Rides a Dread Legion Free with Bonus Material Page 28

  Or shorter, said Sandreena wryly. Pug and Father-Bishop Creegan looked at her and she said, Ive seen him work. He cantake liberties and put himself and others, she added with emphasis, at risk. Letting her voice return to normal, she looked at the Warlock and added, Youre an arrogant bastard, Amirantha.

  Amirantha inclined his head slightly, as if conceding the point. But I know more of demon lore than any man Ive met. He looked at Pug. Someone is attempting to master in short order what takes years to master. I suspect that means someone feels there is an issue of time involved.

  Pug was silent for a moment, then said, Jommy, tell Amirantha and the othersand he indicated Father-Bishop Creegan and Sandreenaabout that encounter you had when we first discovered the Sun Elves and the Quor.

  Jommy was unknown to Sandreena and Amirantha. He looked at them, and said, Ten years ago I was still a lad in training and had been given over to the less than tender care of one Kaspar of Olasko.

  Amirantha laughed. He said, Hes here, you know.

  Glancing at Pug, he said, Fishing?

  Pug nodded. Even the demons couldnt stop him.

  Jommy looked uncertain as to what that meant, but continued on. In any event, the General had myself and some other lads training at the same time; we were undertaking a mission for not knowing if the newcomers knew there was a secret organization behind this seemingly straightforward school for magic, he said, Pug, and, well, we were spending some miserable times sitting in the rain waiting for pirates.

  Pirates? said Amirantha.

  Well, that was the report. He gave Pug a narrow look. Sometimes we lads in the front only get to hear what we get to hear. Anyway, this ship lay off the west coast of the peninsula where the Peaks of the Quor are, and three boats came ashore. This bunch looked like pirates, save they all wore these black headscarves.

  Sandreena glanced at the others around the table. Black Caps?

  Could be, said Father-Bishop Creegan. If so, theyve been keeping to themselves for quite a while.

  Even the level of magic Sandreena observed doesnt come easily. If magicians are trying to learn demon summoning, ten years is not unreasonable a time to hide and study.

  Jommy said, They had this magician, and he had thisthing he summoned.

  Now interested, Amirantha said, Describe it.

  Big, and mean, looking like nothing so much as the hazy outline of a man, only bigger, maybe seven, eight feet tall. It had smoke all around it, like a cloak or mantle draped over its shoulders. It spoke some language the magician understood, and its voice was hollow, distant. It took shape and it washard to describe. The skin rippled, like thick cream when you tip the pitcher, or a banner waving in a breeze. If that makes sense.

  Amirantha nodded. Yes, it does.

  It had eyes like burning embers, bright and red, and then the skin got hard, like dark smoking rock. I cant tell you much more after that, because General Kaspar ordered a charge, and all hell broke loose around me.

  I do know the thing got bigger as it fought, and when it hit something, it burned them. After a minute, it was covered in fire, flames of yellow and white covering it from head to foot. Saw a shield get scorched and a mans tunic catch on fire. Smoke came off it like a campfire. I dont know if we had a prayer until the elves showed up andbanished it, I guess youd say.

  How did they do that? asked Amirantha, keenly interested.

  I dont really know, said Jommy. Didnt think to ask. One minute we were scrambling to stay alive, the next there was this bright shaft of light and the thing just froze a minute, then the fire went out. It was raining, did I mention? Anyway, as soon as it froze, and the fire went out, the rain started steaming off its skin, and then all of a sudden it just fell apart.

  Amirantha said, That was not a true demon. That was a bound elemental servant.

  Pug said, What is the difference?

  Amirantha said, I can only speak from experience, and mine is limited. I knew a magician by name of Celik, who was fascinated with the properties of the elements, earth, air, water, and fire.

  He contended there was this essence of each element, an aspect that was akin to life, but not true life. But with the right spells, thatIm searching for words here, for like myself, Celik was a man who had learned through trial and error and had the scars to prove it. He called these creatures elemental servants. They came from someplacenot the demon realm, I am certain, but some other place, some plane of existence unknown to us.

