“Penar,” Jez said to the beast man, his words coming easier now. “What are you doing here?”
“Jez, you have to come to the forest, now!”
“Why?” Jez asked. “What’s going on?”
“Demons have appeared everywhere and are possessing the animals. We are under attack.”
CHAPTER 3
“Follow when you can,” Jez said to Lina and Besis as he shed his human form for that of the Shadowguard Luntayary.
He launched himself into the air before they had a chance to respond. The afur didn’t need to be told what to do, and they quickly took to the air after him. Apparently, someone had thought to send word to the manor because Sariel and Manakel joined them as they flew over the city.
The forest north of Randak swiftly grew closer. As they neared, a shadow flew out of the trees. Jez barely had time to register the great bird before its talons raked across his face, missing his eyes by inches.
In their natural state, lotheen, the possessing demons, looked like spiders a foot wide. They could transform into a sort of fog and enter through the nose and mouth. To make matters worse, once they inhabited a creature, it would change, growing in size, strength, and savagery.
The creature had been an eagle once, but now, patches of feathers had fallen out revealing scales like those of a reptile. Its neck had elongated, and warts had sprouted all over its body, which had grown to at least twice its normal size. Its eyes were the color of blood, and its talons looked like they were made of steel, resembling curved knives that gleamed in the sun.
Lotheen were savage creatures, but they were not terribly intelligent. If this one had been, it would not have attacked a dozen former Shadowguards on its own. No sooner had it passed Jez than three balls of light slammed into it. The hawk creature pulled back and screeched. Inky black smoke spilled from its mouth and congealed into the form of a spider. Instantly, half a dozen swords lashed out, cutting the demon to ribbons. The hawk started to fall, but one of the afur caught it, and together, they all floated down to the ground. The one holding the hawk laid it on a low branch, which caused Jez to raise an eyebrow.
“I didn’t know Shadowguards cared for animals.”
“It is not our calling, but neither is it forbidden, and Aniel’s beast men have provided a shelter for me and many of my kind.”
Penar had landed by the hawk and was already crafting a healing working. Jez nodded at the afur. “Spread out.”
“I take it Andera set a trap that summoned these creatures.” Sariel said, to which Jez nodded. “How many of them are there?”
“I’m not sure. A lot. We moved too fast. He expected us to do this. The beacon Leziel found in Illeon’s mind was set off when we tried to enact the working.” He closed his eyes and tried to remember what he had felt. “It called at least a hundred.”
Sariel said something in a musical language, and the afur scattered. Jez looked at him. “They will be able to find the demons. Do not concern yourself with that. Lotheen are not so dangerous as to provide a challenge, not even to the traitors, not once we know they are there.”
Jez let out a breath. “Do you have to keep calling them that?”
Sariel shrugged. “They are what they are. It does no good to pretend otherwise.”
Jez sighed. “Besis was right. We should’ve marched when Master Horgar arrived. If we had, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Or we might have set off another of Andera’s traps,” Manakel said. “Do not assume he had a single plan to deal with us, and do not berate yourself for failing to anticipate the actions of one who once foiled me for a century.”
“How do we fight someone like that?” Jez tried to keep the desperation from his voice, though he wasn’t sure if he succeeded.
Sariel smiled. “Any way we can.” He spread his arms. “Even if we had not come, Aniel himself resides in these woods, and while his children might not have the same skill as mine or Manakel’s in locating demons, they are deadly in their own right. This was but a minor distraction.”
“Not so minor as you might think,” a voice that was closer to being a growl said.
A being, ten feet tall and covered in golden fur, stepped out of the shadows. Though he seemed too large to fit between the trees, he didn’t so much as bend a branch. Antlers rose from his head and six wings, like those of an eagle, protruded from his back. A lion’s mane framed his feline face, and his golden eyes seemed to take everything in at once. In his right hand, he carried a long curved bladed that looked to be made of bone, and he exuded a sense of barely controlled savagery.
