The First Seal Read online

  Telfaldetrous scoffed at their useless charge, and behind it emerged four more forms from the seal.

  Faolan saw the first beast emerge. Its ten-foot height was built for war. He was shocked to see the creature was composed of various animal parts. Its head looked like a warthog’s with unkempt tufts of hair and tusks. Its torso was furry and thick like a bear’s, its arms were muscular and striped black-on-orange fur like a tiger’s, and its legs were covered in sand-yellow fur with formidable claws like a lion’s.

  Faolan watched the bipedal beast and froze in fright. The creature was massive; its hideous form produced a foul stench that flooded the air around it.

  He then saw a second being emerge, standing less than six feet tall and looking like a handsome human male with golden hair and fair skin. He wore clothing fit for a high-class individual, billowing silk of gold and purple, clothing much too elegant for anyone other than royalty.

  Faolan saw a third beast emerge as his eyes traced its very long form in building wonder. The creature was an extremely thick serpent, and its end could not be seen because its body continued into the seal. It had dark green scales with a yellow pattern and a triangular head. The evil snake was big enough around to consume a giant.

  The last entity to emerge took no rigid or tangible form: it was a thick mist, dark and sinister. Faolan watched as the mist condensed and took a loose form when it stood still, temporarily looking like a seven-foot-tall humanoid, though he could see no distinct characteristics defining the black mist.

  Telfaldetrous glanced over its shoulder to see the four who had just emerged from the seal and laughed in eerie joy.

  Then the bowels of the black void spewed out hundreds upon hundreds of creatures and evil beasts of various sizes, shapes, and forms. The dark forces flooded the area and spread across the ashen landscape. A stream of them headed toward Auvelia and Kellen, who were the closest to aiding Faolan in his precarious proximity to the seal.

  The dark beasts raced beyond Faolan, paying no heed to the defenseless individual. Their freedom from the dark abyss pushed them forward into a world ripe for destruction.

  The elven couple rose arduously to their feet with their weapons in hand, chests burning in pain as they labored to breathe. Their chests were filling with blood from the overwhelming strike.

  “Auvelia, Kellen, run! Get out of there!” Caedmon shouted as his blue fur whipped in the wind.

  The ancient wolf guardian soon realized they would not leave their son to die. He charged forward to aid them. Ireli, the human tracker blessed with Ikalreev wind magic, looked at Ehreion, shrugged her shoulders in uncertainty, and took off after Caedmon.

  Ehreion blurted, “Wait for me!”

  He chased after Ireli, shooting numerous fireballs past his allies, covering their advance and attempting to protect Auvelia and Kellen. The fireballs scorched every small demon they contacted and burned the larger creatures. Vines erupted from countless spots in the parched ground. The vines grasped and crushed any demons within reach. Wooden spikes raced upward from the ground, piercing numerous evil beasts and halting their movement in an instant. A howling wind rushed past Faolan’s parents and pushed back the evil forces, inhibiting the smaller creatures.

  Auvelia and Kellen stood their ground. They did not flee and would not forsake Faolan. Auvelia shot arrow after arrow into the swelling crowd. Kellen stood at the ready for the first demon to come into range of his great sword.

  “Run!” Faolan half yelled and half cried. He pushed himself up onto his feet. His lungs felt as if they were on fire. Faolan found his swords and firmly gripped them. He sprinted toward his parents.

  Kellen swung his great sword at the first demon to reach him. His sword cleaved the demon’s flesh and felled it with one attack. Demon after demon rushed them. Auvelia and Kellen fought as one, covering each other with counterattacks to the demons’ onslaught. Dozens of demons fell by their hands in close combat or Ikalreev magic, yet their defense was failing.

  Kellen looked to his wife and gave her an apologetic glance. “I love you, my beautiful bride.”

  “I love you too,” she said.

  They knew there were too many attackers to stave off. The fireballs, vines, wind, arrows, and blade were not enough to defend against such numbers, such rage. Nothing short of an army would be needed here. Kellen swung his great sword into the horde, but there were too many. Auvelia and Kellen were overwhelmed by their opponents’ sheer numbers and overtaken. The demons tore into Faolan’s parents. Auvelia went down first. Kellen fell a second later. Their screams were loud, but brief. Their lives were stolen from the world.

