Page 35 of Darkness Births the Stars #1
My gaze snapped to her at the unexpected question. Of course, I wanted to say. He is good and kind, and supports me whenever I falter. Yet somehow, the words wouldn’t come.
Before I could respond, a familiar presence brushed against my mind.
“Baradaz. I need you. One of the Elvish villages is under attack. We need to aid them immediately. ”
The king’s mental voice was filled with worry, like a shadow darkening the bright light of the sun. I froze in alarm, my discussion with Tanez forgotten.
“An attack by whom?” I said out loud. Tanez stared at me, curiosity and concern warring in her eyes.
“We do not know yet. Only that this foe descended upon them without warning, killing anyone in its path.” Deep unease pulsed through our mental bond. “The creatures attacking them sound like nothing we created.”
That should have been impossible; we had created all creatures dwelling on Aron-Lyr’s soil. Ignoring my rising apprehension, I signaled Tanez.
“Tanez is with me,” I sent back to Aramaz. “We will come to you as quickly as possible.”
After a brief explanation, the Aurea of Earth and I prepared to shift into spirit form. Just as I was about to call on my powers, Tanez grasped my arm, her forest-green gaze fierce. “Please promise me you’ll be careful.”
I knew she meant something else entirely than the unknown danger threatening the Elvish village. It was astonishingly easy to let a reassuring smile appear on my face and answer, “Of course.”
It was also a lie. I had never been careful around Belekoroz. No, I was always at my most reckless, stepping into the flames without looking back.
The monster twitched in its death throes, its long spider-like legs gouging the ground, leaving deep furrows in the flattened grass.
Sharp fangs shimmered with acidic venom as it emitted a piercing shriek.
Its eyes, once glowing with malevolent intent, dulled as the life drained from its grotesque form.
“Burn!” Sha’am’s booming voice accompanied a sharp hand gesture, unleashing ferocious flames that burned brilliant white, reducing everything to ashes whisked away by the wind.
The creature was part of the final wave that had assaulted the Elvish village.
M’tar and Tanez worked together to bury the remaining assailants, causing the ground to quake as they closed the deep chasm they had created to deal with the threat.
The earth groaned and shifted, swallowing the monstrous remains and sealing them beneath layers of soil and rock.
My gaze swept across the destruction surrounding me, my heart heavy.
The modest wooden houses, with their thatched straw roofs, had suffered greatly from the attack.
Over half of them were destroyed. Between them lay the wounded and the dead, and the moans and cries from within the buildings suggested many more were still trapped inside, needing help.
Giving Aramaz a curt nod, I joined Khiraz and Namtaz in their efforts to heal the injured Elves. Many injuries were severe. The sharp fangs and blade-like legs of the fearsome creatures had caused deep, bleeding wounds and severed limbs.
It took many hours to treat those who needed help and clear away the debris, even with the aid of magic.
Power sizzled in the air as we worked, feathers and scales flashing as our Anima effortlessly transitioned between mortal and animal forms as needed.
My fellow Aurea and I did not allow ourselves any rest, fighting to save every life we could.
As twilight approached, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, we assembled at the village’s edge. Although the signs of the attack had disappeared, the heavy scents of ashes and blood lingered, a grim reminder of the battle that had taken place .
We were not all present today; Enlial and Ashur had been too far out in their domains of Air and Water to answer the call. Belekoroz had not bothered to assist us either, which came as no surprise to anyone.
The dying sunlight illuminated the feathers of a majestic golden eagle and a sleek raven as they gracefully landed before us.
They assumed mortal form, their appearances as distinct as their animal counterparts: Dhustan, a broad-shouldered giant of a man with a dark golden beard covering his firm jaw, and Tayshren, a slender male with fine features and enormous amber eyes, his long dark hair tied in a simple knot at the back of his head.
They bowed swiftly to us, and bear-like Dhustan launched into a report immediately. “There is no sign of any more creatures,” he concluded. “They have all been destroyed.”
“Good,” Sha’am said with gleeful vindictiveness. “After this, they will think twice before attacking us again.”
“I doubt they possess enough sense for that. They seem solely motivated by hunger,” M’tar answered, a dark look in his golden eyes.
