by James Wisher
“We can’t make a deal with him. Even if Solan misled us he’s still better than a demon.”
“My brother has a point. If we help what’s to keep you from turning on us?”
“I can’t believe you’re considering this.” Gabriel grabbed Xander’s shoulder and spun him away from Drago. “He wants to destroy our world.”
“Not destroy, conquer,” Drago said. “Free me and I’ll make you a prince. You can rule a continent. With that sword you’re more than a match for most demons. Think of it, you’d have the power of life and death over millions.”
“Would your father allow that?” The offer was obviously for Xander. He ignored the warning squeeze Gabriel gave his arm.
“My father is overlord of scores of planets. He hardly cares for minor details as long as his wishes are carried out.”
He’s telling the truth about that if nothing else. Though if his father only controls scores of planets he’s come down in the universe. When he helped imprison me he ruled over one hundred.
“We don’t have the key so I’m not sure how we can help,” Xander said.
“I’m not certain you can help me, but you are different from all the others they have sent against me. You carry a weapon of great demonic power. If you combine your power with mine we may be able to sunder the door.”
“What kind of weapons did the others have?”
“Like his.” Drago made a dismissive gesture toward a silently fuming Gabriel. “Weak toys infused with a fraction of the Bright Shield’s power. They gain strength by drawing on the life-force and will power of their wielders. Pitiful things compared to that.” He pointed at the devourer. Xander felt the demon sword’s pleasure at the complement.
“I won’t be a part of this,” Gabriel said. “I’ll fight you alone if I must.”
“And you’ll die alone.” Drago showed not the slightest concern with Gabriel’s threat. He turned his attention back to Xander. “Do we have a deal?”
“Give me a moment to talk to my brother.”
Drago nodded and Xander dragged Gabriel a short distance away.
“There’s nothing to discuss. I won’t make a bargain that will damn the whole world.”
“Doesn’t it bother you that we’ve been used? The old man has done nothing but lie to us. Are you willing to die for him?”
“This isn’t about Solan. It’s about doing what’s right.” He sounded so earnest Xander wanted to slap him.
“The problem is we can’t beat him. He’s too strong. If we play along maybe he’ll lower his guard so we have a chance.”
Xander almost laughed at the relieved smile on his brother’s face. “I can play along for a little while.” Gabriel sheathed his sword.
Now Xander felt relieved. Maybe he could get them out of this alive. They turned back toward Drago. Xander hung back a little and when Gabriel was a couple steps ahead of him brought his sword hilt crashing down his brother’s head. Gabriel went down like a felled tree.
Xander looked up at Drago. “He never would have gone along, but if you give me my brother’s life I will.”
“If he lives he’ll be nothing but trouble.”
“He can live as a prisoner in whatever fortress I rule from, but he will live or no deal.”
Drago narrowed his eyes and stared at Xander as though peering into his soul. Whatever he found must have convinced him of Xander’s determination because he nodded once. “So be it. Follow me.”
The sorcerer stepped down from his throne and walked toward the door. Xander followed a step behind. He hated to imagine what Drago saw in him that convinced the half-demon of his willingness to go along, but he was glad it was there.
Do you really plan to free him?
No, Xander managed to keep his reply silent. He didn’t dare speak out loud, even mumbling would give him away.
You plan some subterfuge. The demon sword seemed eager to hear more, but Xander wasn’t certain the devourer could fully shield their mental conversation.
Just hold back as much power as you can and still make it look good.
You hope to weaken him.
Xander remained silent when they reached the door and Drago turned his full attention on him. “I must gather power. This wretched prison drains me. Watch and strike when I do.”
“I’ll be ready.”
CHAPTER 13
Gabriel came to his senses. Everything seemed blurry. He rubbed his eyes, trying to regain focus. Gabriel couldn’t believe Xander hit him. Betrayed by his brother, that hurt worse than the headache.
