The Forgotten Queen

by Matt Glicksman

  Millan felt nauseated. He didn't wish to lie to the Council, but he was ashamed of the real reason why he had passed out during the purge. Luckily, the Prima came to his rescue.

  "Advisor Ayristark," Mashira said sternly. "Don Millan is not on trial here. Please don't treat him as such."

  "My apologies," he responded. "I was simply trying to ascertain the level of knowledge the demon lord has uncovered."

  "It sounded a bit more accusatory than that. Don Millan's account is not beyond the realm of possibility. Before the purge, I myself witnessed Erynion create a ball of darkness, which he used to negate the Blessing of Sacred Ground. And at the same time, he drained Lady Sundancer of her energy. I'm sure something similar happened to Don Millan. Correct?"

  Millan clamped his mouth shut and forced himself to nod.

  "Good. So, what happened next?"

  "I passed out," Millan explained. "The next thing I knew, it was morning and I was somewhere in the forest, bound in chains. I was Erynion's prisoner."

  Razza gasped. "And you were able to escape in only a few days? How?"

  All eyes were on the Nesinu priest. His heart hammered away in his chest. His eyes darted between the members of the Council, their faces filled with hope. Millan rubbed his thumbs together. "Well, I…I didn't escape exactly. He let me go."

  Mashira cocked her head. "He let you go?"

  "Yes, as part of an agreement. It's actually the reason why I needed to speak with you so urgently. You see, we need to send a message to—"

  "Hold on. Hold on. He let you go as part of an agreement? You made a deal with the demon lord?"

  "Yes," Millan whispered. The nausea was returning. The faces around him changed from admiration to disgust. "It's…it's not as bad as it sounds."

  The advisors seemed to ignore him as they talked among themselves.

  "Is he on trial now, Your Luminescence?" Ayristark asked.

  "Perhaps Erynion learned a few tricks before he killed the Seductress," Razza suggested.

  "And to think we were so concerned about our decision to contact the Death Gods," Deidok added, seemingly amused.

  "Wait, what? We contacted the Death Gods?" Millan asked.

  Mashira ignored his question and appeared to study him. It felt as though she were looking into his very soul. The Nesinu priest tried to pull away from her gaze, but he was frozen.

  "Do you think he's bewitched?" the Prima asked.

  "Unlikely," Deidok said. "Curse of Submission victims tend to be more obvious. Single-minded. Poor communication."

  "He was stuttering quite a bit," Ayristark said.

  "Come now," Deidok shot back. "The young man is clearly nervous."

  "It's not out of the question, though."

  The Curse of Submission was a spell that bent the victim to the caster's will. The Seductress was a master of it. One look and you were hers. But even though she was the most notorious user, the curse could be cast by anyone skilled enough to wield dark energy.

  "I wasn't seduced!" Millan shouted as he stood from his chair. The room fell silent. After a few seemingly eternal seconds passed, remorse struck him first. "I'm…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout. I meant no disrespect."

  No one responded. Their eyes were locked on him.

  Millan gripped the arms of his chair as he sat. "Please, at least listen to what I have to say. Then you can decide whatever."

  Mashira interlaced her fingers and rested her hands on the desk. "We're listening."

  "When I awoke after the battle, I found myself wrapped in chains. The demon lord told me he had spared my life because he needed a favor. I refused immediately. I did. I suspected he was going to ask me to kill the king, but I was mistaken. He explained how he needed someone to cast light energy on him every night to avoid the agony. I was to be his hostage indefinitely. Or, at least until he had learned to control his power and I was no longer needed." Millan felt a lump in his throat. "Either way, it seemed like my life was over."

  "I can't imagine what that must've been like for you," Mashira said.

  "There was a silver lining. Even though I'd be trapped, I knew keeping the agony away would mean no more purges."

  "That's true. Tell us about the arrangement you agreed to."

  "It was actually my idea, and it was pretty simple. I offered to enchant the chains that had bound me. That way, he could avoid the agony and I wouldn't have to be there. Erynion gets what he wants: no agony. The humans get what we want: no more purges. I get what I want: my freedom."

