Shattered Soul (31 page)

Without fear Fredrico plunged into the hot light with Veknor by his side.

They broke through the light and found themselves amidst a sea of great legs and clawed feet. Sharp nails raked the air, barely missing Veknor, and Kg Vbea he cursed and continued onwards.

A huge body shuddered, black blood spraying the air and spattering in hot, steaming rivulets on Fredrico, and he looked up to see Ethmor ripping the leathery face from a demon.

Disbelievingly he took in the scene in one sweeping glance.

In the air above them, Phemar and Rani were locked in combat, hand to hand, power flaring from fingertips, as they pushed at each other. In a macabre dance they swirled, dipping and sweeping, almost in a grotesque waltz from an age thousands of years ago.

But this waltz was deadly. Each strained against the other. Maggots, ravaged skin, and darkness spilled from Phemar, the stench of rot mixing with sulphur. Blackness streaked with orange burned in Rani’s eyes, and Phemar met the onslaught with pure orange evil.

As their darkness fought, so did their bodies with deadly intent. They kicked, punched, grappled, raked at each other with nails, elbowed and kneed, and pounded with fists.

And as they fought, the demonic beasts fought to reach them, to tear Rani from their master.

But shockingly one demon stood between them and the one they sought. Ethmor fought them back, his hulking body a mass of black blood, torn muscle and skin and gleaming bone. He didn’t relent, crushing and slashing, injuring and tearing, killing and fighting, but he was weakening under the onslaught of the fury from his fellow demonic beasts, and he wavered.

Veknor glanced at Fredrico, touched his forehead in a brief salute, and swerved away towards Ethmor.

Leaping up a pile of rocks to the side that offered a dubious shelter, Fredrico stood tall, arms out to the side and fingers curled. Focusing on Rani, he drew the darkness through him, feeling it flow out down his arms and into his fingers. Throwing up one hand, he forced the darkness into a sharp, arcing shield, sending it straight up towards her.

She’d been holding her own against Phemar, but the combined blow from Fredrico sent her staggering and Phemar pushed onwards, using her distraction to try for a crippling blow.

Rani twisted and came at him again, her hands shoving in the air, a hot blast of orange flaring from her palms to clash against Phemar’s shields.

Swearing, Fredrico swung his arm back and threw with all his weight, coming down on one knee with the force of the blackness leaving his hand. He watched as it arced and slammed into Rani. Phemar hit her at the same time, his orange shield shoving hard, and a fierce crackle rent the air.

Rani fell, twisting and arching, slamming to the ground on her stomach directly in front of Fredrico.

Still on one knee, he watched her tensely, power smoking from his fingertips. Phemar observed from high above them. Around Fredrico came the sound of battle, heaving grunts and roars of pain and rage and pure blood lust. That same blood lust poured through Fredrico but he kept it in check, his attention focused on the enemy at his knee.

Rani moaned softly as she pushed up onto her elbows. Lifting her head, she pushed a thick hank of hair back over her shoulder. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth and a graze marred one smooth cheek. Covered in dust and red welts from the bolts of power thrown at her, she must have been in a lot of pain, but the expression on her face was pure warrior.

“If you’re going to kill me,” she rasped, “you better do it now, for you’ll not get another chance.”

He felt lust surge up to pound behind his eyes, blood lust and carnal lust, her continued defiance calling to his baser side, mixing his emotions. For one split second that seemed to last an eternity he looked into her eyes and contemplated taking her now, bloodied and wounded and defiant to the end, pulling her beneath him and ravaging her body, forcing her surrender. Wanting her to fight him, wanting to dominate her. Wanting to—

“Kill her!” Phemar ordered from above, his voice a harsh, wet rattle that broke through the lust clouding Fredrico’s mind.

He blinked and the lust faded. “I’m sorry, Rani,” Fredrico said, and he meant it. He meant it as he gathered the killing power in his hand, pulled it up from the ball of hate inside himself, razored it with black fury, and drew it forth into his palm.

Her gaze locked with his, her green eyes streaked with orange.

Reaching out, he laid his palm on her head.

Taking him by surprise she lunged up, grabbing his wrist and wrenching his arm aside. On their knees they grappled, power and heat and rage pouring through them both, a fight for victory and death.

