Demon Lord III - Grey God (23 page)

It saddened
them, particularly her father, who longed to be able to provide for
his family. There was no shame in it, for few possessed a trade,
and those were only blacksmithing, tailoring and midwifery. A few
coppers circulated amongst the townsfolk through them, but it was
pitifully little. The supplies handed out each moon were bartered
so that a woman could purchase a new pot with a cup of grain, or a
man could buy a new shirt with a hank of cloth that he had received
from the supplies. Thus it had always been for her and Derrin.

Shevra raised
a gush of flame from the fire, causing it to hover beside her, then
split it into many flames and made them spin around her in a bright
circle. Fire dancing was more difficult than water dancing, since
fire was a more tenuous element, and needed to be fed. The trick
was to make it feed on the air itself, and that was no mean feat,
as she had discovered in her youth.

Some fire
dancers could do no more than draw sweeps of flame from a wood
fire, and remained journeymen. Only a master could sustain the
flames in the air. Shevra walked over to Derrin and stopped before
him, making her flames join his droplets in their dance, turning
his almost invisible chain of water into a glimmering string of
diamonds. He laughed in delight, entranced by the beauty that they
had created together.

Shevra grinned
and began the slow, graceful movements of a fire dance, raising her
arms so that her fingers almost brushed the flames. Normally she
would have run her hands through them, but the water prevented her.
Even so, the combination of fire and water dance was exquisite, and
she knew that they would get a lot of applause for it, if little
else. Derrin, growing bold, began to emulate her movements, and for
a moment they moved together with sinuous grace.

Inevitably,
however, since he was still only an apprentice, the combination
became too much for his concentration, and he lost his grip on the
water. This time they both got a drenching, and Shevra gasped as
the cold liquid splashed over her. She extinguished her flames and
stepped back, wiping water from her face and laughing. Derrin
laughed with her, soaked again, but happy that he had done so well
this time.

Shevra mopped
her face with her skirt. "That's just what I needed, Derrin. I'll
catch a cold, and Mother will be furious."

"Now you know
how I feel!"

"If I'd wanted
a shower, I'd have said so."

He chuckled.
"Well you need one!"

"I do not!"
She aimed a playful slap at him, and he skipped away, giggling,
then stretched a hand towards the lake again.

"Don't you
dare!" Shevra yelled, going after him. Derrin laughed and raced
away along the path that led to the town, Shevra in hot pursuit.
They arrived in the gloomy village panting and giggling, but
sobered under the glum stares of the people who sat listlessly in
their doorways, staring into the darkness. Shevra went straight to
her house, where she found her mother bent over a tub of soapy
water, scrubbing clothes. Andira glanced up at her with a smile,
taking in her bedraggled appearance.

"Have you been
playing with Derrin again?"

"Practising."

"I see he
still hasn't got the hang of it yet."

"He's getting
better."

Andira resumed
her scrubbing. "You'd better get out of that wet dress and start
the dinner."

"There's
food?"

"A little."
Andira glanced at an empty hook above the fireplace, where a large
brass pot used to hang.

"Where's
Father?"

"With his
friends."

Shevra went
into her bedroom to change. Her father spent most of his days
playing board games with other jobless men. She shucked her wet
dress and pulled on a dry one, returning to the kitchen to begin
the supper. A small bag of grain waited on the scrubbed table, and
she sighed. Porridge again, with a little salt, if they were lucky.
She set a pot of water on the fire and sat down.

"What do you
think has happened to the supply wagons?"

Andira glanced
up. "Probably broken down somewhere."

"For three
days?"

"Could
be."

"I thought
they carried spare parts?"

"They do."
Andira wrung out a faded shirt and added it to the pile beside
her.

"Then why
would it take three days to repair it?"

"How should I
know? Go and fetch more wood for the fire, your father brought a
new load today."