  Fascinating, said Pug. His experience with his son and Nakor, the little gambler who had been a friend for many years, on the next plane of existence, when they confronted the Dasati invasion of Kelewan, had fueled Pugs curiosity about the various planes of existence. To his continuing frustration, there was as little information on those realms as there was on demons.

  Well, whatever it was, it was one very scary thing to have bearing down at you, said Jommy. But Im not sure what it has to do with whatever it is you all were investigating back in the Peaks of the Quor.

  Neither do I, said Pug. These Black Caps serve someone, or something, and for over ten years theyve been interested in the Peaks of the Quor.

  Father-Bishop Creegan said, The Svenga-ri. While we still know nothing of their nature beyond the sheer beauty of their being, we know they are beings of power, and that they drew those wraiths

  Wraiths? interrupted Amirantha. Youve encountered wraiths?

  I did, said Jommy. Or something enough like a wraith to not be much of a difference.

  Amirantha said, Tell me.

  Jommy spoke of being harried up the trail by strangely humanoid creatures who rode on the backs of wolflike mounts, and who were almost impossible to see as anything other than dark places in his field of vision.

  Miranda had been silent for the entire narrative, but she said, I helped obliterate them. She described their camp and turned to her husband.

  As best we can tell, they are creatures of the void, something akin to the Dread, like wraiths or specters, said Pug. Ive encountered the Dread on two occasions and their lesser kin a few more times.

  My respect for you is now without limit, said Amirantha with no humor or irony intended. No man living, to the best of my knowledge, has encountered the Dread.

  Wraiths and specters are also not of the demon realm. They aresomething else.

  What? asked Jommy.

  We dont know, said Pug. We only know that they come from someplace beyond the Seven Hells or Heavens. He looked at Amirantha and said, They are creatures of the void.

  Amirantha said, I have a feeling theres more here than Im being told, which is certainly your prerogative. He narrowed his gaze as he studied Pug. And you already know a great deal about the demon realm, I warrant.

  Pug was silent as those around the table studied him. Mirandas expression asked a question, but everyone else had an expectant look. Sandreena put down her spoon, as Father-Bishop Creegan did with his goblet. Pug saw two students standing ready to serve, and a pair conducting some independent study on the other side of the dining hall while they snacked on fruit and cheese. Pug pointed to them and said, You may leave us, and ask them to find another place for their studies, as well. Thank you.

  The two students hurried across the room, and soon the dining hall was empty save for those at Pugs table.

  Miranda finally said, Tell them. Tell them all. They deserve to know.

  Quietly, Pug began. You all know of the invasion of the Kingdom of the Isles by the armies of the Emerald Queen. To most of you, its history; to Miranda and me, we lived through it.

  Amirantha remained quiet, but he had witnessed the devastation wrought by the Emerald Queens armies in his homeland, when he had been a young man.

  There are things about those times of which I will not speak. There are questions I will not answer. But what I will tell you is only the truth. No one spoke, but there was a general acceptance of those statements in their expressions.

  Miranda knew of what he was speaking, for she had be
en there. She remembered everything Nakor had said about the Fifth Circle and what transpired there, as they stood on the devastated world of Shila, had seen her father, Macros, battle the Demon King Maarg, and had spoken with the possessed demon, controlled by the Saaur Lorekeeper Hanam. Only Miranda, Pug, and Magnus knew that throughout all the years Nakor had been one of their closest confidants, he had also been a tool of Ban-ath, also called Kalkin, the God of Thieves and Liars.

  Pug said, One of the reasons your High Priest in Rillanon made our introduction, many years ago, Father-Bishop, was that much of what occurs here is in service to a much higher order, a fact not known by the majority of those who labor here. He looked from face to face, seeing his wife, the Warlock, the Prelate, his foster grandson, and the Knight-Adamant. You have all come into this for different reasons, or so you assume. He looked for a long moment at Amirantha and said, Your role is not clear to me yet, but I suspect it is vital we found you.

