Shadowstorm

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

30 Uktar, the Year of Lightning Storms

As Rivalen flew back toward Selgaunt, he intoned ward after ward, shielding himself from lightning, cold, fire, and projectiles. He surrounded himself in a translucent sphere of energy that would entirely block lesser spells.

Below him, dozens of Saerloonian soldiers lay dead on the smoking plains, burned by the alchemical fire thrown by the trebuchets. But the rest of the army straddled Selgaunt's toppled wall. Fully half the army fought within the city, while the rest waited for the way to clear for them so they could push through.

Saerloonian soldiers in the rear ranks spotted him as he approached, pointed. A hail of crossbow bolts and a storm of magical energy greeted his arrival. His wards and the shadowstuff in his flesh repelled all of it.

He hovered, pointed an open palm at each side of the breach in the wall, and recited arcane words while crossbow bolts bounced off his flesh and spells lit the air. When he finished casting, a wall of gray stone materialized from nothingness and spanned the breach. Rivalen's magic melded to the wall, sealing off Selgaunt and cutting the Saerloonian army in half.

He followed up immediately with one of his most powerful necromantic spells. Choosing one of the fat Saerloonian wizards he had seen summoning the earth elementals earlier, he recited the incantation. A wave of gray magical energy went forth from his hands, to the Saerloonian wizard, and outward from the wizard in a circle twenty paces in diameter. His spell pulled every drop of liquid from every Saerloonian in the sphere. Pink fluid burst from noses, eyes, ears, groin, and pooled on the ground to form a macabre pond. Men screamed, but only for a moment before their desiccated corpses splashed to the ground in their own fluids. Hundreds died in the span of three breaths. Rivalen offered their death shrieks to Shar. Shouts of fear and anger rose from the army.

Leevoth and his soldiers are to assist the Selgauntans within the city, he sent to Brennus. No krinth. Join me here for sport, if you wish. But hurry.

Hurry? Brennus said. There are thousands of Saerloonians.

Not for long, Rivalen answered.

A ball of flame exploded around him, soaking him in fire. His wards shielded him. He spotted the mage who had cast it and incanted his own spell. A green beam shot from his finger, struck the gray-robed mage in the chest, and reduced him to dust.

More crossbow bolts thumped off his flesh. Two bolts, presumably enchanted, sunk into his thigh and shoulder. He grunted with pain while his regenerative flesh pushed them out and healed the wounds.

He flew down just above the army. More bolts slammed into him. Three sank into his limbs. He endured the pain, let it fuel his burgeoning anger. Upturned faces stared at him with eyes full of fear, anger, awe. He looked down on them and intoned the words to a spell that would infuse him with unholy power. The shadows swirled around him as energy gathered. Some among the Saerloonians broke and ran.

When Rivalen completed the spell, he landed in their midst, profane words lined up behind his teeth. Swords and axes chopped at him. Men shouted, tried to pin his arms. The shadows swarmed around him to deflect warriors and weapons. A few blade thrusts penetrated his defenses and cut his skin but he did not care. He was about Shar's work.

He unleashed the words, turning a circle as he shouted his blasphemous phrase.

Every Saerloonian around him to a distance of twenty paces-seven score soldiers, perhaps eight-withered, screamed, and died. Rivalen was surrounded by corpses.

Another two or three score Saerloonians stopped short and stared at gray, vaguely formed phantasms that materialized out of the air before them. Rivalen had seen the spell often enough. The men saw their darkest fears, and a touch from the illusion would kill them.

Brennus, Rivalen said, and looked up. His brother floated in the air above him, his gray eyes hard. His homunculi looked out of his robe to leer at the death below.

High above Brennus, Sakkors floated into position over Selgaunt's walls. The veserabs with their shade riders began to spiral down. Leevoth and the shade troops would follow.

Some sport remains yet, I see, Brennus answered.

The Saerloonians affected by Brennus's spell shrieked, cowered. The phantasms reached for them, touched them, and all but two fell dead.

The Saerloonian army on Rivalen's side of Selgaunt's walls broke and started to run.

A conjured wall trapped the Saerloonians within the city and divided their army in half, and they fought with increasing desperation. The battle spilled into the open area behind the Khyber Gate. The combat grew disorganized. Pockets often and twenty men fought here and there. Crossbow bolts winged over the combat. Shouts and screams sounded from every direction. Saerloonian and Selgauntan commanders shouted orders but most went unheeded as the soldiers on both sides swung blades and axes at any enemy within reach. The dead and dying littered the streets.

