Rage of a Demon King (60 page)

“It’ll be a long time before anyone uses that harbor again,” said Calis.

Tomas put his hand on his son’s shoulder. He knew the destruction of the city he had sworn to protect burned deeply. He also knew that Calis, better than anyone, understood what had been achieved by the destruction of the Lifestone, yet he recognized the pain Calis felt over the dear price paid by so many.

Pug willed the sphere along the King’s Highway. For mile after mile they witnessed wholesale destruction. Every farm and house was burned, and so many bodies lined the way the buzzards and crows couldn’t fly for their gorging. Dominic said, “We must get as many clerics as we can to come here, for plague will certainly follow such carnage.”

Nakor said, “All of the Order of Arch-Indar will help.”

Miranda said, “All two of you?”

Even in the midst of such destruction, Pug found it almost impossible not to laugh.

Tomas said, “Many of the priests will have perished during the destruction of the city.”

Calis said, “Not really. We passed word to the various temples months ago, and slowly they’ve been
getting their clerics to safety. Duke James knew we would need much help after, if we survived.”

Miranda said, “And it helps to stay on the good side of the temples.”

Pug said, “In all my concern over the threat from the Emerald Queen and the demon, and our fears over the Life-stone, I lost sight of the simple fact that the Kingdom has been invaded by a very large army.”

Calis said, “I didn’t.” He pointed ahead. “Look.”

They were entering the foothills of the mountains, and Pug saw a sea of campfires, small shelters, and an occasional command tent. Then they were suddenly speeding over a huge command pavilion, the size of a large house. The closer they got to Darkmoor, the more mobilization they saw. “My gods,” said Tomas. “I’ve never seen such an army. Even during the Riftwar the Tsurani never threw more than thirty thousand men into the field, and never all in one place.”

Calis said, “They brought almost a quarter million men across the sea.” Dispassionately he said, “This below is the half we haven’t killed yet.”

“So many deaths,” said Nakor. He sighed with a heavy note of sadness. “And for no good reason.”

Tomas said, “Pug has heard me ask more than once if there was ever a good reason for war.”

“Freedom,” said Calis. “Preserving what is ours.”

Pug said, “Those are good reasons to resist. Even those aren’t good enough reasons to start a war.”

As the terrain rose, Pug kept the sphere at an even height. But as they found more and more men below pointing at them, and some starting to shoot arrows, Pug elevated the sphere.

At cloud level, they had a panorama of the battlefield below. “Incredible,” said Dominic.

An army of eighty or ninety thousand men lay sprawled out below them, like ants climbing up a hill. At the top of the hill was the city of Darkmoor. The foulburg and most of the city seemed to be in the enemy’s hands, and the fighting throughout the remainder of the city was fierce.

“Can we stop it?” asked Miranda.

Calis said, “I doubt it. The invaders are stuck on the wrong side of the ocean with no food.” He glanced at Pug and said, “Unless you have some magic means of removing them back to Novindus.”

Pug said, “A few at a time, perhaps, but . . . nothing like this.”

Tomas said, “Then we shall have to stop the fighting and sort it all out after men are no longer killing one another.”

“Do you see the Saaur?” asked Pug.

Tomas pointed to a corner of the city, near the southwest, where a small market was packed with the huge green riders. Pug stopped the sphere and said, “Let’s see if we can get their attention.”

He lowered the sphere, slowly, and as soon as the first Saaur saw it, they loosed their arrows at the humans.

But the arrows struck the walls of the sphere and bounced off, and Pug continued to lower the sphere slowly, and after it was clear no immediate threat was offered by the device, the arrows stopped.

Pug landed the sphere before a group of riders, the centermost of whom wore a particularly splendid horsehair-plumed helmet, and who carried an ornate shield and an ancient-looking sword. Pug said, “Get ready in case this doesn’t work.”

When the sphere vanished, Pug spoke in the language of Yabon, closely related to the Novindus dialect. “I seek Jatuk, Sha-shahan of all the Saaur!”

“I am Jatuk,” said the impressive rider. “Who are you, wizard?”

“I am called Pug. I have come to you to seek peace.”

The Saaur’s expression was alien, but Pug sensed he was being regarded with suspicion. “Understand we are bound by oath to the Emerald Queen and cannot make a separate peace.”

Pug said, “I bring word from Hanam.”

