After finishing their preparations, they rejoined Lee and Linis. Millet and Jacob sat nearby, both with sour expressions. Weila and Lyrial were talking with a small group of elves a short distance away.
“I take it Millet will not be coming,” said Gewey.
“It’s too dangerous,” replied Lee. “And as Jacob has taken on the role of Millet’s protector, he will be staying behind too.”
“We, on the other hand, will be coming,” called Lyrial as she and Weila approached. “I would not miss an opportunity to see the home of Darshan.”
Gewey gave her a lopsided smile. “I’m afraid you’ll only see the home of a farm boy named Gewey Stedding.”
Lyrial grinned. “That will be enough.”
The air was bitter cold as they started out, with the wind reaching its icy fingers beneath their cloaks. But Gewey didn’t mind. The familiar landscape was putting a smile on his face and a spring in his step.
The sun was waning as his farm came into view. Gewey reached out with his senses. No one was inside or anywhere nearby. Still, they approached cautiously.
The barn door was flung wide open and Gewey could see that all of his farming equipment was still there. Snow covered the house porch, its surface blemished only by the footprints left by Lee the night before.
“A simple life,” remarked Weila approvingly.
Kaylia took hold of Gewey’s hand. She could feel his excitement, but it was mixed with anxiety.
Slowly he pushed open the front door and peeked inside. Only his heightened vision allowed him to see through the darkness. He scanned the main room where the dining table was still in its usual place. On the far side, facing the hearth, was his mother’s rocking chair: the very same chair he had seen Kaylia sitting in while holding their infant child during his vision of the future. His father’s chair was just beside it, though this was turned toward the door.
While taking a tentative step inside, Gewey felt an odd sensation wash over him. Though nothing was out of place, he could tell that other people had been staying here, and the thought of this was oddly disturbing.
He walked to the hearth and tossed in a cord of wood that had been left behind. Within seconds it was burning brightly, casting shadows that danced across the wall. Lee set about lighting the lanterns, while the others simply stood quietly near to the door.
“I told you there wasn’t much to see,” said Gewey. As the words came out, he felt suddenly embarrassed for Kaylia to see how poorly he had lived.
“I love it,” she whispered into his ear, sensing his feelings. “It’s just as I imagined. A good place to raise a family.”
Gewey could hear the sincerity in her words. He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.
After searching the cupboards and finding a wedge of cheese and a bottle of sweet wine, Gewey invited the others to sit at the table. He then went to the rear of the house and examined his bedroom, grunting with disapproval when he saw that the bed had been left unmade by its previous occupant. He opened the chest at the foot of the bed and began rummaging through his old clothing. Exactly why he was doing this was unclear, other than perhaps by touching his old things, this would somehow help him to reclaim his home.
When Gewey returned to the others, Lyrial asked him to tell of his life at the farm. He happily obliged, soaking in the surroundings of a home he’d often wondered if he would ever see again.
“I pity you,” said Lyrial after a time. “To leave such peace and contentment behind for war…” She shook her head.
Gewey shrugged. “Let us hope that the war will be over soon.”
All nodded in agreement. Just then, the sound of hoof beats had everyone on their feet and reaching for their weapons.
Lee rushed to the door. A single horse was approaching from the west at full speed, its rider a young man no older than twenty. He was clad, not in the armor of a soldier, but in rough clothing suited to a farmer. Lee motioned for the others to stay inside.
The rider came to a halt just in front of the house and leapt from the saddle.
“State your business,” commanded Lee.
“My Lord,” said the man with a quick bow, “I was ordered to deliver this message to someone named Gewey Stedding. Is he here?”
“Who sent you?” demanded Lee, his face grim.
The man’s eyes were filled with fear. “I don’t know who he is. But he travels with the Reborn King’s soldiers south of Gath.” He held out a piece of parchment. “Please, sir. If he’s here, I must deliver this to him. I wouldn’t want to cross the fellow who gave it to me. He’s not…not natural, if you catch my meanin’.”
