man who was
sprawled on the floor. His silver hair and charismatic,
noble-featured face were designed to inspire confidence and respect
in minions. Gold braid, epaulettes and medals adorned his rather
gaudy red military uniform.
Bane said to
Kayos, “This one uses a glamour.”
“He would look
out of place otherwise.”
Sarjan burst in
and hurried over to peer through the window.
A contech shot
him a startled look. “That’s President Parsimon, sir!”
“I know. He’s a
dra’voren. Shred him.”
The crewman
tapped keys on his console, and the lodestones emerged from their
niches as the oscillating light guns warmed up, glowing, then spun.
Blue light shot from them, growing more intense until the room was
filled with slashing lines of brilliance, forcing Bane and Kayos to
look away. Sarjan donned a pair of dark goggles, as did some of the
contechs.
The senior
obstech stated, “His form’s breaking down.”
Bane glanced at
the man’s screen, where the black form shredded as the light guns
tore it apart and the lodestones drew off its power. After a few
minutes, it vanished.
“Shred
complete, sir,” the contech said, tapping keys on his control
board.
The light guns
shut off, and Sarjan removed his goggles, turning to face the men.
“Good job. One less dra’voren to lay waste to worlds.”
They grinned,
and Bane nodded to Kayos, who withdrew his light shield and allowed
the Demon Lord to reappear.
“Good work,”
Bane said, and Sarjan whipped around with an oath. His men recoiled
with muttered curses and apprehensive expressions. “You have
defeated him, not destroyed him,” Bane explained. “Your machine
stripped away his dark form, and his spirit has flown to the Land
of the Dead until he can Gather enough power to rise again.”
“How do you
know that?” Sarjan demanded.
“I have
defeated several, although not with such ease. Your machines are
ingenious.”
“You have the
power to destroy worlds, yet our machines can defeat a dra’voren
more easily than you can? Why is that?”
“When I attack
one, he tends to fight back,” Bane said. “Your stunner gives you an
advantage.”
“You can become
invisible. Why can’t you knock them unconscious?”
Bane shook his
head. “We can still sense each other, very slightly. I might get
close before he became aware of me, but I doubt I could hit him
hard enough to render him senseless. It is not that easy. Your
machine uses some sort of force wave?”
“It’s an
amplified low frequency concussion pulse.”
Bane spread his
hands, making the contechs tense. “Alas, I cannot do that, but, as
I recall, it is extremely effective. It rendered me senseless for
many hours.”
“It only knocks
them out for a few minutes.”
“That is
because they do not have mortal bodies. In fact, it is the droge
shell that makes them susceptible, since it confines a dark form
and compresses it.” Bane shrugged. “At least, I think so. Your
stunners would not work on a dra’voren in his dark form, if I am
right.”
“That’s... good
to know.”
“It is doubtful
that you will ever trap a dra’voren in his dark form, Commander.
They rarely venture out of the dark realm without a droge
body.”
Sarjan was
clearly fascinated. “Why’s that?”
“Sunlight will
strip away a dark form in a few minutes, just as your blue light
stripped away his droge shell. They may go abroad at night, but
generally they prefer to wear a droge body, since they were once
mortal men who were damned to the dark realm and Gathered the power
to leave the Land of the Dead and make themselves into dark
gods.”
Sarjan eyed
him. “But you’re mortal, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“How did that
happen?”
“I was changed
by a dark god before he tore me from my mother’s womb and forced me
to take up the dark power.”
“I see.” Sarjan
looked around at the gawping contechs. “So the shredder room won’t
destroy you?”
“No. It will
only strip away my power, as it
sprawled on the floor. His silver hair and charismatic,
noble-featured face were designed to inspire confidence and respect
in minions. Gold braid, epaulettes and medals adorned his rather
gaudy red military uniform.
Bane said to
Kayos, “This one uses a glamour.”
“He would look
out of place otherwise.”
Sarjan burst in
and hurried over to peer through the window.
A contech shot
him a startled look. “That’s President Parsimon, sir!”
“I know. He’s a
dra’voren. Shred him.”
The crewman
tapped keys on his console, and the lodestones emerged from their
niches as the oscillating light guns warmed up, glowing, then spun.
Blue light shot from them, growing more intense until the room was
filled with slashing lines of brilliance, forcing Bane and Kayos to
look away. Sarjan donned a pair of dark goggles, as did some of the
contechs.
The senior
obstech stated, “His form’s breaking down.”
Bane glanced at
the man’s screen, where the black form shredded as the light guns
tore it apart and the lodestones drew off its power. After a few
minutes, it vanished.
“Shred
complete, sir,” the contech said, tapping keys on his control
board.
The light guns
shut off, and Sarjan removed his goggles, turning to face the men.
“Good job. One less dra’voren to lay waste to worlds.”
They grinned,
and Bane nodded to Kayos, who withdrew his light shield and allowed
the Demon Lord to reappear.
“Good work,”
Bane said, and Sarjan whipped around with an oath. His men recoiled
with muttered curses and apprehensive expressions. “You have
defeated him, not destroyed him,” Bane explained. “Your machine
stripped away his dark form, and his spirit has flown to the Land
of the Dead until he can Gather enough power to rise again.”
“How do you
know that?” Sarjan demanded.
“I have
defeated several, although not with such ease. Your machines are
ingenious.”
“You have the
power to destroy worlds, yet our machines can defeat a dra’voren
more easily than you can? Why is that?”
“When I attack
one, he tends to fight back,” Bane said. “Your stunner gives you an
advantage.”
“You can become
invisible. Why can’t you knock them unconscious?”
Bane shook his
head. “We can still sense each other, very slightly. I might get
close before he became aware of me, but I doubt I could hit him
hard enough to render him senseless. It is not that easy. Your
machine uses some sort of force wave?”
“It’s an
amplified low frequency concussion pulse.”
Bane spread his
hands, making the contechs tense. “Alas, I cannot do that, but, as
I recall, it is extremely effective. It rendered me senseless for
many hours.”
“It only knocks
them out for a few minutes.”
“That is
because they do not have mortal bodies. In fact, it is the droge
shell that makes them susceptible, since it confines a dark form
and compresses it.” Bane shrugged. “At least, I think so. Your
stunners would not work on a dra’voren in his dark form, if I am
right.”
“That’s... good
to know.”
“It is doubtful
that you will ever trap a dra’voren in his dark form, Commander.
They rarely venture out of the dark realm without a droge
body.”
Sarjan was
clearly fascinated. “Why’s that?”
“Sunlight will
strip away a dark form in a few minutes, just as your blue light
stripped away his droge shell. They may go abroad at night, but
generally they prefer to wear a droge body, since they were once
mortal men who were damned to the dark realm and Gathered the power
to leave the Land of the Dead and make themselves into dark
gods.”
Sarjan eyed
him. “But you’re mortal, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“How did that
happen?”
“I was changed
by a dark god before he tore me from my mother’s womb and forced me
to take up the dark power.”
“I see.” Sarjan
looked around at the gawping contechs. “So the shredder room won’t
destroy you?”
“No. It will
only strip away my power, as it
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