Darkness Rising Read online

  Talon assumed the lead, his eyes focused on the now-obvious trail. Damien made no complaint about the warlord taking over the tracking duties. He focused on the dark energy, making sure it continued to follow the tracks and they didn’t veer off on another false path.

  They continued on for another hour, the residual energy getting thicker with each step deeper into the forest. Around them the scrubby evergreens had given way to towering, mature pines. If they got the goblins cleaned out, some loggers would drool over the tall, straight trees.

  “Damien.” Jen walked by herself a little ways from the rest of her squad.

  He went over to join her. “What’s up?”

  “I wanted to thank you. We’d have never found their trail this deep into the forest.”

  Damien grinned. “No problem. This is the sort of thing we’re trained for. Maybe you can write me a little recommendation for whichever sorcerer I end up serving with.”

  “Of course, I—”

  He held up a hand to stop her. Up ahead a pillar of dark energy rose out of the forest. No goblin sorcerer put out that much energy. Whatever they were approaching it was powerful, and evil. “We’re getting close, sis. Whatever’s out there, it isn’t just goblins.”

  “What do you see?”

  Damien described it to her. “We need to be real careful.”

  She nodded. “Talon! Don’t get too far ahead. Weapons out and eyes focused. Alec, you’re on rear guard. Damien, stay with me in the center.”

  The squad drew their weapons, formed up, and made their cautious way onward. The closer they got the thicker the miasma appeared.

  Damien’s stomach clenched. He’d never seen anything so wrong. Around them the trees reflected the corruption; bark peeled and drooped from drying trunks, the limbs twisted like arthritic hands. The grass and shrubs had withered and curled up. He tapped a dry bush with his toe and it disintegrated.

  They climbed up a little rise and stopped. Ahead of them, in a clearing, sat a jumbled up pile of trees, branches, and mud. Easily forty yards in diameter and twenty feet tall, the goblin lair resembled a giant beaver lodge. Like a lodge, the inside would be hollow with chambers and passages. A large opening about eight feet in diameter faced them and to Damien’s enhanced sight it looked like a chimney belching corruption.

  “Let’s go get ’em.” Talon started down the far side of the bank.

  “Wait.” All Damien’s senses screamed that danger waited in the lair. “At least let me scout it so we have some idea what we’re walking into.”

  Edward looked at him, a dubious frown twisting his lips. “You think you can sneak in there?”

  “Not me.” Damien held out his hand and a golden wasp appeared above it. He concentrated and the color shifted so it looked like a black wasp. “A scout bug. They’ll never notice it and we can see what’s in there.”

  “Good idea.” Jen motioned them back down the bank. “Send it in.”

  “It’s nothing but a bunch of stinking goblins. Just because they set up in this nasty stretch of woods doesn’t mean anything. We go in and carve them up, like we were trained.” Talon stood a little below the top of the bank, his swords clenched in his fists.

  He looked tempted to ignore Jen. Heaven help him if he did.

  Jen glared at him. “Get down here and keep quiet. They’ve got at least one sorcerer and who knows what else. A little scouting seems like just the thing to me. It’s not like the ugly monsters are going anywhere. Go on, Damien.”

  He nodded and conjured a flat rectangle of soul force and connected it to the wasp with a hair-thick strand of energy. An image of the surrounding forest appeared on the viewer. Satisfied with the connection, Damien made the thread invisible and sent the wasp toward the mouth of the lair. The image shifted as the wasp flew, showing whatever the little construct looked at.

  Jen stood beside him and studied the image. “That’s amazing. I didn’t know sorcerers could do something like this.”

  “It’s a handy trick.”

  The wasp entered and the image went dark. Damien frowned and adjusted the wasp’s eyes through the link, making them bigger and reflective to increase the light they collected. The image brightened.

