Champion of the Gods
Copyright© 2025 by QM
Chapter 57
I take it you were baiting the hook?” Darras asked after the two goddesses left.
“Yes, though not maliciously,” Erren smiled. “Plus, Serulon will be having a chat with Szavona about the gateway she controls.”
“There’s a gateway to sleep?”
“Not in the sense of an actual gate, just Szavona’s mandate is to prevent interference over sleepers ... magically, that is.”
“Take it, this came about from the First Ones?”
“Yes, before then, Szavona was goddess of the night,” Erren nodded. “Serulon will want to question her over detecting a godly presence crossing it.”
“So, who will she talk to about the Isle of the Dark Kin?”
“She’ll mention it to Epelmos, who will tell Colanthus, who will pass it on to my dark brother,” Erren replied.
“Will that work?”
“Yes,” Erren confirmed. “Epelmos is friends with both, though Szavona cares little for Colanthus these days.”
“So, she’ll gossip?”
“Yes, you saw what happened when they were here; the conversation went all over the place until I passed on the warning about Serulon.”
“Now that you mention it,” Darras chuckled. “You gods do appear to enjoy chatting.”
“Only some of us,” Erren smiled. “I tend only to pass on what I want them to know.”
“I suspect Venicia’s the same.”
“Probably, it’s hard to get a reading on her at times.”
“She doesn’t gossip?”
“She doesn’t really associate with anyone other than Szavona,” Erren replied. “When talking to others, she refuses to involve herself or her world.”
“Have they always been friends?” Darras asked. “It’s just an odd combination, is all.”
“It is, but yes, they’ve been friends for millennia.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” Darras chuckled.
The Dark Lord mused over some information he’d come across from Colanthus. The Isle of the Dark Kin had been of very little interest to him until now. But it was also an area where Serulon could not go, unless she had Erren’s permission. This gave the Dark Lord a time frame in which he could deal with Erren’s agent.
Darras stepped through the gateway on the Island and greeted the watcher. There was none of the tension from the early days of his visits, simply an acknowledgement of his presence. Klea was easy to find; her home was now attached to the shrine, and she welcomed Darras happily.
“So, what brings you here, friend Darras?” Klea finally asked.
“I’m the bait in a trap to deal with the Dark Lord,” Darras replied.
“Will that not be dangerous for my people?”
“Not if you can get me to somewhere isolated.”
“Will I need the blade?”
“It might be best if you take it, though it will be of no use on the Dark Lord,” Darras replied thoughtfully. “Though he may bring a champion of Colanthus with him.”
“The actual Dark Lord is coming here?”
“We suspect he’s found a way, that’s what I’m here to stop.”
“Very well,” Klea nodded.
“I have training swords,” Darras informed Klea. “I also have healing potions.”
“That sounds ominous.”
“You wield the Jomanti blade, you might as well learn how to use a sword properly,” Darras chuckled.
“Point,” Klea smiled.
“Erren says you can visit to practice with her, should things go well.”
“As in just turn up?” a puzzled Klea asked.
“I’ll come and collect you the first time,” Darras replied. “After that, Erren will tell you when.”
“Right,” Klea nodded. “Do you have supplies?”
“I do.”
“Wait outside, I’ll bring the blade.”
Several minutes later, Darras and Klea were moving across the island using Klea’s farstriding ability. Klea eventually brought them to an isolated clearing where Darras set up camp.
“This is normally where we meet the Dryad of the forest to negotiate a lumber allowance,” Klea explained. “Hence, we’re unlikely to be disturbed.”
“Good,” Darras nodded. “I don’t wish to endanger any of your people.”
“Except me,” Klea chuckled.
“True,” Darras smiled. “Though I suspect I’m the target.”
“He may not want any surviving witnesses.”
“There is that, yes,” Darras nodded.
Unlike many of the gods, the Dark Lord could access the Isle of the Dark Kin as he had followers there. Hence, he stepped out of the dreamtime near a small village of his worshippers and spread his senses over the island until he finally located Klea via the sword.
“I have you now, agent,” he hissed, assuming that Darras was training Klea.
‘I have detected him, ’ Erren warned. ‘He’s on the island, but not close.’
“Get ready,” Darras warned Klea. “He’s here and will likely strike without warning.”
Klea immediately took her hunting bow and scaled a tree, thinking that the Dark Lord would go for Darras first. Darras waited patiently in the centre of the clearing, sword drawn, relying on Erren and his senses to warn him of an approach from behind. The blow came from behind, though Darras had sensed it and parried, even as the weight of it pushed him back. This, however, gave him the space to launch his own attack, with his anti-magic aura imbuing the blade, causing the cowled figure to dart back as the blade just missed him.
“Curse you,” the figure hissed.
