Dirge of the Dead

by Reed Logan Westgate

  “You know my brother?”

  “Aye,” Owen puffed out his chest proudly, “My best friend and guardian.”

  “Where is he?”

  “He went to find a girl,” Owen chuckled, “A Haitian girl we traveled to Portland with. He thinks she is in danger.”

  “He was right, Tamera, I encountered her this very night in the Cathedral. She was being stalked by the Heavenly Host.”

  “Morrigan’s ghost indeed,” Owen shook his head in dismay. “It’s all coming together like the Fer Doirich predicted.”

  “What’s a Fer doily?”

  “The dark druid,” Owen leaned in, his voice fading to a whisper.

  “Well, that sounds ominous.”

  “Not to worry Xlina, I am the Druid of Morrigu. Chosen by fate herself to restore the natural order,” Owen puffed up his chest proudly. It was tough to take the man seriously, having just seen him knocked to the floor by the jocks. How was he ever going to face a demon?

  “I’m not sure you know what you’re up against,” Xlina offered a sincere smile and placed her hand over his, feeling his rough and calloused hands. He was a laborer, not an acolyte or Ovate. “Tell me, Owen, how did you come to be ‘chosen by fate’?”

  “Now that is a tale worthy of the bards of Order,” Owen beamed a smile, “But not for a place such as this. Come, let us leave this foul nest of demons.”

  “Leave?”

  “Indeed, where is it you call home Xlina? Let me get your brother and reunite the long-parted siblings.”

  “Here,” Xlina looked down at the table bashfully. “I live below.”

  “Below the club?”

  “Yes, in an apartment below.” Xlina moved her hand to her halter top and started lifting the edge slowly.

  “WOAH,” Owen’s eyes grew wide as she lifted the halter top.

  “Provided by my patron.” Xlina lifted the top enough to show the red demon sigil marking her.

  “Gods,” Owen swallowed hard, looking at the mark.

  “God helps those who help themselves.” She found the words of Weh fitting for the moment.

  “Then point me to your patron and I’ll handle the rest.”

  “You’ll destroy her?” Xlina let the halter cover her mark once more and slunk back into the booth heavily. “That won’t help Owen.”

  “Sure it will. I can kill her and set you free.”

  “Free from her,” Xlina shrugged, “But not her patron. My friend, Oxivius... he almost killed her beneath this very club. But her patron, he will just send another to claim what is his.”

  “And these demons?” Owen eyed her cautiously. “They toppled the Council of Magic here in Portland?”

  “No, actually they were trying to save it.”

  “What?”

  “It was Ertigan,” Xlina leaned forward again, “A rival demon who schemed for power. He corrupted the Council and claimed half its members. But we stopped him.”

  “You stopped him?”

  “With the help of my friends,” Xlina grew somber at the thought of her fallen allies.

  “Then why did the Morrigan send us?” Owen’s face contorted quizzically. “What natural order is in jeopardy if the crisis is over?”

  “Ertigan still schemes,” Xlina looked about nervously. “You’re a druid Owen, you have studied with the Order?”

  “All my life,” Owen smiled through his beard and nodded. “Though before the Morrigan I was much more the brewer than the adventurer.”

  “Tell me,” Xlina looked at him, her brown eyes locking with his emerald gaze. “Have you heard of the Pair Dadeni?”

  “The cauldron, yes,” Owen offered, stroking his beard in acknowledgement. “It was destroyed.”

  “Are you certain?”

  “Well, as certain as the tale goes,” Owen looked up, as if plucking the memory from thin air before looking back at her. “According to the lore, it was destroyed by the warrior Efnysien. As the story goes, he lied with the dead of the Irish, knowing they were using the cauldron to revive their soldiers during a fierce battle. When he was thrown into the cauldron, he used his powers to destroy the cauldron from within. The act cost him his life, and the cauldron became his tomb.”

  “His tomb? Where does this tomb lie now? If I wanted to venture there...”

  “Who knows,” Owen shook his head and shrugged helplessly, “Lost to the ebb and flow of time.”

  “Owen, that’s it!” Xlina nearly bounded from the table, unable to contain her excitement. “I know where the Cauldron is. Oxivius knew it the whole damn time.”

