Joint Intentions (Book 9) (17 page)

Jure looked at the sorceress and considered the basis of Vraya's abilities. He did not find her sudden appearance surprising at all.

"Actually, that's when someone with her capabilities would most likely appear, when things are in turmoil. She's the essence of alteration... not stability."

"And she did save you," Ryson added. It was not his intention to defend the sorceress,  but he felt obligated to offer a full accounting of her actions. "I admit I don't like the fact she's been watching me, but she cast the spell that dug you out of the sand. She also helped me call for the algors. If she wanted to hurt us, she's been acting awfully strange about it."

Holli remained uncomfortable with the arrival of such a dominant spell caster under such uncertain circumstances, but she could not afford to be distracted or allow for hesitancy.

"And for that I thank her, but now we must deal with more pressing problems. Ryson, show me where Neltus stood when he teleported away."

The delver moved swiftly to the exact spot where Neltus cast his spell of teleportation. He pointed to the crimson wizard's tracks in the sand.

"He stood there when he cast his spell. The air seemed to twist and turn into a hollow tube. It was like he made a tunnel in the air."

The elf guard examined the tracks in the sand and then felt the air. She nodded grimly and called for one she knew could follow the remnants of the spell.

"Jure, where does it lead?"

The elder wizard reached out and took hold of the magical strands which allowed Neltus to escape.

"To Portsans, the coast," he stated with certainty. "He didn't arrive in the center of the city, but on the eastern outskirts... further from the sea."

"We have to follow him," Holli declared.

"What about Enin?" Ryson asked. "I could follow the pit demon's trail. There's not much I can do once I find it, but then again, there's not much I can do about Neltus. If I follow the pit demon, at least we'll know where Enin is."

"No, I will need you to follow Neltus' trail. Portsans is a busy city. Neltus has had time to move. Once he is within the crowds, it is less likely he will use a spell which Jure can sense."

"Remember, I'm not good at tracking things, especially in a new city. I haven't spent much time..."

"Do not worry about your drifting curiosity. I will keep you focused." The elf then turned to the elder wizard. "Jure, teleport the three of us to the same destination Neltus utilized for his escape."

"Just three?" Ryson questioned. "What about Vraya?"

"We do not have time to deal with a mystery," Holli stated sharply. "We have other concerns."

"I'd like to continue to help," Vraya offered.

"No."

"That's it? Just like that, you refuse my aid? I didn't hear you say 'no' when I pulled you out from all that sand."

"That is true, but you hear me now. If you truly understand what is happening here, then you must appreciate why I must find Neltus as quickly as possible."

"I do understand," Vraya responded, " and there's something else that's painfully clear. Neltus won't allow himself to be captured. He has regained what he lost, and he will not allow it to be taken again.
You
should be able to appreciate
that
. And I would think you would want all the help you can get."

"What I know is that you cast ebony magic in a perfect circle. You are powerful and unknown to me. That makes you potentially dangerous."

"The ebony magic again? Are you all so ready to judge me?" Vraya already understood the reasoning, and she spoke of it with a hint of disgust. "You see me and you think of Ansas. That's your issue, not mine. I have nothing to do with the sorcerer. I am not his twin sister here to obtain vengeance. I'm not even related to the sorcerer. I must admit I've studied him, but that's the extent of my connection to him."

"That could be," Holli stated with equal anger, "but I have not the time nor the resources to substantiate your claims. I have already made two mistakes this day. I allowed Enin to be captured and Neltus to escape. I must rectify these matters. Remain here, return to whatever place you call home, do what you wish, but do not follow us!"

Ryson considered every word and action he had seen. He believed Vraya was right about Neltus; the spell caster wasn't going to just surrender. There was something different about the crimson wizard, something he saw right before the wizard attacked Jure and Holli. It wasn't desperation. It was more like confident determination. Neltus would fight to the death before he allowed his core to be taken again.

"We may need her," Ryson suggested to Holli.

"Jure and I can handle Neltus," the elf stated firmly.

"Maybe, but wouldn't having a third magic caster make it easier to handle him... and safer?"

"I will not allow Neltus to escape." Holli snarled with controlled but venomous anger.

It was Vraya who heard the defiance in the elf's voice and sensed the resentment in Holli's essence. The events of the day were causing a change in the elf guard, and the sorceress saw no further need to argue the matter.

"That's alright, Ryson," Vraya stated. "I will see you again soon. A great transition is occurring, far greater than anyone expects, and once more, you will be at the center of it."

Jure's teleportation spell swiftly placed Holli, Ryson, and Jure at the eastern outskirts of Portsans. They arrived near a seldom used warehouse which had once served as a holding facility for surplus goods. Despite standing at Portsans' eastern edge—which was on the opposite side of the city from the coast—Ryson immediately recognized the obvious scent of the sea, and Jure felt the powerful surge of magical energy coming from the vast body of water to the west.

