Scorched Shadows (The Hellequin Chronicles Book 7)

by Steve McHugh

  “That is one of the most disturbing things I’ve been told recently,” Sky said.

  “So, when the pantheons created the Horsemen?” I asked. “They used that same ritual?”

  Lucifer shook his head. “Over the centuries many people lusting for power used a version of the original ritual, but they rarely worked. And the few who did manage to survive the ritual did not go on to live long lives once we discovered their existence. As for the attempt made by the pantheons, they called it the Blood of Shadows. The original ritual has long since been destroyed. Trust me, I checked. Those who created us weren’t in the habit of sharing information, and they were all killed as soon as we were able to kill them. No one knows how it truly worked.”

  “So, this second ritual was based on guesswork?” Zamek asked.

  “Mostly, yes. I don’t know the particulars, but I do know that it was decided not to use humans. Humans were too hit-and-miss in the original. Thousands had to die before it worked, and it took years to get there. The pantheons theorized that using people who weren’t humans should speed it up. And it did just that. Unfortunately they hadn’t taken into account the mental and physical suffering of having people born with a ready store of incredible power, and once they were told how they came to be, it broke the Horsemen.”

  “And me?” I asked.

  “The ritual used was called Scorched Shadows. I don’t know why exactly, except that the ritual called for various magical elements to surround the pit at all times. It was thought that maybe those elements would help contribute to the power given to the child. I know it was carried out on another realm, although I don’t believe the original conception was carried out in the dwarven realm you visited. I think it was done elsewhere.”

  “I don’t need to know where I was conceived,” I said. “What else do you know?”

  “Like you said, you were born to become a weapon. For what purpose, I do not know.”

  “That’s why my mother took me to the dwarven realm, to limit my power. Mordred, too. We were never meant to have the level of power they’d given us at such a young age. We were a just-in-case scenario that they really hoped never happened.”

  “If it was anything like us, your power would have made you the most dangerous teenager on the face of the planet. The first time my magic activated, I leveled a house. They presumably put those marks on you so when your power activated, you wouldn’t kill half a dozen people with a sneeze. If you were anything like we were, the power came through in a rush. It took us all a long time to learn how to control it, and we hurt people to get to that point.”

  “Is that why you became a doctor?” Sky asked. “Because of all the people you hurt?”

  “Maybe,” Lucifer said. “Mostly it was a desire to be far away from where my magic would be used. At least to be begin with. Over time I came to enjoy my job, and I became good at it. I liked being able to heal and not just destroy. Which is something I excelled at.”

  “So, Lucifer,” I said, finding the name at odds with the person I’d known for so long as someone else. “Lucifer. What are you?”

  “I’m a sorcerer. An exceptionally powerful one. I no longer have to use elemental or omega-level magic, at least not in a way you know them.”

  Omega magic was the second level of magic for any sorcerer. Sorcerers could learn two forms of omega magic, just like they could learn two elements. In my case it was shadow instead of light, but I didn’t know what my second omega magic would be—or even if I’d ever discover a second one. The choices were mind or matter, and over the years I’d considered the positives and negatives of both.”

  “So, what do you have?” I asked.

  “I can combine my magical forms into pure magic. It’s a pure destructive force. There’s no shield, or defensive use, for pure magic. It’s what those prisoners who were turned into bombs use.”

  The memory of trying to contain that much magical power immediately came back to me, and I wondered just how powerful Lucifer really was. “Why can’t people like Merlin or Zeus use it, then?”

  Lucifer shrugged. “I’m not sure. We never did a lot of research into it. I believe it’s the manner of my birth that allows me to use it, or at least allows me to use it before many sorcerers reach that level of competency. Other than that, I’m unsure just how many people are genuinely aware of its existence. Pure magic doesn’t create glyphs on your arms and hands like normal magic, and the color is different from person to person. Mine is a light blue; Asmodeus’s was purple. Pure magic isn’t something taught to young sorcerers. It’s something that is probably best left forgotten.”

  “But you know,” I said, keeping my tone as neutral as possible.

  “I understand your anger at the fact I kept that knowledge from you, but I have seen what sorcery unchecked does. I am sorcery unchecked. They created the story about nightmares being evil monsters who cause nothing but destruction, because sometimes they are just that. After centuries of everyone being told that nightmares were evil, telling the world what I knew would be quickly shot down by Merlin and Avalon, and it would reveal who I was. It’s why I couldn’t tell you, Nate. I couldn’t reveal my true identity. Not without having to answer too many questions. I’ve spent thousands of years hidden from view, ensuring I stayed away from anything that might force me to use my power. Telling you who I really am would have put you all in great danger.”

  “You told Olivia,” I said. “She knows who you are.”

  “Yes, she knows, although I didn’t tell her. I worked for her predecessor, and when she took over the job as head of the Winchester LOA branch, I was already there. She didn’t take the news brilliantly. Mostly because she’d heard the rumors about my past and it took me a while to convince her I was on her side.”

  “You could have told me,” I said. “I’d have understood.”

  “I couldn’t take that chance. Do you remember a few years ago, I went with you to Netley to see that old couple? The griffin that was there flew off, terrified?”

