His senses tingled. Something wasn’t right. A moment later, this was confirmed when a stream of short stocky creatures began pouring out of the opening like ants. He knew at once what they were. Trolls. But not the lumbering giants he had seen long ago. These were their young, and of a much different temperament to their parents. Driven mad by the industry of the dwarves, the adolescents were vicious killers with the strength of at least three elves and gifted with unbelievable speed.
In one furious body, they streaked directly toward the Imperial lines, ignoring the thin scattering of dwarves and elves that they passed. They crossed the distance from the mountain to the troops in less than a minute. Hundreds and hundreds of them – far more than he would have thought existed. Even the
silent ones
paused for a moment at the sight of their attackers.
Without the smallest trace of fear, the young creatures literally threw themselves the final few yards into the waiting steel of the enemy. Many were skewered at the onset. But this was not enough to halt their advance. Seconds later, the Imperial front line was being ripped to shreds by razor sharp claws and gnashing teeth. The young troll's ferocity more than made up for the fact that the
silent ones
vastly outnumbered them. Such was their impact, even the fleeing elves and dwarves halted, unsure what to do.
In the middle of this pandemonium, an almighty roar from the mountainside rose easily above the sounds of battle, instantly capturing Hronso's attention. The opening was now three times the size it had been only a moment before, and the massive adult troll standing inside filled it completely.
In response to the parental call, the young trolls hesitated, but with blood lust blazing, it was not enough to stop them completely. After pausing only briefly, they renewed their assault on the soldiers. Another opening in the mountain then formed a few yards further down and a second adult troll came forth. In bizarre disharmony, the two adults called out together.
This time, their overwhelmingly deafening demand was sufficient to make the young stop altogether. The soldiers lurched forward to take advantage of their apparent indecision, hacking down several in the initial strike. A second combined call had the adolescents racing back the way they had come. The commanders wisely chose not to pursue them.
With the young trolls back inside what remained of the mountain, messages began to arrive from the commanders requesting instructions. And to each, Hronso gave the same reply. “Pull back. Regroup and prepare to march north.”
A new enemy. One they should have anticipated. But it would change nothing. More than anyone, Hronso understood the nature of these beasts. Only the young were dangerous, and even their feral nature would not press them into leaving their mountain home for very long.
He had accomplished his goal. Elyfoss was in ruins, and any gains the dwarf and elf army might have made would very soon be lost. The end to this rebellion was coming.
Not a soul in Lumnia could fathom the price they were about to pay for their defiance.
Shinzan sat back and gazed upon the unconscious woman. He hated this uncertainty. He hated being made to feel as if emotions rather than practicality were controlling his actions. But most of all, he hated the way Lady Illyrian seemed to impact on him even when she was in a state of complete helplessness.
It would be simplicity itself to end her life. With no more effort than a snap of his fingers, it could be over. But he wouldn’t do this. Not yet. She must pay for what she had done to him…what she was
still
doing.
Unlike other women, he had never subjected her to the humiliations and torments he usually took such a great pleasure in devising. Yes, he had caused her physical pain. More than most humans could tolerate and still hold on to their sanity. But she was a remarkable woman to be certain and had never uttered a sound. Illyrian had discovered a way to escape within herself without the use of magic. Up until now, there seemed to be nothing he could do to her that would cause her to submit. And simply throwing her to the guards for them to ravage would only make the last words she had spoken before he'd sealed her away become a truth.
“You are without imagination or spirit, Shinzan,” she had told him. “Your petty joys are that of a simple and crude beast - a clumsy child searching in the dark for amusement he will never find.”
Yes. He could do the things that had broken others just for the possible enjoyment, even if they were going to fail. But he would not. He now had a better scheme in mind. And once it was revealed, she
would
finally break. At last she would fall to her knees and beg for death.
The small chamber that would serve as her prison was reasonably comfortable. A decent bed and a shower had been provided, as well as a wardrobe filled with finely made clothes. He had even seen that an assortment of books was available to help pass the lonely hours while she waited to learn of her fate. There was no sense in chaining her to walls or locking her in a cage. She could not get away, and it was doubtful she would even try. Here, her magic was useless. By morning, the only guards left alive would be his new pets. And they could never be persuaded to help her.
