Two weeks later, William sat upon a stone wall, playing music for Massacre. The notes were coming off his harp without him even noticing. He waited for Tanith to call for him and was less than impatient. The chimera was lying on her back, basking in the sun, and did not seem to mind that he was not using the Goldenwood Harp. It helped him forget what had been happening. Two weeks of blood and death. Plunging into the depths of raishan nests alongside Tanith and Kusher. Two weeks of playing his harp until he was afraid he would break it.

Two weeks.

He'd seen a lot of horrible things in this time. Villages depopulated were the most common. Those who once dwelled in them had fled or died beneath the scythes of the raishans. Even those they got to in time had masses of wounded he had to heal. And plenty of dead. He no longer accompanied the strike force into the raishan nests these days. He'd had one too many near misses. Anyone else could be replaced, but his connection to the divine could not. Less easily, anyway.

Rusara was sitting beside him. She had appeared out of nowhere, as usual. He looked up to where she was gazing at him carefully.

"I wish there was more I could do," he said.

"You are doing as much as you can, William," said Rusara. "We must all play our part."

"Yes, but it isn't enough," said William. "People are still dying."

"It might be worse," mused Rusara. "I expected I would hear the news that Krishiv and all its people had been massacred without us. Fortunately, they held out as long as they did."

"I expect the Calishans will start another war after this one," mused William.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not," said Rusara. "I received news from your father."

"Yes?" asked William.

"Vanion is sending reinforcements as we speak. He is gathering an army from the Harlenorian Kingdoms," said Rusara. "The Kings of Harlenor have all the records on the raishans. If they are wise, they will respond."

"What do you think they will do?" asked William.

Rusara considered the question. "Tyus Vortegex, the King of Escor, will send nothing himself; his position is unstable. I do not know him, but if he is wise, he may call adventurers and mercenaries to go west to fight raishans. That will get the violent young men out of the country and decrease the chances of civil war.

"King Andoa is well disposed to Duke Vanion. He will believe him. However, he has already dispatched troops to Artarq, so he will be slow to escalate."

"And what of my land?" asked William. "What of Haldren?"

"I fear they will send nothing at all," said Rusara.

"You can't be serious, Lady Rusara," said William. "I know King Gavin regards Father as a rival, but he must see the trouble."

"He will see a lack of profit to be made," said Rusara. "And he will see something else. That Vanion might have his unassailable reputation for victory dented. I'm afraid people can be shortsighted about these things."

"The men have been talking about that," said William. Most people want more than glory in war. They want money and wealth and slaves. And no one is getting that here.

"What about the Calishans? How are Father's negotiations going?"

"He is making great progress," said Rusara. "Baltoth does see the need. He has a living memory of the last raishan invasion. A large Calishan army is on its way to his allies in Khasmir. We've agreed to stay out of each other's way for now, and they've already won several major victories."

"Most armies would be defeated," mused William. "After the number of victories we've had, they should have already lost. Will we have to destroy every last raishan?"

"Eventually, yes," said Rusara. "Fortunately, we managed to catch them before they became too formidable. We've already freed most of those they brought with them, which limits the size of the forces they can muster.

"Unless they can gain significant victories very soon, their days are numbered."

"Do you think we'll fight them again?" asked William.

"It is possible," mused Rusara. "It depends on many factors." She looked down at his harp. "I notice you are using a different harp from usual."

"Yes," said William, "I wanted to see if Massacre enjoyed my music when I wasn't using the Goldenwood Harp."

"Is this about what Kusher said to you back in the meteor?" asked Rusara.

"Yes," said William. "I'm afraid I'll end up stunting my growth."

"Well, I applaud using an ordinary harp in the circumstances," said Rusara. "It shows you are taking things seriously. And there was some truth in his words. Kusher is far more intelligent than you'd think at first glance."

At that moment, Felix got back. The boy ran up to the wall and nearly tripped over Massacre. He stepped on her tail, and Massacre let out a yowl as she stood up. Felix backed up as the chimera glared daggers at him.

