The Mother of Monsters

The conversation took less time than Teyva had predicted. As soon as she tried to explain the features of her new ability, Yaga threw her hands up in defeat. From what Teyva could tell the only thing she needed to hear was that these new people who had come from nowhere were not a threat. After repeated assurances from both Teyva and Azrael, and one patently ignored assurance from Paraklytus, the now large group made their way out of the lift tower. Her mood did not improve when the five guardsmen stepped into formation around Teyva. The only good that did was draw attention to them as they made their way out into the bustling streets of Osan.

As they walked, Teyva was not blind to how it all looked. Yaga took up the lead, marching ahead with a stern look on her face while Batel kept pace immediately behind her. Behind him, taller than everyone was Teyva, behind her was Azrael, and of course, there was Paraklytus, a looming skeleton walking of his own accord. They were flanked by two pairs of men each of whom had obviously practiced doing this. She wondered if these same men, being Royal Guards, had done the very same thing for Rani. She sighed at the thought, there wasn’t a doubt in her mind that this was how they did things. The sinking feeling in her gut was not helped by the hundreds of eyes that followed them as they made their way across the busiest level of the city toward the main lift that would take them to the Pinnacle.

You know how this looks, right? Azrael’s voice came through the private chat.

I do, it’s quite amusing, You’d think a foreign royal had come to this city. Beautiful by the way, I admire the Azar’s decisions for how it should be used. Paraklytus added.

Way too many people looking at my horns, Teyva grumbled.

Now you’re bothered about your horns? Azrael shot back.

I’ve always been touchy about them, I just haven’t had a hundred people staring at them all at the same time.

If I might interject, I would say that the glittering shine to your skin and the ripped sleeve with a chain around your arm is a bit more eye-catching, Paraklytus pointed out.

Thanks. Perry, Teyva growled.

Perry?

No offense but Paraklytus doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, and you said your given name was important to you. So I came up with a nickname.

Perry. Perry. Perrrrrry.

“Could you have drawn more attention?” Yaga demanded as the lift began to rise.

“I could have had Behemoth escorting us,” Teyva shot back.

“Who? No. Don’t say anything. Never mind,” Yaga grumbled and closed her eyes. Azrael elbowed Teyva and nodded in Yaga’s direction. Letting out a breath, Teyva stepped away from the group to stand with Yaga. The severe woman tilted her head up a bit and leaned against the guard rail for the lift. Teyva rested one hand on a spot next to her lover’s hip.

“I’m sorry Yag. I can’t control them like a summon. They’re people,” Teyva murmured, “They’re just worried about me. The last time they saw an Azar the Azar were trying to kill them.”

Yaga opened her eyes and searched Teyva’s face for a moment before canting her head, “They really see you as their mother?” She asked.

“They do, it’s not something they nor I can really control. I didn’t exactly intend to give them a second chance at life, but here we are,” She said, squeezing the rail a bit, “I should have been more clear and told them to stay behind.”

Yaga let out a weary breath and reached forward to grab the sash around Teyva’s waist. She tugged gently on it so as to not be too obvious to those who were with them in the lift tower. Teyva didn’t so much as blink, holding Yaga’s gaze until the Azar spoke, “You owe me for putting up with your antics and for explaining it to the King before you go in there.”

“You’d do that?” Teyva asked.

“Don’t get used to it, devil-woman. I shouldn’t be playing favorites with you,” Yaga snipped, giving the sash one rough tug before letting go. “I’m glad you’re okay, Teyva, sorry for being so stiff back there.”

“I’ll be even better once my new friend Perry over there helps me get this ghost out of my head,” Teyva said, turning around and leaning against the rail with her.

Yaga crossed her arms and pinned Paraklytus with a stare, “The undead? Nephral referred to him as an Archlich.”

“Yeah,” Teyva said, “Where I come from, stories say that Liches are the highest form of undead.”

Yaga frowned, “And he decided to serve you?”

“I did apparently give his people a second chance at life,” Teyva pointed out.

“Fair,” Yaga conceded, “The… man seems friendly enough.”

“He likes cats,” Teyva whispered, “He looks scary but he’s basically a teddy bear.”

“Teddy what?”

“A plush child’s toy used for comfort,” Teyva amended.

“Ahh, a ruga doll,” Yaga said, a rueful smile on her face, “Interesting.” Teyva scratched the back of her neck, she was never going to get used to calling things by their Orum names. She glanced up at Azrael who gave her a surreptitious thumbs up before turning back to a conversation she was having with Paraklytus. Between them, Nephral sat on the ground, occasionally chiming in. Nearby, Batel would turn and offer his own contribution now and then. Yaga tilted her head towards them, “What are they talking about so seriously?”

