The Darkness Within (A Lythinall Novel) (Book 2)

by Michael Nadeau

  Othren was more angry than hurt, but he left the dagger where it was. "Poor Frenir, you were never more than a distraction for these pathetic fools." The man in black looked down at the unconscious man and almost laughed. This was too easy.

  Liss sucked air in hard and tried to steady her lungs. Every part of her was trembling or in pain. "Othren....why?" She forced out. Her ribs were killing her, probably bruised or broken, and she could only cry as the man she grew up knowing, was trying to kill them. She saw Karsis turn way down the hallway at the commotion, and tried to smile. Now that old man would pay.

  Othren was in his glory. He was going to destroy the Princess with the truth. The glorious truth that his Lady was going to bring this land under her exquisite rule, but then he saw Karsis running back to them. "Obren ethir, sistren Karsis Eversong's shiran!" He uttered the command that the ether take his very life. By using his true name, the bard couldn't hope to counter it by any means known to man. He saw Karsis slide to his knees and scream in agony. Othren laughed as he watched his dreams coming true....then it all fell apart.

  Karsis felt the walls shake and turned back to look. Nobody was behind him. It was then that he saw Liss hit the ceiling and as he started to run he noticed Rhoe pinned against the wall, and Frenir's valiant stand. This wasn't good.

  The sorcerer had three separate commands going without breaking a sweat, and the only other person that could do that was himself. The other problem was that he couldn't just kill the man, because the Princess would fall, and he wasn't sure if he could catch her with air from this distance. He would have to get much closer. "It can never be easy can it?" He asked no one in particular, as he started to run at the sorcerer. He saw who the man was then and did a double take himself. Damn, that one slipped by me. Othren was always there, in every decision and plan. No wonder we have been getting surprised at every turn. His thoughts were fleeting though, as he needed his wits about him to fight a sorcerer this powerful. Then he heard the man cast and knew that all his hard work was over. He tried to brace for it, but it hit him viciously, knocking him to his knees, and sliding forward with his momentum. Then it was over, but Karsis was still alive.

  His smile was fearsome, once he could smile through the pain, and Othren, Rhoe, and even Liss could see the auburn curls slowly melt away. His tanned skin lightened to a pale color and his ears grew longer, more pointed at the tips. His hair was now a long bone white and spilled out down his back. His fingers lengthened as well and as he stood, very slowly, they could see that even his eyes were different. Before them stood an elf. Of all the Gods in the heavens.....Rhoe thought, as he watched his mentor, or who used to be his mentor stalk towards Othren.

  "That was very good Othren, you almost had me, but that's not my name." He drew his sword and flung it out asking the wind to carry it swiftly. He had to use the surprise to finish this before the man got his wits about him. Othren was dangerous. The sword buried itself in the sorcerer's chest, and in a blink of the eye, Karsis was right there, pulling it out sideways in a fountain of blood.

  He looked up and asked the air to catch Allissana as she fell, then checked the traitorous old man. Dead. He cut off his head for good measure, then used a torch to light him on fire. You just never knew. He turned to see the two young kids staring at him. He knew what was coming. He never wanted anyone to know, but at least these two could be trusted to keep quiet...he hoped.

  "This isn't a spell is it?" Rhoe asked, already knowing somehow.

  "No, the other image was a glamour, something that I use to blend in with humanity. When Othren cast that spell and tied it to a name, it killed that image, but that's all it could do." He felt naked without his curls, but he did feel a little better with someone knowing after all these decades. He prodded Frenir and saw that he was starting to breathe normally once more. Gods above that man would have one hell of a headache tomorrow.

  "So you have always been an elf? Even back with the Companions?" Liss was trying to wrap her head around so much, that it felt like her head was going to pop off.

  "Yes, even before that. No one has ever known, except you two." He motioned for them to walk and talk. "I'm very old, but I enjoy being Karsis, so no one need ever know." This was said in that 'I will kill you in ways that you couldn't even think of' voice, and he continued without waiting for them to acknowledge. "It will only take me a couple minutes then we can get back to the council meeting. Anything else?" He knew that they would be a ton of questions, but if he got the important ones out of the way, they could wait till later.

