Fighter

by Isaac Hooke

  “This coming from the summoner who kept trying to get away,” Gwen said, approaching. “See, I told you once you felt the sex, you wouldn’t be able to go back.”

  Aurora sighed. “I was stubborn. It’s my nature. It’s the one trait I couldn’t shake off after you freed me of Denfidal.” She glanced at Malem. “And you did free me. I know that now. I was merely a tool to the demon. Denfidal claimed to love me like a daughter, but there was no love in the words or deeds the Balor showed me. But that was all I had ever known, or all I remembered, anyway. But now after meeting you all, I realize what true friendship, and love, really is. Denfidal never cared for me. If I could go back, I would banish the demon myself, given what I now know.”

  Xaxia stared at her in astonishment. “You were right to bring her along. After all the time Wendolin spent with her, all the therapy sessions, the summoner only really needed to experience true camaraderie and adventure.”

  “And sex,” Gwen commented.

  “Someone say my name?” Wendolin asked, coming out of her tent.

  “Unless your name is Sex, then no,” Gwen said.

  “That’s my middle name,” Wendolin quipped. “No, I heard something along the lines of… ‘after all the time Wendolin spent with her.’”

  “We were talking about the change in Aurora,” Xaxia said.

  “Ah,” Wendolin said. “Yes, I felt the pleasure for half the night. Bliss like that can change anyone.” She glanced at the crystal sword, which hung from Aurora’s hips. “After what I felt from you last night, even I’m not afraid of you wielding that sword anymore.”

  “It feels good, to be trusted again,” Aurora said. “To feel like I’m part of something, rather than just tagging along against my will.”

  Wendolin nodded. “I suppose it does. I’ll be sad to see you go, when this is over.”

  Aurora had nothing to say to that.

  The companions packed their tents, loaded onto their respective mounts, and continued the journey southeast across the rocky terrain. Malem flew Lantos some distance from the Paragon, as he didn’t want to interfere with Jack’s tracking abilities.

  The barren plains soon gave away to rolling, rough hills. In the distance, a jagged mountain range dotted the skyline.

  The Paragon waved him closer. Malem spurred Lantos to her side.

  “The Trabeculae says we’re getting close,” Iridaceae announced. “The Balor hides in these mountains.”

  “Can you cross them?” Malem asked. He wasn’t sure she would hear him, despite his efforts to carry his voice above the wind. The Metals certainly wouldn’t be able to discern his words at that distance, not unless he was abutting against their heads. So he steered even closer.

  But Iridaceae nodded. Apparently, her ears were even more sensitive than dragons’. “Mountains for me are little different than molehills, to paraphrase a famous human quote.”

  “I’m sure they are,” Malem said. He shared the news with those bound to him as he steered Lantos to his previous position away from the Paragon.

  In a short while, the group reached the mountains, and began to pass between the peaks. As promised, the Paragon was able to walk through the different mountain passes with ease. They weren’t quite molehills for her, but she was able to circumnavigate the thicker peaks with effort. The best metaphor Malem could think of was of a woman trying to cross the broad stalagmites crowding a cave floor—sometimes that woman was able to walk easily between the stalagmites, and at other times, she was forced to partially scale them to squeeze past.

  Malem felt a change in the Darkness inside his head. It had a palpable weight at his core, like the others bound to him, so that he could get a directional sense.

  He swerved toward the Paragon once more.

  “I sense him too, now,” Malem shouted. “I could probably almost take over the tracking from this point.”

  “The Balor is getting stronger,” Iridaceae said.

  What did you tell her? Gwen asked after he swerved Lantos away.

  He mentally repeated the words for the benefit of those bound to him.

  So we’ve almost found the demon, Wendolin commented. I’m almost afraid to confront Banvil. Afraid of what he has waiting for us.

  We’re all afraid, I’m sure, Malem said.

  He reached into the Darkness inside of him, as Banvil had taught him, and sent:

  I’m coming for you, Demon.

