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

by Quil Carter

  “Kar’Endia, now that’s a place rich for trade,” Jonquil said; he had been talking about exports for over an hour now. “Jevaria has the silks. Have you ever seen a dryder, Ben?”

  Ben shook his head; Jonquil shuddered with a smile. “Don’t. Try and avoid it. They’re horrible creatures. A half-elf, half-spider.”

  Ben looked at him in horror. “You’re kidding?”

  Jonquil laughed and shook his head, bouncing a bit out of his seat as the cart wheel rolled over an erupted rock. “Not at all. Head of an elf, even a bit of torso, but the rest is all spider. Big ones at that. Nasty shekin’ things, excuse the language, but gods-be-damned the silk is the finest you’ll find.” The merchant smirked. “And, of course, you would have to sell your first born to afford it. I traded it once, almost got killed by pirates taking it across the Anean Sea. I pocketed a good bit of coin for my troubles at least but I shall never do it again.”

  “Jevaria is a kingdom in Kar’Endia?” Ben asked, bracing himself for the ‘I’m from Galan’ excuse for when Jonquil looked at him like he was an uneducated idiot, but Jonquil only smiled and nodded. “That’s right: Kariss, Kar’Scythe, Jevaria, and Kitzan. Of course there is also Kal’Koah but no one has ever been there, and if they have they don’t come back.”

  That’s where Malagant thought I was from… Ben said to himself.

  Jonquil then started telling him about each kingdom. From Kal’Koah’s deep mistrust for outsiders, to Kitzan’s demi-elf species that looked a lot like hibrids but more fox-like. He described Jevaria’s black trees (the whole kingdom sounded like a giant Forest of Jare, so Ben, of course, made a mental note to never travel there), Kariss’s cherry blossoms on huge trees, with trunks as thick as a house, and more. The merchant had certainly been everywhere there was no denying that.

  Ben looked up over the ridge that the mule was climbing. Hoping that by this one he might be able to see Birch. Wouldn’t he be so lucky? Get to Birch before the next night, so he wouldn’t have to sneak out of camp, leaving his new, but rather unstable, friend behind.

  Jonquil talked about his trading some more, then as the day went on he started singing different songs he learned, and trying to teach Ben the words. Ben was able to pick up a few, but mostly they just sung the few that Ben knew. Oh Alcove Sing to Me, was one he knew by heart now. It was Teal’s favourite and the unofficial anthem of Alcove. Others he had memorized from his travels with his friends, A Plea, which was a very sad song about a mother begging Anea to protect her son when he goes off to battle. Lelander’s War, one he learned in Lelan and, of course, a popular one for Malagant: Alcove’s drinking song.

  Jonquil had a nice voice, but every song he sung seemed haunting now. His voice was smooth and his tones perfect, almost too perfect. It was pleasant to listen to, but it brought Ben back to the previous night.

  Ben thought for a second between Jonquil’s songs. “There is a song my friend sung. I can remember the words, I think. You may not have heard it.”

  “Try me!” Jonquil challenged. “I have heard all the songs there are to hear.”

  Ben smiled, and tried to remember the words to the song Malagant had sung by the fire.

  “A babe is born in Elron, as an elf lays down his cane…”

  To Ben’s surprise, Jonquil’s eyes softened. He let Ben continue on singing, but on the second verse he joined in. His voice once again becoming soft but eerie, adding notes and tones to the song that Malagant hadn’t. His blue eyes were whimsical, like he was listening to an old friend.

  “You know it?” Ben asked. Well, he had been to Birch before. Maybe Anagin had sung it in a tavern, or it was just a song that had spread.

  Jonquil nodded. “I do, it is beautiful isn’t it?”

  “Haunting, but it is true. Makes one feel very small, and very mortal.”

  “It would wouldn’t it? Generations come and go, great Houses rise, rule, then fall to dust, with nothing to their memories or names but dusty tomes and crumbling castles,” Jonquil said quietly. He flicked the reins, as Gum struggled up the last part of the hill.

  Ben leaned back as the angle in the cart got steeper. Behind him he heard the apple bags shift.

