David Gemmell - Dark Prince

Thena's voice echoed in Parmenion's mind. 'Keep moving south until you reach a waterfall, then turn west.'

They rode for just under an hour, emerging at last into a wide clearing filled with creatures of the Enchantment: centaurs, cyclopes, winged men and women, dryads and fauns. Parmenion dismounted and bowed as the white-haired goddess approached him. Her naked body gleamed in the moonlight, but there was nothing about her that aroused the Spartan. Ethereal and exquisite she seemed, far beyond the lusts of a mortal man.

'Welcome, Parmenion,' she said. 'Your road has been long and perilous.'

'Yet we are here, Lady,' he answered. 'Where is the boy?'

'He is examining the Gateway. Tell me how my son died.'

'Among friends,' Parmenion told her.

She nodded and smiled. 'That is good to know. At least a spark of nobility remained in him.'

'More than that, I think.'

'In a thousand years he befriended no one. What special quality do you possess?'

'None that I know of.'

The goddess moved away from him, facing Philip. 'Little did I expect ever to speak to one with your face, sir. Even now I can scarce bring myself to look upon you.'

'I am not Philippos.'

'I know that. You fought well.'

'It was not hard to kill him. All his life he had been invincible, and therefore had no need to learn basic defence.'

'You are a King in your own land?'

‘I am.'

'And do you also bring despair and terror to your neighbours?'

'I do,' he admitted. 'It is the nature of Greece, Lady. We are always at war. But soon we will be as one nation; then we will cease to kill each other.'

'Under your rule, of course?'

'Of course,' he agreed.

'Nothing changes,' she said sadly, moving on to Attalus. 'And you, sir, what have you learned from your visit to this realm?'

The swordsman shrugged. 'Little I did not know.'

'Is that really true? Have you not at least seen yourself in a different light?'

Attalus smiled. 'I know who I am, what I am. I have no illusions.'

'But you faced the Demon King and did not buckle. Did that not make you proud?'

'No. I came too close to giving in. There is no pride in that.'

'You are wrong, Attalus. You came here with hatred and bitterness, and you will leave much of it behind when you depart. Is that not so?'

'Yes,' he admitted.

The goddess moved back to Parmenion, taking his arm and leading him away into the trees. 'You found love here, Human,' she said. 'Will you leave it behind you?'

'I will, for I must,' the Spartan told her.

'Your guilt still haunts you, then?'

'It does. I must see that Alexander lives. The demon is still within him, as it was with Philippos. He will need a true friend — someone who cares, someone who loves him.'

'Indeed he will.' She stopped then and turned to look up into Parmenion's face. 'You know that he will one day kill you?'

'All men die, and no future is written in stone.'

'Not so. Not for you. Alexander will kill you, Parmenion. It is written in the stars, it is carried in whispers upon the wind, it is carved in the stone eternal. You cannot escape it.'

'We shall see,' he told her, his mouth suddenly dry.

'You are a good man,' she said, after a while, 'and you will carry my blessing with you. There is little power in it any more, but a blessing is always better than a curse.'

'Indeed it is,' the Spartan replied. 'Are all our futures set in this stone eternal?'

'No. Only yours and Alexander's. And now it is time to seek the Gateway, to leave this tortured realm. Come — and bid us farewell.'

Parmenion stood alongside Philip at the centre of the vast, silent throng waiting before the Gateway. High above them the moon shone clear and bright, the stars gleaming like gems on sable. But beyond the Gateway all was sunshine which lit the hillside with golden light.

'The magus l' said Philip suddenly, pointing to Chiron. 'That's the sorcerer who cast the spell upon me!'

'I think not, sire,' Parmenion told him. 'That is Chiron. He is of this world.'

'If I see any more twins I shall go insane,' muttered Philip.

Alexander walked back to the pillars, taking hold of the jutting stone on the right and stretching out his hand towards the other stone. For a moment only he stood, then his head fell back, dark smoke oozing from his nostrils and mouth to flow down over his chest and along his arm. The smoke took shape, becoming another Alexander — horned and yellow-eyed, a bizarre and deformed mirror image. Holding to Alexander's hand, the Chaos Spirit reached out and took hold of the second stone.

In that instant lightning forked between the pillars. Alexander was flung forward to the ground, the Chaos Spirit hurled into the air.

The voice of Tamis echoed in Parmenion's mind. 'The necklet! Put it on the boy!'

Parmenion ran forward, kneeling by the unconscious prince. Glancing up, he saw the smoke form of the Chaos Spirit floating down towards them. Unclipping the necklet he fastened it around Alexander's neck. The smoke covered the child but then a cool breeze blew, dispersing it.

Alexander opened his eyes. 'Is the Gate open?' he asked.

Parmenion looked up. 'Yes,' he answered. The first of the centaurs was moving between the pillars.

Alexander struggled to rise. 'I cannot sense the Dark God,' he whispered.

'He is not within you,' Parmenion told him. 'You are wearing now a necklet of great power. No evil can enter your mind as long as it remains in place.'

Philip moved alongside them to kneel by his son. 'You did well, boy,' said the Macedonian King, reaching out.

Alexander embraced his father and Philip rose, holding the boy to his chest.

Parmenion sighed and stood. The creatures of the Enchantment were slowing filing through the Gateway into a new world.

The white-haired goddess approached him. 'Whatever else the future holds, Parmenion, be proud of this day.'

'I shall, Lady.'

With a smile she turned and walked through the Gate. At last only Chiron and Brontes were left and the magus walked to Parmenion, extending his hand. 'Sadly I missed most of your journey,' he said, 'and was of little help to you.'

'You did enough,' Parmenion assured him. 'You rescued us from the Vores on that first day and, as Camiron, you carried Alexander to safety in the Forest of Gorgon. What will you do now?'

'I shall pass the Gateway and see what the new world offers. But there are many gates, Parmenion, and I feel we will meet again.'

'I will look forward to it.'

Chiron bade farewell to Alexander and Philip while the minotaur approached Parmenion.

'I shall not forget you, Human,' said Brontes.

'Nor I you.'

'You gave my brother a chance of redemption; I believe that he took it. For that alone I will always be grateful. May the gods walk with you, Parmenion.'

'And with you,' said the Spartan, as Brontes moved away between the pillars.

As Brontes passed through the Gate the pillars shimmered once more, darkening to the grey of cold stone. . and the world beyond flickered and was gone.

Attalus approached Parmenion. 'What now, strategos ?' he asked.

The Spartan shrugged, all energy leaving him. Moving to a nearby tree, he sat with his back to the trunk. In a few short days he had travelled half-way across a strange land, fought a major battle and known, albeit briefly, the life of a King. Now his body was numb with fatigue, his mind confused and weary.

He heard Thena's soft footfalls and smiled as she sat beside him. 'What now?' he asked, echoing Attalus' enquiry.

'We wait for Aristotle,' she said. 'Did you enjoy being King?'

'Yes,' he admitted. 'I found my love there. Derae.' He sighed and tears began to well in his eyes. Clearing his throat, he looked away for a moment.