  He sensed the equivalent of a smirk emanating from that Darkness. Malem didn’t like it, not at all, and he did his best to ignore the dark presence in his mind, deciding to allow Jack to track his lifelong enemy. Because in truth, he was afraid.

  I won’t become the Defiler again. I can’t.

  The Paragon finally stopped after crossing into a smaller ring of mountains that formed a valley. On the far side was a tall tower, or what was left it. A broad rectangular structure formed a plinth of sorts at the base, while the jagged remains of the broken tower jutted from it. A long line of crumbled stone on the adjacent land marked where most of the building had toppled.

  “The Balor hides here,” Iridaceae said. “In the mountain beneath the ruins. This was once the domain of Alustris, a Paragon as gentle as she was brave. When she lived, this region flourished with life and joy. It was one of the most abundant sources of plant life in our realm. The slopes of the mountains were ornamented with golden trees, and the plains beyond garlanded with lush grass. But when she died in the Balor wars, her light no longer maintained the region, and the land fell into ruin.” She stepped toward the ruins. “All that remains intact are the servants’ quarters at the base. Partially tunneled into the mountain. It is there you will find Banvil’s vessel. For good or for bad.”

  Malem sent Lantos forward, along with the dragons, and they swooped low over the structure to survey it. He reached out, and while he sensed no monsters or animals nearby, he did indeed feel the Balor. It lurked there, outside himself, somewhere beneath the plinth-like base below.

  That had never happened with Goldenthall before. Banvil had indeed grown stronger, for Malem to sense the demon inside the man like that.

  Malem attempted to Break the Balor, but his will evaporated upon touch.

  Yes, very strong.

  He wondered how close the demon was to assuming its natural form. He also wondered if Iridaceae would be able to fight it alone, without a proper weapon.

  He alighted Lantos on the broken paving stones in front of the base, where an arched doorway led away into darkness. He disembarked the pegasus as the dragons landed around him.

  “It’s too tight in there to fit us Metals,” Sylfi said as she let down her riders.

  “I cannot fit, either, obviously,” Iridaceae said, coming closer. She sat down, lumberingly, until she resided cross-legged beside him. “You will have to flush the demon’s vessel outside if you wish me to participate.”

  “Transform,” Malem told the dragons. They changed, as requested. Malem and the other riders gave them the clothing they had secured in their backpacks; since the Metals no longer had their saddles, they had nothing to hide behind while they dressed. Malem and the others were careful to shield them from Timlir.

  The dwarf noticed. “What? Why are you all standing in front of me?”

  “You know why,” Malem said.

  Timlir threw up his arms and walked away. “You treat me like I’m some pervert.”

  “That’s because you are,” Xaxia commented.

  “You should talk!” Timlir said. “I’ve seen the way you look at them, especially the blondish pixie one.”

  Malem understood that to be Sylfi. She glanced up at Xaxia, and frowned, before making sure her back was to the bandit.

  “She does have a nice ass,” Xaxia told Malem softly. “Though mine is just as good, right?”

  “Better,” he told her.

  She gave him a mischievous look. “I think we’re going to have to sleep together again soon. It’s about my turn in the rotation, isn’t it
?”

  “You’re next in line,” he promised her. Though in truth, he’d lost track. He was a bit too distracted right now to think about sex anyway. Not by the women who were dressing, of course, but by the darkness that awaited in the building beside him.

  When Sylfi and Brita finished donning their leggings and leather armor, they retrieved their bows, and stocked up on arrows courtesy of Gwen. Weyanna had no weapons, save her magic, and her healing, but she wore a form-fitting white dress that revealed her lower back. Her long hair covered most of it, though when she walked, her hair occasionally revealed that smooth bare surface.

  He quickly averted his eyes.

  Guess I’m not too distracted to think about sex after all.

  He walked toward the arched entrance, and gazed at the chamber inside; now that he was closer, he saw that it wasn’t completely dark in there. Different pillars—most of them cracked—held up a low ceiling. It had probably been beautiful in its day, but most of the paint had chipped or peeled off so that the frescos were unrecognizable. There were no windows of any kind.

  Goldenthall lurked beyond that chamber.