Shevra rose
and went outside to the wood stack, gathering an armload and
returning to dump it beside the fire. Her father's sole
contribution to the household chores was going to the dead forest
to cut wood. The remains of the forests, however, were far away
now, and it took an entire day to fetch a load. Shevra sat down
again.

"Could the
dark creatures have taken the wagons, if the tales about them are
true?"

Andira glanced
sharply at her. "They're not."

"But if they
were, and they've taken the supplies, we'll all starve, won't
we?"

"No. We would
go to a city."

"I thought we
weren't allowed?"

Andira sighed,
wringing out a ragged dress. "We're not, the cities are overcrowded
already, but they won't turn us away if the alternative is
death."

"But if there
are dark creatures, would we be able to reach a city?"

"Enough about
dark creatures now. They don't exist, so stop worrying about
them."

"People used
to believe that Vorkar didn't exist, but he does."

Andira began
to drag the tub of dirty water to the door, and Shevra went to help
her. "Just because Vorkar exists, doesn't mean that the dark
creatures do," her mother stated. "No one's ever seen one."

"No one's ever
seen Vorkar either, or Drayshina."

"They're gods;
the dark creatures are just a myth."

"But -"

"Enough now,
Shevra."

Chapter Twelve

Shadow
Storm

Bane drifted
up from a deep, enervating sleep, his eyes heavy, limbs leaden and
head pounding. Sitting up, he summoned a cup of ambrosia to slake
his thirst and hunger, grimacing and rubbing his brow. Kayos sat
watching him with the mixture of doubt and wonder that Bane was
starting to find annoying.

"How do you
feel?"

Bane shrugged
and winced as his head protested. "Like a troll is trying to hammer
his way out of the back of my skull."

The Grey God
rose and laid his hand upon Bane's temple, soothing the headache
after a brief struggle with the dark power, then waved his couch
out of existence.

"I shall find
the priestess."

"What do we
need her for?"

"I will need
an introduction to this Blue Council. For a strange god to appear
in their midst, unannounced, would be a terrible shock. I will meet
them and explain what is to happen, then introduce you. Their
reaction to your presence will be far worse than to mine." Kayos
hesitated. "I would ask you not to reveal yourself until the
appropriate moment."

"Of course. I
would not want them to die of shock."

Kayos pondered
the young dark god. Ordinary humans would not be able to tell him
apart from one of them; only another god could see the aura of
power that surrounded him, although a blue mage or a seer might
also sense it. The dark power was starting to affect Bane, for he
was becoming increasingly irritable. Soon it would be time for him
to cast it out for a while, to recover his humanity. Although it
could not corrupt him, it did influence him, and the longer he
carried it the worse he would become.

Bane seemed
unaware of his scrutiny, and sat with his head bowed, the cup of
ambrosia forgotten in his hand. His pallor was pronounced, and he
looked tired and lacklustre, from which Kayos deduced that he was
still suffering from the after effects of his battle with
Vorkon.

"I think you
should rest today."

Bane raised
his head. "I am well enough."

"You lost a
great deal of blood; you must regain your strength. Some wholesome
food will help. I will find someone to attend you."

Ignoring
Bane's glare, he went in search of the high priestess, and
encountered a young acolyte in the corridor who guided him to the
chapel where the priestesses were at worship.

Bane looked
down as Mirra stirred, opening her eyes to smile up at him before
she stretched and sat up. She studied him, reaching up to hook the
wing of glossy hair behind his ear so that she could see his
face.

"How do you
feel?"

"Like death
warmed up."

"How badly
were you injured?"

He smiled.
"There is no fooling you, is there?"

"I know the
signs. And I know you."

He shrugged
and looked down at his hands, the hair sliding forward to hide his
face again. "I would have died."

She drew a
sharp breath, and a look of despair flitted across her face,
swiftly hidden. "What happened?"

Bane related
the tale in his usual curt manner, and while he talked, Mithran and
Grem woke and drew close to listen. When he had finished, Mirra
shook her head in amazement.

"You met an
angel, how wonderful." Her face did not shine with its usual
delight however, and her eyes were shadowed with concern.

