Bound by Fire

by Ronald Craft

  Chapter 31

  Rodach shook his head. “That's impossible, Lochien. Nobody can kill one of the gods'.”

  Lochien wiped the sweat from his brow. “Dagfinn found a way. Or so I thought. This is proof that at least one of the gods' remains.”

  “One of the gods'? What do you mean?”

  “This spark in front of us,” Lochien pointed towards the golden figure, “is proof that at least one yet exists.” The scholar let his hand fall back to his side. “At least, what remains of her. I fear the Arguros chest has washed away her sanity.”

  This is really a goddess? It's possible to kill a god? If all the gods' are dead, then what were the people worshiping all these years? Names? If there were no higher beings, then who bestowed all the miracles that happened around the world? Were they simply coincidence?

  Rodach's thoughts ground to a halt as his mind processed the information. “How can this be a god, Lochien? It's just not possible to—”

  Lochien whirled around, and slammed his hand on the table. “I've seen it with my own two eyes, Rodach. Don't question me. I watched as Silvestra, Zosimus and,” he lowered his voice, and motioned behind him, “Urania were brutally slain and chopped to pieces by Dagfinn and that half-blood traitor.”

  Tears streamed down Lochien's cheeks. “And I helped. I was greedy. Dagfinn offered me the one thing I would have give anything for, and in return he asked for the locations of the gods' sanctuaries.”

  “The one thing?” What am I supposed to say to this? He's lost his mind.

  “He offered me another chance to be with my family. My wife and child had been taken from me by a plague that ravaged the world from one ocean to another. They were all I wanted. All I needed.”

  Lochien wiped away his tears. “I wasn't always a scholar. The gods' used to pick a man to be their caretaker. It was an honor given to a single human. The person chosen would be the gods' medium, dedicated to the needs of those that served the gods'.”

  “I was the one they picked. Back then, I was dedicated to their cause, and I believed in their power. That all changed, though. Dagfinn corrupted my faith. Corrupted me.”

  Rodach scratched his head. “I don't see how any of that is relevant to our current situation.” He looked past Lochien, but the spark of Urania continued to float in midair as if unaware of their presence.

  “Lochien, it might be best if we get out of here. I imagine Urania is going to be angry once she realizes she's dead.”

  Lochien shook his head. “Fool. We need to seal her away lest she find a body. If a maddened god obtains a physical manifestation, who knows what sort of damage they'll cause.”

  How were they supposed to seal her? Even the soul stone had failed to contain her spark. What can I possibly do? His shaky legs reminded him of how weak he still was.

  “I don't care what you do, scholar.” Rodach shuffled towards the door. “Just figure something out.”

  Lochien sat on the bench and wiped the remaining tears from his eyes. “She may have once been a goddess, but now she's just a skiima.”

  “That still doesn't give me much hope, scholar.” His doubts were growing with every moment that passed.

  “Hope?” Lochien met his gaze. “I haven't much of that any more. The fact that she's still dormant gives me something to work with, though. I'll do what I can.” The scholar produced a pair of the clear orbs from his satchel, and held them between his fingers for Rodach to see.

  Rodach tilted his head. “Since one of them didn't work, what makes you think two of them will be any better?”

  “We've got to contain her. Hell, I'd put her back inside of you if I could. I'd rather kill you, than risk an insane goddess taking over that body in chains below us.”

  Rodach raised an eyebrow. “That's a comforting thought. I don't care how you do it, just make sure it gets done.”

  Lochien nodded. “I'll try my best.” He whispered an incantation too low for Rodach to hear. The orbs between Lochien's fingers flared into a deep purple color.

  For a moment nothing happened.

  Then, as if a great vacuum had opened, the figure of the corrupted goddess lunged forward. Her figure rippled like smoke, and her blackened eyes darted around wildly. She opened her mouth, as if to scream, but no sound came from within her. The orbs pulsed in Lochien's hand, pulling the diminishing form of the goddess ever closer.

  The goddess clawed the walls, but her fingers passed through the stone. A golden wave of energy emanated from her and slammed into Lochien.

  He grunted, and stumbled backwards. Lochien's hand shot out, and grabbed hold of the table before he could fall. He raised his hand higher, and the orbs in his hand glowed brighter.

  Urania's mouth gaped wide, her eyes narrowed, but she couldn't escape the pull of Lochien's power. She drifted ever closer.

