Jeff Inlo

Pure Choice

Prologue

It appeared harmless and ordinary, but if seen in direct light without shadow magic hiding its natural appearance, it would have frightened everyone in town, even the most hardened soldier. Unlike a pure shape shifter, the arasap lacked the ability to completely disguise itself, but it could manipulate its figure to match the contour of any number of creatures. Size was normally not an obstacle. The highly pliable property of its supple, liquid-like substance allowed it to expand to the height of an average tree or shrink to the size of an ordinary coin.

While proficient shape shifters could take on almost any identity and mislead the most critical observer, an arasap lacked the definition to mask itself on form modification alone. It could not physically arrange its features to appear as anything more than a transparent outline. To take on the full masquerade, it had to depend on magic.

As it walked through the town of Burbon, the lone arasap shrouded its identity by sculpting itself into a generic human form and then twisting the shadows around it. The creature relied on gloom much the same way the illusionist alters light. Though not a powerful spell caster, it utilized the gray magic to create the illusion it was nothing more than an ordinary merchant. It influenced the shades of light to contrive a face complete with aged lines and sagging skin, and it magically generated the image of thinning hair, as well as a full set of clothes.

The arasap moved through Burbon at dusk without raising the concern of the town guard it evaded at the gate or the citizens it passed on the streets. It moved with quick, deliberate steps, like a weary traveler bent from fatigue and hurrying to find cover before a coming storm. It looked like so many other traveling merchants who entered the town with the intent of making a fast sale and then heading back home.

To say the arasap walked on two legs would be somewhat deceiving. Its grease like substance gave it only the barest margin of solid form. With its profile shaped to include arms and legs, it was able to mimic the movements of a human. That, however, was where its similarity to the people of Burbon ended.

The creature did not have eyes for it did not need to see. Instead, it had thin and flexible hair-like growths that it could extend and contract at will. The tiny follicles covered its gelatinous body and served as sensory receptors. They picked up light, sound, and scent, and they allowed the arasap to gain complete awareness of its surroundings.

It also had no mouth… had no need for one. It communicated with a form of telepathy, and it did not need to eat to gain nourishment. Arasaps obtained nutrition from nonphysical sources and in a manner that defied sanity.

It was not quite the search for food that drove the creature down the streets of Burbon but an understanding that sustenance would be forthcoming if it accomplished its task. It normally would seek out novice spell casters or individuals unaware of their magical talents, but an arrangement of extraordinary circumstances persuaded the monster to seek a most unusual objective.

It would be the first, but it understood that more would come. It would prepare the host for others, make it easier for their arrival. It would have to share, but the harvest would be rich. It would not feed immediately, but it knew that when the process began, it would eat well. All it had to do was ensure it entered the proper host undetected,

It would not ask for directions in fear of revealing its presence, and so it relied upon what information it could pick up from the surrounding humans. A few words from an overheard conversation, a scent drifting from a chimney in the distance, and the recognition of street signs allowed it to hone in on its target.

The fading light assisted the arasap in its mission as it continued to stalk the shadows to avoid detection. Lonely alleys allowed it to reach its ultimate destination unnoticed, but the interior of the Borderline Inn was not quite as dark as the creature hoped. The arasap was forced to use more of the magic at its disposal to strengthen its disguise. Fortunately, it would not take long to complete its objective. It sensed the woman the moment it entered the establishment. It could not have missed her, for the total lack of magic within her was beyond repulsive to a creature that fed off incantation remnants.

It waited off to the side of the main room of the tavern. It appeared to check its pockets, but it was actually monitoring the movements of the woman before selecting a table in an isolated corner. When the timing was perfect, it quickly sat down and signaled to be served.

Linda Acumen walked up to the table. Something about the traveler unsettled her, but she had become accustomed to strange occurrences and odd visitors. Her immunity to magic kept her from touching the energy that others could use in a variety of ways, and she shook off the troubling sensation as she had done numerous times before.

"Room and a meal, just a meal, or something to drink?" she asked

"Just ale," the traveler muttered.

"I'll be right back."

As Linda swung around to return to the bar, the stranger called out.

"There is one more thing," the creature noted as it reached out and tapped Linda on the shoulder.

No one was watching, and even if someone had passed a glance to the lonely corner, another shadow spell concealed the entire table. Not a single patron of the inn noticed the disturbing sight as the arasap's masquerade slipped away and it became a thin strand of jelly that slid across Linda's neck.

Linda tried to face the guest to handle the additional request, but she could only do so as if moving in slow motion. It seemed to take forever to complete the turn, and when she did, the stranger was nowhere to be seen.

Someone or something was reaching into Baannat's realm, stealing his magic. The slink ghoul almost harshly rebuked the attempt, but instead, he decided to allow the theft to continue. After all, there was little else that interested him at the moment. The rather bold incident might lead to an amusing distraction.

Baannat had been cast into a realm of nonexistence. He once held sway over more magical energy than any creature in Uton and even found a way to avoid death, but victory always eluded him. He had been defeated by the wizard, Enin, and by the upstart delver, Ryson Acumen.

As punishment, he was reduced to a form that was neither physical or spiritual. His essence was a mix of the two and as a result he was forced to maintain his existence in an empty void that was beyond life… and death. He was the ruler of a realm of pure nothingness and his only source of entertainment came from peering into worlds beyond his direct control.

There was magic in his realm-not the same kind that flowed through Uton or the dark realm-but a hollow energy that hung in lifeless strands across the shadows of infinity. The slink ghoul had developed a connection to the dead energy and when he felt it begin to trickle out of his realm, it caught his interest.

Baannat watched the flow carefully. When the pull became stronger, his annoyance grew once more. Despite the momentary diversion the pilfering allowed, it angered him that anyone would dare steal what he felt was his and his alone. But again, he held his wrath. Even as his disturbed emotions bubbled with fury, he could not dismiss the fact that the brazen act offered a diversion… and possibly an opportunity.

While he could not open portals to escape his prison of shadow, he had limited access into other existences. He could influence creatures outside of his shadowed realm, reach into the dark lands or even into Uton with subtle manipulations. Yes, the theft of his magic was an affront to his nonexistence, but the slink ghoul was always willing to take advantage of someone else's mistake… and misfortune.

Chapter 1

"It can't be the same one," Sy Fenden growled. "They're quick, but river rogues don't travel that fast, especially on dry land."

"How'd they get inside the walls?" the soldier who just offered the news of another sighting asked Burbon's captain of the guard.

"My guess? The drainage ditches that run under the walls," the captain offered without much doubt. "We have to let the water go somewhere… not too unreasonable to assume at least one of these things would eventually follow the water flow, especially with all the rain we've been having."

"But the ditches are gated at the walls," the soldier responded.

"The gates rust and these things are strong," Sy noted. "At daybreak, we'll check the grates. I'm betting at least one will have been pulled free. It's not a surprise. The only surprise is that more than one came in during the same time. Blast, I thought these things were more territorial."

The guard captain considered his options. His first concern was for the safety of Burbon's citizens.

"With two of them roaming around, we're going to have to issue an alarm. I was hoping to isolate the first one without causing too much clamor-didn't want to agitate it-but I can't risk it. Inform the tower guards to signal a breach warning. Immediate shelter… with no exceptions." That was all the soldier would need to send to the towers, but Sy expanded on his orders to make them clear. "Everyone goes to the nearest shelter and stays put. I want everyone inside as soon as possible. I don't want people trying to race home."

The soldier nodded, pulled a small red flag from his belt, and moved directly beneath a street lantern to be seen easily in the night. He waved the flag to gain the attention of the guards standing watch in the towers and then offered the signals to communicate the captain's orders.

Just as the soldier was finishing the first communication, Sy added to the message.

"Expand the alert to all guard posts and call for a security sweep of the entire town by foot soldiers only. No horses. All horseback patrols are to stand fast. I want both rogues accounted for as soon as possible."

Just as Sy finished the additional orders, Sergeant Klusac arrived. He directed his mount across the town street and to the captain's side.

"More bad news, captain," the sergeant offered with both sympathy for his leader's dilemma and concern for the growing problem. "A third sighting within the town… not even close to the other two. This one is to the east. There's definitely at least three rogues inside the wall. Tower watch reports additional sightings beyond the town borders as well. Another two were spotted outside the wall to the northwest."

"What the blazes is going on?" Sy demanded, not of the sergeant or of the guard finishing the signals, but of the dark skies above, hoping to get some stroke of clarity. "Five river rogues in the same area. What is this… some kind of conference I didn't know about?"

It was not meant to be a joke. The words were spoken with both frustration and bewilderment.

"I don't understand it, either," the sergeant admitted. "I thought they kept clear of each other."

Sy quickly turned his attention to addressing the calamity.

"Keep all gates closed. No one exits to deal with the two on the outside. I don't want anyone going outside the wall until we know what's going on. Get additional archers up in the towers and on the walls over every drainage ditch. I don't want any more of these things getting inside."

The sergeant motioned for the guard to signal the new orders to the towers and then updated his captain on what he knew.

"I just came from the northern section of town. I checked out both sighting locations, but the creatures have moved on. Third sighting occurred closer to the eastern gate. If I had to guess, I'd say they got in under the wall to the northeast."

Sy nodded. "There's a drainage ditch there that leads out to a nearby farm, but we have to cover them all until we know for sure."

"I won't argue," the sergeant agreed. "As for the rest of the town, all gates are closed and I told the gatekeepers to wait for additional orders. We'll keep the other two rogues out-and any others that might be skulking around out there-but there may be more than three inside." He paused as he took a sweeping glance at the dark skies. "Still cloudy, I think more rain is on the way… a lot more. Visibility is already poor, could get worse."

Sy gave another look to the blackened heavens. It seemed as if the skies were willing to add to his troubles.

"Blast," the captain cursed again, and then gave additional messages for the signal guard. "Alert the towers to switch to covered torches. We're not going to be able to see flags in the rain."

"It's also going to be harder to spot the rogues," Klusac noted.

Realizing his options were dwindling, Sy looked back up to his sergeant.

"Get Ryson for me."

The sergeant didn't wish to delay or question his superior's orders, but he had to point out the truth.

"If these things are inside, they're going to have to be killed. He won't be a part of that."

The captain sighed heavily. "I know. He's going to want to try and capture them. It's not the way to deal with the situation, but he can sense them without seeing them. Without Enin here, we don't have many choices." Sy paused only for a moment, and then revealed his expectations. "Maybe he'll listen to reason this time, but I doubt it. If we have to, we'll play it his way."

The captain knew that ended the discussion, but Sy offered more advice before the sergeant could turn away.

"Be careful on the streets. Rogues spook horses something fierce. You're the only one I want riding through the streets, but I don't want you getting thrown. Go to the tavern first. My bet is he's there waiting to walk Linda home."

Klusac nodded and directed his mount away without another word.

After peering down several streets and alleys to ensure the citizens of Burbon had taken the warning to find immediate shelter seriously, Sy moved back to the soldier who had signaled the towers.

"Signal the towers again. Cancel the order for the sweep. Have the foot patrols take positions at major crossroads and wait for further orders. Stay here and keep note of the tower communications. I'm going to the nearest barracks. I'll dispatch messengers back to you as soon as I get there. Use them to keep me apprised of what's happening here. When Klusac and Acumen return, send them to the barracks."

After the soldier acknowledged his order, Sy moved quickly across the darkened streets, stepping through dancing shadows created by the flickering flames of the street lamps. The wind picked up, and he could smell the rain in the distance. Nothing was going to be easy.

Tactical approaches to deal with the incursion flashed through his mind. The thick scales of the river rogues were durable, but not resistant to arrows. If he could find them, his archers could bring them down. Unfortunately, he knew the delver wouldn't allow the obvious approach.

Still, the delver was the best suited to quickly scout the town and locate any river rogues within their walls. He'd try to convince Ryson, but he wouldn't waste time arguing. Heavier rains were coming, and that would hinder his efforts and work to the monsters' advantage. The river rogues had to be neutralized as quickly as possible, even if he had to give into the delver's passive nature.

Fairly confident he could address the river rogues without casualties, he ceased isolating the problem and considered it with regard to his other worries. Five river rogues-three already inside the wall and two outside-were far beyond any rogue encounter they had previously experienced in Burbon.

With the Fuge River nearby, there was always the threat of one or two wandering in too close, enticed by the scents of food and hopes of easy prey, but three actually breaching the walls was a little too extreme for the captain to dismiss as mere chance. He faced the prospect of finding a connection between the incursion of river rogues with other occurrences happening around Burbon.

He considered all the activity at Pinesway. The neighboring town had once been abandoned and became a haven for bandits and thugs, but that was no longer the case. It was being rebuilt by dwarves and humans. The criminal element had been forced out, and settlers continued to repopulate the area. Humans were even logging again just beyond the outskirts of the town.

Sy believed it was possible a handful of rogues might have been alarmed at the increased activity… and especially the presence of dwarves above ground. River rogues might have been willing to hunt down humans, but the sturdy underground dwellers were another matter. Sy assumed that previous contact between rogues and dwarves had been limited at best. River rogues preferred hiding in the tall grass by the sides of waterways and dwarves remained below ground.

The captain pondered river rogue activity and their more likely adversaries. With that thought, he mulled over another prospect that troubled him, gave him an uneasy feeling like listening to an out of tune instrument played by an intense amateur musician. It had been several days since he had received any reports from the elves of Dark Spruce, and elves and river rogues were natural enemies.

When the magic first returned to Uton, elves and humans appeared to have the easiest time in reestablishing relations. Communication between his town and the elves of Dark Spruce Forest started out sporadically, but it had become more constant over the past few seasons. There wasn't any official treaty between them, but a casual agreement to share information had burgeoned into a fairly stable structure of cooperation. He believed the elves, and certainly his own forces, benefited from the shared intelligence.

For some reason, however, all contact with the elves had ceased. He had sent scouts out into Dark Spruce, but he knew that elves could avoid detection if they chose to remain hidden. They had done so for countless cycles of the seasons when the magic was absent from the land. Avoiding human scouts in the deepest sections of Dark Spruce would be a simple task.

The question was, why? Why would the elves break off all communication? To Sy's knowledge, there had been no hostilities between them, not even a minor misunderstanding.

The loss of reports from the elves was more than a slight inconvenience, it quickly became a substantial concern. He wondered if the situation with the elves had anything to do with the appearance of so many rogues. To his dismay, he had very little information about any dark creature activity in Dark Spruce and his town was suddenly inundated with monsters. He didn't like the implications.

When he reached the barracks, he ordered several messengers to different outposts across the town. The guard station would serve as a temporary command post, and he would ensure he received sufficient information. He also placed a signal guard on the roof to establish immediate communications with each tower. He quickly reviewed the contents of the adjoining armory and then waited for the return of his sergeant and the delver. They arrived quicker than he expected.

"I found him outside the door of the tavern," Klusac explained. "He was guiding people inside while guarding the entrance."

Ryson Acumen moved lightly into the barracks with ease in his step, like a light breeze flowing down a mountainside. There was no stress in his eyes, no tension in his body, and no apprehension in his movements. Still, anyone who knew the delver recognized a raised level of vigilance.

"I heard the disturbance and I saw the signals," Ryson acknowledged. "The sergeant told me about the rogues. How do you want to handle it?"

Sy looked dead in the face of the delver and offered what he felt was the best way to approach the situation, though he already knew Ryson would object.

"I want you to use your senses to locate every rogue within the walls. Once you pinpoint them, I'll have archers dispatch them as quickly as possible. You can…"

Ryson didn't let him continue.

"No, I won't find them so you can kill them."

Sy made one last effort.

"They're already inside the walls… on the streets. They're dangerous and they're here to kill our citizens."

"We can handle it without killing them. The people have already been warned. No one is going to get killed tonight."

Eyeing the delver with frustration, Sy realized further argument was not only futile, but a waste of critical time.

"Fine, we don't kill them. We'll capture them. I'll send guards to different points of the town with iron chain nets. Rogues are strong, but they can't rip through iron. You hunt them down. Keep that sword of yours out in the open. I want the tower guards to keep track of your progress. When you pinpoint a rogue, stop and wave the sword three times over your head. The tower guards will signal your position to my soldiers, and they'll take it from there."

"Maybe you should just let me take care of it. I can lead them out of the town. I would just need your guards to open a gate once…"

It was Sy's turn to cut off the delver.

"No. You won't let me dispatch them, as I should-and I'll live with that-but I'm not going to let you lead some kind of parade through town. I'm also not going to open the gates at night. There are more rogues outside the wall. We net those that are already inside, secure them so they can't get loose, and I'll have them released very far down river tomorrow."

"I have your word you won't have them killed?"

"You have my word." Sy frowned. He didn't feel it was necessary to affirm his order. He meant what he said, and the delver asking for some kind of confirmation added to his annoyance. He was already compromising with the delver-adding risk he did not think was necessary-and Ryson's apparent lack of faith was a jab he did not need… or like. He wouldn't waste time debating the issue at that moment, but he also decided that wouldn't be the end of the conversation.

"You and I are going to have to have a talk."

"Tomorrow," Ryson offered.

"That'll be fine."

Ryson was sorry the tone had become so unfriendly. He wished he could have cleared the air before he left, but he had rogues to find.

Turning about with a flash of grace, Ryson quickly exited the barracks with Sergeant Klusac and Sy following close behind. The delver pulled the Sword of Decree from the sheath on his back.

The blade glowed brightly as it magnified and reflected the surrounding light. Even with a night sky blanketed in clouds, the land was never completely dark. Light always managed to find its way through the land of Uton and the Sword of Decree enhanced that light with its enchantment.

"Not as bright as it would glow in the day," Ryson admitted, "but in this darkness, I doubt the tower guards will have any trouble seeing me."

"We think there's only three," Sy reminded the delver, "but there could be more. Find them all, and do it quickly."

Ryson nodded and sped off toward the northern section of town.

"I still can't get over how fast he can move," Klusac blurted out as he watched the glowing sword become a streaking flash through the night.

"It is amazing," Sy allowed. Then the captain offered a relevant consideration, for his benefit as well as Klusac's. "Maybe if he wasn't so blasted fast he'd understand why the rest of us are a bit more willing to remove these threats completely rather than playing around with them, especially at night. I wouldn't want to go running after rogues alone, but then again, I can't move like he does."

Klusac didn't verbally agree with the sentiment, didn't want to simply admit his own fears, but he knew he wouldn't want to chase river rogues hiding throughout the town in the dead of night, either. Rather than dwell on his own misgivings, the sergeant turned his attention to his duties.

"What do you need of me now?"

"I've got foot patrols waiting at crossroads throughout the town. Make sure they're armed with chain nets and they know to capture these blasted things as opposed to killing them. There should be plenty of nets in every armory. They'll get signals from the towers on what they need to do, but I'd feel better if you delivered the message personally to as many as you can."

"Done."

While Klusac mounted his horse and rode off into the darkness, Sy resigned himself to simply watching and waiting. He stepped back through the barracks entrance but stopped after only a couple of steps. He stood under an open trap door that led to the roof, and he turned to get a clear view of the nearest tower through the front entrance. Despite the delver's speed, he knew he would have at least a few moments of quiet.

The guard captain actually embraced the momentary silence that washed across the empty barracks. As he became more of a leader of the entire town and less of a soldier, hushed moments of contemplation grew in importance. He used such time to weigh his decisions, those already made and those he still faced. Finding the right balance between benefits and hazards became a greater part of his duties than facing down goblins, shags, and river rogues.

He considered Ryson, pictured him racing across the town-a blur of motion and a flash of light. The delver was doing what he loved to do, and Sy couldn't deny the advantage of having a purebred delver available to him; to scout the surrounding lands, to uncover enemies, and to help protect the town. Unfortunately, Ryson's unyielding moral compass created certain risks that potentially offset such advantages.

Sy silently cursed the situation. It would have been easier if it was just one or two rogues. He wouldn't have had to ask for the delver's help. His soldiers could have found the creatures and dispatched them. Problem solved. He just wasn't that lucky. There were too many confirmed sightings and too many unknowns.

He had given in to Ryson because he wanted the delver's help-needed Ryson's keen senses-but keeping rogues alive to release them down river began to sound like far too great a concession. The question he faced centered on the benefit of having the delver's aid versus the compromises he had to make, compromises he believed increased the risk to his town just to keep dark creatures alive.

It didn't make sense, not to a soldier and certainly not to a captain of the guard. He would have to speak with Ryson, and friend or not- delver or not-Sy would make his growing concerns known.

As for Ryson, the delver brushed the brief disagreement with Sy from his mind. He concentrated almost entirely on finding the river rogues as he raced away from the barracks. During his past scouts, he had come across several rogues in the course of his travels, but he always kept a safe distance. His remarkable memory and mind for detail allowed him to recall an accurate description of the monster.

They were odd looking beasts. He always thought of an elongated lake trout with arms and legs whenever he pictured one. Of course, it also had fangs and claws, and a viciousness that made it extremely dangerous.

A clear visual image of a rogue, however, was not essential in locating the ones that stalked the town. Holding the brightly glowing sword in front of him, Ryson relied little on what he could see. Instead, he focused on what he could smell. The scent of a river rogue was strong and obvious, more so than that of a shag. Even as the smells of burning lanterns and late night cooking fires filled the air, he knew the rogues would not be able to hide their scent from him.

Sergeant Klusac had informed the delver of the locations of the rogue sightings, and Ryson rushed to the first location, near the northwestern section of the city. He found the scent trail immediately and he raced onward knowing the rogue was close by but probably waiting in some dark corner hoping to ambush its prey.

Sy's orders for the citizens to find immediate shelter as opposed to heading home probably saved at least one life. With no one on the streets, the rogue would be disappointed.

Careful not to step near any potential hazard, Ryson stayed to the center of the streets. After a few turns, he located a dark alley behind a candle maker's shop. He knew the rogue was hiding behind two waste barrels. The creature probably hoped the scent of the discarded oils and fat would mask its own presence, but Ryson had no such difficulty in locating the beast. He could hear its labored breaths.

Keeping his eyes on the alley, Ryson waved his sword over his head three times and waited stone still until a group of soldiers arrived bearing a long and wide net made from iron chains. The delver knew it would be dangerous for any of the guards to attempt to capture the monster in the narrow confines of the alley, and he didn't wish any injury to befall either the soldiers or the rogue.

"Let me bring it out in the open," Ryson offered before any of the soldiers could move into the alley.

The corporal in charge of the squad immediately disagreed and offered his own approach.

"If we stretch the net across the alley, we can rush in and wrap it up before it has a chance to move. That alley's a dead end. It can't escape."

"But if it runs up against the back wall," Ryson countered, "it's going to know it's trapped and it might panic."

"Let it."

"And if it flails out in that narrow passage? What then?"

"We know the risks."

"Why take any risks?"

"It's what we do."

Ryson didn't care for the soldier's disregard for danger and unwillingness to consider safer alternatives. He decided to paint a clearer picture for the corporal.

"You mean your job as a soldier? One that takes orders from Captain Fenden? He put me in charge of finding the rogues. I would think that means you need to defer to my judgment."

It was not quite an accurate statement. Sy Fenden had told Ryson to simply find the rogues and allow the guards to handle the capture. Ryson had no authority over the corporal, but he was not against taking on more responsibility.

The corporal appeared uncertain, clearly not wishing to bow to the orders of the delver. He also, however, understood that Ryson-though not an official member of the guard-held a special relationship with Burbon's captain. The corporal had hopes of obtaining the rank of sergeant, and falling on the wrong side of the captain's wishes would not aid that cause. In the end, the soldier decided it was wiser to allow a the delver a measure of latitude.

"Fine. You force the creature out here in the streets, but once it's in the open, let us handle it."

"You're not to injure it," Ryson reminded.

"I know my orders," the corporal grunted.

Peering into the alley, Ryson watched the dancing shadows created by the surrounding torches and the much brighter light reflecting off his sword. The creature remained well hidden and apparently somewhat secure in its place of hiding. Perhaps it felt as if it was nestled under some fallen tree across a dry creek bed. It made no movements and showed no undue concern toward the gathering of soldiers just beyond its reach.

Ryson decided to use his speed to dash past the waste barrels and into the back of the alley. He did not leap. He simply burst into motion and raced past the rogue before the creature even realized the delver had entered the alley. As Ryson turned swiftly about at the back wall, he held the Sword of Decree out in front of him to ensure the monster would not lunge. He didn't want the rogue to think it suddenly obtained an easy meal.

For its part, the river rogue remained crouched behind the barrels but clearly confused at the drastic change in events. The shadows and darkness it used to conceal its presence vanished in the glow of the enchanted blade held by an invader to its sanctuary. The trespasser moved faster than the beast's limited mind could fathom and it appeared uncertain of its security. It did not charge the delver, but its agitation grew as it realized it stood trapped between a grouping of soldiers and the armed invader.

Ryson did not wish to antagonize the beast, but he knew the situation turned critical. If he allowed the rogue's uncertainty to swell, it might make the wrong choice and create an unhealthy situation for them all. He wanted the creature to move out into the open street, not further back into the alley. He worried the corporal might order an immediate attack if he saw the monster charge backward. With all of them gathered in such close quarters, the chances of an unnecessary injury to any one of them would expand greatly.

With another decisive flash of motion, Ryson sprung forward. He swung his blade with force, but it never touched the river rogue. Instead, he used the speed of his movements to add power to his swing. He knocked the waste barrels over and sent them rolling out into the street. He created a clear path for the rogue to escape and then shouted a command to the soldiers waiting just outside the alley.

"Back up! Give it room to come out!"

Every soldier quickly acknowledged the order, except for the corporal who hesitated, but even he complied as he saw the wisdom in the strategy.

The quick strike to its cover startled the rogue. It initially prepared to fight off its attacker. As the delver shouted words it could not understand, it readied its claws to slash at Ryson's throat. It never found the opportunity as its intended victim sprung out of reach far too quickly.

With the barrels rolling out the front of the alley, the river rogue peered over its shoulder to see the soldiers backing away. Moving surprisingly fast and with determination to escape, the beast bounded after the barrels, extricating itself from the alley.

The rogue almost found a path to freedom. Seeing the guards give way, it remained behind the still rolling barrels. When the containers slowed to a near halt, it leapt over them before the soldiers could close ranks. The monster saw a clear lane down the open street and moved with haste to find new refuge.

Breaking from the alley, Ryson took a path around the soldiers and simply rushed to a spot beyond the monster and blocked the once clear path of retreat. Still holding the Sword of Decree, he never stopped moving. He used his great speed to add to the dazzling glow of the enchanted blade that he twirled about in his hand.

The swerving, flashing light confused the beast, and the rogue lost any sight of escape. Its uncertainty brought it to a complete halt.

The soldiers did not delay. They had the rogue on open ground and momentarily disoriented. They threw the iron net over the creature and circled about it to wrap and entangle the monster. With the heavy iron chains draped about the rogue's arms and legs, the guards pulled tight at the net's edges to bind the creature within the folds of the mesh. With one coordinated tug, they succeeded in dislodging the rogue from its feet and rendering it completely bound and helpless.

"That's one, at least two more to go," the delver acknowledged with a smile. He thanked the guards and then dashed away, lighting up the darkness with his enchanted sword like a shooting star darting over the empty streets.

Chapter 2

"More on the wall," the goblin scout relayed to the taller and significantly bulkier goblin named Okyiq.

Okyiq had taken command of over two hundred goblins in Dark Spruce Forest. He did so in a very short amount of time with a force of will and the threat of physical punishment. He ordered those same goblins to prepare for a raid of Burbon. He directed them out of the trees and to the hills that covered the grounds just beyond the town's southwestern wall.

The large goblin didn't like planning and preparation-it was not a natural instinct-but he discovered that threats weren't the only way to control his army. Goblins enjoyed mayhem and chaos, but they also responded well to the orders of a disciplined leader. In order to maintain control, he found it necessary to utilize certain strategies, such as sending out scouts rather than blindly assaulting a target.

"More of what?" Okyiq demanded.

"Humans."

Despite his intended efforts to reveal the enemy's strengths and weaknesses, Okyiq only sent scouts to explore the southern portion of his target. He knew nothing about the river rogues at the northern edge of Burbon and beyond. He only knew he was hungry for human food. He could smell it-far more appetizing than anything the goblins could scrounge from the forest dirt-and additional humans at the top of the wall would not keep him from his intended prize.

"So?" was Okyiq's rather apathetic and somewhat annoyed response.

"Archers," the scout added with a note of foreboding, hoping to accentuate its concern without sounding as if it was admonishing its leader.

"So?" the commander repeated with a growing sneer. His eyes fixed upon what he began to view as an irritating subordinate, like a fly that kept landing on his face and didn't realize it was time to give up and annoy someone else.

"More archers means humans ready."

If it was the scout's intention to raise the level of its commanders concern, it failed to provoke the proper response. Okyiq brushed aside the activity as if it was nothing more than routine behavior. He knew of the human guards. They always appeared worried-moving around the gates, watching in towers-but it was all quite ordinary.

"Humans are never ready for goblins." Okyiq offered with a half grumble. "They are just afraid of the dark. They run around like ants in rotted wood."

The scout didn't quite see it that way.

"Not running. Watching. Arrows ready. Standing to fight. Different tonight."

Growing slightly more troubled by the news, Okyiq finally took the warning seriously.

"How many near us?"

The scout, lacking the ability to count, did its best to offer an accurate projection.

"Small group in tower, but more than usual. Walls have lots more. Uhmmm… size of goblin raiding party standing on wall supports."

"None moving?"

The smaller goblin shook its head.

Revealing a twisted and unpleasant frown, Okyiq almost called off the raid, but then a light breeze brought another whiff of cooking meat to his large nostrils. His stomach growled just as he waved off any reluctance to attack.

"Fah, not enough to stop us."

"We still raid?" the scout wondered aloud.

"The forest belongs to me!" the larger goblin roared, then added what he saw as an important detail. "With the elves gone, this part is mine!"

The scout decided, perhaps against its better judgment, to add an important detail of its own.

"Human town outside the forest."

The goblin scout did not wish to correct Okyiq, or point out such an obvious fact that would make its leader appear somewhat dimwitted, but the smaller creature clearly did not want to be part of a raid with so many human archers in position to offer significant resistance.

The hesitancy of the creature was almost understandable. Courage was not a resounding trait of the diminutive beasts, though they weren't complete cowards, either. Despite their lack of valor, they often threw themselves into violent and perilous situations, especially when the call of the horde overwhelmed and stifled their desire for self-preservation. While they might have joined gleefully in unrestrained acts of brutality, they also endured the insecurity of inadequacy, and they often chose to flee in the face of stout opposition.

It was a constant struggle for such small creatures that originated from a realm that demanded both aggression and caution just to survive, and it wasn't surprising that Okyiq would have to deal with at least some small sliver of reluctance. The bloodlust of battle had not yet taken hold, and a couple hundred goblins spread across the eastern border of Dark Spruce hardly characterized a sizable pack, let alone a horde.

As if to punctuate its sentiment, the scout pointed back over its shoulder.

"Forest back there!"

