Demiourgos

by Chris Williams

  It was hard being gentle with Rose; he knew his armor wasn't built for carrying a person. The light scaled plates gave him ample room to move and maneuver as he followed the swift young elf closely. At the next intersection they hit Nina rolled to her left and came up on her feet holding both weapons. Another of the dog-faced demons stepped into view but it hadn't planned on Liostro being so close behind her. With a clumsy overhand chop of his blade he sliced a good chunk off of the creature's head and used his shoulder to push it down to the ground. Not losing his momentum he continued barreling forward as quickly as he could with Nina now in tow behind him. The old stones beneath his feet were mildly slippery but he didn’t have the time to ponder it, he could hear the wings of the other demon beating behind him.

  As they ran an explosion of fire and stone hit them from behind, forcing Nina off the ground to fly forward a few feet. Liostro grabbed her armor as he ran and yanked her up to a standing position without even pausing. He was still running, though shakily from the impact. Once they reached the door of the crumbled structure he handed Rose to Nina and stood to block the way, hoping that the creature had landed. A scan of the sky above him revealed nothing. “Go, quickly now. Find somewhere to hide if you can.”

  “What about you?” Nina replied as she tugged on his sword arm. She was scared beyond her wits end; she had never faced demons before. It was one thing to read about them and see an artist’s rendering but these were live, breathing creatures. “There's a staircase down across the keep, it can't get down there!”

  With a growl he looked down at her and motioned toward the back of the keep with his head. “I'll be fine, go!”

  “We won't be.” Nina said softly, looking up at him. She knew that even Liostro would be hard-pressed to defeat an opponent of this caliber and without him she stood not a chance. “This is way above my head and I can't defend myself and carry Rose at the same time. We have to get out of here.”

  “Not until I find those damn artifacts.” He snarled as he pushed her toward the staircase and followed closely behind. “I'm in your wake, go!”

  A roar pierced their ears and a huge shadow passed over their heads. He was still relying on his luck to save him; he knew what was coming next. Liostro lunged forward and pushed Nina to the stone floor causing both of them to roll forward. Nina fell down the stairs with Rose letting out a yelp. Pulling his shield free and holding it close to him he rolled to the side quickly enough to avoid four stomping legs. The cracks in the stone floor beneath him signified the weight the creature had put behind the blow. His final roll brought him up to his knees in time enough to swing his shield in line to block an incoming overhead chop from the monstrous beast. A spray of fire erupted around him and hit the marble floor with a hiss. As it withdrew he pulled himself to his feet and sliced his weapon in an arching downward slash then countered it by swiping the blade back upward in the same path it had gone down. The diagonal angle made Abroodox hop backward in order to avoid the sharp metal blade.

  Marble flooring under his feet reverberated with the steps of the two opponents. Not willing to give his adversary the advantage he stepped forward and pressed the attack, using his body to lend some power to the blow he twisted and rolled with the strike. In the same motion cursed his luck as the blade was deflected by the larger creature's scales. The armored knight dove to the side and rolled forward coming up on his feet running toward the stairwell Nina had tumbled down.

  Behind him he heard Abroodox sucking in an impossible lungful of air. He didn’t have to guess or place a bet on what the creature was doing so Liostro leapt forward head first down the stairs only to feel the searing heat from the creature's fiery breath graze his greaves. His body slid down the stairs and luckily the armor absorbed most of the impact but as he hit the last step he felt a sharp cracking underneath his breastplate as a rib was bent downward at an awkward angle. Standing took an extra effort for him but he did so with a cry of pain. After taking a brief second to pull himself together he entered the room with Nina who was fiddling with some sort of door.

