Servant of a Dark God

by John Brown

  Argoth rubbed his arms despite the fact that this room was warm. “Is this Mokad? Or some rogue soul-eater?”

  “Neither,” said Hogan. “She is nothing like you have ever seen.” Hogan sounded weak. He was covered with bruises and lacerations. The Fir-Noy had obviously tortured him.

  “She is looking,” the Creek Widow cut in, “for a young male.”

  “What? Who is this woman?”

  “They see a woman,” said River. “I see a man.”

  “She’s right,” said the Creek Widow. “It’s no woman. No human. We are dealing with something else entirely.”

  And it was searching for a male. They were talking about Talen. They had to be. Except the creature had cast Talen aside and taken Legs. “But how could she know about him?”

  “Brother,” Hogan said. “We were stewards of a great gift. But we were fools.” Hogan coughed wetly. “Rose warned us he was special. We should have known that dark powers would seek to destroy him before he came into his powers and could threaten them.”

  “We did know that,” said the Creek Widow. “But who could have suspected this?”

  “At least he’s not here,” said River.

  “No, but who will train him?” Hogan asked. “Who will hide him? Harnock refused to come. And so he is alone.” Hogan pulled at the creature about his neck. “It will only be a matter of time before she cracks his identity out of us.”

  And then Argoth realized what Hogan had just said-it wasn’t just a king’s collar they wore. Argoth looked at the others. They were all wearing some kind of thrall.

  “No!” he said. He reached up and tore at the creature, but it only constricted tighter. He could not bear wearing another thrall. He pulled again, but it was as strong as iron. “No,” he said, defeated. He shuddered and his heart sank even lower. “We cannot end this way.”

  River pointed toward the side of the chamber where the pallid beast lay. “It is not just us that will be broken.”

  Something lay on the floor beyond the pallid beast. He’d missed it in the surprise of seeing the Grove. It was a body, crude-featured and dark. It looked to be made of earth.

  He saw another figure beyond it, and then another, and another.

  “Lords,” he said and counted them. There were nine. Nine more horrors like the one that had brought him and Legs to this chamber. They had slightly different shapes-one’s head twisted into a point like an onion, another had no discernible head at all, yet another seemed to be made more of withies than stone and grass, a fourth had exceedingly long arms. But they were all of the same make.

  He’d seen what the monster could withstand. He’d seen what it could do to the mightiest of men. A chill ran through him. All this time they’d worried about Bone Faces and Divines while this was happening under their noses. He felt sick.

  He looked at the earthen figures. What rough magic would quicken them? Despair welled up in him like a heaving dark sea. “The Grove,” he said, “is undone.”

  46

  MANTLE AND CROWN

  The torch in Talen’s hand spit and hissed. He and Sugar proceeded farther down the passage.

  Sugar held the tooth in front of her in her white-gloved hand as if she were holding a blade.

  The passageway bent and curved. The walls were not as well preserved here. Stalactites had grown. And here and there parts of the wall had crumbled to the floor. Only a few paces farther and they came to a gaping rent in the wall. It was big enough to belly through. Big enough for the monster.

  He looked at Sugar. He did not want to go into that dark space.

  She pointed ahead at a scuffle in the dust of the floor that indicated the monster had followed the main passageway. However, even as they moved past the rent, he kept his eye upon it. He was convinced something was there, waiting for the right moment to strike.

  “Hide the torch,” Sugar said.

  Talen turned to her. “What?”

  “I think I see a light,” she said. “But the torch is ruining my vision. Muffle the light.”

  The hairs on the back of Talen’s neck stood up. He peered down the passageway, but saw nothing. The rent was still close. Nevertheless, he found an outcropping of rock and held the torch behind it. The angle was such that it lit the passage behind them, but cast a shadow ahead.

  They stood until their vision began to adjust. What he saw surprised him. “There’s a faint bluish sheen reflecting from the rocks,” he said.

