The Black Shriving by Phil Tucker

Author:Phil Tucker [Tucker, Phil]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy
Published: 2016-07-15T04:00:00+00:00

The rasp of Aedelbert's tongue on his cheek awoke Audsley, who startled and knocked the heavy book from his lap as he reached up to fix his spectacles, half-expecting to see a demon looming before him. But he found no such thing. Instead, Aedelbert fluttered up to the high back of the closest chair and peered down at him.

"Oh," said Audsley. His neck was cramped and his generous posterior was numb. "Had I - did I sleep?"

His mouth was stale, his eyes felt sandy, and he winced as he shifted his weight. Spread out around him were a number of books, some open to key pages, others tottering in high piles. Audsley winced. His head hurt. He felt as if he had indulged in Sigean soulfire, but knew instead it was the strange and bewildering concepts that he'd absorbed over who knew how many feverish hours of reading. No, not reading – consuming.

Audsley blinked and removed his spectacles. The new knowledge came flooding back. The nature of demons, and how they might be lured forth through the Black Gate and tricked into being bound inside false hosts. The various categories of Sin Casters - no, Flame Walkers, as he now thought of them - ranging from the Artificers to the rather horrific-sounding Flesh Burners. A smattering of history, though he'd forced himself not to indulge. He'd understood perhaps a tenth of what he'd read, but the little that he'd absorbed was fascinating, perilous in its implications, and shocking in its suppression.

"How? Why?" He looked up at Aedelbert. "Why erase such knowledge from the world? Leave it bottled up here, lost and forgotten, left to wander adrift in the bowels of this stonecloud?"

Aedelbert gave no answer.

"Still," said Audsley, gasping as he levered himself to his feet, "it's not lost any longer, is it? We've un-lost it, which I suppose means it's been found, but 'found' doesn't do it justice. Ah, Aedelbert. Does this discovery imperil my soul or cleanse it?"

He turned with dolorous resignation to the rope. "I wish I could get that damned platform in here. If I continue climbing in and out of here, I'm going to lose my manly figure."

Twenty minutes later he clawed back out onto the top level, gasping and red-faced once more. He made his way somberly to the platform, ordered it aloft, and ascended to the sleeping quarters. There, he found a bathing room where a cunning series of sluices allowed warm water to pour down in copious amounts over his head, submerging him completely. He couldn't bear to wear his old clothing upon emerging, so instead he tentatively donned the dusty black robes of a Flame Walker. He cinched the belt around his tummy, slipped the sandals onto his feet, then repaired to the kitchen, where he fixed Aedelbert and himself a quick meal.

All the while, he kept listening. Turning at random moments to check the space behind him. He doubted there was anything he could do should the demon present itself, but he didn't want to be taken unaware.

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