Sword of Light (The Knights of the Golden Dragons - Book One) (29 page)

           
Gregor
returned from the group of villagers where he was gathering as much information
as he could about Lord Silverwing's party before they had left. There was
precious little to learn except where the others had headed after leaving the
village. He shook his head as he approached Tana and Boremac, sad to see there
would be no peace between the pair. He wondered yet again how they would ever
accomplish their task when at least two of the five members in the group seemed
to want to kill each other. He mumbled a short prayer to the God of Light
before stepping between them.

           
“There
is nothing to be gained in continuing to follow in Lord Silverwing's footsteps.
The mine that was his destination may be the most direct course to follow, but
as we have already surmised, Lord Silverwing walked into a trap of some kind.
The vision he sent to me makes me think he may have suspected as much and gives
us all the more reason to find our own way. There is a rough road worn deeper
into the volcanoes of the Forsaken Mountains that will take us around the
mountain that the mine Silverwing entered cut through. We have the advantage of
Sephia and her falcon to scout ahead of us. We should be able to approach the
place Boremac's blades lead without being caught by any roaming war bands. It
is essential we do not allow the enemies to discover our path until we are
ready to take them.” Gregor stepped back from Tana and Boremac, awaiting their
reply. He noted Sephia had silently joined the group and stood at his side, her
falcon companion,
Keen
, perched at her shoulder.

           
Boremac
was the first to speak. “I have no problem extending our journey into the
mountain heights, Gregor. If we can all work together, we can at least postpone
joining Lord Silverwing in his fate.”

           
Tana
chose to ignore the rogue's jibe as she addressed Gregor in her turn. “We can
make the rest of the journey easily enough. Sephia and Keen can guide us beyond
the reach of any threats as long as it does not interfere with Boremac's
leadership too much.”

           
“I
am certain we will all put aside our differences to accomplish what is expected
of us. The two of you
will
stop this
constant baiting of one another.” Gregor's tone allowed for no reply, and he
waited for none. “We will gather what supplies we need and leave as soon as
everyone is ready.”

           
Dramor's
bellowing voice carried across the village as he emerged from a broad building.
“Lord Lightsword, I need a bit o'
ya
time!”

           
Gregor
briefly issued tasks for the others to attend to in order to prepare for their
departure, and walked to where Dramor stood waving him over frantically. Gregor
smiled at his waving form, thinking Dramor must have assumed the knight had
gone deaf to not hear his call. The knight raised a hand in acknowledgment and
went to speak with him.

           
“What
is wrong, Dramor?” Gregor's smile disappeared when he saw the look of concern
that colored the mountain man's heavy features.

           
Dramor
lowered his rough voice and stared intently into Gregor's eyes. “
Thar
been a
callin
', Lord
Lightsword, an' one I
canna
 
let
pass. Master Stonecutter, the leader o' me clan, he is fallen
an' I
gotta
find '
im
.”

           
“A
calling? What do you mean, Dramor?

           
Dramor
thought a moment before answering. “Our shamans, like
yer
priests I guess, sometime jus' know when
somethin
'
terrible
 
happens
. I
went
ta
pay
respec
' afore
we
goin
' ta face
tha
' foes,
an' the shaman say
sumthin
' terrible happen to Master
Stonecutter. He still
livin
' an' near somewhere, an'
I got
ta
go find '
im
. I
feel terrible bad ta leave
ya
an' the others, but I
gots
ta try an' find '
im
. Like
you an'
yer
mentor, I be
thinkin
'.
Master Stonecutter be like a father an' a brother ta me an' I
gots
ta try.”

           
“I
understand, Dramor. You go and do what you have to for your leader. Go with the
God's blessing, and bring him home safe.”
 
Gregor found he understood the mountain man's words better than even the
knight himself knew. The holy warrior prayed Dramor would bring his brother
home.
 
He called for the strength to save
Lord Silverwing as well, and felt at peace for the first time in a very long
time. Lord Silverwing had often said that faith would carry the young knight,
and Gregor believed it.

***

           
Lord
Silverwing became aware of oppressive heat before he opened his eyes. His
shoulders pulsated where the spear-like quarrels had penetrated them, but there
was no longer any pain and they had been removed. The knight could only assume
he had been healed by his captors for reasons that were their own. The answer
to that question would come soon enough.

           
The
rocky floor under his body burned him even through the protection of his
leathers. His head was full of tearing pain as he felt the familiar invasion
into his mind of the foe he had never forgotten. He knew the Tharnorsa was in
front of him without opening his eyes.
 
Rise,
Lord Silverwing, and see the devourer of this world. This meeting has been too
long delayed.
The knight was
violently jerked to his feet by unseen clawed hands. Silverwing took little
comfort in feeling the weight of his swords in their scabbards at his sides.

           
The
knight shook away from the grip of the creatures that had brought him to his
feet. He saw the creatures move to leave the vast cavern as the demon on the
throne before him waved at them dismissively. The creatures proceeded up a
narrow stairwell that appeared to lead deeper into the mountain. The light cast
by two giant craters filled with lava was adequate to their purpose, illuminating
the throne and its occupant.

