A Demon's Quest the Beginning of the End the Trilogy Box Set

by Charles Carfagno Jr.

  “Konafar, it’sss good to sssee you,” the creature said, stopping a few feet away.

  “Aye, and you too, my friend. Thessor, how’s your kinsman?”

  He looked at his wounded companion, then back again. “He livesss.” Thessor’s forked tongue darted in and out of his mouth after a few spoken words.

  “I might need your services.” He waited for the lizard to nod. “There’s a town nearby that fell a while back, and we might intervene and save some of the prisoners.”

  “My peoplesss services are always ready.”

  “Good, I’ll stop by after we’re finished with our meeting.”

  Konafar led his guests through a door at the far end of the room and followed the narrow corridor until they came to a set of stairs leading upward. Several flights later, they walked down another long corridor until they entered a rectangular room.

  A lone figure dressed in black, with red hair and a full beard, sat at a table writing something on a piece of parchment.

  As they were walking toward him, Jacko looked around at the paintings adorning the walls. He was in awe over the incredible colors and the level of detail each picture had. Once they were seated, Konafar introduced his companions.

  “Lord Tolar, this is Woo, Mao, and Jacko.”

  Tolar stopped writing and looked up. “Welcome to the Order of the Dragon. Can I get you something to eat or drink?”

  The guests looked at one another before nodding. Lord Tolar clapped his hands and three servants entered.

  “Food and ale for our guests,” he said, and they left. “Now since that’s out of the way, Konafar, what brings you back here? I thought you were on a pilgrimage to see how many wenches you could bed. Did you finish that quest already?”

  Konafar chuckled. “Not yet, my lord. I only made it through half of the countryside.”

  Both men laughed together, bringing smiles to everyone’s faces except for Jacko.

  “Lord Tolar, there’s a serious issue in Redden,” Jacko interrupted. The lord’s smile faded, and he looked directly at Jacko. “I’m not sure if you’re aware, the town had fallen a few months back, and they are torturing the prisoners and using the females to breed.”

  “Are you sure of this?”

  “I saw it firsthand when I went inside looking for my friend.”

  “Konafar, is that true?”

  “I’m afraid it is.”

  “Lord Tolar, we have to do something,” Mao added.

  “I agree. These kinds of atrocities can’t go on.” Tolar paused when the servants ushered in food, ale, and wine.

  After they placed it on the table, they were instructed to fetch the map of Redden from their vaults and leave it on the table in the war room.

  During their meal, Jacko informed him about the creatures that occupied the town, how he and Delisar infiltrated the town through an underground tunnel, but also that he thought it might have been compromised after they fled. Lord Tolar listened intently without saying a word. By the time Jacko was finished, he had a good idea of what he needed to do but kept it to himself.

  When the meal was done, they left the room through a hidden door on their left, down several flights of stairs, until they arrived in front of a massive solid oak door. The two armed guards opened the door and stepped aside.

  The war room was big, to say the least. Bracketed torches lined the walls. A wooden chandelier hung above a large, heavy oak table, which could easily accommodate twenty men. Next to the table was a rolling cart with small model buildings and little figurines.

  As they drew closer to the table, Jacko recognized the map from his stay in Redden. The cloth diagram stretched the length and was very detailed; from the streets, to the shops and inns, and finally the Magistrate’s house.

  After they took up position, Konafar walked over to a smaller table on their right, which had goblets filled with wine, and handed one to each of them. Tolar took a long swig and prompted Jacko to tell his tale again. This time, he was to point to each of the locations he’d visited. When he finished, Tolar took another gulp and looked at everyone present and said, “Since the enemy discovered your exit point, then you’re probably right in assuming that you can’t re-enter the same way again.” He rubbed his bearded chin, contemplating.

  “We can’t enter through the gates either,” Woo added.

  “You mentioned there are many tunnels, so I suggest you enter through one of the other doors,” Tolar said.

  “Delisar said they lead to different parts of the town, but he only had the one key,” Jacko said.

  “If you hire a master thief, then you won’t have to worry about the keys. I also think you’ll need to create some kind of diversion once you get in. You’ve already breeched their defensives, so I’m sure they’ll step up the patrols in case it happens again.”

  “We’ll need a big one,” Woo said.

  “Or create several smaller ones,” Mao interjected.

  “Since we don’t have a large army, then Mao’s idea is probably the best one,” Lord Tolar said.

  “How many of our brothers can you spare for this mission?” Konafar asked.

  “Right now, there are only about twenty in the school, ten of which must stay here to protect and deal with any situation that might arise. You should go talk to Thessor and find out what he can offer.”

  “I already said something to him, and he’s agreed to help. Do you need me here?”

  “No. I’m just going to go over some general things with them.”

  “I’ll go see Thessor now.”

  When he was out of the room, Lord Tolar looked at the others and said, “He’s a good and brave man.”

  “We can tell,” Woo said, speaking for the group.

  “Do you think we have a chance to rescue more people?” Mao asked.

  “My Order is built for these types of missions, and as long as you stick to the plan, you’ll be fine. Konafar will see to it.”

