Demon Scroll

by Tim Niederriter

  Her flurry of attacks increased in ferocity as she retreated. He forced her to the middle the bridge well before the door behind him opened. But open it did. Two vakari warriors emerged from the front compartment of the vessel. They each already wove a spell in the air with sprites. Deckard threw his shoulder forward. Abandoning all tactics, he forced uigara backward She slashed toward his head. He raised his arm, catching the blade on his armor. The reverberation of the impact rang through the vessel. After so many swings of the blade, the ordinary metal dented and then cracked with the force of the impact against his iron robe. The blade shattered.

  Deckard quickly took advantage of the situation. He sheathed his blade then delivered a crushing blow with his fist directly to Uigara’s head. She staggered, looking dazed. He delivered another blow this time to her chest. She crumpled to the deck.

  He had no time to check to see how much damage he’d done. The two warriors raced after him. Deckard ran toward the rear hatch. Before the reptilian men could take the air, Deckard sailed into the open air. He circled over the vessel, hoping beyond hope that the other four ships did not contain as many warriors as that one. A hundred and fifty vakari warriors made a sizable attack force, especially given their role as mages.

  They aren’t here to seize the city, Deckard thought, they're here to free something from of the world well. The well in the palace is unprotected. They plan to bypass Soucot to steal something from beneath the earth. The world well could be the source of many powers, but its main bounty for those who worship demons beneath the earth was the freedom it might offer to whatever lay below.

  Deckard raced over the water. He needed to warn the governor before it was too late.

  Melissa

  The governor’s ship roared with battle. Melissa, Suya and the rest of the governor’s hand fought along the deck. Though they held the bow well enough, the ship became swamped as another vessel appeared alongside and sent troops across. The head-on collision now seemed the least of their worries.

  Kanori warriors swarmed over the side, swinging on ropes and leaping the gaps. The second, lighter vessel, unarmored for speed to get alongside them had been sheltered behind the fortress ship that rammed them.

  Melissa cut her way back through the mob to reach the governor. She met governor Lokoth, near the rear of the ship where the wheel stand made a defensible position for the crew. Those without magic needed every advantage in such a chaotic battle.

  Melissa must have already felled a dozen enemies. The rest of the hand did similar work.

  She glanced at the governor.

  “There are so many!”

  The governor maintained her icy demeanor.

  “Don’t give up. We must not retreat into the harbor.”

  Niu dropped an opponent with a torch bane on her staff. She turned and motioned Melissa toward her with the other end of the weapon.

  Melissa returned to the fray. She used her bane-strengthened muscles to break enemy spears and smash their shields to pieces.

  The number of foes made little difference to the hand. However, with the crew in danger, the ship entered serious trouble and the crew remained vulnerable the longer the fighting lasted.

  Melissa and Niu and the others pressed their attack against the enemy, forcing them toward their ships. The fortress ship at the helm appeared to be mostly broken. The bow of the governor’s vessel remained clear of foes.

  “We need to get rid of the little ship,” said Melissa.

  Niu nodded.

  Kelt battered his way through another wave of enemies.

  “I suppose there's always sinking it.”

  Niu’s eyes widened.

  Melissa nodded. She glanced at Niu and Kelt.

  “Make me some space.”

  The two of them nodded. The three cut their way to the end of the vessel closest to the small ship, floating beside. The reached the tethers keeping the ships together.

  Melissa drew out her iron bane. Without the strength the bane gave, she felt the enormous weight of fatigue. Ignoring the feeling, she made the iron bane into a weapon. She hurled the bane spear straight through the center boards of the enemy ship. The vessel splintered and burst apart as a great gash rent the hall. Water poured in.

  Niu glanced at Melissa.

  “That's one way to strike a blow.”

  Kelt swung his oar overhead and smashed all three gangways one a time. The enemy ship listed and began to sink. All around, the boarders threw down their weapons in surrender.

  “And that's one way to win a fight,” said Melissa.

