Darkness Falls (Tales of the Wolf) (39 page)

Chapter 42

With the rising of the morning sun, Lalith reentered her son’s bedchambers. All three of the slave girls were still in bed and fast asleep. Judging from the bruising on their wrists, it seems that Galvorn had a bit of darkness inside him
after all. Lalith lifted the covers off of Galvorn and gazed once more on his naked form. Feeling her lust beginning to grow once more, she dropped the covers and nudged her son.

“Blademaster, I have need of your swords.”

Galvorn’s eyes flew open and he leapt to his feet, knocking aside the slave girls. He ignored their whines as he knelt before his mother. “My apologies Dark Lady. It seems I over indulged myself last night and overslept.”

Lalith giggled. It was a wholesome sound. “Do not worry yourself about it. It was a celebratory night and if matters were not dire, I would allow you to slumber longer.”

“Command me.”

“Not her, not now. Make yourself presentable and join me on the balcony.” Lalith turned and walked out of the room.

Galvorn watched her depart and couldn’t help but admire the sensual way she moved. Turning his attention to the slave girls, he felt his lust growing once more. Grabbing the brunette closest to him, he dragged her into the bath with him. Pushing her head downward, he commanded, “Take care of me.”

“Yes m’lord.”

Galvorn only had to glance at the other two girls to find that they too were busy. One of them climbed in the bath behind him and began scrubbing him clean. The other quickly made the bed and set out his clothes.

Galvorn smiled. “I could get used to this.”

*    *    *   *    *

A short time later Galvorn joined his mother on the balcony. It was a beautiful morning. The wind was light and seagulls danced in the sky.

Dressed in a flimsy and revealing white dress, Lalith put down her teacup as her son came into view. “Wow! Would you look at you?”

Galvorn stopped and spun around slowly. He was dressed in the finest chainmail ever made by the dark elves. It was as flexible as silk but as strong as thrice-forged steel and was stained black to match his woven leather pants and boots. On his hips were his newly acquired tulwars and strapped across his chest was his ever present
sicáe.

“Many thanks mother for this fine outfit. This armor is
superb.”

“I couldn’t let my son walk around looking like a bum, you’re a Blademaster now. You must look the part. The only thing missing is a cloak.”

Galvorn nodded. “Yes, my old one seems to have been ruined in my duel with Zivën. I will have to pick one up.”

Lalith clapped her hands twice and a slave rushed forward with a bundle of black cloth. “No need, I have already acquired you one.”

Galvorn accepted the gift with a nod of his head and shook the cloak out. It was magnificent.

Lalith smiled as he draped it over his shoulders. “It is woven from the spidersilk. It will enhance your ability to hide from the eyes of your enemies since it blocks all forms of darkvision and you will find that even though it is thin and light, it is extremely durable.”

Galvorn nodded and bowed. “Once again, thank you.”

Lalith smiled and gestured to the opposing chair. Slaves rushed forward to bring him breakfast as he sat down. She did not speak as he tore into his fare. Judging from his haste, it seemed that he was famished after last
night’s romp. When he finally slowed down Lalith said, “I have a mission for you.”

Galvorn wiped his mouth with his napkin and said, “Command me.”

“I sent your teacher to the Highlands to investigate some rumors and problems I’ve had up in that region prior to our next invasion. He has gone missing.”

Galvorn dropped his napkin and sat back in his chair. “And you want me to find him?”

“Yes and no.”

Galvorn cocked his head to the side in confusion.

Lalith turned her head to the side. “Jinx?” The gargoyle flew up and landed on the table between them. “He has an idea where Darnac might be found but you will not like it.”

Galvorn eyed the miniature demon with suspicion. “And how would he know where my Kënnári is?”

Lalith waved a dismissive hand at the gargoyle. “Jinx has connections in other planes that feeds him all sorts of information.” Galvorn fixed his azure eyes on the gargoyle and stared. However, it didn’t seemed to faze the demon since Jinx returned the gaze and even smiled. Before the young Blademaster could say anything else, Lalith continued. “According to Jinx’s informants, Darnac has been captured by Blackfang.”

