Demon Lord IV - Lord of Shadows Read online

  Kayos walked over to Kyan and became visible, making her jump with yelp. She slumped, shooting him a reproachful look, and he pointed at the slave.

  "Vorkon has sent enslaved men as well," he cried over the roar of the battle. "Be sure to kill them."

  "We have to kill them all," she yelled back.

  "Most will stop when they are wounded, those will not."

  Kyan nodded and cupped her hands. A spark of blue light formed within them, growing bigger and brighter until she held a fireball the size of a man's head. She hurled it at the slave, and it struck him in the chest, sending him sprawling into the advancing mass behind him. He vanished amongst them, and she turned to Kayos.

  "Now would be a good time for the Demon Lord to wake."

  "I agree. Do you have more soldiers?"

  "Yes, I have sent for them. They should be here at any moment."

  "Good." Kayos became invisible again.

  The dead reached the line of soldiers and began to push through them. Some of the men recoiled from the touch of rotting hands, others vomited. Now that the dead were too close to shoot without the risk hitting other soldiers, the men had to fight them hand to hand. Rotten flesh and worms sprayed as the soldiers clubbed, kicked and hit the cadavers, the foul gore splattering them. Many more were brought low by their stomachs, and some fled from the horror. A grey-haired officer clutched his chest and collapsed, struck down by his heart. The dark army closed in now, and soldiers had to abandon their battle with the dead to shoot at them instead. Shambling corpses tottered towards the church.

  Howls and the crash of breaking glass came from inside, and an officer appeared in the doorway, his face streaked with blood.

  "They're breaking in through the back!" he shouted. "We need reinforcements!"

  Many of the blue mages cursed and turned to run into the church, a troop of men following them. Cold dread gripped Kayos' heart. Vorkon had outwitted him. He had been so intent on the battle outside the front of the church, he had not considered that the dark god would also send troops to break in through the back, their goal not the white fire, but Bane. He Moved.

  Kayos reappeared in the midst of a pushing, surging mob, and was almost sent sprawling within moments of his arrival. So many dark creatures were packed into Bane's room that it was impossible to move in the crush. He fought free of them and rose into the air, moving towards the bed. The ring of soldiers around Bane held the dark creatures at bay, but their number was dwindling fast. They fired point blank at the monsters that tore at them, yet their efforts had little effect. The blue mages and the reinforcements could not get into the room, but hacked and burnt at the back of the mob. Shevra knelt on the bed beside Bane, gripping his hand in hers. Her head was bowed as she prayed, calling his name with insistent urgency. Bane's head turned from side to side, and a frown wrinkled his brow as the prayer nagged him.

  Kayos' first instinct was to go to Bane's side and erect a shield over them, but there was not enough space around him. Some of the men were bent backwards onto the bed as they fought; others knelt or stood on it, firing into the seething throng. The shield would cut them in half if he erected it, and even then it would be incomplete. There was too much clutter around the Demon Lord. The only thing he could do was to snatch Bane from harm's way, but where could he go? The church would fall within minutes. Only another church would be safe once he had relit the white flame, but only temporarily. Vorkon's army would wipe out the blue mages, and with them, any hope of fighting again. Still, he had to save Bane.

  As he started to descend towards the Demon Lord, a huge, spiny monster forced its way over its fellows and loomed over Bane, blocking Kayos' descent. Venom dripped from its fangs, and its clawed hands spread to rend the man who lay beneath it. Two soldiers aimed their weapons at it, but it sent them sprawling with a sweep of its arms. Other soldiers tried to raise their weapons, and the mob surged forward in a concerted attack, sinking teeth and claws into the hapless men. Shevra looked up and screamed, throwing herself across Bane's chest in a futile bid to protect him. Just as Kayos was about to enter the fray himself, the Demon Lord's eyes opened. They widened as he spotted the dark creature poised to tear him to pieces, and time slowed. Kayos hovered, impressed.

  "Bloody hell," Bane muttered.

  The Demon Lord glanced down at the girl plastered to his chest, then closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they had turned pure black. Kayos raised his shields, and Bane lifted his hands, spreading them towards the monster that towered over him, its claws reaching for his throat with incredible torpor. Black fire poured from his palms in a torrent of burning shadow, and his hold on time broke at the same moment. The creature howled and writhed as it was consumed, its flesh burnt away in a flare of garish light, turned to ash that the fire scattered.

