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

by Quil Carter

  They both headed downstairs.

  The Finlyn family was standing by the fireplace, all of them talking angrily to each other. They stopped when they saw Ben walk into the room.

  “We’re going to–” the inn keeper’s wife began, but Gaidus cut her off.

  “No, we’re not,” he said firmly.

  Ben didn’t even want to know what they had been arguing about. “Sorah says he knows where the Serpents are camping. We have a map; we’ll need the location to free our friend.”

  “You’re not going to bring him back here are you?” the ladyelf said in alarm. Once again her husband cut her off, this time with an angry slam of his hand on the table.

  “No, we’ll be on our way after,” Ben said. He knew now what they had been arguing about. They wanted them out.

  “Sorah,” Gaidus said, but Sorah was already walking towards them, a quill in hand. Teal snapped his fingers, making the map appear. He rolled it out for the daraphin and pulled one of their oil lamps closer.

  “They’re about half a league from here,” Sorah said. He marked the area off with an X. “They’re the same four that have been bothering us, no others. I think it’s just them, on their usual patrols.”

  “We’ll be able to take them,” Ben said, looking to Teal. Teal nodded and started folding up the map to put back into his pack.

  “Don’t leave any alive… please,” the inn keeper pleaded with them.

  Teal threw his bag over his shoulder and started walking out of the door. “They won’t be bothering you anymore.”

  “Is… is there anything we can do to help? Can I come?” Sorah said almost begging. His mother shot him a horrible glare. It seemed the daraphin lady just wanted Ben and Teal out of there, never to return.

  “No, we’re okay, thank you. We’re swordselves; we can handle our own,” Teal said, his mouth downturned.

  “D-Daran bless you,” Sorah said, looking disappointed and sad. As soon as they were on the deck they heard muffled yelling as he started shouting at his parents.

  “We still have a while, don’t we?” Ben asked. He didn’t know what they would’ve done inside, but it had been warm.

  “I wanted to get out of there, it’s… uncomfortable,” Teal said quietly, un-hitching their horses; he started tying Malagant’s horse to his own.

  That Ben did understand. He didn’t want to stay in any place he wasn’t welcome, and the ladyelf seemed to be doing nothing but shooting them poisoned glares.

  “We’ll need to tether the horses halfway through anyway; they’ll make too much noise. Malagant won’t be able to talk to us, but we’ll be able to talk to him and tell him we’re near,” Teal said, hopping onto his horse and flicking the reins.

  Ben did the same. They started towards the direction Sorah had marked off on their map. A small but noticeable trickle of nervousness was starting to drip into Ben’s stomach, but he tried to ignore it.

  The shortcut to the Serpents’ camp was hilly and full of small, but quick, rivers. Riding the horses soon became difficult so it was a relief when it was finally time to tether them.

  After the horses were secure, they both immediately went into stealth mode.

  Just like when they had been hunting black squirrels, Ben took Teal’s lead as they silently moved through the forest. Leading the horses had taken more time than they had thought and darkness had started to descend on the forest. They would be on time for their friend’s rescue.

  Ben just wanted it over with. He knew they could take four knights, especially with the element of surprise. He already had it planned out in his head what he was going to do.

  Teal, a few paces ahead of him, stopped suddenly. Ben did as well and craned his head to listen. His hand found his pendant.

  “I hear a fire. Quiet now. We’ll spot them, count them, and plan our attack,” Teal said, whispering even though he was only heard inside their heads.

  Ben slinked up beside him and they exchanged nods. They carried on towards the sound of the crackling fire.

  Teal scaled a large moss-covered rock and slowly raised his body to catch a glimpse of the clearing.

  Ben saw a look of confusion on his friend’s face.

  “No one’s there… just Malagant,” Teal whispered.

  “Is it a trap you think?”

  “I don’t – I don’t know. Malagant doesn’t see me though.”

  Ben climbed the rock too and looked on.

  Malagant was there, tied to a stake by the fire. He was bound and gagged and not looking too happy. Sure enough, the entire camp was deserted. Their canvas tents were empty and their horses were gone. All that remained were some supplies in a brown tent and several dishes left out.