Tamlin fired bolts of magical energy at any Saerloonian commander or mage he could mark. Variance pulled him beside the frame of the unmanned trebuchet and cloaked them both in darkness.

"I will not cower while the city falls!" he said to her.

She nodded up at the sky. "It will not fall."

Tamlin looked up to see the Shadovar enclave float directly over the wall and cast its shadow over the battlefield. For a moment, combat ceased. A hush fell and all eyes looked up.

The batlike creatures flitting about the flying city spiraled downward. Pockets of darkness formed on the battlefield. Soldiers on both sides backed away warily.

"It is over," Variance said, and sheathed her short swords.

Shadovar troops materialized and stepped from the pitch. They bore blades crafted of glistening black metal, and wore armor forged of the same. Shadows curled around them. The Saerloonians did not even have time to shout in surprise before the Shadovar began to kill. Their black blades cut flesh and steel with equal facility. Two hundred Saerloonians died in three breaths.

Shouts erupted anew, the ring of metal, battle cries, the screams of the wounded and dying. Tamlin watched, awed, as the Shadovar troops disappeared into the shadows only to reappear ten paces away, often behind a Saerloonian soldier to run him through. The combat was no longer a battle. It was a slaughter.

"Thank Shar for this," he murmured. "She has saved the city." Variance looked at him and smiled. "Indeed."

Cale cursed and whirled around to the shadow priests, all of whom had turned to watch them. Cale stalked up to Avnon and pointed Weaveshear at his chest. "Where did he go?"

Back to himself, to make whole what was sundered. The Shadowlord's power is Kesson's until it is taken from him. All we could do was contain it.

Riven shook his head in disbelief.

Cale looked past Avnon to Magadon, who stood with his head bowed, shoulders hunched.

"How do I take it from him, priest?"

There is only one way. Kill him.

"We did kill him," Cale said.

"No. He lives. And now he is stronger than before."

Magadon cursed softly, but there was no heat in it, only despair.

"Dark, Cale," Riven said. "A duplicate. We were duped."

Cale could not believe it. The duplicate of Kesson Rel had almost killed them. If the real Kesson were stronger…

"But why?" Riven asked.

Cale remembered what Magadon had learned from the gnome. "He could not leave his spire. We did his work for him."

"And now he's free?" Riven asked.

Cale nodded. "So it would seem."

He did not relish the thought of battling Kesson Rel again. He slowed his racing mind. "Tell us everything, Avnon Des."

Our time is limited, Avnon said. We should have died millennia ago. Hear me, then. Kesson Rel was the first Chosen of the Shadowlord. In him the Dusklord invested some of his own power, his own divinity. Kesson became a god but the power drove him mad. We tried to stop him hut he forced our temple onto this plane and used the soulbound shadow dragon to murder us one by one. Through a vision the Shadowlord told me our fate. We could not stop Kesson but we could make our deaths meaningful by using our own souls to trap the divine spark he had been forced to use to bind the dragon to his will. This we did, though it cost the dragon dearly.

Avnon looked to the dragon's carcass and shook his head. I do not know what occurred with Kesson after that.

Cale did, at least part of it. "He abandoned Mask for Shar and avenged himself on Elgrin Fau. He brought the entire city to the Plane of Shadow. Everyone in it died in darkness."

Avnon looked up, shock and pain in his expression. His fellow priests shuffled on their feet, murmured in distress to one another.

"The City of Silver? Lost?"

Cale nodded. "I'm sorry."

"What was the point of it all?" Riven asked. "Mask had a plan millennia in the making and now things are right back where they started. Kesson Rel is not only alive, but whole."

Avnon looked Riven and Cale in the face. Things are not back where they started. You are here. That was the point. We were waiting for you. The Shadowlord was waiting for you.

Cale looked at Riven and both looked back to Avnon.

"We are going to kill Kesson Rel."

I know.

"Then what happens?" Cale asked.

I do not know, Avnon said. But I envy you.

"Don't," Cale said.

Avnon smiled. His form started to blur at the edges, then to fade.

Farewell, First and Second.

Avnon and his fellow priests dissipated into the surrounding shadowstuff.

Cale and Riven stood in silence for a moment, then turned away from the dragon's carcass and walked back to their friend.

Softly, Cale asked, "Mags, what did you do to the dragon?"

Magadon stared at him, his eyes troubled. "It's dead. That is what we wanted. What does it matter what I did?"

"It matters."

Magadon's expression went from troubled to that of a man about to confess a transgression. He looked away. "I… magnified the self-destructive urge in its mind."

