Sons of Ironstorm: Book 5 - Griffon's War

Chapter 4: Gods of Fire and Shadow

"Cast into the Abyss, they became its rulers and masters.

The shadows were their raiment, and the cold their food and drink.

Unified they knelt before the First One, that which came before the Light.

The embodiment of absolute darkness and unrelenting cold.

And they swore everlasting fealty, promising to exact its revenge

On the Creator and all that He did wrest by might from the Abyss

At the moment of Creation, when the Light sundered the darkness.

And yet ... they could not forget when the Light gave them Life.

Deep within, they even ... craved it."

- Xambriel's journal, Last of the Princes of the Illishandi

Calandris, greatest of the Abysslords, and Right Hand of the First One, was troubled. A wave of a hand and the map of northern Reutha slid aside.

- Furis, - he called out with his mind, reaching for his second in command.

- Calandris, - the reply came swiftly, the mad giant doing well to keep his fragmented mind together enough to communicate.

- What is your report? Have you and Damdalis located the Wielder welplings? -

- We have. They've dug themselves into an ancient fortress of elvish make in the foothills of the eastern mountains. -

- Good. - Calandris stood from the camp chair he had been using. Made out of black abyss-stuff, it immediately turned to vapor. - We will attack them immediately. - He stepped out of the tent he had made also out of abyss-stuff and, for a moment, let the silvery winter light of Ri'im wash over him, its touch sending a tingle over his skin.

It had been far too long since he had felt the Light so intensely. It was almost enough to remind him of ... Then he was pushing the sensation aside to focus on the Kaal Eran that now scurried around him like ants.

[General Ar'trast,] he said out loud, the language of the Abyss making the very fabric of Reality quiver with its power. Immediately one of the demon officers standing nearby in polished black armor discussing strategy, turned to him and fell to one knee, head bowed. A heartbeat later she was joined by the rest of the officers, even though they hadn't been addressed. It didn't matter that the great lord was now the same size as they were. Calandris still demanded the same level of fear and respect as he did when he was a giant.

[My existence for the First,] the demon intoned without looking up while the others remained silent.

[Gather a scouting company in force. I want the eastern mountains probed for the location of an elvish fortress.]

[At once, master!] Then the demon was up and running towards where the more elite of their forces were temporarily camped, awaiting Caladris's orders. There was no question about specific locations; that information, if they needed it, would be requested after they were already on the way!

Satisfied for the moment that the next move in their advance against the only thing that could possibly slow the Return had been made, Caladris turned away from the remaining demon officers still on their knees and summoned another image with a thought. This one was of the whole planet, etched with black smoke in the air before him.

Another thought quickly made what territory they had already conquered glow with a dark light.

- We're moving too slow on these secondary continents, Muranis, - he said into the swirling chaos that was his mind. - The smaller hasn't even been completely taken yet! -