He staggered to his feet. After a couple steps he found his balance, good. Gabriel took a couple tentative steps, but his confidence grew fast. A thunderous crash shook the cavern, staggering him. They were trying to break down the barrier. He had to hurry.
Gabriel sword flared to life the moment it cleared his scabbard. It gave him confidence to pick up speed and hurry down the tunnel. The farther he went, the worse the shaking grew.
At the end of the tunnel Xander and Drago stood side by side. The sorcerer held his hands against the door. Greenish black flames streamed from around his fingers, the stone trembled. Beside him Xander had the tip of his sword against the door. Pure black flames ran down the blade in waves, pounding the stone. Cracks opened where the flames overlapped. The door wouldn’t hold out much longer.
Gabriel clenched his teeth and ran at Drago. Maybe he could strike before the sorcerer knew he was there. It wasn’t the most honorable decision, but under the circumstances he felt justified. Gabriel raised his sword and the light grew brighter. He swung the holy weapon with all his might at Drago’s collar bone. The blow should have near bisected him, but instead it bounced off a shimmering energy field.
Drago tuned to face him. Gods of light help me, I’m dead. The sorcerer’s eyes flashed and a cocoon of sickly green flames surrounded Gabriel. He screamed when the flames seared his arms. The cocoon shrank. He screamed again as the flames drew ever closer, roasting his whole body.
“We had a deal.” At the sound of his brother’s screams Xander stepped away from the door and between Drago and Gabriel. “You agreed not to harm him.”
“Your brother struck me. I can’t allow that to pass.”
“No harm was done. Leave him trapped. Gabriel’s obviously no threat to you.”
“No one may attack me and live.” Drago turned his attention to Gabriel.
Xander clenched his teeth, so much for the plan. He lunged, driving the tip of the devourer into Drago’s chest, all his hate and rage behind it. The blade met resistance when he hit Drago’s shield then dark fire blazed and they blasted through. Xander smiled at the look of surprise on Drago’s face when the devourer burst through his chest.
“You dare attack me?” Drago spoke as though three feet of steel through his chest were a minor inconvenience.
The devourer came to life, black fire blazed and Drago howled in real pain as his essence flowed into the sword. “What’s the matter? Not so all powerful now, are you?”
Drago wrapped is hands around the devourer’s blade. The half-demon’s blood flowed, but so did green flames. They rushed forth to battle the devourer’s black fire. The flames surged back and forth as the demons fought for dominance. Xander grimaced as his hands smoldered on the demon sword’s hilt. He snarled and leaned in, driving Drago up against the enchanted door, the devourer’s tip dug into the stone. Green fire flared stronger, but Xander ignored the pain. He burned once, a few more scares wouldn’t matter.
Slowly, inexorably, like the tide going out, the devourer’s black flames pushed back Drago’s green. Every moment the sword remained buried in Drago’s chest it drained his essence, weakening the sorcerer and strengthening the devourer. Drago’s fire flickered and faded. Behind him Gabriel grunted when he fell to the floor.
“Spare me,” Drago said. “I’ll give you anything.”
“All I wanted was my brother’s life and you refused to give it. Now you die.”
W
e may have no choice but to spare him. His life force is too great even for me to consume all in one shot.
“No. He dies now. I want him obliterated so that nothing remains.”
The overflow of power must go somewhere.
“Pour it into me if you must; just don’t stop until Drago is gone.”
It will hurt, a lot. You may not survive and if you do I don’t know what that much power will do to you.
“Pain and I are old lovers. The rest I’ll deal with as I must. Now do it!”
The first wave of pain struck with shocking intensity. Xander hadn’t imagined anything hurting as bad as when his face burned, but that was a slap in the face aside of this. Xander moaned and grit his teeth. He took comfort that Drago’s screams now held a note of real fear. The half-demon was dying and he knew it. Through the haze of pain Xander thought that at least he wouldn’t die alone.
