Demon Lord III - Grey God Read online

For several minutes, he stood contemplating what he was about to do. He had promised himself that he would never take up the dark power again, knowing it would change him into a cold, unfeeling monster. One that the people of the Overworld had feared and hated, and some hated still. He had not thought he would ever have to break that promise, and the prospect of filling himself with the dark power's malevolence made him break out in a cold sweat. Raising his arms, he steeled himself, shooting a glance at Mirra, who bit her lip.

  Bane drew in a deep breath and spread his hands towards the shadows under the trees, summoning them. The dark power resisted him for a moment, as if reluctant to obey him after such a long absence, then it surged forth to answer his call. It rose in foul streams, surrounding him in darkness as it soaked into his flesh, settled into his bones and filled him with its familiar corruption. His stomach clenched, but it no longer nauseated him as much as it had once done.

  The two runes brightened as the shadows settled into him, paled his skin and made his hair fall into shining wings. After so long without it, his flesh burnt as it invaded him, reminding him of the agony it had once caused, and the cost of wielding it. As soon as he had absorbed sufficient to reach the light realm and return, he lowered his arms and let the Gather ebb, not wishing to store more than he needed. The dark power swirled around him, and the remainder sank back into the shadows, thwarted by his control.

  Bane glanced at Mirra again. She looked pale and anguished, her eyes haunted. He swung away and Moved.

  Kayos sensed the presence of the dark god in Eternity like a shiver running through the clouds, and turned to face Lyriasharin as a young god of immense power appeared beside her. A nimbus of blue flame shone in an oval around him, outlining his aura without obscuring his form. His clothes seemed to soak up the light, the gold patterns on his shirt glinted and the crimson lining of his cloak glowed. Shining wings of raven hair contrasted starkly with his alabaster skin, and his eyes shone, enhanced by the power he carried within him now. Kayos had faced many dark gods in his long lifetime, and all had tried to enslave or destroy him. For the first time, he stood before one who did not pose a threat, and found the situation intriguing and novel.

  The Elder God gestured to the gazebo, where three couches awaited occupants. Bane sank down on one, the blue nimbus around him brightening, tiny blue flames outlining his form wherever he made contact with the couch. When the three were seated, Kayos studied Bane, noting the cold glint in his eyes.

  "You came unwillingly."

  "At my wife's request."

  "She has my gratitude."

  Bane's brows drew together, warning Kayos to get to the point before his patience ran out.

  Kayos nodded. "Has Lyriasharin told you of her daughter, Ashynaria?"

  "Yes."

  "Then you know I have sought her for a thousand years, and I have found her." He paused. "She is enslaved by a dark god named Telvaron, a powerful man. Only another dark god can free her."

  A suspicious look flitted across Bane's face, and he glanced at Lyriasharin. "And this is what you want from me? It means going into this God Realm you spoke of, which is where you would like to exile me."

  "It is not a trick," the goddess said. "Kayos told me of her capture before he knew of your existence, and it was I who said that you might help me to bring her home."

  "And if I am not killed by this god I can be conveniently abandoned in the God Realm."

  "No, My Lord." Lyriasharin looked sad. "Do not listen to the dark power. I would not harm you or cast you out. It is dangerous, yes, but I will not betray you."

  Kayos said, "You are tar'merin, and therefore welcome here. You will be treated as an ally."

  "Why should I trust you?"

  "I give you my word, and I do not lie."

  "Unlike a dark god."

  Kayos inclined his head. "You know this from your experience with Arkonen. Tar'merin such as you are extremely rare."

  Bane pondered this. "What horrors await in the God Realm?"

  "Many, I am afraid. Most of those who dwell there are gods, and many of them are of the bestial or demonic kind."

  Bane gazed out across the glowing gardens of white fire for several minutes, his expression distant. "I have no wish to leave my home and search out danger, perhaps be killed in the process. Your granddaughter means nothing to me. My life is here."

  "It is no small favour we ask of you, we realise that," Lyriasharin said. "We can only appeal to you and hope you will find it in your heart to help us."

