by Ed Montalvo
“Point taken,” Tatiana made herself comfortable beside the mage.
Dregous arced a brow, “Are you certain…” he started.
Seeker cut in, “I know fear when I see it,” she addressed the priest, “He can see it too,” she chinned his direction.
Tuke considered what she said. During their journey here, he felt oppressed, they all did. Though his light-heartedness shielded him for the most part, “Angelique, I do not…”
Seeker interrupted by waving him over, “Come, see,” she led him by the door.
Tuke looked between her and Rem. The Half Elf leaned on the natural handrail looking down with his head low. Since knowing the Half-Elf, he never hung his head. It was as though he was alone and defeated. Tuke sensed something familiar in him. It reminded the priest what happened to Dregous at the horde outpost. A similar translucent darkness shrouded Rem’s head. “Dear heavens,” he breathed. Tuke chastised himself for not seeing it sooner. He allowed Rem’s quirky personality to mislead his judgment.
Seeker glanced at the others, “You see.”
“What is it you see?” Tatiana asked.
Tuke readdressed her, “It is like a bleak cloud about his head…”
Seeker interrupted looking at the group, “You see, a bleak cloud,” they looked at her for a moment, then realized what she did, “Apologies,” she said.
Tuke gave her a knowing smile, “It is well Angelique.” the Drouwen assassin returned the smile. He continued, “His aura dims.”
Seeker lit up a second time with bright eyes, almost too eager to speak, “You see, an aura thingie,” she nodded, “his soul and, and…” she realized she interrupted again. The Dark Elf tried to compose herself and was extremely grateful no one other than her ally could see her blush. “…I will just… go over here,” she pointed at a chair, “and sit quietly…” she motioned the priest to continue as she sat, “go on Tuke… the soul thing, thing, dim thing… and I will,” Seeker jabbered, “Oh gods,” she mumbled.
Dregous and Tatiana failed to hide their urge to laugh. Tuke gave her a broad grin. It made Seeker blush all the more. They noticed her facial discoloration through her disguise, “It is all well,” Tuke assured.
As evening approached, an Elven escort guided the party to the king’s dining hall. Dregous and Tatiana were separated during the seating. The group sat together, opposite the crown. The Dark Elf prince was the furthest. He expected to sit beside the priestess but made no comment. Tatiana sat beside the king. It didn’t please her seeing him seated so far. Seeker sat beside her ally.
The Ayrian beauty leaned slightly to the Grey Elf princess beside her, “My lady, may I join my friends?” she hoped the princess wouldn’t be offended.
Mirehnah wasn’t surprised, considering how much they regard each other, “If you like your highness.” she guessed Tatiana wasn’t pleased with the rift.
“My gratitude princess,” the Ayrian beauty made her way as the others watched curiously.
“Is there something wrong princess?” asked the Elven king.
Tatiana’s heart ping at the sound of his voice and stopped, “No your grace.”
“Is the seat not to your liking?”
“All is lovely my lord.”
“Something must be displeasing?”
Tatiana knew the Elves are extremely lenient to her people, “No, my lord…,” she paused. “I simply wish to…” she glanced at her party.
“…join your friends?” he finished. Tatiana remained silent and knew the king was insulted or put off. Her desire to be near Dregous comfort her more than the fear of her being rude. There was a time she wouldn’t have given it a second thought. To sit near the crown was thrilling. To sit beside the king himself was grand.
The king studied the princess as he weighed the report Lehoneh and Mirehnah had relayed earlier. Tatiana regarded her friends highly, particularly the Dark Elf. He wanted them separated, simply to observe them. They took their seats except for Dregous. “It is noble to hold friends in high regard, my dear lady,” the king commented as he motioned the Dark Elf and the others, “Please, sit beside us,” he gestured. Some guest’s removed themselves allowing the group to sit closer. The king indicated Dregous to sit across from the Ayrian princess.
