Demon Lord VII - Dark Domain (9 page)

“But the
mortals will not be able to kill me. They will not even know I am
there.”

“You expect me
to leave you lying in there until you wake up? That will take
hours. I cannot go in there to carry you out, even invisible. Their
machines will see me.”

“Come now,
Bane, you are thinking like a human again. You can slow time, even
stop it. What chance do mortals have against you?”

“You will still
be unconscious for many hours, defenceless unless I guard you.”

Kayos nodded.
“But there will only be one dark god left, and you can take care of
him.”

“And if I am
mortally wounded, Drevarin cannot heal me. Besides, we do not know
for certain that there are only three dark gods in this domain.
What if there are four?”

“We are over
thinking this. The chances of everything going wrong are slim.
Consult your demon and find out if there are four, then.”

“If he knows.
He was supposed to report to me if he found more.”

“He might have
sniffed out a rumour, which will still help.”

Bane inclined
his head and Moved, rematerialising in a field of dry grass that
one of the unnatural forests surrounded. “Eslason, come to me.”

A black circle
formed on the ground in front of him and spread, tongues of foul
fire turning the grass to ash, the soil sizzling as it burnt. A mud
form shot up from its centre and took on the appearance of a
handsome dark-haired man clad in a cream shirt, black leather
trousers and a matching jacket. Several gold chains and an ornate
belt completed his outfit. Demons did love garish finery, Bane
mused, and Eslason’s was quite reserved by their standards.

Eslason bowed.
“Lord.”

“Are there more
than three dark gods in this domain?”

“Counting
you?”

“No.”

“I have only
found three so far,” the demon said, “but there are rumours of a
fourth, possibly a beast god. I have not had much time yet.”

“If gods were
as slow as demons, you would still be nothing more than a pocket of
dark power in the bedrock of this domain.”

“I have their
names and locations.”

“I do not need
them now. I have already found them, and they are no longer where
you think they are.”

“Then you do
not need me anymore?”

“I never needed
you,” Bane said. “I made use of you to accomplish a tedious task.
Who was Parsimon?”

“Scryon.”

“Continue
searching for more dark gods, and if you find any, report to
me.”

Eslason bowed.
“As you command, Demon Lord.”

“Go.”

The demon sank
back into the ground, and Bane Moved to the mess hall where Kayos
waited. The Grey God looked up at his arrival, raising his brows in
enquiry.

Bane settled on
his couch. “Only rumours of a fourth, a beast god, although how
hard he looked is anyone’s guess. The one we defeated was
Scryon.”

“Then we do as
I said.”

“I still do not
like it.”

“You are a
pessimist, Bane.”

“I am cautious.
I know what dark gods are like. I am one.”

“You are more
human than them, and they are evil,” Kayos said.

“So why do I
not just go there and tear that bastard apart?”

“That would be
reckless. You could be hurt. He will call his mate, and then you
will have to fight two of them.”

“I have done it
before, and it was not in a light realm.”

The Grey God
nodded. “Yes, but you were hurt, and now we have time to plan and
options to consider. If two of them attack you, they will Move you
to the dark realm, and you will be in grave danger. This way will
be far easier, and safer.”

“If it
works.”

“It will.”
Kayos sighed. “It is times like these when I wish you would just do
as I say. It would save a lot of arguments.”

“I do not have
to listen to you at all, yet I do.”

“For which I am
glad. But I can claim to be older and wiser than you.”

“Older,
certainly, but I do not know about wiser, when it comes to
protecting me.”

“No, in that I
am wiser than you, too,” Kayos said. “You do not value your life as
much as you should.”

Bane threw up
his hands. “All right, we will do it your way, but when you get to
the light realm, shield yourself.”

“I shall.”

“I will
instruct Sarjan.”

Bane Moved to
the containment room, and Kayos followed. The four contechs
stiffened in alarm when Bane appeared in their midst, two jumping
up and retreating.

He addressed
the nearest, who remained seated. “Summon Commander Sarjan.”

The man touched
the communications device on his console and spoke into it, then
rose and sidled away. Several tense minutes passed before a
concerned-looking Sarjan trotted in and stopped a few feet from
Bane.