Lee scrutinized the man for a long moment before taking the parchment. “You can tell him it was delivered.”
“Beggin’ your pardon,” he replied nervously. “But I ain’t going back there.”
Without another word, he jumped back into the saddle and spurred his horse east.
Lee watched until the rider had disappeared before going back inside.
“So they know that I’m here,” said Gewey, taking the parchment from Lee.
There was silence as he read it. When he was done, he laid it out on the table and sneered.
Darshan.
By order of my master, your home and village has been left untouched. He hopes this will serve to remind you that this war need not endure. He bids you join him in Angrääl to discuss the future of the peoples of the world. The suffering can come to an end if only you see the wisdom of his words.
This shall be your final opportunity to do so. If you choose to continue your march west you shall not see your home again. All will burn and none shall live.
I, for one, hope you ignore the generous offer of the Reborn King so that we can meet again. It seems like it has been so very long since we first met in the desert. Word has reached me that you were able to save the elf I poisoned. A wretched waste of power.
I hope this letter reaches you well, and that the scared little rabbit I charged with its delivery hasn’t fled before he sees that you have it.
Until we meet again,
-V-
“I would very much like to meet this creature again,” seethed Gewey. The vision of Aaliyah’s life draining from her body because of the Vrykol’s poison was still fresh in his mind.
“It seeks to enrage you and make you act foolishly,” said Lyrial.
“If any Vrykol comes near,” said Gewey ominously. “I will rip their spirits to shreds. This one is no different than the others, regardless of its appearance.”
“We should be on our guard, nonetheless,” said Linis. “Until we know its motives, we must assume Angrääl means to prevent our march west.”
“Do you think he plans to attack?” asked Weila.
Gewey tightened his jaw. “Whatever his plan is, it will be focused on me. My fall is the key to Angrääl’s victory.”
“Well, there’s nothing we can do about it for now,” Lee stated flatly. “We should move on to Sharpstone.”
Gewey nodded in agreement. “Yes. Let’s find out how untouched it is.”
They filed out and headed for the road leading into the village. Gewey took a lingering final look at his farm and then focused his mind.
The village was pitch black; not a single lantern shone in any window. Aside from the wind, there was no sound at all. Gewey stopped in the middle of the main avenue and filled himself with the flow. Nothing. There was absolutely no one dwelling in Sharpstone. He slid his sword from its scabbard. The others did the same.
They continued to the market and saw Mayor Freidly still hanging from a post, his body bloated and decaying.
“You left him hanging?” shouted Gewey, his eyes burning with fury.
“I thought it best not to leave any signs that I had been here,” explained Lee, unmoved by Gewey’s anger.
Gewey used the flow of the air to lift the body from the post and lay it gently on the ground. A white-hot flame then sprang to life, turning night into day
and forcing the party back. In less than a minute, Mayor Freidly’s body was reduced to ashes.
“He deserved better than to be left to rot,” growled Gewey. “You should have taken him down.”
Kaylia touched his shoulder. “That is enough. Lee did what he thought was best.”
Gewey snorted and strode off with long methodical steps, sword still in hand. When he reached the main avenue once again, he stopped and closed his eyes. For five minutes he remained motionless, searching for signs of life.
Finally, he gave a heavy sigh. “They are three miles north of town - all of them.” He took Kaylia’s hand and looked at Linis, ignoring Lee. “Find out what happened and tell them to return to their homes. I’m going back. They shouldn’t see me.”
“Whatever drove them there may return,” said Linis. “Perhaps they should remain hidden.”
Gewey sniffed. “They’re not hidden. They only think they are. The Vrykol could find them easily. If they are to be killed, better they should die in their own homes rather than alone and afraid in the cold forest.”
Gewey turned and set off east from town, Kaylia at his side. His obviously ill mood kept Weila and Lyrial from following.
“You should not have vented your wrath on Lee,” scolded Kaylia as they turned from the road into the forest. “He did not....”
