The Elder Demon's Dilemma (Realm of Arkon, Book 9) Read online

  "Still in a stupor from the night? Or have you forgotten who you’re married to?" Lita took a sip of coffee and winced. "Passion and childbirth are quite connected, you know. Soon this city’s population will increase significantly. Why did you think that prince was smiling?"

  "When you say population, you mean that the people of this city felt the same way I did last night?"

  "The same way we did," she corrected. "Not to the same extent, but strongly enough. Elves are no Elder Demons, after all."

  "But why?"

  "Why does a certain sad white sheep get to decide who falls in love with whom? Why does another acquaintance of yours pull strings of events to her liking? I'm simply doing what I'm meant to do," Lita said, a tone of defiance in her voice as she pointed to the door. "Remember: I did warn your friends before it happened."

  "What if they really did get their rooms mixed up last night?" I whispered, horrified at the thought.

  "Then that’s their problem."

  Jaelitte placed her mug back on the table, walked over to kiss me on the cheek, and looked into my eyes.

  "Same-sex relationships are nothing shameful among us demons. And in the Netherworld, most creatures can even change their gender. So don’t you worry. It's all right. See you this evening!"

  She ruffled my hair, winked, and headed for the door.

  My eyes followed Jaelitte as she left, then closed as I tried to get my thoughts in order. So they all felt the same way last night. My path had been crossed by a damned Schrödinger’s cat. As long as I sat here, I could think that everyone else was all right, but I couldn't well stay in this room forever, could I?

  I got up, downed the lukewarm coffee in a gulp without tasting it, and plodded downstairs with a sigh.

  The hall was uncrowded, twenty people at most. Guys and girls both, gesturing wildly and laughing, discussing news I already knew. In the air, tobacco smoke mixed with the smell of roasted meat and fresh pastries. No one stood behind the car.

  Kan and Reece sat at the same table as the night before, by the window, faces dreary as a heavy snow. Two bottles of wine, a teapot, and five carved wooden mugs sat before them. Trying not to look the guys in the eyes, I sat at the table, put my palms on the tabletop, and sighed.

  "Hey."

  Kan trembled in surprise, nodded, and returned to his thoughts.

  "I hope you’re well, dar," Reece said with a sideways glance at the knight-commander, then sighed and reached into his bag. "Here. I’ve been saving these for just such an occasion."

  Lemons? The mage pulled them out of his inventory one after another.

  That snapped Kan out of his reverie. "What are those for?"

  "Medicine from excess joy," the mage shrugged. "A certain prince once told us a story about a certain overjoyed woman. And he added that excess joy could be diagnosed as medical idiocy. So I stocked up in advance on these in case the prince ever found himself in need of the medicine."

  "The hell are you talking about?" But what Kan did next shocked me even more.

  "I concur," he nodded in agreement with the mage, as he took one of the lemons and bit a full half of it off.

  "Kan? Are you OK?" He was chewing without a hint of pucker.

  Kan and the mage both ignored my question. "I agree," said the latter as he also bit off a piece of lemon and winced. "Best to stave off the symptoms in advance. Have a lemon, dar. It’ll help!"

  I was speechless for a good five seconds.

  At last, my eyes widened. "Gods damn it, I think I know how your night went. But why the jokes, then?"

  "Auntie and I both understood Jaelitte’s hint, dar," Reece replied hesitantly as he sipped from his mug. Then he smiled. "But we assumed it was too late for us to run from it. So Raena came to my room, and auntie went to his, just so we wouldn’t end up with a real mix-up on our hands. But then as midnight rolled around, we figured the effect wasn’t coming, and decided to get things started on our own. And then it hit. Wow, did it hit."

  Kan was smiling now too, despite shoving the other half of the lemon into his face. "Same with us. When your lady came out this morning, she told us you hadn’t a clue what had happened. So we decided to play along. We're both in her debt now, after all. If not for her, who knows how long we would have needed to wait..."

  "I’m going to build a shrine to her in my castle now," Reece said without a trace of his usual sarcasm. "In fact, that'll be priority number one. Demons from all over Craedia will flock to it, and then," the mage swept his hand in an arc, gesturing to the hall, "and then from Ellorian, too, after the night they all had."

