The Gods' Games Volume 1 & 2: Graphic Edition (The Gods' Games Series)

by Quil Carter

  Ben’s mind exploded with rage, Malagant’s joke so lost on him it would take three thousand years to find. “What the shek is going on!” he screamed.

  Malagant winced, before holding his hands out in a calm down gesture. “Let me get you some clothes first.” Malagant held up the jewel and a moment later warmth flooded Ben and the feeling of thick fabric touched his skin. Ben held his arms out and looked down and saw he was now dressed in a soft leather jerkin and wool pants and a black fur cloak that was clasped at the front. He was also in leather boots, and from the feel of it, thick socks.

  Ben immediately felt better as his body started to warm; but clothes were only a small part of what he needed right now, he still desperately needed answers.

  Malagant sensed this. “We’re in Nyte’s realm right now, Ben. Nyte is a kessiik, and he’s your brother’s high priest. He’s the one behind brainwashing my fellow knights. When Teal started acting strange I suspected something was happening to him, and when I looked into his eyes and saw no reflection – it only confirmed my suspicions. Tseer was working for Erick and through him Nyte did something called parasiting. He planted himself inside of Teal’s brain in order to extract information out of him, like our location, Teal having the Jewel of Elron, even you being human.”

  Ben stared at Malagant in horror but before he could speak Malagant continued. “When Nyte infiltrates your mind… he needs to break through your barriers in order for him to parasite you. My father, for example, has an impenetrable fortress, but someone like Teal, who has a fragile mind, it is easy for Nyte to gain control. I knew as soon as he fell asleep tonight Nyte was going to try parasiting us and I couldn’t let him break through our barriers and win.” Then Malagant held up the Jewel of Elron. “Which is why I stole this from Teal, and just as I hoped… I can make it work.”

  “H-how?” Ben stammered.

  For some reason Malagant found this question amusing. “This is Nyte’s realm, a dream world. Once you’re aware that you’re dreaming – you can manifest anything you want! Nyte’s victims are rarely self-aware of what’s going on so they just end up falling under his control. I fell asleep with the jewel in my hand to remind myself I have it and here it is. Beautiful little artifact” He held it up and it flickered in the winter sun.

  “Where is Teal?” Malagant asked it.

  Teal? Of course he would be here too. Ben watched as the jewel coated Malagant’s hand in its green glow, before a string of light shot off of it.

  Ben turned around. The light streaked towards his apartment and, to his surprise, it led down to the utility rooms of the building.

  “Let’s go,” Ben said. He turned and ran back towards the street, leaving the trapped kessiik and the elf-mage behind. It was a lot easier to run now; his leather boots broke easily through the powdery snow, and his cloak and jerkin warmed him enough that he was no longer shivering.

  “Who was that mage?” Ben called to Malagant who was running right beside him. “I’m guessing Nyte sent him to parasite me? You wouldn’t believe what that asshole was trying to do to me.”

  “I can guess judging from the state I found you in,” Malagant said back. “That’s Nikken, his apprentice. He must’ve assumed you would be easier than me.”

  Ben wanted to tell Malagant how mistaken he was, but the shudder going through his chest at the recollection of Tav’s gentle touch made him close his mouth and continue following the brilliant ribbon of light that would lead them to Teal.

  They crossed the parking lot and hugged the apartment building until they got to an unassuming metal door with a rusted knob. The light led right through it, it lit up the door in a radiance that made it look enchanted.

  Ben turned the knob and walked in, but when he saw what was ahead of him he froze in his tracks. It was such a strange and unsettling sight Ben found himself gawking, a hand still on the door knob and the other on the frame.

  Straight down the narrow hallway was Teal, illuminated by a single bulb on a thin wire. Like when Ben had seen him in his first dream Teal’s head was shaved and the white worms were once again infesting his scalp. They wiggled back and forth in a frenzy, writhing and twisting into one another, several so intertwined their pulsing bodies had burst, leaking dull yellow goo into Teal’s shaved head. They casted a long and unsettling shadow behind him, of a figure ten feet high with a head that was nothing but a twisting wiggling mass.

