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

by Michael Nadeau

  Jana sighed. There was no way out of it now. "Fine. My name is Jana Suris and I am the Incarnation of Beauty. I have served the great Goddess Ollian for almost fifty years and I come in peace." She stood proud and strong, radiating an aura of compassion and calm. She nodded to Carana and sat once more, enjoying the stunned looks from around the table.

  Before anyone could interject an opinion or outrage, Carana continued. "My name is Cara Annalan and I am the Incarnation of Protection. I have served the honorable God Davalar for the past one-hundred and some odd years and I come in peace." She felt a wave of panic at her naked proclamation, but saw the Queen nod with a smile on her face. Of all the people still in the room, only Maressa, Karsis, and Ralavin weren't floored right now. That might change. "Now it's your turn stranger." She said to Graf.

  Graf had no idea what was going on. He had walked in late, that was on purpose. He had wanted to just sneak in and find a place in the back and hide. Then he felt those two girls and knew they were connected. He heard what they were saying, but he had no idea what they wanted him to say. They want you to proclaim yourself Grafton. I've kept your shattered mind aside for all these years because it would've meant that I would have to replace you, but now there is one that can fix you.

  Graf stopped and stared at the ceiling for a second as the voice in his head rambled. "So who is it?" He asked out loud. He was used to being alone when the voice talked to him. After all, he was crazy. It is the healer, Caerlyn, that can fix you. Close your eyes and hold on to the table. I will restore you now. With a flash of pain, all of his memories came rushing back to him. He grabbed the table and his fingers dug into the polish as he screamed. As quick as it happened it was over. "Sorry, sorry it's all right." He took a deep breath and steadied himself. "I am Grafton Jalmes and I am the Incarnation of Shadows. I have served the One that hides, Norar, for the last thirty years and I come in peace." He shook his head slowly, feeling the madness coming on. "Caerlyn, He says that you have to fix my mind. He hid my mind away for all of these years, but you have the power to fix me."

  She rose without hesitation, and held out her hand to forestall any objections. "I can feel your pain from here. Come out back and we will fix you Graf." She led him away to the private chamber the King used to deliberate as the other two sat down.

  "Now that the drama is over." Karsis said, rising slowly. "I can honestly say that what I have to propose won't be that much of a shock after all that. Really." He looked at Arian, then at Tierra. Those two would be the barricades he would have to break down. "Madam G'harr will declare war with Lythinall any day now, if she hasn't started marching already. I know you will send forces to Keragan hold, but I need the Princess and Rhoe to come with me."

  The King sat back, not too shocked, but still wary. He was trying to process all that he had heard. Carana was the same woman that had trained him......probably trained his father as well.."All right Karsis, where are you going?"

  "Well Arian, I have to go to the elves and ask them to help us fight G'harr." He actually closed his eyes and waited for the screaming. Then when it didn't come, he opened his eyes slowly. Tierra was scowling but remaining silent. Arian was smiling.

  "I figured as much Karsis, and as long as the room is sealed, I can tell you all that I was going to send her anyway. My father, and his father's father, have had a deal with the elves for many years. The new King must journey to Tir-Lanan and meet the High King and reforge the treaty we have with them. Your timing is perfect."

  "You never told us you met with the elves?" Tanan was trying to stay with it all, but even his quick mind was finding it hard to stay afloat.

  "I couldn't, now let's not get sidetracked, there is still a lot to go over, including the dead bodies, and what the hell we are going to do with three of the Incarnations." And that was when Rythal appeared in the room out of nowhere.

  Rhoe was out of his chair and on his feet, as was his mother and Carana. Liss drew Deathsong, which was eerily silent, and went to stand by her father. Karsis yawned. It was Ralavin that was the first to speak. "Hello Rythal, how are you today?" He asked in that nice sing song tone. As usual, he received no response.