Okyiq's eyes shot open at what he saw as not only open defiance of his will but a mocking gesture of disrespect. He ascended to command because he was larger and stronger than the other goblins… and he did not take kindly to dissension. He struck with a closed fist at the top of the scout's head and sent the smaller creature sprawling into the dirt.

"You don't tell me what's mine and what's not! Humans cleared forest for their town. Forest here first. That makes them part of forest… part of my forest. I take what is mine. Humans have supplies I want. We raid tonight!"

The large goblin, however, would not completely disregard the anxiety of his followers. Certainly, the monster understood how to maintain discipline through terror. Okyiq's bulk gave him a natural advantage over those that followed him, but even with meager intelligence, Okyiq knew how to lead, at least to a degree. Too much fear of repercussions and too little regard for authority led to desertion.

As a few of his lieutenants cringed at the angry display, Okyiq used his scant wisdom just enough to follow the display of strength with minor appeasement.

"So you fear the human archers on the wall?" Okyiq demanded of the goblins near enough to hear. "You think they will shoot us all down? Do arrows fly only one way?"

The other goblins tilted their heads in apparent confusion.

The goblin leader continued with a devious smile.

"If they're on the wall, then they are open to us. What keeps us from firing at them?"

A few of the goblins began to nod, but not the majority.

"We have short bows, crossbows, and plenty of bolts and arrows. Should we forget what we have?"

Without waiting for an answer, the large monster picked up a stick and drew a small circle in the dirt and then a curve just below it. He called his lieutenants to gather around. He sneered but with slightly less hostility than he offered the scout. He demanded that those nearby try to pay attention-something difficult for any goblin, but not impossible.

"This is wall around human town. We raid here!" Okyiq used the end of the stick to point to a section of the circle which corresponded to Burbon's southern gate. "Door here is closed, but we climb wall, kill guards, open gate."

The hulking creature paused and waited to see if any of the surrounding goblins dared to object. His eyes narrowed and his fists clenched tighter. He allowed his expression to communicate his intentions if any decided to oppose him.

Knowing they would receive the same treatment dished out to the still dazed scout, the subordinate goblins held their tongues. They might not have wanted to face human archers, but they had no desire to face Okyiq's fury, either.

Pleased with the silence, Okyiq then threw out the only bone he would offer, the one adjustment to help ease his followers concerns, but he knew it would suffice.

"But… not all of us will go to gate. Only part of us will go here." Okyiq jabbed the stick further into the dirt. He continued to direct the goblins' attention to the bottom of the circle that represented the southwestern portion of Burbon's contiguous wall. He then pulled the stick back and pointed to the curve he drew below. "This the hill rest of us can hide behind. We have enough short bows and crossbows. Stay behind hill until I say, then go to top of hill and fire at humans on wall! They will die and not see what we really want."

With a grunt of satisfaction, the leader jabbed the stick into the ground back at the point of the circle that represented the southern gate.

"This is where small party goes first. We climb wall, open gate, get more of us inside, take supplies, leave. Humans die, we live. We get food and weapons."

Certainly it wasn't a grand strategy, just a simple diversion added to a basic raid, but for the group of goblins, it radiated with pure brilliance. Okyiq added one more tactical aspect of goblin genius.

"We wait for rain. Coming soon. When rain starts, I give signal. Harder for archers to see us."

In a downpour, it would also be harder for the goblins to target the archers on the wall, but even had they thought of it, none of the lieutenants dared to make the claim. It was safer to simply nod and snicker.

Ryson moved eastward to the location where a second river rogue had been spotted. Again, he found the creature's scent quickly. He tracked the monster as he moved along a rather straight path. The rogue must not have been concerned by its surroundings as its trail passed through the center of a wide road.

The delver still traveled near the northern gate, but the streets and alleys were darker in that particular region. The area contained the large storehouses for food supplies brought in from the farms that covered the lands to the northeast. Lantern posts were not as common and most of the buildings were dark.

The second river rogue was easier to spot than the first, actually standing out in the open, banging against a locked warehouse door. It probably smelled the food stored within the confines of the structure and decided to force its way inside.

Ryson pulled to a stop and waved his sword high above his head to signal the towers. He remained a safe distance from the building which held the river rogue's attention while he scanned the area for any security personnel. Other than the rogue's poundings, the streets remained quiet and empty.

Unfortunately, his movement created a flashing beacon that caught the rogue's attention. The delver knew the guard towers would signal foot patrols to move into the area, but he couldn't be sure from which direction they would arrive. Not wanting them to unwittingly step into a dangerous situation, he decided to remain the new focal point for the beast.

Ryson raced forward and came to a halt about three arm lengths away from the rogue. He twirled his blazing weapon and leapt to his right and left. He kept calling out to ensure any arriving guards would hear him, though he knew they would not miss the flashing display of his sword.

The rogue found the delver's actions first distracting and then enraging. Like an angered bull, it charged at the sparkling blade. It slashed as it snarled and spit, but its claws found only empty air.

Ryson continued moving the sword in nearly every direction as he carefully danced backwards, coaxing the monster away from the building and out into the open street. The rogue was deceptively quick, even on dry land, but Ryson found no difficulty in avoiding every swipe. Once he managed to direct the beast into the center of a wide crossroad, the delver took quick glimpses in each direction and spied a group of oncoming soldiers.

Before the rogue could spot the guards, Ryson sidestepped to his left. By coaxing the creature to follow, he turned the monster's back to the soldiers' approach. He shouted louder at the rogue, making sufficient noise to block out any sounds that might alert it to approaching danger from behind.

To their credit, the guards understood the delver's intentions, quieted their movements, and prepared the iron net to swoop down upon the rogue from behind. They spread the strands of chain across the road, and once in position, they darted forward catching the creature in the center of the net.

Ryson leapt to the side and allowed the soldiers to wrap the mesh around the rogue with a sweeping motion. He helped secure the chains to ensure the rogue's arms could not break free. With the monster no longer a threat, he turned to the squad leader.

"Nicely done."

"You set it up for us," the squad leader offered.

"Any further sightings?" the delver asked.

"Last information I received was just three sightings of rogues inside-including this one-and two outside the wall."

"This is the second we've secured," Ryson offered. "That means only one left. If there was a fourth inside, it probably would have been seen by now. What do you think?"

The soldier considered the assumption, but found a small flaw in the logic.

"Probably, but the captain ordered all foot patrols to stand fast at crossroads. Everyone else is inside. You're the only one actively searching. If there were more, you'd know about it first."

Ryson considered the patience of the first rogue that had been hiding behind the candle maker's barrels. If there was a fourth rogue, it might have found similar refuge. One might be hiding behind some warehouse or in some dank drainage ditch. He realized he could not simply assume that there were only three. He would have to search the entire town after he located the third river rogue.

"You're right," the delver conceded. "All citizens were ordered inside, so I can't be sure of anything. After I locate the third, I'll keep searching. Well… if there is a fourth one, I should be able to find the scent pretty easily."

The soldier didn't doubt the delver's words, didn't view them as boasts, but wondered about the effect of the elements.

"Can you still locate scents in the rain?"

As if on cue, the first raindrop hit the ground between the guard and the delver.

"It's going to make it more difficult," Ryson admitted, "but these things smell pretty bad."

The guard took a big whiff, and though he lacked the delver's keen senses, he could not argue the assertion.

"They do stink," the soldier admitted.

"This one's not going to smell any better if it gets wet, and moving it in the rain is just going to make things more difficult. You probably want to get it off the streets before it really starts to pour."

"There's a guard post with a holding cell a couple blocks of here. We'll take it there."

"You'll signal the towers to let them know?"

"Absolutely. Captain wants to keep informed."

"Good. Please signal that I'm going after the third rogue and then I'll sweep the town to make sure there aren't any more."

"Will do."

"The rain is here," one of the goblin lieutenants boldly stated.

A steady sprinkle of raindrops hit the ground all around them, but Okyiq found the amount unsatisfactory.

"Not rain, not yet. This just spittle." The goblin leader looked up at the skies. He could see thicker clouds rolling in from the west, even in the dark of night. "Real rain coming soon."

"We wait?"

"We wait," the bulkier goblin grunted.

Rubbing his head, Okyiq groaned. The large goblin had spent time pondering the events of the night. Thinking was never easy for a goblin, and the consideration of tactics could produce headaches of excruciating intensity. Still, Okyiq believed the activities in the human town offered not so much of a dilemma, but a potential opportunity.

Okyiq struggled with how to utilize that opportunity based on limited information and his own restricted ability to reason. Rather than seek additional facts, he searched for possible explanations based on conjecture, not an easy task for any goblin.

The hulking monster remained certain of one thing: the humans were concerned with something at their wall. As to what it was, he could only imagine. He sensed something in the night… perhaps fortune, the same fortune that cleared the threat of the elves from the forest. Okyiq began to believe that luck was on his side and he did not wish to waste such an opportunity.

"When real rain starts, then we fire," the large goblin ordered. "Make sure goblins behind hill stay out of sight until ready to shoot. Must all shoot at once to kill as many humans as we can. For now, stay hidden… make certain all have enough arrows. We will shoot a long time."

That order confused the lieutenant.

"Won't humans run for cover?"

"Humans will hide, but will wait behind wall. We still fire at wall. Make sure all goblins understand."

The subordinate shook its head and admitted a dangerous truth.

"Don't understand."

Okyiq nearly exploded. In a fit of frustration, the bulky goblin grabbed the lieutenant by its armored breastplate. Spit showered upon the smaller goblin as the leader frothed with rage. Most of the frustration came from tactical struggles. The large goblin's head did indeed pound with pain from jumbled concentrations, and it didn't wish to waste time and effort explaining itself.

"You don't have to understand! You do as you're told! You're too dumb to understand. Why do you think humans on wall?"

The lieutenant didn't dare answer, too afraid to say the wrong thing that might lead to its death.

The release of anger seemed to ease the pain in his head, and Okyiq decided to continue his rant, even as it meant offering the explanation he felt unnecessary to offer.

"Humans react! Always react! Sometimes react to nothing, Sometimes react to something. Could be something big, could be something small, but always they react! Archers on wall means they react to something, but what?"

The commanding goblin didn't wait for a response, didn't expect one. Instead, Okyiq spelled out his own contemplations as if to clear his jumbled thoughts.

"Big wizard not there, almost never there anymore. Big wizard in big city. Big wizard wouldn't allow us this close, doesn't like goblins. Magic would find us, but humans put archers across whole wall. Why waste archers on long wall if big wizard could use magic to throw us back into trees? Magic not here.

"Maybe cursed delver behind the wall sensed us, but probably not. Delver in Burbon. We know that. But…" Okyiq struggled with the words to explain his reasoning, to exclaim why he felt they had not been uncovered by the delver's great senses. "…doesn't make sense. Does delver know we're here? If yes, then why not send out soldiers on horseback to scatter goblins before rains start? Why just stand there and wait? Humans hate to wait almost as much as goblins. And why wait in open if they know we are here?

"No, not magic and not delver. Humans not on wall for goblins. Something else has humans' attention. Something going on inside their wall, that's what I think. And if something else going on, then humans already worried. We make them more worried."

The amount of speculation surprised the goblin subordinate. It was more "thinking" than it could have accomplished in an entire season, let alone one night. Still, its leader was offering an explanation and the threat of retribution seemed to diminish. The lieutenant's curiosity got the better of it and pressed for further understanding.

"But why waste arrows by shooting at wall if humans hide? Why not shoot and stop? Save arrows."

"Because arrows will add to worry, will keep attention off gate. We kill as many humans quickly, but we don't stop. Not a waste if it helps us open gate. Once gate open, humans can't hide behind wall."

With the strategy somewhat clearer, the lieutenant offered a sinister smile which satisfied its commander. The diminutive monster even nodded and offered praise.

"Okyiq smarter than humans."

The large goblin appeared pleased with the compliment. He released his hold on the armored breastplate and allowed the lieutenant freedom to move.

"Now, go make sure goblins have enough arrows. Real rain almost here."

Linda Acumen was alone when the first wave hit her. She stood in a back storage room of the Borderline Inn, looking for extra mugs for all the additional people in the tavern. No one was ordering drinks at the moment-they were all too occupied, wondering about the alert and watching for additional signals from the towers-but she wanted to keep busy. She didn't want to stop and think about what was happening outside, didn't want to wonder what Ryson was facing at that very moment.

The initial contact rushed toward her, but couldn't touch her in any way. Linda didn't feel anything on her skin, but she could sense something all around her. She almost called out for help. She thought of Ryson, but for some reason she knew he could not help her. The same force that tried to take hold of her was also inside her husband, inside all delvers.

She turned to run back into the main room of the tavern, but then a surge of odd images rushed into her consciousness. A wave of emotions kept her in place. She felt everything at once; fear, sadness, anxiety, confusion, but mostly anger, and it raged within her.

She wanted to strike out at something, but there was nothing near that was worth her immense fury. She shook uncontrollably as she grabbed her head, clawing at her hair and trying to somehow reach the flood of foreign memories pouring into her mind.

For long, drawn out moments it continued. No one noticed, for she remained alone and away from the tavern full of Burbon's citizens. She grunted and snarled in a fit of pure rage. She never saw the two greasy puddles sliding toward her.

Two arasaps had entered the tavern by sliding through a back window well before the river rogues even entered the town. Both had waited patiently in a far corner near the stairs to the basement. They appeared as nothing more than two large drops of water that might have fallen from some boiling pot.

They kept in constant contact with the arasap that was already inside the human host. Through telepathic messages only the arasaps could understand, they knew to wait. An opportunity was coming soon, and they would not waste it.

When the first arasap began to feed, the other two creatures made their way across the floor. Their objective remained alone and far too occupied to notice their advance. When they reached her feet, they both rose up slowly, like expanding bubbles. They struck from opposite sides, each taking hold of a separate arm.

Linda barely noticed. The flood of images and emotions kept her angry and confused… and completely unable to comprehend her dire situation. She felt the greasy substances slide across her arms and into her neck near her shoulders.

At the same instant, the flood of images subsided and she could no longer feel the strange presence surrounding her. When she regained her composure, all traces of the arasaps were gone. The incident remained fuzzy in her mind. She wondered if she imagined the entire event.

There was one thing, however, that remained clear in her mind. She thought of Ryson and how he left her. He was not there to help her. Beyond that, she realized there was something between them, an obstacle that neither of them could overcome.

Linda stormed out into the tavern and took a seat alone at a back table. She ignored everyone around her. She focused on a single glass that was left on the table. It was empty, but she began to look at it as a symbol of her future. She wanted to toss it across the room, let it shatter into a thousand shards, but she held to it. She decided she didn't want to let go of it, at least not at that moment.

Those that waited in the Borderline Inn let her be. They imagined her emotional state was the result of the chaos outside in the streets. They couldn't blame her. Her husband was racing through the town, defending Burbon against horrible creatures, fighting for them.

Chapter 3

Ryson found the third rogue in a residential section of Burbon, roaming through shadows of the eastside. The beast appeared almost disoriented and seemed much more intent on fleeing as opposed to stalking the alleys for food. Several dogs were barking from inside locked homes, and the rogue moved frantically from one shadowy corner to the next, hopelessly trying to escape the noisy mayhem.

Rogues didn't like dogs, as dogs could smell them far in the distance-another reason why dogs had become so popular after the return of magic. Early warning and avoidance of danger became necessary in life throughout Uton, particularly so near Dark Spruce Forest, and dogs proved to be the ablest of alarms against shags, goblins, and especially river rogues. From the smallest terriers to the largest wolfhounds, the appreciation for canines grew as their natural ability to sense dark creatures saved almost as many citizens as the town guard.

Reeling from an alley to a dark porch and then to a lonely street corner, the rogue seemed helpless in its attempt to avoid attention. The moment it rushed away from one barking canine, it stepped too near the home of another. Soon, the entire eastside echoed with yaps and howls, and the monster could find no path to sanctuary.

Ryson closed to within a single town block of the rogue, but then slowed his approach. He continued to carry the Sword of Decree in front of him, but he made no attempt to wave it over his head. He had a clear view of the creature, knew there was only one in the area, but he delayed signaling the towers. He continued to assess the situation as he watched the rogues frantic movements.

Realizing the monster was extremely agitated, Ryson wondered if trying to catch it in an iron net remained the best alternative. He was very near the eastern town entrance. He probably could have coaxed the creature toward the gate, right through the passage, and beyond the wall in mere moments. He knew the rogue was simply trying to escape. Guiding it to just such a remedy seemed the best solution for everyone involved.

Unfortunately, Ryson knew the gate was closed and the keepers were under strict orders to leave it that way. They weren't going to open it for him, even if he had the rogue marching right in front of him. More than likely, they would signal the situation to the towers, and the captain of the guard would receive the message immediately.

Ryson thought of the agreement he had with Sy. The captain gave his word he would release the rogues unharmed, but it would be far from the town. Sy wasn't going to allow the beast to flee so near Burbon's borders. There was already tension between the two of them, and breaking their agreement would only add to the stress.

Still, the delver made no move to signal the towers. He followed the rogue for a few more blocks, which only served to strengthen Ryson's opinion that the creature was too unsettled to hunt for prey. If everyone stayed away from it and allowed the beast free passage, it would leave of its own accord. The only thing it seemed to care about was escaping the continuous clamor of the neighborhood dogs. The monster didn't even notice the delver's glowing sword.

The rain that had been little more than a very light shower finally altered the delver's decision. A smattering of drops here and there turned into a steadier downpour. The rhythmic beat of drops against the surrounding rooftops added to the chorus of barking dogs. Several street lanterns dimmed or were extinguished completely. Visibility was dropping quickly, and Ryson knew the guards in the streets would have a difficult time keeping their torches lit.

With nothing to gain in delaying his decision further and growing anxious over the storm clouds to the west, the delver waved his glowing blade over his head. He kept a close watch on the river rogue, waited to see if the action might divert its attention.

It didn't.

The monster simply kept moving onward, trying to find a secure place to hide, but failing to do so. The only thing that seemed to offer it any solace whatsoever was the increasing rains.

Okyiq also welcomed the storm. The rain began to pour down upon the tall grass of the hills just as heavier winds rustled almost violently through the trees of Dark Spruce to the west. The large goblin nodded his head in approval as he made one last address to his surrounding lieutenants.

"See? This is why I lead. Told you the rain would be stronger. Humans will have hard time seeing us. What will they shoot at? Nothing. We have target. We can shoot at the top of wall and at towers without even seeing humans, but we know they are there. We will hit some. They will die."

None of the lieutenants answered, but a few nodded their heads in agreement with Okyiq's sentiment. The rain beat down upon them, splashed against their armored breastplates and substantially diminished what they could see. If they peeked over the top of the hill, they could still make out the outline of the wall in the darkness and rain, but just barely. The exact position of the humans was, at best, a guess, but that was all they needed. The same advantage did not hold true for the human archers. Even when the goblins finally began to fire, the dark creatures would remain quite hidden in the tall grass and the teaming downpour.

"We attack now!" Okyiq ordered. "When I tell you to fire, all goblins with bows must attack and continue to fire at wall and towers until raid is over."

The commanding goblin pointed to two of his lieutenants.

"You two stay here. You are in charge of all goblins at this hill. Make sure goblins keep firing. If they stop, you die."

The order was a double edged sword for the lieutenants. They were happy to stay behind as opposed to being part of the raid that would cross the clearing that surrounded the town. It also pleased them not to have to climb the wall, but the order was flush with other potential hazards.

They were given the responsibility of maintaining discipline among the goblin ranks in the hills, not a simple task. Both lieutenants knew that if the human guards charged the hill with cavalry, no goblin would stay at its post. Raid or no raid, the bow fire would cease entirely as every goblin archer would scatter and head to the safety of the forest.

Goblins hated humans on horseback. A single guard mounted on a large steed was a frightful sight to the meager-sized monsters. A charging horse was a vision of terror, a snorting and galloping colossus. Goblins did not fight cavalry on open ground. They would run in absolute horror or drop prone into the mud paralyzed with fear.

Thus, the lieutenants understood the risk attached to their duty. They could order the goblins under their command to continue to fire, but only for as long as the hills remained clear. They lacked the force of Okyiq's stature and will. If the humans attacked, the goblin archers would certainly flee and leave the raiders to face their own daunting task without cover or diversion. If that were the case, the lieutenants themselves would run as fast and as far as possible as well, knowing that when Okyiq returned, he would rip them to shreds.

As for the goblin leader, he made his own intentions quite clear.

"I go with first raiders. I will make sure goblins climb the wall fast. Gate will be opened and all goblins not firing at wall must come into town. We will take much tonight. We will let the humans know this is my forest!"

It wasn't much of an inspirational speech, but it established Okyiq's desires as well as his resolve. He would lead the initial assault, putting himself in the greatest danger. He would be the biggest target, but the heavy rain worked in his favor. He believed it would be more than enough to protect him. He also believed that fortune remained on his side. The night belonged to him, the storm a generous gift. He would not accept he might die. He was too strong, and too smart… at least for a goblin.

Two groups of soldiers moved into position around the third rogue. One squad came from the eastern gate. The other band moved in from behind Ryson. It was the same group that had helped capture the first rogue.

In order to return to the fray, they had imprisoned the first rogue and obtained a new iron net. They were eager to be part of another encounter, especially the corporal. Leading the squad responsible for capturing two of the rogues would bring him that much closer to a promotion.

Ryson, however, was not thrilled at the prospect of dealing with the outspoken corporal again. He decided to address the first group, soldiers that clearly came from the east, to see if they might allow for a change in tactics.

"Is the eastern gate still closed?" the delver asked, but he already knew the answer. He was just testing the waters, trying to gauge their willingness to agree to an alternative plan.

"Yes," the squad leader replied with no true emotion that Ryson could read.

"Any chance of getting it open to let this thing out?"

"Town's sealed. All gates remain closed."

And that shut down Ryson's hopes for allowing the rogue to escape on its own.

"We have to be careful with this one," Ryson warned. "It's already spooked."

At that instant, the corporal decided to inject his own authority.

"We have two squads here and the creature is on the run… in the open. We can take it from here."

"What are you going to do?" Ryson demanded, not appreciating being dismissed so callously.

The corporal ignored the delver completely. He turned his attention to the other squad leader who arrived from the east. He outranked his counterpart and took command.

"Take your squad and circle around the block. Cut it off from the far end of this street. Once we have it between us, we can come at it from both sides with nets open. It won't be able to get away."

The eastern squad leader simply nodded and directed the soldiers under his authority down a side street. With one quick turn, they were moving to outflank the rogue.

Before the corporal could turn away, Ryson made his own concerns clear.

"That rogue is in a panic," the delver repeated.

"Irrelevant," the corporal replied, then swerved about-again dismissing the delver-to coordinate his own guards.

Ryson cursed as he looked down the street toward the rogue that was shuffling hesitantly from one hiding spot to the next. The squad circling around would have no difficulty in cutting off the monster, but he worried what might happen when the creature was caught in the middle of the street between two groups of soldiers and no path of escape.

Regrettably, he knew the corporal would not listen to reason, so he did not bother trying to recommend safer tactics. The rain had become quite heavy, and though there were no further reported sightings of rogues within the walls, he still had to search the entire town to ensure that there were none in hiding. He was about to take off to continue his scout when he heard several shouts in the distance.

Immediately, he issued a warning to the soldiers nearby.

"Something's wrong!"

"There's nothing wrong," the corporal dismissed. "I know what I'm doing. We can handle the rogue without further assistance from you."

"No, there's something going on to the south… near the southern gate."

At that very moment, warnings and alarms erupted across all guard towers. Signal torches revealed the outbreak of another attack.

"Someone is firing at the wall!" one of the soldiers announced after reading the signals.

There was not much more Ryson could determine from the tower messages. There were requests for reinforcements, estimates as to the number of enemy archers, but there was nothing to indicate who or what might be behind the attack.

Standing far from the center of conflict, Ryson drank in all the information available to him. His senses were tremendously powerful, but in the heavy rain, he still couldn't smell the goblins or hear the full extent of the clash. He was only able to pick up miniscule traces, meager bits of activity-an odd scent in the air, a yell or grunt echoing off a wall. He placed the details in context with the tower signals, and his experience pointed to one conclusion.

"Goblin raid," Ryson declared.

The corporal could read the signals, but that was all the information available to him. He lacked the senses of a delver and his viewpoint narrowed on his experiences within Burbon. Nothing in the tower messages revealed anything about goblins.

"How do you know?"

Ryson didn't waste time explaining. Too much was happening too quickly. The rain, the rogues, and goblins; the danger was growing and he had no idea if something else lurked in the darkness.

"Get that rogue captured as quickly as possible!" Ryson ordered.

The corporal suddenly lost his desire to capture the creature. The rogue seemed a minor threat, especially if there was a larger assault upon the wall to the south. He considered his location and wondered if other areas of the town might also fall under attack. He also reached his limit of listening to the delver's orders.

"No, the rogue is incidental. We have to ensure the integrity of the eastern gate! I'm going to recall the other squad…"

"You have to secure this area first!" Ryson sternly interrupted. "There's nothing going on at the eastern gate!"

"I'll know that when I see it for myself!"

"And if the rogue follows you to the gate and finds it closed, what's it going to do? It's trying to escape! It'll try to break through and then you really will have a problem."

During the argument, the other squad of soldiers came back into view and had cutoff the beast. They clearly knew of the conflict to the south, but their squad leader kept his attention on the pressing issue of the rogue.

"See?" Ryson asserted. "They're not running off to the east gate. The rogue is inside the wall. That's your immediate problem. Deal with it!"

Seeing the dark creature cutoff and between two groups of forces, the corporal could hardly argue the contention. He had the rogue where he wanted it. He just had to finish the job.

Speaking as if he had made the decision himself, he called to the guards under his command.

"Pull the net across the street and get that thing under wraps."

Believing the soldiers would handle the third rogue, Ryson was just about to leave to make a quick scout of the town. Turning his attention back to the towers, he read the signals to determine if any other issues warranted his immediate attention. The disturbance to the south appeared to be the only other concern, but a final look back at the corporal gave him pause… and alarm.

The corporal took a position in the middle of the street, holding the net at its center. He broke into a full sprint as he demanded the soldiers charge toward the rogue as quickly as possible. In essence, the corporal became the head of the wedge, the tip of the spear flying at the panicked rogue.

The squad further down the road also stretched its iron net across the street. They barred any path of escape for the rogue, but they wisely left the center of the net empty. There was no one in the middle of the road, just the iron mesh that blocked all passage. They also did not race toward the rogue, but moved steadily, and carefully forward, allowing the corporal the opportunity to ensnare the monster first.

With one quick look into the rogue's eyes, Ryson saw the folly in the corporal's maneuver. The monster panicked. The barking dogs continued their harangue all about the creature, heightening its distress. Previously, it only wanted one thing… to escape from the town, but its intentions quickly altered. It realized in an instant that it was trapped and in danger. Both its focus and rage centered upon the main threat, the corporal that charged toward it.

Even with all his speed, Ryson could not reach the rogue before it was too late. The soldiers were just too close to the river rogue. By the time the delver understood the looming catastrophe, he was too far away from the point of conflict. Still, he rushed forward even in a futile attempt.

The rogue, with no other choice, moved to attack. With an inherent quickness that clearly surprised the corporal, the creature leapt forward with its arms extended. The claws flashed outward but without any slashing motion that would have entangled the iron mesh.

The corporal saw the danger too late. He tried to stop in time, but he was running with all his fury and could not completely halt his progress. In one desperate action, he tried to toss the iron net forward as he released his hold of the chains. The act succeeded in catching one of the rogue's extended arms and bending it out of harm's way, but the creature's other arm slipped between one of the holes of the mesh. The corporal could not dodge the claws and found his left wrist in the grip of the beast.

The strength of a rogue rivaled that of a full grown mountain shag. Once it gained hold of a victim, it almost never let go. Its claws dug deep into the corporals flesh, even as it pulled the corporal closer. The iron netting fell upon it, weighing it down and tangling its arms and legs, but it would not release its violent grasp on the human it viewed as the source of its predicament.

Pain erupted up the corporal's arm. He shrieked in agony as the claws ripped through the skin and sunk deep into flesh and muscle. Pulling away from the monster only increased the torment-and worsened the injury-but the corporal instinctively tried to escape the rogue's grasp. His eyes widened in absolute terror as the monster grappled and twisted against the iron net to draw him nearer to its razor sharp fangs.

As the soldiers worked to wrap the net around the beast and pulled against the strands to hopefully knock the fiend off balance, Ryson reached the side of the corporal. With one careful jab of his sword, the delver found an open space between the netting and slightly pierced the scaled hide of the rogue.

The Sword of Decree held many enchantments, and it would burn the spirit essence of any creature the blade cut. It might have been the only thing that would force the rogue to release its hold on the corporal.

The creature would not relent so easily. It screeched in pain, a shriek that matched the horrible cries of the corporal. As the rogue tried to pull away from the blazing sword that caused it incredible suffering, it made one last swift yank at the wrist still in its grasp. With a sudden twist, a deeper slice into tendons, and a final heave of fury, the rogue separated the corporal's hand from his arm, and the monster fell backward onto the ground. The beast hissed and growled as it thrashed violently against the iron chains that further entangled it with every angry thrust of its arms and legs.

The corporal also dropped to the ground, but he ceased all sound and movement. An expanding pool of blood spilled across deepening puddles as a deluge of raindrops splattered the dark red liquid in every direction.

"Get a tourniquet around his arm and stop the bleeding!" Ryson yelled. He turned to the eastern squad of soldiers that still held their net across the street. "Drop your net over the rogue! Make sure it's secure and then get it out of here!"

Not one guard hesitated as the delver's commanding tone echoed with authority. Ryson motioned to the guards that had been under the corporal's command.

"Get him medical attention as quickly as possible."

One of the soldiers didn't question the directive but wondered aloud about a rather macabre detail.

"What about his hand?"

Ryson gave one last look to the rogue that was being secured with the second iron net. It clasped the bloody hand with desperation, as if holding some sacred religious artifact. Ryson knew it was absurd to try and wrestle the dismembered body part from the creature.

"Nothing we can do about it," Ryson advised. He encouraged all the soldiers to move with greater speed. "Get them both out of here now!"

Just as the guards moved out, Ryson took off at near top speed. It wasn't the most efficient way to scout the town, but he was growing more concerned with the spreading turmoil. Sprinting might cause him to miss small traces of another rogue, but time was running short.

He took several glimpses at the surrounding towers to glean additional information regarding the conflict to the south. He realized the southwestern wall remained under fire. Though no confirmed identification of the source had been made, the tower guards were raising the alert. It appeared the soldiers in the area also believed goblins were behind the attack, and they warned the entire town of a possible horde assault.

As Ryson closed upon the eastern gate, he paused to call out to the gatekeepers and the nearest watch.

"Signal that the three rogues are all secured! I'm going to do a fast scout of the town to see if anything else is inside. Then I'll head to the south."

Once a guard nodded in acknowledgment, Ryson raced off and returned to his previous pace. He breathed deeply and quickly through his nose as he sprinted from one street to the next. He also concentrated on catching every sound that escaped each alley. The heavy rain and the growing winds made his every motion that much more difficult, but at least the residents of the town were all in shelters.