  I nodded. “I remember.”

  “Pure magic has a certain scent that griffins can detect.”

  “Griffins can detect magic?” I asked. That was news to me.

  “In small doses, yes. But with pure magic, there’s no small dose. Even readying a small amount forces the power to come off you in waves. Griffins don’t like pure magic—it triggers some deep-seated fear, because it’s the only type of magic that can hurt them. It bypasses their natural defense. They tolerate me in Tartarus, but that’s about as far as it’ll ever go.”

  “Who else can use pure magic?” I asked. “Of the seven devils? I mean, if they’re all back, what are we dealing with?”

  “Asmodeus can. His vampire abilities include an affinity to pure magic. I’m not sure, but he seems to be the one person with the most varied abilities. Mammon is a dragon who can breathe a type of pure magic. He makes Tiamat look like someone’s lovable pet.”

  “And the others?” Sky asked.

  “Belphegor is an alchemist, Beelzebub is an empath who can manipulate feelings of hatred and anger, and you already know about Abaddon, the necromancer. She might be more powerful than even Hades. It’s certainly too close to call. I don’t think the others are here, not yet. We’d be seeing even more widespread carnage if they were.”

  “At least there are only six now,” Sky said.

  Lucifer nodded thoughtfully. “Like I said earlier, there were others who were created after us. Before the Horsemen. Some will be names familiar to you, but most wouldn’t be. People have always lusted after power and will do anything to get it. That includes creating destructive and dangerous weapons they barely understand. They mistake their ability to control as their right, but most of the time that control isn’t total and catastrophe happens.”

  “So, just to be clear, there could be more people born in the same way as you guys and Nate?” Sky asked. “Because that sounds like something we need to look into.”

  “Most were ki
lled over the years,” Lucifer said. “Merlin, Zeus, and the rest of the more powerful members of Avalon didn’t really like the idea of people like myself running around. One in the sixteenth century called himself Satan. I think he thought it was a good idea, or maybe he thought he was clever. Zeus took his head. He did it personally—I saw it happen. Those beings born and conceived during blood-magic rituals can become incredibly powerful, but we’re not immortal and that power is something we have to learn to use. I heard of no others until Nate and Mordred were born. And five others.”

  “Wait, there were seven of us?” I asked. “Where are the others?”

  “I don’t know. But they’re out there somewhere. All born in similar times, in the same manner. I do not know why this was decided, or whether the children were meant to be the protectors of a pantheon, much like the seven devils did after our defeat. I only knew that you were born and you were out there. If I’m being honest, I didn’t expect to meet you unless you tried to conquer the world. It’s nice to see you skipped our mistakes.”

  “And made a whole new set,” I pointed out. “Okay, so a few last questions.”

  “Sure.”

  “Did you know what I was?” I asked.

  Lucifer shook his head. “I had no idea until a short time ago. I’d heard that the dwarves had helped various pantheons re-create the seven devils, but I had no idea where those children had been taken, or even who they were. Like I said earlier, I had no idea one was you, Nate, not until you told me about the memory of the pool of blood in the dwarven realm.”

  “How did Abaddon and her people get into this realm?”

  “No idea.”

  I paused and thought of the last few seconds before she had vanished. “She touched Atlas while they both went. She had something on her wrist—she touched it. Could they have created a bracelet version of that tablet that Kay was using?” I turned to Zamek, who had been quiet for the majority of the time we’d spent in the house. “Is this possible?”

  “In theory, I guess. I’m not an expert on the tablet. I’ve only been studying it for a few years, but if you could get someone to create those runes on a bracelet, it could be possible. The runes wouldn’t last, though. Nabu said that they tried making the tablets with metal or wood and the runes would just vanish after being used. The stone was the only thing they could get to keep the runes for more than a few trips.”

  “What about Mara?” Selene asked. “She could do that. She made the tablet.”

  “She’s locked up, isn’t she?” I asked.

  “So was my brother,” Selene said.

  “Okay, well, I don’t know where Mara was imprisoned, but I’d really like to make sure she’s still there. I need to contact Olivia about it.”

  “Did any of the bodies we searched have those bracelets?” Sky asked.

  Zamek shook his head. “I don’t know. I didn’t look for them.”

  “We’ll search the bodies,” Lucifer said.

  “I had the same idea Nate had,” Sky said. “I was curious how so many had come here. There were hundreds of attackers in this realm. Unless they all held hands and had contact with this Abaddon woman, which I genuinely can’t see happening, they came here some other way. A second realm gate would be the most logical explanation, but there isn’t one. Which doesn’t exactly leave us with a lot of options I can think of.”

  “A way to transport hundreds of people through realms at the same time?” Lucifer asked. “That’s something we should be very afraid of.”

  “Considering the list of awful things we should be afraid of is already massive, I really don’t want to start adding to it. If those bracelets allowed this to happen, we need to find out where they’re being made and stop it.”

  “One last question,” I said to Lucifer. “Why did you run off from Tommy’s just before we left?”