He was actually excited to unleash his new creations upon the world. His original intention had been to wait until after his power had all but consumed the life from Lumnia. But alas, the arrival of Ethan Dragonvein, and then the appearance of Martok, had forced him to accelerate his plans.
He stood and walked over to the bed. The sight of Illyrian’s perfect breasts moving up and down in time with her steady breathing sent his passions wild. The fullness of her lips and the way they always seemed to be so ready to be kissed chipped away at his resolve. Of all the beauties he had beheld, she was by far the most radiant. Often he would attribute this feeling to the body he now inhabited – leftover emotions from its previous occupant. But whatever the cause, he would be relieved to have it no longer plague him.
“It’s time for you to awaken, my love,” he said. “I’m anxious for you to see what has become of your world.”
He pressed his index finger to the center of her forehead. Illyrian stirred and a tiny smile formed at the corners of her mouth.
“Did you have a pleasant dream?” Shinzan asked.
Her eyes slowly cracked open. At once, her smile vanished and she sat bolt upright. “Where am I?” she demanded.
“Safe,” he replied, taking a step back. “For the time being, at least.”
She took stock of her surroundings. “How long have I been asleep?” It was clear that she was masking the stiffness in her muscles.
“Quite some time. Things are very different from what you remember.”
Illyrian sneered. “A pity you have not changed as well.”
“Oh, but I have. Very much so, in fact. I am nearly to the end of my time on this world. As a result, I have become…shall we say…sentimental. I will miss this place once it has become a dry, lifeless husk. So I have arranged a rather touching reunion for us.”
“You possessed my husband’s body. Do not imagine you possess his wit as well. Speak plainly or leave me alone. You have no words I wish to hear.”
Shinzan chuckled. “Always the defiant one, aren’t you? But I think you'll find you are mistaken. You'll very much want to hear what I have to say when you know who it concerns.”
He waited until Illyrian had met his eyes. “I am going to bring your young son back to you…Weslyn was his name I believe. He goes by another one now, of course. And though I was not the one who actually brought him back to Lumnia, it
will
be my great pleasure to reunite the pair of you.”
Seeing her back stiffen pleased him greatly. He had elicited a reaction at last.
“You lie,” she snapped. “He is far beyond your reach.”
“Yes, he was. But sadly you placed your trust in fools. They actually brought him back to do battle with me. Can you imagine such idiocy? At this very moment he is racing here to confront me.”
“That’s not possible. Jonas would never allow it.”
“As I understand it, Ethan – that’s the name he goes by these days in case you are interested – has even gone so far as to retrieve the other mage children as well.”
“So this is why you have brought me back. A petty torment.” Though her voice was hard, her lips trembled.
“A torment to be sure. But petty? I think not. Young Ethan has caused me no small measure of trouble. Of this you should be proud. But not even his father could defeat me, and he was far more powerful than poor Ethan will ever be.” He stepped in closer so as to loom large over the bed. “I could of course always spare him. Send you both to Earth.”
Illyrian glared at him for a long moment before averting her eyes. “Do not think to tempt me with empty promises. If you have brought me here for that, it would be just as well that you kill me now.”
He laughed. “Kill you now? Why would I do that when I have brought you here to behold my final victory? You will watch as your world dies. But not before you bear witness to your son begging me for death. He is too stupid to run. He thinks he can defeat me, even though we both know that is not the case. He will share his father’s fate, with just one notable difference. His death will be far, far slower. I have learned much about inflicting pain over the years. But I still have some new ideas that I have been longing to try.”
“You are the same monster you’ve always been. Time has done nothing but diminish you.” In spite of her brave words, tears were now streaming down Illyrian's cheeks.
Her profound distress was indeed bringing Shinzan his long-desired feeling of elation. Yet even now, it was not what he'd hoped for. Frustratingly, any pleasure was mixed with an equally strong sensation of guilt. Something about the pain she was feeling was affecting him in entirely the wrong way. The rage inside began to rise. She would
not
rob him of his final victory.
