The Godling Chronicles : Bundle - Books 1-3

by Brian D. Anderson

  “This can't be real,” he said. His words echoed repeatedly, then slowly faded away. “Am I alone?”

  As if in response, a small ball of light appeared just in front of him. It grew brighter and brighter until he was forced to shield his eyes from the glare. Then it dimmed, and there stood the figure of a man. He was as tall as Gewey, and just as broad. His raven hair fell carelessly in loose curls just above his shoulders. He was dressed in a long, silver robe, open at the front revealing a loose-fitting white shirt and trousers beneath. His features were sharp and angular, with a perfect symmetry that was beautiful to behold. His flawless ivory skin bore no sign of age or blemishes, and glowed with a soft radiance. He smiled as he met Gewey's eyes.

  “I knew you would come,” he said. His voice was deep and soothing.

  “Who...who are you?” Gewey stammered.

  “You know me as Gerath,” he replied.

  “God of the Earth,” Gewey whispered.

  “Yes,” he replied. “And no.”

  Gerath stretched out his arms. “What you see before you is merely an image. A piece of my essence left behind in this world. Left behind for you.”

  Gewey eyed him carefully. “Are you my father?”

  Gerath laughed. “Indeed I am. At least I am your father in the way you would understand it. I played my part in your creation.”

  “Then who is my mother?” he asked. The words of Felsafell echoed in his mind. This knowledge would drive him mad. Suddenly he was afraid to hear the answer.

  “I'm sorry,” he replied. “But some answers I cannot give.”

  Gewey became irritated. “Then why are you here?”

  “I am here to help you,” Gerath turned around slowly and bowed his head. “Many mistakes have my kind made. And you must help us atone. You must redeem us.”

  “How am I to do that?”

  “By mending what we have broken.” He faced Gewey again. His face bore immeasurable sadness. “We had foreseen our imprisonment,” he continued. “And we built this place. We built it so that you could one day find it. What resides within this temple will aid you and those whom you love, should you choose to follow the path put before you. But I sense that your efforts will be hindered. Something evil now surrounds you. You must face it. You must drive it out.”

  “What is out there?” Gewey asked.

  His eyes grew dark. “Creatures of pure hate and malice. They were sent by the one who imprisoned us. But do not fear them. You are stronger - far stronger than they can understand. Stronger than all in creation, save one.” He stepped forward and placed his hand on Gewey's shoulder. “My son.” His voice was filled with compassion and sorrow. “Of all the gods, you were chosen to right our wrongs. You are untainted by our sins and bound to this world. Your connection to this place binds your spirit to the very heart of the earth. Use that connection to attain your true power, and none can stand against you.”

  “How do I do that?” Gewey felt the touch of his father. Like love, it was a tangible thing he could see and taste. Only his bond with Kaylia could compare. “Can you teach me?”

  “No one can teach you this.” He withdrew his hand, reached inside his robe, and pulled out a small silver chain with a medallion the size of a gold piece attached. On it was carved the symbol of Gerath. “In a few moments I will empty myself into this. From that moment on I will cease to be, yet my power will remain. Wear it, and my strength will pass to you.”

  “What do you mean, ‘you will cease to be’?” he asked.

  “The part of me I left behind - its will and its mind - will be gone.” He handed Gewey the medallion. A light flashed and a table appeared beside him. On the table rested a bow, a dagger, and a staff, all gleaming white. “Take these. They are the tools of Vismal, crafted by my own hands. Give them to those whom you love and trust and your power will aid them. But choose carefully, for once given they will serve only that master.” He smiled a sad smile. “I have little else to give you. Most of what I am has been trapped by the betrayer. What you see is a shadow. But the shadow of our kind carries great power. Use that power so that you may better understand what you must do.”

  “Why not just tell me?” Gewey cried. “Why not show me?”

  “I cannot,” he replied. “If I do so, all will have been for naught. You must discover your power on your own. I can only say that you have begun rightly. I sense mortal teachings within you. They can give you what we never could.” He staggered back. Gewey reached out to catch his arm, but his hand passed through Gerath as though a mist. “My time is short. The moment you stepped within these walls, I began to fade. My knowledge does not extend beyond the moment I was put here, and that slips away from me with each passing second.”

