Gods & Dragons: 8 Fantasy Novels

by Daniel Arenson

  The captain did not answer, but rocked back and forth with the body held tightly in his arms. The thin moon shone through the open gate, covering the grieving man in a ghostly light. Knowing they could do no more, Salick and Garet walked quietly through the gate.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  THE BANEHALL BESIEGED

  The corridors of the Banehall were deathly quiet when Salick and Garet crept in through the back gate. It had been opened for them and Salick left it that way for Master Relict’s return. They made their way to Garet’s room to see what news could be had from Marick and Dorict.

  The two Blues were waiting for them, Marick still incensed at being left behind. It was some time before he would forgive them, but the description of the Crawler’s attack on Relict shocked him out of his sulking.

  “He tried to take on a demon with one of those toy swords?” he asked. The young Bane grinned at Dorict. “Maybe it’s a good thing we didn’t go along; my heart would have stopped to see it.” He slapped Garet on the arm and immediately withdrew his hand. “Ewww! What have you been rolling in?”

  Garet smiled and took off his cloak. “The same things Master Relict was forced to roll in. We did fight the thing in a barn, after all.” He bundled the offending garment into a ball and dropped it by the door.

  Dorict shook his head. “If Master Relict is in the same state, Master Tarix will have his head this time,” he said. Marick nodded vigorously in agreement.

  “But why would Tarix object?” Garet asked them. “After all, she only trains Blues, not other Reds.”

  Salick had to answer because Marick and even Dorict had broken out in great gusts of laughter at this question. The Gold twitched a smile herself as she replied, “Don’t you realize that Masters Relict and Tarix are married?” She lost control at Garet’s look of astonishment and choked out between hiccupped laughter, “Really, Garet! Didn’t you think that Banes ever got married?”

  He reddened and stood embarrassed until their laughter died down. Marick poked him in the ribs with his finger.

  “The way you and Salick carry on, I thought you had already consulted Alanick for the best date to go to the Temple!” he whooped.

  Garet started after the little Bane, but Marick dropped to the floor and rolled under his bed, out of Garet’s reach. Salick put a hand on his shoulder, her laughter gone.

  “Don’t bother with him,” she said quietly. “Marick!” There was no answer from under the bed. “Come out now. I’ll protect you.”

  There was a shifting and scrabbling as the young Bane edged out cautiously. Salick assisted him by grabbing an ear and pulling him the rest of the way.

  “Oww! Salick! You said you’d protect me!”

  “I am,” she replied, lifting the boy to his feet. “I’m protecting you from Garet, who probably wants to throw you through that window rather than twist your ear.” She let go and Marick backed quickly into a corner.

  “I’m sorry, Garet. I’m sorry, Salick,” he said contritely, then added with a grin, “but you two have been pretty obvious about it.”

  He covered his ears with his hands, but Salick did not move. Garet watched them both.

  “Don’t worry about that fool,” Dorict said anxiously. “He says too much at the best of times.” He pulled Marick out of the corner and dragged him over to sit on his own bed.

  Salick eyed him dangerously. “And do you have anything to say about it, Dorict?”

  The usually quiet boy surprised them by answering, “Yes, I do.” He swallowed and then ploughed ahead, looking down at the knots in the floorboards. “I’m glad you two are in… close.” After saying such dangerous words, he floundered for a moment before continuing. “Ahh, what I mean is…well, it’s good, that’s all, that you’re happy, I mean.” He trailed off and stood there in front of them, rubbing the sides of his feet together.

  Marick was desperately silent behind him. Dorict waited for the claws to fall.

  Salick paused for a moment, took a deep breath, and then folded the stout boy awkwardly into her arms. “I’m sorry, Dorict,” she said, then looked at the shocked face of Marick. “I’m sorry to you as well.” She held out an arm and Marick leaned into her embrace in a daze. “You two have given me more grief and irritation than any ten other Banes,” she continued. “Except, maybe for Garet here.” She smiled at him over the heads of the two Blues. “But I am happy, at least as happy as any Bane can be in these times. Oh, and I’m even happier that I can share it with both of you.” Tears ran down her face and she held out her arms to Garet who took the place of the Blues, who wisely retreated to allow this new embrace. Dorict and Marick stood by and watched, managing to look embarrassed and pleased at the same time.