  Demons have begun appearing in unexpected locations, without the benefit of being summoned. At that, Amiranthas eyes widened slightly, but he said nothing.

  Pug fell silent another moment, then said, Father-Bishop Creegan, Jommy, and of course Miranda know this, but you two do not. He pointed to Amirantha and Sandreena. Within the community of this island some of us serve a higher calling, through an organization called the Conclave of Shadows.

  We are by necessity a highly secret organization that has a very special relationship with the rulers of the three mightiest nations here on the continent of Triagia.

  Creegan added, Which also means they have influences in all the lesser kingdoms as well.

  And given Kaspars role in conducting me here, said the Warlock, with the Kingdom of Muboya on the other side of the world. He sounded impressed.

  We are also well established with other groups, including several of the major temples. Our purpose is not to subvert or even influence these entities, political and secular, but rather to keep open our lines of communications, to serve a greater good.

  And that greater good would be? asked the Warlock.

  Jommy barked a laugh, then said, The survival of the world. He leaned forward and all mirth vanished from his expression. In that instant, Amirantha could see that under the affable, smiling, open expression of this young man, there was a hard-bitten veteran of some terrible struggles. Ive seen things. Ive lived through things no man should have survived, and Ive watched people I cared about die. He paused and then said, There is no one in the Conclave for whom I wouldnt lay down my life, and Im certain each of them would lay down their life for me.

  Its not blind loyalty either. These people make a difference.

  Pug said, Enough, Jommy. Were not here to convince Amirantha were an agency of good and those we oppose are servants of evil.

  The Warlock nodded. No need. As such things go, I already know that. At least I know you believe youre serving good.

  Adroit comment, said Miranda.

  The Warlock smiled. Many of the people whove tried to kill me over the years thought they were serving a greater good.

  Jommy laughed. Ive had a similar experience over the years.

  Sandreena looked impatient and sounded the same as she said, The demons?

  Yes, said Amirantha. What is it you know about the demon realm?

  There are graduated levels of reality, began Pug. This is what would be considered by some to be the first level of Hell.

  Jommy laughed. At times I think thats too generous. He saw Mirandas expression darken and said, Ill be quiet now.

  We fought demons on the world of Shila, home to the Saaur, and found our way to the passage from where they were coming. We destroyed the rift between Shila and here and escaped. He neglected to mention that Macros, Mirandas father, died holding the most powerful demon of the Fifth Circle at bay long enough for them to succeed.

  We know the demons are ruled by a creature named Maarg, and he has captains. Of these we know little, save his first captain a hundred years ago was named Tugor.

  They have intelligence, after a fashion, but it is very unlike our own.

  Agreed, said Amirantha. So far my experience confirms they can be cunning, even clever, but there is a limit to their creative nature.

  Pug nodded. They seem drawn to the higher planes as a moth is to a flame.

  Amirantha said, Such is the case. That is why any summoning must have a containment spell or ward accompanying it, else the creature will devour everything in sight.

  Even the tiny imps, like my Nalnar, would run rampant to the best of his ability if unhampered. With a smile he said, He has a particular fondness for baked goods.

  Miranda didnt seem amused by the image. Most of those we encountered were meat-eaters, she said coldly.

  Again, such is the case, said Amirantha. Even more, those of the highest level I believe can draw life energy directly out of living beings using their own particular brand of magic.

  We know they have magic, said Pug, for there was a demon utilizing an illusion to convince all who saw him he was the Emerald Queen.

  Amirantha said, I would know nothing about that, as I have never encountered a demon with the power to create such an illusion. That the demon could do such a feat surprises me. They tend to be a fairly direct lot in their use of magic.

  From what the few demons I can trust have told me

  Trust? interrupted Miranda. You have demons you can trust?