  A deceptive shadow though, Teal was no ten-foot-tall monster. The young hibrid was dressed in nothing but a pair of skivs and a grey undershirt; a sad reminder of the thin sickly state his body was in even out of Nyte’s realm. He was leaning against the concrete with a terrified expression on his face, his lips moving like he was mumbling something and his hands clasped with twitching fingers. Teal was obviously in a bad state; not just physically but mentally as well.

  Ben regained his composure and pushed the shock over Teal’s appearance into the back of his mind. He took a step to go to his friend when he saw a shift of movement in the deep shadows beside Teal’s body.

  “What kept you?” a dry voice hissed. Ben could see the outline of someone who had been standing unseen beside Teal. “Help him before I take control – you don’t want to see what happens when I’m forced to take control.”

  Ben glanced to his side and exchanged bewildered glances with Malagant.

  “Who are you?” Ben asked cautiously.

  The shadow stepped into the light.

  It was…

  It was Teal?

  No, it wasn’t…

  It looked like Teal but he looked almost… demonic. The creature had small horns sticking out just inches above his hairline, and his hair was black instead of blond though still with red streaks. On top of that, the claws on his hands were black and resembled talons more than hibrid claws, and his eyes were like bright red coals, they even seemed to flicker like they cradled flames.

  “It’s a demenos…” Malagant gasped. “What are you doing in Nyte’s realm? Why are you protecting Teal?”

  Ben blinked, his eyes fixed on the creature who looked, except for the obvious differences, exactly like Teal. “What?”

  The creature waved a hand and walked up to the two, Ben cringed and Malagant drew the Jewel of Elron like he was drawing a weapon, but he didn’t seem to be threatening them.

  “There isn’t time for that, you idiots,” he said coldly. “Cure him with Anea’s jewel and get out of here before this place does permanent damage on him.”

  Malagant walked past what he called a demenos and knelt beside Teal. “Why are you helping Teal? Dad says demenos never help mortals unless they’ve made a pact or are getting something in return.”

  Ben stared at Malagant as he brought the jewel up to Teal’s chest and gently laid it on his blotchy skin. He wasn’t afraid of this intimidating creature at all.

  “That is none of your concern, son of Anagin,” the creature said, before he walked past Ben. “Unless you want to upset your friend, do not tell him I was here. Hail Avahlis.”

  “Hail Avahlis,” Malagant said with a narrowing of his eyes. Then, when the demenos had disappeared, Malagant glared at the last spot he’d seen it. “I’ll need to tell Dad about this – he always warned me that trouble follows a demenos.”

  “A – a what?” Ben said, just a flicker of green burst from the jewel resting on Teal’s chest. “What’s – what’s going on… now?”

  But Malagant only shook his head, before a smirk banished the narrowed look. He glanced down at Teal’s chest and so did Ben, and together they saw the green glow start to snake down Teal’s body, illuminating every vein on his skin like little lightning strikes.

  “I think I’ve had enough of this dream, Benny,” Malagant said; he rubbed Teal’s shoulder caringly. “Let’s go home.”

  Then Malagant’s body started to become washed with white, the entire utility room was starting to become brighter and brighter. Ben looked around the area and watched as the world seemed to dissolve ar
ound him, and soon consumed his vision.

  17

  “Wake up! Wake up!” Malagant’s excited voice sounded, Ben felt him shake his shoulder hard. “Come on! Up!”

  Ben groaned and squinted his eyes, but in that moment he wished he could squint his ears shut. Even though he knew he had been asleep he still felt dead tired, the last thing he wanted was to have to open his eyes and come back to reality.

  “That’s it… now open your eyes,” Malagant urged, then to Ben’s discontentment he patted his cheek. “You need to show me you’re back in this world.”

  Back in this world…? Ben scowled at this. What was that damn knight going on–

  Then Ben’s eyes opened and widened as the reality of what he had just woken up from suddenly became obvious to him. It was like someone had ripped a black vale away from a bright sun. It glared at him with such intensity Ben shot to his feet and looked around wildly.

