Flames of Awakening: Faemoch Cycle Book 1

by Reynolds, Michael

  "Werlgart? Why're we goin' t' th' Fortress? Winter's jes' half o'er."

  "Come on. I will fill you in on the way," Jaxius said.

  The urgency in his voice must have gotten through to Grundar because the clan chieftain sprang back through the tent flaps. He returned a moment later with his great axe over his shoulder.

  "Are you ready?" Jaxius asked, knowing that there was no way that his friend truly was.

  Grundar nodded.

  Jaxius and Chlora walked over to stand beside Grundar. The roots again shot up from the ground and enveloped the three. The large knot of roots and vines shot back into the earth, shaking the Dernegart camp for a second time.

  "Wha'... how... Ah, ne'er mind ye," Grundar said.

  Jaxius laughed, amused with the barbarian's acceptance of the magical transport, and attempted to clarify, "We set out to the south, but before we had gotten two days from your camp, we were set upon by an army of demons. Chlora had just shown up to warn us. After the fight, I found myself in a deep sleep and was forced to confront my past. Your son was there, too. Thanks to him, and Kaird, I know all that I set out to learn. Now, we must travel to Werlgart to intercept the demon host before they destroy your kin."

  Grundar sat on the bushy seat contemplating all that he had just been told. "So me boy could still be out there? Somewhere."

  Jaxius shrugged and nodded. For the first time, he thought deeply about it. Bergar could have returned to Tolian's body, or perhaps found his way out into the world as a freed soul. Bergar might even have found his way into some happy afterlife and was being rewarded as they spoke for his valor. In truth, Jaxius had no idea. The uncomfortable discussion was cut short as the cocoon lurched, indicating a shift in momentum. The heavy feeling again dropped Jaxius' stomach. This time, the increase in pressure lasted much longer.

  "I won't be able to join you, Upuchwe. After you left, I was tasked with the protection of my forest. I have spent as long as I can spend away from my trees. Their roots run deep, but not quite this far north. The grass tells me that we passed the demons a few minutes ago. They fly slowly. But they will be here in a short time. I hope to see you again, Upuchwe. I know that you will teach these nasty, evil, foul, grotesque, horrid, gross, putrid, smelly, icky demons a lesson. Oh, and goodbye sad barbarian human man-thing. I hope you don't die today." Chlora's speech was hurried, as usual with the flighty fae.

  On cue, the vines slipped open and down, forming a ramp to the lip of the wall of the fortress of Werlgart. Bergar stepped off first, his knees wobbling and grateful for the solid ground. His comfort was short-lived, however, because when he looked back he saw that they had been suspended thousands of feet in the air by a single vine.

  "Stranger, ye might want t' be movin' yer feet," he said.

  Jaxius smiled and took one last chance to bow deeply to Chlora and stepped off the vine carriage. He turned and waved his farewell to Chlora who was already weeping. The vines of the transport enveloped her and she lowered back to the ground and beyond. Jaxius noticed little of this, however. His eyes had affixed to the black cloud on the horizon.

  "Grundar, go and raise the alarm. Get as many people inside as you can."

  "But, ye'll be needin' me fer th' fightin'," Grundar argued.

  "Go!" Jaxius commanded. His eyes flashed emerald, and his hair stood in a halo around his head. Antlers sprouted from among the floating strands. He floated inches above the ground, and viridian flames danced crackling along his arms and legs.

  Grundar, fearing the change coming over his companion, fled into the streets of Werlgart, the barbarian clans' winter safe-haven.

  Jaxius turned back to the growing cloud of monsters and tightened his grip on his elven viortassi. A luscious bed of grass and foliage sprouted all about him and grew to envelop the platform where he stood.

  "Let them come. I shall show these demons the full power of the fae of old."

  Chapter Thirty-seven

  The first attackers approached swiftly. The leaders of the demon pack were the smallest and fastest ones. What they gained in speed, they gave up in strength and hardness. The first tiny thing swung a vicious claw at Jaxius in an attempt at a fly-by attack. Jaxius batted it away with his viortassi and, with the same movement, sliced the demon in half. Another winged demon darted in, and then another. Each found its attacks futile and its body crumpled to the ground. This dance carried on until nearly a dozen of the waist tall demons were littered in butchered pieces all about Jaxius. Green flames slowly consumed the remnants of the small monsters.

