by Helix Parker
Naspen went to a grand hearth and flicked something inside it. A flame as tall as a man came to life. The fire gave the hall a warm light, and the crackle of burning wood was soothing. She sat on a cushioned stone chair, Leon perched on the seat next to her. Edgar chose a stool that was nearby instead.
She looked at Leon. “Cassandra, how is she?” Her voice had a hissing quality.
“She is with child for the second time,” Leon responded.
“You have children?” she asked, sounding surprised.
“I do. A daughter, and a son on the way.”
“How do you know it is a son?”
“I have seen it in my dreams. As I’m sure you have.”
She looked toward the fire, appearing despondent. “I have.”
“Do you know what I need help with?”
“I see vague impressions. Riders in black with faces of bone. And darkness itself at their head.”
“The Marauder horde,” Leon said softly.
“Yes,” she whispered.
Edgar cleared his throat.
“Something you wish to say, halfling?” she asked.
“No. It’s just that you’re older than I thought. From what Leon described.”
“Ah, is this more to your liking?”
If he hadn’t been watching her, if he had blinked or glanced away, he would have been convinced his eyes were deceiving him. But he was sitting right in front of her with eyes fixed when she changed.
She suddenly became older and wrinkled. Her hair grayed and tangled like rope. Then, in an instant, she was young and beautiful—her lips ruby red, her hair as silk that hung all the way down her back. She tossed her head, removing the strands from her face, and her hair tumbled down over her shoulders seductively. She was the most stunning woman Edgar had ever seen.
He gasped. “That’s not possible.”
“You do not believe in things you cannot see and touch. I sensed it within you when first I saw you. But let me ask, do you see the wind? Can you touch the wind? And yet there it is, echoing among the canyons.”
He shook his head. “That can’t be.”
Leon asked, “Will you help us?”
Her fingers, slender and youthful, came up to her lips, and her long clear nails lightly touched her flesh and appeared to make it quiver. The fire danced in her eyes and gave the appearance of motion where there was none. “You know my answer.”
“You will help?”
“Yes.”
Leon nodded. “May we stay the night in your castle? It would be best to travel in daylight.”
“It is your castle, m’lord.” She rose. “I will show you to your quarters.” She led them out of the hall.
The quarters were wide, airy rooms in what would have been towers of the castle. Leon and Edgar chose two that were connected by a wall that had been destroyed, either naturally through time and erosion or by the force of man.
“She called you lord,” Edgar said, climbing onto the large dusty bed.
Leon lifted the covers from his bed and shook the dust loose. “That she did.”
“Why? You were no lord, were you? From what I had heard, Leon the Lion was a pirate.”
“Do pirates not have lords?”
“I don’t know.”
“It does not matter. She calls me what she is most comfortable with.”
“She makes me nervous. Her tricks… I still can’t figure them out.”
“You still believe them to be tricks? She turns from old to young before your eyes, and it’s by deception?”
“What else would it be?”
“She’s right. There are things that exist that you cannot see or touch.” Leon placed his sword on the floor, took off his boots, and climbed into the bed.
Edgar glanced at him. “Like magik?”
“Yes, like magik.”
“Nonsense,” Edgar said, laying his head back on the pillow. “Magik doesn’t exist. It can’t exist. Natural laws make the world work, not the superstitions of ancient desert-roamers.”
“Your natural laws change over time. What good are they if you cannot keep them? Magik has never changed. It is eternal.”
Edgar guffawed and repeated, “Nonsense.”
Sleep came slowly, but eventually he sank slowly into the arms of oblivion.
26
Rodrick decided it was best to meet the captains of the horde before seeing the men. The captains were ever wary of any outsider usurping their power, with the notable exception of Erebos himself. If Rodrick were to give commands in front of their men, the captains would be hesitant to carry them out for fear of being perceived as weak.
Instead, he waited until early morning, when he knew their wills would be at their weakest from a night of revelry. A stone table had been prepared with meat and ale. The captains, eleven of them, feasted, laughed, and demanded more ale. The slave girls attempted to keep up, but the appetites of the men were so voracious they drained a keg before Rodrick had even gotten a word out.
Finally, he told the slaves to leave, then he moved to stand at the head of the table. The men quieted and watched him, their eyes full of mistrust. He could almost hear their thoughts. Why does this one think he can order us? Why does Erebos continue to trust this fool? If only he trusted me, I would show him what a good general can do.
“Captains, you are here because we have a great day on the horizon, and Lord Erebos has decreed that you will take part. He has asked me to navigate this day, and I have accepted. Many of you do not agree with his choice. If you do not, please speak freely now, for once on the field, I will not tolerate dissent.”
The captains looked at each other. Finally, a younger one named Hebulis, asked, “Why has the great lord Erebos, praise be to his name, chosen you? You are younger than half the men at this table and have seen fewer true battles than any of us.”
“Need I remind the captain,” Qelish, an older man, said, “General Rodrick has conquered most of the north within two years’ time.”
“Raping villagers is not killing soldiers.”