Galvorn swallowed heavily. “And you want me to rescue him from under the watchful eyes of Blackfang?”

Lalith grinned but this time there wasn’t any warmth in it. “No, I want you to kill your father.” She paused before adding, “And then, if you so desire it, you can rescue Darnac.”

Galvorn took a deep breath and stood up slowly. “Your words, my actions. I will depart immediately.” With a simple nod of his head, the young Blademaster turned and left the balcony.

*    *    *   *    *

Jinx watched the young half-dark elf depart and grinned.

The torment Galvorn must be feeling at this very moment was intoxicating. There were only a few moments over the last millennia that were as enjoyable as this one. He had manipulated Lalith into sending her only son to assassinate his own father. Oh, his mother would be so proud of him right now.

Jinx realized that Lalith had asked him a question but he hadn’t been listening. “I’m sorry mistress, what was that? I was communing with one of my contacts and didn’t hear you.”

Lalith frowned. “Does he have a chance?”

“All mortals have a chance. If you threw your knife over the balcony, what would be the chance that it would strike the seagull that defecated on the table this morning?”

“Not much of one.”

The gargoyle nodded and absentmindedly flapped his bat-like wings. “True but there is still a possibility of it, no matter how slim. That is the chance that Galvorn has to succeed in this mission.”

“Then you think I shouldn’t send him?”

“You could send a legion of your finest
soldiers and they would have about the same chance. The difference is that Galvorn is unique.”

Lalith set down her crystal glass of wine and furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

Jinx rolled his eyes. “Galvorn is both Sicárii and Blademaster. That gives him a singular set of skills that separates him from anyone else, including Darnac.” The diminutive demon shrugged. “Granted, he is still wet behind the ears but his potential is unmatched.”

Lalith nodded. “You are right. Although, he does have a bit of darkness in his soul. I saw the
inclinations of it last night in the manner of how he treated the slave girls.”

Jinx’s eyes flashed with amusement. “Really? How exciting.”

“Now if only we could find a way to bring it to the forefront.”

“If he kills Blackfang or fails to save Darnac, I believe that either one of them will push him over the edge. That, or break him. Only time will tell.”

Lalith nodded. “The metal that passes through the hottest fire makes the finest blades.”

*    *    *   *    *

It took every ounce of self-control that Galvorn had to walk out calmly.

He thought that resisting his mother’s sexual advances had been tough but now he had been ordered to kill his father. Granted, Blackfang had never been the fatherly type but he was still his father. Of course, if Darnac was truly in trouble then Galvorn knew he would not hesitate to kill his captors, even if it was Blackfang.

*    *    *   *    *

It was midmorning by the time Gray, Chikk and Tamina made it to the Scriptorium.

There had been several logistical problems Gray had to work out before they departed but once he had explained everything to Falcon, the former noble had stepped up and taken command. Gray was surprised to see over two dozen people in line at the portal. Typically, there wasn’t more than three or four people waiting to use the gates at any given time. They hopped into the back of the line content to wait. Even as Chikk and Tamina fell into the age-old habit of small talk, Gray silently waited and watched. He always found it amazing how much you could learn about someone by watching their body language and of course, eavesdropping on their conversations.

At first, there was nothing interesting to learn but piece by piece, Gray was able to figure out why the line was so backed up. Evidently, a few hours past dawn, a dark warrior had shown up and cut to the front of the line. When one of the Vigil had stepped in and voiced his complaint, the newcomer killed him with a single slice of his sword.

Gray could not help but feel a deep pang in his guts and prayed to the Gods that his hunch was wrong.

Without a word to the women, he stepped out of line and made a beeline for the gnomish engineer. Even from a distance, he noticed two things that were out of place about the old gnome; he was unusually pale and sweating profusely.

