A Demon's Quest the Beginning of the End the Trilogy Box Set

by Charles Carfagno Jr.

  His thoughts suddenly shifted to what would become of his kingdom and who would rule after he passed into the abyss. He considered Boruta of the first in command. He was a great tactician, skilled fighter, led by example, intelligent, had a gifted ability to analyze an opponent’s strengths and weaknesses, and was very competent and persuasive. However, he was stubborn, easily provoked, dishonest, and quick to judge.

  Then there was Forneus of the second in command. He was task-driven, intelligent, and crafty. Conversely, he wasn’t a true leader and was easily influenced by others.

  Oso of the third in command was crafty, highly intelligent, and could outwit just about anyone. He was also a good leader and would be fair. Nevertheless, his fighting skills were far worse than the others, and he feared that, in the end, he would be overrun if a civil war started.

  Finally, there was Dybbuk. He was clever, crafty, skilled in battle, charismatic, had proven that he could adapt to any situation and was intelligent.

  But he was too much of a risk-taker and would change their laws, and if he did, it would most likely disrupt the harmony he’d created many decades ago.

  Demon laws dictated that Boruta was next in line, but he knew that he couldn’t be trusted to be fair and would rule with an iron claw. Forneus and Oso might be better suited, but they were not as skilled in the art of leadership as Boruta was. Dybbuk was the better choice over them, but for that to happen, he would have to eliminate Boruta, which wouldn’t be easy, and the courts would have to agree with his selection as well.

  Suddenly, Grasant entered the room with a satchel filled with important scrolls that needed his attention right away.

  Dybbuk stayed in his stronghold over the next two moons, training his mind and body feverishly and studying with Darn, the greatest tactical lieutenant of their time. Together they analyzed various scenarios he could encounter in the place known as the Other. When he was satisfied with their new approach, he left his world to fulfill his destiny.

  Chapter 15: A Child’s Dream (Part 1)

  Daybreak ushered in more snow and chilling wind, causing Katara and Torhan to pack up their belongings rather quickly.

  “Do you know how much further until we reach Snowdrift?” Torhan asked.

  “I think we’ll arrive within the next day if we hurry.” She took off the Ring of Warmth and presented it to him. “It’s a great ring. I was warm throughout the night.”

  Torhan smiled. “Why don’t you hold onto it for a while?” He offered it, despite being cold.

  Katara’s eyes lit up as she placed the ring back on her finger.

  “Just to let you know; the ring’s ability does dissipate in time. It needs fire to recharge itself.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind. If you get too cold let me know, and I’ll give it back.”

  “Okay.”

  It was around mid-afternoon when they crested a hill and saw a large frozen pond. They carefully proceeded down the snowy hill and stopped when they reached the bottom.

  “What do you think?” Torhan asked staring at the ice.

  “Well it looks relatively solid, but we won’t know until we start crossing. If we go around it could take us until nightfall and with the weather,” she gazed skyward, “I really don’t want to be out here any longer than we have to. I plan on eating a hot meal and being in a nice warm bed tonight.”

  “I’ll go first and let you know if the ice holds.” Torhan offered and started walking out.

  “Hold on.” She said and rifled through her backpack until she found a length of rope. “Here tie this around your waist in case you fall in.”

  Torhan did as he was instructed.

  “Do you want the ring?”

  “It won’t do any good if I fall in.” Torhan said and started crossing the pond.

  Katara held the rope firmly, listening for the warning sound of ice cracking while watching him intently.

  On top of the hill and slightly to the west, a hunter watched the male walk on the ice. The white furs he wore blended him in with his surroundings so well you wouldn’t notice him unless you were standing right in front of him.

  “What do we have here?” He asked his wolves as if they could actually understand him.

  “Should we have some fun or kill them outright?” He said to them, while he notched his bow, and pointed it at the male.

  Torhan was fifteen feet across the pond when his scabbard began to glow causing him to stop abruptly.

  “What’s wrong is the ice cracking?” Katara shouted after seeing him pause.

  Torhan held up his hand, as if, indicating it was. In the open, he knew they were quite vulnerable and realized that whatever was out there might not be close enough to stop him from getting back to the shore, unless of course, they were huntsmen with ranged weapons.

  “The ice is cracking.” He shouted, turned and ran as fast as he could back towards the shore.

  Peering around the tree the hunter snickered and then looked over at his wolves.

  “Look at that? That boy can run.” He said.

  The animals paid him no mind and continued to stare straight ahead awaiting their master’s orders. The hunter pulled the drawstring and fired the arrow in an arcing manner. The arrow sailed through the air and stuck into the ice a few feet in front of Torhan causing him to stop dead in his tracks, knowing it was intended as a warning.

  “That’s far enough.” The hunter shouted from atop the hill.

  Katara turned around in surprise and then back at Torhan, who shook his head indicating for her to stay put. A few seconds later, a man of a medium build, with a patch over his right eye, descended down the hill along with two wolves. His short bow was notched with an arrow.

  “We mean you no harm and only want to pass.” Katara said after he finished his descent.

