Chapter Fourteen

 

 

 

   Jonas started as he felt something disturb the air around them. He stood behind Cadmus and Ellie in the northern kingdom as the Earth Lord addressed the masses in the expansive grounds outside the keep. Djinn, Light Bringer warriors and sorcerers surrounded the gathering, not chancing anyone’s safety. Jonas himself had argued against holding such an open forum, but Cadmus wanted it done, and the sooner the better.

   As Cadmus finished his pretty speech about everyone getting along, Jonas and Alor continued to telepathically exchange ideas about the best way to provide instant cover for the royal couple. Jonas kept an easy mental contact with his Djinn brothers as well, just waiting for a damned Church brethren to say or do anything out of the ordinary.

   Far be it from the Church to let anything good come of unification. Jonas was honest enough to admit he wanted to annihilate the Church for what they’d done to Ravyn and for their part in allying with ‘Sin Garu. Remir’s saddened face haunted him, and Jonas couldn’t help feeling his own guilt. Had he been a better friend, less involved with himself and his needs, perhaps he would have noticed Remir’s problems. Maybe then he could have severed the ties binding his best friend to ‘Sin Garu. As if that hadn’t been bad enough, to then have to watch as the demons literally ripped him to shreds…

   Jonas cleared his throat and forced himself to remain in human form, when the Darkness within demanded angry freedom, to burn in truth.

   Jonas, something’s not right. The enemy, I can almost feel them on top of us. Alor’s warning shook him to full attention.

   “Dammit.” Jonas stopped fighting his instinct and flashed in truth, starting a murmur in the crowd and setting off the rest of the Djinn, who followed suit. “Cadmus, disperse the crowd. The enemy’s coming and soon.”

   Cadmus didn’t question him. He raised his arms for silence. “The enemy draws near. Take yourselves into the protection centres our sorcerers have prepared and—”

   “And we see how easily our leaders follow the Dark.” A distinguished looking Churchman stepped forward at the front of the crowd, his gaze contemptuous as he sneered his dislike. “The enemy is no closer to us than the Djinn surrounding us even now. Cadmus intends to divert your attention from the mess the Storm Lords have made in Tanselm.”

   Many in the crowd frowned, but Jonas noticed that a few nodded in agreement. Just what they didn’t need right now. A civil war to confuse the brewing battle teaming to bring them all to their knees.

   “I don’t think you heard my husband,” Ellie said in a voice that echoed with Dark power. She stepped forward, her long blonde hair flowing like a wave of light behind her as she pointed at the churchman. “For a man devoted to Tanselm and its people, you speak more like an enemy. Ordinary Nohjen, you do your people no good by stirring unrest. Argue all you want after the enemy is destroyed.”

   Ellie looked out over the crowd. Jonas felt such pride, that the young girl he’d helped guide had grown into a powerful princess, soon to be a queen. Since Ellie had embraced her Dark heritage, giving it as much credence as her xiantope half, she’d blossomed, encouraging her husband’s power with a meeting of hearts and minds. Those in the northern territory seemed taken with her, despite the protestations of the Church.

   “Pitiful creature,” Nohjen spat, stunning everyone to silence. No one had spoken with such deliberate scorn towards any of the affai, for they’d brought life back into Tanselm. “Your death is one we should cherish most of all.”

   “Enough.” Cadmus seethed. The land around them pulsed with energy. The trees ringing the area groaned as vines and roots ripped from the ground and snaked around the crowd.

   “Allow us, Cadmus.” Jonas sent his men directions, but Nohjen vanished. “I didn’t know your churchmen were sorcerers.” How else could he teleport?

   “They aren’t.” Cadmus swore under his breath and focused again on his people. “This time I’m not asking. I’m telling you. Get yourselves to safety. Ellie’s right. If you want to argue politics, by all means. We’ll do so after the Netharat has been destroyed. Now take your families and find safety. You warriors and sorcerers, prepare for battle.”

   To Jonas’ relief, the crowd began to disburse. Djinn and Light Bringers moved as one to defend the people, and Jonas could only thank fate that they’d heeded the warnings when they had. Not two seconds later a loud boom sounded above them.

   Grey and black clouds covered the afternoon sky as a large, fiery portal opened up, the doorway though which the enemy poured.

   “Cadmus, Ellie, back to the keep. Now.” Jonas didn’t give the stubborn pair time to argue. He whisked them with him to the war room, where several sorcerers and Light Bringer warriors waited. 

   As soon as they stepped foot on the floor, Cadmus rounded on him, a hand to Jonas’ throat.     