In a rapid movement he spun and crossed to the door, breathing heavily. It was as well he did, knowing that in a moment of temper he had very nearly lashed out and killed her. That would have been but a fleeting moment of gratification compared with the joy his ultimate triumph would bring.
Nothing
must deny him that.
“You will remain here,” he said in a low hissing voice. “Do not attempt to leave this room.”
He exited the chamber before she could say a word, stalking his way through the halls toward the throne room. The palace was all but empty. The guards had been sent to join the armies in Kytain, replaced by the soldiers he had spent so long in creating. Only the household staff would remain, along with a few others who were needed to relay messages and carry out more complex tasks. The
silent ones
, as the other soldiers now called his creations, were not best suited for anything more than simple duties. That was the price to be paid for their extraordinary skill as warriors and their absolute loyalty and obedience.
Upon reaching the throne room, he ventured out into the courtyard where he was used to spending so much of his time. The fountain that had hidden Lady Illyrian now seemed dull and unimportant: the flowers and various stone decorations surrounding it entirely too common as well. Suddenly, he hated this place. He raised a hand. In a maelstrom of wind and sand, it was reduced to dust in mere seconds. Only bare walls remained.
“And soon, all of Lumnia will suffer the same fate,” he murmured.
After stepping onto the shore, Ethan glanced at Kat and felt a renewed rush of anxiety over her safety. For three days he had tried without success to convince her to remain in Borgen. Though he would not normally expect to succeed in such an endeavor, the desperation he felt at the time had him all but encasing her in crystal to keep her safely out of harm's way. With the knowledge Martok had passed on to him, it was a thing he could have done easily enough. Only Lylinora’s last minute interference had prevented it from actually happening.
Most of his time during their journey had been spent ensuring that the others knew precisely what to do. Martok had indeed been truthful when he'd told Kat that he hoped only to save the lives of the people. His mind was keen and his plan sound. The dwarf devise should give them the time they needed to locate Shinzan's source of power, while the incantation would hopefully weaken him enough to make him vulnerable.
They had avoided the major ports just to be safe, though the smoke rising from the coast told him that the Ralmarians had likely secured them anyway. And if the rest of the plan had gone as well, the Imperial forces would now be severely crippled. Not that this alone would be in any way decisive. There was no doubt that Shinzan’s ego would drive him to desire victory on the battlefield. But even if his entire army were to be crushed and the rebellion successful, that would still not be sufficient to deny the Emperor his final victory. Unless personally destroyed, he would eventually consume every last glimmer of Lumnia's power.
At least there was no need for him to hide his presence from Shinzan any longer, which would make the ongoing journey considerably easier. Kat had insisted that they teach her the traveling spell just before departing. Not altogether to his surprise, she mastered it almost immediately. Lylinora had already known the spell, but the effort it required took far too much out of her. Whatever time it saved in travel was entirely wasted, seeing as how it took her just as long to recover.
Ethan had offered to instruct her. Lylinora was a talented mage, but she had neglected the more fundamental aspects of magic to concentrate instead on the nuances of healing and spirit. Though she accepted his help with an outward show of gratitude, he could see that she felt uneasy about taking lessons from a man who only a short time ago had been less accomplished than a mere novice. Several times she had hinted darkly that he might actually be Martok, but had stopped short of any outright accusation.
They set up camp a few miles away from where the boat had left them. In the far distance, the mountains of King Ganix's home peaked over the treetops. In his mind Ethan could see the city that Martok had once visited during his time. Such recollections were a bit unsettling at first. Unlike the thoughts of his other ancestors that would occasionally intrude unwanted, Martok's memories elicited no emotions. It was as if all the flavor of his life had been wiped away, leaving behind only cold hard facts. It was curious. Even when recalling his ultimate betrayal, Ethan felt nothing more than a slight tinge of pity.
Jake and David were sat near the camp fire deep in conversation about old movies, something they had recently discovered a mutual liking for. In fact, David was opening up all around, and was now behaving in a much more amiable fashion than previously. This had not gone unnoticed by Val, who had recently begun taking more than a passing interest in him.