Bathath saw him coming and stepped away from the controls. “Stop him, I could not.”

The eccentric gnome’s speech patterns were odd but the common tongue of Terreth was not his native language. From what Gray had been able to learn about gnomish, this was their normal pattern for
sentences. It was odd for the Weaponsmaster but he had dealt with Bathath many times over the years and had learned to compensate for it.

“What happened?”

“Unrelenting Shadow was, send to Ebonhold he command.”

Gray ignored the dirty looks from the others in line. “When? How long ago?”

“When Hyperion breeched the horizon, the Shadow was in transit.”

“I need you to send us there, immediately.”

Bathath cocked his head to the side. “Us? Problematic a group transport is.”

“I know but Galvorn is in danger and he needs us, whether he knows that or not.”

Bathath was about to say something else when a hulking member of the Vigil stepped forward and poked his finger into the Lüdüs Weaponsmaster’s chest. “What makes you think you can jump the line little man?”

Out of the corner of his eyes, Gray saw that his companions had stepped out of line to watch the events unfold and woe to anyone who jumped in to help the burly warrior.

Gray spoke softly and slowly as if he was explaining the secrets of the universe to a toddler and held up his fingers to make his point. “One, we are not in the Bastion. You do not hold dominion here and the Dôminus is not around to hold us in check. Two, I am Sicárii. I go where and when I please for that is the will of the Dark Lady. If you have a problem with that, contact her. Three, I am the Lüdüs Weaponsmaster. I do not answer to the likes of you.”

Gray grinned and stepped closer to the towering warrior. “But mostly, if you do not step back and mind your own business you will be explaining yourself to Gaul, for it will be my greatest pleasure to arrange a meeting.”

The Vigil warrior did not know what to think. He was over a head taller than the dark cowled half-breed but his size hadn’t phased him. In fact, he had a hard time not stepping back when the assassin had moved in close. He gazed down into the storm-grey eyes of the weaponsmaster and saw his death reflected there. Taking a step back, he raised both hands. “Sorry sir, I did not realize who you were.”

Gray nodded and turned his attention back to the engineer. “We need to reach the Shadow before sundown.”

Bathath wiped his hairless noggin with an already dirty towel. “All stored energy such transport will take. Offline, Scriptorium will be for some time. No recall will be possible.”

“That is fine. We will accomplish our mission and can walk back or we are dead. Either way, returning home is not my primary concern right now. Reaching Galvorn in time is. Can you do it?”

Bathath nodded and rushed the small group forward to stand on the raised platform. “When the portal stops, follow the grey line. Do not stray. Do not tarry. Luck you shall have and need.”

Gray nodded. “Many thanks my friend. I am sorry for the
inconvenience that this will cause.”

The engineer smiled. “Home early I shall go. With it assistants shall deal.”

Gray, Tamina and Chikk smiled and held their breath. Of the three, only Gray had the slightest inclination of what they were about to experience.

Bathath yelled a few times in his native tongue and his assistants ran all about the machine flipping switches. Slowly, the heat inside the Scriptorium increased until it was almost unbearable. In a
brilliant flash of heat and light, the portal opened and they were gone. 

Chapter 43

Galvorn crouched behind two scraggly bushes and studied the valley below.

It was full of soldiers…orcs, lycanthropes and probably a half-dozen trolls but no sign of Blackfang or Darnac. Judging from the troop placement, he could tell three things. One, they were not expecting company. They had guards posted but none of the soldiers were on alert. Two, there was a cave beneath the dragon skeleton. Which was probably where Blackfang was hiding. Lastly, the narrow canyon was the only way in or out of the Dragon Graveyard.

The young Blademaster chuckled to himself. If Blackfang’s sentries had not attacked him in the outer canyon, he would have bypassed the entrance, completely unaware of its existence. Now the problem was how best to infiltrate the camp below? Sure, he could shadow-step to slip past the guards but eventually he would have to step back into the Prime Material Plane and that’s when he would have to deal with the numerous soldiers.

