Leviathan (Lost Civilizations: 2) by Vaughn Heppner Page A

could do that.”
    “He’s no god,” Lord Uriah said. “He’s a First Born, corrupted by the blood of the bene elohim . True, he wields supernatural powers, but that doesn’t make him a god.”
    “You speak as Lod did,” Auroch said. “Lod is bold and fearless, and even I would hate to cross blades with him. But now I, and the captains who thought like me, have been driven out of our fortresses and into the swamps. Now, we make a last stand with our ships.” Auroch made a sharp gesture. “Gog uses spells to awaken the swamp against us. He wields dire powers.” Auroch shook his leonine head, and stared to the east. “Perhaps Gog has already smashed those he calls traitors, the ones I called comrades. Perhaps Gog even now sails after us, after me!” Auroch put his face in his hands. “I’m doomed,” he moaned. “Doomed to face the scourge of Gog’s Defenders. Doomed to end my days in the terrible dungeons beneath the Oracle.”
    “Bah!” Captain Maharbal growled, stepping closer. “You’re a fine actor.”
    Auroch lifted his handsome head. “I’ve done as Lod bid me to do. Now Gog has marked me, and I’m doomed.”
    “If you feel that way,” Lord Uriah said, “why did you sail here? Why didn’t you take Irad back to Shamgar and beg for mercy?”
    Auroch shook his head. “I couldn’t return Irad to Shamgar, although I debated it with myself. Irad the Arkite is lucky, I told myself. His luck will see us through. And by his luck, I will yet survive and escape the wicked kingdom of Gog. Who else but Irad has survived four weeks in Shamgar’s canals as bait for the giant rats?”
    Joash had watched, and listened to the pirate. This one had slain his brother many years ago. This one had sold him in Shamgar. Because of Auroch, Joash had become Balak’s slave. Now, Joash gave an inarticulate cry of rage.
    Herrek dropped a heavy hand on his shoulder. “I know who he is,” he said quietly. “I know what he did to you. For now, however, you must hold your anger and let Lord Uriah play his game.”
    Joash ground his teeth in hatred. He wanted to use his sword and run it through the pirate. At last, however, he nodded.
    Auroch had given him a cursory glance because of the shout, and then he went back to talking. “Who else but Irad has slain a brutal Oracle Defender with a mere dagger and escaped the city? Who else slew a Nebo tracker when delirious, and then backtracked without weapons through the swamps and past the horrible beasts there? I, who barely survived the same swamps when well armed and supplied, know the near impossibility of such a feat. Irad the Arkite is lucky, as well as bold. I, therefore, could not bring such a one back to Gog and to his baleful necromancers. But, now I fear that I have done this deed in vain. Irad is dying.”
    “My sister will save him,” Lord Uriah said.
    Auroch nodded wearily, but he looked doubtful.
    Lord Uriah turned to Captain Maharbal. “I believe this man.”
    Captain Maharbal scowled. “He’s a pirate, a killer from Shamgar, a brutal murderer who has slain Elohim’s priests. You cannot trust such a man.”
    “Lod did,” Lord Uriah said quietly.
    “So this one says,” said Captain Maharbal. “How do we know he speaks the truth?”
    “By the fact that he brought us Irad,” Lord Uriah said. “By the fact that he carried Lod’s signet ring.”
    Zillith had carefully inspected the one who Auroch claimed was Irad. By his accouterments, and looks, she had declared that the man was an Arkite. By praying to Elohim, she had soon declared to receive His peace on the manner. The Arkite was who Auroch claimed him to be.
    “Maybe Auroch simply lost his way,” Captain Maharbal said. “Or, maybe he brought Irad here for Nidhogg to feast on. Frankly, I find his tale of Gog’s pact with Nidhogg suspect. No one living today has seen Nidhogg. I believe Nidhogg died of battle-wounds many centuries ago.”
    Lord Uriah gave Maharbal a weary smile. “I understand