Dark Soul Silenced - Part Two (5 page)

Ned settled down in his bedroll early, more to shut himself off from the guards than in any hope of getting to sleep.  He lay awake for a long time, trying not to dwell on what had happened or how worried Master Demotte had been.  When sleep finally claimed him, many hours later, his dreams were full of darkness and blazing meteors, pain and suffering.  He woke from a particularly bad dream in the early hours and found he had no desire to go back to sleep.  Instead he sat leaning against a wall with his blankets around his shoulders, staring at the darkened crystal in his hand.  Waiting for it to show the sun was up and it was time to open the door.

Sometime later one of the guards brought him a hot mug of black tea sweetened with honey.  Ned smiled his thanks and the guard nodded.  No words were necessary.  Later the same guard replenished the tea, then once the others were awake he brought over some hot porridge.

“Thank you,” Ned said.  “My name is Ned.”

“
Anthony,” replied the guard.  “You’re welcome.  You look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders.  We are more than just guards.  We are here to aid the masters in any way we can, to do anything that lightens the load they carry.”

“
I’m not a master!” Ned protested quickly.

“
No,” Anthony replied with a smile.  “But you will be soon.  I can tell.  And right now you’re carrying the same worries as they do.”  He gestured at the crystal now sitting beside Ned.  “I reckon there’s an hour till dawn.  It’s really hard to judge time shut off like this, but we often get to stand such duty.  Your crystal will confirm it, but it won’t be more than an hour.”

“
I hope to the Almighty you are right.  I can’t stand this waiting.”

“
Always the worst bit, the waiting.  All the fears and worries run through your mind, yet you can’t do anything about them.  Anyway, I’d better get back before all the foods gone.”

“
Of course.  Thank you again.”

“
My pleasure.”

Ned realised he felt much better for the conversation.  As he ate he watched the guards, noticing the way Anthony moved amongst them.  He said a word here, made a joke there, lightening the mood.  Even the Captain shared some words and a smile.  Yet from the markings on his uniform Anthony held no rank.  Pondering this helped distract Ned, making some of the time pass more quickly.  Soon enough he was back to staring at the crystal though, waiting for dawn to break.

Finally the crystal sparked back into life, gently glowing.  Ned felt his pulse start to pound.  Standing he went to tell the guards to ready themselves, only to find them already prepared.  Anthony smiled and Ned smiled back.  Anthony had been right, the guards were more than able to track time while sealed away inside.  Ned crossed to the Captain.

“
We stand ready sir.  I’d suggest you stand back from the door, let us form a line to defend you.”

“
You think that’s necessary?”  Ned was shocked.

“
Something had Master Demotte more worried than I’ve ever seen him.  I won’t take any chances.”

“
All right, but I won’t stand behind your men.  If we face something that dangerous I may need to use my power.  Make a gap in the line for me.”

“
Sir.”

Ned slipped into the gap, feeling reassured by the guards around and behind him.  Whatever might lay beyond the door he wouldn’t be facing it alone.

“Ready?” he asked.

“
Yes sir,” replied the Captain.

“
Let’s do this then.”

Ned reached out, triggering the door control.  As the door disappeared Ned reached out with his senses.  Almost immediately he struck a pool of intense darkness, a writhing knot of dark power.  Something stood just beyond the doorway and whatever, or whoever, it was radiated darkness.  Not just any darkness either.  Ned had felt darkness with that same cunning when Master Demotte had tested him.  Was that truly less than two days before?  It felt so much longer.  Ned had no doubt though, the darkness in front of him was a part of the Creeping Darkness.

Stretching out with his powers Ned tried to pierce the gloom, pushing the darkness back so he could make out the figure playing host to such a terrible force.  The darkness resisted for a moment then blew away like mist.  Ned stared in horror.  No!  It couldn’t be!  It wasn’t possible!  Then the creature spoke.