  “Malagant, look to your right. We’re here. Is it a trap? Blink if it is,” Teal said, projected his thoughts to Malagant.

  Malagant’s eyes shot forward; he shook his head and motioned them over with his head.

  Teal jumped down but hesitated. Ben knew exactly how he felt. Every instinct they had told them not to go into the clearing. But if Malagant said it was alright, what choice did they have?

  So, pushing down the voices screaming at them not to do it, they jumped down onto the wet ground and ran towards their tied-up friend.

  Ben immediately drew his dagger and cut the gag out of Malagant’s mouth, behind him Teal cut the thick binds.

  Malagant spit the rag out. “We need to leave now,” he said hurriedly as the binds snapped from Teal’s knife. He rubbed his wrists and got up.

  “We have to get back to the inn,” Malagant said. “Cursed Anea, I wasn’t sure if you would meet them on the way or be there when they arrived. They’re going after the daraphin family, and you guys as well.”

  “What, why?” Teal exclaimed. Malagant was already starting to run back towards the inn.

  “Settle grudges? Be assholes?” Malagant said as he ran. “Either way, we have to do something. I need to kill them, and hopefully get there in time.”

  “They… they just left you here?” Ben asked. It was a grim thought but if they were going to leave Malagant behind, why didn’t they just kill him?

  “One of them recognized me,” Malagant said in a low tone. “They were bringing me back to the mages to… correct. That’s why I was arrested and not just cut down. I guess the prophecies don’t extend to my fellow knights or the fucking demigod is failing us again.”

  Ben swore. He didn’t dare say it, but all of this could have been avoided if Malagant just let the inn keeper take care of his own business. Then again, they were supposed to be instruments of the prophecies, saviours of Elron. Maybe this was their job now? To right a few wrongs along the way.

  Soon enough, they mounted their horses and rode quickly. Though as they got closer a peculiar smell reached Ben’s nostrils, it seemed to hit the others at the same time too. Moments later Malagant swore, glancing up over the trees.

  It was almost unseen over the darkness, but the smell gave it away more than the sight.

  A fire.

  When they got near enough to the inn, they jumped off of their horses and burst through to the clearing of the property.

  All three of them stopped in their tracks.

  The inn was engulfed in flames. The flames so huge they seemed to have burned up the stars above them. Thick smoke was billowing, covering the clearing in a sooty fog. Even the light of the fire had trouble cutting through the smoke, the whole clearing looked like demenos had risen from Shol. There was no saving the small inn.

  “I don’t know!” a voice screamed, barely heard over the roar of the fire and the snapping of burning lumber. They all shifted their vision to behind the inn. An outline could be seen that looked to be Sorah; he was surrounded by Serpent knights.

  “I need knives,” Malagant said quickly.

  Both Ben and Teal placed their daggers into his hands. Ben got an idea; he took Taugis’s bow off of his back and handed it to Malagant with a couple arrows.

  Malagant nodd
ed his approval and quickly sheathed the daggers. Then he silently started stalking towards the knights. They were surrounding the poor daraphin as the kid screamed at them, words Ben could no longer hear over the flames.

  Wordlessly, Malagant drew his bow and released it.

  He was a good shot. With a twang and a high-pitched whistle, it stuck itself in the neck of one of the Serpents. The serpent jerked forward before falling down to the ground with a muffled cry.

  “I want the brown-haired one,” Ben called, just as a deafening crash sounded to their left. It was the deck collapsing, making millions of glowing embers shoot up into the air and land like meteors around them.

  Then the heat wave from the collapsing building hit them. Ben had to put a hand over his face to shield it from the intense inferno. It was getting hot, unbearably hot; the burning inn seemed hell-bent on roasting them alive.

  “Blond one,” Teal said over the roaring fire. He drew both of his swords and looked forward; the fire reflecting in his green eyes, making them flicker and glow.

  With Ben’s heart beating in his chest, he drew his own sword. He gripped it hard, the steel pommel so hot from the fire he almost dropped it.