  Bane unleashed the power, and it swept out from him in a rippling circle of death. The dark creatures recoiled as it engulfed them, thrashing and keening. Smoke erupted from their skin, and their eyes boiled. So powerful was it close to him that it reduced them to ash. Black fire filled the room, crawling up the walls to ignite the tapestries in flashes of fire. The bed burst into flames and the soldiers who had been protecting Bane screamed and fell to the floor, covering their heads and beating at their clothes in a bid to ward off the flames that licked over them.

  Bane raised his arms, his eyes unfocused as he guided the dark fire, causing it to sweep from him in lashing tongues of shadow. He flicked his fingers, and it passed through the walls, draining from the room. The screams of dying monsters and men came from outside in the halls, then further away in the chapel, and finally from the gardens around the church and the streets beyond that. Still it poured from him, five runes igniting on his chest as he Gathered, sending the power seeking its victims far and wide. He closed his eyes again, then clenched his hands as he curbed the power and leashed it. The runes' light died to a dull red glow, and then faded to nothing.

  Kayos drifted down, gazing at the destruction that Bane had wrought. The bed on which he lay had been all but burnt away, only the charred timbers of its frame remained. The curtains, hangings and carpets were reduced to white ash. More incredible than that, however, was the movement of the girl who lay on Bane's chest. She sat up, looking dazed, but unharmed, except that she was naked. A black, star-shaped pattern was burnt into the floor around Bane. Shevra tried to cover herself, then wailed and flung her arms around Bane's neck. Bane sat up, the charred bed creaking. It gave way with a crash, and he sprawled on the floor. He glanced down at Shevra, and a faint tinge of colour crept into his pale cheeks.

  As the soldiers stirred and sat up, Kayos became visible, and smiled. Bane met his eyes and looked away, then Kayos flung back his head and laughed. The Demon Lord struggled to sit up, pulled Shevra's arms from his neck and pushed her away. Free of her clinging hands, he stood, glancing at Kayos. For an instant his eyes glinted with black rage, and Kayos quelled his laughter, which was easy under such a murderous glance.

  "Be not angry, dark child," he murmured. "I do not laugh at you."

  Bane's frown eased, and he looked around, his eyes turning blue. "What the hell happened here?"

  The soldiers who had survived the battle picked themselves up out of the ash, their uniforms scorched. Apart from a few minor burns, they appeared to be unharmed. Shevra huddled at Bane's feet, and he unclipped his cloak and dropped it over her. She pulled it close and looked up at him, her eyes filled with worship. The mages, who had fled when Bane unleashed his power, appeared in the doorway, surveying the room with dazed expressions. Bane too, looked a little bemused, and Shevra rose to stand beside him, holding his cloak around her.

  A terrified shout came from the chapel. "The flame! The flame is out!"

  Kayos turned, and Vorkon rose from the floor a few paces away, facing Bane. The Demon Lord stepped back, thrusting Shevra aside as Vorkon closed the gap between them in a stride. He lunged at Bane, his hands closing around the Demon Lord's throat.

&nbs
p; "Now," he grated, "you die!"

  They vanished.

  Chapter Seven

  The Seventh Ward

  Kayos Moved to the altar and clapped his hands over the wick, relighting it with a flash of power. Next he Moved to a flat, featureless tundra swept by an icy wind, where he knew that the seventh ward had to be. He swung around, searching for it in the pitch blackness. A faint blue glow lighted the clouds in the distance, and he Moved again, reappearing beside a towering monolith of freshly hewn grey stone. He paused for a moment to admire it, then strode to the curved wall just beyond it, where a fur clad figure huddled on the ground.

  The ward's blue light lighted Tygon's ravaged face with harsh luminescence, and Kayos feared that he was dead. A quick glance at his soul assured him that he was not. He knelt and placed a hand on the mage's brow, and golden light flowed into Tygon's flesh. It took only a few moments for the healing power of a Grey God to banish the cold from Tygon's shivering form and fill him with glorious warmth. He drew in a deep breath and opened his eyes, staring at Kayos in surprise.

  "My Lord?"