"Easy girl," said William, scratching her behind the ears, "what news, Felix?"

"They are ready for you," said Felix.

"Right," said William. "Come on, Massacre." He handed Felix his harp. "Take this back to the village chief. Then catch up with us."

"Understood," said Felix.

William donned his helmet. Together, he and Rusara made their way out of the village. Felix caught up to them as they got to the cave's mouth.

The cave had been delved into the edge of a plateau and blocked up with stones. They'd searched for days to find it, but Massacre had located it in a few hours. Judging by the raishan corpses lining the inside, it was safe.

William walked into it, following the tunnel down into the earth, pausing only to summon light. As they walked, they began to hear voices.

"Do you know what the worst thing about fighting Raishans is?" He heard Kusher say.

"The lack of plunder," said Tanith.

"The money is a small concern. No real warrior concerns themselves with it more than they have to," said Kusher. "I mean the real worst thing. They always do everything the same. We've had three battles with these things, and in every one of them, they charge head-on and die in droves. It's a paltry sport.

"Do they want to die?"

"They might," mused Tanith. "They are the souls of the damned after us. Maybe they want to be released."

"How pleasant for them," said Kusher. "But I want variety in the things I kill. Even the defenses in this nest were weak. Rusara burned through them easily, and then we cut down the rest in a melee. There is no more fun in slaughtering these damn animals."

They rounded the corner and found Tanith and Kusher sitting near dozens of dead raishans. Their men were there as well. And beyond them were hundreds upon hundreds of eggs. Just looking at them hurt William's eyes. He could practically hear the souls within screaming for release.

Tanith glanced up. "William, there you are. Where have you been?"

"Is there anyone in need of healing?" asked William.

"Our healer saw to them," said Tanith. "It's nothing serious. Get rid of these eggs for now."

"As you wish," said William.

"Remind me again why we can't just smash these damn things?" muttered Kusher.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"Destroying the eggs is only a temporary solution," said William. "The souls corrupted within them would not be purified. Instead, they would go to the nearest raishan nest and be reincarnated there. If I purify them, the souls will go on to their next life, free of the-"

"Never mind, I'm not interested," muttered Kusher. "Just destroy them already."

William unslung the Goldenwood Harp and began to play it. As the music filled the chamber, he felt the raishans with his mind. They were in pain, tormented spirits trying to escape, and he felt no resistance from them. He could feel the spells upon the raishans weakening, feel the souls going free.

Then he felt something else. It was a glimmer of intellect, and he suddenly felt anger. As he played, William found himself thinking over how often he had done this. How many nests of raishans had he put down? How many souls had he freed? How much had he interfered with the plans of whoever was behind this?

He did not know why, but he felt an impotent fury. What was the result of all this effort?

What was he thinking? The result was the destruction of the raishans and the salvation of souls. That was his purpose here, wasn't it? William suddenly felt he was not entirely who he thought he was.

Then it was gone. The eggs around him had shattered and disappeared into the cave floor. This always happened. He always felt strange after making contact with the raishan's mind. "I wish others could take my place in all this," muttered William. "I'd much rather be fighting with a sword."

"You'll get your chances soon enough, Will," said Tanith. "Where has Felix got to?"

"I'm here," said Felix over by the wall. He was listening against it and tapping it experimentally. "This wall is hollow and is a crack where something could slip under here."

"Really?" asked Rusara. "Step back, and we'll soon see."

Felix obeyed. Rusara snapped her fingers. An explosion of green flame flared, and the wall melted before their eyes. William shielded his eyes from the light, feeling the feet on his face.

"Lady Rusara, I didn't know you could burn stone," said Tanith.

"It is more difficult, but in my experience, with enough heat, you can burn just about anything." mused Rusara.

William made his way forward toward the way in. Raising his light, he entered into the passage. Within, he saw yet another cluster of eggs. The raishans must have hidden them here, hoping to avoid their eyes.

He looked at the walls. "Strange, it looks almost as though something doused these walls in acid." mused William. "No matter." He glanced up. "More eggs. I'll get to work on them right-"

"Look out!" cried Felix.

