Prince of Darkness

by Blake Arthur Peel

  The balors attempt to pursue, but their size makes them slow compared to everyone else and we are able to get away with minimal casualties.

  Roth, staying put with his gaze fixed on the great demons, holds his source crystal in front of him with a look of concentration on his face. The air around him practically shimmers with energy, magical power radiating from his skin like heat from a fire. One of the balors moves to crush him with a mighty stroke of its mace, but the attack stops in midair above his head as if stopped by some invisible force. This seems to infuriate the demons, who begin to cluster around the lone mage and rain blows down upon him.

  Each attack proves unsuccessful.

  This distraction allows me and the other soldiers to escape, pulling away from the spectacle and deeper into the city. As the last of the men round the corner and disappear from sight, I spare a glance over my shoulder to look back at the High Magus.

  Roth is completely gone from view, surrounded by an entire army of balors and lesser demons. I can tell by the way they roar and gnash their teeth that they have been unable to pierce the mage’s magical shield, but there is no telling how long his spell will last.

  What is he doing? I think to myself in confusion. What on Byhalya is his plan?

  Then, as if on cue, something erupts from within the cluster of demons, blasting out in an awe-inspiring display of power. It matches the demon’s twisted machine in intensity, only it is blue fire instead of green, and it shoots outward in all directions like the bursting of an enormous bubble. The balors and gorgons surrounding the blast are instantly incinerated, and the nearby buildings crumble like brittle clay, collapsing on their very foundations.

  The concussion knocks me backward and I instantly feel a gust of hot wind washing over me. It blows like a storm through the district, and when it finally ceases, it seems like there is only silence in the whole city.

  Grunting in pain, I get to my feet, eyes blinking against the bright afterimage left behind by the explosion.

  There is nothing left of Roth or the demons, only a massive crater in the middle of the street, black smoke rising up into the sky. Beyond that, most, if not all of the demons seem to have been killed or thrown back, their bodies littering the courtyard.

  “Light almighty,” I murmur before falling into a fit of coughing. “The mage did it. He retained his honor.”

  Not wanting to squander the opportunity Roth’s sacrifice made possible, I turn and begin making my way to the Market District where the rest of my defenders wait. The sight of so many troops emboldens me, as many of the disparate squads seem to have found each other in the main square. Siege engines are being set up behind makeshift barricades, and archers crowd the rooftops, arrows nocked.

  “Men,” I croak, addressing the nearest soldiers. “We’ve been given a great gift: time. Let’s not waste it. Get yourselves ready to hold this district. We must defend it at all costs.”

  Upon seeing me, Captian Kris races over to my position, face pale with worry.

  “We heard the explosion and feared the worst,” he says, hand resting on the hilt of his sword. “What happened back there?”

  “The High Magus saved us all,” I reply simply. “The balors won’t threaten us any more – at least until more are brought through the wall. Right now, we need to focus on protecting this district. If we fail here, there will be no way to protect the citizens hiding in what remains of the Conclave. Have we any mages left?”

  “Yes,” he replies, pointing a gauntleted hand. “We’ve stationed them all along the main corridors with our best squadrons of soldiers. The militia have begun gathering here from the south and the rangers have kill squads patrolling the alleyways. The R’Laar are going to have quite a fight on their hands when they try to break through.”

  “Good,” I reply with a nod. “Let’s make them pay for every inch of ground they take.”

  We make our way to the easternmost part of the square and set up a provisional command post, organizing our troops on a hastily-drawn map and coordinating with the rest of the army. I order the siege engines to begin bombarding the western part of the city, where the demons are no doubt amassing their army. The rocks and flaming missiles disappear from view over the tops of buildings and crash into distant neighborhoods.

  Reports begin coming in about demon troop movements, the R’Laar moving into the Market District like an unstoppable flood. The vastness of the city, though, works to our advantage as every narrow street becomes a bloodbath, the enemy unable to move on us en masse.

  With enough arrows and magefyre, perhaps we will be able to hold out.

  Several hours pass as the night deepens and draws closer to dawn. The fighting continues as the demons push relentlessly onward, but we manage to hold firm in the Market District, working the troops in shifts to avoid exhausting them. Fires rage throughout the city, choking the sky with smoke and creating hazards on many of the streets. Luckily, the flames deter demons as well as men, and the flames only work to our advantage in containing the threat.

  Several times, Captain Kris and I lead patrols into the streets to encourage the defenders, fighting hard to push the enemy back with our blood and our steel.

  As the sky begins to brighten with the coming sun, I lead a group including Talon and about fifty Nightingales through a wooded park, chasing down a battalion of gorgons and hook horrors. We catch them in the midst of the trees, the wretches turning around and attacking us with beastly ferocity.

  We clash beside a broken fountain, leafless branches surrounding us on all sides.

  The Nightingales form a shield wall and engage the enemy as a unit, while the demons assault us in typical disorganized fashion, snarling and attacking with reckless abandon.

  Not wanting to stand behind and let the others do the work, I stand in the middle of the ranks, fighting alongside my men and slaying demon after demon.

