The Jake Thomas Trilogy: Book 02 - Sword of Light (25 page)

He glanced out and saw that he was under what looked like stairs.  He could hear the sound of men talking nearby.  Moving cautiously and quietly, he was able to go forward enough to glimpse around the stairs.  He saw two men, dressed in armor with Marcus’ family crest on their chests, standing near another wooden door, a couple of torches burning nearby.

He slid back and told Jonas what he saw.  Jonas rubbed his beard, thinking.  “This sounds like the same place that Silvan and Nathen encountered the demon.”  He whispered finally.  “We need to get past these men.”

Norlan nodded, moving forward.  He took a couple of deep breaths, then charged out, bringing his maul up.  The men were startled by his sudden appearance, frozen for a second, and then reached for their weapons.  Norlan closed the gap and swung his hammer before they could react.  The spike pierced the closest man’s armor, taking him in the chest.  The other man backed away and drew his sword, and then started forward.  Norlan yanked his maul free and blocked the man’s first blow.  The man attacked again, this time his sword slipped past Norlan’s attempt to block it; fortunately, the blade slid harmlessly off Norlan’s armor.

Before Norlan could strike, in a blur of fur, Maxis attacked the man, driving him to the floor.  Maxis savaged the man’s throat, and then backed away, growling.  The man convulsed and went still.

Jonas joined them and knelt, searching the men, but could not find a key for the door.  Nervously glancing up the stairs, Norlan went over to the door and used his maul to pry it open.  The sound as the door gave way seemed to reverberate though the dungeons.

“Wait here, Norlan.”  Jonas said as he brought up his power, golden light radiating brightly.  He stepped through the door and turned his head.  “If I am not back shortly, you are to flee the way we came.  Do not come in here, no matter what you hear or see.”  Jonas waited until Norlan nodded and strode into the corridor beyond.

Norlan dragged the men’s bodies away from the stairs, and then took up a position at the base.  He could hear faint sounds coming from above them.  He gripped his maul tighter, prepared to defend Jonas for as long as it took.  Maxis came up next to him, his body pressing against his leg.  Norlan reached down to pat the dog and waited.

…

Jonas made his way down the corridor, his form driving back the shadows.  He moved cautiously, eyes shifting from side to side, trying to detect any movement.  He approached the door at the end of the corridor, which was standing open.  Saying a quick prayer, he moved into the room beyond.

Near the far wall, he saw the opening in the floor that Nathen had made.  Pulling in more power, he stepped towards the center of the room, facing the darkened area in the far corner, and stopped.

“So, you have finally come, cleric.”  A voice sounded from the darkened hallway.  The demon stepped out of the hallway into Jonas’ light.  The demon was a little taller than Jonas, though its body was powerfully built.  Its face was human-like, handsome with dark hair, but the eyes were pits of darkness.  It’s fingers, though human-like, ended in short black claws.  A smile crossed its face, reveling normal looking teeth, except for twin sets of incisors, long and sharp.  “I was losing faith in my followers that they could bring you here.”

“What do you seek, demon?”  Jonas asked, planting his staff.  “I am a servant of the One, so you have nothing I want.”

The demon laughed, the sound chilling.  “Why, I want your life, of course.  I was sent to see if the stories were true about your power, to test it for myself.”

“You may find that to be a fatal error, demon.”  Jonas stated resolutely.

“Bravely said, mortal, but foolish.”  The demon taunted.  “I am Helvan.  You may have heard of me.”

Jonas stiffened, recalling the name from the Guardian’s tale.  This was one of the most powerful demons that came to this world.  Despite that fact, Jonas knew that he had no choice but to fight.

“However much you think of yourself, demon, your power is nothing compared to the might of the One.”  Jonas said, gathering his strength.  His body shone brightly as he felt his power surge, then released it in enormous bolt of clerics’ fire.

The demon laughed as it moved, its power deflecting Jonas’ attack.  It countered, dark fire streaking for Jonas.  He blocked it, but was staggered by the power.  He attacked again, this time his fire catching the demon, hitting it squarely.  The demon took a couple of steps back, its form steaming.

“You do have some might, cleric, but it will do you no good in the end.”  Helvan said, moving and attacking.

The chamber shook from the explosions of powerful magic, the sounds echoing loudly, the light blinding, as the two fought.  Jonas tried to pull in more power as he and the demon circled each other.  He deflected the demon’s attacks as he could, but the demon’s fire was penetrating his protections and burning his skin.  His own attacks were having some effect, but not enough to overcome the demon.

As Jonas deflected an attack and was knocked slightly off balance, the demon charged, closing the distance between them.  Before Jonas could react, the demon seized him by his shoulders, its claws piercing his body while its power burned his flesh.  Jonas let out a cry as agony blossomed from the demon’s grip and he tasted blood.