  “But I have so many questions,” said Gewey. “Please, I must know more.”

  Gerath's form began to ripple and fade. “Know that you have your father’s love, and that I await you even now.” He gave Gewey one final loving smile. “I have only one more thing to give - your name.”

  “My name?” Gewey's mind raced.

  “Yes,” Gerath replied. “It is the name given to you by a father whose worst crime was to sacrifice you to a world of peril and hardship in order to undo what he cannot.”

  As he faded away completely, Gerath’s final four words hung in the air.

  “Your name is Darshan.”

  Gewey stood in stunned silence for several moments. “Darshan,” he whispered.

  He approached the table and examined the weapons. The dagger was sheathed in an ivory scabbard etched with the symbol of Gerath. The hilt was wrapped in white leather and crowned with a single diamond. The bow, short and impossibly thin, looked sure to break if drawn, though Gewey was certain it would not. The staff was as long as he was tall, with three snakes carved to coil their way up its length. No sooner had Gewey gathered these weapons in his arms than the table faded away and he found himself alone in a large, empty room. A glow radiated from bronze plates on the walls and he could see the silver door at the far end. Carefully cradling the weapons and holding tight to the medallion, he walked to the door and pulled it open. There stood Pali and Aaliyah.

  Aaliyah beamed and threw her arms around him, nearly causing him to drop everything. ”Thank the Creator. When you vanished, I feared the worst.”

  “We may be facing the worst,” said Gewey. “If what I was told is true.”

  “What are those?” asked Pali, pointing the weapons.

  “Gifts,” Gewey replied. “Gifts from Gerath.” He recounted his experience, although he left out any mention that he was the son of Gerath. He could not be sure of how Pali would react to that.

  “Darshan?” asked Aaliyah, when he finished. “You are called Darshan?”

  Gewey nodded. “I know you call me Shivis Mol. But have you heard this name before?”

  “It means, ‘The Bringer of Knowledge,’” Aaliyah replied. “Shivis Mol is more a title than a name, given to the one who will bring healing to the world.”

  Gewey shrugged. “I don't know about that. Right now, I'm more concerned about getting out of here. Gerath said that an evil resides here - one that will try to stop us.”

  Aaliyah nodded in agreement. “Yes. These matters can wait until we reach safety.”

  “I have heard of the legend of Darshan,” Pali interjected with a curious stare. “But if that is who you are, then it can only mean that the gods walk among us.” He looked Gewey up and down. “Is that what you are?”

  Aaliyah stepped forward, but Gewey caught her arm and pulled her back. “I will not try to deceive you. Yes, I am a god. But I am not as you may think. I eat, I sleep, and I can be hurt, just like any other man. My spirit is no different than yours.” He could feel Aaliyah's muscles tensing in his grasp.

  “I ask that you do not reveal Darshan's presence,” she said.

  “You mustn't worry,” said Pali, smiling broadly. “I will not betray you. And you need not fear my people. They bear the gods no hatred, though
you may find it difficult to convince them that you speak the truth. I admit, had I not seen you vanish and then return bearing your gifts, I would have doubted it as well. Besides, if the legend is true - and it seems that it is - then this is joyous news. It is said that Darshan will cast out the evil that plagues the sands and bring everlasting prosperity to our people.” He slapped Gewey on the shoulder. “But there will be time later to tell you of our legends. I will be coming with you when you return west.”

  “You cannot,” objected Gewey.

  “Oh, but I must,” Pali countered. “If Darshan has come, then it means that the elves of the desert shall be reunited with our brethren in the west.” He eyed Aaliyah. “I must see it done.”

  “I swore an oath to your mother,” said Aaliyah sternly.

  “I may be her child, but I am not a youth to be coddled,” he challenged, meeting Aaliyah's gaze. “If you do not allow me to come with you, I shall make my own way west.”

  Pali and Aaliyah stared hard at one another for a full minute.

  “Look,” said Gewey, breaking the deadlock. “We can talk about it once we're out of here.” He took a blanket from his pack and wrapped the staff, strapping both it and the bow across his back. The dagger he fastened to his belt.