“What do you mean, Aniel?” Sariel asked.
“Many of the possessed animals fled the forest. I have sent afur after them, but they have a head start.”
“Where were they going?” Jez asked.
“To the city and the army camp,” Aniel said.
“Go,” Sariel said to Jez. “Guard your people. We will handle those here.”
Jez nodded and lifted off, tearing through the canopy as he flew toward Randak. He hadn’t even covered half the distance to the city when he came upon the battle. Three great cats, each at least as big as a horse, fought against two dozen men, waving torches and carrying long spears. The cats were so heavy that they sank several inches into the soil, but they moved with deadly grace despite their bulk. Still, the soldiers were holding them off. For a moment, Jez was surprised. There was no way the men and women of the army could have prepared fast enough to make it out in time to stop the animals from reaching the city. Then, he noticed that even though the soldiers occasionally scored a hit, which caused the possessed animals to back up, the beasts were never actually wounded.
A ball of light came, seemingly out of nowhere, and struck one of the animals. It roared, smoke billowing out of its nose and mouth and filling the area with a smell like sulfur. Its form shriveled to that of an ordinary mountain cat. The animal looked around as if confused. Seeing all the soldiers fighting demonic versions of itself, it darted away in the direction of the forest. Jez launched a light working at one of the remaining cats while his invisible companion took care of the last. As soon as the cats were gone, the soldiers vanished. Jez landed, and the air directly in front of him shimmered. Lina and Besis appeared. Jez raised an eyebrow.
“A tactile illusion to make them think they were actually being hurt?” Jez asked.
Lina nodded. “It distracted them long enough for Besis to deal with them.”
“I think we stopped the ones going to the city,” Besis said, “but at least a dozen passed to the west of us. They were heading for the army, and Jez, there were loose lotheen among them. They might be going after the king himself.”
In the distance, cries to arms erupted. Jez gritted his teeth and turned toward the army camp. “Let’s go.”
CHAPTER 4
Unlike in the city, afur actively patrolled the army camp, and thus they were more able to stand against a demonic attack. As Jez and the others neared, they passed a creature that had once been a bear. Its flesh had been scored by burning blades, no doubt caused by former Shadeslayers as they’d killed the host and thus banished the demons. He held his nose as he passed, trying to shut out the smell of burning flesh.
In spite of their apparent success in resisting, the camp was in chaos. Tents had been ripped down and several of the buildings that had been constructed over the past couple of months had been reduced to splinters. Some were on fire, but soldier and afur alike moved to put those out. A myriad of afur had come to Haziel, but few of those had been those best suited for combat. Jez guessed that animals had come in from multiple directions, forcing the few warrior afur among Haziel’s soldiers to spread out. Even now, he could see various groups fighting against deformed animals. He didn’t spare any thought for them, however. Ordinary soldiers might be less able than mages or afur to deal with this kind of threat, but they were hardly helpless against the possessed animals. Loose lotheen were another matter, and Jez headed for
Haziel’s headquarters.
The wooden building from which Haziel and Istar commanded the army had been grown rather than built. Trees with trunks which were two feet wide had grown so close together that they were practically a single organism. Fifteen feet up, they twisted around one another and formed a canopy of leaves. Fruit blossoms were just starting to bloom, releasing a sweet smell that was a mixture of many different scents. Haziel may not have received many warrior afur, but he had received Lifebringers, the healers of the pharim and masters over plants.
There were several dark spots dotting the northern wall, and it surprised Jez enough to make him pause. The afur would not have created flawed or sick trees. He extended his awareness and found a demonic remnant, but it didn’t go all the way through. Apparently, whatever magic the afur had woven into the building prevented the demons from just going through the wall. He circled the building, and his blood went cold. Now that he knew what to look for, he could tell that the walls were strong enough to keep out most common forms of demons, but the door creaked on its hinges, open and forming a break in the protection. He charged in with Besis and Lina right behind him only to nearly lose his head to Istar’s sword.
