Demon Fire

Chapter One

        The soft glow of a full moon beamed down through the wispy clouds illuminating the rubble strewn ground. Silver tendrils of mist wound their way through the ruins, twining themselves around the crumbling pillars like delicate silken ribbons. The cool, damp air around the temple was near silent, the rustle of leaves as a rodent scurried through the undergrowth signifying that the sacred ruins were not devoid of life. In the distance an owl hooted, its cry an eerie reminder of the evil that walked the night.
        With the lightest of touches, Caillen of Navarre guided the black stalliion through the fallen stones that were once the walls of a fine temple. Amber eyes pierced the gloom of the mist coated temple, seeking out the signs that he was not alone in this once hallowed place. The stallion snorted, plumes of warm breath fanning out from his nostrils like smoke from a dragon. Pricked ears followed every sound as he waited for his master's command, his liquid eyes as observant as those of the man upon his back.
        A figure emerged from behind one of the pillars, a ragged cloak draped around his shoulders to ward off the chill of the night air. He stood and watched as Caillen reined the stallion to a halt making no move to approach the formidable warrior. Time seemed to halt as the two men faced each other, each weighing the other up, looking for signs of any weakness before they.
        Caillen dismounted with a deceptive ease, dropping the leather reins to the floor in a silent command to the stallion for him to remain in position. Leather gloved hands reached up to straighten the collar of his great coat and to subtly check that the sword sheathed on his back had free movement should he need to draw it. Lowering his hands, he tugged at his cuffs, supple fingers checking the positioning of the small knives hidden within the sleeves. He was well armed yet a quick glance over his appearance gave no indication of the weapons hidden about his person.
        Satisfied that his weapons were all easily accessible should the need arise, Caillen made his way towards the waiting Leto, his long, muscular legs covering the ground with the grace of a stalking predator. His senses tuned into the night around him, listening for any sounds that did not belong.
        "You came alone, Caillen?" Leto's voice was a hoarse whisper barely audible against the rustling trees. A faded, jagged scar could be seen stretching across the wrinkled skin of his throat, a reminder from when he was almost strangled to death as a young priest.
        "I'm here, aren't I?" Caillen stood before Leto, his arms hanging loosely by his sides, seemingly relaxed to those who knew nothing of warriors. His feet were planted firmly on the earth floor, his weight evenly balanced across the balls of his feet. He was ready to lunge into action should Leto try anything. "You have the stone?"
        Leto removed a small velvet pouch from a pocket within the cloak and peeled back the edges to reveal the glittering facets of a highly polished diamond. "You bring my money?"
        From the depths of his own coat, Caillen removed a small leather bag and bounced it upon his palm. The clinking of the coins within sounded loud in the silence between them. "As you requested. The stone for your money."
        Leto licked at dry lips as he stared at the leather pouch, avarice shining like a lantern from his bloodshot eyes. The money he had demanded from Caillen was a tidy amount of gold and silver. There would be enough for he and his men to live like lords for several months with all the wine and women they could ever desire at their fingertips.
        However, the lure of the diamond was a powerful temptation to resist. Too powerful. Reputed to be one of the goddess Aggreia's diamonds of wisdom, Leto had acquired the stone as a way of obtaining great wealth, which he almost had. Yet, with the diamond, he could achieve so much more than what Caillen was offering to him tonight.
        "Many a man has offered me a large purse for this stone," he rasped as he stared down at its glistening facets. "Amounts so great one cannot imagine the purchases that can be made. All for this one, small stone." He held the stone up to the moonlight, mesmirised by the way the facets captured the glow of the moon.
        "That maybe so, Leto, but you saw the wisdom in selling the stone to me in return for a large sack of coins," Caillen replied, his voice hardening. "And your life."
        "My life? Or yours?" Leto flung back his cloak, revealing a sword sheathed at his waist. "Your coins will soon grow as I trade this stone many times over. Now, gentlemen!"
        Ageless instinct had Caillen leaning towards one side, his body curving away from the arrow that whistled by his neck, its feathers just brushing his skin in passing. As his body dropped into a natural roll, he heard a man cry out in the darkness as a returning arrow found its mark. Tao obviously thought to show Leto's archer how to use your bow effectively against an enemy.
        Lero stared around him in panic, his eyes half closed as he tried to look into the mist shrouded undergrowth. What was happening? Where were his men? Caillen said he had come alone, hadn't he? He turned and watched as the warrior rose in a surge of power to his feet, his sword already in his hand.
