Phoenix in Shadow - eARC Read Free Page B

there’s nothing you can do?”
    “I am afraid...” It stopped, tilted its head, and the smile suddenly widened. “Perhaps. Perhaps there is. Not something that I can do, no, but...”
    “What...what do you mean?”
    The figure turned slowly and considered the polished mirror-scroll set on the desk at the center of the room, and Condor felt as though his guts were going to freeze. It looked back at him with that same smile. “Normally I would not call...but it is true that this Phoenix could be a significant hindrance to our cause, given time. He has the power you seek, do not doubt it.”
    “But...” He shuddered, but shook his head. “He has the power, but how could he give it to me? ”
    “We can but ask.” Before Aran could object, the human-seeming figure passed a hand over the mirror. “Great Kerlamion, your servant begs your attention.”
    The shining surface blackened, became a room of darkness with something darker than any darkness seated upon a throne, the only light from eyes of screaming blue-white. “Viedraverion.” The eyes shifted. “Why is this one before us again?”
    “A...small problem has emerged in Evanwyl, oh Blackstar.”
    The eyes narrowed. “You begin with circumlocutions we expect from others such as Balgoltha. Do not follow that path, for we have no patience for it, even for one with such a record as your own.”
    Viedraverion— if that is its real name —shrugged and smiled. “You are of course right, King of Demons. As I had expected, the Balanced Sword is forced to make its final move, and has produced a true Champion. Now, while I believe I can maintain all as we desire it, this is certainly a crisis of minor but perhaps significant import.”
    The barely-visible head of blackness nodded. “Go on.”
    “I have many other duties you wish me to attend to, of course. There are so many...details involved across the world.” He gestured to Condor, who flinched as the alien, deadly gaze turned back to him. “The champion, called Phoenix, has slain three of my false Justiciars. One of them was, in essence, the father of Condor.” It smiled more broadly. “We can, of course, appreciate the strong bond between father and son.”
    The laugh from Kerlamion Blackstar was the sound of the very rending of air, and the smile a blue-white void of pain, and Condor very nearly did run then. “In our own way, yes, we can.” It leaned forward, and though the mirror-scroll did not change at all, Condor felt as though something immense was looming over him. “And so from us you seek the power to avenge yourself, to counter the final throes of a failing god? Answer us!”
    Condor swallowed. “Y-yes, mighty Kerlamion.” I am already damned, my soul must already be his as a false Justiciar. “Something that will give me the strength to face the Phoenix, to shatter his or her power, their new-forged Raiment, break their sword and...and tear their soul apart.” If my sirza will find no rest in the afterlife, no more will Phoenix—no salvation by Myrionar or by its allies in death.
    “And this is the one who thought to abandon us, that was drawn by the Light?” Kerlamion spoke to its servant.
    “Even so. By a noble and courageous girl, even.” It smiled.
    Kerlamion chuckled again. “Then we are pleased, and we see that, though you tremble, Condor, you stand firm. Veidraverion sees that the time is nigh, and he is right. Come, then, to us, and we shall give to you the power you desire.” The mirror went blank.
    Elation warred with terror and confusion. “I...thank you, mighty King...” But there is no way to Kerlamion’s Throne that the living and human can travel!
    “Fear not, Aran,” their leader said, with a smile even more chilling, and answered the unspoken words with a darker mystery. “You shall walk there on your own living feet, and stand alive before the Throne of All Hells itself.”

Chapter 2
    “Down!” Kyri shouted.
    Tobimar reacted just in time; the huge