The Demon's Blade

by Steven Drake

  “If you believe it is no different, then it is no different,” the old man said.

  “More riddles is it then? Is that all you have to offer?” Darien rubbed his temples in frustration.

  “Hmmm. But I thought you enjoyed riddles? It is wise, is it not, to consider all possible meanings of words?”

  Darien paused for a moment, having suddenly remembered the conversation with Jerris in the underpass. Did Ezra actually hear that conversation? Can he observe me that closely, and if so, how? I have sensed no magic whatever about him from the first moment I met him, and yet he obviously has some means of observing me from a great distance. If he had placed some enchanted object on me, I would have found it by now. Each time he appears, the riddle deepens. “Yes, I suppose that’s right,” Darien finally answered slowly, then spoke with conviction. “Spell or not, I will not commit to any action that results in her death. She and Jerris did nothing to deserve to be hunted down, tortured, and killed by my enemies. Only my presence has placed them in jeopardy. They are my responsibility, and if they die, it will be because of me. I will not bloody my hands any further than they already are, not while I have the power to prevent it.”

  “You are certain of this course then?”

  “I am,” Darien said. “If you disapprove, then say so, and explain why, or do not contest me.”

  “It is not my place to approve or disapprove,” Ezra coldly remarked. “I am not your master, and do not wish to be. I will, however, offer you counsel as I can.”

  “Then I would ask for counsel on another matter. I’ve discovered the elven city may actually exist, and the book Jerris carries actually does contain an ancient prophecy, but I need to find a faerie to translate it.”

  “Only this. Be wary of your new companion “Tell me, do you know anything about the faeries?” The old man probably knew nothing, but it was worth asking. Though his primary concern remained with his pursuers and the mysterious woman, he remained curious about the prophecy, and the old man seemed as likely as anyone to know something useful.

  The old man scratched his head for a few moments, then replied. “Little more than you, I would guess. They are spirits of the water, seldom seen by the other races. I have heard it said that they are very old, older even than the elves by some accounts. I remember they were once called the keepers of fate, for they could see the invisible threads connecting past, present, and future.” Ezra shifted his weight and furrowed his brow. “I do not know where you might find one. They appear at times and places of their own choosing, and only to those who they wish to.”

  “I see. Is that all then?” Darien said, turning away and looking off into the distance.

  “I would also remind you that your greatest enemy is the one you carry with you. You must never forget that” Ezra replied. “I will take my leave now. I am sure we will meet again. Farewell.”

  Darien watched as Ezra walked off in the general direction of the road. He kept the old man in view for several minutes, until the gray figure disappeared behind a large rock, and was, once again, gone.

  Darien stood in the darkness for several minutes, listening to the gentle night wind whistling almost imperceptibly through the twisting rocks. He pondered how Ezra continued to follow him, and how the old man seemed to know everything he was doing. He must have some way of spying on me, the wary shade reasoned. The most common way of tracking in this fashion is with enchanted objects, but what could he have given me that I’ve had since five years ago. I’ve kept nothing but the Demon Sword.

  Chapter 18: Towards Thordas

  The next morning was uneventful. Little was said as the three travelers ate quietly before getting under way. The young woman’s escape attempt and the most recent visit from the enigmatic old man were mostly forgotten in the light of the morning sun as it rose in the lowlands to the east. Darien had turned his mind to other matters, most notably the road ahead. At least two days ride lay between them and the crossroads at Thordas, then another week west to Galad.

  Jerris rode ahead, followed by Rana, while the Executioner followed behind, where he could observe the woman closely. There was little to observe however. Jerris made several fruitless attempts at conversation, but the stubborn woman seemed determined to remain silent. The woman made no further attempt at escape and, in fact, showed no unusual behavior whatsoever. She simply rode along silently, like a statue situated on the back of her white horse. Whatever she was hiding, she hid it well.

  At about mid-morning, the road turned slightly westward, and began to wind around the edge of a dry canyon. The grey stone of the high ridges they had ridden on since the underpass gradually softened. Various shades of yellows and browns streaked the canyon walls, a welcome change to eyes weary of the drab gray. They rode along this canyon for the remainder of the day, keeping between the cliff that rose up on their right and the canyon at their left. The weather was fair and cool, and the wind blew from the west. When the sun set, they found an overhanging shelf along the cliff face and camped for the night.

  Another morning came, and the trio resumed, reaching the bottom of the canyon in the first couple of hours. The road continued along the canyon bottom for many miles, before finally turning south, and climbing the other side of the canyon. The climb, far steeper than the descent, slowed their progress and taxed their horses.

  Sometime in the afternoon, the travelers emerged from the canyon onto an open flatland. Tall scrubby grasses, yellowed, dried, and dormant for the fall, grew in the dry sandy yellow-grey soil, obscuring the road and slowing their progress. The wind now howled out of the north, chilling the travelers to the bone. Darien endured such things easily, but Jerris and Rana did not. Rana, in particular, seemed thoroughly uncomfortable, no doubt owing to her southern nature. She had obviously come a very long way to find him, yet he still had only the vaguest idea from where. If he could remember where he had encountered her before, it might answer some of the many questions he had, but try as he might, he could not recall anything useful. They continued along the high plain for the remainder of the day, with only miles of flat emptiness visible in any direction and the jagged shapes of the Silver Mountains far on the western horizon. The sun started to set, and there was no sign of any cover. As the light began to fade, Jerris voiced his strong preference not to camp in the open with the wind, and Rana vociferously agreed.