Rani was strong, her natural Reeka strength combined with the supernatural strength of the demon that had touched her and brought her back to life.

Fredrico was just as strong, his own demon-touched soul and inner blackness surging up to match her.

They fought, each trying to force the other’s shields aside. They struck at the same time, pushing hard at each other, him with blackness, her with orange malevolence. Their power collided, flaring bright, arcing out to encompass everything in sight.

The demons howled and fell to their knees, covering their eyes as flaming yellow torched the air. Phemar turned his head away, desperately trying to shield himself from the heat and glare.

Rani and Fredrico slammed together, their faces inches from each other, their bodies pressed together breast to chest, thighs to thighs, their breaths mingling as they pushed against each other.

Ruthless blue eyes gazed into sudden, clear green, and a violet flash speared between them, jumping from one to the other, a violet coating that flowed over their rage, streaked through their fury, and dampened their hate.

As Fredrico gazed at Rani, he felt a shift inside himself, an easing of his soul, and suddenly it was so clear to him. He knew what he had to do, he knew the right thing, the only thing, he could do.

~ * ~

From afar The Overlord watched, intrigued, a little disturbed by the shift of balance but fascinated. He should have expected something to happen, the animosity from Phemar towards Rani had been growing, and now it was happening in front of him.

As were other things. His slitted pupils dilated. So very interesting.

~ * ~

Fredrico shoved Rani away from him, and she rolled, lunged to her feet, and soared upwards on a surge of power so great the air grew even hotter. Phemar met her attack, the ground shaking as they clashed once more.

Sweat poured from Fredrico, stinging his eyes.

Veknor was suddenly in front of Fredrico. “What the hell is going on?”

“She needs us!” Fredrico yelled above the roaring.

Veknor looked at him, his dark gaze seemi Krk ">ng to pierce Fredrico’s very soul, and then he hissed through clenched teeth, “Goddamn it, Fredrico!”

An arc of lightening flared, hot and fiery, and another beast dropped howling to its knees, its eyes bubbling red froth.

More demons came from the ground, clawed hands coming through the cracks, clawing and gouging as they heaved themselves up from the smoky pits below.

A scream pierced the air, pain filled and furious all at once.

Rani
. Something deep inside his soul clenched and he reacted. Without waiting for his friend, Fredrico drew on his darkness, drawing it forth from the tight ball deep inside him, again calling it up.

Veknor grabbed his arm and he looked at him. Veknor nodded grimly and Fredrico felt something ease a little inside him. For better or worse, Veknor was with him.

Veknor was with him, and he was with Rani. At this very moment loyalties were split and had shifted sides.

The day couldn’t have taken a stranger turn.

Focusing on Phemar, Fredrico threw his darkness.

The shield shattered as soon as it hit the orange roiling around Phemar. The recoil brought Fredrico to his knees, leaving him gasping as the shards of shattered darkness sliced back into him.

Forcing himself back up, he tried again and yet again, each time forced to his knees as his shield shattered against Phemar’s shield.

The dark mystic was too strong, his power so much greater than Fredrico’s that he didn’t even notice the attack from below, he was focused on Rani.

For the first time fear of a different kind filled Fredrico. If he couldn’t even penetrate Phemar’s barriers, if his attack didn’t even register on the dark mystic’s power, how could Rani, untrained and full of mindless rage, hope to beat him?

And what would she gain from it?

And that just brought a fear of another kind.

Fredrico swore savagely. It was too late to worry about that now, all he could do was try to protect her the best way he could, and that was by guarding her back.

Determination flowed through him and he turned to the fighting demons. On the far side he could see Veknor calling upon his power, his ebony skin gleaming with effort. Darkness cut through the demons but it wasn’t easy, for their protection of the dark mystic went both ways. Not every mystical blow Veknor dealt killed or hurt them.

Concentrating, Fredrico attacked, hurling his shield out. He felt it cut through bone and tendon, slice through tough leather.

The beasts broke into three groups, one group attacking Veknor, the other coming for Fredrico, the third beating down Ethmor.

For every blow he dealt the demons, for every ripple of rock he exploded beneath their clawed feet, he saw more come from beyond.

