I understand, Sheol, and StarLaughter handed her child to the Demon to mind.
―It is more than time, then,‖ said a new voice, ―that the true heir return and put things to
rights.‖
Axis snapped his head about so fast that his neck cricked in protest.
From somewhere beyond the circle a woman stepped forth. She wore no cloak, and no
disguise, but was garbed instead in a robe that—Axis almost gagged—appeared to be made of
blood. It trickled down over her breasts and belly, congealing over her hips at the juncture of her
legs, then running in thick, ropy strands down to her ankles.
Axis instinctively knew who she was. ―StarLaughter.‖
She inclined her beautiful head, a lock of her dark hair dragging through the bloody
shoulders of her robe, and laughed. ―Indeed, Axis SunSoar. Now, will you introduce me to the
others standing here?‖
She stopped just past StarGrace. ―Do it!‖
―No!‖ Axis said. ―There is no need to—‖
StarLaughter‘s face contorted in fury. She jerked her right hand, and the captain and the
two remaining men-at-arms disappeared.
―They are pointless,‖ she said, swinging her eyes between Axis, Azhure and Caelum.
―And eminently dispensable. Just as your swords are.‖
And they too vanished, leaving only empty fists where once had been steel.
―Will you not introduce me to your wife and son, Axis?‖ StarLaughter said.
Axis silently cursed the fact that he had named himself in the first instance. Perhaps if
he‘d kept a still tongue, this woman would not have known that—
―Oh, I have always known!‖ she hissed, and swung to face Azhure.
― Bitch! ‖ she screamed, the veins on her forehead and in her neck throbbing into knotted
fury. ― You are the fruit of my husband’s betrayal! ‖
Azhure reeled back, one hand half-raised before her. ―I am not responsible for WolfStar‘s
faults—‖
―You are his flesh and blood! You carried his blood into power, not my son.‖
StarLaughter abruptly stopped, still staring at Azhure, her face contorted in fury, her
hands clenched at her sides.
―Where is she?‖ she growled.
―Who?‖ Azhure shot Axis a stricken look, and he moved closer to her side.
―The bitch WolfStar lay with. Your mother.‖
Azhure managed to keep her composure. ―She is dead. She died when I was six. Burned
to death by—‖
―Then why is it that I can feel her?‖ StarLaughter said, her voice quieter now, but her
gaze no less intense. ―Why?‖
Her nostrils flared, almost as if she could scent her rival. ―She is here,‖ she said.
―Somewhere. Niah. Even if I have to hunt her beyond the gates of death, Azhure, be sure that I
will do it!‖
Now Azhure was visibly shaken, not only at StarLaughter‘s venom, but at her knowledge
of Niah‘s name. ―How did you—‖
StarLaughter shook her head of hair, and smiled. ―How did I know Niah‘s name? How do
I know anything?‖
She paused, and shifted her eyes to stare directly at Caelum. ―Drago told me. Drago told
me everything. ‖
The tip of her tongue flicked out between her teeth and ran over her top lip.
―He was extraordinary in bed, Caelum. The SunSoar blood, I suppose.‖
She smiled and took a step towards Caelum. ―I would beg him to take me. I would grovel
on the floor before him. Do you know what I mean, Caelum?‖
He paled. ―Drago is a traitor,‖ he managed.
― As are you! ‖ StarLaughter erupted into a frightful fury. ― You claim the Throne of Stars
when it should be my son who claims that right! ‖
StarLaughter took another step forward until she was so close to Caelum she could thrust
her face in his. ―And do you know what, StarSon?‖
She spoke the title as a curse.
―He will come to get you. He will kill you.‖ She smiled. ―And nothing you can do will
stop that now. Look at you, you pitiful lump of mortal flesh. You dare to name yourself heir and
ruler of Tencendor. Ha! You were bred beyond the bonds of marriage. The legitimate heir, my
son, will come to kill you!‖
The entire circle of robed watchers broke into agitated whispering.
―He will revel in your pain and blood,‖ StarLaughter continued, triumph and laughter
replacing the fury in her voice.
