Champion of the Gods
Copyright© 2025 by QM
Chapter 54
After the introductions, Darras sat with Jertin, Rienne, and their children, Aljer and Aran, in their chambers, sipping fruit juice while Darras fended off the children’s questions.
“So you live with a goddess?” Aljer asked.
“I do, she’s a nice lady, and at the moment she’s looking at you through my eyes,” Darras replied.
“Yes,” Aljer nodded. “I see her.”
“Can she fly?” Aran asked shyly, as Jertin and Rienne looked slightly shocked.
“I suppose so, though I’ve never seen her do so,” Darras chuckled. “She’s very good at what you call magic.”
“Doesn’t it take too long to draw the circles?” Aljer frowned.
“When you’re good at it, you don’t need circles, no god does.”
“You’ve met other gods?”
“Yes,” Darras confirmed. “Some I like, some I’m not so fond of.”
“Who do you hate the most?” Aran asked.
“The one people call the Dark Lord, though that’s a close tie with Colanthus, the god of war,” Darras replied.
“Doesn’t he have a name? The Dark Lord?”
“He thinks names are beneath his dignity,” Darras shrugged. “A lot of the gods laugh at him for it.”
“Oh, right, what does Erren’s home look like?” Aljer asked.
Darras described his home, the gardens around it and the hot pools, with the children looking enthralled.
“You can see Erren, Aljer?” Rienne asked carefully.
“Yes, she looks like a ghost looking out from Darras,” Aljer replied.
“Is this normal?” Rienne asked Darras. “For children, that is.”
“No, but Aljer has always been able to see Erren when I’m around,” Darras replied.
“Erren’s blessing hinted at a wonderful future for him,” Jertin chuckled.
“She did,” Darras chuckled. “But I won’t spoil it by giving away the surprises.”
“I’m going to marry Armanth,” Aljer stated proudly.
“Has she said yes?” Darras smiled.
“She has, though her mum told us to wait till we’re older.”
“Yes, Queen Callani will want to wait to see what the future will bring,” Darras nodded.
“Aljer, Armanth is a princess,” Rienne said. “She may have to marry someone else, someone important.”
“She won’t do that, she promised,” Aljer replied in total belief.
“And so that settles that,” Darras chuckled.
Later, after the children had been settled for the night, the conversation continued, focusing on more serious matters.
“So, the Orc threat is gone at last?” Jertin asked.
“Yes, Xallant, Lirrant and Jizzard crushed their horde and wiped out a fighting generation,” Darras confirmed. “Courantil and Terrel then expanded their borders west to the River Xal, driving out the demoralised clans.”
“Will not the Orcs recover?” Rienne asked with a frown.
“In numbers, yes, in their ability to take on the lands of the east, no,” Darras explained. “Jertin’s innovations have reduced Horde effectiveness by adding a mobile ranged attack to the East’s armies.”
“And the horse archers and lancers are light enough to pursue or retreat if necessary,” Jertin added. “Plus Rachtelin at least has the pike wall as a mobile defence.”
“Several nations noticed what you did in Fordel; they are adapting their armies to suit.”
“No surprise there,” Jertin chuckled.
“So, a golden age?” Rienne queried.
“It won’t last forever, naturally,” Darras smiled. “But civilisation, as you see it, will reach heights greater than the Golden Empire of the Elves.”
“Golsten?”
“Will follow, if slowly,” Darras continued. “Though the slavery issue is almost over now in Asul.”
“What of the Dark Lord interfering?”
“He’s lost most of his forces, is ignoring his agent for now and is reduced to pin-prick attempts to change what Erren calls the narrative,” Darras smiled. “That’s part of why I’m here, just in case he finds someone capable of derailing the conference.”
“Yes, there’s too much power gathered here for it not to be a target,” Jertin nodded thoughtfully.
“You’re also quite well guarded, however,” Darras pointed out. “Though that might not stop a skilled assassin.”
“Indeed so,” Jertin replied. “Though I doubt we’ll have a vampire coming for us, this time,” he finished with a chuckle.
“Ventris will continue to be an issue for Thenarron for decades,” Darras nodded. “Though things are gradually on the turn there.”
“Seems the world is moving on from the troubles of the past,” Rienne smiled.
“It is,” Darras agreed. “Though that doesn’t mean it won’t have its fair share of troubles and injustices.”
“For which our goddess has you,” Jertin chuckled.
‘Indeed, I do, ’ Erren added.
The following morning, Darras wandered the fortress, seeing if anything struck him as out of place. At the moment, though, the guards were assiduously checking the credentials of anyone trying to enter. They were also checking the various carts loaded with foodstuffs that were being brought up from the town.
‘I can’t sense anything, ’ Erren finally said.
