by Robert Day
Without thought, Valdieron turned to meet the fire demon, which stood readied with its great sword held high. Moving purely on instinct and anger, Valdieron did not slow as he approached the demon, his own swords preparing for the contact.
To any who saw the confrontation, Valdieron should have been crushed by the towering demon, whose eyes burnt with the very darkness that made up its soul. It swung mightily at Valdieron, who leaped upwards to meet it, Dragonsword coming forward to meet the demon's fiery weapon. The moment of contact between the two weapons brought with it a cracking unlike any had ever heard, and the stadium was rocked again from the impact of the magical energies clashing, throwing all from their save the greater demons and Valdieron. But the clash of weapons, so almighty that something had to give, matched the sword of Dragon bone against dark metal from the voids, crafted through unholy rites and dark magic. Like a stalk of ice, the dark sword shattered where the Dragonsword struck it.
Unable to defeat the attack, the Demon was struck across the chest as Valdieron's sword continued onwards, the enchanted blade ripping through its tough hide with ease. It gouged a deep furrow into the demon, a wound that did not bleed, but exposed an inner core of darkness. Still, the demon bellowed an unholy cry of pain, for the wound was mortal to the beast, with Valdieron's sword acting much as their dark blades did to human flesh. Like a canker, the wound began to widen and eat away, and as the demon continued to scream, it was slowly consumed by some force, its deafening cry reverberating through the stadium even when it was nothing more than a pile of ash on the sandy floor.
Frozen after the attack, Valdieron stood with head bowed. Tears ran unashamed down his face as he cried, for he knew the Demon had died so that its kin could escape with Kitara, for even as he looked up, the Portal was closing around the departing demon.
But still he ran for the Portal, determined to follow the Demon into the voids if he had to. He knew it would be suicide, for even he could not defeat the hosts of Demonkind on their own plane, but at that moment he did not really care. He was responsible for what had happened to Kitara, just as he was responsible for the death of Javin, and he was ready to die to get Kitara back.
“Valdieron! STOP!”
The words of Ka'Varal stopped him with their commanding authority. He turned to see the cloaked Kay'taari striding across the arena, looking as old as he really was, and appearing more gaunt and fatigued than he should have been. He weighed heavily on his white staff to help him walk, and a small trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth. His eyes, however, dark and grey like a thunderstorm, were still strong, and held Valdieron as his every thought tried to turn him back towards the Portal.
“If you go through that Portal, you will die!”
“I cannot let her die!” It was said as little more than a whisper, but it rang through the stadium, carrying a threat that seemed to make Ka'Varal cautious.
“Then go and die, Valdieron, by all means.” Ka'Varal motioned to the Portal with his staff as he drew up before Valdieron, seeming more imposing than before, despite his obvious ill health. His hand clutching the staff seemed emaciated, and dark rings circled his eyes. “Go, and forget everything we fight for. As soon as you step through that Portal, you will seal the fate of every man, woman and child on Kil'Tar, for with your death there is no hope. Without you, nobody can find the Disk of Akashel, not even me.”
Torn by the old Kay'taari's words, Valdieron turned to face the Portal, taking one hesitant step before stopping, his head bowed, while tears ran down his face again. “What about the piece of the Disk?”
“She did not have it on her,” whispered Ka'Varal, coming up to put his hand on Valdieron's shoulder. “We must close the Portal, Valdieron, or soon others will come through and begin to build in number. The realms are not ready for war yet, and not even these people of Sha'kar will be able to fight the Demons for long. Their nobles are still running back to their estates, wondering why and how they could have let themselves come to this, which is a start, but it will take time and much head rolling before a suitable plan is effectively put into place. The realms are in chaos, and there is much work to be done.”
With a sobbing sigh, Valdieron raised his gaze towards the Portal one final time.
“What do we do?”
Ka'Varel's squeezing hand on his shoulder was a sign the Kay'taari was proud of his response. “We could drop the stadium down around it, but I don't think that is wise, though with Zhak Lomar gone, this building should be sealed shut so nobody else can see the Portal. I have an intricate knowledge of the Portals, and I will try something never done before: destroy the Portal. I think it can be done, but I need your help.”
“My help? What can I do to help you destroy a Portal?” He wanted to say, 'If we destroy the Portal, how can I get through to Kitara?'
“I need your strength, Valdieron. You have the power to do this. You are strong, like your father and grandfather before you. Lend me your power, and we will close this Portal.”
“What do I have to do?”
Moving forward, Ka'Varal led Valdieron to the Portal, which still flickered like the surface of a pond touched by an insect, or jostled by the gentle breeze. Still dark, it returned their reflections in a blurred image that seemed to mock them. Stopping before the Portal, Ka'Varel grasped his staff in both hands and lifted it, only to thrust it down into the sandy floor. It pierced one of the glassy footprints the fire demon had created with its passage, and with a cracking as if parting stone it sunk deep into the floor.
“This staff will be our link. Hold onto it and concentrate all of your power into it. I will do the rest.” Looking down at Valdieron, the old Kay'taari gave a brief smile as a tear of his own ran down his cheek, but instead of speaking, he stepped into the Portal, still retaining a handhold on the staff.
Stifling a cry, Valdieron resisted the urge to grab his hand and pull him from the Portal. He trusted Ka'Varel knew what he was doing, and was determined he would not fail this time. Sheathing both of his weapons, he clutched the staff, surprised to find it very cold to the touch. Hoping no more demons could come through the Portal while they were doing this, he closed his eyes and did as Ka'Varel instructed, pouring his thoughts and power into the staff.
