Eternal Darkness (The Passage of Hellsfire, Book 4)

By Marc Johnson

The wizard Hellsfire is dead. Hellsfire is now an ordinary mortal, weakened and powerless. But two people are seeking him out: one wants to save him and one wants revenge.

Bryce is seeking retribution for the slaughter of his family. Running his blade through Hellsfire is the only way to fill the empty hole in his heart. He failed before. He won’t fail again.

Eager to explore her blossoming powers, Alyssa receives a vision from the gods telling her to go to Hellsfire. He may be the only one who can teach her to harness her magic. With no family ties, she’s ready to leave the only home she’s ever known to rescue a man she barely knows.

Hellsfire still has a crucial role to play in the fate of the realm—if he survives and remembers who he is. Will he regain his powers and his sense of purpose before it’s too late?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marc Johnson
• Release date: Dec 16, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463588321

Book preview

Hellsfire rubbed his hands together, breathing into them for warmth. He shivered. The heat he had felt his entire life must have been a side effect of his power, and he had never realized it. He stared into his empty hand and made a fist. The leather gloves he wore weren’t nearly warm enough for this weather. Closing his eyes, he sighed.

Concentrate, he said to himself.

Pushing aside the bitter chill, he reached out to the fire mana that had always been a part of him. A flicker of warmth and comfort usually greeted him when he did so. Instead he was left with—

Nothing, he said.

His magic was gone, and no matter how many times he did the simple exercises he had learned, he was cut off from his magic and from the rest of the world.

A thick pine tree stood near Hellsfire. He balled his hands into fists, feeling the anger swell within him. Letting loose the anger, he struck the tree again and again until his numb knuckles ached beneath the padding in his gloves, and his anger dissipated with each frosty breath he took.

Every time Hellsfire moved his fingers, the pain coursed through his hands. He knew what he had done was stupid, but he couldn’t help himself. The magic had always been part of him, and without it, he was all alone. He still couldn’t be with Krystal without killing her, and he had dismissed his guards as soon as he was back in Northern Shala.

It was just him and the blasted cold.

A growl crept through his stomach. For the past few days, he had rationed his food, as his supplies were getting low. Hellsfire had enough money, but the frigid weather had slowed down his travels, and he wasn’t a hunter. Yet his journey was at an end. The small village that had been his destination was finally in sight.

As Hellsfire approached the village, he saw smoke. He had glimpsed it earlier and assumed it was from fires to keep the cold at bay. As he drew closer, something illuminated the sky. Fires roared throughout the village, consuming the houses. As the villagers tried to put the fires out, others ran with torches in their hands.

Bandits.

Hellsfire paused and looked away. Without his magic, he couldn’t do anything to stop the destruction. All he had was his father’s dagger, and he wasn’t a fighter.

The wind carried a child’s scream. When Hellsfire turned around, he saw a young boy trapped in one of the fiery buildings, screaming for help. No one seemed to notice. The bandits terrorized the village, and its residents struggled to put out the fires.

Without thinking, Hellsfire rushed toward the village and to the small boy. He ran down the hill, slogging through the snow up to his knees. Without his magic there was only one way he was going to free that child. He just hoped that the fire had weakened the wood enough for this to work.

A large brute stood in Hellsfire’s way, surveying the carnage. If Hellsfire went around him, he would lose the momentum he had gained running down the hill. Luckily, the man’s back was to him, and Hellsfire knew what he had to do.

Hellsfire wasn’t a strong man, especially compared to the stranger, but he knocked him to the ground before slamming into the door of the house. His shoulder buckled with pain as the door split open. He let out an agonized yelp before gagging on all the smoke. His eyes watered and he bent down, gasping for air. The heat crept up his arms and through his body, penetrating the thick winter furs he had on.

Focus. He was here for a reason. He had to find that boy.

Hellsfire had a hard time seeing through the thick smoke and his watery eyes. The sound of crackling fire flooded his ears, and the heat seared him. Yet he didn’t let that stop him. He held his arm against his mouth, searching for the boy.