"She was a
strange creature."

"I would like
to meet her."

"You probably
will." He paused, eyeing her. "You have been very quiet of
late."

"I find
Kayos... awe inspiring."

Mithran
nodded. "We all do."

Bane looked at
his father. "But that is not the only reason for your silence, is
it?"

Mithran's eyes
slid away. "No."

"You find
me... abhorrent."

"No!" He shook
his head. "Goddess, how can you think such a thing?"

"Quite easily.
It is a natural reaction. I never wanted you to see me like
this."

"I know. I
hate what that monster made you into, but in a way I am glad I have
seen it. I think I understand you a little better now."

"Do you?"
Bane's mouth twisted. "You have not seen anything yet, Father. It
is going to get worse. Ask Mirra, she knows what I am
becoming."

Mirra took his
hand. "You are stronger now, Bane. You will never be like that
again."

Bane's eyes
grew distant. "It is like a black tide inside me, eating away at
me, trying to force me to do its will."

"It will
fail."

"Probably, but
the battle weakens me."

"Then cast it
out when you do not need it."

He shook his
head. "Purging and Gathering weakens me even more."

Mithran leant
forward. "No matter what happens, I will never think any less of
you, Son."

"Nor I," Grem
chimed in.

"Nor I." Mirra
smiled and squeezed Bane's hand.

As Kayos
walked into the chapel, the priestesses fell to their knees and
prostrated themselves. Radiant blue spheres lit the room, although
the clouds outside the stained-glass windows glowed, indicating
that it was day. Fiery rain fell amid the shroud of drifting ash,
burning on the land like countless red stars. He signalled for the
priestesses to rise and walked up the aisle towards the altar,
where the high priestess waited, her face creased in a welcoming
smile.

Many of the
priestesses held out their hands, yearning to touch him but not
daring to, begging instead for him to bless them with his touch. He
held out his hands so that they brushed any who could reach them.
Those that succeeded clasped their hands to their breasts and
closed their eyes in reverence, being touched in turn by those less
fortunate. When he reached the altar, the high priestess sank to
her knees again, and he gestured for her to rise.

She gazed at
him with adoring eyes. "How may we serve you, great lord?"

"An
introduction to the Blue Council. Also, a priestess named
Tarris."

"It shall be
as you wish. Tarris is here amongst us; she arrived while you were
resting, seeking sanctuary."

"Bring her to
me."

A priestess
ran out, and the high priestess said, "What is it that you require
of Tarris?"

"She is a
witness to the Demon Lord's pact with Drayshina. Her testimony will
aid our cause before the council."

"She said
nothing to us."

"Drayshina
swore her to secrecy, as were the rest of her abbey. At the time,
Bane's presence was unknown to Vorkon. It was she who persuaded
Bane to come to your goddess' aid."

"Her name will
live in legend."

Kayos smiled.
"As will yours, I am certain. What is it?"

"Forgive me
great lord. I am Sharri."

"Have you
standing with the Blue Council, Sharri?"

"As much as
any high priestess, Lord, which is sufficient to get an immediate
audience with the Queen, especially in such a time of strife."

He glanced
around at the silent, intent throng. "Tell me about your
queen."

"She is young,
Lord, and a powerful blue mage, as are all royalty. Her name is
Kyan, and her husband is Prince Tygon, head of the Blue
Council."

"He is the
most powerful of the blue mages?"

"Yes,
Lord."

Kayos nodded.
"Then it will fall to him to create the seventh ward."

Sharri looked
stricken, and hung her head.

"What is
it?"

"Tygon is a
wonderful man, Lord. Intelligent, caring and handsome beyond
belief, and the Queen loves him more than her own life."

"But?"

"I cannot be
certain of the truth of such tales, but it is rumoured that he
lacks ... courage."

Kayos frowned.
"If that is true it will be unfortunate. The Demon Lord is inclined
to inspire fear in even the most stout-hearted."