  Jaxius tensed and readied himself. The short break in action between the fast sprinting demons and the bulk of the attacking force gave the awakened elf-lord a moment to catch his breath. A dozen of the demons flew in and landed all about him, the heat from their demonic bodies wilting the wild fae-grass beneath their feet. Jaxius cut his eyes and glanced over his shoulder. He studied every movement, every breath, every muscle twitch. Mentally he braced for their concerted attack. One demon led the movement; Jaxius saw its leg muscles tense just before it launched itself. The scaly black thing hadn't even left the ground before Jaxius' viortassi snapped out and cut its throat wide open. With little effort, Jaxius changed the momentum of his blade and cut down through the thing's stomach, spilling its otherworldly insides to the ground.

  Time slowed so much that Jaxius, if he had wanted to, could count the snowflakes falling. Jaxius spun about, sensing the next of his enemies leaping through the air. His warrior instincts, honed to perfection, were amplified in his time altered state. Jaxius caught the beast in the air and sliced through it, using its own energy to push it up and over him. His third attacker slipped in behind him then. The monster scored a minor hit to Jaxius' far shoulder as the half-elf reversed his grip on the elven blade and swung the metal up and out behind him. The blade exploded through the creature. Jaxius took a step forward and removed the blade. The demon slumped bonelessly to the ground.

  The remaining nine demons of the second wave rushed in, but they found no target waiting for them. Jaxius' new-found speed and powers proved too great an obstacle for the demons. He was in the air long before they reached the center of their encircling ring. He landed several yards away and watched the confusion build in the fiends. When they finally figured out what had happened, they turned around and, spotting Jaxius, charged as a unit after him. Jaxius smiled, knowing the monstrous beasts were dead before they even started. He called upon his innate fae powers, conjuring a burst of intense light. The light stopped the advance of the demons just as Jaxius had hoped it would. Their eyes, although able to see in the bright light of the mortal world, are not used to such brilliant, momentary flashes of light. The demons blinked and squinted through burning tears. Not charging blindly onward was their last mistake. Jaxius shot through the group of demons too fast for any of them to react. When he had finished his offensive, he skidded to a stop and spun about. He watched as the bodies all slumped to the ground.

  From all around him Jaxius heard the telltale sounds of violent battle erupting. He was pleased that Grundar had followed his instructions. Perhaps, with the help of the barbarians, this battle could be turned to the defenders' advantage. As Jaxius looked around he noted, at least, two score more of the demons engaged with at least twice that number of the tundra barbarians. He turned back to see what other infernal beasts might challenge him. The warrior knew deep in his heart that this assault was aimed at him. Why else would over a dozen of the creatures target him specifically?

  His contemplation was cut short when a massive blur of black and purple scales slammed into him from the side. His viortassi slipped from his hands and skated across the frozen ground. Jaxius spun into a crouch and faced the new attacker in one swift movement.

  The beast that loomed above Jaxius sneered, opening its gorilla mouth to reveal large, yellow dagger teeth. Its dark leathery wings spread open, and it coiled back on its long purple snake-like body. This beast was a new type, not one the warrior ha
d seen before. The enormous demon stood more than twice as tall as himself. Each of its large, heavily muscled arms was as big around as Jaxius' waist.

  "You may defeat my lesser minions, but I assure you, this is merely a scouting party for the main contingent of my army. I will crush you and then haul your broken body to deposit your shell at the feet of my master," the creature said, its voice like the low rumble of thunder.

  "Do your best, demon," Jaxius said. He forced all of his courage into his words. He was not as sure of himself now as he was just moments before.

