#lanyx

When Lanyx, Ashio, and Qwade arrived in the courtyard near the throne room, they found both Harror and Chur waiting for them.

"Good to see you all," said Harror.

"Or as Marella would say, 'Harror you doing?'" said Ashio.

The other four Shadow Magi looked at him blankly.

"Okay," said Ashio sheepishly. "I guess you had to be there."

"And Chur?" asked Qwade. "Are you well?"

"Sharp as flint," answered Chur, "and tough as a brick."

Ashio laughed out loud, unable to stifle his glee.

"What?!?" bellowed Lanyx and Chur simultaneously.

"Oh, nothing," said Ashio, biting his fist to try to stop laughing. "Nothing at all. Really."

"Quiet, all of you," said Harror authoritatively. "The winds have changed. First of all, Agram is nowhere to be found. When he was defeated, I felt this sudden tugging of the air. It's hard to explain to non-Arderians, but it was this abrupt shift of the air, like some of the atmosphere suddenly ceased to exist. I think that maybe the space around Agram reformed to pocket him away somewhere, leaving nothing in its place. Regardless, we can't reach him at the moment. Maybe we'll never be able to. That leaves the question of who will rule."

"That's an easy one," said Lanyx.

Harror ignored him and continued. "I was in the throne room when Zet claimed it for himself. I dodged outside, looking for support, although frankly, I wasn't entirely sure whether I was in favor of his move or against it. By the time I got back, the Dark Twins had squared off against Korg and Zet. It was ugly; I just stayed low, so they'd take it out on each other. In the end, Warrada blew Zet down the hall. They fled, leaving Hrada on the throne."

"Drove Zet away?" said Ashio incredulously. "Woah, that lady's been hiding her strength."

"Morag?" asked Qwade.

"He did not take a side in that battle," said Harror. "I'm not sure where he stands. Er, floats."

"And Nagsis?" asked Qwade.

"No idea," admitted Harror. "No one has seen him. He may be trapped with Agram, but I think that's a stretch. More likely he fled like the big coward he is, and won't come out until things have stabilized. Then he'll toady up to whomever is on the throne, just like before."

"Well, that seems fairly straightforward," said Lanyx. "All those arrogant 'pure ones' have been ushered out. Serves them right for trying to lord their 'purity' over us Shadow Magi. That leaves me on the throne to blaze the trail to glory and vengeance, though not necessarily in that order."

"I think that Hrada may have a different opinion about the throne, Lanyx," observed Chur wryly.

Lanyx waved his hand dismissively. "He knows who deserves to rule," said Lanyx. I just have to give him a graceful exit. I'll thank him for disposing of the pretenders and stewarding my throne, and reward him for his faithful service. Easy enough. Let's go."

Lanyx strode arrogantly for the throne room, the other Shadow Magi following uncertainly behind. As he entered the throne room, Lanyx saw Hrada sitting on the throne, running his hands across the polished armrests and whistling appreciatively. Warrada stood behind the throne, draping her arms across it and resting her chin on its carved back. Morag hovered thoughtfully to one side; it was apparent that the arrival of the band of Shadow Magi had interrupted a discussion of some sort.

"Well, then," proclaimed Lanyx, full of bluster and authority, "I see that everything is in order. Thank you, my good Hrada, for securing the throne and holding it in stewardship for my arrival. Everyone! A round of applause for our comrade!" Behind Lanyx, the others began a rather desultory clapping. "You may step down now, Hrada, and be certain that I shall reward you appropriately for your meritorious service to me."

Hrada placed his hands on the armrests to push himself up, but Warrada smoothly placed her hands on her brother's shoulders and held him in the seat. "Why, Lanyx, dear, I thought you had come to swear fealty to the new ruler of the Core. And yet you seek to unseat him? Dear me, that's not terribly polite. But I'm sure if you apologize, we can overlook your little mistake."

"Have Hrada upon the throne of the Core?" bellowed Lanyx. "Impossible!"

Warrada giggled menacingly. "You always said you didn't know the meaning of the word 'impossible,' dear Lanyx, and, since my brother is indeed on the throne, and will stay there, you have just proven your own silly claim."

"If you do not step down from my throne," snarled Lanyx through clenched teeth, "I will take it from you, and your reward will be fire instead of power!"

Hrada made an effort to rise again, but was held firmly in place.

"Impossible," mocked Warrada. "Tell me, emperor Lanyx, will any of your followers fight for your right to rule?"

"Not likely," said Qwade, scooting for the door.

"Come back here, Qwade," said Harror, following. She made a show of trying to stop Qwade, but was strangely unable to succeed.

"Of course they'll fight for me," roared Lanyx, not so much to intimidate the Dark Twins, but more to browbeat the two remaining Shadow Magi into staying.

