by Ross Turner
“I think we need to speak to Ormath.” Zanriath said, suddenly breaking the calm that had seeped over the cavern. The light of the fire still shimmered and bounced off the rounded walls, but it seemed to flicker warily as Zanriath spoke.
“I was thinking the same.” Cole concurred.
“We should eat first.” Isabel stated, cutting in to declare that their supper was ready.
“Definitely.” Cole said with a smile, hunger always getting the best of him.
“What will the other demon do?” Zanriath asked, moving closer to the fire and to the glorious heat it as always provided.
“I’m not sure.” Cole admitted. Then Rose looked at Cole and something passed between them. Cole, at first, looked a little surprised, before he broke into a rich laugh, and his amusement seemed to echo all around.
Isabel and Zanriath exchanged a confused look.
“Thorn? Really?” Cole asked of Rose, speaking aloud. She nodded in a very human manner than unnerved Isabel and Zanriath somewhat. Cole laughed again before turning to his parents.
“Rose called the other demon Thorn.” He explained, answering their perplexed expressions.
“Thorn?” Isabel asked confused.
“Why?” Zanriath asked, equally bewildered. Cole shrugged as if the answer was obvious.
“He’s practically Rose’s brother.” Cole explained. “He may wish to kill us, but Rose still wants him to have a name.”
The notion was not just strange, but downright bizarre, and Isabel looked at the demon at Cole’s side in a new and very odd light. Not only had this over-protective beast acknowledged a connection to their enemy, but, in a very child-like manner, had also named the threat, in, Isabel imagined, an attempt to humanise it, to give it weakness.
Isabel smiled fondly at her son and his demon then, and indeed also at the seemingly childish, but also oddly appropriate name, that Rose had chosen. It represented somehow both the link between the two beasts, and the threat that same link implied.
She had almost forgotten how young Rose was - not even a week old. Though she imagined she would mature very quickly, for now, her mind still had many of the workings of a child. Isabel was discovering new knowledge of demons that she would never have dreamed of, and likening their qualities, quite frighteningly, more and more to those of humans.
Whether that was because Rose and Thorn were the creations of Cole’s power and imagination, or whether it was simply something that had lay hidden somewhere within the demons’ deeply embedded lust for suffering, perhaps she would never know.
“Ok.” Zanriath said, still a little unsure. “Rose, what will Thorn do?” Rose looked at Zanriath, making no move in the way of response, but after a few moments, Cole began to speak.
“Rose thinks he still wants to kill me.” Cole began, and a lump caught in Isabel’s throat simply at the thought. “But since he failed today, he’ll wait, and increase his power before he tries again.”
“So we should pursue Thorn, and stop him before he can become more powerful?” Isabel suggested as she served supper, a mixed stew thrown together from a wide combination of the rations they had brought with them. Zanriath cut a thick slice of bread and began to eat.
“Perhaps.” He said thoughtfully. “I still think we should consult with Ormath first though.”
“I agree.” Cole said, looking to Isabel questioningly. She sighed, not reluctantly, but somewhat regretfully.
“Very well.” She said submissively, taking a piece of bread for herself and passing one to Cole with a deep sigh. “And so it begins again.”
14
A question that had been troubling Isabel for the few days of late was answered for her, shortly after she and her family left the warmth and safety of the rounded cavern, for not the first time. Although they had eaten quite heartily, poor Rose had eaten nothing, and Isabel was concerned with what she would possibly feed the enormous creature. A small bowl of stew had certainly not seemed suitable for the monstrous demon.
Looking up as they walked, Isabel could see that the reddening of the sky had faded and cleared, leaving them beneath a clear, comforting, though still icy cold, blanket of blue. She held Zanriath’s hand as she walked and rested her arm around Cole’s shoulders, not wanting to mount their horses as of yet. She smiled contentedly, ignoring, at least for now, the knowledge she was sure would soon come to light upon their meeting with Ormath, savouring these precious moments of reunion and love as a family.
Then Rose returned, having vanished almost half an hour previous. She bounded playfully over the ridge, far up over a hundred metres above them to their right. Between her vicious and now bloodstained jaws she carried the lifeless figure of what looked to be, or to once have been, a goat.
The young demon’s eyes were bright and cheery, just as, Isabel was glad to note, were Cole’s. Rose skittered and careered down the very steep and precarious ridge in a landslide of rock and rubble. Her claws scratched and grated against the now-cold stone, finally having cooled from its flaming barrage, though snow had not settled again yet, but it did little to slow her rapid descent.
Finally, about three-quarters of the way down, Rose had had enough, and simply leapt from the mountainside, sailing down through the air for the last thirty metres or so of her approach. She careered through the air and crashed into the ground with a crack like thunder, fracturing the stone beneath her feet.
She flexed her muscles and stretched her legs extensively before making short and decidedly carnivorous work of her meal. Isabel and Zanriath looked at each other a little nervously. Though they by now trusted Rose, if not entirely, this was perhaps something they would have to get used to. It also seemed, at least it did to Isabel, that the young demon was bigger than she had been the day before, towering above her and Zanriath’s horses like they were only colts.
