The Cor Chronicles: Volume 02 - Fire and Steel (22 page)

He was exhausted, and his heart thudded heavily in his chest when he finally reached the last of the spiraling steps. They ended at a small landing with a set of opened double doors that led to an open suite of rooms that obviously occupied the entire floor. He could see windows and balconies on the far side, and it suddenly struck him that he had to have passed through at least two dozen levels in the tower. The very thought of the dizzying height at which Nadav’s tower must overlook the city of Ghal gave Geoff a sudden sense of vertigo, and he had to put his hand against the cold black wall to steady himself. That was interesting also - the Loszian stone was cool despite the warming sun.

The man servant appeared once more from inside the suite and said, “The Sovereign Emperor of Losz expects you my lord.” As Geoff passed, the man whispered, “Be sure to show proper respect.”

As he entered the first room, which was clearly Nadav’s sleeping chamber, he looked for the Loszian, but carefully kept his eyes from the open windows and balcony to avoid a return of the dizzying vertigo. Nadav kept his abode plush and neat. Silk tapestries and wall hangings covered the walls, and superfluous carpets covered the floors, though furniture was spartan. A few slaves in various states of undress moved about on one task or another - one straightened Nadav’s bedclothes, while another crossed the room carrying a glass apparatus Geoff couldn’t identify.

He found the emperor in the next room; though the rooms were immediately adjacent and not separated by something as vulgar as walls, there was a notable difference between the two spaces. The carpets ended, leaving uncovered, cool stone floor, and there were no rich silks hanging from the walls. A large, intricately carved table stood to one side, and it was covered with tools and devices that Geoff only assumed came with the necromancer’s trade. He suddenly realized that Nadav’s rooms were substantially larger than any of the tower’s other floors, which seemed simply impossible based on Geoff’s limited architectural understanding. Nadav later explained that he used sorcery to make his sanctum transdimensionally incongruous, as if that explained everything.

Nadav sat in a huge throne-like chair made of a rich dark wood that had been polished to a high shine, and he stared contemplatively at a large map on the floor. It pulled at Geoff’s attention immediately, and it was unlike any map he had ever seen. It rose from the floor in three dimensions, and it was partially transparent, as he could see the floor beneath it. It was a map of the western continent in its entirety, both the Shining West and Losz. Cities were marked with small castles, and topographical features such as the Spine were plainly obvious. Also, Geoff noticed figurines spread across the Loszian countryside; there were a few in Aquis also, including a tiny one at Fort Haldon.

The map quite suddenly vanished, leaving nothing but black floor, and Geoff looked up at Nadav. The emperor now stared at Geoff expectantly, and his right index finger was raised in the air, presumably to dismiss whatever magic had created the now gone display. The Loszian was stark naked. Geoff knelt, as he knew he should, though he did not prostrate himself entirely as he had seen Menak do the previous day. His kneeling position brought him to perfect eye level with Nadav’s uncovered manhood, and the fact unsettled Geoff greatly. The Loszian dropped his finger back to the chair’s arm, and Geoff took that to mean he should stand, careful to keep his eyes centered on the emperor’s face.

“Thank you for joining me Dahken Geoff,” Nadav said. “I can only assume by the late hour that you found your accommodations satisfactory. I must say the silks of a Loszian lord most definitely suit you, and I hope to see you in them more often.”

Geoff was at a loss for words; he could only manage to say, “Thank you, Sovereign.” Nadav hadn’t thought twice about trying to kill him just yesterday by his own hand. When the magic failed, the Loszian set his more concrete forces against him, but now Nadav was cordial as if they had been friends for years. Nadav called him Dahken Geoff, the title he had rightly deserved at Fort Haldon. What was happening?

“Great power and wealth, every luxury you could desire awaits you Dahken Geoff,” Nadav continued, and his voice grew darker. “Yes, I could have had you slain, but it would have been a waste of so much strength, so much potential. I have heard how the blood of the Dahken sometimes demands your race to travel or seek out objects, persons. Is that what brought you through the Spine to Losz?”

“It is Sovereign,” Geoff replied, now finding his voice.

“Before you came to Ghal, do you know to where your blood pulled you?”

