Sons of Evil: Book 1 Book of Dread (30 page)

Grey was caught a bit
unprepared for the sudden fury Barlow displayed, but after yielding some
ground, he found his balance once more. He drove forward, and the two men
clutched at one another, their swords between them.

Barlow turned his face to keep
away from the edge of his own blade. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a
quick glimmer of light. With a surge of strength born of discovery, he pushed
Grey away, then looked at Gabriel’s keen edge.

The white glow was there, only
a tiny sliver of light, and that only visible when the sword’s edge was
perfectly perpendicular to his sight. “Another illusion,” he said. “This one
cast over the sword.”

If Grey wanted to answer, he
wasn’t given the chance. Barlow found another reserve of energy, knowing he had
nearly been fooled, knowing his mentor’s image and teaching was being defiled
by a demon. Whatever skill the demon had with a blade was no match for the
swordplay of the reinvigorated paladin. The demon managed to parry a dozen
strikes or more, but was slower to counter each successive blow, and Barlow
pressed in hard, ensuring he never gave the demon a chance to retake the
initiative. Finally Gabriel struck home, and the demon’s flesh was no match for
the holy sword. As it expired it reverted to its true appearance, and Gabriel,
free of the spell that shielded its light, shone fiercely for a second before
its brilliance, like the demon’s life, faded away.

When it was finished, Barlow
found he was trembling all over. He wasn’t sure if it was physical or mental
fatigue, or something else, and he didn’t think he really wanted to know. He
gave himself a moment to calm down, and once he thought he could at least
maintain a façade of composure, he went in search of his companions.

It took a while, but
eventually the group found one another. Adrianna and Barlow were willing to
share some of the details of what they experienced. Darius only said, “Sasha,”
and Silas “a friend,” by way of summary, leaving the details to the imagination
of the others. One thing they were all sure of was that something had set its
will against them, and other than pressing on, they didn’t know how to fight
back.

While an
observer might have concluded that each of them had passed some test, there was
no joy or relief in the group, no sense of having accomplished anything. Instead
it was the weight of their
anxieties and
fears pushing all else aside, and even though night was fast
approaching, they forced themselves to muster the energy to move forward. Even
when they did so, it was with downcast faces and leaden
feet.

As night fell they continued
to march, moving like zombies, with lifeless eyes and unspeaking lips. The
darkness of the wood tried to swallow what little hope was left them, and even
Adrianna’s magic light seemed dwarfed by the surrounding blackness.

Barlow was first to stop. He
plopped down on the ground, saying, “I can’t go on. Need to rest a bit.”

No one argued with him.

Silas sat next to him, heaved
a great sigh and said, “I don’t think we should sleep here.”

“Seems we can’t sleep
anywhere,” Darius said. “How much longer can we keep this up?”

“Not much,” Barlow said. “I’d
rather risk sleep than trying to stay awake until I pass out.”

“We’ll go in shifts of two,”
Adrianna said. “I think I’m okay for the first watch.”

“You think?” Darius asked.

“I can’t promise more than
that.”

“I’ll join you,” said Silas. “But
only after we’ve all sat a bit, and maybe had a bite to eat.”

They made it through to
morning, although the wood was no more pleasant in the daylight, as they
already knew. Darius tried to peer through the trees and saw no end in sight. He
refused the food offered him and closed his eyes, taking inventory of his aches
and pains. His body felt like it was made of stone. The prospect of resting
against this tree forever seemed as good an option as any to him, so beset with
tiredness was his mind. If anything, the broken sleep he had managed only made
his mental fugue worse. He had lost all sense of time, and would have been
stunned to find that two hours had passed when Silas finally said, “We need to
get moving.”

The initial response was
simply groans of protest, but once Silas managed to find his feet, the others
followed in kind.

Despite their lackluster pace,
they were clear of the dying wood by mid-afternoon. What should have been cause
for celebration, or at least acknowledged as a sign of progress, was hardly
noticed. They spent another cheerless evening, this one on open ground, and
were even later starting off the next morning.

Just past midday they crested
a small rise. They proceeded on the down-slope several paces before anyone
bothered to glance ahead. It was Silas who saw it first and made the
announcement. “We’ve made it. There lies Auerl Forest.”

The others looked up, and
together they stood for a time, regarding the great wood. The trees were tall
and close-packed, the trunks thick with age. It stretched from horizon-to-horizon,
and to their great relief and joy it was green with life. The vibrant color of
the leaves was made even starker due to the drab nature of the grass that
nestled against the very edge of the forest.

“That’s a beautiful sight,”
Adrianna said.

They found a bit more spring
in their step, the promise of the wood fending off, at least for the moment,
the dreary malaise that had been upon them for days. The closer they drew, the
more the forest pulled them, and as they entered the forest proper, they did so
at a run, and with smiles on their faces.

