Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign (Worlds of the Crystal Moon, Book 1) (90 page)

“ Yeah, the flavor out of it,” Koffler added in his normal idiotic demeanor, his mouth full of flesh.

“Shut up!” Kepler snapped. “I’m not in the mood.” The demon looked at George. “We’re not far from Bloodvain. What’s your plan?”

The mage pondered a moment before he responded. “As soon as the tigers you summoned arrive, we’ll continue on to the city gates.”

“I like the idea of back-up,” Kepler interrupted as he spoke between licks while cleaning himself. “But if you win the fight against their champion, do you really believe the king’s mages will simply let you challenge their king for the crown? They won’t let an outsider ruin their way of life. We both know their invitation to fight for the crown is a farce. They’ll never serve you.”

“Kepler, my friend, my black, furry friend, you underestimate me still. Allow me to show you how I’m going to get the people to love us and stop the king’s mages.” George reached into his pack and pulled out the sleeping Maldwin.

The demon looked at the rat. “Hmmm. Nicely done. You teleported to Lethwitch to retrieve the rat.”

Kepler said hello to Maldwin in the rat’s language and then looked back up at George. “What do you want me to tell the little guy to do? I could tell him, you said to tell him, that I should tell him that you said telling him was a good idea, to tell me something that I could tell you, so you could tell me, to tell him it’s a good idea, for him to tell me, to tell you that he understands.”

George laughed, “You’re never going to let me live that one down, are you?”

“Nope, never gonna, George,” Koffler said with a stupid laugh as he choked on his food.

Kepler and Keller growled at their brother as if they were using the same mind. “Shut up, idiot!”

George continued. “Anyway, I want you to
ask
Maldwin, not
tell
him, to give the barbarian people a vision of how great we are when I give him the signal. I want to walk around Bloodvain and not worry about our safety. I also want him to send his visions to the king’s mages if we find ourselves in trouble. Just have him keep an eye out.”

Kepler did as George requested. “He says he understands, George.”

Once the four tigers arrived, George outlined the plan and then they were off to Bloodvain.

The four gods—Lasidious, Mosley, Mieonus, and Yaloom—still in their invisible state, watched as George divulged his plan to the cats.

“It will be interesting to see how this turns out,” Mosley said. “George is smart and a decent tactician, but he may still be underestimating the barbarians. They are a formidable people.”

Lasidious smiled. “Isn’t it great? Seven giant cats and a rat can also be formidable. When I told George about the staff, I never expected that he’d turn Maldwin into an ally. It’s unlikely, but he just might pull this off. I wish I could tell him how to do it. I’d like more of a guarantee that this is going to work.” The Mischievous One paused. “But where’s the fun in that?”

Mosley nodded. “I know what you mean. I wanted to tell Sam about Double D, but I was bound by the same law you are.”

The deceiver chuckled. “I wasn’t really talking about the law, but whatever. Sometimes the gods make the damnedest rules.”

“Agreed,” Mieonus interjected. “But the rules have their purpose, or they wouldn’t have been made.”

“I think it makes the game more interesting,” Yaloom added as he turned his attention away from George’s group. “Shall we follow them to see what happens?”

Lasidious responded, “Yes, let’s do that because talking to you is anything but interesting.”

Yaloom rolled his eyes. “You just can’t stop yourself, can you?”

The Mischievous One shrugged. “You make it too easy.”

Mosley sighed as they walked. “Being a god, and having the ability to summon what you want, kills any amusement that could be found in wagering on whether or not George will succeed. I so enjoyed wagering when I was mortal.”

Lasidious nodded. “Perhaps there is a way to find enjoyment through wagering. Instead of a reward for winning, we could punish the loser through embarrassing acts.”

“I like that idea,” Yaloom confirmed as he pulled a ring from one hand to put it on the other. “Wagering could provide a few laughs. Let’s swear on the Book of Immortality that we must perform the acts of punishment ... providing they don’t embarrass us in front of our followers.”

Lasidious smiled. “I’ll agree to that. How about you, Mosley?”

The wolf grinned. “This is the most cub-like thing I’ve agreed to in many seasons, but it’ll be fun. I never thought gods would do something so foolish.”

