to the main group.
The humans chosen for the elite division would be given quarters within the
fortress, and the ones to be executed would be led to a room that would be
sealed before filling with poisonous gas.
Cha-sak turned his red eyes to the
weak mortal form of his servant. His expectations of her abilities had never
been more than moderate, but she had proven to be competent in her own way. She
never questioned her orders, which was a valuable trait in itself.
She also seemed to lack a keen
self-awareness, which was valuable to Cha-sak in a very different way.
She hadn’t noticed that her soul
was slowly being leached from her body.
Already her movements were becoming
clumsy and her thoughts were becoming sluggish. It wouldn’t be long until he
had complete control over her.
The conditions of their blood
contract had been rather one-sided, and Cha-sak had made it that way
deliberately. He was required to speak the truth while creating such a
contract, but he had used archaic language and declined to inform her that she
was allowed to question any of the terms. As far as she knew, she was to act as
his anchor to this world, preventing him from being recalled to his former
prison. In return, she was allowed to wield his power as her own.
That was but a fraction of what
their arrangement entailed.
Cha-sak would have smiled if he had
a mouth. This world of mortals was puny and without unity. He would crush
humanity within a year’s time, and all would worship him.
His servant had finished her task
and stood uncertainly, waiting for instructions on what she was to do next.
Cha-sak made a negligent gesture
that sent her striding back to the Sharifal’s tower. She could stay there until
he had use for her again.
The demon used his vyala to
float up and stand on the outer wall of the fortress. He looked over the camp
of his followers and gloated silently to himself.
The last of his army had finally
gathered. Now he could begin destroying all who opposed his absolute
rule—starting with that troublesome settlement of L’avan half-breeds.
***
Along the southwestern coast of
Sehar rose a range of mountains with a lake to its east and a forest to its
south. The mountains were rumored to be filled with creatures of nightmare, so
few travelers elected to go in that direction. There were no villages, no
cities. The area had been abandoned by humans for centuries.
Until now.
A humble camp had been built at the
foot of the mountains, amidst the great trees of the forest. The majority of
the occupants appeared to be children and teenagers. There was a handful of
grown men and women supervising the workings of the camp, but the only other
adult was a middle-aged woman with short, raven hair and piercing blue eyes.
She stared at the camp with an
expression of disgust, silently cursing the events that had reduced her to such
lowly circumstances. Once she had been a revered leader of the world’s greatest
warriors and assassins. Now she was little more than a nanny—watching over
children while hiding in the woods.
“Signe?”
The former Sharifal turned to see a
petite young woman approaching her. Signe had to search her memory to recall
the young woman’s name.
“Yes, Lanil, what is it?”
“The sentinel network reports that
a man is approaching the forest. He is wearing the uniform of a Shimat. Shall
we send someone to intercept?”
A sliver of hope appeared in
Signe’s mind. She had been waiting a long time for her loyal followers to
contact her.
“I will take care of it myself,”
she told the young woman. “From which direction is the man coming?”
Lanil pointed east, and Signe gave
a decisive nod.
She left the camp behind, moving
quickly and silently. It had been many years since she had become Sharifal, but
she had lost none of her skill as a Shimat.
After more than half an hour of
travelling through the woods, Signe heard a soft rustle through the trees
ahead. The sound was barely
The humans chosen for the elite division would be given quarters within the
fortress, and the ones to be executed would be led to a room that would be
sealed before filling with poisonous gas.
Cha-sak turned his red eyes to the
weak mortal form of his servant. His expectations of her abilities had never
been more than moderate, but she had proven to be competent in her own way. She
never questioned her orders, which was a valuable trait in itself.
She also seemed to lack a keen
self-awareness, which was valuable to Cha-sak in a very different way.
She hadn’t noticed that her soul
was slowly being leached from her body.
Already her movements were becoming
clumsy and her thoughts were becoming sluggish. It wouldn’t be long until he
had complete control over her.
The conditions of their blood
contract had been rather one-sided, and Cha-sak had made it that way
deliberately. He was required to speak the truth while creating such a
contract, but he had used archaic language and declined to inform her that she
was allowed to question any of the terms. As far as she knew, she was to act as
his anchor to this world, preventing him from being recalled to his former
prison. In return, she was allowed to wield his power as her own.
That was but a fraction of what
their arrangement entailed.
Cha-sak would have smiled if he had
a mouth. This world of mortals was puny and without unity. He would crush
humanity within a year’s time, and all would worship him.
His servant had finished her task
and stood uncertainly, waiting for instructions on what she was to do next.
Cha-sak made a negligent gesture
that sent her striding back to the Sharifal’s tower. She could stay there until
he had use for her again.
The demon used his vyala to
float up and stand on the outer wall of the fortress. He looked over the camp
of his followers and gloated silently to himself.
The last of his army had finally
gathered. Now he could begin destroying all who opposed his absolute
rule—starting with that troublesome settlement of L’avan half-breeds.
***
Along the southwestern coast of
Sehar rose a range of mountains with a lake to its east and a forest to its
south. The mountains were rumored to be filled with creatures of nightmare, so
few travelers elected to go in that direction. There were no villages, no
cities. The area had been abandoned by humans for centuries.
Until now.
A humble camp had been built at the
foot of the mountains, amidst the great trees of the forest. The majority of
the occupants appeared to be children and teenagers. There was a handful of
grown men and women supervising the workings of the camp, but the only other
adult was a middle-aged woman with short, raven hair and piercing blue eyes.
She stared at the camp with an
expression of disgust, silently cursing the events that had reduced her to such
lowly circumstances. Once she had been a revered leader of the world’s greatest
warriors and assassins. Now she was little more than a nanny—watching over
children while hiding in the woods.
“Signe?”
The former Sharifal turned to see a
petite young woman approaching her. Signe had to search her memory to recall
the young woman’s name.
“Yes, Lanil, what is it?”
“The sentinel network reports that
a man is approaching the forest. He is wearing the uniform of a Shimat. Shall
we send someone to intercept?”
A sliver of hope appeared in
Signe’s mind. She had been waiting a long time for her loyal followers to
contact her.
“I will take care of it myself,”
she told the young woman. “From which direction is the man coming?”
Lanil pointed east, and Signe gave
a decisive nod.
She left the camp behind, moving
quickly and silently. It had been many years since she had become Sharifal, but
she had lost none of her skill as a Shimat.
After more than half an hour of
travelling through the woods, Signe heard a soft rustle through the trees
ahead. The sound was barely
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