Demon Lord VI - Son of Chaos Read online

  “We?”

  She bowed her head. “I did it. I deserve the punishment. I gave the orders.”

  “Do you want to be punished?”

  “No.”

  “But you do deserve it, and I am angry.”

  She risked a glance up at him. His intense blue eyes bored into her, forcing her to look away. “What will you do to me?”

  “Get up.”

  Nikira scrambled to her feet, although her legs threatened to buckle. He rose from the cloud couch to tower over her. She had not thought he was so tall.

  “Look at me.”

  Nikira forced her flinching eyes upwards and fixed them on his chin. He raised a hand, and she cringed, certain that her life was over. Her knees gave way, but his left hand shot out, gripped her arm and held her upright without apparent effort. She closed her eyes as his right hand touched her brow, waiting for the searing agony.

  It came like a rush of ice water under her skin. Intense cold made her shiver and pain lanced up her left arm. Her stomach was a tight, empty knot and her throat burnt with thirst. Her limbs were stiff and cramped, and an intense sensation of helplessness filled her. Her head pounded, her wounds throbbed, and the cold table chilled her aching back. Time passed with incredible torpor, days of unending agony and deprivation. The warm touch on her brow vanished, along with the sensations.

  “That is what I suffered.” His soft voice spoke close to her, and she shivered, her breath catching in a sob. “Unpleasant, was it not? Yet you only suffered it for a few moments.” He released her arm, and she fell to her knees again, bile stinging her throat.

  “You... you remember it all.”

  “Of course I do. I am not an infernal idiot, like you.”

  She swallowed a sob. “Forgive me, please.”

  “You will obey me.”

  She nodded.

  “You will transport me to a place that I will show you, and you will do everything I say without question.”

  Again she nodded, her fear receding. She risked a glance at him. He had turned away, clearly waiting for her answer.

  “Yes.”

  He swung around. “You will serve me.”

  “Yes.”

  “Every day you will come before me and prostrate yourself. You will press your brow to the floor and tell me of your unworthiness to serve me, and then you will do precisely as I say. You will beg for the privilege of licking the dirt from my boots.”

  Nikira shuddered. “Yes.”

  “Really?”

  She glanced up at him. “If you’ll let me live.”

  “I may still kill you. I have the right.”

  “Yes, you do. What I did was unforgiveable, and inexcusable.”

  “But you thought I was a dra’voren.”

  “Yes.”

  “And dra’voren are evil. They deserve to be destroyed. They should receive no mercy, and they lie.”

  Nikira gazed at him in confusion, unsure of what to say.

  He glared at her. “I am not a damned dra’voren! Get up.” She obeyed, clasping her shaking hands, and he said, “Now get out.”

  Nikira tottered to the door, which slid open, and she almost fell into Enyo’s arms as she stepped through it.

  “Commander, are you all right?” His eyes flicked past her and widened. “Bloody hell.”

  Bane strode through the door, and Enyo yanked her from his path. The people nearest the containment room door vanished through it, and the remainder retreated as he glanced around. Bane went over to Drevarin, a slight smile curving his lips. The light god grinned.

  “It looks like you frightened her half to death.”

  “Better than horns and a tail?”

  “Much.”

  “She also agreed to obey my every wish, so it seems we now have a ship to travel in.”

  “Excellent.”

  Bane swung around and glowered at Nikira. “Take me to the people who were with me.”

  Nikira turned to Enyo. “Tell Donavan -”

  “I did not tell you to speak to anyone!” Bane reached her in two strides and loomed over her, making her step back with a gasp. “When I told you to do precisely what I ordered, that is exactly what I meant.”

  “Yes... sir.” Nikira kept her eyes on his chest, unable to look at his face.

  “I got it, Commander,” Enyo whispered.

  She shot Bane a nervous glance as he turned to Enyo, his eyes flinty, and asked, “What exactly did you get?”

  Enyo met the Demon Lord’s gaze, paling as his courage drained away. “The ship needs to be run, and if the commander’s unable to, Donavan must do it.”