Ashio backed up slowly, watching Chur. Chur stood her ground, then, thinking better of it, stood her ground rather behind Lanyx, so that he would take the brunt of whatever the Dark Twins threw at them. Seeing this, Ashio sidled toward the door. Then Chur, seeing that she would be fighting alone once Lanyx fell, made for the exit, too.

Lanyx looked at the Dark Twins, then at Morag, then at the otherwise empty throne room.

He raised one finger. "Hang on for a moment," he said.

"Take all the time you need," purred Warrada. "We're not leaving."

Lanyx stepped through the doorway to fume at the other Shadow Magi, who had all taken care to get out of direct line of sight of the throne. "What is wrong with you cowards?" he hissed.

"Nothing at all," said Harror reasonably. "At the moment, we're all rather quite healthy."

"I'm not," whined Qwade.

"Are we going to let those arrogant Naroom clowns take my throne?"

Silence.

"We are five to their two," hissed Lanyx. "Five to three if Morag fights for them, which I doubt he will. We can easily destroy them."

"Yeah, probably, we could," said Harror, looking at the other three.

"Then let's destroy them!"

Silence again met Lanyx's words.

"Right. We're agreed," said Lanyx confidently. "Let's go."

"You go first," said Ashio.

"Yeah," added Qwade. "You think I'm always saying 'me first,' well now I'm saying 'you first.' So you first!"

"Fine, you cowards!" snarled Lanyx. "Follow me!" He strode into the throne room, bellowing a challenge. "Hrada! Prepare to meet--"

There was a sudden massive blast of energy flaring past the door frame, and Lanyx flew back out of the throne room past the other four Shadow Magi, bouncing several times down the hallway to land in a heap against the wall. His head fell to the floor with a klok! sound.

Ashio couldn't control it any longer; he started to laugh uproariously, helplessly holding his sides as he sank to the floor.

The other Shadow Magi stared at Lanyx, then at Ashio, then back at Lanyx.

"You heard what he said," said Chur over Ashio's laughter. "Follow him!"

"Okay," said Qwade, and rapidly retreated down the hall, away from the throne room. "Here I am, boss," he said to the unconscious Lanyx. "I'll just go this way, okay?" And he moved on out of sight.

Harror and Chur stared at each other across the hall for a while, each trying to will the other to go into the throne room first. Neither did.

"Oh, well," said Chur at last. "I wasn't going to get the throne, anyway."

Harror nodded, and they went down the hall, passed Lanyx, and followed Qwade.

Ashio brought up the rear, laughing so hard he had to crawl down the hallway. He paused when he got to Lanyx, he paused, raised Lanyx's head about an inch off the floor, and let it drop. Klok!

The jolt brought Lanyx to a groggy consciousness. "Whaaaaat?" he blearily asked as he saw Ashio looming over him, laughing. Ashio declined to comment but began to follow the other three.

And so the last two Shadow Magi crawled away, one laughing and one groaning.

---

Weapons of Darkness, Part 1 by Edward Bolme from an idea by Jimmer Sivertsen

"Pruning a tree makes it grow stronger and healthier. Hammering a sword on an anvil makes it sharper and stronger. Boxing and wrestling make our warriors more able to fight. In short, construction requires destruction; therefore I have done nothing wrong."

Lanyx stood at the center of a large volcanic caldera, surrounded by the Magi of the Cald. The judges stood at positions of prominence around him, scowling.

Ashgar, the head judge, thumped his staff and spoke. "Your actions have brought war upon us, and the other regions turn against us."

Lanyx laughed. "Ours is the way of sword and fire," he said, "the way of the warrior!"

Ashgar was unmoved. "A warrior seeks combat, and fights with honor and valor. A warrior does not seek out and burn farmhouses and fields of grain, a warrior does not terrorize small children and scatter the weak before him."

Lanyx spread his arms wide and raised his chin defiantly. "The strongest warrior has no equal, all are weaklings to be scattered like leaves!"

"ENOUGH!" bellowed Ashgar. "You are strong in the ways of fire, your dreams are powerful, but equally great is your careless disregard for everyone around you. Strength and honor must remain in balance; you, Lanyx, have chosen the one and ignored the other. Therefore we pass sentence upon you. You will do penance for--"

Ashgar stopped in midsentence as Barak, Elder of Cald, got up from his throne.

"There will be no penance," said Barak. "For there to be penance, there must be sorrow, and Lanyx has none."

"There! You see?" snorted Lanyx, sneering at Ashgar and the other judges. "Even Barak knows I have done nothing wrong. You're jealous, Ashgar, and it clouds your mind!"

Barak stood before Lanyx, his arms crossed over his powerful chest. "Ashgar's mind is not the clouded one, Lanyx," he said. "I think the fumes have gone to your head. Nothing less will teach you the lesson you must learn, so I strip you of your title in the Cald Council and banish you from our lands. Go now, and think upon your life."

