Timura Trilogy - The Gods Awaken Part 42

He started with the Lady Felakia, the patron G.o.ddess of his people. In the most ancient Kyranian myths it was said that the beautiful G.o.ddess of purity and health was once wooed by the G.o.d Rybian, the maker of people and demons.

Legend had it that the Lady Felakia spurned Rybian's attentions and during the long lovers' siege he became bored and pinched out all the races of humankind and demonkind from the pure clay of Kyrania.

The same clay that had made the Timura potters a modern legend; their work through generations was highly valued all over Esmir.

To Safar, however, the key was Asper's claim that humans and demons were born of "a common womb." In other words, never mind the myth of what Rybian had wrought, but pay close attention to the mother.

The demon master wizard had a theory regarding the subject. It was outlined in a poem that began: "In the days of heavenly love and l.u.s.t A wicked sister of the pure and just Conspired to win the heart of our maker ... "

In Asper's scenario, the G.o.ddess Lottyr--who was the h.e.l.lsish shadow sister of the Lady Felakia--crept into Rybian's bed one night when he was drunk and through guile got him to impregnate her with his heavenly seed. In the morning, when he'd realized what he had done, the G.o.d ripped the seed from Lottyr's womb. Then implored the Lady Felakia to accept it into her own. Otherwise, he said, the creatures he had created would all be condemned to eternal lives of torment in the h.e.l.ls.

In a night of G.o.dly pa.s.sion, Asper said, Rybian wooed Felakia and she finally relented and accepted his embrace and his seed. From these two unions were born all the creatures of the world, including humans and demons.

Safar had never paid much attention to this portion of Asper's text. In both poetic form and mythical content it was quite out of character for the cynical old demon, who consistently warned that the G.o.ds were asleep and that the fate of both humans and demons was of little concern to them.

But when Jooli mentioned her own theory of numbers his mind plunged back to his student days in Walaria. He'd discovered Asper's book in the forbidden private library of the high priest, Umurhan.

There were many other volumes in that library to which his curiosity had also been drawn. One of them was a text on h.e.l.lsish magic, whose cover bore the drawing of a strange, six-headed, six-armed G.o.ddess of the dark worlds. He'd later learned it was the portrait of the evil Lady Lottyr. Shadow sister of the G.o.ddess Felakia.Although Safar was adamantly opposed to the practice of black magic, as a scholar he was quite familiar with all of its aspects. He was not only schooled in the spells involved in that terrible art, but was skilled in casting their counter-spells to protect himself.

This was how he had defeated Iraj Protarus and his minions when they had tried to destroy him and his people with the shapechanging Spell of Four. Safar doubted he had the power to similarly defeat the unholy deity that was the Lady Lottyr. But maybe, just maybe, he could slow her down a bit.

Finally, he found Asper's poem on the subject. It was one of his strangest verses. Written as if he, himself, had once encountered the dreaded G.o.ddess of the h.e.l.ls.

He called Jooli to show her. She smiled when she saw the poem. And with much feeling, she read Asper's words aloud: "Deep in the h.e.l.l Fires I spied Rybian's false-hearted bride.

Six heads and arms had she, And beauty enough to bedazzle me.

Through the Sixth Gate I fled, Soul quaking in fear and dread.

Up, up through the world's core, At my heels that h.e.l.lish wh.o.r.e.

To the unfeeling Heavens I cried, 'Where's the lamp, where's my guide?'

Of all, only Felakia deigned to speak.

And those holy words I now repeat: 'If it's my sister, Lottyr, you wish to smite, In the lion's eye, seek the light.'"

When she was done, Safar shook his head. "I never knew what Asper was getting at before," he said.

Then, grinning, he pointed at Felino. "But there's our lion," he continued. "And what we need to do couldn't be plainer."

The lionman roared in fury, twisting futilely at his strong bonds. "You fools!" he cried. "You poor, weak fools! You'll never defeat the G.o.ddess!"

Jooli only laughed. "I'll fetch a torch," she told Safar. "That ought to be light enough."

But as she turned, Felino suddenly howled in agony.