        "You didn't come alone, did you?" he rasped as Caillen approached him.
        "Only to the ruins. My men are scattered around the edges, ready for you to make your move." He stood up close to Leto, his amber eyes blazing with a chilling fire. "You didn't think I'd trust you?" He asked, his fist rising up to connect with Leto's jaw with a powerful blow that sent the other man flying.
        Leto's body had not touched the floor before he was already turning, transferring his sword to his left hand whilst his right retrieved one of his throwing knives from the sheaths on his belt and dispatched it with deadly accuracy to the heart of an approaching assassin. He heard a startled cry before the thud of a body dropping to the ground as he turned to meet the next attacker.
        Steel clanged against steel in the silence of the ruins. Birds screeched their protest at being disturbed as they took to flight to escape the combatants. Twigs snapped beneath fast moving feet as the warriors circled in the moonlight. Lunges were blocked and countered as the two sought each other's weaknesses, probing for an opening to make the killing blow.
        Caillen gritted his teeth against the sudden agony of a knife finding a home in his upper arm. His demon roared his rage as a wave of power flung the knife from his body. For a second Caillen felt his control slip beneath the force of the demon's rage and he felt his skin tighten, becoming firm and tough before he was able to focus once more on the man before him.
        Raising his sword, he blocked what would have been a fatal lunge, forcing his opponent to retreat a few steps, creating an opening just large enough for Caillen's sword to slip through, straight into his enemy's heart. The man slid to the ground, his eyes wide with shock before the light faded from them.
        Another attacker charged towards him, waving an axe about his head. Caillen ducked beneath the lethal swing, turning his body so that his sword left a deep, bloody furrow down the side of the axeman. From the amount of blood that poured from the wound Caillen knew he had severed a major blood vessel, killing the man almost immediately.
        "That's going to need stitches," a voice said behind him.
        Caillen whirled, his sword raised in readiness to repel any possible attack. His eyes flared, red circles of fire surrounding the amber core. "You got a death wish, creeping up on a man like that?"
        Kato grinned, his teeth a dazzling white against the dark bronze of his skin. "Since when has anyone been able to sneak up on you?"
        "Certainly not you. You sounded like a herd of elephants coming up here." Caillen wiped the blood off his blade before sheathing it in the scabbard hidden upon his back.
        "That wasn't me. That was the man rushing to plant his rusty blade in your back. I thought I would put my much cleaner blade in his back first."
        Caillen looked beyond Kato and spotted the dead swordsman on the floor, his fingers still clenched around his sword even in death. "I'm sure he appreciated the thought," he commented. "Dar and Tao?"
        "Tao's on his way and Dar was checking the perimeter before joining us, just in case Leto had any more surprises for us." Kato looked over to where Leto lay as still as death. "Leto?"
        "Unconscious. He got a little too greedy for his own good." Caillen swooped down and retrieved the small pouch from Leto's lax fingers. For a moment he stared at the twinkling facets, watching the colours change within its depths. Aggreia's stones were said to indicate the soul of the holder by the colours that glowed at their heart. Caillen had always believed that the stone would turn black when he held it yet he was surprised when he saw flames of blue and red blazing at its heart.
        "What are you going to do with him?"
        "Tie him up and let Aggreia decide. He stole from her so it is up to her to decide upon his fate." He wrapped the stone back inside the pouch and rose to his feet whilst Kato secured Leto's hands. Satisfaction flowed through him as he watched the inept thief struggle to regain consciousness whilst ineffectively batting away Kato's hands.
        "We've got company," Dar announced as he joined them amongst the ruins. "Tao is keeping watch from his hiding place. He says it's a small group of four, heading this way from the north. They're not hurrying to join us nor are they tried to hide their approach."
        "They're not a threat to us. Tao can come down and join us." Caillen watched as a small group stepped into the clearing led by a stunningly beautiful woman dressed in a long white gown of the finest wool. "Good evening, Aggreia," he greeted.
        "Caillen." A warm smile lit up her features as she crossed the uneven ground with an ethereal grace. Her long, white gown flowed around her body, rippling with each step she took.
        "I wasn't expecting you to come here, tonight," Caillen took her proferred hand and brushed a kiss against the soft skin of her cheek.