  "All right, I've got one." Rhoe was already thinking of what he was going to ask him once they set out on their trip, but this one needed to be asked right now, he was too curious. "If your image was a glamour, then how did you maintain it for so long, and even unconscious?"

  Karsis stopped walking and smiled at this young prodigy. "Good one Rhoe, that is a fine question. You see most wizards cast a glamour for short term use. To get by a guard, or to deceive a patron in a bar, but I cast it and tied it to my soul."

  "You did what now?" Liss was so lost in this conversation that she swore she was asleep.

  "I tied it to my soul, so that even if I was hurt or lost concentration, It would remain. Effectively always being on without constant use of magic." As he finished, he asked the ether to form his glamour once again, mentally tying it once more to his quivering soul. His hair curled up and turned a deep auburn once again, then his skin darkened back to a nice tan. His eyes turned back and his ears shortened. Karsis was back. "Ahhh, now then, not a word from you two is that clear?"

  "Yes, and might I add that was creepy." Liss was limping but in better spirits. She still couldn't believe that Othren was behind this attack.

  "Not a word Karsis, you can trust me." Rhoe was stunned by the fact that Karsis was an elf, though it did make a lot of sense with some of the things that he had heard. Long life span, his magic, his skill with a blade. "But what about the body, and Frenir?"

  "Frenir is all right and I'm sure the guard will be here at any moment, what with all the screaming and dying and such." He waited for a second to see if there were any more questions, "All set? Good, now let's go make Arian's day even worse by telling him about Othren." He waited for Liss to laugh then patted her on the back, "I even think his own daughter should do it." It was his turn to laugh as she blanched at hearing that.

  Elsewhere in the castle, a tired page was just getting back to his rooms after escorting a certain three men back from the city. Barris walked into his room, rubbing his eyes, and almost tripped over the pair of black cats staring at him. He froze in horror as he knew there hadn't been any cats in the entire castle for years. Then the cats faded away, and a woman stepped from the shadows to close the door behind him.

  "You, little one, have been spying on me." Belenna smiled a wicked smile. She had seen this little vermin watching her and had followed him until she was certain that he was alone. The cats were just a diversion, in case he wasn't alone. She had learned that trick from Othren, thankfully she was linked to him. It gave her power a little boost. "Now it's time for you to.." Pain burst into her head, and agony shot through her whole body. Her chest started to seize, and she bent over. The last thing she saw before she felt Othren die, was the look on the young boys face as he swung a steel bookend into her head with both hands.

  Carana was on her way to question Jana when she heard the rumble. She had been in this castle for more years than she cared to remember, and when something happened out of the ordinary, she knew. She was running when she saw the boy inch backwards out of his room dragging something, and her hairs stood up on the back of her neck. Some days she just couldn't win at all. "Barris! What is going on?" She almost certainly did not have time for this.

  Barris froze at the sound of her voice. He was trying not to cry, and failing miserably. "I.....Ki...killed......he....her." He sniffled, trying to drag her out into the hallway. "She.....she was..."

  "Oh Gods above stop
talking." Carana grabbed the body and threw it over her shoulder and grabbed the page by the hand and walked, almost dragging him along in her wake. "We will sort this out later, once you can talk without swallowing your own snot." She just knew that the rumble she felt was bad news, what else could it be with her luck.

  Barris said nothing as he tried to keep up with the wild woman dragging him and when they wound down a side stair case and saw guards coming as well he felt her go even faster almost pulling his arm out of its socket.

  "Um...High General?" One of the unlucky guards tried to stop her, concerned about the body on her shoulder and the blood trail she was leaving through the hallways. Then her fist was in his face. He never even felt the stone floor cradle him, as he fell into unconsciousness.

  "Anyone else want to Question me!?" She saw the guards moving out of her way and stormed past them, still dripping blood from the body over her shoulder; And still oblivious to it.

