A Tune of Demons Box Set: The Complete Fantasy Series

by J E Mueller

  “Lydia is reporting in,” I replied simply as she went around the bar across from me.

  “Good to hear. Things went well, I take it?” Kegan looked me over, and seeing nothing wrong, she nodded.

  “Well enough. It got accomplished but we didn’t finish it. Key’s group accidentally beat us to it.” It amused me how often they accidentally ran into things, but I was glad to be done sooner rather than later.

  “Good. They still getting grief from the demons?” She leaned in, her voice soft so the others couldn’t hear.

  “Not so much anymore, but still more than most,” I replied. “I think it’s settled down a lot in the last year.”

  “Hopefully that means they’ve found something else to occupy them,” Kegan commented as she filled a glass for me. “Who knows what extra trouble the demons could be getting into?”

  “I’m not sure if that would be a good thing or not, honestly. What else would consume their attention? Probably something worse.” I accepted the water, glad to finally have something refreshing.

  “Once in a while, they do find a huge mess to cause.” Kegan shook her head. “But enough of that. How goes your quest?”

  She knew I was looking for someone to instruct me on how to use my own gifts. “I’m finding zero help.”

  “Yours is a hard one to track down,” Kegan agreed, pushing her hair back behind her ears before starting to wipe down the already clean counter.

  Something about her phrasing caught my attention. “Do you know something about tracking down someone with my gifts?” I asked curiously, and maybe a bit too hopefully.

  “I know more than I like,” Kegan replied in an unusually quiet tone. “And there are hardly any of ya to begin with, but that wasn’t always the case.”

  This was news. Kegan hadn’t let on before that she knew of anyone with my gifts. Instead, she had asked several questions about it at first. Maybe it was a diversion. She had more secrets than anyone else I knew, and no one could seem to pin them all down.

  I couldn’t help but be intrigued. “Okay, so this gift was once more common?”

  Kegan laughed. “Hardly a gift, but it goes in and out of popularity.” Her face grew serious.

  “What does that mean?” I didn’t like where this was going, but something about her secret knowledge pulled me in. Why had she been keeping this from me?

  She mumbled to herself for a moment as she organized some glasses out of my sight. With a nod, she continued on. “Had a friend named Mist. Haven’t seen her in a few years. Had your gift. And I do mean had, I know she’s dead.” Kegan gave me a sharp look. “I know plenty about how it starts, but not a bit on how she got them to cross over. Spirits would flock to her at all hours. It was tiring for her, but she loved it. There was a group that met to solve an issue with the crossing spirits over a few years back. The whole meeting place was found destroyed. Not a body found. Ever since, those with the gift have slowly been killed off. Learning more may not be in your favor.”

  Letting her words sink in, I fumbled with the edge of my cloak. It was starting to fray and would need patching soon. Again.

  Kegan had been keeping this secret for a while then. She had known how hard I was looking, and yet she waited to tell me anything. I didn’t blame her. If people with my gift were truly winding up dead, it would be in my best interest not to learn more. Determination filled me. Why were they being killed off, and by who? I wasn’t going to back away from this goal so easily. We both knew what I was going to say next, but I knew I needed a firm reason to explain why. I continued to mess with the frayed fibers until an answer came to me.

  “I’m going to try and learn anyway,” I finally said. Her words had caused a sinking feeling in my gut, but it would take more than that to stop me. “I can’t ignore this part of me anymore, and if people with my talent are being killed, we need to know why and put an end to it.”

  “Can’t do that alone,” Kegan pointed out, but I felt she wasn’t trying to deter me.

  “No. I can’t. I don’t know who can help yet, but I’m sure several of the restless spirits would love to lend whatever hand they could. I’ll find out what happened to Mist,” I stated, hoping I could keep the promise my words implied. I couldn’t let that mystery go unsolved any more than I could ignore my magic.

  With a nod, Kegan walked away. That wasn’t like her. Something else was up. With a whisper on the winds, I got up and followed.

