The Godling Chronicles (Shadow of the Gods, Book #3) (24 page)

“
Perhaps,” said the Vrykol. “You may be
able to fight your way out of this place. I know you are powerful.
But understand that I am not alone. Ten of my more...brutish
brothers and sisters are in the clearing, and fifty Soufis await
you beyond the Oasis. Do you think your friends will be as
fortunate as you? Are they Gods as well? If so, then you should
ignore my offer.” He paused, then pulled his hood over his head. “I
await your answer in the clearing.” He turned and disappeared down
the path.

The door opened behind him and Pali and
Aaliyah stepped out.

“
What was that abomination?” asked
Pali, horrified.

“
They're called Vrykol,” said Gewey,
still staring down the marble path to the trees. “I'm not sure what
they really are, but they're fast, strong, and hard to kill. You
must take off their heads to stop them.”

“
I have heard stories of the Vrykol,”
said Pali. “They were the assassins of the Gods. But I never
thought them to be anything more than a myth.”

“
This one is different from the others
I've seen.” He looked hard at Aaliyah. “We may have no choice but
to give them what they want.”

“
We will do no such thing,” Aaliyah
protested. “We have journeyed too far to simply give this creature
what we came for.”

“
I agree,” said Pali. “If these weapons
are as powerful as you were told, you cannot let them fall into the
hands of evil.”

Gewey thought for a moment. “Gerath told me
that I must give these things to those I love and trust. And once
given they only serve that master. Why then force me to give them
up? They would be useless.”

“
They may not be aware of that fact.”
Pali suggested. “It seems that they were unable to enter the temple
on their own, which is likely why they allowed us to enter
unmolested. They may not have knowledge of what was kept there. And
perhaps it is not the weapons he desires.” He pointed to Gewey's
medallion. “If that contains the essence of a God...”

“
He's right,” said Aaliyah. “You cannot
let it fall into their hands. We must fight.”

Gewey straighten his back and clenched his
jaw tight. “Then you should know that Vrykol can block your ability
to use the flow. At least when used directly on them. But you can
still affect things around them.” He withdrew the Vismal dagger
from his belt and held it out to Aaliyah. “Take it.”

Aaliyah stared at it. Finally, she reached
out and asked for confirmation. “Are you certain?”

Gewey nodded and she took it from his hand.
The moment her hand touched it she cried out and fell to her knees.
Gewey rushed down to help her.

“
Are you all right?” he asked, cradling
her forearms.

Aaliyah smiled. “Yes. More than all right.
You have no idea what you have given me.” She looked around
wide-eyed, as if seeing color for the first time. “It is
beautiful.” She rose lightly to her feet holding the dagger to her
breast. “Gerath was right. You must choose wisely to whom you give
these.”

Gewey turned to Pali, but the elf shook his
head knowing what Gewey was going to do.

“
Keep the rest and give them to those
who will use them.” Pali held his sword aloft. “I cannot steal life
from the Creator, but with this, I can certainly take life from the
wicked.”

Gewey smiled. “Then let us meet our foes.
They await an answer.”

With Gewey leading the way, they headed down
the path, past the columns and into the wooded trail. The surge of
power through both Gewey and Aaliyah was so great, that the earth
shook with each step, and the air roared before them. As they
approached the clearing, Gewey saw a line of black-cloaked figures
wielding cruel jagged blades; they stood just a few yards from the
opening. He counted ten in total. Just as they entered the clearing
he spotted another a few yards behind the others. Though cloaked,
he assumed it was the one that had spoken to them outside the
temple.

Gewey lowered his eyes and took a breath. “I
see you hide behind the others.”

“
And I see your answer is what I
expected,” he shouted back. “Pity. Your friends will pay for your
lack of wisdom.” He spun around and held up his right hand. “Kill
them.” Then he disappeared down the path.

