The Bad Seed

by Michael Lackey

  "We will have nothing to stop us. No one to stand in our way. Hear me my master, your day of reckoning will come." Dori'naur growled while holding the linen bag containing the woman's head.

  That night, Dori'naur had planned a grand feast as a reward for their achievement. He gathered the people into the courtyard for all to witness his triumphant victory. The servants prepared tables full of food and wine. As the sun began to set, the celebration was set to begin.

  Dori'naur held the bag high above his head. "Behold! The vessel of Light is within our grasp. We have toiled countless centuries on these worthless pieces of rocks you call home. Staying hidden in the shadows until we could gather strength. Waiting for the day the vessel would appear to us again. It slipped our grasps before, but now it is OURS! The other Gods will tremble at your presence! Today, we take what is rightfully ours. . . EVERYTHING!"

  Dori'naur continued his speech, the people cheering for him out of fear, knowing all was lost now. Fear overcame them, the point was clear, they had to serve or die. Some of the people, who could not bear this, had taken their own lives to avoid bearing witness to a world under Dori'naur and his brethrens' control.

  The demon summoned a fireball from above with demonic language. "Chuny mar della Qur!"

  The people cowered down in fear, as it crashed into a giant cauldron lighting a demonic fire glowing bright red and blue. He had the person who retrieved the prize stand alongside him on stage. As promised, he would bestow great riches and honor unto him.

  "I, Dori'naur the First, loyal subject of the Remissum, offers this sacrifice. Our time is now. Our time is forever. Our time is always. I give back to the ashes, this vessel. Grant me the sight and wisdom to ready this world for your coming."

  With that, Dori'naur tossed the head into the fire. Again, the remaining people cheered for their new ruler. As the sacrifice burned and disappeared into ash, Dori'naur noticed there was no change. This was the wrong person. They had failed him.

  Clearly distraught, the demon began to shout. "You have failed me! Useless bags of flesh!" Dori'naur’s eyes began to glow brighter and flames could be seen swirling around him. "This is not the vessel of Light! It is an illusion to trick us! Those damned elves!"

  The people stopped their cheering and cowered in fear again. Some ran for their lives. The one who presented the head to Dori'naur was still on stage, watching his hope fade to terror, and was the first unfortunate subject. Dori'naur grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off the ground.

  "You will not fail me again; you will not fail anyone again. You wanted the reward? I wanted success!"

  Saying that, he flicked his wrist and the man's neck snapped, almost separating his head from the body. The demon tossed the lifeless man into the cauldron.

  "None of you shall fail us again!" Dori'naur stretched forth his hands. A ring of fire appeared around all who remained in the courtyard. Roots sprang up from the ground, wrapping around the people's ankles. "I warned you not to fail us. I told you of the pain you would suffer if you did. Humans are useless, unreliable, and weak. Always have been and always will be, but we know how to remedy this problem."

  With a booming voice he spoke in the demonic tongue once more. "Kur dey jus! Gree hu nuu!"

  The roots pierced the skin of the people; they all cried out in pain. Sounds of torture and demonic laughter echoed off the walls of the courtyard. The roots entered their veins, traveling through their bodies until it reached their hearts. Their bodies flailed on the ground as the roots ripped the skin from their flesh, replacing it with bark-like armor to resemble their master. The poisonous venom of the thorns turned the people’s love for one another into pure hatred. Their spirits broken, hearts crushed, and replaced with a black seed of evil, shattering their free will. Bones snapped inside the bodies, conforming to a new likeness. Their very souls turned black as the moonless night. They now knew only how to serve Dori'naur. They became the essence of Dori'naur himself. As it ended, they all stood as one, at attention before their master.

  "Yes, very good indeed! We should have started this way." The demon let out an ear-piercing roar. "The vessel will be ours. The Remissum will rule all. We will deliver all worlds unto him."

