Millan's mind raced through the possibilities. Could it be true that his old mentor, at one time, was one of the highest-ranked officials in the guild? If so, why did he hide it from the young priest? And what was Skully's involvement with the Death Gods? The old man had barely mentioned the exiled group outside the context of a history lesson. There were no indications he was connected to them in any way. Millan sighed. He had all of these questions he wanted to ask Skully, but he probably would never get the chance.
Instead of dwelling on the unknown, Millan decided to change the subject. "So, how are you feeling today?"
"I'm well. Thank you for asking."
"You're not worried at all about your Exclusion?"
Eriph snickered under his breath. "I can't say I was all that surprised by the decision. It's not like they didn't warn me."
"Who?"
"Founder Brahawee and Archdon Feranis. I didn't see a reason to hide it, though. The Prima would've found out anyway at my Ascension."
"So, what will you do now?"
Eriph tilted his head, as if deep in thought. "Probably return to Alovajj. See if one of the founders will sponsor me."
"Sponsor you? To become a Death God?"
"Not just a Death God. Anyone can be a Death God. In fact, anyone who lives in Alovajj is treated like a member. They're allowed to live there as they please as long as they don't break the one rule."
"Only one rule?" Millan asked in disbelief. "What is it?"
"Don't be a—"
A noise came from the woods, and the entire procession came to a standstill.
"Do you see something?" Millan whispered.
The excluded priest put his finger to his lips. Without warning, a camouflaged deer sprang into view and bolted into the forest. Everyone laughed off the tense moment, and the search started again.
"What was I saying?" Eriph asked Millan. "Oh yes, anyone who lives in the city is considered a Death God, but most aren't involved in the hierarchy of the actual guild. They don't have a voice in the guild's decisions."
"And you want a voice."
"Wouldn't you? I want to be an officer and live in Moultia Palace, but to do that, one of the founders has to sponsor me."
The Nesinu priest scratched his head. "And they would let a member of Candelux into their ranks?"
"Where do you think Founders Brahawee and Mortis came from?"
"I guess, but they're founders, aren't they? They've been around since the beginning. How do they know you're not a spy?"
Eriph smirked. "And what good would a spy be for a guild that won't listen?"
"Don Millan!" Feranis called.
Millan dug his heels into the side of his horse and gave the reins a quick flick. He pulled his horse alongside the archdon's. "Yes, Your Grace?"
"I'm not sensing any dark energy in the vicinity. When I spoke with that young boy yesterday, he said there was a valley east of the village where he saw the twisted gate. Do you know what he's referring to?"
"I do."
"Good. I'd like for you to lead us straight to it."
"At once, Your Grace."
✽✽✽
They are meant to serve you. Gather the demon army if you wish to complete your objective.
Erynion spun around. There was only the empty forest behind him. He searched high and low. Where was the voice coming from?
"Something the matter, love?" Sereyna asked.
"It's nothing."
"Nothing?"
"I thought I heard something, but I was wrong."
The demon in the red dress beckoned him over. "Come. I want to show you something. Look familiar?"
When he joined her, the pair stood at the top of an incline overlooking a valley. In the middle of the forest below them grew one massive tree. Its trunk consisted of vines twisted together and towered over the other trees. Sereyna led Erynion down the slope, and within a few minutes, dozens of demons surrounded them. Big and small, they mostly ignored the newcomers. As he neared the twisted tree, Erynion was captivated by the hole at its base. Something had violently torn its way out.
"You must excuse me. Wait here, please." As Sereyna departed through the group of fray, Erynion was mesmerized by her movements until she was obscured by the trees. His attention was drawn to the creatures that occupied the area around the tree. Some of the imps were chasing one another while the larger fray, annoyed by their antics, tried to swat at them. Where had all these demons come from? Why had they gathered here?
"Hey," someone said in a loud whisper.
Erynion scanned the ground.
"Up here."