  “It’s okay,” Malagant said calmly, but Ben’s head was snapping back and forth, taking in every inch of the bleak forest not believing that this could possibly be real. No, this had to be just another illusion, another layer of Nyte’s realm. At any moment something was going to happen, something off that would confirm to Ben that this was a trick.

  Teal would have his head shaved – worms wiggling out of his scalp.

  Tav would come and kiss him, then try and force himself on him.

  Something – something would happen.

  “Benny, it’s okay – it’s me. Malagant. I promise,” Malagant said, his voice was low and soothing; the sweet tones of an elf trying to calm down a feral animal. But no, it was deceptive; everything was deceptive!

  Spasm after spasm of panic ripped through Ben’s body, slaying the reassuring tones of Malagant and overtaking the voice inside of him that was telling him that Malagant was real.

  Ben kept looking around the dark forest, waiting for the kessiik to make his illusions known.

  “This is just another dream – where’s Teal!” Ben yelled. “How do I know this is real? How can I tell?”

  Malagant put two hands on Ben’s shoulder and slowly turned him around, and as Ben turned he saw Teal enter his vision; his friend had been behind him the entire time.

  Teal stared at Ben, his chin tight and his green eyes wide with shock. He was holding the leatherskin of silverwine with both hands, a fire crackling behind them that held something frying in the cast iron pan.

  His hair was back to being golden blond with dark red streaks, and though he was still pale and thin he looked a world healthier than he had in both of Ben’s nightmares. It was Teal, and with that realization Ben knew he was back in his proper world.

  Ben took a step towards Teal and threw his arms around him; he squeezed the surprised hibrid to his chest. “I was sheking worried about you – are you okay?”

  When Ben pulled away Teal’s worried expression had only intensified. He nodded at Ben and dropped his gaze. “The last thing I remember is getting upset and walking off towards the road, the last thing I remembered in this world anyway. Boy, does that kessiik know how to mentally destroy someone… I saw too many things I had thought I’d forgotten.”

  “I know what you mean. I–” Ben paused. His stomach churned when he remembered Tav’s touch. How Tav’s fingers traced his neck before pulling him in for a kiss. The softness of his lips, his tongue–

  No, fuck, Ben – that wasn’t even Tav it was that shekin’ elf-mage.

  Ben shuddered and took the leatherskin of silverwine. “I need a drink…” he said in a low tone. “I think we all need a drink.”

  “I agree with that,” Malagant said behind them. “We were just about to eat. Come on – before we all have collective mental breakdowns then end up spending the rest of our lives in caves.”

  All three of them sat down and Malagant skidded the cast iron frying pan off of the coals. Frying inside was dried salmon and small potatoes with what looked like watercress and some weird root Ben didn’t recognize.

  “I remember what you told me about Nyte…” Ben began slowly, rubbing his head. “Is he going to come after Teal again?”

  To Ben’s relief Malagant shook his head. “He’s going to be trapped in his realm until another kessiik realizes he’s missing. He’s not going to be able to escape from that metal thing I trapped him in.” Then, showing that he was the lighthearted, happy-go-lucky elf he was, he smiled. “You were right, Teal. Earth is fucking petrifying.”

  Teal looked up from the leatherskin he was staring at, the look he gave Malagant was that of stricken horror and Ben didn’t know whether he was going to start yelling at Malagant or have an anxiety attack.

  “He made a lot of promises to me,” Teal said thin tone.

  Malagant shook his head as he swallowed a piece of salmon. “Whatever he promised you, Teal, it wouldn’t have been real. Nyte can create whatever he wants in his realm but as you were living out this false life he’d have control over your body. Once you accept his promise and you let him into your mind, that’s it. At first your friends see you as just being in a foul mood, but if you’re not pulled out within forty-eight hours you’re Nyte’s. Your body and mind will obey his every command. Only an incredibly strong mage can break you and even then you’d most likely have a damaged mind.”