  “I see. Are you one of my torturers too?”

  “I did as I was ordered.”

  “Really.” Bane’s eyes narrowed, and Enyo stumbled back with an oath, clutched his head and grimaced. “You did, but you also wanted to kill me,” Bane said.

  “You... What did you do?”

  “I read your mind. You took many liberties with me, so I return the favour.”

  Enyo said, “Dra’voren must be destroyed.”

  “I agree, but your stupid room does not destroy them.”

  “It does. They vanish.”

  “They vanish because your blue lights burn through their droge bodies and the lodestones strip away their dark forms, but their souls fly to the nearest dark realm to gather a new form. Did you think it was so easy to destroy a dark god? Vanquishing one is a mere inconvenience to him, unless you can then trap him somehow.”

  Enyo glanced at Drevarin, who nodded. “We thought -”

  “You think too much, you and your people,” Bane said. “You should spend more time reclaiming your faith and learning what it is to be people and not gods. Are you gods?”

  “No.”

  “Then why do you have the monumental arrogance to believe you could destroy one?”

  Enyo’s eyes darted, and he licked his lips. “We... we found that we could destroy fiends with the lodestones, and we rid our world of them. Then we went looking for more outside in the Wastes, and found what we thought was a fiend. But when we tried to destroy it, it was too powerful, and destroyed the ship instead, killing all on board. So we learnt the difference and made our shredder rooms, which destroyed them.”

  “But it does not, and nor would it destroy a demon, or a fiend, as you call it. Again, it only defeats them, and they return to the dark realm to regain their power. All your foolish efforts have not destroyed a single servant of the darkness.”

  Nikira raised a hand to her mouth, her stomach churning. Bane glanced at her. “I tire of explanations. I want this ship to take me back to the place where you found me, at all speed. When we get there I will give you more instructions. Now, I feel like some wine.”

  Nikira shot Enyo a meaningful glance and headed for the door. “This way, sir.”

  Bane turned to Drevarin. “Will you join me, or do you, like Kayos, not indulge in such pleasures of men?”

  “That must be a Grey God thing. I enjoy good wine.”

  “Good.” Bane set off after Nikira, who waited in the doorway, and Drevarin fell into step beside him. She took them to the nearest dining room, where they scorned the moulded plastic chairs and Drevarin formed two couches. As soon as they settled upon the couches, Bane sent Nikira for wine, prevented her from passing the order to a crewman and made her fetch it herself. When she brought a bottle of the best wine on the ship, the two gods tasted it, and Bane grimaced.

  “Sour grape juice.”

  Drevarin’s brows rose, then his expression became deadpan.

  “Go and bring the people who were with me here,” Bane ordered Nikira. “And change into a dress. Your garb displeases me.”

  She glanced down at her crisp dark blue uniform jacket and slim-fitting trousers. “All of them, sir?”

  “No, just my kin, and Artan’s group.” His vivid eyes impaled her. “And if my wife has been harmed in any way... You will pay.”

  Nikira gaped at him. “You
r... wife?”

  “Yes, my wife. Are you a little deaf?”

  “No, sir. I’ll fetch them at once.”

  Nikira left, and Drevarin chuckled. “I approve of your punishment. That one needs to learn some humility. Do not expect me to back up any lies you may see fit to tell, however.”

  “Of course not.” Bane swirled the ruby liquid in his glass. “It is not a bad wine.”

  “Are Artan’s people the ones who put the shackles on you?”

  “Yes, but again it was done through ignorance, and the influence of a dark demi-goddess. They did realise their mistake, though, unlike these fools.”

  Drevarin sipped his wine. “They have no guidance, and no faith.”

  “And they are all tainted.”

  “Their god is unborn and their Realm Gate stands open. I do not know what happened, but I would guess that their former god was either chased from his domain or destroyed, leaving the World Gate open as well. Tainted souls have been able to enter the light realm, and been reborn as they are, instead of spending time trapped in the mid realm until they shed their taint.”