  “It’s sobering when you think about it,” Ben said over the straining cart. Gum gave one last struggled lurch and they reached the top of the hill.

  “It is, every elf is afraid of death at one time or another in their life. Some have a sense of mortality at birth, others do not fear it until they are dying,” Jonquil said. He looked out into the plains ahead of them. Ben did the same, to his shock he saw a party of elves not a league away from them.

  “They don’t look like Serpents,” Ben said curiously. “Are we close to Birch?” His heart jumped.

  Jonquil looked concerned; he shook his head. “No, not for a couple days at least with the steep terrain.”

  Ben’s heart fell. He was going to have to sneak out tonight.

  But Jonquil seemed fine now…

  Ben shook himself mentally, trying to remind himself of how scared he was the previous night. He had to get out of there, get to Birch as quickly as he could.

  “They’ll see us but I’ll be avoiding them,” Jonquil decided, the cart now descending down the steep hill. They were heading towards a pass Ben could see in the distance. A break in the hills that looked like it was travel-worn.

  “I’ll stay up. If they come to camp, I’ll offer them a merchant’s hospitality but that’s it. I would rather them not join us or our fire.”

  Ben was relieved at that. He didn’t want to chance it either.

  They continued on like they had done the other days previous. Ben still maintained his guard, but he was able to not show it on his face or actions. His old life had made him rather good at that. You showed weakness or mistrust on your face you ended up getting into trouble.

  He listened to Jonquil’s tales of Elron, all the kingdoms he had been in, the trades he had made, and more stories about pirates. There seemed to be a lot of pirates around Newvark and on the Anean Sea and its brother sea the iceberg-covered Aryd Ocean. There were three different pirates apparently: the cold water pirates called the Arydos, who sailed around Newvark, the Pennir Islands and the ocean between Alcove and Kar’Endia; the Seadragons, the most vicious pirates, who sailed around Xal’Crith; and the pirates of the warm waters called the Red Scythes which were mostly Darconians, sticking mainly to the Sea of Mismi. Jonquil told stories about them that made Ben’s arms goose bump. He suddenly was filled with a new dread regarding their eventual sailing to Garas. He wished he hadn’t had such information.

  Ben kept a close eye on the other elves as they rode on towards the pass. It looked like four of them. Jonquil didn’t think they were merchants since they didn’t have a cart with them or much in the way of supplies, they just seemed like normal elves on mounts. They had on armour on though, chain mail shirts from the looks of it, but it wasn’t Serpent armour.

  “Aye, Ben, tell me about that encounter with the jare cat again,” Jonquil said, as Ben was trying to figure out the elves half a league away.

  Ben lifted his jerkin down from his chest, exposing his scars which had turned pink in the months since the attack. “She was trying to eat me. See here.” Ben pointed to a jagged pink scar, which still itched horribly. “I got ones further on my stomach from her scratching me as well. I couldn’t believe my stupidity for going out without a sword.”

  Jonquil sucked in a breath and shuddered. “Those things are vicious bitches. You’re lucky your friends were near. Or you’d be jare shek by now.”

  “I have my friend Mel to thank for that,” Ben replied. “He is incredible with the crossbow. A great storyteller like you as well. My other friend is rather quiet and shy, timid and always coiled.”

  “I find storytelling runs in the family, most elflings grow up hearing tales and they pass them on to their children, and guests in their homes, and they just spread,” Jonquil replied. “Ever hear the story of when the moon fe
ll for the sun?”

  Ben shook his head, his eyes kept wandering back to the elves. He wanted to make sure they weren’t getting closer, though they’d be blind to not spot them.

  “Way back, thousands of years ago, Anea created the moon, and then he created the sun. However since Anea was lonely, he made them into elves. They were the first elves, only two of them. An elf of silver hair and an elf of blond hair that shone like spun gold, and eyes that sparkled like crystals. Their names were Luna and Solaris. Luna would live only during the night, and he would sleep during the day, and Solaris would sleep at night and live during the day.