The reptilian face then proved quite expressive, as shock was clearly revealed in his features. “Hanam is dead! He died upon the world of my birth!”

“No,” said Pug. “Your father’s Loremaster used his arts to seize the mind and body of a demon, and in that body he came to this land. He sought me out and we spoke. He is now dead, but his soul is back on Shila, riding with the Sky Host.”

Jatuk urged his mount forward, and when he was right before Pug, he looked down, a towering presence. “Say what you will.”

Pug began, speaking of the ancient war between good and evil, the insanity of the Priests of Ahsart, and the betrayal of the Saaur by the Pantathians. At first the Saaur warriors appeared dubious, but as Pug spoke he told them what Hanam had told him to say. He concluded, “Hanam said to tell you that you must know, as will Shadu, your Loremaster, Chiga, your Cupbearer, and Monis, your Shieldbearer, that all I have said is true. The honor of your race demands you accept the truth, and the betrayal of your people
is more than just lies. The Pantathians and the Emerald Queen and the demons—all have robbed you of your home world.
They
were the ones who destroyed Shila, and took from you, forever, your birthright.”

The Saaur rumbled in consternation. “Lies!” said one. “Clever falsehoods fashioned by a master of evil arts!” said another.

Jatuk held out his hand. “No. There is a ring of truth. If you are what you claim, if you have words from Hanam, then he must have told you one thing to let me know this is no clever lie.”

Pug nodded. “He said to remind you of the day you came to serve your father. You were the last of your father’s sons to serve. All your brothers were dead. You trembled in anticipation of meeting your father, and there was one who took you aside, and spoke softly into your ear to tell you all would be well.”

Jatuk said, “This is true. But name the one who comforted me.”

“Kaba, your father’s Shieldbearer, who told you what to say to your father. He said you were to say, ‘Father, I am here to serve the race, to avenge my brothers, and to do thy bidding.”

Jatuk leaned back, turned his face to the sky, and screamed. It was an animal sound of pure rage and anguish. “We have been betrayed!” he roared.

Without saying another word to Pug he turned to his companions. “Let it be known! Our bond is severed. We serve no one but the Saaur! Let death be the reward for those who have wronged us! Death to the Pantathians. Let no snake survive! Death to the Emerald Queen and her servants!”

Suddenly Saaur riders were heading back toward the city gate, and Jatuk said, “Human, when this is done, we will seek you out and make our peace, but there is a terrible debt of blood that must be paid!”

Tomas said, “Sha-shahan. Your warriors have known years of fighting. Put down your weapons. Withdraw from this fight. An army marches to this city to drive out the invaders. Step aside and let your wives and children know their fathers are returning to them alive.”

Holding his sword like a live thing, Jatuk’s eyes blazed. “This is
Tual-masok
, Blood Drinker in the ancient tongue. More than any other thing, it is the mark of my office and the badge of my people’s honor. It will not be put aside until this wrong is righted.”

Pug said, “Then know the Emerald Queen is dead. She was destroyed by a demon.”

Jatuk looked as if he could barely contain himself. “Demon! Demons destroyed our world!”

“I know,” said Pug, “and the demon is also dead.”

“Then who is there to pay the price?” demanded the Sha-shahan.

Tomas put away his sword. “No one. They are all dead. If there are any Pantathians alive they are hiding under the rocks of a distant land. The only ones left living are the victims, the tools, the dupes.”

The Saaur leader screamed in frustration to the skies. “I will have my revenge!”

Pug shook his head. “Spare your people, Jatuk!”

“I will have blood for blood!”

Tomas said, “Then go, but leave this city in peace.” Jatuk pointed his sword at Tomas. “My soldiers will depart, and no more will we trouble this
place. But we are a nation without a home, and our honor is stained. Only by blood can we cleanse that stain.” He turned his horse in the direction of the city gate and with a hard kick sent the giant mount heading for the city gate.

The rest of his company followed after, and while the war in the city raged on, the southwest corner of Darkmoor was suddenly quiet. From behind the barricade a voice said, “Are they gone?”

Pug motioned and Owen Greylock climbed over a pile of furniture, grain sacks, and part of a wagon bed.

“Magician!” said Owen. “I think we owe you thanks.”

Pug said, “No thanks needed. There’s still fighting.”

“If you got rid of the Saaur, we thank you.” Owen shook his head. “Damn, but they are a handful.”

