campaign to conquer the emerald isle and surrounding kingdoms, when one of his gargoyle warriors stole away from the ranks and advanced with ferocious speed.
It took Cael a moment to realize that this gargoyle minion was different from the animalistic beasts under his command. This gargoyle was part man, part monster, a hybrid creature identical to himself.
The instant Cael spotted the rune blade in the gargoyle’s clawed hand, he realized he’d underestimated Artan. His brother had refused to wait for Cael to make the next move and instead brought the battle to him.
Artan's gargoyle features distorted into a demonic snarl and he brought the blade down on his brother’s still stunned face. Magical steel rippled through the air, fueled by the force of vengeance, and slashed across Cael’s visage. It would have hacked off part of his head had the Eye of Balor in Cael’s eye socket not broken the sword’s momentum. But the impact of steel striking the stone was enough to shatter it in two. The broken gem erupted from Cael’s eye socket like two bloody tears being shed.
The two pieces of the Eye of Balor flew through the air and...
Everything changed in an instant.
Cael saw his winged army turn to stone before him. Seconds later, his own limbs grew heavy, reverting to the element that had originally spawned the gargoyles. The process wasn’t instantaneous for Cael — after all he was part human — but his gargoyle blood had to obey the laws of the ancient order.
His brother’s blade spun through the air, coming in for another attack. Artan’s movements were dulled in equal measure, muscles tightening and growing stiff. But for the moment at least, his rage seemed to have overcome the spell. There would be no ruby to deflect the sword this time. However, before the steel’s sharp edge could reach Cael, the brothers froze in mid-movement. Transformed into stone statues, they were mirror images of the frozen gargoyle army that surrounded Balor’s ancient temple.
What followed was a nightmarish, distorted blur of half-perceived sounds and sights. Cael felt as though he was trapped at the bottom of a lake, looking up at the world above. He saw the knights invade the temple, watched them wield hammers and shatter his soldiers, demolishing the gargoyle statues so no magic could ever reconstitute them.
Cael also remembered the rough hands of his hooded druid followers touching his stone skin, a vague sensation of contact. They stole away into the night after loading his stone form onto a horse-drawn wagon. Later that day, he was whisked off to an underground cave where his enemies would be unable to locate him.
Cael’s followers hid their master hoping that one day in the future he would return to carry out the dark will of Balor. Little did his acolytes realize that Cael, in his current state, would welcome the blows of his enemies’ hammers. It offered a way out of his terrible prison, even if it meant facing oblivion. Anything was better than this limbo state between life and death, a prison darkened by memories tainted by the sting of defeat.
With the passing centuries, Cael’s rage grew. He would spend fifteen interminable centuries in the dark cave that his followers had chosen for his final resting place. Half aware, teetering on the brink of madness, he waited for a day he thought would never come.
It had taken an eternity of darkness and prayers to Balor, but the miracle had finally happened. He was free to walk among men once more. The spell had been broken.
Cael took in the dying security guard on the floor before him. As the young man’s life force ebbed away and the black veil of death descended over him, Cael knew his mental prayers had been answered.
After all this time, he could finally fulfill his destiny and rule Balor’s kingdom here on Earth.
C HAPTER S IX
THE MOMENT HER father stepped out of his office, Rhianna’s let out a deep sigh.
Sorry, Natalie. No
It took Cael a moment to realize that this gargoyle minion was different from the animalistic beasts under his command. This gargoyle was part man, part monster, a hybrid creature identical to himself.
The instant Cael spotted the rune blade in the gargoyle’s clawed hand, he realized he’d underestimated Artan. His brother had refused to wait for Cael to make the next move and instead brought the battle to him.
Artan's gargoyle features distorted into a demonic snarl and he brought the blade down on his brother’s still stunned face. Magical steel rippled through the air, fueled by the force of vengeance, and slashed across Cael’s visage. It would have hacked off part of his head had the Eye of Balor in Cael’s eye socket not broken the sword’s momentum. But the impact of steel striking the stone was enough to shatter it in two. The broken gem erupted from Cael’s eye socket like two bloody tears being shed.
The two pieces of the Eye of Balor flew through the air and...
Everything changed in an instant.
Cael saw his winged army turn to stone before him. Seconds later, his own limbs grew heavy, reverting to the element that had originally spawned the gargoyles. The process wasn’t instantaneous for Cael — after all he was part human — but his gargoyle blood had to obey the laws of the ancient order.
His brother’s blade spun through the air, coming in for another attack. Artan’s movements were dulled in equal measure, muscles tightening and growing stiff. But for the moment at least, his rage seemed to have overcome the spell. There would be no ruby to deflect the sword this time. However, before the steel’s sharp edge could reach Cael, the brothers froze in mid-movement. Transformed into stone statues, they were mirror images of the frozen gargoyle army that surrounded Balor’s ancient temple.
What followed was a nightmarish, distorted blur of half-perceived sounds and sights. Cael felt as though he was trapped at the bottom of a lake, looking up at the world above. He saw the knights invade the temple, watched them wield hammers and shatter his soldiers, demolishing the gargoyle statues so no magic could ever reconstitute them.
Cael also remembered the rough hands of his hooded druid followers touching his stone skin, a vague sensation of contact. They stole away into the night after loading his stone form onto a horse-drawn wagon. Later that day, he was whisked off to an underground cave where his enemies would be unable to locate him.
Cael’s followers hid their master hoping that one day in the future he would return to carry out the dark will of Balor. Little did his acolytes realize that Cael, in his current state, would welcome the blows of his enemies’ hammers. It offered a way out of his terrible prison, even if it meant facing oblivion. Anything was better than this limbo state between life and death, a prison darkened by memories tainted by the sting of defeat.
With the passing centuries, Cael’s rage grew. He would spend fifteen interminable centuries in the dark cave that his followers had chosen for his final resting place. Half aware, teetering on the brink of madness, he waited for a day he thought would never come.
It had taken an eternity of darkness and prayers to Balor, but the miracle had finally happened. He was free to walk among men once more. The spell had been broken.
Cael took in the dying security guard on the floor before him. As the young man’s life force ebbed away and the black veil of death descended over him, Cael knew his mental prayers had been answered.
After all this time, he could finally fulfill his destiny and rule Balor’s kingdom here on Earth.
C HAPTER S IX
THE MOMENT HER father stepped out of his office, Rhianna’s let out a deep sigh.
Sorry, Natalie. No
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