  Teal was quiet for a moment, then he said something that shocked both Ben and Malagant. “What he showed me…” Teal slumped further. “I – I’m not strong, Malagant. I’m no hero, I’m no prophecy walker… I accepted his offer. I was confused, I thought it would be reality – he made it seem like it was actual reality. I didn’t even know what was going on!” Teal looked like he was on the verge of a mental breakdown. He buried his face into his hands. “In the end it didn’t matter… some asshole demenos fought off Nyte and Nikken after they parasited me and prevented them from accessing any more of my brain.”

  Ben and Malagant exchanged glances, though there were no mouthed words to remind the other to keep quiet. The demenos had told them it would upset Teal to know he was protecting him and Teal was already walking the razor’s edge of sanity.

  “Don’t feel bad about accepting,” Malagant said. He patted Teal’s knee. “Powerful elves that would put us all to shame, ones that are hundreds of years old, have accepted Nyte’s delusions. He knows your innermost desires; he knows everything about your mind.”

  “What did he promise you, Teal?” Ben asked, then immediately he backtracked, realizing the question was probably much too personal. “You – you don’t need to answer that. Sorry.”

  “He promised me he would resurrect my family,” Teal whispered, his voice tight; then he sighed. “And told me you’d never go home – you’d stay with us.” Teal made eye contact with Ben for a second before his eyes flickered away.

  “You – you want me to stay here?” Ben asked confused.

  Teal shifted uncomfortably and wiped a hand down his face. “Of course I do. We – we’re friends. When you go home, I’ll be alone again.”

  Ben looked at his friend, staring sadly down at the leatherskin, his shoulders slumped and his head bowed. A swell of pity welled inside of Ben’s chest as he realized just how cruel he had been to Teal without even realizing it.

  And like his mind was punishing him for the blindness to Teal’s feelings, it decided to draw up and shove into Ben’s face every incident when he had chatted happily about going back to earth to be with Tav and the sadness he’d been ignoring seeing in Teal afterwards.

  What could be done about it though? He wanted to go home after all of this – didn’t he? He had wanted to before Nyte had snatched his subconscious and had plunged him back into his world, back to where Tav was.

  But besides that boy Ben had been horrified that he’d been brought back to his old world. He remembered the feelings when he’d looked around and had seen his old bedroom, and the cluttered living room. He’d wanted to be back in Alcove with Malagant and Teal.

  It wasn’t his world he’d missed –
it had been Tav.

  Then Ben remembered something Teal had told him, not long after they’d met, about the demigod granting a wish after the prophecy had been successfully completed.

  What if his wish was for Kelakheva to bring Tav here?

  In truth, Ben knew he’d have to think about it, the sad green eyes looking forlorn at the wineskin pushed Ben to say what he knew would make Teal happy.

  “I’ll stay with you,” Ben said with a small smile, “all you had to do was ask.”

  Teal looked up from the wineskin. He stared at Ben for a brief moment before he put his hand over his mouth. The reason was apparent when a sob broke Teal’s lips and his face crumpled. Teal sprung to his feet and turned to, Ben assumed, run back into the forest. But with a laugh, Ben jumped up and grabbed Teal’s tunic collar and pulled him back.

  “I can’t cry in front of you idiots,” Teal sniffed when Ben hugged him again. “You’ll think I’m some damn maiden.”

  Then Malagant snorted. “With what I saw between Ben’s legs back in Nyte’s realm I reckon we already have ourselves a maiden.”

  Ben pulled away from Teal and shot Malagant a poisonous glare, though all he got in return was a shek-eating grin from Malagant.

  “It was cold,” Ben said coolly, “and I was bare-ass naked. Want to see it now, knight? Is that what it boils down to? Have you been pining for a peek?”

  “Yes.” Malagant smirked and crossed his arms. “Just to cheer Teal up, he could use a laugh.”

  And, sure enough, Ben heard Teal stifle a giggle. Ben turned around and gave him a playful shove. “Get some more silverwine in us and perhaps we can settle this once and for all, but for now–” Ben took the leatherskin from Teal. “I think we all need to relax.”

  “Is Nyte going to tell Erick what he saw in my mind?” Teal asked. They were on the road again, all three of them eager to get away from their camp and closer towards Alé. Even though Nyte’s presence had been entirely mental the more distance Ben put between him and that camp the better he felt.