“If I had to guess it’s about what to do with the rest of them,” She said.

‘The rest?”

“There’s a lot of them down there in Nulakam,” Teyva said, “Hundreds.”

“Hundreds?” Yaga blanched, “Of soldiers?”

“Mostly ordinary folks, people who used to call Osan their home but were chased out and died down there after being walled in. It’s not going to take long for them to wonder what they’re supposed to do with their new lives,” Teyva said, “I would know,” She added and rubbed her arms. “My guess is Azrael is shooting for a more immediate solution like have them all move up here or something,” Teyva paused and gave it some thought. “I still don’t know Perry very well but he seems like the patient type so he probably disagrees, it may have been thousands of years since they last drew breath, but for them, who knows how long it felt or how long they suffered, forgotten down there. The Azar of today aren’t at fault,” She continued, “But for them, it may as well have been yesterday.”

Yaga rubbed her neck, “I see, but they will need food and water regardless of where they are staying.”

“Right, which is going to be a problem all its own,” Teyva sighed and looked up, “We’re almost there,” She paused and returned her focus to Yaga, “So what happened back at the settlement?”

Yaga frowned, “We captured the beast, he is in a cell created by Barin Kot. Your friends at the settlement were fortunate the creature seemed to be obsessed with the letter of his word because none of them were harmed,” Yaga said, “That thing was…” She trailed off, “It was mighty,” She shuddered.

Teyva let out a sigh of relief, “What about Elat, you said he was resting?”

Yaga glanced up in Azrael’s direction and Teyva followed her gaze. Azrael had tilted her head slightly to listen in on their conversation. Yaga pursed her lips, “Little sneak,” She chuckled, “I believe its better for Elat to explain himself rather than I say anything.”

Before Azrael could turn to say anything the lift came to a stop and the doors opened, revealing the man himself. Elat was leaning against the wall close to the doors to the crosswalk that lead to the throneroom. His arm was in a sling but he otherwise seemed to be in good spirits. He broke into an enormous smile when he saw Azrael and the warden rushed to his side and threw her arms around his neck, squeezing him tightly. Teyva’s smile faltered as she eyed the condition of Elat’s arm, it looked fine at the shoulder but from what she could see of his knuckles, it wasn’t pretty.

“This must be the Elat I am hearing about,” Paraklytus said.

“Yeah, he’s a good guy, fun to mess with,” Teyva said, reaching out to squeeze Yaga’s arm before stepping away to greet her friend, “Elat! Looking good!”

Elat turned and beamed at Teyva, using his good arm to lift Azrael as if she weighed next to nothing. She held onto him tightly while he spoke. “Can’t say the same for you, Teyva!” He chuckled, “New horns?”

Teyva waved a flattered hand at him, “Oh you noticed?” She pretended to swoon and ran her finger along the second set of jet black horns beginning to grow out of her temple.

Behind her, Batel and the other guards shifted uneasily on their feet. Elat nodded toward them and Paraklytus, “And they are?”

“Complicated,” Teyva said with a laugh, “We’ll tell you all about what happened down there after dinner. Short version, this is Paraklytus, or Perry. He’s joined up with us,” She said, gesturing to the Lich who inclined his bony head. “This is Batel Rani, he’s the Captain of my Guard and the others are with him.”

“Captain of your-” He trailed off, “Yeah I’m going to need the long version.”

“So what happened?” Teyva asked, nodding to his arm.

Elat frowned and after a moment let Azrael down. She looked down and her eyes widened as if she was just now seeing his injury. She looked up at him and he let out a sigh. “I got cocky and tried to help Master Yftha fight that thing, Conrad Akos is what it called itself,” He looked down at his hand. “I paid for it. The magi did their best but,” He swallowed, “I’ll never have enough strength in it to draw a bowstring again. I’ll be able to use it for ordinary things once it’s healed, though, so there’s that.”

Silence hung in the room for a long while, Teyva reached for her own arm and squeezed her shoulder, suddenly reminded of how lucky she was that her body could regenerate as well as it could. It seemed that even magical healing couldn’t fix everything. Azrael ran her hands over his forearm and rested her head against his chest, “I should have been there,” She murmured.

Elat shook his head, “You did what you needed to do. I’m fine!” He said, squeezing her shoulder, “We’ll talk more later, the king is waiting.”

Azrael let out a sigh and nodded before looking up at Teyva and forcing a smile. Teyva returned the look before glancing over at Yaga who inclined her head, “I’ll go prepare the King.”