“Not exactly,” Geoff said, unsure as to where the discussion would end. “I felt like I needed to ride directly for the rising sun. Due east.”

“Interesting, but Ghal is southeast of Menak’s holdfast. So to where do you feel pulled now?” Nadav asked as he leaned forward, seemingly very interested.

“I…” Geoff’s voice trailed off as he focused. “I don’t.”

“Then I would say you’ve found what you were looking for.”

“Why would I want to find you?” Geoff asked the Loszian with a sneer.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Nadav asked. He seemed nonplussed by the question, but Geoff thought it was an act. “There’s a darkness in you, a darkness that any Loszian would be proud to have. I saw it when you jumped to the attack, when you murdered unarmed children in your attempt to strike me down. I doubt you have wept one tear for them or anyone else you’ve slain, and I know there have been others. You’ve taken full advantage of my hospitality, and I know what you have done to one of the girls I left with you below. You may be a Dahken, but you are a Loszian in your soul.

“Geoff, you are like me - we are both gods among insects in this land, unmatched by any of those around us. We must only be careful not to offend those gods from which we receive our power, and fortunately, they rarely care for the designs of mortals. Together, we are indomitable.”

“I don’t need you,” Geoff said boldly. “You can’t hurt me, and I can kill you with one arc of my ghast’s blade.”

“I would have you know that I have many magicks at my disposal, and what you saw was only one of my most mundane. If you believe what you say, then try,” Nadav challenged quietly.

Their eyes were locked in a silent combat. Geoff didn’t know if it was the Loszian’s words or his relishing leer, but he no longer felt sure of himself. He broke the contest by dropping his eyes to Nadav’s feet, and the Loszian sat back in his ebony chair in victory.

“Very well,” Nadav continued. “Now, tell me about Fort Haldon and the goings on there.”

“Why should I?” Geoff asked, but it sounded childish even to his ear.

“Because if you don’t, I’ll have you skinned alive until you do of course,” Nadav said with a sigh. “But I’d rather not. Besides, what loyalty do you owe those people?”

“Lord Dahken Cor freed me from Taraq’nok,” Geoff said hollowly.

“Yes, he did, but you and I both know Taraq’nok would have freed you eventually anyway,” Nadav said with a shrug. “What does the lordling Dahken plan?”

“He trains the other Dahken, teaches them to be like him,” Geoff said, not knowing why he spoke of it. “He intends to invade Losz and free the Westerners here.”

“Free them?” Nadav asked, genuinely perplexed. “Free them from what? Why? So that they may starve? Without their masters, they wouldn’t no how to survive. We care for them as children, but it is no matter. He would invade my empire with a handful of children?”

“Soldiers arrive from Byrverus weekly, and the fort is reinforced. He believes he can lead an army to destroy the Loszian Empire and unite all of the West.”

“And what do you believe?” Nadav asked quietly. “Where do you fit in his army, his new order?”

“I… I don’t. Lord Dahken Cor refuses to recognize my power.”

“Of course not,” Nadav said with a dismissive wave. “He fears you. You are more powerful than he, and he knows it. With the proper allies, the proper master, you will lay waste to armies and cities. I offer you the chance to fully realize your strength, to use it for your own will. All Dahken born in the West will be brought to you to teach, train and command. You will be honored as a king, even worshipped as a god, and you will live in luxury where none of your desires are denied. Would Lord Dahken Cor ever offer you such?”

“No.”

“Then he is a fool,” Nadav spat. He leaned forward, and his finger’s clawed into the throne’s arms as he spoke. “All this I can give you, and I offer it to you for the taking. Only one thing do I require in return - your unfailing loyalty. Serve me as I require, and you will be more powerful than Cor could ever be. He will kneel before you in fealty as you fuck his woman or he will die.

“Of course, Dahken Geoff, I could not expect you to answer now,” Nadav said more calmly, leaning back in the chair. “It would be unwise, rash to make such a decision after only a moment’s consideration. Please, continue to enjoy my hospitality. I will see you no more until you have made your decision, as I would not want to unduly influence you with my ambitions. Take up to a week and simply climb the tower once you’ve made your decision. If you choose against what I see as your rightful destiny, I will gladly send you on your way with no wronged feelings.”

