Spirit Past (Book 8) (34 page)

"We need to reconsider our strategy."

"It is
my
strategy, and I already have," the sorcerer replied, as he had quickly come to a conclusion regarding the reaction of the daokiln. "If Reiculf has studied my notes, which seems obvious at this point, then he understands what I will attempt to do. He knows how I view magic and how I can manipulate it. He will attempt to do the same. He's going to use Scheff."

"Use him? How?"

"In the same fashion I intend to. He will reach through the elf in hopes of claiming his own prize."

Their situation had taken a serious turn, one in which the elf guard could not follow completely, but her anxiety expanded.

"Explain yourself!"

"Just as the magic within Scheff will allow me to isolate Macheve, Reiculf might extend his magic through the dead elf and take hold of Neltus. Both Neltus and Scheff shared my magical core. They are connected. By utilizing my own methods, he will understand exactly what needs to be done."

"You are certain of this?"

"I am now. I can see Reiculf's magic flowing through Scheff in the same manner in which I hope to reach Macheve."

Holli finally saw the ultimate peril in Ansas' plan. In Scheff, they had brought a key into Demonspawn, a key they hoped would open a door to the serp, but it was a key to many doors. Reiculf would hope to use it as well. She considered a chain of events that would lead to the destruction of all of Uton.

"And just as Macheve is not safe no matter where she goes, Neltus would not be safe even in Burbon," Holli acknowledged with the edge of urgency shaping her words.

"You have a penchant for explaining the obvious."

"It is also obvious that it will not end with Neltus! Reiculf will use him to claim Enin!"

"That would be the logical expectation," Ansas agreed with no apparent alarm. "Neltus remains in Burbon. Enin is just outside the town's wall. Imbued with Reiculf's magic, Neltus would be able to overcome Enin's defenses. It seems the daokiln is willing to trade Macheve for Neltus and your powerful teacher."

"And what of Shantree?"

"He will take her when he is finished with Enin. It will be an afterthought."

"We have to get out of here!"

"No. We stay and take care of Macheve. This is our chance."

"Chance? If anything it is an opportunity for Reiculf. He wanted us to come here like this. It is obvious."

"Of course it is," Ansas agreed, but without matching alarm.

"If we lose Enin, Macheve will not matter."

"I am not so certain Enin, or Neltus, will be lost. Burbon remains protected by a great power. Do not forget the guardian spirit that protects the town."

"But Reiculf must be aware of Sy's spirit. He would not take the risk unless he was certain he would prevail."

"Not take a risk?" Ansas scoffed. "Of course he would. Nothing is certain in this conflict. That is why it is being played out as it is. Sometimes risks are necessary. Reiculf understands that, as do I."

"But we are allowing Reiculf to get everything he desires!"

"Are we? Perhaps I have other plans. I might have miscalculated Reiculf's intentions, but I am still prepared to surprise him."

"Is there something you are withholding from us?"

"Of course there is. Do you think I would reveal all my plans when the daokiln could easily monitor us through the magic within the dead elf?"

"This is madness! You are playing with more than our lives, you are risking all of Uton!"

"Is it madness?" Ansas questioned harshly. "Enin can see and hear everything that is happening here. It is his spell that holds us here. By now, he is aware of the danger. If he believes I am making a mistake, he would have already recalled us. We are still here. He understands the risks as I do. He believes we can still succeed. And so do I."

Neltus had seen Ryson Acumen enter the Borderline Inn and then saw him leave with his wife; another indication the battle with Reiculf was reaching a climax. Gnafil had died, of that he was certain. The wizard had not witnessed the death, but he felt it through the currents of magic that previously connected them. The link was severed in the most extreme fashion, and Neltus could only imagine the daokiln's frustration at losing another slave.

With Ryson returning to Burbon, the crimson casting wizard could also sense the brewing of a larger conflict. The delver was not simply returning home; Neltus could read that in Ryson's tense movements. There was no joyous reflection of victory, but rather a sense of gloom that hung on every step the delver took.

The wizard, however, remained in his seat in the corner. He did not stand to greet the delver or call Ryson over. He showed no urgency to discuss matters involving the daokiln. Despite the signs of an imminent clash, Neltus remained relatively safe, and he lacked the curiosity of a delver to ask any questions.

He wasn't quite content with his situation. He didn't like the small town filled with people far too orderly for his liking, but he was trapped there. He tried to avoid ale and wine, and for the most part succeeded. He spent a great deal of time eating. It kept him occupied, and it made the owner of the tavern happy. Neltus paid in gold. With his crimson power attuned to every mineral, it was easy for him to find, and he had pockets full of it.

He wondered how long such a lifestyle could continue. He ached to use his magic, but to do so would be to invite catastrophe. He considered chasing after the delver, but he realized that choice was no longer available. He could not leave Burbon, not by magic nor by foot.