  “Who is Oxivius and what did he know?”

  Xlina looked back at the druid still seated in the booth at the back of the nightclub. Her excited bubbled up inside her and her stomach flipped as if butterflies carried away her insides. She didn’t want to tell him about Oxivius. How would he react to the Lamian necromancer?

  “A friend,” Xlina explained simply, “He had the whole thing figured out. I know where to go. I know what we must do. Will you go, Owen? Find my brother and bring him here tomorrow night, but do not enter. I’ll meet you in the alley across the way.”

  “Don’t enter?”

  “If my patron finds you,” Xlina looked back at the bar grimly, “It will not end well for any of us.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Consequences

  Sleep came easily for Xlina as she crashed into the luxurious bed Valeria had set for her. She hungered after the events of the day and as the last beats of the bass faded in the club below, she eagerly awaited the dreams that would soon come. So many events of the day swirled in her head. She was a rollercoaster of emotional highs and lows which taxed her energy. Not to mention the encounter with Archam in the Cathedral. She barely acknowledged her thoughts as they grew jumbled and incoherent in the void that existed between consciousness and sleep. Her mind slipped from the world, and she left Pandora’s behind.

  Xlina stood at the end of the rickety dock extending from turtle island. She had been here before, both in the dream realm and in person. Starring out over the serene lake, its surface smooth as glass exactly as she had remembered it. She turned to see Turtle Island; its shore dotted by multicolored rocks giving the illusion that the whole acre wide island rested on the back of a turtle. At the very center stood the small house of Lexxes Stillwater and just as before, there too stood the native American woman.

  “Kway!” she welcomed with a wave that crossed from her left shoulder to her right. She stood majestically, despite wearing faded black jeans and a white tank top. Her black silk like hair was tied back in a long braid that seemed to dance in the gentle breeze and the scent of honeysuckle and cedar hung in the air, the telltale sign of the woman’s magic. Like Xlina, Lexxes magic bound her to the dream realm. Lexxes was Asibikaashi, a dream walker. She could walk the dream realm freely.

  “Kway!” Xlina mimicked the motion, raising her hand and waving across her chest in a long, fluid motion. “I meet you Lexxes Stillwater as equals in the Dream Realm.”

  “Your manners have improved since last we met child.” Lexxes smiled, revealing her pearly white teeth that seemed to catch the moonlight.

  “I’m trying,” Xlina smiled in return, rushing in to hug the sage shaman. Lexxes met her embrace warmly and then held her at arm’s bay by the shoulder, staring her in the eyes.

  “Much has happened since the counsel fell,” Lexxes studied her carefully, looking deeply into her eyes. “Tell me.”

  “Oxivius and I went to the infernal plane and stole Amber’s soul back from Ertigan.”

  “That must be quite a tale,” Lexxes smiled, “You have been busy.”

  “I have been meaning to come to you Lexxes,” Xlina spoke quickly, her words clamoring to get out her warning “The heavenly host has come to Portland, they are killing awakened.”

  “I know,” Lexxes smile dimmed, and she grew solemn. “I know what you are about to ask Xlina, but I cannot help.”

  “But why? The heav
enly host kills our people,” Xlina refused to believe that Lexxes would stand idly by.

  “It’s you,” Lexxes withdrew a step, backing away. “The Council maintains a fragile alliance between the covens. The demon Ertigan’s corruption of the former members serves as a stark reminder that each of us in power can be so easily corrupted. The power of the council is on the wane and thus the power of the Faithful grows to fill the void. As the newly appointed leader of the council, it would undermine everything I have rebuilt to be seen conspiring with those tied to demons. You must understand Xlina.”

  “I see.” Xlina looked at the dock and the serene waters of the lake, unable to look Lexxes in the eye.

  “You are a known marked in the community Xlina,” Lexxes put an arm around her shoulder and joined her to look out over the lake. “It’s not that we won’t act against the Faithful. It’s just that I cannot be at your side. Not now, at least. My enemies on the council would use your ties to the demons to undermine my authority.”

  “I understand,” Xlina stifled a sniffle, “I’m marked.”

