The Beginnings Omnibus: Beginnings 1, 2, 3 & Legend of Ashenclaw novella (Realm of Ashenclaw Beginnings Saga) (53 page)

“Yes, I see good things in that one’s future,” Grubb concluded, nodding at Barguth as he watched the goblin roll around in the copper coins for several minutes.

“Though, he
is
a goblin. It would be wise to remember that,” Shaman Tukk counseled as he moved away, tapping his spine-shaped staff along the wall playfully as he departed.

Grubb turned his attention once more to Barguth and walked over to stand beside him.

“Barguth, I need you to take a scouting party to the cavern entrance to bring me news of the weather,” Grubb announced to the distracted goblin. He spun Barguth around to face him, staring into his eyes to make sure he’d heard the orders. “And do bring me favorable news,” Grubb finished with a harsh expression, narrowing his yellow eyes, which made Barguth shudder, forgetting momentarily about the treasures that lay scattered about him.

“And while there, use that same crew to scout the outer perimeter for any signs of activity,” Grubb added. Barguth nodded and scooped up a few choice coins and stuffed them in a pouch and more in a sack. He strapped the sack to his worg and then gathered two goblins, an ograth and four orcs. Together they started off toward the upper level and the outer cave mouth.

He truly hoped that the snow was clearing as he recalled Grubb’s wishes over and over in his mind.

Zabalas’s group emerged from the magical portal from within the lower Subterrane, and was now at the threshold of Ulthon. The enclave was made up of lodgings carved into and around the natural stone walls and formations. The succubi were unique in that if they did not possess the skills to execute a specific task, they could find the means quite easily. And so their homes and décor were shaped by the hands of their countless slaves over the past decades. In the center of the city was a colossal and ornately carved statue of the Demon Queen, Lilith.

The chamber room of the Aspect Nahemia was dank and cold, Megnus considered, feeling the chill beneath his heavy armor. The group entered the main chamber of the Sine quarters and now stood face to face with the Aspect Nahemia, sitting upon her throne with a pair of large wings curled about her. Many thralls stood nearby, mostly males wielding weapons. They were ready to do her bidding if called upon, Megnus knew. There was one ogre brute by her side also, hunched over with a club in its grip that seemed out of place here, too.

Nahemia’s appearance resembled the demonic form of the succubi which Megnus had been accustomed to seeing, except that hers was a bit more fiendish than the half-demons.

Her white skin stood out against the deep crimson and black of her clothing that could be seen from beneath her wings. A pair of curved horns protruded from the outer edges of her forehead.  But instead of advancing in a vertical direction, they coiled around her head, following the shape of her skull and simulating what Megnus likened to that of a crown of ivory. Beneath her horns could be seen vibrant red hair, which was again different from the white-haired succubi. Her deep red lips and red-glowing eyes completed her menacing facial features.

She unfurled her wings as she stood from the throne to display that they were indeed extremely large in size when compared to the succubi, indicating her to be the purest of demonic origins. The wings, Megnus observed, ranged in color from pale white at the inner section to pitch black toward the tips with various shades of gray in between. She held a curved sword in her clawed, right hand and a scourge in her left. Again, this was similar to what he had observed among all of the other succubi, and what must have been the preferred weapons with which they were trained to employ over decades, if not centuries, Megnus presumed.

“What,” she began as she stood and paced back and forth in front of her throne, “is it that you need from
me
?”

She glowered at Zabalas as her shrill voice echoed off the walls.  He stood before her confidently, covered from head to toe in his flawless black armor. She collapsed her wings and sat upon her throne once more, awaiting an answer from the warlord.

“I have come to ask you to join my forces that will soon supplant the Races of Order, and help administer a much deserved judgment upon them,” Zabalas reasoned as he removed his horned helmet, setting his long, dark hair free to flow over his shoulders.

“That includes the complete extinction of those races including the humans, dwarves…
and
elves
,” he continued, knowing full well that the succubi hated elves, which was the word he’d chosen to accentuate as he spoke.

“While it would satisfy me to slay each and every member of the races you mention—especially the elves—I have a responsibility here to my brood and to Ulthon,” replied the Aspect Nahemia, stroking the arms of her throne.

“As you may not know the hierarchy of law in Ulthon, but the Daughters of Asmodai are the most powerful brood in all of Ulthon. We number the most thralls within the entire enclave, and that signifies authority amongst the rest of the Aspects—as Lilith demands!” Nahemia explained, now rising from her throne again and expanding her wings. “I am ruler of the Sine brood as I am the direct descendant of the purest of demons. I am a direct result of the coupling of Lilith and the demon lord Asmodai.”

Aspect Nahemia explained this not only to Zabalas, but to the entire audience, as she clearly wanted them all to understand their history. “If I join your endeavor, I would have to divide my thralls and brood between the two evenly. This would mean my brood would lose its control over Ulthon….”

The pure-breed demon began pacing, her clawed feet padding softly across the stone as the surface of her wings shimmered in the torchlight of the room as she spoke. They spread wide, displaying an intricately designed robe that displayed much of her milky white flesh. An oval was cut out from her neck all the way to her belly, similar to Phaera’s, except that Nahemia’s exposed quite a bit more skin.