  Kayos gestured, and an Eye appeared before him, an image forming within it. The Demon Lord stood in a vast cavern. The ruddy glow of the lava-filled crevasses that snaked across the rough stone floor lighted it. He faced Vorkon. To be certain of their location, Kayos tilted the Eye, and huge pillars of twisted rock came into view, and beyond them, more caverns lighted by the inner fire. Bane was in the Darkworld, and so was Vorkon. They held swords, but for the moment neither moved. Kayos turned to Tygon, who stared at him with a bemused expression.

  "Get up. Raise the ward, now!"

  Tygon gaped at him. "Now?"

  "Now! Hurry!"

  "Vorkon -"

  "Is below, but Bane cannot keep him there forever. Hurry!"

  Tygon staggered to his feet and stared up at the huge monolith as if he had forgotten what to do.

  "Make haste," Kayos growled.

  Tygon nodded, his mouth still open, and raised his hands, pointing them at the massive ward. Blue power enveloped them, then leapt across the gap to the rim of blazing light that edged the base of the ward. He closed his eyes, swaying as the freezing wind tore at him, and the power poured from him. The light that cushioned the ward's stony womb brightened, and Kayos waited as minutes crept past like hours. At last, the ward began to rise, its deep rumble shivering the earth.

  Kayos glanced at the Eye, where the two dark gods stood unmoving, then Vorkon lunged, and Bane skipped aside in a blur of speed. His sword lashed out, slicing through Vorkon's neck, but in the Darkworld such an injury was nothing to him. Bane backed away, his lips moving as he taunted Vorkon, who followed him with murderous intent. Bane was playing for time, keeping Vorkon distracted. With a twinge of trepidation, Kayos whispered Drayshina's name, and the image within the Eye swirled and reformed. It showed the goddess lying in the grip of a flesh creature. He tilted the Eye to assure himself that she was in the mid realm, and sighed with relief when he found that she was. He whispered Bane's name, and the image changed again.

  Kayos glanced at the ward, which seemed to have risen only a few inches. The top was shrouded in darkness, so there was no way to gauge how high it was now, but Tygon would know when it had reached its apex. Kayos turned back to the Eye. Bane still taunted Vorkon, skipping aside when the dark god lunged at him, spreading his arms in an invitation to strike. This was dangerous, and Vorkon knew it, which was perhaps why he had not become suspicious yet. Bane would tire, but he would not, so to use his strength on idle taunting was unwise if he planned to defeat Vorkon. The Death Lord, as he styled himself, was too tempted by Bane's proximity and apparent foolishness to consider the possibility that he had just walked into a trap.

  The Darkworld was his chosen battleground, for it offered him a slight advantage. Bane had to shield himself from its intense heat, which used power, but the immense quantities of free flowing dark power benefited them both. Demons began to appear around the two, summoned by Vorkon, Kayos assumed, although Bane would counter with his own. Two fire demons attacked Bane, who flung out his arms, and they vanished in flares of foul flame. Kayos marvelled at the power that Bane wielded now. He easily outranked Vorkon, although the former black mage would never admit it, even to himself. Bane's eyes were pits of darkness, and five of the runes exposed by his open shirt glowed bright yellow. He was not even using his full power, perhaps also to enrage Vorkon.

  Kayos glanced at Tygon, wondering how much time had passed. The ward still rose, and the blue mage stood transfixed, sweat starting to bead his brow. Kayos looked back into the Eye, wincing as Vorkon lunged at Bane again, coming perilously close. His concern for Bane surprised him, and it was not merely because the fate of the domain, and his own, depended upon him, nor was it due to his value as a tar'merin. In spite of what he was, he had come to like the Demon Lord. Vorkon vanished and reappeared beside Bane, slashing at him with his sword. Its edge caught Bane's shoulder, and blood flowed as the Demon Lord retreated. Kayos winced again.

  An earth demon leapt at Bane from the darkness, and another lunged to intercept it. One of its huge fists struck Bane a glancing blow, sending him spinning. He fell, and Vorkon sprang at him, but he rolled away as the dark god's blade struck the rock where he had been in a shower of sparks. Kayos adjusted the focus of the Eye, zooming in to study Bane's face, where beads of sweat had started to appear. Bane spun closer to Vorkon, his sword lashing out, slicing deep into Vorkon's droge flesh. Vorkon smiled and shed his droge body, his dark form towering over Bane. He took a demon's shape, two more pairs of arms budding from his torso like a slug's eye stalks. He lunged at Bane, and the Demon Lord leapt back, a black shield shooting up between them. Vorkon struck it and rebounded.