  “No!” Faolan screamed in horror as tears freely flowed and sorrow consumed him.

  The demons left Faolan’s parents where they lay and charged toward Caedmon and the others.

  Faolan approached his parents’ bodies, lying next to each other. Their eyes were closed, and their chests did not move, bloody and torn apart. He fell on his knees and lifted their heads, holding them in his lap. He cried uncontrollably as he looked at their bloody forms. He could not think and could not understand; tears rained down from his cheeks as he violently wept.

  His tears blurred their faces; he wished he could make them out. He couldn’t believe what had just happened, and his mind fought against reality. He began to rock back and forth in denial as he held them tightly.

  “No, no, no, no. Mother. Father. Come back to me. Do not leave me. Please. Please breathe,” Faolan whimpered. “I am sorry . . . I am so sorry.”

  His cries grew louder as he doubled over them, hugging their heads against his chest.

  Aili watched helplessly from afar as Faolan wept over his parents. She stood behind the others, hoping their defense would be enough. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she saw Faolan’s sorrow. Her heart sank. She was unable to believe Kellen and Auvelia were truly dead.

  Abruptly, an invisible shock wave struck Aili. Her surroundings became surreal. Faolan still cried uncontrollably with his parents’ heads in his lap, but he was not the same. Glorious white wings spread high over his head. His eyes glowed a brilliant white. All his clothes were white. Her eyes were drawn to four black-as-night feathers on the tip of Faolan’s right wing. A dissonant chord struck deep within her soul as she gazed upon those feathers. A noise that she could only describe as the ground audibly moaning sounded beneath them. The atmosphere surrounding him distorted, and thunder rolled in the cloudless sky.

  Aili looked up and witnessed a bright light high overhead. From that light a divine horn rose on the air, distantly calling to a lost child.

  Telfaldetrous stopped, also sensing the ethereal vision. The beast glanced back over its shoulder through the eerily luminescent atmosphere at the weeping boy. It saw the white wings and quickly recognized the individual kneeling before the seal. Rage filled its veins as memories of past failure filled its dark mind.

  “Get him! Bring him to me!” Telfaldetrous growled.

  Aili blinked, and the vision ended as quickly as it had started. Faolan was back to normal, and the light in the sky disappeared. A bigger demon grabbed Faolan and hoisted him on its shoulder. Faolan tried to wrestle himself free, but his strength failed him as his body shook with sorrow and tears obscured his vision. Aili could only watch helplessly as the demon handed Faolan off to Telfaldetrous.

  The massive beast laughed before turning and sprinting toward the cliff to the west. He quickly traversed the distance and jumped off the edge, disappearing into the darkness of night. The beast descended into the unknown with Faolan in its grasp.

  Aili screamed, “No! It took Faolan!”

  Leith turned to his sister. “What?”

  “Faolan is gone!” Aili wailed.

  “Where?” Treasach heard her scream as well.

  “Over the cliff,” she sobbed. “The huge demon took him.”

  Their hearts sank.

  Treasach spun and raced toward Caedmon.

  “Caedmon!” Treasach sh
outed as he neared the wolf. “Faolan is gone! His parents are dead! We must leave!” he said through the loud sounds of blazing fireballs, howling wind, and the horrifying sounds coming from the demons.

  Caedmon turned to Treasach and paused. The weary wolf was in shock and stared blankly at his ally.

  “Caedmon! We failed!” Treasach shouted at him. “We must go!”

  The shock was too great for Caedmon. He could not bear the thought. He stared at Treasach in disbelief. He had not only failed, but his friends were dying, too.

  Treasach stared into the wolf’s eyes in wonder as he saw a transformation overtaking Caedmon. The wolf’s pupils grew small as a pinpoint. The green light in Caedmon’s eyes intensified sevenfold. The old wolf froze like a statue. The prince waved a hand before the wolf’s eyes, but the guardian did not react. Treasach felt overwhelmed by all the events occurring around him. The seal was open. Three of his friends were gone, and the ancient guardian had become catatonic.