  The others approached, ready to enter.

  “I’ll stay here with the Seeker of Balance,” Jack said. “We Trabeculae don’t function well in caves.”

  “I understand,” Malem said.

  “You can sense the demon now on your own, right?” Jack pressed.

  “Yes,” Malem confirmed. “Thank you for all your help.”

  “Thank you,” Jack said. “I will name my second son after you.”

  Malem smiled. “It’s not necessary.”

  “Oh, but it is,” Jack told him. “I will remember you for the rest of my life. As will my first son.”

  Malem pressed a hand onto the shoulder area of the creature’s exoskeleton, and peered into that insectile face. He wasn’t sure what to say, so instead he simply nodded, released Jack, and turned to go.

  “Xaxia, Timlir, clear the opening,” he told the pair.

  The two fighters drew their weapons and entered, each facing opposite directions.

  “Entrance is clear,” Xaxia said.

  Malem drew Balethorn. The blade was silent today, probably because the Metals were in human form. As he entered, he said: “Remember, our goal is to injure Goldenthall, so I can Break him. Do not kill him. Unless you want me to lose my power.”

  Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing, Gwen sent privately. If it meant I could have you all to myself.

  Don’t even think such a thing, Malem said.

  I’m sure I’m not alone in these thoughts, Gwen said. Though I admit, I’m not sure I could live without the enhanced sex.

  There you go, he said. Dismiss all thoughts of killing Goldenthall from your mind.

  All right, she said. I’ll spare him. But only because you wish it.

  Thank you, he told her.

  Xaxia and Timlir led the way, with Malem and the Metals in the middle, and Wendolin, Aurora, and Grendel on the rear. Wendolin had produced her trident and net weapons, as there wasn’t any wood in that chamber—well, other than the unlaunched arrows of the bow women. Aurora held the crystal sword.

  The party advanced between the aisle formed by those pillars, and when they reached the far side of the room, they encountered a marble-walled hallway leading away from the chamber. There were cracks in not just the walls, but the floor itself.

  It was too dark to see very far into that hall.

  “Grendel, some light,” Malem said.

  She held out her palm, and created that familiar glowing globe. Even though she was at the back of the party, the reflections from those walls easily lighted the way, and the party proceeded.

  Different rooms opened off from that main hallway, the wooden doors mostly rotted away.

  At least there’s some wood, Wendolin commented.

  He noticed she hadn’t spoken the words. They were all trying to step as softly as possible, as if afraid of waking whatever evil lurked in this place, but they all knew that the light would give them away regardless. Malem would have had Grendel dismiss the light if he thought it would help, but he was convinced Banvil could sense Malem closing, just as easily as he himself could detect the demon.

  He had Xaxia and Timlir clear each room they passed, because he was afraid that Goldenthall had laid traps in those rooms—in the form of hidden monsters. But there was nothing in any of them.

  Banvil’s signature, meanwhile, emanated from directly ahead.

  They continued forward for about five minutes like that, and then Malem saw a dark figure standing at the periphery of the light produced by Grendel’s globe.

  Xaxia and Timlir froze. As did everyone else.

  Goldenthall stepped into the light and simply stood in place. His eyes were completely black, and overflowed with dark mist.

  The Balor’s vessel smirked.

  “You’ve finally come,” Goldenthall said in a deep, rumbling voice. “Welcome to your doom.”

  26

  Malem stared at Goldenthall, momentarily stunned. He had been expecting this moment—waiting for it, in fact—for the past few days, but now that it had come, he was taken off guard by the suddenness of it all.

  Goldenthall abruptly spoke. His voice had returned to its normal timbre. “Well, what are you waiting for? Come get me!”

  The possessed man giggled with glee, then turned around and ran away into the Darkness.

  “Get him!” Malem said.

  Xaxia and Timlir rushed forward, but were intercepted by fifteen oraks.

  “Lunch time!” Xaxia said.

  Her sword, Biter, blazed a bright purple as it sliced through the different oraks.

  He glanced at Aurora. Her blade was aloft.