  Ben looked forward, feeling like time had ceased around him. The crumbling inn to his left, the cold river lands to his right, and his friends and the Serpents in front of him. It was surreal, to the point where the heat was the only thing reminding his body that this was actually happening.

  Clenching his sword, Ben found a growl susurrate in his throat. He pivoted his foot and ran behind Teal, with Malagant leading the charge.

  The Serpents watched them run towards them and each drew their weapon – before charging right back.

  Steel rang as Ben’s sword met the brown-haired Serpent’s curved blade. The Serpent’s swing was stronger and, through sheer force, he overpowered Ben. Ben’s sword hit the ground, embedding the tip in the mud.

  His arm was still weak from the jare attack, but his agility made up for it. As quickly as it was brought down, Ben had pulled his sword free from the mud. He hopped to the left as the Serpent swung his sword at him again.

  “Fast ain’t you, elf-cat?” the knight snarled as he took another powerful swing. Ben jumped back again. He could feel the push of wind as the weapon narrowly missed his stomach.

  Ben’s sword was almost a hindrance. He knew how to use it, he’d had enough lessons, but he found himself wishing for his daggers. It was hard to dodge the knight’s strikes with his own sword in his hand.

  As the Serpent laid another blow, Ben found himself almost in the forest again. The brown-haired knight, his face an ugly sneer over a long beard, gave him a rotten smile as he stabbed the sword forward, taunting Ben as he did.

  Ben dodged it again, but when his foot landed he took his shot. He thrusted the sword forward. Though the Serpent was fast, Ben was faster; he caught him in the shoulder.

  The Serpent wrenched his shoulder back, freeing him from the skewer, and let out an angry yell. He charged Ben and took a violent swing at his head.

  Ben ducked, the sword so close to his head he was sure it had taken a bit of hair with it. He heard a thud and quickly looked to his side to see the sword partially embedded in a tree.

  Ben grabbed onto his sword tight and quickly slid underneath the Serpents legs until he was behind him. Before the knight could react, Ben raised his sword and dove it into the Serpent’s back.

  The steel didn’t go far into his back. Ben panicked, not knowing it this was normal or not. As his mind quickly tried to remember anatomy, spines, ribs, and where bones were supposed to be, he automatically tried to thrust it in further.

  As he did, he could hear the knight choke, and see the droplets of blood falling onto the dark ground. The Serpent fell forward with a groan, and began to seize as he died.

  Though, just to make sure, Ben wrenched the sword in farther until he could hear the tip grind against bone.

  Ben yanked the sword free. The feeling reminding him of when he drew the dagger from the deer’s neck, the same grating squishing sound.

  Then, remembering past incidences, Ben raised his foot and stomped on the Serpent’s head several times, if only to make sure he was dead; and when the knight didn’t move, Ben turned around.

  Teal was only a few paces away of course, blood covering his face. Behind Teal, Ben caught the exact moment that Malagant cut his own knight across the throat, opening up his neck like a butchered goat.

  The Serpent knight fell forward as a fountain of blood gushed from his gaping wound, the hole in his throat shining black under the cover of both night and the inferno engulfing the inn.

  Malagant grabbed what Ben could see was his previously confiscated sword and sheathed it in the scabbard on his back.

  Teal ran over to Ben and threw his arms around him. “I’m so proud of you, hibrid,” he whispered, then he pulled away and ran towards Malagant.

  Malagant let out a loud breath and handed the bloody daggers back to Teal. Then he started walking towards the back of the still burning inn.

  The adrenaline was still pumping through Ben when the horrible reality hit him. He had forgotten Sorah, yelling at the Serpents as they encircled him.

  A part of him didn’t want to follow Malagant, he was afraid of what he would find, but Ben knew it was their duty. It was their duty as prophecy walkers and pendant carriers, their duty as good elves – their duty because Malagant had started this.

  Sorah had his arms wrapped around himself. He was pacing in front of the burning inferno… in front of a small green heap, scorched by the fire.

  As soon as Sorah spotted Malagant his face twisted in pain.