  "Well that is not creepy at all." Rhoe said through almost clenched teeth. He heard Graf stifle a scream in the back room, and pictured Caerlyn giving him a treat for being a good boy. Which made him laugh. Then Karsis laughed. For whatever reason, he always found any given situation funny. Soon most of the friends relaxed and giggled and sat back down. Rythal continued to stare at the table with nothing to say.

  "Now is there anyone else that wants to just pop in for a visit?" Arian asked the ceiling. He got a disapproving look from both his wife and Karsis on that remark, so he just cleared his throat and continued. "All right Allissana, take Rhoe and get yourselves ready to leave in the morning with Karsis. We want the night with our daughter, however." This last remark was made at Rhoe, and the young man looked away blushing.

  Tanan snickered and punched Rhoe on the arm, then got another kick under the table. "Hey I was just.."

  "We know what you were doing Tanan, please don't." Tierra said with an icy stare. Then she elbowed Gareth before he could say anything.

  "What was that for?" He asked, his pride wounded more than anything else.

  "Just in case, that's what."

  Arian sighed. This was why he had appointed his friends to far away holds. Nothing would ever get done with them in court. "Carana, can we get the kids back in here with Dren. We still have to figure out Storn's plea, the two dead bodies, and how we are going to hold the city.

  "Can I sit next to Karsis when we do that?" Jana said, bouncing up and down in her chair like a kid awaiting presents.

  "I'll go get the children, you deal with her." Carana said, giving the Incarnation of beauty a scornful glance. It isn't because she is flirting with the man I slept with.....that was just fun. Her thoughts tried to placate her, but it just made her angry.

  "Ow!" Tanan jumped up holding his shin.

  "Tierra stop kicking him, we're trying to have a meeting here." The King pleaded.

  "Sorry Arian." Gareth said sheepishly, "That one was me. He was looking at her funny."

  Carana shut the door and shook her head, she might take her time finding the children just so she could have some time to think.

  The Golden Palace, G'harr

  The large vase smashed against the wall with such force that the shards embedded themselves into the walls around the impact site. Madam G'harr screamed again and picked up another vase with air and smashed it against the throne this time.

  "Having problems my Queen?" Ran'cian ducked behind the throne as another piece of valuable art smashed against the chair. he hated that she was destroying his prized art, but seeing her this frustrated was reward enough to compensate.

  "They've slain all my spies within the castle. Now we won't be able to know if they figure out the Incarnations weakness!" She was furious, and was not used to being on this end of any confrontation. "Generals!" She called out to the men waiting outside of her throne room. They were always there, on penalty of death, and answered only to her.

  Five men came in, wearing stylized jacket with many awards on the shoulders signifying their rank, deeds, and favor. None of it mattered now that the Sorcerer King was thrown down. "Yes madam Ill'lyth?" He looked down as he spoke. There used to be seven Generals.

  "General...." She squinted at his name on his arm and scoffed when she read it. "General Pondar. Ready the troops at once we are marching upon Lythinall." She smiled and started walking away, but a cough drew her attention back to the five men.

  "Madam, we can't declare war upon another nation without the vote of the Merchant Leaders." He knew he was going to be killed, but better now than when he looked weak to the people he choose to serve. He cringed as she walked back over, her heels clicking across the tiled floor like angry insects.

  "Then bring me the Merchant Leaders, or if they resist, their heads will do. I will
force them to accept, then we can get on with this." She saw that another general was going to try to be brave, but she held in her rage, she really did need them.

  "DON'T even try to tell me that you cannot kill them because of their importance. Find replacements first then drag them here in chains..If they acquiesce then they live, if not, their replacements will have to be promoted." Ill'lyth turned again and vowed that if any of them said anything now then they asked for it. She smiled at the sound of shuffling feet.

  "One of these day Ill'lyth you will understand that structure can't just be replaced in a tenday." Ran'cian called out from behind the throne once more. He wasn't going to show himself to his remaining Generals, he had some pride left.