  I smiled and added a hint of judgment to my voice. "So you were playing me, eh? Mutiny on the ship!" I poured myself some wine and drained it in one gulp.

  The mage was surprised at my reaction. "The whole city knew one of the Eight Lords was visiting. That kind of news gets around fast. Why do you think that fellow was greeting us right at the gate? They were probably all ready for us. Except for the two-lived, perhaps." Reece nodded at the people smiling blissfully at the nearby tables. "But like you say, the sheriff doesn’t meddle in the affairs of the Indians. And besides, they don’t look too upset to me. Eat your lemons, dar. You yourself said they’d be good for you."

  Hmm. This situation was starting to play out like an episode of Pinky and the Brain. Only we were going to save the world from those who were trying to take it over. So, then, the New God was coming? The prophecy of Merdoc would be fulfilled? The world was in danger? Who cares! We’ve got lemons on the table. But a beloved woman was worth the whole world, and this morning, I knew that I had that, at least. That and the lemons…

  "The rind is the healthiest of all." I tossed a lemon in the air and caught it without looking. "Where are Vaessa and Raena?"

  "They went out for a walk around town," the knight-commander answered. "And look, we have a guest."

  The guest turned out to be a tall, blonde, level 47 player named Dan. He had sharp features with a high forehead, a short haircut, and a green hieroglyph tattooed onto his right cheekbone. His outfit was unremarkable save for a red cloak adorned down the middle with a black stripe and three white crosses. Dan looked both pensive and apprehensive as he stopped in front of me. His voice was dry.

  "We need to talk."

  "Something serious?"

  I placed my lemon on the table and looked the player in the eye.

  The ranger shook his head. "I don’t know. I’m just the messenger."

  "Fair enough." I moved towards the far corner of the table and beckoned the man to sit. He did, across from me. Leaning up against the windowed wall, he lowered his head.

  "I was returning from Niverin, on a quest to deliver some steel shackles from our blacksmith. Along the way, I decided to have a look at the destroyed guardhouse near the overgrown pond in that old aspen grove. Septemfoil blooms there often, and it’s not that far - just a mile or so down Gushing Gully."

  Dan sighed, scratched his cheek, and raised his eyes to look at mine.

  "I found the septemfoil, but then a red NPC found me. I couldn’t see his name or level. He was dressed in a medieval outfit, though: camisole, buckled boots, and a feathered hat. My legs locked up, and I was unable to run away. As if I was paralyzed, even though I didn’t get a paralysis notification in the log. But the NPC didn’t want to kill me. He said he wanted to continue the conversation that the two of you began in some place called the Derelict Temple."

  I nodded and pulled my map out of my bag, placing it on the table. "Interesting. Did he say anything else? And do I owe you anything?"

  He shook his head, pulled out a pen and marked the map. "The man gave me ten gold and told me not to say anything to the guards. Because he didn’t want to have to kill anyone." Dan’s eyes glazed over. "As if the whole Ellorian Guard was nothing to him. He seemed human enough, but his gaze was... well, kind of like yours. I don’t know who he is, and don’t want to know. But if I were you, I’d think pretty carefully before going to meet
him."

  "Don’t worry. And thank you." I put my map away. "We do indeed have things to discuss."

  "That’s your business, then." Dan nodded goodbye and made for the exit.

  As I watched him leave, I could feel that this brief time of peace was nearing its end. There was no sense regretting that, though. The faster the next conflict began, the faster it would be over with.

  Chapter 8

  "Residents of Ellorian! Praise your gods and take pride in your people! Two days ago, the army of the Great Forest, with the support of its allies, stopped the horde of invaders in our lands and destroyed their cursed gods! The titans are defeated. We are victorious! The world has been saved and shall no more plunge into darkness! The conquering army will enter the city through the Eastern Gate at noon and solemnly march through its streets. Ellorian will enjoy a celebration ten days in length. Praise to the heroes of the Siruat Heath! Praise to our gods and our people!"

