As the little girl passed in front of Rejji, his staff grew hot to the touch. His brow knitted with confusion, and he shook his head in puzzlement. He stared at the little girl for a moment and then moved swiftly in reaction to the warning given by the staff. The Astor swung his staff hard at the little girl’s head. As Lyra gasped in surprise, the little girl’s body hit the floor hard and slid along it. Vand started laughing, and the little girl bellowed in rage, her voice low and thundering. Before the eyes of the Three, the little girl’s body instantly transformed in a giant demon.
“Zarapeto!” exclaimed Marak as he drew the Sword of Torak and moved cautiously towards the demon.
“I see you have come to know my pets,” grinned Vand. “There will be no dragon to help you this time, Torak. Come, demonstrate your skills for me. I am eager to watch you fight.”
Rejji approached the demon from behind, and Zarapeto turned quickly to snare the Astor.
“Not the Fakaran,” admonished Vand. “I have need of him, and he is no threat to me. Kill the Torak.”
Zarapeto snarled and spat in the Emperor’s direction. The acidic spittle landed on the table and began to smoke as it ate through the wood.
“He seems to have little respect for you,” Marak taunted Vand. “I guess that is a feeling that everyone in this rooms shares.”
“Then everyone in this room will have to be eliminated,” Vand growled loudly.
Zarapeto shot a glance of disgust in Vand’s direction, and Marak saw his opening. The Torak dove towards the demon, rolling in a ball and coming to his feet directly in front of the large creature. The move was sudden, and the demon stepped back in surprise, but not before the Sword of Torak sliced into his leg.
Rejji raced forward and swung his staff hard behind the demon’s knees. The demon’s legs buckled as the creature tried to turn around and grab Rejji. Marak leaped up onto the demon’s bent thigh and shoved his sword upward. The sword punctured the demon’s throat, and Zarapeto’s scream was a loud gurgle. As the demon straightened his legs and reached for his throat, Marak was thrown to the floor, the Sword of Torak slipping from his grasp and skittering away.
Zarapeto kicked out with his foot towards Marak, and the Torak rolled swiftly away from the sharp claws. Lyra moved quickly to put herself between the demon and Marak, figuring that her blue cylinder would maim Zarapeto. The demon stopped long enough to turn and bash Rejji with the back of his hand. The Astor flew through the air, fell to the floor, and slid along the tile until he collided with a wall. Marak scrambled for his sword while the Star of Sakova stood blocking the demon’s path.
Zarapeto snarled in pain as he slowly approached Lyra, black blood flowing from the wound in his neck. He stretched his clawed hand out before him and reached for Lyra’s head as if he were prepared to crush a grape. Lyra trembled, but she stood her ground to give Marak time to rearm himself. When Zarapeto’s hand reached through the protective blue cylinder, Lyra screamed and shuffled backwards. Vand laughed loudly.
“Zarapeto exists in another plane,” chuckled Vand. “Your puny spell of protection has no effect on him.”
As the demon closed in on the Star of Sakova, Marak snatched the Sword of Torak and raced towards the demon.
“Drop the spell,” Marak shouted to Lyra, “and move away.”
The blue cylinder winked out immediately as Lyra turned and raced towards the wall. Zarapeto was struck with a moment of indecision as he wondered whether to pursue the Star of Sakova or the charging Torak. Lyra was closer, and the demon made up his mind. He turned and stretched out his arm to snare Lyra. Marak launched himself into a dive, his sword stretched out before him. The Sword of Torak struck the demon’s wrist and imbedded deeply. Zarapeto wailed and pulled his arm in close to his body, causing the Torak to lose his grip on the sword and tumble to the floor weaponless.
The demon howled as he shook his arm to rid it of the imbedded sword. Rejji picked himself up off the floor and shook his head to clear his vision. Stars danced before his eyes, but he could see well enough to know that Lyra and Marak needed his help. He grabbed his staff and raced up behind the demon. He ran swiftly and shoved the end of the staff into the back of Zarapeto’s knee. The demon tottered for a moment, and Rejji struck the other leg. Zarapeto fell to his knees, still shaking his arm and staring at the Sword of Torak as if wanting it gone, but afraid to touch it with his free hand.
Lyra saw a chance to strike and took it. She pulled out her rapier and ran towards the demon’s face. Before Zarapeto could register the threat, Lyra shoved the rapier into the demon’s right eye. Zarapeto’s head reared back in anguish as Marak rose and grabbed the hilt of the Sword of Torak. He pulled the sword free and swung it at the wounded hand. As the creature’s hand fell to the floor, the demon thrashed in agony. One flailing arm caught Lyra in the chest and sent her sprawling. The handless arm swung towards Marak, but he ducked under it and shoved the Sword of Torak into the demon’s side. Rejji struck repeatedly at the back of the demon with his staff, but Zarapeto appeared not to notice, the pain in his side overwhelming everything else.
“Switch,” shouted Marak as he pulled on the Sword of Torak and rolled free of the demon.
Rejji nodded and moved around to Zarapeto’s side. He shoved the tip of the staff deep into the wound and moved it around. The demon’s wounded arm flailed around, but it could not reach the Astor. While Rejji was infuriating the demon, Marak moved behind the creature and swung hard at its exposed legs. The Sword of Torak sliced deep into the demon’s leg and black blood flowed freely onto the floor. The Torak moved quickly to the other leg and sliced it open. With an inhuman scream, Zarapeto threw his body forward and crashed to the floor. Marak immediately marched onto the demon’s back and shoved the Sword of Torak deep into the back of the demon’s head. The creature thrashed about for several seconds and then fell still.
“Bravo,” congratulated Vand with mocking applause. “You have shown great skill in defeating a moronic creature. Now that you have had your fun, let the real contest begin.”
Chapter 50
Offer for the Astor
The Astor, the Torak, and the Star of Sakova turned to stare at Emperor Vand as if he were mad. The ageless man still sat calmly on his throne where he had just watched the battle resulting in the death of his last demon. He acted as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
Without warning, a fireball suddenly screamed towards Lyra, and Rejji shouted a warning, but it was unnecessary. Lyra instantly erected her blue cylinder, and the magical projectile was instantly absorbed. Another fireball headed towards Marak, but the Torak dove to the floor, and the projectile impacted on the body of the dead demon where it produced no damage. Vand laughed hysterically.
“If you two are merely going to stay protected and wait for me to die,” cackled Vand, “you should be aware that I will never die. I am a god. I do not even require food or water. A waiting game is not in your best interests. No one will enter or leave this room until I allow it. Drop the shield, Star of Sakova. You cannot cast against me while you hide within it, and that demon will decompose soon. Enough, Torak, come show me the spells that your mother taught you.”
Rejji froze. He knew that he could not reach the safety of the demon’s body before Vand struck him down, but strangely, the Motangan Emperor ignored him.
“Come stand before me and receive my judgment,” Vand said to Lyra and Marak.
“You are finished, Vand,” retorted Lyra. “The armies you sent to the Sakova and Khadora are defeated, as is the army sent to find Angragar. Your army of the dead is imprisoned, and your hellsouls are being decapitated as we speak. Your demons are dead, and Pakar and his mages are as well. It is you who should kneel and beg Kaltara for forgiveness.”