  “Everything continued as normal. Luna controlled the tides as the moon did, and Solaris controlled the sun and warmed Elron as the sun would. They ruled no one, for they did not need it. They loved no one, for there was no one to love in Elron, and what is love to the moon or sun? All that they would love would eventually die anyway.

  “Then, one day, the moon woke up in the middle of the day. For everything had gone dark and, naturally, when night spread to Alcove, the moon rose to shine his silverlight and to watch over the tides and night creatures of Elron. During this false night Luna walked around tending to his duties as was his purpose. Then the sun comes to him to ask what he is doing. And wouldn’t you know it… one look at the golden hair, the sparkling eyes like sun diamonds, the white soft skin, the handsome comely features… and the moon fell in love.”

  “Aww.” Ben smiled.

  “They embraced, did what elves in love do, and stayed together in each other’s arms. But in doing so, Elron fell into confusion and fright. For the moon and the sun could not be out at the same time. The birds flew into mountains, the dragons ate their draglings, the tide came in for leagues and leagues flooding the forests and plains. Everything fell into chaos. There was no night, there was no day.

  “So Anea came down from Cilandil and found the sun and the moon together and demanded they go back to their appointed times. The sun and the moon ran away from Anea to be together, and they fought him when he gave chase. Anea was furious! So he turned the sun into a glowing sphere and put him in the sky to shine onto Elron during the day and he turned the moon into another sphere to shine his silver on Elron at night. He made them unable to live in Elron, unable to walk amongst the trees and grass, forever doomed to never see each other again. Cursed that they could only catch a passing glimpse of each other… but could never truly be together. Never embrace, make love, or be loved. It is said that when there is rain when the moon is full and the night clear; that it is the moon crying. And when there is rain when the sun is hot, it is the sun crying as well, pining for their true loves, that they shall never have.”

  Ben frowned. “That’s – that’s horrible.”

  Jonquil gave him a small smile. “Thousands of years later though. Anea forgave the moon for his discrepancies. It is said he took a piece of the moon and made him into an elf again. He promised him that one day he would bring the sun back, but only when the moon had proven he was worthy of such a gift and the sun had proved himself as well.”

  “Is it true?”

  Jonquil shrugged. “It could be? Who knows? I think it is a story in the prophecies but, of course, I have never looked at them before. It would be cute if it was true. Anea is a good god; he wouldn’t let the poor sun and moon be separated forever.”

  The rain started to fall midday, just a soft drizzle at first but by the time Jonquil got the canvas up over the cart it had started to downpour. Jonquil put his cloak over him and stayed at the top of the cart with the mule. Ben was banished to the back with the furs and the round rock full of purple fire. His sickness still ached his chest, and he was still coughing like a seal, so he didn’t mind cuddling up next to the flames as the skies opened on them. He briefly wondered if he could invent marshmallows in Alcove or its equivalent. Roasting chestnuts and meat was fun, but marshmallows were marshmallows.

  Ben warmed his hands, keeping them a safe distance since a good jar of the wagon could send his hands into the flames. And thought of the expression on Teal and Malagant’s face when he came to Birch.

  Which he would be doing alone… the thought was still sobering, and he was still having second thoughts about it. Jonquil seemed so friendly and normal now. But the things he had said… it sounded like he was trying to talk himself out of hurting Ben. And Severin? Who was Severin?

  No, he had to do it, and he couldn’t let himself feel like a jerk either. He had to make it to Teal and Malagant, and he had to get his sapphire pendant back.

  Gods-be-damned that stupid Lelan Prince had really screwed things up for him. Ben wondered if Korivander knew yet, or at least knew that his son had broken free from his escorts. Taugis had had the broken shackles on; he probably killed the escorts.

  Well, he was dead now, if the flames burning him alive didn’t finish him off, Malagant or Teal would have.

  Now I can defend myself a lot better, Ben thought to himself. His maegic reserves were still rather low, but that’s what practicing was for. Anyway he still had his swords and Taugis’s bow, which was probably resting comfortably in Teal’s magic bag now.

