Paladin - the path begins

Epilogue

Elldran made his way through the dark streets of Keldran swiftly, he wasn't challenged or stopped for none were stupid enough to do so. He was nervous though, being summoned so late at night to his master's dwelling. He passed by the market square where his plans to kill his brother had gone awry, regretting that Jaike had been killed in the process. He had always loved Fiora like a daughter. Unlike Lunathion, that little bitch, she'd allowed the Paladin to escape and in the process, his son had been killed, according to those present Tar'vid had eviscerated Eldrin, nothing identifiable remaining. All his thoughts ceased as he arrived outside a townhouse just off the main street, a slat in the door sliding open as he knocked.

"What's the password?" he was asked briskly.

"A change in the weather is needed" he replied nervously, checking around anxiously.

The slat slid back into place and the door opened quickly, he stepped in without hesitation. The elf at the door said nothing, pointing up the stairs irritably. The elf's one good eye peering at him from under a dark hood.

"Your late Elldran!" hissed the voice of his master. Elldran had been promised power in exchange for dealing with tasks below his master's notice. He had not been doing well as of late though.

"Forgive me, master, I had to wait until my brother's guards were not following me, and..." his master held up a hand, Elldran found he could not speak and found the skin had covered his mouth.

"I tire of your excuses Elldran, you fail me at every turn. At least your son had the good grace to atone for his failure" his master said in a mocking tone.

Elldran was furious at the mention of his son, but he dared do nothing. He was too terrified of the monster he served, though it wore an elf's skin it was no elf.

"You had one simple task, implicate the Paladin and start a war between Keldran and the Order," his master said slowly, pacing around a covered table.

Elldran protested with his hands, but his master pulled him to his knees with a motion of his hand.

"Then I asked you to kill the Paladin involved. You failed again, and in trying to stupidly implicate your niece... against whatever sense you had left, have exposed yourself. That Paladin is responsible for my plague not destroying Fernhaven and I had to eliminate the other Paladins in Vieldon myself, I should have done so with this one as well. Who knew elves were so damned incompetent!" he screamed, his eyes burned like hot coals, Elldran shrank back from the creature as it loomed over him, it's face twisted with hate. Elldran's face smashed into the ground as he was racked with magical energy. His master stepped over him to a medical table, a sheet pulled over a body laying upon it. Perhaps it was the Paladin he was meant to kill he thought.

"It's no matter now, I have put plans in motion to kill him simply on principle. He will play no further part in this" the master said, releasing Elldran from his magic. He knelt for a moment gasping for air as his master squatted before him.

"Are you familiar with demons, Elldran?" he asked.

Not waiting for a response his master quickly pulled the sheet from the table... it was his son's body, it hadn't decayed at all in the months since his death.

"Please, let my boy rest in peace!" Elldran pleaded, crying with anger and rage.

This had been a huge mistake from the start, he didn't hate his brother... not truly. It was only now that he realised the cost of the power he had wanted, the seduction of ruling a kingdom his undoing.

"But he lives Elldran, your guards, or should I say my guards brought him straight to me after his duel with Tar'vid. He will pay for your failure!" The master placed a hand on Eldrin's, intoning some ancient magic that made Elldran's ears bleed as the corpse pulsed with green light then after a moment lay still once more.

"By the gods, stop this madness!" he shouted, sick to his stomach at this affront to nature.

Eldrin sat up, looking into the master's eyes he shook with terror, his body shaking violently.

"Father! Help me!" he screamed, but Elldran was rooted to the spot in terror.

His son spasmed again before collapsing limp onto the table once more.

"The gods have no power over me, poor Eldrin, so fearful of the gods" came a perverse imitation of his son's voice.

The naked body leapt off the table, landing in front of him with a single bound, it leant over him for a moment, a twisted visage of anger.

"Your weakness is no longer required Elldran. Besides, I need you to take the fall for this ungodly cock up you've executed" his master said in a matter of fact way. "Eldrin, you may do with him as you please. Just make sure he can be identified by my other agents if you don't mind" continued the master as he descended the stairs.

"Eldrin no more, we are Vor'mort now," the creature said in a growl.

"Please son, I don't want to look at you like this!" he said to the form of his son, pulsing with green light.

"Then don't!" the abomination replied as it grabbed his head, pushing its thumbs into his eye sockets, Elldran screamed as perpetual darkness fell on him.