After making themselves comfortable, they spent the rest of the evening conversing generalities. Lehoneh explained the happenings near and around their City and borders. Since the hordes defeat, Orks have been making their way to their borders. These Ork parties are being led by Drouwens. Though the Dark Elves managed to escape. The king took the opportunity to express his gratitude to the party for his daughter’s rescue.
The group amended further details to the Elven monarch. Rem joined in the conversation, hoping to shake his fear of what awaited him. They added their current journey, the location of the once great fallen knight. “Do you seek grand knight Verrel of the holy order?” the Elven king asked.
The group gazed at the king with surprise. Dregous studied him with a blank expression. “My lord knows him?” Tatiana asked.
“Sir Verrel is a trusted knight. He was gifted with Elven armor for his nobility, honesty… the finest qualities a knight possesses.” The table was silent. “Why do you seek him?”
“That noble knight attacked a human city and kill many innocent people including children,” Tatiana replied, shocking the Elves. Dregous included the Riverdale records, then realized Verrel was not only a magically powerful knight but also in politics, till he fell from grace and disappeared. The final account of the Lord knight’s actions left them speechless. They couldn’t fathom how such a nobleman could commit such atrocities.
The conversation waned as the evening closed and the Grey Elves slowly began to excuse themselves, bidding all a fond goodnight. Dregous took advantage and address the King, “Your grace, I wish to express my humble gratitude for allowing me to dine with you.”
The king considered Dregous a moment as he sipped some wine, “Of course… …it is the least I could do, you saved my daughter…, an act I cannot repay, but to extend courtesy. However, mistake no common grounds for friendship, Drouwen,” he stunned the group and remaining court members. He used the word Drouwen as if it was a foul curse, though his tone was light.
Tatiana was astonished, she was under the impression Dregous was well received. Tuke, in stunned silence, looked between the Ayrian, his Dark Elf friend and the Grey Elf king. He didn’t know what to say. Rem glanced at the king indifferently. His own situation consumed much of his thoughts. The dark skinned human female stood, “My lord…” Seeker started.
Dregous sensed her intention, “Angelique…” he interrupted sharply.
Seeker glance, “But Dregous…” the Grey Elf king considered them. He noted the Drouwens’ friends sheltered him more than he realized, perhaps more than his children fathomed.
“All is well,” he said, then addressed the king, “I wish to extend my deepest apologies to you and your court…” then addressed the guests, “…if my presence impaired your evening and fowled your meal.” He faced the king, “With your permission Great Lord, I will retreat from your sight and offend you no further.” With all the grace he could muster, he stood and replaced his seat. “I will gather my belongings and depart immediately,” he bowed slightly, turned and held his head high. Dregous preyed no one could see the shame he felt as he was forced to flee, yet again.
Infuriated, but maintained a cool composure, Angelique stood without acknowledging the king and followed her ally out. He was about to address Seeker but was distracted by the human priest. Tuke politely excused himself, then joined them. The king glanced at the human when Tatiana stood to watched them leave, then addressed the Ayrian. “Will you not stay princess,” the king asked.
“Forgive me my lord, but no,” she walked away, glanced over her shoulder, “Even after what you have said, my DROUWEN friend, still addresses you accordingly, though your crown is nothing to him. Does that not earn him the courtesy he b
ows to the king?” Tatiana didn’t intend to disrespect the crown a second time, but what he did, provoked her to no end, and left without an answer.
The king observed them silently. He agreed with the princess, no Drouwen would humble themselves to anyone outside their realm. He regretted treating Dregous harshly, though something about the mage frightened him. “How could you father? How could you treat him so after he saved me, at his peril? Our own archers nearly killed him, still, he says nothing…” Mirehnah said frustratingly.
Another ping of regret struck him when his daughter addressed him so blatantly, “Forgive me, but…”
Mirehnah cut in, “It is he you should ask forgiveness father…” she started.
He contained his anger, though understood her reaction, “Something about him is frightening little one!” he stated. Lehoneh knew his place and remained silent. Even though Dregous saved his sister, he agreed with his father. Something about the Drouwen was unnerving. “You said he is a third-grade mage, yet his casting displays more.” He stepped behind his chair, “That makes no sense, there must be more.”
