14. Glamour #2
Well, yes, but some of those people seem to be still with us.
Slices of slices, I suppose, Eyros guessed.
But it actually makes my point stronger and makes your desire to turn Grayson seem foolish.
If we all kill our Masters then it’s a good idea for Grayson to be turned by someone that we’d all like to see murdered.
He wouldn’t need to kill me! Ryder growled. We had to kill our Masters because they abused that power.
Or we had to because there can be no loyalty among us greater than that we owe Daemon. To have a Master or Mistress may be to have some other god before him, Eyros said.
Tell that to your future self and Caemorn. You’re thick as thieves and even more dedicated to Daemon, Ryder said.
Yes, I keep thinking that this connection must be because of the Master-Childe bond. Because me and Kaly… I just can’t see it, Eyros admitted.
You can’t see it because you’re not Balthazar yet. You’ll understand it when you are, Ryder said. All I wish to do is to help Grayson to the other side. Not to master him in any other way. I am devoted to him, Eyros. I would never do anything to harm him.
I know you mean that, Eyros assured him. But I’m just trying to warn you what they might be doing in there. What Kaly might be considering to save their own worthless skin.
Ryder swallowed bitter bile. While it would have still hurt if Grayson had chosen Caemorn to turn him, he would have understood it.
Caemorn’s power was grand and it would give Grayson more direct power over undead soldiers, not to mention the ability to ensure that even those who fell in battle could be restored.
Kaly was a worthy gift for Grayson to add to his own.
But for one of the slices to turn Grayson? No, absolutely not.
They were twisted and evil. They were the most extreme parts of Kaly without the moderating influences of the rest of them. While he had only heard stories third-hand about Artemis and Roan, they were enough to chill his blood. Grayson could not be saddled with such a being.
I understand, Eyros. This must not happen, Ryder said.
Eyros let out a sigh. I just don’t want you to lose your mind again if something bad does happen, Weryn.
I won’t.
Are you certain? Because, I admit, I’ve come to be a little fond of this new you. I’d hate you to be consumed by darkness once more, Eyros responded and went silent.
Ryder breathed to center himself. Eyros was right.
When it came to Grayson being hurt or in danger he was an emotional mess.
Quick to anger. Ready to fight. But he had to be strategic.
He couldn’t give into the easy rage that was always his to tap.
The Berserkers among the Vampires were normally from his Bloodline, gaining that from him. He had to keep it in check now.
He glided in on silent wings to a thickly forested area about 100 yards from the edge of the city.
He lowered his head as they neared the tops of the trees.
He skimmed them with his wings and then he shifted.
There was still the ghost of his form as they continued to soar at an angle downwards rather than crashing to the earth.
Khos landed first with all four paws bent. Ryder was next with Fiona followed soon after by Charlie. All four of them landed lightly with no injuries. Ryder checked Khos over as he knew the other Immortals were okay.
“Your clothes,” Fiona offered her pile and Charlie did as well.
“Thank you. I don’t know if Eyros shared my conversation with him about what they might be doing to Grayson,” he said as he pulled on his pants. His hands were trembling. He forced them to still and moved with measured grace.
“He did,” Fiona said with a press of lips. “It’s so wrong.”
“And it really won’t work that way with Ashyr,” Charlie said with a quiet sigh.
“The slices really don’t fully understand themselves, let alone others.
The core of Ashyr’s soul is to serve Daemon faithfully with no conflicts.
If the Kaly slices seek to use him against Daemon or to weaken Daemon in any way, he’ll–”
“Destroy himself,” Ryder realized and his chest felt tight. “Yes, he would. He truly would.”
“But the Kaly slices won’t believe that,” Charlie said.
“I think we need to move. Now,” Fiona said and started to walk forward in the forest towards the city.
The four of them managed to move silently through the trees.
There was nothing alive in the forest with them.
The army of the dead truly kept everything out so they did not disturb anything on their way.
But Ryder’s heart was racing nonetheless as if he were in the middle of a battle. So it wasn’t him that was feeling this.
I’m coming, Grayson. Hold on!
They made it to the treeline. Lasting was not surrounded by a high wall as Nightvallen was.
Ryder realized that the sea of undead was likely the reason that this was possible.
The whole city reminded him of grave markers.
Pyramids. Ziggurats. Obelisks. They were everywhere.
And so were the undead and their Kaly masters.
“We need to get a few of them closer to us,” Charlie whispered.
But even that whisper had the head of one of the pale Kaly turning towards the forest and frowning.
Eyros, we need you to be the go-between here or we’ll be scouted for sure, Ryder said.
Indeed! How lucky you are that I am a part of this mission, Eyros clucked.
We are, Fiona said simply.
Eyros was silent at that.
We need to lure one Kaly to us so I can touch them to gain their powers, Charlie said. The other two I’ll glamorize you into can just be seen from afar.
Right. Well, I think… Khos, I need you to attract one of the Kalys to us, Ryder said to the massive Dire Wolf.
Will they follow a wolf? Fiona lifted an eyebrow.