  She looked over Garet’s shoulder at the two Blues. “But don’t think I won’t be as hard on you as before…”

  “Good!” Marick laughed. “I can deal with changed demons, murderous swordsmen, and even mad Hallmasters, but a gentle Salick would be too much to take!”

  Garet’s heart beat so loudly that he was sure it would wake the Hall. He held Salick for what seemed a very short time before Dorict timidly interrupted.

  “We should tell you what happened to the other Banes from the Tenth Ward,” he sniffed, wiping his nose on his sleeve. Marick nodded in agreement, one hand still absently holding his ear.

  Salick and Garet sat down on two of the room’s three chairs while the two younger Blues sat on Dorict’s bed and filled them in.

  “There was a badly injured Bane,” Marick began, “just as you said, Garet. It was a Green, Rablick.”

  Salick gave a small cry. “She’s almost a Gold! How did…”

  “It’s Farix’s fault,” Dorict cut in, his round face clouding over. “He made her wait by herself while they, Adrix’s bunch, patrolled in pairs.” He bit his lip. “Rablick said that Farix even knew it was a Crawler when he left her to guard a courtyard gate. I heard her tell Banerict. It just dropped on her. There was no fear to warn her; so she was clawed pretty badly around the face and shoulders before help could come.”

  Salick snarled, one hand unconsciously reaching up to touch the thin red line of her scar.

  “We checked with Banerict,” Marick added. “He kicked us out pretty fast, but he was ready to carve Farix up over it.” The young Bane lowered his voice. “He said she might lose the sight in one eye.”

  There was a silence as they digested this news.

  “Was Farix hurt?” Garet asked. The thought of that bullying, false Master leaving a Green alone to face a demon that could almost kill a Red sickened him. He remembered the arrogant smile on Farix’s face as he read out the names, Garet’s included, of those to be demoted at Adrix’s command. A rage similar to that he had felt on the bridge rose in him. He was imagining the pleasure he would get by wiping the smile off Farix’s face, when Salick interrupted his thoughts.

  “At least now everyone will see that Adrix isn’t taking the new demon threat seriously,” she said quietly, “although I doubt that will cheer Rablick up.” She got up and paced the room. “This can’t go on! If we keep losing Banes like this, we won’t have enough of the higher ranks to patrol the Wards!” She stopped and leaned her shoulder against the door.

  “Don’t worry,” Garet told her, concerned with the desperate look in her eyes. “Banerict fixed you up, twice now! He’ll keep patching us up, at least enough to fight a few more demons.” He smiled at her and was rewarded with a rolling of her eyes.

  “I suppose,” she replied. She opened the door and said, “I’m going to see how Rablick is…” she stopped in mid-sentence and listened, her head cocked towards the corridor. Garet made to speak but she shushed him and continued listening. Without a word, she disappeared into the narrow passage. The three Blues exchanged confused glances, then rose as one to follow her.

  They found Salick at the top of the stairs leading down to the second floor. She was listening to voices that floated up from the floors below. She heard the others coming
up behind her and waved them over to the railing.

  “No, only loyal Greens and Golds,” a voice said. “The rest will fall in line after we’ve defeated the King’s Guards and those murdering Duelists!” The voice drifted off as the speaker moved out of range.

  “That was Farix!” Marick whispered. “I’d know that smug tone anywhere.”

  Dorict squeezed the railings in his hands, a snarl on his face. “I hate that beast-born fool!”

  Salick looked at the young Bane, not used to such emotion from him, but Garet remembered the look on Dorict’s face after he returned from capturing Shoronict; quiet or not, the Blue could be as wild as a demon when finally provoked.

  “Come on,” Salick whispered. “We have to warn Master Mandarack that Adrix is going to attack the King.”

  “Is that such a bad thing, Salick?” Marick asked, holding her sleeve. “We should let them kill each other. Maybe some sensible people will be left.”