After finishing her share of the light meal she had prepared for them all, Val sat beside the other three a little distance away from the movie buffs. Lylinora, who was normally kind and friendly toward her, turned her back and said nothing. Ethan knew this was only because she was thinking about Markus.
Kat offered Val a small flask containing dwarf whiskey which she accepted gratefully and took a small sip.
“I have to ask you this,” Kat said, smiling. “David…he doesn’t really seem like your type to me.”
“He’s not,” she admitted. “But I figured if I’m starting my life over then I should make some changes. I’ve had nothing but trouble with men. Jake says it’s because I've always gone after the bad boys.”
“Well, David sure isn’t one of those,” Ethan chipped in.
“No, he's not,” Kat agreed. “And did you see the way his eyes lit up when we were in Borgen. I thought we wouldn’t be able to get him to leave the place.”
“He was an engineer you know,” remarked Ethan. “I bet it was like heaven to him.”
“He wants us to go back there when this is all over,” said Val.
Kat raised an eyebrow. “The two of you? That’s pretty serious.”
Val smiled shyly. “I’m sure Jake will come along too. But yeah. It’s serious.”
“I have to admit that David seems different lately,” Kat said. “Much less angry about what has happened. He even complains less. So maybe you two are good for each other.”
“And I doubt he could get a girl like you back on Earth,” added Ethan, smirking.
Val frowned. “Like
you
could ever get one as good as Kat.”
He held up his hands in an apologetic gesture. “Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. But you’re right. Kat’s way out of my league.”
“And don’t you forget it,” she told him, moving in closer and placing her head on his shoulder.
“I think we should get some sleep,” said Lylinora, only now turning back to face the others.
Ethan could see from her expression how much she was missing Markus. They had been good for one another, he thought, each of them bringing out the best in the others’ personality. In spite of Lylinora’s often haughty and arrogant manner, she was quite the opposite when Markus was with her. Something about him made her relax her demeanor to match his own far more casual manner.
As for Markus…the conflict within him was made quiet. Though Ethan feared that one day Specter would manage to resurface, he knew that Lylinora was by far the chief factor in containing him. He prayed that her influence would hold fast.
The morning brought with it a light snow and a stiff north wind. Not that it mattered. Ethan’s wards had kept them completely warm and dry. When he'd first arrived in Lumnia, he had never really been able to understand the lessons Lylinora was giving him; not even the very simple ones. Now he realized that she barely understood them herself. Renald's accusation of her being little more than a novice had been proven to be totally accurate.
Kat, on the other hand, though not as knowledgeable regarding spells, was easily Lylinora's equal in raw power. The time she had spent learning healing would normally inhibit most mages. They often became completely lost in the craft, forsaking all other aspects of magic in the process. Either that, or the intimate way they would touch the spirits of their patients made them wary of using too much power. But not so with Kat. Her will was made from iron. Martok had recognized this, and it was her strength more than anything else that had attracted him so powerfully.
After everyone had shaken off their sleepy heads and eaten a quick breakfast, Ethan instructed them to gather close together. As they moved in, Jake deliberately placed himself between David and Val, but only until his sister shot him a scolding look. With a defeated wag of his head, he let her slip by and take hold of David’s hand.
Ethan winked at Kat. “This is going to be fun.”
With everyone linked together, dust began to swirl all around the party until it became a raging tornado, though curiously, the air at the center of the column seemed to be moving no more strongly than a gentle breeze. It was also amazingly quiet. No one was aware of their feet being lifted from the ground, but within seconds they were fifty feet high and hurtling east at a breathtaking speed.
“Won’t people be able to see us?” asked Lylinora.
“It doesn’t matter,” Ethan replied. “Shinzan will know when we arrive. There is no use in trying to hide our approach.”
For what felt like hours they streaked toward their destination until Ethan at last set them gently down alongside a tiny stream. He looked slightly pale, and immediately found a soft patch of grass to stretch out upon. Kat joined him while the others talked amongst themselves a few yards away.