  She led me down into the cellar . It was almost too dark to see, with only a lantern in the distance providing a bit of light. The smell of earth and mildew quickly overtook my senses as we rounded one corner, then another, before going down another set of stairs into an equally dim room.

  “What’s down here?” I whispered, confused and surprised by the size of the cellar.

  She stopped at a chest and kicked it. “This.”

  It was old and looked too heavy to move. Kegan pulled a necklace out from under her worn clothes. Several keys dangled and clanged together as she carefully sorted through them for the one she desired.

  “Here ya go,” she said, taking off a single key and holding it out for me.

  Unsure about what was going on I hesitantly took it and looked at the chest. Kegan nodded for me to open it and took a step back. My heart beat loudly. I wasn’t sure if I was more nervous by the thought of what I would find or excited. Kneeling down, I took a breath. The key fit easily into the hole but took some jiggling to turn. It creaked loudly as I tried to open the heavy lid.

  Once it was open, all I could see was dark cloth. Letting curiosity win out, I carefully moved the cloth and saw under it was a set of daggers. The hilts were a deep evergreen with black runes. The blades themselves were darker than any night I had seen.

  They were beautiful.

  Carefully, I reached out and touched them and felt a swirl of magic call to me. Surprised, I lurched my hands away for a moment. What was that magic? I reached forward and touched them once more. It felt familiar but oddly distant.

  “What are these?” I whispered.

  “Mist said I’d know who they were meant for when the time came.” An odd reply, but I didn’t question it.

  Sensing there was more, I carefully set the daggers aside and removed the cloth they had been sitting on. Under it were several large tomes. There was very little dust on them, but I could see they were old and worn. Opening the top book, I was surprised it was blank. As was the one under it, and the one under that.

  I looked up at Kegan, confused.

  “I’ve no magic for this, but I know the words.” She smiled slyly. “Revelabit. Say it to the book, none but the should be dead can read it.”

  “Should be dead?” I raised an eyebrow at her, but instead of waiting for an answer that wouldn’t, come I turned my attention to the book that was once at the top of the stack and whispered the word to it. The cover, a deep purple, suddenly sported gold text. The Beginning. Excited by the transition, I opened it and watched the page quickly have words sprawl across the page.

  “What is all of this?” I asked.

  “Saying close will make the text vanish again. I hear demons can see it, so best keep it safe,” Kegan warned before finally replying, “Mist taught several people how to handle their talents. Those are her old materials. The books explain the blades eventually. Take good care of them. They’re yours now.”

  “Truly?” It was hard to believe she’d let such precious things go so easily.

  “They’re of no use to me, and Mist would have wanted them used. No good in keeping them for myself,” Kegan explained briefly before moving on, “The box shrinks. Nothing I can do though. All you again. Novis to shrink. Crescat to grow.” With that, she left, having other work to attend to.

  Answers were suddenly in my lap. Whispers grew around me, and I was surprised I hadn’t noticed we were being watched. Their voices were still too soft to hear clearly just yet, but I could feel the excitement. Tired souls were ready to move on, but I was
only just beginning to learn. There was no knowing when I’d be of any help.

  With a deep breath, I collected myself, refilled the box, and closed it. With a whisper, it shrunk, so much that I could fit it in my pocket. I wanted to rush back to the Order and lock myself away to read but instead calmed myself. There was much to do before I could read these, but I would spend every free moment doing just that. Once I could avoid a spirit audience, that was.

  Gleefully, I skipped back up the stairs, feeling better than I had in ages.

  Lydia sat at the bar alone looking puzzled when I reappeared. I had almost forgotten I was meeting her.

  “Where were you?” she asked. Confusion still lined her features.

  “It’s an odd story, I’ll explain later.” My audience of spirits had yet to leave. They were talking loudly in excited tones that I tried to tune out. I was thankful the inn wasn’t also full of human conversation or I wouldn’t be able to hear a thing.

  “Okay…” she said slowly. Lydia looked like she wanted to say more but instead decided to change the subject. “There are whispers aid is needed in Ashgrove. If you’d like to join, I’m leaving tomorrow.”

