Demon Singer II (29 page)

       "Wait, you're 'her'? The woman Drake was taking me to?"

       "Yes sweetheart, I've been waiting for you. Welcome home."

Chapter 21

        Hell's armies were remarkably well organized. If Trytohn hadn't been so arrogant and his behind his armies like most rulers, Varia's plan would never have worked. It was funny to Varia that pride should be the cause of Trytohn's downfall. After all, pride led to his fall the first time.

        Varia Tur turned to the miserable demon tugging at his sleeve. The lesser had a lovely wreath of daisies growing from its scalp.

        “Yes?”

        “The Fairy King is asking for you.”

        Varia followed the lesser into Rapacity’s throne room. He would be glad to leave hell with his armies and not have to deal with Rapacity anymore.

        The obese demon sat on his throne like an enormous fat toad. Oberon was dressed in a luxurious robe made of enormous flower petals all sewn together. He was pacing at the far end of the throne room, as far away from the noxious stench of the monstrous demon as possible.

        As soon as Oberon saw Varia he limped over to him.

        “What's wrong your majesty?” Varia asked politely, “you seem uncomfortable.”

        Oberon opened his robe and Varia’s eyes widened in surprise.  A series of smoking sores ringed the Fairy King's lower abdomen and pelvis.

        “What happened to you? The only thing that could do that is-”

        “Iron!” Oberon snapped. “
Inside me!
 Courtesy of the Demon Singer.”

        Varia whistled.

        “That's brutal, why did he do this to you?”

        “It doesn't matter why he did it, can you get it out of me? You're the only singer available to me. My alternative is to visit the dwarves and have them remove it surgically. I don't even want to consider how that would go.”

        “I can remove it,” Varia nodded. “But it will hurt.”

        “It hurts
now!
” Oberon shouted. “My magic is weakened, I can't even travel the Verge by myself. I had to use up a favor from the griffins to get here.”

        Varia began to sing and watched as Oberon's sores began to bubble and move. The Fairy King began screaming. Varia coaxed the iron all the way to just beneath the flesh then stopped. Oberon stood panting and trembling from the agony. His blood shot eyes met the rogue Verger's. Varia waited for him to reach an important decision.  Finally Oberon ground out through clenched teeth.

        “Get this out of me and I'll open a door to allow your earth army onto the Verge.”

        Varia didn't respond. Oberon scowled and said.

        “I'll also give you passage through Faerie.’

        Varia still didn't answer. Oberon surrendered. He knew what the Verger wanted.

        “When you march on the Kholor Atura Reaches my army will march with you.

        Varia smiled and continued singing while Oberon continued screaming.

*   *   *   *   *

                  Lyric, Cadence and Dispo Sitorem stood at the edge of the valley that had recently been the crater left when the Soul Singer's Guild was destroyed. Lyric felt cold and alone without his tie to Cadence and Acheron. He worried about the demoness, wondering where she was. Cadence assured him that she was alive and healthy. However, she would not respond to Cadence’s attempts to communicate with her.

                  Diz walked down into the valley exhibiting nothing but confidence and purpose. He stopped inside a small circle of toadstools in the midst of the green grass and wildflowers. Lyric did some mental mapping of the former guild and realized Diz must be standing right where the casting chamber used to be.

                  Dispo Sitorem’s beautiful voice filled the valley as he began to sing. Almost immediately a violet strand of light issued from his throat and Lyric realized he was witnessing a casting done without the security of the guild masters. Part of him protested this violation of tradition and structure, but another part of him reveled in the freedom he felt just watching this magical event. Still another part felt a surge of jealousy and hopelessness at the prospect that he would never sing again.

                  Diz’s song shot into the ground and a low hum began to vibrate the valley. Where Lyric’s song had resulted in an explosion that rocked the casting chamber and damaged more than one Master Singer, Dispo’s song spread out in a shimmer that brightened and grew. Before long a man shaped being of light stood before Dispo and to Lyric’s surprise the light being stepped forward and embraced the old singer. Diz hugged it back.

                  Curiosity had Lyric halfway there before he realized he’d started walking. As he approached, the light being began to dim. By the time he was within ten feet it was just a familiar looking man who let go of Diz and greeted Lyric with bright blue eyes and an overwhelming sense of deja vu.

                  Ervin the founder of the Soul Singer's Guild smiled and said.

                  “Hello, Lyric. You’re looking well.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I was born under a strange sign. It advertised 2 for 1 cheeseburgers at the very opposite of a fancy restaurant. Ever since then, if you cut me I bleed processed American cheese. That's right, I bleed America... plus... y'know... blood.

Half of my left eye can see every individual pixel in my computer screen. The other half of my left eye just blurs them all together. Thus, my left eye is exactly average.

The Demon Singer is not a real person. He's pretend. I say this because I had a person contact me (this is completely and depressingly true) and ask for a song that would make women want to have relations with him of a naughty nature. He also wanted many, many moneys. I said: "Dude, it's all pretend. Besides, the Demon Singer is a good guy. His moniker is unwanted by and annoying to him. Read the book.."

Which brings me to: Don't read my books if you're dumb. My books are strictly for non-stupid people. I know this is true because everyone who has loved them has been extremely intelligent, good-looking, generous, thrifty and punctual. Well... Maybe not punctual.

If you haven't read the first book yet, visit my website immediately [www.benjaminjnichols.com]. There you will be able to read other stuff I've written as well as look at pretty pictures, listen to some original music and offer to buy me a coffee... or a house. 

There will be a book 3 and it will be super not bad. If you continue in your completely awesome support of my writing then books 4 and 5 should also arrive in due time.