Champion of the Gods
Copyright© 2025 by QM
Chapter 55
The madness from the tower began to affect those who lived above the ley lines, mostly Elves and Lizardmen, though the kingdom of Perdolis was affected as well. Delusions, psychotic behaviour, memory loss and suicides occurred as the power affected people in different ways. Though it affected only individuals, it caused those in power to act savagely toward those in opposition to that power, and, in the case of the senior matriarch of Ssathlik, led her to order an invasion of Baiuln, despite it being uninhabited, other than by forest folk who ignored the Lizardmen so long as they did not use flames.
Erren, of course, noticed immediately. However, there was no gateway on the island, the closest being the Elven settlement of Suramhaven. It was there that Darras was sent to hire a boat, if possible, and be guided to the island by the merfolk.
“It’s likely a trap,” Erren warned.
“Yes, though we need to stop this,” Darras sighed. “People are getting hurt, some killed.”
“Just be careful, whilst you are as well prepared as I can make you, if it is him, he’ll have all the advantages.”
“Other than this sword,” Darras countered.
“Even that has its limits, as you’ll still need to hit him with it.”
“I’ll be careful,” Darras promised as he hugged Erren.
“Good, now off you go,” Erren smiled.
Suramhaven was a large Elven settlement at the mouth of the river Marnus. The Elves were somewhat surprised when Darras stepped through the gateway. However, they had occasional dealings with Humans from Perdolis, judging by the glass ornamentation that adorned various buildings in the town.
“How may we help you, Human?” a town elder who had been summoned asked.
“I need to get out to Fylldar,” Darras replied.
“Why would you wish to go to that accursed place?” the startled elder queried.
“To turn off the madness emanating from it,” Darras replied.
“Is that where the malady affecting some of us comes from?” the elder frowned.
“It is,” Darras confirmed. “I hope you have not been greatly troubled by it?”
“We have them confined for their own safety,” the elder replied. “They were only dangerous to themselves.”
“So, can you help?” Darras asked.
“I will ask, though none here will set foot on the island,” the elder finally acquiesced.
“It will be enough,” Darras nodded.
It took a while for the elder to persuade one of the Elves who owned a fishing boat to agree to carry Darras out to the island. It was clear that the power of superstition was strong amongst the Elves of Suramhaven regarding the island, though Erren confirmed that it was just superstition. Once the boat left the harbour, the Elf gave an astonished gasp as a merman appeared and pushed the boat directly out to the island in a patch of calm sea through the increasingly choppy sea surrounding the boat.
“My thanks,” Darras said to the merman. “May Sorella bless you.”
“I will also guide you back,” the merman replied before sinking under the sea.
“Be careful, stranger, that isle has a dark aspect to it,” the Elf said as Darras dropped over the side of his boat and made his way to the shoreline.
“My thanks,” Darras replied. “I should be back within an hour.”
Fylldar, once Darras was ashore, had an ominous look about it, caused by the tower with a plume of smoke rising from it.
‘It’s a magical effect dating back to the First Ones who used it to guide their vessels into and out of the bay, ’ Erren explained.
“They had a city where Suramhaven was?”
‘Yes, though the powers that held the tower destroyed it utterly when their wars of annihilation began.’
“No wonder Casal was such a threat,” Darras murmured as he made his way through dense scrub to the base of the tower.
‘The urge to control all around him is still a part of his nature, though he knows the limits of his power now, ’ Erren replied.
“It’s a big world,” Darras chuckled.
‘Indeed so, ’ Erren agreed.
“Can you sense anything?”
‘No, he’s not here yet, ’ Erren confirmed.
“He’ll turn up when I start to turn it off,” Darras nodded.
‘Undoubtedly, ’ Erren replied. ‘Though what I want from you is the removal of the control crystal to prevent the tower from being used again.’
“Could he not just create or use another crystal?”
‘No, the act of creating would cause the world to ring like a bell to us gods, even were he to do so in his own demesne, the Allfather and the rest of us would know what he had wrought, ’ Erren explained. ‘It’s why Pelegard had to make your sword, not create it.’
“I hope I can surprise him with it,” Darras nodded.
‘You will, for a short while.’
“Ah, he’ll know what it is?”
‘Yes, within seconds, ’ Erren replied.
The entrance to the tower was blocked, though Darras was strong enough to clear the fallen tree that was blocking the entrance. Inside, due to magic, Darras presumed, the tower was in pristine condition. Also, a soft glow began when Darras set foot within the first level, enabling Darras to see clearly the long, winding ramp that led to the top.
“Hard to believe this is a million years old,” Darras murmured, relying on Erren to warn him of trouble.
‘The ley lines under it provide what little magical power it needs to preserve the tower, ’ Erren explained. ‘The First Ones were supreme at that sort of thing.’
“Yes, I’ve seen it in similar towers,” Darras nodded.