  Bluish lights had been seen in the caves of the stone-wights before. Of course, very few who went to investigate the lights ever returned. And the reports of those who did seemed to conflict. Some said the lights dashed about like will-o’-the-wisps. Night maws, small lizardlike creatures, made a light if they were cut the right way. But those who had seen the blue light said the light always retreated farther into the cave as if it were leading the explorers to a trap.

  But the lights had always been there. Did that mean this monster had been there all along and had only recently come out to forage for its food?

  Talen wondered if the monster was like a lion that killed its prey immediately or if it were like a spider that stunned its meals to let them ripen. Or was it like a leech, draining the life out in small portions? What if this monster had a brood to feed? He imagined a number of rough children wrapping their limbs about Argoth and Legs, the Creek Widow, draining them until they were nothing more than husks.

  The very thought of being eaten sent fear down his legs to the soles of his bare feet. But it didn’t matter. They needed to move more quickly. Every minute they hesitated gave whatever was up there more time to devour those it had taken.

  They both stood there a moment longer. He could hear the drip of water. They could turn back and still perhaps avoid the creature. They might deliver the teeth to one of the authorities. But it would be far too late for any rescue.

  “We need to pick up the pace,” he said. Yet he did not move.

  “Right,” she said.

  Talen mustered his courage and retrieved the torch.

  “We have surprise on our side,” Sugar said.

  But Talen wondered if that was indeed the case.

  They stepped forward. All they needed to do was get one of the teeth into the monster. Or deliver the crude crown to someone who could use it. When it came to it, Talen knew his job would be to throw himself into harm’s way to distract the monster. Perhaps into the arms of the monster itself. He did not relish that idea.

  The torch burned low. He retrieved the fourth. Even if they hurried, he doubted the two remaining torches would be enough for the trip back. But then there would be no trip back if they fell into some gaping hole in the floor.

  He lit the fourth torch and dropped the burned one to the floor.

  A little farther and the passage opened into a chamber that contained a large pool of black water. They followed the trail that skirted the edge of the water. At one point, he saw something glowing palely at the edge of the water up ahead. When they got close, he saw it was from many small, thin crablike insects feasting on the remains of a spiny, translucent fish.

  They soon exited the chamber and passed what looked to be a number of pillars. They came upon openings to other passageways, but the tracks never varied from the path.

  The bluish light grew stronger, as did the odd sulfur smell. It was so strong he could taste it on the edges of the back of his tongue. One thing he had noticed was that the light wasn’t moving away from them. In fact, he suspected that around the next turn they’d see its source. He signaled to Sugar to stop.

  He whispered, “I’m going to douse the torch.” The last thing he wanted was for the monster to know they were coming, but the torch would announce them along the walls ahead with its flickering yellow light. Of course, it might already know of their presence and simply be waiting around that bend. And that’s why he was going first. Sugar needed to be able to wield the tooth.

  “Follow me,” he whispered and quietly stepped for
ward.

  He heard something-human voices. Had he heard River’s voice? His heart soared. They were yet alive!

  He glanced at Sugar, who shared his hope.

  Two more steps and he stood at the corner of the chamber ahead. He peered around the edge and saw it opened onto another chamber. This was definitely the source of the light.

  He glanced at Sugar one more time. The tooth’s sharp point and the intricate pattern on its side shone in the bluish light. In her other hand she carried the silver case that contained the remaining tooth.

  He would distract the monster, draw it to them, and she would stab it anywhere she could.

  Talen nodded and stepped out into the full light.

  He expected an immediate attack. At the very least he expected the creature to see him and charge. But no such thing happened.

  Da’s voice sounded from around a bend in the room where Talen couldn’t see him.

  Talen took another step forward, then another, until he saw first Uncle Argoth, then River, the Creek Widow, Da, Ke, and another woman, all manacled at even distances with chains that had been fastened into the semicircular rock wall. Ke stood. The rest of them sat with their backs against the wall.

  The monster was nowhere to be seen.

  “Mother!” Sugar cried and rushed forward.