William ducked, and just in time. A glob of green liquid spat over his head and crashed into the wall, melting it away. William drew out his sword and turned to see a massive raishan descending from the ceiling. It had four scythe arms and two sets of mandibles, and he scarcely had time to raise his shield before it slashed at him.

The force against the shield was like a thunderbolt. He staggered back and took a stance. William could hear battle cries from the other chamber, but he had no time to wonder. He warded off blow after blow, trying to get his sword out. Finally, he managed it, and the beast slammed him against the wall.

He felt the impact and slumped to the ground. The monster opened its mandibles and leaned in close. He rolled away quickly and just in time as yet more acid was spat against the wall. He brought down his sword and hit the beast on the head. The blade cut deep, but not deep enough. Drawing it out, William struck again and again.

Finally, the beast's head was cut from its shoulders, and the body lay still.

The sound of battle had ended, and he made his way out to find the others. Several more of the men had died in the fighting, and there were dozens of raishans around them. Tanith's breastplate was hissing and burning in several places.

"Are you alright?" asked William.

"Yes," said Tanith. "My armor caught the worst of it." She glanced up. "Rusara, you're the expert on these things. Why did they suddenly gain the power to spit acid?"

"Raishans grow more powerful the older they are," said Rusara. "As the soul becomes more corrupted, the beast can access more of its power. I suspect we have been fighting younger raishans until now, and these were some of the older ones."

"Well, at least killing them will be more interesting now," muttered Tanith.

"I'll start breaking the spell," said William.

"Not yet," said Rusara. "You play too important a role in this army to be risked for just anything. Tanith searched that whole passage. When you are done, William will free the spirits of those within."

The men moved off, and William and Felix approached. William could feel his heart still beating hard from the fighting. Sweat dripped down his brow. He'd need to get used to this.

"Lady Rusara, isn't this a bit futile?" asked Felix suddenly.

"How do you mean?" asked Rusara.

"We only managed to purge a few of the nests within the meteors before they spread to the outside world," said Felix. "Now, they are establishing new nests throughout the land. And we're starting to face more dangerous ones. We might just be delaying the inevitable if they keep laying eggs."

"You needn't fear, Felix," said Rusara. "Raishans cannot create souls, only twist them into their image. Every time William or another holy man destroys a nest, their number of souls diminishes. They can only increase it by capturing the souls of the living or drawing more souls from hell.

"For the first, it takes a great deal of time to twist a soul into a raishan; the less wicked the person, the harder it is. We likely freed many of those they were attempting to subvert here. As for the second, it would take a direct connection to the hells to do that."

"I don't understand why they would appear in those meteors," said William. "Couldn't they just have someone summon them?"

"Raishans are not an intelligent breed of demon," said Rusara. "They usually play the role of servants to a higher power. I doubt they could have arranged their summoning. As for the meteors, it was rather clever. Demons cannot enter areas where the gods hold sway unless a mortal summons them.

"But if those meteors came from a place where no god held sway? Then, they might appear freely. They must have burrowed into them, then set them in motion to strike this world." Then she paused. "No, something would still need to draw them here to enter their domain.

"They were still summoned. Just not here."

"Kusher, are there any nexuses of powerful unholy energy in Khasmir that you know of?" asked William.

"How in Kreshlak's name should I know?!" asked Kusher. "We satyrs do not concern ourselves with such weak things as magic!"

"Of course," said William. "I apologize for making assumptions."

There was silence for a moment. "Relg may know more," said Kusher reluctantly. "He has an interest in such things."

"Then, I'll be sure to speak with him," said William. Didn't most satyrs concern themselves with such things?

"Lady Rusara, we've searched the whole passage," said Tanith. "The eggs are now unguarded."

"Excellent work," said Rusara. "William, play your part."

William did it again. But this time, it was far harder. The souls within these eggs were not fighting against their imprisonment. They were almost attached to it, and when he tried to break their chains, they thrashed and tore at him. It hurt him, and he had to withdraw his mind initially.