  The inside of the mound looked just like you’d expect a hollowed-out pile of wood to look like. Branches jutted into the tunnel and a rough, worn path led deeper into the lair. Damien had expected the tunnel to narrow soon after the entrance. Given the goblins’ small stature a narrow tunnel would give them an advantage in a fight, instead it maintained its size the whole way.

  Ten feet in, the bug reached the first branch in the tunnel. Damien guided it down the side tunnel. A couple feet further on it widened into a round room filled with trash, animal skins, and half-eaten gobbets of meat. Damien shuddered, glad he couldn’t connect a thread to transmit smell.

  No other paths led out of the chamber so he guided the bug back to the main tunnel. Over the next five minutes they passed two more branches leading to living chambers like the first, but still no goblins.

  The main tunnel led to another round chamber three times the size of the smaller ones. Ten goblins gathered around a giant creature seated on a crude wooden throne. It had curved tusks and long six-fingered hands ending in black talons. Rolls of fat under coarse black fur covered its body.

  Through the link Damien saw the corruption rolling off the monster. The goblins’ eyes resembled black pits as they stared, enraptured, by the horror on the throne. They’d absorbed the monster’s corruption.

  “What the hell is that?” Jen asked. She stared at the monstrosity on the projection, her mouth partway open as though she wanted to say more but couldn’t find the words.

  “It’s a demon. That’s the source of the corruption.” Damien shuddered. Demons were an abomination that had no place in the mortal world. Over time, just by being here, they twisted everything and everyone around them, turning their surroundings into a little slice of hell on earth. Only rarely could a demon overcome its innate corruption and transform into something purer, a risen demon, like Lizzy. “Looks like it’s taken control of the tribe. See the especially wrinkled one closest to it?”

  “Yeah. Man, that’s one ugly goblin.”

  The withered goblin beside the demon’s throne had bones driven through its earlobes, lips and nose. Sharp fangs protruded from its upper lip. Withered, sagging breasts argued it was female, but Damien had no intention of getting close enough to make sure.

  “That’s their sorcerer. There’s a connection between her and the demon. She’s not a full warlock, but her power’s been enhanced by the demon’s corruption. The regular goblins have absorbed it as well. They’ll be much more dangerous than anything you’re used to.”

  “They’re nothing but shit-stinkin’ little goblins.” Talon’s knuckles were white, he was gripping his swords so tight. “Let’s go get them.”

  Jen ignored Talon and pointed at a pair of dark arches at the rear of the throne room, for lack of a better word. “What are those?”

  Damien guided the wasp along the ceiling, hoping neither the sorcerer nor the demon would notice it. It reached the closest arch and flew through. A long, narrow, twisting tunnel led to a small opening to the surface. Looked like a back door. He searched beyond the second arch and found another exit. It was too small for the demon, but the goblins could escape through them easily enough.

  “That’s it.” Damien let the wasp dissolve. “A demon, a sorcerer, and nine corrupted goblins. We should get out of here and collect some reinforcements. I can fly to The Tower, get some more sorcerers, and be back in a day.”

  “What if they attack another farm tonight?” Edward said. “While you’re collecting reinforcements people might die. We’re here now. Let’s deal with them before they do any more harm.”

  “I agree,” Talon said.

  “I don’t know.” Alec chewed his lip. “If there’s a demon…”

  Rhys remained silent, his gaze on Jen. Whatever the othe
rs thought, it was her call. Damien watched the muscles of her jaw work as she thought. “Edward’s right,” she said at last. “We need to deal with them before anyone else gets hurt. We can’t fight them in their lair. Damien, can you flush them out so we can fight in the open?”

  “Sure, I can blast them out easy enough. What are you going to do about those other exits?”

  She turned to Edward. “Take Alec and cover the left side. Talon, you and Rhys take the right. We’ll cover the main entrance. Kill anything that comes out then fall back here to reinforce us.”

  “How are we supposed to find them?” Talon asked.

