Chapter 21: Explanations and continuations

            Years before Brock forged his foul pact with the demons, before he broke out of his millennial tomb, a baby was born. Unlike the sweet golden eyed Timbob, this child was foul in every way. She was the complete and utter opposite of the chosen one. Her mother was a witch, her father, none other than the demon Pakaar.  She was born under the full moon in a misty swamp, with a host of dark beings present.

            The child was conceived in hate, birthed in sickening tribute to the darkest of powers. She was designed to be the harbinger of wrath, but the best laid plans of demons and men often go awry.

There was a group of paladins called the Legion of the Son. At one time they had numbered in the thousands but years of conflict and battles had dwindled their legion to a mere twenty-five loyal troops.

Despite their small numbers they never failed to answer the call of duty.  They were dedicated to the solemn oath to protect the innocent and root out evil wherever it may be.

Upon learning of the events taking place in the swamp they took swift action to prevent the abomination from being released on the world.  Just as the birth was taking place the paladins charged in among the demonic beings and fought them with every ounce of courage and tenacity they could muster.

The paladins cut the opposing force in two then circled around the alter where the mother had just died giving birth to the demon seed.  The repulsed the attacks of the demons and witches, taking losses with each sortie of black foes.  The paladins closed ranks, tightening the circle with each fallen comrade until their backs were against the alter.

The evil coven took losses as well but fought tenaciously to save their hope for dominance.  The child had been infused with such a great amount of dark magic that she would be all powerful if she were allowed to survive.

            It was the final skirmish for most in attendance. Both sides took heavy losses.  Paladin blessings against demonic curses, bludgeons and shields against claws, it was holy hell in the moonlit hollow. When the final spell was cast, all were silenced save for two; a wounded paladin named Fredric and a cooing newborn child with black eyes.

            Fredric stumbled to his knees and drawing his dagger, he prepared to dispatch the child. When he looked upon her and wept. Every part of him rebelled against killing a newborn (Protect the Innocent!), just as he reasoned that this was his purpose here (Root out Evil!).  He could not let this evil continue, yet he was powerless to stop it.

            Fredric reasoned that his only option was to find a holy man to somehow cure the baby. He sheathed his blade and lifted the child into his arms.  Wrapping her in the tale of his cape he struggled to his feet and limped out of the swamp. 

++++++++++++

            Dan the potter was traveling home from the market.  He took a yearly trip to Bargerville because he got the best price for his wares in the city, but it was a tiring journey nonetheless.  He was happy to be heading home to his kiln.  Dan was a solitary man, preferring to keep to himself since the death of his wife some years before. He often spoke to her as if she were still there; looking up toward the sky he remarked, “We’re makin good time today, might just be there by sunset if the weather holds.” Then he nodded as if there had been a reply and clucked at his horse.

            Dan adjusted the reins, placing them in one hand so he could shade his eyes from the rising sun.  Ahead on the road there was a lump. As the cart drew closer the lump became a man lying across the wagon rutted path. Dan reined his horse and stepped down from the cart. 

The man was covered in mud, blood, and soot. He wasn’t breathing. By his clothes the man appeared to be some kind of soldier, but Dan knew of no garrison nearby. It had been ages since there had been a war in this area of the land.

“What do you make of this sweetheart?” Dan asked his ever present illusion of a wife. “Well I can’t just roll over him, I guess I should drag him to the side.  Give me a hand would ya?”

            Dan grasped one of the soldiers’ ankles and began to drag him off the road.  Just then he noticed a bundle in the mans’ stiff arms.  The bundle was moving. When Dan uncovered it he found a darling baby girl with dark eyes.

“Look here Emelia” He said to the sky. “It’s just what we prayed for.  What do you say we name her after you?”

Dan picked up the child and ignoring the dead soldier, climbed back onto his cart.  He held his new daughter close and sang her a lullaby as he continued the journey home.

++++++++++++

Scott stopped at the crest of a hill and wiped his brow.  “This used to be a lot easier!” He remarked to Tom.

“You’re telling me!” Tom shouted “I've got blisters on my blisters!”

            Hilario joined the old men with Vay on his shoulders.  He looked at Scott “Hey Mister how much further?  I don’t think I can listen to Tom crying much longer!”

            Tom frowned at Hilario but was too tired to find a witty comeback.  His years were telling on him after the days of hiking and camping in the hills.

“We’re here.” Scott replied.  He pointed up a steep incline to the mouth of a rather large cave.

“Woo Hoo” shouted Erica as she dismounted Bear. “Finally!”

            Tom surveyed the surrounding area and pointed to a flat spot just ahead. “How about we set up camp there and rest up for the night? I don’t want to try charging into Brocks lair feeling the way I do right now.”

            “Rest sounds good, but we better backtrack a little to remain secluded in case someone exits” Scott warned. “In the morning we can try out the password, but I’d also like to have a sentry in case the veil opens before then.”

