Demon Lord VI - Son of Chaos (20 page)

“
And what did he require of you? To wear a white gown and
transport him here? To perform a simple prostration that is no more
than his due? Do you think this is punishment enough?”

“
It’s what he wanted. I offered him my life.” She risked a
glance at his face and found that he was gazing at Bane.

“
Yes. He would. He has much to learn.” His eyes flicked down to
her, and she looked away. “I am not so lenient. By trying to kill
him, you put my life at risk. For that, you will be
punished.”

Kayos pointed
at her, and white fire spat from his finger. Searing agony shot
through her, making her scream and claw at her burning skin. The
fire ate into her, scorched her flesh and crisped her bones,
shredding her sanity with white-hot pain. She collapsed, writhed
and thrashed, her insides burning. It seemed to go on for hours,
then it stopped, and she lay gasping, tears running down her
face.

“
Get up,” Kayos said. “You are unharmed.”

Nikira blinked
away the tears and struggled to her knees, amazed to find that she
was not half cooked, and the pain had receded as quickly as it had
struck.

“
I tire of foolish people trying to kill my son, and what is
worse, almost succeeding. Go forth and teach your people that they
will not arise from their knees in my presence without my
permission, for if they do, they will be punished as you were. Nor
will they speak to me unless I first address them in a questioning
manner. Now get out.”

Nikira dashed
to the door and thrust it open in the faces of the concerned
medtechs who hammered on it, alarmed by her screams. Jovan took
hold of her as she stumbled into his arms, half dragging her to a
nearby bed, where she sat down, shaking.

“
What happened, Commander? Has the tar’merin woken
up?”

She shook her
head, fighting to regain her composure. “No. The Grey God has
arrived, and he’s extremely angry.”

“
What did he do? Are you okay?” Jovan tried to examine her for
injuries, but she pushed him away.

“
I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me.”

“
Who was screaming? Is the girl hurt?”

“
No. That was me. He... punished me for what we did to Bane,”
she said. “It hurt, but I’m okay now.”

“
A creator hurt you?”

“
Yes, Jovan. Like I said, he’s angry. Don’t let anyone go in
there, for pity’s sake. He’s ordered...” She swallowed hard and
coughed. “Everyone must hit the deck when they see him. You’ve all
had combat training, so treat him like he’s the enemy. Believe me,
you don’t want to find out what happens if you don’t.” She slid off
the bed. “I must tell the rest of the crew.”

Jovan turned
to frown at the door of Bane’s room, clearly wondering what was
happening inside, as she was.

***

Kayos gazed
down at Bane, his brow furrowed with concern. “He must purge, or I
cannot heal him completely.” His addressed Mirra. “You should
leave, My Lady.”

“
I wish to stay, Lord.”

“
Very well.”

Kayos stepped
closer to the bed. Sweat beaded Bane’s brow and ran into his hair,
but the blood had stopped oozing from his ears and nose and he no
longer breathed steam.

“
Each time he uses more power,” Kayos murmured. “He grows more
powerful, but I fear for him. Did he defeat Torvaran easily,
Drevarin?”

Drevarin
chuckled. “Bane destroyed him.”

Kayos shot him
a surprised look. “I wish I had seen that. My exhaustion was such
that I was forced to sleep when he arrived.”

“
These people have machines that will allow you to see what
happened, whenever you desire it.”

“
Clever. I shall do that.” Kayos placed his hand upon Bane’s
brow. “Bane, awaken.”

Kayos waited
for a response, then curled his fingers inwards. A flash of white
fire shot from his fingertips, evincing a retaliatory blaze of
blue. Bane’s eyelids flickered and his neck muscles twitched. Kayos
repeated his words and the stab of white power, and Bane’s brows
drew together. Removing his hand from the Demon Lord’s brow, Kayos
shook his shoulder.

“
Wake up, Bane.”

Bane’s eyes
opened, ink black, and Drevarin tensed as Kayos stepped back. Mirra
jumped up and took hold of her husband’s hand, her eyes sparkling
as she smiled at him. His eyes flicked to her and his frown
deepened, but her smile did not waver, although she gulped and
paled. He pulled his hand from her grasp and turned away with a
grimace.

