From Darkness Won Part 62

The pain spiked. Nausea gripped Achan. His limbs shook.

"Renounce him, and I shall stop," Lord Nathak said.

Achan clenched his teeth and fists, and changed focus. He tried to get inside Lord Nathak's mind again. But doing so somehow lowered his own defenses, causing the pain to seize every pore. He fell onto the ground and writhed, trying to get away from the anguish. If only he could shake it off.

Sir Gavin's voice came first. Achan, what's happening?

Your Highness, d.u.c.h.ess Amal said, you must s.h.i.+eld yourself. Do not allow him inside your head.

Fire and as.h.!.+ Inko said. Be closing your mind, boy!

Achan! Sparrow's voice, panicked. What is wrong? Achan, be careful!

Achan panted and met Lord Nathak's dark gaze. He tried to relax, but the torment made it impossible.

Closing his eyes, Achan recited the words, Arman hu elohim, Arman hu echad, Arman hu shlosha be-echad. Hatzileni, beshem Caan, ben Arman.

The pressure began to fade from his head.

Lord Nathak stared down, his eyes wild. "If you will not serve me, you will die."

A dull thud turned Achan's head. Shung had again defeated Lord Nathak's apparitions. His gaze flickered to Achan. He started toward them. "The little cham will not die this day."

Lord Nathak lifted his hands to Shung, green fire trailing around the edges of his fingers.

Shung reached back his sword arm. "He will live as long as Arman determines." He swung his sword, but Lord Nathak's green fire caught the blade mid-swing.

Shung trembled, shook his head like a wet dog, and screamed, then cut the blade down toward Achan.

Achan rolled to the side and grabbed owr. Don't let him control you, Shung. Call on Arman.

Achan stood on shaky legs and raised the old sword.

"Arman hu elohim, Arman hu echad, Arman hu shlosha beechad. Hatzileni, beshem Caan, ben Arman."

Lord Nathak extended a smoking green hand toward each of them. "Machmad par-"

"Arman!" Shung screamed, cleaved his blade down from high guard, and cut off Lord Nathak's left hand.

"Caan!" Achan swung owr at Lord Nathak and severed Lord Nathak's right hand.

Blood oozed from Lord Nathak's veins. The man's eyes bulged. Shung kicked him in the chest. White-faced, Lord Nathak stumbled backward. Shung stepped up to him, swung his blade in a wide arc, and cut off his head. The grotesque torso collapsed to the floor beside its severed pieces.

Achan looked away, wheezing to catch his breath. All was silent. Lord Nathak's body lay in four b.l.o.o.d.y pools on the roof.

Could it really be over? How did a keliy die? Who was next in line? The thought made Achan twist around toward Esek's body, but it lay still in the midst of a dozen dead gowzals.

Achan looked upward. "Why is it still dark? What else do we have to do? Perhaps it is nighttime?"

Shung shrugged, then motioned to Bran. "Can anything be done for the boar?"

Achan ran across the roof and used his right leg to kneel at Bran's side. The squire's eyes were closed, but choking breaths seeped in and out of his lips. Bran still clutched his opposite shoulder, blood seeping between his mailed fingers.

There was blood everywhere.

Bran's eyes opened. He sucked in a wet, gurgling breath and his arm twitched. "Take care of her."

"Of who?" Achan asked.

Bran croaked a near silent laugh, though his eyebrows pinched together. "Who indeed. Don't let her... run away. She tends to... to run. A lot."

Sparrow. "I won't let her run, Bran. I promise you."

"Good." Bran's brow softened. "And tell Gren..."

But he never finished that sentence.

Achan fell to his rear and looked into the dark sky. "Why, Arman? Didn't I do everything You asked? Where is the light?"

"Achan."

Achan looked toward the entrance to the stairwell. A woman in a red dress stood there. Sparrow.

How had she gotten up the broken steps? Achan glanced from Bran's body to Sparrow and back. He pushed to his feet and stepped into the line of sight between Sparrow and Bran. "I'm sorry, Sparrow."

She walked out onto the roof. The wind blew her skirts against her legs, the hem flying out to the opposite side like a flag.

Achan approached and took her hand. It was as cold as the floor in Ice Island. His were sticky with blood. "How did you get up here?" He frowned. "Weren't you wearing trousers and armor?"

The corners of her mouth curved up, and when she spoke, the voice was not her own. "I was wearing my green doublet with the ermine trim, but you ruined it."

Achan dropped her hand and stepped back. "Lord Nathak?"

Sparrow's skin darkened. Her hair began to grow, curl, and lighten to a chestnut color. Her body morphed, stretching the red dress wider and longer.

Gren.

Achan shook his head. "Stop that."

"But you preferred this face, did you not?" Lord Nathak said, and Gren melted and reformed into Lady Tara.

Achan limped back to Bran's body and picked up owr.

Tara's musical laugh made him cringe. "I'm beyond human form now, dear brother," Lord Nathak said in Tara's voice. "A sword cannot harm me."

Help me defeat this foe, Arman. "Arman hu elohim, Arman hu echad, Arman hu shlosha be-echad. Hatzileni, beshem Caan, ben Arman."