“What is
it?”

“I have found
another of your dra’voren, and I intend to lure him in there.” Bane
gestured to the shredder room. “When he appears, you will have only
an instant in which to use your stunner. Can you do it?”

Sarjan nodded.
“How will you lure him in?”

“Rest assured,
I will not be going in there. I know I cannot trust you.”

“Right. When’s
it going to happen?”

“Shortly. Make
your preparations.”

Sarjan turned
to the senior contech. “Bring the generators online. Prepare for
shredding.”

“Yes sir.” The
man ran his hands over his control panel.

Bane went to
the back of the room, and Kayos cast his shield over him. The
contechs stared at the spot where he had vanished, and Sarjan
scowled, plainly unhappy with the situation.

“Time to go,”
the Grey God said.

Bane clasped
his shoulder. “Be careful.”

“I have not
lived this long by being reckless.”

The Demon Lord
released him, and Kayos Moved. The containment room crew stared at
Bane when he reappeared and strolled back to the middle of the
room, where he could watch the window and scanner screen. He
stopped beside Sarjan, who eyed him with deep mistrust, but stood
his ground.

“What did you
learn about the droge?” Bane asked.

“He’s made of
inert plasma, a form of stable dark power, like your clothes.”

“I could have
told you that.”

“We’re still
running tests.”

“There is not
much more to learn about him. He has no power.”

Sarjan licked
his lips. “Could you... capture a fiend for us to study?”

Bane chuckled.
“I could, but you could not hold it. It would assume its true form
and slip from your bonds, or go below. Even capturing one would
be... difficult. I would more likely destroy it in the attempt. But
I could summon one.”

“Would
you?”

“Perhaps. What
will you offer in return?”

Sarjan
hesitated. “What do you want?”

“Does your word
of honour mean anything, Sarjan?”

“Yes.”

“Even if you
gave it to me?”

Sarjan nodded.
“It doesn’t matter who I give it to. I would keep it.”

“Then I would
ask for your word of honour that, should the opportunity arise, you
and your crew will offer me no harm.”

Sarjan frowned,
avoiding the stares of his crew. “Just myself and my crew?”

“If you deliver
me to someone else who would harm me, that will also be breaking
your word.”

“I see. I’ll
have to think about it.”

“You have five
minutes.”

Sarjan walked
away, and the senior contech went over to whisper in his ear. They
held a brief discussion, then Sarjan nodded and faced Bane again.
“Very well, you have my word.”

“On what?”

“I swear upon
my honour that neither I nor any member of my crew will try to harm
you, should we be able to do so.”

“Is there
anyone on this ship who is not a member of your crew?”

“No.”

Bane paused,
regarding him. “To assure myself that you are telling the truth, I
wish to read your mind. Will you submit?”

Sarjan
swallowed. “I... All right, as long as it doesn’t do anything to
me.”

“It will
not.”

“Do I have your
word?”

“You do.”

The commander
stepped back as Bane approached, then gathered his courage and
stood still. Bane raised his hand, and Sarjan’s eyes followed it
all the way to his brow. After a moment, Bane nodded and removed
his hand.

“You speak the
truth. I will summon one when the dra’voren has been shredded.”

Sarjan rubbed
his brow. “Right... Right.”

Bane looked
down at the scanner screen, his tension growing. A lot of time had
passed. Kayos should have been here by now.

Kayos arrived
outside Sherinias’ birthing chamber, remaining invisible while he
assessed the situation. Tolrar pounded the chamber, which as yet
showed no signs of damage. Kayos scanned the area, seeking demons,
droges, or anyone who might cause a distraction or pose a threat,
but it appeared to be empty. Tolrar swung around, sensing Kayos’
presence, and he became visible.

The dark god’s
eyes narrowed and a sly, cruel smile curved his lips. “Well, well,
what have we here? Another sheep for the slaughter. You must be the
father of the little one?”

Kayos nodded.
“I am.”

“Come to rescue
her, have you?” He sniggered.

“I am certain I
can offer you better sport. That must be tiring, especially
here.”

“It is more
annoying than tiring. But why would you offer yourself? After I
have caught you, I shall have her and her craven friend too.”

