Revelation (29 page)

He touched the body, and quickly regretted it as the skin of the daemon was burning hot. Oozing out of its wounds, something like blood, black and thick, steamed as it touched the cold stone ground. As Aaron looked closely at the fallen body, it became evident to him that the creature didn’t die in battle. The precise blow that could so defeat an enemy didn’t happen in combat.

“This creature was executed.” Aaron said. He could hardly believe that such a powerful being would be so defeated as to lose its life without a fight.

“What are you saying?” Braden asked, incredulous.

“This creature was executed, its head taken from its body as it knelt for the blow.” Aaron pointed out the location of the weapon’s impact on the back of the neck and the position of the creature where it fell. “We need to get the book,” he said, under his breath. “Braden, how far is it to the central chamber?”

“Less than a mile,” the dwarf replied.

“We must hurry…we may already be too late!” Aaron urged Braden to lead them, and the dwarf rushed away from the bridge and into another long corridor.

The passage leveled off as they came to a room with several exits. It appeared to be another guardroom, unadorned, square with a high arched ceiling and a narrow air shaft penetrating up through the rock to the surface above. It was the first time that they caught a glimpse of any sunlight in two days, as they looked up through the shaft toward the sky. All around the room shattered pieces of broken furniture lay scattered about like chaff.

Littered among the mass of broken furniture Aaron observed the remains of several creatures, mainly gremellaks, their bodies burned and mauled. A trail of blood led away through a door directly opposite the one they entered, and Aaron, without hesitation, determined to follow the trail.

Braden protested, “Captain, that tunnel does not lead to the main audience chamber. It will only sidetrack us from our quest.”

“I don’t know why,” Aaron said, “but I am sure that if we follow that trail of blood, we will find our goal.”

Braden hesitated. But, trusting the captain, he surrendered the illumine stone to Aaron and followed him down the tunnel. It descended deeper into the heart of the mountain. The passage was rife with switchbacks and corners. Occasionally a stairway would lead them farther down. Passing doors and passages Aaron kept to his pursuit, following the trail of blood. He knew he was close, that his quest was nearly over and the book would be in his hands. He would finally, ultimately know the truth.

Turning a corner to the left, he saw a light in the distance. “Braden,” he whispered, “what is that room up there?”

“Captain… I don’t know.” Braden replied, anxiety filling his voice. “These passages were forbidden to any except the lords of Kellen Dahl. This passage was known only by the lord-regent and those he appointed. I was never one of those.” Braden sounded hesitant to even consider walking down the forbidden passage.

Aaron, cautious, continued toward the light, his sword in one hand and the glowing stone in the other. The trail of blood diminished but still gave Aaron plenty of indications of where the wounded traveler had been going. Ahead, the light grew brighter as Aaron neared. He could now see an arched doorway, broad and tall, standing less than one hundred feet ahead of him. The ruddy glow of a fire flickered from beyond the archway as Aaron continued to draw closer. Just behind him, the other three companions kept themselves ready for anything.

He crept up to the doorway to peer inside and stared into the room with shocked disbelief. There, in a large hall, extravagant in decoration, with a blazing fire burning in a massive, central brazier stood four trolls, one of them wounded, and more than a score of gremellaks. Beyond that, on a raised platform, with his hands holding a book high over his head in jubilation stood a man.

Aaron watched, amazed that the creatures encircling the dais didn’t attack the man standing on the platform. He held the book and laughed in victorious amusement—a sinister, hideous laugh. The creatures around him roared in response, as if they had just won a decisive battle.

Lorik, Braden, and Mari joined Aaron as he peered into the large, golden room. Lorik, nearest to Aaron, whispered, “Captain, what do we do now?”

“I don’t know,” Aaron said, pressing his mouth near to Lorik’s ear, hoping not to be heard. Aaron leaned against the wall just outside the door, despondent at seeing how many stood between him and the end of his quest. They couldn’t fight them all, and there was no means of securing the book by stealth. Aaron peered into the room again, looking out over the sea of creatures and feeling despair creep into his thoughts.

Just as the captain looked in, the man on the dais turned around and looked directly at the doorway where the four companions were hiding. Aaron and Lorik gasped… the man standing on the dais was Rayn!