  The fortress ship before them remained attached by its combined gangplank and ram. The hand made their way onto the vessel. Melissa led the way. Her spear cast the light of a sprite from its tip. She marched through the vessel, looking at the rows of oarsmen at the bottom of the ship. This vessel appeared to be crewed only lightly, though it still had a full complement of oarsmen.

  Melissa glanced back the others.

  “There's not many people on board.”

  “No more warriors?” said Kelt. “Good.”

  Melissa couldn't help but agree with him. She was glad the battle was over for the moment.

  “They doubled the attacked on the governor’s ship,” said Suya “Perhaps this was the best they had?”

  “Perhaps,” said Melissa.

  The dome of the fortress ship above them rang with a heavy impact.

  “What was that?” asked Niu.

  Melissa shook her head.

  “Whatever it was, it seems like this ship isn’t what it looked like at first.”

  “Let's get back to the governor’s vessel,” said Suya.

  They retreated along the ramming gangway and onto the governor’s ship. The rowers in the fortress ship were led to the deck by the Lowenraner crew. They became prisoners without a fight. Typical of Kanor’s fleet, many of them spoke of being enslaved to pull oars.

  Melissa and the hand turned as one and looked up at the man who stood atop the fortress ship, Deckard Hadrian. He took to the air and glided to the governor’s vessel. He landed near the helm.

  Melissa ran up the steps to reach him. She arrived to hear Deckard speaking to the governor.

  “It seems the attack fleet on the harbor mouth is a decoy.”

  “A decoy? Truly?” said governor Lokoth.

  “They have many vakari warriors in the ships behind these. Winged warriors,” Deckard said.

  Melissa glanced at Deckard. He nodded toward her before turning his gaze to the governor.

  “We must retreat to the city if we are to stop these warriors from raiding the palace.”

  “Is that really what they’re after?” asked the governor.

  “Two-hundred vakari warriors won't take the city alone,” said Deckard, “but they could reach the palace.”

  Melissa frowned.

  “With all due respect, Lord Hadrian, what is in the palace?”

  “A world well,” said Deckard, “you know of it.”

  “The world well?” Melissa frowned.

  The governor nodded.

  “Of course,” she said, “They serve some rogue demon somewhere. Whoever sent them to my city wants what lies beneath the world well.”

  Deckard glanced at the fortress ship.

  “That vessel must be pushed off at once,” he said.

  The governor turned to the crew.

  “We must return to the city at once. Have the fleet hold the harbor mouth. My hand is needed in the city.”

  Even as she spoke, the wing-beats of vakari warriors began to sound overhead. They darkened the sky for a moment as the cloud of them flew past. Deckard took the air. He shouted to the ship.

  “Do what you can to hold the enemy here. Send as many mages to the palace as you can.”

  The governor shouted back at him.

  “Continue your hunt.”

  The demon Hunter sailed off in the sky. Melissa grimaced, helpless in the face of the enemy plans.

&n
bsp; Folt

  Folt and his ship took the lead as Kanori vessels broke through the defensive line. Each member of the Fist had their ship to guide to shore. He feared somewhat for any ship commanded by Heen, who was just a boy even now. Folt doubted the overenthusiastic child would make an officer any day soon.

  He watched the vakari warriors take to the air as the dome lifted. The lizardmen spilled into the sky, two-hundred of them led by the king of Nassio.

  Folt aimed for the river. Though the enemy held, for the most part, the breaches allowed the Fist’s ships inside the harbor mouth. The raced alongside the governors retreating ship toward the city. The mouth of the river came into view between the docks.

  Men and women huddled in the streets and on the piers, watching the battle. As the fortress ship stormed closer, many of the civilians fled. The Bay of Charin was red today.

  Folt’s crew put on as much speed as they could. He watched the king of Nassio fly. The pale, wrinkled form glided at the forefront of the vanguard, shrinking into the distance on their way to the palace. Havindas must be with them in his gaseous form. They each had a role in the mission. My ships must reach the river to aid my master. Havindas would carry the precious cargo they retrieved out of the land of mercy and they would return to Nassio. Folt doubted he’d ever understand the workings of their master. He served Voratome Drake, as did Havindas.

