Chapter 09: Lyra's Betrayal

Chapter 9: Lyra’s Betrayal

 

Lyra nodded, than continued off ahead of Alora.  When she reached the first gate it burst to life, without a sound, and drug Lyra into it.  “Where am I?” She took a moment to look around before she realized she was no longer in the tower, but Entantium.  She smiled evilly as she started to walk towards the town.  “This could not have worked better.  I have the chance to find the blade before anyone else, and save Kagain’s sorry behind.”

Lyra made her way quickly into the town and to the tavern, The Sleeping Dragon, in which she sat in the farthest corner, after ordering a mug of ale.  It was there that she saw Alora.  “Damn that wench.  Kagain is depending upon me to find that sword before the rest of those idiots.  I cannot allow her to find it first.”

“Som’en help des woman!”  One of the tenants hollered.

Lyra smiled as she saw Alora drop to the ground, almost as if she had been poisoned.  “Well, it looks as if Kagain did not lie about the effects of this Blackturner’s Bane.  This gives me plenty of time to search the town.”  She finished her ale and left the tavern.

Wondering through the town she heard many tales of a demon roaming freely through the town.  One hysterical woman plowed right into her.  “I wouldn’ be here if I be you.  Dey say a demon roam free.  Can ye believe it?  A demon in our peaceful city.  Firære protect us.”  The woman hurried down the street, and not long after a slamming door echoed towards her ears.

“A demon?  These people fear a demon!”  She continued to walk through the town, finding the nearest guard.  “Sir, where does this so called demon make his living?”

“You wish to kill the demon?”

“I would not ask if it were not so.”

The guard nodded.  “If ye wish, but be warned, this demon plays not only with bodies but with minds as well.”

“Than I shall have to be careful.  Where does it reside?”

“You see that forest?”  He pointed to the forest towards the west, and seeing her nod he went on.  “Within that forest he dwells.  There are many perils in that forest besides one demon.”

“I have yet to see something I feared, sir.”

The guard nodded.  “May Firære protect you, milady.”

Lyra scoffed as they both walked away.  “Firære.”  He can do nothing to protect me that I cannot do myself.”  As she approached the trail that led into the forest she felt a darkness fleeing.  “Perhaps there really is a demon in here.”  She hurried into the forest, determined to capture this new evil.

 

After three days Lyra found herself lost in the middle of the forest.  “Damn this trail, it continues to run in circles!”

“It is like that for a reason, traitor.”

“Traitor?  Who dares to call me a traitor?”

“What, Brell, are you not going to admit your real self to another with such motives?”

Lyra looked around and at that moment Jace made himself visible from out of the trees.  “Who are you?  Most importantly, how do you know who I am?”

Jace chuckled, shaking his head.  “My dear Brell, or should I say Lyra?  You seem to have become accustomed to that name.  I am here for the same reason as you and the rest of those ingrates are.  The Blackturner’s Bane.”

“I am not here for that, you fool.”

“Than why are you here?”

“I have my own motives.”

“So you mean to kill my master by yourself?”

“Your ‘master’?  You work for Kagain?  You scum.  That man is going to have himself killed.  I will have nothing to do with it!”

Jace looked at Brell, trying to figure out what he was talking about.  “You mean he is going to commit suicide?”

Brell laughed, causing what was left of the birds to flee.  “He won’t exactly commit suicide, it is beyond him.”

“Than, what do you mean?”

“I cannot tell you, and if I could I wouldn’t anyway.  Anything I say to you will make its way back to him.”  Brell took a few steps towards him.  “Now, if you will, I have something to attend to and you happen to be in my way.”

Jace refused to move.  “No, I will not leave until you tell me what will happen to him.”

Brell’s hand moved to grasp the hilt of Lyra’s dagger.  “Move, you b*****d.  Kagain knows you are expendable and if you value your life at all you will move.”

Jace drew his sword and took a step closer to him.  “Tell me, you coward.”

