by Dale Furse
Rone strode into view, and without saying a word, stared at Gart.
He bowed to Oln before he withdrew with her out of sight. In a short time, Gart returned, stood on his side of the gigantic room, and aligned his body with Oln.
Hankley was certain Oln could contain Gart. He did not see Rone return with Gart. Where was she? He moved closer to his god. “Sir?”
Oln eyed his servant.
“I think something has happened to Rone. Please, sir, may I find her?”
Oln watched his brother for a few seconds. “Yes.” Was all he said before he returned his attention to Gart.
***
Shank Two threw his head back. The ceiling shattered and cracked, dust and debris fell to the floor over everyone until only stars and space towered over the chamber.
“Now we have room to move.” Gart sprung up. He was high enough to look down on all.
Oln rose, a little higher than his brother did.
Gart ascended a little more. Oln again did the same. Each kept floating higher than the other until they were only specks of light above the inner chamber.
Shank Two heard their voices, but couldn’t make out what was said. He glanced at One before scanning the room. All servants stared in rapt amazement at their gods. He could not help but think both gods acted like spoiled, mortal children. Terni had more sense than they did.
Shank One nodded in agreement.
Gart’s ivory light was the first to flash so brilliantly, all below had to avert their eyes. Two chanced another peek just as Oln’s white light glared. The servants of both gods waited for what seemed an eternity while the gods hammered it out above them.
***
Hankley searched for Rone. In the orb room, he noted the orb still had a faint glow. He enclosed his hand over the spherule and at once stood on the precipice of the vacuum leading to the Outer Realm. He had no idea where Rone had disappeared. A knot formed in his stomach telling him something was wrong. It was up to him to find her and end this war.
He gulped and stepped into the vacuity. He had never strayed more than a step from the path. He wasn’t even sure what, if anything, existed either side of the way.
The familiar miniscule legs crawled over his skin. It felt like the numbers had quadrupled, and whatever the things were swarmed as if to get his attention. They did not bite. He shivered. They definitely had his attention. He wanted to scream and run back to the sanctuary of Oln’s realm. He yelled inwardly at his panic. Stay calm—stay in control.
There would be no Oln’s realm if he didn’t find Rone and learn what she knew. He needed to know what she and Gart talked about. The bugs streamed to his left side and stayed there. He didn’t know why, but it made sense to him to turn and step to the left. The things poured over his front. He crept forward. The bugs stayed still.
After he had taken a few thousand steps, the bugs swarmed to his right side. He obeyed their guidance. He was now certain they knew exactly what they were doing. One more turn and Hankley saw what appeared to be a figure ahead in the distance. He hurried forward. A while later, he was close enough to see the figure was Rone.
“Rone.”
She looked up and a wide-open smile lit her face. “Hanky, you have come to save me.”
“I hope so, but exactly how do I go about doing that?”
“Just hold my hands.” Rone stretched out her arms.
Hankley grabbed her hands in his.
“Not so tight, Hanky.”
“Sorry.” He loosened his grip and Rone fell into his arms. He delighted in the fact she didn’t appear in any hurry to get going.
Rone tilted her head back and Hankley gazed down at her face.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Hankley opened his mouth to speak, but no words could come out. He smiled instead.
Rone moved backwards and pushed Hankley back at the same time. “We can talk about this later. Right now, I have to report to Azu.” She started on her way.
“Azu?” Although he was disappointed Rone had broken the spell, he knew more important things had to take precedence.
She gave him a sideways glance. “Yes, I am his servant.”
“Really? Then you weren’t a spy for Gart?”
Rone giggled. “No. Did you think I was?”
“I thought it might be possible at one time, but I just couldn’t convince myself.”
“I’m glad. I’ll see you soon.”
“Wait, I’m coming with you.”
“Suit yourself.” She raised her perfectly arched brown eyebrows. “It might be a little too much for you though.”
“Don’t worry about me.” Hankley smiled, but groaned inwardly. Too much?
