Dusk Falling (Book 1) (45 page)

Impossible…

A Divinari never bent his head to any other race. No one was held in such high favor. None… but the Deities themselves. Could this boy be…?

“A-are you a Divinari, too?” Aya asked.

“Oh my, no,” The boy responded with a small humorless chuckle. “I am what you would call a God.”

“…a God…” Genlo breathed. He knew of a God. One who had taken personal interest in him. Louder, he asked. “Who are you?”

The Divinari, noting the impertinence in that tone, blew out his nostrils. How dare such tiny trivial mortals speak with such impudence! He would have acted right then if the Godling had not favored him with a single glance. Anger not mollified but Vermarryn held it in.

“My name is Avarice.”

SkyRift’s bowed head was suspicious. His eyes were conflicted as he stared at the floor.

“You have my appreciation for leading them to me, SkyRift.”

The Elf seemed to shrink in on himself when his companions turned their widened eyes to him. “I-I’m sorry. This is the part I-I couldn’t tell you…”

“
This
is the one you were working for? The nameless master?” Genlo questioned with a frown. This Godling’s name was not the one he knew of but his experiences told him a God was a God- none of them were worth the effort people put into worshipping them or even the effort of learning their names.
Why
was his life so damn
interesting
to them?!

“I am sorry.” SkyRift said again. Not raising his head.

“Do not be so cross with him. He did not deceive you because he wanted to.” The Godling paced closer. Despite his words, it was obvious he did not care what they thought of SkyRift’s deception. There was something between Dragon and Godling that did not sit well with SkyRift and it was more than having to trick his friends to get them to the Sigil. His gray eyes held not an ounce of compassion.

“What do you want from us?” Genlo asked, again inciting a rumbling growl from Vermarryn.

“Vermarryn.” Avarice said without shifting his eyes from Genlo. “Leave.”

To the shock and surprise of everyone and further instilling the fact they truly stood in the presence of a Deity, the great Divinari raised his head from its bow. With a final glance to the mortals, he left his home as the Godling commanded. Once the dragon was gone, Avarice spoke. “Much like your dear friend SkyRift, I wish to offer assistance. Of a sort. Only I do not do this for any delusional need to save lives; I do this for myself. You have no choice but to submit.”

Chapter 32

Avarice’s words soaked in. SkyRift choked but was ignored. Genlo was not going to be cowed. God or no God.

“Submit? You expect us to submit, just like that? To be slave to your whims like this fool?” He gestured madly at SkyRift.

The Godling’s eyes darkened.

“I don’t care if you
are
a Deity, you will not control my life. The Verca wished to control my life. Their God wished to control my life. I won’t have it!”

Avarice let him rant. He listened without speaking as the youth carried on about ‘interfering Gods’ and avatars. When the Jrahda-trethen finally ran out of fuel for his tirade and Avarice was still maintaining his Godly temper, he told them what he planned to do. Whether they wanted it or not. “You barely escaped their grasp. With such a close call, the Votalo Niredes will no doubt make the Verca’s plans known to Demaria. It is the next logical step. They will plead to the Regent of Indelsis and eventually a sizeable force will be mounted. They will see you only as a threat; you will not be given time to gain sympathizers- not that you will be able to gain many. It will happen thus.

“And if it does not, then I will make it happen.”

“Are you saying… blackmail..?” Serrtin spoke up.

“If needs be.”

Glances were exchanged.

“He will do it. It is well within his power.” SkyRift said softly.

“Tell us what you intend to do.” Aya said, quickly adding ‘please’ afterwards.

“Very well.” The Godling responded. “My intentions are simple: I wish the death of my rival so that I may reap the rewards.”

“And this rival? Who is he?”

“It is
Him
, isn’t it? It is Vasul.” Genlo said.

“Do not say his name! Do not ever say it aloud!” Avarice growled, eyes flashing. “By speaking his name you could draw his attention. Now is not the time for him to know of my plans.”

“He is the God the Verca worship. He is the one they intend to sacrifice me to- to enact Dusk Falling.” Genlo told the others. Then to Avarice he asked, “You are not allied with him?”