  Lochien's head was soaked with sweat, his legs shook, and his breath came in labored gasps.

  I don't know if he's going to make it. Doesn't look like he can stand much more.

  Nearly touching the orbs now, Urania raised her hands before her. A golden tear streamed down her cheek, and vanished in the air.

  Rodach shielded his eyes as an explosion of light burst forth from between Lochien's fingers. When the orbs dimmed, he lowered his arm only to find that the goddess was gone.

  The once clear soul stones now glowed the same golden color as the first one had. Lochien held them in the palm of his hand, his eyes fixated upon them.

  “We should be safe now,” he gasped. “She may have broken out of one soul stone, but two should more than suffice. I've split her spark between them.” Lochien wiped the sweat from his forehead on the sleeve of his robe.

  “How did you do that?”

  Lochien blinked, and looked at him, as if awoken from a trance. “It works the same as it did when the orb was inside of you. I need only invoke the power of the soul stone, and it does the rest.”

  Rodach ran his hand through his hair. “So, we're safe now?”

  Lochien nodded. “Quite. In fact, it's time we leave this place. I don't fancy staying here any longer than I have to.”

  He deposited the orbs within his satchel, grabbed everything off the table, and tossed it all back inside of the worn pouch. Lochien tied the satchel shut, and strapped it back around his waist. He motioned towards the doorway, and moved ahead of Rodach.

  Rodach gathered his strength, and shuffled behind Lochien. The brief respite hadn't been nearly enough time for his body to recover, and it let him know with each strained movement. Once outside of the room, he glanced into the pit. A chill went up his spine at the thought of what lay at the bottom.

  “Hurry up, Rodach. I haven't the stomach to linger in this place.”

  Rodach turned his attention back towards Lochien. He was standing ten paces ahead of him, his arms crossed, and his lips turned downwards into a frown.

  “After what I just went through, you're telling me to hurry? You'd think that after all this time you would have learned some patience.”

  Lochien shrugged. “Patience is a trait I was born without.”

  “It'd do you well to learn some. You'll need it around me.” Rodach grinned.

  “So it seems.” Lochien turned his back to Rodach, and continued on.

  As Lochien's foot touched the ground, the satchel at his waist exploded, sending the man flying off the edge of the pit.

  A golden light hovered in the air where he had been standing. Two black eyes peered at Rodach.

  Except this time, they were clearly aware of his presence.

  Rodach stood frozen in place, his gaze locked on the goddess before him.

  A voice, both beautiful and terrifying, caressed his ears. “Are you the one who killed me?”

  Rodach blinked away the sweat as it dripped from his brow. His mouth moved, but his mind could find no words.

  “Answer me, human.” Urania floated closer to him
. “I haven't much time.”

  —

  Lochien hung off the edge, saved from certain doom by the leather strap on his satchel. The material stretched, and strained against his weight. His vision was blurred, and his body ached all over.

  Feels like a boulder rolled over top of me

  He shoved his fingers into a crack in the stone, and despite the protests of his body, pulled himself against the face of the bridge. Voices echoed above him.

  “Are you the one who killed me?” A familiar voice said.

  No! She's fully awoken! I've failed.

  He pulled himself up and over the ledge. His axes weighed heavily upon him, and his hands were slippery with sweat.

  Why did I have to choose two axes? One was good enough they told me, but I had to go for two. I really was brash back then.

  Lochien flopped onto his stomach.

  Rodach looked relieved to see him. “You're still alive? What are we supposed to do about this? She's talking now.”

  He pulled himself to his feet, and eyed the dead goddess before them. “You expect me to know? How many dead goddesses do you think I've dealt with?”

  Rodach threw his hands in the air. “Great help you turned out to be.” The lord pointed at Lochien. “Here's the guy you want, Urania. He's the one that killed you. Maybe he'll keep you busy so I can get the hell out of this forsaken place.”

  I guess I can't blame him. All of this is my fault.

  Urania turned to face him. Her body was nearly ethereal, and it shimmered as she moved. “I know you. Where do I know you from, human?” Those cold, lifeless eyes stared into his own.

  A lifetime of memories flooded his mind as he remembered the time he'd spent with Urania. Gentle Urania many called her. She nurtured her children, and brought them calm winds.

  He once brought a request from a dying ship captain to give him smooth sailing for his final journey. She listened to the request, and shed tears for this man. What she did both amazed, and humbled Lochien for years afterward.