“See, mortal, your vaunted power means naught in the end.”  The demon said, a smile on its lips, as it began to pull, trying to rip Jonas in half.

Jonas screamed from the pain.  He desperately focused his magic at the end of his staff and, with his remaining strength, drove it up into the demon’s chin.  The demon’s power resisted for a moment, but then, with a searing light and massive noise, the magics exploded, blasting Jonas free from its grip.

Jonas staggered back to his feet, his mouth full of blood, feeling more blood running down his body from the wounds the demon inflicted.  Just holding his power would slow the damage, but he could not heal himself.

He looked for his enemy.  The demon was writhing on the ground, its lower jaw gone and dark blood flowing from the wound.  Jonas launched another blast at it, but its dark power absorbed the attack.  Jonas saw that it was trying to rise.  Knowing his best chance was to keep it down, he lurched over and threw himself on top of the demon.

He drove his staff across the demon’s throat, putting all of his weight against it as he strove to overcome its power.  The demon thrashed beneath him, and then its claws found him again, driving into his chest.  Jonas cried out again as the claws worked their way deeper.  Retaining his power by a thread, he tried to finish the
demon, his staff shining brightly as he attempted to drive his magic past its power, but it was still too strong.  The demon began to push him off.

Despairing, his strength weakening, he cried out in his mind. 
Help me!

Suddenly, he felt a new strength surge though him, his staff blazed brightly, the golden light turning white.  The demon let out a gurgled scream from its ruined mouth as the new power burned into it.  With a brilliant flare, the power tore through the demon.  It exploded into ash, the blast flinging Jonas away.  He slammed into the nearby wall, losing his grip on his staff, and fell forward.

His ears ringing and vision blurry, he tried to rise, but could not.  He felt his wounds pulsing blood.  He needed his might to slow the damage.  His mind foggy with pain, he tried but could not call up his power.  He could just make out his staff lying on the floor close to him. 
Maybe with the staff. 
He thought weakly as he began to crawl forward.  He only made it a few inches when his strength gave out and he collapsed to the floor, his lifeblood pooling around him.

…

Jonas drifted in a peaceful darkness, his pain forgotten.  He remembered everything that had happened, though it seemed to come from a great distance.  As he drifted, he felt contentment in the knowledge that he had defeated the demon.

He knew instinctively that he was dying.  The thought did not trouble him, as he knew that he was going to see his beloved Marlis again.

Out of the darkness in which he drifted, a light appeared.  In that light, a figure stood.  Jonas heard it call out to him.

“You have been a good and faithful servant, my child.”  The figure said, its voice washing over him with warmth and love.  “Know that I am pleased with you, but your time is not yet done.”

Suddenly, Jonas felt himself back in his body, his awareness returning as well as the pain of his injuries.  He felt his body shift, turn over onto his back, only to rise off of the ground.  His staff was on his chest and he felt movement.

“Hold on, Jonas.”  He heard Norlan’s voice say to him.  “Stay with us.  I have you.”

Chapter Twenty-One

With the rising sun chasing away the chill of the morning, Dominic and his party broke camp and rode towards Parshalthia.  The day before, they had found a small hill with a series of jagged rocks at its peak that provided cover and concealment while enabling them to observe any approaching threat.  Despite those protections, they had kept a strong watch, but there had been no further contact with the demons or their followers.

Dominic had Moshanna take the lead today, knowing that he was the best suited to guide them, given his history.  Moshanna, his dark face serious as he watched the surrounding land, was riding a few feet ahead.  He directed them back to the trading route, turning south again.  They continued for almost an hour when they came upon an ancient road, the outline of the battered and weathered paving stones just visible beneath the thin layer of red dirt that covered them.  The road led into the hills on the left, winding its way east.

“This is the way to Parshalthia.”  Moshanna announced to the group.  “I have been told that the road leads directly to the ruins.  We must stay alert; few have ever returned from those ruins.”  He looked over at the soldiers, gesturing towards the clerics.  “Remember that the clerics must be protected at all costs.  If the ruins are controlled by the demons, they will be our only defense.  They will ride in the middle of the formation, surrounded by the rest of us.”

He studied Stonebuilder on the water wagon, and then shook his head.  “We will leave the water wagon behind.  Speed will be our ally in this.  If we need to retreat quickly, the wagon will slow us down.”

“We need the water, Moshanna.”  Welsen objected.  “If we are unable to refill our skins, then we could have casualties from thirst or the heat.”

“I understand, Brother; we will pack extra skins with us.”  Moshanna responded.  “The ruins are only about half a day’s ride from here.  Between the water we carry and healing, if necessary, we should be able to last for at least two days.”  He paused, thinking.  “Also, I am certain that, if what we seek is there, we will have to fight to take it.  The wagon is the only water we have to make it back to Far Southern.  If we lose it in combat, then we will likely not make it back, even if we are victorious.”