There! The boy had collapsed on the floor, six feet from Hellsfire. Hellsfire rushed to him, gagging as he picked him up, the smoke working its way into his lungs. The unconscious boy felt so heavy. Hellsfire coughed with each step he took, as he carried him to the door.

When Hellsfire reached the entrance, the cold air seeped into his lungs and washed over his face. He stumbled five feet before putting the boy on the ground. Sweat poured down him as he gasped for the frigid air. He crouched over and wiped the soot from the child’s face, relieved to hear him breathing.

He allowed himself a small smile. Maybe he didn’t need his powers to continue doing good in the world.

With all the surrounding chaos, Hellsfire was going to have to take care of the child until he could find his parents. A large shadow fell over Hellsfire and the child. As he turned around, the large man he had knocked down earlier towered over him.

Before Hellsfire could stand up or draw his dagger, the man’s powerful fist struck him. As the pain overtook him, Hellsfire didn’t have any regrets over saving that boy’s life. But he did regret not seeing his beloved Krystal one last time.

CHAPTER 2

It had taken Bryce far too long to reach the wizard’s hometown of Sedah. He hugged his horse for body heat, watching the people go by bundled up in layers of clothes and furs. I hate this land and its infernal weather, Bryce muttered to himself. The gods have forsaken this land. He made a note to get more layers of clothing. Bryce had left his warm home in the South for one reason…

Hellsfire, he whispered, clenching his hand into a fist.

After the debacle of failing to kill Hellsfire in Fairhaven, Bryce had decided to track him to Northern Shala. It wasn’t like there was anything left for Bryce in Tyree. Not after Hellsfire had killed his family in that final battle.

Charred bodies, frozen in twisted positions, had been scattered all over the blackened and cracked battlefield, as far as the eye could see. Burning flesh lingered in Bryce’s nose, even now. All because of Hellsfire’s blasted magic.

Bryce’s fingers found the hilt of his sword. The sword, which had been in his family for generations, had been enchanted to fight against such magic. Yet he had failed in using it to avenge his family. Instead of using it to its fullest potential, he had wielded it like a blunt instrument to strike Hellsfire in his sleep at the old school. Bryce’s sister and brother had died before they got a chance to show him how to utilize it to the fullest.

That was then. Now he had a plan.

Bryce had decided to travel to Sedah because, since Hellsfire had taken away his family, it was only fair that he take away Hellsfire’s.

He stood in front of the stables where he had left his horse. He had expected the hometown of a wizard of Hellsfire’s caliber to be bigger. Sedah was just like all the other villages he had passed on his journey. Yet there was one thing that separated it from the dozens of unremarkable layovers.

Even before Bryce had arrived in Sedah, he had glimpsed a towering structure. Not even the snow squatting on top of it could stop the dazzling stained glass windows from shining when the sun hit it. It had to be the oldest thing in the village. What was it doing here, in the middle of nowhere? Sedah held no significance that Bryce knew of.

While he had little interest in that building, Bryce had learned that most of the townspeople gathered here for prayer, and this is where he would find the person he was looking for.

Bryce had discovered that Hellsfire didn’t have much of a family. He had only a mother, which was one more person in his life than Bryce had. Bryce had thought about striking back at Princess Krystal, the woman Hellsfire loved, but that would be nigh impossible for someone like him. Magical sword or no, he wouldn’t be able to get past all of her guards, plus she was a fighter herself. Instead it would have to be Hellsfire’s mother, Damara. First he would have to figure out who that was.

He thought about asking around Sedah but, in a small village, word of a stranger asking about her would quickly spread. She had to be here, at the temple. If not, he would have to ask around town.

Bryce stood underneath a lone pine tree, close enough to watch the front of the church entrance. Snow settled in around him, and he tried not to shiver from the cold seeping into him. He let his hatred for Hellsfire burn inside him for warmth as he waited for the service to be over.

His mind wandered to what was going on inside the opulent building. As far as he knew, those in Sedah served the one God. What difference was there between them and those who served many gods? He snorted. It didn’t matter much to him. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in the gods. He had seen too much magic in Tyree to not believe in them. It’s just that he had no use for them after they had let his family die.

