Read Online Demon Lord VII - Dark Domain by T C Southwell - Free Book Online Page B

I
understand even better why tar’merin are accorded such reverence. I
always knew they were the stuff of legends, but knowing one has
made me appreciate him all the more. My parents taught me about the
ones who have gone before. They spoke of them in hushed tones, yet
none of the previous four were mortal. And since Bane is Kayos’
son, he is undoubtedly the most powerful ever, although he has yet
to reach his full potential. Would you like me to tell you about
the first four?”
    At her nod, he
recounted the story of the first tar’merin in soft, soothing tones
to calm and distract her, making her gaze at him instead of the
doorway, her curiosity aroused. Tense minutes crawled past like
hours as he concentrated on telling the story instead of pondering
what might lie ahead. He had almost completed the tale when a flash
of blue light outside made him look up. Sherinias gasped and
gripped his hand as a black-clad stranger appeared outside the
door.
    The dark god
wore a thigh-length tunic trimmed with silver on its hem, collar
and cuffs, matching trousers and an ornate, silver-patterned belt.
Long, iron-grey hair framed a chiselled, almost inhumanly perfect
countenance with cold black eyes that glittered with triumph. A
grey moustache and goatee framed a thin-lipped mouth twisted in a
contemptuous sneer.
    “Well, well,
what have we here?” he mocked. “Two little lambs cowering in a
birth tub. You must be the one who woke up our little sleeping
goddess. How good of you.”
    The dark god
stepped closer and gripped the lintel, thrusting his face so close
to the wards that they flared. “Now she can be my slave, and you, I
think, will serve my lovely Jerriss. She will enjoy torturing you,
and so will I, since we do not need you to keep this domain alive.”
He nodded. “Yes, much fun to be had. The only question now is: are
you going to cower in there and make me destroy this chamber, or
are you going to flee, so I can chase you? The second option would
be preferred, since you will have to flee eventually anyway. Do it
now, and save me the trouble of destroying this pathetic remnant of
a birth tub, or I will punish you when I catch you. And I will
catch you.” He turned his head. “Come to me, Shalanar.”
    A black circle
appeared on the ground behind him, rimmed with blue fire, and
expanded rapidly, the diamond sand hissing. An earth demon shot up
from its centre, formed from the blackened sand, and pushed forth a
pair of glinting eyes.
    It bowed.
“Lord.”
    “Tell Jerriss
that I have found them, and she must guard the gate until I have
captured them. Go.” The demon sank back into the ground, and the
dark god faced Drevarin again. “So, what is it going to be?”
    Drevarin glared
at him with all the venom he could summon up. Sherinias clung to
him with trembling arms and buried her face in the side of his
neck.
    The dark god
smirked. “Ah, but I am rude; I have not introduced myself. I am
Tolrar, Lord of Darkness.”
    “How conceited
of you, to claim lordship over all the darkness,” Drevarin
said.
    “Why should I
not? It obeys me. Do you also have a name, or should I just call
you ‘lackwit’?”
    “I am Drevarin,
and I claim no more notoriety than is my right.”
    “And your
sweet, powerless child?”
    “Lady
Sherinias, ruler of this domain, and she is not my child.”
    Tolrar grinned,
revealing perfect white teeth. “Excellent, then we have another to
capture. The game will be fine. So, have you decided yet what you
will do, or are you too afraid to think?”
    “We will remain
here.”
    Tolrar’s smile
faded. “A foolish choice. You will pay for it, I promise.” His eyes
took on a cunning glint. “Give me the child, and I will let you
flee out of the realm gate. She is the one I really want.”
    Sherinias
shuddered and clutched Drevarin more tightly. He shook his head.
“No.”
    “Another
foolish choice,” Tolrar remarked. “No matter, we have two flesh
beasts prepared for you. But you anger