   “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

   “Cadmus, let him go,” Ellie demanded, pulling at her husband’s arm.

   Jonas didn’t care. He burned brighter, and Cadmus swore. “You’re not Dark enough to handle my truth.” Jonas would have rubbed Cadmus’s nose in his triumph, but worry weighed him down. “A Netharat attack here means something.”
            One of the sorcerers spoke up. “Word has reached us that attacks have sprouted up in all the territories.  Everyone has engaged.”

   “Great. Armageddon at its finest.” Jonas prayed Lexa and Arim were well. “Cadmus, I’ll be right back.” He didn’t wait for permission but moved through the between in haste for Foreia. He sought and found Ethim, his ruler, sitting with his wife under a large firn tree, the scent of scythia sweet and full around them.  

   “Jonas?” Ethim stood with a smile on his face, a smile that faded as he noted Jonas’ state.

   “The attack’s begun. I don’t know that they’ll hit Foreia too, but you need to be ready.”

   “Ellie?” Mandy, Ethim’s wife, stood, her lips pinched with worry. “Is she alright?”

   “I left her with Cadmus, a bunch of sorcerers and steady Djinn for protection. She’ll be fine.” Or I’ll die trying to save her. “I have to get back.”

   “Jonas, take care of her.” Ethim took him by the hand and gripped it tight. “And take my reserves with you.”

   “All of them? But what about you?”

   “I’ll protect Amanda and the others. We have less to defend so we’ll need less of our warriors here. Take the bulk with you. Protect my daughter.”

   Jonas heard the mental command Ethim sent, and suddenly two hundred Djinn waited for his command. Grinning with appreciation, irreverent to the end, Jonas slapped Ethim on the back. “Well met, Ethim. Give me a minute to see where we’re needed most.”

   Jonas returned to Cadmus and flashed back in minutes. “Sarqua Djinn, follow me into purpose. The battle’s at hand.” He yelled the Djinn war cry, met a roar of approval from his battle brothers, and teleported back to Tanselm, into the beginning of the end.

 

* * * *

 

   Arim frowned. “You’d think she’d know she can’t run away from our problems.”
            Sava sighed. “Lexa doesn’t run away, Arim. She’s gone to use the facilities. Trust me. Even on death’s door, that Dark Lord would rather die than give in to defeat.” Sava recounted what he’d seen of Lexa’s memories in Seattle, from her time in the demon stronghold.

   “Good Light, how did she survive?” Arim couldn’t imagine such horror, or that his love had been subjected to it because she’d been trying to save him.

   “She used that part of herself filled with Light. The love she still had, even after all the recriminations and hurt, for you.”

   “That love is why I refuse to take her into a situation where she’ll be most vulnerable. I can’t afford to lose her. Especially not now.” Not after Ravyn.

   Sava drank more cinarum. “I understand. I truly do. But I don’t see how you’re going to avoid it. Even with the small bit of demon magic I managed to procure, you’ll only be able to destroy a handful of the demons guarding ‘Sin Garu, not the ones inside him.  Normally I’d give you the benefit of the doubt against the Netharat. But Arim, I can feel your weakness. It’s tied to Tanselm. You won’t survive a direct confrontation with a Dark Lord of ‘Sin Garu’s power.”

   “I’m not a total weakling, Sava.” Arim glared at the Aellei. “Just because Tanselm is weak doesn’t mean I am as well. Granted, I’m not the strongest I’ve ever been, but I have weapons at my disposal as well…” He paused as something tickled the periphery of his senses.  A Dark shadow slid by the doorway through which Lexa had vanished. Dread washed over him. He swiftly stood and left Sava talking to himself.

   “Arim? What is with you people walking away in the middle of a conversation?”

   Arim increased his pace, feeling the sense of wrongness growing. He’d just made it to the doorway when Lexa crashed into him and knocked him several feet back on his ass.

   Shrieks filled the air, inhuman laughter mingled with rage, as the Netharat began filling the commons. The Light Bringers remaining in the area tried to flee, the smarter ones falling quickly behind the few sorcerers and Sava striking back.

   Arim noted everything as he clung tightly to Lexa, his mind processing as his magic enveloped the two of them in a powerful shield while he did his best to strike back at the encroaching Netharat. As before, his and Lexa’s shared touch strengthened them both and gave Arim a sense that he was more powerful than even a room full of evil Darkness.

   “What happened?” he asked Lexa as they both stood, their bodies still touching side by side. Lexa refused to stand behind him, a fact that irritated and gladdened him. As much as he wanted to keep her safe, he admired the strong backbone that would not allow Lexa to be anything less than his equal.