***
When Hankley and Rone emerged from Azu’s realm, it seemed no time had passed. It was as if time stood still in that space.
Hankley frowned. “I hope Azu’s plan works.”
“No point in worrying about it, Azu already knows the outcome.” Rone smiled. “We’re not here to second guess his actions; we just do what we’re told.”
Chapter 24
As Shank Two thought the Gods were terrible role models, Oln and Gart descended with a shot of light, followed closely by a mumble of thunder.
“Now what?” Two asked.
“The war has begun.” Shank One held his hand at chest height ready for an attack. He gestured for Two to do the same.
Shank Two only had time to take a deep breath before Gart bellowed ancient words that made no sense. Bolts of lightning unleashed, and the thunder bursts nearly ruptured Two’s eardrums. He wondered what was possible with Gart and his book in play. He looked at One whose face mirrored his—both thought anything was possible, even obliteration.
Two could not believe Gart would go that far. Of course, they could not die as humans did. They were servants, born to serve from alpha to omega. Although, as far as Two knew, there really wasn’t an omega, neither could he remember or comprehend an alpha for that matter. They just always were and always would be. Until now.
Gart’s line of servants had become somber and stiff as Gart swooped before them. He halted and faced Oln’s line. It seemed they didn’t know what they should do, if anything. Perhaps they were there to witness his coup rather than participate in it.
Oln descended in front of his servants, only to rise and hover at about the Shanks’ head height. His light expanded until it covered his line.
Two blinked. A force field? Oln meant to protect his seneschals.
White light spurted from Oln’s hands, small but numerous bolts of light targeted Gart’s head.
Gart raised his book and used it to deflect the strikes. “You can not hurt me, brother” he brayed. “I’m invincible.”
He flew over his servants waving his arm at Oln’s followers. “Your puny light force can not protect them.” His eyes, merry. “If they don’t stand down, I’ll crush them.”
Oln’s red-robes moved forward, forming a line in front of Oln. An orange-robe joined them. Cord not only merged with the red-robes, he stepped another step forward. In less than a second, every orange-robe shadowed his movements. It took even less time for the white-robes to form another front. The brown-robes were next, then the green. Shank One beamed at Shank Two and took their place before all.
To Two’s surprise, they ended up within touching distance of Gart.
A second later, fire bolts flew at them from the men and women in Gart’s line. Furls whizzed past Two’s right side and heat pierced his sleeve. He had never felt anything like it before, it was as if they were mortal. Something jerked in his mind and he whipped his hand up. With a flurry, he and his brother blocked all incoming bolts of fire. So absorbed was he, Two was only vaguely aware Oln and Gart had once more ascended above the armies’ heads.
Cord stood on the Shanks’ right. The orange-robed designer was quick. He repelled not only the bolts directed at him, but also some the Shanks missed. On Shank One’s left and Two’s right, men and wo
men fought off the onslaught.
Two nodded to One. They stepped forward, repelled and evaded. Gart’s servants were quicker. The blasts flew at the Shanks and past them so fast, it was hard to keep pace. The memory of a frightened heart beat in Two’s chest.
Cord blocked a flash aimed for Shank One’s head, but was too late to stop the bolt to One’s chest. Fire exploded in his thorax, his side of the Shanks’ body shook. Shank One howled. Two cried out. The bolt detonated, another immediately followed. Shank One fell forward, taking Two with him.
Their hearts, minds, heads, and body became one. The Shanks cried out to one another—held each other’s souls until blackness swallowed them.
***
Cord froze, staring at the Shanks’ smoldering body. He blocked an incoming tirade as he fell to his knees, opening his mouth in a silent scream. Nothing could save the sizzling pile of flesh that was once fellow servants and friends.
An emotion welled in Cord’s being. It took him a moment to recognize the feeling. Anger. And by the look on his comrades’ faces, they too felt the same unbearable emotion. It ripped at his heart and filled his mind. The pain of it muddled his thoughts. He glanced to the white-robe holding his shoulder. Tears spewed from Gelly’s eyes. In their short time within the Inner Realm, the Shanks had touched everyone they met. Even Hankley liked them. A lot.
