‘A monster, you say?’ He laughed. ‘In a few short moments I shall open a portal to another dimension. Then you will see what monsters truly are.’

‘This is your world, Kelewulf. This is the land of your people. You cannot unleash the horrors of the Void on them. People will die.’

‘Oh, I do hope so.’

Fleya gave a small shake of her head. ‘Whatever you do, you can’t bring her back. You know that, don’t you?’ She stared into his sunken eyes, willing him to hear her. ‘Your mother is gone. I know how you’ve carried the anger of her loss with you all these years, and that burden has warped you, Kelewulf. But it is not too late. The portal is not yet open. You can still change.’

‘Change? I have changed!’ He gave her a cruel smile. ‘Oh, you mean change for the better. Into something like you. And why would I want to do that, hmm? You talk as if I should care what happens to this world and its people. But this world has done nothing for me. My people don’t give a damn for anybody unable to swing a sword or axe. This world gave me a father who treated me like dirt. And it allowed him to take away the one person who cared for me. The people who you are so concerned about made me feel small and weak and useless. And now they shall suffer as I did.’

‘Your mother was not well. Your father treated her badly. But hear me, Kelewulf,’ Fleya pleaded. ‘She would never have wanted this.’

‘She wanted me to be strong …’

‘Not like this. This is not strength. Strength is living in the world and changing it for the better. You will change this world into an even more terrible place.’

‘Gods and monsters roamed this realm once. Who’s to say that was not a better time than this?’

‘Because this is the time of man. Those days are gone.’

‘We shall see.’

‘Kelewulf! Please, I beg you! STOP!’

But the boy wasn’t listening any more. His head was tilted back, and she saw his eyes roll back as the words of an ancient language spilt from his lips.

Fleya felt the power that was being called upon: a wrenching sensation that caused her to let out a small cry of fear. She bucked her body, twisting it in an effort to roll towards the safety of the small circle that he’d created around him, but it was hopeless. She could feel the coldness of the Void seep into her bones, she could hear the anger of the creatures within it: howls, screeches, moans and screams of excitement filled the air around her as the light inside it waned.

Then they came.