  “You also travel with the once exiled necromancer. A known practitioner of the dark arts,” Lexxes sighed heavily as she squeezed Xlina’s shoulder. “I will fight for you Xlina, but at this time, I can’t fight beside you.”

  “What about the druids?” Xlina kicked a pebble into the serene lake, causing a flurry of ripples in the glasslike water.

  “Long have the druids been allies of the council,” Lexxes pulled Xlina to face her and once again placed both hands on her shoulders to stare her in the eyes. “We will confront the Heavenly Host together. As allies, the council and the druids will restore order.”

  “All this because we stole Amber’s soul from hell.” Xlina peered into Lexxes smooth features. Her copper skin glinted in the moonlight, giving her a surreal appearance even for the dream realm.

  “Where is Amber’s soul now?” Lexxes asked, dropping her head to meet Xlina’s downward gaze.

  “She is here with me.”

  “Excellent,” Lexxes smiled as she began the workings of a spell. The wind shifted directions as she drew sigils in the air.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Bringing her to the surface.” Lexxes weaved her hands, drawing arcane symbols in the air before releasing her spell. The scent of cedar and honeysuckle was overwhelming as the effect took hold. Xlina recoiled, feeling her skin burn.

  “It hurts.” Xlina fell back a step, her insides churning she fell to her knees clutching her stomach.

  “Only for a moment,” Lexxes finished weaving her spell and the white apparition of Amber’s soul stood emerging from the back of Xlina and stepping free from her body. The specter looked around dumbstruck before turning to Lexxes.

  “Amber,” Xlina reached for the spirit from her knees, desperately trying to touch her lost friend. Lexxes released her magic, and the spell wrapped around Amber, turning the spirit into tangible flesh once more. There before her in the dream realm stood Amber, flesh and bone Amber, a look of wonder on her face as she stared at her hands with wide eyes.

  “Xlina? Lexxes?” Amber looked at them in disbelief. Her tanned skin and platinum blonde hair exactly as it had been before. She stood in white jeans and a pink top. As if plucked from Xlina’s memory of the woman.

  “Yes!” Xlina wrapped her in a warm embrace, nearly bowling the petite woman over.

  “I was dead,” Amber’s voice trailed off, and she remained distant as Xlina wrapped her in a fierce hug.

  “Easy Xlina, she is still adjusting,” Lexxes pulled Xlina by the shoulder, breaking her embrace.

  “Amber, I missed you so much,” Xlina stared at her friend in disbelief.

  “I... I remember...” Amber stepped back, her voice small. “I remember what I did.”

  “It’s okay Amber,” Xlina stepped forward, but the woman recoiled back away from her.

  “I went to hell,” Amber continued retreating down the dock, keeping her space. “After I tried to kill you, X.”

  “Amber, it’s okay... we saved you,” Xlina followed, taking another step forward, but Amber put her hands up defensively as the memories came flooding in.

  “It’s time for you to return where you belong Amber,” Lexxes stood at the shore, her magic shrouding her in the shape of a giant grizzly.

  “No!” Xlina leaped in front of Amber, calling on her dream magic to engulf her hands in purple flames. She stood her ground firmly between Lexxes and Amber, her fists raised.

  “Xlina, stop being a child about this,” Lexxes stepped onto the dock and the entire dream scape shuddered under her power.

  “You brought me here to send Amber back?” Xlina held firm, her voice accusatory.

  “It’s the only way.” Lexxes took another step forward, drawing closer. “Returning her to hell will send the Angel back and return the heavenly host.”

  “So I have heard.” Xlina clenched her fists, focusing on her nightmare energy. “It must be so easy to cower at the celestials and demons. To cater to their whims.”

  “It’s the natural order, Xlina,” Lexxes brought her hands up and the spirit of the bear mimicked raising its paws. “Stop trying to make the world what you want it to be and start accepting it for what it is.”

  “And let Amber pay the price,” Xlina shot back derisively.

  “If it’s her price to pay, then yes.”

  “No!” Amber screamed from the edge of the dock, drawing the gaze from both of them. Her tanned skin cracked on her neck and cheek as her mark, the mark of Ertigan, flared to life with a crimson flame that burst and burned her skin.