   “I happened.” The Netharat parted for ‘Sin Garu, a walking Dark Lord demon made flesh.

   “Looks like crap, doesn’t he?” Lexa said with a grin. “He doesn’t like it when you give him the old arrogant eyebrow. Try it and see.”

   Why was she smiling? Had she hit her head and he hadn’t noticed? Arim scowled.

   “Great.” She laughed. “Just like that.”

   “I’m going to carve you up piece by piece, but not before I show you all you’ve lost,” ‘Sin Garu promised, his focus on Arim. Several wraiths fell upon a poor woman not lucky enough to evade them. “Bring her to me,” the Dark Lord commanded as he advanced on them.

   The wraiths dragged the woman to ‘Sin Garu, who enfolded her in his arms, the limbs so long they reached around her and behind his back. “Would you spare this poor Light Bringer so much pain? Give in and I’ll let her go.”

   The wraiths beside him cried out with grating laughter. The woman moaned, bloodied arms and bruises already marring her skin.

   “Fuck off.” Lexa pushed a blast of fire at one of the wraiths, killing it easily. Arim took care of the other, yet ‘Sin Garu only smiled. “We know you’re going to kill her no matter what we do. Nothing but death awaits us at your hands.”

   “So clever all the time,” her sibling mocked. He stared at them as he opened his mouth. What looked like dozens upon dozens of sharp, white teeth moved inside his mouth as if living entities. His lips stretched over the woman’s neck, allowing for a bigger bite.  A drop of saliva touched her skin and it smoked.

   His victim screamed out in terror, but ‘Sin Garu’s strength held her in check. Arim wanted nothing more than to kill ‘Sin Garu, but with the woman positioned as a shield, not to mention ‘Sin Garu’s own demonic protection, he could do nothing but watch with Lexa.

   Lexa grabbed his hand and held tight, apparently not at all easy with the idea of the woman’s death. ‘Sin Garu lost his smile when he noted their clasped hands, and he growled and bit into the woman’s neck. Blood spurted as the Dark Lord ravaged her flesh. He didn’t so much suck her blood as he chewed her up like a meal. Demon lights glowed in ‘Sin Garu’s eyes as he watched them watching him kill the woman, who started to blacken as Dark poison filled her.

   “You’ll pay for that.” Arim could feel his own Darkness coming to the fore.

   “And for so much more,” Lexa added, squeezing his hand tight. She shot a burst of blue flame at the woman, killing her instantly. “Now her pain is no longer yours.”

   ‘Sin Garu drank more, tearing out chunks of the woman’s flesh. He tossed her body to the side and several wraiths hovered over it, looking to ‘Sin Garu with their blank, white stares.

   “Take her. She’s yours.”

   The wraiths descended, ripping the woman apart. Beyond them, Arim knew the kingdom was under siege. He could see Sava battling several wraiths and two Nocumat, and was glad the Aellei was here to control those Shadren monsters, as only Sava could. Other warriors and sorcerers battled with the Netharat just in this room. Arim could only imagine the battle spreading throughout the western territory. Reaching out with a small part of his mind, Arim made contact with his nephews and learned that the entirety of Tanselm was under attack.

   Arim reacted, launching a blast of Light that should have killed ‘Sin Garu outright. The speed and intensity of the attack were on his side, but the demons protecting ‘Sin Garu allowed him to wave the blast aside, which took out several Netharat instead. Lexa fired with blue flame that did little to ‘Sin Garu but burn some of his hair.

   To Arim’s surprise, the Dark Lord cursed and retaliated as if they’d done him major harm.

   “And I thought Sava had vanity issues,” Lexa murmured before ‘Sin Garu struck back.  

   Joined as they were through combined magic holding their shield, Arim and Lexa experienced the same sensations. The sheer violence of the blow hit them both hard, since Arim had no way of protecting Lexa from it. Their defence held fast, even against the cold fire attacks launched by several surrounding wraiths…until a subtle fluctuation in Tanselm’s energy allowed for a thinning in the shield. Deliberately pushing most of his energy over Lexa, Arim wasn’t surprised to soon feel a sharp, brutal blow and a consequent loss of energy. Despite the pain, he didn’t turn away from their enemy. He kept his eyes glued to ‘Sin Garu, but it wasn’t long before Arim felt wetness sliding down his side.

   “Lexa? Are you alright?”

   She looked angry but intact, thank the Light. Arim fed her a little more power, pleased when she made no move to reject his help.  

   “I’m fine.” Her eyes widened when they landed on his wound. “Dammit. You’re not.” She turned back to ‘Sin Garu, her blue eyes sparking with rage. “You’re going to pay for that.”

