“You don’t want me to accomplish an impossible task on my own?” Raimie seemed bewildered by the concept.
“No! Such a request would be both selfish and foolish. One man can’t do much by himself.”
“Huh,” Raimie’s surprise dominated his face. “In that case, what can I help you with?”
“I’ve two goals,” Kheled started, “one of which you’re already working toward. I need to get to Doldimar.”
“That aligns pretty spot on with what everyone else wants from me,” Raimie agreed with a grimace. “Problem is, I don’t know how to advance that goal past what I’ve already done. The task is too overwhelming.”
“We’ll take it step by step. What’s our biggest problem currently?” Kheled asked.
“Lack of information and intel,” Raimie replied immediately.
“Exactly! How do we remedy this?”
“Talking to the citizens of Tiro, but that’s not going to be enough,” Raimie mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “We need to know the inner workings of Doldimar’s government, and a collection of rebels can’t provide that sort of information.”
“So we establish a spy network,” Kheled replied. “Your ever-present shadow, Oswin, who I’m sure is worried sick right now, can help with that.”
“Then what?”
“We use our information to launch our military campaign, targeting centers of trade and power. Once his government is weakened, you help me get close to Doldimar, and I’ll hand you your kingdom on a silver platter.”
“You’ve done this many times before, haven’t you?” Raimie asked.
“Every time I can’t get to Arivor before he becomes Doldimar.”
“Thank you,” Raimie told him sincerely.
Kheled understood what his friend truly meant by those two little words. Thank you for helping me with something I saw as impossible, for giving me hope that perhaps I can do this. Thank you for all those other times you’ve saved the world from Doldimar whether we, the world’s average citizens, knew about it or not. He cleared away a lump in his throat.
“The other goal is one never explicitly stated, but I believe the time’s finally right to attempt to bring it to fruition,” he moved on without comment. “Creation gives me more leniency than he ever has in the past, leaving me completely to my own devices for long stretches of time.”
“Which means it’s not here now,” Raimie said. “Should I send Bright and Dim away?”
“They don’t need to leave. Much as your plans regarding Doldimar match mine, I believe that your splinters’ endgame aligns with my second goal.”
“What is it?” Raimie asked with aggravation when Kheled didn’t immediately continue.
The healer was focused on the city below, on the tiny people going about their business. Heading home for the night or to taverns for a drink, they hurried about, oblivious to the two men suspended in the air above them, unaware of the machinations of the people in power that would surely change their lives and not necessarily for the better.
“I’m so very tired,” Kheled said in a small voice. “I’ve seen so much suffering, so many lives ended prematurely. I’ve experienced the death of loved ones so many times that it doesn’t elicit anything more than resignation now.”
He met Raimie’s eyes.
“I want the cycle to end, for me and for Arivor,” he firmly stated, tone brooking no argument. “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to die. I’d like to live out the rest of my days peacefully, maybe see you and Ren have kids.”
He ignored Raimie’s snort.
“But this cycle needs to stop, one way or the other. Daevetch and Ele acquiring a link to the physical realm has thrown the entire balance into chaos. Because of this, their eternal war has spilled over to our realm, generating significantly more deaths and misery than when they could only influence it. The balance must be righted, Raimie, and I need your help to do it.”
Epilogue
Safe within the depths of his fortress, Doldimar slid another needle of Daevetch beneath the young female’s skin. She keened to the song of Suffering, and he hummed a dissonant note to match her enrapturing melody. Her song changed briefly to that of Death, and it cut off. Perplexed, he fed Daevetch slivers into the multiple lacerations on her body, steadily growing more and more outraged that she wouldn’t resume her singing for him.
“Her body has expired,” Corruption told him roughly. “She wasn’t strong enough to find your perfect note.”
“Then bring me another!” Doldimar demanded loudly.
“That was the last of those harvested from Lindow, and the next harvest isn’t scheduled for several weeks,” Corruption said mildly. “We had a very high success rate with this batch. You should be pleased.”
“I DON’T CARE!” Doldimar roared, advancing on the splinter with murder written all over him. “You promised me when I gave in this time that I wouldn’t remember! Your distractions are amusing, but they don’t stop the nightmares!”
The disdain on the splinter’s face made him shudder.
“Do you remember the nightmares when you wake?” Corruption asked.
“No, but-”
“Then I’m doing as promised. I hope you’re not planning on reneging on yours.”
Doldimar’s laughter ranged in pitch and volume, high and soft in one moment and low and loud in the next.
“Two beings of Daevetch discussing keeping promises,” he gasped and collapsed to the stone floor with howls of laughter.
“Get up!” Corruption spat. “A small man thing is gaping at you.”
Immediately, Lighteater was out of its sheath and lifting the watching teenager’s head.
“Who are you?” Doldimar barked. “Who’s your Overseer, and why has he allowed you entry to my sanctuary?”
“My Overseer is dead, Your Greatness,” the teenager replied. “I come from the Outskirts with urgent news specifically for the Dark One.”
Doldimar lowered his blade and inspected the boy. He looked exhausted which surprised the Dark Lord until he noted the lack of Corruption under his skin. The teenager stood straight, meeting his eyes evenly, but his trembling hands betrayed his terror.
“Get on with it,” Doldimar commanded.
If such a thing was even possible, the kid pulled up straighter and stiffened.
“A small army landed on the shores of the Outskirts in Enforcer Teron’s domain. The Enforcer led an overwhelming force of Kiraak and Conscripted against them, and-”
“Yes, yes, Teron eliminated another threat to the realm. Much applause and hurrahs. I’ll ensure his accomplishment is noted and he’s rewarded. Anything else?”