  “He knows,” Lexxes looked around the dreamscape fearfully. The water roiled and bubbled in the lake. Fish floated to the surface, boiled alive in the waters as the lake itself billowed steam. A dark circle appeared in the water below.

  “Ertigan,” Xlina turned to face the lake. Seeing the demon lord emerge from the water. His yellow puss filled eyes oozed a thick secretion down his cheeks where his lipless maw extended in a wide curling smile. His barrel-like chest was a solid mass of muscle and covered in scars. He rose from the water slowly, his massive black taloned hands shearing the through the surf. He turned his wicked gaze on Amber.

  “That is mine,” his voice was harsh like gravel as his thick purple tongue lashed about, hanging like a cord of rope from his gaping maw. He pointed a hooked black talon at Amber, and she wailed as the mark flared to life once more. Xlina felt a tinge of remorse, having felt the pain Valeria could inflict on her through the mark she knew the horrible suffering Amber was feeling.

  “You bastard,” Xlina flung herself at Ertigan, her fists blazing with nightmare energy, but he swatted her away effortlessly with a stiff backhand that sent her careening through the air and crashing on the far shore heavily.

  “He is more powerful than I thought possible,” Lexxes mouthed in a hushed voice. “Just let him take her and it will all be over.”

  “Like hell.” Xlina rolled to her feet. “Ertigan! Ertigan the Defiler.”

  The massive brute turned back to Xlina, and she felt the weight of his stare on her. He stepped onto the dock with his colossal lizard like leg that bent backwards at the knee. Rising from the waters, he stood at his impressive full height.

  “You destroyed my citadel,” he glowered ominously at Xlina. “You cost me dearly. I shall feed on you for all eternity, whelp. I will suck your entrails from your eviscerated carcass and pluck your eyes from the socket. Every day from this day forth you will know pain and suffering like none other in all the infernal realms.”

  “Sorry,” Xlina smirked as she took a defensive stance once more, “My souls already spoken for.”

  Ertigan roared in defiance, causing Lexxes to shrink back. He thundered down the dock toward the shore with heavy steps. Lexxes withdrew, backing away from the monster. Her eyes were filled with fear and the spirit of the bear flickered, the strength of her spell diminishing with her shattered focus.

 
; “Then Amber will pay the price for your insolence.” Ertigan held a clawed hand up and the mark burst into flames burning away the side of Amber’s face until the raw white bones of her cheek showed clearly. She screamed in agony and rocked into the fetal position on the dock.

  “Demons don’t dream Ertigan,” Xlina stepped onto the dock and stared the monster down. Her brown eyes glimmered with determination as her hair blew freely in the wind. “This isn’t your realm, monster. It’s mine.”

  She channeled the dream energy and surged with supernatural power. Bolts of nightmare energy danced over her flesh as she summoned it all to her call. She reached deep into the dream realm, calling on all manner of nightmares to fuel her magic.

  “Sorry Xlina,” Lexxes cast a spell from the shore and it surrounded the island in a translucent bubble. “Amber needs to return to where she belongs. So I can’t let you do that.”

  Xlina felt it sharply. The sphere of Lexxes dream magic had isolated them from the rest of the dream realm. There were no nightmares, no dreams beyond the island to fuel her magic. It was as if Lexxes had closed the door of the dream realm and locked her in a space of her own making.

  “Lexxes stop,” Xlina turned, looking at the woman pleadingly “Together we can stop him. We are stronger here. Please stop.”

  “I’m so sorry Xlina,” Lexxes eyes met hers and Xlina saw the sadness there, “But my responsibility is to all our peoples, not just my friends.”

  Ertigan stalked close and swept Xlina up by the throat, his powerful taloned hands lifting her with ease. She hung from his massive hand as her feet dangled in the air easily a foot off the ground. Her dream magic faded like a candle deprived of oxygen. Lexxes had cut her off from the dreams of others. Ertigan’s large purple tongue lashed at her cheek, slithering up from her jaw to her eye and smearing a foul-smelling saliva up her face. Her hands batted at his powerful arm to no effect as he shook her like a rag doll.

  “There are no more nightmares for you,” Ertigan bellowed with a derisive snort.

  “Let Xlina go and claim your soul, demon,” Lexxes threatened from the shore. “You have won this day.”