Sons of Evil: Book 1 Book of Dread

by Adams, David

  When the little creature was out of sight of the camp, it bent to the ground, sketching a figure in the dust with quick, confident strokes. Its head was on a pivot, looking up to make sure it remained unseen, then back down to its work. When the drawing was done it sank its sharp teeth into the meat of its own hand, allowing the blood to stain the ground inside the figure it had drawn. Smoke rose from the ground, but rather than dissipating or drifting away it coalesced into the rough shape of a man, albeit one much shorter than even the small creature.

  The smoking figure spoke, the voice Kaelesh’s. “You have succeeded,” he said, a statement, not a question.

  “Yes, master,” the creature replied, its voice a tiny squeak. “Grashlek as well. Two are together.”

  The smoking figure was a form only, no facial expression visible, but the smile Kaelesh was wearing came through in his tone. “Excellent. A pleasant surprise.” After a pause, he said, “I wish to see.”

  The creature bowed obediently, then closed with the smoking figure, its mouth dropping open as if it were letting out a silent scream. The smoke drifted up and into the creature, disappearing down its throat.

  Kaelesh sat in a chair in his locked room, his eyes closed. But his mind’s eye now saw a clear image as he gazed out from inside the creature. With a thought the hunter’s legs started to move, taking it—and Kaelesh—back toward the tree in which its counterpart waited. Its movements were different now, less herky-jerky, smoother, taking on some of the calm, polished nature of the being that possessed it.

  The second creature stiffened slightly, realizing its master was present. It shook expectantly, its eyes large and staring, waiting for a command.

  Kaelesh studied the close-huddled group below, their voices barely audible but their conversation revealing little. He wasn’t sure which of the Stoneman brothers was which, not that it mattered, but he easily picked them out of the group. What intrigued him was the company they were now keeping. When they left the farm he was certain they had been alone. Now they traveled with two men who had the mark of the holy one on them, and the other, the woman… He wondered what power she might have.

  Kaelesh had not been overly anxious about the book’s disappearance, and seeing the group that held it he was even more at ease. Clearly none of them would be able to open it, and none would be able to destroy it. While he waited for them to settle into sleep, he considered for a time allowing them to continue on, to see what they intended to try to do and where they were going, but eventually decided against it. They were moving north, into more dangerous parts of Corterra, and there would be others there who would try to slay them on sight, and if they found the book… Kaelesh felt a smile curl the little creature’s lips, almost ruing the fact that such interesting things would not come to pass.

  It was well into the night before the group took rest, and Kaelesh was not surprised that they set a watch. He waited, patient as always, until they changed and the first two, one of the boys and the woman, were asleep. He turned to the other hunter and instructed it without moving the lips of the creature he possessed to go into the camp and find the book, describing it and pointing at the small pile of their belongings as the likely spot.

  The second hunter obeyed immediately, skittering silently down the tree and waiting for the right moment to move again, timing the gait of the two sentries and watching the way they moved their heads to-and-fro, looking for danger. But the dying fire, the moonless night, and the creature’s size gave it an advantage…they were looking for danger in a larger form without even knowing it, their eyes rarely going to ground level.

  When it had its opening it moved with lightning quickness into the camp, melting into their belongings. It waited a few heartbeats to make sure it remained unseen, then started to methodically search for the book.

  It was Darius who became aware of it first, a small noise different from the shuffle of the feet of the pacing camp guardians that set an alarm off in his subconscious and pulled him from his light sleep. His eyes shot open and he grabbed the hilt of his sword, mainly to assure himself that it was still there. He turned his head slowly, seeing the fading glow of the fire, and beyond, Silas and Luke keeping watch. He started to tell himself it was nothing, simply an animal somewhere in the night or even just his imagination, when a quick flash of movement caught his eye.

  He felt some of the tension try to leave him; it was just a little animal rummaging in their packs for food, but he warned himself to not let down his guard. He got to his feet, took a couple of quick steps, and gave the creature a swift kick, not too harshly, intending to send it on its way.

  The hunter had found the book, had just begun to tighten its fingers around the tome’s spine when the blow sent it sprawling. It wheeled, baring its teeth at the man that had denied it its prize. The master would have been so pleased… It knew the man was far stronger and it could see he was armed, and it knew the sound of even a short scuffle would draw the others, but it had a task, and it would complete it or die trying. It flashed its teeth once more, spitting fury, then sprang in one lightning leap back toward the book.

  “Hey!” Darius shouted, surprised and annoyed. He had his sword out, but the little beast, despite the show of teeth, still seemed intent only on what might be in their packs. Thinking it meant him no personal harm, and unsure what it was in the darkness, Darius pitied the thing enough that he simply used his boot again, forcing it away. He moved to stand over the packs, thinking that might finally drive it off.

  The hunter knew time was growing short. The others in the camp had been roused, and the pacing guards were now closing on it. If it were swift, it had time for one more attempt, and if it were lucky, it still might escape with the treasure. It sprang left, as if to leave, then back right and low, as if going for the pack again. The man fell for the feint, the sword arm dropping a fraction and then the man leaning just slightly backward in surprise at the sudden change in direction, throwing his balance off. The creature had the opening it hoped for, and its last move was not for the packs, but rather upward, teeth flashing while it clawed at the man’s face.