  They continued talking about basic stuff and the art of warfare until the big man returned an hour later with a broad smile upon his face.

  “Well?” Lord Tolar asked as soon as he walked in.

  “He’s on his way and will return tomorrow.” His grin widened.

  “Why are you smiling so much?”

  “He thinks he’ll bring back at least thirty warriors.”

  “Good, very good.”

  They spent the next few hours fine-tuning their plan, which was to be carried out as soon as Thessor returned.

  ****

  Delisar awoke at dawn and was relieved to find that everything was exactly as it was from the night before; the traps were in place, and the fire still burned. He rose, stretched his cramped muscles, doused the fire, and began walking toward Stonybrook.

  He preferred traveling off the main road to avoid unnecessary travelers, and, for the most part, it was a good idea until around midday when he detected something tracking him. Whatever it was stayed far enough away and out of sight, which meant it was an intelligent predator. Delisar let the game of cat and mouse go on for another half mile when he decided to run forward thirty yards, make a quick break toward the left until he crossed the main road, then dart back another ten yards to hide inside a dense cluster of bushes. He inched his notched bow through the bushes and watched the road ahead. The forest abruptly went still, and he remained motionless, knowing that whatever was tracking him was about to show itself.

  A few minutes later, a dark green head poked its way out of the shrubbery. The scaly, round face and narrow eyes looked right, then left, and began flicking its forked tongue out of its mouth as if tasting the air for its prey.

  Delisar was about to release an arrow when the creature suddenly looked directly at him, and they locked gazes, freezing him where he crouched. The beast’s eyes pulsated, changed different colors, and brightened, causing Delisar to cower in fear but never diverting his eyes. The beast used its hypnotic weapon for a few more minutes before disengaging its stare and duc
king back into the woods.

  The trepidation lasted for a few more minutes. After it passed, Delisar slowly backed out of his hiding place and cautiously continued on. He stayed closer to the road and every time riders approached, he hid until they passed, which was strange because he never avoided anything, be it man or beast. Something changed after the encounter with the creature, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

  Around midday, Delisar stopped to rest on a fallen tree. He’d just taken out his waterskin when fear overwhelmed him again. It happened so incredibly fast that he got up, grabbed his bow, and crouched down behind a nearby large tree while gripping his weapon with both hands. He was shivering and cowering uncontrollably until he regained enough courage to peer around the tree. He was somewhat relieved to find the forest instead of the creature staring back at him. He sat behind the tree until the fear eventually passed, but then it was replaced with something far worse: nervousness, insecurity, and doubt about his fighting skills. For the first time since he was a child, he was really afraid. Delisar’s new feelings caused him to spend the next four hours running and hiding around the area until he became hopelessly lost. By the time the evening hours were ushered in, he felt unskilled, useless, scared, alone, and wished that someone else was with him, so that they could protect him from harm. With the world closing in on him, he found some thick bushes to hide in. With all sense of reasoning gone, he began to cry uncontrollably until fatigue finally overtook him in the late hours of the night and he passed out.

  Somewhere deep in the forest, the creature, who changed Delisar, continued searching for him.

  Jacko, Konafar, Woo, and Mao met Lord Rygare and Lord Tolar for the early morning meal and discussed the tactical plan once again. It was simple, Jacko thought. However, it would require impeccable timing for it to be successful. During the conversation, Jacko tuned out theirs and began wondering who would live and who would die over the next day or two, surely he didn’t want to think about it, but he couldn’t avoid it either. He also considered if what they were doing was the right thing to do. Could he live with the guilt of leaving helpless people to their deaths? If they succeeded, would he be remembered for doing something great? What if he died and he was forgotten? To live his entire life and it was all for nothing. His thoughts and the conversation were interrupted when the door opened and Thessor walked in.

  “Welcome,” Lord Rygare said and stood up to greet the lizardman.

  “We’re prepared and ssset,” he replied.

  “How many brave warriors?”

  “Wesss have twenty ssstrong.”

  Lord Rygare smiled and said, “Will you be joining us? We have plenty of food.” The lizardman nodded, sat down, grabbed one of the roasted fowl carcasses, and began devouring every part of it, from the meat to the tendons and, finally, the bones, as his jaw crunched them into pieces. The loud sound reminded Jacko of someone’s arm or leg being snapped in half. Thessor was informed of their plans, in between chomps, and after he finished eating everyone rose and said their goodbyes.

  The morning air was sweet and crisp as they stepped out of the building. The sky was clear and the snow from the night before was all but gone.

  “Where are your people?” Konafar asked Thessor.

  “Theysss waitsss over there,” he said, pointing to the outskirts of the town.

  Just then, another warrior from Konafar’s Order came around from the back of the school and approached the group. He said the rest of the men were getting ready and would be down shortly. Konafar introduced him as Tonles the Mighty, and the first thing you noticed about him was that he was bigger than Konafar, not in height but in girth. He had a barrel chest, thick legs, and arms so muscular they looked like he could rip your head off with a simple tug. His green eyes were slightly slanted, clearly indicating that he was not from around these parts. His dirty blonde hair was braided down his back, and his beard was long, but well groomed. The chainmail he donned was black and slightly rusted and in need of some minor repairs, given that some of the links were separated. The two-headed ax he carried was nasty looking and the round shield draped across his back showed signs of disrepair just like his armor. He was, in a sense, the perfect example of how all true fighters should look and carry themselves.

