Chapter 9 Part 1

THE REFLECTION OF DEATH

The five figures sitting around the bonfire were of such diversity that an outside observer would most likely marvel at the sight. The young woman, elf maiden, dwarf, minotaan, and centaur reclined in the warm glow as Yoan listened to his friends' tale.

"So they went to meet the god, Ragnera and the warlock at Gly-ou-vogue?" he asked.

"That’s the way of it," Ruk said. "I worry for them greatly."

"So do I," Sam said stepping into the light. He had been off in the darkness relieving his bladder. The youth sat next to Calista and the young woman took his hand in hers. The action produced a smile on the face of the minotaan whose life quest had been to aid in freeing the lad.

"Now that we are safely in the valley," Nikki asked Ruk "what will you do?"
The minotaan gazed at the bright stars for several moments. The Southern Arrow, a constellation indicating the south direction, seemed to beckon to him. The sea was calling.

"I have decided to go home," he said at last. "I have wives to deal with." He faked a groan.

"When will you leave," Calista choked. She was just realizing how close she had gotten to the dark giant.

"I’ll leave with the rising of the suns," he told her. "I’ll travel to Pandara and sign aboard a vessel bound south."

Calista released Sam's hand and leaned over to take Ruk's. "I owe you so much," she said. "I wish you could stay, but I know what it is like to be separated from one you love for so long. I can only wish you well."

Ruk smiled and gently cupped the young woman's chin. "You’ll see me again," he promised. "With four wives, I rarely stay home for very long before I set to sea again. By the time I leave home, the northern seas will be frozen again so look for me to drop by for a visit."

"We shall feast on that day," Nikki added. "I do wish that I had gotten a chance to get to know you better, but I too understand how you must miss your family. I am sure Avery, Armegon and Ultrecht would like to bid you their fare wells also, but if you must leave, then you must leave."

Ruk nodded slowly. "I hope that they fare well where ever they are," he said.

"The three of whom you speak live still and are enroute to join you at this very moment." There was an old man standing at the edge of the fire light. It was Woeden. "May I join you?"

Yoan fell prostrate and groveled before the god's feet, but Woeden would not have it. He urged the young Janusian to stand. "Rise my friend, for the time has passed that we should be called gods." Woeden sat near the fire and from the darkness several other figures emerged.

"Allow me to introduce my associates," the old being began. He offered his hand to a lovely young woman with dark hair and pale skin. She took the offer and sat next to him.

"This is Johara, formerly the goddess of justice."

A third figure sat next to the woman. "I am called T'hor," he told them. He was a heavily built man who though shorter, might possibly have been as strong as Ruk. "I am nothing more than a warrior, though until recently I could hurl thunderbolts in combat. My associate," he gestured to a well dressed gentleman who quietly sat on Woeden's other side, "is named Rah. Please forgive his silence as he has only recently taken human form."

"But I know each of you," Yoan exclaimed. "You, along with my lord, Apollo, were the major gods of good."

"No longer," Woeden reminded him. "We have renounced any claim to godhood, and in doing so, we have relinquished much of our powers. Even Apollo of whom you spoke has chosen to roam the trails as a minstrel instead of joining us in this last duty."

"We have come to offer advice and go our separate ways," T'hor declared.

"Why would you do this," Nikki asked astonished.

"Recently, our ruler, the Godking, called upon all of the gods to do combat with an apparition of horrible power. In my former capacity as god of vision, I foresaw the gods' defeat. We resigned, if you will, before that call was made."

"Are you telling me that some monster has beaten the Godking and all of the gods as well?" Ruk asked disbelievingly.

"That is true," Woeden answered.

"What has this to do with Avery?" Nikki interrupted.

"Yes, and Armegon and Ultrecht too?" Sam added.

"The beast was brought into existence by an egotistical warlock who thought he could twist the Creator's own spells to his personal use. He thought to consume Armegon, but instead lost control of the magic. Armegon escaped unscathed, but not Ragnera. Avery had just beaten the god of war into a retreat when the beast consumed the Ragnera. That brought the Godking in on the scene as well as every evil god in existence. The thing sucked them all up like a sponge."

"With each minute, it grows," Woeden continued. "It feeds off the very life force of this world, and I do not know how to stop it. But my vision did show me that only your three companions had any chance of stopping it at all. For they are outside this world's life force and as the Abomination consumes the life of Asille, we will all slowly die. Only your three friends are safe against that affect. That is why so much rides on their actions."

"I don't think that they’re aware of that," Ruk guessed.

"They know of the Abomination, but they do not know what it can do nor do they know to what extent its horror will reach. They witnessed its creation, and only saw it in its infantile form," the ex-god told them. "They are en route here as we speak, and when they arrive, they will have to be told."

"But, they are on their way here?" Nikki asked.

"Apollo, our associate, has asked the king of the unicorns, a friend of yours, to provide transportation for your comrades," the lovely woman told them. "They should be here by morning."

"Am I to understand that Armegon, Avery and Ultrecht are going to have to fight this beast that you claim has devoured the other gods, the Godking, and is presently in the act of devouring our whole world?"

"It is a bleak prophesy, I admit," Woeden said calming Ruk's outburst. "But what remains of my vision of the future shows me that they hold the secret to the Abomination's destruction. And they do possess the Tome of Creation."

"How can creation destroy?" Thor asked.

"The Abomination destroys and it was born of the Tome's power twisted by an evil mind. That is a creation that destroys. I can only assume that a similar result is necessary to destroy the Abomination," Johara theorized.

It will be up to them to solve this riddle," Woeden said. "We have done all we can. Now we must adjust to our new lives as mortals."

"On the morning," Johara announced, "like your large friend, I too shall depart to seek my own future."

"I shall remain behind to advise as I may," Woeden added, "but eventually I too will follow my own path."

"As will the rest of us," T'hor said, "though I am a warrior and I will offer what assistance I may."

"What help we can offer," Woeden decided, "will depend on how your companions plan to defeat the Abomination."