"What in the h.e.l.ls?" Safar exclaimed.

As Jooli turned back she saw the veins in the lionman's body swelling as if they would burst. His eyes were bulging from their sockets.

Then his jaws fell open and the strange, melodious voice of a woman issued forth. Although it was strong, it had a distant, echoing quality to it--as if it were coming from the bottom of a deep cavern. Neither Safar nor Jooli had any doubt who the speaker was.

"How dare you defy me, Safar Timura?" said the voice of Lottyr. "You have bedeviled me from the start of your puny, mortal life. Asper defied me and in the end I made him suffer for it most grievously. And now you make bold to follow in his doomed footsteps? Beware what you wish for, Safar Timura. For some day I may grant it, just as I granted Asper his wishes."The voice stopped and Felino slumped against his bonds, dead.

Safar suddenly felt exhausted--as lifeless as those lion's eyes radiating nothingness from Felino's head.

He heard Jooli wail, "What do we do now, Safar?"

But he just shook his head. He was out of answers.

At that moment, Palimak burst into the cabin. "Father!" he cried. "Come and see! It's Coralean! With the whole d.a.m.ned fleet!"

Renewed hope leaped into Safar's breast. He and Jooli rushed out of the cabin to see what Palimak was talking about.

And when they got to the rail overlooking the battle scene it was like a vision granted from the heavens.

Nine s.h.i.+ps were converging on Rhodes' little fleet of three. Safar immediately recognized the center s.h.i.+p, the Tegula, which flew Coralean's coat of arms.

Safar didn't know where his old friend had come from, or how he'd guessed Safar was in trouble. All he cared about was that the tide of battle had been transformed. Rhodes' longboats full of soldiers were rowing as fast as they could back to their mother s.h.i.+ps.

And it was going to be a long pull for them, for even now the enemy s.h.i.+ps were turning tail and fleeing, with four of Coralean's vessels in hard pursuit.

Directly beneath the airs.h.i.+p, the Nepenthe was sinking. But he could see one of Coralean's s.h.i.+ps converging on it to take off the survivors. Many of whom wore the uniforms of the young Kyranian soldiers Safar had left behind.

Already Biner was shouting gleeful orders to his crew to lower the airs.h.i.+p so they could a.s.sist in the rescue effort.

Leiria fell into Safar's arms, laughing with joy. Everyone else whooped in glee, hugging or slapping each other's backs.

Just then, a strange feeling came over Safar. It seemed as if he'd suddenly become another person--standing slightly away--observing the scene. All the happy people, with his other self, his Safar self, at their center. Leiria clasping him tight.

And he thought, in an inner voice that was not his own: Well done, brother. Well done.

Then he was back in his own body again, trembling with alarm. He pushed a bewildered Leiria away and ran to the place where he thought his other self had been standing.

There was no one there, only a stack of empty ballast sacks. He looked about, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Leiria came up to him, concern in her eyes. "What's wrong, Safar?" she asked.

Still dazed, Safar nearly blurted something about Iraj. But he recovered just time.

"Nothing," he replied. "I'm just a little tired from the excitement, I guess."

She started to embrace him again, but Safar held her off as gently as he could. For some reason he feltthat if touched her it would be a violation of her flesh. That if she knew him for what he was, she'd feel sullied. But that, like his bitten off response, also seemed insane.

Safar stood quite still for a moment, the world spinning around him. Finally, the mad whirling stopped and he felt whole again.

What now he wondered. What now?

And then the ghost voice intruded once again to answer: We go to Hadin, brother. Just as we planned all along.

At that moment Safar knew the answer to a much deeper question. Now he knew where Iraj Protarus had gone.

The deck of the airs.h.i.+p rushed up to smite him. And then all he knew was darkness.

Part Four

G.o.ddess of the h.e.l.ls

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE.

THE TWO KINGS.

Safar was trapped in the prelude to the end of the world.

And oh, how he danced.

Danced, danced, danced.

Danced to the beat of the harvest drums.