  "You know how to enchant?" The Prima smirked. "You know what? Never mind. How strong is the enchantment?"

  "It should last him for three nights."

  "It should? You're sure?"

  "Pretty sure. I may not have the best ratio when it comes to enchanting, but I know how to read the strength of an object. The chains will last him three nights, and no more."

  "What else? Or do you expect me to believe you earned your release by giving Erynion three agony-free nights?"

  "You're right," Millan answered. "There's more. This is why I asked to speak with you. I need your help."

  "You need my help? I still haven’t decided how I feel about this arrangement of yours. Let's hear the rest."

  "Erynion is moving to Nolka. The reason he let me go is so I could speak with you, and you could convince Archdon Feranis to extend the enchantment for much longer."

  The Prima pressed her lips together. "You're asking me to order Archdon Feranis to do this?"

  "If you think it's the correct course of action, then yes." Millan attempted to be as humble as possible.

  "If I refuse, I suppose Erynion will be none too pleased about not receiving the enchantment. No doubt Nolka will suffer for it."

  "If we have three days, could we evacuate the city?" asked Razza Merona.

  "To what end?" Mashira answered. "Ignoring the fact that that would be a monumental task in and of itself, what happens when Erynion gets to an empty Nolka and the agony hits him? What happens when he goes to Inssen? And back to Royal Oak? I assume the Denhauli are still with him."

  "I didn't see them much, but I believe so, Your Luminescence," Millan said.

  "And what if I agree and give the order? If Archdon Feranis does this, Erynion will have a clear mind for a long time. He'll be able to learn his spells and concentrate on his purpose. Are we embracing security now, only to inevitably lose it later?"

  "The same could be said for Candelux," Deidok piped up. "If you give the order, we can focus on how to cleanse the demon lord without constantly worrying about which town he's going to obliterate with the purge."

  The Prima paused briefly. "It seems like I don't have much of a choice."

  "Perhaps we're getting ahead of ourselves," Ayristark interjected. "We know where and when the demon lord is going to be. We have three days to figure out how to stop him."

  "That's right," Millan said. "After all, we know his identity, don't we?"

  "Do we?" Mashira asked.

  "Sure. When you looked into the Devil’s Eye, you said he was Sir Bix."

  "Ah."

  "And, while I was a captive, Erynion said something about fixing the mistake of his brother. If I remember correctly from my history lessons on the Death Gods, Bix and his brother, Diyel, were both founders. I'm not sure what mistake Diyel made, but clearly this is important to the demon lord."

  "I'm sorry, Millan," Mashira said. "Erynion isn't Bix."

  "What?" While he rested and ate during his captivity, the Nesinu priest had scoured his brain to figure it all out. There was no way he heard her correctly.

  "Erynion isn't Bix."

  "I don't understand, but you said—"

  "I know what I said back then." Mashira rubbed the back of her hand. "I was mistaken. What you must understand is that looking into the Devil's Eye can be very disorienting and Advisor Razza was pulling me from the meditation when the name was spoken. I can't be certain what name I heard. But, one thing is for sure. Erynio
n can't be Bix because Bix is alive and well in Alovajj. All the founders are."

  Millan thought back to Deidok's comment earlier about contacting the Death Gods. "You spoke with them?"

  "Not directly. Eriph informed us."

  "Eriph?"

  "Yes, much has happened in the past few days. We've been trying to reopen communication with Alovajj. They've been reluctant, but Eriph has been making progress on our behalf. However, he's a Death God now. Once we can agree on some preliminary terms, we'll be sending a couple of ambassadors to improve relations."

  "Do you think they know who Erynion is?"

  "There's no way for us to know that yet. It's certainly possible, but we're far from convincing them to divulge that kind of information. For now, we have to try to figure it out on our own."

  Deidok chuckled softly. "Then, I suppose in the meantime, it'd be best if the demon lord wasn't destroying pieces of the kingdom every night."

  "The point is well taken. Thank you." Mashira nodded to the old man before addressing the Nesinu priest. "Don Millan, I wish to discuss this situation further with the Council. Is there anything else you'd care to add? Any other information you gathered during your brief capture?"