  Damien conjured two glowing spheres. “Follow the lights. When you’re in position crush them and I’ll sense it. My blast will follow a minute later. Be careful. Their aura of corruption will make your iron skin vulnerable. Don’t count on it to protect you.”

  “How about you let us worry about the fighting?” Talon said.

  Damien sent the orbs out toward the small tunnels. It would take a couple minutes for them to get in place. He wished Jen had let him get help. During his studies he’d read a lot about demons. Even a weak one would be a huge challenge. If he had to fight the sorcerer at the same time he didn’t know what might happen.

  “We can do this, right?” Jen sounded like she needed some encouragement. In truth he didn’t know if they could do it and he didn’t want to lie to his sister.

  “It’s not too late. You can call them back, we can retreat, and return with more help. There’s no guarantee they’ll attack again tonight.”

  “But there’s no guarantee they won’t. Edward was right about that much. We’ve been hunting these monsters for a week. The people rely on us to protect them and we’ve done a poor job of it. We’ll take them down together. I can count on you, right?”

  “Do you even need to ask?”

  They shared a smile. A few seconds later the first then the second orb shattered. The others were in place. Damien conjured a ball of energy and hurled it at the entrance.

  Chapter 19

  A golden ball of energy raced toward the entrance to the goblins’ lair. It flew out of sight down the tunnel and Damien detonated it. The explosion shook the clearing and sent bits of wood flying out. Dust and debris marked the openings of the secondary exits. Jen drew her sword and he increased the power to his shield.

  Damien focused on the entrance. When the demon came he’d have no trouble detecting it. Beside him Jen held her long sword in a two-handed grip, soul force surging through her body, strengthening her muscles and bones to many times the power of a normal person.

  He grabbed Jen’s arm and yanked her behind him.

  A golden shield appeared before them an instant ahead of a blast of dark fire. Raging black flames swept by on either side of them. They didn’t feel hot so much as wrong, an abomination that didn’t belong in this world.

  When the flames subsided he absorbed the minimal energy remaining in his shield. From within the lair three small energy sources raced ahead of two bigger ones.

  Sounds of battle from deeper in the forest indicated the others had engaged their opponents.

  “Here they come.”

  Three goblins, their eyes filled with corruption, the tips of their crude spears burning with the same black flames that had shot out of the tunnel, came screaming out of the exit.

  Quick as thought, golden swords fell from the sky and pierced them through the head and chest. Damien reclaimed his power the instant the goblins died.

  “Aren’t you going to leave any for me?”

  “You’ll get your chance. You have to keep the demon busy while I deal with the sorcerer.”

  As if summoned by his call the goblin sorcerer flew out of the mouth of the tunnel.

  A beam of darkness streaked toward Damien.

  He raised a shield to deflect it and leapt into the air after the goblin.

  Streaks of golden energy shot from his fingers, detonating around the monster, but never making a solid hit.

  They chased each other through the late afternoon sky, golden energy hammering dark barriers.

  The little bitch was fast, Damien had to give her credit.

  Damien conjured a wall in her path.

  If he could slow her down and get in a clean hit he’d be able to end this fight.

  The goblin surrounded herself with an aura of dark power and smashed right through his wall.

  So much for that.

  At the edge of his awareness the seething power of the demon raged. He hoped Jen could keep it busy. A dark beam streaked past his head, missing by inches.

  He didn’t dare worry about his sister now. If he did his opponent might get lucky and hurt him and then they would all be in serious trouble.

  The goblin dodged another of his blasts. The thing was too fast to hit that way.

  He conjured a pair of golden angels and sent them after the goblin.

  He didn’t worry about them getting hit, instead focusing on getting them close to the enemy sorcerer.

  Lances of dark energy punched holes through his constructs, but they didn’t falter.

  Damien poured more power into them, closing the holes and increasing their speed.

  One of them got a hand on the goblin’s ankle.

  She turned to blast it.

  The moment the goblin stopped, the second angel grabbed her arms.

