Demon Lord IV - Lord of Shadows (25 page)

He summoned a
cup of ambrosia. "What do you want?"

"You asked for
my aid, now I ask for a favour in return."

"Why do I get
the impression that you do not usually phrase your requests so
politely?"

She looked
down at her hands. "You are right."

"Kayos warned
you, did he not?"

"Yes."

Bane glared at
her, and left the goblet hovering beside him to pull on his boots.
Rising, he stretched again, drank some more ambrosia, then
dismissed the cup and strode to the door, yanking it open. Two
maids, who were walking past laden with laundry, yelped at his
sudden appearance and cringed against the wall, their eyes wide.
Bane snorted and marched away down the corridor. Syrin
followed.

Evidently his
description had reached the palace servants, and if any doubt as to
who he was remained, her presence certainly dispelled it. The maids
watched them pass with wide eyes, their expressions a mixture of
fear of him and wonder at the sight of Syrin. Bane found a door
that led out of the palace and ducked through it, emerging into
manicured gardens. The sunlight made him squint, and he grunted
with annoyance.

Syrin decided
to remove her unwanted presence, since it seemed to irk him, and
stepped into a Channel, where she watched him. Several noble
couples who were strolling amongst the hedgerows gaped at him, and
he glanced around, discovering her absence. Bane swung away with a
swirl of his cloak and vanished. Syrin hesitated, reconsidering her
plans. Clearly he was not inclined to grant her favour, as Kayos
had warned her, and gods were illusive with their method of instant
translocation, foiling her wish to stay with him.

It would take
some time to find him again, for she could only walk the Channels
where she presumed him to be until she spied him, a method that
made his shield against Eyes useless, but was tedious. Since she
had no idea where he had gone, finding him would be difficult
unless she sought help. Walking along the Channel for a short
distance, she found the one that existed in the room where the Grey
God rested and stepped across into it.

Kayos looked
up when she emerged from the air, and Drayshina turned to regard
her with a look of mild inquiry.

"The Demon
Lord is awake," Syrin announced, unable to hide her
disgruntlement.

Kayos smiled.
"I trust that you did not wake him."

"I did
not."

"Yet you
managed to annoy him."

"I did nothing
to offend him."

Kayos sighed
and shook his head. "I would say that your very presence irritated
him."

"It would seem
so."

"Have you made
your request?"

"No." She
hesitated. "He has left the palace."

"Probably to
cast out his power."

"He must
not."

"Then you had
better tell him so."

Syrin's brow
wrinkled as she considered the prospect of persuading the Demon
Lord to do anything, which, judging by her success so far, was not
going to be easy. Kayos was teasing her, enjoying her inability to
demand a favour of the young dark god, and she was unwilling to
admit her failure. Angels did not fail. She had learnt that in her
childhood, centuries ago. Light gods sometimes required their aid,
and in return granted favours that could not be denied. But Bane
was not a light god, and therefor did not fall under the auspices
of the pact. She would not be blamed for failing to exact a favour
from him, but she did not wish to give up so easily, and she also
did not want to ask Kayos for help in the matter, since he would
deduct it from his own favour.

Light gods
were inclined to drive hard bargains when it came to their favours,
for they disliked fulfilling them. Not because they did not wish to
help people, but because they were averse to revealing their
presence, which was sometimes required. She was reluctant to admit
that she had lost Bane, and also to forfeit any of her hard won
payment by asking Kayos for aid, either in finding him or
persuading him. She decided to try a roundabout method.

"I require
your presence also, Lord Kayos, to tell you my favour."

The Grey God's
eyes twinkled. "No you do not. You need my help to persuade Bane to
grant you the favour that you require of him."

Syrin bridled,
disliking his perceptiveness. "That should not be necessary."

"Indeed? And
how much experience do you have in dealing with dark gods,
Syrin?"

She hesitated,
torn between her wish to preserve the favour that he owed her and
her longing for Bane to fulfil his. He was right, she had no idea
how to persuade the Demon Lord to do anything. "Your help would be
appreciated."

