Even Gods Must Fall - Christian Warren Freed Page 0,138
around the ritual table to the fourth sacrifice. It was an elderly man with wrinkled hands tied across his lap. The twisted agony on his face was one of raw terror. Devoting his blood so that proper masters of the world could reclaim their throne was the fulfillment of purpose. To be one of only five was a high honor.
Maleela felt her stomach rumble at the thought of murdering a helpless victim. She looked down on the victim’s face with regret. “You don’t honestly expect me to believe these people are willing to die on purpose?”
“You don’t honestly expect me to care what you think, do you?” Amar fumed. “I recruited you to perform a job, which is on the surface, not down here.”
“I didn’t think you were concerned with the battle,” Maleela spat back.
“I don’t but the Goblins must hold long enough for me to complete this task. You must return to the surface and oversee the battle. Where is Thrask?”
Maleela frowned. “He took a battalion of Goblins to confront the Dwarves and something else.”
“Something else?”
“They are unlike anything I have ever seen. Great beasts that walk on two legs and have heads like bulls. They are slaughtering the Goblins at will,” she admitted. Dire fascination laced her words.
Amar Kit’han found the news disturbing. He’d taken into account almost every angle from which their enemies could attack, but failed to imagine the warriors of Malg would leave their forest homes. “Minotaurs. So Artiss Gran has managed to unite more races than we supposed. I believe our wayward brother is in need of cleansing.”
“You should have never let him live,” Kodan Bak snarled. His anger had boiled over. Sensing momentary weakness and distraction, the lesser Dae’shan decided it was time to make his play for control.
“Now is not the time, Kodan,” Amar cautioned, his tone suggesting he knew what was about to happen.
“You will not be made a god. You’ve led us down wrong paths for too long, Amar Kit’han. The time has come to end your rule.”
He and Pelthit Re spread out to either side. Raw power danced from their sleeves. Ripples of blue electricity coated their cloaks. The very air around them began to hum. Maleela stepped back and hugged the far wall lest the battle destroy her.
“Stand down, brother. It does not need to end this way,” Pelthit Re ordered.
Hatred burned in Amar’s empty eyes. “Oh but it does. Ever you have craved my standing. Tonight, after the dark gods elevate me, I promise I will torment you until the breaking of the world.”
“No more talk.” Kodan Bak launched his power at Amar. The other barely managed to deflect it in time, the magic exploding harmlessly across the ceiling. Rocks and debris fell heavily. Pelthit Re attacked from the opposite side, again testing Amar’s defenses. Again the magic exploded across the chamber.
Maleela crouched and placed her hands over her ears to keep the deafening booms out of her head.
The sounds of fresh battle invigorated him. Badron picked up his pace as he delved deeper underground. The moment of retribution had arrived and once again he could claim the throne. All of his trials had led to this one instant. He gathered his waning strength and raised his sword in anticipation of striking the Dae’shan down.
“Demon! I’ve come to claim what is rightfully mine!” Badron roared as he entered the chamber.
The battle halted immediately. Magic dissolved, leaving residual trails drifting in the air. The smell of blood, iron and foul, choked the air. Badron’s eyes were drawn to the bodies slowly bleeding out on the stone slabs. Questions came to mind but this was no time for such idleness. He’d come to do murder and nothing would alter his course.
With but one sacrifice left and his brothers attempting to murder him, Amar suppressed the desire to purge the entire chamber in flames. Humans had always proved unreliable and taking a chance with this family had been a reluctant necessity. One he now regretted. Still, watching father and daughter try to murder each other should prove entertaining.
“Ah, the wayward king has returned,” he chided. His voice was smooth, like water flowing over stone. “Alas there is nothing for you to claim.”
Kodan and Pelthit paused their attack, suddenly fearful of a trick.
Maleela spun, drawing her sword in the same motion. “Father?”
“Maleela?” Badron said, confused. “This is your doing! You’ve sought to replace me from the beginning.”
“No, Father, I haven’t. But I am going to kill you now.”