any other way.

  Instruments began to glow and brighten with every beat or note before the entire platform became a brilliant stage of light that pushed all darkness away.

  The party wasn’t done yet as the tribe began to reappear, but were glowing with bands of light wrapped around their tattoos in striking ways. Children ran up and down strategically placed aisles, throwing glittering balls of light that varied color every few seconds, tossing them to one another. The adults had their spears highlighted by magic and were slowly fighting so as to not be overly distracting.

  The whole town of Kote watched in overwhelming awe at the spectacle going on all around them. None were able to move as they watched and listened.

  Soon it all ended as slowly as it began, the dancers slowing, children sitting an
d fighting adults stopping and standing like proud, glowing statues.

  It wasn’t the end either as it led to a second song. One in which Meeka and the five singers began slowly circling in a clockwise direction while telling a famous Vlaran story of honor and triumph while the musicians remained sitting or standing in the center of the stage. The dancers gracefully maintained their place this time, but moved in exotic ways that made even a snake’s fluid movements bow down to these women.

  Adults ringing the townspeople began artfully showing a tribal spear-dance while the children held on to their color-changing orb to dance playfully around the paths, making all near them smile as they giggled.

  The song ended abruptly, as it should have. But before anyone could speak, the most impressive display yet came in the third and final song.

  Children whispered a command to the orbs at certain points in the exciting song and watched in splendor as each orb flew up above the trees to explode in breathtaking ways. Some took on shapes of animals in a moment of light before fading into nothingness while others were varied objects. With each child’s orb bursting like controlled fireworks, each loss had the children leaving the paths. The light threads on the spear wielding adults began to fade in unison, almost appearing they were fading into darkness from whence they came. But each explosion revealed they didn’t move, waiting for the children to come.

  At last comes the finale! Cage thought as the story of friendship began to close.

  Meeka, the singers and all dancers stopped moving while the musicians slowed the tempo before the grand finish.

  Tiffa, Cillian and every other person looked up into the star twinkling sky when those on stage pointed up meaningfully. They saw only blackness at first before small balls of light began coming into existence. At first there were a few, then hundreds began raining down like some giant sparkler. At the heart of the lightshow flew Cage with his hands up in the sky, maintaining deep concentration as his imagination guided desire into reality. Hearing the final beats speed down below, he made the board spin faster and faster. His hand separated slightly to fire sparks of light so it acted like a pinwheel. He soon reached the fastest speed of rotation his body could handle, making the streams of sparkling gold light almost blur together like a whirlpool.