  “You did this!” he screamed. He ran to Malagant and pushed him violently, before turning and letting out a sob. “You did this, you bastard! Why didn’t you let my father talk to them? We would have given in… he… he would have given into them, let them stay.”

  As Ben got closer to the bundle Sorah was standing over, he felt his knees go weak. He turned away, not able to bear to look at it.

  Maki was curled up small; his arms clutching his chest where a sword wound could be seen. The little daraphin boy’s skin was bloody and blackened and peeling away in chunks; his body so charred Ben couldn’t tell what was burnt skin and what was the remains of his green tunic.

  He was dead, and in the horrendous state his body was in – Ben was relieved he was.

  Then his mind took him to the skeletal child they’d seen in the fireplace.

  The Serpents probably did that too.

  “Sorah, you need to get to Rhastt…”

  “You’ve done enough!” Sorah screamed through tears. He bent down and took his little brother into his arms and let out an agonizing cry. “Leave! LEAVE!”

  Everything was still. The fire beside them burned their skin as they watched the elf hold his brother in his arms. His own jerkin had been partially burnt away, his arm fins blackened and the exposed second layer of skin bright pink.

  Ben knew they were all thinking the same thing. What now? What could they do to help the now homeless elf? Ben didn’t even want to ask where his mother and father were, or the young hibrid boy who had served them. The roof had already started to collapsed and soon it would crumble like the rest of the building. There was no going into the inn, no looking for any more survivors. Sorah was the only elf outside the building; that was answer enough.

  To Ben’s surprise, Malagant turned and started walking away. Ben caught a glance at Malagant’s face but there was no expression on it. He was surprised that Malagant was just leaving Sorah.

  After exchanging confused looks with Teal, they both started following him.

  Malagant walked into the woods and grabbed his horse. He started throwing off a few sacks of items, keeping on a bag of food, his bedroll, and blankets.

  The horse was rearing, scared of the flames, but calmed after Malagant quickly wound cloth around his eyes like they had done at the stronghold.
/>   Malagant led the horse along the forestline, and tethered him as near to Sorah as he could.

  Ben and Teal stepped back as Malagant approached Sorah again.

  “Go to Rhastt–”

  “SHEK OFF!” Sorah screamed.

  Malagant clenched his fists. “Shut up and listen!” he yelled, losing his patience. “Go to Rhastt. Go to the castle. Request Gorat. Tell him what happened and tell him Malagant requests him to take care of you. You’ll be safe. I… I left you my horse and supplies. Once we leave, take what you want from the Serpents’ bodies, then throw them into the flames.”

  “Malagant? You lied about your name, all of you did. You aren’t even travellers are you?” Sorah said accusingly.

  “We – we’re travellers…”

  “Just go away,” Sorah replied, his voice overwhelmed with despair.

  Malagant looked down at the burned body of Maki; his mouth pursed. “I’m sorry.”

  Malagant turned away from Sorah and the dead Maki and walked back along the forestline, past Ben and Teal who had been quietly watching the exchange.

  Malagant glanced at the two of them as he walked past. “We need to go. We won’t be going back to the road, just follow me.”

  “We’re just leaving him?” Ben asked.

  Surprisingly, Malagant whirled around, his face ablaze with anger. “What are we supposed to do? Take him with us? Take him to Garas? Give me another option, Ben,” he snapped.

  “How about not pissing off the knights to begin with?” Ben shot back. He knew he shouldn’t be getting upset right back at Malagant but emotions were running high.

  Malagant’s shoulders shook and his teeth clenched, but he didn’t say anything back. He turned and walked back to their horses.

  Malagant took Teal’s horse and started leading it into the cold, dark woods. Teal and Ben both exchanging worried glances before Teal untethered the last remaining horse and started following their friend.

  The tension in the air was so heavy they could feel it pressing against their shoulders. Malagant was hunched over, his body rigid and his fists clenched so hard his knuckles were white discs. Watching Malagant was like watching a smoking volcano, Ben knew that at any moment he was going to explode and explode hard.