by Jordan Baker
"I thought you've been looking particularly radiant," he said as he stood back and stared at her. "Even in all this gloom and misery, you are like a shining beacon of life, and looking upon you gives me hope each day, and now even more than ever before."
"Truly, Carlis?"
"Of course," Carlis said as he turned and helped another Maramyrian from the gangplank to the deck of the ship. "Now let's get the rest of these people aboard so we can get everyone to safety."
"I still worry," Elaine said.
"I do too," Carlis admitted. "But we can only do what we can do."
*****
Pike crept down the dark tunnel, past countless broken egg sacks, his boots slick with the ooze that had spilled from the hatching of so many creatures. A small lizard crept out from behind one of the broken eggs and leapt toward him and he cut it down with his sword almost instinctively. Pike watched the creature die at his feet as it choked on its own blood and he wondered how he had ended up in such a dark and dangerous place. It was a strange feeling, like his thoughts were in a fog, but he could remember talking to people, other warriors who wore armor and carried swords like him, and they seemed to know why they had come here, but he could not remember exactly how he had come to be with them, though he had done his best not to let on how little he knew. They had called him Pike, and they seemed to treat him as though he were one of them, but he was not quite sure what all of this was about. It also bothered him how intent they were about killing everything they encountered.
He could understand defending against the vicious lizard creatures that seemed to attack from behind every corner and from every shadow, but he had strange flashes in his thoughts, images of raising his sword against people, strange people who had no weapons and were naked and defenseless, and that did not seem right to him. Pike squinted his eyes and blinked a few times, trying to clear his mind and think of what might justify doing such a cruel thing, but it did not make any sense, and he was frustrated that he had already participated in what seemed to be little more than a senseless slaughter, if his memories were true, and he was not even sure of that. Three more lizards attacked him from the shadows, and he cut them down in three quick cuts, knocking them from the air to the floor. He shook his head as he continued past them, determined that he would find his way out of this nightmare on his own.
Pike rounded a corner and found himself in a stone passageway that was lit by a flickering torch a few paces ahead, and in the light it cast, he saw a young woman sitting on the stone floor. She was surrounded by almost a dozen of the lizard creatures, and they all turned and stared at Pike with their reptilian eyes glittering darkly in the torch light. The girl cried out, and all at once, the creatures rushed toward him, baring their teeth and snarling as they attacked. With quick and deft movements of his blade, deadly skills that surprised him, Pike fought and killed them all. Breathing heavily from the momentary exertion, Pike looked up and saw the girl up ahead, staring at him fearfully as she clambered away, her movements awkward. She reminded him very much of the ones he had seen in the flashes of memory that came and went, the ones that had been cut down, maybe even by his sword, but he was not sure about that.
Like the others, she was naked and had no sword or weapon of any kind, and Pike frowned, then he lowered his sword and walked toward her. She scrabbled backward on the floor, moving under the light of the torch, which accentuated the curves of her figure and illuminated the fear in her eyes. As Pike drew near, she held up her arm in front of her face in a sad attempt to protect herself, and he heard her voice, which sounded strangely familiar in his ears.
"Please," she said. "Don't hurt me."
Pike looked down at her, and images of cutting her with his sword flashed through his thoughts again.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I don't know," she said.
"You don't know?"
"No, I woke up and this is where I was."
"You don't remember how you got here?"
"No," she said, her full lips turning to a frown and her chin quivering as she began to cry. "I don't remember."
Pike reached out his hand to her.
"I don't remember much either," he said. "But it's dangerous here."
The girl lowered her arm slowly and looked up at the young man with the sword, and she saw that he was injured very badly, his skin cut and burned in many places. The lizard creatures had attacked him, so she could not blame him for defending himself, and now he seemed to be offering to help her, maybe to protect her in this dark place. Slowly, she reached out, then she took his hand, and he helped her up. She swayed on her feet for a moment and he put his arm around her to steady her and she was surprised at how warm he felt.
"I'm called Pike," he said. "What's your name?"
"I'm not sure," she said. "I don't know."
"Maybe you will remember," Pike suggested. "It doesn't matter right now. We've got to get out of this place, before more of those creatures come, or the soldiers. It isn't safe for you here."
"Where is it safe?" she asked.
"I don't know," Pike said. "But there must be a way out."
Pike thought he heard the sound of footsteps from the direction he had come, and he was worried that it might be one of the soldiers who were killing everything and everyone.
"Come on," he said. "Let's get out of here."
"Keep me safe, Pike," she said, clinging to him.
"I will," he told her as they made their way further down the hallway, and away from the flickering light of the torch. "I will protect you."