“Fight.” Cord roared out the word, his face burning with fire. “Fight for your lives.”
As Oln and Gart parried back and forth above, the opposing lines devastated one another.
Another new feeling—dread. Cord’s tears joined Gelly’s weeping. Was it to be their end?
“No. No. No!” He shouted the word over and over again as he cried and fought, fought and cried. Every time somebody on one side or the other fell, he wanted to stop and shout the name each soul. Every time, his heart cracked a little more until he thought it would shatter completely forever.
***
Mike, unable to sleep, wandered around the camp. His mind was full of what ifs. What if Ludo won the war and killed everyone? What if Mike couldn’t keep Terni safe? What if Vala died? What if he nor Terni never returned to their own worlds?
Dozens of tents formed circles around the central fire, giving the feel of resting wagons in old western movies. In between the tents, a light only Mike could see spotlighted Hankley at a tree some distance away. Another of Hankley’s trees, not there a moment before.
Derek, Noor, and a couple of Derek’s men slept around the fire under the stars. Mike ducked into the tent he shared with Terni and scampered under the back cloth-wall. He crept between the tents, pausing at the last. Guards patrolled the outer circle. He held his breath. No footsteps. With as light a step as he could manage, and head down, he raced to the tree.
“Hankley,” Mike panted, twisting his head back behind.
“Hello, Mike,” a female voice said.
Mike snapped his head around. “A white-haired woman in a vivid, white robe stood beside Hankley. She smiled—her teeth just as brilliant as her robe.
“Stop ogling, young man,” Hankley grinned. “This is Rone, Azu’s white robe servant. We have come to ask you to accompany us to Oln’s Inner Realm sanctum.”
“What?” Mike needed to digest one bit of information at a time. “Azu? Isn’t he Zandell’s first god, the god of all and everything?”
“Yes,” Hankley and Rone said.
He looked at Hankley. “But you’re Oln’s servant, aren’t you? Are you two some kind of traitors?”
“Traitors?” Rone asked.
“Yep. I’m guessing one god’s servant shouldn’t be mixing it up with another’s.”
“Normally, that would be true, but these are not normal times.” Hankley glanced at Rone. “And no, we are not traitors of Oln or Azu.”
“In fact,” Rone said. “Oln and all the other gods are also Azu’s servants in a way.”
“They are Azu’s children,” Hankley said.
“Okay, I think I got it. Now what was the other part you said?”
“We want you to come with us to Oln’s sanctum.”
“No way, uh-uh, I’ve got enough trouble here without getting mixed up in gods’ business.”
Rone’s lips formed a crooked, sweet smile. “Please, Mike?”
Why didn’t they just take him? Mike guessed they could. He studied both imploring faces. “You have to ask me, don’t you? You can’t just take me.”
Hankley shook his head. “No, we need you to want to come with us.”
“Why?”
Rone dipped her head in a bow. “We need your witness. You can reveal to all Gart’s hand in the wall incident and the goings on of Zandell.”
“And your sword,” Hankley said.
“Again, you two, one thing at a time. We’ll go with the sword first.” He drew the sword and thrust the butt to them. “Here, but I’d like to keep it just a little longer. There’s a war about to erupt down here if you hadn’t noticed.”
Hankley pushed the sword away. “Only you can wield it against a god. And don’t ask us why, because we don’t know. Azu has ordered it so. You can keep the sword for the Zandell war. We’ll have you back in time to defeat Ludo’s army.”
Hankley glanced at his sandal-clad feet and back to Mike’s face. His expression was of a boy caught with his sticky hand in a candy jar.
“Actually, Mike, my boy, the sword was not meant for the Zandell war,” said Rone.
“Huh?” Mike didn’t want to think there were other wars going on. He didn’t want to fight anyway. He wanted everyone to stop fighting. It was such a waste of time, and the lives lost on all sides were ridiculous.