  At Jaxius' command, the giant demon sprang forth, razor sharp claws leading the way. Jaxius dove backward, reaching for his viortassi. The demon moved with a speed unmatched in any of the other attacking fiends, but Jaxius managed to grab his heavy elven blade and turn in time to interpose the flat of the blade between himself and Gredgeshnosch. The demon's attacks were lightning fast and carried the force of a siege engine. Jaxius struggled to parry the onslaught. The hollow clang of his blade on Gredgeshnosch's steel hard skin rang throughout Werlgart.

  As groups of warriors finished off their demon foes they formed a circle around Jaxius and the demon, intent as a group to aid the half-elf. The first of the barbarians stepped forward to help but was cut short. A twenty-foot tall ring of fire leaped from the ground, obscuring the fight from the humans and forcing the impotent barbarians to back away.

  Jaxius and the hideous demon circled round and round. It clawed at him. He parried and stepped back. Finding small openings, Jaxius pressed his attack. Jaxius' blade rang louder and louder, the ringing nearly deafening even in the open air. The back and forth of the contest sped up. Each combatant spent less time attacking, laboring to stay even on the defensive. Seconds turned to minutes as the fight raged on. Jaxius changed his tactic abruptly, watching for the opportunity to finish off his opponent. He fought more defensively. He rebuked and dodged attack after attack. Sweat beaded Jaxius' forehead with his efforts. Sensing his foe tiring, the warrior plunged forward, pressing his attack.

  Green flames streamed from Jaxius' eyes, his muscles tensed, and he lunged, his elven viortassi a mere blur. He came up inside of the demon's reach with his viortassi buried to the hilt in the beast's gut. Gredgeshnosch howled with pain. Jaxius called on more of his fae heritage and set his blade ablaze with his verdant flames.

  Gredgeshnosch's eyes narrowed in hatred and its nostrils flared wide with pain. It slammed its palm into the side of Jaxius' sword, snapping the elven steel just above the hilt. Its tail swung sharply from the other direction and connected solidly with Jaxius' ribs. The half-elf went flying and rolled across the ground, landing face down. He pushed himself up onto his hands and struggled to pull his feet under him. His muscles ached, and sweat dripped from him like rainwater.

  The demon's roaring, mocking laughter split the air and vibrated the ground. The horrendous brute celebrated its victory. It grasped the blade of the viortassi and pulled, wanting the accursed burning thing out of him. Jaxius' eyes narrowed and the fires burning there flared and enveloped his head. The flames on the blade of his viortassi rose, searing Gredgeshnosch's hand. The glowing green flames grew, fed by the mental command of Jaxius.

  "Demon spawn," Jaxius said. "Your time is not now. It shall not be soon. You will go back to your torments. And if I ever see you again ..." Deer antlers sprouted from his forehead. His hair blazed green and flowed around him. "I will erase you from history!"

  The flames exploded from Gredgeshnosch. The force of their explosion put out the encircling demonic fire. When the brilliant emerald light faded, the viortassi blade fell to the ground, bent and twisted. The demon was no more, consumed by the faerie flames and sent back to his hell.

  Jaxius rose and his flames of anger subsided.

  Chapter Thirty-eight

  Aportus tiptoed into the room, knowing that to bear the news that he had just been given meant certain death. It was not his fault, not in any way, but his master was unpredictable. His master terrified him. Flickering, shifting shadows made the room more ominous. No candles were lit. There was no fire laid in the hearth. His eyes darted back and forth. Was that movement? Aportus suspected that his master already knew, but he was forced to bear the dreaded news anyway. If not from a need to serve faithfully, then from a need for propriety. The frightened man just hoped that his master would show mercy and kill him quickly.

  "Master," Aportus said, his voice barely above a whisper.

  "Yes," his master said. Aportus flinched at the sound but the voice led his eyes to his master, reclining in a chair that faced the darkened window. His master was motionless. "I am here, Aportus. You have news." It was not a question and Aportus knew it.

  "Yes, sire. The demon Gredgeshnosch has failed. His horde has retreated, and the beast himself has been banished."

  "I know this." A ball of orange flames popped into existence inches above the cold hand of the shadowed man. Aportus exhaled the last of the doubts and regrets of his life; he was prepared to die now at the hands of his master. "Now, since I cannot punish the demon for this, someone must..."