The Vrykol charged. A ball of flame burst to
life exploding just at the feet of three Vrykol, but they moved
with tremendous speed and ran straight through the flames. Gewey
hardly had time to react, as two of the beasts were upon him. The
four had rushed right at Pali and the rest at Aaliyah. He knew he
had to make quick work of these two or they would certainly be
killed. He struck at the neck of the nearest foe, but it stopped
just before it was in range of his sword. The other feinted and
slashed, but only close enough to keep Gewey at bay.

He charged forward, but they only fell back,
darting in and out, keep him off balance. He understood the tactic.
They were going to keep him busy until they had defeated Pali and
Aaliyah. He glanced to Pali. His sword flashing in tight arcs as he
danced and spun avoiding blows. One Vrykol lay dead, but the others
were pressing in, forcing his back to the trees and vines. Aaliyah
was faring a bit better. Two Vrykol were surrounded by flames and
their black cloaks burned brightly. Another had already lost its
head. The fourth was moving to her left swinging wildly. Gewey
tried to step right to help her, but the Vrykol cut him off, and
the two that were on fire stepped in between, pressing Aaliyah
back.

Gewey spun and used the flow to up-heave the
earth behind him. Pali had cut the arm from another Vrykol, but he
was bleeding badly from his left leg. The two creatures at his back
had already recovered by the time Gewey reached Pali, and rushed
in. Gewey drove his blade through the chest of one of Pali's
attackers, then pulling it free took the head of another. Pali
grinned and pushed forward.

Gewey was only just able to duck and roll, as
the Vrykol at his back thrust their swords in unison. From his knee
he took the leg of one, and it tumbled to the ground. Pali was
still fighting two. The one Gewey had skewered had moved in to
Pali's right and its blade found his shoulder. Pali cried out, but
he managed to move away and open up a wound across the chest of the
beast to his left. He struck again and sent its head flying. Before
he could turn to face the last, a blade shot through his chest.
Pali gasped and fell forward, the blade slipping out. Blood spewed
forth as he dropped to his knees and Gewey could hear the soft
hissing laugh of the Vrykol.

Gewey looked over just as Pali's body hit the
ground. His heart filled with rage. He rolled, bringing his blade
up between the legs of the last Vrykol, spitting it in two. Thick,
black blood sprayed out like a fountain, as each half crumbled to
earth. He knew he couldn't allow his anger to cloud his mind.
Aaliyah still faced three Vrykol, though two had slowed
considerably as they burned. He leaped to his feet and took the
heads off both flaming beasts with two quick strokes. Aaliyah
ducked under the other’s guard and in a flash its head rolled off
its shoulders.

The final Vrykol paused. “This means
nothing.” Its rasping voice grated at Gewey's ears, fueling his
anger. “You will not leave the desert alive.” He charged.

Gewey snarled and his sword took the
creature’s head. The moment the it fell, Gewey decapitated the
legless Vrykol and rushed to Pali's lifeless body. He rolled him
over only to see dead eyes staring into nothingness. Gewey bowed
his head and close his eyelids shut.

“
Are you hurt?” he asked, as Aaliyah
knelt beside him.

“
Thanks to your gift, no.” She placed
her hand on the back of his head. “You did your best to save
him.”

“
He should have never been here,” Gewey
whispered. “We should never have brought him with us.”

“
He came of his own free will,” said
Aaliyah. “And he came as a gesture of friendship and kindness. We
would not have made it here without him.”

A crackling sound as if from a thousand camp
fires filled their ears. They jumped up to see the bodies of the
Vrykol turning hard and gray. Thousands of tiny cracks formed and
they began splintering like glass, then turned to dust. The ground
shook and rumbled. The earth around Pali's body exploded and
hundreds of thin roots shot skyward then draped over him. Before
Gewey could move, the roots pulled the body into the earth. Gewey
fell to the ground, digging feverishly with his bare hands. Aaliyah
stood back, staring in wonder at the spectacle. Soon, Gewey began
pounding his fist in the dirt and screaming with rage.

“
What is this?” Gewey's voice was met
with silence. Slowly he rose to his feet.

Aaliyah gasped and grabbed his arm, pointing
a few feet away. “Look.”