  The prince threw his arms out in irritation and yelled over his shoulder, “Run everyone! Get back to the wagon!”

  Leith started running first, and Aili followed him, sobbing hysterically. Gavina, Ireli, and Ehreion dropped their offense and broke for the wagon. Ehreion covered their escape with blazing fireballs.

  Treasach hesitated next to Caedmon.

  “Come on, wolf!” he shouted angrily at the guardian. “Caedmon, snap out of it! What is wrong with you?” He searched the wolf guardian’s eyes for some semblance of acknowledgment.

  There was no movement, no answer; only an effigy was left behind.

  Treasach shook his head in frustration, and a tear rolled down his cheek. “I do not understand. I cannot wait. I am sorry.”

  He turned and ran for his life, leaving Caedmon in that unresponsive state, uncertain what had happened to the old wolf guardian.

  ◆◆◆

  At the barren landscape’s southeastern edge, near the forest, Waremasu raced to a stop with Zauvek cradled in his arms.

  “You can put me down now,” Zauvek grumbled.

  Waremasu had carried Zauvek in order to quickly reach the seal once they felt its opening. He relaxed his arms and dropped Zauvek. The old man collapsed to the ground with a stricken face, mumbling something unkind about his ally. He stood up and rubbed his sore backside, unhappy with having to be carried.

  Zauvek smiled wretchedly when he saw the scene unfolding. “So, their magic failed them after all. Even the wise Ikalreev could not imagine the vast darkness held within or the strength of the Initiate.”

  His enshrouded ally was watching the battle with keen eyes, peering in search of the one they followed. Waremasu saw the small band of makeshift warriors running away from the demons emerging from the dark doorway. Six. He counted six mortals, but the face he searched for was not among them.

  He spotted a lone flying demon, which had gotten past the magic users. He watched the vile flyer closely as it dove for the younger female elf. Aili screamed. She dodged the initial attack and ran from the demon. The intelligent demon’s maneuvers were calculating. It was trying to divide and conquer. The flying demon was corralling her away from her allies. The others did not notice. They were all fighting and running from their own demons.

  Aili disappeared into the tree line on the far southwestern edge of the clearing. The flying demon followed in close pursuit, with a few hounds joining the chase after hearing her scream.

  The cone hat swiveled as Waremasu’s glance shifted from Aili to Zauvek, who failed to even notice. He looked back to the location where the girl had vanished from view. Waremasu briefly looked at the battle before him, then without a word he began to slowly walk toward the clearing’s edge, toward the place where Aili had fled.

  “Where are you going?” Zauvek called out to Waremasu’s fading form.

  He did not answer.

  “You are a fool, Waremasu. They have no part to play in this war. You should let them die, before the worst rises. If they do not suffer now, then they will only suffer far worse later,” Zauvek shouted after him.

  Waremasu stopped a few steps away; his conical hat rotated toward Zauvek. The old man could not see the seething individual underneath his cloak and shadow, then Waremasu’s eyes pierced the dark veil shrouding his face between the high collar and the low rim of his hat. Waremasu’s color-changing irises glowed brightly, a heaviness filled the air, and a sense of ire radiated from him.

  Seven deep, bellowing voices echoed from Waremasu. “Zauvek, you stand at the precipice and tread on my patience. Do you feel regret as I do, the shame?”

  Zauvek’s legs buckled, and his muscles ached in volition to Waremasu’s voices.

  Waremasu took a step toward his ally.

  His seven voices roared, “Or do you yearn for the destruction of this world and side with Razbijen?”

  Zauvek fell to his knees in pain from the voices clawing at his mind.

  “Benevolent or malevolent?” Waremasu asked. “What are you, Zauvek? It is your choice. Choose wisely. Your pride and greed have always been your weaknesses. I will destroy you if you dare to stand against me!” the voices echoed chaotically.

  Waremasu’s eyes faded behind the dark veil hiding his face. He turned and continued walking toward Aili, leaving Zauvek on his knees. His conical hat bobbed up and down with each step he took.

