Forging Truth (The Truth Saga)

by Raymond Masters

  “Enough of this theological mumbo jumbo. Let us have ourselves a little breakfast, then we’ll get started.” Aesculapus pulled a mammoth ring of keys from his robe and placed one in the keyhole of Caduceus’ door.

  When it was open, Seth carried Caduceus’ portion inside and offered it to him. Instead of taking it from the boy, he merely stood there glaring at the robed figure beyond Seth’s head.

  Aesculapus was indifferent, saying, “Well, I’m not going to feed you, since you’re awake. Either you eat, or you do without. You are definitely old enough to make your own decisions. By several decades, I’d warrant.”

  “If I’m free to make my own decisions, then, I decide to leave this place. Seth: fetch my bags, please.”

  Seth placed the tray at the foot of his new friend’s cot. Then, realizing the joke was a humorless one, Seth turned to their captor and asked, “Why is our brother locked up?”

  “Hush, now, little Lazarus, this is no concern for you.”

  “It’s because of the vision you told me about, isn’t it? The one from your youth.”

  Aesculapus drew back to strike him, a rabid snarl on his lips, but Caduceus was suddenly out of his cell and in-between the boy and the old man’s fist. “How’s about you pick on someone your own age, you old goat?” Caduceus used both his arms to shove his deranged brother back a few steps. Aesculapus looked surprised to see him. That was all right, Caduceus wanted him off balance as much as possible. “What, did you honestly think I believed you when you said you’d not had a vision?”

  “Well, now, I guess the cobra’s out of its basket.” Aesculapus turned to Seth: “Thanks, by the way.” Back to Caduceus: “But it’s of no great concern, I assure you. I have set events in motion that will make certain – have already made certain – those visions cannot transpire.”

  “You might have gotten away with whatever it is you’re babbling ‘bout, dear brother, but I assure you this: if’n you raise that hand o’ yours to the boy again, I will break it off at the wrist and use it to beat you into submission. Do we have an understanding?”

  Aesculapus chortled. Turning grave, he said, “Big, big talk for a magician without his wand, or had you forgotten about Van Parson’s goon liberating it from you.”

  He actually had, but that wasn’t the point, and he told his brother so: “Don’t need that staff o’ mine to hand you your arse. Just like when we were young’ins.”

  Aesculapus leveled his cane at his brother, and an azure flame shot forth, knocking him into the vacated cell.

  With Caduceus dazed, Aesculapus said, “Now, if you aren’t going to partake of this scrumptious meal, I believe we’ve got us a little business to attend to. Seth, here, is going to run along and place his nose in a good book.”

  Seth refused to back down. “But brother, you haven’t answered my questions yet.”

  “Seth. Go. Please.” But Seth hesitated, uncertain why his brother was acting so hostile towards him. Aesculapus turned his cane in his direction. “GO!”

  Seth decided to take his cue. On his way out, he stopped at the doorway, giving Caduceus one last helpless look.

  9

  With its various straps and shackles, the chair looked as though it would’ve been at home in a medieval torture chamber. In fact, a few hundred years prior, it actually had been. Aesculapus had bought it in an overseas auction, for a little of nothing. At the time of purchase, the auctioneer had jokingly asked if Aesculapus was a collector or if he would be trying it out. The man’s laughter abruptly died in his throat, though, with just one look into his patron’s eye. Currently, he produced it for his prisoner, motioning for Caduceus to have a seat.

  “Oh, no, I’ll just stand and grow taller, thanks,” Caduceus said, daring his captor to contradict him.

  “I’m afraid I really must insist. You see, you know this is my world. As such, you do realize I can do just about anything I wish here. I’ve spent decades installing various spells throughout … just in case. So, get in the chair, or … well, you just thought the Red Devil was will-breaking.”

  While Caduceus had no doubt what he’d said was true, it was still hard for him to allow himself to be strapped down. It was in this spirit Caduceus offered his response: “Bite me.”

  “Cannibalism, in this day and age?” On the surface, their back and forth could’ve appeared good natured. In truth, they were each stressed to near breaking. “Oh, all right. I did warn you. Here’s a taste, m’kay?” Aesculapus made a furious movement of his cane, preparing to unleash a whirlwind of magical forces.