  “So soon?” I asked, surprised. We had just gotten back. “Where is that, anyway?”

  “Near Saltmire,” she replied simply.

  I gave her a blank stare.

  “Ummm, east of the black fields?” she tried, shrugging.

  “How far away is this place? I haven’t heard of any of these locations!” I replied, flustered.

  Lydia laughed slightly before replying, “It’s maybe a three-week journey north-east.”

  “What could possibly be going on so far away that you are needed instead of someone from a closer guild?” It seemed like it would make much more sense to send someone from a more northern location. It wasn't like the Black Violets were the only demon slayers around.

  “I’ll explain later,” she replied, nodding toward Kegan, who had just appeared from the kitchen with food.

  “So we’ll both just sit here with a list of secrets?” I sighed.

  “Pretty much.” She looked just as annoyed as I felt.

  Kegan set two pot pies in front of us. “You’re both too quiet. What’s going on?”

  “Too much traveling,” Lydia replied with a smile. “I’ll be off again soon. At least I get to have some of your wonderful food first.”

  Kegan wasn’t buying the attempt to change the subject. “And where to?”

  “Oh come on,” Lydia complained. “You never ask where!”

  “I do, just less often.” Kegan nodded for me to eat. “Now, where are they sending you?”

  “Ashgrove,” Lydia replied without further complaint and took a large forkful of food.

  Kegan looked surprisingly angry. “The blazes are they sending someone so young that far? And for what? They’re never going to solve that mess.”

  “What mess? Something ongoing?” I asked, surprised.

  “Ha!” Kegan’s anger was something I wasn’t used to seeing. “Ongoing? Neverending is more like it! There are places here just for the Blessed, did you think there were places here that weren’t lost to demons?”

  Actually, I hadn’t. I didn’t think anything evil had a strong foothold in this realm.

  Kegan saw my expression and continued, blood still boiling, “That whole area is a mess. Every couple of months someone gets sent there to try and clean up the outskirts. Some from all groups. It’s a waste of time. There’s nothing to be regained.”

  “If we don’t try and push them back, then they’ll have the opportunity to expand,” Lydia argued.

  “Then let the older ones fight it,” Kegan replied sharply. “You’ve plenty of experiences, but they have more time learning from their mistakes. Their tactics are laughable.”

  Lydia was willing to argue about this with Kegan, but I was not. Both sides had their points, but I didn’t want to get involved in this debate. Instead, I focused on quickly eating my meal and made a hasty retreat. It wasn’t like anyone could stop me from leaving. I was much too quick even though I used only a touch magic.

  Thankfully, my early dinner was enough to ward off the ghosts that had been following me. They weren’t interested in hearing Lydia and Kegan’s argument either.

  5

  As dinnertime approached, foot traffic increased dramatically. The normal buzz of conversation was easy enough to ignore while I made my way back toward the Black Violets’s main building. Just like normal, the closer I got, the fewer people and spirits I saw. It was always nice being able to enjoy that moment of peace.

  It didn't last long.

  The spirit I had noticed closer to the guild earlier was now near the main part of town. He had shifted his hood so I could see his face better. Before it looked as if he was just observing the area. Now, it was clear he was waiting for me.

  I stopped walking and looked around. There was no one else close enough to hear me. “What is it that you want?” I asked tiredly. Normally when spirits realized I could speak with them, they had a long list of requests or demands that I could do nothing about.

  “Word has gotten around you might be able to help us,” he replied as he walked toward me.

  I tried to concentrate on his appearance to really see who I was talking with. He looked young. Maybe my age, maybe a bit younger. His hair was a light brown and his clothes were still stained with the blood from his death. Claw marks raked across his chest, and darkened marks of blood were spread across most of his left shoulder. I couldn’t see what had finished him off from the way his cloak covered him, but it was obvious it had been quite the fight.

  “I can hear you, but I have no way to help you,” I replied. It was still true.