  Vortatome of the eighty-eight lay imprisoned beneath the earth, among the greatest demons. He made for the demanding master.

  Folt shook himself from his thoughts. He lifted his blade. With Saben out of the way and the rest of the crew all prepared to fight, he felt his connection with his master flare. They could save a spark from the depths.

  We must do as the master bids...and one day perhaps I will be free.

  He waved the ship forward with his sword.

  The ship accelerated to double time, oar's smashing the waves as they neared the river’s mouth.

  Folt had been chosen to lead the rescue mission even over Havindas. Freedom could be close.

  The fortress ship cut into the river.

  Elaine

  The battle raged in the distance. Elaine and her aunt both remained in the palace studying scrolls. Lady Nasibron suspected the gift Deckard Hadrian delivered the previous night in the form of rolls of parchment could assist against the enemy force. The fleet had moved quickly across the water, and even Kanori ships manage that so stealthily.

  Elaine threw the one she’d been reading down on the desk in frustration.

  “I don't see how we can find answers in this,” She said. “The vakari may have cheated nature to move so swiftly.”

  “It may seem so,” said Lady Nasibron, “if one has a sophomoric understanding of mage craft.”

  Elaine reddened.

  “You’re still young,” her aunt said.

  Elaine frowned at the scroll she had been studying.

  “If they attack the city from surprise, do you think the fleet will be able to protect us?”

  “I have no doubt," said Lady Nasibron. “The hand we trained is powerful. Most of them will soon have sacra forms as well.”

  Elaine envied them, knowing the men and women of the governor’s hand gained sacra forms before Lady Nasibron allowed Elaine to learn such mysteries.

  “Should we simply wait for the battle to end?”

  “Remain here,” said Lady Nasbiron, “study with me if you wish. However, I suspect you may find it easier to spend your time assisting the gentle servants with defense, though I doubt the fighting will reach us.”

  Elaine rose and left the room. She went down the hall and toward the front gate. Everywhere, gentle servants and commoners were laying bars on windows and piling up barriers. The vast, open palace, could be fortified almost endlessly. Should the fleet lose at sea, they would likely need all of such protection.

  Elaine’s footsteps reverberated on stone. She spotted a figure standing outside the gates. He was stocky. Even at their long-distance, Elaine could hear his dissonant sprites.

  What is Lakses doing here?

  Saben

  Saben didn’t enjoy listening to a battle going on all around him while unable to look for the source the sounds. In the brig of fortress ship, he grunted, wishing he could be sure a shout would be worthwhile. No, he decided. He didn’t even know where the ship was going.

  Saben twisted in the dim light, turning to look through the bars of his cell at the guard. The lizard man of common descent lacked wings and wore a face like a permanent snarl.

  “Well good to meet you too,” he said under his breath.

  He and Jaswei and Rond were split up. He suspected Rond and Jaswei had been taken to the same cell because of the voices he could hear down the passage beyond his cell.

  He grimaced, wishing he had his sword. Despite the blade’s common nature, it served him well over his journeys. The guards stashed the weapon in front of the brig.

  Saben struggled against the chains binding him to the wall. He doubted they would hold if the ship was torn asunder.

  The battle around them must be intense because the guard abandoned his post. As the raging combat grew louder, Saben pushed himself away from the wall, dragging his chain to get close to the bars. He peered out. The ship’s passage was lit only from the deck above, where it met the deck. He turned down the passage, deeper into the brig, and found himself face-to-face with Jaswei. She smiled, jingling a set of keys.

  “Now we just need to get my luggage and your sword and then we can escape.”

  “How did you get out?” he asked.

  Rond emerged from the passage beside Jaswei. She handed him the keys. Rond worked Saben’s.

  “We waited for the guard to turn his back. Easiest trick in the book,” said Jaswei.