“They don’t work,” Darras chuckled. “I see you lack all honour, though in striking from behind, like a coward.”
“You aren’t worth dealing with honourably,” the figure hissed. “You never used it with my creations.”
“Creations?” Darras asked, avoiding a wild lunge. “You created the dragon, personally?”
“I brought focus upon them; they were just hunting tools until I gave them purpose!”
“That went well, didn’t it?” Darras forced out a chuckle as he was forced more and more on the defensive.
“Silence! You shall die, and I will begin again the great task of bringing this world to its inevitable fall again.”
“I don’t see how, you never even realised this was a trap,” Darras laughed. “Haven’t you noticed your ranged magic no longer works?”
“Pah! I do not need that to kill you, nor could Serulon get here quickly enough.”
“It’s not Serulon you should be worried about,” Darras coldly smiled.
The cowled figure paused and then suddenly turned and ran, only to slam into a barrier of some sort surrounding the clearing. Then the spiritual figures of the Allfather and Erren stepped from Darras to confront it.
“It’s pointless hiding your appearance, brother,” Erren said. “Your aura cannot be hidden.”
“Explain yourself!” the Allfather demanded.
“She interfered by taking civilisations too high too soon,” the Dark Lord replied, the cowled figure coalescing into the avatar Darras knew.
“That is my mandate,” Erren replied. “All have the seeds of their inevitable fall within them.”
“A fall that would take centuries to come about!”
“Yes, and?” Erren riposted. “I planned well, that is not for you to introduce creatures from out of time to possess my people.”
“Civilisations must rise and fall, you interfered to the extent that such may never have happened.”
“Foolish brother,” Erren replied. “I already told you the seeds for their fall are already part of them.”
“Nor does it explain your presence on this planet,” the Allfather added.
“It was not a forbidden method, so I used it,” the Dark Lord replied. “I am not my avatar.”
“It is part of you yet contains all of you,” the Allfather replied. “Such sophistry on your part will not save you from judgment.”
What came next happened so suddenly that it caught Darras off guard as the Dark Lord suddenly lunged at the three of them, cleaving Darras with his sword. Fortunately, despite the efforts of the Dark Lord, it was not a death blow ... at least not immediately, and Darras was able to mount a counter that smashed the Dark Lord’s sword from his hand, even as an arrow from Klea took the Dark Lord in the shoulder.
The Allfather glared at the Dark Lord, and the god froze, unable to move at all. Darras now had a hand to his shoulder as he attempted to staunch the blood, even as Klea dropped from the tree and rushed to help.
“Er... “ It’s healed,” a confused Klea said when she pulled Darras’s hand away.
“You’re dealing with gods here, Klea,” the spiritual form of Erren informed the Elf. “The Allfather permitted full recovery.”
“Forgive me,” Klea replied. “It is just that this is so far from my experience.”
“An interesting blade you have,” the Allfather said, glancing at the Jomanti blade.
“My brother forged it,” Erren replied. “And it was left behind after the ascension of the First Ones.”
“Yes, I see its history,” the Allfather nodded. “Still, it is in good hands now.”
“My vision shows no future interactions with the races in the future ... or rather none with any loss of life,” Erren agreed.
“It will fade from history and become little more than a curiosity, true.”
Klea remained silent, not knowing if a wrong word might kill her, though she took her cue from Darras, who appeared unworried.
“What now, father?” Erren asked.
“Judgement,” the Allfather replied. “Though not here, I would see him judged before all your brothers and sisters.”
“You may use my demesne,” Erren replied. “I have room for all, and many have been before.”
“That will be suitable,” the Allfather nodded. “I know you do not wish most of them to have access here.”
“Too many out there would see them dead, and too many of my kin would gleefully enjoy making it happen,” Erren sighed.
“Such is their nature, daughter.”
“I know, nor would I have it otherwise,” Erren nodded. “All have their parts to play.”
There was an audible snap, and suddenly all were standing on the lawn in Erren’s demesne. Klea looked surprised to be there, though remaining silent. The frozen body of the Dark Lord faded away as Erren led the way to the pools to clean Darras up and repair his armour.
“I can see why you enjoy your existence here,” the Allfather said as he relaxed in the pools, sipping a chilled golden ale.
“This avatar enjoys the physical aspects of the mortal world, and that enjoyment is felt by the real me,” Erren smiled.
“An unanticipated outcome of your use of Darras,” the Allfather nodded as Serulon appeared.
“Father,” Serulon acknowledged, with a slight bow. “Sister.”
“You have passed on the word?”
“I have, all will attend, including their agents, if they have one.”
“And your Mother?”
“I ... believe she will come, though unlike my brothers and sisters, I cannot command or demand her presence.”