“The sword belongs to Azu.”
Hankley turned to peer at Rone. “I told the Shanks not to interfere. If they actually listened to me, Mike wouldn’t have it.” He scratched the bald spot on top of his head. “And if it was Azu’s, the Shanks should never have been able to take it.”
Rone laughed a soprano melody. “If Azu didn’t want them to take it, they wouldn’t have.”
Hankley’s expression transformed into a childlike sulk.
Rone hugged him. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before now. I really thought Mike would come with us. I didn’t realize humans were so full of questions.”
“And we like to get answers,” said Mike.
Rone let Hankley go, her smile more than a little affectionate. His cheeks flushed red.
They were an item. The gods’ servants weren’t so much different from humans. “You two going together?”
Rone giggled a different song. “If you mean, are we sweethearts, yes.” She gazed up at Hankley. “We are, are we not?”
Hankley, his smile wide, said, “Yes, yes, we’re sweethearts.” A small frown creased his forehead. “If Azu allows it.”
“He’ll allow it, I’ve already spoken to him about you, and if Oln agrees, I will stay in the Inner Realm.”
Hankley blushed scarlet.
Mike grinned. “Okay then.”
“Who are you talking to Mike?” Terni asked from behind.
Mike spun around. “What are you doing here?”
“I woke up and you weren’t in the tent. I was worried and then I saw you out here so I ran.”
“It’s okay kid.” He faced Hankley. “I’ll go with you if you promise to get me back to the palace before Ludo attacks. I think I’ve thought of a way to outwit him.”
“I knew you would,” Hankley said.
“What? Outwit Ludo or go with you?”
Hankley chuckled. “Both. And yes, we’ll get you back.”
Mike gazed at Terni’s confused face. “Don’t worry about all that nonsense. I need you to tell Derek and Noor I had to go away for a while, but I will be back. Don’t let them waste time searching for me. They have to beat Ludo to the palace. Do you understand?”
Terni nodded. “I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too.” He rubbed Terni’s head. “Stay close to Noor, all r
ight?”
“Yes.”
Hankley pulled on Mike’s arm. “Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.”
***
The servants paused the combat as the gods again descended. The brothers regarded the battlefield. Oln’s face, rusty-orange imbued with yellow, his eyes glistened. Gart’s blank eyes stood out against his powder blue skin.
Cord understood Oln’s orange was sad. However, yellow at its strongest, meant anger threatened to engulf his god. Gart’s color of thought only confused him.
Oln, more yellow glowing, hurtled toward his brother and grasped the book. Gart snatched it away and reared higher, his cacophony filling the room. The gods fought for ownership of the tome until Oln jerked it from his brother’s hands.
Malice pushed laughter from Gart’s eyes and he jabbed Oln in the stomach with a blast of lightning. Oln dropped the book and Gart retrieved it in a blink of an eye.
Oln, face twisted in determination, struggled for control over his body as he floated toward the floor. By the time the hem of his robe brushed the surface, angry maize yellow had coated his skin, and he propelled his way back toward his brother.
Too late.
Gart read the words of old.
Oln descended once more. Although he was able to stand upright, he appeared unable to move his body. Only his eyes swept the room in a gold-yellow glow.
As Gart finished, he too lowered his frame. His remaining servants moved behind him.
Cord glanced at Gelly before nodding toward Gart. Gelly, taking Cord’s lead, bellowed a cry. They lunged for the book, but were too slow. Gart raised his hand to strike and opened his mouth in a strange cross between a smile and a sneer. He froze in time.
If Cord’s emotions were not still in turmoil over the Shanks and other fallen servants, he would have laughed at how ridiculous the god looked. He ogled Gelly, who had turned to where Gart stared. Cord, noting Oln’s calm face gazing in the same direction, did the same.
Servants of both sides looked from the gods to the inner sanctum entrance.
Hand above his head, Gart shouted an ancient word again as pearl light flashed from his fingers. His servants followed suit. However, Gart was no longer attacking his brother.