  Jacko gazed at the man and could only imagine what damage he could bestow upon an enemy if provoked.

  While they were waiting, Tonles proudly held aloft his deadly weapon and introduced it as the Ripper. Everyone present immediately knew why it was given that name when they saw the jagged edges purposely etched along the blades and the large six-inch spike on top. The warrior then gave his insight into, what he called, the invasion of the town, and what they should do to rescue the townspeople.

  His tactical angle was very helpful, Jacko thought.

  A short time later, the rest of the men joined the group. Each carried modified weapons, which looked very deadly in their own right, and wore the same armor: black chainmail shirts with thick leather fitted over the top, a steel helmet with a nose guard, and brown leather leggings with boots to match. It was apparent to everyone outside of the Order that you needed to have a dangerous look about you in order to fit in.

  The new arrivals introduced themselves. First, there was a young warrior named Ponduit; he was tall—like Konafar but not as muscular—clean-shaven, and kept his long brown hair neatly tied in a ponytail. His weapon of choice was a two-handed, single-headed ax he called Whisper. The weapon got its name after slicing someone’s head off, causing the victim’s blood to make a whispering sound as it sprayed into the wind.

  A husky warrior, with brown hair, that went by the name Krol was next. He proudly swung his War Hammer named Masher in a display of power and said the weapon was named after he hit a short person in the head and crushed his skull into his neck.

  He was followed by a muscular fighter with thick, wavy hair named Runit. He introduced his short sword named Vore and said he did so after his son was murdered a few years ago. The men from the Order of the Dragon all stopped what they were doing and bowed their heads in honor of his son.

  After they were done paying their respects, a rough-looking man introduced himself as Lud, followed by his long sword named Disemboweled. His broad smile and the way he admired the weapon said it all.

  A short, stocky warrior, with blond hair, named Erantel pushed his friend aside and introduced his spear called Reclamation to the group. The steel spear was six feet long with a jagged spearhead on one end and a thick metal cover on the other.

  A fighter, introduced as Fleck, by his friend Lud, unsheathed his rapier named Enlightenment and a two-foot main-gauche he called Fate. He said that if people weren’t enlightened by his rapier, then they were sure to feel the cold steel of Fate. Konafar laughed.

  A tall man named Kildred stepped to the front and introduced his one-handed spiked flail as Equalizer.

  Awret followed him. He was a bald, mean-looking warrior with a six-foot glaive called Authority.

  The final two fighters stepped to the front at the same time. The one with the gray short-cropped hair was introduced as Nion, and the weapon he wielded was a morning star called Retaliator. The other man, who went by the name of Stader, was far older than the rest; he was balding, slight of build, and wore a thick mustache. The trident he wielded was called Dissect, and it got its name after he removed the organs from a giant when he pulled the weapon away.

  With the introductions out of the way, each man and lizard were handed a mount from one of the aspiring young warriors of the Order.

  They left town at mid-morning to rendezvous with Thessor’s kin. Along the way, Mao made a comment to Jacko and Woo that he thought it was funny how each man named their weapon and treated it like some sort of pet. Unfortunately, Kildred overheard him, trotted over, and grabbed the reins to his horse, stopping the mare. The warrior demanded an apology for his insults. When Mao saw the anger in his eyes, coupled with his aggressive posture and hand resting on his fl
ail, he promptly did so and added that he wouldn’t make fun again. The warrior relaxed a bit, smiled, and laughed loudly. A few seconds later, his brothers joined in on the fun and Mao was left feeling embarrassed, but relieved, after he returned to his position in the rear of the group.

  ****

  By midday, snow steadily fell and Thessor led the group to an old, dilapidated, abandoned farmhouse with a very large pond in the back. The area was very quiet.

  “Thessor, where are your men?” Woo asked after pulling up next to his horse.

  “Watchsss, little human,” the lizard hissed and pointed to the pond.

  “For what?”

  Thessor hissed aloud, and twenty lizardmen rose from the murky pond with their weapons drawn and ready for battle. They hissed back in acknowledgement and walked over to greet their commanding officer. Sludge dripped from their leather armor and a smell that no one could describe, followed them.

  The group, now numbering thirty-five strong, gave Jacko a sense of confidence that they could succeed in freeing the prisoners, but one pressing matter still bothered him: how were they going to enter the town if Delisar wasn’t around? He trotted over to Konafar and expressed his concern regarding the tracker. Konafar was surprised that he hadn’t returned and announced to the group that they would stop and look for him once they arrived outside of Redden.

  An hour later, they arrived and began searching for signs of Delisar. Tonles touched the wood from the burnt-out fire.

  “He was here not more than ten hours ago,” he declared.

  “Hesss went that way,” Thessor said after finding a set of footprints nearby while pointing his clawed hand toward Stonybrook.