At the pace he set, he couldn't be absolutely certain, but he was relatively sure that no other river rogues had found their way inside the town walls. The scents he caught matched those of the other three creatures that had already been secured. It was possible he might have missed a small trail, but not probable.

Believing the rogue problem handled, Ryson sped off to the southern edge of Burbon. He could hear the conflict growing in the distance. It wasn't just arrows falling upon the southern wall. The delver caught the sound of shouts and clanging metal. Something other than a river rogue was already inside Burbon's walls.

Chapter 4

After Okyiq gave the signal to fire, he led over a hundred goblins away from those that rained bolts and arrows down upon the town's wall. With his hulking frame visible even in the pouring rain, he brought the small horde around the base of a hill to Burbon's south. Near the border of the clearing that they would have to cross, he bid the pack to stop. Indiscriminately, he separated the group further, pulling a small contingent from the entire force that followed. About a dozen goblins surrounded him.

"You come with me. We get gate open."

He then turned to the remainder of the raiding party.

"You stay behind hill until gate is open. When gate opens, run inside! Anyone that stays here…" he paused to add emphasis, "…dies when I get back."

There was no "if" in the statement regarding his return. Okyiq didn't think there was any chance he would fall during the raid, and he would see to it that there would be dire consequences for any that didn't follow his orders. By sheer will alone, he would avoid death… cheat it, spit in its face.

The clarity of the order had its desired effect. Any goblin hoping Okyiq's probable demise would allow it to avoid retribution for misjudgments during battle quickly reassessed such convictions.

Peering around the edge of the hill, the huge goblin spied the wall. He could make out only a dim outline. The darkness conceived of the cloudy night sky and driving rain seemed to cover everything like a heavy wool drape that wavered only slightly against a fierce wind. Though Okyiq could not be certain of the guards' positions, he could see their signal torches. The fires remained lit despite the pounding rain, protected by canopies strung across the tops of the towers. The presence of humans remained apparent as shouts and screams from the wall followed the twang of bowstrings from the goblin ranged assault.

"We go now!" he shouted and took off in a furious sprint.

A dozen goblins followed Okyiq as they rushed toward the nearest gate. The goblin leader urged them forward through the clearing. The hail of arrows and bolts from goblins in the hills filled the air and continued to come down alongside the raindrops, falling hard upon the wall and guard towers. The projectiles were well off to the raiding party's left flank, creating no risk of the raiders falling to friendly fire. The same could not be said for arrows that might come from the human archers.

The driving rain, however, grew even harder, fell like glistening sheets across the clearing between the hills and Burbon's wall. The goblins' gray skin and dark metallic armor allowed them to blend in with the night storm. Even as they raced across open ground, not a single arrow flew in their direction. They reached the base of the wall slightly to the side of Burbon's southern gate without a single casualty.

"Up wall!" Okyiq whispered, but it still held the growl of authority and not a single goblin delayed in beginning the ascent.

They climbed over each other like excited ants on a pile of sugar. They were far from graceful or silent. During a clear and quiet night, several tower guards would have spotted them immediately, but the soldiers were not looking for goblins on that particular evening. If anything, a small goblin raiding party was the least of the guards' worries. What goblin would be foolish enough to call for a raid when a number of river rogues hunted for prey both inside and outside Burbon's wall?

The hail of bolts and arrows that came from the hills confused the human sentries, and held their attention. As the guards dropped low for cover, they tried to ascertain the source of fire. They struggled against the elements and risked injury as they peered over the edges of the wall. Unfortunately, they could not identify the threat.

Even at the top of the hill, the goblins' short stature worked to their advantage. The surrounding tall grass bent and buckled with the wind and rain, but it swirled about and masked the silhouettes of their forms. They fired over and over again, unable to target their foes, but knowing they were expected to continue.

The most experienced soldiers of Burbon recognized the bolts that fell from the sky and quickly associated them with goblin crossbows, but even they failed to look to the base of the wall for an initial raiding party. The tactics didn't fit with usual goblin activity. Never before had the little cretins unleashed a continuous hail of fire for a simple raid. Why would they offer a warning?

Worried far more about a full scale attack from an overwhelming force, they looked to the hills for signs of a great horde. They listened for the thunderous rumble of a great host that could not possibly hide their numbers, even in the darkness and heavy rains. To their confusion, no such goblin army stood in sight, and beyond the pounding of the rain, no riotous commotion could be heard.

Struggling with the darkness and the volleys from the goblin archers, the human soldiers battled uncertainty. A goblin horde would rush its prey with near disregard, and yet the hills offered little more than shadows in the grass. The prospect of a major goblin assault seemed to dwindle, but the soldiers could not totally dismiss the possibility. The southern tower guards sent warning signals, revealing the ranged assault and placing the town into a stage of higher alert.

Okyiq's ploy worked far better than he could have imagined, but if he knew the facts, even the boastful goblin would have had to admit that fortune played a greater role than his simple strategy. He did not know about the river rogues incursion into the town, had no idea that soldiers were placed at crossroads to deal with a breach that had already occurred. The soldiers on the walls were looking for rogues, not a mere dozen goblins brazen enough to cross the open ground to the south. The rain and the rogues-even the delver's trek through the town with his sword blazing a trail-forced the soldiers' attention away from the southern gate, but it was there that Okyiq broke through Burbon's defenses.

At the very edge of the gate, the goblins crossed over the top of the wall and slid down the inner wall planks like snow ogres gliding down an ice covered mountainside. They hit the ground hard, but seemed to bounce, almost as if their bodies were made of some rubbery substance. They drew their short swords and immediately attacked the gatekeepers before any of the guards could call out for help.

Okyiq moved with unfettered determination to the center of the gate. A heavy wooden post crossed through iron brackets and held both doors locked in place. With far more strength than an average goblin, he took hold of the bar handle and wrestled against the weight of the post. The crossbeam fought against the pressure, and at first refused to budge. Eventually, Okyiq's own determination surpassed the stubborn shaft. The beam creaked and crunched, but began moving in its track. Struggling and snarling, ignoring the pain in his back and hands, the fierce goblin lunged forward and slid the post beyond one of the brackets.

Three goblins ran to the freed gate section and yanked at the handles. They struggled against the weight as the iron hinges seemed to fight against their desires. When Okyiq joined them, they were able to force the gate open enough for the goblins still under the protection of the hills to see a clear passage into town.

Nearly a hundred goblins rushed across the clearing. They moved in one great mass, like a patch of filthy oil rushing forward upon the surface of an otherwise pure river. They did not try to hide their presence from the towers, did not try to mask their numbers. They simply drove toward the opportunity the open gate presented.

The racing pack did not go unnoticed. The tower guards, desperately searching for an answer to the odd assault, spotted the raiding goblins as they broke out from behind the hillside. Signals were sent of the attack, and several of the human soldiers fired their arrows, placing themselves in jeopardy from goblin archers who continued their bombardment.

Several goblins dropped from the counterattack, but the vast majority made it to the wall and threw themselves against the partially opened gate. The force shoved the door open wider and the full raiding force poured through the entrance. They were not surprised to see their commander alive and ready to order them into battle.

"Breakup! Swarm area and find cover! Force humans to come off the wall and then attack! When they are dead, take everything you can!"

As the goblins rushed passed him, Okyiq took the time to raise his pudgy distorted nose to the air. He sniffed several times and then gauged the wind. With a clear direction set in his mind, he took hold of one goblin after another and threw them to the side of the gate. Once he had another dozen goblins, he pointed to a building at a nearby corner. He could not read the sign that held the establishment's name of the Spruce View Tavern, but he knew it was a place that held the food he craved.

"You will come with me!" Okyiq demanded of the goblins he pressed aside.

The dozen creatures agreed without hesitation, their goblin blood flowing briskly from the excitement of the raid and the initial success of their endeavor. They hissed and snorted, chuckled in glee as they bounded after their leader.

In near unison, the small pack sprang across the road and toward a large wooden door at the front of the establishment. An even larger picture window stood to the side of the entrance, but the inside of the building was dark-all lanterns and candles within had been extinguished.

Despite the darkened interior, the goblins noticed movement inside the building. Humans appeared to be clamoring in all directions, but the apparent mayhem did not for one moment melt the goblins' desire to get at the food within.

Okyiq pushed at the entrance, but it held against his weight and his will. He pounded and kicked at the door, but it held firm. He cursed, but wasted no more time or effort on the futile attempt. He knew he was fighting more than a simple lock, and he decided to take a different approach. Grabbing hold of one of the goblins waiting impatiently at his side, he lifted the smaller monster off its feet and flung it violently through the center of the front window.

Suffering several deep cuts from the razor sharp broken glass, the smaller monster looked back in shock after it hit the ground and rolled to a stop. At first, it couldn't understand why its leader had taken such an aggressive action against it, but it would soon comprehend.

"Clear the door!" Okyiq bellowed to the stunned goblin inside the establishment.

Before the goblin could get to its feet, Okyiq threw three more minions through the busted window, but they suffered no cuts as their bodies cleared the broken glass strewn across the tavern floor.

Several people within the Spruce View Tavern screamed and ran to the back exit. They didn't wish to be caught outside in the middle of a goblin raid, but their shelter had been compromised and remaining within the inn seemed an unhealthy alternative.

That consideration came to fruition for two muscular men that pressed their bodies against the locked front door. They had withstood Okyiq's initial assault, but they were unarmed and unprepared to face four snarling goblins with short swords drawn.

Rushing the men like hunting spiders leaping at prey, the four goblins within the tavern dove upon their targets in a tumbled mass of aggression. Their small but razor sharp swords jabbed and sliced with maniacal glee, dropping both men in an instant.

Covered in the blood of their victims, the twisted monsters shoved and pulled the corpses away from the door. The instant they called out to their leader, they were knocked backward by splinters and shards of wood.

Okyiq roared as he kicked at the locked door. Without the men supporting it, the wood burst into pieces as the burly goblin's foot crashed through its center. Okyiq pushed the broken pieces that hung on the hinges aside as he pounced into the Spruce View Tavern.

He saw several people racing out the back, or running up stairs hoping to barricade themselves in the rooms above, but they were not his concern. He looked to the assorted tables spread across the large tavern. He saw several plates of food, but the amount didn't match what he could smell. He knew there was more in the back of the building, and it was there he marched. He demanded all twelve goblins follow him into the kitchen to collect the ultimate source of his desires.

He pressed through two swinging doors and the aim of the raid waited for him like treasure piled before a conquering warrior. For the large goblin, it was like finding a city of gold. Heaps of food seemed to wait on every table and in every corner. Meats, grains, fruits and vegetables appeared in every direction. There were shelves and cabinets filled with delicacies, and he wanted them all.

"Fill your sacks!" Okyiq demanded.

The goblins did so without hesitation, save for one, the one that Okyiq threw through the wide front window. The goblin was leaving a trail of blood wherever it stepped, even sent waves of thick red liquid across the floor as it pulled its large cloth bag from over its shoulder. While it moved through the stash of food with nearly the same vicious glee as its brethren, its vision quickly dimmed and the room began to swirl around it. It fainted with its sack only half full.

Okyiq stepped up to the fallen goblin with fury.

"Get up!"

But the goblin had drifted off into unconsciousness from loss of blood.

Okyiq kicked at the creature. Unfortunately for them both, the fallen monster failed to respond. It died at that very moment. The larger goblin cursed, pulled the half filled sack from the dead goblin's grasp, and threw it to another creature nearby.

"Fill that one as well!" Okyiq demanded. He wanted a dozen sacks filled with food, and he would have it, even if one of his minions had to carry a double load.

With the looting complete, Okyiq led his goblin party back out onto the streets. He surveyed the scene with impatience. The rain continued to fall in great sheets and pound the ground all around them. The conditions were near ideal for his minions to prowl through shadows and create chaos.

The goblins had followed his commands. Many of them were hiding under the cover of porches or in small alleys, not allowing for archers to pick them off. Some were involved in small skirmishes with human guards that had moved in from the north, but the combat was limited, not what Okyiq had expected. He would have thought Burbon's soldiers would have rushed down from their elevated positions to meet the raiders head-on. He would have lost several goblins, but the threat of archers would have been eliminated.

To Okyiq's growing annoyance, the majority of human soldiers were not actively engaging his minions. They showed great patience and resolve, qualities he always believed the humans had in sparse supply. They remained at their posts on the walls and in the towers. Very few guards moved in from street level, and those that did advanced cautiously and avoided full engagement. The small conflicts that erupted were controlled and quickly fell to the guards' advantage. Rather than allow the goblins to goad them into one furious encounter after another, the soldiers were forming lines to cut his minions off from the center of the town.

Okyiq, however, didn't care about advancing further into Burbon. He wanted supplies, as much as he could take, but nothing more. He held no plans of conquering the human town, not with only two hundred goblins. He would never be able to hold his gains. Again, he was not an intelligent creature, but his considerations surpassed that of a normal goblin.

He needed to create more havoc, to engage the human forces in condensed but bitter street brawls. He wanted mayhem, chaos that would distract the guards and allow him to send more pillagers into nearby shops and storehouses. For that, he needed the human archers off the wall and out of the towers, and all the ground forces occupied.

Snarling with frustration, Okyiq looked about the streets, desperately searching for an answer, but his mind grew clouded. He had contemplated more strategy on that one night than he had done in an entire season. His mind was weary and irritation rattled his nerves.

He almost ordered an immediate offensive. If the humans would not come off the wall or down from the towers, he would send his minions after them. It would be a suicide rush, but it would also create the necessary turmoil.

Before he gave the order, he realized that his raiding party lacked any ranged weapons. Every short bow and crossbow had been left to the goblins still in the hills. Okyiq's raiders were armed only with short swords. They lacked the ability to attack the humans on higher ground unless they climbed to the higher elevations. If they did, they would be cut down by arrows and then outflanked by the soldiers in the streets. It would certainly be suicide, but it wouldn't be mayhem. It would be a quick slaughter.

Not wishing to give up or to engage in a futile battle, Okyiq shouted out the only remaining order he could imagine.

"Forget the soldiers! Take everything you find!"

The goblins in the streets did not wish to leave the safety of their cover, but they had no choice. If they did not move, Okyiq would simply leave them behind to the soldiers. They scurried out from their hiding places and jumped toward the nearest buildings. Some were caught outside of locked doors or windows and were quickly brought down by human archers. Many, however, broke through weak barriers and made their way into the surrounding shops and storehouses. Nearly fifty goblins shrieked with glee as they ransacked that small portion of Burbon.

Sy read the tower signals before the first messenger arrived at the barracks to inform him of the raid. He knew the goblins had broken through the gate, and he was already forming his own strategy as the messenger revealed the details of the goblin attack. He spoke out loud as if responding to the messenger, but he was really focusing his plan in order to ensure he was not making any error in tactics.

"Residents are already in secure positions. Civilian casualties will be minimal at worse, especially if we hold the goblins to the southern section of the town. The thrust of the attack is on the south gate. I don't think this is part of some bigger assault. I'm going to bet the river rogue incursion and the goblin raid are unrelated, but I'm going to hedge that bet."

He briefly scanned a map of the town.

"If there's another wave waiting to hit us, it's going to come from the west… from the forest, not from the north or east. Last we heard, Ryson took care of the two rogues in the north and had headed east."

With a practical plan forming in his mind, he called to the signal guard on the roof.

"Send a message to be relayed by all towers. Guards in the western section of the town remain at their posts. Send the cavalry forces to the western gate as well. Signal all foot patrols in the north to move immediately toward the south gate. Tell them to cut directly through the center of town. I'm going to risk that Ryson can handle the third rogue to the east and that there aren't any more inside the wall."

The signal guard on the roof relayed some welcome news in response.

"Message from the towers, sir. Third rogue secure in the east. The delver is about to complete his scout of the town."

The report slightly altered Sy's plans.

"Signal back to the eastern patrols. Tell them to divide in two. Half stay at their posts, half move to the south."

The captain took one pause to consider the forces he was deploying. He then issued his tactical decisions for dealing with the goblins directly.

"Order archers on the southern walls and towers to remain at their posts. They are not to force engagement. Foot patrols are to form secure lines. Containing the raiding party to the south is top priority. Limited engagement and only when necessary to contain."

Sy looked to the messenger. He explained his decision out loud in order to gauge the reaction of his soldier. An expression of doubt or confusion would offer him a chance to reassess his tactics.

"Eastern section is highly residential. I don't want to leave it totally unprotected, but if we can contain the raid, it's worth sending more soldiers to the south. The little cretins are fast and hard to see, especially in this storm. I don't want to be fighting them all over the place. We hold them to the south and then we push them back outside the wall."

The messenger showed not the slightest distress over the plan, and Sy believed he had utilized his forces without an oversight. He left the northern section of town vulnerable and cut his eastern forces in half, but he believed the tactic necessary. He could dispatch his cavalry fairly quickly from the west if a need arose to the north, and he doubted additional attacks would come from the farmlands to the east.

His priority centered on securing the town. For the first time in a very long while, goblins had succeeded in breaking his defenses. He wouldn't hide behind excuses. Yes, the rogues and the rains played a part, but allowing goblins to breach the wall was a monumental failure in his mind. If his troops were distracted, then he had not prepared them properly. He was determined to rectify that mistake, and to see to the battle personally.

Before he ventured out into the heavy downpour, he made one last call to the signal guard on the roof.

"Relay to all towers that command is heading to the south gate. Signal Sergeant Klusac to report to HQ. Then you can come off that roof, but stay by a window to keep track of all tower messages. It's getting harder to see the signals in all this rain."

"Yes, sir."

Sy turned to the messenger.

"I'm going to the south gate. I want you to go directly to headquarters at the town center and wait for Klusac. Tell him he's in charge of communications until I send a message differently."

The soldier nodded and headed off.

Sy watched him only for a moment and then hurried off to the south. He had to shield his eyes with a hand at his forehead to see through the pouring rain. He frowned at the poor visibility. It was bad, no doubt about it. He almost forgave the mistakes that allowed goblins to enter his town.

Almost.

Then he thought about the harm that goblins could cause. People might die that night because his guards were careless, because he was careless. Rain, no matter how heavy, was not a significant excuse. He was not happy.

Ryson reached the southern edge of Burbon just as Okyiq had ordered his goblins to loot the town. His delver vision cut through the darkness and heavy rain and he spied the little fiends rushing towards every conceivable prize in the area.

He noted the careful movements of Burbon's soldiers and how they formed defensive lines to keep the goblins corralled. The archers remained on the walls, staying low to avoid incoming arrows, but they carefully targeted any careless goblin venturing out into the open. He was pleased to see he would not have to worry about casualties to the guard, but the raid remained far from over.

Utilizing the darkness and the cover of the storm, the goblins scurried through every narrow passage like rats through sewer pipes. They broke into storehouses and shops, smashed windows and crashed through doors. They shrieked and squealed as they filled their sacks with everything and anything they could lay their hands upon.

Disgusted with the sight, Ryson almost rushed after each and every goblin. His speed would have allowed him to disarm most of them. He could force them to drop their loot and retreat to the gate, but upon seeing Okyiq stalking across a narrow alley and leading eleven goblins heavily laden with plunder, Ryson decided to alter his plans.

The large goblin was the biggest Ryson had ever seen. Even in the heavy rains, the bulky form stood out against the other smaller creatures. Ryson was no longer surprised they had succeeded in unlocking the gate. The colossal goblin looked almost as strong and as sturdy as a dwarf warrior. The delver realized the monster could probably slide the locking post from the gate buckles by himself.

With his keen hearing, Ryson had heard the orders of the massive goblin and watched as the edicts were obeyed without delay. He realized the goblins were not acting in the fashion of a true horde. They did not rush forward recklessly like the incoming tide, unable to curb their instincts. They did not tear through Burbon with a group lust for violence and chaos. Instead, they had turned over authority to a single goblin and it was his voice they followed.

It was not completely out of the ordinary. The goblins had often been used as pawns, pressed forward by the twisted desires of wicked sorcerers or conniving dark creatures of greater willpower. Still, when the goblin threat was unleashed, it was shoved upon victims like a turbulent dust storm rolling forward with constant and frenzied violence.

The actions Ryson viewed did not match such characteristics. The goblins dashed through Burbon as individuals, single goblins following the orders of their master. Even as they clearly reveled in the thrill of the raid, they did so in a manner that reflected control and purpose.

With the nature of the assault unfurling before him like some scripted play on a muddy, flooded stage, Ryson realized that targeting the goblin foot soldiers was not the path toward successfully ending the conflict. He needed to address the real force behind the incursion, remove the very will that pressed each goblin into becoming a dangerous menace to his home.

With his decision made, Ryson raced toward the massive goblin. He readied the Sword of Decree in front of him as he became a flash of light and motion. In an instant, he was upon the pillaging group led by Okyiq.

The goblins froze at the sight. Even Okyiq stood dazed at the near incomprehensible vision. A blazing sword shot at them as if unleashed like a lightning bolt from the sky. Many of the smaller goblins were knocked immediately from their feet and left to roll through mud puddles, struggling with their heavy sacks of loot.

After stunning several of the smaller goblins with quick slaps of his sword to their swollen heads, Ryson turned his attention to the apparent leader of the raid. The delver had witnessed thousands upon thousands of goblins over the past several seasons, but the creature before him stood far more massive than any goblin Ryson had ever seen. A slap on the head was not going to achieve anything beyond incurring the wrath of the creature, and Ryson knew well enough not to grapple with the monster.

Weaving about the goblin, Ryson never slowed. He became a dancing shadow in the rain, moving as if he found the means to evade each drop of water falling from above. He did not strike the goblin with his sword, but he called out a dire warning.

"Recall your minions! Leave now!"

The dizzied motion bewildered Okyiq. He could hear the voice but never focus upon the face that issued the declaration. The glowing blade rushed about him as if death itself had come to take his poisoned soul with a spinning, skeletal finger of light.

The monstrous goblin almost issued the order to retreat. He had accomplished most of his objectives. He had entered Burbon and taken the human food. It sounded as if the humans were offering him free passage back to the hills, back to Dark Spruce.

The thought of the forest, however, reminded him of his burning desires. He had gained control of that portion of the woods. That corner of Dark Spruce belonged to him, and he viewed Burbon as part of his forest. The humans would bend to his will, not the other way around.

As his ambitions rekindled the motivation for his deeds, Okyiq found the clarity to realize that no human could move like the form that threatened him. It was another defender of Burbon, a more dangerous foe than a simple human soldier, and he was aware of the town's protectors. Without a shred of doubt, he realized he faced the delver and not the enormously powerful wizard. In that thought, he found courage. He called out to every goblin within Burbon.

"Attack this delver… or die by my hands!"

The order was roared out as if a lion had become enraged, and it brought a great pause to the goblin frenzy throughout the area. They ceased their shrieking. They stumbled to a sudden halt. Many dropped treasures in momentary confusion. They looked to their leader, saw that he was engulfed by the legendary movements of the speedy delver. Despite their fear of Okyiq, they were at a loss of what to do.

Attack the delver?

Did they dare? That was like attacking the wind… but that was the order. Okyiq frothed with rage, and the goblins could not deny the quandary before them. Attack the delver or face their leader's wrath-it was like a choice of trying to grasp rushing water or standing before an avalanche of boulders, a true dilemma that left the goblins dumfounded.

Ryson decided to break the momentary stalemate. He ignored the surrounding goblins. They were never a threat to him. Even with so many around him, what could they do? They carried short swords, not bows. They would have to get within arm's length to use their weapons. Even had they not carried sacks heavily loaded with plunder, they lacked the physical ability to match the delver's speed and quickness. No, the goblins throughout the streets posed no real danger.

Okyiq was the one real threat to Ryson's home. The large goblin orchestrated the attack, used his unnatural strength to its fullest potential. It was not the frantic call of the horde that urged the goblins forward, but rather the harsh voice of their leader. It was not the furious stampede of the dark gray host that pressed the goblin storm onward, but rather the raised fist of one titanic monster. If Ryson wished to end the conflict, he needed to neutralize the leader of the raid.

With surgical precision, Ryson stabbed at the monstrous goblin's shoulder. The tip of the Sword of Decree broke through the skin, but only by the smallest of margins. It was just enough to invoke the enchantment of the blade, a blade which was capable of burning the spirit, no matter how decrepit in nature.

Okyiq howled in indescribable pain. His eyes shot open wide as every fiber of his being felt as if it was being consumed by the fire of a white hot star. He tried to pull away from the sword, but the cursed delver could counteract his every retreat. Desperate, he swung a free hand at the glowing blade, hoping to knock it away.

Ryson countered by pulling the blade away at the last instant and then stabbing at another vulnerable section of the goblin's body. He danced about the monster's form, twirling about like a whirlwind constrained to a localized area. He stabbed with deft accuracy, always slicing the goblin's hide just enough to engulf the creature's soul with enchanted fury but never thrusting the blade to cause an egregious wound to its body.

As Okyiq wailed in absolute anguish, the surrounding goblins stared in disbelief. It appeared as if their leader was being consumed by magical fire, a flame of glory that caused the enormous goblin unimaginable pain. If their formidable leader could suffer in such a manner, they could only envision what they might endure if the blazing blade fell upon their own vulnerable bodies.

Unwilling to face such a fate, every goblin within Burbon raced toward the gate. They rushed forward, dropping their sacks, many even dropping their simple weapons. They wished only for the sanctuary of the forest and to free their ears of the horrible screams of their suddenly abandoned leader.

When the last goblin fled through the gate, Ryson pulled his sword from Okyiq's skin but held the sharpened tip menacingly toward the large goblin's face. The delver had a prisoner, one of great value.

With the raid over, Ryson's curious nature bubbled to life. Questions erupted upon his consciousness. He considered everything he faced on that turbulent evening, and he wanted answers.

"Why did you attack?"

Okyiq looked with grave misgivings at the point of the glowing blade, but he found the inner strength to ignore the question. He turned his stare to the delver and remained in stony silence. He did not wish to face the searing pain of the sword again. He would rather slit his own throat, but he despised the delver and would not submit to the demand.

Ryson ignored the monster's resolve. He realized the first question was too obvious. He saw the sacks, many lying around the large goblin, dropped by nearly a dozen goblins that decided to retreat without their leader. The delver could smell the contents, and so, he knew the creature was there to steal food. With questions still feeding his curiosity, Ryson turned his attention to the rest of the night's commotion.

"Did you send the rogues?" Ryson demanded in a voice just above a whisper, and he watched the monster carefully.

Okyiq had not known about the river rogues, but it did not surprise him. He was well aware that something had invoked the fear of the humans, something pressed them into greater concern. From the delver's question, he finally knew what forced the odd human behavior even before his raid began.

Ryson immediately noticed the goblin's sinister smile, but it only confused him further. It was not surprise or denial he sensed within the expression of the monster, but something more akin to sly satisfaction, as if Ryson had unwillingly revealed a secret. The reaction served to elevate the delver's curiosity.

"What do you know about the rogues?!"

Okyiq said nothing. He held up his chin in pure defiance, stared into the eyes of the delver with pure hatred.

Ryson feigned a light jab, but never touched the goblin with his glowing blade. He made the threat of his sword clear as he stared back with equal determination to learn the truth.

The bulky goblin did not even flinch. Okyiq inflated his chest as he snarled in total defiance. He would not answer.

Frustration exploded in the delver's mind. He knew he couldn't force the goblin to speak, but he wanted answers, needed answers. He decided if he could not compel the monster to respond to threats, perhaps he could persuade it… with the right incentive.

"Answer my questions and I'll release you into the forest," Ryson offered.

At that very moment, Sy appeared as he turned the corner of a nearby street. Despite the rain splattering in his face and the mud slowing his step, he moved with obvious authority to the delver's side.

"You have no right to make that offer!"

The delver did not take his eyes off the monster, but he recognized the voice. His expression revealed surprise at the rebuke. The goblin was his prisoner, and he felt he could do with it as he wished.

Sy did not even wait for Ryson to debate the issue. He made his point clear.

"That's a prisoner of Burbon. What happens to him is not up to you."

Okyiq kept his face turned to Ryson-still daring the quick handed delver to pierce him with the dreaded sword-but he took several quick glances toward the approaching soldier. He didn't care for the tone of the human, disliked the words even more. The delver had offered a chance at freedom, something Okyiq might have accepted, but that offer had been quickly withdrawn. Still, the goblin was smart enough to sense a conflict he could possibly manipulate for his own benefit.

"The offer has been made and I accept!" the hulking goblin declared.

"There is no offer!" Sy growled. He shouted an order up to the nearest tower. "Signal the cavalry at the western gate. Send them out into the hills to disburse those goblin archers. Have them cut off as many of the raiders as they can. I want prisoners."

The signal guard immediately sent the message, but then followed with a report from what he could see on his elevated platform.

"Most of the goblins have already passed through the hills. Only a few of their archers are still firing at the wall. They must think the raid is over."

Sy nodded and turned his attention to the large goblin still facing Ryson's glowing sword.

"They won't all get away. I'll get the information I need from the prisoners I capture. You're staying here."

Realizing that he faced the human with unmistakable authority, Okyiq decided to make one last grasp for freedom.

"You can ask them all you want, human, but they don't know what I know. I lead. They follow."

"Which is exactly why I'm not letting you go. You think I'm going to let you back out there and lead them on another raid? Not going to happen."

And then, Okyiq made a declaration that stunned both Sy and Ryson.

"You don't have to worry about that, human. Not going to lead them again. Going to kill them all, everyone that left me here. They're all dead."

The delver responded first.

"You're not going to kill anyone. You had your chance. You're staying here."

Sy, however, turned a more perceptive eye toward the large goblin.

"You'd kill them all? I don't believe that. You wouldn't have anyone to follow you."

"What good are goblins that follow if they run?" Okyiq grunted. "They didn't listen, didn't follow my orders. They're dead."

"But you wouldn't have to kill all of them. You'd only have to take care of a few to get your point across."

"Wrong, stupid human doesn't understand. They all ran, so they all need to die. You let any live and then they think they can do it again. Do it once… die."

"You're not going to listen to him, are you?" Ryson asked of the captain.

Sy ignored the delver and placed his complete attention on the goblin. He saw an opportunity, one that might give him both the information he desired as well as a chance to put a goblin to work for his own cause.

"You got a name?"

"Okyiq."

"Alright, Okyiq, here's my deal. You answer my questions first-all of them-if I'm satisfied, I'll actually let you go. I want you to go after those goblins. I'm not going to ask for your word, because I know what that's worth. Nothing. But I'm curious about you. You say you're going to kill all the ones you led. How many was that? A hundred? Two hundred? I doubt you can even remember."

"I remember," the goblin growled with growing dislike for the human.

"Really? Even if you do remember them all, you'd have to track them down. I don't think you've got it in you to find each one."

"Don't care what you think."

"It's not what I think that matters. It's what you do. You've just told a human that you're going to kill every goblin that followed you. If you don't, you will have proved you're not the leader you think you are. How do you think that's going to go over in the forest? Think anyone will worry about your threats again if you can't meet a boast you made to a human?"

"Not a boast," Okyiq sneered. "Goblins dead because I want them dead, not because I boasted to a stupid human."