Despite the displeasure with his circumstances, he knew he was better off in a town bent on order than standing within reach of Reiculf. He was certain the daokiln could not take him as long as he remained where he was.

He was wrong.

The initial sensation stunned him. The dimly lit, smoky surroundings of the tavern dropped from his sight as if someone threw a sack over his head. Rage, bitterness, hate, and aggression swelled through him, but the seething emotions did not come from his mind. His thoughts did not fixate upon a clear subject for his fury, nor did they paint a hazy image for his unrelenting anger. As the invading passion pulsated with anonymous resentment, he realized the source of rage was not his head. Instead, the strong emotions exploded from his belly.

The harsh feelings surged down each limb and up his back. With one massive kick, they boiled into his brain. He still could not see, but he began to curse loudly. His arms and legs shook violently, and there was nothing he could do to gain control of his body and stop the vicious tremors.

As he fought for sanity, he instinctively called upon the crimson energy to offer him support, provide a foundation on which he could secure himself. As he did, he felt the ferocious emotions build. He realized his magical center was the source of the mayhem. The hostile emotions were riding the currents of his deep red energy.

With his last gasp of consciousness, he probed the magic. As he followed the rage back to its source, he located the remnants of Ansas' magical core which he once absorbed. Through that memory, he perceived a greater and darker power, not in terms of color, but in the depth of evil.

Neltus had never entered Demonspawn, but he had cast a spell to open a portal to the domain. He had felt its unmistakable dread, and he could not ignore its presence as it overwhelmed him. He was not yet in the grip of Reiculf, but he could feel the daokiln's sanctuary invade his spirit, or more accurately, he knew his soul was being ripped from his body and poured into Demonspawn.

The last image in his mind before he lost his will was that of an elf; a spell caster he was once connected to through Ansas' ebony magic. Neltus recognized Scheff's face, but there was something missing from the empty expression. He realized it was the spark of life. The next thing he knew, his own spirit was pulled through the magical core of the dead elf and placed in the grasp of the daokiln.

When his sight returned and he could see within the tavern again, Neltus felt the sudden urge to bury the establishment and all its patrons in a wave of rock and dirt. The small-minded humans with their desire for order and routine irritated him beyond measure.

As he considered the town as a whole, he imagined the joy of crushing every building with a mudslide or having the ground open up and swallow every street. The shrieks of panic and rolling chaos would lift his spirits. How inspiring it would be to see the tidy and orderly little town left in absolute rubble.

He wondered why he didn't do it before. There was a vague memory of some guardian spirit—some dead captain unable to let go of his precious town—but he no longer feared such a being. Threats of punishment and death no longer mattered. He was beyond both. What could a ghost do to him that Reiculf couldn't impose with much harsher consequences?

No, he didn't have to listen to the town guard, their captain, or even the silent reproach of some spirit protector. He wouldn't have to contain himself any longer, and the rush of Reiculf's magic roaring through him might finally fulfill the ache in his belly.

He restrained himself from destroying the town, not because he suddenly found compassion, or even sympathy for Burbon, but because his master had more important needs to address. Neltus would no longer be allowed to act on his own impulses without first considering the will of the daokiln.

In Demonspawn, Reiculf grinned with a fierceness that could freeze the sun. Despite all the setbacks, he was on the threshold of ultimate victory. His previous failures might have held great sway in his realm, but they meant little in Uton. Beyond the threshold of his sanctuary, errors could be overcome. They were stepping stones to greater opportunity.

He could not deny his losses, would not even make the attempt, for the past was his domain. He had been bested by fools, but history was always an unfinished painting. Several new brush strokes would serve to alter the path of the conflict and highlight its decisive outcome. At Burbon, the daokiln won his first important prize, and he hungered for the second.

Neltus rose from his seat in the corner, stomped over to the bar and poured himself an ale. He ignored the complaints from the barkeep as he downed his drink and cast the mug upon the floor. He walked out of the inn, disregarding the gawks and stares of the other patrons.

He stepped to the center of the street and looked to the west. He would not waste his time or energy hunting his prey. He would bring the daokiln's ultimate prize to him. Through the whispers of magic, he called to Enin.

Enin appeared instantly. He stood upon the same street as the crimson casting wizard, but he remained several paces down the road from the Borderline Inn. From Neltus' call, he knew Reiculf had taken control.

It was no surprise. Enin had heard everything Ansas had said. He understood how Neltus had fallen, knew that Scheff's unique state opened pathways which could be exploited by both sides. Enin also knew he was the next target. He wondered how long he could stave off the daokiln's grasp. If it was only up to him, he knew he would eventually fall. There was, however, another power in Burbon, one that might offer aid... if he proved himself worthy.

"You came quickly," Neltus stated, but it was not the wizard's voice that roared through the twisted mouth of the human spell caster. Yet again, the daokiln had taken firm control of his slave and spoke through Neltus' form with ferocious growls.