  I walked a wide half-circle around the desperately screeching herald and turned down the street leading to the south gate. It was a good thing Donut, Bonbon and Masyanya were nobles here. Without them, we would have had to approach Ellorian from the crown lands. Many of the players who had fought in the battle could have likely made it to the city even earlier, but most were already members of the Great Houses and thus obliged to follow their rulers’ orders. Plus, there were probably extra rewards given to those who came to the capital as part of a winning army. And who would turn down a chance to ride into Ellorian on a white horse, waving to hundreds of smiling girls? And smiling guys, of course. Half of the victorious army was female, after all…

  We had decided not to summon any griffins, for now. That would just mean time wasted on explanations as half the city would come running to gawk at them. And Gloom would have to wait a little longer, too.

  Ellorian was getting ready for the newly-announced holiday. The elves dressed in ceremonial clothes and poured out onto the streets. Huge white buds bloomed on the lilac bushes. The fountain sculptures, depicting dancing elves, had their heads decorated with colorful wreaths. I looked around the city like a child on his first trip to Disneyland. Having reached the gate, I walked a few miles along the southern road and turned onto a forest path.

  The Great Forest was the most beautiful place in all of Karn. No matter what anyone else said, I fully supported my sister’s choice. Alyona wasn't really an elf anymore, of course, but anyway. Craedia was still closer to me in spirit, though, even if I wouldn’t mind planting some of the Great Forest there.

  I drove the sad thoughts of my home away and entered a small ravine. Ten minutes later, I had arrived.

  It was a short log cabin, walls covered in moss, standing by a small, circular pond masked by reeds and duckweed. The frogs were deafening, and the grasshoppers too. Equally stunning was the silence of the countless butterflies, flitting from flower to flower. I found myself wanting to pull out a sheet of paper and some pencils, set up an easel, and spend a day trying to capture the beauty, if only in part. With a sigh, I nodded to the man sitting on the low bench by the guardhouse, and went to sit next to him. Just as I had already done once in the Derelict Temple. We were silent for a minute, and then Syrat nodded to his own thoughts and, still looking straight ahead, said quietly.

  "You’ve changed, demon."

  "I know. Too much has passed since our last meeting. Has something happened, or do you just want to talk?"

  "I can no longer hear my brother. Nor feel him," the Twice Cursed God explained. "Or rather, what I do feel is no longer him. In his place sits something inexplicable, and unimaginably hostile."

  "I know. I recently spoke with the shadow of Merdoc. He warned me of the birth of ‘the New God’ and of the source hidden in the Kraet Peaks." As I spoke, I plucked a daisy growing at my feet and began tearing off its petals. "The Dreamer said he would appear if the Ancients reached the mountains, yet never uttered a word nor so much of a hint that this New God might be Vill."

  "You are mistaken, demon," Syrat shook his head. "My brother has nothing to do with all of that. He was but the material for the incarnation. A role which your wife had earlier been destined for. But you weakened him too much in battle then."

  "Are you saying that..." I began, but Syrat silenced me with a gesture.

  "The one who did this did not violate any laws. The Creator shall not interfere. Thus the Veil of Void over the Azure Valley shall soon vanish, and the Beast will emerge."

  "So what do we do?"

  "We find the dragon." Syrat turned his head to face me. "Its initiation unpassed, the Beast is especially vulnerable now. But you must hurry, demon, for no time remains. If the Beast gets out first, the world will drown in blood, with no breath left even for hatred."

  I threw the denuded daisy on the ground, sighed, and leaned back against the wall.

  "This evening, my wife will return and tell me where the Nameless can be found."

  "No." The god shook his head wearily. "She is mistaken. Too young, too naive. Your blood on the Primordial Paths will find none but you. And even that, not right away. It will take time."

  "So where then can I find that cursed key?!" I literally growled in exasperation.

  At that, Syrat unexpectedly smiled. "You’ve had it all this time. Since the beginning. You simply could not use it until now. Hurry, demon... And avenge my brother."

  "Yes, of course," I spoke, though now only the half-empty bench heard me.

  With those words, Syrat vanished into thin air. As usual.