The men hooted and laughed.
“My captains,” Rodrick said loudly to get their attention, “while I have not seen the battlefield as often as some of you, I have a different skill set. In this battle, there is no field. This battle will be a siege. I have taken the city of Hejbest by siege, as well as both Costov and Ply. Can any of you boast such?”
The men grumbled but said nothing. Rodrick looked at Saria, who was seated across the room. She grinned back at him. He had them.
“Anyone else?” When he received no response, he nodded. “Good. Then I am assuming we are all in agreement on the course of action to take and for me to be at the head. From this point forward, should anyone openly disagree, I will deal with them accordingly.” He whistled and the slave girls brought in the maps and laid one in front of each of the captains. “You have each been given a map of Dolane. The red circle is the legion of the Dolanian army that you will have to contend with. The black circle is where I wish for your armies to be stationed.”
Two of the captains had each other’s maps by mistake. One of them scolded then struck the slave girl, sending her flying against the wall. Then the men traded maps.
Rodrick said, “You may be able to see the strategy. We wish to draw out their armies and attack. We will kill as many of them as we can, feed on their bodies, and put their heads on stakes near the walls to terrify the populace. I want every person in Dolane to know that we have no mercy, even for the dead.”
Greeval, one of the older captains, stroked his beard. “And what of the king?”
Rodrick gave a shrug of indifference. “What of him?”
“This is his city. Not bequeathed to us. What you’re doing is an act of war against the realm.”
“The realm is ruled by the weak, Greeval. The lords sit in their palaces and have dances, music gatherings, and fashion plays, while the poor starve to death because of a single year’s bad crop. The commoners w
ill see us as their liberation. Without the support of the people, the king is nothing.”
“He has an army of a million men, one that will kill and die for him. He doesn’t need the people.”
“I disagree. The royal palace is surrounded by the city. It does not sit atop a hill nor is it tucked away on some mountain or in a cave. He is surrounded by his people.”
“And what if his people were to turn on him?” Erebos bellowed, entering the chamber.
Rodrick bowed along with the captains. Erebos walked over to stand at the head of the table, and Rodrick quietly slinked away.
“Lord… Lord Erebos,” Greeval said, “I did not expect—”
Erebos interrupted him. “I feel your hesitation, but Dolane is about to be swallowed in darkness. Its people will be broken in such a way that they will hate the light for allowing the dark to engulf them. I have had a vision of General Rodrick standing in the ashes and bones of the city. He will be our champion. And it will be our greatest victory.”
“Here, here,” Qelish shouted, pounding his fist on the stone table.
The rest repeated the action. Rodrick looked from face to face, seeing neither joy nor excitement, but just pure, unadulterated fear. Erebos nodded and left as suddenly as he had appeared. The captains rolled up their maps and began disbanding.
Rodrick and Saria were the last left in the room. She had been swinging her leg lazily as it dangled over the armrest of her chair.
She appeared as a seductive cat as she twisted off the chair and strode across the room. She sat on the table in front of him and crossed one smooth leg over the other, her breasts plump in her dress, the tops glistening with only the slightest trace of sweat. “He must have great faith in you to do that.”
“He just wanted to rally them.”
“No, he did not. He felt their hesitation, and he came here to assure them that you had his approval. I’ve never seen him do that with anyone.”
Rodrick shook his head. “He thinks I’m weak.”
“He thinks you’re inexperienced, which you are. But his visions do not lie. You will stand among the ruins of that great city as its conqueror.” She reached out and ran her hand along his belly and around his back. “And I will be by your side.”
She leaned forward and gently bit his lower lip before leaving. Rodrick placed both fists on the table, his head lowered. Soon, he would either be the greatest conqueror the Marauders had ever seen, or he would be dead.
FROM THE BOOK OF IDOLS: Verse 10, Chapter 7
The Lord Chedes brought death to the earth. And he found a righteous man by the name of Vam and smote him with his trident. And Vam did perish before the earth.
And Helios came to Chedes and said, “Why have you done this thing and smote the righteous son of Helios?”
And Chedes replied that he had not smote him and said, “But was it not my brother Rain that smote the righteous Vam?”
27
Morning came, and Edgar hardly noticed. No light from the sun penetrated the room, and one moment was interchangeable with another. He thought the night pleasant and restful but realized that staying too long underground could induce madness.
Leon wasn’t in his bed. Edgar rose and slipped on his shirt and boots before going out into the corridor. He walked back to the great hall. Leon was there, staring at what appeared to be an altar.
Upon the altar was a black statue with remnants of burnt offerings surrounding it. The statue was of a man, handsome and strong, and in his hand was a sword—two blades side-by-side with one hilt and as large as a tree. The arm holding the sword had been stripped of flesh, showing exposed bone. On the man’s belt hung an assortment of skulls.
“Rain, with his sword Blood,” Edgar said, moving to stand behind him. “The Sword that Screams. Rain, God of Death, and ugly accessories.”
“You mock the gods?”