  So, they rode into the twilight of evening. Darien took the lead, his sharp elf eyes trained to the darkness, while Rana followed, and Jerris brought up the rear. As the last shades of purple sunset faded from the western sky over the Silver Mountains, the wind finally relented, slowing first, then laying still but for an occasional wayward gust. Night descended, and both Lumina, the great moon, and Luna, the lesser, rose to light the darkness of night. The great moon shone its familiar blue white glow, while the lesser shone a pale yellow, her light dimmed considerably by her larger sister. Both moons rose full that night, a rare occurrence. Tradition held it a bad omen for travelers, but Darien gave no heed to such superstition.

  After the long day’s ride, the horses were tiring, so the travelers elected to walk rather than ride to give their mounts some needed rest. They walked for several hours into the night, until they finally came upon an old stone building. It was a squat stone structure, simple and square. It must once have been an outpost for soldiers patrolling the road from Vorog, a simple roof and beds for tired feet. Now it was only a ruin, having only three walls intact and a partially collapsed roof. Whatever furniture it had contained had long ago turned to dust. Still, any shelter was a welcome sight. The three travelers tied the horses, stepped inside through the missing eastern wall, and made camp.

  “So, how far have we come?” Jerris asked of Darien as they sat down to eat the food they had drawn from the supplies.

  “Difficult to say. I don’t know these lands well, and I’ve never been on this road,” Darien answered, leaning back against the sturdiest looking of the walls. “I guessed that it would take u
s three or four days from the south door of the underpass to the crossroads, but I can’t be certain. The road has taken a more indirect route than I expected.”

  “That’s not very comforting,” Rana said. She was already laying out her bedroll. “I thought you knew what you were doing?”

  “You finally speak and that’s all you have to say?” Jerris shook his head at the woman. “Do you know where we are? Have you traveled here before?” The woman mumbled something and turned away. “Then don’t complain if you have nothing useful to add”

  “Leave her alone Jerris. There’s no point in debating the matter. We’re continuing on the road until we get to the crossroads, and that’s that, I would imagine this structure is evidence we’re nearing the ruins of Thordas, and I expect we’ll strike the crossroads tomorrow.”

  They ate their meal, and were beginning to settle down for the night, when, quite unexpectedly, Darien perceived a slight trembling in the earth. The shaking built for a few seconds, then dissipated. A sprinkling of dust fell from the ceiling of the ruin that sheltered them.

  “Did you feel that?” Jerris asked.

  “Yes, probably an avalanche in the mountains back north, or maybe a rockslide closer to us,” Darien said dismissively and waved his hand. Rana said nothing, acting as if she had neither felt the shaking nor heard Jerris’ question. She ignored them, laid down, and fell quickly asleep.

  Jerris sat against one of the moss covered walls, seemingly unready for sleep. Darien now began to feel the effects of going three days without sleep. Though his endurance was far greater than most, he had limits, and on this evening, he began to feel them. He gathered the supplies near where he would lie down, as he was still concerned that even without a horse, Rana might take what she could and run. Just as he was about to lie down, Jerris spoke up.

  “Darien, could I speak with you a moment?” Jerris asked nervously, peeking over at Rana. “I wanted to wait until she was asleep.”

  “What is it that’s bothering you now? It’s very late.”

  Jerris looked over to the sleeping Rana, just to be sure she was sleeping, swallowed hard, and then spoke. “I’ve been wondering about the sword. Are there really demons in that sword? Do you hear them?”

  Darien immediately stared over at Jerris, unsure why the lad would ask such a question, and trying to decide whether to answer. The young half-elf looked away, turning to the far wall, afraid he had taken a step too far.

  “No, not right now. As I told you before, I met a man who knew about the sword. He cast some kind of spell, something far beyond my skill or even understanding that protects me from them. Before that, yes, I could hear them. Not words, at least not in any language I had ever heard, but terrifying and disturbing all the same.” Darien shuddered. A chill ran down his back as he recalled the strange sensation he had felt that day, the sensation that he was no longer alone in his own mind.

  “What are they, exactly?” Jerris asked nervously, drumming his fingers against the ground.

  “You mean demons?” the Executioner asked, to which Jerris nodded slowly. "Ah, why so curious about that? I don’t know much I’m afraid. The master told me they were ancient beings, older than Terrallien itself, drawn here by the power of the elves. They disappeared from the world a long time ago, for reasons not entirely clear, and there is little now to prove they ever existed. Only legends, and the few magical artifacts like the Demon Sword that remain from that age.”

  “I just thought um… since you had the sword… you might have some idea…,” the lad stammered out.