            Hilario was about to volunteer when Bear said “I will watch.” Then she stalked silently to some shrubs that concealed her while giving a view of the cave.  Bear stretched and settled comfortably under the shrubbery.  She watched the cave intently but occupied herself with bear thoughts; the smell of the wind, the sound of her breath, the taste of her next meal.

            The weary party set up camp and ate cold rations of leftover rice and dried fish.  The tasty food had all been eaten on the preceding nights. At times like this Erica envied Bear who seemed to enjoy anything they had to eat and ate it with contented abandon.

 Hilario relieved bear on the watch so she could go to the camp to snuggle with her sisters.  With the increase in altitude the temperature had been dropping every night and the sisters depended on bear to supplement their own heat under the sparse traveling blankets. 

Hilario hid beneath the shrubs feeling grateful for his green jacket and rabbit skin boots. He watched the color of the mountain deepen as the sun set and thought of his home. He felt that familiar ache in his chest that even his adventurous spirit could not ease. “Soon” he whispered to himself. “Soon I will finish this and then I can return to help my own people.”

++++++++++

            Brock no longer brooded. He was beyond plotting to rule the world.  He was broken and confused.  For the first time in his long existence he was unsure and afraid. The pact with the demons had been foolish, his infatuation with Nina unexpected.  A part of him felt that she was the only one who could save him from the trap he had unwittingly set for himself, for all mankind.

            How rapidly his fortune had turned.  In a single moment that seemed to last an eternity, Pakaar had brought Brock low.  From his new place Brock could see the world from a different perspective.  All of the suffering he had caused was thrust upon him in that frightening moment when Pakaar had ripped a piece of Brocks soul away.  Now Brock was left with an empty place that brought sorrow to him.  That combined with the maddening chorus of demons infesting him made Brock regret.  This was a new thing to him.  Never before had he wasted a moment on regret or indecision, but now everything was different. He was the weak, he was the oppressed, gods help him, he was the victim of evil.  If only he could rid himself of the parasitic horde that tainted his thoughts, Brock might then begin to make amends. He might then be able to grasp his sanity again. 

            All of these things Brock kept to himself by dividing his thoughts.  On the surface he was screaming at the demons within him to shut up.  The louder his inner voice, the more they jeered and cajoled. Underneath the din of insults and curses, brock quietly plotted.  He reasoned that Nina had some power over demons, after all had she not incinerated the one he left behind to trap her at the midwives house? If he could enlist her help either willingly or subversively, Brock may have a chance at defeating the demons inside him.  But how could he do this when she had failed to regain consciousness for the last five days?  Maybe by enlisting the demons to help wake her, he thought.

++++++++++++

            Nina lounged on her beach sipping mango coladas and watching the waves.  The drinks appeared beside her on a golden tray.  There must have been magic involved because as soon as she finished one her glass would evaporate and a new full cocktail appeared on the tray. 

“Mmmm, Yummy” she said as she sipped a fresh drink. “This has to be the best day ever!”

           Nina continued sipping cocktails and watching the waves.  The serenity of this place was filling her with the most content feeling she had ever experienced.  Something tugged at that contentment though; a feeling that she had unfinished business somewhere. It was like a mosquito buzzing at the periphery of her vision. She waved her hand as if to dissipate some smoke. “You worry too much.” She said to herself. “Just enjoy the day for once in your life.” 

           Nina leaned back and let the warm salty air caress her skin as she basked in the relaxation of her beach.

+++++++++++

Emelia hid under a veil of blackness. Just a few feet away from the wretched portal that prevented her from leaving Brocks stronghold, she huddled with her child. Waiting, watching, she knew that the ninth gate would be opened sooner or later and when it was she would be ready.

She passed the time with her boy, holding him and feeding him.  To keep her strength up Emelia summoned rats from the lower levels. When they approached her she snatched them up and gorged on the rodents.  Then she fed her boy the tainted milk of her cursed bosom. She was pleased to see that he liked it; he grew in strength and size at an unnatural rate. She guessed that in a week her little Timbob might be able to walk on his own.  At this rate he might be full grown in a year. 

  She grinned at the prospect as she looked into his eyes while he suckled.  Those golden eyes were clouding over with darkness so that they almost matched her own.  And why shouldn’t her child have her eyes?  It was only natural that a son should favor his mother.

++++++++++

            In the middle of the night Scott joined Hilario under the shrubs.  “Hilario, get some sleep” he instructed. “I’ll finish the watch”

“Hey Mister, what we gonna do when we get in there?” Hilario asked.

“If we get in there” Scott responded “There is no guarantee that the password we have will work.”

Hilario had learned that correct pronunciation was key to making the password work, so he asked “Have you practiced the way to say it?”

“Yes I have.” Scott assured him. “I believe the correct way to pronounce it is “Emosewa Siyrrot” Scott elongated the S’s and rolled the R’s deep in his throat.

            Immediately after Scott spoke the words there was a crackling sound at the top of the embankment followed by a rush of warm stale air that rolled down the hill like stale fog.