The queen had grown to a height of seven feet. Her entire body bulged with muscles that had ripped her uniform and left it in tatters, leaving barely enough to preserve modesty. Her hands ended in claws, and her skin had grown rough and leathery. Her face had elongated, and her expression was twisted with anger. The sword seemed almost comically undersized in her hands. Haziel had undergone a similar transformation, though dressed in royal robes, his clothing had fared better, tightening around him until they had stretched over his body.
Istar slashed at him. Jez drew his sword and caught the blow. The force of the impact knocked the sword from his hands and drove him to the ground. Haziel growled and leaped at him with his claws outstretched, but while he was still in the air, a glowing ball of energy struck him in the chest, though it didn’t divert his motion. Black smoke billowed from his mouth and nose. Rather than claws, human hands slammed into Jez’s throat, sending him into a fit of coughing. The king crashed into him, sending them both to the ground. Haziel’s still form rested atop Jez and didn’t move. A shadow fell over them, and the queen looked down at him and growled. Before she could act, however, another light hit her chest, and she stumbled back several steps. Haziel groaned and rolled off of Jez as the queen shriveled and fell. Besis helped Jez up. After a few seconds, the queen had been restored as well. Besis was shaking his head.
“What in the name of the seven possessed you to try to fight her rather than just banishing the demons?”
Jez rubbed at his neck and shrugged. “Sorry, it was instinct. I haven’t had a whole lot of dealings with possessing demons.”
“Good thing you didn’t call your crystal sword,” Lina said.
The king was rubbing his forehead and looked up. His eyes were red, but otherwise, he seemed fine.
“What exactly happened here?”
Jez quickly explained what they knew. Haziel’s face twisted in anger as the explanation went on, but he managed to keep ahold of his temper. As soon as Jez was done, Istar stood and left the building. Jez and the king exchanged glances before following.
Outside, the queen scanned the area. Some of the tents had been torn down, and far too many people lay on the ground unmoving. Despite her tattered clothes, she held herself with a regal dignity that left no doubt she was still in command. A soldier with the double sword insignia of a captain embroidered on the left side of her chest jogged up to her. The soldier’s eyes flickered from Jez to the king, but it was to Istar that she bowed.
“My queen, we have dispatched the...ah...creatures.”
Istar wore a grim expression. “How many losses, Captain Yena?”
“I don’t have the exact count. Perhaps fifty.” She glanced at Jez. “It would’ve been more without the training the baron’s forces gave us.”
“The one to fight demons?” Jez asked.
Yena nodded. “Yes, Baron. Once we realized our weapons could actually hurt them, we sent heavily armored soldiers in to distract them while pikemen stabbed them from a safe distance.”
“I hadn’t thought about using it that way,” Jez said to no one in particular.
“I want an exact count of the dead within the hour,” Istar said, “and a damage estimate before first light. Set perimeter guards to ensure we are not caught off guard again.”
“By your command, my queen.”
She turned, but Haziel’s voice stopped her.
“Wait.”
Yena paused and looked over her shoulder but didn’t turn until the queen nodded. Haziel looked to Jez.
“They came from the forest that the traitor afur created?”
“Yes.”
“I think it’s time we did something about that.” He returned his attention to the soldier. “Captain Yena, arrange to have a messenger sent to Galine. We may end up having to burn the forest to the ground.”
CHAPTER 5
They gathered in the courtyard of the manor where a large table had been set up for them. The lion man Galine, who led the beast men, came with the afur Welb. Haziel and Istar brought only their advisor Villia, an afur who had once been one of the Veilspeakers. Balud, the chancellor of the Carceri Academy, arrived just before their meeting started, so Jez convinced him to attend. Daziel, pharim lord of shadows who had dominion over politics and diplomacy joined them as well. The fogs of between swirled around them, making everyone but Jez and the pharim uneasy.