  He clicked his tongue. “Kegan gave you something. I’ve no idea what. The rambling souls that travel around said it was from Mist. Her name is still known as someone who helped spirits cross. I don’t believe you.”

  “You’ll have to,” I replied as I brushed past him. “I’ve just gotten things, yes. I’ve no idea what’s in them or what they say. So I am, in fact, of no help.”

  He rushed to catch up with me. “At the moment. But we do need your help.”

  I stopped again. “Why do you need my help? Shouldn’t you have crossed anyway? I know those symbols on your clothes are from the Black Violets.”

  “You’re right. I should have.” He faced me, a mixture of anger and sadness flickered across his vision. “But things… Something’s gone wrong and we’re without answers. No one can cross right now. No one. Even the most innocent are trapped here.”

  This surprised me. I didn’t understand the system, but I thought angels had some influence here. “Isn’t that part of your pact? A guarantee to reach the heavens?”

  “It is.” He sighed and started to pace. “The angels know something's wrong but they can’t figure out what or why and they aren’t telling anyone.”

  “What? That’s horrible. Something isn’t right there,” I replied, surprised. I glanced around again. No humans, angels, or demons were listening in.

  “Again, yes, it is. Something is definitely not right.” He looked around as well. “I don’t want to pull you into that part. But you have an interesting insight into our world. Maybe you can help solve this.”

  “I’ve no idea how, nameless spirit.” I realized I knew nothing about him or what I was getting into. “I have zero knowledge in this area. I don’t even know how we can be having this conversation.”

  “It’s Lliam, and you probably don’t want the answers you’re looking for,” he replied honestly. “But I’m almost positive they’ve got to be in those books. Someone said they were training materials. They should hold more than enough answers.” He seemed distracted for a moment. “Oh Lydia’s almost here.” He pointed behind me and I glanced back.

  “How do you know her name?” I asked curiously.

  He pointed to himself. “This not crossing problem is fairly recent, within the last
two years. She knows me too. I had vaguely heard of you, but we never met.” Lliam stopped his pacing and shrugged.

  Lydia had finally made her way up to us. “So… I’m going to assume we’re not just standing in the middle of the road for no reason.”

  “You know, just talking to myself again. Someone has to play the role of the guild crazy,” I replied nonchalantly.

  “Okay.” Lydia eyed me skeptically. “What’s going on now?”

  “Lliam was just telling me an interesting story. Was trying to make sense of it all,” I replied as simply as possible.

  “Lliam?” She looked around curiously.

  Lliam sighed. “Of course she can’t see me.” He grumbled for a moment. “Can you tell her it’s the Lliam that had lightning gifts? That should jog her memory. If I still had my gifts I’d do it myself.”

  I chuckled at her glances. “The one with lightning gifts.”

  “He’s been gone for about two years.” Her expression had the same what-the-heck look to it that I was feeling. “I know he’s dead. He would have crossed, though. Even you know that.”

  “Yes, I do know that. My evening keeps getting more and more interesting.” I sighed.

  “Why wouldn’t he cross?” Lydia said loudly. She seemed to be very close to freaking out. Her eyes shifted around to see if this was some joke.

  Lliam, on the other hand, was overly amused. “Spoilers.” Was the only answer he gave.

  “He’s not talking,” I replied instead. “Maybe he’ll explain eventually, but there’s more we should discuss.”

  “Okay. That doesn’t sound good,” Lydia said after taking a deep breath. “Are you sure they said Lliam?”

  “Well it’s not all bad, and yes.” I looped my arm through hers and started leading her back to the guild. “Kegan was full of surprises.” I nodded toward Lliam and was glad to see he wasn’t currently following. We had much to discuss later. Lydia needed to wrap her head around this idea, and I wasn’t doing much better with knowing a Blessed spirit was stuck here.

  As we walked back I started to explain what had happened before she reached the inn, and as soon as we were safely in her room, I described in full details what Lliam had said. Her bed wasn’t really big enough for the two of us to spread out, but that didn’t stop us from sprawling out on it as we considered everything that had just gone on.