“Hunger for blood and hunger for magic,” Khiraz added with a shudder.
“I am more curious about their origin. Do we have no clue where they came from and what has lured them here?” Aramaz’s intense blue eyes shifted back to the two Anima before us.
Tayshren, his second-in command, met his king’s inquiry with a calm gaze.
“While we have not witnessed their arrival in Aron-Lyr, we made a curious observation.” He exchanged a swift glance with Dhustan.
“The air in the places where they gather carries a distinct scent. The scent of Chaos and magic. We have only encountered such a smell where the Veil between realms is thin, as if the Other is just within reach.” His words hung in the air, heavy with implication .
“The Other,” Zamani said, her violet gaze shifting to me. “Didn’t you and Belekoroz explore that mysterious realm together?”
“We did.” Lost in thought, I paused, attempting to remember if Belekoroz and I had ever encountered anything resembling the creatures that had attacked the villages.
“But we never saw anything remotely like those beasts. Life is scarce in the Other, and nothing we found there was as horrifying as them.”
Sha’am shook his head, his discontent evident. “Nevertheless, Belekoroz’s knowledge would surely help solve this mystery.” He turned toward the king, his voice growing more agitated. “Once more, he has denied us assistance without reason. Will you let that stand, my king?”
A low growl of thunder betrayed Aramaz’s irritation at being questioned. Sensing another futile discussion brewing, I intervened before he could give the Warrior a harsh answer.
“It might be best if I talk with Belekoroz.” My eyes met the king’s. “I have a feeling he might listen to me.”
“Thank you, my queen,” Sha’am said with a respectful nod. “Let us hope you can instill some sense in him.”
Night had fallen when I arrived at Belekoroz’s tower.
Unlike the other Aurea, he did not reside close to the King’s Hall.
The Lord of Darkness had built his home out of black stone, its sharp silhouette cutting through the green hills surrounding Lyrheim like a knife.
Rising high above the surrounding trees, the tower loomed over me like a menacing shadow as I approached its entrance under the waning moonlight.
Though I had passed it countless times, I had never entered—never been permitted to enter—and my curiosity was undeniable.
“I know why you are here.”
The smooth voice ringing out did not surprise me. As I stopped in front of the tower, a dark whisper had gently brushed against my skin, sending a shiver of anticipation through me. The shadows seemed to deepen around me, as if the very darkness were alive and aware of my presence.
I looked up in the direction of the voice.
Belekoroz sat on the balustrade above the imposing wooden door, leaning against the stone wall, completely at ease.
Eating an apple. His sharp teeth gleamed under the moonlight as he took another bite.
His skin was even paler, his hair flowing like midnight around his shoulders, blending with his dark tunic.
“Now, my queen,” he said, licking a trace of juice from the corner of his mouth. “Be a good little messenger, say your piece, and then leave.”
I ignored his insolence, keeping my expression pleasant. Had he purposely chosen this position to make me look up at him, knowing I hated it? Undoubtedly.
“There have been attacks on the Elvish villages around Lyrheim. The creatures that did it—”
“Reek of the Other,” Belekoroz interrupted with a huff, his dark eyes fixed on me as he leaned forward on his perch, the apple still balanced in his hand. “Which probably means they came from there, as you have surely deduced already.”
I narrowed my eyes, determined not to let him provoke me. “So, you know something about it?”
The apple crunched between his teeth as he took another bite. “And if I did?”
I bared my own teeth at him. “I would have to chastise you for not helping us. ”
That got his attention. Straightening up, he tossed the apple into the air, where it dissolved in a burst of dark fire.
Without warning, he leaped down to me, the air tightening with his power.
Not stepping back cost me, but I managed, his presence suddenly all too close as he landed right in front of me.
A shame that he would only tease me if I remade my physical body a few inches taller to better glare at him. Sometimes I was terribly tempted.
“And how would you do that?” The question filled the small space between us as much as the overwhelming force of his dark magic.
Before I could answer, he tilted his head, taking me in—the supple leather armor hugging my body, the thick braid of my fiery hair.
A slight smile played on his lips. “You don’t look hurt.
I’m sure half a dozen gods and their Anima were enough to deal with this threat. ”
“People died today,” I said softly, not averting my gaze.