Shadow of the Gods tgc-3

by Brian D. Anderson

  “How do I do that?” Gewey felt the touch of his father. It felt as if love it was a tangible thing he could see and taste. Only his bond with Kaylia could compare. “Can you teach me?”

  “No one can teach you this.” He withdrew his hand, reached inside his robe, and pulled out a small silver chain with a medallion the size of a gold piece attached. On it was carved the symbol of Gerath. “In a few moments I will empty myself into this. From that moment on I will cease to be, yet my power will remain. Wear it, and my strength will pass to you.”

  “What do you mean ‘you will cease to be?’” he asked.

  “The part of me I left behind…its will and its mind will be gone.” He handed Gewey the medallion. A light flashed and a table appeared beside him. On the table rested a bow, a dagger and a staff, all gleaming white. “Take these. They are the tools of Vismal, crafted by my own hands. Give them to those whom you love and trust, and your power will aid them. But choose carefully, for once given they will only serve that master.” He smiled a sad smile. “I have little else to give you. Most of what I am has been trapped by the betrayer. What you see is a shadow. But even the shadow of our kind carries great power. Use that power so that you may better understand what you must do.”

  “Why not just tell me?” he cried. “Why not show me?”

  “I cannot,” he replied. “Or all will be for naught. You must discover your power on your own. I can only say that you have begun rightly. I sense mortal teachings within you. They can give you what we never could.” He staggered back. Gewey reached out to catch his arm, but his hand passed as though a mist. “My time is short. The moment you stepped within these walls, I began to fade. My knowledge does not extend beyond the moment I was put here, and that slips away from me with each passing second.”

  “But I have so many questions,” said Gewey. “Please, I must know more.”

  Gerath's form began to ripple and fade. “Know that you have your father’s love, and that I await you even now.” He gave Gewey one last loving smile. “I have only one more thing to give…your name.”

  “My name?” Gewey's mind raced.

  “Yes,” Gerath replied. “It is the name given to you by a father whose worst crime was to sacrifice you to a world of peril and hardship, in order to undo what he cannot.” He faded completely. “Darshan.”

  Gewey stood in stunned silence for a moment. “Darshan,” he whispered.

  He approached the table and examined the weapons. The dagger was sheathed in an ivory scabbard, etched with the symbol of Gerath. The hilt was wrapped in white leather and crowned with a single diamond. The bow, short and impossibly thin as to be certain to break if drawn, though Gewey was sure it would not. The staff was as long as he was tall, and three snakes had been carved to coil their way up its length. Gewey reach down and gathered them in his arms. The table faded, and he found himself in a large, empty room. A glow radiated from bronze plates on the walls and he could see the silver door at the far end. Carefully cradling the weapons and holding tight to the medallion, he walked to the door, and pulled it open. There stood Pali and Aaliyah.

  Aaliyah beamed and threw her arms around him, nearly causing him to drop everything. ”Thank the Creator. When you vanished, I feared the worst.”

  “We may be facing the worst,” said Gewey. “If what I was told is true.”

  “What are those?” asked Pali, pointing at the weapons.

  “Gifts,” Gewey replied. “Gifts from Gerath.” He recounted his experience, leaving out that he was the son of Gerath, as he was unsure how Pali would react.

  “Darshan?” asked Aaliyah, when he finished. “You are called Darshan?”

  Gewey nodded. “I know you call me Shivis Mol. Have you heard this before?”

  “It means ‘the bringer of knowledge,’” Aaliyah replied. “Shivis Mol is more a title than a name, given to the one who will bring healing to the world.”

  Gewey shrugged. “I don't know about that. Right now, I'm more concerned about getting out of here. Gerath said an evil resides here; one that will try to stop us.”

  Aaliyah nodded in agreement. “Yes. These matters can wait until we reach safety.”

  “I have heard of the legend of Darshan,” Pali interjected, with a curious stare. “But if that is who you are, then it can only mean that the Gods walk among us.” He looked Gewey up and down. “Is that what you are?”