  Beneath his feet was white marble with an intricate tree carved into the center laced with gold. Four pillars stood in the room; one in each corner and each one was carved the image of a different elf, presumably the kings of the past. Liostro knew this was their goal. Arching an arm around his torso in an effort to stem the pain and the bleeding he walked toward her and studied the door. It was built from black and white marble and it had several small vessels shaped like trees of varying sizes. Nina was attempting to place them in the right holes according to their size when Liostro walked up to her cradling his lower half. His voice was a hoarse croak as he strained against the pain. “Hurry.”

  Rose was lying on the ground behind Nina. Liostro bent down painfully and picked her up in his arms, willing to go through any hurt required to make sure she was safe. Once Nina had completed the puzzle-like door they both stood for a moment waiting for something to happen. “What's going on?”

  Above them he heard Abroodox screeching in an unearthly keen that shook the foundation of the keep. Liostro listened to each inflection as the keen broke off and ended in an almost barking manner. “He’s calling for assistance because he can’t get down here.”

  “I don't know what’s going on! They're in the right place.” She said as she stared at the door.

  “Damn it.” Liostro had Rose draped over his shoulder and in frustration he slammed his fist down on the door causing the blood he had gotten on his hand from his open wound to splay across the white stone like a flower. The door began swinging open instantly much to their surprise; not questioning their fortune they entered the room.

  The dark room was suddenly illuminated by bobbing motes of light that drifted to and fro of their own accord. With each step they took an echo met them in return and dust stirred a little. The whole room was a giant carved relief dedicated to the history of the elven people. It stretched from one side to the other all carved out of the same white marble as the floor. When they found the strength to carry on the light in the room spread to an almost blinding radiance revealing rows and rows of statues depicting elven kings and queens all standing in formation. At the head of the column was a welcomed sight.

  In the center of the elaborately carved room was a stone mannequin wearing the armor they sought, forged by the elves of the past. It was shining in the soft illumination of the room though it looked a bit tarnished and old. The suit itself was engraved with runes and images of the royal crest still in use today. Every dip and curve in the suit lent to the fact that it was created by a master. Liostro’s breath caught at the sight of the masterwork blacksmithing and engraving. Near that was a sword carved with just as much ornate detail, its hilt and pommel decorated with carved vines arching around the crest. They seemed to support the golden emblem and choke it at the same time. The crest was in the center of the hilt and the pommel was decorated with a golden cap that was rounded perfectly. The blade itself was a silvery white metal painstakingly shaped and enchanted then engraved in a language he didn’t understand. The entire length of the blade had been formed with wicked spurs and jags. Liostro's breath caught in his throat as he grasped the hilt of the sword and the neck of the armor, looking to Nina. “This is it, get us out of here before the demons regroup!”

  ~~~~

  The queen was watching him so intently that he felt mildly uncomfortable but he met her eyes anyway and continued. “Nina pulled the charm from her neck and broke it on the ground, the next thing I knew I was standing in your audience chamber with Leonidus, Merik and you standing around us.”

  “Thank you,” She said in an unreadable tone as she turned toward the door and approached it, stopping short of turning the handle. “And Liostro?”

  “Yes my liege?” He replied through tired lips and tear-swollen eyes.

  “Find her and bring her back to us safely.” Mira paused for a second and let her final words hang in the air between them before exiting and clo
sing the door.

  Liostro looked at the armor for a moment and felt in his heart that it was not worth losing a life, especially the life of one he loved. The word love stuck in his head for a moment. He loved her. He loved Rose; he loved her so much that it was painful for him to be away from her in her time of need. “If I could go back I would sacrifice myself just to make you safe.”

  He turned away from the armor and sword and stepped toward the door. As he held his hand out to grasp the handle a light flared behind him. Curious, he turned back around and regarded the suit of armor and sword. To his amazement the tarnished surface had been polished and fixed in a mere instant. “By the gods and the bloody sands.”

  “My son.” A feminine voice called to him from nowhere and everywhere all at once. It was soothing and fluid, like that of an elf. “Liostro, it is good to see that you have shed the darkness from your soul.”

  “Who are you?” He replied while looking around the room.

  “I am Narcissa, your mother and Former queen of the elves and I have been waiting for this day for a very long time.” The female voice said in reply to him. “You have questions I know but my time is short. In your mixed blood flows the power of kings long gone. Before I perished I left you in the care of your father. He was a man I trusted with my soul.”

  “He died trying to protect you from the darkness growing in this world and you were taken away and led astray by a force we cannot name.” She said softly as her voice grew weaker. “I bequeath to you my son the very last of my power; it is the only thing I have left before I pass on to the next world. Take up the armor of your people and go save the chosen one for she is the light in this dark world. Help her bring order and justice back. She is the key.”

  “I am glad I got to see you one last time.” She said wearily as a glow enveloped the room, showering him and the armor with sparks of warmth. Even as he stood there in shock the light faded. “Wait, please wait. I have so many questions, don't leave me alone again.”

  Liostro knelt dumbfounded in front of the artifacts for a long time. Pushing his long hair back behind his ears he felt them with the tips of his fingers. They were slightly pointed and his good looks had always been a mystery to him but to find out that he was half-elven was still a shock to his system. In a way he had met his mother briefly but sorrow clouded that for him. His resolve threatened to melt away until he realized that Rose needed him. Liostro stood and strode toward the display unafraid of the consequences that would come with his actions. As he put his hands on the shining plate armor his thoughts were flooded by images and feelings and a store of knowledge hidden away in his blood and in the magic of the armor.