In a flash Lyra’s dagger flew from its sheath on her back and planted with a sickening thud in Jace’s chest.  He watched him fall and chuckled evilly.  “Send Kagain my regards when you see him next.”  Brell stepped over Jace’s limp body, stopping for just a moment to retrieve Lyra’s dagger and returning it to the sheath.  As he walked away he shook his head.  “Such a rush to die.  Life is wasted on youth.”

After he disappeared into the forest Kagain stepped out of the trees, and to Jace.  A short spell was recited and the wound in Jace’s chest closed.  “Get up, you fool.”

Jace’s eyes opened and he looked and saw Kagain he quickly got to his knees.  “Master, I did not know you were here.”

Kagain scoffed.  “Of course you did not, fool.  If you had than everyone else would have.  I saw how easily you speak of me.”

“But, master, I never spoke your name.  That warlock Brell guessed.”

“Of course, you imbecile.  Brell knows everything!  Including vital information about myself.  I must find him and know what he knows.”  He turned his back to Jace.  “Leave, your presence is no longer needed.”

“But…”

“No buts!”  Kagain cut him off, turning swiftly and giving him a stern look as his staff was brandished a few inches from his face.  “Leave!”  Kagain recited the gate spell and Jace vanished in the bushes.  When Kagain knew he was alone he leaned heavily on his staff.  “That fool.  He knows that cursed sword is near yet he makes me exert myself!  Why I brought that fool in on my plan I shall never know.”  After a few deep breaths he took off after Brell.

 

Brell continued to push through the forest, ten days after his encounter with Jace.  By now he figured he would have to be almost there, the only signs of life were the few brave animals and even fewer plants.  Everything else was dead, from the grass to the trees.  “Something is certainly destroying this forest.  I wonder if it is my goal.”

Close behind Brell Kagain kept in the shadows, chuckling to himself.  “Perfect, he is leading me right to that damned sword.  Now I can end my misery.”  It was then that Kagain decided to make his move.  He ran ahead of Brell and leapt in front of him.  “Good evening, Brell.  What a surprise to find you here.”

Brell stopped a few feet away from him.  “Kagain, you are here a little too late.  I hit a snag near the entrance, a good friend of yours as I made it.  What was his name…ah yes, Jace.  He cannot follow commands well, you do know that?  He had a slight mishap with a dagger.”

Kagain sneered, than chuckled.  “I found your handiwork, and luckily I was able to revive him.  He might not be the best, but he can usually get the job done.”

Brell smirked.  “For a man trying to take over the worlds, you sure do not care about your own minions.”

“The only thing I care about is the information you have regarding me.”

“What information would that be?”

“The information about my death.”

Brell thought for a moment, pretending he didn’t know what he was talking about.  “Ah, yes.  That information.  Well, if I were to give it to you than the entire worlds would collapse.”

“I do not give a damn!  My life is more important that anything else!”

“Is that why you tried to assassinate Dyorn and Lyra?  Knowing full well that Jace would fail, and they would come after you?”

“Fool.  I did not try to assassinate them to kill them!  I need Lyra to complete my spell.”

Brell looked mockingly surprised.  “Of course, your master plan.”  He chuckled, than started towards Kagain.  “If you’ll excuse me I have your life to save.”

Kagain sneered at Brell.  “I doubt that you are actually doing this to save my life, but I shall let you pass.  Though, carry this warning with you, they know of your defection.”

Brell chuckled.  “All because of that fool Gorec, no doubt.  You should also be careful, Kagain.  Your life will not last as long as you do believe.”  With that said he continued off through the forest drawing ever nearer to the sword.

A bolt of lightening struck the tree to the left of Brell, causing the night sky to brighten as if day for just a few moments.  The light faded but was soon replaced by the dull red of a flame, Brell chuckled and continued on.  The sword was not the only thing killing this forest, he thought, nature itself was doing its own part.  Another bolt of lightening struck, followed by the crashing sound of thunder, a storm was brewing very near.  Half through the night the rain came, the storm Brell saw brewing began to let loose.  Lightening struck every few seconds, the wind blew the rain in every direction as well as causing the trees to bend to their maximum; a few trees were blown completely out of the ground.