  "No, Your Luminescence."

  "In that case, you're dismissed. Advisor Razza will escort you down the hall to the office of Archdon Gaitsa. She'll provide you with a room and change of clothing."

  "Thank you." Millan stood and bowed.

  Razza Merona was already waiting by the door. As he joined her, the Prima called to him. "And Millan?"

  "Yes, Your Luminescence?"

  "Do try to get some rest. I saw firsthand the effects of Erynion draining someone's energy. Add enchanting for five days straight, and you should definitely take it easy." Mashira smiled. "Try not to get into any trouble for a while."

  Her smile normally soothed him, but in this case, Millan was paralyzed. Fear clutched his heart at the mention of Erynion. Millan's energy hadn't been drained by the demon lord, but rather his unapproved use of the Blessing of the Fallen Angel. While in Royal Oak, the Nesinu priest had promised the Prima not to use it, and the guilt of breaking that promise devastated him.

  Mashira's eyebrow steadily rose. "Is there a problem?"

  Millan remained frozen. He tried to convince himself it didn't matter. The Council didn't need to know. They were hypocrites, after all. Don Skully, who Millan loved and respected, left Light's Haven because of the Prima's decision to exile the Death Gods. And Eriph had been so quickly dismissed from the guild for his involvement with them. But now, the Prima had turned to them for help.

  Millan shook his head. Despite his reasoning, he felt an overwhelming loyalty to her. She had always shown him compassion and understanding, and he believed she always did what was best for the kingdom, just like when he had cast the Blessing of the Fallen Angel.

  The smile faded from Mashira's face. "Millan, are you all right?"

  The Nesinu priest shoved his hand into his pocket and approached the desk. Squeezing the conduit seemed to give him confidence to speak. "I have a confession. When I was trapped inside the demon lord's purge, I tried to stop him."

  "Yes, we know."

  "No, you don't. It wasn't Erynion that drained my energy. It was this." Millan removed the conduit from his pocket and dropped it on the desk. He could feel their eyes on him, burning his body, but he focused on the star. Though it was out of his hands, it still gave him strength to continue. "I'm so sorry. I didn't listen. You warned me not to use the blessing. You warned me, but I didn't listen.

  "I thought I knew better. We were all alone. He couldn't defend himself. No ordinary spell was going to stop him, so I used it. I thought I could kill Erynion and end this nightmare. It didn't matter if it killed me because I could save Royal Oak and the rest of the kingdom. No one would ever have to feel the pain I've felt."

  Millan thought of his hometown and the loss of his mentor. He remembered the black field the demon lord had left behind. He clenched his fist while his heart throbbed in his chest. Refusing to cry in the presence of his leader, he used the rage to fight back the tears. "But, I was too weak. I failed. You were right. I shouldn't have brought this into battle. I failed and now half of Royal Oak is gone, like Nesinu."

  "Millan." The Prima's voice was soft and calm.

  "Please, take it. I don't deserve it." The Nesinu priest took a deep breath as the admission relieved his guilt. "May I go now?"

  "Of course."

  Millan quickly turned and bolted past Advisor Razza and out of the room.

  Chapter 4

  "And he goes, 'The last guy's coming back with watermelons!'" The jester iymed laughed hysterically.

  Erynion rolled his eyes. "Do I really have to listen to this all the way to Nolka?"

  "Oh, come on! That one was great. A personal favorite of King Dardan."

  "The idiot king?"

  Flinch scoffed. "Idiot? Just because he took a few minutes to respond to people doesn't make him an idiot. He did that so his words were that much more meaningful."

  "Mm-hmm. And the fact that he was the first monarch to marry outside the Thoris line? You know Dardan was the reason King Vask decreed the Law of Seven, right? The inbreeding had to stop. Or did you think that was just a coincidence?"

  "What? No, that was all political. Vask was under a lot of pressure from the nobles. They were planning a revolt. Besides, I was there, and believe me, the women of Thoris nobility were rough looking."

  "Fine, you were there. Is it true that Queen Corriani made all the decisions while Dardan drooled on his toys?" Erynion asked.