“No. Through his death, I will earn the respect of the Elder Gods and a place amongst them. I have been formulating this plan for longer than any of you have been alive, longer than your eldest ancestor. I’ve known of you, Dark Elf, before you were conceived. Your lifespan is but a yawn to me but I have weighed the odds as they stand now and they fall in my favor.

“It is… risky for me to be in Lisaria. It is forbidden but if I accomplish what I wish to accomplish then it will matter not. Until then however I must use this construct to mask my presence. The Divinari’s powers are enough for now to keep out prying eyes, should any turn our way.”

“A construct?” Agemeer questioned.

“This body was made by me. It was formed in an astral plane and holds only the barest hint of my signature. It would be impossible for any mortal-kind to know who stood before them unless I wished such and a God would only be able to tell if he chose to take personal interest in one ‘insignificant lifeform’. Highly unlikely if I do not take any action unfit for such a being.”

“Why go to all this trouble? If you are so powerful then why don’t you use your
greatpowers
and just destroy this other God? Save us all the trouble.” Genlo sniped.

“It is not that simple. If it were, I would have long ago. I am beginning to see there is much about this Realm of yours that you do not know. Let me put it into terms you can grasp.

“Lisaria is very special; it is unlike other realms in one very big way. After the Rending, the War fought amongst my kind, innumerous realms were sundered. Two such realms managed to find a way to join together to make one complete realm much like water filling a void and in doing so made the impossible possible to mortals. In other words: magic. Lisaria became a very attractive prize as its inhabitants began to utilize a power once thought only to belong to the Gods- though, of course, on much less a scale. This realm caught the eye of many a very powerful being and since it has never fallen completely into one Deities’ grasp, it has become a highly watched prize.

“Now, this realm may be special but it is also extremely fragile. Like a room comprised of thin ice, it would be dangerous for one such as I to start a fire. Not only would the consequences be dire to this world- a war between Gods would be cataclysmic if contained entirely on a single plane- but if I won and Lisaria was destroyed in the meanwhile, well, I would have quite the number of eyes turned in my direction. I am not interested in having the entire pantheon breathing down my neck. I only want one thing and one thing only- to destroy- without causing significant damage to this world.”

“Why is it you want this V-…” Serrtin stumbled over the name. “this other God so badly?”

“Do not misunderstand me, what he does here is his own business. This world does not hold my attention in thrall, Lisaria is only a means to an end. I believe once he becomes too much of a nuisance, someone would be dispatched to deal with him. But I want to remove him now and gain the recognition. Gods are allowed to work through their followers but what he wishes to do is to rid Lisaria of any outside influence even if he has to destroy it and I am not going to allow him to do that without first facing me.”

“You sound confident you can beat this God.” Genlo remarked.

“I am and I will.”

“If he wished the destruction of this realm, why aren’t the other Gods doing something?” Serrtin asked.

“He has not acted. The other Gods may be interested in this realm but you are not the center of our attention. You are a shining jewel, an enticement, but nothing more.”

There was pause.

“Even the smallest bit of magic can set off an irreversible chain of events?” Aya asked sensibly.

“Yes. Each spell has an indelible print, they would know I had cast it. So until I fight the Verca’s patron Deity, I am confined as to what I can do unless I want unnecessary attention. tHe must not be aware of my plans until it is too late.”

“And it is your full intention to blackmail us into helping you?” Genlo said, voice low but his temper was merely simmering underneath.

“It is my intention to allow you to continue living your life.” Avarice said, tucking his arms under his cloak. The movement revealed crossing straps across his chest on which several small shiny objects were tied. “You will do as I suggest and if it makes the ‘decision’ easier on you, you may think of this as me offering my assistance in your plight. It makes little difference as long as everything proceeds according to my plan.”

Genlo and the Godling glared at each other till the others began to worry Genlo may do something extremely stupid, proven-Deity or not. The silence stretched long and uncomfortable. Someone had to break the moment’s tension. Serrtin took it upon herself. “So, Avarice,” She said, drawing the Godling’s gaze. “Enlighten us on why this other God wants this half-breed so badly. He hasn’t given us a reason to believe he could be
that
important to a whole sect.” The saurian smiled as she gained Genlo’s unfriendly gaze next.