―See.‖ The circle of Hawkchilds broke into howls of laughter, and they parted so that
there was an unrestricted view of the part of the universe to which StarLaughter pointed. ―See!‖
Axis grabbed at Azhure and Caelum, pulling them into a tight group. Stars! What could
they do! Even though he had no power himself, Axis could feel the power that vibrated from
StarLaughter, as from each and every one of the robed children about them.
It must have taken unimaginable strength and skill to create this hall of stars. Had
StarLaughter and the children done that, or had it been the TimeKeepers?
Of what use were swords against such enchantments as this?
―Look!‖ Azhure whispered, but both Caelum and Axis were staring anyway.
Caelum shuddered, then wrenched himself out of his father‘s grasp. ―No!‖
―Caelum—‖ Axis began.
― No! ‖
―Yes!‖ StarLaughter whispered. ―Here comes DragonStar to drink your blood, fool boy!‖
Wheeling out of a galaxy of swirling stars came a figure as black as the others that had
circled the three. Save this one rode a horse, and brandished something in his hand that caught
and reflected the starlight.
Caelum screamed, a thin wail of utter terror, and turned to flee.
But the circle of children—now hawks—crowded in about him, wrapping him in their
wings, pecking at his face, his eyes.
Axis jumped to help, grabbing at legs and claws and wings, trying to free his son.
Azhure would have tried to help as well, except at the very moment that Axis leaped,
Azhure felt cruel hands grab her arms and hold her back.
―No,‖ StarLaughter whispered in her ear. ―Why not let them both die together? They will
only stand in the way of the true heir, DragonStar.‖
Azhure struggled, baring her teeth in a desperate attempt to bite her way free, but
StarLaughter countered every move Azhure made with power and mirth.
―Damn you!‖ Azhure cried.
―Nay,‖ StarLaughter said. ― You are the one who is damned. Can you not feel it?‖
Caelum was completely enveloped in feathered wings and bodies. Struggling to battle his
way in, Axis still managed to wonder in one corner of his mind how the children had
transformed themselves. They were as dangerous and powerful as StarLaughter and the Demons.
He managed to get a good grasp of one wing, and used his entire strength to tear it back.
Something screamed, and a body fell away from the writhing black pile that contained
Caelum.
Axis grabbed at another wing, but this time a horrific head rose up and pecked violently
at his face so that he was forced to stumble back, his arms covering his bleeding forehead and
cheeks.
―Axis!‖ he heard Azhure scream. ― Look! ‖
Axis raised his head, wiping blood out of his left eye—and felt his heart falter, and then
thud violently.
Thundering towards them was a massive black horse. Atop him was a man clad in
enveloping black armour, and wielding a sword in his right hand such as Axis had never seen
before.
The rider swept it through the air in great hissing arcs.
Caelum.
The word blasted through his head, and Axis saw Azhure clutch at her own skull and cry
out.
Caelum!
The horse and rider drew nearer, and Axis, even though he could see no floor where he
stood, could nevertheless feel the vibrations of the beast‘s approach.
The rider now stood in his stirrups, slowly waving the sword above his head, and Axis
heard a scream of triumph tear through his mind.
He screamed himself, battling the gut instinct to fling himself out of the way, and instead
leaped for Caelum, still struggling with the bird-children.
As Axis leaped, they all rose in the air, leaving Caelum writhing on the floor, covered in
a thin layer of blood from a myriad of scratches.
At first Axis thought it was because of his own precipitous leap, but at the moment he
gathered his son into his arms, he felt the horse‘s hooves slam down next to his head.
Instinctively he rolled closer to Caelum, gathering him into his arms—
Caelum…
―No,‖ Axis gasped. ―Don‘t listen to him! Don‘t look at—‖
Look at my face, Caelum.
And Caelum had to. He had to. He had to see the face of the being that was about to kill
him.
He twisted about in Axis‘ arms, and looked up.
The rider slowly lifted the visor of his helmet.
―Drago!‖ Caelum screamed, and then the rider‘s sword arm was flashing down, and
Caelum felt the tip of the sword slice into his chest, slice deep into his chest, and he choked on the blood and pieces of sliced tissue that filled his lungs.