Demon Lord III - Grey God (27 page)

"Your mages,
it seems, have less faith in Kayos than you, but they cannot harm
me."

The Grey God
stepped closer to the Queen. "Order the guards to leave."

She turned to
the soldiers. "Leave us!"

The men
hesitated, then obeyed, and Bane turned to Kyan as the doors closed
behind them. "Are your mages ready to leave the city so that I can
kill their guardians?"

"Yes, My
Lord."

"Good. I need
the five most powerful."

"I am second
in that regard and my husband is first."

Bane scanned
the crowd. "Then let him and four others come forth and accompany
me now."

"If five leave
the city together, unguarded, the black mages will become
suspicious, My Lord. Vorkon himself might choose to come instead,
or he may accompany them. He treasures his mages. May I suggest
that only two leave, and head for another city as if on an errand?
A company of soldiers must go with them, to allay the black mages'
suspicions. Then they will strike, and more than two, perhaps four
or five, as they have done before." She walked back to her throne
and sank down on it.

Bane turned to
face her. "Very well. Vorkon might even think that it was the
soldiers who killed his warlocks. Your most powerful mage must set
the seventh ward. Let it be him and one other who leave the city
first."

She shot a
nervous glance at the crowd and beckoned to someone in it. "My
consort does not leave my side, Lord."

A slim,
handsome blond man with a rather weak chin hurried to her side and
took her hand, casting Bane a brief, furtive look without meeting
his gaze. Bane's eyes narrowed as he studied the mage, whose pallor
betrayed his fear.

"He will have
to leave the safety of your skirts to create the seventh ward,
young queen."

She stiffened,
raising her chin. "Then he shall, but choose two others to be your
decoys."

"It stands to
reason that the most powerful warlock will guard him, and I doubt
he will be one of those who attack the decoys if your husband is
not one of them."

"But when he
creates the ward, you will be there to protect him."

"A black mage
cannot scry or Far-See any more than you can, otherwise they would
be trying to spy on this meeting. But Vorkon can, and I can sense
him, so I know that he has not glanced this way yet. The seventh
ward must be created in secret, or Vorkon will destroy it before it
is completed.

"The black
mages who watch you have cast seeking spells upon you, which inform
them only of your whereabouts. Your husband's guardian must be
amongst those who are killed, or when he leaves the city to create
the ward, his guardian will inform Vorkon, who will be suspicious
of two outings by blue mages within hours of each other, especially
one who is afraid to venture beyond the city gates."

"We are all
afraid to leave the city," Kyan pointed out in gentle reproof. "You
intend to create the ward today?"

"We will begin
today, for it will take several days. Vorkon must lose your
husband, or our plan will fail. To do that he must leave the city
before a new warlock is assigned to him."

"I understand.
Then it shall be as you say."

Bane walked
over to the throne, and as he approached, Tygon grew paler,
released Kyan's hand and backed away. Bane stopped and eyed
him.

"Of what are
you a master?"

Tygon gulped,
his green eyes wide. "Stone."

"Excellent.
What do you know of ward magic?"

"A - a little.
I should read some books first, to - to brush up."

"There is no
time. Vorkon will replace the demons I destroyed, and they will
inform him of our plans."

He glanced
around at the silent throng. "No word of what has been discussed
here must leave this room." They nodded, and he turned to the
Queen. "I require three other decoys, and since you know this realm
better than I, perhaps you know how I can destroy their guardians
without arousing suspicion?"

Kyan
hesitated, glancing at the mages who were also her advisors, but
they averted their eyes. She looked up at Bane, flinching from his
gaze. "There is a place near the edge of the city, where a blue
mage was killed a few months ago. His guardian saw an opportunity
to slay him, as he was close to the fire wall and unguarded. It
could be arranged that two more mages wander into that area."

"Only two? Why
not three?"

"Blue mages
seldom seek each other's company, Lord, even two together is
unusual, but three would arouse suspicions."

Bane scowled,
then gave a curt nod. "Two will have to do then. I want no
suspicions." He glanced at Kayos. "Do you intend to stay?"

