When Angels Fall (Demon Lord) (22 page)

“It is doubtless intended to tempt me, and it does. You offer this because you fear us?”

Bane snorted. “Why would I fear you? I have slain six of you and none of you has so much as touched me. Nor will you. I intend to use the light god to free myself anyway, but you lot trying to attack me will be annoying. So, you could be useful servants, and pleasing, if you suffer as easily as that female did.” He voiced the darkness’ wishes, as a true dark god would.

“I can see how we can help you, but what will you do for us, apart from freeing us, if you can
?”

“You doubt me?” Bane chuckled and shook his head. “Out there, you will require my protection. You have triumphed against humans and their machines, but a light god slew thousands of you. There are plenty of light gods outside, and they will hunt you.”

The angel glanced around again, clearly unsure, and two more became visible, drew close to him and muttered. The first nodded, then looked at Bane. “Prove that you can free us.”

“If I do, you will serve me.”

“We will consider your offer.”

“It was not a question.”

The trio put their heads together in another muttered discussion, then nodded and drew apart. “We agree,” the first angel said.

“I thought you might. Have you a name, or should I just call you
‘dullard’?”

“I am
Lysar.”

“Huh. An angel’s name; how droll.”

“We are angels.”

Bane sneered, “You are misbegotten monsters, but I will put you to use. Do not claim to be angels, however
. I have a particular dislike for them.”

“Yet you keep one alive, as your prisoner.”
Lysar nodded at Majelin.

“And his screams have entertained me often.”

“You will not torture us thus.”

“I will do to
you as I please!” Bane roared.

The angels swapped glances, and Bane knew they planned to betray him the first chance they got, but only once they were free. His promise of freedom would keep them obedient, for now. He swung around, scowling.

“Show yourselves, you cowards!”

Lysar
nodded, and the angels reappeared, some close to Bane, and those sidled away. Evidently Lysar was the leader, or, at least, had taken charge in this situation. The darkness disliked masters of any sort. Bane strode over to the throne. Majelin rose, cowering, and retreated.

Carthius stood beside the throne, gazing down at his body, his expression sorrowful, but resigned.
The prospect of killing a light god sickened Bane, but the darkness’ urgings made it easier, and there was no other choice. He had only to free him and let fate take its course. This must be what was meant to happen. Two tra’mith approached Majelin and gripped his arms, and the archangel tried to wrench free. Bane glared at the would-be wardens.

“Release him. When I want your help, I will command you.”

The angels obeyed, casting Lysar dark looks. He asked, “How will you -?”

“Silence!” Bane glowered at
him. “Do not question me, ever!”

Once again, the dark angels muttered and
exchanged angry looks, but Lysar shut his mouth. Bane turned to the imprisoned light god again and met his spirit’s eyes across the throne. Carthius nodded, his countenance grim.

Bane held up a hand
and whispered, “Wait. Follow my lead.”

The spirit god nodded again.
The Demon Lord gazed around, as if seeking the light god’s spirit, then pointed into the distance and murmured, “
Jefarr moran drothkar. Jasith!
”

The words meant little, but he doubted the dark angels would understand them, and if they did, they would only be confused. Bane pretended to grasp
something in the air and shove it into the light god’s chest. Carthius grimaced, stepped in front of the throne and sat down, sinking into his body. The light shining from his wound and veins intensified, then he raised his head, drew a breath, and opened his eyes. They blazed, solid blue, so bright that Bane could not meet them, and the sorrow in the atmosphere redoubled. Carthius’ lips drew back in a rictus of pain, and then he flung back his head and screamed.

Bane stepped back, startled and dismayed, while the darkness within him exulted. Hot tears stung his eyes at the unbearable anguish the light god radiated. He touched the manacle on Carthius’ right wrist, and the duron shimmered and parted. He cursed himself for not freeing the light god before his spirit returned. Every instant that Carthius suffered
was an anathema to Bane. He freed Carthius’ left wrist, then his ankles. The light god drew a sobbing breath and screamed again, the echoes multiplying in the vast temple’s farthest reaches. Bane grasped the frigid sword hilt and drew it from the throne, releasing it before his hand froze to it.

Carthius rose to his feet
, his hands clenched at his sides, his expression agonised. Dust streamed from his clothes and hair. The pillar of light that poured into him from above brightened to blinding intensity, and the shadows streaming into the sword thickened. Bane sensed that the Oracle could not sustain the light god much longer. It was already almost depleted, after aeons of pouring its power into the stricken god, where the shadows had destroyed it. He gripped Carthius’ arm and hauled him down the steps, pulling him towards the void gate. The light god stumbled, gasping, his eyes closed, and the pillar of light remained above him, keeping him alive. The distance to the void gate seemed to have increased immensely, as Bane helped the light god stagger towards it. The dark angels followed, muttering, and Majelin kept pace a fair distance to one side, his mien reflecting his anguish at Carthius’ suffering.

