“I kind of specialize in dead goddesses,” I said with a smile.
“Perhaps,” Rami-Xayon said, “but finding this corpse might be a more difficult task than even you can handle, Vance. It doesn’t exist.”
She had sounded less certain only a moment ago. Strange.
“I find it peculiar that you’re so dismissive of this cult,” Isu said to Rami-Xayon, one perfectly arched eyebrow raised. “You of all people should understand that the faith and belief of mortals is what sustains a goddess and gives her her powers. If that belief is strong, dedicated, and sustained over time, it can be enough to create a goddess.”
Now Layna stepped forward, the spider limbs on her back rattling.
“I mean no disrespect to you, Rami-Xayon,” she said, “but the Dragon Goddess is no myth. In the ancient library of Aith, we have many old scrolls and tomes dedicated to the subject of both dragons and the Dragon Goddess. Yes, it is true that she was believed to have been destroyed in the Purge, but then again, it was thought that you, Xayon, were also lost forever. Since you are standing here in front of me, though, I can see quite clearly that this is not the case.”
“If you want to hold on to your blind superstition, then go ahead,” Rami-Xayon said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “But mark my words: if you seek out the Draco Cult and expect them to help you in your quest for the lost Dragon Gauntlet, you’re wasting your time. They know nothing, and the supposed deity they worship is a fairy tale.”
“I think we should still look into it,” I said. “We’re headed to Yeng anyway.”
“If you need someone who is an expert on dragon lore,” Webmaiven Layna said to me, “I would happily accompany you to Yeng. I have read every word written on the subject of dragons available in our great library; it is a subject that has fascinated me for years.”
“What of the curse?” Friya asked.
“I was about to mention it,” Layna replied. “As the Webmaven of Aith, I have more magical power than most Arachne, but it has taken all of that power to get me this far from the city. If I stay away any longer, I will begin to rapidly age. Death will follow shortly afterward. Something must be done to remove it.”
“Is there anything we can do?” Anna-Lucille asked. It seemed that she shared a strong bond with the Arachne since they had worshipped her as goddess for some time.
Layna frowned. “I don’t know. If any of us had some kind of potion that could diminish the curse’s power…”
“Or if we lifted it,” I said.
“Impossible,” she simply said.
“She’s right, you know,” Isu said. “I doubt even you could lift it, Vance.”
“He’s a far better divinity than you ever were,” Rami-Xayon said with a sly smile. “No offense to you, of course, but it’s true.”
Isu shrugged. “I don’t disagree. But a curse of that power, made with such great rage, is no easy thing to remove.”
“We have to go back through Aith on our way out of here,” I said, “and I’ll find a way to lift the curse. It was made with Death magic, so I’m sure I can use Death magic to undo it. I don’t know much about dragons or the Dragon Goddess, so any help I can get on those topics would be invaluable.”
“I too will accompany you to Yeng,” Elyse said. “But we must not forget about the final Tear of Light, kept in the vaults of Luminescent Spires. It is the only item that will destroy the last Temple of Blood, and as soon as you find the Dragon Gauntlet, you must turn your attention to the destruction of the Blood God and his last temple. I want to be there with you on this quest, Vance, every step of the way.”
Ah, Elyse: beautiful, intelligent Elyse. The first woman to officially join my party, back when I was nothing but a fledgling necromancer, and she would be faithful and loyal to the end. I knew this; I could feel it in my bones. She really did have a heart of gold, even if she still served the Lord of Light.
“There is something else the traveler from Yeng told me, something that might be connected to all of this,” Anna-Lucielle interjected. “Along with the stories of the mysterious beasts that attack in the night, there were also tales of a rising power in Yeng. Some sort of warlock, it was said, who could command storms and lightning. Something that even the Emperor of Yeng, with all his vast armies, somehow feared.”
“With everything else that’s happened so far, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if that motherfucker was connected to all of this,” I said.
I glanced down at the dead Resplendent Knight at my feet and snapped my fingers. With a slow moan, a jerky twitching and tightening, and then a slackening of his muscles, the dead man’s glazed eyes began to glow yellow-green, then he reached up and pulled the dagger out of his chin. He groaned wordlessly and stood up. His golden longsword was gripped loosely in his right hand, ready for combat. The dawn sun shone red like blood on his burnished armor.
“Welcome to the Army of Death, my new friend.” I patted the zombie’s gleaming, ornate pauldron. “We’re going across the sea to Yeng to find a Dragon Goddess and kick some warlock ass.”
Chapter Three
Aith was just as eerie and fascinating as last time I was here. It seemed less threatening, likely because I’d previously killed the corrupt Council of Aith and restored justice to this place.
Friya, being the only member of my party who knew anything about dragons and the Dragon Gauntlet, went with Layna to the Great Library of Aith to examine relevant tomes and