All around him a thousand others danced in joyous abandon. They were a handsome people, a glorious people, led by their beautiful young Queen who cried out in ecstasy.

Beyond the grove, a backdrop to the Queen, was the great conical peak of a volcano. And he knew that at any moment the volcano would erupt and that Safar, along with the joyous dancers, would die.

Was this real? Was he truly on the sh.o.r.es of Hadinland, destined to be swallowed in a river of molten rock? Or was it just a night terror that would end if only he could open his eyes?

Open your eyes, he thought! Dammit, man! Open them!

And then, with a jolt, he thought, Iraj! Where is Iraj? He tried to look around to find him but then Palimak's voice intruded, calling: "Father? Father? Open your eyes, father!"

And he thought, Oh, yes. I know where Iraj is now.

So he opened his eyes. Or was it Iraj who opened them for him? Never mind. That was something they would have to sort out later between themselves.

The main thing was, his eyes were open now.

But all he could see was darkness. He blinked, but the darkness stubbornly remained.Alarm crept in, but he pushed it away. Obviously, there was a reasonable explanation. It was probably night and Palimak most likely kept the room dark so as not to disturb him. He could sense Palimak bending over him.

"Where are we, son?" he asked.

"We're in Hadin, father," Palimak replied.

"So soon?" Safar asked, although he was only a little surprised.

"You were unconscious a long time, father," Palimak said. "You had us pretty worried, what with the fever and all. But that's broken now, thank the G.o.ds. Jooli and I took turns treating you during the whole voyage."

Safar nodded understanding. "I dreamed I was trapped in that other world again," he said. "Dancing on the sands of Hadinland. I suppose it was the fever that caused it."

"Do you feel well enough to get up now, father?" Palimak asked. "Coralean has some people waiting to see you. They're all most anxious."

The young man paused, then--with amazement in his voice--he added, "It's a delegation from Hadin.

They say you are their long, lost king."

Safar was astounded. "King?" he asked. "How could I be their king?"

Inside him, Iraj stirred in his nest. He said, I told you long ago, brother, that we were both destined for great things. And here is final proof. We are kings of a people we never even met!

Safar wanted to tell Iraj to shut up. His presence inside Safar's body was all too disturbing as it was without Iraj prattling in his ear. Safar felt confused, dazed, as if he had not quite awakened from a terrible dream.

He brushed his face with his hand, attempting to wipe away the confusion. Then he realized Palimak was trying to give some sort of explanation about the people who believed Safar was their king. He nodded, pretending he'd heard the answer.

He said, "I'll get up, son. Just bring me some clothes. And some water to bathe in."

Then he chuckled and said, "And please bring me a light. I'm not a cat, you know. I can't see in the dark."

His request was met by a long, frightening silence. "Did you hear me, son?" Safar pressed.

Palimak's voice shook when he answered. "I heard you, father." Another long pause. Then, "But it's broad daylight out, father. You shouldn't need a light!"

Inside him, Iraj jolted in shock. What's this? he demanded. Are we blind? Or is this the boy's idea of some cruel jest? By the G.o.ds, I'll have him...

Safar slapped his own breast, cutting Iraj off. He had to think, dammit! What was happening to him?

Was he going mad?

"I must have misheard you, son," he said at last. "It's not really daytime, is it?"

He reached out desperately and Palimak clasped his hands in a tight grip. "Tell me it's night, son," hepleaded. "Tell me!"

Safar felt wet drops fall on his cheek. Was Palimak crying?

"Can't you see me, father?" Palimak begged. "I'm right here in front of you. And it's daytime, with a bright s.h.i.+nning sun. Honest to the G.o.ds, it is!"

Palimak's panic had the reverse effect on Safar. He became quite calm. If he was blind, so be it. Maybe he'd regain his sight later. Maybe not. The main thing was that there were far more calamitous events than his own personal misfortune that needed to be dealt with.

He patted the young man's hand. "Never mind, son," he said. "I'm probably just suffering from some sort of shock. Caused by the illness, no doubt. I'm sure I'll soon recover my sight. It's a temporary ailment, nothing more."