Believing he had goaded Okyiq into a deal he could not break, Sy made his final offer.

"Well, Okyiq, you won't kill any goblins if I don't let you go. Like I said before, I want you to answer my questions. You satisfy me with the truth, and I'll make sure you get to the hills safely. What happens after that is up to you."

Okyiq sneered, but then nodded.

Ryson couldn't believe it. As much as he wanted to hear the answers, to learn about the details of the raid, he saw that Sy was turning Okyiq into a tool of death, an assassin to kill hapless creatures.

"You said you wouldn't let him go," the delver asserted.

"I said I wouldn't let him go to take control of those goblins for another raid. He's not going to do that."

"You're going to believe him?"

"He means it."

Okyiq confirmed it.

"Always mean it when I say someone going to die."

The delver was about to object again, but Sy cut him off, and directed pointed questions at the brawny monster.

"Did you send the rogues?"

"Didn't even know about rogues."

"Rather convenient they were in town right when you attacked."

"Lucky."

"I'm not sure I believe in that much luck."

"You believe river rogue would listen to goblin?"

"No, but someone or something else could be controlling you both," Sy offered.

"Then why are you wasting time with Okyiq?"

It was a valid question, but only to a degree. Sy didn't think he was wasting any time at all. The goblin before him was stronger and craftier than any goblin he had ever met. He left the topic of the rogues and focused on the purpose of the goblins.

"Why did you attack?"

"Wanted human food and supplies."

"So you came here to steal?"

"Not steal… take what is mine. Forest is mine. Human town is part of forest, so human town belongs to me. I take what I want."

Sy found the main thrust of Okyiq's argument rather curious. It wasn't so much that the creature claimed Burbon, but that it would stake a claim to the forest. That was a very large assertion. Even a goblin as ferocious as the one before him would have a hard time claiming rights to Dark Spruce. Sy decided to press that issue.

"Why do you think this is your forest?"

"I'm the biggest and strongest."

"I think a shag might argue that claim."

"Shag's too stupid."

"What about the elves?"

"Elves gone."

A very simple statement, but one that brought surprise to both the captain and the delver.

"What do you mean 'gone'?" Sy demanded.

"Simple word," Okyiq noted with scorn. "Elves gone."

"Gone where?"

"Don't know, don't care. Disappeared. Didn't come back. Elves gone, forest mine."

"That's not good enough. I told you I would let you go only if I was satisfied with your answers."

Surprisingly, Okyiq kept calm, did not argue the semantics of the bargain. Instead, the goblin responded with near brutal indifference toward the captain's dissatisfaction.

"You said you wanted truth. You have truth. Don't know where elves went. Just know they're gone."

Ryson entered the interrogation out of driving curiosity. He wanted no part of the deal between Sy and Okyiq, but he could not ignore the goblin's contention. He posed the question in a different manner.

"Do you mean they moved out of the forest? Did they head south or west?"

"Not move… disappeared."

"You're not making sense," Sy asserted.

"Making sense. Human-and delver-just too stupid to understand. Elves disappeared. Gone! What so hard about that?"

"Because elves don't just disappear," Ryson argued.

"This time they did."

As for Sy, he was done with the goblin. He believed the monster actually told the truth. There was no reason to trust the creature, but it never wavered in its conviction. The captain actually gained more information than he expected. Contact with the elves had ceased. Why? Because, as Okyiq stated, they were gone. River rogues set their attention upon Burbon. Why? Because the elves were gone.

Regarding the goblin raid, Okyiq admitted it himself. The large goblin was able to gather a small army of goblins together in the eastern portion of Dark Spruce Forest. It was hardly a horde, but enough to cause problems. Okyiq believed the forest was his, because in his own words, the elves were gone.

Sy nodded at the goblin and revealed his intentions.

"Alright, Okyiq, you're free to go." The captain decided to give one added incentive to the goblin. "You go out and kill all those goblins that abandoned you… if you can, but to be perfectly honest, I think you'll be lucky to find half of them. I just don't think you're that good."

"Will kill them all," Okyiq snarled.

"Good luck."

The captain turned to the tower guards. Without much else to gain in questioning Okyiq, he very much wanted to set the goblin loose. Anything that reduced the number of goblins in the forest was a benefit to Burbon.

"Cover him, see that he makes it to the hills."

"You're really going to let him go?" Ryson asked in disbelief.

Sy frowned but declared a very simple truth.

"You offered to let him go if he answered your questions. I didn't do anything different."

"But I didn't know he was going to kill every goblin that followed him."

Sy didn't answer immediately. He simply watched as Okyiq rambled to the open gate and then disappeared beyond the wall. The captain turned his attention to the surrounding grounds and saw a few of his soldiers injured from the goblin crossbow attack. Luckily, there were no fatalities, the goblins were never very accurate, but they were extremely poor shots in the rain.

The captain moved his gaze to the front of the Spruce View Tavern. He stepped slowly toward the broken door and gazed upon the two dead bodies laying on the floor. It seemed as if luck had a limit. Sy's annoyance with the delver began to turn to anger, and when he spoke, he did so in obvious hostility.

"Before, I said we had to talk. Well, we're not going to wait until tomorrow. We're going to talk now, but not here. Come with me."

Chapter 5

Sy didn't say a word as he led Ryson through the streets lined with deep puddles. Even as the downpour continued, the captain pressed forward through the storm as if it did not exist. He dismissed the heavy raindrops that pelted his stern face and ignored the stiff wind that pushed against his resolute body. A few flashes of lightning to the south preceded several rumbles of thunder, but they only reminded him of the goblin assault and the failures of his defenses. He stomped defiantly over muddy grounds toward the center of town like an irate bear stirred from its slumber. He might not have growled, but he offered up a series of disjointed grumbles and heavy, frustrated grunts.

Upon reaching the headquarters of the town guard, he entered the post that contained his office. He threw open the solid oak door with a heavy shove and didn't bother to hold it open for Ryson.

Once inside, he wiped the rain from his face, but then completely disregarded the water dripping off his clothes that formed a puddle on the floor. He also overlooked the mud sliding off his boots as he turned toward Sergeant Klusac and a number of messengers waiting within the building. He almost shouted, almost let his fury out in a burst of angry orders, but he caught himself. The soldiers within the post followed their orders. He wasn't going to take out his anger on them. He restrained his emotions as he gave his instructions.

"Sergeant, the cavalry is out in the hills to the west. They should be returning soon with prisoners. See to their disposition. Call for a cleanup at the southern gate. There were a couple of civilian casualties. Make sure the guards in the towers and on the wall continue to watch for those two rogues on the outside. Keep a watch on all the drainage gates as well, but you can remove all the alerts within the town. The people can return to their business."

Sy waved a dismissing hand to the remaining soldiers in the room.

"The rest of you need to leave us alone. Thank you."

"I think they should stay," Ryson requested before anyone could move.

Sy glared at the delver. A tense silence gripped the room, but only for a moment. Through gritted teeth, the guard captain demanded an explanation with one word.

"Why?" he growled with a dubious expression and a growing annoyance at having yet another of his orders questioned by the delver.

Ryson noted the hostile emotion of the town's captain. He didn't fear being left alone with Sy, wasn't worried about being admonished or reprimanded, but Sy was his friend-one of his very few close friends-and the delver believed that the situation had simply grown too tense. He wished to avoid an angry confrontation.

"Because I don't think this should be a private conversation. You've obviously got a problem with me about what happened tonight. Personally, I think this is a bad time to discuss it. We should take some time to think about what happened, but it's clear you're not going to wait. If we have to have this out tonight… alone… both of us may say something we regret, and I don't want that to happen. If you want to talk privately, it should wait until tomorrow."

"Last I checked, this was my office. If I want privacy, I think I'm entitled."

"And last I checked, I'm not one of your soldiers. You can't order me to stay. You want privacy? I'll leave as well."

Sy shook his head. The delver was doing it again; inserting his independence in a way that contradicted the captain's authority. He didn't like it, but short of having Ryson arrested-and that would have been a grave mistake under the circumstances-there was little he could do about it. He glared at the delver, but only for a moment. He would not be goaded into an outburst, especially in front of his soldiers.

He accepted the situation as it was, but he would not relinquish his authority. He was going to take control of the situation whether the delver accepted it or not. He called out to the sergeant that was making his way through the front door.

"Fine," Sy offered with a resolute nod. "Klusac, stay here. This shouldn't take long. You can handle my orders when we're done here. The rest of you can leave. Again, thank you. Your service tonight is greatly appreciated." He placed heavy emphasis on the word 'service' and made it obvious he did not hold the delver's actions in the same high regard. He made it a point to give them the credit he believed they deserved and that others, namely Ryson, did not. "You may not get the recognition others do, but I am grateful for your loyalty."

Sy waited for the messengers to depart and then turned a frustrated expression back to Ryson.

"You wanted soldiers here, you get one. That's it, no more. I'm not going to have this out with you in front of an entire audience. You want a witness, it's going to be Klusac." The captain paused out of respect to ask a question of the man he knew would follow his orders. "Is that alright with you, sergeant?"

Klusac simply nodded and took a position off to Sy's side, making his loyalties obvious.

The captain turned back to Ryson and decided to make his own position quite clear.

"If you don't like this, you're free to leave, but when we talk again, it will be in private and I can guarantee you I won't be any less angry than I am right now. If anything, I'm going to be more annoyed that you made me wait to deal with a problem that I feel is critical to the safety of this town."

Ryson decided the sergeant was sufficient. As he said, he didn't want to have the conversation in complete private. People often said things they regretted when there was no one else around. The presence of Klusac was enough to keep things civil, or so he believed.

"I'll stay." Ryson acknowledged. "What is it you want to say to me?"

Sy almost blurted out every angry curse he could recall, but he held his temper in check. He didn't want to admit it, even to himself, but he was actually very thankful Ryson requested someone to remain. Having the sergeant present forced him to address the issue with a greater degree of control.

He decided to cut right to the most important aspect of what he believed was more than just a valid concern, but a matter that could no longer be ignored. He focused not on what he saw as the delver's near insubordinate behavior, but on the consequences of Ryson's actions.

"You put my soldiers in unnecessary danger tonight."

It was a rather broad accusation, and to the delver, an unfair one. Still, he understood the underlying cause. Ryson knew that Sy was referring to his refusal to allow the soldiers to simply kill the rogues. Rather than argue the complicated ethics of his decision, he offered what he felt was a more diplomatic response.

"We all put ourselves in danger. It's part of what we do… part of life. You don't think your soldiers realize they face danger every time they step outside?"

Sy was not deterred.

"Not unnecessary danger. You can try to paint in any way you want, but that's inexcusable!"

Ryson realized his attempt at diplomacy was not going to be effective. There was too much hostility. He felt it himself; a swelling dissatisfaction that he believed came from Sy's lack of appreciation for the delver's service… and beliefs.

"Why don't you come out and say what you mean?"

"Fine. Your unwillingness to utilize appropriate force with the river rogues hindered us tonight. It wasn't just the rogues that got through some broken drainage gate; a goblin raid broke through our defenses. That's totally unacceptable. Things spiraled out of control tonight, I'll take ownership of that. My soldiers were distracted because I didn't prepare them properly, but that doesn't change the issue I have with you. You cannot dictate to me how I protect this town, especially when it puts people in danger. Rogues came into this town to kill us. We have every right to protect ourselves."

"I'm not trying to dictate what you do. I only told you what I was willing to do. You asked for my help. I wasn't going to help you find the rogues so you could kill them. If you wanted to shoot them down, you should have gone after them yourself."

"And that's exactly what I'm talking about. You're putting your own preferences ahead of the safety of this town."

Ryson felt the charge was not only unfair, but completely ludicrous.

"The safety of the town? I've saved this town more times than I can count. If I'm not mistaken, I saved it again tonight."

"You keep trying to change the subject. This is about your decision regarding the rogues!"

"And that's just a matter of opinion. You see it one way. I see it another. I said it before, I'm not a soldier in your guard. I don't have to follow your orders."

"You may not be an official soldier, but we pay you to work as a scout."

"Pay? This is about money? Unbelievable. Go try to hire another delver to do everything I do for what you pay me. Good luck."

"No, this is not about money!" Sy responded with growing impatience. "Whether you are paid or not is irrelevant. You're a member of this town. Everyone else does what is expected of them. Civilians follow orders, just like the soldiers… everyone but you!"

The delver quickly became as equally annoyed as the captain. He did not appreciate Sy's tone or his claims.

"And that's what this is really about, isn't it?" Ryson shot back. "You have everyone under your control, but not me. You tell people what to do and they all just jump right to it, but not me. That's what's really bothering you. Isn't it?"

Clenching his teeth in mounting resentment, Sy found the accusation totally unjustified. He was not some dictator that issued edicts at a whim. He was willing to give his life to protect the people of Burbon. If it was simply control he was after, he could have clapped the delver in irons and let him sit in the stockade for several days. Rather than make that threat, he pointed out a very clear truth as to the consequences of several mistakes made on that evening.

"What's bothering me is that people died tonight!"

Shocked, Ryson's own emotions bubbled over.

"They didn't die because I wouldn't let you kill the rogues!"

"How do I know that? My soldiers were watching you streak across town with your sword like a blasted comet!"

"You're the one that told me to use the sword as a signal."

"Because you wouldn't let me use archers to take the monsters out as quickly as possible!"

"You're not making any sense! You asked me to find them and I did. I still would have had to signal for your troops… even if I let them shoot the rogues. I would have been a distraction either way!"

"But it would have been quicker! You added to the distraction by forcing us to use nets, and you put more soldiers at risk than necessary. I heard about the corporal!"

"Don't even think about hanging that on me! What happened to him was his own blasted fault!"

"Like I said before, I'll take responsibility for the failings of my soldiers, but that's still not the issue!" The captain paused, caught his passions.

Despite Klusac's presence, the conversation had eclipsed combative. It was becoming an angry shouting match. Sy didn't want that. He wasn't trying to rebuke a soldier, he was hoping to get a trusted friend to realize just how dangerous certain decisions had become. They lived in difficult times that required hard decisions and harder actions. None of them had the luxury of making every choice that would fit their particular preferences, and the captain tried to refocus on the true matter of contention.

After taking a heavy breath, he pointed to the war blades that Ryson wore at his hips. "I gave you those blades when you lost your sword. You took them because you knew that sometimes weapons are necessary. I don't give orders because I like to tell people what to do. I do it because they trust me to keep this town safe. I do it because it's necessary. We have to defend ourselves."

Ryson looked down at the blades at his sides as he also tried to find a calmer tone. He understood what Sy was stating, but he had his own perspective on the matter.

"You're right. I still wear these blades… just in case. They're not enchanted. There's very little I can do with them… other than kill."

Ryson took his own heavy breath and then explained how he saw the truth. "Not so long ago, they were taken away from me by a bunch of separatist dwarves that wanted to kill me. I could have left them behind after that, never picked them up again. I had the excuse, but you know what? I retrieved them. I retrieved them because I understand exactly what you're saying."

"Do you? Because I'd like to see you use those blades once in a while."

"That's exactly my point; I did use them once, once when there was no other choice. I killed shags by the hundreds… actually, probably more like the thousands. Sometimes it keeps me up at night when I think of how many lives I ended in the desert sand."

"You killed shags during a battle. They're just monsters and they were there to kill you."

"They were monsters to me. To them, maybe I'm the monster. But yes, they were there to kill me, and also to kill innocent algors. As hollow as it sometimes sounds, I justify what I did by saying that to myself over and over again… that if I didn't kill them they would have killed me… they would have killed me and I don't know how many innocent algors. I killed because I really didn't have a choice. That's my line in the sand… when there's no other choice."

"I have to make choices, too," Sy noted. "Some of us can't draw a line in the sand because other people are depending on us to make the hard choices. Some of us can't afford to take the easy way out."

The delver stared into the captain's face with pure disbelief. It felt as if he had been stabbed, and his emotions began to erupt once more. The calm tone left his voice as the accusation sliced into Ryson's core.

"The easy way out?! You're kidding right?"

"No, I'm not. I'm telling you how it is."

"You think it's easy? Easy would have been to do exactly what you wanted me to do! I could have simply allowed you to make the decision for me. Easy would have been for me to find the blasted rogues, point to them, let your guards shoot them down, and then just forget it ever happened."

Ryson almost shook with fury. He could barely stand still. He looked from the captain to the sergeant and then back again. He saw defiance in both their expressions, a total unwillingness to accept the delver's viewpoint.

"Easy?" Ryson questioned. "You think it's easy to try and do what's right? You think it's easy to live with making that kind of decision day after day? Let me tell you about a hard choice. You're going to let three rogues loose down river because I told you to. I have to live with that! They still have to eat. They have to kill something. You think that's easy to wipe out of my mind?"

"Hey, if you're upset over this, it's your own fault!"

"My fault?! You really are narrow-minded. I didn't bring the blasted rogues to this world. All I'm trying to do is set a standard for myself. None of it makes any sense to me."

Just like Ryson, Sy's emotions bubbled to the surface once more and his frustrated tone returned.

"Sense? You're trying to find sense in all of this? Good luck! You keep looking at these monsters as some kind of innocent bystanders, like maybe a herd of deer in the forest. I see them for what they are… a dangerous threat, total insanity that decided to enter our lives. There's no sense to it. This is about doing our duty, doing what's best for the town, not about trying to make sense of it all."

"That's one of the stupidest things I've ever heard you say! Your duty better make sense. If it doesn't, you should step down right now. And don't start giving me that 'best for the town' nonsense. Maybe it would be best for the town if I just went out and killed every small time thief out there. Put the fear of Godson in them. Hey, if I should kill a river rogue, why not a human thief?"

And with that, all attempts at civility dissolved.

"And that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say," Sy countered. "There's no comparison!"

"There's not? Maybe not to you, but there is to me. If I start killing indiscriminately, then why stop at river rogues? I might as well just start killing anything that starts annoying me."

"That's also idiotic!" Sy replied. "How can you possibly say that? You think that fighting off rogues-killing them when it's necessary, when they invade our town-is the same as indiscriminate killing?"

"I thought we were talking about choices, the choices we have to make in life. I have to make a choice about where I draw the line. That's what I'm talking about. And if you'd think clearly for a minute, you'd understand. How many times have you told me people have to live with the choices they make? We can't save everyone, especially from themselves… I've heard that from you as well. But at the same time you expect them all to follow orders. That's rather inconsistent."

"I don't see it that way. People have to be held accountable for their actions."

"Accountable? How can they be held accountable if they're just following orders, doing what you tell them to do?"

Sy suddenly felt the need to defend himself. The issue had changed from Ryson's unwillingness to compromise to whether or not Sy was acting as some kind of tyrant.

"We need order here!"

"So which is it? Order or freedom to choose?"

"You can have both!" the captain declared, fiercely defending both his honor and his methods. "I don't interfere with people's lives. Every order I give is based on keeping this town safe. That's what I'm charged with, that's what the people of this town want me to do! You want to question my orders? Fine. I'm not happy about it, but I can take questions, I can even take criticism. What I cannot take, what I will not accept, is you putting your personal preferences over the safety of my soldiers and this town. That stops now!"

Ryson felt as if he was just given an order he could not, would not, follow.

"Or what?" the delver demanded, unwilling to simply accept Sy's declaration as the final word.

Sy understood Ryson's question all too well. The guard captain was placed in a situation where he had to exercise his authority. It was not a position he savored, but it was a duty he would not shirk. With one deliberate decision, he put an end to the argument.

"I'm not giving you an ultimatum, if that's what you think, because it's not up to you. I've had my say and you've had yours. Hopefully, you'll understand my next decision. What you said is true, you have saved this town many times over, and for that, I am eternally grateful. Still, I don't believe I can rely on you as I have in the past. In my judgment, your actions contributed to the breakdown of our defenses tonight. Whether you want to believe it or not is irrelevant. In the future, I will not be calling for your assistance."

The finality of Sy's tone caught the delver completely off guard.

"Just like that?" Ryson asked in disbelief.

"No, unfortunately, it's not that easy. I have a great deal of work to do. I have to retrain my guards, have to break my own reliance on you, but I don't have a choice. Your official service to Burbon is at an end."

A thousand questions burned through the delver's mind. He wondered exactly what that meant and how Sy would treat him from that moment on. He had grown accustomed to working with the town guard, in being part of Burbon's defense. Did Sy take all of that away because of one disagreement? It certainly seemed that way. He wondered what he would do, how he would feel about being excluded, about not being allowed to help, something that was part of his very nature.

He was a delver, a scout, and he used his abilities to track threats, defend against invaders, and unravel mysteries. One such mystery faced them that very evening, and he could not remove his focus from it once it reentered his thoughts.

"And what are you going to do about the elves?" the delver demanded.

"That's not your concern," Sy stated, holding to the very core of his decision, disregarding the assistance he knew the delver could offer. It didn't matter. If he was going to move forward without Ryson's aid, he would have to start that very evening.

"Not my concern?" the delver responded with growing astonishment. "I'm afraid it is! I worked with the elves long before you did."

"Your relationship with the elves is not relevant to my duty."

Ryson considered what Sy had said, but he also realized he was still a delver. Just because Sy made some irrational decision, that wasn't going to alter his identity or diminish the natural curiosity that burned within him.

"I need to find out what happened to them," the delver declared. "By tomorrow morning, I'll be out in Dark Spruce searching for answers. Are you going to want to know what I find?"

Sy felt as if he was being maneuvered. He decided against playing along. He meant what he said about breaking his reliance.

"What you do from this point on is your business," Sy responded coldly, "as long as it doesn't interfere with the safety of this town. As for the elves, I'm going to send a messenger to Connel. I will inform Enin of what happened here tonight, and I'm going to request the assistance of Holli Brances. That's how I'm going to handle this. As far as I'm concerned, this matter is concluded."

The statement was as abrupt as it was final, and Ryson decided that suited him as well. He turned about and left the command post.

As Sy watched the delver leave, he wondered if he just made one of the biggest mistakes of his life. He looked to Sergeant Klusac and made a very honest admission.

"Well, I didn't handle that very well."

"No, you didn't," the sergeant conceded, but then added to that concession. "Then again, neither did he. He's got no right to question your judgment, and anyway you slice it, that's what he was doing here tonight."

Sy reflected on that thought, and for one moment, tried to examine the events that transpired from a different viewpoint.

"He doesn't want to kill. I knew that when I asked for his help. Why was I surprised?"

"That, I can't answer, but were you really surprised?"

"No, but I was angry. I can't lie about that."

"Angry doesn't mean you're wrong," Klusac offered. "It doesn't mean either of you are wrong. You're just in different positions. He sees things his way, you see things yours. As long as you're looking out for the best interests of this town…"

"I believe I am," Sy interrupted. "I honestly do. What do you think?"

"I wouldn't serve with you if I didn't."

"Thanks, but what did we lose tonight?"

"Maybe something we never really had," Klusac suggested. "I can't dismiss Ryson's abilities, but they're his, not ours, and he's always done with them as he saw fit. Maybe you did make the right decision tonight, maybe we have become too reliant on the delver."

Chapter 6

Ryson wanted to immediately rush out of Burbon's western gate and into Dark Spruce Forest. Despite the rain, the goblins, and the two river rogues lingering about the perimeter, the mystery regarding the elves pulled at him like the clutching grasp of a hungry shag. Many things could spark his delver curiosity, but an issue of that magnitude could overwhelm his attention and divert him from any other concern.

What happened to the elves?

That was the question that repeated itself over and over in Ryson's mind. The elves were gone; that was the simple admission of an enormous goblin, but it became a near obsession for the delver. Okyiq described the event as if the elves had just vanished like an early morning fog, but Ryson could not imagine how an entire camp could simply disappear. He knew there had to be something more to the story.

For any delver, it was the perfect puzzle. It was not a fool's errand or a delver hunt with a thousand possible scenarios. Ryson could not deny the assertion that something had happened to the elf camp, but he would not accept the premise that they had simply faded out of existence.

There were answers in the forest that would shed greater light on the mystery, of that he was sure. He only had to find them, and such a quest always drove a delver's spirit. He had his senses, and there were trails to follow. The elves might have been gone, but that was neither an assumption nor an explanation. The thought of the pursuit filled him with anticipation as it would stimulate every trait within him that was pure delver.

As he considered the few details, he understood the simplest explanation would create its own course to navigate. He knew the elf camp moved about with regularity and always managed to conceal its presence from curious humans and delvers alike. Perhaps the elves simply migrated to a different part of the forest, or perhaps they fled an immediate threat. No matter where the facts hid, he would find them, and they would lead him to the elves.

The desire to race into the forest and discover every clue was strong enough to wash away the gnawing concern over his confrontation with Sy. He was not happy about the discussion they had, or the results. He faced both anger and sadness over the harsh words they traded, and the apparent break in their friendship left him hollow. He did not hold any great animosity toward the captain of the guard. Ryson understood Sy's position, but the delver wished Sy would appreciate his own point of view.

He never meant to undermine the captain's authority, but he could not dismiss his own principles. It was a complex dilemma, one that required greater consideration than a single argument after a difficult night of limited combat, but such was the course of events. Sy had made what Ryson believed was a hasty decision, and the delver did not wish to leave Burbon on such a discomforting note, but such an action appeared as the only option. Sy had ended the discussion, and further argument was as pointless as a rounded stone from the bottom of a river bed.

He was convinced that everything could be overcome with time, and the best way to spend that time was to do what he loved. Exploring the forest was exactly what he needed, and investigating with purpose made it seem as if fate was offering him a path for resolution. Despite what Sy had said, the delver knew he could still help the town; he wanted to help the town. It was never his intention to put himself ahead of anyone else or to abandon Burbon.

As he ran across the muddy streets and through the slowly relenting rains, he looked to the west with growing anticipation. In his mind, he even mapped out a path to the nearest gate. For a brief instant, he wondered if the soldiers would open it for him. There were still two river rogues outside the wall. It wouldn't matter, of course. He could climb the barrier in a heartbeat if it was necessary. He could be in Dark Spruce in mere moments. All he had to do was turn to the west.

Another power, however, forced him to stay, held him to Burbon like a great iron anchor that kept the greatest sailing ships stable even during the fiercest of storms. Despite the growing rush of curiosity and the ache within him to reach the center of the mystery, the connection to his wife kept him within the walls of the town. The forest could wait until morning, until he talked to her and explained everything that had happened and everything he planned to do.

He rushed to the Borderline Inn. He found Linda sitting alone at a table in the corner just staring at an empty glass. He believed she had been waiting for him. It was certainly late, and the evening must have been tiring for her.

"Sorry that took so long," he offered as he moved quickly to her side. "I have a lot to tell you. Do you want to stay here for a while and talk, or head for home?"

At first, his wife did not even acknowledge him. When she finally looked up, she did so with a distant expression. Her eyes would not fix upon his. Instead, she glanced about the corners of the inn as if unwilling to focus on one spot.

"So you finally decided to show up?" she asked.

Her tone was mostly emotionless, but it seemed to hold the slight edge of annoyance, and the delver became immediately defensive.

"It wasn't my fault. Sy wanted to talk. That's one of the things…"

Linda didn't let him finish.

"It's never your fault," she responded. "Even when it is."

It was not any angry accusation or an emotional outburst. She made the statement with cold indifference.

Ryson was more surprised than upset at the assertion.

"My fault?"

"Yes, your fault." She didn't shout, didn't even slightly raise her voice. She spoke in more of a low grumble. "You were gone, called away… again. I didn't know how long you would be. I'm stuck in here wondering what I should do, and you're out running around in the rain."

"I'm not sure I understand. I know it's late, but…"

"I don't want to hear the excuse. There's always one excuse or another. You left me here… alone… for too long."

"I didn't leave you alone. The place was full."

"Is it full now?"

Ryson looked around. Some of the tables and a few seats at the bar were occupied, but most were empty.

"No, but you're hardly alone."

"Do you see anyone at this table with me?"

"No, but I'm here now."

"And that's what I'm talking about. I had to wait for you… alone."

Ryson's confusion increased.

"I'm still not sure what you're mad about."

"Who said I was mad?"

"You seem mad," Ryson replied.

Linda just let out a heavy, disgusted breath and looked down at the table.

Ryson stood beside her at a loss for words. They weren't drawing any attention. It wasn't as if they were shouting at each other. It would appear to anyone that looked in their direction that they were having a normal conversation. He just didn't understand it. He wondered if he should continue standing or sit down next to her. He also wondered if she even wanted to hear what he had to say.

"Alright, I left you alone for too long," he allowed as he finally sat down. He wasn't simply humoring her. He was acknowledging that he could have met up with her before he talked to Sy. He could have even checked on her before he went to deal with the goblins. He was a delver and his speed allowed for choices others might not have. Perhaps that was all she wanted, a sign that he was concerned about her, and maybe he had not shown enough of that concern. Still, there was more to say and more she needed to know.

"Do you want to hear what happened?" he wondered aloud.

"I don't know, do I?"

Ryson wasn't sure how to answer her question. He didn't have great news. Much of what had happened was rather discouraging. A corporal's carelessness led to an avoidable injury, goblins had broken through the town's defenses, innocent civilians were killed, elves were reported as missing, and Sy had basically dismissed him from any official duty; certainly a long list of unpleasantries, but he had to tell her what happened.

"Well, it's important," he finally offered. "While I was searching for the rogues, there was a goblin raid to the south. They got through the gate."

Linda replied quickly through a sarcastic chuckle.

"Rogues and goblins? You're out there running around with rogues and goblins. I'm in here with no idea what's happening and you're wondering why I'm upset. You could have been killed, and I would have never known it."

Her reply was totally unexpected. They often discussed the dangers he faced, but she had accepted it in the past, at least she said she had. He was a delver. He explored the land, and since the magic returned, the land was filled with new perils. She had told him she would never get used to it, but she claimed she understood it would always be part of their lives.

What made the quarrel all the more baffling was that the dangers he faced that evening were relatively minor; a goblin raid and a handful or rogues hardly compared to some of the hazards he faced in the past. He also never left Burbon that night. It wasn't as if he was exploring the Colad Mountains to the north or any of the hills throughout Uton that he loved so much. The battle he faced that night all fell upon the streets of their home and he decided to point out as much.

"It's not like you had no idea what was going on. I never went outside the walls tonight."

"You might as well have gone all the way to the coast for all that it mattered to me. I was still stuck in here and I had no idea what was happening to you. What difference does it make if you stayed inside the walls or not?"

Ryson looked at his wife wondering if she was suddenly just joking with him, but he knew asking that question would be a monumental mistake. While she continued to maintain a calm voice and demeanor, she certainly appeared serious. Whatever was bothering her was no joke.

"There's a big difference," Ryson countered. "Everything was happening right here. The towers were signaling everything. I taught you how to read the signals, you had to know I took care of the rogues. It was signaled across town."

"I can't spend my time reading tower signals. I have other things to do."

"Alright, you were busy with people here. I understand that, but some of the people in the tavern had to watch for the signals, every one is supposed to remain informed to the alert. A lot of people know how to read the signs. People like to know what's happening. I'm sure it was called out."

"Oh, like I listen to every thing a bunch of drunks shout out."

"Drunks?"