The teenager looked uncomfortable and properly terrified now, and a familiar sensation built in Doldimar’s chest.
“Actually, Your Greatness, during the battle, Teron was drawn away by a single combatant and was killed. Without him to enforce the command to attack, the Kiraak lost interest in the fight. Many wandered away unharmed, but a large number were eliminated by the invaders.”
“Are you sure Teron is dead?” Doldimar asked skeptically. “There are other ways the Kiraak could have slipped their leash.”
“He’s definitely dead, Your Greatness. I watched the Eselan defeat him.”
Doldimar stalked away, his thoughts whirling.
“Tell me about this Eselan,” he commanded, voice deadly quiet.
“H-he seemed quite average at first, Your Greatness, but when they fought, the Eselan made white light appear from nowhere much like you with your darkness…” he swallowed hard at the Dark Lord’s glare. “The human Teron had in a Vice- Oh, there was another-”
“I don’t care about the human. Continue.”
“T-the human escaped the Vice, Your Greatness. Teron attempted to kill the boy before he recovered, but the Enforcer ended up cleaving the Eselan in two instead.”
“And Teron ignored the body to kill the human. The Eselan rose from his mortal wounds after a wash of white li
ght and killed Teron instead,” Doldimar stated quietly.
“That’s exactly what happened, Your Greatness! How did-?”
“Get out before I add you to the roster of Lindow’s harvest,” Doldimar snapped.
Was it finally time? Was his great distraction at hand? Had he returned at last?
Behind him, the teenager fumbled to retrieve an envelope from his breast pocket and offered it with a deep bow.
“F-forgive m-me, Y-your Greatness, I w-was told to g-give you this,” the kid stammered with terror.
With a growl, Doldimar snatched the letter from his trembling hands and ripped it open. It read:
A.
I’ve finally found a way out.
E.
And in a hastily scribbled postscript:
Don’t hurt the kid. He was smart enough to stick to Teron, follow me after the bastard’s death, and attempt to attack me when my guard was down. I almost had to try in order to escape from him. Kid’s got potential, A.
For a brief moment as he read, Arivor resurfaced, and hope and joy burned fiercely in his heart. Corruption could never know what he’d read.
As soon as he was finished, Arivor stormed to the fire burning in the corner and shoved the letter into the hot center, holding it there until the marks on the page were illegible. The teenager gagged at the scent of cooking flesh, and Doldimar took preeminence.
Rounding on the child with his singed hand raised, he smiled that crazy, trademarked grin.
“How would you like to become an Enforcer?”
Author’s Note:
Thank you for reading the first book from The Eternal War series. If you enjoyed the book, please consider leaving a review or visiting my website to leave a comment. I thoroughly enjoy hearing from my readers! If you’d like to read more of my short stories or check on the progress of the next book, feel free to check out www.brennancadams.com.
For anyone who’s curious concerning the chronological reading order for the Kheled’s origins sections found at the beginning of each Raimie chapter, it is:
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Nine
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Five
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Three
Interludes I and II
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Six
Interlude III
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Seven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter One
Glossary of Locations, Races, and Military Types
People:
Esela (ES-el-LA): second race brought over to a human occupied world from their homeland by Alouin; magic wielders
Military Names:
Zrelnach (ZREL-nawk): the military arm of the Esela
Kiraak (KEER-rack): nigh invincible bulk of Doldimar’s army
Locations:
Ada’ir (AH-da-EAR): country of Raimie’s birth; the story begins here
Auden (AW-den): land currently oppressed by Doldimar; located across the sea
Fissid (FIS-sid): small town near the farm where Raimie lives
Allanovian (al-lah-NO-vee-in): Esela sanctuary
Paft (paaft): struggling town between the mountains and the Withriingalm
The Withriingalm (WITH-reen-galm): swamp believed by the locals to be haunted by spirits
Sev (sev): independent port city-state within Ada’ir’s borders
Daira (DIE-ruh): capital city of Ada’ir
Tiro (TIE-row): city headquarters of Auden’s resistance
Da’kul (dah-COOL): enemy fort near Tiro
Uduli (U-duh-lee): capital of Auden
Pronunciation Guide
Main:
Raimie (RAY-me)
Kheled (KEL-led)
Erianger (air-ee-ANN-jur)
Doldimar (DOLE-dim-mar)
Side:
Eledis (EE-lah-dis)
Aramar (ARE-rah-mar)
Alouin (al-o-WEEN)
Dath (daath)
Ferin (FAIR-in)
Teron (TAIR-ron)
Zetaneb (ZEH-ta-nehb)
Hilder (HILL-dur)
Kaedesa (kay-DES-suh)
Marcuset (MAR-cue-say)
Oswin (OZ-win)
Hadrion (HAY-dree-in)
Kylorian (kai-LORE-ee-in)
Riadur (REE-uh-der)
Lirilith (LEER-uh-lith)
Rafe (rayf)
Reive (reeve)
Lyli (LIE-lee)
Gistrick (GIS-strik)
Yrit (E-rit)
Shafoth (SHAY-foth)
Hemly (HIM-lee)
Issim (IS-sim)
Ashella (ah-SHEL-la)
Hux (huhx … obviously)
Chela (CHEL-ah)
Nessaira (nes-EYE-rah)
The Undying Champions (The Eternal War Book 1) Page 72