  Darius still had no idea what he was facing, and the thing’s speed and agility put him on the defensive. He threw up a forearm to ward it off, successfully protecting his face, but he was forced backward several steps before he could regain his equilibrium. Just before he shielded his eyes he caught a glimpse of its face, and knew he was dealing with something potentially far more dangerous than a small forest animal. He raised his sword, ready to strike now, expecting it to come lunging at him again, but instead it was back at the packs, pulling one fully open and trying to wrest something from it. He started for it, but Silas was there first, and he started to shout a quick warning to the cleric, lest he also mistake the creature for a raccoon or squirrel.

  Darius need not have bothered. Silas had seen much in the world, and he well understood what it was they carried and the forces that might wish to retrieve it. He would take no chance on something that managed to slip by him while he was protecting the camp. He was a kind and merciful man, but he swung his staff now to kill. The little beast, focused again only on freeing its prize from the wretched pack that seemed determined to not easily give it up, was caught by the speed and force of the blow. It crashed to the ground some ten feet away, its last breath gusting out as it slammed into the hard dirt near the fire. As its life fled, it disappeared in a quick puff of smoke.

  Darius saw something in the firelight, and knelt where the creature had fallen. As his companions gathered around he stood and showed them what he had found.

  “A coin?” Adrianna asked. “It couldn’t have been looking for money.”

  “I agree,” said Silas. “Maybe it just had it in its hand when I struck.”

  “Maybe,” Darius said, clearly unconvinced. He shrugged. “Regardless, I agree it wasn’t after money. I guessed food, but it was trying to pull the book from my pack. Do you think it was looking for it specifically?”

/>   “I’d say yes,” Barlow said, “given the way it disappeared when it died. Sent back to one of the planes of the underworld, from whence it came. Too much coincidence to be anything else.”

  “Which leaves us the question of whether it came on its own, drawn by the book perhaps, or was sent in search of it.”

  “The right question,” Silas said, “but one we can’t answer for now. But if it was sent… We need to do a far better job of watching over our camp, starting with me.”

  “I was on watch, too,” Luke put in. “Part of the blame is mine, if not all.”

  “My words were not just for you and me, Luke,” Silas said. “We have to remember we’re dealing with powers and creatures we don’t fully understand. We stand watch as men, guarding against the things of this world. We all need to realize the beings of this world are not all we face.”

  “Great,” said Luke. “So how do we deal with that?”

  “Stay alert,” Adrianna offered. “And be ready for anything.”

  “Not very comforting,” Luke said with a laugh. “But I guess it’ll have to do.”

  “Anyone think they’ll get any more sleep tonight?” Darius asked. When no one indicated they’d likely be enjoying any further rest, he suggested they pack up and move on. Less than five minutes later they resumed their journey.

  Kaelesh watched them go while he pondered what had happened. Overall he was pleased, though disappointed the little hunter hadn’t been able to escape with the book. That had been too much to hope for, considering the group was well-armed, and the “loss” of the hunter was irrelevant, since he could call forth others if he so desired. He had already learned from the third hunter that Sasha was working on a farm some fifty miles north of the city of Crescent, and that she did not appear to have the book any longer. Now he knew it was the older Stoneman boy, Darius, who carried the book, and that the company he kept seemed to have at least a rudimentary understanding of what they were dealing with. Interesting…

  I’m leaving, he communicated to the hunter he possessed. Track them, but stay out of sight. Contact me when they next set camp.

  Yes, master, the hunter replied from some small corner of its own mind that Kaelesh had not taken over. Then Kaelesh was gone. The hunter slipped from the tree and took up the chase once again.

  *

  Kaelesh’s work this night was far from done. Only moments after he had left the hunter and returned to his own body and his own room, he was casting another spell, and was now conversing with the field leader of Longvale’s army. “Orgoth,” he said. “How goes the war?”

  “Well,” Orgoth answered. He stood nearly seven feet tall, and his muscles seemed to ripple with ever-subtle movement. The black helm and mask he usually wore was behind him on a chair, indicating he was alone in his tent, and that they could speak freely. “We have taken Antigo, and now push toward Four Creek. If the Dalusian force chooses to make a stand there we can take them at our leisure, or simply lay siege to the place.”

  “A siege,” Kaelesh said. “Long and slow. Let them suffer.”

  Orgoth nodded. “My choice as well.”

  “I have news of the book. A small band is traveling with it through Dalusia.”

  “Heading this way?”

  “I don’t believe so. They are several days west of Wingate Falls, and appear to be heading toward Elysium’s Neck. A pair of hunters tracked the two brothers, and one was killed trying to retrieve the book. I saw it myself, so I’m sure they have it. The second hunter will keep after them. The boys are traveling with three others, who seem to have some skill in combat, and knowledge of the book and what it can do.”

  “Are they a threat?”

  “Themselves? No. None could open the book. As a matter of fact, two are holy men of some sort. But the risk of letting them continue on grows the further north they go. We don’t want someone else to slay them and take the book, someone who might be cleverer than our friend Landri. So, I want you to see to it that we get the book back.”