“Captain!” Rayn shouted. “Welcome. Come in and join the party.” The door opened on its own. Aaron stood and walked into the room, wanting his companions to remain hidden. Two trolls, however, lumbered over and forced the other three from their places. “What do you think?” Rayn asked, holding out his hands as if displaying the hoard of creatures surrounding him. “I’ve been promoted.” His tone was mocking and cruel. “I am now captain of the Royal Guard, and these are the newest recruits.”

“Rayn?” Aaron said the young man’s name in disbelief as he stood at the foot of the platform where Rayn continued to pace. “I… I don’t know where to begin.”

“Well, I do,” Rayn said, anger flaring in his eyes. “The emperor decided that you no longer deserve the title, and since I will be bringing him back this book, he chose to promote me in your place. I can’t say as I blame him…who could trust you, anyway?”

“What do you know of trust?” Braden shouted. “Aaron saved your life more than once and this is how you repay him?”

“Silence, dwarf!” Rayn shouted. He lifted his hand, and Braden flew across the room, slamming against the wall. He looked at the other two who stood with Aaron. “I see that you still have your old lapdog”—he looked at Lorik—“but you’ve lost the other dwarf… good for you! And you’ve replaced him with a much more delicious morsel.” Rayn’s malice resounded in every scornful word. He walked atop the dais, strutting like a king in his domain.

Then the young soldier’s voice became dark with the quietness of cruelty. “Where to begin?” he said. “Let’s begin where you chose to betray your purpose, your emperor, and your command. And now you even wear a foreign uniform. Have you switched your allegiance so quickly?” Rayn stepped off the platform, his fists clenched in anger, and walked to stand in front of Aaron. “I told you that our swords would cross again.” He scowled as he paced in front Aaron. “You should have killed me up north,” he hissed through clenched teeth. “When I finally made it back, I told the emperor what you purposed to do, and he sent me ahead of you to recapture this book that you failed to secure.” Rayn raised the tome.

Aaron looked upon his former private with astonishment. “How is it that you now possess such power?”

Rayn paced in front of Aaron. “The power I possess is a gift from the emperor. Therion knew the deladrin had found the book and failed to return it to him. He sent me here to punish these creatures for their betrayal, and he gave me the authority to do it.” He strutted around Aaron, flaunting his newfound abilities.

“But you don’t know…you don’t understand the things that I’ve discovered.” Aaron pleaded with the young soldier.

“What you’ve discovered? Oh, yes, your insipid quest for
truth
. There is no truth found in this book. I’ve looked at it and there is nothing here, no wisdom, no magic, no power. The only truth is the power of the emperor. The words of this book are meaningless.”

“Meaningless to those who don’t believe,” Mari said.

Rayn glared at her. “Pretty morsel,” he mocked, “you’ll be quiet!” With a raise of his hand, Mari was cast across the room like Braden.

“Rayn,” Aaron pleaded, “you don’t know—”

Rayn interrupted. “What I know is that you are a traitor! The emperor has declared you an enemy of the state and signed your death sentence. I mean to carry it out!” Rayn’s eyes blazed with fire as he lifted his hand toward Aaron. From the tips of his fingers a rush of power exploded toward the captain. Instinctively, Aaron lifted his sword to defend himself, and Rayn’s power skirted around him as Aaron’s sword blazed forth in brilliant emerald light. Rayn ripped his own sword from its scabbard and lunged at Aaron. “Today, Captain…you will die!”

Aaron ducked, and Rayn’s sword passed over his head. He rolled to safety as Rayn leveled another thrust at his chest. Rayn lunged again, and Aaron deflected Rayn’s blade with his own. All around Aaron, a green glow emanated from the gemstone.

As he battled with Rayn, Aaron was aware that his companions also found themselves in a desperate situation as the gremellaks attacked immediately. Lorik, with his sword drawn, cut down three immediately as he slashed his way out of a circle of creatures. Mari possessed the agility of a gazelle and moved with such grace that no blow could fall on her. Then she pressed her advantage and used the two small daggers with deadly precision. Braden leapt to his feet, his axe still in his hand. Shouting a dwarf battle cry that resounded through the hall like thunder, he jumped into the fray. With two swings of his ancient blade, Braden chopped down the nearest troll.