"Magnified?" Cale asked. "What does that mean?"

Magadon spoke softly. "Everyone carries a seed of self-loathing, Cale. For some, it's quite powerful. So it was with Furlinastis. It is easy to twist that into a suicidal impulse. "

"Dark," Riven said.

Cale agreed. The power unnerved him. That Magadon would use it unnerved him more.

He looked at the dragon's carcass, the hole of its open neck a black tunnel. He felt a certain pity for the dragon, even kinship. Avnon Des had said the dragon had been unwillingly bound by Kesson Rel. Despite its immense power, the creature had been a tool of fate, caught up in one of Mask's schemes. It had despised itself in consequence. Cale understood the feeling well. He looked back to Magadon, held his mask in hand, and incanted the words to a spell that turned the rock back into mud. Cale helped pull the mindmage free.

"Are you all right, Mags?" He meant more than the words alone expressed.

Magadon seemed to understand. "I am nearly spent, Cale."

"Hang on," Cale said, and Magadon nodded.

"What now?" Riven asked.

Cale answered, "The Wayrock."

Riven smiled and said, "There's nothing at the Wayrock. We've been in Hell and the darkest hole in the Plane of Shadow, Cale. I need a drink and two women. Or a woman and two drinks. I'll decide on the way, but there are neither at the Wayrock. Mags, you can join me. Cale's a monk."

Cale chuckled, despite it all. "When did you get funny?"

"I am not making a jest."

Cale smiled. "Use your ring. I'll follow after."

Riven grew serious and a question formed on his brow. "Follow?"

"Yes." Cale nodded at the dragon.

Riven shook his head. "Cale…"

"It's the right thing."

Furlinastis had spent almost his entire existence bound to serve others, whether Kesson Rel, Avnon Des, or Mask. The dragon had hated his existence as a result, and Cale, Riven, and Magadon had used that self-hate to kill him. Servants of Mask had stolen the dragon's life. Cale was going to give it back.

Riven studied him, looked to the dragon, and sighed in surrender. "Let's move, Mags." To Cale, he said, "See you soon."

Cale nodded. "See you soon."

Cale donned his mask. Sound had returned to the swamp- howls, shrieks, and the buzzing of insects. Cale splashed through the water until he stood before the dragon. The horns that jutted from the reptile's head were as tall as Cale; the teeth were swords.

Cale took a deep breath and hoped he was doing the right thing.

He placed both hands on the dragon's head-the scales felt as smooth as a polished shield-and incanted the words to a spell that revivified the recently dead. Power gathered as he intoned first one couplet, then another, another. When the magic reached its apex, he felt the doors between worlds open.

"Return, Furlinastis," he shouted, and his voice carried over and through the planes of existence. "If you wish it."

The buzzes, howls, and clicks went dead around him, as if the swamp were holding its breath. Silent moments passed.

A hum sounded, gradually gathering volume. Streamers of shadow formed in the air and wrapped themselves around the dragon's neck, merged with his flesh, and repaired the gash. Cale took his hands from the reptile's head, put one on Weaveshear's hilt, and backed up a step.

Furlinastis's chest expanded sharply as he inhaled a great gasp of air. His dark eyes opened, looked upon Cale, narrowed. He opened his mouth in a roar that hit Cale like a gale. The dragon lurched to his feet, spraying water, flapped his wings once.

For a moment, man and dragon simply regarded one another.

"Why have you done this?" Furlinastis asked at last, his voice low and sibilant. Before Cale could answer, the dragon added, "I will never again serve another. Not even in payment for this."

Cale nodded and explained it like a Sembian. "This is compensation, dragon. The Shadowlord took too much from you."

The dragon considered that. "And from you, too, perhaps?"

Cale cocked his head in acknowledgement. "I am his willing instrument. You never were. Now you are free."

A hiss escaped the dragon's mouth. Cale took it as one of pleasure. Twin streams of shadow spiraled out of his nostrils.

Cale had done what he wanted. He drew the darkness about him. "Farewell, Furlinastis."

The dragon watched him through slitted eyes. As the shadows around Cale deepened, the dragon said, "One service, First of Five. Freely given. If you call in darkness, I will hear."

With that, the dragon launched itself into the dark sky, roaring with pleasure.

Cale smiled and imagined the Wayrock in his mind.

He needed to rethink things. An enormous task lay ahead of them. They had to find a way to murder a god.