“He left Mayor Freidly hanging like a common criminal,” barked Gewey, cutting her off. “I knew that man all my life. When my father died, it was Mayor Freidly who stood beside me as he was buried. Not Lee.” Gewey’s fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked. “When the town wanted to take my farm, once again it was Mayor Freidly who came to my aid. Where was the great Lee Starfinder then?”
In a flash, Kaylia’s hand struck hard Gewey’s cheek. “Lee is your friend.” Her voice was steel. “And he gave up his wife and child for you. He has risked his life, and the life of his own son…for you.”
Gewey rubbed his face where the blow had struck. A single tear fell as the truth of her words struck home. “I…I should never have gone home.”
In an instant, Kaylia’s features softened and she took his hands. “I can feel the war waging within you. You struggle to keep the rage from taking control of your spirit.”
“And I’m sorry you have to feel it.”
“I am grateful,” she said, smiling. “I love you, and I would not have you go through such hardship alone. But you have to remember that the others are unaware. They see only your strength. And your anger frightens them.”
Gewey thought about what he had said to Lee. He had nearly hit him, and probably would have done so if he had stayed around longer. “I will apologize when he returns,” he said.
At that moment, the hairs on the back on his neck stood up. He felt a foul yet familiar presence. Kaylia felt it an instant later.
“Vrykol,” she hissed.
Gewey sneered. His blade sang as it slid free. “They must be mindless fools to attack me after what I did to them at their fortress.”
He reached out and found twelve Vrykol a quarter mile away, approaching slowly from the northeast. A pang of fear from Kaylia came through their bond. He gave her a reassuring smile and moved forward.
The world burst into life as he drew from the flow of the spirit. Bells and laughter filled his ears. The air twinkled with so many lights, they outnumbered the stars.
Why are they attacking? Gewey wondered. Surely they know that it’s hopeless.
It was enough to give him pause. He shook his head and pressed on. What did it matter why they were attacking? In a few minutes, he would rip their spirits to shreds and the souls of the first born would suffer no more. He thought back to the Vrykol he had killed in the Black Oasis. They had endured beyond the death of their corrupted bodies. But that was only due to the nature of the Oasis. In the rest of the world they remained tainted. Gewey dearly wished that he knew how to cleanse them.
Perhaps soon I’ll find a way, he thought.
The instant the first Vrykol came into view, Gewey reached out to destroy the creature. As he did so, the others rushed in with blinding speed, three loosing arrows as they ran. But it was not fast enough to stop the inevitable. Even before Gewey reacted, Kaylia had blasted the arrows with the flow of air, sending them falling harmlessly to the ground. He laughed inwardly, sending loving appreciation through their bond.
The flow of spirit touched each Vrykol simultaneously, causing them to flail wildly. Gewey slowed his attack in order to make them feel every second of their doom. He felt a rush of pleasure as he watched them become more and more disoriented.
He turned to Kaylia. She was staring at the Vrykol with a sinister grin, sharing Gewey’s bliss. It was one thing to be cruel to a human or elf, but in her mind there was nothing more foul and evil than a Vrykol. Only the Reborn King himself deserved a more horrible death.
One by one the Vrykol fell to their knees, unable to move. It was then that Gewey finished the job and ripped their spirits apart. A metallic scream tore through the air. Then there was silence.
He was about to turn again to Kaylia when a pain shot through his arm.
* * * * *
Kaylia saw the flash of the dart in the corner of her eye and watched in horror as it struck Gewey’s right shoulder. Instantly, his body crumbled lifelessly to the ground. A searing pain shot through her entire being as their bond flashed out of existence. With a primal scream of unfathomable suffering, she fell to her knees.
With tears streaming down her cheeks, she pulled Gewey’s limp body close to her.
“No! No! No!” she cried to the heavens.
“Yes,” came a reply from just a few yards behind her.
