Chapter Nine
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Just so mother374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwuXtd7XTS
Couldn't see me cry?
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“Quiet!” The Lich's raspy voice boomed over the top the deafening roar of the gathering crowd of sorcerers of the council. The old throne room of the Ducal Palace in Salastar had been converted into a meeting chamber for the sorcerers that were on the continent of Ratar'. There were Circles of Life permanently etched into the stone, in neat rows, starting from the center of the room all the way to the rear wall. The balcony above was reserved for the sorcerers that could attend in person, usually those that were of the Third Circle or farther out. 374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZf6KM3OKCO
Today, in the climactic meeting, every Circle of Life below was filled with projections of sorcerers from Port Hope in the south to the icy Bruenor on the border of the White Waste in the north. The Institution of Higher Sorcery on the continent of Gadashi' had sent out a call to the sorcerers there. The response to that desperate call was overwhelming, from Port Salvation in the Gremlin Desert in the farthest west, over one thousand leagues away, to Forde on the East Coast, none that had heard the call failed to attend. The word had gone out a week ago upon Master Delver's return from Farthest Reach, some had even managed to show in person for such a momentous occasion. Grim's eldest, Baine had returned as prophesied.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUECuufahv
The three huge hearths in the council chambers burned brightly bringing the room to an uncomfortable temperature when combined with the strain of hundreds of bodies compacted into a crowded space. They argued like old women. Their constant pressing for best vantage had worn on the Lich, and finally, it had come time to settle the matter of the this new War of Brothers.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtaBeHohhkb
“It was made clear to me, one way or another this man would see a Grim back on the Throne to the Underworld. I tested him, and I will assure you, he is the eldest of the All-Father.--” The Lich let that sink in for a few seconds, there were murmurs of disbelief around the room and a few nods of approval. Many sorcerers saw Baine as the fulfillment of the prophecy and the end of this age. Soon they would strive no more against the force of Order. The Lich sighed deeply, a sound not unlike wind rattling through fall leaves, “--For those of you who do not believe or those that wish to meet him, he is in Farthest Reach. But know this, go there at your own risk, his mind fled from him four hundred and fifty thousand years ago.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhhL4jHXZV
The room was dead quiet as the last statement reverberated off the vaulted ceiling, echoing back to the Lich where he stood at the dais. Delver crossed his arms and was readying himself to continue when the Headmaster of the Institution held his hand up with a glowing ball of energy positioned above it. This signaled he wished to be recognized by the Chairmen, at this meeting it was Master Delver.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzytFWqm34n
“Master Relgy, the floor recognizes you.” Delver backed away slightly from his podium and nodded respectfully to the elderly mage. Relgy was working with Delver to try to complete the transformation into a Lich. His power could not be passed to another, his line would end with him. Delver did not know if the frail old man of eighty winters would live long enough to see it through.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGcEwLxnhO
The old man tugged at the wispy white whiskers on his chin thoughtfully and then spoke in a soft boyish tenor, “Why should we stand in the way of Master Baine and his quest for the Throne? Should we not instead assist him in eradicating this boy before he attains his immortality? Baine is a son of Chaos more than anyone in this throne room, including you Master Delver and prophecy says he is to be the one to end it.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WaMsUnHsM
The crowd cheered loudly in support at the statement of the Headmaster. Ever since the original seven had been turned several millennia ago, the elimination of the Grim became the goal of every sorcerer and apprentice. The Lich let them have their celebrations for a few minutes, eyeing them with his green dots intently. True enough, it would be simple to let Baine gain his body and destroy this boy for them but the idea of that mad man on the Throne for eternity did not sit well with this sorcerer.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0ixXf4jE6
The Lich signaled for silence, and the roar of the room came more to a tolerable level, “Headmaster, I have seen this man myself. Once he might have been a true son of Chaos but now he is something entirely different. Have you ever read the Book of the Lost?--” The Headmaster slowly shook his head as if to say he did not understand this, “--Of course you haven't. It is from Order right? Well, it is still knowledge. In that book's recounting of the events, it states in each of Order's Champion's offspring is planted a seed. Baine's seed is special indeed, more so than this Damon fellow.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIEO9y5SvC
The Headmaster's eyes glowed with interest, though he might be eighty winters he was but a babe when sitting next to the Lich. There was not a being alive now, with the Grim destroyed, that contained more knowledge than Master Delver. 374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtd2G338boU
