by K. L. Thorne
“Good plan, soldier.” Oriel raised two fingers to his forehead and lazily saluted him. “Tell Zelrus I'll be at the meeting a bit late tomorrow.”
“He's going to kill you.” Lephas shook his head, scanning up and down the dark street.
“He'll live,” Oriel muttered and let himself into the inn. The door closed softly behind him, and Lephas was alone.
He stood for long moments listening to the gentle, almost imperceptible patter of snowflakes around him. He sighed, watching the mist swirling out in front of him from his hot breath.
“Our esteemed leader looks a bit worse for wear,” a deep voice spoke out from the shadows behind him.
“Fuck!” Lephas jolted with surprise. “Raxx! Don't do that!”
The shadow demon chuckled and stalked around him, his footsteps becoming gradually heavier as he allowed himself to become corporeal. He stretched his large, black wings outwards momentarily before carefully folding them backwards and in on themselves.
Del'raxxin (or Raxx as he was known to most) was another member of the small task force Oriel headed up. If Lephas was his commander, Raxx was Oriel's assassin.
Demons rarely had any natural talent for majick and it was strictly forbidden to practise. Naturally there were a handful of underground schools around Banesteppe, but it was very risky business to enter into – especially if you liked to keep your head on your body.
Any demon caught with majick abilities was sentenced to death, without trial.
Raxx was something of an oddity – a demon born with natural majick ability. They were extremely rare; most individuals had been culled during The Great War. Those that had survived had gone into hiding.
Each demon born with this natural affinity had specific abilities. Raxx's talents lay in subterfuge and stealth. As a shadow demon, he was able to cross into a sub-plane where he had full control over the darkness.
Though generally less powerful during the daylight hours, at night Raxx become a force to be reckoned with. As such, he was mostly nocturnal.
Their task force had only one other member, another demon named Haros. Like Lephas, Haros had been selected for his tactical fighting abilities.
There were rumours that Oriel had recruited him after he had managed to knock the prince out cold during a bar fight. Having seen Oriel's prowess at fighting in bars on many occasions, Lephas wasn't sure how true that was.
They often worked tactical missions with the aid of Zelrus's loyal foot soldiers, operating both as a team and as individuals. They took back small sections of farmland for the demon populace, drove bears and wolves away from the outskirts of Banesteppe, protected vulnerable demon gatherings... Whatever was required of them.
“He does remember the king has asked us all to meet tomorrow?” Raxx asked.
“Unfortunately, he hasn't forgotten and still got into that state.” Lephas sighed.
“Had a good night?” the shadow demon asked with a grin that said he already knew the answer to his own question.
“I think Oriel did. Although he is severely disappointed he didn't get to bring any tail home.” Lephas laughed
“It won't hurt him.”
“That's what I said. I'm surprised that thing isn't worn down to a fucking nub...” Lephas snorted.
“Lephas, you go inside. Zelrus is going to expect you to be on top form tomorrow. I'll take care of any ne'er-do-wells that may have been stupid enough to follow you here.” Raxx patted his friend's shoulder heavily.
“You sure?”
“Yeah, go get some shut eye, Boss.” Raxx nodded his head towards the door to the inn.
“Thanks.” Lephas headed towards the entrance and paused. “I don't suppose you know what Zelrus wants us for tomorrow?”
“I have my suspicions,” Raxx answered cryptically.
Lephas had known the shadow demon long enough to know when he wasn't going to get any more information from the man. He nodded and headed inside silently, pausing at the door to knock the slushy snow off his boots.
∞∞∞
“Good morning, everyone.” Zelrus, King of Demons, strode into the room, as domineering as ever.
Lephas and Haros stood to salute their leader.
Zelrus cast his eyes around as he walked to the head of the table, slipping his heavy leather gloves off. He pinned his emerald green eyes on his older brother.
Oriel remained sat, with a boot up on the table, shading his eyes and leaning back on two legs of the rickety wooden chair.
Zelrus cocked an eyebrow and deliberately kicked the leg of the chair as he passed.