  "Why not punish the one responsible for the failure?" A voice from behind the window's curtain spoke. From the shadows formed a man with a black-dyed leather cloak and hood. All that was visible of the man from the shadows was the tip of his nose. From Aportus' angle, the man looked thin but muscular.

  "You are good, to have gotten through my defenses and into my own bedchamber without detection." Anger colored the master's low voice.

  "Not simply good. The best," the intruder said. "My name is Serick. I offer you another way to deal with this one."

  "What other way would you have? I have been in conflict with this one since this world was fully formed."

  "Now, now," the intruder said. "We both know that is only half true. Have you not had thousands of years rest from this... conflict? Yes, of course you have. Now, what I offer at this time are my considerable services. I can bring the elfling to you. He defeated your demon too easily. But me? He won't even see me coming," the smooth voice offered.

  "How do you know this?"

  A laugh this time, "Did you?"

  Aportus was hushed as was his master.

  "My fee is simple. Thirteen drecmas."

  Thirteen, Aportus thought. That's less than I am given in a month. Why would this one be willing to risk his life for so little?

  "Barely a pittance for so great a task," his master spoke Aportus' thoughts.

  "It is the thrill of the hunt that I crave. The spread of a name. I have little need of wealth."

  "Fine, do what …" but the master did not get to finish his sentence. The mysterious intruder was gone.

  Several seconds passed. Aportus knew not to speak but was too filled with curiosity to heed his knowledge. "Master?"

  "Ah yes, Aportus," his master said and extinguished the flaming orb, clenching his fist tight. "I have another task for you."

  "Yes, sire."

  Chapter Thirty-nine

  The demons that survived flew, or, at least, tried to fly, away as soon as they learned of their leader's demise. They had sorely underestimated the battle lust of the barbarians, for as all but the quickest of the demons turned their backs on the humans, they were cut down. Only a handful of the monsters were able to make it away.

  Bergar pounded determinedly on the only entrance to Werlgart. Stars lit the night sky and the harsh wind of the tundra bit through his furs. The gashes and holes ripped by the demons channeled the wind straight to his flesh.

  Light peaked around the edges of the door, and it slid open. The door watch poked his head from around the entrance. His dirty face was creased through the center by a scar from his left temple across his left eye all the way to his right cheek.

  "Who ye be?"

  Bergar cleared his voice and told the half truth, "Tolian, the bard who travels with Jaxius. I come to offer help against the demon host."

  The old man grinned from ear to ear. "Don't ne
ed no help with demons. Got 'em all taked care of. What else ye got?"

  "Taken care of?" Bergar asked.

  Well, I suppose the demons would have gotten here three days ago, Tolian said.

  Right. I didn't think of it that way. Or maybe I thought they would still be battling. You know? Holed them up in there like a siege.

  "Yeah. Taked care of. That's what I said. Ye got anythin' else to offer?"

  Is he seriously going to make us freeze to death out here? We have traveled, by foot, for days to get here. The bard's complaining was getting to his body companion.

  I wouldn't think so, but things have been strange this winter, to say the least of it.

  Bergar shifted uncomfortably, gauging his chances of slipping in the door with the guard still in place. At length, he gave up hope and turned to leave.

  What? We are just going to give up and run back to your people's camp? That has to be weeks away by foot. Remember we flew here? Tolian grumbled again at the young barbarian.

  The door man roared with laughter. "Get ye inside Bergar, son of Grundar. Ye knowed ye're welcome here."

  Bergar's head snapped back, questioning how the doorman of Werlgart knew what only a few others in the entire world knew.

  "Yer father is waitin' fer ye in the great hall."

  Bergar pushed through the door and grinned at the door man as he passed. He made his way to the great hall as swiftly as he could.

  "Tolian," Jaxius greeted him as he entered the massive stone hall. "Come in, fill your belly. You missed the fight, but I am sure that you will want to hear the story."

  Jaxius helped him to a seat.

  "I have to admit to you, Jaxius. I have returned to the bard's body. It's me, Bergar."

  "I know."

  "You do? How?" The barbarian was confused. So was Tolian.