  “I needed to figure out what I was going to do next. I needed time to come to terms with the idea of having to confess everything I’ve been hiding for so long. I was never going to run, or not back you up, but I have notes at home about what the devils had done. Maps, drawings, writings about what we did. I needed to remind myself of exactly what we face if they’re unleashed.”

  “I’d like to see that info,” I said.

  “When we’re done here, it’s all yours.”

  Before anyone could say anything else, Cerberus entered the house. “Not to interrupt or anything, but you’re going to want to hear this.”

  “Hear what?” Sky asked.

  “One of the prisoners we kept alive has been very chatty, but he can only say the same thing. Over and over again.”

  “My Liege?” I asked.

  “No,” Cerberus said, clearly unnerved by what he’d heard. “He’s saying something else. Shadow Falls.”

  CHAPTER 14

  Nate Garrett

  I heard the bellows of the prisoner well before I ever got close to the beach, which was where he was being held. The cries of “Shadow Falls” appeared to be part anger and part frustration. Like the previous attacker, this one probably hadn’t agreed to have his brain partially destroyed.

  The prisoner was a slight man with a balding hairline and a mustache that had probably been in fashion in the 1970s. At some point his leather armor had been partially removed, and his shirt had been torn open, revealing several dark blood-curse marks on his chest. He screamed at a nearby griffin and received a punch in the mouth for his trouble, a blow that knocked out several of the man’s teeth and caused him to spit blood all over the golden sands.

  Cerberus stepped up to the griffin, who bowed her head slightly and stepped back.

  “That is one angry female,” Sky said as the griffin walked away.

  “How can you tell?” Zamek asked.

  “Females have red feathers on the tops of their skull. It’s the only way I’ve ever been able to tell the difference.”

  “And no penis,” Sky said. “But you have to get a bit closer to find that one out.”

  I turned to Sky, who smiled.

  “Shadow Falls,” the prisoner said to me.

  “Agreed,” I replied. It was not the time for jokes, but Sky always knew how to make me chuckle.

  “Shadow Falls,” the man said again, clawing at the sand.

  “You’re not grasping this, but you can’t say anything other than ‘Shadow Falls.’ Your brain is fried. You were a prisoner of The Hole, you were freed, and then you went to work for someone who fucked your head up. Sound about right? Just nod or shake your head.”

  The man nodded.

  “Abaddon, yes?”

  He shook his head.

  “Glad to hear she can’t screw around with people who are alive. So, was it another woman who did this?”

  A shake of the head.

  “A man?”

  A nod.

  “That doesn’t exactly narrow it down,” Selene said.

  I crouched beside the prisoner. “I have some news for you. Firstly, you’re going to die in a few minutes. Not just because whatever they did to your brain is going to kill you, but also because you either die by my hand, or the griffins will kill you.”

  “Do you know how griffins deal with people like you?” Selene asked.

  The man shook his head, his expression suggesting he was terrified about what was happening.

  “They crucify them on a hill overlooking the lake. That’s if they don’t tear you into tiny pieces, slowly, while you beg for mercy, which you can’t do because your brain no longer works.”

  The man looked at me, and I nodded to confirm she was telling the truth. “I have one last question. Did you know what you were signing up for? Did you know you were going to come here and kill people?”

  He nodded.

  “Did you know that you were going to come here to kill Cronus and Rhea?”

  He shook his head, looked around, and went to pick up a dagger. I raised my hand to stop the griffin nearby from killing him. He placed the tip of the dagger in the san
d and began writing, becoming more and more frustrated with himself when he wrote the word shadow and seemingly couldn’t stop until he’d written falls.

  “We’re going to get nothing out of him,” I said, standing. “I’d like to say I feel sorry for you, but I don’t. Like all of your kind, you came here to murder.”

  One of the griffins took a step toward the prisoner, who sprang to his feet and sprinted into the lake. He continued wading deeper and deeper, until he was up to his waist before he dove in, resurfacing a dozen feet further up the shore. He looked back at me and cupped his hands in the water, taking a long drink. He did the same a second and third time, before he visibly aged in front of us.

  “The water won’t kill him,” Cerberus said. “Just age him. He’s only prolonging it.”

  “His armor,” I said. “It’s from Shadow Falls. It’s identical to what the guards there wear.”

  “I noticed,” Selene said. “That’s not great news.”

  The female griffin who had stepped back earlier tested the weight of her spear and then launched it toward the prisoner. It caught him in the chest, flinging him back into the lake with a huge splash. She flicked her wings, taking off from the beach, and used the massive claws on her feet to grab hold of the prisoner, picking him up from the water and dropping him back onto the beach. No one moved toward the prisoner as she reclaimed her spear, turned, and walked away without a word.

  “He deserved that,” Zamek said. “The griffins don’t mess about, do they?”

  I didn’t think a reply was particularly necessary. “We need to go back to the Earth realm. We need to figure out how Abaddon and these attackers got here, and we need to go to Shadow Falls.”

  “You’re not seriously entertaining the idea that Galahad is behind all of this?” Cerberus asked. “We’ve had our issues over the years, but he’s not the type.”

  “He did once get you to kill people for him by lying to you,” Sky reminded me. “He’s not always been the trustful, honest guy people seem to think he is.”