Erynion cast his eyes upward and spotted a creature hanging upside down from a tree limb. Aside from the dirt stains, his clothing was vibrant with a checkered pattern of yellow and purple that reminded Erynion of a court jester. The funny hat that fit snugly on his crown had seen better days, clinging to its final jingle bell.
"What's your name?" asked the tree dweller.
"Erynion. Who are you?"
The demon on the branch made sure the coast was clear before swinging down to the ground. Erynion was surprised to find the iymed only came up to his ribs. Although short in stature, this demon's appearance was more human than the disfigured fray around them.
"Name's Flinch. I'm one of Sereyna's lieutenants," he mocked.
"A lieutenant, huh?"
The corner of his lip was pushed up in a half smile. "Sure, sure. We can't call ourselves lesser iymed. It's bad for our self-esteem."
"Oh?"
The small demon cackled. "Are you serious? Tell me you don't actually believe that."
Erynion stared blankly at the iymed.
Flinch stopped laughing. "Something wrong with you?"
"Smells human," said another voice. A bizarre-looking demon emerged from the crowd of fray. He was of average height, and his scalp was like a bare island surrounded by a ring of spiky black hair. He wore considerably less clothing than Flinch, and his arms and chest were covered by enough hair to be considered fur. But what stood out the most were his eyes, clamped shut and covered in gashes that had long since healed.
"Of course he smells human. He just came from the towns." Flinch pointed at the cloth wrapped around Erynion's head. "Hey, you two both got a bit of an eye problem."
"Go climb a tree, Flinch." As the second iymed moved toward Erynion, he kicked his foot in the direction of the jester demon. Flinch dodged the attack and scampered up to the branch above them. The bald demon looked up at the tree with his nonexistent eyes. "Not bad for being blind, huh?"
"It's a good thing you are, so you don't have to see how ridiculous you look," Flinch taunted.
"You think I look ridiculous? Sounds like you're losing your last bell. And what's a jester with no bells?"
The demon in the tree reached up and pinched the only remaining jingler, barely clinging to its thread. Flinch's face turned sour as the bell popped loose. He cradled it in his palm like a precious pearl. "You win this round."
"And who might you be?" the blind iymed questioned.
"Erynion. Are you another of Sereyna's lieutenants?"
"You could say that, sure. I'm Sonojj. Been in the towns, have we?"
"I was in Nolka just last night."
Sonojj sniffed the air. "Well, it certainly smells like it. How'd you stay hidden for so long?"
"How do you mean?"
"You must've been there for at least a week."
"Let's see how good your hearing is in round two!" Flinch chucked his jingle bell at the blind iymed. The bell bounced off his bald skull and landed harmlessly on the ground.
"Would you excuse me for moment?" As Sonojj leapt toward the branch, his body drastically transformed into a jungle cat. Flinch scrambled, bounding from tree to tree, but the blind shape-shifting demon easily followed his trail. As Flinch attempted to escape, Sonojj tackled the jester and knocked him to the ground. The short demon, sporting a devious grin, removed his hat and muzzled the cat demon.
>
Flinch scurried out from under his attacker. Once he was a safe distance away, he grabbed his sides and laughed hysterically as his friend struggled to remove the jester hat with his paws. "Now who looks ridiculous? Don't you know that cats don't wear hats?"
"Enough!" The voice was deep and guttural.
Flinch tried to stifle his laughter. Sonojj returned to his humanoid form and tossed the jester hat aside.
Accompanied by Sereyna, an ogre-like demon pushed his way past the fray. His height was similar to Erynion's and his shoulders were broad. Every inch of him was covered in muscles that forced his clothing to tightly grip his body. His face was repulsive with a large pushed-in nose and pointy ears that appeared to be pulled back by invisible hooks. His beady eyes showed no sign of anything but distaste. "You two are nothing but buffoons. Dardan fools, if you ask me."
The ogre iymed squared off with Erynion. "Welcome," he said disingenuously.
"And who are you?"
"Your superior. That's who."
Sereyna squeezed the ogre's shoulder. "Now, now, Maligus, there's no need to frighten our new recruit."