  Urania used her power to fly the captain's ship through the sky, so that he may see the world as the gods' see it before he passed on.

  And then Lochien had helped kill her.

  He shifted his eyes away, unable to bear the weight of her gaze. “You know me, dear goddess, because I am the one you once entrusted to tend to the people. Sir Lochien Dremont, Eye of the Stars, Blood of the Land, Protector of the People.”

  Lochien sighed. “But that was a long time ago. Now, I'm just Lochien; a simple, and foolish scholar.”

  Urania floated closer to him until her face was no more than a hands breadth from his own. “Oh Lochien, you have suffered much all these years. I can see it in your eyes. We never intended for mortals to suffer as we did. Long life doesn't suit you.”

  He wanted to look anywhere else but at her, however he had no choice short of fleeing. Not that I wouldn't rather flee. This is too much.

  “Urania, I hardly deserve your sympathy. I'm the reason why there are no longer any living gods' in this world. It's my fault you're in that state. I killed you.”

  She hovered closer, her ethereal lips nearly touching his own. A great sadness loomed in her eyes. Her long hair drifted through the air behind her. “What in this world could break one as faithful as yourself?”

  He couldn't peel his eyes from hers. Those pools of blackness seemed to be drawing him ever deeper within them. “Y—You know what it was, Urania. I begged, I pleaded and prayed to you, to all of you, every day. And what did you give me? Nothing.”

  His hands tightened into fists and his face grew hot with the anger overflowing from within. “Not a damn thing. I watched as you granted the miracles and wishes of all those that prayed to you, but I was forsaken by you.”

  Urania ran her hand across his cheek. He felt a slight tingle, but without a physical form she couldn't truly touch him. “You poor thing. We all must make sacrifices. Our power does not come without loss. No man may gain without losing something in return. It is what keeps the balance between life and death.”

  Lochien wanted to wrap his hands around her throat and choke the life from her, but it would be a fruitless attempt. Even he couldn't kill someone that was already dead. “You talk of sacrifice and balance, but what did any of the gods' lose in return for the power they held? You had everything. Everything.”

  He closed his eyes. “And I had nothing. All I wanted, all I ever wanted, was my family,” he sobbed.

  She layed her hands on his shoulders. “You loved once, Lochien. The fire within you burned bright and strong, untainted by the world around you. It is why we chose you.”

  Urania's expression changed to one of sadness. The corner of her eyes sparkled, and golden tears ran down her face. “My brothers and I were never given the chance to be a mortal. You ask me what we sacrificed, and I tell you it is everything that a human possesses. Love, lust, friendship, hate, anger, jealousy. We knew how to emulate human emotion, but we could never truly feel it.”

  “You claim you had no emotions,” Rodach chimed in from behind them, “but what about Dagfinn? What made him different?”

  Urania turned to face Rodach, as if seeing him for the first time. “He took an unhealthy interest in the human realm. We warned him against frequent visits, but he wouldn't heed us. Eventually, he changed. Dagfinn began to exhibit human emotions. The first that came to him was greed. Greed became hatred, and soon he was lost to us. “

  “We sought to purge him, to erase his memories of the human realm, but he resisted.” She swung around and met Lochien's eyes once more. “It was only thanks to Lochien that he was able to succeed.”

  The blackness in Urania's eyes began leaking and spreading down her cheeks. It was as if she was being erased as black ooze extinguished her golden glow. She grabbed her head, and let out a shrill scream. Lochien covered his ears as the sound rattled his brain.

  “I haven't much time.” Her eyes had hardened; no longer did they swirl. Urania pointed at Lochien. “Lochien Dremont, I name you oathbreaker. I invoke the law of the four and task you with restoring the remaining gods' to their former selves. If you should fail at this task, then you will be banished from the underworld, doomed to become the skiima you so loath.”

  “B—Banished?” Lochien stammered. “You can't do this to me!”

  For a moment Urania seemed to return to life. Her golden flesh turned pink, her eyes their old emerald green, and her long, flowing hair became a rainbow of color.

  Lochien tried to back away, but found his body would not heed his commands.

  Her finger touched his forehead, something inside of him broke. A flood of images flashed before him and were gone. When his vision returned to normal, Urania's golden figure had transformed into a sickening black color.

  She was floating away from Lochien now. “My time is at an end. Pray that you escape before I am fully lost.” Her gaze drifted to the pit below them. “It calls to me.”

  “We need to escape. There is nothing we can do here. I haven't the power to stop her, and neither do you.”