“Shit!” Oriel hissed, lurching forward to stop himself falling.
“Sorry brother, I didn't see you there.” Zelrus cast him a look that could have melted steel. “Late night, was it?”
Zelrus looked across at Lephas questioningly. The commander glanced away, cursing Oriel silently and willing the ground to swallow him up.
“You could say that...” Oriel groaned, rubbing his temples.
Despite being nearly four years younger than Oriel, Zelrus looked much older. He was taller and more muscular, though Lephas had heard that demons of royal blood were often mightier in stature than regular demons.
Lephas had never met Tennul, their father, but he had read many books on the heroic demon. He too had been powerful in stature. It was an honour to be able to work with his kin.
“I've called you here today to brief you on some important information that has come my way.” Ignoring his brother, Zelrus addressed the room. “I have been contacted by Cirro Goldwyrm. He has requested a meeting.”
“My King–” Lephas protested.
“It's got to be a trap,” Haros spluttered from beside him.
“I have it on good authority that it is genuine.” Zelrus glanced across to a shadowed corner. Raxx materialised from its depths.
“The faerie has not been home to his castle in the south for many, many months,” Raxx spoke. “He has spent night and day in Banesteppe; serving in soup kitchens, visiting orphanages... It appears his willingness to help is not a trick as we first thought.”
“It has come to light that Genevieve the Kind, his dear wife, had fallen gravely ill and sadly passed a few months ago,” Zelrus continued.
“Possibly the only faerie I've ever been sorry to hear about passing,” Haros muttered, and Lephas nodded.
“Yes,” Zelrus agreed. “Her good deeds and kind nature are no secret amongst our people. I have been asked for permission to name an orphanage after her, which I have of course agreed to.”
“With Genevieve's passing weighing heavily on him, it appears Cirro has been making great strides to continue his wife's good work,” Raxx continued. “I have had him under constant surveillance.”
“So that's where you've been!” Oriel piped up. “Didn't think to clue me in on that one, Zel?”
“It was imperative that we keep Raxx's movements as covert as possible. Couldn't have every barmaid in the lower quarter knowing about it, now could we?” the king replied tersely.
Oriel just snorted and looked away.
“I am planning to attend this meeting. I will have a full complement of guards escorting me, naturally.”
“I don't know about this. It seems risky.” Haros shook his head.
“It is a risk, Haros,” Zelrus agreed. “However, it's a calculated one. If we can get Cirro to join our ranks against his brother Lazuli, it would be significantly more reward than risk. I believe it to be a good move on our part, but I have come here today in the interest of diplomacy and to gain your sage counsel. You men are among the only ones I fully trust with this kind of information.”
“Sire, if I may?” Lephas cleared his throat.
Zelrus nodded.
“I stand with your decision. I don't trust any faerie, but as you rightly said, without risk there is no reward. You have my backing.”
“Thank you, Lephas.” Zelrus looked around at the rest of the room.
“I don't
like the idea; however, I will fully support any decision my king and my commander are backing.” Haros nodded, gesturing to Lephas.
“I believe this to be a chance to make a real stride for peace. I am glad to have the support of fine soldiers such as yourselves.” Zelrus smiled and glanced across at his brother.
Oriel looked back at him blankly.
“Thoughts, Brother?” he probed.
“None, my king. My men support it; that's enough for me,” Oriel replied tightly.
“Whatever you want to say, you can say it here, Oriel.” Zelrus leant forward, resting his palms on the table in front of him. “I hold your opinion in high regard... On these sorts of things, at least.”
“Well... I don't believe Cirro Goldwyrm to be any immediate threat. However, I do believe you are focussing your efforts on the wrong faerie royal.”
“Lazuli is no concern of mine. He is not interested in hearing my peace treaty conditions. He wishes for our kind to remain in the slums, rotting away forever.” Zelrus clenched his teeth.
“True, but he did kill our...” Oriel faltered. “His whole lineage are king-killers.”