  Bane regarded him thoughtfully. “When will their god be born?”

  “Never, unfortunately. Without his parent, he cannot awaken.”

  “Could another god wake him?”

  “No.” Drevarin hesitated. “Perhaps a Grey God, but I do not know.”

  “I shall ask Kayos.”

  “It must be wonderful to know him as a friend.”

  Bane shrugged. “He is my father.”

  “By the light! No wonder you are so powerful. As a creation of the oldest god, you have benefited from his immense experience and power. Is your domain really amazing?”

  “Not as far as I can tell. Compared to the ones I have seen since I left, it is fairly primitive. His daughter, Lyriasharin, is in charge of it now.”

  “Of course, he cannot spend much time there.”

  Bane looked around as a scream came from the doorway. Ethra raced across the room and flung herself at him, climbed onto his lap and twined her arms around his neck. Recoiling a little from her enthusiasm, he patted her back.

  “You’re better! I was so worried!” she cried.

  “I am well, little one.”

  “They were going to kill you!”

  “Yes, it is all right, let go now.”

  Bane glanced past her and pried her arms from his neck. Moving her firmly out of the way, he rose to his feet, his eyes fixed on the doorway. Mirra trotted towards him, her expression relieved and anguished. Ethra sank down beside his couch and gazed up at him with adoring eyes.

  Bane met Mirra halfway to the door and swept her into his arms as she reached him. Tears ran down her cheeks as she sobbed and clung to him. The Demon Lord cradled her in tender arms, stroking her hair as she wept against his chest. Drevarin averted his eyes, becoming fascinated by the wine in his cup, and the rest of the group paused. Mirra drew back to study Bane.

  “You are unharmed?” A trembling smile curved her lips as she gazed into his eyes. “Your eyes are healed.”

  Bane nodded. “Did they treat you well?”

  “Yes. Did they hurt you?”

  He wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Must you know?”

  “Yes.”

  “They did.”

  “How?”

  Bane sighed and kissed the back of her hand. “Why must you know this?”

  “I want to!”

  “They feared me, so they kept me bound and weak.”

  Ethra jumped up, her brows knotted. “They tortured him! They starved and humiliated him! They almost killed him! They -”

  “Ethra,” Bane said.

  She pointed at the cowering Nikira, who stood behind the group. “She did it! She wanted to kill him! They were going to, but I -”

  “Ethra!” Bane’s shout made the girl jump, and she pouted, still looking furious.

  “It’s true!”

  “Be silent.”

  “No! They took off all his clothes and strapped him to a table in a horrible cold room with bright lights! I fed him soup, or he would have died!”

  Bane scowled at the rebellious child, then looked at Mirra when she cupped his cheek, drawing his attention. “It was not as bad as she makes it sound,” he assured her.

  “It was probably worse -”

  “It was!” Ethra interjected, earning herself another glare from Bane.

  “Do not try to spare me,” Mirra went on, ignoring the child. “We vowed to share each other’s troubles as well as joys. Do not hide your pain from me.”

  He nodded, raising her hand to his lips again. “I will tell you all you wish to know when we are alone.”

  Mirra smiled and stood on tiptoe to kiss him, then stepped back and turned to Drevarin, inclining her head as Lyriasharin had taught her. “Forgive me, Lord, I am rude. I was overcome by the joy of being reunited with my husband, and I am most deeply grateful for your aid in his release and healing.”

  Drevarin looked a trifle embarrassed and waved a hand. “Think nothing of it, My Lady.”

  “Mirra.”

  “I am Drevarin. A pleasure to meet you.”

  Bane guided her to the couch as the rest of the group approached, Mithran at the forefront. He bowed to Drevarin and was introduced before he clasped Bane’s shoulder in his usual manner, clearly relieved to find his son in one piece. Drevarin looked astonished when he learnt that Mithran was Bane’s father, and cast the tar’merin a measuring glance. Grem approached next, sending Bane a warm smile before he joined Mithran at a nearby table. Sarrin led her group forward, and they all sank down behind Ethra, who knelt once more at Bane’s feet. Sarrin clasped her hands and bowed her head, first to Bane, then to Drevarin.