Outside of Bloodvain

Later that Evening

The gods found a large rock and took a seat on it to watch the meeting between George and Senchae. Yaloom was unable to sit. He had lost the first wager. He had to stand with his robes draped over his right arm, and as his punishment, he had a large, red bow placed over his privates until the next wager was settled.

Senchae and his mages were now within eyesight of George. They dismounted their large horses, a breed common to the north. The stallions were predominantly black with white socks, and they had matching splotches across their flanks. They were capable of carrying the weight of the barbarian people.

The mages tied the horses’ reins to a nearby tree. They then walked with their king toward George. Both sides were cautious as they drew closer, but George was relaxed as he stood with Maldwin in his arms and only Kepler at his side.

Yaloom looked down at his bow. “This isn’t what I had in mind. I hate red.”

“Shut up, and pay attention!” Mieonus snapped.

Mosley grinned as Lasidious held up his hand. “Shhhh. I want to watch without you two babbling.”

George took a deep breath as the barbarians stopped in front of them. The king was massive, a true freak of nature, the likes of which George had never seen. Senchae’s dark skin only added to this perception.
Damn! That’s the biggest black guy I’ve ever seen,
George thought.

George leaned toward Kepler and whispered, “Holy garesh, this guy has muscles in places that don’t even exist. Maybe you should warn Maldwin to be ready.”

“Agreed,” the demon responded. “I could end him ... but you should prowl with caution.”

George rolled his eyes. “You’re a cocky bastard. You know that, right? Don’t you worry about me, I’ve got everything under control. Just make sure Maldwin is ready.”

George took note of Kepler’s invisible subjects. He had used his magic to hide their presence. As instructed, the tigers and Kepler’s brothers had crept up behind the king’s five mages, and they were ready to attack.

Both groups were standing on a well-traveled road of packed dirt in a heavily wooded area that led to Bloodvain. They had stopped by a rock that was surrounded by trees, the same rock that held the invisible gods. They were alone and George could not have asked for a better setup.

George addressed the king. “I’m assuming you’re Senchae.”

The big man responded, “Who are you to speak my name? You haven’t earned the right, and I should kill you for your ignorant tongue. I’m a king, these are my lands, and you will address me with respect.”

Kepler marveled as George just laughed. He had seen George do this before. He remembered how it made him feel when he was unsure of what George was capable of. He knew the human intended to pick a fight.

Senchae did not know how to respond, so George spoke. “Do you meet everyone outside your city walls, Senchae?”

“Only the swine who don’t deserve to see beyond them,” Senchae retorted.

George frowned. “You suck at talking trash, don’t you? How can a guy as big as you not be frightening?”

Senchae was about to unsheathe his sword, but George held up his hands and shouted, “Wait! Please don’t kill me! I have something you need to know first!”

The Barbarian King was so shocked by how this puny man from the south was speaking that he stopped to listen to what George had to say. “Go ahead. Utter your last words before I end you.”

George allowed a big smile to appear on his face. “I think your crown will look better on me than it does above that nightmare you call a face.”

Without waiting for a response, George gave the signal for the cats to attack. He squeezed Maldwin’s tail to send the king a vision of helplessness. The tigers’ claws, along with Kepler’s brothers, tore into the sides of the heads of the unsuspecting magic users. The sheer force of the blows knocked all but one of the mages unconscious. This man, though he tried to speak his words of power, did not have the moments necessary to finish his command before Keller’s jaws closed around his head and slung him from side to side.

The barbarian’s body popped off from his head. Keller spit the skull to the ground and watched it roll before he lowered his snout and smelled the barbarian’s life’s source as it poured out of him. The cat slurped at the red pool, still in his invisible cover.

The king was struggling to fight off Maldwin’s vision. To everyone’s surprise, Senchae was able to overcome the emotion and attack.

George reacted by lifting his hand. He pinched his fingers together (just as his favorite villain had done in yet another one of his favorite movies on Earth) and lifted his arm into the air. The barbarian rose from the ground and grabbed his throat as he choked. George grinned as he thought,
May the force be with me. Wow! This actually feels as cool as it looked.