The high priestess was about to step out when she heard the king's comment, “There is my lord.”
He addressed her as she stood by the doorway. Her solitary statement was filled with confidence, “Explain.”
***
The night felt colder than it should, spring was near and the snow falling. It was late into the night and Kenton took a break from his studies. He reached over and reopened the scroll containing the demons' name to admire his grand prize when a frigid gale pushed the shutter open. The sudden burst startled him, leaving an eerie nip in his heart. The cold blast snuffed out his reading candle. The chill instantly reached the depth of his bones. The last phase of the moon shown enough light to see the snowdrift trail through the window. He pulled his cloak tighter for warmth. Shivering, he reached for the tinderbox. His trembling made it difficult to strike a light. The dim illumination of the candle made the snow falling in, appeared to glow. Kenton reached for the shutters when a sudden fright paralyzed him.
A tall and elegant female floated a few meters away dressed in a transparent silvery-white gown. The tattered hemming hung sporadically about her legs. As the woman drifted closer he realized it was a corpse. Black untamed hair draped her shoulders. She drifted in, her horizontal slit cat eyes scrutinized him. There were no white to her eyes, they were like voids. Her well-formed breasts and erect nipples were obvious through her thin gown. A transparent yellow film glossed her lips. She drifted closer, the details of her grotesqueness grew greater. “My master requires your acquisition,” she spoke, with marred yellowish teeth with mucus and stringed saliva between her lips.
Her dreadful appearance and mild stench held him in shock. He wanted to scream, but her frightful presence had a strangely calming effect on him. She approached without any hindrance of the window, as though it wasn’t there. It baffled him how the feat was managed. Her magnificent performance distracted him and seductively pressed her breasts against his chest. Alarmed, he slightly gasped at the rotting moisture seeping through his garment. She quickly kissed him and pushed her tongue into his mouth.
It was cold against his, as it swirled. A hint of a sour metallic taste assaulted the senses followed by a rotting stench. The strange horror kept him from recoiling.
He thought he felt minor holes and bumps on her tongue. Realizing this, Kenton thought of pulling away when he suddenly felt something wiggled out of one of the gaps. Her vise-like grasp held him as more wiggled out of other fissures.
He stumbled back spitting when she released him. The mage could still feel soft lumps wiggling in his mouth, and continued spitting. He glanced at her and realized maggots crawling on her smiling lips. Kenton whimpered as he vomited. He didn’t understand what was happening. A thin light brown finger shushed his lips, while vomit oozed from him. A sudden stench of rotten urine came from her sex. Fear crippled him from reacting.
Panic drown all his senses when she held him again, this time, tighter than before. Her yellow stained teeth flashed from a smile and kissed him again. A warm wet sensation dripped down his leg followed with a strong odor of rotted urine. In his fright he kicked wildly, knocking the table and candle over. Slowly the flames grew as his papers caught fire. In his anxiety, he bit her tongue. The outlets seeped more maggots salty fluid. Kenton severed her tongue in defense, then vomited again, in her mouth, squirting from their locked lips and dripped down their chins and necks.
Soon his work area was in flames. Every time he tried to scream, she’d press her mouth on his, causing him to dry heave. She savored his offering with zest, licking the fluids from his lips, chin, and neck. The flames soon surrounded them. She giggled as the room burned. Kenton shrieked for anyone to help him.
The scroll containing her masters’ name was consumed in flames, along with everything else. The fire destroyed all traces of her demon lord.
Kenton’s neighboring classmates tried to get into the room, but it was locked. It wasn’t long before they couldn’t touch the heated nob. Tried as they might, they were unable. An advanced student cast an opening spell and failed. The instructor ushered the student back as an eerie silence hung over them. Suddenly his screeching echoed the academy. Kenton’s horrid cries continued long after they thought he should have died.
His bone-chilling screeches carried through the night. Even the Nevin denizens heard his cries. Near the seaside Inn, a shadowed male watched with horrific delight as other silhouettes squeamishly turned away. His screams for help died out almost half an hourglass later. They watched the flames consume the one dorm room. He sighed with such pleasure, it was as though he experienced an orgasm.