"It will be
part of my favour."

"As you
wish."

"Good.
Although, if he does not wish to be found, I will not be able to do
so either." Kayos stood, waving away his goblet, and Drayshina rose
as well.

"I shall
accompany you."

Kayos inclined
his head and created an Eye. The swirling sparkles cleared to
reveal Bane standing in a forest glade, his black clothes blending
into the dark trees beyond him.

Kayos studied
him. "Well, he does not seem averse to being found by me."

Waving away
the Eye, he Moved. Drayshina followed, and Syrin stepped into the
Channel. Once within it, she found one that existed in the forest
glade and stepped across.

Bane looked up
as the god and goddess appeared a short distance away, his brows
drawing together. Kayos walked closer, glancing at Syrin as she
stepped from the air beside him. Bane shot the angel an irritated
look as Kayos stopped before him. The Grey God studied him, his
gaze settling on the wound on Bane's shoulder. He clasped it, and
Bane's expression became blank as he concentrated on leashing his
power so that Kayos could heal him. When the scratches had become
faint scars, Kayos released him.

Bane rubbed
his shoulder. "Had you waited a little while longer, you could have
done that more easily."

"So, you are
here to cast out your power."

"Yes."

Kayos sighed.
"Syrin has a request first. Since we asked for her help, we now owe
her a favour."

"You owe me
two, Lord Kayos," Syrin pointed out.

"Two miracles,
no doubt."

The angel
smiled. "Naturally."

"I am in no
mood for granting favours," Bane growled, "I have carried the power
for too long."

"That which I
would ask of you cannot wait, Demon Lord," Syrin stated. "If it is
not done soon it will be too late."

"Ask it of
Kayos then. He is in the miracle business, not me."

"His power is
not suited to the task."

"Mine might
not be either, if you tax my good will now. I have little
left."

Syrin stepped
closer. "You owe me."

Kayos pulled
her back as Bane loomed over her, his eyes chilly. He met Kayos'
stern glance, almost toe to toe with the light god, and Drayshina
held her breath in the tense silence. Kayos' eyes narrowed.

"She meant no
offense. She longs to help some unfortunate, but has not the power
to do it herself. She did help you."

"As I recall,
I did not require her aid."

"But she was
prepared to give it. She went with you."

"I have helped
her already. The debt is settled."

Syrin slipped
from Kayos' grasp and approached Bane again, looking determined. "I
came to your aid when you lay bleeding, and called out for
help."

Bane raised a
finger, which made Kayos and Drayshina tense. "And I saved a town
for you."

"The favour is
small, tar'merin. A mere trifle to one of your power."

Bane glanced
at Kayos, then took hold of Syrin's gossamer attire, dragging her
closer. She met his eyes without fear as he placed his other hand
upon her shoulder. He wondered if her lack of fear was born of
courage, arrogance or ignorance.

"Tell me,
angel, are you immune to my power?"

"No."

"Yet you do
not fear me."

Syrin shook
her head. "If you kill me, you will never receive aid from an angel
again."

"And who says
that I will ever need it?"

"You
might."

Bane glanced
at Kayos. "Would you try to protect her?"

The Grey God
shook his head, looking uneasy. "I could not."

"Nor could
anyone punish me, so what is to stop me from ridding myself of such
an irritating creature as this?"

Drayshina
stepped forward, but Kayos grasped her arm, stopping her with a
shake of his head.

Bane noticed
her movement and glanced at her. "Well, Drayshina, will you pit
yourself against a dark god?"

"Only to ask
your mercy, My Lord."

"I have none."
Bane looked down at Syrin again. "Are you afraid to die,
Syrin?"

"You would
kill me for asking a favour of you?"

"No, for being
a damned nuisance, following me around, waking me up, and generally
annoying me."

"I did not
-"

"And arguing
with me."

Syrin looked
away and mumbled.

Bane leant
closer. "What was that?"

"I will not
ask the favour, My Lord."

"Good, but
that does not make your previous actions any less irritating."