  Lan skidded around the corner as she continued and saw the blood. Not bothering to ask, he just hurried past the stunned guards and fell in step with her in silence, giving a look to the page that conveyed condolences for whatever it was that got him mixed up with an angry Carana. They came upon the burned and decapitated body not more than a minute later, and the guards that were looking at the body faded away, back to the stairway. They knew trouble when they saw it.

  Frenir was propped up against the wall, rubbing his head, and he nodded to the High General when their eyes met.

  "Sorcerer?" Lan asked, in a matter-of-fact tone. He was trying work on his problem with the knights, and he figured he would practice a serious approach to anger to see if he could diffuse it. He couldn't.

  "Did I ask you to speak trainee?" Carana was angry, more so since she was carrying a dead body around her castle. "Now let me just catch my breath."

  "But you're not out of breath."

  "It's an expression Lan, now shut up." She knew he was only trying to be a grown up instead of a kid, but she needed to think. "Please." She added so that he wouldn't feel too bad. Carana set down the body she was carrying and turned over the burnt one on the floor. It had dark black robes and a wicked looking dagger, but naught else. She went over to the decapitated head and rolled that over then sucked in her breath in surprise. Othren. Crap. "Right. Lan grab young Barris here and please follow me. We are going to the council chamber right now and I'm not going to let anyone stop us. Anyone." She stacked both bodies and hoisted them up over her shoulder, then looked down at the head. "Someone want to help?"

  Barris blanched at the prospect of touching the severed head, so Lan casually reached down and picked it up, handing it to her gingerly. He closed his eyes and tried to breathe through his nose. He didn't want to get sick in front of his superior.

  "Thanks, now let's go. You too Frenir, we will want to hear all about why you're here with a dead body as well." With that Carana, Frenir, Lan, and Barris made their way to the council chambers, and all of the guards let them pass while trying to help the one on the ground be more comfortable.

  Council Chambers, Castle Everknight

  The room looked much cleaner since she was last here. Maressa looked around and tried to remember the charred walls and flame scarred table, but saw only the shine of new wood and walls. They were all here, well almost all of them, and soon they would hear what Karsis had to say about that name. "Nice of him to be here and not make us wait." She mumbled under her breath. She looked over at the recovering soldier, Dren and the beautiful new arrival, Jana. They had risked their lives to get that message here form Keragan Hold, and quite possibly had saved everyone, depending on what Karsis said about that name. Why does that name bug me so much. It's like I should know it. She thought, as she saw the other kids file in.

  Kari, Vance, Tomas, and Sprout all walked in looking like they were in a place they weren't supposed to be in. They claimed seats in the far back, usually reserved for witnesses or guests. Arian stood when they came in, and gave them a nod of thanks as they sat. That's when Karsis, Rhoe, and Liss came in. The bard looked like he had wrestled a bear, and Rhoe and Liss looked like they just stole cookies from the kitchen.

  "Karsis, I take it the meeting with Othren went well?" Arian asked sarcastically, glancing to Fenton to let him know that it was all right. The boy didn't want to tell anyone where Karsis went, but when the King asks.....

  "As a matter of fact my Liege, it did not." Karsis sat with a flourish, fanning his coat out behind him as he slid into the chair with grace. "Othren is dead, killed by my sword after attacking both the Princess, Frenir, and my charge." He was being formal on the count that Othren was the castle's Seneschal. "Turns out my Lord that Othren was, in fact, the sorcerer behind all of this, and possibly even Trost's superior."

  "I shouldn't have to ask, because I trust you, but with everyone here we may as well be formal. Do you have any proof?" Arian was getting another headache. He hated this political dance, he missed the days of hitting things with his sword when they attacked him.

