The Slayarians - Book One - JM Barnes (different e readers txt) 📗

us hasten to them immediately. Either way we all know what must be done.”
Darkon agreed, as did Sevele who strung her bow and counted arrows. None of them wanted to slay any of these creatures but the fact that they were vile and malicious made the choice much easier. Children though, were another story. Still young they could act only as they were taught. Their deeds were no more their fault than were the deeds of the crocodilian that attacked Darkon and Sevele in the deep lake.
Slowly Darkon pushed open the door. Having put out the torches outside the door so no light could alert the Bealrotti within, looking in for a small moment he immediately shut the door. He then turned to the others wide eyed and motioned for them to follow him away from the door. Following, even Galen remained silent until they were a safe distance away.
Darkon then whispered, “I believe we miscalculated.”

^ ^ ^

Merleptus was a cautious mage. Though he was very powerful in his command of magic he knew he wasn’t invulnerable. That is why it was from a magical pool that he watched these newest adventurers make their way through the catacombs of Ara’moor. He liked what he’d seen thus far. The four each had distinct personalities and or abilities that made them more than just another party of treasure hunting fools.
No. These four had purpose. The thick muscled one called Darkon sought to recall his heritage, to return to his rightful place. If only he knew his own people had enspelled him to lose his way in order to protect him from their enemies.
The swift tempered, consummate swordsman obviously trained among the masters of the south, sought honor and glory. All to impress a father who even now was being dethroned. Merleptus smiled at the thought of Galen given the focus of revenge to bolster him. He would be a force to be reckoned with!
The elf lord was of special interest to him because of their common ability with spell work. Though still inexperienced, Graton had awesome potential. A pity he squandered his studying time for training as an elven warrior and griffon tamer. If he would concentrate fully upon wizardry his potential could be realized.
Lastly there was Sevele, who unlike Graton had no special reason for being in the tunnels other than a wanting to belong. Her elven training was obvious but her wizardry skills were only average while her greatest assets were her secrets. Indeed, Merleptus knew of one secret only because of his scrying pool. He had watched one night as she’d stealthily crept upon a group of veteran explorers and stole everything that they considered vital for their quest. Thus she sent them away from Ara’moor. Sevele was an accomplished thief, unknown by the elves who allowed her to stay in their mystical forest. Trained by sprites to spite the haughty elf folk she was unmatched in both cunning and guile.
Yes. This was a strong, well rounded company and they had come together by accident alone. Merleptus had been seeking such a party for a mission he would fund and oversee. Yet he knew the overall character of this group would make them wary of his purposes and unlikely to join his cause. Though there were ways to endear oneself to heroes. One must simply know the right words, the right manner and more importantly, the right face.