“Well, they’re the invaders’ handful,” said Tomas. “They’ve been told of their betrayal and they are not happy.”

Owen smiled. “That I can imagine. I’ve only seen a few Saaur up close, and they don’t strike me as having much of a sense of humor.” He turned to the men behind him and said, “Spread out and see if you can find any more of our lads. The citadel is under attack, and I mean to hit the enemy from behind.”

Tomas pulled his sword. “I may be of some help.”

“Glad to have you,” said Owen. He glanced up and down Tomas’s impressive six inches over six feet and said, “How do you keep all that white clean?”

Tomas laughed. “It’s a long story.”

“Tell me after the battle,” said Owen, motioning for his small band of soldiers to follow him to the fighting around the citadel.

Pug said, “We’ll see you later.”

Tomas asked, “Where are you going?”

“Inside the keep, to see if I can end this madness.”

Tomas nodded, turned, and ran alongside Owen Greylock. Pug motioned for the others to hold hands. He fixed his vision upon the distant citadel, and then they all vanished.

Manfred and Erik both looked up as a shout came from above. “What now?” asked Erik pulling his sword.

Men on the roof shouted, but the tone was surprise rather than alarm. Manfred pulled his own sword and stepped between Prince Patrick and the door, in case the citadel had been breached.

Reaching a hall at the base of the keep’s old central stairwell, Erik saw Calis hurrying down the stone steps, with Nakor, Miranda, and the others behind.

Erik grinned. “Captain!”

Calis returned his smile and said, “Captain.”

Erik said, “I am so pleased to see you. How did you get here?”

Calis pointed to Pug.

Erik said, “Magician!” He looked relieved. “Is there anything you can do?”

Pug said, “Yes, I could kill every man outside the wall, but that includes any number of Kingdom soldiers fighting house to house. I would rather think of a way to stop the killing. The demon who led the Emerald Queen’s army is dead. The Lifestone is no more. There is no more reason for fighting.”

Erik said, “Tell that to those murderers out there.”

Pug said, “That’s the problem. Even if I did, would they listen?”

Calis said, “No. As I said, they’re hungry, and they know what’s behind them. They have only one way to go, ahead.”

Erik said, “If this demon you talked about is dead, what about the Emerald Queen?”

“She’s been dead for months,” said Pug. “We’ll explain later.”

“What about Fadawah? Maybe we can negotiate a truce with him? He’s a murderous bastard, but he’d know the old truce terms of Novindus,” said Erik.

Calis said, “Right now Fadawah’s got a very angry Saaur army looking for someone to vent that anger on. He’s their most likely candidate. If he’s half as smart as I think he is, he’s already looking for a place to hole up in for the winter.”

Nakor said, “Winter!”

Pug said, “Yes?”

Nakor pushed past Calis and said to Erik, “Your original plan was to hold this army here until winter, right?”

“Yes. We knew that once the snows came, they’d be forced to withdraw.”

Nakor turned to Pug. “If we go to Stardock, can you bring us back here?”

“Yes,” said Pug. “Why?”

“No time to explain. Just do it!”

Pug looked at Miranda, Calis, and the others, and shrugged. He put his hand on Nakor’s shoulders and they vanished.

“What was that about?” asked Patrick, as he and Manfred entered the hall.

Calis said, “Highness, Baron,” and nodded in greeting.

“Captain,” said Patrick. “I hope you bring us some good news.”

“Well, for one thing, the major threat to all of us is now over.”

Patrick said, “The Lifestone is safe?”

Calis said, “It is no more. It is safely undone and can no longer be used to harm anyone.”

Patrick said, “Thank the gods!” Every member of the royal family knew exactly what the stakes were since the Lifestone had been discovered under Sethanon fifty years before. “I feel like ordering a celebration.” The thunder of a catapult above firing on the attackers added a counterpoint to his next remark. “That just may be a bit premature. We are waiting for the Armies of the East.”

Manfred put his hand on Erik’s shoulder. “My brother and I were having an argument about who was going to go open the Eastern Gate and let the Armies of the East in to save us. Do you have a better plan?”

Calis said, “No, but I hope Nakor does.”

Miranda said, “I’m going to the roof to see if the Armies of the East are outside the eastern gate.” She looked at Manfred and Erik like a couple of slow children and said, “It wouldn’t do to go get yourselves killed opening the gate if the Armies of the East weren’t on the other side, would it?”