  Zauvek could taste the venom on his tongue. Angry with Waremasu, he shouted curses after the cloaked figure. He understood his companion’s words all too well, choice for choice. Choosing to save the mortals would result in his life continuing. Forsaking the mortals would bring Waremasu’s entire wrath upon him.

  The old one was enraged beyond measure. He straightened his back and lifted his staff. His irises glowed wildly; the sclerae were blacker than night. Zauvek walked out onto the battlefield, rage boiling in his heart.

  ◆◆◆

  “Faster! Go!” Treasach shouted as he trailed behind the others.

  They sprinted toward their escape, the healer’s wagon.

  A loud shriek sounded in front of him. The prince looked for its origin, and his eyes locked onto Leith. His look was a question: Such a girly scream from Leith?

  Then Treasach saw it, the figure that made Leith and the others stop. It was an old man with wiry white hair, wearing a long, flowing black cloak torn in many places. The pale old man held a staff in his right hand as he advanced toward them.

  Treasach saw the old man’s eyes; they were unnerving to say the very least. He believed the man was another demon trying to stop their retreat. Treasach lifted his shield and readied his sword. Ireli and Ehreion were surprised when Treasach charged past them, roaring courageously. Then he passed Leith, giving the healer a raised-brow glance as if asking about the girly scream: Really?

  Leith only shrugged in return to the unspoken question, with a funny smile.

  Treasach returned his attention to the approaching old man. He closed the distance and thrust his sword toward the old man’s stomach.

  Zauvek swiveled his waist and sidestepped the incoming attack. He grabbed the prince around the neck and lifted him up into the air. Treasach’s feet kicked wildly as they left the ground, and Zauvek looked into his eyes. Treasach could see Zauvek’s lips moving, but the language was not one he knew. Treasach thought the words sounded old and archaic. What the old man spoke consisted of indistinct syllables strung together, but Treasach understood the malice lacing the old man’s speech and the hatred in his eyes.

  Zauvek effortlessly discarded the prince and continued walking toward the seal.

  Leith stood still in fear, rigid like a statue while the old man walked past him. He could hear the same old, archaic language dribbling out of the stranger’s mouth. The old man’s words made Leith’s skin crawl.

  Gavina stepped back as the old man passed her. She kept a good distance between them. Her sword was at the ready should he try anything, but he did not. Ireli and Ehreion guarded themselves against the old man, but
again, it was unnecessary. After the man passed them without incident, they continued running toward the wagon.

  Zauvek stopped walking and glanced back. He remembered there was a great wolf creature with them who wielded power over nature and wondered where he was. He shifted his gaze forward, searching for the lost relic, but he did not see the wolf. Instead he saw a thick pillar of intertwined vines. Each vine was massive, and he figured searching there would be an obvious choice. But first, he had to deal with a horde of demons that were chasing the others and that stood between him and the pillar of vines.

  Zauvek waited as the demons grew near. The swarm shrieked and howled, a cacophonous aberration that would make a mortal’s skin crawl.

  The old man remained steadfast, unfazed by the evil.

  As the demons neared, Zauvek lifted his staff, and an invisible spiritual barrier was raised before him. Flying demons naively dove into the barrier and were crushed upon impact, falling lifeless on the ash below. The first demons on the ground also rammed headfirst into the barrier, crushing their skulls and spines.

  The initial wave had died, and the remaining horde stopped in bewilderment at the deaths of those before them and eyed the air for the cause.

  Zauvek’s eyes were intense as he started walking forward with staff still raised. The impenetrable spiritual barrier still existed but now moved forward at Zauvek’s pace. The demons that did not instantly die from slamming into the barrier were pushed back, and a welter of bodies rolled and tumbled before the barrier. As Zauvek made his way toward the pillar of massive vines, the dead bodies rolled over the next lines of evil ones, crushing them and adding their weight to the rolling tangle.

  Zauvek neared his objective and saw just how massive the vines truly were. The pillar must have stood nearly forty feet high. From behind his invisible defense, he studied the Ikalreev magic, wondering if the wolf was inside. The vine tower was thick enough to potentially be hollow inside. He stepped forward, his barrier allowed the structure to pass through without harm while it kept the demons on the other side, and he touched the surface of the vines.