“How did the city fare?” Daziel asked.
“The city itself was fine,” Jez said. “Lina and Besis stopped any of the demons from reaching it.”
“Not all of them, I am afraid.” Daziel said.
“What do you mean?” Haziel asked. “We saw no damage in the city.”
“Lotheen were not the only things to be summoned,” Daziel said. “A pair of hagine managed to get into the manor. They didn’t last long before some of the afur dispatched them, but they did weaken the wards around Illeon. We were unable to recapture him.”
Jez stood up and stared at him. “He got away?”
Daziel shook his head. “He was destroyed.”
Jez sat back down. “We could have used more information.”
“That is even more of a reason to consider burning down the forest,” Haziel said.
“What?” Galine’s voice was practically a roar, and Haziel’s chair almost fell backward.
“We have to at least consider it,” the king said once he had regained his balance. “You beast men want to keep it because you find it convenient, but don’t forget who put it there in the first place. With Illeon gone, we have no way to determine what other traps it might hold.”
“We could also level Rumar,” Galine said. Haziel’s eyes hardened, but Galine went on. “That’s where Sharim is and where the bulk of his forces are. We could gather a contingent of the strongest afur and level the city, not leaving one stone atop the other.” Galine growled, showing his teeth. “It is the same thing you suggest, Haziel. You will not destroy our home.”
“We don’t need to do that anyway,” Jez said. “The beacon is gone. It looks likes it was a one time working.”
“But what else did Sharim’s agents leave there?” Haziel asked. “The whole place could be littered with traps.”
“If it were, we would have found them,” Welb said.
“Like you found the beacon?” the king asked.
Daziel looked at Jez. “It appears that you have lost control of this conversation.”
Jez gritted his teeth and nodded. “We’re not burning down the forest.”
“Baron—” the king began but Jez cut him off.
“You agreed to follow me in everything relating to Sharim. Unless you’re about to complain that this isn’t related to Sharim...” He paused for a moment as he let the absurdity of that sink in. “You’re going to do what I say.”<
br />
Haziel reddened, but after a few seconds, he calmed down. “Then, what do we do? Surely you’re not suggesting we leave ourselves unguarded.”
“Of course not,” Jez said. “What we need is more information, but with Illeon gone, that’s going to be hard to come by. Leziel won’t give me a straight answer when I ask him to scry or use some other divination.”
Daziel inclined his head. “The Darkmasks rarely do. You would be better suited finding a mortal answer to this than relying on him.”
Jez nodded and turned to Balud. “Will you send for Master Rael?”
Balud nodded. “Of course, I should’ve thought of that myself.”
They spoke of a few more ideas about what to do about the latest attack, but nothing came of it. After a quarter hour, the indigo-robed master of secrets arrived, passing through the fogs of Between with far greater ease than any of Jez’s mortal friends had. She greeted Jez warmly and gave all the others a nod of acknowledgment. Her gaze lingered most on Daziel, though if the lord of shadows was bothered by her attention, he gave no sign. She listened to what Jez wanted and nodded.
“There are wards set around Rumar that keep me from peering into the city. He’s even managed to protect the sky above the city for a mile, so I can’t look down on it. I’ve been trying for weeks with no success, but perhaps with Haziel’s help and utilizing the power of the royal magic, I can pierce Sharim’s defenses. With your permission, your majesty?”
Haziel nodded gingerly, though he obviously had no idea what he was agreeing to. Rael didn’t need a contingent, not exactly. As the king of Ashtar, Haziel had a unique magic that he could tap into when he was defending the kingdom. It was similar to what Jez could do with his barony, although on a much wider scale. He’d used it instinctively the last time Sharim had attacked Rumar, and it was one of the main reasons that attack had failed. Rael needed his authority more than she needed his power so she walked up to him and pointed to his signet ring.
Shadeslayer (Pharim War Book 7) Page 2