   “As are you, sister. I’ve waited a long time for this. Much longer than I wanted, certainly. But now there’s nothing stopping us from being together.” His tone changed to one of cajoling, raising Arim’s hackles. “Why not join us?” Us, Arim noted, not me. The demons had truly taken ‘Sin Garu over. “Become one with us and the power is limitless.”

   Demons echoed in whispers around them. “A life for a life, in this world or the Next.”  As several demons coalesced into black shadows around ‘Sin Garu, Arim noticed that even the wraiths backed away from their master and his new ‘friends’.  Apparently, even the Netharat recognised that the demon world didn’t belong outside its own realm.  

   The transparent demons seemed to grow more and more opaque as ‘Sin Garu’s minions killed the Light around them. Arim wondered how long it would take them to fully integrate into Tanselm’s plane, and what would happen once they did.

   Lexa tugged Arim’s attention by moving farther from him, weakening their shield. He wanted to call her back, but the sharp look she shot him told him she deliberately increased their distance. The fool woman was probably trying to protect him by making herself more a target. As if that was a possibility.

   “’Us’, not ‘me’?” She sneered at ‘Sin Garu. “Two’s a crowd, ‘Sin. But hundreds of demons and you? Way too many. Face it. You were never as good as Arim, and you’re still way less of a magic user. You had to resort to demons to equal the playing field. Even now you’ve yet to really hurt him.”

   Arim scowled at her. Had she missed the part where he was bleeding? “Lexa, don’t push too far too fast,” he warned. Yes, they needed ‘Sin Garu out of control, but not until they had him where they wanted him. Right now, bleeding behind a shield more flimsy than a sheet of paper was not where Arim wanted to be. If only they’d had time to plan this out.

   Correction. They’d had time. But Arim had used it seducing Lexa instead of readying them for the worst. This situation was partly his fault, because he couldn’t keep his Light-forsaken dick in his pants. The damned Darkness inside of him that wanted Lexa with an obsession bordering on madness would be the death of them. Arim shook his head, disgusted with his lack of discipline.

   ‘Sin Garu’s eyes blazed red, his hands turned into flaming balls of green fire, and his body shook with undisguised rage as he cursed them to the Pit, to hell, and to eternal suffering at his hands. As he aimed a blast squarely at Lexa, Arim leapt to intercept it, wondering if their luck had indeed run out.  

  

   Sava looked over in time to see ‘Sin Garu on a tear as he tried to knock down Lexa with demonic flame. She seemed prepared to take it, but Arim’s reflexes weren’t as off as his turbulent magic, and he shot between them to absorb the attack. She snarled something even as she jumped over Arim and crouched low. She protected him, her aura a bright blue as she lent her lover her energy and her defence. At the same time, she changed the force of her blast and aimed at the demons around ‘Sin Garu, who writhed in pain and began to diminish in power, their natures growing transparent again.

   Arim groaned and rose unsteadily to his feet, a dark bruise on his forehead and blood dripping down his side a testament to his sacrifice. A sacrifice which was going to be unalterably fatal if the three of them didn’t figure out a way to solve this power problem. Hell, even Sava could feel the fading threads of Tanselm’s energy as she tried to aid her champion.

   He grimaced as he noted how fat and full several newly arrived demons appeared. The damned things had to be feeding off the land, making Tanselm weaker as they used the land’s energy to bridge the gap between planes.

   Sava couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen a demon outside of Mount Malinta and didn’t plan on looking at them any longer than he had to. The sight of the nasty fiends reminded him all too vividly of his time in the Pit, a nightmare that still revisited if he had too much to drink and too much on his mind before sleeping.

   Sharp talons sliced through his thigh and Sava cursed as he pulled himself together. Dwelling on what-ifs and a horrible past weren’t helping. He had to figure out a way to assist Arim and Lexa with ‘Sin Garu. The sooner they killed him, the sooner the Netharat, at least, would crumble. Though together the Netharat were strong, they worked best under ‘Sin Garu’s control. Without him, they would scatter, their inability to focus and follow orders a definite plus. The wraiths would flail, the Nocumat Sava would control, and the Djinn would begin fighting among themselves for power.

   But how to take out ‘Sin Garu without Light Bringer magic? Sava toyed with the problem as he destroyed three more wraiths and settled his attention on a naughty Nocumat.