"No." The Grey
God turned to the priestesses. "Do you wish to return to your
abbey?"

Sharri nodded,
but Tarris shook her head. "I will remain and serve the Demon
Lord."

Kayos held out
his hand to the high priestess, and they vanished with a faint
stirring of air. The blue mages looked more nervous, and many
sidled away from Bane. He turned to the Queen.

"Make the
arrangements now, there is no time to waste. It will take no more
than a day for Vorkon to replace his demons. Once he discovers
their loss, five of your mages will die so that they can be
replaced with demons."

Kyan looked
horrified. "How?"

"He will
Summon them, then kill them. This is not hallowed ground; they are
not safe from him here."

"Then why has
he not killed them already?"

He shrugged.
"He toys with you. Perhaps his black mages have asked to be the
ones to destroy them. I am sure he finds your futile struggle to
hold his power at bay amusing. If there is a temple in the city,
they should seek sanctuary within it."

"Can you not
protect them?"

"From a
Summoning? No. Impossible, young queen."

She inclined
her head and turned to the silent throng. "You will seek sanctuary
in the temple, and no word of what has passed here shall be
repeated. The four foremost will stay."

Chapter Fourteen

Black Mage

Most of the
crowd hurried out, leaving four nervous individuals, who shifted
uneasily under Bane's scrutiny. A portly, balding middle aged man
with a mild, chubby featured face laid a comforting hand on the
waist of a handsome, matronly woman, and a slender, sharp-featured
young woman with straight brown hair stood beside Prince Tygon.
Kyan rose and descended from the dais to join them, Bane
followed.

"Kimera and
Bashir will go to the gardens, my husband and Shrea will make
preparations to leave the city."

Bane nodded,
and Tygon and Shrea left. Kimera and Bashir walked to the door, and
Bane turned to the Queen.

"Go to the
temple."

"Vorkon would
not dare -"

His brows drew
together. "Do not presume to judge him by your standards. To him,
you are of no consequence, a mere toy, if a pretty one. He will
think nothing of killing you, and that would be preferable to his
keeping you as a plaything, so do as I say."

Kyan raised
her chin, and her eyes glinted, but she retained her regal dignity.
"As you wish, My Lord."

He turned to
the mages. "Take me to this garden."

Kimera and
Bashir made hasty bows to the Queen, then hurried out, Bane
striding after them. They almost trotted down the hall, glancing
back often. The people in the hall stopped to stare at Bane,
apparently intrigued by his odd clothes, since it was upon them
that their eyes lingered. His garb set him apart with its
old-fashioned laces, studded wrist guards, and sweeping cloak. It
had a timeless quality about it too, and was durable and
functional, as well as intimidating. People stepped from his path,
and some who possessed mage tattoos frowned in suspicion. He
considered becoming invisible again, but discarded the notion,
since then he would be forced to avoid the people.

The mages
darted between two pillars, leaving the hall, and when he followed,
he collided with a fat, bejewelled man clad in a silken smock. The
man rebounded, staggering back with a soft grunt. The mages stopped
and turned, looking dismayed, and the fat man gaped at Bane, his
eyes wide. The Demon Lord stepped forward, and his hands flashed
out to grip the man's throat, sending a surge of dark power into
him. The fat man disintegrated with a soft shriek, leaving behind a
mound of dark soil and a settling cloud of dust. Bane brushed the
dirt from his hands and glanced at the gaping mages.

"That was Lord
Jaran," Bashir mumbled.

"That was a
demon," Bane said. "Do not imagine that the five in the throne room
are the only ones in your city."

"No, no of
course not. But... Lord Jaran! He is on the High Council."

"Not
anymore."

"How many do
you think are in the city?"

Bane shrugged.
"Dozens probably. Some are spies for Vorkon, others are here for
their amusement, as they have always been."

Bashir glanced
at the passers-by. "We should move on."

Several people
had stopped to gaze at the trio with curious expressions, clearly
unsure of what they had just seen. Bane gestured to Bashir to lead
the way, and he set off once more, Kimera at his side. At the end
of the short corridor that led from the hall, sunlight poured in
through an arched doorway, and Bane squinted as they walked out
into it.