The distinct potency of the sea stood in direct contrast to the warehouse grounds. A sense of irrelevance hung over the storage facility like a burial shroud. It was a lonely and isolated place, especially at night. Far from the docks and away from the port city's bustling market district, the neglected warehouse waited like a long forgotten trunk emptied of all its contents and abandoned in a musty attic. While the sounds of larger crowds—music, talking, and laughter—drifted in from the distance, no such joyous activity existed within the confines of the facility or its surrounding grounds. Instead, a sense of seclusion lingered in every dark and dusty corner and upon every still shadow.

Unwilling to accept the silence as an indication of security, Holli swiftly removed the bow from her shoulder and prowled the area. She motioned for Ryson to do the same. There was little light, but it was not quite as dark as the desert. Her elf eyes cut through the shadows as she scanned the area for threats of any kind. She found nothing which might endanger them, but her inspection of the grounds offered signs of intentional mischief. As she examined certain markings, the glowing embers of frustration which were smoldering in her soul ignited into a burning flame.

"There are dozens of trails all over, but they are identical!" the elf exclaimed. "They are false trails, created by Neltus."

Ryson reviewed the tracks as well. He could not argue with the elf's finding. There was magic at work, and carefully staged. Though based in deception, the spell which created the false trails did not rely on tricks of shadow and light. Instead, it was fashioned in such a way that it would be impossible for the delver to find Neltus' one true path.

The soil itself had clearly responded to the crimson casting wizard's request to hide his trail. But rather than cover his footprints or erase them, the ground replicated Neltus' tracks. The dirt and dust shifted at the influence of the red magic to create hundreds upon hundreds of matching footprints all around the old warehouse, creating trails in every direction.

As Ryson dropped to the ground to closely inspect several markings, he reported a painful truth.

"None of these are an illusion. They're all actual depressions in the ground. I can't tell any of them apart. They're all the same... the same impression, the same depth, and all made at the same time. Trying to find which path is genuine would be like trying to find a particular pumpkin seed inside a hundred pumpkins. They all look alike."

"I can sense the spell," Jure added. "It's devious in design. Neltus forced the ground to mimic his tracks. He must have believed there was a chance we would survive his attack. If we did, he knew we would follow him. He didn't take any chances. He can't hide his teleportation spells from me, but these magical trails go everywhere. He made sure we couldn't follow him beyond this point."

"Is there no way to follow his scent?" the elf demanded of Ryson.

"His scent is in every trail," the delver revealed. "It's coming up from each footprint. The ground is replicating every aspect of the original track. He had to have done that on purpose."

"Of course he did," the elf guard growled. "He knew you survived. He probably had this planned all along."

Holli glared at the numerous trails, her fury seething. She even kicked at the dirt in disgust. As she considered her options, she became clearly defiant in her tone and expression.

"No! I will not give up so easily. There is a reason he chose this place. He wouldn't just teleport anywhere. His spell of deception is a clear indication he knew we would survive and that we would follow. Otherwise, he would not have wasted the energy. He knew of this location. It is perfect for what he planned. It is isolated and empty, so he must have visited it before. There are other ways to find him. Follow me."

Since she knew she could not trust any of the markings left by Neltus, the elf guard ignored the tracks on the ground. Instead, she focused on what she could see and hear at that very moment.

She placed an image of Neltus in her mind, focused on his personality and his physical traits. She imagined how he would move, what would entice him. Painting a picture of his character heightened by his flaws and tendencies, the elf guard used her training to pick a path of escape the wizard would most likely choose.

She moved like a large cat on the prowl as she turned down one alley and then another. She continued to ignore any signs on the ground. She would not take any chances in allowing an illusion or deceptive trail to sway her path. She relied entirely on intuition. After but a few twists and turns, she led the group to a wide and heavily traveled street.

There were a number of people out and about. They walked past with hardly a care for the strangers. If the citizens of Portsans noticed the elf's pointed ears, they ignored them.

Holli believed the people of the port city had probably seen and encountered various races since the return of the magic. Elves were always curious about the sea, and the dwarves found the coastal mountains filled with treasures, especially gold. She imagined a number of visitors from both races had already traveled through Portsans.

She had also heard stories, many of which had been confirmed, that the more devious yet intelligent dark creatures took to the coastline the way the goblins and river rogues assembled in Dark Spruce Forest. Cunning dark creatures, like serps and swallits, did not even hide their presence in the port city. They were willing to deal with humans openly, and humans hoping to profit from any endeavor accepted their presence without much complaint.

Once out of the quiet alleys, Holli was forced to cope with the citizenry of Portsans. As the number of humans in their path increased, so too did Holli's pace. She kept her mind on her objective, looking for a particular haven.

Ryson kept up with ease, but Jure struggled to match the elf's speed. He was about to call for Holli to slow down when she stopped in front of a busy tavern.

"Here!" the elf guard stated firmly.

There were two windows, but both were shaded. It was impossible to see into the establishment from the street, but the reverse was also true. If Neltus was indeed inside, he would not realize he had been followed.

"You think he's in there now?" Ryson asked.

"That is my question for you and Jure. Can you sense him at all... his scent or his magic?"

"I don't sense any spells," Jure noted. "There's a strong flow of magic in this city, but it's coming from the sea, and it's overwhelming everything else. It would be hard for me to pinpoint Neltus based on his crimson magic alone."

"Ryson?"