"As you wish." Maligus snarled at Erynion. "But you better follow orders. Sereyna runs a tight group here, and I make sure it stays that way. Reaper was a good soldier."
"Wait, Reaper's gone?" Flinch asked.
The ogre whirled around. "Silence, imp!"
Flinch stooped down to pick up his hat. When Maligus turned back to face Erynion, the jester stuck out his tongue.
"Speaking of soldiers," Sereyna said, "I hear you had a special visitor while I was gone."
Flinch dusted off his hat and restored it to his head. "That's right. Marksy came through."
Sereyna mused, "So, after all this time, Alejjir finally came back, did he?"
"Yes, ma'am. Only a lesser iymed, though."
"And he didn't wish to stay?"
"No, ma'am. When he heard about the purged land to the west and that you might be bringing back a demon lord, he said he wouldn't be caught anywhere near it. So, is this the demon lord?"
"Who? Erynion?" Sereyna snickered. "No, he's just like you all. That's why I've invited him to join us and take Reaper's place. Maligus also informed me that we received a message from the overseer in Nolka. Priests are on their way to seal this gate."
Sonojj turned his ear to the conversation. "Do we know how many?"
"More than I care to face at this point in time. We don't want to be around here when that archdon shows up. I may have taken something of his. We're going to head southeast and stay clear of Nolka. I believe the demon lord is headed to Alovajj, and so we will follow. Maligus, be a dear and rally the troops."
"As you wish." The ogre demon bowed and left to organize the fray.
Flinch hopped over to Erynion. "Don't worry about him. Maligus is Sereyna's right hand. He likes to pretend that he's so important, but really, he's exactly like us. Just has some unresolved anger issues because his—" His voice trailed off as Sereyna sauntered toward Erynion.
"So, have you remembered anything more from your dream?" she asked.
"Should I have?"
"The twisted gate here is a connection between the Surface and the Depths. It represents a link to a time before the agony damaged your thoughts. Meditating here will increase your chances of regaining some of your memory, which is critical if you hope to control your power." Sereyna placed her hands on Erynion's waist. "This is a rare opportunity to learn about your past, but I urge you to not wait too long before following us. The priests are on their way to destroy the gate, and it would be a shame if those pigs got a hold of you."
"How long is too long?"
"Sonojj and Flinch will stay behind with you to stand guard. At the first sign of trouble, I want you all to run. Safe travels." She waved as she walked away. But before she was out of earshot, she peered over her shoulder. "Oh, and boys. You'll want to make sure you reach us before sundown."
"What does that mean?" Sonojj asked, but she ignored him.
The fray numbers that had filled the woods around the twisted gate slowly dwindled, leaving the three demons alone, sitting in a circle. Erynion closed his left eye and took cleansing breaths. He tried to clear his mind, but nothing was happening. "Why isn't this working?"
Sonojj lay back on the grass and propped his head with his hands. "You shouldn't be so impatient. Meditation gets easier the more you do it, but the first time is always a bit slow. It could take hours, but like Sereyna said, the gate should speed that up."
"And what exactly am I supposed to remember?"
"Who you are." Flinch chuckled. "Or rather, who you were when you were alive."
"Or anything about your past really," Sonojj added. "Your identity is crucial to understanding and controlling your power."
"You both know about your past lives?" Erynion asked.
Flinch offered his story first. "I was a jester in the royal court. But secretly, I was a thief in Anoctis. I had it all planned out. Even married the daughter of the guy in charge of the king's wealth. I was going to steal so much gold."
"What happened?"
"What do you think happened? I died."
"Oh. What about you, Sonojj?"
"I was a pan-mage in Summa Arcana. The whole philosophy appealed to me. You know, one with nature, and all that. I roamed the Umbral Valley to learn how to shape-shift into a jungle cat. It's a skill I was able to keep even after death."