A wraith sped past, trying to gouge out his eyes with clawed fingers, but he effortlessly brought up a black arc, flaring it into her empty eye sockets, watching her head explode with satisfaction.

Phemar had taught Fredrico much and he was using everything he knew against the horde that had once protected him.

Seeing him, Dreden roared and started pounding forward, heavy legs bulging with ugly muscle, veins literally throbbing in its flesh. Its tusks gleamed, black blood coating i Koodardt. Fredrico thought it had to be Ethmor’s blood, and pretty soon it would probably be his.

And then another shock came. Dreden sunk its tusk into the back of the head of a demon running for Fredrico. With one hard jerk, Dreden ripped though the skull, splitting it, and boiling brains spilled out. The demon fell and Dreden was then fighting its own as fellow demons turned on it.

Who was friend and who was foe? Fredrico could only fight onwards, trying to bring down the demons he could, slow their progress, protect his own demon, and try to help Rani.

He looked up briefly to gauge her progress and saw that her face was a mess of blood, a mixture of red and black, every part of her body that he could see covered in blood and scratches. Wraiths screamed around the battling pair but were unable to get near.

Obviously Rani was stronger than anyone had suspected, and Veknor’s words came back to him.

“That woman is packing a lot of power, my friend... Her energy shot right off the scale... she hasn’t learned to harness those powers yet...”

Fredrico wondered if the dark mystic had been truly aware of just how much power Rani was packing.

Heat, dust, smoke and sulphur filled the air, and he wondered how much longer this could all go on.

~ * ~

The Darknen

Inside the crystal, the black fog swirled agitatedly. The shift in power and loyalties was easily felt. The air vibrated and the crystal shivered uneasily.

The Darknen enter the room.

Placing one hand on the globe, he whispered. “Do you feel it? Such power, such evil.” Tipping back his head, he breathed in deeply. “It is almost time. Almost time.”

Freedom beckoned. The energy inside the crystal almost built and the crystal cracked, the fine lines running along the shining surface.

Soon. Soon.

The Darknen chuckled, running his fingertip along the lines. “So impatient, my little destroyer? Don’t worry, soon you will be free.”

The crystal shivered with the eagerness contained inside it. Yes, soon. Freedom. Finally.

The cracks in the crystal sealed and the black fog faded to grey.

~ * ~

Inner Sanctum of the Outlaw Sector

Overlord’s Fortress

Who was going to win this fight was unclear. Phemar and Rani fought savagely but neither seemed to be losing or gaining ground.

Glancing up, Fredrico clenched his teeth in frustration. How could he kill Phemar? How could anyone?

Veknor appeared beside him, his ebony face grim as he looked up. “This is going to end with one of them dead, and if Phemar wins,” he looked at Fredrico, “we’re dead.”

“We need to kill him,” Fredrico said. “Rani needs to. But how?”

“If only we could give her some of our power, make her stronger.”

Fredrico looked from his friend to the fighting couple above them. It could work, their power combined, but how? Knedh="11">< How could he give her his power? How could he tunnel it into her?

A savage crack rent the air and he looked up to see Phemar’s power slash across Rani, tearing through her barrier, and he reacted without thinking.

Throwing up his hand, he sent a surge of blackness flaring up and it bled into Rani’s orange shield, flowing through the orange with black shards of fury.

The combined power hit Phemar, flaring outwards to encompass him.

Phemar fell.

He hit the ground and everyone froze. Every demon stopped fighting, Rani hovered in the air above him, and Fredrico and Veknor stood silent.

Everyone watched the fallen dark mystic.

The tattered robes stirred and he lifted himself up on his elbows. His eyes were twin orange glows in the darkness of his hood. Beneath him pooled a stream of putrid muck.

Lifting one hand, he pointed it at Fredrico. “Traitor!”

Veknor dived in front of Fredrico, taking the blast of orange aimed for his friend. The force behind the energy threw him back into Fredrico, sending them both crashing against the wall.

Fredrico’s head collided with the rock wall and he literally saw stars. By the time his vision cleared it was to find Rani standing before him and Veknor slumped in his arms. Fear for both collided inside him at once.