  The conversation ceased. All of them looked up.

  Sugar ran to the woman Talen had not been able to identify. Her hair had been shaved off. She was covered with cuts and bruises.

  “No,” the woman said. “Not here!” But she held up her arms anyway and received her girl in an awkward embrace, Sugar holding the hag’s tooth well away from her.

  “Talen,” Da said. “What have you done? You must flee.”

  Talen withdrew the red cloth from his pocket, unfolded it, then held the odd crown up by one of the leather straps. “I thought you might need this.”

  “Hogan,” said the Creek Widow with some hope.

  “We can’t use it,” said Da. He motioned at his neck. “Not with these things devouring our power the moment it springs forth.” Da glanced at an exit from the chamber Talen had not seen when he first came in. “I don’t know how you found us, but you must leave before it comes back. Go!”

  “Wait,” said Uncle Argoth. He pointed at Sugar. “She carries the teeth.” He turned to Da. “The Skir Master’s ravelers.”

  All eyes focused on what Sugar held in her outstretched arm.

  Uncle Argoth waved to Sugar. “Here,” he said. “Quickly!”

  Sugar rose from her mother and hurried to Uncle Argoth.

  He stretched his neck to one side and motioned to a patterened object encircling it. “Careful now. I want you to prick the surface. Let it get a taste.”

  “Stop,” said the Creek Widow. “What are you doing?”

  Uncle Argoth turned to her. “I’ve been enthralled once. I will not be enthralled again. Let’s see if the tooth can unravel this collar.”

  “It will unravel you,” said the Creek Widow.

  “Then so be it,” said Uncle Argoth. He turned to Sugar. “Quickly, we don’t have time.”

  Sugar glanced at Talen. Then she turned back to Argoth and brought the tooth close to the collar.

  The collar moved. Then the worm head of the thing about Uncle Argoth’s neck rose as if it were sniffing the tooth.

  Sugar paused, fear on her face.

  “Go on, girl,” said Uncle Argoth.

  She moved the point of the tooth closer and the collar struck, curling an end around the tooth.

  Sugar cried out.

  The tooth seemed to shudder, then it leapt out of her fingers.

  Uncle Argoth gasped.

  The tooth was wriggling, entwining with the collar.

  “Grab it,” said Uncle Argoth.

  The tooth and collar were now one, struggling, twisting about his neck.

  Uncle Argoth fell back against the wall.

  Sugar tried to grab the tooth, but it resisted. She tried again. This time she was able to catch it and tug.

  She grunted. “It’s stuck,” she said.

  “Yes,” said Uncle Argoth. He winced. “I can feel it weakening. Get a good grip. Be ready to yank it back when I tell you.”

  The collar writhed.

  “It’s slipping,” said Sugar.

  Suddenly the collar jerked, spasmed.

  “Now!” said Uncle Argoth.

  Sugar yanked. The tooth did not budge.

  Uncle Argoth cried out, clutched at his neck.

  Lords, it was going to burrow into him.

  Then Sugar pulled a second time and the tooth came free. It twisted once, twice, and then stilled.

  Uncle Argoth grasped the dead worm thing about his throat and ripped it free. He held it up before him then cast it to the floor.

  A bright spot of red glistened on his neck.

  Uncle Argoth stroked the spot. Then he pulled his hand away and looked at the blood there.

  “That was a nasty bite,” he said to Sugar. “But well done. Now free Ke and the Creek Widow. Then Hogan, River, and Purity. In that order.”

  “Bring the crown here,” he said. “She’ll feel the breach. We don’t have much time.”

  Talen hurried over to Uncle Argoth, who was still in chains, and held the crown out to him.

  Uncle Argoth took it by the strap and lay the square medallion in the palm of his hand. He stroked its surface with his finger.

  Sugar moved to Ke, who stretched his thick neck to the side.

  “Wait,” said Talen. “Give me the other gauntlet and tooth. We’ll do two at a time.”

  Sugar nodded and removed the second gauntlet from her belt. She tossed it to Talen.