  “Are you going to wear the medallion?” asked Aaliyah.

  Gewey held it in his hand for several seconds, tracing his finger over the engraving. Slowly he draped the chain around his neck and took a deep breath.

  “Well?” asked Pali.

  Gewey reached down and lifted the medallion off his chest to examine it again. “Nothing.” He rubbed it with his thumb. “I feel nothing at all.”

  “Perhaps you should draw power from the earth,” suggested Aaliyah.

  Gewey did as she suggested, but still nothing changed. “I don't understand.”

  A loud blast from a great horn rang out. Even when muffled by the walls of the temple, the sound was still strong enough to cause the corridor to tremble. Gewey drew his sword. The narrow hall would make it awkward, but he knew that the increased ability to use the flow would be needed. He looked down the hall, but no one came.

  “They await us outside,” said Aaliyah, after a few minutes. “We are trapped.”

  “Maybe they want to take us alive,” offered Pali. A wicked grin crept across his face as he looked at Gewey. “But then, we have Darshan with us. I wonder if they are prepared for that?”

  “My enemies know about me,” said Gewey darkly. “If they choose to attack, they know who and what they face. And they know that I bleed just like you.”

  Gewey led them down the corridor and up the stairs to the door. It was still shut. The horn blasted once more, making Gewey wince. “Stay here,” he commanded before stepping outside the temple.

  It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the intense glare of the sunlight. When his vision had cleared, he saw a familiar black-cloaked figure, long curved blade in hand, standing twenty paces ahead.

  “Do the Vrykol fear death?” Gewey shouted. The flow raged through him.

  The Vrykol took a step forward, then pushed back his hood. “We do not.”

  Gewey gasped and his eyes widened. It was not the burned, twisted features he had seen before. Instead, it was the face of an elf. Its skin was lightly tanned, and his long black hair was tied in a tight braid. His face was narrow and angular, with closely set deep blue eyes that tried to stare straight through Gewey.

  “You can't be…” said Gewey. “How?”

  The Vrykol smiled, as though he had not a care in the world. “My master went to great trouble in my creation, young godling. I am the first of my kind, though not the last, I assure you. I am here to offer you your life.” He chuckled. “Though I already know what your answer will be.”

  “Then be gone,” said Gewey. He strengthened his grip on his sword. “Allow us to pass.”

  “I'm afraid that is out of the question,” he replied. “That is, unless you surrender what was inside the temple to me. Do this, and I shall let you and your companions go free.”

  “If you attack us, I will have your head,” warned Gewey.

  “Perhaps,” said the Vrykol. “You may be able to fight your way out of this place. I know you are powerful. But understand that I am not alone. Ten of my more brutish brothers and sisters are in the clearing, and fifty Soufis await you beyond the Oasis. Do you think your friends will be as fortunate as you? Are they gods as well? If so, then you should ignore my offer.” He paused to pull the hood back over his head. “I await your answer in the clearing.” He turned and disappeared down the path.

  The door behind Gewey opened. Pali and Aaliyah stepped out.

  “What was that abomination?” asked Pali, horrified.

  “They're called Vrykol,” said Gewey, still staring down the marble path to the trees. “I'm not sure what they really are, but they're fast, strong, and hard to kill. You must take off their heads to stop them.”

  “I have heard stories of the Vrykol,” said Pali. “They were the assassins of the gods. But I never thought them to be anything more than a myth.”

  “This one is different from the others I've seen.” Gewey looked hard at Aaliyah. “We may have no choice but to give them what they want.”

  “We will do no such thing,” Aaliyah protested. “We have journeyed too far to simply give this creature what we came for.”

  “I agree,” said Pali. “If these weapons are as powerful as you were told, you cannot let them fall into the hands of evil.”

  Gewey thought for a moment. “Gerath told me that I must give these things to those I love and trust. And once given they only serve that master. Why then force me to give them up? They would be useless.”

  “They may not be aware of that fact.” Pali suggested. “It seems that they were unable to enter the temple on their own, which is likely why they allowed us to enter unmolested. They may not have knowledge of what was kept there. And perhaps it is not the weapons he desires.” He pointed to Gewey's medallion. “If that contains the essence of a god...”

