The peaceful village of Tleth is set upon by evil, demonic creatures, and no one knows why. Almost the entire town is massacred, but one man survives. Young Layth watches his father die. He watches the evil creatures destroy his home and try to destroy him, too. Near death, he flees, with no idea that the band of demonic brothers was actually sent to find him ... In his severely injured condition, Layth is visited by the gods, who bestow upon him a divine power. His new abilities make him the perfect weapon-for good or evil. It's up to Layth to decide on which side he will fight. When he is apprehended by the very men who ruined his village, their abuses twist his mind. Darkness is awakened inside the young man, and his sense of moral right is irrevocably disturbed. Layth escapes, but he will never be the same. Now, a war rages in the world of Lionet. Layth holds the key to the survival of all that is good and right, but will his own darkness threaten to block out the light? With the help of a few peaceable allies, Layth will struggle to use his powers for good. He alone can conquer the demons ... but can he conquer his own immoral impulses?

When Gods Go to War

By Brian Rompre

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2011 Brian Rompre
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4620-1815-4

Contents

Prologue.......................viiChapter 1......................1Chapter 2......................11Chapter 3......................19Chapter 4......................25Chapter 5......................33Chapter 6......................39Chapter 7......................47Chapter 8......................51Chapter 9......................56Chapter 10.....................63Chapter 11.....................74Chapter 12.....................82Chapter 13.....................89Chapter 14.....................95Chapter 15.....................101Chapter 16.....................106Chapter 17.....................112Chapter 18.....................116Chapter 19.....................119Chapter 20.....................123Chapter 21.....................128Chapter 22.....................132Chapter 23.....................138Chapter 24.....................145Chapter 25.....................157Chapter 26.....................167Chapter 27.....................173Chapter 28.....................181Chapter 29.....................185Chapter 30.....................194Chapter 31.....................204Chapter 32.....................215Chapter 33.....................229Chapter 34.....................240Chapter 35.....................253Chapter 36.....................266Chapter 37.....................275Chapter 38.....................284Chapter 39.....................292Chapter 40.....................301Chapter 41.....................309Chapter 42.....................318Chapter 43.....................328Chapter 44.....................337Chapter 45.....................342Chapter 46.....................351Chapter 47.....................355Chapter 48.....................363Chapter 49.....................371Chapter 50.....................377Chapter 51.....................384Chapter 52.....................391Chapter 53.....................398Chapter 54.....................402Chapter 55.....................409

Chapter One

Raustag walked along the dimly lit hallway. A small breeze had invaded the castle, flowing around him; causing his blue cape to flap and making his long red hair tickle his ears.

A messenger had arrived in the barracks earlier and had sought him out as he was putting some of the initiates through their paces. He had been informed that Lord Silkon demanded his presence with the greatest of haste.

After delegating the training regimen to one of the Brothers, Raustag had donned his mighty silver armor, and the beast of a man had taken the short walk down the wide avenues of Siranet, arriving at the order's fortress in a short amount of time.

Even though he was a seasoned warrior in the best physical shape, he had broken a sweat by the time he reached the floor where Silkon had elected to have his offices. Raustag could not fathom why Silkon believed his high offices demonstrated his superiority rather than be a leader amongst his own men.

His armored boots echoed down the hallway, reverberating clearly off the massive stones from which the building had been constructed. soon enough, he spotted the large doors illuminated by the flickering torches; he had arrived at the border of Lord Silkon's domain. He lifted a hand and pounded on the door.

"Enter"

When Lord Silkon spoke, his voice was deeper than someone would have expected of a sickly thin man. Yet one could sense the venom of contempt for the world that he held towards everyone. some of the men whispered questions behind his back: they wondered how or why he would have even been allowed to become a Protector.

The large double doors opened and the armored mountain of a man walked through. the few candles that barely illuminated the room caught on the perfectly polished surface of his massive armor causing Lord Silkon's beady eyes to squint as he hid his face under a large hood.

"Lord Silkon, I am here as you have requested."

Lord Silkon's smile was hidden in the shadows of his garb. Silkon enjoyed his position over the man that had plagued him and his reputation in the order. now that he had maneuvered successfully higher in the ranks of the order, Raustag's banter would never again be able to damage his plans.

"I have had a vision, Raustag, and the Prime Protector has agreed to their validity."

Raustag stroked his red beard as he was lost in thought and looked upon his superior with a questioning look.

"I thought the Prime Protector gave little weight to visions as they are easy to manufacture?"

Silkon coughed and a bony finger extended from the hidden folds of his robes, to be pointed at the man who stood defiantly in front of him. "Do you dare doubt my words and name them as though they spell a lie?"

Raustag bowed his head, yet his blue eyes refused to show apologies.

"My mistake, Lord Silkon, if my words have brought up thoughts of such an offense. I only remember the only time the Prime Protector has trusted in a vision that had brought the whole Kingdom on the brink of war. ever since, he had decreed that no weight should ever be hoisted upon visions, only proven facts." Raustag straightened up once again before continuing. "Of course, coming from one of his trusted advisors, he may have reconsidered."

The person of smaller stature in sitting in the large chair in front of Raustag bowed his hooded head.

"And that he has. the vision is a warning from the gods, and the reason for your summons, as so ordered by the Prime Protector."

"And what task shall I undertake?"

"An evil has arisen in the West. It has not been divined what exactly this evil is, nor if it is one entity, but it has been showed to me as all-consuming, something that will threaten not only the safety of the Kingdom of Lionet, but of every other Kingdom and empire."

Silkon produced a scroll and threw it onto his desk.

"The written orders from the Prime Protector. You are to dispatch one of your best men from Camplet, with a detachment of the regional guard, and search out the western reaches of the Kingdom for this evil."

Raustag placed a gauntleted hand upon the pommel of the large mace that hung from his hip. the weapon seemed to glow with a soft blue light as tiny electrical discharges played along its surface.

"Is that all sir?"

The hood shook. Slowly, the small frame of Lord Silkon arose from the large chair he had been sitting upon. the heavy robes swished against the ground as the man moved from behind the large desk that could have served as a defensive position. He walked to the wall of his chamber, running a hand against an old tattered battle standard that hung from the ceiling.

Raustag waited patiently as he looked at his superior. As the hooded figure stroked the standard, Raustag had to force himself not to wretch in disgust at the display; Silkon had never once tasted the gamble of battle. Instead, as brothers died for justice and honor, Silkon had always positioned himself out of harm's reach, near the rear or in areas so heavily laden with defenses that the enemy had spared them no thought in their assaults.

The hood turned to face Raustag.

"There is another task the Prime wishes completed; a task he deems as important as vanquishing evil in all of its forms. I have been shown that a being exists in the western regions, a force that has not reached its potential yet, but one that could be molded by the forces of evil into a great weapon that would secure their victory." Silkon walked past the statuesque Protector, falling into shadows...