  Aaliyah stepped forward, but Gewey caught her arm and pulled her back. “I will not try to deceive you. Yes, I am a God. But I am not like what you may think. I eat, I sleep, and I can be hurt, just like any other man. My spirit is no different than yours.” He could feel Aaliyah's muscles tensing in his grasp.

  “I ask that you do not reveal…Darshan's presence.” she said.

  “You mustn't worry,” said Pali, smiling broadly. “I will not betray you. And you need not fear my people. They bear the Gods no hatred. Though you may find it difficult to convince them you speak truth. I admit, had I not seen you vanish then return bearing your gifts, I would as well. Besides, if the legend is true, and it seems it is, this is joyous news. It is said that Darshan will bring everlasting prosperity to our people, and cast out the evil that plagues the sands.” He slapped Gewey on the shoulder. “But there will be time to tell you of our legends. I will be coming with you when you return west.”

  “You cannot,” objected Gewey.

  “Oh, but I must,” Pali countered. “If Darshan has come, then it means that the elves of the desert shall be reunited with our brethren in the west.” He eyed Aaliyah. “I must see it done.”

  “I swore an oath to your mother,” said Aaliyah sternly.

  “I may be her child, but I am not a youth to be coddled,” he challenged, meeting Aaliyah's gaze. “If you do not allow me to come with you, I shall make my own way west.

  Pali and Aaliyah stared hard at one another.

  “Look,” said Gewey, breaking the deadlock. “We can talk about it once we're out of here.” He took his blanket from his pack and wrapped the staff, strapping it and the bow across his back. The dagger he fastened to his belt.

  “Are you going to wear the medallion?” asked Aaliyah.

  Gewey held it in his hand and traced his finger over the engraving. Slowly he draped it around his neck and took a deep breath.

  “Well?” asked Pali.

  Gewey reached down and lifted the medallion off his chest and examined it again. “Nothing.” He rubbed it with his thumb. “I feel nothing at all.”

  “Perhaps you should draw power from the earth,” suggested Aaliyah.

  Gewey did as she suggested, but still nothing changed. “I don't understand.”

  A loud blast from a great horn rang out. Even muffled by the walls of the temple the sound was strong enough to cause the corridor to tremble. Gewey drew his sword. The narrow hall would make it awkward, but he knew that the increased ability to use the flow would be needed. He looked down the hall, but no one came.

  “They await us outside,” said Aaliyah, after a few minutes. “We are trapped.”

  “Maybe they want to take us alive,” offered Pali. A wicked grin crept across his face as his looked at Gewey. “But then we have Darshan with us. I wonder if they are prepared for that?”

  “My enemies know about me,” said Gewey, darkly. “If they choose to attack, they know who and what they face. And they know that I bleed just like you.”

  Gewey led them down the corridor and up the stairs to the door. It was still shut. The horn blasted once more, making Gewey wince. “Stay here,” he commanded, and exited the temple.

  It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the sunlight’s intense glare. When they cleared, he saw a familiar black-cloaked figure, long curved blade in hand, twenty paces ahead.

  “Do the Vrykol fear death?” Gewey shouted. The flow raged through him.

  The Vrykol took a step forward, then pushed back his hood. “We do not.”

  Gewey stared, stunned by what he saw. It was not t
he burned, twisted features he had seen before. Instead it was the face of an elf. Its skin was lightly tanned, and his long black hair was tied in a tight braid. His face was narrow and angular, with closely set deep blue eyes that tried to stare straight through Gewey.

  “You can't be…” said Gewey. “How?”

  The Vrykol smiled, as though he had not a care in the world. “My master went to great trouble in my creation, young godling. I am the first of my kind…though not the last, I assure you. I am here to offer you your life.” He chuckled. “Though I already know what your answer will be.”

  “Then be gone,” said Gewey. He strengthened his grip on his sword. “Allow us to pass.”

  “I'm afraid that is out of the question,” he replied. “That is, unless you surrender what was inside the temple to me. Do this, and I shall let you and your companions go free.”

  “If you attack us, I will have your head,” warned Gewey.