"You think they don't drink here?"

Ryson felt the question had no relevance. Of course people drank at a tavern, but that didn't make them incapable of keeping track of the emergency. He kept trying to draw a clear line to his wife's concern, but he felt she kept blurring the picture.

"Just because they drink doesn't make them drunks. You and I know most of the people that come here, a lot of them are our friends. They're not drunks."

"Some of them are, or are you going to tell me there's not a single drunk that comes in here?"

"I'm not going to tell you that."

"Well then, how am I supposed to know who's saying what?"

The argument was ludicrous and Ryson knew it. Before he left the inn, he saw that people were taking the warning seriously. People came off the streets immediately. Inside the inn, guards were set at the windows and doors. No one would have allowed a drunk to simply shout out absurdities.

Realizing that the discussion had taken a bizarre turn, Ryson decided to move on. Instead of pondering the deficiencies of Linda's argument, he tried to determine exactly what was bothering her.

"So you're upset because you thought something happened to me?"

"I'm not upset. I'm simply stating what you did tonight. You up and left. That's a simple fact."

"I didn't just up and leave. I was called out to help. Klusac came for me. Sy requested that I scout the town. You knew that."

"And you left me alone."

Alone.

She said it again, but it didn't make sense. He didn't leave her alone, and he was growing tired of the accusation.

"There were a lot of people here tonight," the delver noted. "I know that. I was here before I had to leave, remember?"

"I remember you leaving, that's what you do."

"You didn't seem to have a problem when I left."

"I was busy, too busy to tell you about my problems, and too busy to read a bunch of tower signals."

"Linda, what are you talking about?"

"If you can't figure it out, I'm not going to explain it to you."

"You're going to have to, because you're not making any sense."

"Oh, so now I'm the one not making sense? You go out running around in the rain after a bunch of fish monsters and then goblins… and I'm the one that doesn't make sense. That's almost funny."

"It's not funny at all," Ryson exclaimed. "You're starting to worry me."

"Well, then now you know what it feels like."

"Look, I do my best to let you know what's going on. We've had this discussion before. I don't want you worrying about me all the time, but you made it clear you want to know where I'm going. I do that when I can. I did that tonight, but we both know there's no way I can keep you updated of every single movement I make. It's just not possible. If anything, tonight you knew more than usual. If something happened to me here, in town, you would have heard about it immediately. You know that."

Linda did not respond. She picked up the glass in front of her, turned it over as if expecting something to flow out, but since it was empty, nothing happened. She just held the glass over the tabletop and stared at the open end with an expression of sadness.

Ryson waited, but he began to sense that Linda was not going to reply. He paused, uncertain of whether or not to continue, but he decided to do so in order to illustrate his position.

"I don't try to hide things from you. I tell you where and when I'm going, and the truth is, I have to leave again."

At this, Linda did not hesitate in responding.

"Why am I not surprised?"

She banged the glass down on the table, the first time she made any true display of frustration.

"Why are you so angry?" Ryson asked.

"This is not angry. You have no idea what angry is. This is reality, and the reality is that you left me here, and now you're going to leave again."

"Don't you want to know why?"

"Will it matter?"

"It might. You'll understand why I have to leave."

"If you think it will make you feel better, then by all means explain it to me."

She listened quietly as Ryson told her everything that had happened that evening. He told her of the rogues, the goblin raid, their large leader, and the argument he had with Sy. He had hoped she might be more understanding once he revealed he had already been through one dispute and a quarrel with her was not something he wanted to continue. If anything, he hoped for a bit of sympathy.

"So something must have happened to the elves," Ryson concluded. "That's why I'm going out tomorrow."

He did not get sympathy, not at all.

"Tomorrow? Not tonight?" she asked, but with little apparent emotion.

"I thought I would stay with you until morning."

"And that's supposed to make it easier?"

"I thought it might."

She looked down at her empty glass and then revealed her own thoughts. Once again, her words surprised the delver, but at least they revealed she had listened to everything he had said.

"If Sy isn't going to rely on you anymore, why do you even have to go? Why can't you just let him handle it?"

"I know those elves," Ryson revealed somewhat flustered. "Lief was from that camp. I can't just ignore what happened to them."

"Lief is dead."

The statement dropped from her mouth as a simple matter of fact, and the lack of tact brought out the delver's ire. It was clear in his tone as his patience began to thin and his emotions turned from confusion to irritation.

"I'm well aware of that."

Linda did not seem to notice the coldness of Ryson's reply.

"Then why do you need to go?"

"That was the first elf camp I ever had contact with. It wasn't just Lief. It was Holli, too. And Mappel."

"Mappel is dead, just like Lief. And Holli was banished from the camp."

Once more, Linda's indifference angered the delver. All of those elves meant a great deal to Ryson, and Linda knew it.

"You're being rather cold about this."

"I like to think of it as realistic."

"I think it's unrealistic to talk about Lief, Holli and Mappel as if they meant nothing to me."

"Does that really bother you?"

"Yes, it does."

"Well, then I'm sorry."

Despite the continued tone of indifference and the apparent lack of sincerity in the apology, Ryson decided to accept it. He realized something was bothering his wife. He already had one unproductive argument with Sy. Another one would not help his cause.

Linda, however, seemed uncaring as to whether Ryson accepted her apology or not. Instead, she turned back to the issue of Ryson's impending departure.

"Instead of worrying about what certain elves meant to you, let's talk about how it stands now. You may think you have some attachment to this elf camp, but I just don't see it. You think they worry about you? Do you think they'd come looking for you if you went missing?"

"I don't know, maybe. I know Holli would."

"Like I said before, Holli was banished. She's not even part of the camp anymore."

"She's still connected to them. Sy is going to ask for Holli's help."

"That just makes my question that much more relevant. Why can't you just leave it to Sy?"

"Because I can't"

"That's no answer."

First Sy and then Linda, both dismissing Ryson's feelings on what he believed were issues of great importance. Sy wanted Ryson to simply disregard his beliefs and Linda wanted him to forsake his loyalties.

"Yes, it is an answer. I just can't ignore what happened to the elves. I have…"

"But you can ignore me," Linda cut him off.

"Is that what this is all about?" Ryson asked with total honesty. "Do you really think I'm ignoring you?"

Linda bit down slightly on her bottom lip as she looked once more at the empty glass that was upside down on the table. When she spoke, she did not turn her head or her eyes to the delver.

"You know that we can never have children, right?"

"What?"

"Children. We can never have children. It's impossible. I just figured that out."

The delver sat completely stunned. His mind turned to a jumbled mess.

"It's really quite simple," Linda continued. "I'm surprised it took me so long to figure it out. You have magic within you and I'm immune to magic. How can I ever have a delver child? I can't."

"I don't understand," was all that Ryson managed to blurt out.

"Magic. I'm immune… totally immune. We both know that. You're a delver. Magic is a part of you. Any child of yours would have that same magic, but not in me. It can't happen."

It was Ryson's turn to stare at the empty glass. He didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure he could argue with his wife. She seemed so absolutely certain. It might have explained her reaction to everything that happened that night. The revelation definitely disrupted his own thinking. He sat in complete shock.

"Look," Linda finally said to end the growing silence. "I don't want to talk about it anymore… not tonight anyway. You said you have to go look for the elves. I think you should start now."

"Now?"

Linda nodded.

"Yes, now… tonight."

"I don't want to leave you now. I don't think I should."

"You think you should stay for me?"

"Of course."

"I appreciate that, but if you really want to do something for me, and not you, then you should go tonight. I don't want you to walk me home and stay with me knowing that you'll be leaving the moment the sun rises."

"Maybe I shouldn't go at all. Maybe you were right."

"I don't think so, not any more. You'd only be staying with me because you're worried about me, or maybe you feel sorry for me. I don't need that. I don't want it."

"It's not about feeling sorry for you," the delver countered. "It's about doing what's right. I didn't know this was what was bothering you. I never would have even left you tonight if I knew about this."

"I didn't realize it until after you left." Linda then looked toward the door. "I'm not even sure why it even came up. It just hit me, washed right through me and I knew."

"But then why do you want me to go?"

"Because we both need some time."

"Time?"

"Yes. I don't know if this changes anything… for me or you, but we have to accept it."

"Shouldn't we try to accept it together?" Ryson asked.

"With you wondering about what happened to the elves… always looking out a window toward the forest. You can't stop being a delver. That's what this is all about, isn't it?"

"In all honesty, I really don't have any idea anymore."

"I do. It's about what we want, and right now, I want you to go find the elves. It may not make sense to you, but it does to me."

"But you seemed upset about me leaving you alone. Now that's what you're telling me to do… to leave you alone."

"It's something I have to get used to, isn't it? It's either that or admit I made a mistake marrying a delver. That's not something I want to do. Is that what you want?"

"No!" Ryson responded emphatically.

"Then, like I said, do this for me and go find the elves."

Chapter 7

"You got here faster than I expected," Sy revealed, but was equally grateful Holli Brances reached Burbon so quickly.

He had not slept since the battle with Okyiq and his minions. Sy had immediately sent out a messenger to Connel. While waiting, he had questioned several goblin prisoners and each one substantiated the claim that the elves had disappeared. The mystery was growing, and it annoyed him that Ryson had left during the night to find answers Sy would not be able to obtain on his own. It would be too dangerous to send out his soldiers to search for the elf camp. He would have to wait for his messenger to reach Connel and then for Holli to travel back to Burbon. To his delight, she was at his office door in half the time he anticipated.

"We teleported directly to the border of your town. We thought it important enough not to delay. The messenger who brought your news to us, however, decided to return on horseback." Holli motioned to the individual standing next to her. "This is Jure. He wished to accompany me."

After, Sy and Jure exchanged greetings, the captain revealed all of the details of the raid. He concluded with the information obtained from the goblin leader.

"The word of a goblin is always suspect," Holli offered after hearing Okyiq's declaration that the elves were gone. "Unless held to a strict bargain they deem beneficial to their own standing, they will lie in an instant to save their own skins. Even if the goblin was not stretching the truth, their ability to comprehend complex situations is always quite lacking. That is why they are easily duped into being pawns."

"Normally, I would agree with you," Sy replied, "but there was something different about this one. He wasn't just bigger than the rest. He led them, displayed a level of-how did you put it? — complex comprehension that surprised me. Not much mind you, but I can't deny he utilized a greater level of tactics than I ever would have expected. He had a number of goblins with him, but he didn't just storm us. It wasn't like he unleashed a horde, even a small one, and he didn't conduct a simple grab and run raid, either. He was able to get inside the gate. I admit my soldiers made some mistakes, but I don't think a regular goblin raiding party would have made it through. I'm not saying he was the quickest wit I've ever come across-nothing like a serp-but he was able to negotiate and think on his feet. I saw it… I dealt with it."

Holli found the report intriguing. She had great respect for Sy Fenden, appreciated his skills as a leader and a soldier. She did not doubt his account, not for an instant, but the details of Okyiq's abilities contradicted her perception of goblin limitations.

"Interesting. A goblin blessed with superior size and the ability for critical thinking. Very unusual."

And it was unusual for an elf to consider a lowly goblin endowed with such characteristics. Due to their close proximity in the forest, elves dealt with goblins far more extensively than humans, and serving as Enin's apprentice, Holli had her own experiences with the diminutive monsters. She had seen them behave exactly as they were portrayed in elflore.

During the past several seasons, she witnessed them act with a brash disregard for reason and strategy. They were often cast to the forefront of a battle, and despite taking enormous casualties, they displayed little reservation in hurling themselves at desperate situations like mindless rocks tumbling down a mountainside. Mostly, she saw them consumed by the collective lust of the horde. With such experiences fairly fresh in her mind, an intelligent goblin was not simply a rarity, it was a paradox.

But while Okyiq presented a puzzle, Holli was not ready to accept the large goblin's rather simplistic explanation regarding her camp.

"Still, he is a goblin," Holli noted, "and as such, he might not understand all of the possible explanations to what he might notice. To him, the elves are indeed gone, but what does that mean exactly? From his standpoint, he gained the freedom to operate with fewer restrictions; he did not have to worry about elf intervention as he amassed his following."

"Would the elves have interfered?" Sy wondered.

"I believe they would. A growing goblin pack can soon turn into a horde, and that is a hazard to all creatures. It is best to break up the pack before they become too great a menace, especially if they are led by a superior creature. The elf guard that protects a camp is trained to monitor the activities of all possible threats. When a grouping of goblins begins to thrive and grow, the guard can utilize several tactics to encourage the pack to either disband or leave the area."

"Then that would seem to indicate that something has happened to your old elf camp, wouldn't it?"

"They might have simply relocated, and that in itself is not necessarily a concern. The elves of Dark Spruce are not pure settlers like the humans of this region. Their camps are not as permanent. They do not construct large structures or build lasting roads. Though they tend to remain in a set portion of Dark Spruce, the region is vast. Elves always remain somewhat nomadic. It is easier that way when adapting to life in the forest. Despite what Okyiq states, they might have simply moved their camp westward. If they did, they would have done so with care."

The captain considered such a simple solution, but the explanation seemed odd to him, or perhaps lacking.

"I guess it's possible. You'd know better than I would, but wouldn't there be a reason for that… something we might have noticed ourselves?" Sy wondered.

"Many possibilities exist, and remember, it is not so difficult for the elves to relocate. Certain events that might seem a minor inconvenience for a human settlement, something you might disregard as a temporary nuisance, might be enough to cause the elves to reposition their camp… a drought, for instance, or they might have found the food supply dwindling, or even a more bountiful supply in another area."

"We've had a good deal of rain lately. Would something as simple as that cause a camp to move?"

Holli considered the relevant factors and then offered what she considered an even more likely explanation.

"Actually, I believe they might have felt uncomfortable with the increased dwarf activity near Pinesway. I am sure you are aware of the growing relationship between the dwarves and the humans at the outpost. I would not be surprised if such a situation caused the elves a bit of… anxiety."

"I thought about that myself," Sy admitted. "I even thought the dwarves might have disturbed the rogues. And what about them? They hit the same time as the goblins. Was it all just a coincidence?"

"Possibly, but not totally unrelated. It may all be nothing more than a logical sequence of events. The dwarves are invited to help the rebuilding efforts of Pinesway. The elves are uncomfortable so close to an increased dwarf presence above ground, and so, they reposition their camp. Paths once protected by elf guards go unwatched. Rogues and goblins that once stalked territory near Pinesway decide to move and find free passage into areas of the forest abandoned by the elves."

"And that would be nearer to us," Sy admitted as he followed Holli's logic. "I guess it makes sense. I have to admit my patrols have spotted more and more of the dwarves lately. If we're seeing them, everyone else would, too; the elves, the goblins, even the rogues."

"Have you faced any other irregularities?"

"Well, we haven't had any contact at all with the elves for a while now. That still has me bothered."

"If the camp has moved, that would offer the explanation."

"Perhaps, but I thought they would have said something to us, or even tried to reestablish contact. We've been working with them for a while now. Even if they moved, I would have guessed they would have wanted to continue to share information. I always thought it was helpful for both sides, but all contact just stopped. We never even got the chance to tell them about the Great Valleys, to explain what happened to all the refugees from the east. I would have guessed they would have been curious about that."

"They might have learned of it from different sources. The dwarves of Dunop were also involved in the incident in the valleys. The elves of my camp had trade agreements with the dwarves… at least they did."

Sy perked up at the obvious meaning.

"That sounds like it stopped. Have you heard from the dwarves about that?"

"They have also indicated that contact with the elves has ceased."

Another element for the captain to consider, and it left him as puzzled as before.

"Doesn't that worry you?" he asked the elf.

"It does, but relations between dwarves and elves have always been somewhat complex and unpredictable. The situation in Pinesway might still be the simple explanation for all of this. The elves might not appreciate the increased dwarf presence in their lands. They may view it as an unwanted advance into their territory."

"So you think the dwarf activity in Pinesway is the most likely explanation?"

"I believe it can explain some things, but there are other factors that have piqued our own curiosity. Jure is very sensitive to magical energies, he sensed something from Dark Spruce not too long ago."

Sy looked to the wizard with both curiosity and concern.

"You think there might be some magical explanation to all of this?" the captain asked.

Jure answered without hesitation, acknowledging Sy's authority as the leader of the town facing unknown and increased dangers. He had remained quiet, allowing Holli and Sy to exchange critical information, but when the guard captain requested his opinion, Jure offered it freely with the hope of assisting the people of Burbon.

"I believe something of magnitude has happened in the forest. Beyond that, I'm not sure. I don't exactly know what's going on. You've had a rather interesting experience with goblins and rogues, the elves seem to have moved from their camp, and there is much more dark creature activity in this region, but is it all related? As I said, I'm not so sure."

"But you sense something, something in the magic?"

"Yes I do, but it's not something entirely active."

"Can you explain what that means?"

"It's something like… a pulse may be the best way to put it. A pulse that I can't pinpoint, but it came from this direction. It's something like the memory of a great magical disturbance. It's more of an echo, but it's a very complex echo. I don't believe it was one large destructive spell, a casting that got out of hand. The intricacies seem to indicate a great degree of control. Does that make sense to you?"

"Sort of, but in all honesty, I never could get a full grip on this magic stuff. I usually left that to Enin. Of course, Enin now spends his time in Connel."

"He has not forgotten you," Holli offered. "He encouraged us to get here as soon as possible, and he is more than willing to help."

"I know that, but I have to admit it was easier when he was here. He could have handled a goblin raid and a few rogues with a blink of an eye. All that power. Of course, sometimes he didn't want to use it."

"He has always been careful."

Careful.

It was true. Enin was careful with his magical abilities. He didn't try to solve every problem. He helped as he believed he should. He felt there was a distinct line between helping and interfering.

For some reason, Sy thought of Ryson. Maybe Ryson was just doing the same thing, setting up a boundary, being careful. Ryson said it himself, he drew a line in the sand he didn't want to cross. Enin drew a line as well, used it as a reason to not interfere in other people's lives. Were they both making excuses or did they both have a valid point? Sy wasn't sure.

Still feeling uneasy about his decision regarding the delver, Sy decided not to dwell on it.

"I know Enin does what he can," Sy offered with an apologetic tone, not quite certain if the tinge of guilt he felt related to Ryson or Enin. "Anyway, so that's why you're both here then. You've got a feeling that something magical happened out in the forest and I send you a message that the elves have disappeared. No wonder you teleported right over."

"It creates an element of concern that should be investigated," Holli stated almost too distantly.

Sy suddenly realized that they were talking about Holli's camp, a group of elves she once swore to protect with her life. Though she accepted banishment for the good of her camp, he found it difficult to believe she could be so detached. He also wondered about the elves connection to Holli. He couldn't believe they would just up and move and not give her some indication of their plans.

"What about you? Did they try to send you any notice, I don't know, maybe some magical alert informing you of a possible relocation?"

"No," she responded as if she believed such notification was completely unnecessary.

"Don't you find that a bit strange? Shouldn't they have notified you if they were moving?"

"Not at all, I am no longer a member of the camp. They have no obligation to inform me of anything."

"Maybe they don't have an obligation, but I would think they'd want you to know."

Holli was puzzled by the assertion.

"Really? Why?"

"You have a history with them. You've helped them in the past. Alright, you're no longer an official member of the camp, but so what? I'd want you to know what's happening."

"I still do not understand the reason," Holli admitted.

"You're an asset. It's not good tactics to leave an asset uninformed."

"Revealing too much information could also be a liability."

"I suppose if they were hiding from something, but why hide from you?"

"As we have indicated, they may be unhappy with the dwarves. I am now located in Connel, a human town with strong ties to the dwarf city of Dunop, and I am the guard of Enin, an ally to those same dwarves. They might feel it unwise to include me in their plans."

"Relations between the dwarves and elves are that strained?"

"Not necessarily strained," Holli explained. "As I said before, they are complex."

"So maybe I'm concerned about nothing more than a simple elf relocation," Sy admitted.

"The concern is warranted," Holli noted. "The elves may indeed be gone. When a goblin of unnatural abilities offers such information, it needs to be investigated. What we have discussed is all speculation. We must focus on the facts and determine if there is a true danger to your town, or even to the land."

"I'm all for that," Sy revealed.

"I would suggest that we scout out the previous area that served as the site for the elf camp. Once I inspect the region, I can determine if they simply relocated. Jure can further probe for any magical sensations. What he sensed may not be connected to the elves." Holli glanced toward the town's captain. "I do not wish to exclude you, but I do not believe it would be wise for you to accompany us."

Sy agreed. He never intended on leaving Burbon.

"No, I can't. I have to stay here. I have to reassess my strategies and make sure the town stays protected. If you want, I can offer you some soldiers to help with patrols and scouts."

"Is Ryson available? I would like to bring him along. His delver senses would prove invaluable."

Sy hesitated, unsure of exactly how to explain the situation with the delver. At first, he made a simple disclosure.

"Actually, Ryson already left to investigate."

"Ah, the delver and his curiosity, ever impatient, always so eager to find the answers. Well, if you have already sent him ahead, then there is no need for us to take your soldiers, better for them to stay here and help patrol the town."

"I didn't send him ahead. He went on his own."

Sy finally explained everything that had happened and revealed his decision regarding Ryson's services.

"I'm not sure I made the right decision," the captain finally admitted. "I may regret it. He was right when he said he saved this town in the past, but that was then, and things keep changing. I'm just not sure if I can rely on him if he keeps wanting to set his own course."

It was Jure that replied first.

"That's a good way to put it," the wizard announced. "Any captain of a ship will tell you that too many hands on the wheel will only lead to disaster. A course has to be set and everyone has to keep that course in mind. Look, I know Ryson, I like him, but he has to respect your decisions."

"I'm not sure if it's disrespect."

"Don't get tied up over words. What I mean to say is that he has to appreciate your position. There has to be order, discipline."

"Delvers are not very good with order and discipline," Sy allowed. "Maybe it's my fault for not utilizing him properly."

"Or maybe it's his fault for not recognizing the situation. It's not an insult to Ryson. We all make mistakes. I've made them myself. There were times I thought I knew better and went off on my own. I thought my magic was enough to handle almost any situation, but that was an error in judgment on my part. I should have realized that I was part of something bigger, another soldier in the army. I forgot my place. In the larger picture, it was a mistake. I can offer suggestions, but I also have to follow orders."

Sy chuckled to himself.

"I have to admit, I like the way you think."

"And you did what you had to do. If Ryson thinks about it, he'll realize that as well. If he can't follow your direction, he shouldn't expect to be in your service."

The captain had to admit, the old wizard's words made him feel better, but he also looked to Holli, wondered what a disciplined elf guard thought.

"What about you, Holli? Do you think I made the right decision?"

"As an elf guard, I would focus on the good of my camp. If what you did was in the best interest of Burbon, then you have indeed done your duty."

"There's more to it than that."

"Is there?"

"I think so. Maybe I didn't handle Ryson the right way, maybe I didn't work hard enough to make him understand. Maybe I was just being lazy."

"You are many things, but lazy is not one of them."

"Then maybe I was just too bullheaded to find a better solution. My point is that I cut Ryson loose. I keep thinking that's a mistake."

"Are you arguing with yourself or me?"

"I'm trying not to argue with anyone."

"Then let me say this. I was approached by my camp elder. He told me that the direction of the camp was in jeopardy. He felt the elves needed one leader, the proper leader, but there were two legends in the camp that the elves looked upon with high regard, perhaps too high. I was one of those so-called legends. Despite my talents and my strengths, I was asked to leave. The elder understood all the implications. Without wishing to sound arrogant, he gave up a skilled and knowledgeable elf guard, but he did so for the greater good of the camp. That was all there was to it."

"And you didn't feel betrayed?"

"No."

The answer was a bit too short, slightly too firm, but Sy didn't push for more.

"Well, that's the situation," Sy said. "Ryson's already out there."

"He knows the position of the camp," Holli acknowledged. "If there is something of significance out there, he has probably already found it. We should teleport there immediately."

Jure nodded and revealed he had the energy to cast the spell without difficulty.

Holli then addressed Burbon's captain.

"I thank you for alerting me to this."

"Hey, thank you for coming out here. You're helping me."

"I will inform you of what we find."

Chapter 8

Ryson had visited the elf camp on previous occasions, and he knew exactly how to locate it again. He had set a direct path and initially intended on reaching the area before the sun rose. With his delver speed and senses, he could have avoided any dangers and reached his destination easily, but his considerations of the situation persuaded him to reduce his speed.

The rain had ceased and the clouds passed to the east. Stars sparkled overhead, enough so that there was more than sufficient light for his delver eyes to penetrate the shadowed forest floor.

While traveling through Dark Spruce, he wondered about the elves disposition, considered what might influence them to relocate their camp, for that was the explanation he believed most sound. If the elves were gone, as Okyiq claimed, there had to be an appropriate reason. Though it would delay him from reaching his ultimate goal, he slowed his pace as he examined the woods for clues.

He looked for indications of natural disasters-floods, storms, fires-but found no signs of any such perils. He noticed an abundance of food throughout his travels, and discovered no imminent threat of dark creatures in the vicinity. If the elves did evacuate their settlement, he found no obvious explanation for such a move, but after reaching the borders of the camp, he soon feared for their very existence.

It was well past dawn, when he finally approached the very edge of his objective. Before he entered the central encampment, he noticed the lack of sentries at the perimeter. The light of the rising sun was behind him, and he could see deep through the trees. He listened carefully for any signs of movements and sniffed the winds for traces of the elves. All of his senses revealed an empty forest.

There were no elf guards stalking within the heavy branches overhead or patrolling the lower paths on the grounds leading to the elves' home. At the very outskirts of the elf settlement, Ryson took to the trees, climbed high into the branches, as would the elves, and circled the camp from a safe distance. He knew he should be spotted by sentries, but no guards were stationed to intercept him.

The delver moved unimpeded from branch to branch without observing a single elf, even without detecting some curious distraction used by elf guards to lure delvers away. Ryson knew that elf guards would have either approached him directly to question his purpose-if they recognized him-or tried to entice him in another direction with some suspicious activity. They would have used his delver curiosity to protect their home and to avoid conflict, but he sensed nothing out of the ordinary, nothing that would draw his attention to another part of the forest. When he completed his initial scout, he knew without a doubt the region was unguarded.

Staying within the trees, Ryson moved carefully toward the inner borders of the camp. The forest was still and quiet, and other than the insects, birds, and squirrels, empty of activity. He pulled out the spyscope from his pouch and surveyed the lands from the security of a large white pine.

He began to suspect there was something more to Okyiq's claim. He understood the reason for the lack of patrols and sentries. There were no guards in the trees because there were no elves to protect. They were indeed absent, but traces of their existence lingered. The camp had not been moved, at least not in any manner that would make sense. Clear signs of the elves' inhabitance remained scattered about the forest floor.

The elves did not live like humans. They did not build sturdy shelters or large storage facilities. They lived within the forest, taking full advantage of the natural shelter offered by the trees. Still, they utilized certain cover to protect their more delicate items, and these signs of the elf settlement were very conspicuous.

Small tents and storage huts for food showed no signs of disturbance, other than goblin raiding. Woodpiles and the remnants of campfires littered the ground, even a few weapon stocks remained clearly in view, though most had also been picked through by thieving goblins. If the elves had abandoned the area, they certainly didn't take the time to pack their belongings or to erase the traces of their camp. Even the most novice human scout would have easily discovered the obvious remains.

Knowing that elf guards would never allow for such carelessness unless it was unavoidable, Ryson leapt to the ground and stepped carefully forward for a closer inspection. He imagined that only a severe emergency would cause the elves to flee in such blatant disregard. But to add to the delver's confusion, the signs of reckless flight didn't exist, either.

There was no indication of a violent attack, no blood on the ground, or spent arrows in the trees. While the campfires appeared abandoned, left to simply burn out over time, Ryson could find no other sign of panicked retreat. There were no broken branches or signs of a hasty escape into the brush. Goblins had scavenged much of the stocks, but nothing was in great disarray. The camp remained eerily intact. There simply were no elves in the area.

Believing he faced no immediate danger himself, he turned a more deliberate eye to the signs he could discover. He found the recent tracks of the elves, both on the ground and in the trees, but these markings only created more questions. There were no signs of a struggle, but footprints simply disappeared. Nearly every recent path he could follow eventually just ended, stopped as if the elf that had made the tracks had been plucked from existence.

Wondering if some elf might remain in hiding, he called out, but no one responded. The camp was silent, even the birds and crickets refused to reply. The hush that engulfed the immediate area brought an even greater sense of concern to the delver's spirit. He felt as if he was walking through a graveyard and the ghosts of long dead elves were watching him but unwilling to allow anyone, or anything, to answer. The silence was overwhelming.

Closing his eyes, he tried to latch upon any sound at all. The only thing he could hear was the slight gurgling of a stream well off in the distance, but even that sounded… wrong. It sounded to him as if the slowly rushing waters were not really moving, but only bubbling in place. He listened for the birds and squirrels he heard before entering the camp, but even those chirps and whistles failed to reach him.

It was when he took in a deep breath to check for any and all scents, both strange and ordinary, that he realized something was interfering with his senses. He caught the fragrance of the forest in his nostrils, but it smelled… manufactured. The tree bark, the leaves, the plants and ivy; everything that surrounded him should have offered its own unique scent. In one way, it was all there for him to recognize, but in another way, it was masked, covered by something that would conceal any scents out of the ordinary.

Even more troubling, he could not detect the aging scent trail of a single goblin. He saw signs of their recent pilfering, but he could not find a meager trace of their scent. With that, he knew something was amiss.

Realizing there was more going on around him than what he could see, hear and smell, Ryson grew even more cautious. Either there was something affecting his senses, or there was something very wrong with his surroundings. In either case, he realized that danger could be near, and one potent word came to his mind.

Magic.

It was the only possible explanation, but one that usually brought the delver great uncertainty. The energy always seemed to be just beyond his touch. As a delver, he journeyed through life based on what his keen senses could uncover. The magic, however, played by a strange set of rules.

To make matters more complex, he came to understand that magic was a part of him, it made him a delver, enriched his abilities. At the same time, its essence eluded him. He did not actively engage the magic. It heightened his senses and augmented his physical talents naturally, without conscious decision. It became a part of him at birth, an energy constantly passed on from one generation of delvers to the next. He could not separate himself from the energy anymore than he could discard his skin.

In the past, he had been uncertain, even afraid, of the power within him. It was a mystery he could not unravel, and for a delver, that was indeed a heavy burden. Just as a delver was born with magic, a delver's inherent mission was to seek out answers. To his discomfort, the magic was something he had to accept without exploration and discovery, without pulling aside the curtain and revealing the clear truth to a discerning eye, nose and ear.

Alone in a deserted elf camp and facing a strange sensation of some forceful energy distorting his senses, Ryson realized his desire to unravel the mystery had led him into possible danger. His options of understanding the elf disappearance dwindled. He was not well-suited to battle magical spells, especially when he could not identify the source of deception. Unwilling to leave himself vulnerable, he raced back up a tree trunk and took a position high in the branches of a mighty oak.