“I see your point, Moshanna.”  Welsen said, nodding his head.  “Forgive my interruption.”

After they had filled all of the waterskins, Stonebuilder and two soldiers moved the wagon behind some cover, hiding it as well as possible and returned.  After Moshanna was satisfied, he gave the signal to continue on.

Despite its age, the road was in surprisingly good shape, allowing them to travel quickly.  It cut through the harsh terrain, lonely and forbidding.  The hills bordering the road became impassable, the rocks littering the hillsides rearing higher, their jagged edges acting as barriers.  The canyons
between the hills were deep and shadowy, the sound of their passing echoing down their paths, adding to the sense of foreboding.

They were approaching a turn in the road, with a large canyon opening off to the right, when a woman’s pitiful scream sounded from the canyon.  Startled, they halted at the sound, listening.  Another cry echoed off the canyons walls, following the first.

“What are we going to do?”  Taric asked, his face tight with worry.  “We should help her.  She may be hurt or dying.”

“We do not know what we will face if we head down that canyon, Brother.”  Stonebuilder stated.  “It could be a trap, with the woman as a lure.”

The other soldiers and clerics turned to Dominic, looking for a decision.  He was loath to leave any woman in distress, but he had to weigh that against their mission.  He considered it for a moment and decided.

“I will take Moshanna and Brother Taric to investigate.”  Dominic said.  “We will ride out for ten minutes.  If we do not find anything in that time, we will return.  If we do not return in thirty minutes, continue on.  If we can, we will catch up; if not, then we are already gone.”

“I should come with you.”  Halana said, looking over at Taric.  “You may need another cleric.”

Dominic shook his head.  “The main group needs the clerics’ protection more.”  He gave her a slight smile.  “I will keep him as safe as possible, Sister.”  She nodded while Taric blushed.

“Let’s do this, so we can continue on.”  Dominic said, drawing his sword and turning Shadow towards the canyon.  Moshanna and Taric were right behind him as he rode into the shadows of the canyon.

Another scream sounded, fainter than the last.  Dominic urged Shadow on, picking up speed while he surveyed their path.  The sound of their horses echoed off the narrow canyon walls, which towered above them, gray and red colored rocks jutting out from the walls, like thorns on a vine.

The blazing sun washed out the land in front of them for a moment as they came out of the canyon after a few minutes ride.  The canyon opened up and gave way to a series of rolling hills.  On the top of a nearby hill, Dominic saw several posts rising out of the ground, obviously man-made.  Near the closest posts, he saw several men, dressed in short tunics and leather sandals, their chests covered with wooden armor, pale in color, each holding a long wooden spear.  They were tying off the coarse ropes that bound a woman to the post, when one of the men noticed Dominic and his companions.

“Wild men.”  Moshanna stated.

Dominic nodded, then charged Shadow at the group.  Two of the Wild men threw their spears at Dominic as he rode at them.  He moved Shadow slightly, dodging the throws, and then he was on them.  He slashed to his right, coming back over to his left, the Wild men falling as he rode past.  Wheeling Shadow, he prepared for another charge when he saw Moshanna, off his horse, moving with the grace of a dancer amongst the remaining Wild men, his sword spinning, the men going down around him.  Before Dominic could return to him, Moshanna, his sword a blur, killed the last Wild man.

Dominic rode over to the woman, hanging limply from her restraints.  He dismounted and approached her.  Gently, he reached out and, putting his hand under her chin, lifted her head.

She was young, maybe in her twenties, her bronze face pretty, with short dark hair.  She was slimly built, wearing a short linen dress and leather sandals.  He was taken aback by the series of highly decorative tattoos that were on her cheeks and around her eyes.

Her eyes were closed, but opened at his touch.  Her eyes, full of fear, were a striking green color.  She struggled against his grip; a series of low moans escaping her lips as she struggled to break free.

“Easy, girl.”  Dominic said gently, releasing her chin.  “We will not hurt you.  Do you understand me?”

The woman stopped her useless struggling and looked up at Dominic, eyes still fearful.  “I understand you, Northman.”

“Do not try to flee; I have questions for you.”  Dominic said as he drew his dagger.  The woman’s eyes grew wide until Dominic reached behind her and cut away her bonds.  Once she was released, she sank to the ground, shaking.

Dominic motioned for Taric to come over.  Taric knelt in front of the woman, reaching out to take her head in his hands.  She flinched, pulling back.

“He is a cleric, girl.  He will not harm you.”  Dominic said.  The woman nodded and allowed Taric to touch her and heal her injuries.

Once she was healed, Dominic squatted down in front of her.  “How did you come to be here?  What were those men doing?”

“I was to be a sacrifice to appease the hill gods, to allow for safe passage.”  She said softly, staring at her hands.

“Hill gods?”  Dominic asked.