Tara walked toward him, s.h.i.+mmering, each step changing her appearance. She swelled and stretched. The dress twisted into britches and a linen ap.r.o.n until a huge man stood before Achan, hunched and balding. Tara's voice spoke first, then changed pitch until Poril's voice came forth. "Poril was easy to manipulate, he was. Enjoyed beating you."

Please, Arman. Help me. Achan inched back and raised his voice. "Arman is G.o.d, Arman is One, Arman is Three in One. Deliver us in the name of Caan."

Poril's body shrank to the stately image of Esek. Achan looked from Esek's illusion to his dead body, then glanced at Shung, not knowing what to say or do.

Pray. Shung waved a hand Achan's way. Call on Arman.

The little cham is His chosen.

Achan opened his mouth to argue, but his mind was an empty pot.

Call on Arman, Shung said again.

And say what else? I'm just one man, Shung. There's nothing special about me. Nothing I can do that you can't. I've asked His help, but nothing has changed.

"Esek made a better Crown Prince than you," the keliy said. "He always craved power."

Little Cham can bloodvoice better than any man. Or woman.

Achan stepped back from Esek's likeness. He did have a strong ability to bloodvoice, but how could he use that? Cover me, Shung. He forced his eyes shut, though his senses screamed he was a bigger fool than Esek for doing so.

Arman, I am but a man. I cannot defeat this enemy by my own strength. I barely have strength left. Achan fell to his knees and stifled a cry at the pain in his leg. Please banish the Darkness, Arman. Bring back the sun. Defeat this enemy before me. Let Your light s.h.i.+ne again, over all Er'Rets. In the name of Your Son, Caan, I ask this of You.

He opened his eyes. The sky was still dark. Nothing had happened. Arman had not answered. Shung now stood between him and the keliy, which had taken the form of an adolescent Berland boy.

"Arluk wanted to live," the boy said. "To be squire for Koyukuk."

Arluk. The friend Shung had killed in his youth.

Shung mumbled a prayer. "Arman G.o.d. Arman One. Arman Three."

owr shook in Achan's hand. Soon the keliy would wield its green fire and he and Shung would fight until they fell.

Achan? Sparrow's voice rang inside his head. What is happening?

The mere sound of her voice boosted his morale and stilled his trembling hands. I called on Arman, but He does not answer. What more can I do?

Perhaps you can give Him an offering.

Arman doesn't need my offerings. Gold cups and coins are for idols like Cetheria. All I have is owr and half a gold coin.

Not riches, Achan. An offering from your heart. Arman deserves more from you than demands.

Of course. Achan recalled Toros's advice. "Arman does long to hear your prayers, but He also deserves your praise and wors.h.i.+p. Your allegiance."

Achan closed his eyes. Arman hu elohim, Arman hu echad, Arman hu shlosha be-echad. You are my G.o.d. You are my creator. You are holy beyond all comprehension. Mightier than the fiercest cham. Stronger than the tallest Eben. You are wise. Worthy of more than I know how to give. You're my deliverer. My father.

Heat swelled in the pit of his stomach. Heat that could do miracles. If only all the people could feel Arman's power. How could they doubt the truth then?

He sucked in a quick breath of cold air. The lyrics of a song the wors.h.i.+ppers in Melas had sung came to him now.

No darkness have we who in Arman abide.

The Light of the world is Caan!

We walk in the light when we follow our Guide.

The Light of the world is Caan!

Achan carried Arman inside him. He was part of Arman's light. So was every man, woman, and child in Er'Rets who believed. Alone, as one man, Achan could not succeed. But if all the people joined together...

Because the temple of Arman was His people.

Achan lowered the s.h.i.+elds around his mind completely. Voices gushed into his thoughts, drowning out one another. Millions of voices. He winced at the level of noise. At the pressure. The pain.

He gritted his teeth and spoke to all the people at once. Lo, this is Achan Cham, born Gidon Hadar to King Axel and Queen Dara.

The din in his mind softened a great deal. He could hear the keliy speaking to Shung, feel the cold wind whipping around Arman's warmth within him. I stand at the top of the Armonguard watchtower facing Lord Nathak, the man responsible for my parents' death, the man responsible for ushering the reign of Darkness over Er'Rets. Arman has set me as king over this land.

Some voices protested.

He ignored the curses and growls and raised his voice. I come to you for help. We've been silent far too long. Many of you have turned your backs on Arman. Many never bothered to know Him at all. But Arman is the One G.o.d. He created Er'Rets and everything in it. He gave each of you life and purpose. He loves all of you as His own sons and daughters.

To defeat Darkness, we must unite our faith. We must wors.h.i.+p the One G.o.d, Arman. We must call out to Him for mercy. Though He hears my prayer now, my voice alone is not strong enough. I am only one man. But together, we are mighty. I ask you to join with me now. Wors.h.i.+p Him.

And Achan began to sing.

Er'Rets was lost in the darkness within.

The Light of the world is Caan!

Like suns.h.i.+ne at noonday His glory shone in.

The Light of the world is Caan!

In his mind he could hear scattered voices singing along.

No darkness have we who in Arman abide.

The Light of the world is Caan!

We walk in the light when we follow our Guide.

The Light of the world is Caan!

Ye dwellers in Darkness with tar-blinded eyes.

The Light of the world is Caan!

Go, wash, at His bidding and light will arise.