Kayos raised
his shields in case the dark god’s mate was around, as Bane had
advised. “Why would you care why I do it?”

The bearded god
frowned, his eyes glinting. “If you think your pathetic whelp and
her cowardly companion can escape through the realm gate while I am
chasing you, they cannot. My mistress and fifty demons guard
it.”

“I only wish to
release them from the chamber, so they can flee and I can protect
my child.”

“But then you
will retreat inside your shields with her, and that will really be
annoying.”

“Drevarin can
protect her too,” Kayos said.

“Yes. Your
kind’s penchant for cowering within your damned shields is
irritating. But I think I will winkle these two out first. I have a
theory that I can get to them before they can Move.”

“Then you are a
fool.”

Tolrar snorted.
“Well, you would say that, would you not?” He muttered a few
guttural words. “I shall consult my minion before I decide.”

Kayos shrugged,
knowing full well that Tolrar was summoning his mistress. An air
demon coalesced close to the dark god, who whispered to it, and it
vanished.

He turned to
Kayos, a sneer twisting his lips. “Allow me to introduce myself:
Tolrar, Lord of Darkness.”

“I am Kayos,
eldest of the Seven Founders.”

Tolrar’s eyes
widened. “Ah, a prize indeed. No wonder you thought I would chase
you.” His feigned look of wonderment vanished. “Who the hell are
the Seven Founders?”

“You are
ignorant. We are the ones who created the God Realm.”

“How nice for
you. I am the one who will enslave you and take great delight in
your pain.”

Kayos shook his
head. “You will not catch me.”

“You are
trapped in this domain, with an open world gate and a powerless
whelp ruling it. It is only a matter of time.”

Kayos sensed a
displacement as something arrived beside him, and then his shields
flared as a dark entity touched them. He Moved. He rematerialised
in the shredder chamber of Sarjan’s ship, and almost Moved again.
Being so close to a dark goddess was unnerving, to say the least,
and all his instincts clamoured for distance between them. He had
become invisible the instant he arrived, and waited. If the goddess
had followed him, she should have arrived a moment after he did. He
suspected that Tolrar was a cautious fellow, perhaps a little more
cunning or cowardly than most. He stood poised, ready to Move, and
sensed Tolrar’s Eye upon him.

Again he fought
the urge to Move, or block the dark god’s Eye. He hoped Tolrar
would find nothing threatening about the metal room, and his
suspicions would be allayed. Clearly he suspected that it was a
trap, which was why he had used his Eye instead of allowing Jerriss
to follow. Several moments passed while Tolrar studied the
situation and made his decision, and Kayos waited with every nerve
jangling in alarm. Even allowing a dark god to view his location
was against all his instincts, and he hoped that his failure to
flee or block it did not warn Tolrar. The Eye would follow him
wherever he went, unless he found hallowed ground, of which there
was none in this domain.

The dark
goddess appeared beside him in a surge of power, and Kayos Moved.
As he did, he sensed the concussion shake the air around him, then
he was beside Bane in a dim corner of the containment room.

Bane frowned at
the scanner screen on the senior contech’s control board. Too much
time had passed, and his concern was reaching monumental
proportions. He longed to create an Eye and see what was happening
to Kayos, but Tolrar would sense it. He might think it was Scryon,
but it was risky. From what the demon had told him, Scryon would
not dare to cast his Eye upon Tolrar.

Alarms whooped
and beeped, and the contech who sat in front of the screen swore as
he hit a red button on his console. A dull thud shivered the floor,
and someone gripped Bane’s shoulder. Kayos stood beside him,
looking somewhat dazed.

Bane took hold
of his arm, supporting him. “Are you all right?”

Kayos nodded,
leaning on a console. “I will be. I was almost caught by the
machine.”

Bane glanced
through the shredder room window, where a woman lay on the floor.
Her milky skin glowed in the harsh light and her silken black gown
shimmered. Shining golden tresses framed her heart-shaped face and
dark lashes fanned her cheeks. Her arms were draped across her
slender contours, and she appeared as innocent as a sleeping child,
her rosy lips slightly parted. She was the epitome of helpless
beauty, exuding the unrivalled seductive power of a dark goddess,
which no man could resist.