            From inside the cave there was a jubilant howl that pierced the night and echoed in the canyons below.  “FREEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeee!” This was followed by a cold black streak that smelled of death and feces.  The apparition flew past in an instant, blotting out the starlit sky, and screaming into the distance.

            Hilario gasped “I’m sorry to say this Mister but I think you just screwed the pooch” Then he sprinted to the campsite to alert the others in the rescue party.

Chapter 20: Veil of Blackness

The Girls of Ohmer Chapter 20: Veil of Blackness

Scott led the party of adventurers along a narrow path that led up a gentle incline to the ridge line of of a large mountain range.  The path was lit by dapples of sunlight that fell through the foliage above them. It was a beautiful morning for a hike with a slight breeze that rustled the leaves around them.

The group had been following this path for two days since exiting the cave that concealed the crystal castle. The ascent was gradual and they made good time, despite the many stops to encourage Vay to continue on. After the first day it became apparent that Vay just wasn't in a walking mood. Hilario hefted her up on his shoulders and she rode contently. Actually she was delighted to be eye to eye with Scott and nearly so with Tom who was the tallest of all.

When Bear Dog became fatigued she changed onto bear form and trundled along at a tireless pace, even giving Erika a ride from time to time. Erika tended to prefer walking, rather than suffering the jostling ride on the bear for too long.

"We're almost there." Scott announced. " Just another couple of hours and we'll crest the ridge. After that we have s steep ascent to the ninth gate, bit that shouldn't be more than a few minutes trek."

"Speak for yourself," Tom said "my poor feet are killing me!"

"My feet are fine Tom!" Hilario added. "I could walk all day."

Tom grimaced at his enthusiastic friend. " we'll then maybe you'll set that girl down and carry me the rest of the way!"

"Ok Tom! Whatever you want. Would you like to borrow a little dress from Vay as well?"

The girls giggled at the thought of the gangly old man wearing a dress and  riding on Hilarios shoulders. The laughter was infectious and pretty soon Tom was laughing as well.

The bear followed along behind too preoccupied to appreciate the humor. She was sniffing left and right, marveling at the complexity of scents that rode on the breeze. She smelled leaves and dirt and the normal woodsy smells, but also things that she had never really noticed before. Only now they were very easy to differentiate. She smelled berries from a quarter mile down slope, a rabbit was somewhere among them. She smelled honey in a hive, an old campfire, some sparrows and a mouse. Not only could she smell each distinctly, she could pick up nuances as well. For instance she knew that the mouse had eaten some corn recently, not fresh corn but corn that had been dried for storage.

Having been a dog for more than a week had given Bear Dog a new appreciation for her gift. In the past she had spent most of her time in human form, changing into animal form for minutes or hours at a time, but never staying that way for even a day.

After a straight week as a dog, she learned a lot about her capabilities, about the way the world was perceived with a different brain. She learned the benefit of a different perspective, not only visual perspective but mental as well. Furthermore, she learned that the experience of form lingers. Having been a dog for an extended period of time had served to embed some of the characteristics of a canine so that they lingered after she changed back to being a girl. She found that her sense of smell retained it's sharpness. Also her night vision was vastly improved along with her night vision. She felt a calm confidence intermixed with a greater need to be part of the group, to contribute and be accepted. All of these things were known to her alone.

 From an outsiders point of view she was not much different accept that her left eye retained the blue splotch that marked the dog, and she was much more helpful around the camp. This last change was greatly appreciated by Erika who for the first time had some reprieve from constantly keeping watch over Vay.

For her part, Vay was doing very well for a five year old girl on a dangerous adventure. Sometimes she cried because she missed her mommy and Nina, but mostly she took things in stride. It helped that she was actually going along, doing her little part, rather than being left behind with a babysitter. Tom was even helping her to refine her talent. The first night they camped on the approach to the trail He had pulled Vay aside and instructed her about her hurricane scream.

To her it seemed like a sing song game, but that's just because Tom knew how to teach effectively. By the end of the "game" Tom had taught Vay the secret of modulating the frequency of her scream. Using a song about low low lows and high high highs, he encouraged her to change the pitch of her scream. At the highest tones it became inaudible, a focused beam that could burn a hole through a tree. At lower tones it also became inaudible but caused a sort of molecular breakdown shaking the tree to splinters.

Vay had difficulty holding these extreme tones but Tom assured her that with practice she could hold them for a long while. He also warned her that she could do terrible things if she were not very careful in how she used her power.

Hilario asked Tom if he thought it was wise to teach such deadly skills to a little girl. "She would have figured it out in time," Tom replied "It's best that she have a guiding hand instead of blundering into it. Besides that little one saved all of us back at the menagerie, she can be quite useful."

++++++++

Emelia hid under a veil of blackness. Despite her new found power, she could find no escape from this fortress. She had found the one and only exit but it was guarded by a veil that had tried to consume her when she attempted to pass.