  "He doesn't need it sire." Carana called from the doorway as she came in with the two bodies over her shoulder. She dumped them on the table and watched most of the people around the table smile. "One of these bodies, the woman, attacked page Barris in his quarters, and the other body, Othren himself, was found in the East guest room corridor like this." She forgot that she was still holding the head, so she placed it by the body. It rolled away off the table and no one made a move to catch it. "You can see by the robes that they are of southern cut and make, and the knife in his pocket is also of G'harran steel." She nodded then glanced at Karsis, "Nice work by the way."

  "Why thank you my dear."

  "Mine was better, I put my dead body in a rug." Maressa pouted in her chair. She hated being out done sometimes.

  "I would've loved to see that my Queen, I'm sure it was very stirring." Tanan kicked her under the table and she laughed, kicking him back.

  "It was, I was there. Very stirring lass." Frenir said, still rubbing his head.

  "Must we?" Gareth interjected. This was why the bad guys got away so much back in the days of the Companions. They were always poking fun at each other and not being serious.

  "It's fine dear, relax." Tierra placated him, all the while she kicked Tanan under the table as well.

  "Hey!" Tanan shouted, not knowing who did that one.

  "And I get in trouble for being sarcastic?" Rhoe loved seeing his parents in this situation, it became them somehow. He turned to Liss and saw that she was staring as well, but for different reasons.

  Liss couldn't believe what she was seeing. "Now if council meetings were like this I would've gone to every last one of them. Every. Last. One.

  Ralavin actually laughed out loud at that. As the old man at the table for all of those stuffy meetings, he could imagine how it would've gone. "Here here. I agree with the Princess. Now wasn't there something that Karsis wanted to fill us in on?" He was all for some steam blowing, but he wanted to know what was going on.

  Karsis stood, with an acknowledged nod from the King, and cleared his throat. All right, first. Madam Ill'lyth G'harr is an ancient elven wizard. She is credited with the downfall of the elven civilization, and the teaching of magic to her human lover. She is the bad wolf in all of the stories, the proverbial woman behind the curtain, and our worst nightmare come to life." He paused for dramatic effect, like there was any other kind of effect he wanted right now anyways.

  Caerlyn sat forward with a frown upon her face. "Is she actually worse than the Incarnation of Death?" She heard murmurs around her, all wondering that very same thing. When Karsis nodded she exhaled the breath she didn't know she was holding. "So on top of dealing with his return, we have to fight this mad woman as well?"

  "Wait one moment. What is this about the Incarnation of Death?" Jana sat straight up. She was happy to lounge in the back and stare at Karsis, but when she heard that name her world was pulled out from underneath her feet. She felt sick.
>
  "Sorry, have to catch you up. The Incarnation of Death has broken free and has decimated the northern towns. He was stopped by the northern bridge by the Princess and Rhoe some time back." Carana was staring at Jana the entire time she was recounting this. She knew what the woman was, but couldn't call her out here. She had planned to find her before the meeting, but then dead bodies started popping up like rose bushes.

  "I thought it was an elf that attacked Norhil hold?" She looked at Dren and he was just as lost. "Oh good Gods above I need a drink." She was getting up to leave the meeting, and to flee the city while she was at it, when Graf came in. Both Jana and Carana turned as one to stare at the doorway as he stood there mouth agape at the two of them.

  "That's it!" Carana turned back to the assemblage and slammed her fist down. Hard. "I want the pages, Frenir, and the King's Messengers out of this room right now. That goes for you too Dren. I know you are still recovering but this has to happen. Right now."

  "Carana, what is...." Arian started, but the look she gave him shut him up mid sentence.

  "Ari, sit down and let me do this." She said, using his childhood nickname that she used to call him. She had trained him since he could lift a sword, and she could see the realization on his face as he took his seat. She saw the rest of the Companions look at each other and even Karsis looked a little lost. "Move!"

  The kids filed out and Dren and Frenir followed them, talking to them about their training. Fenton took Barris out by the shoulders, the poor kid still watching the dead body of the woman he had killed. Once they were out she sealed the doors as was customary with any private court, took a deep breath and turned to them. "All right, I don't know how, or why, but the Gods have chosen this time to speak. Jana, do you want me to or should you start?"