Darius
felt the crossing into the wood in both heart and mind. A certain peace settled
over him, and his fears and anxieties, so prevalent of late, ebbed back to a
more normal level. He heard the others laughing, and started to laugh himself,
but the laughter soon turned to tears, the grief over Luke’s death suddenly
crashing down upon him. He dropped to his knees, sobbing. He let himself go,
unashamed. He felt a delicate hand on his shoulder, and when he had collected
himself he looked up at Adrianna and smiled. “I needed that,” he told her. “That
actually felt good, like I was letting out something that was slowly poisoning
me.”

She returned his smile with a
confirming nod.

He got to his feet, wiped the
last few tears from his face, and took a deep breath. “Much better. So where to
now?”

Barlow turned to Silas with a
raised eyebrow. “You’ve been here before. Any ideas?”

“I was escorted last time,”
Silas replied. “We should just keep going north. Hopefully we’ll soon find the
elves, or they’ll find us.”

“Fair enough.” Barlow took a
long, cleansing breath. “The air even smells better here. I bet we’ll sleep
well tonight.”

Darius’ smile was a tired one,
but it was from the heart. “I’m looking forward to it.”

*

Praad had been enjoying the
slow deepening of their misery. Everything was proceeding as he had planned,
his ploys drawing them to keep moving when they sorely needed rest, their
mental barriers crumbling. The air seemed to be ripe with their despair.

He had been following them,
wanting to wallow in the wake of their anguish. If he sensed any recovery he
would move ahead once more, and set another challenge in motion, but he doubted
he would need to do so. Another day, two perhaps, and they would fall.

When he saw the Auerl Forest
for the first time they were already running for it. Rather than give chase he
pulled up short. The line of decay his presence cast out was even more clearly
drawn for him, the Forest a shimmering jewel to his eyes, painful to look at.

He approached slowly, the fact
his prey had entered its borders barely registering in his mind. He had been on
many worlds, had lived for what seemed an eternity, but this was a new thing to
him. The magic of the wood was old, perhaps as old as he, and he wasn’t sure he
could break it. It was almost enough to frighten him.

As he neared he felt it in his
inner being, the forest like a solid wall through which neither his mind nor
body could easily pass. He tentatively reached out a bony finger toward one of
the trees. Just before he touched it he pulled his hand back. He sensed pain
would be his only reward for going further.

Sometimes Praad wondered if he
and his brothers had grown complacent over the centuries, the game always
similar and the victory always theirs in the end. One’s skills tend to erode
when things are too easy. He backed away from the edge of the wood and sat upon
the ground. There was deeper, more powerful magic that he had not delved for
what seemed ages. He let his mind work, looking for an answer. The further he
pulled into his own thoughts, the more comfortable he became, as an initial
sense of frustration gave way to excitement over a rare thing: a stern
challenge to be met and overcome.

They had not gone far into the
Auerl Forest, perhaps three miles, when they decided to make camp for the
night. The food they had was no different than what they'd grown accustomed to,
the ground no softer, but there was a certain cheerfulness to their banter that
had been missing for weeks.

“Any idea how long a journey
we still have before us?” Adrianna asked.

“Could be two week or more,”
Silas replied. “Lon Antar is fairly far north. Sorry I don’t have better news.”

Adrianna shrugged. “Yesterday
that would have made me want to cry. Today…I think I can live with it.”

Barlow gave her a long look. “Do
you feel it? As if a dark cloud has been blown away?”

Adrianna
nodded, and the others chimed in that they felt the same way.

“I’m sure none of us are
foolish enough to say we are home free, but there is something to this wood…”

“Why, Barlow,” Adrianna said,
“is that an admission that there might be some sort of magic at work here?”

Barlow met Adrianna’s gaze and
saw no challenge there. “I guess it is,” he admitted. “Be it of the wood
itself, or some spell of the elves, it appears to be blocking whatever force
weighed upon our minds so. The question is, did it stop whatever or whoever has
been tracking us?”

Darius rubbed a hand over his
face. “Sure would be nice to know the answer to that. We all could use a full
night’s sleep.”

“Another wish that might be
granted at Lon Antar,” Silas said with a sigh. “For now, we’ll need to stick
with shifts on watch.”

“No doubt,” Darius agreed. “Just
nice to dream.”

“Maybe tonight it will be,”
Adrianna said, referring to the nightmares they had all been plagued by of
late.

The reminder brought with it a
short, serious silence. If their dreams were still of foul things, even here in
this peaceful wood, what would it mean, and what hope would remain that their
rest might ever return to normal?

Darius let out a long breath
and stood up. “I’ll take first watch. And if your sleep is troubled…well, don’t
tell me until morning.”

Barlow joined him, while
Adrianna and Silas, suddenly with mixed feelings, prepared for some much needed
rest.