“Your point being? I don't make a habit of giving murdering bigots much of my time.”
“I'm just saying, you won't be giving anyone your time if you're dead. Bigot or otherwise.” The prince crossed his arms.
“Are you suggesting I shouldn't meet with Cirro because of his brother?” Zelrus asked.
“No, I'm just saying don't take your eye off the bastard. By all means, knock yourself out with peace treaties and meetings, but Cirro is not the king – Lazuli is. You'd do well to remember he's got a knife for your heart.”
“Thank you. Valid points, Brother.” Zelrus stood with a thoughtful expression on his face. “Funny you should mention Lazuli – you've actually led me nicely into the other important, more immediate piece of information that has come to my attention just this morning.”
Zelrus unclipped his long cloak from around his neck and draped it over the back of a vacant chair. Attached to his belt was a long, narrow tube. He popped the lid, placing it on the table. From inside, he pulled a map and unfurled it to lay it out flat.
The soldiers dragged their chairs in and leant closer.
“It is rumoured that one of Lazuli's precious daughters ran from their castle in Awrelwood in the middle of the night. Now, I don't usually take much interest in rumours, however when you hear the same snippet from several sources – all with varying loyalties to the faerie king – you start to get curious.” Zelrus grinned.
“Doesn't Lazuli have, like, five daughters?” Oriel asked.
“Three,” Zelrus corrected. “If my sources are correct it is the middle daughter, Lori Goldwyrm, that has run. The city is buzzing about it.”
“Lazuli deliberately keeps his daughters out of the public eye. Despite their father's lineage, no one in Awrelwood has seen or heard from the princesses in over a decade,” Raxx spoke from his shadowy corner.
“No wonder she's run away,” Lephas mused.
“Zelrus, please tell us you have a location?” Haros asked.
“I do. A villager spotted an unusual female figure heading west on an old farm track in the early hours this morning.” The king pointed at a mark on his map and glanced at Raxx who simply nodded.
“If it is Lori, we believe she has no knowledge of her surroundings or training of any kind to survive in the wilderness. She should be relatively easy to pick up, but no doubt her father has sent troops out scouring for her as well,” he continued.
“Has she got any weapons training or majick abilities that we're aware of?” Lephas asked, his tactical mind already whirring with ideas.
“We're not sure. Very little is known about the Goldwyrm daughters. Even the faeries are in the dark. They're estimated to be anywhere between thirteen and thirty years of age, but no one really knows,” Zelrus replied.
“We'll have to act fast if we want to be in with a chance of reaching her first. Lazuli has a head start if the faerie population are already aware of her absence.” Haros rubbed his hand over the rough stubble on his chin thoughtfully.
“That and the fact that his men will know who they are actually looking for.” Oriel snorted. “For all we know, the female that was spotted this morning could have been an old farm hand!”
“I don't know many old farm hands who are slender young faeries and even less that would be wearing a coat fashioned from the fur of a white wolf. I believe the information is solid, or at least solid enough that it's worth investigating.” Raxx folded his arms.
“Agreed.” Lephas nodded.
“So, what are we waiting for?” Haros asked, standing so quickly that his chair screeched against the wooden floor.
“I can't spare many men, but you can have four of my foot soldiers to accompany you.” Zelrus stood up straight and began rolling the map back up.
“Lephas, Haros – you two go on ahead,” Oriel instructed. “Raxx and I will accompany Zelrus to visit Cirro.”
Zelrus looked at his brother, eyes wide with surprise. Oriel stared back at him.
“What?” He shrugged. “I'm not about to let you get snuffed out by a fool like Cirro. Lazuli is a mean bastard, but his goody-two-shoes younger brother? That would be humiliating.”
“Well thanks, I guess.” Zelrus smiled.
“Don't mention it,” Oriel replied, hurriedly turning his attention to his men. “And you boys – don't go doing anything I wouldn't do.”
“A short list, sir,” Raxx quipped from the corner. Haros snorted and Lephas fought a smirk.