Abelar saw the world through a gray haze. His company cut south and west for Lake Veladon and rode for hours, half a day. He felt thick, numb. Again and again in his mind he replayed the moments he had shared with his son. He could think of nothing else. He ate, drank, responded in single words to Regg's inquiries, and sat atop Swiftdawn. But he felt nothing.

The afternoon of the next day, they reached Lake Veladon. Shrubs and scattered willows bordered its edge and the waters glittered in the sunlight. Men, women, children, horses, wagons, carts, and tents dotted the shore. Abelar put the number of fighting men at only several hundred. Not enough to engage Forrin; not enough to rescue his son.

Eyes watched them approach. Armed and armored men rode forth to greet them, as did Jiiris and the rest of Abelar's company. Greetings and news were exchanged. Abelar greeted no one and cared nothing for news.

"I am going to surrender myself to Mirabeta," he said to Regg, and heard the dullness in his own voice. He swung out of Swiftdawn's saddle.

Regg, too, dismounted, as did Endren and the rest of the men and women.

"You cannot," Regg said.

Endren put a hand on Abelar's shoulder. "She will not honor a bargain with you. You know this."

Abelar did know it. He found it hard to breathe. He found it pointless to breathe.

"I cannot stand idle while my son suffers." He wanted to die, to crawl alone into a dark place and find oblivion.

"You do not know that he is suffering," Endren said.

But Abelar did know it. They all knew it.

Regg patted him on the shoulder. "You did all you could, Abelar. We have not given up."

Abelar looked at Regg and brandished his shield, the shield adorned with Lathander's rose. Heat rose in him, gave his voice an edge. "But Lathander did not do all he could. I dedicated my life to him, Regg. Did he do enough? Do you think he did?"

Regg held Abelar's gaze for only a moment before he looked away.

Anger rooted in Abelar's gut, rushed up his throat. He voiced an inarticulate roar of despair and anger. Hundreds of eyes turned to look at him. He ignored them all, turned, and ran toward the lake. Regg, Endren, and Roen raced after him, calling his name. He charged into the water, sinking to his ankles in the muddy bottom, and flung his shield far out into the lake. It caught the light as it spun, hit the water, and sank into darkness. He jerked the holy symbol from around his neck, spat on it, and cast it into the water, too. "I will never forgive you!" he shouted to his god. "Never!"

Endren, Regg, and Roen waded into the water and stood beside him in silence. The setting sun cast the lake in fire. It was beautiful and Abelar hated it. Having shed shield and symbol, he found it hard to stand. Only his anger kept him upright.

Regg put an arm around him, steered him back toward shore. Men, women, and children had assembled there, and all of Abelar's company. Abelar could not look them in the face. Hands patted his shoulder as he passed. Jiiris brushed his hand with hers.

He shook his head, bereft. "I need to be alone," he said to Regg.

Regg nodded, ordered one of the men to get Abelar a tent.

While they waited, a shout captured their attention.

"Smoke!"

Eyes turned north, where clouds of black smoke billowed into the sky.

"Saerb is burning!"

Word spread through the camp. Women cried, children sobbed, men shook their fists and cursed Forrin and the overmistress. Abelar felt almost nothing. He walked to his tent and collapsed. He emerged later to find that Regg, Roen, and Jiiris had taken station outside.

"Stragglers have been arriving from Saerb throughout the day," Roen said.

"They got out before Forrin arrived," Regg said. "Our rout of his southern force made that possible, Abelar. Without us, they'd have been killed on the road as would everyone here with us now."

Abelar nodded.

"Are you all right?" Jiiris asked, and her green eyes showed concern.

"No."

His father was taking stock of the fighting men and women who had gathered for the muster, planning their next steps. Abelar did not disrupt him. He walked to the shore of the lake and sat down alone. He whispered farewell to his god as the sun set and darkness fell.

As the night bloomed, he made up his mind. He would not surrender his son to Forrin and the overmistress. Not until he had done absolutely everything he could. He could not look to the light to rescue Elden, so he would look to the darkness.

He stood, walked purposefully through the camp until he found Roen. The priest of Lathander sat with a dozen other men of Abelar's company around a fire. They had pulled a dozen silvergills from the lake. The fish cooked over the flames.

"Commander?" Roen asked, and stood.

"I need you to find Nayan."

Roen looked confused.

"The shadowwalker who rescued my father."

Roen's eyes flashed recognition. "Why?"

"Because he can find Erevis Cale. And if Erevis Cale can pull my father out of the Hole, he can pull my son out of Forrin's camp."