He bent low in the tree, keeping himself covered. He tried to reach beyond the screen of false sensations and take hold of something that might offer an explanation. Believing he might be blinded to the actual threats by some powerful spell, he hoped to elude the magic and grab onto just a shred of reality.

To his growing dismay, he could not break through the magical cover that became more and more apparent to him. The enigmatic shadow that blocked his senses was like an extremely dense fog that hung just out of reach, a thick mist that could not be cleared by a wave of the hand. It blanketed the region with an unyielding heaviness. It provided a wall of concealment for the truth, and in that, Ryson grew apprehensive.

Instinctively, he reached for the handle of the Sword of Decree. Before he pulled the blade from its sheath across his back, magic of a different source rushed into his consciousness.

When the very elves he was searching for placed the blade into his possession, the enchantment of the sword expanded. In his hands, it began to offer opportune enlightenment to its holder, revealed what was necessary to be known at a specific moment in time. The sword didn't spell out the truth, didn't unravel every mystery, but it often gave direction, allowed its holder to understand the foundation of a mystery or a threat. It had saved Ryson's life, and it helped him save the land. On that day, it offered just enough knowledge for the delver to realize he was in no real danger.

Ryson knew the elves had indeed disappeared, but he also knew that the current magical disturbance that interfered with his senses was not responsible for the abduction. The answer to the elf disappearance would have to wait, for the sword's enchantment focused on his current dilemma.

"Are you going to show yourself," Ryson called out, "or are you going to keep hiding?"

Without waiting for an answer, Ryson removed his hand from the sword's hilt and leapt down from the tree. He stepped into a clearing at the center of the deserted camp, folded his arms in front of him and waited patiently.

After several long moments of silence, the delver called out again.

"We're not enemies, and I don't intend on treating you like one, but I need to know what happened here."

It was then the swallit appeared.

"Good day to you Ryson Acumen. Do you remember me?"

Ryson Acumen and that particular swallit had met before, also in Dark Spruce. The delver recognized the dark creature, not by its scent, but by the tone of its voice.

"Yes, I do. Want to tell me why you tried to cover everything up with those illusion spells of yours?"

"I see no harm in explaining," the swallit replied casually. Its large buffalo shaped head swung back and forth as it sniffed the air. The stringy, dark green vines that made up the bulk of its hide swayed gently with the movement. It appeared quite pleased with what it could smell, or rather with what it couldn't. "Effective spells. Even I can't detect a natural scent, and I cast it."

"That means it works, that doesn't tell me why you cast it."

"I suppose being a delver makes you impatient for answers, I can understand that."

The swallit stood upright and it slowly stepped across the camp using only its hind legs to walk. It suddenly looked more human than buffalo as its front legs became more like arms. It studied the ground in all directions.

"Tell me first, can you see these fresh tracks that I make?"

Ryson looked down where the swallit had walked. There was not a single hoof print to be seen, despite the fact the swallit had stepped heavily through soft dirt.

"I don't see anything," the delver replied honestly, then looked back up into the dark creature's eyes, "so your illusions covered your tracks. Seems they still are."

"Does that give you an idea of why I cast the spell?"

"I can only guess, and since you're here, I'd rather not. Why don't you just tell me?"

"Come now. Humor me. Use those delver instincts of yours and tell me what you think."

"I think you're avoiding the question."

The swallit grunted heavily and glared at the delver. The creature grew annoyed, but not to the point of charging the delver in fury, as swallits are known to do. Instead, it made a threat it clearly intended on carrying out if the delver did not cooperate.

"Would you rather I just leave and tell you nothing? I do not have to explain anything to you. I owe you nothing."

"No, I don't want you to leave, but I'm trying to find out what happened to the elves and I don't want to play any games," Ryson shot back, growing somewhat frustrated himself.

"I assure you, my spells had nothing to do with the elves disappearance. In fact, I had nothing to do with it at all. It happened well before I arrived here. That's one of the reasons I cast the spells. Does that help you?"

Realizing the creature offered a hint, Ryson decided to make a gesture of his own and he offered his own theory.

"I think you were covering your presence. You clearly didn't want me to know you were here, but I already know you're not responsible."

"You know?"

"Yes, I'm certain of it," Ryson acknowledged, but he did not reveal that the information came from his sword. "I'm sure you're not a threat to me, and I'm positive you didn't cause the elves to disappear. While I know you wanted to hide from me, what I'm not sure of is… why. I think-and this is a guess-that you cast those spells so I wouldn't blame you. Right?"

The swallit was impressed with how much the delver understood and confirmed the delver's theory.

"For the most part, you are correct. I didn't want you to get the wrong idea. I was hoping to keep your mind on the elves and not on a possible intruder."

Ryson considered everything he sensed, as well as those things he could not, and decided to reveal even more of his assumptions to the swallit.

"I can't see any of your trails, but I can still see the elves' paths, as well as a few goblin tracks. All of the scents in the area are masked by some kind of illusion as are all of the sounds. There's not a single natural scent in the air. What I smell is being created by magic, not by what's around us. As for what I can hear, there's an echo of a stream in the distance, but that's not real, either. I think it's magic creating that as well."

"Very good," the swallit congratulated. "I'm impressed to see that you have learned to pierce the magic of illusion. You were not always so gifted. "

The delver ignored the comment and continued revealing his perceptions.

"You didn't want me to know you were here, but you wanted me to follow the signs of the elves, at least the visible signs. You said it yourself, you wanted me to concentrate on the elves, but I think covering the scents and the sounds hampered me. That has me a bit confused. Why would you want me to see certain things, but not smell or hear anything beyond what you created with your spells?"

"Because, as we have both now confirmed, I didn't want you to know I was here. I focused the visual illusions on hiding my tracks. I didn't believe that would interfere with your investigation. I was not happy with covering up all the scents, but I wasn't sure if I could separate them as easily. If you noticed even a trace of swallit scent, you would have concentrated on me and not the elves. As for the sounds of the forest, what you can hear is irrelevant. While the spell does not affect my voice, it was meant to keep you focused on more important matters. What has caused the elves to disappear is long gone, and any sound you would have heard, such as my breathing, would have just led you to me, not to the answer of what happened here."

"So you want to know what happened here, too?"

"I do."

"Can I ask why?"

"It will become evident."

"Are we back to playing games again?"

"Not at all, but I don't want my information to influence your findings. I'd rather have you tell me what you sense, and then I will tell you what I know."

"So I have to go first?"

"Or I could simply leave."

"Then we'd both lose."

The swallit grunted with renewed frustration. It dropped down to all fours, but again, did not charge the delver. It paced around in a circle shaking its head; the long, twisted vines of its coat rustled from the agitated movement.

"Why must you be so difficult?"

"Difficult? I'm just trying to find a solution. Sure, I could tell you everything I know, but then you might just run off and leave me with nothing."

"I don't expect you to trust me," the swallit allowed, "but you must know by now that I am more than simply curious about what happened here. I am no delver on a pointless exploration."

"I'm not on a pointless exploration, either. I knew these elves and something's very wrong here, and that's aside from your spell."

"And that's why I must know what you sense before I tell you anything. Untainted information is important. You must realize this."

"Maybe, but I just want some assurance you'll tell me everything."

At that, the swallit snorted even louder and turned to face the delver directly. Once again it looked like a hulking buffalo, and for the first time that day, it appeared almost eager to charge.

"You are trying my patience again," the swallit said through several heavy grunts. "Understand this, delver, just as you know I did not cause whatever happened here, I know far more than you, but in order to understand it, I must hear your discoveries. If for some reason I am wrong, I will be in your debt. If, however, I am right, you will owe me, for I will be able to point you in a direction you would not find on your own. The more I reveal to you, the greater your debt to me. That should be sufficient as an assurance. Now do not waste any more of my time and tell me what you sense."

Since the swallit made its position quite clear, the delver decided to reveal everything he was able to uncover from his inspections of the elf camp, but he was not quite finished with his assessment of the area.

"Your illusion spell, the one that hides your tracks, can you cancel it so I can be sure about everything I see? I also need you to cancel the spell that hides the scent trails. I need to follow them for a while. You want to know what I sense, well, I have to be sure about everything, and your illusions could be distorting something. I don't want to miss anything."

"Very well."

The swallit stood up again on its hind legs and reached outward with its front hooves. After grunting words that made no sense to the delver, a yellow pentagon formed around the body of the swallit. The five sided shape expanded outward, and as it did, sparks of golden energy flared both through the air and into the ground. It continued to spread and broke through the trees, passing harmlessly through trunks both thick and thin. Soon, the rim of yellow magic faded out of sight.

Just as the spell ended, a wave of enticements swept through the delver's senses. Ryson immediately smelled the natural aromas of the forest and the scent of the swallit before him. He heard all the sounds of the forest, both near and far. The forest became brighter, the shadows crisper. He looked to the ground and he saw the hoof prints of the swallit that had been previously hidden from him. The cover of illusion had been broken and he moved about with renewed interest in everything about him.

With the illusions dismissed, he refocused his attention on the signs offered by the elf camp. He darted about checking the trails of the elves and smelling the ground and the tree branches where the tracks simply ended. He looked closer at several imprints in the dirt, measured them against each other. He felt the ground as well as the tree limbs that served as the pathways for the missing elves, pressed his fingers against the bark and dirt.

Growing more and more curious over what he found, he began to almost dance around the camp with both enthusiasm and concern. At times, he was a blur of motion, barely pausing to review some track or trail, but in a heartbeat, he would stop all movement and drop to his knees to intently examine one small patch of ground.

He took several opportunities to pause and take deep breaths through his nose. As he gauged the scents, some times he closed his eyes and other times he peered about the forest floor. He said nothing after each breath, but he appeared uneasy with what he discovered, as if the different aspects he could detect would not come together as they should.

His investigation completed, Ryson returned to the swallit.

"Well?" the dark creature demanded.

"It's very strange," Ryson acknowledged as he considered what he had observed. "Every elf path just ends. There was no apparent struggle, no battle or any conflict. It looks as if the elves were just carrying out their daily routines, and then they were gone. And it's not like they even had a chance to react. There's no indication they came to an abrupt halt, or made a quick turn. There's no sign of a reaction at all. They were not physically attacked and nothing knocked them to the ground. One step they were here, and the next step they were gone. And it all seemed to happen at once, at the same time."

"How can you tell?"

"Mostly because there's no indication of a surprised reaction. If you saw me just disappear, wouldn't you react?"

"Probably."

"Well, there's no reaction evident in any of the tracks, even the trails of the guards in the trees. Like I said, no turns and no stops. Just walking along… and then nothing. If elves started disappearing one by one, at least a few of the trails would indicate some level of surprise. The ones that didn't go first would run over to where an elf vanished, wouldn't you think?"

"Perhaps," the swallit allowed, "but then again, they might have been too fearful."

"An elf guard wouldn't have been afraid. They would have investigated."

"Maybe they went first."

"Wouldn't the other elves still react? Maybe run, or just freeze? They wouldn't just act as if nothing happened… go about their business like nothing was wrong. The only explanation is that they all went at exactly the same time. That way, none of them would have had the chance to react."

"I see your point. So they all disappeared at once. What else?"

"There was no conflict. Not only are there no signs of a struggle, there aren't any tracks-other than yours and mine… and a few goblin scavengers-that don't belong here. No invading force came in to take them away. There's not a single sign of battle, or even commotion. There's nothing out of place. Well, almost nothing."

"Explain."

"At the center of the camp, in the clearing over there, there's some strange markings in the dirt. On its own, it's not that unusual. It's really just wind sweeping across the ground and swirling some dirt."

"Why does it bother you?"

"Because it's not consistent. It doesn't break across the camp naturally. Wind doesn't blow evenly-I know that-but I still can't understand the pattern. It's too localized and uneven. It's almost as if a hot breeze rushed over a part of the camp, but left the rest of the ground completely alone. I've never seen a wind pattern like that before, even in the desert."

The swallit nodded.

"I understand."

Ryson didn't, and he pressed for an explanation.

"Do you know what caused it?"

"I believe so, but continue with everything else you know first."

The delver glared unhappily at the swallit, but finished the explanation of his findings.

"That's most of it. They didn't move their camp. Even you can see that. It's not just the trails. It's the condition of everything around us. They wouldn't have just left their food and weapon stores like this… easily found and an open invitation for goblins."

"Obviously. Any thing else?"

"There's a strange scent lingering at the center of the camp. Nothing I can identify specifically, but it's there. I'm pretty certain it's the scent of dark creatures, but it's not the goblin thieves. I have their scent and it doesn't match. This isn't one particular creature. More like a mix. That's why I'm unsure."

"Wouldn't that indicate a possible incursion into the camp?"

"No, you don't understand. The creatures weren't here, their scents got blown into the camp from a distance. It might have been a larger pack of goblins and maybe some shags, and even some river rogues that were able to get close to the camp due to the elf disappearance, but they never entered the camp. For some reason their scents just got trapped here. It's unusual, but it's definitely there."

"That's everything you sense?"

"You think I'm missing something?"

"Quite the opposite. You discovered more than I expected. Now tell me, what is it that really bothers you about all of this?"

Ryson looked to the swallit with surprise.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Answer the question," the swallit responded gruffly.

"It's pretty obvious. The elves just disappeared. One moment they were here and the next moment they were gone. No intruder, no raid or attack. No sign of a struggle of any kind, no indication of surprise or concern. Even the elf guard trails in the trees around the perimeter show the same thing. That's probably what has me the most concerned. Whatever it was that happened, it caught them all off guard. Even the elf guards had no idea it was coming. Something that can catch an entire camp and its elf guards by surprise has to be dangerous."

The swallit nodded again, but said nothing. It began to pace around the camp on its hind legs, looking about from one section of the camp to the next, appearing somewhat like a human going through a market and trying to decide what to purchase.

"Are you going to say anything?" Ryson finally wondered aloud. He offered everything he had discovered and he waited impatiently for information from the swallit.

The dark creature, however, was caught up in its own considerations.

"Be quiet," it demanded.

The swallit continued its walk for a few moments more and then stepped up to the delver. It made one definitive statement, followed by a simple admission.

"I know what happened, but I don't know why."

"How about telling me what happened?"

"That's the easy part," the swallit grunted. "A portal was opened at the center of this camp, an extremely large portal to the dark realm. That is why you saw the strange markings of a hot wind on the dirt. The wind came from out of the portal and so it only affected the ground at the opening. But this was no ordinary portal. As I said, it was extremely large and it only existed for a scant moment in time."

"So it was a quick, hot breeze from the dark realm through a large rift!" Ryson acknowledged.

"Yes, such a blast of restricted hot air would certainly make strange markings on the ground. It also helps explain the scent of the dark creatures you noticed. While there are more rogues, shags and goblins now near this emptied camp, additional scents came from beings on the other side of the portal. They never entered the camp, but the portal offered a trail to their scent. It's not a surprise your delver senses noticed this."

"You think the elves opened a portal?"

"No, the portal was opened from the other side, from the dark realm. Every elf was teleported into the mouth of the portal when it was opened. That is why their trails simply ended."

Despite offering an explanation that answered most of his questions, the swallit's words surprised the delver.

"And you're sure about this?"

The swallit was very certain, for portals had become almost an obsession to the creature.

"The very first time we met, it was in this forest. Do you remember the circumstances?" the swallit asked.

"Actually, I do. You were running through the trees and you didn't want to stop."

"I was running from danger. It was because a portal opened up that connected this land with the dark realm… my home. That portal allowed a twisted creation to move back and forth between the two planes of existence as it hunted beings of all types."

"I remember. A slink ghoul named Baannat created an animated vessel to capture magic. The vessel was made out of the skins of dark creatures."

Ryson also recalled his personal dealings with the slink ghoul. They were not pleasant. He had fought Baannat on two different occasions, and though he defeated the ghoul each time, Baannat avoided complete destruction. He believed the ghoul to be trapped in a shadowed realm of nonexistence.

"I knew that portal was a danger to every dark creature, including me," the swallit explained. "Since then, I have been not only concerned by the opening of portals, I have trained myself to sense them. It is not difficult for a dark creature, certainly not difficult for me, for it is a link back to the land of my origin. When one is created, I can sense it, if I'm not too far off. When this portal initially opened, I was much further away, but it was very powerful. This made me… curious. You should understand that."

"So you came here to investigate?"

"Of course. And I have been here for some time. I wondered if the portal might reappear. It hasn't."

The information did not offer any true solace to the delver.

"Are you saying Baannat has opened another portal? I was told that wasn't possible. He's trapped in some kind of void, at least that's what I was told. Do you think he's behind all of this?"

"No, I do not think it's him. The magic is somewhat familiar but it does not point back to the slink ghoul. I remember the portal Baannat opened. It is not the same. It is, however, very strong magic. The echoes of the spell still linger in the air. There was a great deal of disturbance in this land. I attribute that to the massive use of teleportation. Something was very intent on taking these elves and forcing them into the portal."

"Forcing them? But there wasn't any sign of a struggle."

"You don't struggle against instantaneous teleportation."

The thought of being teleported to some distant place against his will and being unable to resist stirred a new fear in the delver.

"The magic can do that?"

"Powerful magic can… very powerful magic guided by a very, very skilled sorcerer. Whoever did this had access to vast amounts of energy and a talent beyond my reckoning. The elves never had…"

The swallit stopped abruptly and swung around to stare into the forest.

"Someone else has arrived," the creature announced. It quickly sniffed the air. "A teleportation spell… a human and an elf."

The swallit turned back around to gauge the expression on the delver's face as Ryson also took in the scent.

"Friends of yours it seems," the swallit confirmed. "I have nothing to say to them."

The swallit dropped down to all fours and headed deeper into the forest.

"Wait!" Ryson shouted.

"I have told you all I know," the swallit called back. "It is more than you would have learned on your own. You are indebted to me, Ryson Acumen."

Chapter 9

"Who were you talking to?" Holli asked.

"A swallit."

Holli eyed the delver, not with suspicion but with expectation for an explanation, and Ryson did not disappoint her.

"It was interested in what happened to the elves, but it had nothing to do with any of this. It actually gave me more information than I expected."

Ryson went on to explain everything the swallit had told him. When he was finished, he turned to Jure.

"You can cast strong spells. Not too long ago, you basically did the same thing in the valleys. You opened portals and forced thousands upon thousands of goblins back into the dark realm. Could someone have done the same thing here?"

Jure considered the question, but only for a moment. He didn't wish to seem hesitant in his assessment or appear to be withholding information.

"Is it possible? Yes. But is it probable? I don't know what to say. It would take a great deal of magic. When I did it, I had an enormous reserve of energy available to me. If that much magic came together again, I think I would have sensed it."

"Maybe you did sense it," Holli posed. "You said you felt something come from the forest, an echo of powerful magic. Maybe you did not isolate the initial spell because it was originally cast in the dark realm, but the echo might have reached you in Connel. Could it be that is what you noticed?"

Again, Jure wished to answer quickly, to aid those who looked to him for advice, but he needed to consider the memory of past magic, a tremor that was felt quite some time ago that reverberated through his own magical spells. Isolating it was difficult. It was only a pulse through time and space.

"Give me a moment," Jure requested.

The wizard looked down upon the ground as he cleared his thoughts. He focused beyond the current flow of magic and beyond the remnants of the illusions cast by the swallit. He tuned in to the trace memories woven into the land around him, the distant remains of spell fragments and the past intentions pressed into magic that could never be destroyed, only harnessed or absorbed.

Jure stepped over to the clearing near the center of the abandoned elf camp, to the exact spot where Ryson noticed the strange wind driven patterns on the ground. Jure looked about as if searching for something hidden behind some door that no one could see. He held out his hands and waved them through the air, at times fanning it back into his face.

"I'm not sure if this has anything to do with the magical pulse I noticed, but there was a portal opened here not too long ago," Jure revealed. "It was opened and closed fairly quickly."

"That supports the swallit's story," Holli noted, her expression growing darker as it matched the unease in her spirit. She might have accepted banishment for the good of the camp, but she could never completely disconnect herself from her previous life, her role as an elf guard sworn to protect the elves of Dark Spruce.

"There are traces of teleportation spells as well," Jure continued. "A massive discharge actually. Maybe that's the true echo of the disturbance I felt. I can't ignore the existence of the portal, but the vast energy dedicated to teleportation still lingers here. It was quite a release of magic and it still resonates throughout the area."

"So the swallit was telling the truth?" Ryson asked, but he already knew the answer. The elves were gone and Jure was confirming what had happened exactly as it was told to him by the dark creature.

Jure was not ready to confirm the swallit's account. He remained guarded in his inspections of the elf camp, and he continued to concentrate on the echoes of the magic. Something deep within the remnants of the spells separated the sensations of energy from the surrounding magic. Even as a distant memory, it stood out with much greater vibrancy.

Holli noticed the wizard's concern.

"You sense something else?"

Jure responded quickly to the question, offering what knowledge he could.

"Not something else, but something within the magic that was used. I don't know how to explain it, but it is very… concise. The echo of energy was not only created by its vastness, but also by its makeup. The spells themselves were clearly very potent, but the magic was not only vast, it was also extremely distinctive."

Holli's skills as a spell caster were growing, and though she could not match Jure's sensitivity to the energy, she understood the subtleties of his explanation.

"Is there anything within the magic that may reveal who, or what, is responsible?"

Jure paused, as if trying to compose his thoughts, and then spoke almost apologetically.

"I'm having a hard time connecting with the magic."

Holli did not wish to challenge the elder wizard, but the statement left her confused.

"That seems to contradict everything you have said so far."

"Not really. The shards of spent magic stand out for me, but I'm having difficulty absorbing the loose residue. Spells do more than leave an imprint in the magic, even well after they're cast. Spells shape the magic, give it purpose. When the purpose is fulfilled, the majority of the magic is freed back into the land, waiting to be reclaimed, but the energy of the actual casting-the essence that came from within the spell caster that is separate from pure magic-falls away on its own. Sometimes it will hold to a small amount of the magic. Normally when I absorb that magic, I can analyze it beyond its basic intentions and gain greater insight to the spell as well as the caster."

"You are unable to accomplish this here?"

"It won't let me, and that's what makes it so strange," Jure admitted. "Most teleportation spells leave a trail. They can be followed, sometimes even days after they are cast. There's almost always a path due to the way magic condenses the effect between time and space. It's like a lingering memory and I can almost grasp each one… almost, but even the residual traces of the spells seem to be forcefully rejecting me, as if the energy used doesn't want to be a part of me. That's why it's so distinctive. It's like it's repulsed by my presence. I can tell it's there, but it won't let me take a clean hold of it."

"What of the portal?" Holli questioned.

"The portal was large, but almost insignificant in comparison to the energy used to teleport the elves to this spot. Still, I can follow the path of the portal, for it's not just the magic that leaves the trail but the distortion created between planes of existence. It was definitely here, and it definitely led to the dark realm."

Holli accepted the information from the wizard without reluctance and began to set a new path for their investigation. Before she revealed her intentions, she requested an opinion from the delver.

"What about you, Ryson? Is there anything that concerns you about what Jure has told us?"

The delver placed everything he learned together. He considered information obtained from the goblin, Okyiq, as well as what he was told by the swallit and Jure. Most of it fit together as a series of events, but the process itself and the reasoning behind it left him confused.

"Not so much about what he told us," Ryson admitted. "There's no contradictions I can find, but I just don't understand the logic behind any of this."

"We have seen many things lately that defy logic," Holli responded.

"Can't argue with that, but there always seems to be some reasonable explanation. I guess what I'm trying to say is I don't understand why someone would abduct a camp full of elves."

"That is beyond my understanding as well," Holli revealed. "Perhaps we will understand it better when we know who is behind it."

"It has to be someone who can cast powerful spells," Ryson added. "We know that much. But even with that, things still don't make sense. Maybe Jure knows." The delver then looked to the elder wizard. "One thing that bothers me is the teleportation. Why teleport elves into a portal? I'm not an expert on magic, I admit that, but I've watched enough to get an idea of different spells. These teleportation spells basically compact space, create paths from one place to another by using magic to remove the constraints of time and distance. Right?"

"That is a very good way to put it," Jure responded.

"Then that's what has me confused. The portal was right here in the middle of the camp. Most of the elves were very near it. Using teleportation doesn't make sense to me. Why not use the magic to bind the elves and then force them into the portal? Wouldn't it be more difficult to teleport all the elves at once?"

"Actually, it depends," Jure answered. "Mass teleportation can be very efficient. As long as the spell caster can track each elf, there is no wasted magic. A portal is opened, the elves are instantly teleported into the dimensional breach, and the portal is closed. The process can be completed in the blink of an eye."

"But you seem surprised by the amount of magic used," Ryson noted.

"I am. It would take a great deal of energy, but it would be an instantaneous use, not a continuous flow."

"Is that kind of spell difficult to cast?"

"Absolutely. Tracking every elf before hand would take a great deal of patience and concentration. The caster would have to have a very organized mind, very deliberate. It would also take a great deal of control to teleport to an exact spot, especially so many elves all at once. If the caster had that kind of control, then it would be possible, as long as a generous supply of magic was available for one instantaneous disbursement of spells targeted at each elf."

Holli offered an explanation of her own.

"That may be why the magic is eluding you," she noted. "If the teleportation energy was focused on each particular elf, it might reject you because it was meant to be used on someone else."

The wizard did not like to contradict the elf guard, but he sensed something in the magic beyond the remnants of a particular spell.

"Maybe," he allowed, but he also needed to express what he believed, "but I really think it goes beyond that. It's the magic itself, not so much the spell that molded it. I think the magic almost wants to return to its original caster, as if it belongs to that individual."

"You believe the magic is not pure?"

"Actually, quite the opposite. It seems very pure. If anything, I sense it views me as a possible taint to its purity."

Holli nodded as she began to recognize a common thread forming. She believed it was time for them to move forward to confront the individual responsible for the insidious assault on the elves of Dark Spruce.

"As there is now too much evidence to dismiss the swallit's story, we must accept the probability that the elves have been abducted against their will." She then turned to the wizard. "You said you could follow the path of the dimensional rift. Can you match the portal… create one that would lead us to a similar point in the dark realm?"

"I can, if that's what you wish. It won't be exact, but the entrance into the dark realm will be close enough for our delver friend to locate the elves, if they're still near the area where the portal led."

"So we're going to the dark realm?" Ryson asked.

"That is where we will find the individual responsible," Holli answered.

"Blast," Ryson muttered.

Chapter 10

Under a gray sky which never altered between day and night, an entire encampment of elves from Dark Spruce Forest struggled against the hostile environment. The rocky ground was near devoid of life. The scent of decay lingered in every crevice, and the pungent odor was fanned by a hot and heavy wind that brought neither comfort nor relief. The landscape appeared unnatural, something forced from a confused and harrowing dream. Shadows bent across barren rock and seemed to move with a life of their own.

The dim, burnt amber glow that created the long, menacing silhouettes did not come from some bright orb in the heavens. It was spit out of fiery pools fed by the burning core of an angry, twisted land. It was the blazing flame of hate, not the spark of hope, the illumination of warped desires, not the breaking rays of a new dawn. Sadly, it was the only source of radiance in an otherwise dismal existence.

Along with offering the only ambient light, the enormous lakes of smoldering rock exuded a sulfurous stench that would smother a normal bird in flight, but in that realm, there were no normal birds.

The creatures that soared through the grim skies were hatched in blood soaked nests and abandoned early in their bleak infancy. They sang no comforting song, offered no lyrical whistle. Instead, they shrieked and screeched with ravenous hunger and vicious intent. When they flew, they cut across the gray horizon high above the jagged cliffs only to plummet in chaotic dives and fall upon some hapless creature of equally dire existence.

The elves trapped in that unforgiving environment never got used to the smell of burning rock that surrounded them or the shrieks of the twisted birds that soared overhead. The noise and the stench created a hardship that added to their misery, but the burden of surviving was so great, that they forced the anguish from their minds. They had no choice, for if they were to live, they needed to place all of their attention upon overcoming the harsh conditions of the dark realm.

Even as the thick air choked their every breath, they managed to coax water from the ground and purify it with magical spells. They employed emerald energy to quickly grow edible plants from the putrid soil. They managed to do just enough to stay alive. Still, they focused on more than just survival. They yearned for escape, clung to hope that they would find their way back to their lush forest home.

Some, however, felt that their path back to Dark Spruce would be one they would have to forge themselves. One such elf, Birk Grund, understood that the elves he was charged to protect would only be safe when they fled that plane of tortured existence.

As the elf guard captain, he positioned his guards around the bleak terrain and guided them in tactics that would increase their safety, optimize their resources, and offer a small degree of hope. Despite his actions, he knew that more than a burning stench hung in the thick, humid air. Desperation and ultimate surrender waited to claim them all, and both were far too near for his comfort.

Shantree Wispon yearned to return to Dark Spruce with equal desire. Whereas Birk was in charge of security, she was the final word in all matters. As the council elder and leader, the entire camp's well-being fell upon her shoulders. She was the decider of the elves' present course and the director of the camp's future; a task that often fatigued her aged frame, even when they stood upon the much more inviting lands of the large western forest of Uton.

Despite the weariness that gnawed at her consciousness, she remained attentive to every last detail. She folded her hands patiently behind her back as she listened carefully to the report from the elf captain.

"The guard continues to patrol the region," Birk offered. "The trees, if you can call them that, offer little in the way of cover, but they serve to mark the limits of the barrier that holds us to this place. Everything remains fixed. The obstructing field neither contracts nor expands. It has held constant since we marked its borders."

Shantree knew that the field of magic that blocked their escape also served as a shield against the horrors that abounded in the dark realm, but as her focus remained on details, she always requested confirmation.

"Contact with other creatures?" Shantree asked.

"Also remains constant. We cannot get out, but they cannot get in. I surmise the birds of prey above can see us, but they cannot reach us. As for dark creatures on the ground, we have spotted several of various sizes in the distance, but they do not get as close as the birds. I believe they can see us. I cannot imagine how they would miss us, and yet they show no desire to test the barrier. At least they have not come close to it. I have found that… interesting."

"Why?"

The captain pointed to the skies above, to the birds that circled and soared wildly overhead even at that very moment.

"The birds maintain a constant presence above us while the creatures on the ground ignore us almost completely. Shags and rogues pass us with regularity, but they do not linger near the barrier's edge. They continue on their travels as if seeking new territories to claim without giving us a second look. We are trapped and apparently easy prey, yet even the giant monstrosities move quickly past. They do not even approach the barrier wall." Birk then gave another quick glimpse to the darkened skies. "But the razor crows and hook hawks have shown a more patient tendency. The birds may be there for a reason beyond their unending hunger."

"You think the birds serve as a watch?"

"That, of course, is something we must consider, and it would explain the behavior of the winged monsters."

"A simple sight spell overhead would be much easier than controlling several prey birds and linking with their consciousness," the elder elf suggested.

"Agreed, but if forcing us here and creating the barrier that imprisons us is within the sorcerer's power, then controlling several birds would be of minor consequence. We know very little about the sorcerer other than what his brief visits have allowed us to observe, but his strength should not be underestimated."

"Point taken, but we have discussed the fact that we are probably being watched. Even if the sorcerer is utilizing hook hawks and razor crows, you seem to be more concerned by that prospect now."