  Who was The Remissum? Was he the dark figure I saw in the garden that started all this? When the people who managed to flee told Gabriel of these things, it was clear that Amundiss was in grave danger. Things did not look good at this point. The bright spot was that Queen Natallia and I were safe in this new world away from the demon and his new army, for now.

  During the start of the celebration, George and Elizabeth were able to use all the festivities as a distraction.

  "Our time is now, are the people ready?" George asked her.

  Elizabeth had tears in her eyes, "Yes. Do you think this is best? Can we survive?"

  "We will surely die inside the castle. We will search for Gabriel, he should have a plan," George said.

  They took Launa and whoever was willing to try and exited the castle in search of a safer location. This was a good decision otherwise they would suffer the demon's wrath along with the others.

  "Quickly, we have horses and a few buggies waiting outside the south wall. Take only what you need." George told the people.

  George knew if he was going to protect his family, he could not do it within the walls of Castle Whitehold. This new ragtag bunch of refugees had to stay on the run and try to find Gabriel and Natallia. George knew of a quiet place his father took him as a boy. The town of Casterton was a small town with few people, mostly farmers that stayed to themselves unless they needed to trade some of their wares for materials they needed. Something about this quiet town always made George feel good, like a home away from home. He felt a connection to this place and never knew why. Maybe it was out of the way enough to buy them time to regroup and find the others.

  George knew that Gabriel would not stand idly by and let the demons take over his world: he needed an army of his own. George and Elizabeth were busy trying to give him that army. George knew this fight was his.

  15

  Benzoete Helped to Rewrite the Ancients

  Inside Benzoete's library, Gabriel and Antoine sat and waited patiently in some chairs that smelled of smoke and water.

  "It worries me that everything this wizard has smells of smoke," Antoine said.

  Gabriel covered his nose and tried to mask the smell.

  Elos walked in. "The illusion has worked for now. It will buy us precious time, but he will discover that he was tricked and Natallia is still alive."

  Benzoete entered the room with a rather confused look upon his face. Elos looked to him and asked, "Master, have you fallen ill."

  "No, good Elos, I am well. It's this." Benzoete held out one of the Books of the Ancients. "I have studied the Books of the Ancients many, many times in my centuries. Yet I have never come across this chapter. I retrieved the book to come and speak with you, dropped it, and when it opened, it opened to this part."

  Elos went to his master to see for himself. "How can this be? This portion was not there earlier, I am sure of it. It spoke of the Champion being aided by the new Dragon Rider in a new world."

  Gabriel looked shocked. "What else does this new chapter say? Does it reveal how Natallia and our child will fare in this new world?"

  A puzzled Benzoete read the new passage again. "It speaks of dangers, turmoil, and death. That we are not safe here, we need to go to a new place, a safer place, as the vessel has done."

  Antoine asked, "Where can we go that is safer? Can we too, go to the new world now?"

  "I will not abandon the people of this world. They will need someone to look to until the Champion and the others return." Gabriel said pounding his fist into his hand.

  The old wizard walked over to his desk, pulled up a chair, and pushed other books to the floor in a cloud of dust. He placed the open book on top of the now cleared desk and began to read. "We need to head north. We will be going to a place not
many have come back from. We need to go to the Valley of Ice Shadows in the outer realm of Ndoren'Ba. There we will find the Tomb of the First Elders."

  Gabriel stood, threw on a cloak, and grabbed his sword, Fuascailte and said, "Then north it is. I will get Lucas to ready the men."

  "My king there is more you need to know." Benzoete stopped him. "We will need to find George Morely. He will be the key to helping me in opening the door to the tomb. It speaks of heavy blood magic sealing the doorway. If anyone tried to open it besides two male descendants of an Elder, grave dangers will be unleashed around the tomb with death in its wake. My mother was Aliz'Ra, the second seat of the elders." Benzoete explained.

  Antoine said, "So that makes Morely a descendant of hers as well."

  "Where is Aliz'Ra now? Can she be of any help to us?" Gabriel asked.