  Darien stared at the boy somewhat crossly, failing to understand why the lad was so preoccupied with the subject. “I suppose I can tell you what little I know. Most of it I learned from Tobin, actually. Legends name them the formless ones. It was said they had no substance of their own, and had to possess the bodies of men and elves to persist in this world. It’s thought that they brought the lesser races, goblins, orcs, and the like, to this realm for that purpose. Stupid, dull witted creatures that could not resist them. No one knows where the demons came from or why, only that they came from somewhere far away. What is truly frightening, though, is their power. It’s said they could break the ordinary rules of magic, and make the impossible possible. They could do more than just subtly change the world around them as mages do. They could conjure solid objects out of thin air, or blast solid rocks to ash, or turn rivers to sand. I’ve felt that power myself. The sword grants that kind of power.” Darien paused, hoping that would satisfy the lad, but the boy seemed uneasy still, grappling with himself to find the words for something he couldn’t quite express. “Honestly Jerris, what’s this about? Why so curious about demons all of a sudden?”

  “I just, you said the sword’s power turned Varias into the Demon King. I just wondered…," The lad breathed deeply and collected himself. "It isn't going to do that to you? The sword I mean…"

  So that’s what the boy was so preoccupied with, the tired mage finally realized. He sighed deeply, and shook his head. The boy won’t like this answer, but it’s the only one I can give. "I honestly don't know, the demons might drive me mad, and then it would be necessary for someone to kill me. If they don't, I may simply live and die quite normally. Then again, the sword may not allow the one who holds it to die." He stopped to look over at his young companion. The boy was sullen, looking down at his fidgeting hands. "Jerris, try not to worry yourself over my situation. I've earned the doom that lies upon me. Besides, there's nothing you or anyone else can do about it, so there's no point in worrying." Jerris turned away and muttered something unintelligible, but spoke no further. Darien thought to say something more for a moment, but then changed his mind. After all, what could be said? Since the lad had lost his mother, he had naturally attached to the only person convenient. It would have been better if that had not been so, but nothing could be done about it now.

  The two half-elves spoke no more, and laid down for the abbreviated evening. Darien slept lightly, but slept, at last.

  Chapter 19: Race in the Ruins

  Darien awoke to the sound of a crow cawing somewhere in the distance. Rana was already awake, standing just outside the threshold of the stone structure, staring off into the dusty flatland. Jerris still slept a few yards away. The Executioner lifted himself to a sitting position, blinking the sleep away from his eyes.

  Rana turned to him immediately and spoke. “So, you’re awake. You see I did not try to escape.”

  “I see you didn’t succeed,” the shade scoffed back at her. “Whether you attempted or not, I can’t say. I can say you were wise enough not to try to get into the supplies. I can react quite violently if someone gets too close when I’m sleeping, as Jerris here can attest.” The lad let out a quiet chuckle at the exchange.

  “I gave my word I wouldn’t try to escape, and I won’t!” the proud woman stomped her right foot on the ground, kicking up a little cloud of old dust. “That may mean nothing to a friendless traitor such as yourself, but it means a great deal to me. Those who easily break their own word are always slowest to trust the word of another.”

  “That’s a fair point, actually,” Darien said. “The Master taught us to be ruthless, deceitful, and suspicious.”

  “You call him ‘Master’ as if you still revere him,” Rana observed with a snide smile.

  “I don’t revere him,” the half-elf corrected her at once. “I respect his power and skill, but he is not the god he imagines himself to be. I call him ‘Master’ out of habit, nothing more.”

  “Don’t delude yourself, You’re no different than he is.”

  “I don’t believe you’d still say that if you were unfortunate enough to meet him. Hopefully you never have the opportunity to learn your error.”

  “Spare me your false concern. The child may believe your lies, but I do not.”

  “You don’t honestly believe that I’m still working for the Demon King, do you?” Darien asked incredulously.

  “No, not anymo
re. But that doesn’t mean I think any better of you,” the woman replied forcefully. “You know, you’re not as clever as you think, and I am not so foolish. Why did you even come this way? We’re easy prey out here in the wilderness. Your enemies could be closing in on you and you wouldn’t even know it. You’re just parading down the road in plain sight.”

  “I don’t know these lands,” Darien said, his voice only thinly disguising his frustration. “Even those who do rarely stray from the road. I don’t know any of the landmarks here, or the rivers, or anything else. My plan has always been to get as far away from my pursuers as possible as quickly as possible. If we continue to follow the road, we should reach the crossroads by day’s end. Then, we take the west road, and reach Galad no more than a week later. If we leave the road, it will take twice that long, if not more.”

  “Do you even know where your enemy is?” Rana asked. “How do you know he is behind you and not ahead? He could be planning an ambush this very moment and you wouldn’t have a clue.”

  “Of course I don’t know where he is, but neither do you. You don’t even know why I’m running now, or how long I’ve been hiding in this region, or how Avirosa would know to look for me here in the first place.”

  “I know about the incident in Kantu. How do you think I knew where to find you?”

  “And just how do you know about it?” Darien pointedly asked. “I heard nothing of the incident when we traveled through Vorog, and you caught up to us just two days later. Even if you traveled without rest, then you would have passed through Vorog no later than the day after we did.” Rana paused a moment, appearing uncertain. Darien recognized that she was once again trying to come up with a lie.