  "I will not leave my wife."

  "Your reluctance is understandable, but she will be perfectly safe, I assure you. I will watch over her myself."

  Bane looked down at his hands, spreading them. "I did not say I was reluctant to leave her, I said I will not. Not now, not ever, as I vowed upon our marriage. I am no longer a single entity. I am part of a pair." He raised brilliant eyes to meet Lyriasharin's.

  The goddess inclined her head. "Of course. But surely you do not wish to put her in danger?"

  "No."

  "What would Mirra want you to do?"

  Bane looked away. "Do not use my wife's soft heart to make me do what you want."

  Lyriasharin studied his profile. "Deep down, you want to help us. But you are afraid." She leant forward. "Afraid of dying out there, far from your home, far from Mirra. Alone."

  "You want me to defeat another dark god, but what makes you think I can? I could not defeat Arkonen without your aid."

  "You were young and inexperienced. Your powers have increased a great deal since then, and with the passage of time, they will grow more."

  "I could not get through his shields." Bane's eyes grew distant again as he recalled the terrible day he had fought Arkonen. "He toyed with me. He laughed at me. I never want to do that again. I cannot defeat a dark god."

  "You can," Kayos said. "There have been others like you, who destroyed them."

  "Mortal?"

  "No. But you are just as powerful as they were."

  "Arkonen said there was no way for me to defeat him, and as far as I can tell, he was right. Only the white fire defeated him."

  Kayos shook his head. "It can be done without the white fire. It has been done. You just need to learn how."

  "And are you going to teach me?"

  "I can teach you many things, but not how to use the dark power. That you must discover for yourself."

  "If I live long enough," Bane said.

  "You will."

  "Is that a prediction?"

  "Just a feeling." Kayos sat back, glancing at his daughter.

  Lyriasharin said, "Do you recall, My Lord, what you said on the day I restored your hands, and I asked if you would help me, should I require your aid one day?"

  "I am not convinced that this is within my power." Bane shook his head. "When I agreed, I certainly did not have something as dangerous as this in mind."

  "Do you wish to speak to Mirra before you decide?"

  "I know what she will say."

  "Then you will help us?"

  Bane sighed, lowering his eyes. "I know nothing of this God Realm."

  "I will be with you, naturally," Kayos said. "Without me you would not find Ashynaria; the God Realm is dark and trackless."

  "How did you find her?"

  Kayos smiled. "It took me a thousand years."

  "How long would it take to return there?"

  "Now that I know the way, not long."

  Bane looked thoughtful. "A Move takes only a moment."

  "We cannot Move there. To Move within the God Realm is to be lost."

  "If I do this, I want something in return."

  Kayos glanced at his daughter, a slight frown wrinkling his brow. "What?"

  "Make my wife a goddess."

  Lyriasharin looked away, and Kayos' frown deepened. "That is not your decision. By doing so, you will change her destiny forever, deny her rebirth as a mortal, and bring her into the dangerous world of gods."

  "I wi
ll protect her."

  "She may not wish it. And you may one day fall, leaving her at the mercy of dark gods."

  "I will not fall."

  Kayos thought it quite likely that he was right. He had not seen many with as much power as this young god. "The choice is hers, but, if she wishes it, I will raise her up if you free my granddaughter. Then you must both leave here, and she must create her own domain. This too, she must be told. Our kind is uneasy together. We prefer solitude. It will be hard at first, and dangerous for such a young goddess."

  "But we will be together forever."

  "Nothing is forever. In my lifetime I have created seventeen sons and twenty-seven daughters. Only one still lives."

  "How old are you?"

  Kayos shrugged. "When I was created, there was no way to measure time, save by the birth and death of stars."

  "Who created you?"

  "As far as I know, no one. I came into being in the dust of a dead star, and fell to the God Realm, which still burnt."