  “Perhaps,” said the Vrykol. “You may be able to fight your way out of this place. I know you are powerful. But understand that I am not alone. Ten of my more…brutish brothers and sisters are in the clearing, and fifty Soufis await you beyond the Oasis. Do you think your friends will be as fortunate as you? Are they Gods as well? If so, then you should ignore my offer.” He paused, then pulled his hood over his head. “I await your answer in the clearing.” He turned and disappeared down the path.

  The door opened behind him and Pali and Aaliyah stepped out.

  “What was that abomination?” asked Pali, horrified.

  “They're called Vrykol,” said Gewey, still staring down the marble path to the trees. “I'm not sure what they really are, but they're fast, strong, and hard to kill. You must take off their heads to stop them.”

  “I have heard stories of the Vrykol,” said Pali. “They were the assassins of the Gods. But I never thought them to be anything more than a myth.”

  “This one is different from the others I've seen.” He looked hard at Aaliyah. “We may have no choice but to give them what they want.”

  “We will do no such thing,” Aaliyah protested. “We have journeyed too far to simply give this creature what we came for.”

  “I agree,” said Pali. “If these weapons are as powerful as you were told, you cannot let them fall into the hands of evil.”

  Gewey thought for a moment. “Gerath told me that I must give these things to those I love and trust. And once given they only serve that master. Why then force me to give them up? They would be useless.”

  “They may not be aware of that fact.” Pali suggested. “It seems that they were unable to enter the temple on their own, which is likely why they allowed us to enter unmolested. They may not have knowledge of what was kept there. And perhaps it is not the weapons he desires.” He pointed to Gewey's medallion. “If that contains the essence of a God…”

  “He's right,” said Aaliyah. “You cannot let it fall into their hands. We must fight.”

  Gewey straighten his back and clenched his jaw tight. “Then you should know that Vrykol can block your ability to use the flow. At least when used directly on them. But you can still affect things around them.” He withdrew the Vismal dagger from his belt and held it out to Aaliyah. “Take it.”

  Aaliyah stared at it. Finally, she reached out and asked for confirmation. “Are you certain?”

  Gewey nodded and she took it from his hand. The moment her hand touched it she cried out and fell to her knees. Gewey rushed down to help her.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, cradling her forearms.

  Aaliyah smiled. “Yes. More than all right. You have no idea what you have given me.” She looked around wide-eyed, as if seeing color for the first time. “It is beautiful.” She rose lightly to her feet holding the dagger to her breast. “Gerath was right. You must choose wisely to whom you give these.”

  Gewey turned to Pali, but the elf shook his head knowing what Gewey was going to do.

  “Keep the rest and give them to those who will use them.” Pali held his sword aloft. “I cannot steal life from the Creator, but with this, I can certainly take life from the wicked.”

  Gewey smiled. “Then let us meet our foes. They await an answer.”

  With Gewey leading the way, they headed down the path, past the columns and into the wooded trail. The surge of power through both Gewey and Aaliyah was so great, that the earth shook with each step, and the air roared before them. As they approached the clearing, Gewey saw a line of black-cloaked figures wielding cruel jagged blades; they stood just a few yards from the opening. He counted ten in total. Just as they entered the clearing he spotted another a few yards behind the others. Though cloaked, he assumed it was the one that had spoken to them outside the temple.

  Gewey lowered his eyes and took a breath. “I see you hide behind the others.”

  “And I see your answer is what I expected,” he shouted back. “Pity. Your friends will pay for your lack of wisdom.” He spun around and held up his right hand. “Kill them.” Then he disappeared down the path.

  The Vrykol charged. A ball of flame burst to life exploding just at the feet of three Vrykol, but they moved with tremendous speed and ran straight through the flames. Gewey hardly had time to react, as two of the beasts were upon him. The four had rushed right at Pali and the rest at Aaliyah. He knew he had to make quick work of these two or they would certainly be killed. He struck at the neck of the nearest foe, but it stopped just before it was in range of his sword. The other feinted and slashed, but only close enough to keep Gewey at bay.