“Avatarism is not something I understand as to the reasoning why it would hold any appeal.” Avarice replied emotionlessly. “Such is foolhardy and dangerous. Why one would give up his immortality for what little mortality has to offer is not something I can comprehend.

“In order for the avatarism to be accomplished, he will need a form ready and prepared.” His flat gray eyes flicked to Genlo. “The avatarism may not take if the host can not contain the Deity’s soul, hence the training the Verca have invested in you. The Deity’s powers are greatly lessened in order to not destroy the host, lessened at such a degree that no longer would his soul be immortal, therefore no longer would he be threatened by the vengeance of the Pantheons.”

“Why would he want that though? Why would he sacrifice all he has just for that?”

“He wants to destroy the object of the Pantheon’s fascination. It is as simple as that.”

“He wants to destroy us just because he doesn’t like that his fellows are so interested in us?” Serrtin asked incredulously.

“Basically.” Avarice responded.

“That is not fair! What the Deities are fascinated by isn’t any of our fault!”

“Perhaps not but from my studies, he feels if he were to rid us of our fascination, we will be better off.” The Godling shrugged dully. “He is unaware the ramifications of taking such steps in our perceived benefit. He will be in-short a mortal God, the strongest of any beings in Lisaria- more so than even the Divinari who are the protectors of this Realm. Should he be able to destroy all life here and should he survive, he will be the
only
life in a barren world. By then, the other Gods will know what transpires and without any intriguing souls to hinder them, the Realm will be blinked out in a mere breath. No longer will they worry about interference.”

“So this other Deity,” Aya asked slowly. “Which side is he on?”

“What do you mean?”

“Is he part of the Empyrean or… or does he reside in Leviathan?”

“Neither. He is a separatist. What does it matter?”

“So he has no allies in this endeavor? Neither the Gods of Light nor the Gods of Darkness? So, does this mean…which would you be allied with?”

Avarice paused, sensing where she was going with her questioning. She was intelligent, this one. Avarice studied her till she raised her eyes to meet his. “I am not inclined to tell you.”

“What? Why?” Serrtin exclaimed.

“It is my choice. Do not question my reasoning.”

“It is fairly obvious, isn’t it? Which side he is on.” Genlo said. “I doubt the Gods of Light would stoop to blackmail and assassination. You are acting on your own so that would mean you are being careful not to step on any toes- a secondary generation? Make clear to us your lineage, Avarice. Your name is unfamiliar but I bet your loving mother and father are not.”

“Your words are too bold, mortal.”

“Hit a nerve in that construct body of yours?
Deity
?” Genlo wheedled. He ignored the warnings from his companions.

Avarice breathed in, expanding his small chest in ire and his mouth turned down. The shale gray of his eyes darkened. “Do not press me. Killing you would only serve as a delay in my plans. I am giving you the opportunity to hold onto the soul that resides within your fragile frame. Or would you prefer it to be forced out and disintegrated, your body no longer your own but a gift of flesh for a God. I hear it can be quite the experience. Very painful.” He was pleased at seeing the upstart pale but his child’s face reflected none of it.

Genlo wrestled back his emotions and opened his mouth but was silenced at the call of his name. Aya interjected herself between him and Avarice, her hands held up in placation.

“Which will it be? Will you pretend I offer good-will and accept my assistance for our paths reside in the same direction, our desires aligned much the same.” Avarice said. “Or will you not take the advice you came here seeking. You were looking for the Divinari but have gained the audience of a God. From here, I will pretend I offer you a choice.”

His offer was not much of a choice. It was either gain the backing of an immortal or find out if said immortal would take offence enough to bother with ruining their lives. Avarice did not look the type to make jokes or be anything but utterly serious; He probably
would
bother.

But he made a good point- they were searching for help when they came to beseech the Divinari. A Deity would be of more help than finding a way to make a God mortal. If Avarice were to be trusted, then perhaps they would not have to take on the God Vasul at all. But how? Aya politely asked.