Erynion paused. The mention of Summa Arcana, the mage guild, reminded him of something in his past, but he was unable to place it. The harder he tried to conjure up the reference, the more it slipped away. "Depths! I thought I had that one."
"One what?" Flinch asked.
"Memory. Something about Summa Arcana."
"You think you were a mage too?"
"I don't know. It came and went so fast."
"You can't force it," Sonojj said. "Next time you feel one, just relax and let it come to you."
"So, tell me. You both remember who you were. Are Flinch and Sonojj your real names?"
"No," the blind demon answered. "Demons learned early on to use pseudonyms. Your real name is your identity, the key to your soul, to your power."
"If a priest knows your human name, they can use it against you and quicken your cleansing," Flinch said.
"I see," Erynion muttered. He was unsure if Erynion was in fact his real name or not. The beggar had called him that, but he had also heard the name in his dream. Real or not, he had already given the name to the priests when they had asked the previous night.
There was a lull in the conversation until Flinch changed the subject. "I'd like to meet the demon who broke through here. Did you see the scorched field to the west?"
"Very funny, Flinch," the blind iymed said. "However, the smoldering smell was unmistakable. Definitely a purge. And, I'm pretty sure there used to be a town there."
"No joke. Verago definitely sent another demon lord, and it sounds like it's lasted longer than the last one."
"What happened to the last one?" Erynion asked.
Flinch hung his head. "Cleansed on its first day. Up, down, and out of town. Being a new demon, I don't suppose you were alive when the we attacked Light's Haven, were you?"
"Light's Haven?"
"Yeah, you know, the capital. Human or demon, everyone knows about the Assault on Light's Haven."
"The Assault on Light's Haven," Erynion repeated softly. A memory flitted about in the back of his head, and he listened to Sonojj's advice. He closed his eye and relaxed. As the images swirled around in his mind, the voices of Sonojj and Flinch became more distant.
The jester said something, but his voice was muffled.
Sonojj responded, but it was so quiet that Erynion couldn't make it out. And then, everything went black, and he was alone.
Chapter 11
The Prima and Her King
The trumpets sounded in the great hall of Thoris Castle as Prima Mashira stood in the entrance to the
throne room. It had been over two years since King Cato had fallen ill and handed over the crown to his son, Batar. From inside this castle, the monarchy had ruled over the kingdom for centuries. Mashira waited patiently as one of the royal watchers announced her arrival. "Your Highness, I present Her Luminescence, Prima Mashira of Candelux."
As she strolled down the purple carpet, her long blond hair swayed very little, tamed by the circlet she wore. She kept a keen eye on the king as he straightened on the throne. His smile extended from ear to ear, and his fingers twitched. Mashira was not as eager for this meeting to take place, but recent events had made it necessary. At the bottom of the stairs, she bowed respectfully.
King Batar reciprocated. "Please, come closer. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Your Luminescence?"
Mashira ignored the request and stayed put. "Your Highness, I come with pressing news. May we speak in private?"
"Of course. Ready the side chamber!" he ordered the servants. Batar descended the stairs with his hands behind his back. He tried to suppress his smile, but he failed. "Shall we?"
Mashira nodded and followed him to an adjacent room. As they crossed the threshold, servants rushed out of the room, bowing deeply. When she heard the doors close behind them, the Prima folded her arms.
Batar stealthily approached her from behind and embraced her. "I count the days until you come and see me." He gave her a soft kiss on the neck. "It's like ever since I was crowned, you don't have time for me."
Mashira gracefully wriggled free. "It's complicated." Once there was some space between them, she faced Batar. "How's your father?"
"He's not well. The Pink Leaves send their healers daily to tend to him, but he doesn't seem to make any improvements."
"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure they're doing their best."
Batar eagerly returned to the original topic. "It's been over a month since I last saw you. And how long until next time? Don't you miss me at all?"
"Of course I do," Mashira said. The words felt forced, and she hoped Batar wouldn't notice. "But things are different now. You're no longer a prince. You have an obligation to keep this kingdom safe, as do I."
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