Cole on the other hand felt no such reserve. He walked straight over to the massive demon and immediately began to stroke her neck. The deadly beast proceeded then to purr like a kitten and within minutes was lying flat out on the floor, indulged entirely by Cole’s affection, blood still staining her jaws. The sight was indeed a strange one.
The morning passed surprisingly quickly and Cole had by now recovered the majority of his strength from his frenzied efforts the day before. Isabel marked her son’s recovery notably, though did not make as issue of it, as she herself had not fully recovered from her attempts to restrain him, and was unsure whether she would be able to do so again.
Rose showed no such signs of fatigue, and bounded from valley to valley like a new born puppy, intrigued and engrossed by every new wonder she came across, though she returned to Cole without fail at least every five minutes.
Isabel watched the young demon with fascination as they walked, still leading their horses, and marvelled, as never before could she have imagined such a thing from creatures she had forever despised so. It was with only what could be described as delight that Rose scrambled up and down the mountainsides, expending apparently very little of her seemingly limitless energy.
Isabel was grateful that this demon was their ally, and she was a very powerful one at that, even now. They would just have to wait and see what became of Thorn, and how his power would grow and develop in comparison to Rose’s.
She looked ahead from her wonderings then to see Zanriath eagerly examining a small rock formation before them, scurrying back and forth around the base of the mountain looming ominously above them. They were almost there. She looked back to Rose. This new journey, whatever it was that lay before them, was certainly going to prove to be interesting.
Before long they had entered the narrow mountain crevasse that led to the inside of Dragon’s Peak, the ice that had once sealed it having been melted away by the firestorm. The ringing clopping of horses’ hooves now filled Isabel’s ears once again in a strange déjà vu, as they ventured further and further into the flickering darkness of the heart of the God’s mountain. The only difference was that
this time they were accompanied also by the scratches and clinks of Rose’s vicious claws catching on the cold, hard stone.
Rose stepped inquisitively through the blue flames Zanriath had conjured, bounded into the enormous rounded cavern spiritedly, and immediately fixed her eyes on the motionless pool, treading where possibly no demon before her had ever been expected to tread.
“It’s ok Rose.” Zanriath reassured her quietly. She looked to him with curious eyes as he petted her gently and she lowered her head to his hand. Cole smiled. Isabel followed suit and before long was even enjoying giving Rose the attention she so loved.
This continued for a few minutes, their thoughts clearing, as Isabel recalled what had happened the last time she had come here. Eventually a familiar blue flame lighted atop the perfect pool in the centre of the cavern, and their attentions were immediately drawn to it.
They all moved with strange silence, their footsteps making no sound, over to the serene and flaming pool, the flickering blue light before and all around them bouncing lovingly off their faces and bodies.
The ground below them suddenly felt warm and the heat emanated up to consume them, and the blue fires all around the edges of the cavern encased them protectively.
Then He appeared amidst the shimmering blue flames, completely unchanged in the near two decades that had passed. Ormath materialised as if from a dream, and His majestic form detached itself from the fire slowly and purposefully. As Isabel so clearly recalled, His wings unfolded and stretched to their tremendous length before settling gently back at His sides, as if He had not opened them even once in the whole time since Isabel last saw her God.
“My children.” Ormath greeted them. His voice echoed quietly and gently around the chamber and was filled with the humble wisdom of an almost eternal life - as close to eternal as one can come, so Ayva had come to discover. However, troubled by recent events, His soft voice also betrayed a touch of pain that Isabel detected, even in that simple welcome, and the sound of His pain wrenched at her heart just as Cole’s suffering did also.
“Ormath.” Zanriath responded. His voice sounded somewhat fulfilled at the sight of the God who had so long cared for him as a parent would.
“Once again my son.” Ormath began. “It has been too long since our last meeting. Far too long.”
“Yes it has.” Zanriath agreed. Then Isabel spoke, stepping forward and linking her arm with Zanriath’s.
“Ormath.” She said simply by way of greeting, following suit once more.
“Hello Isabella.” He replied respectfully, inclining His head slightly. “I must say time has barely touched you, though it has been many years and more since our last meeting.”
“Why thank you.” She said in an almost girlish manner. Zanriath smiled.
From behind his parents Cole stood with Rose, who now sat on her haunches, and witnessed the strange spectacle unfolding before him. If he had not known of his parents’ past it would have shocked him even more than it already did to see them on such casual acquaintances with a God.
“And how fares Ayva?” Isabel asked, quite formally, unsure whether it was her place to do so, but her burning curiosity getting the better of her. Ormath managed, somehow with His reptilian features, to smile at Isabel’s question and responded, as always, as if He could read her very thoughts.
“She is faring very well.” He assured Isabel. “She is happy and is learning quickly.” Isabel was pleased with His reply. And then, for some reason, He looked directly, almost expectantly, at Cole and Rose, not saying a word.
Cole, unsure what to say or do, rubbed Rose vigorously on her side and looked at the God waiting amongst the flames before him, saying first and foremost what he believed to be the most important thing to bring to light.
“Hello Ormath.” He greeted the shimmering God-dragon that had appeared before him from the perfect pool of blue flames. “I’m sorry I created demons on your island.”