  “Should I give it my personal attention?”

  Kaelesh waved a hand. “No. Stay with the army. I was thinking a small force could do the job. Send one of your lieutenants, though. He’ll be able to speak to the hunter directly so they’ll be easy to find.”

  “Sending any humans at all would be dangerous. They’d be traveling in enemy territory, and they’d be a target. I have something else in mind…with your permission.”

  “Do what you must, Orgoth. I trust your judgment.”

  “Thank you, my brother.”

  Kaelesh said his farewells and sat brooding for a few moments. He did, in fact, trust his brother, although his methods were sometimes more extreme than was strictly necessary. But he had stopped short of saying so, thought it best to let Orgoth do as he saw fit. If nothing else, he felt certain the book would soon be back in their hands.

  Chapter 12: The Demon Riders

  The companions continued to work their way across the plains of Dalusia, doing all they could to keep out of sight. If they were being followed—and none of them were foolhardy enough to assume they weren’t—they saw no outward sign of it. The few locals they stumbled across tended to pass with averted eyes and shambling gaits, keeping to themselves and to their own apparent misery. It wasn’t just the war that afflicted them, as the land itself was more brown and barren than green, and the crops that they managed to grow were stunted and unhealthy. The travelers had food enough to sustain them for a time yet, if they were careful with what they had and took some small game when they could, although the animals were mostly skin and bone, having little to eat themselves. Despite the knowledge that Dalusia was enemy territory, they couldn’t bring themselves to steal from the meager yield of the fields, knowing the citizens were facing bleak enough prospects for surviving the winter and not wanting to make the situation worse.

  The days had grown miserably hot, and the nights weren’t much better, and the plains offered little relief from the sun while they marched. They had increased the intensity of their watch, further detracting from their sleep. They were sweaty and dirty and tired and hungry, and marched in brooding silence more and more, each wanting to hold their tongues as they grew more irritable.

  One evening they came across a farm that appeared to be long abandoned, and debated staying the night. On one hand it would provide a more easily watched camp, but it was still early, and even though the night still promised to be another sweltering one they usually traveled until close to midnight to get as much relief as they could from the sun. Adrianna and Barlow, to no one’s surprise, found themselves on opposite sides of what soon became an argument, one that was settled only when Luke delicately pointed out that he had entered the home and found that it held the heat of the day so well that they would likely be unable to find any rest inside. They moved on, Barlow with a smirk at winning this latest joust, Adrianna taking up the rear with a scowl.

  They were several hours beyond the farm when a sudden gust of wind hit them from the west. At first, it was a pleasant relief, but then they saw the line of black clouds rolling across the formerly clear, starlit sky. Storms on the plains moved quickly and could be severe, and the companions looked about in vain for some type of shelter. They found none, and the gale was swiftly upon them. While lightning flashed and thunder rumbled overhead, a heavy rain started to fall, the fat drops driven by the screaming wind.

  The travelers tried to fight it for a few minutes, leaning into the wind to press forward while they held their cloaks about themselves, hoping to somehow avoid being drenched by the rain. It was a battle they had no chance to win. In minutes they were thoroughly soaked, and they simply huddled together, waiting for the wind to settle and the worst of the storm to pass.

  “Lovely weather,” Adrianna stated to no one in particular, but clearly meaning the jibe for Barlow.

  “Surprised it doesn’t melt you,” Barlow retorted.

  “Amusing, as always. Why don’t you call to that God
of yours to stop the rain? Afraid He won’t answer?”

  “He would if it was His will. But why should I bother? Why don’t you just use some of that demon magic of yours?”

  To Barlow’s surprise, Adrianna moved away a few feet and cast a spell. When she was finished, an invisible curved barrier stopped the rain in a small area above her head. The rain that hit the shield rolled down and slid off, and from Adrianna’s viewpoint underneath it looked like a dome-shaped window was over her. “Should be enough room under here for all of us,” she offered. “Then I can bring it down to keep out the wind as well.”

  “I don’t need your charity,” Barlow sniffed.

  Luke looked from Adrianna to Barlow, then at Darius and Silas, who both seemed torn. “Well, I'm no idiot,” he said. He bounded under the small magic shelter.

  Adrianna smiled at Luke, then glared at the others. “I expected Barlow to be too stupid to come in out of the rain. I was hoping for more from you two.”

  Silas sighed. “Adrianna, we’re already soaked. Stop wasting your energy. We might have need of it for more important things.”

  “Hear that, old man?” she asked. “Your friend can see my usefulness. He’s not blinded by prejudice like you are.”

  “He’s a very forgiving and optimistic individual,” Barlow answered, “always thinking the best even of the most wretched creatures.”

  Darius took two steps toward Adrianna, but just as the smile on her face started to grow, thinking he was taking advantage of the shelter and therefore siding with her, he stopped. He had placed himself directly between the two of them. “Stop it,” he said, looking first at Adrianna. He turned to Barlow and added, “Both of you.”

  Barlow and Adrianna both started to proclaim themselves the victims in this case, but Darius said all the louder, “Stop it!”