        "I wasn't planning on coming but Leto got me so annoyed I wanted to see him captured for myself. He has been taking too many items from the temples, lately, and I'm so glad that you've stopped him." She looked over to the prone figure on the floor. "I have reserved a special place for you, Leto, where you can consider your crimes."
        Leto, upon hearing her words, writhed on the floor as he tried to escape the bindings Kato had placed upon his wrist and ankles. He knew what Agreeia's special place was and he had no desire to go there. Muffled noises of protest could be heard from behind the gag stuffed in his mouth.
        "I'm sure he'll enjoy his visit," Caillen said, a cold smile matching the ice in his eyes as he looked across at Leto. "Here is your stone and your purse."
        Aggreia retrieved the pouch with the stone and checked its condition. "Unmarked, thank the gods. I know there are those who feel they can access the power of the stone by inscribing symbols on its surface. I was dreading that Leto had managed to pass the stone to one of those." She raised her gaze to meet Caillen's direct stare. "Thank you, once again, Caillen. You may keep the purse, you and your men have earned it. Truth be known, I would have paid four times as much if it would have obtained this result."
        "There's still time to renegotiate our agreement," Dar said with a grin as he joined them. "We're very flexible."
        Aggreia laughed, a light musical sound reminiscent of water flowing over smooth pebbles. "Dearest Dar. I'm sure that you are very flexible but I trust Caillen's judgement when it comes to payment. Besides, having too much gold in your pocket would only get you into trouble." She reached out and ran her delicate fingers along his rugged cheek. "Trust your goddess on this one."
        Dar laughed and planted a light kiss across her knuckles. "You know me so well, my goddess. I'll help your men secure your guest." With a nod to Caillen he crossed over to where Aggreia's men were struggling to secure Leto on to the back of a horse.
        "Your grandfather will be pleased to hear of you."
        Caillen stiffened at Aggreia's softly spoken words. He could feel the demon rumble his displeasure throughout his body as his eyes hardened, a red ring appearing around the amber iris. "Aggreia," he warned.
        "Despite what you may think, Caillen, he does care for you and it hurts him that you shun him so." She placed a hand upon his sleeve, feeling his tension through the leather coat.
        "He should think of these things before making the decisions he does." Caillen turned away, not wanting to discuss his relationship with his grandfather with Aggreia. Some wounds were too deep to bring out into the open.
        "He does, which is what makes things worse sometimes." She looked back down at the stone in her hand, wishing it could give her the answers she needed to help Caillen.
        "Do you know why Leto stole the stone?" he asked, seeking to return the conversation back to the reason they were in the temple ruins.
        "Someone seeks to access its power, that is the usual reason. Although ..." she stopped, biting her bottom lip in an obvious sign of anxiety as she thought of something.
        "Although, what?" Caillen turned to face her, his amber eyes reading the slight distress across her features. Whatever Aggreia had thought of troubled her deeply, which was rare for Aggreia was one of the few goddesses who exuded a positive nature at all times. Never had Caillen seen her as distressed as she was for those fleeting seconds.
        "It may be nothing, but, for a few weeks I have sensed that something is going to happen, something that will change lives and not for the better. Something that involves you, Caillen." She reached out and took hold of his gloved hands. "Take care, my cousin, I fear a great evil is coming for you."
        "Evil has come for me before, Aggreia. This is nothing new to me."
        "I know, it always seems to find you but this feels different. Great changes are foreseen in your future, Caillen of Navarre. I pray that they are good ones and not to do with the evil I fear closing in on you."
        "We'll keep him safe, Aggreia. Whatever is coming will have to come through us," Kato promised as he joined them. "Your prisoner is secure. We had to subdue him a little to get him to co-operate."
        Aggreia laughed, her tension easing away at Kato's words. "With you, Kato, that does not surprise me. I hope he can still talk when we get him back to the palace?"
        "Give him a day or so, he might be a little too stiff to talk."
        Aggreia gave the tall warrior a quick hug before pressing a kiss on Caillen's cheek. "Take care, all of you. I shall do my best to watch over you and keep you safe."
        "And you, dear lady. Our world would be a dull place without our goddess."
        They watched as she returned to her party and exchanged a few, light hearted words with Dar before giving him a lingering farewell kiss. As always the gentleman, Dar assisted her onto her horse before watching them retreat into the darkness.
        "He does it every time. No matter who she is, he always gets the longest kiss," Kato commented as he observed Dar's jaunty step as he returned to them.
        "Jealous?" Caillen asked with a grin.