At first, he did not feel as if anything was happening. He could feel his skin tingling as he released his magical energy into the staff, while the surface of the staff seemed to grow warmer, which might have been due to the warmth from his hands. He did not really know if he was doing it right, but it was same process he went through earlier when healing Talisa, so he only hoped it was working.
After what seemed like hours, he began to feel a strange sensation, like the power he was focusing into the staff was being drained. He could feel himself pouring his energy into the staff, but like trying to fill a bucket full of holes, it kept draining away. He only hoped it was Ka'Varel's doing, not a fault on his behalf.
“Focus, Valdieron.” The words of Ka'Varel came to him in his mind, startling him. “Give me more. I can feel it. Open yourself to me.”
Not knowing his face was set in a grimace, Valdieron strained to pour more of his power into the staff. He pictured his own power ebbing into the staff, but he also tried to draw from the essence around him, from every particle in the stadium. He knew it was there, he could feel it like he felt the wind, or the rain, there for him if only he wanted to take it.
He felt the staff warming beneath his touch again as more and more power flowed through the staff, only to be absorbed by Ka'Varal from inside the Portal. A distant thought in the back of Valdieron's mind made him wonder what threat this amount of power could do if something went wrong, but it passed as he refocused all of his attention onto the staff.
But somehow he knew it wasn't enough. He could feel Ka'Varal trying to draw more from the staff that he could put in. Desperately he tried to double his efforts, but it was like he had no more to give, could not push himself over the wall.
A sudden
touch on his hands startled him and he opened his eyes, expecting to find Ka'Varal there, telling him the Portal could not be destroyed, but instead, the beautiful face of Talisa peered at him, a reassuring smile belying her obvious anguish. The touch seemed electric to Valdieron, but in a moment he realized that she too was adding her strength to the staff.
Straining once again against the numbness in his body and the urge to drop to his knees and rest, he re-poured his thoughts and his power into the staff. Where before he could do little to keep the level raised while Ka'Varal drew from it, with the added strength of Talisa, they were able to keep enough energy in the staff for Ka'Varal to draw as much from it as he needed.
Suddenly, the staff turned cold to the touch, and a moment of fear gripped Valdieron. Somehow he knew something bad was happening, but the faint voice of Ka'Varal came to him. “Keep going, Valdieron. We are almost there.”
Feeling Talisa still focused fully on the staff, Valdieron clenched his eyes shut and redoubled his efforts, though a nagging doubt in his mind told him something was wrong. He could feel Ka'Varal drawing every fiber of essence from the staff, though what he was doing inside the dark veil of the Portal, Valdieron could not begin to comprehend.
Then, with an exhaustive hiss, like a smith slowly dipping a glowing sword into a trough of water, the Portal closed. Alerted by the noise, Valdieron opened his eyes in time to see Ka'Varel's hand release from the staff and sink into the Portal as it quickly lost its refulgence, out of Valdieron's grasping attempt at catching it. It seemed to him the hand waved as it was pulled into the dark Portal, an instant before the darkness became solid and non reflective.
The realization of what Ka'Varal had done struck Valdieron, as did the knowledge the Kay'taari knew what was going to happen all along. Cursing the old man's foolish sacrifice, Valdieron turned to Talisa, who also stood staring at the dark Portal, tears rolling down her face as she wept, but there was a faint smile on her face that indicated she knew and accepted what had happened. Valdieron wondered if Ka'Varal had spoken with her before he had let go.
With no words that could help, he merely reached out to her and drew her into his arms, comforting her with his presence as she comforted him with hers. They shared a bond of heritage that was unique in this world, the blood of a race long since departed, maybe never to return. They were alone, even with whatever friends they had, for their legacy was one of struggle and death neither was ready for, but knew they had to face up to.
Another hand on Valdieron's shoulder made him turn, and he saw Andrak there, the Prince's face showing the pain of their loss, but there was an unspoken appreciation that did little to relieve Valdieron of his guilt, but at least the Prince did not blame him for the loss of Kitara. Janantar, as silent and solemn as always, stood watching the Portal as if he would try and leap through it in an instant. There was a sadness in the Elf's eyes that for some reason made Valdieron all the more sadder, for it was like seeing the loss of innocence in a child's eyes, so foreign to the Elf that it was tragic.
“It is over!” whispered Andrak, sobbing softly. “Let us never forget those who have given their lives for this.”
As the others agreed, Valdieron could only look at the dark Portal and wonder, as tears rolled down his face.
“It has only just begun, Andrak. It has only just begun.”
END
Here ends Ashar’an Rising, Book 2 of the Nexus Wars Saga.
Continuing with Book 3, we discover the extent of Valdieron’s legacy and unique heritage, as the people of Kil’Tar brace for the imminent invasion of Demonkind. Beset by Ashar’an and Demon, Valdieron struggles in his quest to find more pieces of the Disk of Akashel. Will this be enough to tip the balance in the favor of Demonkind?
Other books by Robert Day at amazon.com:
Nexus Wars Saga:
Book 1: Demon Gates
Connect with Robert Day online at:
www.robertdaybooks.com
Smashwords
Amazon Author Central - US
From the author
Dear reader,
Second one down, and hopefully I have kept you entertained throughout. Remember, spread the word about the Nexus Wars Saga, and don’t forget to pop in and submit a review, even if it is only a short comment or a rating. Keep up to date with the happenings in Kil’Tar via my website, and stay tuned for Book 3.
Table of Contents
Ashar’an Rising
Map of Kil’Tar
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
END