  ~~~~

  “My lords we have had this discussion time and time again, one of my champions has all but sacrificed her life for our cause. I merely wish to send a small expedition out after her to at least feel as if the elves are true friends to their allies.” The Queen stood tall and proud atop the raised platform overseeing the council while her eyes swept across the gathered. She inwardly cursed her luck, the council was almost all swayed against her proposal. It was only a matter of time before her throne was brought to question. “What say you?”

  Commotion on the far side of the room took their attention before the vote could begin. Wondering what other travesties fate had thrown at her she sighed and looked down at the intricately carved wooden archway to see what the fuss was about. She gasped as Liostro came striding around the corner wearing the armor of kings with the sword strapped comfortably across his back. His hair glowed with a radiant light and his eyes did the same, lending an eerie feeling to those who met his icy glare. She watched him stride boldly to the podium before the queen's seat and look at the council before speaking.

  “Gathered lords.” He began, feeling the power flowing through his veins.

  “What is the meaning of this? A mere human wearing the armor of our kings! Guards restrain that mongrel this instant!” Councilman Taines cried at the top of his lungs, standing up from his seat.

  Liostro merely stared at the councilman and put both hands on the podium, leaning forward as if to challenge the weakling elf. “Interrupt me again and I will have your head.”

  “Gathered lords, I am Liostro Sunmane son of Narcissa Sunmane and Clavius Stonecleaver. Within me flows the blood of kings. I stand before you now as the only remaining High Knight of the Sun, second only to the queen and king of the Sunmane legacy.” He paused and looked around at the shocked members of the council leaving a long glance for the coward Taines. “The Order of the Sun is reborn in me and by my rights I am dissolving this council under fault of leadership. Guards, please restrain the good Councilman Taines and usher the remaining members of the council to their chambers.”

  In the wake of the stunned silence Liostro swept his gaze upward to the queen's throne looking for support to his commands. His grasp of the laws of the elven court was limited at best but the knowledge steadily feeding into his head was beginning to take shape. “My queen do you have any objections?”

