Chapter 40
The End of It
Towering many times the height of a man, the Demon stood in the wasteland. The flickering shapes of its multitude forms flexed muscles, stretched limbs, fidgeted or just stood. Jesca stood before it, just out of what appeared to be its reach.
“You know you cannot hope to defeat me”, said the Demon in rumbling harmonics.
“Only the loser calls a victory before the battle is complete”, said Jesca.
Rocks splintered as many of the demons elements clawed or stamped the ground. “Don't throw my words back at me little Red Queen!” cried the Demon. “I will have your crimson head on a pike in my castle before the day is done.”
“That may be”, said Jesca. “But it will be cold comfort for the damage I have done already.”
“It is but a pittance. A trifle,” he sneered. “Such as you have fought have been destroyed a thousand thousand times. You have but aided me in my task of tormenting the damned.”
“We have not just broken the bodies, we have taken the souls”, said Jesca. “Those we have killed will not return. They are free from your dominion. We have raided your larder and left you bereft.”
There was disintegration into cries, howls, sobs and screams. “Souls are cheap. The gods have plenty they need tormented. I can recruit my own. I will start with your army. When I have finished with you I will take them as well. There are plenty of inventive scourges that they can suffer.”
“I think you should, instead, look to your borders”, said Jesca. “Your neighbors, almost certainly, have noted our actions. Though you claim they are the merest prick in your side, if you are not weakened, you are at least distracted. Are they already invading in a quick grab for territory as we debate? How well guarded is the rest of your pantry?”
The ground rumbled as the Demon stamped about in muddled agitation. Jesca circled to keep her footing as the Demon strove to control its elements. “Do not think you can bait me!” it screamed once it had attained some level of cohesion. “Your words are that of a stumbling child. I was whispering doubt into the ears of your great grandmother before you were born. I continue now that she and all your antecedents are with me. Oh, you can trust to that. When I have killed you, I will have the souls of your parents, your family, your friends, your army and anyone you care about. The gods hate you. All of them. They will fall over themselves to give me these little treasures and clamor like peasants at a cock fight for ringside seats for the agonies I have prepared for you and yours.”
“That does not deter me”, said Jesca, moving to one side again as the beast lumbered about. “I am Queen of the Romitu. I am Romitu. I will do what is right. Stand for what is right. No matter the promise of doing otherwise. No matter the cost of doing it. Neither the promise of heaven nor the threat of hell compels me. I will do what I do because it is the right thing to do.”
The Demon stopped before her, and collected itself. “So be it”, he said. The fluttering forms that made up the demon began to settle. Slowly it drew itself up tall. The different shapes coalesced into a single form that drew back a mighty fist. The combinations synchronized almost completely. A single face could be made out for the first time. Its severe brow held a scowling look above a regal nose and set chin. “I will make an end of it” he said, with perfect clarity.
Suddenly a bright bolt arced across the field and grounded on the Demon's shoulder, and then a second on the hip and a third fixed on his raised arm. His face lost composure and started to dissolve into mixed expressions. His body unraveled and he started to shrug off the clinging rays. Then, with a guttural cry he rallied himself. As he forced his composure, his body synchronized back to a single coordinated form. Almost immediately the magical lances leaped out again, their forces spread across his body. More shafts of magic joined the first and engulfed him in radiant energy. Blue crystal grew beneath the light, further encasing him.
Shouts and cries came from the 9th army as it charged across the space between them. The Demon had toppled rigidly on its side, encased now in glowing blue crystal. The magical beams now ripped out individual shadow forms of its being through the crystal and flung them prone amongst the rampaging guard.
Amongst all the tumult Coral reached Jesca's side and dragged her from the thick of the fray. “Did you know that was going to happen?” he screamed at her. “Did you know that was going to happen?”
“What?” she said, confused.
He sat her on the ground and lifted her visor. “Is that what you were trying to do? Did you know that was going to happen?”
“Are the troops withdrawing?” she said, looking at the running troops, still not tracking. “I don't know what happened. I was too close. I only could see the Demon.”
Coral sighed and pounded the ground with his fist. “You just threw yourself at the demon? You had no plan? You were just going to let it toy with you to cover for the army?”
“Of course”, she said, looking annoyed. “Where is it?” she moved to get up.
Coral put his hand on her arm. “It's being dealt with” he said flatly. “The mages couldn't do anything because they couldn't get a pattern off of it to work with. Once it was focused solely on you, the pattern of all the different souls merged closely enough that they were able to map it, and bind it. Now they're... eviscerating it.”
“Fancy that”, said Jesca, breathlessly. “Looks like we win then.”
“I can't believe...” started Coral. “You could have been annihilated!”
“Maybe I just don't care”, said Jesca, with a trace of anger. “I told you I've been Queen for too long. How else can I make someone succeed me?” The jubilant troops had begun to take notice of her. Coral helped haul her to her feet and they jumped up and down and cheered her name. “I'll never be able to step down now”, she was able to mutter to him as they lofted her up upon their shields and paraded her around.
Red Queen Page 40