  Trust, perhaps, is the wrong word. They are predictable, and reliable in that they will do what I wish and tell me what I want to know because they see me as powerful; they know I can destroy them as well as banish them back to the demon realm.

  What have they told you? asked Pug, shifting the topic back.

  They have cities, or something like social organization, said Amirantha. Not cities such as we would recognize, but warrens in the caves of mountains, or hives perhaps might be a better analogy.

  They feed on one another, constantly, but I have the sense there is something here Im not fully understanding. He paused, and looked at Pug, Miranda, and the others, and said, I have no certain knowledge, but I have an intuition that they never really die. I think their essence is consumed either by another demon or it somehow returns to some fundamental state in their realm.

  Otherwise, said Jommy, why havent they run out of food already?

  Yes, said Amirantha. They do not farm or fish, and to the best of my ability to judge from what Ive been told, their realm is devoid of any life except for demon life, as we understand life.

  Pug considered how alien the Dasati realm of the second plane of existence had been, and how much farther removed the demon realm was, and said, Perhaps it is something we shall never understand.

  To our present concerns; the Saaur are a race of warriors and magic-users that are the equal of any Ive encountered, and the demons crushed them after seventeen years of struggle. The Saaurs empire encompassed an entire world and millions died fighting the demons.

  Our concern of course is, why are demons now appearing with increased frequency here in Midkemia?

  Amirantha said, There are several possible theories.

  Id like to hear them all, said Pug, but for the moment, your most likely.

  Someone is bringing them here.

  Your brother? asked Pug.

  Amirantha nodded. At least the one that tried to kill me, the event that had me off looking for Kaspar to tell someone something bad was occurring. And if hes able to subvert my spells and He sighed. Hes either grown far more powerful than I thought possible, or hes allied with others. Either way, its to no good end.

  Father-Bishop Creegan asked, Whom does he serve?

  Himself, said Amirantha.

  Runs in the family, I see, said Sandreena.

  Ignoring the barb, Amirantha said, Belasco is not mad the way Sidi was, but he is not entirely rational, either. He easily flies into rages that cause him to do things He shrugged. Sidi was completely demented, and, as a result, u
npredictable. Im not sure he even knew why he did half the things he did all his life. Since childhood he was driven by impulses, needs, desires that I can only begin to imagine.

  Belasco, however, he is driven by hatred. He hates whatever he cannot have, whatever he cannot control, or whatever he cannot understand.

  Jommy sighed. That is a lot of hate.

  Indeed, said Amirantha. If someone or something, an agency we have encountered before or identified, perhaps this organization of Black Caps as you called themhe indicated Sandreenahas offered him greater power, greater wealth, greater understanding, in other words spoken to his vanities and desires, then he would serve another.

  I am certain if he is in service, eventually his plan will be to surpass and supplant whomever or whatever he currently serves, but thats another topic. For the moment, he is either working on anothers behalf, or for himself, but either way he seems determined to facilitate bringing some very nasty creatures into our world.

  The demon I encountered, the one that began this adventure for me, he was unlike anything Ive run afoul of before; he was a battle demon and a spellcaster. I cant emphasize how unprecedented that is. In no lore have I encountered or through my own personal experience seen or heard of such a creature.

  Demons tend to fall into two groups, with the magic-users being the far smaller. Their race is dominated by raw power, and often magic is more subtle. Those that use magic tend to be cleverer, more manipulative, even seductive with their arts.

  Sandreena said, Which reminds me, how is Darthea these days?

  Amirantha hesitated a moment, then ignored the comment. Ive often wondered how the little creatures like Nalnar survive.

  Pug said, We think its a system of fealty, being useful, buying protection from more powerful demons further up the hierarchy. Maarg rules through his captains, and they in turn have minions. We assume those like your imp serve a useful purpose, perhaps as intelligence-gatherers, but perhaps through nothing more important than carrying out the trash.