Demon Lord III - Grey God (7 page)

"I cannot
believe you will not even find out what they want."

He snorted. "I
cannot believe you want me to take up the darkness again."

"I do not. But
if that is the only way to find out, then you must."

"And once I
have found out what they want, then what? You think my help will
not entail using the dark power? If it did not, they would do it
themselves, whatever it is."

Mirra nodded,
pleating her skirt. "I am sure it does, but the Lady said it will
not do you any harm, and you owe her."

His brows shot
up. "I do? For what?"

"For sending
the white fire to heal you when you were mortally wounded."

"She needed me
to save her domain, and for that, she owes me."

"She still
saved you."

"I would say
we are even."

She gazed at
him sadly. "You are not going to help them, are you?"

"No... I do
not know." He scowled. "I do not want anything to spoil our
happiness."

"It may be
something that will only take you a moment to accomplish."

"I doubt that.
There is only one thing they cannot do for themselves, and that is
go up against a dark god."

"But the Black
Lord is trapped below." Her eyes widened. "Do you think he has
snatched someone important to torture and kill?"

He lay back
again and stared at the dark sky, where stars were starting to
appear as pin pricks of light. "They would have to be very
important for Lyriasharin to beg my aid. Somehow I do not think she
enjoyed that."

"Would saving
someone from the Black Lord be hard?"

He shrugged.
"That depends. If it is a trap, then it could be unpleasant, maybe
even fatal. He would like to kill me."

"I do not
think it could be that. Lyriasharin, and especially Lord Kayos,
would not be duped into allowing you to fall into a trap. I think
you should find out what it is, Bane." She hesitated. "I want you
to."

He closed his
eyes, his brow furrowing. "Very well."

"I am
sorry."

"It is all
right."

She lay down
beside him, snuggling close to his warmth as the air grew chilly in
the sun's absence. "We should have dinner first."

"No, it will
be better if I do not eat."

"Oh, of
course."

Mirra propped
herself up on one elbow and gazed down at him. "Would you really do
anything I asked of you?"

He smiled,
closing his eyes. "If you had been paying attention when I made my
vows, you would not have to ask me now."

"I was a
little distracted."

"Flabbergasted."

"Yes. It is
all so overwhelming, though. To meet the Lady as her equal..."
Mirra shook her head.

"Actually, you
are her superior."

"You
jest."

"No, I do not.
I am her superior, therefore you are too."

"How can you
be her superior? She is the ruler of this domain, worshipped by
all, and a light goddess."

Bane opened
his eyes to gaze up at her. "And I could destroy her, if I
wished."

"Is that how
the hierarchy of gods is measured? By their power?"

"Yes."

"And Lord
Kayos?"

He shrugged,
studying the moon. "I would imagine he would be far more difficult
to destroy, so I will allow that he is my equal."

"That sounds
arrogant. He is an Elder God."

"And I am just
an upstart mortal. No, it is not arrogance; it is a statement of
fact. Ask him, if you wish."

"Perhaps you
could destroy him, but if that is the measure of status, then all
dark gods outrank the light."

Bane shook his
head. "No. But if it pleases you, I will consider him
superior."

"In age and
wisdom, he is."

"Certainly. It
makes you uncomfortable that I am his equal?"

"Yes. I
worship them both, but I do not worship you."

He chuckled.
"As Lyriasharin said, you are my equal."

"I am
not."

"You are
whatever I deem you to be, so if I declare that you are my equal,
then you are. Consider it a gift."

"You go too
far."

"You
misunderstand. It is a heavy burden to be what I am. Therefore, I
share it with you. You are my conscience. Should I stray from the
light path, you will be my guide, so I must heed you. I began to do
it long ago, without even realising, when you ordered me to let
those bandits go. Do you remember?"

She nodded,
biting her lip.

Bane gazed up
at her. "I know you will always do the right thing, therefore my
power is safe in your hands."

"I am not
certain if that is a gift, or a curse."

"It is a gift.
If there comes a time when the burden is too heavy for you, I will
carry it alone."