Finally, Bryce muttered to himself as the church bells rang. As the townspeople filed out of church, Bryce scanned them like an owl. He didn’t know what Damara looked like, but he knew enough. She was middle-aged, not married, and didn’t have any other children. With that alone, he should be able to figure out who she was. And if that wasn’t enough, Hellsfire was bound to look like her. And he would never forget Hellsfire’s face as long as he lived.

Dozens of people gathered outside the entrance. Bryce ached to crane his neck but kept still. He smiled, thinking of his older sister’s voice. When they were younger, Emily would chide him about always fidgeting. But she wasn’t here now. Emily also used to say, The key to defeating one’s enemy is to know him.

Too many people were clustered around each other. Bryce couldn’t tell who belonged with whom. He stifled a yawn, thinking that there should have been an easier way. He was about to give up when he spotted a middle-aged woman breaking away from the group. It might be her, but he needed to be sure. If he was wrong, he might have lost her.

The woman turned around, wiping away a leaf that had fallen on her. That’s all it took for Bryce to see the resemblance to Hellsfire.

Bryce never took his eyes off Damara but kept a safe distance and tried to make it look like he wasn’t following her. Luckily for him, she went back into the heart of Sedah and to the marketplace, along with a few other people.

As he stalked her, he went over the plan in his mind. First he would find out where Damara lived. Then he would tell her all the things her son had done to Bryce and his family. And finally…he would kill her. Bryce would take no joy in it, and he wouldn’t torture her. The scales had to be balanced, but Damara’s death wouldn’t bring his family back.

While Bryce tracked Damara, he couldn’t help but feel like he was being followed. Every time he glanced behind him, his stalker seemed to vanish. Groups of families, young and old, were also headed toward the marketplace.

Bryce shook his head. Sedah was a small village, and no one knew why he was in town. He was being paranoid. Bryce had made a life-changing decision to leave his homeland, with what little money his family had left him and hunt down Hellsfire in a strange land alone. And yet he didn’t know what to do next. The only thing Bryce knew was that his life couldn’t move forward until Hellsfire was made to pay for what he had done.

And yet a small part of him wondered if Hellsfire had hired protection for his mother. He had enough money, and it was certainly what Bryce would have done if he had made as many enemies as Hellsfire had.

When they reached the marketplace, Bryce slid off to a shadowy corner, keeping an eye on her. Damara moved from stall to stall, buying meat, bread, and vegetables. The basket in her arms was full of food. She engaged in conversation with each person she bought from, and the sellers never argued or yelled at her. In fact, they always seemed to be smiling whatever she said to them.

A little child ran away from her older brother as he terrorized her, pretending to be a monster. As she raced away, laughing, she bumped into Damara’s knees. The loaf of bread Damara had bought fell into the dirt. The girl started to cry, but Damara told her everything was all right. Then Damara tore the bread in half and gave the girl the clean part. The brother caught up to them, apologizing and thanking Damara before chasing his sister away once more.

Bryce sighed. It was at that moment that he realized he couldn’t harm her. He didn’t know her; he would never know her, but he knew enough about her. Damara was a mother. She had no part in his war. Hellsfire might not know the difference, but Bryce did.

That left Bryce even more unsure of what to do.

Why are you so interested in Damara? a voice asked from behind.

Bryce spun around, his hand going to the hilt of this sword. A cloaked stranger with his hood covering his face stared at him with beady, watchful eyes. Bryce wanted to curse himself for not only being followed, but allowing this man to sneak up on him. He should have been more careful in Hellsfire’s hometown. He had grown too lax in his journey into Northern Shala. He was going to have to be far more careful from now on.

What do you want? Bryce asked.

I was curious about the stranger who’s following Damara.

Bryce’s eyes flickered back to Damara, who was walking away. If he lost her now, it would take him far longer to find her, and he might have to ask people about her. That could alert her to his presence. While he had decided not to kill her, she must have valuable information about her only son.