“How so?” Relgy asked.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThP4Hs6Gme
“Where Damon will simply become Order's champion again, but forever and unkillable. His brother is the Seed of Destruction. In the old tongue, it translated to 'the end of all things.'” Delver finished the last quietly, the room was silent. The people who were gathered could be heard breathing raggedly in despair. Long had many dreamed of this, and now their wondrous dream turned into a waking nightmare. A log snapped in one of the hearths sending a shower of sparks up the chimney and making the sorcerers standing near in a circle jump.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgndi8icjXN
“Then what can we do? Certainly not put that whelp on the Throne.” The Headmaster stared hard at the Lich.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzddu8BKpWp
“Our ultimate goal is to have the Throne Empty, but if I had to choose, yes, I would put that boy on the Throne. This meeting is to decide on the first! We KILL BOTH! We need the Federation, we need King Rodrick III” As the Lich finished up the room erupted into utter chaos of fighting and arguing, each sorcerer trying to be heard over the next. The Lich exchanged a look with the Headmaster, who nodded in reluctant agreement and turned to the task.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwTCPHiaI1
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Damon sat watching over the elderly Matron slumbering peacefully in the soft bed in one of the upper rooms of the Darken Oak Inn. The Proprietor of this medium-sized inn was known to Bethel as a man of Grim and would be loyal in keeping the secret of who was in this particular room. The week-long trip here had not put Damon in a, particularly good mood. The roads had been clogged with mud that slowed the horses to a walk and then when they made the ford at the blue river, an early spring snowstorm caught them. 374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoA086xWQD
Hastily made shelters had kept the snow off them, but little could be done for traveling till it blew over that night. By the mid-afternoon the next day, the temperature had risen to the point they had to shed their cumbersome cloaks, and the muck slurped with each step of the horse's hooves. The depth of the mud was to the point that when the first bandit attack came, one horse couldn't get a leg out of the slurping ooze and they had to put it down when it fell and broke the hind leg. The bandits did not pose more than that of an inconvenience other than losing the horse and time. 374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0IyQmQ8Y3
Bethel had posed more of a problem than they did. She had planted herself underneath a freshly budding cottonwood near a burbling stream, whose waters were running bank full with the spring thaw and refused to budge until Damon had agreed to let Rascus, who was along for reconnaissance, to take the souls on into Doldrom. Damon had argued that it was not Rascus's district nor his duty at this point to tend to the souls of the dead, but Bethel would not hear it. She just sat and looked dejectedly at the bodies sprawled in the brown mud, refusing to talk to anyone, even Marlin. They had lost a full day between the two events.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBy7uJ3UvP
But it had all turned out alright, Rascus had to haul in two sets of bandits in total. The roads were not as safe as they once were with the destruction of Tharpe. They had been attacked for the second time as the Great Wood of the North came within a bow shot of the Eastern Trade Road. Damon would not even bother to try to argue with the Zealot on the second group of the dead. Ten souls in all went down to the Underworld to await the return of his father, Rascus had returned, and then they got to business. 374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31UGr8Ymu7
Now, they had Delfina safely in their hands, and the room was warded against entry upon penalty of death. Only those bearing Damon's new coat of arms could pass without fear of death. He cringed at the thought of it all, that moment had brought it crashing down on his head about the reality of his unique situation. Somehow, having set his father's symbol aside in favor of his felt like a betrayal but he knew it was absolutely necessary. Anyone who bore the old symbol of Grim could have passed through the ward. A new emblem was in order, even if it did leave a vile taste in his mouth.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwEhWWs0EB
He lovingly caressed the elderly woman's face who lay against the plain linen sheets. This woman had faced more adversity than any other wife of Grim alive, he was ashamed of his actions two nights ago in the Temple. If anything, he should be striving to be like her. She was willing to take two sorceresses on by herself, this woman had more courage than most seasoned soldiers. The pink scar under her wrinkled chin was healing nicely, but he couldn't help but feel that nasty twinge of guilt in his gut for causing one of his “wives” pain. It was a cruel and twisted fate that he had been given. 374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0B4DwGikJD
The door opened behind him, but he didn't bother to turn. He could sense his mother's soul was near. She was bound to him tighter than the woman in the bed, and her soul sang sadly when near him. It was one of the inheritance powers that had been developing over the past few months. People, depending on their devotion to Grim, sounded different to him. He despised the gift. It let him know how sad his mother was with her new lot in life, but there wasn't a damn thing he could do to change it. It was all he could do just to break the vow of silence that his father had placed on her. He had taken to avoiding her during the last few days of the journey the Great City of the Wood. It seemed the more leagues passed and the closer they drew, the sadder her song sang. When the last bandit attack happened, he had nearly been too far in front to gallop back to help.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxrk0osmgA