“
Do not touch me,” he said, struggling to sit up, then he
clutched his side with a soft groan and sagged back. “I am
loathsome.”

“
No, Bane...” Mirra protested, but Kayos gripped her arm and
tugged her away. He sent her out of the door that Drevarin opened
with a firm shove, closing it again. Bane levered himself up on one
elbow and glowered at them, then closed his eyes. Shadows poured
from him, cascading onto the floor in a seething pool that sank
away into the carpet. The temperature in the room dropped, and the
dark power lapped at Drevarin’s boots. Bane opened eyes that were
pits of utter darkness, and his lips twisted in a contemptuous
sneer.

“
He killed twenty-two of your kind. I watched them die, through
his eyes. I saw myself in him. Their power was useless against
him.” He looked down at the shadows that flowed from his hands. “I
am a destroyer, like him.”

“
Not like him.” Kayos stepped closer. “A destroyer of
evil.”

Bane bowed his
head and closed his eyes, then looked up at Kayos. “How much do you
trust me now, Kayos? Father?”

Kayos reached
Bane’s side in a stride and pulled him into a fierce embrace. “You
are my son. I love you.”

Bane’s face
twisted with a mixture of self-loathing and sorrow, tinged with
anguish. He hesitated, then returned Kayos’ embrace. “I will
destroy the enemies of your kind, whenever I find them,
Father.”

Kayos spoke in
a choked voice. “You are the one son they will never be able to
take from me. My heart sings with joy at your triumph and my
gratitude for my deliverance knows no bounds. You have gifted me
with the pride of your deeds, and the depths of my love for you are
infinite.”

Drevarin
swallowed a lump at the ritualistic words only spoken between light
gods who shared a strong familial bond. Possibly Bane did not know
the import of those words, and that they confirmed his acceptance
into the highest hierarchy of light gods, spoken as they were by
the eldest of the Grey Gods. It had not taken courage for Kayos to
step into Bane’s potentially deadly embrace, only love. That was
the one thing Bane needed at the moment, the unreserved love and
trust of the Grey God whom he could kill with the merest flick of
his thoughts, if he chose.

By trusting
him, Kayos had purged the poison Torvaran had sown in Bane and
replaced his contempt with love. The Demon Lord released Kayos and
bowed his head, resting his brow on the Grey God’s shoulder,
looking exhausted. The black fire stopped flowing from him, and his
eyes turned blue as he leashed it. He sagged, and Kayos laid him
down on the blood-stained sheets, spreading his hands on Bane’s
chest. The golden glow formed under his palms, and he forced it
past the remaining dark shield to heal the deep wounds. Bane sighed
and closed his eyes as the cruel grip of pain released him. Kayos
summoned a cup of ambrosia and gave it to Bane, but he handed it
back after a few sips, clasping his belly.

“
Using that much power has had an adverse effect on my
stomach.”

“
That will pass. I could give you strength, but you will have
to complete your purge first.”

“
Not now. It weakens me.” Bane looked at Drevarin. “Did you
carry me in here?”

Drevarin
nodded. “I could not heal you.”

“
You should not have come near me without shields. I warned
you.”

“
I could not let you lie out there. You were
bleeding.”

“
You are a good friend, Drevarin, but a foolish one. I might
have woken and lashed out without thinking, I was... in an
aggressive frame of mind.”

Drevarin
shrugged. “Even so.”

Kayos formed a
cloud couch with a wave of his hand. “You should rest, Bane. I will
stay with you. I also require more sleep.”

Bane nodded
and closed his eyes, and Drevarin left them to rest. A crowd of
nervous people waited outside, and its members tensed when he
emerged.

Mirra
approached him. “I wish to sit with my husband, Lord.”

“
He sleeps. Let him rest.”

“
Is he well?”

Drevarin
nodded. “He is healed. There is nothing for you to worry about, My
Lady.”