When he turned back to look at the stranger, he saw his intense gaze. There was something this man wanted. That much was for sure. But what?

The stranger glanced over his shoulder. I have to go. Meet me at midnight behind the inn.

Before Bryce could answer, the man left, and when he turned to see Damara, she too was gone. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was going to have trust this stranger to tell him what he needed to know, at least for the time being.

----

Bryce paced behind the inn, in the low torchlight, rubbing his hands together for warmth. He couldn’t see anything in the enveloping darkness. It had been nearly half an hour, and the man still wasn’t here. Bryce shivered, rubbing his shoulders for warmth, wondering if he had walked into a trap.

Thank God you’re still here, the man said from the shadows.

Bryce rubbed his frosted nose, as he came into the light. He didn’t see any weapons on the stranger, but he still had a feeling the man was dangerous.

I have information about Hellsfire that you should know, the stranger said.

Bryce kept one eye on him and one eye on the darkness around him, still unsure if he should trust him. No one gave information for free. There was always a price. What would his price be, and would Bryce pay it?

What do you want? Bryce asked.

Revenge, the man said, his voice as cold as the air around them. Just like you. And I can see you’re the man who can do it.

Bryce eyed him, his body tensing. And how do you know what I want?

Why else would you follow Damara? I saw the way you looked at her. That is not the face of a friend.

Bryce realized he would have to do a better job of concealing his emotions. Yet this wasn’t the time. He matched the stranger’s look of anger, still keeping his fingers near his sword.

And what did Hellsfire do to you? Bryce asked.

This!

The man pulled back his hood, exposing his face. Half of his face had been scarred. The wounds had healed but were unnaturally smooth. Fire. Those scars would be with him forever.

The stranger pulled his hood back up and clenched his fists. I always knew something was wrong with Hellsfire even before he had powers. He looked away, talking more to himself than to Bryce.

For years I’ve prayed to God that I would one day have my chance at Hellsfire. But he was too powerful. I could never hope to take on a wizard. Yet my prayers have finally been answered. The stranger seemed to remember that Bryce was there and stared at him; his smile was unnerving. You’ll get no better opportunity than now. He’s at his most vulnerable.

What do you mean?

He’s lost all his powers. He’s defenseless.

Bryce stepped closer. How do you know all this?

Years ago, my wife and Hellsfire had a…relationship. They remain…friends, though not by my choice. The stranger held out a piece of paper. It’s a letter from Hellsfire to her. My wife doesn’t know that I took it or that I even know about the letter.

Bryce read it, surprised at how intimately Hellsfire had written to another man’s wife. It told Bryce of where Hellsfire was heading—Tyree from the Burning Sands, to try to regain his powers.

Bryce stared into the surrounding night, possibilities opening in his mind. Bryce could either return to Tyree and wait, or since he was in Northern Shala, he could track him and find him along the way there. The infernal winter would either hinder or help him.

Thank you, Bryce said, extending his hand.

To Bryce’s surprise, the stranger didn’t take it; he just glared at him.

I don’t need your thanks. Find Hellsfire and make him suffer—for both of us.

Very well.

Hellsfire had a lot to answer for, and Bryce was going to be the one who made him pay.

CHAPTER 3

Alyssa knelt in front of her small altar, in her cramped little room, praying for guidance. The light of a candle flickered in front of her. She was renting out a room from the Sisters of the Light. They had been kind enough to let her stay with them since she had no family of her own. She helped the sisters with chores, prayers, and giving food to the needy in the city when she wasn’t helping Serling, her former mentor. Living in the temple also made her feel closer to the gods.

Normally, she’d be praying in the main hall of the temple with the sisters and attendees. But this time she wanted to be alone. Although praying usually brought her calm and peace, her thoughts and feelings were in turmoil.

She kept her eyes closed and tightened her interlocked fingers, repeating the phrase, Gods, guide me.

As she chanted, the power inside Alyssa swelled and she calmed her mind. She smiled, thinking of Serling. He would have reminded her that she needed to do this to master her powers. He didn’t have powers while