Odd, horseless
carriages swept past with soft hums, and Bashir approached one that
was stopped beside the road, a bored-looking man leaning against
it. He snapped a name at the man and climbed aboard, closely
followed by Kimera, and more slowly by Bane, who settled
opposite.

The carriage
was designed much like the horse drawn ones, with the driver seated
in a small, glassed-in box in the front. The passengers sat in a
comfortable, open area with a folding roof for inclement weather.
Most of the carriage was wood, with leather-covered seats and metal
under parts with rubber-rimmed wheels. Its soft hum rose to a whine
as they speeded down the road, and a faint vibration ran through
the frame. Bane watched the driver turn the wheel before him to
guide the vehicle and use a lever to slow their progress on
corners.

"How do you
store the blue power for this contraption?" he asked Bashir.

"We discovered
a type of crystal that holds it quite well, and it is drawn out to
turn the wheels through a mechanical device called an engine."

"I see.
Ingenious."

Bashir swelled
with pride. "Thank you, Lord."

"I can see why
Drayshina finds you so interesting. Who puts the power into the
crystal, a mage?"

"No, My Lord.
The machine that creates the shield wall provides power at many
outlet points around the city, where people pay a small fee. That
was its original purpose, but when the darkness began to swallow
the land it was modified to emit the shield wall as well."

"What do you
do outside the cities?"

"We have roads
between most, and where there are none, we use horses. Our
inventors are now working on machines that will be able to
fly."

"Very clever."
Bane gazed at the passing scenery, a busy metropolis of broad
straight streets lined with shops and bazaars, side streets giving
access to affluent residences. Flowering trees shaded the roads and
houses, and gardens edged them with bright colour. The carriage
slowed and turned into a narrow street that led towards the fire
wall, then stopped before a set of wrought-iron gates festooned
with a flowering creeper. Bashir and Kimera stepped out of the
carriage, and Bashir paid the driver a few coppers. Bane followed
them, and the vehicle hummed away. Bashir pulled open the gates and
led them into a well-kept garden dotted with trees and shrubs.

"This used to
be a popular place for people to come and relax, picnic and play
with their children, but since the mage was killed, few people come
here," Bashir explained.

The garden's
sole occupant was a gardener pruning bushes. Bashir glanced around,
starting to sweat.

"How long do
you think before they come?"

Bane shrugged.
"By now they will know that you are here, and vulnerable. First
they will wonder what you are doing here, then they will have to
decide whether or not to kill you, and since you are so high
ranking, I do not doubt that the temptation will be too strong to
resist. Then it depends on whether or not they seek out
reinforcements. Since they do not know how long you will be here,
they will hurry. I would say half an hour."

Bashir mopped
his brow with his sleeve, and Bane wandered towards the fire wall,
which touched the ground a short distance away. It made no sound,
but the power emanating from it was tangible, making his hair
bristle. The mages glanced at each other, and then followed him.
Bane stopped next to the fire wall and studied it, sensing its
harmless nature. Despite its fearsome appearance, the blue fire
from which it was formed was of a kind that did not burn. He passed
his hand through it, receiving a tingling sensation and a static
charge that made blue sparks shoot between his fingers. The fire
wall's power was directed upwards in a faint blue shimmer, holding
the black clouds at bay.

"My Lord."
Bashir shuffled his feet and lowered his eyes when Bane turned.
"Are you going to make yourself invisible? These are, after all,
black mages you face, far more dangerous than demons. There could
be as many as five of them, and they will have shields. We will
fight too, of course -"

"No, you will
not. I do not need your help. You will defend yourselves, nothing
more. They might be a little harder to kill than demons, but they
cannot harm me. As for them being more dangerous than demons ..."
He smiled. "They are not; they are just different. A demon could
destroy several armies of humans, and all their efforts to destroy
it would be futile. A black mage, on the other hand, although he
could indeed kill hundreds of men, can be slain by an arrow through
his heart just as easily as you. But no black mage would dare to
fight a dark god, so yes, I will become invisible, but only so that
they do not flee before I can kill them."