Oriel didn't respond, just picked up Zelrus's map-casing lid and hurled it in the shadow demon's direction. Naturally, Raxx had already disappeared.
“Bastard...” Oriel muttered.
“Hey! That's the lid for my– Oh, never mind!” Zelrus scowled. “Lephas, Haros – good luck. You are dismissed. Oriel, you and I are going to run through the plan for meeting Cirro.”
Lephas got to his feet and Haros pushed his chair in to the table.
“I mean it, you two. No pussy moves like dying, alright?” Oriel pointed at them.
“Pft, as if,” Haros replied. “She's, like, what? A thirteen-year-old girl? What could possibly go wrong?”
“You don't want him to answer that,” Lephas replied sarcastically, shooting Oriel a grin. The demon prince pulled a face.
“Shut up and fuck off, the pair of you!” he yelled, sitting back in his chair and sweeping his boot back up onto the table. His brother looked at it, clearly unamused.
“If you find the girl, bring her back to my compound as quickly and as quietly as you can.” Zelrus paused. “And gentlemen?”
Haros and Lephas turned to look back at their king.
“She may be a young girl, but don't forget who her father is. Be kind to her, but if she resists... Use as much force as is necessary.” Zelrus's expression darkened.
Lephas nodded; he and Haros left the room quietly.
∞∞∞
Once they had gathered their supplies, it had taken Lephas a lot less time than he'd thought to get out on the road.
If their intel from Zelrus was correct, the faerie princess had run in the middle of the night. She must have been walking for hours, surely getting tired by now.
Though the snow fell heavily, Haros, himself and the other four demon soldiers that accompanied them had made good time. It was only late afternoon, but they had long since given up on the possibility of finding the girl and making it back to Banesteppe in one day.
The snow made things more difficult, that was for sure. They had attached sharp snow treads to their boots and had deliberately packed only the essentials – including basic camping equipment – to keep themselves as light on foot as possible.
Lephas lamented the choice to leave his heavy armour and broadsword back at the compound. He adjusted the sword at his side and hoped, should they come across any trouble, the smaller weapon would be enough.
>
They had no real idea where the princess had gone and they needed to advance on her position quickly if they stood any chance of catching up with her.
Lephas's large, grey mountain wolf, Karn, trotted ahead of the troop. He stopped to sniff curiously at patches of snow, looking for scents.
If she was out here, Karn would find her.
“Why do you suppose she ran?” Haros asked curiously, striding to walk alongside his commander.
“Your guess is as good as mine.” Lephas shrugged. “Makes you wonder just how bad it is in there that she saw this as a better option.”
“Yeah, I'm sure it's real hard work being disgustingly rich, having everyone do your bidding night and day,” Haros spat.
“True,” Lephas agreed. “We have to be cautious. Lazuli's men are undoubtedly out here looking for her as well.”
“Good luck to them! I bet none of those rich pricks have ever even stepped foot outside those walls before today.” Haros glanced over his shoulder. “Even with their head start, we'll find her first.”
“With any luck.” Lephas grinned. He reached inside the pocket of his thick, fur-lined leather tunic to pull out a weathered map. He frowned as he quickly determined where he and his men were.
“We're just south of the old farmstead where Zelrus's informant first saw this mysterious female.” Lephas pointed towards a dense bank of forest. “Which means we're just off from the main road.”
“I think we should drop back a little and cut through to the north-east. It's harder terrain through the undergrowth, but it will save us some time,” Haros suggested.
“Agreed; she's clearly turned right at the fork. If she had carried straight on, it would have taken her straight into our path. Unless she's hidden somewhere along the route, we would have spotted her by now. If we just–”
Karn howled sharply, drawing the men's attention. The wolf pawed at some disturbed snow. He'd found a scent trail.
Haros rushed over to the animal, curiously inspecting the snow.
“Yep, definitely foot prints... Small, a woman or a young person. Judging by the depth of the print, I'd say slender build. They don't appear to be wearing shoes with any form of tread.” He grinned. “I think we've got her.”