  “Ya, well, I want to eat and who knows,” he smiled, “maybe we can get warm together.”

  The hunter stopped ten feet away from Katara.

  “You,” he looked directly at Torhan, “drop to your knees, or I’ll drop you.” The hunter trained his bow at Torhan, and he did as he was told.

  “Pretty one,” he said without taking his eyes off of his target. “Place your mace on the ground.”

  Katara was in the process of doing so when two more men, dressed similar to the first hunter, came walking down the hill along with two more wolves. When they reached the bottom, both men leered at Katara. The hunter on the left smiled exposing his remaining tooth and the one on the right, with two long scars that crisscrossed on his face, winked at her. The lines made him look very disturbing and repulsive.

  “Well, well, well what do we have here?” One Tooth said giving, Katara a look that could only mean one thing.

  “I caught these two roaming freely on our land.” The first hunter, eyes riveted on Torhan, replied.

  “I was talking about the woman, she sure is pretty.”

  “Remove your friend’s weapons and tie him up.” The hunter with the scars said to Katara.

  Torhan had a good idea what their captors were going to do them after he was tied up. They were going to have their way with Katara and possibly kill them both afterwards. The thought made his stomach churn and blood boil. He was about to do something foolish when Katara approached giving him a reassuring look not to. When she was close enough she began chanting in a foreign language so low that no one, except for Torhan, heard her. By the time she finished removing his weapons and tying him up, she completed the chant and winked at him before turning around.

  One Tooth grinned in delight. “Now bitch, on your knees.” He said, clearly indicating he had some sick plans in store.

  All at once, the four wolves began growling in the direction of the lake, drawing the hunters’ attention towards them. “What is it?” One Tooth said to his friends.

  “I don’t know but something is exciting them.” The hunter with the eye patch replied.

  The ice slowly moaned and cracked. “I think there is something i
s out there.” The scarred hunter added.

  “Like wha…”

  The ice suddenly burst apart sending shards of ice skywards. The wolves darted away, so did One Tooth and the first hunter. Katara dropped to her knees, extended both arms upwards, and on cue, a fifteen-foot high water column rose up from the depths, began moving in a circular motion, mesmerizing the scarred hunter and freezing him where he stood. Katara commanded the Water Tirip to attack, and it did by lashing out with three large balls of water at the hunter closest to them. For the hunter, time seemed to slow as the projectiles slammed into his body, knocking him off of his feet and sending him into a nearby tree, knocking him unconscious.

  “Kill.” Katara commanded.

  The Water Tirip changed into a ten-foot wave and rolled up the hill towards the other two hunters.

  “Nice work.” Torhan commented.

  “Call me bitch will they?” She smiled and then freed him from his bonds.

  One Tooth knew he was going to die when he saw the water creature taking shape. He saw one once before, when he was much younger. He remembered the havoc it caused and the men who lost their lives. But still, despite that, he ran as fast as he could until he was pelted in the back by a ball of water that sent him sprawling to the ground. He lay on his stomach breathing heavily, waiting for the end. He was tired of his life, the cards he’d been dealt and missed his dead wife. When the Water Tirip rolled over his prone body, it filled his lungs filled with liquid, drowned the man and then moved on.

  When the other hunter saw his friend go down in a burst of water, he never looked back again, despite his guilt. He ran faster and harder, changing direction often, hoping to lose the creature. Eventually, he became winded, was unable to run any further and sat down on a log to catch his breath. He smiled, thinking he gave the water creature the slip, but his smile faded when the wave abruptly appeared and moved in his direction. He cursed the guardian, notched an arrow, and fired it at the water, only to watch it pass through the mass with little resistance. He cursed it repeatedly until the Water Tirip came crashing down upon his head, drowning him within seconds.

  ****

  Torhan was in the process of taking the unconscious hunter’s furs off when Katara came walking over.

  “You know he should die.” She commented.

  Torhan looked skywards. “There’s a storm coming, so how long do you think he’ll live without his furs?”

  When he was finished removing his furs, they tied him to a tree and waited for the water guardian to return. When it did, Katara ordered the sentinel to guard the prisoner.

  “Just in case he gets free.” She said to Torhan with a sly look.

  Now that the ice was broken, they had to walk around the pond and made camp shortly before nightfall. Katara created their shelter while Torhan gathered wood for a fire. Once situated together on a log, Torhan placed the Ring of Warmth next to the fire to recharge it, and they began eating. An hour later, the well anticipated storm, consisting of snow and ice, fell in heavy sheets, prompting them to huddle closer under the furs until they grew tired and went to sleep.

  By morning, the storm dissipated into light flurries. They packed up their belongings, using a portion of the fur trappings to cover their booted feet to keep them warm and dry for their long trek ahead.

  It was midmorning when they arrived at the town of Snowdrift. The quaint little town had a modest amount of people, strolling about doing their daily rituals, and a few patrolling guards keeping a watchful eye. Hungry, thirsty, and tired, they found the closest tavern and were promptly seated in the middle of the room next to a table with two elderly gentlemen in their sixties engaged in light conversation. Once food was ordered, Torhan turned and greeted them.