  “That didn't work for me.”

  Jaswei shrugged.

  “You're too big and heavy to reach between these bars?”

  Saben shrugged.

  Rond finished with the door and it sprang open. Rond picked out a second key and started to work on unlatching Ben's chains. He managed that swiftly as well.

  Saben massaged his wrists as they followed Rond up the passage. Jaswei slapped him on the shoulder. Saben almost laughed at her touch. She seemed lighter, more alive and aware than usual. His urge to make sure she escaped with him grew.

  “Saben,” said Jaswei, “We may need to take over the ship to get out of the battle.”

  “Do you think we can?” asked Rond.

  “I do,” said Saben.

  They reached the front of the brig. His sword simply lay on the floor behind a desk next to the wall. He lifted the weapon. Jaswei dragged her luggage out from the other side of the brig.

  “I'm surprised they didn't throw that overboard,” said Saben.

  Jaswei frowned.

  “That's inconsiderate to say. What would I do without my clothes?”

  “Get new clothes?” suggested Rond.

  Saben smiled.

  “Don't tell her that,” he said. “Those clothes have been on a long journey.”

  “As long as your sword?” asked Rond.

  Saben fastened the baldric on his back and hefted the weapon to lie across his shoulder.

  “Not quite,” he said.

  They emerged from the passage on the top deck.

  “The helm is that way,” Jawei pointed toward the raised bridge of the ship.

  Saben nodded to her.

  “I'll protect our backs. You two get the wheel.”

  “Take over the ship, truly?” said Rond.

  “You can steer,” said Saben.

  Rond grunted.

  “First time for everything,” he muttered.

  Jaswei and Rhonda climbed the stairs toward the raised helm.

  Saben turned to face the handful of vakari still on board. Most of the warriors head already left. The vessel still moved quickly through the water. Behind the vakari soldiers, he spotted the young girl of the Fist, Rina, standing by t
he bow of the ship.

  She glanced at him and scowled a reptilian look. Her eyes took on a filmy quality, fish or...a Charinian Fisher. His eyes widened at the realization. Rina was a Fisher, one that could assume human form. Her tail extended behind her and her small dress parted enough to allow a serpentine lower half to emerge. He retreated a pace, not knowing for sure how to face one of a Fisher.

  If she planned to fight him, this could be a difficult battle, indeed.

  Vakari soldiers followed them, all of them regular wingless. Fishers bore demonic heritage, despite their mortal nature but Saben’s seals would still be useless against them. He began to chant, sending waves of pressure flowing into the air. One by one the lizard warriors stopped their movement, muscles frozen. They stood paralyzed as sound waves hit them over and over, echoing under the dome.

  Saben continued to chant, focusing his voice toward the front of the ship. Rina slithered out a hatch at the front of the vessel. She took to the air on her Fisher’s wings.

  Saben ceased his chant and looked toward the helm. Jaswei dropped one of the vakari protecting the wheel. The Kanori helmsman gave up immediately raising his hands in surrender. Rond took the wheel. He peered through a slit in the dome to navigate.

  The ship broke formation.

  “I see three ships ahead of us,” Rond called.

  “Fortress ships?” said Saben.

  “Yeah,” said Ron, “We’re all heading up the river in Soucot.”

  “We have one behind us too,” said Jaswei, turning from a port at the back of the helm.

  Saben left the frozen vakari on the deck and joined the others at the helm. He listened to the rowers working below. The enslaved men had no control over the ship except for its speed and they’d been told to push the vessel fast.

  He, Jaswei, and Rond stood at the helm as the ship rowed upriver.

  Elaine

  Elaine ran to the gates. Through the barred portcullis she called out to Lakses.

  “I came to warn you,” he said, pointing to the sky.

  Elaine squinted. She made out the shapes of what looked like massive birds hovering over the city. They swooped in lower and she recognized them. Vakari warriors. At the head of the warriors flew an aging, pale-scaled lizard man, the king.