  He charged forward, but they only fell back, darting in and out, keep him off balance. He understood the tactic. They were going to keep him busy until they had defeated Pali and Aaliyah. He glanced to Pali. His sword flashing in tight arcs as he danced and spun avoiding blows. One Vrykol lay dead, but the others were pressing in, forcing his back to the trees and vines. Aaliyah was faring a bit better. Two Vrykol were surrounded by flames and their black cloaks burned brightly. Another had already lost its head. The fourth was moving to her left swinging wildly. Gewey tried to step right to help her, but the Vrykol cut him off, and the two that were on fire stepped in between, pressing Aaliyah back.

  Gewey spun and used the flow to up-heave the earth behind him. Pali had cut the arm from another Vrykol, but he was bleeding badly from his left leg. The two creatures at his back had already recovered by the time Gewey reached Pali, and rushed in. Gewey drove his blade through the chest of one of Pali's attackers, then pulling it free took the head of another. Pali grinned and pushed forward.

  Gewey was only just able to duck and roll, as the Vrykol at his back thrust their swords in unison. From his knee he took the leg of one, and it tumbled to the ground. Pali was still fighting two. The one Gewey had skewered had moved in to Pali's right and its blade found his shoulder. Pali cried out, but he managed to move away and open up a wound across the chest of the beast to his left. He struck again and sent its head flying. Before he could turn to face the last, a blade shot through his chest. Pali gasped and fell forward, the blade slipping out. Blood spewed forth as he dropped to his knees and Gewey could hear the soft hissing laugh of the Vrykol.

  Gewey looked over just as Pali's body hit the ground. His heart filled with rage. He rolled, bringing his blade up between the legs of the last Vrykol, spitting it in two. Thick, black blood sprayed out like a fountain, as each half crumbled to earth. He knew he couldn't allow his anger to cloud his mind. Aaliyah still faced three Vrykol, though two had slowed considerably as they burned. He leaped to his feet and took the heads off both flaming beasts with two quick strokes. Aaliyah ducked under the other’s guard and in a flash its head rolled off its shoulders.

  The final Vrykol paused. “This means nothing.” Its rasping voice grated at Gewey's ears, fueling his anger. “You will not leave the desert alive.” He charged.

  Gewey snarled and his sword took the creature’s head. The moment the it fell, Gewey decapitated the legless Vrykol and rush
ed to Pali's lifeless body. He rolled him over only to see dead eyes staring into nothingness. Gewey bowed his head and close his eyelids shut.

  “Are you hurt?” he asked, as Aaliyah knelt beside him.

  “Thanks to your gift, no.” She placed her hand on the back of his head. “You did your best to save him.”

  “He should have never been here,” Gewey whispered. “We should never have brought him with us.”

  “He came of his own free will,” said Aaliyah. “And he came as a gesture of friendship and kindness. We would not have made it here without him.”

  A crackling sound as if from a thousand camp fires filled their ears. They jumped up to see the bodies of the Vrykol turning hard and gray. Thousands of tiny cracks formed and they began splintering like glass, then turned to dust. The ground shook and rumbled. The earth around Pali's body exploded and hundreds of thin roots shot skyward then draped over him. Before Gewey could move, the roots pulled the body into the earth. Gewey fell to the ground, digging feverishly with his bare hands. Aaliyah stood back, staring in wonder at the spectacle. Soon, Gewey began pounding his fist in the dirt and screaming with rage.

  “What is this?” Gewey's voice was met with silence. Slowly he rose to his feet.

  Aaliyah gasped and grabbed his arm, pointing a few feet away. “Look.”

  A soft ball of light hovered just above the ground, expanding until it took the form of a man. Its features were hazy and unrecognizable. Its feet didn't touch the earth, and its arms were held wide.

  “Who are you?” Gewey demanded.

  At first there was nothing. The specter was silent and still. Then nine more figures appeared just behind it.

  “We are the first born.” The voice was distant and echoed as if within a great cavern. “We thank you for our freedom.”

  “I don't understand,” said Gewey.