“The gods that rule this area.”  She replied.  “They command dark fire and steal men’s spirits.”

Demons.
  Dominic thought.  “Why were you chosen?”

“Women are often chosen, Northman.”  She responded, shivering.  “It is said that the gods use them as men do.”

Dominic’s face tightened, his fists clenching.  He had heard rumors of women being taken, but he assumed it was for the half-men.  He saw a look of shock on Taric’s face, his eyes disbelieving.

“You are free now.”  Dominic said, rising.  “You can go where you will.”

“Wait, Northman.”  The woman said, rising as well.  “I wish to give you something for your help.”

“Nothing is needed, girl.”  Dominic said.

“Please allow me.”  She said, holding out her hand.  “May I see your hand?”

Confused, Dominic held out his hand.  She took it in hers, holding it firmly.  Suddenly, a faint green light shone around her.  Her eyes opened wide and she gasped.  She released his hand and took a step back, her hand on her head.

“What did you just do?”  Dominic demanded.

“I saw a glimpse of your future, Northman.”  The woman said.  “It is a gift I have, to see things that come true.  My people thought that it was a curse of the gods; that is why I was brought here.”  She sighed.  “My name is Kalisia.  I tell you this, as I will be traveling with you.”

“Why do you say that, girl?”  Dominic asked, surprised.

“I saw that, without me, you
will fail, Northman.”  She said.  Dominic saw fear in her eyes.  “You must allow me to come.”

He looked over at Moshanna and Taric.  The cleric nodded, while Moshanna shrugged.  “If there is any truth in what she says, then it is better to bring her along.”  He said.

He turned back to Kalisia.  “My name is Dominic, girl.”  Dominic told her.  “We are heading into danger, but you may come with us.”

She nodded, but did not look particularly happy about it.

…

After they rejoined the others and continued on their journey, Dominic glanced back to see Kalisia, sitting behind Halana on her horse, being questioned about her gift by the clerics, all of them riding close and seemingly talking at once. 
Well, she wanted to come.
  He thought, bemused.

He troubled by her predication requiring her presence.  She was tight-lipped about what she saw.  She would only repeat that she was needed for success.  He did not like how she had a haunted look in her eyes when she said it.

What will be, will be.
  He told himself, pushing his concerns away.  He turned forward and focused on the surrounding terrain, watching for movement.  The rocky outcroppings and jagged boulders made for excellent ambush positions.

They rode on for the rest of the morning without incident, though light rocks that surrounded the road seemed to focus the heat, making it almost unbearable.  The simmering of the air as the heat rose from the ground began to obscure their view ahead, limited the distance they could see clearly.  So they were taken by surprise when they crested the final rise and found themselves overlooking the ruins of Parshalthia.

The ruins were spread out in a small valley directly ahead, the land dry and barren, the hills rearing over the ancient city.  It was not a large city, though it contained at least one hundred buildings.  The city streets, though dust covered, were plainly visible, preserved in the dry atmosphere of the desert.  The red and gray stone buildings were mostly standing, though some roofs had collapsed.

Near the center of the city lay a large building, tall with great stone columns visible in the front.  It was partially collapsed in the rear quarter, but mostly intact.  There appeared to be a single entrance behind the columns.

“If I were looking for a place to defend something, I think I would choose that building.”  Moshanna said to Dominic.  “It has strong walls and there appears to be only one way in, so that would naturally allow you to concentrate your might.”

“Maybe, but then again, it may be better to hide it in one of the outer buildings, somewhere your enemy could overlook.”  Dominic replied.

“Since we cannot risk dividing our force, it may be best for us to take a methodical approach.”  Moshanna suggested after a few moments.  “Start at the buildings closest to us and move towards the center, clearing them as we go.  It will take us more time, but we can make sure we don’t miss anything.”

Dominic looked down towards the city again.  He located a building at the nearest edge of the city, standing slightly apart, at the end of a dust-covered street.  There appeared to be what was once a stable next to the building.  The street itself ran across the city, with more buildings spaced out along its path

“I agree.”  Dominic said.  “We should begin.  The day is not going to get any cooler.”

At Dominic’s signal, they rode down to the building he selected and dismounted.

“We will start our search here.”  Dominic told the group.  “We will proceed on foot, so we can stay together, be better prepared to fight, and save us time from having to mount and dismount.”  He pointed to the nearby stable.  “We will clear the stable first and leave the horses.”

They went inside, the clerics glowing in power and inspected the building carefully.  Once cleared, they brought the horses inside, giving them some water.  They left, moving as quickly as possible to the next building.

At Dominic’s nod, two of Stonebuilder’s soldiers, handing their spears to the others, drew swords, then entered the building through the open doorway, Welsen right behind them.  After a tense minute or so, with the rest of the group anxiously waiting outside, they exited, shaking their heads.  Dominic motioned to the next building.