           
The
dead will bear witness to your failure.
The Tharnorsa's glowing eyes
diminished the shadows near its massive head as it waved a broad scaled hand
across the floor before the knight. The remains of the rangers and druids that
were slain in the rocky terrain on the road to the keep had been scattered
haphazardly across the rough floor of the natural cavern.
 
Do not worry over the bodies. They will be
disposed of once I have finished with you. I am certain the Gods and Goddesses
have already blessed their spirits with
peace in honor of their sacrifice
at your hands. I will honor them further in that they will not be fed to the
demon blooded orcs in my service. Immolation in the pits will cleanse their
remains. This mountain should have its due for its service to us.
The
Tharnorsa bridged its clawed hands in front of its chest, obviously enjoying
invading the knight's mind.
Have you some reply, some cursed words
against me, to which you wish to give voice?

           
Silverwing stared into the darkness where the demon's eyes glowed.
“You will receive no such pleasure from me, demon. The dead are beyond my
prayers, and I will not waste precious breath speaking to your kind. You will
find the taste of my blades has not changed since our last meeting.”
 
Despite referring to the blades at his side,
the knight kept them sheathed. He wanted to know what this demon was really
doing in this world, and more importantly, who had summoned him.

           
The
Tharnorsa had remained in his mind and chose to respond to his thoughts as well
as Silverwing's words.
You see I still bear the marks of our last
encounter.
The demon gestured to the twin scars in his vast chest as he
continued.
I have anticipated having the opportunity to give you wounds in kind
for some time. My failure in destroying you caused no small amount of suffering
for me in the Abyss. The Unnamed One has little tolerance for those of my
position who cannot deal with blessed warriors, especially when so great a
prize is to be taken. I was blessed with the attentions of the Unnamed
One
himself, and I intend to share the gifts he bestowed
upon me with you in kind. The suffering I endured would kill you far too
quickly to serve my desire for revenge, so we will spend long days together,
enjoying the sounds of your screams.

           
“You found no such pleasure with Lord Clamine, and you will
receive none from me.” Silverwing's defiant tone, or the events to which the
knight referred, seemed to give the demon a moment of reflection. Silverwing
pressed forward, sensing the demon's reaction. The knight nodded to the resting
place of his fallen brother's sword hilt, feeling a wave of sadness when he saw
its blackened form. “You bear the hilt of the sword from the fallen knight, but
his spirit lives on in all of us that remain. Your destruction is only a matter
of time.”

           
The
demon's massive form began to diminish as it rose, standing in front of its
throne and taking the hilt Silverwing referred to into its clawed hand. In
moments, the demon stood in the form of a vaguely humanoid creature tainted by
its true self. The horns and fiery eyes remained, though the mouth and other
features of the demon were now vaguely human. Fangs protruded from the corners
of the creature's mouth, and a thick split tongue darted out as it measured
Silverwing at a comparable eye level. Large clawed digits dug into the rocky
floor as if it were soft dirt, leaving small ruts as the Tharnorsa moved closer
to the knight. A serpentine tail had grown from the demons lower back, and
darted around the creature, shiny reptilian skin forming fleshy flaps at either
side of the jagged stinger on the end. Silverwing was surprised at the change
in the demon's form, but he was more disturbed by the voice that issued from
the Tharnorsa's twisted grimace.

           
“There
will be no end to my reign in these lands, Lord Silverwing. You are no threat
to me now, and your pitiful student is of little concern. He is a knight in
title alone.” The demon's vile mouth turned upward into a mocking smile, as
Silverwing reacted to the words concerning Gregor. “You have put much faith in
a simple boy who knows nothing of what he will face. I am going to keep you
alive so that he can rush to his doom in a misplaced effort to save you. The
Master of this stronghold has long planned the events that led to this day,
and, to his credit, he has used even me to the best of his abilities to take
and keep power in this world. The priest has made a valuable ally. I am almost
saddened that our association is nearly at an end. Rest assured, Gregor will be
dealt with once he has served my purpose.”

           
Lord Silverwing brought his swords into his hands as he answered.
Each of his weapons was enveloped in the glow of white light and the knight
readied himself to face the demon.
 
“Master Gregor will never serve you, demon. He is destined to bring
peace to this world and is touched by the God of Light. You cannot sway him.”

           
The
Tharnorsa only grinned in reply as the tainted hilt he bore sprouted a wicked
blade. The black blade built itself from the hilt, enclosed in a deep red glow
of its own as if in answer to the emanations from Lord Silverwing's blades. The
single weapon the demon held was no longer than a longsword much like one of
the knight's blades, an evil mirror to Silverwing's own.
 
“We will see, Lord Silverwing. Let us end
this banter. I owe you wounds and I hunger for the marring of your flesh. You
note that I possess only one blade against your two holy swords. I will even
the fight with the use of my tail and you will see that the blade I bear is
equal in either of my hands. In addition, you should know that if my tail bites
your flesh, you will be favored with an agonizing death as the caustic poison
within its stinger taints the blood in your veins and dissolves your body. You
may prefer that to the plans I have for you after I defeat you.”
 
The Tharnorsa casually spun the blade in one
hand, demonstrating its oneness with the tainted weapon, before passing it to
the other and repeating the action to emphasize its words.
 
A drop of greenish fluid dripped from the
demon's tail as it darted toward Silverwing, nearly touching the knight's
forehead. “Prepare for death.”