  He caught it midstride. It was as light as silk and thin. Even the weave in its palm was thin. He expected to feel some surge of power when he pulled it on to his left hand, but he felt no such thing. It felt simply like an exceedingly fine glove. The gold studs were small enough that it wouldn’t affect the grip of the glove too much. He had no time to tie the sleeve, so he let the straps dangle.

  Sugar lay the silver case containing the last tooth on the floor and turned to Ke. He gasped when she put the tooth to his collar. But this time she kept a firm grip and the tooth did not jump from her hand.

  Talen bent down, opened the case, and removed the last tooth. He approached the Creek Widow. Her eyes danced with delight. “Did I not say you were the one to watch?”

  She turned her head and put her arms behind her back. Her chains clinked and clattered. How they were going to break those he did not know.

  He now saw that the collars weren’t all one color. Instead, they were dark and muddy, shot through with browns and greens and a heavy blue. There was a pattern to it, but it was all too dark to distinguish it well. They reminded him of hideous, too-short eels.

  Talen did not hesitate, but quickly pricked it with the sharp point of the tooth.

  He was not ready for the power and slipperiness of the tooth. It jumped like a fish from his hand to twine and wrestle with the dark collar. Then it began to wriggle in.

  Frantically, Talen grasped for the tooth. He caught the end barely before it completely disappeared into the body of the collar.

  He glanced at the Creek Widow’s face. She was grimacing in pain, gritting her teeth.

  The collar about the Creek Widow’s neck jerked and rolled. The tooth strained against his grasp. And then it stopped and the collar hung limp about the Creek Widow’s neck.

  Talen yanked back on the tooth and it came out, trailing some substance that was dark and sticky.

  Behind him, he heard Ke grunt. Talen turned and saw Ke straining, pulling at the chain where it was bolted to the rock wall. He gave another heave and, with a crack, pulled the iron loop from the rock.

  Talen shook his head. Admiration bloomed in him: his brother was as strong as any dreadman. Stronger.

  The Creek Widow tugged at the collar. When it came loose, she flung it to the floo
r and then felt her throat. “You can be sure I won’t be asking for one of those during the Festival of Gifts.”

  The skin where the collar had coiled about her neck was red and raised in a long welt.

  Ke strode over to the Creek Widow, rolling his shoulders and shaking his arms to loosen them. He looked at Talen and grinned. “Step aside, little man.”

  He picked up the chain binding the Creek Widow to the wall, grimaced, and gave it a mighty yank. The chain ripped completely out of the wall.

  Ke grunted.

  “Handy,” said the Creek Widow, “isn’t he? Now get your sister.”

  The Creek Widow joined Ke and Uncle Argoth off to one side in an odd circle. They began chanting-one would speak, then the other two would repeat it in unison. Talen couldn’t understand the words and realized they were in some odd tongue. Each one of them had turned sideways and placed their left hand on the neck of the person in front of them. With their right, they each supported the crown.

  Talen rushed to River. The left side of her face was purpled with bruises.

  Sugar had already set her tooth to work on the collar about Da’s neck. He could see his father was in pain.

  When he approached River, she turned her head to expose her long neck. This time when he brought the tooth close, it did not escape his grasp.

  However, it had only begun to work on the collar when River cried out. “Remove it!” she said.

  Talen yanked the tooth back. “What is it?”

  She gasped. “It was in me.”

  To Talen’s left, Da fell to his knees, Sugar’s tooth still struggling with the collar about his neck.

  “What’s happening?” asked Talen.

  “Grab it,” Da said to Sugar, gritting the words out.

  Sugar knelt and grasped for the tooth.

  Da groaned in pain.

  Sugar yanked the tooth back.

  Da heaved great breaths. When he caught his breath, he turned his head to look at River. “You and I have worn the collars longer. The binding must be tighter. Be prepared: it’s going to take a part of you.”

  “I felt that,” said River.

  Da turned to Sugar. “Finish it.”