Mirra sighed
and lay down beside him again. After a few minutes, Bane stood up
and pulled her to her feet. In cosy confines of the cabin, he
lighted all the candles with a muttered word, then went into the
bedroom, pulling off his dark brown jacket and cream shirt. Mundane
clothes could not withstand the dark fire, and he had to don his
Underworld clothes before he wielded it or be left naked
afterwards.

Mirra watched
from the doorway as Bane opened the chest at the foot of the bed,
taking out the silken black clothes that had been stored there for
two years. He stared at them, then sat down on the bed as a wave of
memories washed over him. Sixteen years of suffering in the
Underworld, tormented by demons and droges, much of which he could
not recall, thankfully. That which he did now rushed back, however.
They had twisted him with their cruelty and scorn, goading him
until he had known only hatred and rage. The dark power's
malevolent whispers had warped him, filling him with a lust for
death and destruction, an all-consuming hatred that had almost made
him destroy the Overworld.

Mirra had
suffered at his hands, and he recalled her soft eyes, so full of
sorrow and pain, pleading for him to stop, but the dark power would
not let him. It had held him in a merciless grip, and almost killed
him. Some of the memories were so vivid that it seemed like it had
only happened yesterday, and he gripped the silken material of the
hated clothes he had worn, almost able to see the blood stains on
them. Mirra came and sat beside him, pried his fingers from the
cloth and slipped her hand into his.

"Must you wear
those?"

"Yes."

"Could you
make some different ones?"

He shook his
head. "Not without the power. Besides, there is no point. This is
what I really am."

"No, it is
not. You are my wonderful, gentle husband. It is what is inside
that counts, not the clothes you wear."

"When I take
up the power, it is a part of who I am."

"No, it is
your tool, nothing more."

He sighed.
"You will never understand. How could you?"

"If it was
truly a part of you, you would be less without it, and you are not.
You do not need it. You only use it."

"I wish that
was true."

Bane donned
the ebon shirt with its flame-like gold patterns on the chest, and
she helped to button it. The material seemed to absorb light, yet
it felt like watered silk. Bane pulled on his boots, then fastened
the gold-buckled belt and slid the dagger into its sheath. Finally
he stood and clipped on the flowing, floor-length black cloak lined
with crimson satin, flinging the edges over his shoulders.

Mirra gazed up
at him with a smile. "I always thought you looked handsome in these
clothes."

"Is that
supposed to make me feel better?"

"Yes. I fell
in love with you when you wore them, remember?"

He nodded.
"How could I forget? I thought you were either mad, or an idiot. I
still do."

She cocked her
head. "An idiot?"

"Mad."

"Only madly in
love."

Bane bent and
kissed her brow. "For which I am eternally grateful. You captured
my heart the first moment I set eyes on you."

"Which is why
you tried to burn me to a crisp."

"Actually,
yes."

She raised her
brows. "You will have to explain that."

He sighed,
pondering. "It has taken me a long time to understand what happened
then. Until the moment I saw you, the dark power ruled my emotions,
and I had none except fury, contempt and hatred. You stirred
something in me that I had not felt before, and the darkness turned
it into rage."

Mirra stood up
and slid her arms around his waist, laying her cheek against his
chest. Bane rarely spoke about his past, and then with great
reluctance and only to her. The confusion and pain he had suffered
did not bear relating, but she, at least, had shared a small part
of his ordeal. When he spoke of the horrors he had suffered in the
Underworld or revealed these rare insights about his feelings, it
always brought her to tears. Bane was not inclined to speak of his
emotions, many of which he still did not fully understand.

Mirra sensed
his impatience and released him, wiping her eyes. Bane studied her,
brushing away a tear that escaped her hands, looking puzzled.

"Are you
upset?"

"No." She
sniffed and forced a smile. "I am happy."

"This is the
kind of happiness that makes you weep?"

"Yes. As I
always do when you say something sweet."

His brows
rose. "I did?"

She smacked
him playfully, and he hunched his shoulder. "You know you did, you
great lummox."

"If you say
so." He hesitated. "Are you all right? I must go before father
catches me in these clothes."

She giggled.
"He will probably put you over his knee."

Bane nodded.
"He might try."