“
Hello Ned,” said Master Demotte.  Or what the Master had become.

Chapter Six

“Master… is that you?” Ned asked.

The man standing in front of him winced as if in pain, then gritted his teeth.  Ned watched in amazement as the darkness drew back, forced away by pure will.  Now Ned was certain — whatever had happened to him this was still Master Demotte.

“Yes.”  The Master’s voice was rough, strained.  “But I don’t know how much longer I’ll still be me.”

“
What happened?”

“
Frederick did.  Or to be more precise whatever has replaced Frederick did.  We had no idea what we were dealing with.  Frederick appeared to be recovering.  The darkness was slowly being driven out.  Or so we thought.  When night fell there were three of us in the room with Frederick.  We took it in turns to strengthen him, to push back the darkness.  Something changed when the sun went down.  The darkness became harder to push back, to drive out.  We discussed it but thought it didn’t matter.  We were still making progress and had no doubt that when morning came progress would speed up again.  We were wrong.

I was resting when it happened, but I still saw it clearly.  One moment the darkness within Frederick was slowly being pushed out, the next it exploded in power.  In the blink of an eye it had spread to every part of Frederick’s body.  Master Lunder was treating him at that moment.  The explosion of dark power threw him across the room, slamming him against the wall.

Master Steinback moved to take his place, projecting a shield.  For the first time in hours Frederick showed signs of being awake.  He blinked his eyes twice.  The next moment he had launched himself off the bed and towards Master Steinback.  He battered through the shield as if it wasn’t there then plunged his teeth into the Master’s neck.  What happened next was horrific.  He started to drain the Master’s life force, his very soul, and in return darkness flowed into the Master.

I sat transfixed, unable to believe what I was seeing.  By the time I thought to stand, to interfere, it was too late.  Master Steinback was gone.  All that remained was a shell filled with roiling darkness.  I decided to tackle Frederick first.  Summoning power I charged at him, letting fly.  I gave no thought to defence, I needed to hit him with everything I had.  It wasn’t enough.  I rocked him, shoved him back a pace or two, but no more than that.  I realised my mistake immediately.  I’d been hitting him with pure force, not understanding what it was I faced.  Frederick had become nothing less than an extension of the Creeping Dark.  To beat him I needed to use the same techniques we use against the Creeping Dark, the same patterns, the same combinations of power.

Understanding came too late.  I’d been too focused on Frederick, on dealing with the source of the problem.  Master Steinback landed on my back, sinking his teeth into my neck.  I realised with horror that he meant to suck my soul dry then replace it with the darkness — the same fate as he had suffered — and I was powerless to stop him.

Frederick grinned at the two of us then left the room.  I saw him catch another Master, bearing her to the ground with his teeth sunk in her neck.  I don’t know who it was.  All the time Master Steinback was draining me, converting me.  Finally he was satisfied.  He stood up then ran out into the hall.  Seeking more victims I suppose.

Unlike Master Steinback I had been able to resist the attack.  Partly through seeing what had happened to him and partly due to my experience and power.  You wouldn’t have thought it to look at me but I was at least forty years older than anyone else in the keep, and more powerful than any of them too.  All that power, all that wisdom, and the best I could do was to slow down the process.  Hold it at bay for a while.

As the night went on the darkness slowly took more control of me.  As that happened a bond formed between Frederick and I.  I felt what he was doing, and it made me weep.  He hunted down every single master, either himself or through those he had already dragged into darkness.  Every apprentice too.  Even some of the guards were corrupted.  Everyone else was killed, their life force drained.  A few tried to flee into the night, but it was hopeless.  The monsters Frederick created had the speed of a Master, even those who had once merely been guards.  Somehow Frederick had absorbed the strengths of the Transformation and found a way to pass them on.

By midnight nothing not of the dark was left in the keep, save for myself and those of you in this room.  Then Frederick ordered all those he had turned to darkness to assemble.  I managed to resist the call despite the pain it caused me.  He sensed my disobedience but it pleased him.  He knew I would succumb to the darkness soon.  My efforts to fight it off amused him.