CHAPTER 5
EXTERMINATION


“Impossible!” Graton whispered in agitation.
He took great exception to the suggestion that his elven senses were wrong. Galen understood Graton’s trepidation but knew Darkon better than he and believed him.
Darkon reiterated, “Double those numbers, I think, but know this. The uncounted ones are all children!”
At that Sevele gasped aloud, aghast at what she had almost done. Attacking the Bealrotti to her was no longer an option. She instead saw this, shrewdly enough, as an opportunity. Now she would find out what kind of man Darkon truly was.
Coincidentally, Darkon was thinking the same thing. He wondered if he would normally not do the creatures harm or if he would relish the needless slaughter. He knew that right now he felt he could have no part in the slaying of children. Children of any race or any species he could not possibly harm.
Graton though had seen things the others had not. In these very tunnels during his younger years of fifty or so he’d found an item of sorcerous origin. Using a simple spell that cost mostly in the form of sacrificing personal wealth, one needed a ruby to complete it correctly, Graton read the item’s entire past through mental images and accompanying sounds.
The story was long indeed but the most important part of it now was the last owner’s death. A death, cruel and repulsive, the man was eaten alive. Then only after watching the sadistic torture of his female companion. When she was completely devoured he watched as his legs were sliced into slabs and handed out. As he screamed, the Bealrotti laughed. It was the couple’s final misfortune to stumble upon a pack of young who were out playing in the tunnels.
Graton saw these creatures as pure evil. Such things that prey on other sentient beings were perverse and a blight on the world. The foul Bealrotti should be eliminated from the entire area, yet how to relay this convincingly to these three well meaning adventurers? This would be possible if someone here could mind touch. Then he remembered Darkon and Sevele’s account on what occurred at the lake.
It could indeed be that Darkon had not only lost his memory of the past but also his propensity for the mindflow, or as Graton’s people called it, Gaea’s’ eyes. Many elves were born with some kind of ability that was a gift from the gaze of Gaea. The elves believed that Gaea gave the gift if she saw fit to view one’s spirit before it was even born. One would be graced by “Gaea’s’ eyes”.
Yet strangely, when humans were born with the mindflow, though much more rarely did that occur, they were often given several abilities. As it seemed Darkon could indeed have been.
Knowing no other way to complete his quest Graton told Darkon, “Read my mind and I will lead you to a memory of mine that will make you change your thinking on those Bealrotti children.”
“Read your mind?” He repeated. “What makes you think I could do such a thing?”
Darkon's denial was obvious, as was Sevele’s look of hope. She thought he could do it. Galen looked on, confusedly shaking his head. No one could read anyone’s mind if you asked him. Only rare creatures like that Jvar thing.
Though he admitted, “Jvar did say something about your forgotten abilities.”
At this Darkon closed his eyes as if searching his mind.
He muttered, “Strange occurrences have pointed to my having some unexplained powers. As you see I’ve learned to turn my arm into a sword.”
At this he held up his left arm and just after the elbow was the steel blade of a sword. He then let it return before all their eyes to fleshly form. Everyone gasped in amazement, even Graton. This was not like any power an elf was granted. Then he felt the tickle in his mind, right behind the eyes as Darkon clumsily prodded his thoughts. Meeting voice to thought, the two men could converse and the elf led him to the specific memory he mentioned. The twisting passages of the mind were extensive so Graton kept quiet control of any stray thoughts thus avoiding any possibly dangerous occurrences.
Soon Darkon found the specific memory and recalled Graton’s vision as if it were his own. A pained gasp escaped his lips as Sevele clasped his hand. In doing so she inadvertently became an unwilling receptacle between the two minds and also recalled what Graton had so long ago seen. Halfway through she could no longer stand it and broke contact with Darkon’s hand, thus separating her from the mindflow. She broke down in tears and fell gasping to her knees.
As they broke contact Darkon went to his knees beside Sevele saying, “Such visions are not meant for one as pure and kind as Sevele. Her heart is too bright to even conceive such thoughts.”
To her alone he said, “Have strength, Sevele, for I think we’ve found just cause.”
Standing with two fists at his side he said, “Know this Galen, if you like, I can allow for you to see as well what those beasts are capable of but as a friend I would not suggest it. You may instead take my word for it.”
Galen was not one free from nightmares so chose to take his word for it. Even the pure of heart Sevele could not voice a defending word for the Bealrotti. To her they were beasts worth only the dust in the air. Better to be blown away. At this collective thought everyone peered at their belts to the two oil jars prepared with rags to set afire the main Bealrotti chamber. Sevele had found the jars and more travelers’ supplies in the four outer chambers. The only question now was, could they?
Sevele broke the silence, “If we must do this then let it be as quick as possible.”
All nodded in grim agreement as they turned to go back to the storerooms where the Bealrotti kept their plundered items. More oil jars would be needed. Soon it was agreed Graton would come in first using his spear to create a distance between them and the Bealrotti and then the attack began.
Several adults were awake and moving about the main living chamber when the door was slammed open and the fierce elven warrior strode boldly into their midst. Two large males charged, each wielding a rusted and blood encrusted sword. The other adults formed a protective circle about the young on the far side of the chamber. Slicing the throat of the first to reach him with the very tip of his perfectly balanced spear Graton rolled under the wild swing of its partner. Coming swiftly to his feet behind the second he crushed its skull with the lead capped butt end of the spear.
The room was spacious though it was hard to tell. The clutter of garbage, broken items like chairs and braziers and the large number of Bealrotti made it seem crowded. All of these factors made it a perfect place for a fire. Galen exploited that by coming in next and hurling the first volley of two lit jars. They exploded leading to a great fire and greater panic. Next was Darkon, two more jars, Bealrotti ignited. Bealrotti screamed. Sevele covered the door tossing one jar only twenty feet in front of their party. She then separated the young from the old with her next jar. The older beasts were left before them and they began to gather what weapons they could reach and charge their cruel attackers. Their effort was admirable but the unorganized and frightened creatures had no chance against the prepared warriors.
From Darkon's swift