*

They passed the night without
being disturbed, whether awake or asleep. The rest was the best they had had in
weeks, and when they set off that morning it was with renewed energy and hope. Before
the sun reached its zenith, they had covered many miles and were starting to
think of pausing for lunch, when they were called to a halt by a gentle but
firm voice.

“Declare yourselves as friends
or foes, strangers. You walk in a wood claimed by the Ice Elves of the North.”

“Friends,” Silas answered, and
then named himself and his companions in turn. “We come seeking an audience
with Queen Aerlos on a matter of great importance.”

“So it must be if you wish an
audience with the queen.” The elf suddenly appeared, ten yards away, whether
through some magic or having slipped quickly from behind a tree none could say
with any certainty. He was taller than any of them, thin and fit. A shock of
long, white hair framed his sky-blue face. He held a bow at his shoulder, but
made no move to ready it. “I am Calta, a scout charged with watching the
borders of our lands. I see you are armed.”

“We have found weapons
necessary on this journey.”

Darius added, “And even so,
one of our party fell at the hands of a stone giant near the Long Shadow Mountains.”

“I am sorry to hear that. The
giants are good for little but trouble. Tell me, do you come as representatives
of one of the three southern kingdoms?”

“No,” Silas replied. “We all
lived in Longvale, but if anything we are outcasts now.”

“That is just as well. The
Queen will not make alliance with any of the kingdoms of men against any
other.”

“We do not come to seek an
alliance. Rather we wish to see if Queen Aerlos can help us understand an
artifact that has fallen into our hands. We believe it may have much to do with
the troubles that plague our people.”

“You refer to the object the
one you named Darius carries?”

Silas couldn’t hide his
surprise. “How did you—?”

“We have been aware of it for
several days.”

“ ‘We?’ ” Adrianna repeated.

Calta smiled. “I am not alone.
And you have not been since soon after you entered the wood.”

Barlow’s expression went cold.
“We thought we were being tracked. Does it trail us still?”

Calta shook his head. “I’m
sorry. You misunderstand me. I only meant that we elves have known of your
presence for days, and that you carried an object imbued with some dark power. If
you were being pursued…none other has entered the wood.”

Barlow let out an audible
sigh. “That’s a relief.”

“Then that is well. As to this
thing you bring into our realm, the queen would wish to inspect it, and to meet
those who carry it, so you will get your audience.” He gave a signal, and four
other elves showed themselves, forming a rough square around the companions. “I
sense no lie in your words or in your eye. You will travel with us as guests
and friends. You may keep your weapons, unless you give us reason to deny you
such a privilege. But be warned: any treachery will be dealt with swiftly and
harshly. There are always eyes upon visitors to our wood.” With these words
Calta held up a medium-sized leaf that he had taken from one of the trees. An
arrow, fired by some unseen archer, pierced it and tore it from his hand. The
arrow lodged in the trunk of a nearby tree, the leaf still affixed to the
shaft.

“You give a most convincing
demonstration,” Silas said. “We will give you no cause for concern. And I am
glad to know we will be so well protected.”

“Well said,” Calta replied,
adding a smile. “Come, let us continue on our way. Lon Antar is a long journey from
here, but you will find shelter and rest in these woods, and the days and
nights should be pleasant ones.”

Calta quickly proved to be an
excellent guide, not just in his ability to find the best paths through the
wood, but in his willingness to engage the newcomers in conversation. He asked
about the southern lands and their homes, listening intently to every detail. “I
had always hoped someday to see the south, but I fear it shall never be. We
haven’t wandered past the Long Shadow Mountains for decades.”

“The giants?” Adrianna asked.

“In part,” he answered,
although his expression said that the large creatures were no real obstacle. “My
people have grown less willing to deal with other races, and the wars in the
south have made us desire isolation even more.”

“I fear there would be little
to see in our lands these days,” Barlow said. “Even if the kingdoms made peace,
many of our cities lie in ruin, and there is great suffering from want.”

“War will do that.”

“Your realm seems immune to
some of the blight we’ve seen,” Darius commented.

Calta cocked an eyebrow at
that. “I was not aware of such issues here in the north.”

“We’ve seen signs of it. Even
to the edge of the Forest.”

“Interesting,” Calta said. “I
would not presume to say we are immune to such things, or to war. The magic of
this wood protects us, but as you have seen, we do not rely solely on magic for
protection.”

“How many guard your borders?”
Silas asked.

Calta smiled and shook his
head. “I mean no insult, but that information I’ll have to keep private.”

“My apologies,” Silas said
with a bow. “I did not mean to pry.”

After several hours they had
covered many miles, but Darius noted something else. “We seem to be going
west.”