  Caduceus decided to make his stand. As his brother arched his arms high overhead, he lunged forward, taking the Dark Monk off his feet. On the ground, Caduceus wrapped his large hands around his brother’s cane, being certain to keep his hands out of the now animate serpentine handle. The two jockeyed for control for a full minute. It would seem Caduceus was about to pry it from his brother’s hands. Then, the advantage would shift to Aesculapus. Eventually, fate stepped in, and he was able to use a palm-strike to send the charmed thing flying into the far wall.

  Victorious, Caduceus made his way to his feet. He bent, grabbing his brother by the upper arms, and pulling him to eyelevel. “Humph. Looks like I’m no longer the only magician without his wand. How does it feel to be on equal footing?” As he glared into the other man’s eyes, he was more than a little surprised – as well as ticked – to have him laugh in his face.

  “Equal?” Aesculapus reached up and took hold of Caduceus’ inner forearms, seemingly to brace himself from the sudden fit of laughter that had seized him.

  “What’s so cursed funny,” Caduceus spat.

  “You …” He gave another loud snort, before he could calm himself. Suddenly, his expression grew dark, leaving not the slightest trace of humor. “Thinking I would even need the cane to wield my magics!” A flash of eldritch light crackled around his fingers, singeing the hair along his brother’s forearms.

  Caduceus roared in pain and threw his brother aside. This was surely unwelcome news. He could call upon various base spells without his staff, but anything larger was unfathomable. Caduceus had hoped it was the same with his brother. He readied himself for round two, taking a stance, and motioning for his brother to try again.

  Aesculapus showed Caduceus a toothy grin that instantly morphed into a gruesome display of needle-sharp fangs. The needles were so numerous his jaws had to widen to contain them all; and whenever he spoke, most of his words were greatly distorted. “Whar warssit you shed arllier? Yays, thasright: Bye-ta me.” He lunged at Caduceus, who quickly decided, maybe, it would be wiser not to take him in a head-on stance, after all.

  It was too late. Aesculapus grasped Caduceus by the sides of the head, un-phased by his brother’s thrashing. He lowered his mouth to feed. As his teeth penetrated Caduceus’ throat, a fan spray of red shot warmth across his face. He drank deeply, tasting of his brother’s long life.

  The Dark Monk hadn’t drunk enough to kill his brother, as that wouldn’t accomplish his goals, but he’d drunk just enough to weaken him to the point of submission. He, then, carried his slumped sibling to the chair and strapped him in. Caduceus wasn’t required to be conscious for Aesculapus’ procedure to work.

  Minutes later, Caduceus was still out, while Aesculapus on the other hand was very, very in.

  10

  By the time he was to be returned to his cot for the night, he had finally regained a modicum of his former strength. The vampiric draining had been followed by monstrous mental torture. His brother had induced all of this in an attempt to gain access to the secrets Caduceus held somewhere in his mind, the secrets he must keep guarded at all cost. When he had first taken residence in his nonlinear paradise, he had no idea it would ever come to this. And the one thing he feared above all others? That his brother would succeed. Aesculapus was talented enough in the ways of mental manipulation. Could he even hope to stand a chance in a battle of wills with this devil of a man? Hadn’t Caduceus, himse
lf, had to send Kade away to his brother whenever his own mental strategies failed him?

  Better not to think of that now; better to preserve and harness what will remained. He laid back to rest his eyes – only for a moment, mind you – and was gone.

  11

  He was jerked violently back later in the night, however, to a chorus of howls and screeches, ringing from the stone walls of his prison. The air was scorching hot, once more, and Caduceus knew that meant his visitor was back for an encore performance. Maybe to burn the flesh this time, rather than just the fabric. Maybe to feast.

  At the center of all the ruckus, Caduceus heard both of his brothers clearly. Seth was in his own cell, sandwiching mighty sobs between breathless screams, while Aesculapus raved incantations at top volume. From the sound of it, he was in a high state of pistivity, to boot.