        "Nope. I like to live freely without looking over my shoulder for jealous spouses, parents or gods."
        Caillen laughed out loud as he patted Kato's shoulder. "True, my friend, very true."
        "What's true?" Tao asked as he appeared at their shoulders.
        "Not living like Dar and being chased by angry men," Kato explained.
        "It's certainly a quieter life. Was Aggreia pleased?"
        "Yes, although she was concerned about Caillen's future. She seemed to think something bad was coming to get him."
        "You haven't been seeing one of Dar's women, have you? They have some scary looking relatives."
        "No, I haven't. Whatever is coming will come no matter what we do to avoid it. That's the way of our life and I see no reason to change anything now." Caillen retrieved his weapons from the bodies of Leto's dead companions. "We'll deal with it as we deal with everything else that comes our way. Now, shall we head back to town?"
        Laughing the four men retrieved their mounts, their business concluded successfully, another challenge met.
        "Wonder if Patrice will still be awake?" Dar wondered as they rode away from the ruins. "She said she'd be happy to meet up again."
        "Was that before or after her husband came home?" Tao pointed out. "Her very large, blacksmith husband?"
        "She didn't say. Maybe I'll let her come around to the hotel rather than going to her place."
        "Good idea," Caillen concluded. "Good idea."

        The old man entered the busy inn and glanced around him, distaste showing in his eyes. The run down, smoke filled building was a far cry from his usual meeting places. He would not have come here that evening if his contact had not been so adamant that he would only meet with him at the inn.
        The place was full of rough looking individuals, their clothes ragged and filthy and smelling of odours he did not care to linger on. Women dressed in scanty, low cut dresses made their way through the crowds carrying trays laden with pitchers full of ale. Occasionally, one would slap at a roving hand as they walked passed, defusing the situation with a bawdy comment that curled the old man's mouth in disgust. These were common people, the lowest of the low and he hated having to spend any time in their presence.
        He glanced around before moving to a table towards the rear of the inn where the man he was meeting with was seated. A pitcher of ale sat next to a tankard on the scratched table before him, an empty platter pushed to the side with the remnants of his meal littering its surface.
        "You have the stone, Tarn?" he asked as he took a seat opposite.
        The man shuffled on the hard, wooden stool, a frown creasing his dirt covered forehead. He pulled the knitted cap from his head and ran a grimy hand through thinning, greasy locks. "Leto didn't turn up at the meeting point," he replied in a quiet voice.
        The stranger's eyes flashed his displeasure as he leant closer to the man. "What do you mean?" he enunciated, his voice a low growl.
        Tarn flinched and leant back, his face paling at the red glow coming from the old man's eyes. He had not wanted to take this job but the payment had been too good to resist. "He wasn't at the meeting point. I waited for over an hour but he didn't show." He took a swig of his ale before continuing. "I went to the inn where he was staying. He wasn't there but the innkeeper told me that he'd met with a man who'd offered him a larger purse for the stone. Leto went off to meet him at the ruins outside of town and he hasn't been seen since."
        "Did he say who this man was, what he looked like?"
        "No name but he did say he was dressed all in black. Looked like a warrior, with a scar on his cheek."
        "Caillen of Navarre!" The words were forced out through clenched teeth as the old man's anger boiled over. Tarn pushed his stool back when he saw the table start to smolder where the old man gripped the edge with a vice like grip.
        "He never gave a name," Tarn repeated, his voice shaking in the face of such anger. He reached into his pocket and removed the purse the old man had given him when he had accepted his job. "Here's your purse back, with all your money." He stood up, deciding it was better to leave now rather than staying around the stranger. Tipping his head to the old man, he retrieved his cap and retreated into the smokey atmosphere of the inn.
        The old man sat staring at the leather purse, his eyes glowing in the darkness of the inn. He should have known that Caillen of Navarre would interfere in his plans. Every time he tried to take his rightful place amongst the higher echelons of the temples he was thwarted by that man. Oh, how he longed to rid the world of his annoying presence. Life would be much easier without him around to spoil things.
        If only there was some way ... A gnarled hand absentmindedly played with the purse of coins. If only there was a way. A smile, cold and calculating twisted the thin lips. There was a way to rid the world of Caillen of Navarre. A way so simple it was surprising he had never thought of it before. All he needed were certain element that would be easy for a man of his position to acquire and victory would be his.
        The evening was not a disaster after all, he decided, pouring himself a tankard of ale in celebration.