The Children of Zegandaria - Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov (world best books to read txt) 📗

of them moved through the fields and the weather was endlessly fine. It was apparent that they would not soon know if he had lost his abilities.

Unexpectedly, Agares came up behind him. He was smiling pleasantly, if slightly sourly.

- "You forgot our agreement very quickly, young man," he hissed. "Hurry up and get something you had to fight for, at least a little."

Kibera was far away and did not hear or see them. She was busy picking little flowers with her hands and tucking them into her hair.

Emborian was silent, but he clearly realized what the other man meant.

- "In spite of everything," Agares pronounced softly. "I am far from giving up on you. I am even inclined to forget about your transgressions."

Emborian pricked up his ears. As far as he knew, no demon forgave just like that. For anything and nothing at all.

- "But, for not listening to me, I want something in return. Just one," Agares stretched a beatific smile. "Where is your friend?"

Emborian was confused. What on earth did he need Kibera for? He gestured for her to come closer.

As soon as she saw the strange looking old man, she was startled. But Agares was a cunning demon and told her:

- My dear, I am only a traveling circus performer. I just met this nice young man who asked me something very interesting.

- "He told me about some sort of medallion," Agares began with a smile.

- "I don't remember talking about it," the boy laughed.

Kibera immediately realized who was standing in front of her. And while she suspected it was unlikely to be the shadow, there was no doubt that the creature before her had either sent her or had a hand in this whole thing.

- "Look," Agares began after seeing their reaction. "I want to play cards with you. This medallion doesn't interest me that much, but I can get something else through it - something much more important."

- "A chance to get rid of my torment," the old man chuckled. "Please just touch it to my forehead - it will ease my suffering."

Kibera reluctantly agreed.

As soon as the dagger touched his forehead, he felt its hidden power and much knowledge passed into his mind. He realized that his lord Valak had not lied about the amulet's hidden secret. He also understood why he feared it, but Agares dared not take it. If it had only been Emborian perhaps, but he realized that the woman also possessed some hidden powers. The battle wouldn't be equal if she decided to take him by force, so she said resignedly:

- "Thank you for easing my suffering," he said, and hobbled off into the crops.

The two wandered for a long time, but neither saw him again, nor did any of the demons cause them anything.

Days passed, even a few weeks. They grew quite close and realized they liked similar things. They realized they had common interests. Emborian sensed that the girl might have powers even greater than his. However, she was hiding it.

They dared not speak openly about the matter. Finally, he tried to broach the subject.

- You're not a girl with ordinary abilities, are you?

- "How did you find out?," she asked him, not trusting that he would tie the number.

- "Well, did you hide the locket?," he asked.

- "Zorin left it on me," she said quietly.

Emborian thought. This was making her an heir of sorts to him. She had no right to be angry or even to claim it. Unless!

With a flash, Kibera was flung into the air, and he took a terrific kick to the back of the head that sent him crashing to the ground. But he quickly came to his senses and turned around. She was gone. Here or there were sounds of birds.

IN THE MARSHES OF ZOGAN DRAG

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: IN THE MARSHES OF ZOGAN DRAG

 

Emborian at first thought to chase her away, though he had a feeling the two had some sort of connection. Maybe they were even related - he had sensed her power. There was no doubt that she could overpower a demon. As long as even Agares didn't dare attack them.

But Emborian wondered what her game was? She wanted nothing, nor did she seek power!

There were swamps between Synthros, Learnia, and Rodwell. It was there that she fled.

She knew Emborian wouldn't realize he lacked certain qualities. He might make a leader of a religious cult, but not a tracker.

The swamps of Zogan Drag were a frightening place, not so much because they were a place where a man could easily find his death, but because they were one of the energy centers particularly attractive to the dark forces. But until now, no one had suspected this, save a few shamans.

The whole area was rugged, and here and there were wet tuffs and small amounts of water.

Emborian didn't want to take on the role of hunter, but if she missed it, she might say something somewhere she shouldn't.

- "Your time is numbered, girl," he said, and ran after her, eager to exact his revenge.

If he had the locket, the dark forces would treat him with the utmost respect. And so it had to be.