  Something didn’t sit right with Caduceus. It sounded like his buddy had brought a few more to dinner tonight. Caduceus’ energy returned to him full force in the form of adrenaline. He rushed to his door to see how accurate he was, and froze. He really would’ve rather stayed in bed than see any of this. Beyond the porthole, his brother paced, with his hands raised, fingers splayed in warding off gestures. Dozens of hellish creatures crowded around him and in his path. With each step he took, the demons and imps cowered away, hissing at him with vile hatred.

  Caduceus slammed his torso against the steel with the same results. Since the definition of insanity was to do something repeatedly with the expectation of varying results, he decided he’d had enough. Instead, he yelled for his brother to let him out, so he could help fend them off.

  “Like hell,” his brother responded, never diverting his attention from the horde.

  “Brother, don’t be stupid!”

  “You, don’t be stupid; you have no powers. While you’re no doubt a mighty barroom brawler, these are no mere bikers. They are quite literally hell’s angels.” Suddenly, a red beast of a thing wrapped Aesculapus in a bear hug. It began to flap its stunted wings in victory, and the room filled with the cacophony of hungry carnivores. Its celebration was brought to a bitter halt, as the thing’s head suddenly combusted, thanks to a few choked words from the sorcerer in its grip. In response, the demon began to flail about. Aesculapus had to sidestep to prevent the headless thing from plowing him over with its death throes.

  The other spawn frenzied, smelling blood in the waters. “C’mon,” Aesculapus challenged. “Eat up!” The gathered throng buzzed about him, ready to pounce.

  With each new screech and shout, Seth’s hoarse crying reached a new level of torment.

  “Enough,” Caduceus cried.

  More than,” His brother agreed. “Time to end this.” Forking his fingers in front of him, once again, he walked into Seth’s cell, and out of sight. The creatures kept coming and coming, plastering themselves against the doors to the cells. Numerous arms found their way through cracks, reaching for anything they could lay claim to.

  Aesculapus began to chant: “Sevente eva dune! Sevente poracheo dune!”

  After a few choruses, the world began to suddenly quake itself apart, and Caduceus had to steady himself to keep from toppling. Through the porthole, he watched as a mammoth fissure began to open in the center of the room, snaking its way from wall to wall. Four of the vile beasts popped out of the crack to join their evil brethren. “You’re freeing more of them!” Aesculapus didn’t offer any kind of defense, nor explanation, because he didn’t have to. Any aspect of his plan that might have seemed vague, or not thought out thoroughly, was soon made self-evident.

  The antechamber’s ceiling began to steadily grind its way down the columns, threatening to literally squash any resistance that stood in its way. Many of the demons took the hint and scurried back into the crack and out of sight. Presumably back to hell where they belonged.

  The handful that remained was obviously hungrier or braver than the others of their horde. Caduceus felt more and more certain their gluttony would end them right before his very eyes. He was spared the unpleasantness a flattened devil might bring, thankfully, as the rest reluctantly followed suit, diving at the last possible second.

  It was Aesculapus’ turn to celebrate his victory. “I’ve told you and told you: Not around the kid.”

  As the ceiling rose back to its customary position, Caduceus could see the gateway crack had sealed itself, leaving not a trace, but for a sulfurous stench and an inch, or so, of dust over everything.

  Aesculapus cooed quietly to the boy in the next cell. This helped to some degree, but – as with the previous night – the tears didn’t cease until the boy heard Sleepy Jake, this time from Aesculapus.

  It wasn’t long before Seth’s breathing deepened into snores. Aesculapus stood to exit into the main house. As he passed, his brother called out for him to halt. “I am not about to sing you to sleep, too, dear brother,” he mocked.

  Caduceus placed his face to the porthole, studying the other man. Except for the long, white hair, he now more closely resembled the brittle, gnarled old man he had portrayed when he had accepted Kade into his care. The little row had zapped him of his guise of virility. “I would have a word with you about those demons.”

  “Imps, really. Troublemakers,” he corrected. “I saw your pants during our night’s session and knew they’d be back in greater number, if I didn’t do something to discourage them.” To himself, Aesculapus added, “But they know not to come around when Lazarus is in there.”