  Silence followed his inquiry for many seconds before she finally realized what all had happened and the implications of it. Her smile was genuine not only because of her true relief but because of her turn of good luck. “No, lord paladin; the queen has no objections to your ruling.”

  ~~~~

  “How long will they keep us in this room?” Rose asked Ruckus almost offhandedly she was attempting to get his mind off of things more than inquire about the duration of their incarceration. He sat there staring at the ground for the longest time not saying anything and it was worrying her. A sigh escaped her lips while she turned the ring Leonidus had given her over on her finger yet again. “Ruckus.”

  “I don't know.” He finally said with a good amount of anger in his voice. As he swept his crag-featured visage back around to her she could see his white eyes fighting back moisture. “I don't curse-the-stones know how long they plan on keeping us here. I was taken from my people at a young age; they are as foreign to you as they are to me.”

  “How did it happen?” It was difficult at first not to yell back but with a quick glance at the stone around her she put her anger to rest. Rose did not want to lash out at him but she was not responsible for his current situation. “Do you remember anything?”

  “I had gone with my father and his expedition team into the wild dark; they had discovered a pure vein of lavanite ore not far from the city. He thought it would be a good idea to drag me along on the dig to see what our people did to survive the horrors of the sprawling dark. Since the ore was so close he thought it would be as safe as it ever could be. My father gave me our family ring that day though the demons took it from me. I remember it well, it had the head of a jackal engraved into the metal and it was inlaid with gold.” Ruckus calmed a little as he talked and looked up at Rose. The remembrance in his face made him seem almost serene. “I remember the inside inscription as if I were holding it now. ‘The stones hold your destiny’ it said. The last thing I remember was listening to my father talking about the wonders of working metal and I blacked out. When woke up in the arms of a demon.”

  For a long time Rose sat and watched as Ruckus wiped small streams of tears from his eyes. Having never known her family she could not feel the loss as heavily as he did. She put a slender hand on his shoulder and gave it a light squeeze attempting to make him feel as if he weren’t alone. When he put his hand over hers and squeezed back she was satisfied.

  The silence was broken as the door swung open and the woman that had been questioning them earlier strode up to Ruckus. She studied him as if searching for something and then enveloped him in a surprising but bone-crushing hug. Though he was taken aback at first he cried out something unintelligible and embraced her with enthusiasm. Rose smiled as she looked on at the both of them and noticed a silvery engraved ring shining on the woman's finger. Observing that tear-filled reunion only made her want for her friends that much more.

  From behin
d the woman came a second kurenai who stood tall with a broad build and wrinkles abound on his face and skin. His color was a shade darker than most though his hair had long since turned completely white. The crags and pits in his skin signified that he was one of the elders of their race. On his brow he wore a modest circlet with a jewel-encrusted eye in the center of it. Though still simple, his clothing was a step up from the rest of them. He strode into the room with two guards in tow and looked from Ruckus to Rose and back again. “Your name is Rose correct?”

  “Yes.” She answered hesitantly, eyeing both the man and his guards. She had a feeling she knew what rank the man held. And though she wanted to desperately she did not break her golden-hued gaze from his.

  “I am Corith, king of the kurenai. As emissary of our people I offer you the tribute we have stored for your return. I hope that it is sufficient for your people’s needs.” The king knelt down before her and bowed his head, causing her to start just a little. His long hair splayed around his shoulders as he knelt there before her.

  Rose felt very uncomfortable; she took the king by the arm and helped him stand back upright. Her eyes once again met his and she put a hand on his shoulder hoping he would take the gesture as friendly. “I am a naarabian, one of what your people call the ancients. I am not here to collect the tribute though.”

  “Please do not harm us! We can get more!” He pleaded with his hands out and his eyes wide. The genuine fear in his voice caused the guards to draw their weapons and tense up. “We merely ran out of space for the remaining tribute to be stored.”

  “No! No it's not like that, the tribute is yours. Call it a gift to your people for your long service; you no longer have to store your hard-earned gains for us.” Hoping they would buy it and figuring that it couldn't be a lie if her people no longer controlled their own kingdom she attempted to deflect the situation and make it look like a reward for their diligence. It was not exactly a lie or even a half-truth; Rose had been told that she one of the last of her kind so she felt she could serve as an ambassador of sorts.