  Kayos glanced at Tygon. "Hurry!"

  The mage shuddered, and the power that flowed from him brightened. The ward's rise quickened.

  Kayos looked into the Eye again. Vorkon followed Bane, who backed away, his lips moving again as he taunted his foe. He raised an arm, and the roof above Vorkon collapsed, burying him. Bane waited, breathing heavily, as Vorkon oozed from the rubble, minus his sword. He summoned another, and as he did, two earth demons lunged at Bane, fists swinging. A fire demon sprang to his defence, and Bane skipped aside. Vorkon Moved, using the momentary distraction that the demons provided to get close to his foe. His sword stabbed through Bane's shoulder, and Kayos groaned. Bane staggered back, the sword embedded in his flesh, Vorkon striving to keep it there.

  The Demon Lord threw himself backwards as one of Vorkon's fists rose to strike him, freeing himself from the sword. The Darkworld was the one place where Bane would not be able to defeat Vorkon. He needed light to do that, whereas all Vorkon needed was to cut him to pieces. Another black shield shot up in Vorkon's path as he chased after Bane, and he struck it again, rebounding. Soon Vorkon would start to wonder why Bane chose to fight him in the Darkworld, and get suspicious. Four earth demons attacked Vorkon, but he scattered them to dust with a vicious gesture of one arm, not slowing his pursuit of Bane.

  Another demon struck at Bane from a shadowy nook, knocking the Demon Lord down. Vorkon lunged, his sword whistling down as Bane rolled away. Bane was tiring now, and the weapon sliced into his thigh. Vorkon loomed over him, stabbing at him as he twisted and rolled to avoid the blade's keen edge. Vorkon cast the sword aside and sprang at Bane, getting a hold on his arm. Kayos made a strangled sound, his eyes widening. The Demon Lord's white teeth flashed as he grimaced, and to Kayos' amazement, smiled. The seven runes flared with brilliant yellow light, and he reached up to grip Vorkon's throat.

  The power of Bane's Gather sucked the shadow from Vorkon's form, and he shrank, two of his arms withering away. Bane directed the excess power downwards, and the floor beneath him began to glow. Vorkon struggled to free himself, and Kayos found that he was holding his breath. He had witnessed a few battles between dark gods, from a safe distance, but he could see that Vorkon was no match for Bane. The Demon L
ord might even defeat him in his own realm. Shadows rushed into Vorkon in solid streams of darkness, replacing that which Bane drew off, but Bane channelled the power that he took into the stone beneath him, locking it away. The chamber in which they fought was rapidly clearing of free dark power. Bane was using Vorkon as a Source.

  A dull, grinding thud made him look around at Tygon as the mage staggered back, the streams of power that arced from his hands becoming slender threads. The ward had stopped rising. The light that held it up was so brilliant that it was almost white, and blinding to look at.

  "Now," Tygon muttered.

  Kayos glanced into the Eye, where Bane still held Vorkon, whose dark form had dwindled considerably.

  Tygon made a vicious, flicking gesture with his hands, and the slender threads of power lashed out like whips, cutting into the ward. The earth rang like a great gong, and the ward shuddered, blue fire crawling up and over it, mantling it. It swept higher and higher, like blue lightning sheathing the stone, sinking into it, arcing out from it. It reached the summit high above, lighting the clouds with an eerie, shimmering blue nimbus. The ward atop the monolith ignited. A flash of blue fire swept out from it in a shining wave, rolling away across the tundra as the earth rang again, this time with a sweet chime.

  A glowing blue pentagram appeared above the ward. Its pure, glorious power was a wonder to behold, and Kayos' eyes burnt as he stared up at it. The blue fire at megalith's base winked out, and the ground shuddered again as the five sides gripped it, holding it up. Blue power swept down from the ward atop it, spreading from it in a ripple that only a god could see. Ward lines shot out just beneath the soil's surface, following the original ley lines set down at the creation of the domain. The ley lines were the domain's boundary wards, set into its walls far beneath the Darkworld. Now they were mirrored between the Darkworld and the mid realm, a barrier impervious to a true god. When all seven wards were in place, not even a Hell hound would be able to pass through it. Tygon staggered back as the blue power winked out, and collapsed in a heap.