William made another attempt. The creatures clawed at his mind, and there was a horrible resolve. They clung to their slavery and defended it ferally. However, he had his power, and Elranor was his help. He wrestled them free and shattered the spells.

It was over.

"We're done here," said William. "The spirits have been pacified."

They burned their dead {After taking their valuables, of course.} and made their way out. Tanith stretched as they entered the sunlight and let out a happy sigh. "Finally, we're out of that hole!"

"I thought you liked fighting, Tanith," said Felix.

"Of course I do," said Tanith. "That doesn't mean I like going into cramped caves. Fighting in them is hard. And I hate not making a profit."

"Being a warrior is not about profit," said Kusher, looking unsteady. "It is about cutting down one's enemies and spilling their blood on the fields of their home."

"Well, obviously, but profit is nice all the same," said Tanith.

They were tired. William didn't blame them. It seemed like they had been doing this for an eternity. He looked to Rusara. "Lady Rusara, I'd like to ask you a question, and I'd appreciate it if you told me the answer without embellishment."

"What is it, William?" asked Rusara.

"Are we winning?" asked William.

"Yes," said Rusara. "Yet our victory is at the edge of a cliff. If you or any other holy men are killed, things could turn against us. As things stand, I think we will have destroyed the raishans within a few months. If the situation changes, the war could last years.

"That is why you must not rush into anything."

"I understand," said William.

That night, they ate well in the hall of the grateful chieftain. Many of his warriors had accompanied them. The chieftain himself had stayed behind due to an injury. As they ate and drank, warriors told stories of their exploits. Some were on this battlefield, others in the distant past. William didn't have much to add; he had played his harp, and what people wanted to hear about was blood and death.

As things calmed down, he saw Kusher and Tanith speaking alone to one side. Kusher was showing Tanith a talisman in the shape of a hammer. "You see this?" asked the satyr. "This is a symbol of Kreshlak. Those who bear it are marked as true warriors. He wants you to have this."

"Me?" asked Tanith. "How do you know?"

"I saw a vision last night," said Kusher, "I dreamed I was standing in a field of bloody corpses. Thousands lay dead on the ground of battle. I saw a figure leading the armies of Kreshlak into battle in glorious carnage. They devastated a thousand worlds.

"The figure I saw was you. But not as you are now."

"Have you been drinking?" asked Tanith.

"No," said Kusher. "Well, yes, but the point is that you should take up the worship of Kreshlak."

"I serve Elranor," said Tanith.

"As do I," said Kusher, "but someone may serve two gods. Kreshlak is far more after your heart."

"After your heart, maybe," said Tanith. "I serve Elranor."

"You know better," said Kusher. "I've seen you in battle, how you throw yourself into the fighting. You love it more than even I do. The death, the risk, the worthy enmity. What harm can there be in serving a god who understands you?"

Tanith looked at the amulet for a long moment. She reached out for it. For a moment, William thought she would draw it back. Then she took it. "Well, I don't see the harm. Thanks." She tied the amulet around her neck. "All I have to do is keep doing what I already do."

"Precisely," said Kusher. "All who lust for battle serve Kreshlak, just as all who love justice serve Elranor. I am glad you have joined us."

William arose and departed the hall and walked to sit down on the steps of the great hall. The strange presence he had felt within the raishans troubled him. It had been like a voice that had been whispering in his mind. Whispering until he thought it was his own. He hadn't been feeling like himself for a moment.

"What is wrong?" asked Felix.

"Nothing," said William.

"No," said Felix, "it is not nothing. I know you?"

"I've been staring into the abyss a lot," said William. "I hate being in contact with those monsters. It's just an endless hunger and hatred which drives them."

"Well-" began Felix.

Whatever words of comfort or wisdom Felix might have said were never spoken. There was a sudden beating of wings, and a black blur landed before them on one knee and one hand. A familiar demoness looked up at him. "Good evening, dear."

"You-" began William.

Then she punched him in the face, and everything went black.