“Your sense of direction is to
be commended, as it is easy to get turned around in the Auerl Forest,” Calta
said. “We will get to Lon Antar more swiftly on the Hidden Road than working
our way though these trees.”

“ ‘The Hidden Road?’ ”

Calta nodded. “You will see,”
he said with a laugh.

*

Kaelesh leaned back
comfortably in his chair, looking at the image of his brother, Praad, as it
took shape before him. He steepled his fingers and smiled, expecting good news,
but before he could speak Praad asked for a moment. Kaelesh watched him go
through the motions of conjuring, and knew he was linking Orgoth into the
conversation. What might cause his brother to do this gave him pause and erased
his expectant smile. He stilled his mind, knowing the answers to all his
questions would soon be revealed, and waited patiently for Praad to proceed.

Orgoth had no such patience. His
image gave Kaelesh one quick glance then returned its attention to Praad. “What
news of the book?”

“It is in the Auerl Forest,
still in the possession of those who took it.”

Orgoth grunted and started
what was likely a rebuke, but Kaelesh cut in. “And how are your particular
skills affecting them, my brother.”

“They were near to breaking
when they entered the wood.”

Kaelesh waited a beat before
asking, “And now?”

Praad shrugged. “I cannot
sense them, nor can I follow.”

“I do not understand,” Orgoth
said.

“The wood is protected by
powerful magic.”

“Elves, correct?” asked
Kaelesh.

“Yes.”

“Break it then. We care
nothing for elf-kind. Their souls cannot be harvested.”

“I cannot.”

Kaelesh smiled, a paternal
look on his face. “There are older spells, my brother. Not totally forgotten. I
hope, even—”

“I have used them. I cannot
break through. I cannot enter.”

“You have tried?”

Now it was Praad that paused. “I
did not actually attempt to breach the barrier. But I probed closely.”

“Bah,” Orgoth snorted. “I will
break it.”

“Patience, Orgoth,” Kaelesh
said. “I trust Praad’s instincts with such spells.”

“But they have escaped with
the book!”

“Have they?”

The question seemed foolish to
Orgoth, so he said nothing.

“Even if we cannot enter, the
forest is no more than a large prison for them. If they are beyond our reach
there, so be it, but to remain so, they will have to stay there forever. The
elves, despite their strength in magic, could not open or use the book. It is
perfectly safe there.”

Orgoth shook his head. “I can
march ten thousand men there. We can certainly breach the woods and find those
we seek.”

Kaelesh waved a dismissive
hand. “You could, my brother. I do not doubt you. But it is unnecessary.”

“What if they come out again?”
Praad asked. “I could wait for them, pick up their trail.”

“No,” said Kaelesh slowly, the
wheels in his mind turning. “No,” he said again, more firmly. “I’ll send the
Dezku that fool Landri called forth, and let them act as our spies. At least
they’ll be better used as such.”

“Very well,” said Praad with a
nod. “And what do you wish of me?”

“Come home, my brother. We
need not concern ourselves with the book any longer. Corterra’s spirit has been
crushed. It is time for a new order to rise and reap the harvest of what we
have sown.”

Orgoth growled, a low tone
that his brothers understood was a signal of anticipation. “And the war?”

“Enjoy yourself, Orgoth,”
Kaelesh told him with an evil grin.

Orgoth’s roar let them know
that he would.

*

After two days of traveling
with Calta and the other elves, the companions began to think that the Hidden
Road might be Calta’s idea of a joke. He had said no more about it, and they
did not ask, lest he tell them with a laugh that they had been upon it for
days. But still they traveled west, and when Calta suddenly stopped with a
smile on his lips and announced that they had arrived, they would have been
pleased if not for the fact that they could see nothing out of the ordinary
about this portion of the forest, and certainly no sign of any road.

“Let me guess,” Darius said
with a hint of sarcasm. “We’re going underground.”

Calta shook his head. “No, my
friend. Do not confuse us with the dwarves. We elves prefer sunlight or
starlight, and plenty of fresh air.”

“Well, it lives up to its
name,” Adrianna said. “I can’t see a thing.”

The elves laughed softly, but
there was nothing mean-spirited in their mirth. “That is at it should be,” said
Calta. “To elven-kind, the road is obvious. Brega stands upon it, as does
Jarax.”

“Should I be giving myself a
headache trying to see it?” asked Barlow, squinting as if that might bring the
secret path into focus. “Because that’s what’s happening.”

“Here, let me help you. If you
will allow.”

Calta stepped toward Barlow,
raising a hand, ready to cast some sort of spell. Barlow drew back, and the
others wished Calta had chosen someone else, given Barlow’s occasional surly
nature and his feelings about certain types of magic. Barlow withheld
permission long enough that Calta halted, a look of concern starting to cross
his features. When Barlow said, more out of politeness to his host than
anything else, “Go ahead,” everyone was relieved.