"Is there any point in waiting?" Enin questioned.

"You might have wished to give Ansas more time to trap Macheve. If I take you too quickly, I can end his puny attempts in Demonspawn. It is your teleportation spell that keeps them all in a state of magical transition, protects them from the dangers of my realm. Once I take control of you, I will also have control over your magic. If I end that spell, their protection will be gone. The human's immunity will no longer matter, for they will all be fully immersed in Demonspawn. And they will all die... slowly and painfully."

"True, but if I run from you, you would give chase or you would pull me back to you using the currents of energy that connect us. I would wear myself out with attempts to escape. It is better for me to use my magic to defend against you."

"There is no defense against me."

"And yet you waste time arguing," Enin challenged. "If you wanted to take me quickly, why not do so?"

"Because I enjoy savoring the moment. I always have. I can kill the others at my leisure. The only thing they can accomplish at this point is to take the serp from me, but that is no true loss. If I lose Macheve, I can always get her back."

"And if she is killed?"

"A small price to pay. This wizard I now control is worth a dozen serps, and you are worth a hundred times that. The energy I can pass through you can destroy realms. What would I need with a serp?"

"Apparently nothing."

Neltus eyed the powerful wizard suspiciously. He, and the daokiln, expected greater concern from Enin, and yet, the prize magic caster made no attempt to escape.

"And now that you know my plans, I am surprised you remain before me," the monster revealed.

"Like I said before, there's no point in hiding and no reason to run. I can hold you off for as long as I have to."

"You may be able to delay me, but you won't stop me."

"That's true, but I think we both realize this isn't just between you and me. The battle you face will be against a much stronger opponent."

Neltus looked to his left and right and then behind him. He sniffed the air and then turned his attention back to the wizard.

"You speak of the guardian spirit? I've already defeated him. He was unable to keep me from taking Neltus' spirit, and he won't stop me from taking yours."

"Defeated? You don't really think you've won, do you?"

"Is there something I've missed?" the daokiln asked through a devious giggle. "This wizard is at my command. I am in control, something the spirit prevented Gnafil from achieving when the infern arrived here."

"That's only because you didn't take Neltus here. You used Scheff to call Neltus' spirit to Demonspawn. That's how you gained control of the wizard. If you had tried it here, you would have been rebuffed, just as Gnafil was."

"I don't see the spirit trying to stop me now."

"But you know he's watching. You can feel him... just as I can."

"He's hiding."

Enin almost laughed.

"Even you can't believe that's true."

"Then why doesn't he appear?"

Enin wished the spirit of Sy Fenden would appear, but deep down, he knew he had to prove himself first. Sy was bound to Burbon, but the spirit wasn't going to protect everyone without cause.

The town was once Enin's home, but he had left it for Connel. Enin swore to protect both, but his focus had drifted away from the small town. He couldn't deny it.

As he stood within Burbon's walls, he recalled how Sy's life had ended. The captain died protecting Burbon from a horde of goblins, died because Enin had made a promise to protect Connel... and only Connel. He had left Burbon to its own devices.

Even against Reiculf, Enin made the same mistake. He allowed Ansas to separate the daokiln's intended victims. He returned to Connel while Neltus was placed in Burbon. When the undead attacked, he followed Ansas' instructions and went to Dark Spruce to free Scheff from Reiculf's control. It might have been the most practical decision, but he had left Burbon to fend for itself again.

In a way, Sy was doing the same to Enin, forcing the wizard to fight without aid. Enin couldn't blame the guardian spirit. He almost wanted to thank him. Enin had felt tremendous guilt over what had happened. He hoped that maybe facing Reiculf would give him some measure of redemption.

It wasn't so much about sponging away the past as it was a chance to reveal what was always in his heart. He knew he couldn't erase his mistakes, but at least he could show he still cared for the town. He wanted Sy to know that Burbon meant something to him, which in turn would prove that Sy was important to him as well.

"He's waiting for me," Enin admitted. "The spirit of Sy Fenden will protect Burbon, but I have to prove myself again, prove I am still part of this town. I have to face you first."

Reiculf laughed through the body of Neltus. The daokiln's connection to the past allowed him to see and feel Enin's guilt. He knew what haunted the wizard, but he found Enin's conclusion most amusing.

"Absurd. You think facing me will alter the substance of your mistakes? You let Sy Fenden die. You can't simply wash that away with some perceived good deed. Your grievous errors are mine. They always have been and always will be. They make me stronger."

"I realize I cannot atone for my past. I also know I can't hide it from you. I am aware of what you are. You will hold to my mistakes no matter what I do, but this is not about a clash between you and me. Among other things, this is about my dedication to Burbon and its people. Sy Fenden placed the safety of this town above everything else. That's why his spirit endures here, and I realize his expectations for me will not be easily met. Still, I  believe this town is part of my heritage, and I have to prove that... both to myself and the spirit who will ultimately defeat you."