  Salick shook her head. “If we win, Adrix is King as well as Banehall Master. Do you want to live in Shirath if that happens?” she asked.

  Marick let go, grimacing at the thought. “Let’s go find the Master.”

  They avoided Adrix’s supporters by taking a back staircase and coming to the main floor of the Hall near the infirmary. Salick hesitated by the infirmary door, but Garet pulled her away.

  “Later. We have to talk to Master Mandarack first,” he told her.

  She nodded reluctantly and took the lead again.

  Marick stopped her. “I know a better way. If we take the main corridors, we’ll run into Adrix’s lot for sure. Follow me.”

  The route he took them on was a maze of back halls, rooms with two doors, and even a brief stint outside, slipping from a first floor window to a storeroom entrance. Finally, and unexpectedly for Garet, they found themselves in the back of the Red’s section.

  After checking for any witnesses, Salick took the lead again. With a quick, light step, she ran to Mandarack’s door and tapped.

  There was no answer. After a moment’s hesitation, she opened it and called softly within, “Master?” But there was no answer, and she entered, the others following.

  The room was in a state of chaos. The mattress had been dragged off the bed frame, and the bedding was torn and draped over it. Books had been thrown from the shelf, and the two chairs were smashed to pieces on the floor. Garet bent down and picked up a fragment of a tea cup. He felt the sharp edge of the broken china. He had used this cup all those weeks ago when he had questioned Mandarack’s decision in bringing him to Shirath. Marick interrupted his thoughts.

  “Salick, they’ve taken the Master!” he whispered fiercely. Salick started to nod, then stopped. She lifted the mattress up to look underneath. Sweeping the bedding back on top of the bed, she turned to survey the damage. A slow smile lit her face and lifted the small scar that rode her cheek.

  “I don’t think so, Marick,” she said, kneeling on one knee, and signalled the others to listen. They squatted beside her. “His shield isn’t here,” she told them.

  Garet scanned the wreckage. She was right.

  “Adrix might have taken it,” Dorict said doubtfully.

  Salick shook her head. “Then why leave everything else?” she waved a hand at the mess surrounding them. “Marick, can you make it to Relict and Tarix’s room, and check on Master Branet as well?” she asked, but the only answer she got was the young Bane’s swift disappearance into the corridors. She turned to Dorict. “Go back to your room and get the weapons ready. Garet, wait here for Marick, then follow Dorict back upstairs,” she instructed. She made to get up, but Garet stopped her.

  “Where are you going?” he demanded.

  She smiled at him. “Don’t worry, I’ll go out by the infirmary garden and sneak back in through the kitchen yard. With any luck, I’ll get some help and join you in your room in no time!”

  Before he could protest further, she slipped out through the door and was gone. Dorict looked at Garet and he nodded. The young Bane followed Salick, leaving Garet alone in the ransacked room. He picked up some of the scattered books and placed them on the desk. Marick found him straightening the bed when he returned.

  “Where is everyone?” he demanded, and Garet relayed Salick’s orders. Marick nodded, face grim. “All the Masters on our side are gone. Branet’s room looks worse than this; he must have put up a fight.” He lifted an iron bound club, nearly as tall as himself, the head bristling with lethal spikes. “This was on the floor. I guess Master Branet didn’t get away.” He handed the heavy weapon to Garet. “Relict’s axe was gone, but there were several other weapons there. I think Master Tarix was fixing them…” he said, then stopped short, choking back tears.

  Garet put a hand on Marick’s shoulder. He knew how much the little Bane idolized the weapons Master. “Don’t worry. If Relict got away, I’m sure he wouldn’t leave his wife behind.”

  Even as he said it, he felt strange. His wife. He had never noticed the two of them together, working together as a husband and wife did on a farm. Was married life in the Banehall essentially a separate life, couples coming together only in the rare moments of quiet in the evening? He shook his head. This was no time to think about such things, though he would have given much to be able to stop for an hour now and remember the feeling of Salick’s arms around him.