Finally, they reached the black gate, and Bane
shoved Carthius against it, appearing rough in his handling of the stricken god. Carthius spread his hands on the gate’s midnight surface, resting against it as if immensely tired, and perhaps he was.

“Open it,” Bane commanded.

The light god sobbed, bowing his head, then raised it and whispered, “
Amdrath
.”

Carthi
us’ hands sank into the ebon surface, and he turned them, then withdrew them. The stars within the gate shimmered, and the mighty portal began to chime. The deep gong drones shivered the air, and Bane’s skin prickled. If the open gate gave a view of the void, the dark angels would never step through it, but Carthius would, and be free. Then Bane would have to slay the angels before they escaped. Perhaps Carthius no longer cared about keeping them imprisoned, when subjected to his agony once more. The chimes stopped, and the grating of a stone lock disengaging cut through Carthius’ sobs. The gate turned pure white, forcing Bane to squint, and then swung open swiftly. Carthius, who leant against it, fell through and drifted away into a blue sky with fluffy white clouds and a golden sun.

Bane
turned to face the dark angels. “Go.”

They eyed him, then the open gate, their expressions uncertain.

“What are you waiting for?” Bane demanded. “You think it is going to stay open forever? Go! Now!”

Still, the tra’mith hesitated. Within the portal, the drifting light god reached for the sword hilt that jutted from his chest. Bane
sensed that Carthius could not wait any longer; his pain was too great. The Demon Lord reached the closest dark angel in two strides, seized him and hurled him through the gate. He tumbled past Carthius, his eyes wide and mouth open in a silent scream. The others retreated, staring at their cohort, who was clearly in pain.

“It is a trap!”
Lysar shouted.

Carthius gripped the sword hilt and
turned his head to meet Bane’s gaze. He mouthed a word, which Bane guessed was ‘hurry’. The light god would not survive long without the light of his Oracle. He vanished, and Bane wondered if he had Moved, so his death would not kill Bane, who was still too close. The dark angels stared into the portal, their escape route that had just become a death trap, and some fled. Bane raced after them, caught one and flung him at the gate. He screamed as he sailed through it, his wings spread in a futile bid to fly.

Bane summoned a sword and was upon
another angel in a flash, lopping off his head. The one he had hurled through the portal drifted away, writhing, his mouth and eyes stretched wide. From his ghastly expression, Bane deduced that the void was airless, and it certainly did not truly look like a blue sky. Even as he thought that, the illusion faded to reveal pitch darkness sprinkled with tiny, distant stars. He wondered where Carthius had gone to die, but his death was certain. Bane turned to the remaining angels. He would have to kill them before Carthius died, and he was sure that time was soon.

Chapter Eleven

When Angels Fall

Kayos raised his arms, sensing the Oracle’s power. Pretarin’s domain was old, and its Oracle powerful. It would be enough. The floor shivered, diamond sand dancing on the obsidian. White fire poured into Kayos in blinding streams. The cloud garden was gone, the silver trees bare, the diamond sand vanishing. In the gazebo, Drevarin sat beside Sherinias and cradled her head on his lap, stroking her hair. The child goddess barely breathed, clinging to life.

The Grey God spread his hands and closed his eyes, envisioning the light god’s keep in which he had last seen Bane. With the Oracle’s power, he was able to far-see Bane clearly, and he appeared to be fighting several angels with black hair and grey wings, who wore sable armour and wielded ebon swords. Kayos had dismissed his Eye to start the summoning
just as Bane had left the void gate, but now he knew what Bane faced, and what had destroyed Carthius’ domain and imprisoned the light god. Now he understood why Carthius had sealed his world. Dark angels. So that was what the changelings had become.

The angels surrounded the dark god, darting in to slash at him, vanishing when he swung to face them.
Blood seeped from wounds on Bane’s chest and arms. He would lose this battle. Eight dark angels were too many and too powerful. The angels were swept away from him as he jerked up his chin, but, while some sprawled, others landed on their feet, aided by their wings, and sprang at him again. Clearly they intended to kill him.

Kayos
spoke in an echoing whisper. “
Antresh varinar oth pronal. Trovar emrath jovis
.”

The Grey God opened his eyes. The light realm’s sky was now ink black, the floor
almost bare, and even the gazebo shimmered. In the mid realm, the land would be quaking and the seas rising. The sky would have turned blood red, and the moon was even now sailing towards the sun. Buildings would topple and mountains spout fire. He did not care. Summoning a powerful mortal god would require all of the Oracle’s power and his own, and the domain would suffer. So be it. Kayos lowered his hands, and a silver dagger appeared in one. He sliced his left wrist, and glowing silver blood poured forth, to vanish before it hit the ground. He switched hands and sliced his right wrist, then raised the weapon and cut his throat. Blood poured down his chest, vanishing within moments. In the gazebo, Drevarin bowed his head.