‘Removing the control crystal will begin the cycle of decay within the tower, and in two hundred years, it will just be an odd ruin.’
“Elves will no doubt still consider it cursed,” Darras chuckled as he made his way steadily up the ramp.
‘True.’
The top chamber appeared open to the elements, though Darras could feel no breeze at all. It had five ... seats, Darras thought, for those who had controlled the weapon. These were evenly spaced around the chamber, and all faced a single large, glowing crystal. This Darras approached after drawing his new sword.
‘Drop!’ Erren warned as Darras’s instincts cut in as a dark blade flashed over his head.
“Not very polite,” Darras murmured as he rolled to his feet.
Darras could not recognise any features of the being facing him; it was like looking at a smooth, dark liquid surface. He could, however, sense the anger radiating from it as it attempted to cleave through him with the blade.
The training Darras had done with Erren had turned Darras into a superb swordsman, and he realised that the presumed Dark Lord only had strength and speed going for it, not muscle memory. Those were dangerous enough, though they did allow the skills Darras had to cause the creature to be drawn out of position and for Darras to land a blow.
The creature bellowed out in agony as the blow landed, clearly not expecting the pain. Though not disabling, Darras’s skill did cause the creature to be far more cautious.
‘It’s not my brother, ’ Erren informed Darras. ‘His spirit, however, possesses it.’
“Time to end it then,” Darras replied as he moved onto the offensive, with move and countermove gradually forcing the creature back until finally Darras slipped past the wildly flailing blade of the beast to slam his own blade into where a heart would be had the creature been Human.
The creature crumbled with a sigh, leaving the spiritual form of the Dark Lord looking at Darras in anger.
“Always you interfere!” the Dark Lord grated out.
“It is the cycle of growth, brother, you know this, the one who interferes is you!” Erren’s voice came from Darras’s mouth.
“I am permitted to sow the seeds of a future fall!”
“And this was sowing seeds, how?”
“Removing your creature from the world will achieve much,” the Dark Lord snarled, then faded away.
“I don’t think he likes me,” Darras chuckled.
‘No, ’ Erren giggled. ‘Though you managed to hurt him.’
“He seemed fine?” a puzzled Darras replied.
‘Pelegard imbued the sword with magics tailored to your unique state; it will have caused his spirit to feel the blows.’
“Any idea what I faced?”
‘A magically strengthened homunculus.’
“He’s found a new source of mischief-making, then?”
‘I don’t think so, nor am I sure how he got it here, ’ Erren replied.
“Guess he suspected Serulon was watching?”
‘Probably.’
“I’m going to remove the jewel,” Darras finally said. “Anything to be careful about?”
‘It will hurt, but won’t be anything like as bad as that sceptre, ’ Erren replied.
“Wonderful,” Darras chuckled.
Darras observed the jewel as it floated in the centre of the chamber, presumably by magic. It glowed with an inner light and was about the size of his fist. Reaching in with his hand, Darras grasped it, feeling a lot of pain explode through his body that faded away as he pulled the jewel away from its position.
“Not fun,” Darras said after taking a deep breath. “But it’s done.”
The glow emanating from the tower had faded, and Darras placed the orb in a small carry sack and carefully made his way down the spiralling ramp until he reached the bottom chamber, lit by sunlight from the entrance. Outside, he made his way through the scrub to the shoreline and then waded out to where the boat was still waiting.
“You came back, well done,” was all the Elf said.
“What powered the tower is gone now,” Darras replied. “As is the madness.”
“As you said,” the Elf replied laconically as he pulled up the sail whilst the merman got behind the boat and seemingly pushed, though Darras knew he was using the equivalent of farstriding. Soon, they sighted Suramhaven, and Darras bade the merman farewell with a blessing from Sorella, receiving a wave in return before the merman returned to the depths.
“Welcome back,” the elder greeted Darras. “Those afflicted recovered earlier today, so I assume you were successful.”
“Yes, though the Dark One evaded my grasp again,” Darras replied.
“You hunt gods?” the surprised elder asked.
“I do,” Darras chuckled. “Though only those who would seek to harm the world.”
“I wish you good fortune. I suspect you’ll need it.”
“I have the protection of Wenderos, it’s all I need,” Darras replied with a smile.
“A mighty protection indeed,” the elder nodded as they approached the gateway building and Darras bade his farewells.
“Welcome back, my love,” Erren greeted Darras, who hugged her before handing over the jewel, which vanished as soon as Erren had it.
“I take it that it has no purpose in the world?” Darras asked as he walked alongside Erren to the pools.
“No, I’ve returned it to Mother, though, as it is hers ... in a sense,” Erren replied.
“Oh, right,” Darras nodded, as Erren rarely mentioned the Mother.
“Several of the gods were relaxing at the pool, and all gave Darras a cheery greeting.
“My thanks for your aid,” Darras said to Sorella.
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