  “Yeah, you’re all about Seth’s well being, aren’t you?” Caduceus’ words were meant to slice deep.

  “Not that I care a halfpence for what you think, but that is exclusively what I am about.”

  “Sure. That explains why he’s locked up in this house.”

  “You think you understand, but you don’t. You cannot. Lazarus – Seth – is a prisoner, but only a prisoner of life. You see, he is locked in this sanctuary so he won’t age and die, as he already has on numerous other occasions. Each death brings great pain. It is unbearable to watch, as well. He is stubborn, that boy, and he refuses to learn his lesson.

  “And now, you know why I need to gain access to that fount of youth: to save our brother for good this time. Perhaps, had I told you this right off, I could have saved all of this anguish I have caused you. Perhaps, then, we could’ve worked as a team, dare I say … as family?”

  Caduceus snorted. His brother had actually almost pulled off the scam. His frail appearance leant credibility to his sincerity act. As Aesculapus had pointed out, though, Caduceus had been around a while. That had afforded him a goodish time to perfect his B.S. Meter, and currently, the levels were off the charts. “Aren’t you just the prime candidate for the Brother of the Year Award?” He glared at his boyhood friend, and accused, “You only want my stream for selfish gains. It has very little to do with Seth. In fact, I would be willing to say you’re so gung-ho about getting your grubby mitts on my stream just so you won’t have to be reliant on our brother’s always being around for you.”

  “But what you’re implying…”

  “I’m not implying a cotton picking thing, I’m flat out saying you’ve been feeding off your own kin for over eighty years to stave off death! He’s got something going on with him that keeps him young, so you, parasite, have latched on, and won’t let go until lightning strikes.” Caduceus shuddered, before concluding, “I prophesy a great storm, and brother, that lightning is well on its way.”

  “You dare! You think you’ve got it all figured out, yes? Well, I assure you, whether you’re correct or not, it’s a world better than what you were going to do to me. What I saw you do to me!” Aesculapus was fuming.

  “Oh, cut the crap, brother. Forget your thrice-damned vision, would you? I would never have done anything to you, had you not provoked it. Ever. I loved you, and thought we were finally on track to getting the old water flowing under that proverbial bridge.”

  “Yes, well,” Aesculapus said, almost apologetically, “
Now, get some rest. You’ve got a big day of me molesting that gray matter of yours. And tomorrow, I’m cranking it up to eleven.”

  OVER THERE

  1

  Why can’t one of my new powers or abilities, or whatever, make me not get tired? I guess that’s not an entirely accurate gripe. I do have a lot stronger endurance now. It might take a little longer to get there, sure, but I still get just as tired. At least tonight, my tiredness comes with a sense of satisfaction. Tonight, I finally did it; I finally nailed that conniving S.O.B., who’s been dealing down at the schools.

  For the past week or so, I’ve been patrolling the streets of Ransom and surrounding areas. Patrolling. That’s what Jessie calls it. I look at it more as hunting. It’s open season on riffraff – riffraff? – and I’m planning on bagging them all. I started with a couple of the lesser scumbags, and through, um, questioning, yeah, I quickly made my way up the food chain. On my way up, I stopped, caught, or drove out dozens of would-be robbers, carjackers, and – in one of my finer moments – a loiterer. I’m just that good, what can I say?

  Tonight, though, tonight’s payoff was the cherry on top of my sundae. It was a culmination of my week’s surveillance. While “interviewing” the small fries – because, really, Ransom has never had that big of a thug problem – I was lucky enough to learn some critical information regarding Dougie the Druggie, namely this: he was dealing at both the local high schools, and the upper elementary building. My first thought – aside from, My first big collar is going to be Dougie the Druggie? Sounds like a Saturday morning cartoon show. – was this would be just what I needed to start my crime-fighting career. I’d rid the schools of this menace.

  First, I used my blinding lightshow to scorch his retinas. As he fumbled for his weapon – another item the police kind of frowns upon in a school zone – I took the opportunity to knock his blind butt out. I left him behind the wheel of his car and phoned for the law. I’m not going to lie to you; it was a fantastic rush as they showed up to catch Dougie with his trunk full of pharmaceuticals.