  "We shall see fallen one, we shall see. In days my armies will march upon Lythinall and then soon we will have the capitol. Then it will be mine." She closed her eyes and envisioned the armies crossing the river and swarming into the gates of the city, slaughtering any who stood in their way. Nothing would stop her now. All that was left was to Trance and see what their defenses looked like.

  Northern Belt, Somewhere Close to the Watching Woods

  He could finally see the distant trees without his Sight on. Dar'Krist used it anyway, peering into the clouds hovering low over the Watching Woods and relishing in the view. He pulled back his Sight and walked on, weary of all these rocks. He had been walking so long that time had ceased to exist for him, just a methodical step by step. Once he was down out of these Gods forsaken mountains, he would resume his inexorable march towards the castle and that irritating bard. He would also have to track down that youngling as well. He originally thought it was a young elf back when he first caught a hint of his power, but upon seeing him on the bridge for the first time, he knew he was wrong.

  He realized that this was the first time that he actually had to think on the events that had transpired since it all happened. That stopped him in his tracks. He looked up at the dark clouds gliding silently by and scowled. How had he not taken even a little time and thought of any of this? Had he really been that driven to destroy everything in his path that he was blinded so easily? He shook his head and started walking again, this time going over the details of each encounter that he had with the various heroes that had tried to stop him. He remembered the fight at the village with that big man and the woman with the hair, the sneak at the hold that stabbed his foot, and even the faerie and the unicorn that had impaled, then banished him, to the far north. He replayed the bridge over in his mind and had to laugh at how easily he was tricked into getting angry. It wasn't all luck, these heroes were good.

  It came to him why he was finally thinking of these things. He wasn't angry anymore. Dar'Krist turned his head up and laughed at the sky. He wasn't angry! All the walking he had done, and the healing that he had to go through had drained him of the intense anger that he had stored up.

  It wouldn't last, his temper was legendary, but he had time to think things through so that when he arrived he would be ready. "Then they will all be sorry." He said without malice. His steps picked up, more determined this time instead of just plodding along. Soon he would be back on level ground, then he would make up some time.

  Chapter Nine: The Coming Storm

  He stared out from the battlements and watched the line of people coming to Keragan Hold for protection and shook his head. He couldn't shield them anymore than he could hold back the tide that was coming. His men had repelled the G'harran forces that came against the hold after he sent out those two soldiers and the woman.

  He had seen the cloud of dust coming and knew that it had to be a force to stop him. His archers rained down a hail of arrows and cut their forces in half before they got to the walls. The commander called for a retreat right then, so as to spare his men. Storn admired that. A day after they left, runners had come and given Storn the numbers of troops marching from the G'harran border and knew that he was in trouble. They hadn't even waited for the report from this commander before they marched. They really meant business. He had sent his fastest runners out to both the southern town of Alrin, and to Everknight to tell them of the destruction that was imminent. He heard a slight cough behind him and turned slightly to see the steward standing there. "Yes Thanier?" He smiled despite the grave circumstances at their doorstep. Thanier Gles was one of his favorite people. He was short, only about five feet tall, with a shaved head and grey robes, but the man was whip smart.

  "Well Lord, I was just wondering where we were going to bed down all these people I see coming here." He wasn't really serious, but he was trying to distract Storn from worrying too much. Give the big man a problem to work out and he focused much better. Thanier was a pro at coming up with problems for his Lord.

  "Right you are to worry Thanier, we have not the room, nor can we hold back this tide that is coming." He looked out again and judged that the refugees from Alrin would get here within the hour. The G'harran's were another two hours behind them. "I was going to call a meeting for you, Ellen, and I to discuss this very thing."

  "I heard my name again." The voice came from the slight woman coming up the stone stairwell. She was dressed in traveling clothes of earthly colors and had her favorite bow slung around her shoulder. Her short brown hair was more boyish than stylish, and she took nothing from no one. Ever. "What did I do this time?"