Prior to their son’s words, Isabel and Zanriath had only accepted the situation at hand at face value, knowing of course that their son was a major part of it. What they had not fully comprehended was that, in actual fact, it was entirely their son’s doing that had brought about this new threat. They looked to Ormath to see His response, admittedly a little apprehensive.
Surely the Gods would not have taken kindly to Cole’s introduction of this new menace?
Ormath said nothing. He remained almost motionless and silent for a few minutes, simply studying Cole intently with eyes that flashed repeatedly through a wide range of colours and emotions. As this silent scrutiny took place, Cole made no move, nor showed any sign or flicker of remorse, though of course he felt entirely responsible, his stance beside Rose indicated exactly why he was not regretful.
The atmosphere seemed to grow more and more tense, before Ormath eventually broke His gaze and laughed softly, the sound filling the open cavern warmly. Isabel breathed a deep sigh of relief.
“My dear Colvan.” The aged God finally replied. “You do your parents proud. If I did not have every confidence in you before, I certainly would now. There are not many whom would defend their friends with such resolve against a God.” He cast a sly and very human-like glance at Isabel and Zanriath as He spoke. “In fact I know of only a precious few.”
“Thank you.” Cole said simply.
“Besides.” Ormath continued light-heartedly, directing His attention to Rose now. “Your young friend here is perhaps one of the finest demonic specimens I have ever seen, if not based solely on her physical prowess, then certainly on her motives.”
Rose purred in response and Cole smiled. He scratched her affectionately behind her ears and she shuddered with unconcealed delight. But then Ormath’s voice darkened somewhat, and His tone became much more ominous.
“However, that does bring us to the reason for your being here, as it is not entirely a social visit, is it?” Cole stiffened slightly at his God’s words.
“Indeed not.” Zanriath admitted, taking the heat from his son. “We have come to seek your guidance.” Ormath did not respond immediately, His eyes still fixed on Cole. Finally, He managed to tear His gaze from the young boy.
“It seems that something has been set in motion that we did not anticipate.” Ormath confessed.
“What’s going on Ormath?” Isabel asked concerned. He looked between her and her husband and son sympathetically, before finally sighing and turning His attention entirely back to Cole.
“I apologise young Colvan, if I seem abrupt.” He began. “It is not the case. Especially not with you.” Cole’s expression changed to one of slight confusion, but his shoulders relaxed slightly. Ormath continued. “Events have occurred of late that I, nor my brothers or sister, were expecting. Nonetheless, they have happened anyway, and now we must respond accordingly.”
Isabel and Zanriath had never heard their God speak in this manner before, reacting rather than preparing, and it unnerved them. Clearly things had not changed, and now, even more so than before, the Gods had very little control over the order of the world within which they lived.
“It first began with your awakening young Colvan.” The God told them. “The Souls of the Ocean attempted to infect your mind, reaching out much further and more dangerously than they ever have done before.” Isabel gasped but said nothing. “But they failed on that occasion.” Ormath continued. “Your power was too vast for you to even attempt to control, and your mind spread too greatly for them to get a handle on your thoughts.”
Cole blinked in disbelief as his God retold the story of exactly what had happened, barely a week ago, to him and his parents, condensing the immense feelings he had failed so miserably to process into simple statements of fact.
“And then they tried again, unperturbed by their failure, as it would seem they have spent many millennia waiting, and watching, specifically and purposefully for you Cole.” A chill ran down the young boy’s spine.
“Why?” Cole asked quietly through dry lip
s.
“Because they knew you would be vulnerable.” Ormath replied simply, though concern flickered across His face for a second before He continued. “But somehow they also knew how powerful you would be, which is exactly why they chose you.”
“What did they do?” Isabel whispered. Her eyes were fixed pleadingly on her son and her face was white, remembering all too well the touch of the lost souls on her mind.
“Nothing mother.” Cole assured her, though he knew that was not quite true. Ormath looked at him pointedly for a moment, but said nothing of it, only continuing with His explanation.
“I believe it was their intention to convince young Cole to harness his power to raise an army of demons, taking advantage of his confusion. And I also believe that they almost succeeded.” He added, looking at Cole questioningly.
It seemed that Ormath did not quite know everything that had happened. Cole said nothing. Isabel and Zanriath looked on imploringly.
“Young Colvan began to create the demons as the Souls so desired, but then, for some reason, he changed his mind.”
Cole was staring at the flickering rock at his feet now, recalling the entire incident with mild horror, remembering things now in such a way that he had not done so before.
“With power that even I do not quite understand, it appears that he ‘unmade’ the demons that he had brought to life within his imagination, and almost succeeded in repelling the Souls altogether.” Ormath continued. “Alas, the power was too great, and as Colvan slipped into unconsciousness, two of his creations came to be in the physical realm, born directly from his thoughts.”
“I thought it took two demons to raise another?” Isabel questioned the God. “I didn’t even think humans could create demons?”
“You would be correct. It usually does take two demons to raise offspring in such a manner.” He replied, before adding. “And neither did I.” Isabel shuddered.