“I doubt he’s found another sceptre or sceptre wielder, either,” Darras chuckled.
‘No, though I do believe he will try something, I’m just not sure what.’
“I hope it’s not a personal appearance,” Darras grimaced.
‘That could be problematic, yes, ’ Erren agreed. ‘Though even I, in my warrior form, would struggle to get near the royals and leaders.’
“Can you be killed in that form?”
‘Yes, though it wouldn’t kill the real me.’
“Should I be a little more careful when we spar?” Darras asked nervously.
‘No, in my demesne, neither of us can be killed; different rules apply, ’ Erren explained. ‘In this world, though, mother’s rules apply.’
“I see,” Darras nodded, knowing Erren was referring to Mother Nature, the female counterpart to the Allfather ... or the one for this world.
‘I’m sensing a power, ’ Erren warned.
“Any idea where?”
‘No, and currently it isn’t inside the fortress.’
“Hostile?”
‘... Potentially.’
“I’ll deal with it if it comes here.
‘I’ll let you know. It’s gone for now, ’ Erren replied.
The Dark Lord floated (for want of a better word) in the void and considered his options. His avatar had merged into the world in the area of Drannos, though his avatar had immediately detected the presence of Erren and her damned agent. Nor, to his frustration, could his avatar detect any agents of his to affect this meeting that would propel the existing nations to new heights. The disadvantage in choosing Casal as an agent, whilst initially helpful in controlling the shadow scales, was now a major hindrance in that the Dark Lord could not use Casal to affect his aims directly in the nations of his world.
‘I will just have to be careful, I doubt they detected me.’
Darras spent the rest of the day meeting and greeting the various participants in the conference and occasionally passing on advice directly from Erren, though not otherwise interfering with the proceedings, which were mostly about trade, tariffs and the movement of goods via an expanded water network. Also discussed was the future of the New Territories and the slowly growing independence of the area, which was still under the control of Gomesh and Geesorn. However, neither side had any great desire to rule over the vast territory that it encompassed. The Dwarves of Gomesh, because they had no use for the Human-filled lowlands, and the Geesornians, because their centre of power was isolated from the New Territories by the vast forest of Gees. The Dwarves of Gomesh were still having issues with the religious fanatics in Dwerronag, though the new road from Sornath to Comey and, hence, to Hastein had bypassed the city to a large extent. Though this in turn had increased the hostilities of the Dwarves in Dwerronag to the largely Human-filled farming city of Hastein.
‘It isn’t helped by the need of Dwerronag to buy grain from Hastein.’ Erren explained. ‘Losing the trade revenues has constrained their finances quite a bit.’
“They brought it on themselves by hindering the trade by way of confiscations and extra tariffs,” Darras shrugged.
‘They did, though they are claiming victimhood here, ’ Erren giggled. ‘A very un-Dwarven attitude.’
“So long as they don’t attack Hastein, it will settle,” Darras nodded. “I have a good friend there.”
‘Yes, Kormarris the healer, ’ Erren replied understandingly. ‘I doubt Dwerronag would do so, for all the majority of the inhabitants of Hastein are Human, it’s still under Dwarven law as upheld by the High King of Gomesh.’
“Ah, the High King would finally have an excuse to act?”
‘Yes, Kudak, the High King, has spent over a hundred years gradually isolating Dwerronag by building internal roads within his realm, ’ Erren replied. ‘The new road to Sornath from Hastein was the last part of the puzzle, as far as he was concerned.’
“No doubt you’ll keep an eye on the situation,” Darras nodded.
‘I will, ’ Erren confirmed. ‘Though the cult of Bragos will likely slowly fade away now.’
“Let’s hope so.”
‘I’m detecting a presence, again.’
“Let’s hope it keeps its distance.”
‘It isn’t, it’s approaching the fortress.’
The avatar of the Dark Lord, though, changed in appearance, made his way through the thronging streets of Drannos, carefully avoiding coming into contact with any of them via a low-level spell. In his arrogance, he did not realise that Erren could detect such a spell, despite Darras’s inability to use any magic at all. His use of power to fool the gate guards also focused Erren’s attention on him, so that when he stepped through the gate to make his way to the fortress proper, he found himself facing Darras, who stood sword drawn and ready to attack.
“You are not wanted here,” Darras stated.
“Neither are you,” the Dark Lord snarled and launched a spell, only to wink away immediately as the spiritual form of Serulon appeared and Darras dived to the side, his instincts and reactions saving him from serious injury.
“He’s just too quick,” Serulon sighed, before fading away.
‘The planet limits us to an extent, ’ Erren explained.
“I understand,” Darras nodded. “Still, one day we’ll get him.”
‘We will, my love, we will.’