  Talon lunges with his spear and takes one of the gorgons in the chest, while beside him, three Nightingales work together to bring down a much larger hook horror. They slice the beast in the legs and hide behind their shields when it lashes out, the gawky creature letting out a blood-curdling shriek of anger.

  I slide my own blade into the neck of one of the gorgons, but am forced to leap back to avoid being run through by another, the demon’s red eyes glowing hatefully in the dim light.

  Eleven Hells... that was a close one. The fatigue is starting to slow me down.

  Eventually, we manage to whittle the demonic force down until they finally break, the remaining gorgons running away back toward the western part of the city.

  Naturally, we give chase, hoping to run as many of them down before they can escape.

  As we exit the tree line, though, something catches my eye and causes me to skid to a halt. The Cathedral of Light rises above the nearby rooftops like a crown made of stone, the buttressed towers and gold-plated spires shooting up from the sky like a ray of hope in the smoke-filled district. That’s where Tamara is, I find myself thinking, a strange feeling of anxiety gripping my heart. I wonder if she is okay.

  Sounds of battle come from almost everywhere in the city, but a large portion seems to be coming from the cathedral itself.

  Are the rangers under assault? Do they need us to come to their aid?

  While I am standing there, not knowing if I should lead my men on or take them over to the cathedral, a loud explosion rings out over the cobblestones. There is a flash of green light and then one of the cathedral’s towers goes down, crumpling beneath its own weight and sending up a cloud of dust.

  I curse and grip the handle of my bloodied sword, then call for my men to stop pursuing the demons and to follow me.

  The rangers need help! Tamara is in trouble!

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Owyn

  There has to be a way out of here, I think to myself as I make my way through the dark and winding tunnel. I refuse to let this mine become our tomb.

  Behind me, Yari wriggle
s through the narrow passage, a wax candle clutched in his hand to light the way. We are somewhere deep beneath the hill, in an offshoot tunnel leading away from the chamber containing the source crystal. There are dozens of passageways just like this one, and every single one leads to nothing but a dead end.

  “Eleven Hells,” I mutter to myself in frustration. “How deep does this thing go?”

  My answer comes a short time later when the two of us stumble into a wide chamber strewn with old, rusted mining equipment. Stalactites hang from the ceiling like stone teeth waiting to devour us, and amidst the rubble of the half-excavated rock are tiny source crystals, glittering like gems in the darkness.

  “Zara would like to see this,” I remark, gazing over the eerily beautiful scene. “Perhaps it will be a good place to wait out the explosion – but it’s another bloody dead end. I’m starting to think we’re never going to find a way out of this place.”

  “We keep looking?” Yari asks, voice heavily accented.

  I shake my head. “No,” I reply, sighing. “No, we should get back. Zara’s probably worried about us – we’ve been gone for a long time.”

  Leading the way, I take us out of the cave-like chamber, delving once more into the network of tunnels that will take us back to the mages. My leg wound, though not as painful as it was before Yari had worked on it, still throbs with every step, which only makes the journey slower and more taxing.

  When we first got here, I was worried the demons would somehow find a way in, I think as I attempt to navigate the tunnel. Now, I’m worried that we’re going to be trapped in here when the bomb goes off. Light, can’t anything be easy for once?

  Faint markings on the wall lead the way as we go, scratches left by Yari and the others’ spears to mark the correct path.

  As we go, we pass through areas that come close to the surface of the hill. The walls are thinner here, and outside, I can hear the sounds of the darkhounds, their growling barks coming through even the stone itself. My ears also pick up scratching noises, like claws raking the earth. Apparently, the demons are trying to dig their way in.

  Eleven Hells, these things never give up.

  We return to the main cavern to find Kanik and Vas fortifying our position, setting up traps at every tunnel entrance leading to the source crystal. Using cords and rocks and sharpened mining tools they’ve managed to create a frightening array of snares and killing devices – booby-traps that look like they were meant for smaller creatures but have been augmented to catch demons.

  “Yaxshi ish,” I say, praising their work.

  Both of them look up and beam at me, their faces streaked with sweat and dirt.

  “Keep at it,” I continue, switching to the common tongue. “We need to make sure this place is ready for when the R’Laar come. I can still hear them scratching around outside.”

  Yari joins his companions and all three of them nod, picking up their makeshift materials and making their way to secure yet another tunnel.

  Nodding in satisfaction, I walk over to where Zara stands with the other mages. All of them seem to be working on different but very important tasks, their heads bowed in concentration reading hundreds of papers spread out on the floor.

  Zara is so deep in thought that she doesn’t even notice my approach, and when I tap her on the shoulder she jumps in surprise.

  “Light, Owyn! I wish you wouldn’t do that!”

  I glance down at my leg, then back at her. “I wasn’t even trying to be sneaky. I doubt I can anymore with this leg.”

  Her expression softens and she reaches up and tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Regardless, I’m glad you made it out of there all right. Did you find anything interesting in the tunnels?”

  “Not particularly,” I reply with a shake of the head. “Just empty mine shafts and discarded tools. I could hear the R’Laar in places where the walls were thin. They’re still out there trying to break through.”

  She smiles faintly. “Well, hopefully they won’t get the chance. We’re almost ready to cast the spell – today, if all goes well.”