"That is not completely accurate. While I wish to understand all threats, I am concerned with the inconsistencies in the beasts that surround us. Why do the birds remain overhead while creatures on the ground refuse to come near the edge of the barrier?"

"Do you have any speculation on the matter?" the elf elder questioned.

"I do."

Shantree raised an eyebrow offering an expectant expression of curiosity.

"There maybe a secondary barrier," Birk continued, "something that is deliberately discouraging the creatures on foot from remaining in this area. Perhaps not a physical obstruction, but a deterrent nonetheless. That would explain the buffer between us and them."

"You think the sorcerer would place a second barrier to keep the dark creatures away from us?"

"It is a possibility."

"That sounds rather inconsistent," Shantree noted as she considered the concept of the devious sorcerer acting as both their captor and their benefactor.

"Not necessarily."

"Explain, please," Shantree requested, trying to weigh the likelihood of such a possibility.

"We do not know why we were brought here, but we do know that six individual elves have been transported out from under the barrier. We do not know what happened to them, but we have to accept that there is a purpose to this madness. The sorcerer wishes to utilize us for something. In order to meet his needs, he must keep us alive. That means keeping hostile creatures away from us… until, of course, his needs are fulfilled."

"So you believe we have been afforded additional protection in the form of some second barrier?"

"It is a possibility. Many of the larger creatures of this realm might have the sheer power to break through one barrier, but not if they are being persuaded by other magical means to stay away. Even if something as large as a thrastil approached, it might have to fight its way through some additional buffer. The sorcerer would potentially have sufficient warning to intervene to save us from such a threat."

"Then a second barrier works to our benefit," Shantree replied.

"Not if we hope to break free," Birk countered. "Yes, we have additional protection, but we are also trapped here. What good is it to break out of the first barrier, if we are faced with being trapped by a second?"

Shantree remained patient in both her tone and expression, but she reminded Birk of their past discussions and actions.

"We have tried to break free of the barrier and failed. While freedom is our ultimate goal, I'm not certain that a second barrier should cause us any more concern than the first."

"That depends. So far, you have instructed a conservation of the camps' combined magical abilities. If we reach the point where you allow for a complete assault on the barrier, I would like to know more about what awaits us just beyond."

"I do not believe we have reached that point of desperation," Shantree revealed. "At least, not yet."

While Shantree revealed a desire for caution, Birk remained respectful of her authority as the camp elder. Still, it was his duty to protect the elf camp and to secure them from imminent danger. Every moment the elves remained trapped in the dark realm represented unacceptable peril.

"You still believe we should wait?" Birk asked without the slightest degree of agitation or disbelief. He was simply confirming a strategy.

"We balance waiting with other alternatives. We focus on surviving… for that we need magic. Without it, we could not obtain food or water. I have always entertained any initiatives to escape this cursed realm, and I have already authorized the use of a great deal of magic. Unfortunately, nothing has worked. Portals fail to construct within the barrier, and the barrier refuses to weaken, let alone fall. Teleportation is useless, which continues to confound me. The sorcerer manages to remove elves from our group one at a time, but not one of our spells of transport work in any fashion."

"I agree it is confusing. Magic within the barrier works, as proven by our ability to obtain food and water, but not with consistency. As you have said, we can not utilize portals or teleportation, and while our spells do not seem to lack potency, they have little effect where we need them. We attack the ground under the barrier and we fail. We assault the barrier itself and we fail. We attempt to teleport and we fail."

"I know our failures," Shantree reminded the captain, showing an unusual moment of impatience.

Birk revealed that his intention was not to simply list miscalculations, but to highlight the need for new methods.

"Forgive me, but I wanted to emphasize that there is a new plan that is being developed that might work. It takes a different approach."

"A new idea?" Shantree asked with a hopeful expression attempting to break through the aged lines of her face.

"We believe the field around us was constructed by pure ebony magic, a power that uniquely condensed the most dominant energy inherent in this abysmal realm. Though the barrier is translucent and allows us to see beyond its borders, it is not completely invisible. We all see the outline of the obstruction, and its dark hue cannot be denied. Those elves capable of seeing the aura of magic assure me that the black energy is undeniable. Unfortunately, we have no elves among us that can cast in the shade of black with any genuine efficiency. That may be why we have failed to break through, but one of my officers proposed a layered attack of individual hues to chip away at a small section of the barrier."

"Go on."

"We have several skilled magic casters, but none that can cast in pure white or pure black. Still, there are those who have nearly perfected their own inherent hues. We are considering an attack that will focus one hue after another upon the barrier. Spells will be used in varying sequence, but they will each be focused on an individual color, and the barrier will be monitored as it is attacked. Instead of simply trying to blast through in one great release of energy, we will attempt to peel away at the barrier's strength. The proposal would require significant amounts of magical energy, but if we can find the right combination, I believe we can break a hole through the shield."

"Only a hole?" Shantree questioned.

"That is all we would need."

"We need to get every elf out, not just a meager few. I believe the sorcerer will know if the field has been compromised and will return to repair it, and perhaps punish those that worked to break free,"

"Those that are willing to make the attempt are aware of the risks."

"I assume that once you break a hole through the barrier, an elf will attempt to teleport away from this place or open a portal back to our home?"

"I plan to do both. I will have elves ready to teleport across the dark land. Creating distance from the barrier may be essential. I will have others ready to construct a portal. That will be the priority. The moment we create a breach, the first elf I send through will be instructed to immediately open a portal back to Uton."

"And then?"

"Immediate contact with the human wizard in Connel. He can aid us."

Shantree knew of Enin, the human wizard with phenomenal power and the skill to cast with two perfect rings of pure white energy. If any single magic caster could obliterate the barrier, it was Enin, but she also knew that the wizard's attention centered on building relationships between the dwarves and the humans. His contact with elves had been minimal.

"But will he?"

"He has recently shown a willingness to come to the aid of those in need. We also should remember that our own Holli Brances serves as his guard."

"She is no longer one of our own," Shantree corrected the captain. "She was banished."

"She agreed to that banishment for the good of our camp. I have no doubt she would remain loyal to her oath to come to our aid."

Shantree's hands remained folded behind her, but she rapped her knuckles against her back as she considered the idea. She was always cautious, even when she did not face such a dire predicament. She usually handled the strain of leadership with dignity and poise, listened well and appreciated the council of others, but she no longer faced the normal affairs of life in Dark Spruce Forest.

The elves of her camp confronted a staggering set of circumstances. An entire camp thrust against their will into a seemingly inescapable prison was not something even the elf guard captain could have anticipated. She understood Birk's concerns, saw the growing desperation in every elf around her, but desperate actions led to mistakes, and mistakes in the dark realm led to complete and painful obliteration.

"For the moment, let us then consider this secondary barrier you spoke of. Would its existence alter your plan?"

Birk did not reply immediately. He looked across the barren land, through the translucent barrier that surrounded the grouping of elves. He weighed the options before him, and came to only one conclusion.

"No. It would be ideal to know what is outside the barrier, but it is not within our power. The main objective remains to break through the initial obstacle. If we can get several elves beyond the first wall, I can only hope they will find a way to battle through any additional obstructions."

"That sounds unusual for you. Your strategies have always been much more defined."

"I do not deny it, but what else can we do?"

What else could they do?

That was exactly the question Shantree continued to ask herself.

"The proposal is interesting," she acknowledged, "but if I understand the concept, you would indeed need vast amounts of magical energy. Do we dare use so much when our very survival depends on utilizing it with care?"

"Surviving as captives in the dark realm for some sorcerer's twisted purpose is not a path of existence I would accept as living."

"I do not argue that perspective," Shantree explained, "but I do not believe it has come down to a simple matter of choosing between one last act of desperation or accepting eternal imprisonment in this realm. We have limited magical energy available to us. That is a fact we cannot escape. The plan you offer might be the best utilization of that energy, or it might cause us to dilute our resources that might be used more efficiently elsewhere. The magic continues to keep us alive and there are other magic casters that have used the energy available to them to send out messages of distress. It may simply be a matter of patience."

"I understand," Birk responded, but then offered his own view of reality. "I just find it difficult to believe that any message we can send will be received by anyone that might help us. Certainly, there is no one on this plane that would come to our aid."

"The spell casters that are endeavoring to use the magic have stated they believe they can embed the call for help in magic that transcends this dimension. We know magic can travel through portals, even through the veils that separate the existences. Subtle messages can call to an ear that wishes to hear."

"But is there anyone back in Uton that will listen to our call?"

At this, Shantree revealed her true hope… the hope that kept her going.

"There are other elves in Dark Spruce, other camps."

"That is understood, but why would they search for us?"

"Because if this happened to a neighboring camp as opposed to our own, I would order a search for them, not simply out of some benevolent desire to help, but for the security of my own camp. The disappearance of an entire camp is not something to ignore. If other elves can locate us, they might be able to bring us the aid we need without jeopardizing our ability to survive in the short term."

"What if they simply can not determine what happened to us? They may realize we are gone but never find us."

That was a possibility that Shantree could not ignore.

"I have considered that. I must admit, I am not entirely certain how it was possible for us to be captured as we were. Still, we must at least give it time."

Birk almost accepted the assessment of the elder without another word, but he paused before agreeing. He did not wish to create conflict or to struggle over authority, but he had his duty, and the dark realm was a place where such responsibility could not be forgotten.

"It is not my place to argue with your decisions, but as an elf guard captain-the leader of the elf guard-I am charged with protecting this camp. You must accept that I am in a difficult position. We are in a state of constant peril. It is my duty to bring this camp to safety without delay. In that, even your orders are secondary… no disrespect to you."

"I understand, and I appreciate the loyalty you have shown to me. I do not think we would have made it this far had we been at odds. I ask only that you balance your desires to escape with regard to the best chance to do so successfully. You believe we need assistance, and so do I. Given enough time, we may get the aid we require."

Reluctant to wait much longer, Birk revealed yet another concern.

"It is difficult to determine the passage of time in this realm. There is no sun to mark the passage of a day. Even if there was, we would have no idea how such time might relate to time back in our home. It might seem like several days have passed here, but back in our land, back in Uton, an entire season might have passed since our abduction. You are, in essence, asking me to give you enough time. How do we know what is enough?"

Shantree conceded she could not argue. They were trying to gauge the passage of time based on many factors, but none of them could be certain of the accuracy of their measurements.

"You are right. We have no idea of just how long we have been gone. I ask for time, and yet I cannot tell you how much time is necessary."

She looked about the makeshift camp. She examined the futile attempts at creating shelters, let alone defensible positions. The few trees that surrounded them were pathetic, half-rotted protrusions from corrupt soil. There was agony in the very air they breathed, and she saw suffering on the faces of every elf around her.

Her fatigue grew and while she would not surrender to despair, she knew that hope was dying.

"Is there much you need to do to prepare for an assault against the barrier?" she asked, reconsidering her decision.

"We must select the proper elves," Birk replied. "Some will cast the spells, others will feed the casters with magical energy. We must also map out a strategy for gauging the strength of the barrier as the spells are cast and for determining a sequence for those spells."

"Begin your preparations. We will start as soon as you're ready."

The captain of the elf guard bowed and set off to organize the assault.

Chapter 11

"We are ready to make our first attempt," Birk Grund acknowledged, as he returned to speak to the camp elder. "We shall be as efficient with the energies as we can. I know it is important to you that we hold as much in reserve as possible."

"It is more important that we escape," Shantree replied. She had played out all the scenarios in her mind. She saw each path clearly. She could hope for success, but she had to accept the possibility of failure. The one result she did not relish was uncertainty. There was no sense in making the attempt if it only left them with more questions. "I place no qualifications or restrictions on your plans. I do not want you to hold back in any fashion. Our path is decided and it cannot be a half-hearted measure. We must know if this has a chance for success or not. I would rather use every ounce of our magic and fail than attempt to save energy only to remain uncertain about the results. We either succeed or we fail, but one way or the other, we must know."

Only minor surprise struck the elf captain. Initially, Shantree wanted to conserve the magic in order to survive, and it was Birk's intention to balance his assault with the camp elder's desire. He would only use what was necessary, but she had changed the course of her objectives. She gave her full support to the assault on the barrier, and like any good leader, once she made her decision, she did not wish to restrain her forces. To do so would show indecisiveness, weakness, and that was not the way of Shantree Wispon.

"I understand," Birk acknowledged. "I will make the proper adjustments. We will not limit our assault, and I am prepared to face any repercussions should we fail."

Shantree shook her head resolutely. She would not allow Birk to shoulder her burdens. Despite the weariness that continued to grind at her every fiber, she stood firm in her decisions and expected to be held accountable for each one.

"It was ultimately my decision," the elf leader declared, "and I will take responsibility for any failure. You offered an opportunity, and I accepted your proposal. Blame shall not be your reward regardless of the outcome."

"I appreciate that, but I believe blame or praise no longer matters. If this does not work, I do not know what else we can do."

"Let us worry about that only if that is what we face… and let us hope it is not. What do you need from me?"

"I would ask that you stand near and watch. It will encourage our spell casters if they know our leader stands with us."

"I shall do so willingly."

They walked together to the edge of the barrier where several elves congregated. They took slow, but steady steps. The elf guard captain allowed the elder to move at her own deliberate pace. He made no attempt to guide her or assist her labored movements.

She was thankful for the respect. She slept little since their arrival in the dark realm, and though she could not be sure how many days had past, she was certain it was far too many. The tired ache of her muscles made movement difficult, but she did not wish to appear dependent on another. Even the appearance of frailty would not help their cause. The elves of her camp looked to her for strength and resolve, and she refused to disappoint them.

When they reached the appropriate spot, Birk asked Shantree to give him a moment. He needed to address the other elves-discuss the appropriate utilization of magical energies and adjust the planned dispersal of power. Every elf would be encouraged to unleash every bit of magic.

Speaking with several elf magic casters, he advised them to concentrate greater energy against the barrier. Once they all understood and acknowledged that no effort would be spared, he returned to Shantree's side.

"They are going to begin in a few moments." He motioned to a half dozen elves that stood behind several other magic casters near the wall. "The six further back will call on as much energy as they can absorb. They will feed the casters with magic as they weave their spells. They will now pull from all available sources. Do not be alarmed if you feel as if you are being drawn to them. The magic will flow heavily through us all."

"I understand," Shantree replied.

Birk pointed to two elves nearest the edge of the domed obstruction.

"Those two shall monitor the barrier. They have already cast a spell that allows them to see the intrinsic strength of the force field. They are not quite linked to the barrier spell itself, but they have been able to match their vision to the tune of the vibrations emitted from the obstacle. They believe that the vibrations will become erratic as the field weakens. Once all the casters are ready, they will direct the assault. They will determine the order of the spell castings and which hues to utilize."

"Have they decided who will go first?" Shantree wondered aloud.

"Scheff Rutlan," Birk announced. "He is the most accomplished of our magic casters. He has achieved a near perfect circle and he casts in dark violet. Of all the elves in our camp, his inherent hue is the closest to pure ebony. We believe we need to match the essence of the spell to the best of our ability at the beginning, then we might devise the path to break it down."

"Dark violet," Shantree whispered, "the power of the storm."

Birk nodded and said no more. He watched and waited as the first elf began shaping his energy into the proper spell.

Scheff Rutlan moved close enough to the barrier to almost reach out and touch it. Stepping between the two elves that monitored the force field, he also seized the essence of the barrier. It was made of pure magic, but the energy from the field rebuked him. He could feel the power swirling throughout the dark but translucent wall, and he let his own magical essence bubble out from his core. As the two energies came in close contact, the force that constructed the barrier opposed the violet energy within him.

The magic that coursed through the barrier pulsed in harmony with the surrounding lands. It echoed with the screams of death in the distance, and it surged with the long shadows that stretched across its surface. It flowed up into the sultry air, and it embraced the hard lifeless soil. Most of all, it throbbed in joyous recognition of the constant upheaval that surrounded it. It thrived in the chaotic change of the dark realm, as if its entire essence was constructed from the very fabric of that twisted reality.

Scheff could do more than just feel the awesome strength within the barrier. He could see it. As he pulled at the energy, placed himself within the flow of magic that constructed the force field, a thick blanket of ebony magic spilled into his consciousness. It was the purest black he had ever seen and it filled him with awe.

The magic that fueled the barrier was near indescribable. It was beyond shadow, beyond night. It was larger than loneliness and greater than grief. It was all encompassing. It was the border between realities, the very transition from one existence to another, and the absolute boundary between one life and the next. It was the hollow void of emptiness, and the absolute grip of alteration within each existence. Its overwhelming reach into pure nothingness was total, complete… perfect.

Even as the great shadow of magic engulfed his spirit, Scheff felt it reject him. The blackness swept across the purple hue of his essence, unwilling to mix with energy unfit to join its purity. It seemed as if the magic scoffed at him, ridiculed the elf for being inferior. It did not bother to press the violet energy aside, or charge through like some invader at a gate. It did not try to overwhelm the elf, or obliterate him in a burst of dominance. It simply allowed itself to be acknowledged by the elf, as if offering a peek at magnificence.

Feeling hopelessness grow within him, Scheff could do little more than allow the flow of ebony pureness to pass through him and then disregard him as an insignificant insect. With the dark shadow gone from his spirit, he took hold of the violet magic that was his to control. It felt small, almost powerless.

It was so strange. He had the ability to cast spells of tremendous force. He could create storms that could devastate the land, and yet, he knew he could not even dent the barrier before him. The black magic that had built the wall did not challenge the elf or even mock him. It just dismissed him, and Scheff knew it.

Disregarding his sudden sense of inadequacy, Scheff brought the full measure of his violet power to a sharpened point. He knew any attempt to completely overcome the barrier was pure folly, but that was already understood by all the elves that stood beside him. It was not his charge to break the barrier, or even to dent it. He only needed to find a way to disturb it, even ever so slightly. A drop of water cannot break through a stone wall, but an infinite number of raindrops could flood the land and carve great valleys from the strongest rock foundations. He was but the first drop of water.

Scheff pressed his palms together in front of his narrow face. He closed his eyes and opened himself up to magic that was fed to him through several links formed by the elves behind him. He turned the magic over in his soul, brought out the purple hue in every strain that entered his being.

A near perfect circle formed initially around his wrists, but the ring quickly grew and encompassed his entire body. It swirled around his head and shoulders with the center focused at the middle of his pressed palms. The ring grew wide and quickly caught the attention of every elf trapped in the dark realm.

Confining all the power within him into a single spell, Scheff formed that single drop of water deep in his consciousness, that small bead that seemed so irrelevant but signaled the start of a mighty storm. It was hard and sharp, the perfect stone that could drop a giant if thrown with faith. In that small droplet, the purple force pulsed with its own fury. It could not match the potent throb of the ebony wall, but it became the embodiment of Scheff's inherent power. It was the strength of a hurricane in a single stone of hail and Scheff held it at the core of his being until it became far too intense to contain.

Unleashing the condensed ball of violet magic, the elf spell caster directed it into the wall before him. The projectile flashed out from the center of his hands. The purple ring of energy that once swirled around the elf followed the trail and exploded upon the surface of the barrier.

A great flash of lightning burst across the obstruction and a clap of thunder shook the ground. The wave of force nearly knocked Shantree Wispon from her feet, but Birk Grund caught her before she completely lost her balance. A burst of wind exploded from the point of contact and the sudden blast dislodged several weakened branches from the surrounding half-dead trees.

Scheff did not simply unleash the spell and separate himself from the energy. He held to it as if grasping the string to a kite lost high in a night sky. He forced his will against the massive ebony energy, sought to peel a small portion of the black magic away from the barrier.

The obstruction swallowed the attack, but not without consequence. The mass of black energy could not diffuse the sudden onslaught. It did not fall or buckle, or even crack, but it did shudder. The violet magic rippled through the translucent wall and Scheff shouted out his advance.

"I have not broken through, but I have intertwined my spell with the barrier!"

The two monitors noted the remarkable achievement, far greater success than either had expected.

"The wall has not weakened, but the ebony magic is spreading apart to envelop the influx of the purple hue!" one monitor reported.

The second observer considered the implications and then offered his assessment for the next spell.

"The storm creates the wake, let water flush into the passage!"

They all agreed, and while Scheff continued to force his spell against the obstruction, another elf-powerful in the casting of blue magic-moved to his side. The second caster could not quite cast with the same efficiency as Scheff. His circle of control fluctuated at times, but his influence over water was unmatched by any other elf within the camp.

Blue was the perfect compliment to the violet storm. They worked in tandem. As the purple magic created the passage, the azure energy flowed heavily behind in its wake. The force of water expanded the pressure, seeped into the essence of the barrier and bubbled with boiling fury.

The monitors directed their attention on the emissions of the force field. The integrity of the black energy held, but it continued to tremble against the concentrated assault. The rhythm of the vibrations from the barrier became unsteady, the flow of magic that coursed throughout the translucent wall flared with irregularity.

At first, many elves grew optimistic. They believed their plan might ultimately cause the breach they needed far sooner than expected. Several elf sorcerers-talented and experienced in creating portals to other dimensions-readied themselves to dash through any break in the field. If they could just escape the prison, they believed they could return to Uton and gain the help they needed.

Despite the growing tremors through the force field, the barrier would not dissolve even a pinprick. Those who monitored the ebony magic, however, understood the battle had just begun. It was not their ambition to destroy the obstruction with two waves of magic, but to weaken it, to peel away the strength of the wall with patience and perseverance.

"What next?" one monitor asked of the other. "Land or nature?"

"Red magic," came the reply. "Let the power of rock and soil follow the water. It will take hold of our advances, hold firm against retreat. Then we will follow with the emerald energy of nature. The crimson energy will form the base for the green energy to thrive."

Both monitors agreed, but before they would let the elf graced with control over red magic cast her spell, they bid Scheff to cease his spell of storms.

"The violet casting must end and the blue energy must be strengthened first. If all three come together at once, the storm will overwhelm the other two. The three hues will merge. That is not what we want. Red and blue must be allowed to work in concert with each other, but not in such a way that they become so intertwined they simply feed the violet power."

Scheff complied with the instruction, and just as another elf prepared a blast of crimson magic, he ceased his spell. The power that was fed into him broke away and was offered to the other two elves that cast spells of blue and red fury. As he felt the energy drain away, he nearly collapsed from exhaustion.

He took several steps back, allowing room for the others, but he remained nearby. Curiosity bid him to watch the wall, but he forced the desire out of his mind. He concentrated entirely on his own magical reserves. He inhaled deeply any shallow energy in the air, embraced all traces of the humidity that might hold a flicker of magical power. He wanted to recharge as quickly as possible. He understood that his gifts would be needed again. The combination of hues was nothing more than a guess. Trial and error was a part of the process and it was doubtful they would find the exact sequence on their first attempt. The endeavor was as complicated as it was draining, but he would not claim exhaustion as an excuse for failure.

A young elf by the name of Flower began her casting the moment Scheff ended his spell. A rich red oval of magic, not quite a perfect circle, twirled around her neck as she lowered her arms and held her hands firmly against the outside of her thighs. She kept her eyes open and her brown pupils turned a fiery crimson.

Flower placed her sight on the very spot of the barrier where the blue energy met the ebony magic. The red ring continued to spin just below her chin, but a single line of straight red power jabbed outward and flowed into the wall right alongside the stream of blue magic.

The two energies remained separate, each one distinct and never combining into one single line, but they held to each other as if they had become twins. The two hues worked side by side as the magic entered the barrier and pounded against the interior essence of the magical wall. Red and blue forcing their way deeper and deeper into the obstacle, the spells utilized their inherent qualities in a manner that would maximize the effect.

The azure energy continued to work as water would, raging like a flood and constantly flowing in currents of pure force. It moved both ahead and behind the red power, racing forward unrelentingly with greater stability and uniform might. It served as both the harbinger for the force that would follow and the mighty hand that pressed from the rear and would not allow retreat.

The crimson energy rode the blue waves and slammed against the barrier like an avalanche of rocks tumbling down a mountainside. The red magic did not flow smoothly or even continuously. It became a grinding torrent of abrasive influence that shoved its way forward and then abruptly halted to expand outward. It hammered against the opposing ebony magic, using the blue energy that flowed with it as the driving force that compelled it to move beyond its natural state of inertia.

The elves that scrutinized the effect of the spells continued to sense erratic vibrations from the wall. They believed they might have been lucky enough to find an effective pattern of spells. While the barrier did not quite buckle, the intensity of its mystical aura began to fade at the point of contact with the other spells.

One of the monitors believed an opportunity was at hand. If they were going to pour all their magic into the attempt, there was no sense in delaying a necessary boost to the assault.

"They must continue, but let us now add the emerald energy. The power of nature will compliment the blue and red energy. Let the three work together!"

The second monitor agreed and they waved forward the elf blessed with the greatest gift over green magic.

The casting of emerald power shot out like the accelerated growth of a thousand thin vines twisted and tangled together into a massive vein of green lightning. It flashed about the long column of red and blue magic and wrapped itself around the line.

As the third hue embraced the other two and pressed against the magical obstacle, the opposing magic appeared to finally strike back. A dark pulse enveloped the three strands of energy and bit ferociously into each casting. Ebony power flowed out of the wall and appeared to take greater hold of the emerald cord of magic.

The bright green color began to fade quickly, like the accelerated wilting of a dying plant. Spots of imperfection expanded along the emerald energy. A sickly brown stain infected the entire strand, and the cord of magical vines began to fall away from the red and blue line.

The effect was not lost on either monitor. They began to fear their progress would be lost in the backlash.

"The black power is overwhelming the green magic," one elf called out.

"The red and blue are losing their potency," the other monitor added. "We must enhance the emerald power and cut off the other two."

"Yellow magic," the first monitor agreed. "Let it augment the strength of the emerald energy."

The casters of blue and red were immediately directed to cease their spells, and the elf responsible for casting in a yellow was brought close to the wall.

The new spell caster was an elf named Haven Wellseed, and her power over golden magic was well known throughout the camp. She did not cast in a circle, but rather a triangle… a perfect isometric triangle that glowed with as much glory as the sun on high. She had always brought light to darkness by her very presence as the yellow magic glowed around her even when she did not actively cast a spell. She was viewed as a gift to the camp the moment the magic returned and filled her soul with light.

Haven stepped lightly up to the barrier, her slim frame overwhelmed by the long dark shadows that raced across the span of the obstacle. It appeared a desperate attempt, like throwing a single candle against the gripping darkness of the eternal abyss, and yet, when she began her casting, the golden energy allowed the slight elf to glow like a beacon of hope.

The yellow power of light fed the green magic, but it also blistered its way into the shaded wall. Even as it re-energized the emerald energy, wiped clean the sickening brown that had infested the strand, the golden magic blazed into the nearly imperceptible hollows left by the initial assault of storm, water and earth.

Glowing ever brighter, Haven's spell grew in intensity, but it did not work alone. Even as it strengthened the green magic, she drank in the energy the other elves joyously fed into the core of her soul. The full measure of elf magic blossomed in the combination of green and gold.

Increasing its defense, the ebony power fought against the yellow energy, clearly showing a hostile response to magic it found-not inferior-but clearly distasteful… and perhaps dangerous. The output of ebony magic increased several times over, and for the first time since the elves had been imprisoned, the translucent barrier turned completely dark.

The elves could no longer see the gray sky above, the birds soaring overhead, or even the burning lakes of fire in the distance. They were completely encased in a great dome of blackness. If it wasn't for Haven's glowing form, they would not have been able to see anything at all, for no light could have penetrated the barrier.

The two elves casting their magic upon the obstacle increased the output of their spells to the maximum. Spurred on by the other elves around them, they unleashed the full limits of their power. The green and yellow energy poured against the solid blackness.

The hot, heavy air within the seemingly solid dome began to shudder, and every elf under the obstruction felt the outpouring of magic. Their eyes were drawn to the flare of golden optimism that struck out at the darkness that imprisoned them. Each elf offered up the magic within to the cause, and a torrent of energy flowed across the rocky ground and into the core of Haven's spirit.

Sensing a possible breakthrough, Scheff decided to add all of his might to the effort. Rather than offer it to the two elves casting green and yellow, he decided to cast his own spell. He knew that his violet hue, the power of the storm, could create dark clouds and block out the influence of the light, but the storm created its own fury, its own lightning. He would not diminish Haven's power, but add to it in a way that would bring it crashing through the black energy before them.

Throwing his hands together, he warned the monitors to beware. His spell would be devastating and he would not restrain himself in the slightest. A perfect circle of dark purple formed around his clenched fists that he held together in front of him. When he flicked opened his hands, the violet power flashed away from him in the form of pure magical lightning. It struck the golden light from Haven and formed a crackling flame of violet fire that erupted across the entire barrier.

Just as it appeared the barrier would crumble and the elves would succeed, their captor arrived under the darkened dome. The human sorcerer acted instantaneously, shouting out strange words and casting a perfect ring of dark energy that initially surrounded his body.

The ring expanded from the sorcerer. It moved just above the ground. It rushed outward like the ever expanding ripple on a lake surface, passing through every elf as well as every rock and tree under the crumbling dome. It struck the failing obstacle at its base and then rose up the barrier wall until it came together into a single black ball at the center of the dome overhead. The dark magic reformed the wall, brought it back to its original strength. The barrier returned to its translucent form as the elves could see beyond its edges once more.

The sorcerer did not bother to examine his work. He knew the barrier had been reformed, and even a brief moment of inspection would be a waste of his time and an indication of insecurity.

He walked brazenly among the elves, past several that carried bows and swords. It was not his muscular body that gave him his confidence, but his full understanding of the situation. He showed not a care for his safety, for he walked in his realm, a land of darker magic, and the energy that fed him would always keep him safe from such inferior weapons.

He ignored the elf elder as well as the captain of the elf guard. His attention turned instead toward the spell casters.

"Impressive," he offered, but not as a compliment to their ability. It was spoken as a statement of fact. "You almost broke through. I would have thought it would have taken more time."

The human turned to the two elves that monitored the activity. He looked at them with his sunken eyes casting a near indifferent gaze over his own rather large nose. He might have found tedium in addressing what he viewed inferior beings, but he could not completely suppress his curiosity.

"You chose a caster of storm first," the sorcerer spoke with a tone of apparent interest, but with an expression of apathy as well. "Why him? Was it the color of his natural magic or his ability to cast in a perfect circle?"

The two monitors did not respond. They looked toward Birk and Shantree, waiting for instruction from their leaders before acting on their own.

The sorcerer sighed. He wondered why such stubborn beings could not grasp the full measure of the situation. It was beneath him to make threats, but for some reason, he could not escape the necessity. He knew which elf he needed to address, knew the one with full authority over the rest. He did not look toward Shantree Wispon, but he made his deliberations clear.

"You are the elf elder. Instruct them to answer me or I will obliterate ten of your youngest elves. And I assure you, I do not bluff."

"Answer him," Shantree said with a nod, trying to appear firm, but truly fearful of what the human might do if crossed.

"It was both," one of the monitors finally replied. "His skill is unmatched, and the dark violet hue of his magic is the closest to the ebony aura of the field."

The sorcerer shook his head.

