When the Black Lord visited Bane’s dreams that night, he was oddly subdued, not in a raging fury, as Bane had expected. His fire glowed dimly, a nimbus of evil power that did not lash out as before. The mood vision for this dream was a barren grey desert dotted with stones under a lowering sky of swirling clouds.
“A pity Yalnebar failed,” he commented.
“You broke your word, Father. There were no healers at the abbey.”
“Yes. Unfortunate.” The scene behind him darkened, becoming more forbidding, flashes of red lightning illuminating it. “Had the girl not called you, she would be dead now. Also unfortunate. Why did she call you, son?”
Bane shrugged. “I helped with Mealle.”
“She seems to look upon you as her protector. Interesting, do you not think?”
“She is a dimwit. Never have I come across a more gullible, trusting human. At times she sickens me.”
The Black Lord’s eyes flared. “Does she? That is good. Then you will kill her now.” The vision became yellow tinged.
“No. Tell me why I should. Give me a good reason.”
The Black Lord sighed, and the background paled. “Very well. I did not want to tell you this, but now I must, since you are being so stubborn. She is the weapon the healers have forged against you. She is the one chosen to stop you achieving your goal.”
Bane laughed. “A fine jest, Father.”
“It is true.” The backdrop swirled into a mess of red and yellow.
“How can one pathetic girl stop me? She is harmless. All she does is heal the sick and injured, even those who murder her people. She cannot possibly harm me. She even wants to help me.”
The Black Lord shook his fiery head. The abstract swirling changed to a calm black sea under a huge red sun. “I do not know how she is meant to stop you, I just know she is. Are you prepared to take the chance that she has a way to destroy you?”
“Yes. It should be interesting to see her try. I think the healers made a mistake choosing her. She is no warrior woman, just a girl, young and stupid. Do you seriously think her a threat to me?”
“I cannot force you to kill her. I ask you to, as a dutiful son.”
“No. I am curious, Father. I will study her more carefully. Should I discover that she has the means to kill me, rest assured, I will strike first. She is not indestructible. She is weak. I could smear her like an insect.”
The Black Lord sighed a gush of fire, and the red sun vanished, leaving blackness. “Very well, but I will not stop trying to kill her. Yalnebar was hurt. Try not to kill anyone, Bane. They are your kin.”
Bane chuckled. “If they pit themselves against me, they will get hurt. Advise them to be careful.”
“Yalnebar did not strike you, son.”
“A good thing, but he was one blow from killing her.”
“The witch will die. I will see to it.”
Demon Lord Page 23