Aaron parried and defended every attack Rayn threw at him. The young soldier would cry out words that Aaron couldn’t understand, and a wall of air would rush against him. However, the ancient sword protected him against every unnatural attack. Enraged, Rayn threw himself against the captain, hatred filling his eyes.

Aaron didn’t want to harm the young soldier. But realizing that Rayn would never yield, Aaron pressed the battle. His sword moved so fast that the blade became nothing more than a green blur as he continued against his adversary. Soon Rayn was backing off, defending Aaron’s attack.

Lorik found himself backed into a corner, unable to escape as two massive trolls came barreling down on him. He dove to the side, sliding against the stone floor and the troll smashed into the wall. Quickly, Lorik stood again and thrust his sword into the troll’s back. The beast released a howl that shook the room and then fell to the ground. But Lorik’s sword had stuck in a bone and was ripped from his hands when the troll fell. The second troll grabbed the sergeant and began to crush him with his massive claws when Braden threw his axe with deadly accuracy and severed the second troll’s spine.

Mari kicked and stabbed at anything that moved against her. With the prowess of a cat, not even the swift moving gremellak could lay a hand on the elf. With lightning quickness Mari jumped over two creatures, and catapulted off the head of another to land at Lorik’s side. Her daggers struck any enemy that came within reach until Lorik and Braden regained their weapons. In renewed fervor, Lorik and his companions pressed hard against the hoard of creatures.

Aaron held the advantage against Rayn. “You must yield!” he shouted to the young man. “I don’t want to harm you!”

Wrath and malice burned in Rayn’s features. “Don’t show me any mercy, traitor!” Rayn, again, pressed the offensive, but, unable to use his powers, battled in vain.

Aaron struck again, this time without reservation. He forced Rayn back onto the platform. Then the young soldier threw himself at the captain, raising his sword to plunge it into Aaron’s chest. Aaron fell to the ground, holding up his sword in defense, and Rayn fell upon it. His eyes opened wide in fear and surprise at the puncture to his chest. The young soldier fell to the ground clutching at the weapon, gasping for air, looking vacantly up at Aaron.

“Captain!” was all Rayn said as he slumped over.

“No!” Aaron shouted as he fell to the young man’s side. Tears of anguish streamed from Aaron’s eyes as he gazed upon Rayn’s fallen body. He pulled the sword from the young man’s chest and knelt beside him. Enraged, Aaron turned his attention to the creatures that fought against his friends.

With unyielding determination, Aaron rushed into the hoard of trolls and gremellaks like a madman. Every creature that came within reach of his sword died. The emerald glow blazed with brilliant light in the circle of his attack. Soon only the four of them remained standing in the golden room, the floor slick with the blood of the creatures that had fallen.

Atop the dais, forgotten on the platform, the Book of Aleth rested. Aaron stepped carefully toward the ancient tome. Trembling, he reached down to pick it up. A rush of memories flooded his thoughts: the guardsmen who died in the Shattered Hills, Garam and now Rayn. He gazed upon the ancient, leather-bound book, with its gold inlaid markings, and wondered and hoped.

Kneeling down, he dusted off the cover, revealing the ancient design. A faint, golden glow radiated from the ancient symbol. Carefully, hesitantly Aaron opened the pages and looked upon the book for the first time. A blinding white light issued from off the pages, caressing his face and illuminating the room with its piercing glow.

Aaron’s eyes widened, his gaze fixed on the light that issued from the tome. He looked up to his three companions who stared at him, silent and amazed. A smile crossed Aaron’s face and tears streamed from his eyes as he looked upon his friends. All he said was, “I know.”

The words of the book shot through his heart like lightning as the wisdom of the King filled his soul like a raging flood. Aaron’s eyes fed upon the words as he carefully, even reverently, turned one sacred page after another. It was all there, everything. From the beginning of Celedon to the coming of the usurper; the entire story of the great King was encapsulated in the Book of Aleth. For reasons unknown even to Aaron, it all began to make sense. From within the pages of the book Aaron could sense the great love the King had for Celedon and the reason he allowed the usurper a season of dominance. However, Aaron also began to grasp that the season of the usurper was coming to an end.

Lorik came to Aaron’s side. “Captain,” he said, “what do you know?”