"I shall
desist."

"Indeed you
shall." Bane slid his hand up to clasp her neck, making her shiver.
The dark power within him rejoiced at the prospect of her demise,
which his words had promised, and urged him to fulfil them. He
admired the courage of this fragile creature, but just how brave
was she?

Syrin gasped
as black shields shot up from the ground around them, filled with
swirling red sparkles. Cold power radiated from them in sickening
waves, and she glanced around with wide eyes, her wings spreading.
Bane tightened his grip.

"Do not
struggle."

"My Lord,
please..."

"Do not
beg."

Syrin gazed up
into his black eyes, struck by their chilling emptiness, like
bottomless pits of ebon ice. The ground beneath her feet vanished,
and she fell into darkness, a scream of terror locked in her
throat. She grabbed Bane, hanging on to his tunic as they plunged
downward at a horrifying rate, yet no wind rushed past them. As
abruptly as their fall had started, it stopped, and her knees
buckled as she found herself standing on a stone floor crazed with
glowing cracks.

Bane glanced
about, and Syrin realised with a shudder of dread that she was in
the Darkworld. Several demons moved past them, casting them
cursory, disinterested glances. Undoubtedly they would have been
interested if she had been alone, but the presence of a dark god
ensured that they did nothing.

Bane released
her neck and took hold of her wrist, leading her towards a dark
tunnel in one wall. "Shall we go and visit Vorkon? He might like to
meet you."

"No!" She dug
in her heels.

Bane stopped
and turned. "Why not? Are you afraid of him? You are not afraid of
me, so why would you be afraid of him?"

"Why do you
want me to fear you? Why have you brought me here?"

"Why do you
think?"

"To kill
me?"

Bane smiled.
"Clever angel."

"Kayos will
revile you!"

"No, he might
be a little disappointed, that is all."

"Why would you
want to kill me? What have I done?"

Bane released
her wrist, and she fought a strong urge to throw herself at him and
cling to him. There were no Channels within her reach, and those
that she sensed were poor distorted things, unused for millennia.
Doubtless no angel had ventured down here since the domain had been
created, and the Channels were a mere spill-over from those that
networked the world above. Bane was the only way out of this
horrible place, and she wanted to beg for her life, but heeded his
previous warning.

"You are
arrogant, Syrin," he said. "You dare to accost a dark god and
demand favours. Granted, you offered your aid, and indeed you did
help me. The light gods might feel honour-bound to grant your
wishes in return for your aid, I do not."

"I -"

"Be quiet. The
dark power within me exults at the prospect of your death. Do you
fear me now?"

"Yes."

The Demon Lord
regarded her, then glanced around as a fire demon approached. It
veered off and vanished down a dark tunnel. Bane looked down at her
again, tilting his head.

"What do you
want of me?"

Syrin was
stunned, her mind blank with dread. "I... I cannot tell you. I must
show you, and you must decide what to do."

"Will you
guide me?"

"Yes."

A faint smile
tugged at his lips. "Evidently angels have more poise than humans.
A human girl would be hysterical by now, unless they were
particularly brave." He brushed a lock of hair from her cheek. "I
am a liar, Syrin. All dark gods are. Did you believe that I would
kill you?"

"Yes."

"Good." He
glanced around. "I used to live in a place like this. I was born in
my domain's Underworld."

"How is it
possible that I am alive here?"

"I am
protecting you. If I stop, the fire will consume you."

"Why did you
do this?"

He met her
eyes. "All things must learn, even angels. You may be thousands of
years old, but you know nothing of tar'merin. Even as you teach me,
so must I teach you. Arrogance does not go down well with dark
gods, nor does spying, arguing or your unwelcome presence. Who can
harm an angel? Who would?"

"Only demons,
and you."

He nodded. "If
I was so inclined. Even Kayos respects me. The dark power is like a
beast that I have not yet tamed, only leashed. Without it I am as
mild as he, but with it I am dangerous. I had no intention of
killing you. Do you believe me?"