04 Prince of Lies by 04 Prince of Lies

Author:04 Prince of Lies [Lies, 04 Prince of]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ePub Bud (www.epubbud.com)
Published: 2011-08-03T04:00:00+00:00

* * * * *

"Help me!" a woman cried, her voice shrill with terror.

Low and gravelly, a man called out, "Make it stop! Don't let it destroy me!"

Something inhuman, its words humming like the wings of a gigantic wasp, moaned mournfully, "Betrayed! Cyric has betrayed us again!"

Kelemvor sat cross-legged in the center of the swirling madness, his mind's eye drawn in upon itself. He didn't see the faces flowing through the rose-hued mist surrounding him. He blocked out the pained screams of the souls as best he could and closed his senses to the pungent tang in the air, the oddly mingled smells of white-hot iron and moldy, overturned grave loam. Nevertheless, images of the tortured spirits insinuated themselves into his thoughts. It was always the same when Cyric wielded the sword.

"I will end this chaos," Kelemvor whispered, over and over. "I will not allow them to undo the rule of law and reason in the universe."

There are some who would see that as a noble enough sentiment," Godsbane purred, "but I think it's a rather pointless vow, my love. Law and chaos are meaningless, when you come right down to it. They always balance each other in the end."

The soft, feminine voice came to him clearly, even over the shrieks of the shades and denizens trapped inside the sword.

"Still," Godsbane added, "once we topple Cyric, you can tell yourself you've fulfilled your promise. Overthrowing a madman like him is always a victory for law and order - at least for a time."

Kel opened his eyes. The spirit of a mantis-headed denizen sped past, warped and twisted on a flowing stream of energy. "Don't think I mean to stop at Cyric," Kelemvor muttered. "You've kept me prisoner for a decade. I'll have justice for that, too."

"You're hardly in any position to threaten," the sword replied, full of mock indignation. "Besides, I've kept you safe and sound. You'd have gone straight to the City of Strife if I hadn't captured your soul that day atop Blackstaff Tower. Then where would you be?"

"I'll ask Midnight to keep that in mind after you hand me over to her," Kel murmured. His heart ached at the sight of the tortured faces with their wide, pleading eyes. The helplessness he felt at their suffering burned in his chest like a poisoned dirk.

"Our goals really are the same," the sword said smoothly. "You want Cyric to pay for killing you. I want him to suffer for trying to break my will after he stole me from that halfling village."

Kelemvor remained obstinately silent. Finally Godsbane spoke again: "I need you as the proverbial carrot at the end of the stick, my love, but once I bring the Lady of Mysteries into my band of conspirators, your usefulness may come to an abrupt end. If you continue to bluster, I may find it necessary to destroy you."

To prove her power, the sword snuffed out the souls she had gathered in the battle on the banks of the Slith.

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