“
What he said -”

“
Kayos has spoken to him, and he is at peace with himself once
more.”

“
Why did he say such a thing?”

Drevarin
sighed. “He was forced to share Torvaran’s foul memories when he
destroyed him, and it tainted him. Speak to him when he wakes. He
will explain it.”

Mirra’s smile
was strained, but she inclined her head and returned to her seat
beside Mithran to share the good news with the rest of the
group.

***

Nikira crept
to the dining room door and peered around it, ready to duck back if
the Grey God was there, but only Drevarin lounged on a couch,
gazing into space. Relieved, she approached him and performed an
awkward bow.

“
Lord.”

His eyes
focussed upon her. “What is it?”

“
What should we do now? Do we wait here or return to
base?”

“
When Bane awakens, he will decide. He may wish to banish the
demon hounds.”

She nodded,
lowering her gaze to his feet. “I was wondering... I’d like to
retrieve one of the swords he used in the battle, to examine it,
and also the shining thing Torvaran dropped.”

“
That is a domain key.” He looked pensive. “It should be
retrieved, and, since Bane is ill, he will not object if I collect
it for him. It belongs to him now.”

“
May I come with you, to find a sword?”

“
No. You will attract the Hellhounds.” She bit her lip,
striving to hide her disappointment, and Drevarin sighed. “If I
trip over a sword on the way, I will bring it back for you, but I
assure you, it is only a mundane weapon made from steel and gold,
formed with the aid of the dark power.”

“
Thank you, Lord.” She hesitated. “And the key?”

“
It is Bane’s key now, so you will have to ask him.”

“
Yes, Lord.”

Drevarin waved
her away, returning to his vacant-eyed state, and she wondered what
he was actually doing.

Three hours
later, Montar called to inform her that Drevarin had left the ship,
and she went down to the observation room to watch him walk across
the blasted land. The demon hounds ignored him as he headed
straight for the key, picked it up and tucked it into his tunic
before he wandered back towards the ship. Nikira smiled when he
made a slight detour and picked up a gleaming sword, then she
hastened to the dining room. Drevarin lounged on his couch, sipping
a cup of ambrosia, and her eyes were drawn to the huge,
battle-scarred sword that lay on the floor beside him. He waved his
cup at it.

“
There is your prize. I hope it keeps you amused for a few
hours at least.”

“
Thank you, Lord.”

Nikira
approached the sword with a sense of awe, taking in its every
detail. Globs of stone clung to the gleaming blade, which must have
been molten when the sword had fallen, and its keen edge was nicked
and bent. The double-handed hilt was solid, unadorned gold, a
functional design with no ambitions of grandeur, but to her it was
a thing of beauty. Sharp-edged lines ran around the handle,
affording grip, and its blade lacked the traditional blood groove.
She bent and grasped the hilt, staggering as she tried to lift it
and discovered its immense weight.

Drevarin
chuckled, and she raised it onto its tip, finding that it reached
almost to her shoulder, far too long and heavy for a normal man to
wield. It radiated cold, hinting at the power she hoped to find in
it. Cradling it, she carried it down to the lab, where Drontar and
his cronies huddled over their instruments. He came over when she
placed the sword on a free table, his eyes narrowing as he studied
the weapon.

“
Where did you get that?”

“
Drevarin brought it in for me. It’s one of the swords Bane
used in the battle.”

“
Excellent.” Drontar beckoned to his fellow scientists, and
they gathered around, bringing their instruments. One of them
removed the globs of stone with a hammer, revealing the shining
length of the gracefully tapered blade. Soon scanners and measuring
devices of all sorts were being run over the weapon, but the
results proved disappointing.

“
The blade is extremely pure and strong steel, much harder than
stainless or even tungsten,” Drontar informed her. “The hilt is
only gold-plated, pure gold would be too soft. It does contain dark
power, but only a small amount, probably a result of its forming.
It is, however, perfectly forged, and, although it’s far too heavy
for an average man to use, it’s also perfectly balanced. The edge
is razor sharp, but, as you can see from the nicks and dents,
there’s nothing particularly special about it.”