He told those assembled that the same thing had happened in the Citadel, that the home of the Golden Order had fallen.  That it had fallen to a mighty creature.  A creature they had heard called the Creeping Dark, but which was actually called the Dark God.  He told them that they must travel to the Citadel, to aid the Dark God.  All except a handful who he chose to remain in the keep and spread the gift they had been given.  He said they were the Chosen.  The Chosen of the Dark God.  Then he left, with the others in tow.  I don’t think they had any choice, the darkness within them was linked to Frederick in some way.

I spent the rest of the night in desperate battle against the darkness within.  Somehow I kept it from consuming me.  I knew the moment the sun rose.  The darkness grew weaker.  Still far too strong for me to defeat, but weak enough that I could move.  I made my way down here as quickly as I could.  I had to be here to warn you what had happened.  To stop you walking into a trap.”

“
Or to spring the trap yourself,” Ned replied.  “Even if your story about Frederick is true, how do we know you really managed to fight?  You could be here seeking to attack us!”

One moment Master Demotte was standing in the hallway, the next he had hold of Ned, his teeth brushing Ned’s neck.  Ned started to draw power to attack but knew he was too late.  None of the guards could possibly move quickly enough to intervene.  Whatever happened Ned was determined not to go down without a fight.  Maybe he could distract this creature long enough that the guards could kill it, even if they would be too late to save his life.

The creature moved and Ned tensed against the pain in his neck.  A pain that didn’t come.  The creature stepped back several paces and spoke again.

“
There is your proof.  If I had wanted to harm you I would have.  The darkness within me is screaming at me to do exactly that, but the darkness does not rule me.  Not yet.  Now, close this doorway.  The darkness can’t stand sunlight, those turned to its cause were terrified of being caught by the sun.  That’s why Frederick reacted so badly yesterday after the Meteor flew past.  I think those he left behind will be sluggish while the sun is up, but they are quite capable of moving around within the gloom of the keep.  There are enough remaining to overwhelm you and the guards.

“
Why don’t you shut it?”

“
I can’t.  The darkness has taken root in my soul.  I can hardly draw any of the natural powers now, and the little I can draw is hopelessly tainted by darkness.  I cannot control any of the doors or windows.  Please, shut the door.”

Ned took several steps back from the creature that had been Master Demotte, aware that the distance offered no real safety.  Then he reached out and triggered the door.  Once it closed he turned to the creature again.

“What do you want of us?”

“
Something terrible has been born, both here and at the Citadel.  I believe the same will have happened at our other strongholds — or if not then Frederick and his kind will overwhelm them before they even know they are threatened.  Frederick and the others must be stopped.  It won’t be easy.  A force for good must be created to stop them.  That force starts with you, with you all.”

“
Thirty guards and an apprentice?  How can we stand against something that has corrupted every master in the keep?”

“
By being prepared.  We never imagined such a day, never imagined that we would find ourselves facing such darkness within our own stronghold.  When we travelled out to face the Creeping Dark we went prepared, we went armed and protected, but each time we returned those tools were put away, stored safely.  In there.”

Ned turned to look at the secure door at the other end of the room.  He had wondered what was in it, now he knew.  If the creature wasn’t lying then they badly needed what was in the room.  He looked at the locks with a sinking heart.  He had no idea of the patterns needed to open the locks, and the creature had already said it couldn’t manipulate anything with natural powers.  Ned turned back.

“And did you have a plan for getting in there?”

“
Yes.  You Ned.  I told you how advanced your powers were, I didn’t tell you the full truth.  Your ability to form and hold a pattern is better even than some of the masters…” 

He stumbled to a halt, sorrow and loss on his face.  Ned realised in that moment that it really was Master Demotte standing there, if greatly changed and, by his own words, not likely to hold out much longer.