  Damien released the power in both constructs. The double explosions tore the little goblin to bits.

  Chapter 20

  Jen stood, trembling, watching her brother exchange blasts with the wrinkled goblin. When the blast of dark fire shot out of the tunnel and she took cover behind Damien’s shield, she had feared they’d be incinerated. That his power blocked it amazed her.

  Jen knew her brother was powerful, his demonstration in the hall that morning made it clear enough, but the ease with which he blocked those flames then killed the goblins without batting an eye amazed her. It had always been her job to protect Damien, but now it seemed she was the one who needed protection.

  A roar sounded from the tunnel, drawing her back to the matter at hand. The demon lumbered into view. Its head brushed the top of the tunnel as it stepped out into the clearing, yellowish-green saliva dripping from its tusks. The sight of an enemy she could fight jolted Jen out of her stupor.

  She was a warlord and she had a job to do.

  She pushed soul force into her legs and sprinted toward the monster.

  Her sword sliced across its chest then she was past, its claws missing her by inches.

  The demon spun to face her, the wound on its chest closing as she watched.

  Jen shook her head. Her father didn’t even heal that fast.

  She lunged toward it and sliced its knee.

  A taloned hand swooped down to tear her apart.

  Too slow.

  She leapt back and before it recovered darted in again, cutting its arm.

  It went like that for half a minute, her darting in to cut it and the demon healing the shallow wounds an instant later.

  She put some distance between them and took a deep breath. She could keep this up for hours, but it didn’t seem like she was accomplishing anything.

  Jen blinked and the demon was before her, its clawed hand rushing toward her stomach.

  So fast!

  She got her sword between her and the monster’s talons an instant before it sent her flying halfway across the clearing.

  The rough ground tore her clothes, ripping the left sleeve of her tunic off as she skidded through the dirt.

  She sprang to her feet in time to meet the brute’s next charge.

  Claws met steel.

  Jen poured more soul force into her muscles to hold the demon back.

  How could it be so strong? She’d hoped to save some power in case she needed it later, but if she held back the demon would kill her.

  Power flooded her body as she let all her soul force go.

  She shoved the demon
back and hacked a chunk out of its side.

  Her sword blurred and thick black ichor flew as she hacked at her opponent.

  The demon took a step back and roared.

  Got you now, you ugly monster.

  Dark power rushed from the demon, its wounds closed in an instant, flames burst from around its hands and the ground under its feet blackened.

  Her body trembled as corruption poured from the beast.

  It had just been playing with her.

  Standing face to face with the demon, its full power revealed, Jen saw her death.

  Why hadn’t she listened to Damien?

  This creature was so far beyond anything she’d ever imagined. She felt like a little girl. A terrified little girl, facing a hungry bear.

  She would be devoured and there wasn’t a thing she could do about it.

  Chapter 21

  A surge of dark power drew Damien’s attention back to the ground. Jen stood a few feet away from the demon, staring at it and not moving.

  Its power had overwhelmed her.

  Damien had read about that in his studies, but never imagined it happening to his sister, strong as she was.

  The demon raised a claw.

  Damien drew out half his remaining power and conjured a golden serpent. His construct wrapped around the demon, binding it in place.

  He let out a breath. He’d made it in time.

  The demon’s corruption was rotting his construct by the second. He needed to finish it, but didn’t want his sister to feel like he’d saved her. She needed to be part of its defeat to regain some of her confidence.

  “Jen!”

  She shook herself and looked up at him. Damien dragged his finger across his throat and pointed at the demon. Jen looked at the bound monster and nodded.

  She leapt.

  All her power flowed into her arms and back as she swung her sword at the demon’s neck. Its head shot up into the air and Jen rolled clear.

  The serpent snapped the head out of the air and Damien detonated it, sending the power into the sky instead of outwards into the clearing. A great pillar of golden light consumed the demon so nothing of it remained.