  “He's right,” said Aaliyah. “You cannot let that fall into their hands. We must fight.”

  Gewey straighten his back and clenched his jaw tight. “Then you should know that Vrykol can block your ability to use the flow. At least, when used directly on them. But you can still affect things around them.” He withdrew the Vismal dagger from his belt and held it out to Aaliyah. “Take this.”

  Aaliyah stared at it. Finally, she reached out and asked for confirmation. “Are you certain?”

  Gewey nodded. She took it from his hand, but the moment her fingers touched the weapon she cried out and fell to her knees. Gewey reached down to help her.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, cradling her forearms.

  Aaliyah smiled. “Yes. More than all right. You have no idea what you have given to me.” She looked around wide-eyed, as if seeing color for the first time. “It is beautiful.” She rose lightly to her feet, holding the dagger to her breast. “Gerath was right. You must choose wisely to whom you give these.”

  Gewey turned to Pali, but the elf shook his head, knowing what Gewey was planning to do.

  “Keep the rest and give them to those who will use them.” Pali held his sword aloft. “I cannot steal life from the Creator, but with this, I can certainly take life from the wicked.”

  Gewey smiled. “Then let us meet our foes. They await an answer.”

  With Gewey leading the way they headed down the path, past the columns and into the wooded trail. The surge of power through both Gewey and Aaliyah was so great that the earth shook with each step and the air roared before them. As they approached the clearing Gewey could see a line of black-cloaked figures wielding cruel jagged blades; they were standing just a few yards from the opening. He counted ten in total. Just as they entered the clearing he spotted another Vrykol a few yards behind the others. Though cloaked, he assumed it was the one that had spoken to them outside the temple.

&nbs
p; Gewey lowered his eyes and took a breath. “I see you hide behind the others.”

  “And I see your answer is what I expected,” he shouted back. “A pity. Your friends will pay for your lack of wisdom.” He spun around and held up his right hand. “Kill them,” he ordered. With that, he disappeared down the path.

  The Vrykol charged. A ball of flame burst to life exploding at the feet of three, but they moved with tremendous speed, running straight through the flames. Gewey barely had time to react before two of the beasts were upon him. Four had rushed directly at Pali, and the others at Aaliyah. He knew he had to make quick work of these two or his friends would certainly be killed. He struck at the neck of the nearest foe, but it stopped just before it was in range of his sword. The other feinted and slashed, though only close enough to keep Gewey at bay.

  He charged forward, but they only fell back, darting in and out to keep him off balance. He understood the tactic. They were planning to keep him busy until the others had defeated Pali and Aaliyah. Gewey glanced over to Pali. His sword was flashing in tight arcs as he danced and spun, avoiding blows. One Vrykol lay dead, but the others were pressing in, forcing his back to the trees and vines. Aaliyah was faring a little better. Two Vrykol were surrounded by flames, their black cloaks burning brightly. Another had already lost its head. The fourth was moving to her left, swinging wildly. Gewey tried to step right to help her, but the Vrykol cut him off, and the two that were on fire stepped in between, pressing Aaliyah back.

  Gewey spun around and used the flow to up-heave the earth behind him. Pali had cut the arm from another creature, but was bleeding badly from his left leg. The two creatures at Gewey’s back had already recovered by the time he’d rushed over to aid Pali. Gewey drove his blade through the chest of one of his friend’s attackers, then pulling it free, took the head of another. Pali grinned and pushed forward.

  Gewey was only just able to duck and roll as the Vrykol at his back thrust their swords in unison. While still on his knees he swung his sword and took both legs off of one, leaving it helpless on the ground. Pali was still fighting two. The one Gewey had skewered had moved in to Pali's right and its blade found his shoulder. Pali cried out, but he managed to move away and open up a wound across the chest of the beast to his left. He struck again and sent its head flying. Before he could turn to face the last, a blade shot through his chest. Pali gasped and staggered forward, the blade slipping out. Blood spewed forth as he dropped to his knees and Gewey could hear the soft hissing laugh of the Vrykol.