"Same problem. There are so many smells here. I could try to isolate them, but it would take all night. He could be inside, but I wouldn't be able to tell, not from outside."

"Then there is only one way to find out," the elf declared.

Holli stepped back and reviewed the building as a whole. She gained quick glimpses of the interior when patrons entered and exited through the large oak door at the front of the establishment. Based on the limited information she could obtain, she envisioned the layout of the interior and formulated her plan.

"We will go in together, but we will separate immediately... no need to give him a single target. Ryson, move to the back of the room once we are inside. I will go to the left, Jure will go to the right. If Neltus spots us, he will either try to flee or fight. It will depend on if he has a clear path of retreat. I do not intend on giving him one."

"It's pretty crowded in there," Ryson offered.

"It is. And he will attempt to take advantage of the crowd. We cannot afford injuring innocents. I intend to strike quickly before he even sees us. Questions?"

A concern of tremendous significance flashed into the delver's mind, and he could not avoid it.

"You're going to kill him, aren't you?" Ryson asked.

"If he is inside, he will have an arrow in his heart before he can raise his hands. I am aware of your aversion to such matters. As I have said often before, I will not change what you are, but I will also not change what I am. I will protect this land... and I will rectify the obvious errors for which I am responsible."

"But you're making me part of a killing."

"No, I am asking you to go inside to help identify a threat and protect the innocent. I will handle the rest."

Ryson wanted to find another way, but he wondered if there really was an alternative. Once more, he recalled how callously Neltus attacked in the desert. When the crimson casting wizard regained his power, he used it for the sole purpose of furthering, and protecting, his own desires.

Ryson knew Neltus wasn't going to just hold up his arms to surrender. If the wizard raised his arms, he would do so to destroy anyone who threatened him... as well as anyone who got in his way. In a crowded tavern, an arrow from an elf guard's bow might have been the only way to ensure no one else was harmed.

Even though it would not be by his hand, he could not dismiss the responsibility for any action which occurred once he entered the tavern. He knew the intentions of his companions. He wasn't going in blind. As he had stated, he would be part of a planned execution.

He didn't want to go inside, but how could he turn away? Neltus was as much his responsibility as Holli's. The elf guard had gone to Burbon to retrieve Linda, his wife, but the spirit of Sy Fenden wouldn't allow it. Ryson had asked Sy to defend Linda, and so the spirit warrior had done so. And while the delver was grateful beyond measure, he couldn't dismiss that Neltus had manipulated the situation for his own advantage.

Ryson wondered why life had to be so difficult, and why there had to be people like Neltus to add to those difficulties. Neltus was self-absorbed, ignored the plight of those around him no matter what the cost. Such behavior tended to create more than just difficult circumstances. It led to suffering.

Holli was prepared to resolve the situation, but in a way that meant more violence, more killing. What could the delver say? There was no simple solution and no time for some great debate about morals and the importance of life.

If he even attempted to offer alternative solutions, Holli would have waved him aside in disgust. He was not so dense he could not see the burning anger in the elf guard. Her overwhelming sense of duty would demand she rectify the problem. How could Ryson stop her? Did he even want to?

He was never given the chance.

Holli moved without warning, beyond issuing a simple command.

"Follow me!"

And with that, she entered the tavern.

Ryson felt as if all control had slipped through his fingers. Just as in the desert, it was as if a wave of sand was falling down upon him and he was struggling through the onslaught. He couldn't halt the flow of activity or even redirect its course. All he could do was fight his way through and hope to keep from being buried in an avalanche of errors.

For whatever reason, he thought of two women; Reader Rachael and the sorceress Vraya.

Reader Rachael had offered advice to the delver about growing his spirit. It was a cryptic message, but not one completely without substance. He thought of how he actually saw his soul in Demonspawn. He wondered how it would change after he entered the bar... would it grow stronger or diminish?

He knew there were no easy answers. What kind of stain would appear on his soul if he entered the tavern knowing Holli's intentions? He couldn't begin to guess, but he also had no idea if he would be tarnished more by doing nothing. Would he feel better about himself if Neltus escaped but was then taken by Reiculf and used to destroy the entire land?

As for Vraya, the strange magic caster talked about change. Significant shifts in life were important to the ebony casting sorceress and such moments of transformation drew her to Ryson. She had been watching him. Ryson wondered if she was watching him again, somehow magically following the winds of alteration as an anchor for some sight spell, using the tempest of critical events which seemed to follow him everywhere.

He wondered how his life would change during the next brief encounter. Even as he rushed into the inn, he could not shake the consequences of the moment. It didn't even feel as if he had made a choice. Events just rolled ahead, like a cart pushed down the side of a mountain. Decisions were made on impulse, nothing more, and everything flashed forward in a single instant.

All he could do was move, and he raced around the elf the moment she entered the building. He rushed through the tavern like a brisk wind, weaving his way through the crowd to the back of the room.

While twisting and turning through the throng, he scanned every face, glanced into every dark corner. Before he even reached the back wall, he realized the moment of consequence would never materialize. Sometimes change doesn't come when it's expected, and there are times when potentially cataclysmic events turn into nothing more than a room full of strangers perplexed by a whirlwind of activity.