  Storn turned and regarded the girl. He had always thought of her as the daughter that he could've had, and it was hard not to show it. "You did nothing Ellen, I was just telling....oh never mind, come over here and lend us your inspiring thoughts." He waited until she was closer to begin, then let out his ideas. "So the problem is that if we try and evacuate the hold, we will be overrun. We can only move so fast with the women and children, and that army out there is going to move faster, especially over the road. If we stay here and try and defend the hold, we will be overrun as well; This hold was not designed to hold off those numbers." He leaned back against the battlements and looked to his trusted advisors.

  "So rock and a battle axe huh?" Ellen could see the frustration etched on his face. he was a warrior, used to just putting an arrow into any of his problems. "Is there any way a token force left here could hold their attention long enough for the women and children to flee?"

  "No. The chances that they could just divide their forces and hunt us both down is too great. They may have Seers." If that happened, the forces here would be powerless to come to the aid of those fleeing.

  "As I see it, there is only one other option. The good news is that the G'harran forces won't even consider it as an option, mainly because it would seem like suicide." Thanier was pleased with himself. He had been thinking about this for hours.

  "Well, don't let us die of old age man. Fill us in?" Ellen liked the thought of a plan that consisted of danger and possible death. She was only truly alive when she was being tested.

  "Sorry. Yes, well, first we take the women and children and lead them back behind the hold onto the old trail. Then from there we bring them up into the Shield Mountains and find a cave or something similar to shelter in. The rest of us will stay here and try and hold off the G'harran's until help from Everknight arrives." It was truly a perfect plan, except that the lower Shield Mountains were home to Ogrann, and not just a couple of them.

  "Thanier that is the craziest thing I have heard in months, and it just might work." Storn wasn't thrilled with it, but the alternatives were much worse. It also saved him from coming up with something else just as crazy.

  "Thank you Lord."

  "Don't thank me just yet old chap. Someone will have to lead them and find shelter, and I want the both of you to go." Not only would that spare them from the forces coming, but it would give the women and children a fighting chance. Thanier couldn't fight, but there was no one who was quicker to think on his feet; So to speak.

  "Chances of fighting Ogrann?, I'm in. I'll have to take an extra quiver of arrows though. Can you spare them with that many coming?" Ellen was b
ouncing on the balls of her feet. Finally, a chance to get out there. It had been more than eight months since her last scouting patrol, and she was getting itchy to shoot something. She looked at Thanier and the man was pale. He wasn't saying it, but she could tell that he didn't want to go. Can I blame him? I can't remember the last time I've seen him in training, never mind real combat.

  "No, but guarding the women and children come first. We went through a lot of arrows in that last engagement, but were making them as fast as we can." He looked out at the coming line of refugee's once more, this time with a little more hope. "Well with that settled, let's get the women and children ready, we can separate the others from Alrin when they get here. You two should be ready to leave as soon as they are situated. The runners estimated that the G'harran's would get here within two days, and that was a day ago." He smiled and clapped them on the shoulder as he went down the stairs to rally his defenders and give them the news that they would try and hold this place. The runners also estimated that there were almost two-thousand G'harran soldiers coming. Against his paltry one-hundred that seemed bleak. If they could whittle down their numbers with archers, they would last longer. Hopefully long enough for Everknight to send help.

  It had been five days since his message left here for Everknight and no one knew if those two soldiers and that beautiful woman got through to the King. He had to have faith that they did. There was something about that girl that reminded him of Karsis, and that man never failed.

  Elsewhere, just north of Alrin, Commander Ellis reigned in his horse and stared at the army in front of him. There had to be two thousand soldiers bivouacked outside of the empty town. He and his men had rode straight out to get to Alrin so that he could send a messenger back to the new Queen, but by the looks of it, he didn't need to. He was down to fifty men, and they were exhausted. He spied the General coming with his retainers and slid off of his horse to engage the man, but Franc beat him to it.