There shouldn’t be anything alive here, Ryder pointed out. They’ll be curious.
They might kill Khos, Charlie pointed out. Before he makes it back to us.
Khos is willing to take the risk, Ryder said as he confirmed with the animal.
Tell Khos to go between those two buildings, Eyros said. There is a Kaly on their own. Not a slice so you won’t alert the hive mind by taking them out. And I can encourage them to follow the pretty Dire Wolf into the dread forest.
I am glad you’re with us, Eyros, Ryder admitted.
Another silence, whether from shock or uncertainty what to say, but then Eyros said, Send Khos now. It’s the perfect time. No one is nearby.
Ryder urged Khos forward. The Dire Wolf padded between two pale stone structures.
They were long, rectangular and appeared to be the tops of buildings that went deep into the earth itself.
Ryder imagined that there was a maze of catacombs below them.
They probably riddled the whole area like Swiss cheese.
Ah, Khos has got her attention! Bringing her now! Eyros said with evident satisfaction.
A woman who looked like she belonged on the prow of a ship with long, silvery hair and eyes appeared between the two buildings just after Khos bounded through them.
She wore a pale toga-like outfit that wrapped over one shoulder while leaving her other bare.
The flowy material draped to her feet. It was gathered at her waist with an elaborate set of black ribbons that held a sheath for a dagger and some other pouches.
Her feet were clad in sandals that wrapped up to her knees.
The Dire Wolf made it to the treeline and looked over his shoulder as if to satisfy himself that she was still there. The Kaly Vampire though was not advancing. Instead she fished something that glinted out of one of the pouches.
Soul gem! Eyros warned.
Despite Ryder’s desire to save his clothes, there was no time for him to strip before he acted.
Just as the Kaly Vampire drew her soul gem out, ready to capture Khos’ soul and do who knew what with it and the empty body, Ryder shifted into a murder of crows.
He surged out of the forest right at the Kaly Vampire, who was too stunned at the converging flock to act in time.
He struck her from all angles. She dropped the soul gem, which he caught up in one of his bird’s talons and took away while the others slammed her into the ground.
Ryder shifted into his human form on top of her.
One hand was over her mouth while his much bigger body pinned hers to the earth.
He saw a momentary shock in her silver eyes.
Do you need her conscious, Charlie, to do your thing? Ryder asked.
I don’t even need her alive, dear boy, but let me just touch her first and then I would get rid of her. Nasty piece of work, I’m sure, Charlie told him.
The Mirryr Vampire had glided out of the woods and crouched beside Ryder and the Kaly Vampire.
Her eyes flickered to Charlie. There was no recognition in them, nor fear.
Then Charlie pressed a hand against her forehead and closed his eyelids.
He murmured something and Ryder heard her speaking against his palm.
It was muffled and soft enough that she wouldn’t be heard but still he wasn’t fond of this.
Then Charlie didn’t look like Charlie anymore. And it wasn’t just his face and figure that had changed. His entire outfit, his height, his presence had become hers. He smiled at Ryder and there was a coldness in it that wasn’t Charlie. Seeing his reaction, Charlie softened the look.
So sorry, old chap, but she’s got a face that doesn’t lend itself to friendliness and I’m trying to channel her, Charlie apologized.
Makes sense. Wow. I’ve seen Mirryr change, but… wow, Ryder repeated. You are her.
Yes, I am. For a time. He drew out a soul gem from the pouch at her waist. She glared at him. There was an angry mirth in her eyes. She clearly thought that he was incapable of using soul gems. He held it up. Instead of killing her, Ryder, let me do this.
Her eyes went wide with fear and shock as her soul was pulled right out of her body and sucked into the soul gem that began to glow a ghostly orange. Charlie held it up for him and Fiona to see.
You did it! Fiona gasped. You have the Kaly power!
Like I said, it doesn’t last and I’m nowhere near as powerful or good at it as the higher level Kalys. But, I admit, that I have never really wanted to practice this particular power, Charlie admitted.
Ryder jumped to his feet. He picked the lifeless body of the Kaly Vampire up and hid her among some trees. He grimaced as he walked back out completely naked.
Is this going to be a problem, Charlie? He gestured down to his nakedness. I see that you created clothes or the illusion of them, but what about me?
Oh, don’t you worry! By the time I’m done you’ll be the best dressed Kaly here, Charlie laughed. Now stay back while I go wander out there for a moment and locate some targets.
Charlie moved just as the woman had. He wasn’t just wearing her form through a glamour. He truly was her. It was stunning and unnerving. Ryder really wasn’t sure he would be able to tell them apart. Even the smell was right.
He suddenly clutched his chest and nearly fell to his needs. He felt as if he had no breath. No ability to move. Fiona was catching him and holding him up.
Ryder?! Ryder, what’s wrong? She cried.
Ryder lifted his head and stared towards the central ziggurat in Lasting, the place where Eyros was telling him that Grayson had been taken.
He’s dying, Ryder said.
Who–
Grayson. He’s dying. Right now.