“Master… I am sorry for their loss, but we need to get those tools.  What do my abilities have to do with it?”

“
Sorry, yes.  I need to stay focused.  We don’t have much time. 
I
don’t have much time.  You must examine the locks, get a feel for their patterns.  Once you have done that try to feel what is missing from the pattern.  What shape and combination of powers would make it complete.  It won’t be easy but I’m sure you can do it.”

“
I can try,” Ned said uncertainly.  “Let me see what I can do.”

“
Wait!”  The Captain’s voice cracked across the room.  Ned turned to him, startled.  “Not while the Master is in the room.  If he is lying then this may be what he seeks.  You saw how fast he moved.  Once the door is opened how will we stop him entering the room first?  Stop him keeping us from the very tools we need.”

Ned looked between Master Demotte and the Captain.  The Captain’s words made sense.  Steeling his heart he nodded.

“Master, he is right.  Would you wait outside.”

“
If I must.  Be quick though.  Captain — you know the tools you and your men will need.  The swords and the amulets.  Once you have those let me back in.  I need to explain what some of the other objects are.”

“
Yes Sir.”

Ned triggered the door again.  He tensed as it opened, fearing what might lay beyond.  The guards tensed too.  Nothing waited beyond and the Master quickly walked through.  Ned triggered the control again and the door slid shut.  He turned towards the secured door at the other end of the room with no idea how to start.

Ned stared at the locked door in dismay.  How could he possibly open the locks?  He jumped at a hand on his shoulder.

“
One step at a time,” Anthony said.  “Don’t focus on the whole door.  Just find one lock to start with.  It doesn’t matter which, just find one you feel drawn to.  Open that one.  Then pick another, and another and so on.  Otherwise you’ll be beaten before you even start.”

“
Thanks.  That’s really good advice.  Where did you learn it?”

“
I was too cocky when I first joined up.  I was always getting punishment duty.  If you think those locks are bad you should try peeling enough potatoes for the entire keep one day!”

Ned chuckled at the image.  Anthony grinned back then stepped away.  Ned turned back to the locks, reaching out to examine each in turn.  One
did
draw his attention.  The pattern of the lock almost felt familiar.  It was similar to the pattern Ned had created when he last sparred against Master Demotte. 

As he probed at the lock he realised there was a gap in the pattern, a blank area.  He concentrated for a moment, forming a pattern to fill in the blank space.  He got the pattern right, but not the shape.  It didn’t fit and the pattern soon disintegrated.  Ned repeated the process several times before getting both the pattern and the shape right.  Nothing obvious changed but Ned could feel the difference.  The whole pattern of the lock had shifted slightly.

Buoyed by his success Ned moved onto another lock.  This one was trickier, the pattern was unlike anything he had created before.  It took him several attempts to just match the pattern, then several more to get the shape right.  Finally he did and the lock changed, the energy flows settled into a new pattern.

Ned continued to work through the locks.  Most he was able to unlock quickly, his skills combined with the knowledge gained from the earlier locks combining to make the solution easy.  Several proved to be trickier.  The last lock stumped him completely.  The pattern was a complex series of interwoven strands, and the shape of the lock was far more complicated than any of the others.  Ned realised he had been subconsciously avoiding this lock.  Several times he got the shape right, only to realise the pattern wasn’t quite correct.  Finally he managed to get both right at the same time and the lock unsealed.  The door opened, flowing into the surrounding stone.  The Captain moved quickly, leading several men into the room beyond.

Ned stood for some time, completely drained.  He hadn’t realised how much effort solving the locks had taken until he finished.  Finally he drew himself together and walked towards the strong room.  Most of the guards had been kitted out already.  As he watched the remainder finished.  They swapped their existing swords for replacements from within the strong room.  Lockets were added around their necks and bracelets were added to their wrists.  Each grabbed a backpack from the room too, all of which looked to be well stocked.