In a single motion Kaylia leapt up, her long knife in her hand. Her body shuddered as the pain of the broken bond increased. She knew that her training with Nehrutu and Aaliyah would keep her from following Gewey into death, but nothing could prevent the agony she now felt. Her eyes fell on a cloaked figure with a long curved blade in its hand.
“I thought your kind perished when a bond is broken by death,” the figure said. It pushed back its hood to reveal elf features. “Little matter. You will die in a moment – though I’m afraid you won’t be joining your love in spirit. I’ve sent him to a place where you cannot follow.” He laughed cruelly.
His taunts created blind anger in Kaylia. Madness seized her as she charged at the Vrykol with a ferocity that took it completely by surprise. The tip of her blade cut deep into the creature’s neck. Only its unnatural reflexes kept its head attached to its shoulders.
Ignoring her pain, Kaylia pressed the attack. Her fury was beyond reckoning. Oblivious to danger, her fist crashed into the Vrykol’s jaw, sending it stumbling back. It tried to counter, but could only block the furious onslaught of blows. Soon, several of these found its flesh. Thick, black blood began to ooze, causing the creature’s shredded cloak to stick to its thin frame.
Aware that it could not sustain its defense for much longer, the Vrykol lunged desperately, attempting to skewer Kaylia through the heart. Twisting left, Kaylia easily avoided the attack and brought her blade down hard, severing the beast’s sword arm at the elbow. The Vrykol stared down in shock at its lost limb on the ground. It was still gripping the sword and twitching violently.
Kaylia paused just long enough to spit in the creature’s face before, in a flash of steel, she took its head from its shoulders. The body remained standing grotesquely erect for a moment, then toppled over.
Without a pause, she rushed back to Gewey. His eyes were staring vacantly into nothingness. With all the power she could muster, Kaylia desperately attempted to transfer the flow from her own body into his. But there was no life to receive it.
Gewey was dead.
* * * * *
Nehrutu and Aaliyah stood hand in hand on the beach as the elves gathered to march. The previous night had been everything they could have dreamed of.
Several of the elders had suggested that they split thei
r army in two and try to flank the enemy on both sides. Their experience in the Great War told them that the humans would not be able to react in time. If their own army moved fast enough, they should be able to get too close for Angrääl’s soldiers to use their deadly weapon.
One of the human commanders offered to charge his soldiers directly at the front as a distraction. Knowing that most of the humans would perish in such an attack, Nehrutu initially refused to allow it. But the commander insisted, and in spite of Nehrutu not wanting to send men on a hopeless mission, he knew that using such a tactic would give them their best chance of success. He couldn’t help but admire such selfless courage, nor could he help but be saddened that such sacrifice would likely be necessary.
Aaliyah tightened her grip on his hand, feeling the sorrow creeping into his heart. Though he had been taught long ago what to expect from their bond, it still did not prepare him for the reality of such an intimate union. It was simultaneously unnerving and glorious. It had been less than a full day since the bonding, and already he could not imagine being without it.
“We will see that their bravery is remembered,” said Aaliyah. “The songs of every soul that has died will be sung from the Spires of Parylon.”
“I long to see those spires once again,” mused Nehrutu. “I would survive this war, if only to walk the streets of our beloved city with you by my side.”
Aaliyah closed her eyes, smiling. “I am well pleased to be with you here and now.” She leaned her body close. “Though I admit, I would love to walk the hills and forests of my childhood and share with you the contentment I feel when I gaze upon its beauty and majesty.”
Nehrutu wrapped his arm around her, bathing in the unique feelings of shared love that only the spiritually bonded are capable of achieving.
Aaliyah sighed. “We should join the....”
A searing pain shot through her body. Had Nehrutu not had his arm around her, she would have collapsed. He could feel her pain and instinctively saturated her with the flow. “What has happened?” he asked.
She squeezed her eyes shut, unable to speak. Her hands trembled and her breathing was quick and shallow.
The Godling Chronicles : Bundle - Books 4-6 Page 37