“No, I love the gods. Their followers provide an endless measure of entertainment for those of us who have outgrown fairy tales.”
“Last night, a woman lit torches with her thoughts. What was that?”
“Parlor tricks. And where is the sometimes lovely, sometimes horrific Naspen this morning?”
“She’s outside the castle. I was waiting for you.” He turned to Edgar. “Ready then?”
“Yes.”
“You certain?”
“I said I was, didn’t I?”
Leon nodded sadly and led the way out of the castle.
Outside, the sunlight burned away Edgar’s apprehensions. The sky was blue with only a few clouds, and the lush green valleys and forest seemed to be on fire. He turned in a circle, observing the landscape. The cold air seemed harder to breathe but was exhilarating. Being up there made the soul crisp, he thought.
Naspen appeared near them. She was older again and not the beautiful maiden he had seen last night. He was disappointed but tried not to show it.
“Thank you for a lovely night,” he said.
“You’re welcome, halfling.”
“You know, I do have feelings, witch.”
“I meant no insult. Your height says nothing of your stature as a man.”
He grunted in response.
They began walking down the path leading to the base of the mountain. The hike was long and cold, and Edgar began to think the underground castle wasn’t so bad after all. Even in the chilled air, exertion made him sweat. He constantly wiped his head with a handkerchief but could not stop the sweat quickly enough, and it soaked his collar.
As they rounded the first corner, he saw the caverns leading underground. “They sleep during the day, right?”
“Oh no,” Naspen replied. “They’re quite active. They simply cannot be in sunlight. It burns their flesh. They are creatures of the dark.”
“Why in the world would you choose to live among them?”
“I do not. I live above them. And they leave me be.”
“Well, I think that—” Edgar’s foot slipped on the narrow trail, and he toppled over so suddenly that he couldn’t catch himself. He skidded off the trail and down the steep slope. His head hit a rock, and he saw a flash of white as he rolled head over heels then slammed into a boulder.
Feeling dizzy, he lay still. He heard Leon running down the slope, but before he could call out to his new friend, a low grumble came to his ears. Edgar glanced down the incline and saw an open mouth, dozens of broken, jagged teeth, and a red, scarred tongue.
The creature grabbed his ankles and pulled him into a cave so quickly he couldn’t even scream. He was pulled farther and farther down into the cavern, away from the sunlight.
When the motion finally stopped, his back had been scraped to pieces and was burning. Whatever had his ankles had let go and begun pacing the room. And then he saw the eyes—dozens of them, yellow and fierce. Edgar tried to scream, but only a high squeak came out of his throat.
Then, ground rumbled, and two giant yellow eyes opened in front of him. The orbs were the size of small tables and rimmed a dull red.
The eyes disappeared for a moment then reappeared. A roar escaped the creature and shook Edgar’s bones. Spittle and bits of rotten flesh flew over him, and his face felt slimy and wet. Claws around his legs tightened.
A light flashed so powerfully it almost blinded Edgar. The creature withdrew with a howl of pain. Leon leaped into the air and buried his sword in the creature’s body.
In the light, Edgar saw the creature at its full height. As large as a building, the queen had black-gray flesh and claws longer than swords. Teeth jutted out of her mouth so sharp and jagged that some had torn through her lips.
The queen swung her body, and Leon held on until she swiped at him. The blow knocked him into the wall, and he slid down it to slump on the floor. The queen ripped out the sword and threw it against the wall. She roared, shaking the cavern until bits of stone rained over them.
The light grew brighter, and Edgar saw Naspen, her staff lit an iridescent white. The queen recoiled, an arm
covering her eyes.
Leon got up and stumbled over to Edgar. He lifted Edgar and dragged him toward the exit. As they passed Naspen, she leaned back then shot the light forward. The queen, along with several minions that crawled around her, screamed and scattered.
The three of them dashed toward the dim light at the top of the slope. The cavern walls were stone, but the floor was soft dirt and their feet sank as they ran.
“Don’t look back,” Leon shouted.
Edgar looked back.
The queen was barreling toward them, her mouth open, strands of drool hanging from it. Edgar squealed like a child and pushed his legs even harder. The entrance wasn’t far, but the queen was much faster than he was. He could feel her hot breath on the back of his neck. With a mighty effort, he leapt out of the cave entrance.
Edgar hit the ground and rolled. He tumbled over rocks and dirt then finally landed on his back, out of breath and inhaling dust. He looked over at Leon and Naspen, who rose and dusted themselves off.
The witch turned to him. “If you fall again, I’m going to let them eat you.”
28
Cabbott awoke and dressed in a silk robe. The torches around that section of the palace were relit whenever they dimmed, so it was always bright near the chambers of the courtiers. He stepped out into the corridor and checked both directions. The hour was late enough that no one should be wandering about, and he was happy not to see anyone in the hall. He walked in stocking feet so as to make as little noise as possible and made his way to the stone bannister overlooking the palace gardens. Animals from all over the world had been brought in at the king’s request, and their growls, hoots, and chirps filled the night air.