  “That’s great!” I respond, my expression brightening. “I’ve found a good place for us to hide, as well. When you’re ready to finally blow up the crystal, we can go in there and wait out the effects of the explosion!”

  Her smile widens, and she reaches up and affectionately strokes my cheek. “Always thinking one step ahead. That’s what I love about you.”

  I lean forward and kiss her on the forehead. “I hope that’s not the only thing.”

  We hold each other for a moment before she finally breaks away, sighing and turning to regard the work that she and the other mages have been doing. “This was a lot more complicated than I originally thought – channeling so much source energy can make things... unstable. We have to make sure we get this exactly right to avoid disaster.”

  “Seeker!” One of the mages calls from the other side of the cavern. “Would you come take a look at this, please?”

  She gives me a suffering look. “I need to go,” she says, reaching forward and squeezing my hand. Then, a mischievous air comes over her face, the corner of her mouth tugging up in a sly smile. She lowers her voice. “Maybe later we could take a little break and you can show me some of those tunnels you were talking about? Preferably someplace dark and soundproof.”

  My eyes grow wide at her insinuation. “Zara! That’s scandalous!”

  Her cheeks redden but her lascivious smile remains. She casually shrugs her shoulders. “We’re newlyweds. We haven’t gotten nearly as much time together as we should.”

  I let out a small laugh and pull her close in an embrace. “That sounds perfect,” I say softly in her ear.

  She kisses me on the cheek and rushes over to the surly mage who begins talking animatedly about complicated mathematical equations.

  I watch her go, feeling a strange sense of longing as she departs. I wish we could spend more time together. There’s no telling how much time we might have left.

  Sighing, I make my way back over to the wastelanders who are busy fortifying yet another tunnel. They have gathered a large pile of loose stones and are currently trying to block off the entrance.

  “You leg good?” Yari asks, his eyebrows knitting together as he sees me limp over.

  “Yes,” I reply, waving my hand dismissively. “My leg is fine. Thanks for asking.”

  The youth nods and returns to his labor, grunting as he bends down to pick up a large stone.

  Wordlessly, I join them, working to close off this tunnel so that we can focus on defending the others. When the work is done, we move on to building more traps, lashing snares together and repositioning boulders that can potentially crush our enemies. It is hard work, but it helps to pass the time, the hours passing by quickly as we push ourselves hard to fortify the cavern.

  I wonder if there are tunnels on the east side of the mines that we haven’t explored, I think to myself as I tie off a bit of rope around a pickaxe. Perhaps there we could find a way to get out. Even if we get away from that crystal, I worry about the ceiling caving in on us.

  The thought of being buried alive fills me with a profound sense of dread.

  Just as we are finishing up with another tunnel, we hear a wrenching scream echo throughout the chamber.

  Everybody stops what they are doing and time seems to freeze, all eyes going to the source of the disturbance and staring in disbelief. One of the mages, an elderly man with a forked beard, stands near one of the tunnel entrances – one that we have yet to block off – with a stunned expression on his wrinkled face. A large portion of his neck has been ripped away and a fountain blood pours from the wound, staining the front of his blue robes a dark red.

  Face draining of all color, he drops to his knees and lets out a low moan before finally collapsing on the ground in a heap, revealing a dark shape looming behind him. It steps from the shadows, red eyes glowing brightly, until we can see the darkhound’s fangs dripping with gor
e and chunks of flesh.

  Before anyone can react, the demon lunges through the open tunnel and begins attacking the nearest group of mages, a deep growl emitting from the back of its throat. Behind it, I can see many more sets of glowing red eyes ready to come out.

  “Eleven Hells!” I curse, diving for my bow and arrows. “They’ve gotten through!”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Elias

  Tamara.

  Her name echoes in my head like drum, overpowering any other thought or worry.

  She’s in danger. I need to help her!

  Together with Talon and the other Nightingales, we rush to the Cathedral of Light, following the sounds of pitched combat and crumbling stone. All around us there is fighting and fire, the entire Market District having been plunged into chaos, but I ignore it all.

  All that matters to me right now is getting to the cathedral.

  We pass corpses and alleyways choked with smoke, eventually arriving at the grand square containing the largest church in all Tarsynium. The edifice stands tall above the surrounding buildings, towers and jagged spires shooting up into the early-morning sky. Several of the buttresses and towers lie in ruin, their beautiful stonework torn down by demonic sorcery. Dozens and dozens of demon foot soldiers mill about outside the cathedral along with several of those terrible machines that shoot green fire.

  Above, many of the stain glass windows have been shattered and rangers occupy the openings, shooting arrows down at the demons in an attempt to ward them off.

  “Nightingales, on me!” I declare, brandishing my bloodstained longsword. “The rangers need our aid!”

  Wordlessly, the black-cloaked warriors charge, following me into the fray as we attempt to cut a path to the great double doors of the cathedral.

  At first, we take the gorgons by surprise, killing several of them before they even realize that we are there. Then, they turn and begin to bar our way, black blades out and red eyes raging. We manage to push on, using our momentum to shove past the demon troops until eventually we make it to the front steps.