  Ben let out a barking cough and spat the mound of phlegm over the back of the cart where the canvas wasn’t covered. It was still foamy, thick, and still had with traces of blood in it. Ben wiped his mouth and turned away from the stray raindrops that found his face.

  Out in the plains the grass turned dark and shining, the rocks slate-grey with water although the colour still matched the sky which had darkened too. He could no longer see the elves because of the canvas but he knew they were out there somewhere. Hopefully seeking shelter far away from them.

  Ben grabbed himself some dried apples and took a drink of the tonic Jonquil had given him to hold onto. Then warmed up some apple silverwine for himself and the merchant.

  Jonquil was whistling a tune, though some of the verses he sang softly to himself. Water beaded off of his grey fur cloak, a heavy cloak made from wolf’s fur. If Ben remembered correctly he said he got it from Xal’Crith, where the wolves were huge and called something different; xalwolves perhaps, or crithwolves, something along those lines. Jonquil had told him both Xalis and Darsheive, the identical twin gods, liked to put their names on everything and anything they could. All the better if they could combine their names together. One of the holds in Xal’Crith was name was Darcrithis and one in Dashavia was Xal’Sheive. Endearing in a way, Ben remembered their story quite well. They were secret lovers with their kingdoms and races forever separated by their father.

  Ben watched as Jonquil flicked the reins, a spray of water flying off of them as he did. Gum gave a snort and lurched himself forward, the wagon jarring as they started up another hill. Hopefully they would be at the pass soon… and hopefully then to Birch.

  As the day wore on, Ben tried to plan how he would sneak out once they made their camp. He couldn’t figure out anything else besides just leaving. He didn’t want to steal any food from his friend, or weapons. That he refused to do. It was bad enough in his mind that he was going to leave his weird merchant friend but he wasn’t going to rob him.

  Jonquil had said that Birch was only a couple day’s ride earlier and they had made some good time today. If Ben loaded up on tonics and made a break for it, he was hoping he could be there in two days, or if he really pushed himself, a day and a half. His sickness might be coming back by then but Malagant and Teal would be able to help him with that. He just well… had to make a break for it.

  Ben made a point not to use any of his maegic stores for the rest of the day. He would have to make a fire sometime tomorrow, and if he encountered anyone he wanted to be prepared for using the muffling charm Jonquil had been trying to get him to perfect.

  The rain started to let up once night fell, and when they had been travelling for several hours with only the light from Jonquil’s silver orbs to light their way, the merchant decided to make camp.

  They picked an overhangin
g rock, quarter league away from an abandoned shell of a stronghold but with the other elves somewhere on the plains they didn’t want to make camp anywhere too obvious.

  Ben was half-hoping Jonquil would suggest making black fire. If Ben had that explained to him, maybe that was the push he needed to stay.

  No, no, no. Ben gave his mind a shake. Stop trying to convince yourself not to do it. Jonquil’s mumblings were just a bit too, well… dangerous. I have to go.

  Ben was relieved when Jonquil suggested watches that night, but the relief quickly soured when Jonquil volunteered himself for first watch. He promised to wake Ben a couple hours after midnight for his round.

  Ben didn’t like it, but there wasn’t any room for arguing. He had been happy to sleep for the entire night and it would be odd for him to all of a sudden insist on taking first watch.

  After tending to Gum, and helping Jonquil set up a second canvas over the fire, Ben crawled into his warm furs with a purple flame to keep him company. The entire wagon was canvassed except for the exit. In all respects it would’ve made a comfortable place to sleep. Much better than the damp ground.

  Ben had been sleeping in his clothes every night, all he had to do was slip out and be on his way. He was planning on muffling his steps, and making a run for the pass. Running until dawn then jumping to a grove of trees he’d seen. Once he was at the pass, he wouldn’t be spotted and he would hopefully be home free.

  Ben took in a deep breath, his lungs filling with the smell of rain and wet grass. He curled himself up by the fire and fell into a nervous sleep.

  Ben awoke sometime later to voices. Immediately he felt his hackles rise, but it was strange voices, one belonged to Jonquil but the other one was completely different.

  Ben inchwormed his way to the edge of the cart and looked out.