  “Can you drain Goldenthall?” she asked.

  She shook her head. “Only some of the oraks.”

  Indeed, white mist erupted from the marble beneath some of the oraks, and seeped into their bodies. The crimson blade glowed a bright red as it fed her their stamina, and they dropped.

  When he saw that blade glowing like that, Malem had a sudden realization.

  He stole the stamina from Aurora, then sheathed Balethorn and dashed at her. He ripped the crystal blade Arathal from her hands as he passed.

  What— she began.

  But he muted her, and ran back the way he had come. He sensed confusion from her and his companions.

  Some of them followed him.

  “Get Goldenthall!” he shouted over his shoulder.

  “Where are you going?” Gwen asked.

  “I have to do something,” he told her. “I’ll be right back. Now go!”

  She obeyed, as did the others.

  His lips set in a grim line, he sped through that hallway. He reached a portion that Grendel’s globe of light could not penetrate, and traveled through the darkness, until he reached the wider, and brighter, cavern beyond.

  Then he continued to the entrance, until he emerged. He sped past Jack, who was sitting on an upturned flagstone nearby, and ran toward Iridaceae.

  She straightened when she saw him.

  “What news?” she asked.

  Malem ignored her, and ran right up to her.

  She pulled her legs back, suddenly frightened.

  But Malem was the quicker, and stabbed the blade home, slicing into the Paragon’s calf. The crystal sword flared a bright red.

  The Paragon shrieked, kicking him away. He slammed into the far wall, but his dragonscale armor saved him.

  “You can’t fool me, Banvil!” Malem said.

  He scrambled to his feet, and arose again.

  “What’s going on?” Jack asked, running to him.

  “Get back!” Malem said. “She is the demon!”

  He rushed at Iridaceae again.

  “You’ve gone mad,” the Paragon said, backing away.

  The stamina flowed through his body in leaps and bounds. He felt powerful enough to take on the entire world, let alone a s
ingle Paragon.

  He summoned Lantos, and mounted the pegasus. He guided the winged horse toward Iridaceae.

  The creature was in full retreat.

  “You’ve been hiding in plain sight all this time!” Malem yelled. “But I won’t be fooled!”

  Lantos swooped low, and as Malem dashed past her neck, he swiped at her with the crystal sword. The blade glowed brighter, and fed him more stamina.

  She swatted at the horse, but Lantos dodged out of the way. The winged horse rose, circling to come about for another strike.

  This time, Malem flew in a dive down the Paragon’s back, cutting a long gash all the way down from her shoulder blades to her lower back.

  She screamed, and spun to punch him.

  Lantos narrowly avoided the blow, and Malem fed some of the bounteous stamina he had taken to the winged horse.

  Iridaceae pulled ahead, but tripped on the shoulder of one of the mountains, and collapsed, rumbling the ground.

  By then, the brightness of her body had faded significantly.

  Malem quickly flew Lantos low above her body, and leaped off. He landed on her back before she could stand, and he stabbed the blade through, above where he thought her heart must be.

  She gasped beneath him, and shuddered. Then her body became translucent, and Malem fell through her, hitting the ground just below.

  She faded entirely, her beautiful, once eternal light becoming just a memory.

  Malem glowed with the stamina of a hundred beings. A thousand.

  But before he could redirect that stamina to anything useful, like helping his friends, it began to fade. All of it was being sucked into the Darkness at his core.

  He realized he was feeding Banvil.

  The demon was in control.

  The demon had made him do this.

  Dark mist appeared before Malem, where the Paragon had once resided. And then the Balor took shape from it, appearing in all its dark glory. Flame and shadow outlined a towering, muscular form. Horns curled form its head, and large wings flexed on its back. Its tail waved back and forth, somehow mocking.

  What have I done?

  He realized it had been Banvil’s plan all along to draw him to the Light Realm. The Balor knew Malem would recruit some Paragon allies along the way. He also knew Malem would bring Aurora, and the crystal blade. Maybe the demon even planted a few subconscious suggestions before Malem left his kingdom, to ensure he brought the summoner and her sword with him.