Bethel lay her hand on her son's arm softly as she moved up beside the bed to stand in vigil with him. Her steely eyes softened at the sight of the white hair combed stately and the rancid body cleaned with loving gentleness. Wedge and Vic had been the ones who had insisted on doing these things. The two hardened warriors were in horror when they saw the state of the Mother Matron. Over the objection of the others, they cared for the Delfina with the loving touch that sons would have shown an aging parent and placed her with the gentleness of silk, in her room.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUDxwNSCC6
“They did a remarkable job, did they not?” Damon said turning his head slightly towards his mother. He was surprised to see tears standing in his mother's eyes.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZ32heprc8
“Yes,” she replied in a slightly choked voice, “and she deserved every inch of it too. She was everything that a Matron should be. Everything that I was not.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyIE5vcflj
A small sob broke out of Bethel's chest as Damon turned to embrace his mother, his arms digging into her ever-present heavy chain mail. “Hey, none of that. Nobody can compare one person to another if we did no one would be what we are supposed to be--”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpr14kyfg9
“No son,” she cut him off as she pulled away gently. She placed two fingers over his mouth to silence him and let her tears flow unabated, “I took vows that I never had any intention of keeping. I was a vain and beautiful young woman. My twin had everything that I wanted, she had Thomas, she had a husband, she had a home. The Grim came to claim me, and I was bitter. I latched onto your father, and yes, I loved him but with a sexual desire. I lusted for flesh all the way till the Grim removed that from me, that urge. Now, I can seek redemption. I need to seek redemption from you too. I did wrong by you--”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mHOQZ4elQ
Damon shoved her hand away angrily and walked a few strides towards the crackling hearth, “No you didn't!” He said as he turned back, his eyes blazed angrily “I did what I did because of what I learned from watching you. What I did was to help those affected by you. If you did anything different, I would not have compassion on those less fortunate.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuXrWEW8Xm
Bethel's eyes went wide with surprise, “But all those crimes, the murders?” She left it off with an unasked question on her lips. 374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVdl7Ebf7i
“Where all people who cheated, lied, stole, or hurt good people. Lady Thewar and Fredrick were two of the worse. Is that to say I didn't run a side business for myself by keeping some of the goods, no! But be damned if I wasn't doing it for free!” His face had turned crimson with anger. He didn't know who or what he was angrier with his mother or him. He had not, since his mother had her transformation, went to her and let her know these things, to ease her burden of guilt. He and Faldo did these things for both profits and to help those who needed help. He specifically targeted those who benefited the most off those less fortunate souls. Sure Damon enjoyed the killing and Faldo enjoyed the stealing, but they both enjoyed helping the small people of Tharpe. Somewhere deep within he had always wondered where the deeply contrasting feeling had come from.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuGKAA6ZiF
“But if I had not broken my vows and abused my position, then the compassion would have still been there, but the dark side of you would not be. For that I am guilty.” 374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSnlYOvbcX
“Jen and I have had long conversations about that one Mother. The dark side would be there regardless. I am a child of Grim. It is a part of who and what I am. I must strive against something, yearn for death. It is written into my heart. Had I known and believed in Grim, I would have had to been destroyed before now.” Damon sat down in a nearby chair, leaning forwards in defeat to look his mother in the eye, “No, there was not much you could have done besides slit this demon's throat at birth, mother.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRHUQhvyRl
“No, Fate would not have allowed me to slit the next Grim's throat. But I must still seek redemption from others. It is the start of my own path of redemption son. That path must start with you.” She walked over and placed her hand under his narrow chin.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrpFlfwWLk
“I know, but it is that path I am most fearful of starting you down.” Damon's voice shuttered and cracked, “For I know what lies at the end.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMuilCdfRMe
“I know you do Grim. Remember this, all things have their end, and nothing can prevent that. Not even all-powerful beings.”374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjI92072z67
“Then you have my forgiveness mother,” he said kissing her hand as he broke into tears.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYv7Hdkj6BE
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