Chapter 16
The hatchling was struck a second time. He realized the new world was not as he first thought. Being attacked filled him with caution and faced another direction to test the ground, hoping acceptance. I wondered if he would try to prove himself. Or abandon acquiescence and rage a blood bath? I awoke before seeing his response.
Imperial high priestess Cha’chila’s vision
The hound rushed into the haunting light, it howled and screeched horribly. Few creatures can resist the power of the high priestess’s demonic death cast. The eerie blue mist jotted from her raised hands and suspended above her. With blinding speed, it darted for the beasts. It appeared to engulf the remaining hounds. It was powerless as the mist devoured one of them. Piece by piece the eerie blue mist pulsed as it consumed the beast. The power of the clerical spell kept the animal alive while it screeched horribly down to its bones, then crunched them into oblivion.
Chanti grimaced as she sat up and saw a hound survive. She quickly uttered a missile spell, then pointed at the mongrel as it lunged. A series of small orbs struck it as it took the priestess down. Multiple explosion splattered bits of flesh, blood, and bone onto Cha’chila.
It gave a final howl as it collapsed on the high priestess. Its head collided on her face busting her lower lip, spilling drool on her mouth and forehead. Blisters quickly formed after contact. The priestess reacted hastily pushing it away. The smoldering saliva forced a groan from her.
“Cha’chila?” Chanti grunted.
The priestess mumbled, “I live…, burnt, but I live… You?” she propped on one arm to survey. All seemed clear. Chanti didn’t respond, so she rushed over, “Chanti?” The mage was in pain and dazed, her foot swelled, “I must treat this,” she whispered and knelt before her feet. Cha’chila rubbed her hands rapidly while praying. “Come forth O dark spirit of Abyss, aid me, bestow upon me the power to restore, come forth O dark servant…,” she whispered serval times. Her foot and arm slowly regenerated, leaving behind only soreness, “How does it feel?” she sighed with a hint of fatigue.
The pain subsided, “Oh, far better great lady, my gratitude,” Chanti said then stood, and noticed the priestess’s burns. “You are burned.”
“Worry not, I will tend it later. Our flight has pr
ecedence,” Cha’chila urged.
“As you say great lady.”
The priestess offered her hand, “Come.”
They resumed their trek hoping to escape the long arm of the new empress. The mage suggested taking the longest route out of the empire would be safest. They would expect them to take the quickest route out. Spot checking refugees along those paths would buy them time. Urilah couldn’t afford to spend her resources carelessly. Chanti surmised she needed to strengthen her borders against any who would take advantage of the chaos.
***
Dregous returned to the chamber he recuperated. Grey Elves milled about the walkways and landings, regarded him curiously. The sanctuary of the room gave him a measure of security. Seeker stopped at the doorway to observe her ally. He drew out his book and quill from his pack and began writing.
Tatiana stepped beside Seeker as she crinkled her nose as if to ask, what is happening. The assassin tilted her head slightly into the room. The princess glanced in as he finished his note, “Dregous?”
“Yes Angel,” and replaced his things.
“What were you writing?” she stepped beside him then leaned slightly against the bed. The blood-stained sheets caught her breath slightly. It was a brutal heart-thumping reminder she almost lost him again.
“I leave a note for our host, I will remove all traces my presence was ever here,” his bland tone and mask of indifference worked on everyone, except the princess. She clearly saw this evening troubled him. Tatiana’s heartstrings pulled strongly. For the first time, she didn’t know what to say. He needed assurance and failed to comfort him. Instead, she silently helped fold his bedding blanket. “Truly Angel?”
Tatiana glanced with a smile. Seeker bit her lip to keep from smirking. She wasn’t sure why their reaction was funny. “I guess you are rubbing off on me,” the princess replied.
Tuke walked beside Seeker trying to stifle a grin and said, “Angelique, is all well?” Rem approached, then took to the rails and lean against it. He looked down, the height made him feel queasy, but continue staring.