"I am all
right. Go, do not keep the goddess waiting."

He cocked his
head. "She knows I am coming, she is watching."

"She watched
you dress?"

"No." He
chuckled. "She respects my privacy."

"How strange
it is that the goddess respects the wishes of my husband, to whom I
pay little mind."

"You are
allowed."

She shot him a
sharp glance. "I hope that is not because you are still trying to
make up for -"

"No."

"Good." She
acted coy. "Then why?"

Bane smiled.
"You know why."

"I want you to
say it."

"Why?"

"Because I
want to hear it!"

Bane cupped
her face and leant closer to whisper, "Because I love you."

Mirra hugged
him, then released him and swung away. "Go, while I can still let
you."

"Do you want
to come?"

"To Eternity?"
Her heart leapt, but then she shook her head. "I was not
invited."

"I am inviting
you."

"No, they want
to speak to you alone."

"If you want
to come, I will take you."

"No."

Bane headed
for the door, stopping when she started to follow him. "You are
going to watch?"

"Yes."

Bane opened
his mouth to argue, then realised it would be futile and strode out
of the cabin. Silver moonlight bathed the land, and only the
barking of a distant fox broke the stillness. Grem and Mithran had
gone to the village a few days ago to indulge in its pleasures and
give the newlyweds some privacy. A pang of concern went through him
at the prospect of leaving Mirra alone, but she was quite capable
of taking care of herself, and he would not be long. Bane walked to
the edge of the trees, where shadows lay thick upon the ground in a
dark blanket, and stopped, turning to Mirra, who stood a few yards
away.

"Do not come
any closer," he warned.

"I know."

Bane
unfastened the buttons and pulled open his shirt, revealing the
seven rune scars on his chest, arranged in a deep 'V' across his
pectorals. Time, and Mirra's frequent attempts to obliterate them,
had faded the scars to faint pink lines. In spite of her efforts,
they remained visible. He traced two of them, and the arcane
symbols glowed with soft red light. They would aid his Gather and
limit the amount of power he would draw in, for which he was
grateful.

For several
minutes, he stood contemplating what he was about to do. He had
promised himself that he would never take up the dark power again,
knowing it would change him into a cold, unfeeling monster. One
that the people of the Overworld had feared and hated, and some
hated still. He had not thought he would ever have to break that
promise, and the prospect of filling himself with the dark power's
malevolence made him break out in a cold sweat. Raising his arms,
he steeled himself, shooting a glance at Mirra, who bit her
lip.

Bane drew in a
deep breath and spread his hands towards the shadows under the
trees, summoning them. The dark power resisted him for a moment, as
if reluctant to obey him after such a long absence, then it surged
forth to answer his call. It rose in foul streams, surrounding him
in darkness as it soaked into his flesh, settled into his bones and
filled him with its familiar corruption. His stomach clenched, but
it no longer nauseated him as much as it had once done.

The two runes
brightened as the shadows settled into him, paled his skin and made
his hair fall into shining wings. After so long without it, his
flesh burnt as it invaded him, reminding him of the agony it had
once caused, and the cost of wielding it. As soon as he had
absorbed sufficient to reach the light realm and return, he lowered
his arms and let the Gather ebb, not wishing to store more than he
needed. The dark power swirled around him, and the remainder sank
back into the shadows, thwarted by his control.

Bane glanced
at Mirra again. She looked pale and anguished, her eyes haunted. He
swung away and Moved.

Kayos sensed
the presence of the dark god in Eternity like a shiver running
through the clouds, and turned to face Lyriasharin as a young god
of immense power appeared beside her. A nimbus of blue flame shone
in an oval around him, outlining his aura without obscuring his
form. His clothes seemed to soak up the light, the gold patterns on
his shirt glinted and the crimson lining of his cloak glowed.
Shining wings of raven hair contrasted starkly with his alabaster
skin, and his eyes shone, enhanced by the power he carried within
him now. Kayos had faced many dark gods in his long lifetime, and
all had tried to enslave or destroy him. For the first time, he
stood before one who did not pose a threat, and found the situation
intriguing and novel.