  Marick tugged at his sleeve. “Wake up!” he hissed, and the two Banes slipped out to retrace their steps before climbing the stairs back to the third floor.

  Dorict was waiting for them. He pulled them in and thrust weapons into their hands. His own pole, still sporting a deep nick from disarming Shoronict, leaned in the corner nearest the door. They waited for Salick, each conjuring possible disasters in their thoughts. With great relief, they heard a tapping and opened it to let in the Gold, followed by Vinir, wearing only tunic and pants and with her long blond hair unbound. Both carried tridents, which they propped beside Dorict’s pole.

  “All right, Salick,” Vinir demanded, stifling a yawn. “Tell me what’s so important you had to ruin the best night’s sleep I’ve had since that idiot Adrix demoted me!” She glared at her friend, the intimidating effect weakened by another yawn. “Oh, it’s cold in here!” she said, standing on one bare foot.

  Salick dragged her inside the room, and the confused Green sat on the nearest bed, folding her long legs under her for warmth. After a moment, Garet went to his trunk and pulled out his old shoes. He had clung to them, along with his other farm clothes, as a reminder of his origins and perhaps his future. They had been carefully repaired with a piece of leather from the storeroom and wrapped in his old tunic. He reluctantly presented them to Vinir, face red.

  “Thank you, Garet,” she said, and slipped the battered shoes on her feet. She smiled at him.

  “Are you finally ready to listen?” Salick demanded crossly.

  Vinir grinned at her friend and waved her hand imperiously, holding out her legs so she could better admire her new footwear.

  Her smile vanished as she listened to their report of what had been found in Mandarack’s and the others’ rooms.

  “Master Relict’s axe was gone?” she asked Marick, who had sat beside her on his bed.

  The small Bane nodded glumly. “Master Tarix’s chair was gone as well, but both pairs of crutches were still there.”

  Vinir thought for a moment and said, “Master Relict could well be on patrol, but as for Master Tarix…” She left the sentence unfinished and put a hand on Marick’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. There’s not a Bane in the Hall of Blue level or above that doesn’t respect her—and the sacrifices she’s made for the Hall.”

  “Except Adrix,” Marick replied, head down.

  Vinir ruffled his hair and asked Salick, “How can we get word to Master Relict or Mandarack if they are out of the Hall? They could be walking into an ambush if they come back tonight.”

  Salick paced for a minute while the others waited. “The roof,” she said finally.
“We’ll go up on the roof and call down to them when they return.” She looked at them, her shoulders set and her chin thrust forward. “Get as many blankets and cloaks as you can find. It will be a cold wait.”

  Vinir groaned and looked at the thin shoes she now wore. Marick shyly offered her the blanket folded at the head of his bed. She smiled at him. “Well, let’s all go freeze together.”

  Bearing their blankets and weapons, they climbed the ladder to the west wing’s roof. This was a different section than the one where Garet and Marick had practiced. It was a floor shorter than that centre wing, but from it one could see the Banehall’s courtyard and all the plaza, save that which lay directly behind them. The curved moon hung a hand’s breadth above the retreating bank of storm clouds, turning their tops silver. Their feet brushed aside the powdery drifts and Garet looked down at the empty, snow-brushed plaza, knowing that the peacefulness of the scene was an illusion. Angry voices drifted up from the courtyard below.

  Salick had crawled to the parapet. She waved the others over, palm down to signify that they should keep low.

  Garet crawled beside her and lifted his head cautiously to peer over the edge. A mass of Banes crowded around the low stairs leading to the Banehall doors. Adrix stood at the top of the steps, listening to an anxious looking Gold on the step below. The young man was speaking rapidly and pointing to the centre bridge gate. Twisting his head, Garet looked and saw a line of torches approaching the Banehall. He pointed them out to the others.

  Salick drew back her head and the others huddled with her below the lip of the parapet.

  “I see about seven Masters who answer to Adrix, their Golds and Greens, and a few frightened Blues and Blacks,” she whispered. “Those torches might mean a patrol is returning.”

  Vinir nodded. “Not even half the Banehall’s down there. The rest must be on patrol.” She pulled the blanket tighter around her.