  Bane looked thoughtful, and Kayos wondered if he was considering their request, or merely pondering the new information. Kayos glanced at Lyriasharin, who gazed at Bane, her eyes filled with sorrow and love. Even if she had yet to admit it to herself, his daughter was smitten with Bane, which saddened Kayos, for Bane clearly loved his wife. Finding this young, mortal tar'merin in his domain filled him with wonder and excitement. It seemed too good to be true. He had long hoped to meet a tar'merin.

  Lyriasharin murmured, "What will you do if Mirra does not wish to be raised up?"

  Bane looked away. "I will accept her decision."

  "Then it is agreed?"

  Bane hesitated, casting a piercing glance at Kayos. "I will consider it."

  The Elder God inclined his head. Bane rose, swung away with a swirl of his cloak and vanished in a flash of blue light, leaving fading sparkles that drifted down.

  Chapter Four

  God Realm

  Bane reappeared in a glade some distance from his house, close to the track that led to it. For a moment he stood with bowed head and clenched hands, concentrating on the hated sensations of the dark power within him, even though it was only dregs now. Only one of those sensations had he missed, the only one that held any seduction, the strongest lure of all. Power. Closing his eyes, he raised his head and spread his hands, letting the shadows pour from his fingers and sink away into the ground. The last shreds were the hardest to shed, and fought to remain in his bones, but he evicted them with brutal determination, a lot of his strength draining away with them. As they left him, his shoulders slumped, and he sighed.

  "You there, turn around!"

  The shout made Bane start, and his gut clenched as he recognised his father's voice. If he had still had any power, he would have Moved, but without it he had no choice but to obey. He did so slowly, dreading his father's reaction. Mithran stood at the edge of the glade, Grem beside him, a loaded crossbow aimed at Bane's heart.

  Mithran's eyes widened. "Bane?"

  "Yes, Father."

  Grem lowered the crossbow, frowning.

  Mithran raked Bane an incredulous glance. "What are you doing?"

  "I -"

  "Why are you wearing those clothes?"

  "I -"

  "Have you taken leave of your senses?"

  "No, I -"

  "How could you?" Mithran's face twisted. "How could you turn to the darkness again?"

  Bane rubbed his brow. "I have not -"

  "I won't let you!" Mithran shouted, striding up to his son, his eyes afire with wrath. Grem followed, looking wary. Mithran grabbed the front of Bane's shirt and yanked him closer, glaring into his eyes. "You want to become what you were? You take up the power he gave you? You turn to evil?"

  "Father." Bane placed his hands on his father's shoulders. "Let me explain."

  "What possible explanation could there be? You renounced the dark power!"

  "Yes, I -"

  "How will Mirra feel when she finds out? How could you do this to her?"

  "She knows."

  Mithran shoved him away. "You've betrayed her, all of us."

  "I want to hear his explanation," Grem muttered.

  Mithran turned to him, then bowed his head, frowning at the ground. Bane nodded at the warrior, but received a glacial stare.

  "Mirra asked me to -"

  "Don't lie!" Mithran shouted, swinging around. "She would never do that."

  "Usually, no. Lyriasharin visited me yesterday, with her father, Kayos. Later she returned and asked me to go to Eternity. She needs my help."

  Mithran's jaw dropped. "The goddess was here? And Kayos? After a thousand years, he's returned? You went to Eternity?" His amazement grew with each startled question. "She needs your help?"

  Grem looked stunned.

  Bane nodded. "Yes. If you doubt me, ask Mirra."

  "You..." Mithran gulped. "What was it like?"

  "Bright. Fluffy white clouds, that sort of thing."

  "By the light," Mithran muttered. "I have a son who visits the gods in Eternity."

  "What are you doing here?"

  Mithran glanced at Grem and waved a hand. "We're on our way home. Grem needed to use a bush, and we saw deer running past, so we decided to see what had frightened them in case it was dangerous."

  Grem shook himself from his shock. "What help does the goddess need?"

  "I will tell you at home. Mirra is waiting for me."

  "Of course." Mithran stepped closer to his son and clasped his shoulder. "Sorry about that."

  "It was understandable."

  "Even so, I shouldn't have doubted you."

  "It is all right, Father."

