by Ted Striker
Shimshon’s back stiffened, awaiting the dagger. He was no coward; with a stony face he asked, “And what was your decision?”
“That is still in the balance. Maybe you could help break the tie,” said Bryan. “What I need you to do is simply order the bulk of your men back to the Empire today. We’ve got your full report encoded and ready for them to deliver, explaining in detail the reasons for not acting against us and saying that you only need a group of twenty to stay as your personal escort while you continue to train the new King, whom you describe as a ‘promising ally for the Empire.’” Bryan held out a parchment and a quill. “It just needs your signature across the chop, I believe.”
Ayabis spoke. “I look forward to seeing you sign this, dear Shimshon, exactly the way I’ve seen you sign other reports in my presence.”
Shimshon ground his teeth in fury. So he couldn’t use his emergency signal. Then he shrugged fatalistically. Live to fight another day, he thought to himself. “The Emperor doesn’t always follow my recommendations,” he said as he dipped the quill and signed. “All this does is delay the inevitable.”
Bryan answered, “We each can only do what we can. I would rather that you were alive to help me usher in a time of cooperation between the people of the North and your Empire. The choice is up to you. And my guess, from hearing stories of your Emperor, is that you wouldn’t be alive once you told him how you were duped. Or maybe you would be alive and wish you weren’t. Is it true that the Emperor has a torturer who kept a fellow alive without his skin for three months?”
The Imperial Captain paled. “It was four months, actually. One month to take the skin off, bit by bit. The rats and maggots ate him over the next three. Healing potion mixed with seawater was sprayed on him each day to partially restore him. His screams could be heard even in the upper chambers.” He swallowed and looked a little green, obviously imagining what might be in store for him if his part in this fiasco became known.
“Well, then!” Bryan beamed. “That part is settled. Three good decisions in a row, Captain. Great job!” He clapped Shimshon on the back. “Just so you know, we interviewed your men and picked the twenty who will be staying. They have all sworn loyalty to me. Neit, here, can tell you the details. Go on out with him and send the other troops home.”
Bryan let them go out into the main hall and looked around for something to wipe his hands on. Ayabis gave him a damp cloth. “I know. Even looking at him makes me feel dirty.”
“You don’t have to work with him anymore, you know. Connor is a sly fox. He can handle the Captain.”
“Sadly, nobody knows Shimshom as well as I do.” Ayabis sighed. “I will continue to keep an eye on him, until we don’t need him anymore.”
Bryan watched the former Queen walk away. He almost felt sorry for Shimshom. Almost.
Shockingly, no one was demanding his attention for a moment. {So. Now we need to get to Answar and get you two out of my head.}
{That’s right, my son. We must separate, and do so most urgently,} said Mebd.
{It’s time for your parents to move out, Son.} added Perkunas jokingly. {It will be better for all of us.}
{Yes, it will,} agreed Mebd. {Our ancestors may have possessed the secret of how to merge with another being, to take over their shells and use them the way Humans in your world drive a vehicle, and then take their leave and none the wiser. But that knowledge has been lost for millennia.}
{But both of you got into my head.}
{Crude methods, compared to what was. Both Perkunas and I sacrificed our bodies to come into you. I intended it as a temporary inconvenience, to be remedied after only a few weeks at most. Now we are all in a perilous situation. Your body will be consumed sooner or later, with our combined life forces,} cautioned Mebd. {Have you not noticed your increased tiredness after using the powers you have discovered?}
{I thought that my exhaustion was because of my wounds the first time, and this time I thought that I had simply expended too much of my own life force,} said Bryan.
Perkunas explained, {Yes, but there is another factor, one that neither Mebd nor I foresaw. The danger only became clear when you were fighting the golem. During your combat, you gathered and expended a tremendous amount of energy, more than you should have been able to access. The reason for that is that our life forces channel more energy than yours. Your body is like ours, but very young. Our race develops its abilities slowly, and your body is not yet mature enough to channel the life force of even one full-fledged God, let alone two. Because of us, every time you use the powers you inherited, you are burning out your body a little more.}
Bryan considered this. Then he said, {Melthane can handle things here. I can get started for Answar as soon as Jwilla and Tamoth are ready.}
Mebd chided him gently, {No, my son. We are not about to burst into flames. You are still recovering your strength, and besides, you have just been crowned King. You have a kingdom to set in order. Do that first.}
Aodhan cleared his throat. “Your Highness, Afixio is here.”
The wizard stuck his head in the door. “The feast is ready, Queen Branna and the Laignach are here, and you’re hiding away in a closet. Come out and enjoy the good part about being King while you can. We’re all waiting!”
“You know,” said Bryan, “I never wanted this job in the first place.”
Perkunas laughed.
THE END
Epilogue
In the Hall of Seeing, the dark-complexioned man known to some as Nergal paced back and forth on the gently sloping floor while his companion stared into the pool. Her long hair was black as a crow’s wing today.
“You called me here to make me wait?” he asked impatiently. “I thought that you had learned something.”
The woman smiled, her rich mouth wide with wicked humor. “Yes, I learned that it is more productive to watch and listen than to charge around following golems.”
“I had them!” He clenched one dark fist convulsively. “And then those Wolves appeared!”
“You had nothing!” she snapped. “Your minions chanced upon them by accident, and neither Perkunas nor the boy was anywhere to be seen.” She pointed with a slim finger toward the shimmering waters of the pool. “I can call up the whole incident, should you like to see it. Or did you see it already through the eyes of your minion? I heard the screaming all the way in here,” The woman’s sarcastic voice was like a clear glass knife slicing at him. She could see the rage building in him, as well as the fear of her that helped him to control his primal urge to attack her. At least he could think that much. “Did your one man, running away, learn anything of value? If he did, was he able to impart it to you before his brains melted? What did you learn from the Erych you burned to death after they discovered that those they followed were mere golems?”
“You called me here to taunt me,” he accused. “Fine. I’m glad that I amuse you.”
“I called you here to learn,” corrected the woman. “Why should your servants tell you truth only for you to torture and destroy them when that truth is displeasing? You must temper your rage with patience and reward truth with pleasure instead of pain no matter how it vexes you. My spies know Perkunas. I have burned his image into their minds with fire, fear and reward, and I know that you have done the same. Well, with fear, anyway. Yet none has seen him, or will admit to it. His latest companions are back from across the Veil, so he must be here as well, even if he has managed to hide from my arts. Where is he?”
“We cannot scry him,” said Nergal. “He can move and remain hidden, while he doesn’t use his power.”
“Ah.” She turned away from the pool. “That much is true. But what if I were to tell you that power such as his has been used?”
“I would say that was interesting.” Nergal’s dark eyes gleamed like a hunting predator’s. Do you know anything else?”
“The incident was not in Perkunas’ style; neither his hammer nor any other of his favorite weapons was used, but a large a
mount of power was released in the Kingdom of North Keep not long ago. The story that is spreading out of there says that a challenger arose against the king, and defeated a giant golem with his bare hands. He touched the Golem’s chest and the thing exploded.”
“Might that golem be related to those my Erych found?” Of course Nergal would pick up the obvious thread, she thought.
“Who knows?” shrugged the woman. “However, that is the region with the highest concentration of Laignach in the northlands. The former king got his throat ripped out by a Wolf.” The woman’s own smile turned wolfish. “A female Wolf, who Changed into human form and rushed to the aid of the challenger.”
“We must learn more, of course,” said the dark man. “Perhaps this even merits a personal visit.”
“Yes,” said the Morrigán. “I think that we shall have to make such a visit.”
Thank you for taking the time to read Scion of Two Pantheons. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend and much appreciated. Thank you.
Ted Striker