A soft ball of light hovered just above the
ground, expanding until it took the form of a man. Its features
were hazy and unrecognizable. Its feet didn't touch the earth, and
its arms were held wide.

“
Who are you?” Gewey
demanded.

At first there was nothing. The specter was
silent and still. Then nine more figures appeared just behind
it.

“
We are the first born.” The voice was
distant and echoed as if within a great cavern. “We thank you for
our freedom.”

“
I don't understand,” said
Gewey.

“
The creatures which we were forced to
become are now gone,” it said. “We are free. And here, we are
safe.”

“
You mean you are the Vrykol?” asked
Aaliyah.

“
Yes, we were,” it replied. “Our
spirits were enslaved by the evil that holds the power of the Gods.
The spirits of the first born turned into abomination and
darkness.”

“
I think I understand,” said Gewey.
“You are the spirits of Felsafell's people. That's what he meant at
the Chamber when he said he had to free his kin.”

At the mention of Felsafell, their light grew
brighter. “Yes. He is the last of us that walks with the living. It
is good to know he has not forgotten us.”

“
What of Pali?” asked Aaliyah. “What of
his spirit?”

“
He is safe with us,” it replied. “This
place is special. The Gods created it and gave it life. Now that
you have driven out the sickness that poisoned it, it can begin to
heal. Your friend will stay here with us until the path to heaven
is no longer barred by the one who seeks to destroy you. Only when
he falls, will the spirits of the dead be led to paradise. Only
through his destruction can the world, once again, be set to
rights.” Their lights began to fade.

“
Wait, please!” Gewey implored. But
they faded completely.

Aaliyah took Gewey's hand. “They are gone,
and we should leave as well. If what the Vrykol said is true, fifty
men await-” She cried out as a pain shot through her shoulder,
where a tiny black dart had silently struck. She pulled it free and
threw it to the ground.

On the other side of the clearing, a black
cloak vanished down the trail, harsh laughter trailing behind.
Gewey tore off after it, but just as he reached the path he heard
Aaliyah moan. He turned just as she fell to her knees, her hand
grasping at her wound. He rushed back to her side.

“
Poison?” he asked.

She nodded, wincing.

Gewey pulled her hand away and touched the
wound. It had already closed and was no larger than a pin prick. He
reach into her body with the flow, seeking to expel the poison, but
was forced back.

“
I don't understand,” said
Gewey.

Aaliyah closed her eyes and breathed deep.
For a full minute she knelt motionless. “Mandrista,” she said
weakly, opening her eyes. “I have been poisoned with sap from the
mandrista tree. I cannot be cured using the powers of the earth and
spirit alone.”

“
What can we do?” asked Gewey,
desperation seeping into his voice.

“
I must return to the ship,” she
replied. “I have the means to extract it there.”

“
Do we have time?” asked Gewey,
squeezing her hand tightly.

“
The poison is slow.” She struggle to
her feet. “Three days. We may make it if we hurry.”

Gewey's thoughts turned to the Soufis. He
needed to deal with them quickly. “Wait here. I'll take care of the
Soufis myself.”

“
You cannot do this alone,” she
protested. “I-”

“
No,” he said, fiercely. “Pali has
died, and I'll not watch you die, too.” Fury burned in his eyes.
“We'll see how brave the Soufis are when I blast them apart, and
then bury their bodies in their precious desert.” Before she could
argue Gewey tore off across the clearing and down the path. He
covered the distance in only a few minutes, his legs fueled by the
flow of both air and earth. The brush that lay in front of the
entrance had already been pushed aside, and he could make out the
figures of men twenty yards away. He slid to a halt a foot beyond
the path, his blade tight in his hand. But he had no intention of
cutting his way through fifty men.

The Soufis were lined up in two loose rows.
They were wrapped in thick tan robes and their heads were covered
by white turbans. The men in the front row, held long, curved
blades, while those in the rear carried lengthy black bows. The
Vrykol stood front and center, his hood thrown back, revealing his
elf features.

“
Did your elf mistress enjoy my gift?”
asked the Vrykol, laughing.