Kibera ran with all his might, but when he entered the most swampy part, he decided he might as well prepare to meet his captor with something rather than his bare hands. He could even kill him.

He smeared his body with sticky mud and hid in anticipation of his appearance. Only her eyes were visible.

Emborian was no fool, and foresaw that such a development might occur. He decided to play his own game in turn and began to circle the moor, but suddenly his foot fell off.

A frantic struggle began to free himself from the unexpected trap. He could easily have sunk all over and died like a dog neutered by some sharp vegetation that might be at the bottom. His imagination even spoke to him that somehow perhaps the demons were trying to trap him in the afterlife. He then let out a complete fart and began to speak inarticulate magic words to cope with the situation.

- "Emanto Gozaus Siruto!," he chanted like a broken hyon recorder, sensing that death was too close and clearly realizing that he might never be able to regain the demons' favor.

It was beginning to get dark. A cool, even biting wind blew, suggesting a deceptive sense of sadness. Emborian could sense impending doom, but he realized something else. All illusion of power had evaporated very quickly, and he was acutely aware of his helplessness. Where was Kibera now?

Somehow he sensed the essence of life and realized how short his own had been. There was no moving, neither forward nor backward.

Then behind him he heard Agares' voice:

- "Young man, don't you want me to pull you out of the swamp now?," the old man had fixed a sad but serious gaze on his young protégé.

Emborian couldn't turn and see him, but he felt the calm timbre of his voice. Apparently in Hell they could show concern too.

- "Without my help you will perish very soon," the old man voiced his concerns, "so let me help you."

Emborian nodded, barely out of fear of sinking deeper into the slime. But he felt something very strange. The old man was hesitant to help him. Apparently demons had some morals too, or at least a semblance of one.

Agares simply concentrated and the novice began to crawl out of the swamp like a cork out of a wine bottle. Finally, there was a „Poof!“ and the goodness spat out our hapless advEnturer.

The demon let him cough and spit out all the water and slime he had begun to gulp in his mindless struggle in the moor.

- "I didn't save you for the medallion," the demon muttered quietly. "I do it because I saw in you a tiny bit of goodness that may very soon be lost."

Emborian scowled. He even fell silent.

- "A demon doesn't do that just like that," Agares said sincerely. "I don't do it just out of one kindness either. I want to save myself this way, too."

- "But aren’t you a high demon, a lord of legions and a duke?," the boy was embarrassed.

- "The thing is, my boy, even a demon can be killed," said the old man sadly.

- "What happens to his soul afterwards?," the boy wondered.

- "That's too complicated for your young head," said Agares, tutoringly. "It's not right, and it's not at all preferable."

- "So you have masters too," said the boy.

- "Not exactly masters, but things in Hell are a lot more connected than you think, my friend," Agares smiled sourly.

- "Pretty nasty place to die, isn't it," the boy picked up the conversation again.

- "Well, it is!," the demon confirmed. "You'll be on your own from now on!"

Emborian turned around. He was gone. There was no sign of Kibera, and no visible sign of a road or path. It was getting pretty hard to get away. Yes the demon had come to his rescue this time, but he distinctly remembered his words "Remember well young man, I'll only come three times! And if you call me a fourth time, your soul will belong to me forever!"

At this thought Emborian felt his neck with his fingers. His head was still in place. He looked around, the darkness had descended.

THE LESSON OF AGARES

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: THE LESSON OF AGARES

 

The young woman ran with all her might, like a deer pursued by some predator. But this predator was evidently not so fearsome, or so diligEnt in its efforts to overtake and catch her. So strange it was! Occasionally she glanced back, but only to feel that there was no one there.

At one time she stopped and listened. It had grown quite still and quiet. It had been a long time since she had left the swamps and had found herself in unfamiliar places.

As she looked around she saw the old sign that Sasia had seen back in the day:

"Every hope abandon,

Stepping in this hour,

to Him above pray,

He has turned from us! "

 

She had come to the old lair of the Rodwell pirates. What luck. She managed to find some very old and worn pilot clothes to keep warm and a very meager amount of interon fuel to defend herself from the wild animals.

The place hadn't changed much, just gotten a little more sad than before. Some of the pirates left their bones here forever!

The depth of Kibera's feelings was immense. Perhaps there was