Realizing he had been dismissed, Geoff bowed as he felt was appropriate, quietly turned and left the emperor’s presence. Thoughts and feelings swirled about within him like a maelstrom of the sea, a great thunderstorm in the sky. Everything Nadav and Losz stood for was evil and wrong, and the way he had indulged himself was also. But Nadav was right! He was more powerful than Cor, more powerful than Cor and Geoff combined, and the powerful should have what they are able to take. Geoff worked to clear his mind on the long spiral down to the rooms he’d been provided, and his heart and breathing eventually began to slow. He must avoid thinking about it for at least a few days just to approach the whole idea with a level head.

It was only two mornings later that Dahken Geoff made his decision. He’d had too much wine the previous night and had fallen asleep on one of the plush rugs on the floor. As usual when he drank too much, he slept fitfully, tossing and turning throughout most of the night with dreams that he could not remember.

However, there is one that he recalled quite clearly. He was here, in Nadav’s black tower, but he occupied a set of rooms to rival Nadav’s. Fully naked, Thyss was bent over and screamed in agonized pleasure as Geoff took her from behind. Shoulders slumped in defeat, Cor knelt on the thick, plush carpet and watched dejectedly as Hykan’s priestess called for more, and the once Lord Dahken’s armor and weapons were hung on Geoff’s walls like trophies. Geoff thought he heard laughing from somewhere in the tower’s recesses, but he paid it no mind. Eventually, the dream faded, and he slept soundly well into the daytime hours.

When he awoke, Geoff felt like his blood boiled. His body was sore from sleeping on the floor, but other parts of him were enflamed for other reasons, especially as he looked on several of the slave girls in the room. He picked one and took her over and over, heedless of her cries, and the entire time he envisioned Thyss begging him to continue. Once sated, he bathed and then dressed in a set of silver robes that were identical to those he had worn before Nadav two days previously.

* * *

Sovereign Nadav smiled wickedly, as he knew the Dahken boy was on his way up the tower. Brazenly, he would leave the apparatus he’d used to manipulate Geoff’s dreams right on his worktable, but the boy would have no idea for what purpose they had been used. The Dahken was easier to sway than he’d expected, no doubt due to the sliver of Loszian blood than ran through his veins. Of course, if he had not been convinced, he would have had to die. This time clothed in his robes, Nadav again waited for the boy in his ebony chair. It was not long before Geoff knelt before him in a show of loyalty, the rings under his eyes even more black and prominent than usual.

“Stand, Dahken Geoff,” Nadav said. “I assume you have reached a decision.”

“I have, Sovereign,” Geoff replied. “I accept your offer.”

“Most excellent,” Nadav said impassively, and after a brief pause he added, “Lord Dahken Geoff.”

19.

Keth’s sword whistled through the air. It was a high strike, intent on severing the head from the neck of his target, but as usual, Marya used her smaller size and agility to easily duck underneath it. They sparred daily as she constantly worked to improve her skills, and she had become extremely adept at simply evading most blows. In fact Marya almost never parried Keth’s blade, and she never used the small buckler shield that was strapped to her left arm, a fact that caused Keth no small concern. He virtually had to aim a blow at the shield, and even then, she often just moved away from it.

Adding to his frustration, Marya almost never landed a blow of any sort on Keth. Only at first, when Keth worked with her until she understood how to feel the strength in her blood, did she wound him, and that was of course necessary. In the last month or so, the matches became fights in earnest, and she seemed to genuinely want to hurt him. Though it was her shortsword that was the prime problem; Keth’s longsword had a good two feet of reach over Marya’s shorter weapon. He’d tried to get her to discard the blade and use something longer, but she found everything else ponderous and difficult to maneuver. She discarded the idea within minutes, returning to her three foot long blade.

Keth advanced at her with blow after blow, the majority of which missed completely as she danced away. Some she parried, always returning with her own attack, but he never had trouble parrying her counters or simply blocking them on his large, round shield. He brought his sword down from above and across his body, and she ducked while lurching back and to her right, causing the sword to miss altogether. Keth quickly recovered, whipping his sword back at her shield arm. Off balance, she couldn’t leap away from his blade in time, and it caught her left arm well above the shield. She yelped loudly, and her arm dropped to her side completely limp.