  “I thank the light for your release and recovery, Lord.”

  “As do I, Sarrin. The light came in the form of Lord Drevarin here.”

  Sarrin bowed to Drevarin again, and the rest of the group did the same with well-practiced proficiency.

  Drevarin smiled. “A cultured people, I see.

  “Their god was killed and their domain destroyed.”

  “Sad indeed. It seems to happen all too often. They are welcome in my domain.”

  “Thank you, Lord Drevarin,” Sarrin said. “You are most generous.”

  Bane’s eyes flicked to Nikira, who stood behind the group. She looked ill at ease in a sparkling turquois dress that left her shoulders bare and fell in graceful folds to her ankles.

  “And here is someone with absolutely no culture at all.” He gestured, and her knees buckled, forcing her to fall onto them with a gasp. “Now you look like a trollop.”

  Ethra giggled, and Sarrin prodded her.

  “I’m sorry,” Nikira said. “It’s the only dress I have.”

  “Then make a more suitable one. White, from plain cloth, long sleeved and long skirted. You may employ a rope belt, if you wish.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “You will refer to me as ‘Lord’.”

  “Yes, Lord.”

  “Good, now show these people to as many comfortable lodgings as they desire, and give them whatever they wish.”

  “No!” Ethra wailed. “I want to stay with you.”

  He shook his head. “Not right now. When you have settled into your new rooms, you may return.”

  The girl pouted, but allowed Sarrin to take her hand and tug her away. Nikira led them out, and Drevarin cast Bane a smile, his eyes sparkling.

  “That one has designs on you.”

  Bane smiled. “One of the drawbacks of being mortal, it seems.”

  “Drawbacks? I have walked amongst my people as one of them, and had many delightful encounters with beautiful women. For me, the only drawback is that I cannot tell them who I am, and am treated as any other man. That makes it interesting, but sometimes trying as well. You have the best of both worlds.”

  Bane drained his glass and leant forward to refill it. “You did not love any of them?”

&nb
sp; “I love all my people, and they were dearer to me than most.”

  “You love them as a god, whereas I am human. Therefore, I love as a man does.” Bane cast Mirra a smile.

  Drevarin nodded. “Of course, as it should be. I have no experience with your kind.”

  They talked for hours and drained many bottles of wine, which a servant brought while Nikira was employed with making herself a new dress. Bane liked Drevarin, and a strong bond had already formed between them, forged partly by his gratitude for his rescue, which had stripped away several layers of protective aloofness, and partly by the young light god’s jovial nature and lack of fear. Mirra curled up beside Bane and fell asleep while the two men talked. Bane became pleasantly drunk before he stretched out beside her and closed his eyes, more relaxed than he had been for many months.

  Chapter Four

  Demon Hound

  Enyo frowned when Nikira entered the coms room, his eyes raking her wrinkled white dress.

  She glared at him. “God’s orders. Report.”

  “I’ve been recording their conversation, but the language they’re speaking is utterly alien, and the linguistics technicians say that they have no way of translating it. No reference words, apparently.”

  “Let me hear it.”

  Enyo pressed a key on his console, and Bane’s voice came from the speakers, followed soon after by Drevarin’s.

  Nikira cocked her head, puzzled. “They’re speaking two different languages.”

  “That’s what the lingtechs said.”

  “Amazing. What are they doing now?”

  Enyo activated a vidscreen, which showed the two men sprawled on their couches, their eyes closed. Mirra nestled in the crook of Bane’s arm, her head pillowed on his shoulder. “Sleeping, by the looks of it.”

  Nikira sat down and ran a hand through her hair.

  Enyo sat opposite, looking concerned. “What happened in there, Commander?”

  “He let me live, in return for control of Retribution. For now, anyway.”

  “What does he want with the ship?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know. He wants us to take him somewhere, but he didn’t say where, or why. All we know is what he told us earlier.”