Kayos dismissed the dagger and raised his hands again.
“By the power of the Grey Gods and the Forgotten Lands, and with the shedding of my lifeblood, I, Lord of Chaos, summon the Lord of Demons.”

Nothing could withstand a Grey God’s summoning. The light realm’s wards brightened, then
went dark. For the moment it took to complete the summoning, the domain was defenceless. In the mid realm, twilight would fall as the moon eclipsed the sun.

President Randoman
looked up as shrieks and shouts came from outside his office. A tremor ran through the floor, and he rose and went to the window, almost falling as the ground shuddered again. He clutched the window ledge and gazed out. The sun was almost at midday, and a few fluffy white clouds drifted across the sky, but the moon rose from the horizon and sailed towards the blazing orb at an incredible speed. The air had a static charge that made his hair bristle, and his gut clenched. The sky turned blood red.

His office door burst open and his assistant stumbled in, clinging to the frame.

“Sir! Are you all right?”

Randoman nodded, bracing himself as the floor moved this way and that. Rumbling filled the air
as buildings down the street collapsed in cascades of bricks and clouds of dust. Papers fluttered in the wind that howled along the roads. Whirlwinds picked up the dust of fallen buildings and swept it into the sky. Air-cars swerved and dived, some hitting buildings or pavements with soft
crumps
and bright explosions. Most landed safely and disgorged panicked people who joined the crowds that ran about in confusion.

Randoman’s assistant joined him at the window, his face chalk-pale. “What’s happening?”

“I have no idea.”

“Is it the end?”

Randoman shook his head, squinting at the sun as the sky darkened. The moon moved in front of it in an impossible eclipse. The com-link on his desk beeped, but he had no solutions or advice for the ministers and military men who were undoubtedly trying to contact him. The dra’voren were destroying the world. Twilight fell as the sun went into complete eclipse, and then the world brightened again as winding streams of light appeared and curved across the sky, streaked with dazzling hues of silver, blue, green and gold. They blazed, making the crimson sky appear darker and throwing everything into sharp relief. There were no shadows. The light was so bright that everything reflected it. Randoman raised a hand to shield his eyes, which watered. The beams lashed about like giant snakes, and the quaking increased. The rumbling grew louder, the tremors making his gut quiver.

The
temple’s floor shivered, and a distant rumble made Bane wonder if the domain was already crumbling. If Carthius was dead, the wards were gone, the Oracle had gone dormant, and the world’s fabric was unravelling. He looked around for Majelin, who stood several yards away. Bane held out his hand.

“Come!”

The archangel started towards him. The void gate began to close. Three dark angels rushed at Bane, swords raised. One tried to plunge his weapon into Bane’s gut, and his knees almost buckled as his strength drained away. He hurled them away with his mind, then a flash made him flinch. He fell to his knees. Majelin shouted and broke into a run. The Demon Lord flung up his hands as light flared from the gate and engulfed him. The white fire consumed the tra’mith, who expired with strangled screams. Majelin threw himself at Bane, swept him into an embrace and imposed himself between Bane and the portal. The air grew hot, and wind howled around the cathedral. Bane was aware of Majelin’s arms tight around him, and that vast, snowy wings spread to shield him from the searing blast of white power. White flames licked over Bane, and his bones burnt, then darkness swallowed him.

Kayos raised his arms higher and shouted, “
I, Kayos, Lord of the Light, summon Bane, Lord of Demons!”

The light realm’s ground trembled, and
the remaining drifts of diamond sand shimmered upon it as the power Kayos commanded increased. It had been a long time since he had controlled so much. The summoning was taking too long. The Forbidding in
Arvandeth
hampered it, and a low rumble grew louder as the Grey God poured every iota of his and the Oracle’s power into the summoning. He sensed it find its target, and instructed it with subtle finger motions. A sizzling hiss and brilliant flash came from the gardens. The quaking stilled and the rumble faded. Kayos strode over to Sherinias and placed his hand on her brow, relinquishing the Oracle to her. She drew a deep breath, and Drevarin slumped.

The Grey God
spun away and Moved to the place where he had ordered the summoning to deposit Bane, not far from the gazebo. The area had been blasted free of sand, and the Demon Lord lay on his back, his legs twisted to one side, as if he had been kneeling when he had collapsed. Majelin was sprawled beside him, and they were both quite still. White fire crawled over Bane, whose lips were blue.