   “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Oxcen’s friend, Berju. Your time in the Light is over. Even the Shadows won’t save you now, my disloyal subject.”
            To those of the Light and Dark, the Nocumat were feared, fierce creatures. Composed of a red, gelatinous substance that made them versatile in fighting and almost impossible to kill, the Nocumat fed on everything they touched. They slowly consumed their prey over weeks or months, depending upon how often they fed. And they feared little…except for their king. Sava.

   He and other Shadow Dwellers with power, like his niece Alandra, could control the beasts, which were actually quite intelligent and thoughtful under the right circumstances. That intelligence made Berju’s perfidy hard to bear, considering Sava and Berju’s mother were good friends. But Sava couldn’t allow the Shadren to join with the Dark. He ascribed to certain rules, and trying to conquer worlds and subjugate others under Dark Lord leadership didn’t factor.

   Not wanting to but knowing he had to, Sava readied to destroy his kindred. Raising his hands, Sava ignored Berju’s weeping pleas that only he could hear. In seconds, the spell he invoked turned Berju into mist, and then into nothingness. Another Nocumat witnessed the destruction of his brother and vanished in a silent screech of anguish.

   Angry at the worthless loss of life, Sava slapped his hands together and strode through fallen bodies and brawlers towards Arim and Lexa. The enemy’s attack had been so sudden and so involved he hadn’t the chance to wonder how the rest of kingdom fared, if anyone else had fallen victim to the Netharat.

   As he walked, he noticed that the Light Bringers who joined the fight in the commons had done fairly well. Most of the Netharat in the room were now engaged in combat. Sorcerers and warriors took on the wraiths and Djinn foolish enough to continue the struggle. Sava heartily left them to it.

   “All over the kingdom,” one panting sorcerer said to Sava as he passed. “Massive front to invade the land. Was told to tell you or them.” He nodded at Arim and Lexa, who were engaged with ‘Sin Garu.

   Sava nodded grimly. So the Dark Lord thought to take everything at once. Keep Arim occupied while his demons crossed the gap into this reality while ‘Sin Garu’s minions crept over the land, decimating as many Light Bringers as he possibly could. With the demons draining Tanselm, he very well might succeed. Already, it looked as if he’d done Arim some major damage. Though on his feet with Lexa by his side, the Guardian of Storm looked ready to keel over. Sava knew that demon blast hurt worse than anything anyone could conceive.

   Lexa knew, too, and the anger on her face said she worried more than she liked. She’d experienced similar pain when she’d taken that blast meant for Arim. She’d suffered in a coma for nearly three months after it. That Arim was even standing meant Tanselm wasn’t totally gone…yet.

   Knowing time was of the essence and with a thought of what might turn the tide of this war, Sava joined them, only to face off against a nightmare from his past.

   “Why Sava. I’ve missed you.” A dark voice poured from ‘Sin Garu’s lips. Sava had to force himself not to flinch. Shit. Of all the demons that had to be possessing ‘Sin Garu, why did it have to be this one?

   “Well, hello Ghal. What’s it been? Nine hundred, a thousand years?”

   Ghal laughed through ‘Sin Garu’s lips, and Lexa and Arim tightened the distance separating them, strengthening their shield. “Too long, my Shadow. I’ve missed you.”

   Sava swallowed his distaste and smiled. “Wish I could say the same. But you know, you bring up a good point. We should visit more.” Pulling a small pouch out of the air from the pocket of Shadow Sava kept by his side, he handed it to Arim. Quickly linking through their shield to pull Arim close, he whispered into his ear, “I think we have a shot at this. You keep ‘Sin Garu occupied. Hold this close and the demons can’t touch you. At least not until they wear down the charm.”

   Arim whispered back, “You have to protect Lexa.”

   Damn. The Light Bringer’s voice was thin, his breathing raspy. Sava could feel the taint of demon poison spreading through Arim’s body. “Hold tight. I’m going to try to severe the demons’ link to Tanselm. That’ll give you the power you need to end this.”

   Arim nodded, his gaze dark and glazed with pain. Yet his aura remained bright, his iron will an impenetrable thing Sava was glad to have at their backs. “Take Lexa away from this. Free her soul.”

   Sava started, having forgotten that important fact.

   “Dammit, you two. Stop whispering and let me in on whatever you’re doing,” Lexa said with a grunt as she decimated two more demons.

   “Yes, share,” Ghal demanded. “My dear girl, how are you doing that to my kind? Your brother is right; you are a treasure. One we want to keep.” He smiled, and the sharp, roving teeth in that mouth freaked Sava the hell out.

   “Okay. Playtime’s over.” Sava latched onto Lexa’s hand. “We’ll be right back.”

   Leaning close to Lexa, he murmured, “Trust me,” and took them through the between and straight into hell.