  Flinch placed his left hand on his hip. "I'll have you know those 'toys' represented strategic troop locations. The queen consulted him constantly."

  "Did she consult him on what was funny as well?"

  "Ha ha ha. All right, how about this one?"

  "Please, no more."

  "Oh, come on. Last one, I promise," the jester pleaded.

  Erynion sighed.

  "Which dessert is favored most on the Frozen Coast?"

  The demon lord put in minimal effort as he tried to spot an easy answer. But nothing obvious came to mind. "I don't know."

  "A pair of pie-as! Get it? Like Para Paya?" Flinch grinned in delight.

  Erynion covered his face and rubbed his forehead.

  "What? No good?"

  "I don't remember our court jester ever using so many puns."

  "He must not have been very funny then. Hey, how about a rest? The sun's almost down and we've been walking all day."

  The ground lightly trembled, and Erynion stopped. "Do you feel that?"

  Flinch looked around as the vibrations became more intense. "I suspect that's something large, furry, and in a hurry."

  Erynion spotted two massive wolves—one black, one red—bounding through the forest toward them. They were on the demon lord and his jester in no time. Even though Erynion stood six and a half feet tall, the Denhauli dwarfed him. The wolves panted and rested on their haunches.

  "Welcome back," Erynion said. "We weren't expecting to see you until Nolka."

  "That was the plan," said Ojjuk. "However, we received orders from Verago to find you as soon as possible."

  The demon lord found the gruff voice in his head unsettling. "For what reason?"

  "Agalia, the greater iymed you have come to know as the Seductress, has escaped from the Depths."

  "How?"

  The black wolf growled. "That's irrelevant."

  "Not to me," Erynion insisted.

  Eyzora stepped in. Her voice was much more pleasing to listen to. "You could say her death was unexpected. Verago was busy preparing the demons for the attack on Royal Oak. We didn't have time to search for her. We assumed she would run to the deepest corner of the Depths and hide. We had no idea she'd sneak into the army and escape out the twisted gate."

  "Wait a minute. So what?" Flinch interjected. "She’d be powerless. When Marksy was killed by the purge, he
was as weak as the fray until Verago made him a lesser iymed. The same would be true for her."

  "Correct," Eyzora said. "However, Verago isn't taking any chances. We are to protect you every step of the way."

  Erynion gripped his chains. "What I need is protection from the agony."

  "Was that not the purpose of your prisoner?" Ojjuk pointed out.

  "Yes, but he's gone now, and I don't want to risk falling victim to the agony if I can't get the enchantment extended. I need to control my power and learn my spells. I know they're in my head somewhere." The demon lord held up his hand. "I've been missing these fingers for a few days now. I want to re-form them, but I'm afraid they'll be useless like Flinch's right arm. I need to know how to properly heal. Can you help me access the knowledge that's buried in my mind?"

  "But demons can regenerate their limbs. If you didn't waste time by having that priest weaken you every night, they'd be partially grown already."

  Dusk had arrived and the chains softly glowed. "If it wasn't for that priest, I'd be tearing at my flesh, and none of you would be able to stay near me."

  "Nonsense," Ojjuk said.

  Before Erynion could retort, Eyzora intervened. "What my love is trying to say is we can help you. Your fear is understandable, but those chains are only holding you back."

  "So, you can teach me how to heal then? I'll be able to re-create my fingers?"

  "And fix my arm?" Flinch chimed in.

  "Yes," the red wolf answered. "You'll need to meditate to access the information, and because of our unique method of communication, Ojjuk or I will be able to guide you during meditation."

  "Great. When do we start?" Erynion asked.

  "Tomorrow, when you can take those chains off. But don't worry, tonight won't be a waste."

  "It won't?"

  "No. There is more than one type of healing. Unfortunately, you endeavored to perform the most difficult type, known as miracle healing. It involves fixing something a body cannot do on its own. For humans, that would include creating new body parts or reattaching old ones. It requires a lot of energy and an in-depth understanding of anatomy to be successful. You must know how the parts of the body connect and communicate. So, when you attempted to reattach Flinch's arm, you failed because you lacked that knowledge."