Brian thought he caught a glimpse of movement down the hallway but he was distracted by a sound from nearby, the roaring sound of power and he knew that he had run out of time to search for the young Xallan. He turned and made his way back to the large cavern, then he made his way toward a large opening at the other end where he saw what looked like the grand entrance to the palace. With Kroma's power, he could tell that the energy he felt was coming from outside, and he felt something else, a darkness that the god recognized instinctively, a power that Brian had come to know as well, and with every step forward, it chilled him to the center of his being.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Inside the palace district, the part of the city where the nobles and wealthy had once lived, it was as though even the buildings themselves had become corrupted by the shadow. Cracks ran through walls and once sharply polished, gleaming stone had turned dull, with their edges rough and crumbling to dust. The air was ice cold and deathly still, and were it not for the powerful blaze of the fire that lived within them, Zachary, Ariana and Borrican knew they would quickly freeze to death. In this place, where the shadow had taken hold, it was not simply cold like the northern lands, but something else, far more sinister, the effect of a power that stole the essence of life itself.
The encountered no Darga or grey soldiers, nothing at all, except shadows that spread from their path, moving away from the flames cast by Zachary and Ariana, and it was not long before they arrived at the palace gates, which had been left open. They made their way into the courtyard where they saw the damaged stonework from Borrican's previous encounter, and Lexi's recent fight. Calexis' decaying body lay motionless upon the ground, the flesh already falling away from her bones and the reptilian changes that her body had undergone were now all the more pronounced. They walked past her with little more than a glance, even though Ariana was almost regretful that the Xallan queen was dead, for there were countless things she would have liked to say to the woman. At the same time, she knew who was truly responsible for so many things that had happened, and to whom she should direct her words, but the question of what it truly was that they now faced, filled her with dread.
"Welcome," Aaron said from where he sat upon the steps to the palace, staring up at the dragons that circled around in the black sky above him.
"Aaron," Zachary said. "Don't tell me you've let the shadow get the better of you."
Aaron tilted
his head down and looked at the mage.
"It looks like the shadow got the better of you, Zachary," he said with a dark smirk.
"I fought it, lad," Zachary told him. "And here I am, with a few scars but I am still standing. The power of the shadow can be driven back if your fire burns bright."
"I see you have all embraced the truth of fire," Aaron said, ignoring the mage and looking to Borrican and Ariana.
"I have embraced the truth of my kingdom," Borrican said. "It pains me to see you this way, friend."
"Why?" Aaron asked as he shifted his position as though he might rise from where he sat. "I am not harmed, and I have never felt better."
"Who are you?" Ariana asked. "The Aaron I know would never be so glib."
"Perhaps you didn't truly know me then," he said, then he rose to his feet and looked down at her. "Ariana, welcome home. This is your home, truly, your palace, your kingdom. These are your lands. See what has become of them."
"This is your home as well, Aaron," she said. "The people of Maramyr are your people."
"Are they?" Aaron scoffed. "Are they really? King Gregor was your father, not mine, and it seems that my father betrayed his king."
"You know nothing of which you speak, boy!" Zachary said, his flames burning hot with anger. "I was always loyal to Gregor."
"So you say," Aaron replied as he adjusted the sword that hung upon his belt. "But I am proof otherwise."
"You are proof of the love of two people," Zachary said. "That is all."
"And yet, the king is dead." Aaron shook his head. "Are you sure it wasn't your fire that killed them? No, I remember it well. It was my fire that took their lives."
"You know that isn't true, either," Zachary said. "It was the shadow. It was always the shadow."
"Yes, the shadow," Aaron said as he walked down a few steps toward them. "It is a terrible magic that destroys all life."
"That much is obvious," Borrican said. "Look at what has become of this land."
"The truth, my dear friend, is that there is no shadow," Aaron said. "There is only the god, and you have nothing to fear, for I have taken control of that power."
"Is this true?" Ariana asked.
"Calexis is dead, and I have taken the power of the god and tamed both the fire and the darkness," Aaron told her. "It was no easy task, but it is done."
Ariana wanted to believe him, but the way that Aaron spoke sent a chill up her spine, and the darkness that swirled around him and everything in the city told her that the shadow had grown in power, and it seemed that his words were blatant lies.
"You expect us to believe that?" Zachary said. "I can see the shadow within you, boy."
"As I said," Aaron replied. "I took the darkness. It is mine and I control it now."
"One does not control the shadow," a voice rumbled from behind him, and Aaron turned to see a familiar face, and he also sensed a power that was familiar to the god within him.
"Brian," he said with a smile. "Look at you."
"Aaron," Brian said. "What have you done?"
"What have I done?" Aaron laughed. "What have you done? I see you have finally become the warrior you always wished to be."
"I never wanted this," Brian said, shaking his head. "And I never expected to see you in league with the dark god."
"I am in league with no one," Aaron told him. "But I am glad you have come, for it makes this gathering almost complete."
"You call this a gathering?" Ariana cried, her flames flaring around her. "What is wrong with you, Aaron? Look around. You act as though none of this matters."
"What is wrong with me?" Aaron laughed. "What a ridiculous question. There is nothing wrong."
"You are better than this, Aaron," Zachary growled. "You're stronger than the shadow. Why don't you fight it?"
"Perhaps I do not want to," Aaron said, his eyes flickering with flames of fire and darkness. "You do not truly understand the meaning of the truth of fire and the truth of the shadow. They are the same, and only by accepting that truth will you ever know peace."
"Fool!" Zachary's flames burned brighter. "You speak the words of the shadow."
"He speaks with the voice of Kenra," Kroma said. "The god of lies."