* * *
Gabriel watched through a green haze as Xander ran the sorcerer through. His hands hurt and had blistered where the flames had seared them, but with Drago distracted the cocoon stopped shrinking and the heat diminished. After a few moments Drago’s muffled scream reached him, it sounded like Xander was winning.
The cocoon vanished. Gabriel grunted when he hit the cave floor. He recovered his sword. He had to help his brother if possible. Gabriel took two steps then stopped. The power was too intense. The Bright Sword couldn’t protect him from magic that strong. He sighed and moved back to a safe distance. It seemed his destiny was to be his brother’s witness. He hoped he wasn’t witnessing Xander’s end.
The battle raged while Gabriel looked on. Xander leaned into Drago, keeping him pinned to the door. For his part the half-demon seemed to shrink into himself, withering like a drying plum.
Gabriel’s eyes widened in horror when, for no reason he could determine, black fire engulfed his brother. It burst from his eyes and ears. Xander’s back arched and he opened his mouth to scream, but only black flames came out. In an instant flames engulfed both figures.
Almost as soon as it appeared the black fire vanished. Xander fell to his knees then forward on his face, his cloths burned to tatters and his mask consumed so nothing remained. Where Drago stood a scattering of ash swirled in the air. Xander’s black sword lay on the cavern floor a few feet away.
Gabriel knelt beside his brother and put his head on Xander’s chest. He let out a breath. His heart still beat, slow and steady. Xander had survived, thank the gods.
A bright light almost blinded him. Gabriel raised his sword, ready to protect his brother or die trying. He lowered his weapon when he saw Solan and Kiera racing through the now empty doorway and into the cave. You couldn’t call it a prison anymore since it had no inmate.
“You did it, Gabriel. The Bright Shield be praised.”
“I did nothing.” He sheathed his sword and scooped up his brother’s limp body. “He did, Xander saved my life, all our lives.”
“Is he?” Solan asked.
“He’s alive though how he survived I have no idea.”
Gabriel looked over at Xander’s sword and wonder if it wouldn’t be better to leave it where it lay. He doubted Xander would thank him for leaving it behind, yet he thought his brother might be better off without it. The choice was taken out of his hands when the sword floated up on its own and slid into the mostly intact sheath at Xander’s waist. Gabriel shared a look with Solan and Kiera.
Kiera said, “That sword and your brother give me chills.”
“Try to balance that with the fact that he saved the world.”
“Let us leave this evil place before someone comes to investigate their master’s death.” Solan led the way down the path.
* * *
“What happened?” Xander opened his eyes. He was on the floor of the little temple. His whole body felt odd, tingly was the only word that describe it. “Gabriel?”
“I’m here, brother. How are you?”
Xander thought for a moment. Considering he expected to be dead he felt pretty good. He ached and tingled everywhere, but nothing hurt. “I’m all right.” He turned toward Gabriel.
His brother flinched away when he looked at him.
“What, more scars?”
“It’s your eyes.” Gabriel handed him a polished plate.
The light was dim but sufficient. Xander gasped, black flame swirled in the pits of his eyes. “What happened?”
“You killed Drago, but something happened to you. You’ve been unconscious for three days. I carried you out of the mountains and we decided to rest awhile at the temple.”
“Got anything to eat?” Xander wasn’t hungry, but he wanted to talk to the devourer alone.
“I’ll get you something.” Gabriel left him to go to the kitchen.
“What happened to me?”
You absorbed some of Drago’s demonic essence. It changed you and no doubt gave you some of his powers.
“What’s the catch?”
Time will tell. At the least did you not notice how your brother reacted to the sight of you? Imagine how strangers will react.
“I didn’t blend in before. That isn’t my style.”
“All I could find was soup.” Gabriel brought a steaming bowl and handed it to him.
Xander took a sip to be polite. “Not bad.”
“What happens now?” Gabriel asked.
Xander cocked his head. “What do you mean? We’ve both got lives to return to. You haven’t forgotten that cute blond? I’m sure she’s eager to see you.”
“Of course I haven’t forgotten Amanda, but what will happen with us? We just found each other, are we going to part ways already?”