  I ran my hand through my hair, sighed yet again, and rose. The shack, the glade, and the overgrown pond seemed a good deal less magical than before. Now, the frogs were annoying. It was time to leave. I gave the glade the courtesy of a farewell glance and headed back to town.

  So Vill is in a bind. I considered the roots sticking out of the steep slopes on either side of the ravine. His final words made sense now. Vill deserved his fate, though. Karma was an imperfect boomerang, but it usually brought what you did back on your head, and when it did, it hit hard. But we were all in for it now if we failed.

  Dammit! Cheney had possessed the foresight to have a fallback. He had accounted for every possibility. I wondered how much time we had left.

  I gritted my teeth and calmed my surging rage, then pulled out my flask, took a couple of deep swallows, and chuckled. My wife had been mistaken, it would seem. But I could hardly blame her given that I had been mistaken, too. The key had been with me this whole time.

  A hundred or so carts loaded up with goods stood by the entrance to the city. Vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, wine - all of the surrounding villages had likely heard about the holiday by now. Since I had no white steed, I had to wait for my turn. It was a bit sad to be in the city during a celebration yet to not be celebrating. But our time of vacation was at an end. Let the locals have their fun - they had earned it. We would celebrate once we were back in Craedia.

  An ill feeling came over me fifty yards from the inn. There were too many people by its entrance. More than thirty people crowded in the small yard of The White Crane, at least as many locals as players. Even four patrolmen were here. They had apparently come to sort out whatever was happening, but now stood with their mouths agape.

  In the center of the courtyard, Donut sat proudly on a hefty white-brown griffin, beaming brightly as a polished penny, answering a few of the many questions that were flying at him from all directions. The rogue was trying to keep the serious, deadpan face of a professional gamer, but I could see a treacherous and triumphant smile fighting to pull the corners of his lips up towards his ears. The griffin was about the size of a healthy bull. It could almost challenge my Gloom. Not quite, though. Its chest was broad, its beak massive and terrifying, and its eyes bright blue on a head held proudly. Its neck, part of its chest, and its six-foot wingspan were all covered in white feathers, which smoothly transitioned to its powerful lionlike body. The griffin stood still, save for the occasional shuffling of its p
aws, and gazed down at the crowds of elves around it as if at inferior creatures.

  Donut accepted my party invitation, found me with his eyes, shrugged and spread his arms comically.

  "How do you like him?" he asked in the channel.

  "Oh, he’s beautiful!" I nodded with sarcastic enthusiasm as I looked around at the crowd gathering in the yard. "But did you even try to think this one through?"

  He waved me off. "I didn’t summon him in the city. Plus, we’re getting out of here."

  ‘What do you mean?"

  "Just that your bestest friend found some kind of excuse to avoid attending the celebration - and outright refused to go to Ellorian," Donut explained, then turned to one of the nearby girls, nodded, and shouted an answer at her. "Sorry, the clan is closed to applicants right now. We have an alliance with the Blades, the Azure Dragons, and the Ferat clan. And the griffins are plentiful in Lemuria. Free for the taking!"

  "Are you alone? Or did you bring the whole squad?" I replied as I squeezed my way towards the inn entrance.

  "Just me," he grunted. "I’m much more vain than the others, you know. Go have lunch with the guys and we’ll head for the Southern Outpost. We just need to wait for Jaelitte. Best to do that outside the city."

  That made sense. Lita would be passing by the outpost, anyway, and we had nothing left to do here.

  Inside the inn, I shared a few words with my friends dining in the hall and went upstairs. I wasn’t hungry, and I needed to verify certain conclusions before we departed.

  Once in my room, I looked at the disheveled bed with a sad pang in my loins, then went to the chest in the corner and pulled out a doll. The same doll I had brought out of Vill’s vault. The porcelain figure confirmed my assumptions as its eyes flared red. With a soft crunching sound, it crumbled to dust. There goes Alyona's present...

  You’ve learned the spell: Portal to Vineta.

  Casting time: 10 seconds.

  Mana cost: none.

  Cooldown: 1 year.

  Opens a portal to the Lost City of Vineta for 5 minutes. Entry is allowed for up to seventeen sentient beings.