As a Sicárii, he was trained to strike hard and fast, then just slip off into the darkness. Which was at odds with the Blademaster mentality of meeting your opponent head on, blade to blade, one after another, until a victor emerged. The problem was how best to integrate the two styles into one?

Then, the answer came to him. Why not do both? He could use
Salire-umbra
to slip past the majority of the troops until he reached the cave. Stepping out of the Shadow Realm, Galvorn could dispatch any guards before challenging his father to a duel. Given his limited options, it seemed like the best choice.

Galvorn paused when he heard movement in the valley behind him. Shifting his position slightly, he caught the glimpse of several figures sneaking through the canyon. He was about to move closer when he felt the cold metal of a knife on his throat.

“Gothcha!”

*    *    *   *    *

Gray opened his eyes and groaned.

He was laying on his back in a mass of pine needles looking at the trunk of a very large tree. Twisting his head slightly, he saw that there were numerous other trees all around him. A forest. He was in a forest. For some reason that seemed significant.

Hearing someone else moan nearby, he pushed himself up to one elbow and spied Chikk Forlorn.

Gray blinked. Why was that important? And why was it so hard to think?

Tamina. Where was Mouse? That was the one thought that suddenly shot through his brain. Sitting up quickly, Gray felt his stomach lurch but he choked back the vomit and scanned the surrounding forest until he saw her laying face down a dozen feet away. Seeing her did two things, it calmed his mind and brought his mission back to the forefront. 

“Darnac,” he croaked. Gray’s voice was dry and raspy. Pulling out his canteen, he took a drink and immediately felt better. “Now I know what Bathath meant about group travel being draining.”

“If the subject of trying that again comes up again, I’ll pass,” stated Chikk as she pushed herself up.

Tamina’s light voice joined in. “I never did like the Scriptorium, now I detest it.”

Gray forced a chuckle. “I once asked Bathath about group travel. He always said it was possible but dangerous and painful. Now I know why.”

Chikk looked around. “Where are we?”

Gray really didn’t know how he knew but he did and pointed off to his left. “The Wall is a short distance that way.” He sniffed the air. “Galvorn came through here a few hours ago. We’re gaining on him.”

The two ladies stared at him but he ignored them. They both knew that there was something peculiar about Isengrim but always just pushed it aside as part of his upbringing. But this, this was downright spooky.

Chikk cocked her head to one side. “Don’t take this the wrong way Grim, but I’m not concerned where Galvorn is at the moment.”

“Here, take a drink. It helps.” Gray handed them his canteen. “If Darnac is in trouble, do you not think that Lalith would send her newest Blademaster to rescue him?”

Chikk took a swig and nodded. “That makes sense.”

Gray helped Tamina to her feet. “Besides, I can’t explain it but I know that when we find Galvorn, we will also find Darnac. Come on, let’s get moving.”

Within minutes, they were moving north and soon the three companions were at the Wall.

The Wall is a huge cliff that
separated the Highlands from the Southlands. Since it is a sheer cliff, it acted as a natural barrier to contain the savage creatures that inhabit the cruel northern lands. However, nature and the gods tend to be fickle and want the two cultures to integrate. Therefore, at certain times passageways seem to magically open up that connects the two realms. This was one of those times.

Gray scanned the ground and even sniffed the air a few times but slowly and unerringly, he led them to the hidden corridor. It was behind an outcropping of rocks and was only as wide as a broad-shouldered man.

Gracefully for someone his size, Gray scampered over the rocks and disappeared into the gloomy passage.

Tamina looked at Chikk. She shrugged and followed. Seconds later, Tamina followed suit.

*    *    *   *    *

The moment Gray crossed the threshold of the Highlands many things happened.

Clotho, the Demon Goddess behind the reign of the Dark Alliance, became angst-ridden. She did not know why but something troubled her dreams and she woke abruptly. She was unused to worry since her disciple had destroyed the child of prophecy all those years ago. Without him, the Nine would never come about and her reign would be assured. This she knew. Why then was she filled with apprehension?

