‘He is the dark god who rules over the Void – the place he was banished to after he lost the great battle with Trogir. He created a multitude of monsters that he unleashed on earth until they were all driven out following the same battle. He is all powerful in his own realm but, despite attempts to return here, he has always failed to do so.’ Images of the dream he’d been having came back to Lann: the gateway with the impossible blackness at its heart, and the thing that threatened to emerge from it. ‘It is said he will return with his dark legions one day and that the gods will fight one last great battle to decide who rules the human realm.’

A short silence followed until it was eventually broken by the god.

‘It is a good tale, is it not? One guaranteed to keep children terrified in their beds at night. Especially that last part. But what if it were true? What if Lorgukk were massing his apocalyptic army right now, and that he was on the verge of finding a way to bring them across into this realm. Imagine if the monsters of old – giants, wraiths, griffins, harpies, draugr and all manner of hellish creatures – were returned to wreak havoc on the human race that replaced them.’ The deity stared at the boy. ‘Who could stop the dark god and his foul legion if he were successful in returning?’

‘You?’

The god’s laughter – a musical sound – filled the room. ‘You still have faith in the old deities of this world. That is good. But alas, your gods grow weak, Lannigon Fetlanger. The Volken people of this realm hold little faith in their immortals any longer. New religions have sprung up, and as you humans turn your backs on the old gods, so our powers wane. That is why Lorgukk is chancing his hand now. He sees this as his last chance to bring chaos to this world.’

‘What happens if people stop believing in the old gods completely?’

Rakur sniffed. ‘We disappear altogether. From this world, at least.’

Lann sat silently remembering the cruel eyes of the thing that pursued him into the Dark Wood. ‘So that is what I saw on the day I was blinded? One of Lorgukk’s legion? A wyrewolf?’

‘The dark god’s army is largely confined to the Void. Some of the ancient creatures managed to stay here when the rest were driven out. A small number manage to creep across, even now.’ He paused, noticing the confused look on the boy’s face. ‘Occasionally there are rifts created between the two worlds that allow certain opportunistic individuals to creep through, and these fissures become more common as Lorgukk’s might increases in his dominion and this world becomes less stable.’ The immortal studied the boy for a few moments before speaking again. ‘How much would you like to be able to see again?’