  "Sadly, she perished in the original War of the Gods. Craotonus and his minions were too much for us. She gave her life for me and a few other high elves to get away. Her last words to me were, 'Carry the fight for the Light close to heart, for it would come again.' She smiled and ran into the minion army taking many down with her which gave us the distraction we needed to flee." Benzoete lowered his head to wipe the tears from his face.

  At that moment, all seemed to know how they all were connected in this, even Elos, the stoic, stone-faced elf. As a child, he watched as his father was torn to shreds by the minions during this war. They all had sacrifice. They all had loved ones lost to a cause that was not their doing. For some, this was not the first war. For others, the feelings were fresh and felt like scars of the heart.

  Gabriel asked them, "You said there was a minion army? Can we expect that as well?"

  Benzoete raised his head, "I would say most definitely. We must prepare for everything we know and some of what we do not."

  "After we find the Morelys, and make it through this Valley of Ice Shadows to the tomb, what then?” Antoine asked Benzoete “How do we know what we find inside will help us defeat this demon Dori'naur?"

  Elos approached the warrior. He pointed in the direction of Benzoete and said, "Faith my new friend. Our ancestors gave their lives to defeat these minions centuries ago. I have faith they will show us how to do it again."

  Gabriel walked over to an open window. "Where are you, George? I need you once more old friend."

  GABRIEL SENT LUCAS to ready the men as Antoine assisted the elven wizards gather supplies for a trip to find Benzoete's half-elf grandson, George Morely.

  "This is going to be a long and weary journey. I will not lie to you, good men,” Gabriel had said as the men got ready. “I will also understand and relinquish you of your vows if you wish to stay behind. Most of us will not make it. Those of us that do survive will be helping to ensure our future generations can live in peace without the fear of Dori'naur or his people."

  Gabriel finished his orders and none of the men chose to stay. "We do not need vows or titles to know what is right, my king. We will follow you. We will fight with you. And if our name is called to go to the afterlife, we will die for you." Lucas said as he pounded his chest in salute. In unison, the entire group pounded their armor. This group was loyal to the end.

  Gabriel knelt before his people, "Then my vow to you, is that I will give every ounce of my soul to free this world." He stood and saluted the men with a pound of his chest.

  "HOW FAR IS THIS VALLEY of Ice Shadows? I have never heard of this place," Antoine asked.

  Benzoete replied, "No one knows for sure. The ones who have gone looking for this place either perished along the way or came back insane, mad out of their mind. With a hell-bent demon hunting us and unable to locate the whereabouts of my grandson, it will definitely take longer than we can afford."

  Elos shook his head and looked to his master then walked over to the cauldron with the Waters of Life. Concentrating on George and Elizabeth Morely, the waters began to bubble and churn and Elos could see them. "They have hidden themselves with a group of refugees inside a temple in Casterton."

  Benzoete beamed with delight. "Well done, Elos! I see the student is ready to be a teacher. Casterton is only a two-day ride from here. We will have a head start since the demon does not know this yet. We go there first, then on to the Valley of Ice Shadows."

  Little did the group of heroes know, standing under that window had been a scared and frail woman who desperately wanted to gain favor with the demon. She now had a bargaining chip of information to go to Castle Whitehold with.

  Seemed my father's elven heritage was coming into play after all. I just hoped he handled the news of his mother well; we did not need him to have a mental breakdown on everyone now. Not being this close to an answer.

  DORI'NAUR NOW KNEW that Natallia and her unborn child still lived. He had mutated the good people of Whitehold into a new army he could control. Spies in every direction kept their eyes open for news of the queen's location wanting to gain favor with the demon.

  "We have to find this champion. My brother and I have battled the light before, and it burned beyond belief. I must prepare this world before your arrival and dispose of this threat. If I can ready this world and have my brother join me, the brethren can devour everything and prepare for your coming, helping you to gather your strength so even the Champion of Light cannot mettle." Dori'naur spoke to the shadowy figure in the corner of his chambers.