“That’s not as easy as it looks,” he said, smiling up at her worried face.
“It doesn’t look easy. And I don’t think you should push yourself too hard.”
“I won’t.”
He meant what he said. Getting there too quickly would leave him vulnerable and was a matter of genuine concern. Even with the others directing the incantation at Shinzan that should, in theory, weaken him, the Emperor would still be unimaginably powerful. Ethan was forcibly reminded that he would need every ounce of his strength to prevail.
It was decided that once they were within sight of the wastelands, they would proceed the remainder of the way on foot. Ethan spend most of his resting time going over spells in his mind that he hoped would give him an edge. But the truth was, in the end, it would come down to a simple test of raw strength. Just as Martok had defeated Sylas, so he would need to defeat Shinzan in the same manner. No single conjuration or trick would be able to kill him; he was far too clever for that. Also, the Emperor was forewarned and would be expecting an opponent of considerable power. No. It would be almost impossible to outmaneuver him. But thankfully, the same should be true in reverse. Martok’s vast experience and knowledge made him a very close second only to Shinzan. Ethan tried not to allow this to color his perceptions. All the same, it was difficult not to show off his newfound abilities.
With a simple wave of his hand he could have created a cabin and soft beds in which they could bed down each night. Martok certainly would have done so - if for no other reason than to inspire awe. But Ethan chose not to do this.
The mages of old were arrogant and foolish. They saw themselves as being separate from the other humans – a superior species. Martok suffered from this very prejudice. Ethan would not fall prey to the same mistake. He knew from his life on Earth what belief in one’s own racial superiority caused...Nazi Germany. And he would be damned if he would instill any such convictions in a new line of mages.
Those here with him would lay the foundation for future generations. At this moment they were looking at him to set an example. He intended to set a good one. Ralmar had understood this, and for his beliefs he was shunned. Nevertheless, he had been the wisest of all his people. Without the bigotry of Martok’s heart to influence him, Ethan could see exactly what had to be accomplished once Shinzan was no more.
The mages must become what they had always falsely claimed to be: servants to the people of Lumnia. Their existence should be dedicated to the betterment of others rather than to the consolidation of their personal power and influence. The latter path was how tyrants were created. He would never allow himself to become another Hitler.
* * * * *
Shinzan cast his gaze over the barren and twisted lands that separated the rest of Lumnia from his personal desert domain. A fitting place for a battle between giants. Not that he really considered Martok to be in any way his equal. But he had not faced a challenge of any significance since possessing the body of Praxis Dragonvein, so it would at least be an interesting diversion.
He had considered attempting to lure Martok in closer, but knew he was far too clever to fall for that. This was as far as his opponent would come. Yes, he was taking a risk himself by moving so far away from his source of power, though only a small one. The dragons were becoming noticeably weaker with each passing day.
Shinzan's mind drifted to his first years after arriving on this planet. The allure of its energy had been so overwhelming it was impossible to resist. He had drifted through the vast ocean of space for countless millennia. He had seen the birth of stars; the destruction of planets; and entire solar systems devoured by the forces of the universe. But none of it compared in the slightest to the splendor of Lumnia. Of all the wonders he had beheld, this place was unique.
You are evil.
The words rang out like the blare of a great trumpet in his mind. For a moment Shinzan felt dizzy as he tried to banish the unwanted memory. Existing inside a body sickened him. It left him exposed. Unstable. Before he knew what it was to possess such a form he had never suffered any pain of regret. He had never been tormented by his past. He simply existed. A wanderer. But now he was trapped; trapped by his own lust.
“I will end this,” he whispered.
Yes. Soon he would consume this world. Then he would be free again.
A sudden wave of rage stabbed through him. And when that day came, he would return home. Then they would pay for what they did to him.
This thought provoked another bout of dizziness. More memories flooded in. But these were unfamiliar. Strange faces were staring down at him. Not human, not elf, and not dwarf. No. So what were they? These were…they were...
The name was on the tip of his tongue but refused to divulge itself.
Shinzan shook his head violently. No. None of this was real. It was all a delusion. Once he was rid of this cursed body, everything would be right again.