Xander smiled. “Would you like to come south and join the guild?”
“That’s not what I had in mind.” Gabriel sat in a hard chair beside Xander. “I thought you might stay here, make an honest life for yourself.”
Xander laughed. It sounded harsh and bitter even in his own ears. “Look at me. What kind of life can I make? The only things I’m good at are killing and stealing.”
“Xander—”
“My place is with the guild. The sooner I get back the more comfortable I’ll be. If you like I will come visit more often.”
Gabriel smiled. “As long as it’s not on business.”
The laughed together, for that moment they were just brothers, family reunited in body and spirit.
EPILOGUE
Gabriel and Amanda stood arm in arm before the altar in the Church of the Bright Shield. Family and friends filled the little church to the brim. Solan stood before them, arms raised. Gabriel had made his peace with Solan not long after they got back to Lord’s Way. The priest claimed he knew nothing about any other attempts to slay Drago and Gabriel chose to believe him. When he’d checked in with Griff he learned Commander Ericsson had collapsed in a seizure about the same time Xander had killed the demon serpent at the duke’s lodge. No great loss.
“In the Bright Shield’s name,” Solan said. “And before all these good people I pronounce you husband and wife.”
They embraced and Gabriel felt a warmth he hadn’t experienced in a long time. The only thing missing was Xander. His brother had gone south almost the moment they returned to the city. That was six months ago. He hoped Xander was well and safe, he deserved that at least, he had saved the world after all.
Uncle Duncan stood up. “Everyone is invited to my estate for the greatest party this city has seen in a decade.”
The assembly roared its approval and everyone filed out of the church. Gabriel and Amanda followed behind, hand in hand, at a more sedate pace.
“You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?” Amanda stopped just inside the doors of the church.
Gabriel nodded. “As much as I wish he was here, what I really hope is that he’s okay.”
“I’m sure he is. If I know one thing about your brother it’s that he knows how to take care of himself.”
* * *
Xander levitated
a foot off the floor of his new meditation chamber. He sat in the lotus position and greenish black flames flickered around his body. He’d reached the mountain four months ago and had been delighted to find grandfather alive and well after the infusion of energy he’d gotten. He’d received a warm welcome and after a day of rest been trying to figure out how to use the powers he stolen from Drago.
With the devourer’s help he’d learned a great deal. He’d also learned food would no longer sustain him, He need pure human life energy to survive. He didn’t need a lot, one life a month seemed to be plenty. Lucky for him the guild always had someone that needed killing. He took jobs that the junior members usually handled.
The meditation chamber door opened. He opened one eye. Kaylin stood in the doorway, one hand on her hip. He smiled. When he’d stopped to collect her on his way home she’d been surprised at his appearance, but not overly put off. When they’d arrived at the mountain a couple others had complained about her. One glare from his now burning eyes ended the complaints in a hurry. He hadn’t assigned her to spying in the city yet. He found having her nearby too pleasant.
“Yes?”
“You’re late for Gabriel’s wedding.”
“That’s tomorrow,” Xander said.
“This is tomorrow. You’ve been in here for twenty-seven hours.”
He frowned. It wasn’t like him to lose track of time so badly. Xander levitated higher and unfolded his legs. They ached so she must be right about how long he’d been there. “Did I get them something?”
“Of course.” She took a rosewood coffer out from behind her back.
He grinned. She was very good. Xander held out a hand and the devourer leapt into his grasp from the far side of the room. He sheathed the sword, took the coffer, and bent down to kiss Kaylin. “I’d better get going.”
“See you later.”
Xander stepped into a shadow door and called on his new powers to transport him at the speed of thought to Duncan’s mansion. He stepped out of the shadows at the corner of the building and turned invisible. Xander made his way through the house to the great hall. The wedding party was going full swing. He scanned the room and spotted Gabriel standing alone looking glum. Depressed on his wedding day, Xander shook his head. His brother was hopeless.