  Mithran gave a jerky nod. "Let's get home so you can tell us all about it. You're not going to frighten old Carrots, are you?"

  "No. I have cast it out now."

  "Good." Mithran thumped his shoulder, and they set off through the trees, Grem following.

  "Goddess, that is amazing. He found Ashynaria after a thousand years of searching," Mirra whispered into the thick silence that fell at the end of Bane's tale. They sat around the kitchen table, their faces illuminated by the golden light of the many candles on the table and on shelves around the walls, mingled with the blue glow.

  Bane nodded. "Quite a feat, even for him, I think."

  "You must save her."

  "I will not leave you."

  Her face fell. "But Ashynaria... I will come with you then."

  "It is too dangerous. We have to travel through somewhere called the God Realm, to the domain where she is held prisoner."

  She frowned. "You promised to take me wherever you went."

  "Which is why I am not going."

  "You must. If you do not, I will be to blame for Ashynaria's suffering."

  Bane shook his head. "I do not think I can save her, anyway."

  "Of course you can."

  "You do not know that any more than I do. I could be killed."

  "Kayos would not allow that. Neither would I, which is all the more reason for me to come with you."

  Bane rubbed his brow and sighed. "This is insane. I am not taking you into so much danger."

  "You will be there to protect me."

  "No. We are not going."

  "I will not be able to live with that guilt, Bane. It will eat me alive."

  "I would not do it anyway."

  "So you are just using me as an excuse?"

  He eyed her. "A good reason, but not the only one."

  "What are the others?"

  "I told you, I do not think I can defeat a dark god. I did not beat Arkonen on my own."

  "Perhaps Kayos will help you as Lyriasharin did."

  Bane raised his hands. "I am not going through that again."

  "That is selfish, Bane. You have to save Ashynaria."

  "No, I do not."

  Mithran spread his hands on the table. "I agree with Mirra, Son. You have the power to save a goddess, you cannot refuse."

&nbs
p; "Yes I can."

  "Well you should not. Has the dark power corrupted you already?"

  Bane shook his head. "Kayos says I am incorruptible."

  Mithran looked startled. "That's wonderful!" His brows lowered. "Then I don't see the problem."

  "The problem is I am not taking Mirra into a dangerous place like the God Realm, which, according to Kayos, is full of beast gods and demon gods, the kind no one wants to meet. Especially me."

  "It's a noble quest," Grem muttered, earning a scowl from Bane.

  "Mirra has more courage than you," Mithran said.

  "It is not a question of courage," Bane said. "It is common sense. Who amongst you was witness to my battle with Arkonen?"

  Mirra snorted. "No one could have got close without being incinerated."

  "Exactly."

  "But I was there, even though I do not remember it."

  "You were protected by my demons."

  "Exactly. Summon demons to protect me, a demon steed to carry me."

  "No!" Bane thumped the table, making the candles jump, but only Grem started. Mithran regarded him stonily, while Mirra bowed her head and clasped her hands.

  "No, do not, Mirra," Bane groaned, shaking his head, then he jumped up and swung away as Lyriasharin appeared beside the table, her hands folded before her. Mirra bowed her head, Grem and Mithran fell to their knees, their chairs scraping as they vacated them.

  Lyriasharin gestured. "Arise, good people."

  Bane turned to face the goddess, inclining his head. "Lyriasharin."

  "My Lord. You are beset, it seems."

  "Indeed."

  "This angers you."

  "Of course it damn well angers me."

  The goddess smiled. "You would rather they agreed with you mindlessly?"

  "No, just see common sense."

  "My Lord, you are the only one who doubts your abilities. You should be flattered."

  "I know my abilities, and it has already been proven that I cannot defeat a dark god. Why will no one believe that?"

  Lyriasharin moved closer. "You were brash. You did not think about how you were going to defeat him. You were driven by hatred and a lust for revenge, made fearful by Mirra's peril, and weakened by your wounds. Many factors were against you then. If Mirra had not been Arkonen's hostage, perhaps you would have found a way to beat him, even destroy him."