"Kroma," Aaron said, his own voice shifting to something deep and hollow. "You are but a glimmer of your former self and you know nothing of which you speak."
"I have seen your thoughts, and I have more than enough power to fight you, brother," Kroma replied, and Brian pulled his axes and leapt from the top of the steps.
Aaron drew his sword and met Brian's attack, their blades clashing loudly as he leapt backward, down the last few steps to the stone courtyard. At first he was surprised at the power and weight behind his friend's axes and he realized that the god Kroma must have regained some measure of his power, which drew upon stone and earth. The air around him began to waver with powerful heat and Aaron felt the lick of truefire driving back the shadows that surrounded him, then the ground beneath his feet began to shake as Brian swung his axes again.
"You are powerful," Aaron said as he blocked the attack, then he smiled at his old friend. "It is good to see you again, Brian."
"I wish I could say the same," Brian said. "I don't understand how you can be so pleased about the shadow. You always hated magic."
"Perhaps I still do," Aaron said, then he swung his blade high in a wide arc that he knew Brian would be able to block. The two axes came up, to catch the blade and the ground cracked beneath Brian's feet from the power of Aaron's attack.
"If I did not have the power of Kroma, that would have killed me," Brian said from beneath the blades.
"You are not so weak," Aaron told him. "I can feel the power you have gained."
"Then you can feel this!" Brian said as he shoved the sword upwards and let go of one of his axes, letting it spin in the air as he swung his fist at Aaron's jaw. Lighting fast, Aaron's hand shot upward and caught him in a crushing grip, and Brian's axe fell to the ground beside him. He was shocked at the strength Aaron possessed, and he could tell how little effort it took him to hold him, even though he himself was struggling to get free.
"Remember what Tarnath taught us," Aaron said as he raised his sword. "One does not play at swords."
A blast of fire hit him from behind, and Aaron let go of Brian's fist as he spun and met Borrican's blade, not with a block, but an attack of his own, his sword smashing into the other. Borrican was thrown backward by the sheer force of it, and Aaron's strike nearly knocked the blade from his hands, but he managed to keep his footing, standing ready for another attack that did not come.
"I no longer play at swords," Brian said to Aaron as he opened his hand, flexing his fingers, which had almost been crushed, then he bent down and retrieved his fallen axe from the ground. "I am sorry to see you like this, Aaron. Ehlena asked us to have faith in you, but you leave us no choice."
"The Lady has ever been meddlesome," Aaron laughed. "Come, let me see how powerful you have all become."
The ground began to shake as Kroma gathered his power, and Brian felt the full strength of the god flow into him.
"I can feel your hesitation, Brian," Kroma said in his thoughts. "You are dealing with the dark god now, not your friend."
"It is him, but it isn't him," Brian replied. "I can tell Aaron is in there."
"That is the power of the shadow," Kroma told him. "Your friend speaks with the voice of Kenra, the god of lies. I know his ways, and I fear that Aaron may be lost to him."
"But you were taken by Kenra and you survived."
"Barely, and I am a god," Kroma said. "However, there is something different about this Aaron, something calm and determined in his voice, but that might just make him all the more dangerous. He is very powerful, Brian. We must be careful."
"I know," Brian replied.
"Are you going to stand there all day talking or did you come to fight?" Aaron asked, then Brian shot forward, crushing the ground beneath him as he leapt and swun
g both of his axes in a powerful attack.
Aaron met the blades with his sword and slid backward a few paces, then he knocked Brian's axes to the side and slammed the heel of his palm into his armored chest, knocking him backward. As Brian slid on his back across the cobbles, a blast of blindingly hot flames shot toward Aaron from Zachary, and he turned and blocked the worst of it with his sword.
"I'm disappointed in you, boy," the mage growled as he let his flames subside. "I thought you had more fight in you than this."
"Oh, I have a lot of fight in me, Zachary," Aaron told him. "Now show me your fire, and let us see how bright you can burn."
Darkness swirled around Aaron like shadows and smoke with flickers of flame as he summoned the power that had become part of him, and he smiled at the mage, the father he had never really known, the one who had given him his fire.
"Aaron, stop this," Ariana said. "Please do not do this."
"It is too late, Ariana," he said without looking at her, but Ariana saw his face twitch with a frown. "You would be wise to leave this place."
Zachary threw another powerful blast of truefire at Aaron, and he noticed that the flickering flames within the swirling shadows became a little brighter as the shadows burned away.
"Your fire still burns, Aaron," he said. "You are not beaten yet, it seems."
"It feeds the darkness," Aaron told him with a shrug. "Do you not see? The flame casts the shadow."
"I see that you are talking nonsense," Zachary replied, and he hit him again as Brian launched himself at Aaron once more.
"Ariana," Borrican said, moving closer to her. "Aaron is right about one thing. It is too dangerous here for you."
"Stop this," Ariana said, taking a step toward Aaron as he smashed Brian to the ground and slashed at Zachary's flames with his blade, completely dissipating them.
"Take her from here, Borrican," Aaron said, his eyes narrowing for a moment. "I have no need of either of you, and you are little more than a distraction."