Another bolt struck, but something was different about the surroundings afterwards.  There was a patch of shadow that did not clear, no matter how bright the sky became.  “It must be there, the final piece to the puzzle.  I just hope that no one else has found it.”  He sighed, and positioned himself against a tree.  “I think this is as good a place as any to stop for the night.  Tomorrow I shall finish the job I choose to do, and Kagain will have no choice but to follow my orders.”  Brell grinned, a sinister grin enough to make even Kagain cringe.  “Yes, I shall rule all of Dragonia, and Entantium.  My Lake shall be the only landform around, and everyone will not have a choice but to worship me!  I will be a God…no more than a God.  The Gods will be powerless against me.  Within two weeks I can create a weapon to destroy everyone.  Even Dyorn himself!”  Brell settled in for the night.

The night passed in about the same manner, the storm finally subsiding late in the night.  When he finally awoke the sun was making its way through the canopy, and onto the floor casting rainbows everywhere it struck.  “Blast this mortal body, half the day is already spent!”  He looked around and saw the shadow looming ahead.  “Perfect, Kagain you are saved.”  He quickly made his way down the decrepit pathway.

Ahead the shadow grew to the point that he could see what it was.  A glossy onyx temple stood in the middle of the clearing, filling the entire space.  Atop the temple sat the coat of arms of the Blackturner family.  He approached the large mahogany doors, pushing them open.  When Brell entered he saw that there was more inside than he would have thought.  Upon a marble pedestal sat a cover of black velvet, upon the velvet sat a sword which radiated darkness.  “Finally, the Blackturner’s Bane.  How can a sword that looks as innocent as this possibly be capable of destroying an entire family with ease?”

As Brell approached the sword, and reached his arm out to pick it up, the blade vanished.  He looked around searching for where it could have gone, when suddenly he heard a voice echoing throughout the temple.  “I thought that we had a deal, Brell.  I protect your land if you assist them in destroying my ungrateful son.  Now, I find that you plan not to destroy him, but everyone else instead.  This is not a good move.”

Brell turned to where the voice seemed to come from.  “Yaren, I have my own motives yes but, I never said that I would not destroy Kagain.  If he decides not to go along with my plans to enlarge my home than I will be forced to destroy him.”

“What of Alora?  She is on her way, you know.  Will you destroy her as well?”

“She would have destroyed me if she had had the chance, wouldn’t she have?”

“She might have, or she might not have.  She never knew of what you have done, Brell.  Perhaps if she had known she would have killed you, yes.  But, since she does not know that you are Brell instead of Lyra so she has not seemed to have wanted to destroy you.”

“Than, I will give her the same choice that I will give Kagain.  She can cooperate with me, and my plans, or be destroyed.  In two weeks I can have an exact replica made of this sword to destroy her, and in that same time I can have a Bane for every powerful member in society, even in Entantium!”

Yaren chuckled.  “As you wish, Brell.  But, be warned, you will not survive as long as you think.  Be wary of Kagain.”  The presence vanished, leaving Brell to himself.  From the ceiling a velvet wrapped package dropped into Brell’s hands.

Brell headed Yaren’s earlier warning, and knew that Alora was approaching the doors.  He decided it would be best to catch her off guard, and as the doors began to open he burst through.  As he ran through Alora he dropped the sword, as well as knocking her down.  Near Alora’s groaning form the sword fell, instantly making its presence known in Alora’s body.  Brell approached her, and looked down to make sure she was not yet dead.

Alora opened her eyes finally, and caught a glimpse of who had exited the tower.  “Lyra, how did you get here?”  Shock filled her voice as Lyra grinned down at her.