  Rodach was already ahead of him. “You don't need to tell me twice.”

  They both ran for the exit, Lochien drawing ahead of Rodach. Their footsteps echoed off the stone walls.

  Lochien stopped at the exit, and withdrew the Arguros Chest from the jaws of the statue. “I'm sorry I failed you, Rodach.”

  The lord shook his head, and clasped Lochien's shoulder. “I haven't yet forgiven you, but at least neither of us are dead. What happens now?”

  Lochien stopped at the sound of a wail from behind them. He chanced a look back. Urania was completely black now, dark as her eyes had originally been. Bolts of darkness crackled around her body.

  “We pray that I'm able to find what remains of the other gods'. Only they will know what to do.” He punched the wall. “If only I was stronger.”

  Urania vanished in a burst of light and
was gone. There was a rattle of chains from below as the monstrosity lurched forward against its bonds.

  Rodach's eyes widened. “Is that what I think it is?”

  Lochien nodded.

  “You've got to be kidding me. We really need to get out of here, Lochien. I don't plan on being that things first meal.”

  Lochien waved his hand. “Come. It will be a while yet before she is able to break the chains.”

  They returned the way they'd come, passing the golden statues adorning the temple. Once, the statues had been something of beauty to him. Now, he only looked at them with disgust.

  If only they had listened to me. I tried to warn them about the chest, about the dangers it held, but the people here ignored my appeals. And so, they suffered for it. Dagfinn took them for his own, and soon they lost their humanity.

  It wasn't until the city was long gone from their sight, and the sliver of moon in the sky was well above the horizon that they stopped for the night. A small fire crackled and popped between them.

  Tonight was no night to dwell in the darkness.

  “Lochien,” Rodach paused for a second to throw a stick onto the fire. “I must return to my kingdom. I can't be chasing after dead gods. Something has happened in my absence, and I mean to find out what treachery has brought this upon me.”

  One thing that never changed throughout the times. Nobility was, and always would, be self-centered and short sighted.

  “What could be more pressing than the end of the world, dear Rodach?”

  Rodach narrowed his eyes. “Damn the world. Men were sent to assassinate me. I must find out the reason behind this.”

  He smirked. “And so you would leave it to an old man to save the world?”

  “I've seen you swing your axes. I'd say you're more capable than I'll ever be, eh scholar?”

  “You flatter me.” He poked the fire with his own stick. “As you will, dear Lord Rodach. Go fight for your castle. I'll find a way to undo that which I brought upon myself.”

  “How long do we have?” Rodach asked.

  Lochien shrugged. “A day, a fortnight, a year? Who knows? I can only guess. All we can do is make due with the time we're given.”

  “Let us hope for the latter.” Rodach's brow creased. “Where will you go first?”

  He closed his eyes, and pointed towards the west. “I fancy myself a voyage out to sea.”

  Rodach cocked his head. “A voyage, you say? And what is it you think you'll find there?”

  “Why, the ruler of fish herself, Silvestra. I have a good feeling as to where I might find her.”

  “Is there nothing we can do, Lochien?” Rodach met his gaze. “Where did that thing down there come from?”

  He smiled. “It was Dagfinn's creation. His greed drove him to create a monster so powerful, it could destroy a god. Those bonds were created with magic long lost to us, but they will break eventually. It's only a matter of time.”

  Rodach scratched his head. “How did Dagfinn create something like that? Wouldn't the gods' be equal in every aspect?”

  Lochien pressed his lips together. “He made the creature from the skiima of an entire race of people. Dagfinn turned them all to skiima, and molded their souls into that terrible creature.”

  Rodach jumped to his feet. “He killed the people of Escitor? For that?”

  He nodded. “I tried to save them, but they didn't listen to me. There was nothing I could do.”

  Rodach paced back and forth, mumbling to himself. Finally, he stopped, and faced Lochien. “You're awfully calm.”

  That's true, he thought. I am rather more calm than I would have imagined, considering all we witnessed here today. I suppose the mind can only take so much before it stops reacting.

  “Fear not, Rodach. I will right all the wrongs I have committed. You may return to your kingdom.”

  Rodach shivered. “I've never been so scared in my life. The look in her eyes...”

  “Don't worry,” Lochien stared into the fire as it danced before him, “you'll know true terror before long.”

  Oh yes, you will beg for death before this is over should I fail. She will not be gentle.