  Just then a servant burst in the room and the figure hissed and disappeared in a cloud of black and purple smoke. "My Lord, we have news!"

  Dori'naur spun around and pinned the servant to the wall with thorns. "Do not disturb me without notice!"

  The servant gasped for air. "But...but my Lord, we know where Benzoete and Gabriel are going. They go to find George Morely in a place called Casterton. He holds some key to unlocking the secrets from the first War of the Gods." As the air returned to the servant, and he peeled himself off the wall, he ran for the door.

  Dori'naur sneered a hateful smile. "They think they can find a way to defeat us? So did their first elders! My master will gain his strength, and nothing will stand in our way. I will eliminate this vessel in your name."

  The people were a good, loyal group, but even this proved too much for some. In a way, if you did not have faith in your king, all looked lost. Trust in the Light. All shadows will disappear soon enough.

  16

  A Strange Yet Familiar New World

  In the new world, Natallia and Zachery woke up to find themselves outside a busy little town. Strange looking people walked up and down crude, makeshift roads. All the buildings were made of what looked to be wood. None big enough to be a castle.

  "Now remember Zachery, you are my son. We are here looking for work and shelter because my husband died shortly after we arrived here from... oh... from..." Natallia was at a loss.

  "England, my lady," Zachery answered with a smile.

  "You have to call me mother from now on. Royal titles are gone." Natallia reminded him.

  They brushed themselves off and headed for the town. "Shall we go and meet our new neighbors?" Natallia asked.

  Zachery took a deep breath. "Yes, Mother, I am ready."

  They hoped the people were friendly because they desperately needed to blend in. So, they went in cautiously, taking everything they saw in. The people dressed oddly but rode in carriages and on horseback that was at least like home. The two entered a building and found it was a pub of some kind.

  "The last time I entered a strange pub, Benzoete burst into flames in front of me," Zachery told her.

  Natallia saw a man sitting at a table wearing a black hat with holes in it along with dusty old smelly clothes, and a leather belt with a metal object in it. Too short to be a dagger. His attire was not any kind of armor that they had seen before. How could this protect him in battle?

  She walked up to him and asked, "Excuse me, kind sir. My son and I are in need of work and a place to rest. Can you help us?"

  The stranger looked them both up and
down, then rubbed the stubble on his chin. "You two ain't from around here, are ya? Where are ya from? Why you come to these parts?"

  Their first test. "We are from England. We came here with my husband hoping to start a new life, but he sadly died from fever shortly after we arrived. He left us with nothing and nowhere to go. Me with child and one to raise. Please, can you help us?" Natallia told that story like it was the truth, almost having herself believing it.

  An older woman, wearing an apron over an old dress with flowers on it walked up and slapped the strange man in the back of the head. "Now Jeb, this is no way to be treating visitors!"

  She wiped her hands down the front of her apron and stretched it out for a handshake. "My name is Miss Lizzy. I own this here pub and be needin' some help around here. It's just me and my granddaughter, Cassy. If you're interested, I will pay you an honest wage, let you and yer boy stay in the back, ifen you ain't afraid of working."

  Miss Lizzy was a bold woman. Her hair was white as snow and her face looked as if it had seen a thousand winters.

  Zachery was just baffled by her language. He could barely understand what she was saying. "Yes! Yes, thank you, Miss Lizzy! We are honored by your kindness," shouted Natallia, as she grasped the older woman’s hand.

  Zachery could not take it any longer he had to find out where Benzoete had sent them.

  "Miss Lizzy, is it? By chance is that short for Elizabeth?" Zachery hoped for some little sentiment from home.

  "No, child, my given name is Eliza. Folks just started calling me Miss Lizzy, hee hee," she said as she slapped her knee.

  Zachery smiled and said, "If I may ask, where exactly are we?"

  Miss Lizzy let out a huge laugh for such a tiny old woman. "Now hunny, you are smack dab in the middle of Southland, Georgia. Just outside of Savannah."