"Abelar…"

"Do it," Abelar said, and grabbed Roen roughly by the shoulders. He regretted the gesture immediately and released the priest. "Please do it, Roen. Any way you can. I need them here. Now."

Roen looked at the men around the fire, back at Abelar, nodded. "Of course, Abelar."

Corpses and rubble from the wall littered Selgaunt's streets. A floating Shadovar city cast its shadow over the battlefield. Shadovar and Selgauntan troops stood shoulder to shoulder amid the carnage. Coughs and the cries of the wounded sounded loud in the dusty air. Variance stood beside Tamlin, taking in the scene. Other priests and priestesses of the Lady of Loss stood among the victors.

Tamlin found the entire scene surreal. He had been certain his city would fall. Shar and the Shadovar had saved it. "It is quiet now," he said, and immediately thought the words stupid.

Variance nodded.

Rivalen and Brennus appeared over the walls, cloaked in shadows and power. The Shadovar troops hailed them with raised blades. The Selgauntans, too, raised their weapons and cheered.

The two Princes of Shade descended to stand before Tamlin and Variance. Shadows curled lazily around the brothers.

Rivalen's face, bruised around one eye and with a deep gash down one cheek, healed before Tamlin's eyes. The Prince seemed not to notice.

Brennus's homunculi emerged from his cloak, gazed about tentatively, and grinned when they saw the battle had ended.

"You are both well?" Tamlin asked.

Both nodded.

"And you?" Rivalen asked him, though he looked at Variance.

"Fine," Tamlin answered. "The rest of the Saerloonian army?"

Rivalen made a dismissive gesture. "Destroyed or fled. We will want to arrange a detail to dispose of their bodies. The dragon, too, has fled."

"Gods, man," Tamlin breathed. He was standing before two men of inordinate power. He envied them. "I scarcely know what to say, Prince. Or how to thank you and your men."

Rivalen inclined his head. "Thanks are unnecessary. I am a man of my word, Hulorn. We are… allies."

"You are that, and we are that."

"This war is not yet over," Brennus said.

"Agreed," Tamlin said. They had defeated part of Mirabeta's army, but much of it still remained.

"We should discuss next steps," Rivalen said.

"Next steps?" Tamlin asked.

Rivalen looked to Variance. "See to the wounded, Dark Sister."

"Yes, Nightseer," she said, nodded at Tamlin, and vanished into the shadows.

"There are provisions and accommodations on Sakkors," Brennus said. The homunculi rubbed their stomachs and licked their lips.

"So that is Sakkors," Tamlin said, eyeing the floating mountaintop hanging in the air above his city.

Brennus said, "Our troops will garrison there, of course, but there is ample space for more. The city was recently rebuilt. Selgaunt is overcrowded, some of its people could temporarily relocate…"

"This, too, you would share with us?" Tamlin asked.

Brennus's homunculi gave bows and Brennus said, "As my brother said, we are allies, Hulorn."

Tamlin was glad of it. He would not want to be an enemy of the Princes or Shade Enclave. He turned to face Rivalen. "Shar saved Selgaunt through you and your men. I will be candid and tell you that I wish to know more of her. Everything there is to know, Prince Rivalen."

Rivalen's eyes flashed and he regarded Tamlin for a moment. The shadows around him swirled. "I believe you, Hulorn."

Onthul appeared before them. Scratches covered his face. Rips marred his tabard and dents marked his breastplate. A piece of torn fabric bound a wound on his forearm. Dust caked his beard. Tamlin almost embraced the old war dog.

"My lords," he said to Tamlin and the Princes, and bowed. "We have more than three hundred Saerloonian prisoners, Hulorn."

"They can be imprisoned on Sakkors until you decide their fate," Rivalen said to Tamlin.

Tamlin nodded. "Very good. Gather them, Captain Onthul. The Shadovar will transport them."

Onthul nodded. "Shall I send for the priests held in the palace so that they may assist with the wounded?"

Tamlin looked out on the battlefield, at Variance and her fellow priests and priestesses moving among Selgaunt's wounded, healing them. "Are the Sharrans unable to do what needs to be done?"

Onthul looked at the battlefield, back at Tamlin. "The Sharrans appear to have matters in hand, Hulorn."

"Good. Then leave the priests where they are. Their disposition remains… under consideration."

Onthul saluted and started to walk away.

"Captain," Tamlin called.

Onthul turned, eyebrows raised in a question.

"You served Selgaunt well today, Captain."

Onthul smiled, nodded, and walked off, barking orders.

"Let us retire to discuss matters, Hulorn," Rivalen said.

"Yes," said Tamlin.