Lanyx stared at Barak, stunned.

"GO!" shouted Barak.

Lanyx turned and snarled. "You fear my power, Barak!" he spat. "Clutch tightly to your throne, for when I return I shall see Cald in ruins!"

With that, he swept off into the night.

* * * * *

For years Lanyx stalked the Moonlands, picking fights to vent his anger and frustration. He was not welcomed anywhere he went, but this he assumed was because everyone was envious of his abilities... and had nothing at all to do with the havoc and destruction that he brought with him.

One day, Lanyx heard a rumor of a great black geyser and the unstoppable Magi and Creatures that slithered forth from it. More powerful than me? thought Lanyx. Preposterous. He immediately set out to investigate; the idea of being cautious never even crossed his mind.

What he found was a streaming column of darkness spewing into the sky, visible for miles as he approached. The energy was tangible even at a long distance, filling the land with a palpable chill, one that shivered the soul.

The geyser occupied a clearing that was clearly of its own making. Mangled trees and the ruins of a farmhouse were scattered about like driftwood after an Orothean storm. He saw a gathering of Magi on the outskirts of the clearing battling some shadowy nightmare creatures that had erupted from the Geyser. Kalius circled above the fray, desperately conjuring half-formed dream creatures to keep the dark beasts at bay, but then a flight of three monsters that looked something like rotting Arbolls flashed out from the geyser and charged him. They approached the Arderial Magi and erupted in gouts of vile energy, sending him crashing to the ground.

The shadow creatures paused to gloat at this victory, but the distraction gave Ebylon enough time to work his magic. At his command, a small trough of water rushed upwards, becoming a tidal wave of monstrous proportions.

"Hey, now, is that really fair?" asked Ulk as the water smashed down on two of the shadow creatures. In an instant, creatures and water alike vanished in a twinkling of animite. With but one giant green humanoid left, Ulk dreamed up an athik and send it oozing forward. The blubbery shadow beast tried to pound on it, but the athik's spiny shell proved a great deterrent, and its boneless body showed no damage from being pummeled. At last athik wrapped the shadow creature and squeezed, until it, too, vanished, leaving the clearing empty.

Suddenly all was quiet, save only the unhealthy hum of the geyser.

Lanyx strode boldly past the other Magi gathered nearby. When they looked at him, he sensed they were tired, fearful, exhausted. Lanyx pretended not to notice them as he approached the column of cold darkness. He felt the power within, and he wanted to have that power for himself. With fire and darkness he would bring Cald to its knees, claim his rightful position on Barak's throne, and reform Cald in his own image, making it a true warrior's nation. But first, he had to claim the power.

Streams of energy and hate swirled around him as he stepped into the geyser. His hair whipped around his face, blinding him momentarily, and he found it difficult to move through the thick, cold air that seemed to try to push him back out. He persevered, lurching forward with one arm across his eyes, and suddenly the gale ceased and he stumbled forward to his knees.

He shook his head to clear it, and saw that another Magi was standing over him, studying him carefully. He was large, misshapen, grotesque. Powerful. Two shryques perched nearby, hideous malformed birds gazing at Lanyx with hungry intent.

Lanyx stood slowly, moving with a careless disregard that he hoped would convince this newcomer that he was unafraid.

The mysterious Magi saw through the façade easily. He laughed a deep gravelly laugh, and his shryques seemed to laugh with him, their high reedy caws a bizarre counterpoint to the basso voice. "My name is Nagsis," he said easily. "You are nervous, it seems, because I can see your knees tremble. But you are also curious, aren't you? I can see it in your eyes. This is something different for you, isn't it? Would you like me to show you more, show you the power that created this Shadow Geyser? Shall I show you how you can have this power for yourself? It's easy..." Lanyx nodded, though his malevolent grin faded under the renewed cackling of the shryques.

* * * * *

When Lanyx emerged from the Shadow Geyser once more, he was utterly changed. His skin was an unhealthy pallor, his bones and muscles protested every move. He had to keep his limbs wrapped tightly with cloth to numb the pain. But he had been compensated; his eyes glowed with power and understanding.

He had encountered true power in the Core, learned it at the hands of Agram, himself a legend thought lost to time.

Although none of Agram's court knew it, Lanyx had hated that experience. He hated that Agram was more powerful than he, and he hated having to humble himself and become a student again. He felt like a tool in the hands of Agram. But he chose to remain in that role, be Agram's sword, for a sword has two edges, and can attack the one who wields it as easily as anyone. And one day, he would attack Agram and defeat him. That day was not yet, but he had taken the first steps.

He had learned to control the shadows. Now the power was his.

There had been a price, of course. Shadow and fire cannot easily exist together, and as he embraced the shadows he could feel the fires slip from his grasp. Only a fraction of his Cald heritage remained in him.

No matter. He would get it back.