The Dhyana paused in their efforts to construct their own escape portal to watch the events play out in the mortal realm. Their fate was tied to this mortal, for good or ill their destiny was beyond their control.

Aquilo and Cassandra paused in their current missions to watch. Their father had forbidden them to aid the child of prophecy but they could still watch…and pray.

Closer to home, the Spirit of the Wild sensed the return of the Chosen One and shunted that knowledge to their faithful. All over Terreth, the animals suddenly became interested in what was happening in one small section of the North. One wolfpack in particular changed directions and began running south and east. Motomo, son of Orca and alpha of the pack, sensed that it was nearly time for him to repay a life debt passed onto him by his father.

*    *    *   *    *

Gray could not explain it but the moment he entered the rock corridor his soul came alive.

He could not think of any way else to describe it. He was suddenly infused with energy and all of his senses came alive. If he focused his attention on any one thing, like the ant crawling across the rock wall thirty feet above his head, his vision zoomed in and he could see it as plain as day. Hell, he could even hear its legs clicking as it walked.

This was both unnerving and enlightening. It was not overwhelming but welcoming. His heightened senses told him that someone was high on the canyon walls ahead. It was not any one thing. No glimpse of metal, no sound or smell that was out of place but a combination of all those and more.

Somehow, Gray knew that something was discordant with its surroundings and he was obliged to correct it. He turned to face his friends. “Follow the path ahead. Don’t look for me but be wary. There is something wrong.”

“What? What’s wrong?” Tamina hastily looked around. Not getting a reply, she looked back at her lover only to find him gone. “I hate when he does that.”

Chikk scanned the surroundings but didn’t see him. “Where did he go?”

“Off doing what he does best, stalking. If something is out there, he’ll find it.”
Tamina shrugged. Not having any other choice, the two ladies drew their weapons and continued down the path.

*    *    *   *    *

The moment the blade touched his neck, numerous deflects, disarms and blocks raced through Galvorn’s mind but it was the voice that sent a chill up his spine. Seconds later, the knife was retracted and laughter filled the air.

“By the gods Gal, I’ve never seen you so pale.”

Galvorn turned to find his best friend in the world. “Grim! Holy hell, you scared me.”

Gray couldn’t hold back his grin. “Sorry about that, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get the drop on you.”

Galvorn rubbed his neck. If it had been one of Blackfang’s minions or nearly anyone else, he’d be dead. Blademaster or not. “Well, you got me. I’m not sure why you’re here or even how you found me but I’m damn glad to see you.”

“I didn’t come alone.”

“Who?”

Before Gray could answer, Chikk and Tamina came into view. The dark elf pirate captain just smiled and nodded her greeting but not Tamina, she leapt into his arms and gave him a big hug.

“Shadow! I’m so happy to see you!”

Galvorn was uncomfortable with affection and pulled back from the hug with a smile. “Mouse. It is good to be seen. It was touch and go there for awhile.”

Gray could tell that his half-brother was mincing words and stepped forward. “Okay, okay. We are all happy to see each other but we are here for a mission.”

Galvorn raised an eyebrow. “You are? And what is that?”

“We’re here to find Darnac, the same as you.”

Galvorn tried to suppress a grin but could not. “You don’t know how glad I am to hear that. Except, finding Darnac is only my secondary mission.”

Gray cocked his head to one side. “What’s the primary?”

“To kill his captor, my father.”

Gray’s heart skipped a beat. Blackfang. Blackfang was nearby and to sweeten the deal, it seems that Lalith has lifted the ban on killing him. Gray forced himself to remain calm.

Chikk was unaware of her former student’s conflicting emotions as she smiled and laid a gentle hand on the young Blademaster’s arm. “It’s your mission Shadow; we are just here to rescue Dar.”

Galvorn rubbed his hands together. “Okay, here’s the plan…”