  “Good day gentleman.”

  The balding man on the right grumbled in response because he interrupted them.

  “Don’t be like that.” The man on the left with short white hair and a beard scoffed at his grumpy friend. “Good day stranger. I am Erea and this here is Kipt.”

  “I’m Torhan and this is Katara.”

  “Glad to meet you. Are you from around here?”

  “No we’re not. We’re just passing through. Can you tell me about this town?”

  “Well, this town is older than I can remember,” Erea said and loosened his fur jacket. “We’ve both lived here since we were children and been friends for…” He rubbed his chin in a pondering manner.

  “A long time.” Kipt finished his friend’s sentence and grinned.

  “Ya, a really long time, in fact, too long.” Erea said, and they laughed.

  “What do you do around here?” Katara asked.

  “Back in the day, I was a farmer and Kipt was a merchant and now, well; we just hang out here to get away from our nagging wives.” They laughed again.

  “I see they like to keep themselves amused.” Katara whispered to Torhan.

  “Can you tell me about the merchants here?” Torhan asked after they stopped giggling.

  “Well if you want weapons or armor you should go to the Sharp Edge. If you need healing stuff, the Herb of Life is the place to go. Both merchants are right in the middle of town. If you desire furs and outerwear, by all means go next door to the Tracker’s Delight.” Kipt paused to take a swig of ale.

  Erea continued for his friend. “If you fancy strange items of the dark arts, then go see the Mystic Stone located at the end of the street, and this place here has the best-tasting food and ale in the town.”

  Just then the serving wench arrived with their food and ale, and Katara ordered tankards for the two men, who in turn were delighted and thanked them. Torhan and Katara began eating their stew and fresh-baked bread.

  “The stew is very tasty.” She commented.

  “It sure is. I wonder what’s in it.”

  “Tastes like boar meat.”

  “I think you’re right.”

  They gobbled down the contents and ordered another bowl. When they were finished, Katara called the serving wench over and ordered several more ales for Kipt and Erea. They were pleasantly surprised and thanked them again. In between their third and fourth mug, Katara took it upon herself to inquire about Sybil.

  “Excuse me,” she said and waited for them to stop talking and look at her. “We’re looking for a young girl named Sybil. Do you know where we could find her?”

  They looked at each other and then back at her.

  “Are you related?” Erea asked.

  “The girl and her parents are close relatives of mine, and my mother asked me to look in on them. She hasn’t heard from them in several months.”

  “When was the last time she did?” Kipt asked.

  His tone was both curious and suspicious at the same time, and Torhan picked up on it right away and cut Katara off by saying,

  “Has something happened to them?”

  “You said that you haven’t heard from them in several months and…” Kipt paused.

  “And what?” Katara interrupted.

  “That would be impossible because her parents died a year ago. Who are you?” Now Erea was suspicious as well.

  “Okay, we’re not family we were sent here to investigate Sybil’s unusual condition.”

  “And what would that be? Did that uncle send you?” Kipt was clearly getting quite agitated and nervous.

  “No. My Order did.”

  “Order? Which one?” Erea snapped.

  “The Order of the Hallowed.”

  “Never heard of it. My advice to you is to leave this town and tell your Order that child is cursed and there’s no help for her.” Kipt stated firmly.

  “Can you tell us where she is?”

  “No. Now leave here or I’ll tell the captain of the guard that you’ve been asking about the girl and trust me, you don’t want that.” Kipt’s threatening tone angered Katara.

  “Why? We didn’t do anything. All we want to do is see the girl.”

  “So did her uncle and after he left she
fell into a deep sleep, and that’s when bad things happened.”

  “What sort of bad things?” Torhan pressed Kipt.

  “Get out of here or I’ll make good on my threat.”

  Torhan, knowing that he wouldn’t get any further with them stood up. Katara did the same and they left the inn. A few tables away, a young woman overhearing the entire conversation followed them out the door.

  “That didn’t go the way I thought it would.” Katara said as soon as they were outside.

  “They seemed spooked. I wonder what Molech did.”

  “So Molech is her uncle?”

  “Yes.”

  “To be honest with you, I think Grappin and Molech were working together and using you for some greater purpose other than Grappin’s revenge on priest Abiathar.”

  “Like what?”

  “Here are the facts and correct me if I am wrong. First, you meet Molech and he sends you to his friend’s store and the one item you wanted, and couldn’t afford, shows up in your room. Then the shop owner turns up dead and Molech was near the crime scene and just as the law was coming for you an assassin shows up and leads you to Grappin’s house where he protects, and hides, you, and he helps you escape. When did Molech ask you to help his niece?”

  “Grappin’s underground tunnel leads to a warehouse and he was there.”

  “It all fits together; what are the chances of Molech being at the exact place you’re escaping from? He even rescued you from the jail in Mirkin. Do you see what I mean?”

  Torhan nodded.

  “What is your reward for helping him?”

  “He offered me another item just like the scabbard and a lot of money.”

  “Okay, how are you supposed to collect it?”

  “He said to meet him in a cave a mile north of Snowdrift.”