Kayos fell to his knees and slammed his hands onto Bane’s chest.
“
Joffar tarnath
!”

The fire vanished, and Bane drew in a whooping breath and exhaled steam.
His heart laboured and smoke rose from his clothes. The angels and white fire had almost killed him.

Kayos shook him.
“Bane! Wake up!”

Bane’s head lolled, then his eyelids flickered and he groaned. Kayos shook him again, and his Adam’s apple bobbed.
His eyes opened a slit, pitch black for a moment before they turned blue. He tried to raise his head and flopped back with a grunt.

“You are weak,”
Kayos said. “Cast out your power so I can give you strength.”

“What happened?”
Bane frowned. “How did I get here?”

“Cast out your power.”

“Where is Majelin?”

Kayos glanced
at the archangel. “He is dead.”

“No! He cannot be. How? It was white fire!”

“He was weak.”

“Save him. I know you can.”

Kayos started to shake his head, then met Bane’s eyes and hesitated. He looked at the archangel again. “You went through a lot to save him. Do you call him a friend?”

“Yes. He gave his life to save me. For an instant, he was re
stored.”

“
No, he rejected the light’s healing. It took the last of his strength to shield you.”

“
Why would he…? I want you to save him. I ask it, Kayos… Father… Please.”

“
It is not really up to me.” The Grey God raised his eyes to the sky. “The universe should be his redeemer.”

“What do you mean?”

“It is rare that an angel dies, and… usually, they are redeemed.”

“But sometimes
they are not?”

“
Occasionally,” Kayos said.

“Why would the light let an angel fall?”

“Sometimes… they transgress, and sometimes it is easier to go into the light than it is to return.”

“
But you can make sure he is redeemed, can you not?” Bane asked.

“I can call upon the universe, but I do not like to interfere.”

Bane turned his head to look at Majelin. “Should it not be happening by now?”

“Yes.”

“He saved me, Father.”

The Grey God
nodded, rose and spread his arms, palms up. He tilted back his head and closed his eyes. “An angel has fallen. Let the sky weep. Majelin, I redeem you. Return!”

Kayos brought his hands together, and a spark fell from them
onto Majelin’s chest. Light began to pour into him from all around, seeping from cloud bushes and streaming from misty trees, imbuing his skin with a soft glow. The light realm was already regaining its clouds and mist, the sky brightening to a medley of rainbow hues and drifts of sparkling sand covering the ground.

A shriek made
Bane look around. Drevarin stood a few paces away, Mirra at his side. She released his hand and ran to Bane, fell to her knees and embraced him. He smiled, but his limbs shook, and numbness nibbled at his extremities.

“It is all right,” he murmured. “I am here.”

She lifted his head onto her lap and stroked his hair. “I thought I had lost you.”

“I know. All is well. Do not weep.”

“How -?”

“Hush now.” Bane became aware of
droplets of water splashing onto him, and looked up. Rain fell from pure white clouds that gathered and burgeoned above. He had thought it never rained in a light realm. Kayos stood with his eyes closed and hands outstretched, and the rain poured down in a shimmering veil, sweetening the misty air with soft scents of wildness and purity. It made Bane’s skin tingle.

“The sky will weep when angels fall,” he whispered, finally understanding.

Rainbows appeared all around them, and Mirra’s eyes brimmed. Bane sensed it too. An intense serenity and joy infused the air, as if time had turned back to the beginning, when only innocence had existed. The light poured into Majelin. His skin glowed, his scars vanished, and the translucent outlines of a pair of huge wings appeared at his sides. They grew solid as light formed them and the rain soaked them, running off his skin in crystal drops.
His grey raiment glimmered silver and his tangled hair became a sleek fall.
Kayos lowered his arms, opened his eyes and looked down, then spread his hands. White fire streamed from his palms into the archangel’s chest.

“
Awaken,” the Grey God said.

Majelin gasped and opened his eyes
, blinking. Kayos lowered his hands, and the light winked out. The rain eased, becoming a soft drizzle.

Bane smiled. “Welcome back.”

“What happened?” The archangel raised a hand and inspected it, then sat up.

“You died, protecting me.”

“Then how…?” He looked up. “Lord Kayos.”

The Grey God inclined his head.
“Archangel Majelin.
It seems you have made a powerful friend of your former foe. The Demon Lord requested your redemption. Rejoice.”

Majelin climbed to his knees, a little hampered by
his wings. He stroked one with shaking hands. Tears spilt down his cheeks with the raindrops and dripped off his chin as he bowed his head, his shoulders shaking. The rain stopped, and mist rose to mingle with the thinning clouds, which drifted away. The sky seemed brighter than ever before, and the cloud gardens glowed. Mirra wiped her eyes and managed a weak smile.