Megnus could not help but stare and he noted that despite her obvious demoness physique, she was unequivocally attractive. He wasn’t sure if it was her powers or if she actually was that stunning.

His eyes continued to fall over her, observing more details. She sported silver belts crossing each other, hanging low on her shapely hips, which currently stored the sword and scourge combination she had held earlier. He had to fight a suddenly overwhelming desire to throw himself at her and he was sweating profusely now, fighting an impulse to run toward her! And then, without warning, he was in complete control of his actions once more.

“Well spoken, mother,” congratulated one particular succubus, sitting on the arm of the throne.

“This is Hasna Sine, my next eldest daughter after Phaera,” Nahemia introduced proudly. “And this is Hazelle and Saamea.” All three Sine cambions huddled around the throne, all were Phaera’s immediate ‘sisters’. Megnus gave consideration to this and recalled Phaera’s brief explanation that she and her sisters were offspring of one particularly important male. He could not recall who, exactly, though she had offered that information at one point.

The Sine daughters each wore their white hair slightly differently, and they displayed the traditional humanoid appearance instead of the demonic facade that their mother exhibited. They, along with Phaera, were the heiresses of the brood and apparently, the most cherished by Nahemia.

“Of course I would not want you to relinquish control of such a powerful position within your order, Nahemia,” Zabalas agreed after a long pause. He looked back and forth between Megnus and Prishnack, the now corporeal djinni covered in flowing, shimmering robes. He nodded, seemingly admiring their courage in the presence of this demon. Zabalas spun on the Aspect and finally finished his thought.

“However, once we accomplish what I have set out to achieve, your political structure
here
won’t be nearly as important a position as you will be part of something much grander.”

There were a few audible gasps, mostly from the daughters of the Aspect, as Nahemia stared coldly at the warlord, her red hair dancing and seeming to come alive with her anger.

He be provokin’ her,
Megnus observed from afar, noting the hard glare from the demon’s red eyes.  Phaera even stood wide-eyed in shock, not knowing what to expect next.

“How dare you speak to her like that?” admonished Hazelle, the youngest of the four Sine heiresses, if Megnus recalled correctly. Everyone in the chamber seemed to tense at the words, except Zabalas. The thralls stirred as if some unseen force compelled them.

“I mean no disrespect,” Zabalas soothed in response.

 He crossed his arms defiantly over his chest for effect, indicating that he was not concerned for his own well-being, even in the presence of so many deadly succubi and their thralls. Phaera quickly ran to the center of the room, somewhat enjoying seeing her mother’s vexation, but not wanting her youngest sister to perish at the hands of this mighty warlord.

“Please!” Phaera shouted. ”Isn’t the goal that we rid Wothlondia of the elves!?” All eyes were now upon her. “Lilith would be rightly served by that, mother,” Phaera reasoned, trying to further defuse the situation, and redirect the discussion to a more productive route again.

“I do not appreciate guests
in my own chambers speaking to
me
in this manner!” Nahemia protested, turning her anger once more upon Zabalas, who stood assertively in the center of the room still. The many male thralls that stood at attention around the outer edges of the chamber moved forward a step in unison. Megnus placed his hands on the handles of his axes, preparing for a fight after sensing the reaction of the slaves.

 “Perhaps I
am
being a bit disrespectful, Nahemia,” Zabalas offered, trying to pacify the Aspect’s anger. He certainly did not want to kill her. After all, he wanted her help. Zabalas quickly tried to appeal to her in a non-threatening way.

Megnus and Prishnack stood at the ready behind him, not making any moves of hostility yet. They were ready to act, however, if things escalated.

“I am merely saying that if you aid me in my pursuit, I can help you not only maintain your rulership
here
, but I can expand it to any place that you could ever want. The possibilities will be endless!”

Aspect Nahemia visibly calmed after hearing that statement. The offer intrigued her as a smile crept across her face

“Mother,” Phaera began to say. I know you appreciate your word as law. Now imagine that loyalty applied to anywhere of your choosing! Commanding an entire city of elven thralls…?” Those words set her smile even wider. “Yes…that appeals to you greatly. You will stand out as the most prized Aspect of all, and Lilith will surely look favorably upon you, gifting you with even greater power!” The look upon Nahemia’s face changed completely to one of distinct pleasure by the time Phaera had finished her diatribe.

 “What is it that
I
can do for
you
?” Aspect Nahemia rephrased her original question, displaying a wide and wickedly fanged smile.

“I will let you know when the time comes,” Zabalas began to explain. “Regardless, I want
everything
you can offer when I call for you. That includes any and all other Aspects that will follow you, as well as your brood and thralls,” Zabalas leveled with her.

“And will you carry on in your absence from my side, dearest Phaera, and allow Hasna to continue on as the heiress to the Sine brood?” Aspect Nahemia teased her eldest daughter. She was clearly not pleased with her daughter’s decision.