"There is no comparison between the two. Black is the only pure energy. Everything else is diluted in some fashion. What is violet but a mix of red and blue?" He paused as his curiosity returned. "Is that why you followed with the blue magic?"

The elf monitors did not enjoy the discussion, but they willingly obeyed the commands of the camp elder. One answered with honesty, but without any indication of pleasure in the debate.

"Partially, but also the power of water compliments the surge of the storm."

"You hoped to strengthen the pressure of the spell?"

"Essentially, yes."

"But then why follow with crimson power?"

"We felt we needed to utilize all the hues. That seemed the next logical choice."

"Logical? Not at all. Red magic leads to orange, the power of fire, and fire and water do not work well in concert. They oppose each other."

The elf saw it differently.

"Crimson energy is the magic of the land, and in the proper sequence, it would compliment blue magic. We ended the violet magic in order to allow the red and blue to work separately." To confirm his argument, the monitor declared a simple truth. "It was not the orange magic of fire that we utilized next. The red and blue magic set the stage for the emerald power."

To the sorcerer, the results indicated the folly of the decision, and there was no argument.

"And when you added green, your assault weakened almost immediately," the human scoffed. "Why debate the matter when you already know the results? You can't be that ignorant."

"But the yellow energy returned the green power to its original strength," the other monitor defended the decision.

"A wasted step. Foolishness." The sorcerer sighed again and shook his head with frustration as if he was arguing with children. "If you were going to start with violet, blue was the proper choice to follow, but then you should have moved directly to the golden energy. Utilizing red and then turning to green magic was a mistake. The inability to recognize your blunder simply makes it that much more glaring."

Birk Grund did not care for the human sorcerer's tone and appreciated the direction of the conversation even less. He decided remaining quiet was no longer acceptable.

"Then maybe you should allow us to try again," Birk stated firmly. "We will gladly utilize the sequence you suggest and perhaps the wall will fall, if you do not interfere."

Turning toward the voice, the muscular man with dirty blonde hair smiled, but it was not a grin of good humor. It revealed a twisted amusement.

"Ah, the captain of the elf guard decides to enter the conversation. Birk Grund, isn't it?"

"It is, and may I ask your name?"

"You may. I will even answer. It's Ansas."

"You speak it as if I should know you. Should I?"

"I have dealt with an elf from your camp before. I was wondering if she might have spoken of me."

"Which elf?"

"That would be giving away too much. I can already tell you don't know me. That's enough for me."

Rather than press the issue, Birk decided to seek other answers, ones he believed held far more importance.

"Clearly you constructed this barrier. I assume you are the one that brought us here."

"You assume correctly."

"Why?"

"Two reasons. One has to do with the elf I have already mentioned, the one I had dealings with in the past."

Birk suddenly realized the name of the elf was far more important than he previously guessed and attempted to rectify his mistake.

"You did not tell me the name of the elf."

Ansas continued speaking as if he had not been interrupted.

"The second reason has to do with personal desires. I need magic casters, ones that are proficient and remain focused on their inherent hue. In that regard, I should thank you because you have made my task in that respect so much easier."

Ansas abruptly disregarded the elf captain and turned back to the spell casters near the barrier.

"I have need of you and you," the sorcerer revealed as he nodded to Scheff and Haven. "You might also be of use," he continued as he looked to the elf who cast emerald magic.

Without word or warning, he brought his hands together and cast a spell in a single heartbeat. The ebony magic shot from his fingers and created a dark ring high above his head. Three darkened shadows dropped from the ring and fell upon the three elves the sorcerer had indicated were deserving of his attention. The blackness fell upon the magic casters like a heavy mist but quickly dissolved away, leaving nothing behind. The elves were gone.

Birk needed nothing further to act.

"Take him down!" the captain shouted to guards he had stationed near the point of assault.

Several arrows split the air before the echo of the order died away. Unfortunately, they would never reach their target. A dark wind rose up from the ground beneath Ansas' feet and turned into a swirling mass that surrounded the sorcerer. The spinning force pulverized the arrows into dust before they came close to their mark.

Another eight elves rushed toward the sorcerer with swords drawn, sprinting at full speed. Though they could not match the speed of a delver, they still moved with an elf's quickness, and they raced across the hard ground at a swiftness that would surprise most humans.

Ansas, however, disregarded the charging elves, didn't reveal alarm for his safety or even mild concern over the attack. As he examined the other elves that worked to destroy the magical wall, the black twister that surrounded him expanded in a mighty rush of outward force. While it passed through every elf around him, it only bore the brunt of its strength on those with swords drawn.

Every charging elf was tossed backwards like dry grass thrown into a gale force wind. Their bodies landed hard on the ground and they suffered greatly from badly bruised flesh and harshly broken bones.

The human sorcerer spoke as if nothing had happened. He looked upon the elf named Flower.

"You are strong, but you cast in crimson energy. I have no need of you. I also don't need the one that casts in blue, but the six of you," he paused as he placed his attention on the six elves that had fed the spell casters with energy. "You might be of use. I have questions for you."

Ansas cast another spell and a slightly larger dark ring formed over his head. Another grouping of shadows dropped from the ebony circle and fell upon the six elves standing behind the remaining spell casters. They disappeared just as the others.

Birk burned with fury, but he contained his anger. He stepped up to the sorcerer and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. He did not know if the threat might lead to his destruction, but he would not stand idle, would not cower to the powerful magician.

"Return them," he demanded in a low growl.

Ansas gave but one brief glance at the elf captain and then moved past him as if he did not exist. He stepped directly up to Shantree Wispon.

"Are you still concerned with the loss of magic?" he asked.

Shantree said nothing. She stared back at the sorcerer with an expression of resolved opposition.

"You worry too much," Ansas continued. "If I wanted you all dead, it would have already happened. I didn't bring you here to die. I know you need energy to survive. I shall make sure you have enough."

As Ansas raised his hand, she tried to back away.

"I do not…"

She could not finish. Her body became stiff even as she could actually feel her soul tremble within her.

Ansas did not ask for her permission. He simply forced his magic into her, whether she wanted it or not. It would be enough to keep the elf camp alive, for at least a while, and that was all he cared about.

"Use it wisely."

Chapter 12

Ansas faded out of sight, turning first into a gray haze-like little ink spots merged into a silhouette of his solid form-and then dissolving completely away. While his physical presence might have departed, he left a wake strong enough so that none would doubt his resolve or his authority. The barrier that surrounded the elves remained completely intact, as strong as it was before the elf spell casters began their assault. He also left his captives with a new reckoning of his intentions and a clear memory of his authority.

While their imprisonment continued unabated, the elves could not deny the sorcerer's ability to come and go as he pleased. Somehow the barrier confined them to that space, neutralized every attempt to teleport or create a portal, but Ansas was under no such constraints. The force field represented a stark domination that would crush their spirit, yet bend to the sorcerer's will.

The elves also understood, without doubt, that their options of attack dwindled down to nothing. Their weapons were useless against the sorcerer. Arrows could not penetrate Ansas' defenses, and swords were only useful if they could get near. Those that had attacked him had paid the price and found themselves in broken heaps, scattered across the rocky grounds of the dark realm.

With physical conflict rendered futile, a magical clash seemed the only alternative. Sadly, their efforts in that regard did not hold any greater hope. Their foe revealed far more power than they could level individually or even collectively. Further, their most proficient magic casters had been stolen away by a wave of a hand and one simple spell.

What was left for them to do?

Lose hope.

And so they did, and in great numbers. They cast disbelieving glances at the ground where the evil magic caster disappeared and then at the resurgent barrier they knew would not fall. The elf camp was trapped by a power they could not match and held by a foe they could not defeat.

While it was the elf elder's responsibility to lead her camp, Shantree Wispon initially disregarded the devastating despair that fell over those that remained imprisoned. She made no rallying plea, no forceful speech. Instead, she acted with all haste and focused upon the welfare of those that required immediate aid.

She raced to each fallen elf who had succumbed to Ansas' force blast. She quickly cast spells of healing to mend their bones and restore their flesh. While the other elves had given up much of their stored energy in the assault against the barrier, Shantree suddenly had more than enough magic within her, a token gesture from Ansas. It was energy she could use for the benefit of her camp, but she instinctively knew it was no benevolent gift.

Deep within, the elf elder felt the foreign energy make its own place within her magical core. Shantree instinctively knew she could utilize it, but only to a degree. She understood that Ansas infused her with magic for his own purposes, not hers. He wanted the elves to remain alive, for he was not through with them. He instilled within her the means to heal and to nourish, but he did not share her compassionate motives.

It pained her to aid the sorcerer, to be part of his cruel designs, but she could not deny her basic desire to keep her followers alive. She attempted to concentrate only on the good she could accomplish and on the elf lives she could save, but a shadow crossed her soul with every spell that she cast. Trying to blot out the sorcerer's desires was an impossible task, for the dark magic within her reinforced Ansas' intentions.

With all of the injured elves restored to a healthy state, Shantree turned her attention to their meager food and water supplies. She directed her newfound source of energy toward the small well the elves had dug. Previously, the scarce magic absorbed from the realm was utilized to invigorate the flow and to purify the stagnant water. The elder fed the filters that magically cleansed the thick sludge bubbling deep in the pits of the dark realm.

She then concentrated on the plants that offered fruits and nuts, life that was coaxed out of the barren soil by the grace of emerald energy that was so prevalent in the elves. She enriched the soil, strengthened the roots, and energized the growth of each stem. In mere moments, the potential harvest from the plants tripled.

The elves would not starve, nor would they suffer from lack of clean water, but Shantree also knew they would not escape. She had hoped the immediate address of basic needs would encourage her camp, keep optimism alive, but it was near dead within her, a victim of the power that Ansas forced inside of her.

It was not evil she felt within her, but rather more like capitulation. The magic violated both her body and spirit. It took residence in her core without her permission, and it would stay there until she used it according to its conditions.

Unable to cast out the energy in any other form, she resigned herself to the grim situation. The elves of her camp would remain trapped in the dark realm and she would serve, in some respects, as a tool for the conquering sorcerer. Needing to address the full scope of the predicament, she moved with a quick step-far faster than she had walked in many cycles of the seasons-and took council with the elf guard captain.

Birk Grund eyed the elf elder with more concern than suspicion, but he could not shake the image of what he had seen. The sorcerer had placed magic within Shantree, energy that she appeared to use for the benefit of the camp, but he needed to gauge the possibility of potential corruption.

"What did he do to you?" he asked with respect, but also with an expression that demanded an answer. If Shantree's allegiance had been compromised, he would have to know.

"He fed me with his magic. That is all I can tell. I do not believe there are any malicious intentions within the energy, other than a limit to its potential use. As he said, he wants to keep us alive. That is what the magic is for. I cannot deny that, in some ways, I am helping him, but I would do no less with any energy available to me."

"You do not believe he is controlling you in any way?"

"No, he retains a certain level of control over the magic, but he has not altered my conscience."

"Can you be certain?"

Shantree frowned, but then took a deep breath and examined the power within her. It was available for her use, but it remained separate from the small amount of magical energy that she contained as an elf. Like a storm cloud that took distinct shape in an otherwise blue sky, the energy from Ansas staked out a space of its own.

"Actually, yes, I am certain. It is not mixing with what I am. It is totally separate. I can sense that. It is almost as if it wants nothing to do with me, but it is there for me to use… to keep the camp alive. If it had evil intent, it would try to become part of me, and it is not. It is difficult to explain how I sense this, but I do."

Birk did not wish to be skeptical of the camp elder, but he could not dismiss his own responsibilities.

"That may be true, and it is not my desire to doubt you, but I must remain suspicious of the sorcerer and his intentions. If he has taken control of you, that is exactly what you might say in order to calm my fears."

"I understand… far better than you can imagine. I say hold to your fears, remain suspicious of me. If I do something that lacks reason, by all means, stop me… destroy me if you must."

"You mean kill you?"

"I do. It is also an order of your camp elder. Do not hesitate."

But it was an order that was not so easily followed. The duty of the elf guard was to protect the camp, and the elder above all else. Without a leader, the camp would fall into disarray. Killing the elder, even to protect the camp, was a contradiction in elf guard duty, and yet, the order was given by the elder herself. Birk struggled to find the proper response.

"To kill you would be to break my duty, my oath. That would be beyond my last resort."

"I do not believe it will be necessary, but I must insist you follow my directive. If you do not, then I hold no true authority. If you are an elf guard and desire to hold to your oath, you must respect my authority. "

"Very well," Birk agreed, but then turned quickly from the topic in hopes the situation would never arise. He revealed his concern as well as his curiosity over the elder's well-being. "How do you feel? I must admit, I have not seen you move with such youthful energy in many seasons."

"Youthful?" Shantree responded with obvious opposition. "No, far from youthful. I feel powerful but not rejuvenated. I know I am stronger, but if anything, I feel older. Just as the energy seems to fuel my physical abilities, it strangles my inner vitality. No, I do not feel young. I may not look it, but I am weary… on the inside."

"Is there anything that can be done?"

"I do not believe so. I tried to resist the flood of power. I could not. I can relinquish the energy by casting it for the camp's needs, but beyond that, I cannot dispel it any further."

"Perhaps some of the others might be able to remove it from you. If you allow them to probe the energy, they might be able to siphon…"

"No," Shantree interrupted. "I will not put others at risk. I also have no idea how much magic may be necessary to keep us alive. If we can use it for our own good, even if it matches the will of our captor, we must do so. To disperse it for selfish reasons would be beyond foolish. I will survive this."

Birk nodded in acceptance. He then looked over to the well and the water it produced just as he reviewed the invigorated plants yielding fruits and nuts. "At least, you have solved our temporary concerns. Despite the loss of magic on the ill-fated assault, we now have plenty of food and water, for a while at least."

"There is enough of his magic within me to ensure we do not starve. Of that, I'm sure. He wanted it that way."

Birk understood the deeper meaning behind the action. It was not out of simple kindness that the sorcerer offered his magic.

"So he is not done with us."

"No."

And while the elf guard captain held no doubts regarding Ansas' ill will, he was surprised at the elder's tone in her simple response.

"You seem sure."

"I am. It goes beyond what he said to me. Again, the desire is within the magic itself. It is available for me to utilize in order to keep the camp alive, but it goes even beyond that. As he said, if he wanted us dead, the task would already be done. I think we both would agree on that point."

Birk considered the sheer force of will and magic displayed by the human sorcerer. He could not argue the assertion.

"Do you have any idea of what he ultimately wants with us?"

Shantree frowned again. She also wanted to know Ansas' plans for the camp, to discover his intentions. She believed there might be some clue in the energy he bestowed within her, but if there was some hint hidden in the folds of magic, it repulsed any attempt to discover any such deeper meaning.

"The magic has intention," Shantree admitted, "but I am shielded from gaining any greater insight. It will not let me probe beyond its most apparent essence. I can use the magic to the benefit of the camp, but I think it would resist me if I tried to use it against the sorcerer, or even if I tried to direct it against the wall."

"Unfortunate, for that was going to be my next request." Birk shook his head in disgust as he looked to the translucent field of energy. "We accomplished so little. The barrier holds and we have lost our most proficient spell casters."

He thought of those that were taken, and he exclaimed what he believed was an obvious assumption.

"He spoke of two reasons for bringing us here. He has now taken fifteen of our elves, all of them adept in the ways of utilizing magic. We can no longer deny that fact. One of the reasons must relate to the abduction of those elves."

"He did not take them all," Shantree noted.

"No, he did not," Birk agreed as he looked upon the elves that waited for further direction. "Flower remains with us, and she is powerful with crimson magic. He did take Haven and Scheff, two of the more gifted elves, but he also took elves that were talented in transferring their energy to others. Why take some and not others?"

"I wish I could say."

Birk then revealed one conclusion that seemed obvious.

"The sorcerer also spoke of an elf with which he had previous contact. At the time, I could not be certain, but it can only be one."

"Holli Brances," Shantree announced before Birk could reveal the name.

"It is obvious, is it not?" Birk agreed. "Who else could it be? Every elf of our camp has been brought to this place, even scouts and guards that were quite a distance away at the instant of our abduction. There is no one missing, yet none could identify the sorcerer. He spoke of an elf that was once a member of this camp. There are only a meager few possibilities. The previous camp leaders before your ascension are still alive. One was turned over to the dwarves of Dunop and the other accepted self-imposed banishment. They, however, are both males, and the sorcerer proclaimed the elf was a 'she.' Since Holli left our camp, she has been in the service of Enin and faced battles with other wizards. It seems the likely answer."

"Which only brings us to the question of why the sorcerer would want to gain the attention of an elf guard that serves the most powerful wizard in all of Uton?"

Before considering the question, Birk noticed the fading spirits of the elves around them. Nearly every elf stood confused and downhearted, uncertain of what to do next. The monitors at the barrier made no call to resume the assault. They had lost their most gifted spell casters. If another attempt was to be made, the command would have to come from Birk or Shantree, and they would have to restructure the spell casting as well as the pool of casters.

The growing level of indecision and lack of direction worried the elf captain and he decided the issue needed to be addressed before they speculated further about the sorcerer's ultimate intentions.

"We can discuss that in short time and in private. For now, I would like to tend to our most immediate needs. With your consent, I will redeploy the guards and set the monitors back to studying the barrier. We will attempt no further spells, for a while at least, and I will have the remaining spell casters recharge with what energy they can coax from this realm."

Shantree offered a weary smile.

"It is really all we can do," she agreed. "That and hope that someone of necessary power might yet still find us."

Chapter 13

Scheff Rutlan stood beside his fellow elf magic casters in the modest study of a seemingly small house. He had been transported to that spot against his will, as had the others. A cloud of ebony magic fell upon them, dissolved their presence from under the barrier in the dark realm. There was no pain, no sensation of being broken apart. They saw blackness for but a moment, and then found themselves in new surroundings. Reality reformed around them in the contour of an ordinary room with no windows and one door that remained mostly open.

As they peered through the doorway, they noted a common hall. The passage was simple and without decoration. They saw three other doors similar in nature to the one that marked the entrance to the study where they stood. These were all closed, as was a fourth larger door, the apparent main entrance that waited at the far end of the hallway.

Both the study and the hall were of simple construction. The walls and floors appeared to be formed out of sturdy wood slats with no elaborate designs or exotic architecture. An ordinary desk with a plain and empty chair stood as the only welcoming elements, but everything around them lacked warmth or character. There were several shelves along the walls, but they held only a few books. Numerous stacks of paper with lines and lines of handwritten notes filled most of the open spaces.

Scheff, feeling no ill effects himself, looked to the other elves.

"Is everyone alright?"

They all nodded, but their confusion was obvious.

Only one aspect of their dilemma seemed apparent, and possibly advantageous. They had been removed from under the barrier that held them hostage in the dark realm, taken from the other elves of their camp. In essence, they had achieved their goal, but not by their own doing. Still, if obtaining freedom from the barrier was the initial stage of their escape, perhaps their current condition offered them the opportunity to complete their plans.

Scheff almost called to the magic within him, actually began forming the spell in his mind to create a path back home. While constructing the spell, however, he was immediately forced to cancel it. Opening a portal or creating a path for teleportation required two points of focus; a destination was obvious, but he also needed a point of departure. How could he open a portal back to Dark Spruce Forest if he couldn't be sure of his location?

As far as the magic was concerned, no path could be traced. He didn't have to know his exact position, but he needed at least some tangible point of origin. Without even knowing what realm he occupied, the path could collapse upon itself due to the instability, like trying to dig a tunnel through water. Opening a portal under such circumstances would be risky at best, but more likely devastatingly foolish. Bridging dimensions with a guess might send a magic caster hurling through an endless void.

While Scheff considered their plight, Haven Wellseed, the elf gifted in casting yellow magic, found the dim light of the room much too gloomy for her liking. With a casual thought, her own body began to glow, casting a much needed radiance on the space around them.

"What happened to us?" Haven asked of Scheff.

"I am not sure," Scheff admitted. "The spell was unique. I could not tell if it was complete teleportation or if some type of abstract portal was infused into the incantation. We might still be in the dark realm, or we might be in between dimensions."

"This room seems real enough," one of the other elves offered.

Scheff agreed as he placed his hands on the surface of the desk and felt the hard wood. He then asked the question that was on all of their lips.

"Can anyone tell exactly where we are?" Scheff asked.

There were nine of them all together, but none of the elves could place their position in any absolute point of existence.

"Should we check the other doors?" another elf asked.

"Not until we have a better idea of where we are," Scheff warned.

"But what could it hurt?" Haven asked.

Scheff wondered that himself.

"We seem to be alone here," Haven continued. "This may be our chance to escape."

Her words echoed Scheff's previous sentiments, but just as he chose to cancel his spell, another consideration raised his resistance against any optimism.

"That is exactly why I would be reluctant to try. Think of how we got here, who sent us. You saw what the sorcerer could do. Do you really think he would send us to a place where we could escape so easily?"

That consideration shattered any hope of returning to Dark Spruce Forest like a hammer falling on glass.

"No," Haven confessed.

Scheff exposed another fact.

"Without windows, we have no idea what is beyond these walls. If we open a door not knowing what is on the outside, we risk letting anything inside."

"Do we just stand here and wait?" another elf questioned.

Scheff looked about the room. The desk had no drawers, nothing to search, but the papers about the room seemed available for their attention, almost as an open invitation.

"Perhaps we may still learn something of importance. Let us see what these papers reveal."

Scheff walked over to the nearest wall and took hold of one of the piles. He began to read through the writings as he flipped through one page after another.

The other elves followed suit. They were all engrossed in their reading when the sorcerer walked through the half open door. They were never sure exactly how he entered the small house.

"I hope you find my personal musings interesting," Ansas announced as he moved past the elves and took a seat in the chair before his desk. His muscular frame barely fit into the confines of the seat. It appeared made to fit him exactly, with little room to spare.

The elves looked up in surprise, but said nothing. Most returned the stacks of paper to their previous spots on the shelves. A few, however, continued to hold on to what they had taken.

Scheff, with papers still in hand, finally broke the silence.

"Will you tell us where we are?"

"You're still in the dark realm, I assure you."

"And what is this place?"

"It is my home," Ansas replied freely as he looked deeper into the elf and noticed obvious surprise.

"What did you expect?" the sorcerer questioned with a bit of an amused tone. "Some dark, foreboding castle with grand spires rising up into the shadows? Or maybe some palace of pure marble shining so brightly it rivals the stars that do not even exist in this realm? Totally unnecessary. I simply need a space of my own where I can rest and study without interruptions. This fills my needs, but that surprises you. Why?"

"You are a sorcerer of great power," Scheff replied.

"And you think I need to make some display of my home to prove my ability?"

"I doubt anyone that knows you would doubt your ability. You cast black magic in a perfect circle."

"Yet you are surprised by my home."

"And you seem obsessed by my surprise."

"Because I am trying to understand you."

"Why is that necessary for someone like you?"

Ansas expression of mild amusement turned to a scowl of disappointment.

"Let me warn you, my patience has a limit. You are here at my will. For some reason, I often have to explain myself to others that can't see the rationale for my actions. I allow that because I understand your limitations, but only within reason. Now, for the last time, why are you surprised by my home?"

Scheff, not truly wanting to cooperate, didn't want to anger the sorcerer, either. He found no harm in revealing the truth about his expectations.

"You are right. I expected more. I would have thought you would have surrounded yourself with a sanctuary befitting the power of your magic. A king does not live in a hut. An emperor does not call a meager cottage a home."

"Foolish," Ansas replied with a shake of his head. "I expected more from you."

"I am sorry I disappointed you."

The sorcerer's eyes narrowed and his disappointment soured more toward hostility.

"Just as I do not like evasive answers, I also do not appreciate sarcasm. Do not test me. I assure you, despite the credit I freely give to your skills, you are nothing to me."

Scheff almost replied with even greater sarcasm, but something in the sorcerer's words caught his attention. He believed he had actually been complimented by the sorcerer, and he further believed that such an offering was rare indeed.

"Now, to the six of you," Ansas declared with authority as he abruptly ended his discussion with Scheff and addressed the six elves that stood off to his left. "You aided the other spell casters by channeling energy into them. I wish to know how each of you approached the process."

None of the elves responded.

"I don't care which one of you goes first," Ansas proclaimed, "but one of you better begin."

The six elves remained quiet.

Ansas did not sigh or shake his head, nor did he grumble in frustration. He understood that, for the most part, the elves within his study were leaderless. Scheff had assumed some measure of authority, for his skill with magic was unmatched by the other elves, except for maybe Haven. And while Haven remained cautious, neither she nor Scheff would presume to speak for the entire group.

The other elves had no one to look to for guidance. There was no elf guard to take control, no elf from the council to direct them, and no elder to assume command. The six elves he questioned became rigid in their unwillingness to aid the sorcerer.

Ansas could persuade them with his magic, punish and torture them, but that would be both a waste of his time and energy. It annoyed him to deal with such petty concerns, but certain irritations seemed unavoidable.

Ansas stood up from his chair and walked to one of the shelves. He snatched a stack of papers and quickly paged through them. Finding the one he wanted, he handed it to one of the elves that was responsible for channeling magic to the other spell casters.

"Read this out loud," the sorcerer demanded. "I want everyone to hear it."

The elf said nothing at first. He only looked down at the hand written notes. After reading a few lines to himself, he decided to start over at the beginning and read them for all the elves to hear.

"'Ebony magic directed with a mix toward shadow and alteration has the power to move through the mind as a sponge, a knife, or both. In regards to a sponge, it can absorb thoughts by becoming a shadow of memories. After the spell is given adequate time to seep into the target's mind, the shadow must only be consumed by the caster and the thoughts become apparent. With added alteration, the very same thoughts can be erased from the target's mind. With greater concentration focused upon alteration and less on shadow, the magic can be utilized to seize the thoughts by cutting through the layers of consciousness and creating a silhouette of each broken strand. By themselves, the strands are nothing more than jumbled memories, but the silhouette will seek to reform into an organized image and bring the thoughts back into their original form.'"

The elf stopped and looked up at the sorcerer who had returned to his desk.

"I hope the point of that is not lost on any of you," Ansas stated. "I don't need to be congenial. I can simply take what I want from you, but I will ask again-and this is the last time-how did you approach the process of channeling the energy to the casters?"

It was Scheff who spoke up.

"One of you answer him."

Ansas raised an eyebrow.

"Are you assuming responsibility for them all?"

"If I have to."

"That's not quite the elf way."

"I do not want to see anyone get hurt."

"What you want is irrelevant. I'm not looking for resignation or even surrender. Surrender means nothing to me in this particular case. I seek information."

One of the other elves who understood the sinister meaning behind the words from the paper decided to speak up rather than have his mind invaded by magic he knew he could not withstand.

"I think of buckets."

Ansas immediately disregarded Scheff and turned to the other elf.

"Buckets?"

"Yes, I view the target of the spell as the final receptacle, one large container that has to be constantly filled. I use other buckets to scoop up all the magic within me and then pour it into the receptacle."

Ansas shook his head and dismissed the consideration with a wave of his hand.

"Your thought process is inefficient. You created a series of intermittent steps when they are not necessary. What about you?" the sorcerer demanded as he turned to another elf.

"I think of a flood. The magic has to…"

"Completely foolish," Ansas interrupted, unwilling to hear anything further. "The principle is reversed. There is no flood. The magic is diminishing. It is the complete opposite."

"I project a wave," another elf offered.

"What kind of wave?"

"Like on the sea. It pulls more magic in from…"

Ansas waved that elf off as well.

"More nonsense. All of you seem obsessed with water, but that can't be right. One of you was doing something different. Now I want to know who it was and what guided the process!"

"Hunger," a young elf whispered.

Ansas eyed the elf.

"Say again!"

"Hunger," the elf repeated, and then expanded on the thought process. "The caster is burning through energy and must be replenished. Hunger."

"A flame based technique. Very interesting. Do you inherently cast in an orange hue?"

The elf nodded.

Ansas had learned what he needed and disregarded the elves around him. He placed a blank sheet of paper on his desk and began to speak. As he did, his words appeared magically on the paper. It was as if his hand completed each stroke of ink, but such mundane tasks were no longer necessary for a sorcerer of such power.

"Forming links of magic from one caster to another can be accomplished in several manners, with some more efficient than others. Utilizing the concept of hunger can facilitate a substantial transfer of energy, especially if concentrating upon replenishing the energy in a similar fashion that food or fuel is used to sustain fire. In order to utilize ebony power, hunger must be viewed as a transitional state. Expelling magic through incantations leads to a loss of energy, an alteration from a full state toward an empty state. In terms of ebony magic, it is the transition that is key. Hunger is not the process, but the flag, the warning that a state of change has taken place. Change in the other direction is necessary to remove the hunger."

Ansas stopped and reviewed the writings. He nodded and put the sheet of paper upon another pile. Satisfied, he returned to his chair and sat back down.

"Is that all you wanted?" Scheff asked.

"From those six? Yes."

"And the rest of us?"

"You, the girl that glows yellow, and the one that casts strong emerald magic are of possible use to me. The three of you have a decision to make."

"What if we decide we wish to go home?" Scheff pressed, wondering just how much latitude they were being offered.

"You will only go home if and when I desire it," Ansas responded, but then his nearly disinterested tone swayed slightly into an expression of greater expectation, as if the elf before him was actually worth his attention. "For one moment in your insignificant life, forget the boundaries of your meager aspirations and consider an opportunity that is unlike any other you could possibly receive."

Scheff shook his head.

"You refuse already?"

"It is all so… common. I expected more from you."

Ansas appeared more surprised than annoyed.

"You haven't even heard what I have to say."

"Does it matter? You will offer us some agreement, a choice for us to make. 'Do this for me and I will spare you' or 'Join me and I will give you power' or something similar in nature. It is as old as elflore. That is why you brought us here, and I find it tiring."

"Interesting, but inaccurate."

"Truly? You were not going to offer us some choice of aiding you or facing terrible consequences?"

"You think I require your aid?"

Scheff considered that for a moment and realized he had perhaps spoken too soon. He wondered what kind of aid he could actually offer a sorcerer of such ability. Still, even sorcerers of great ability often utilized spies and minions.

"You said we could be of possible use to you. Those were your words, not mine."

"Yes, but that is not the substance of the issue. You do have a choice. You need to decide if you wish to become more than you could possibly achieve on your own. Your skills are somewhat impressive, but in truth, you are hunting for scraps when you could be reaching for so much more. If you can raise your inner expectations, you have a chance for greatness, but you must be willing to move forward. I have no intention of wasting my time or energy on trying to persuade you."

Scheff sighed. "So then it is nothing more than a beggar's deal."

"You consider yourself a beggar?"

"My low opinion is not of myself, or even you," Scheff added in order not to insult the sorcerer. "It is of the situation you create. You accuse me of holding to low aspirations and then entice me with riches in power I cannot touch."

"Then you have a small mind indeed."

"Be that as it may, I have no intention of offering my services, my life… or my spirit to you in exchange for freedom, position, riches, or anything else you intend on offering."

"I offer absolutely nothing of the kind. I was only interested in whether you wished to be more than you currently are, but not through simply what I offer. Your growth is based on what you can do on your own."

For the first time, Scheff was intrigued.

"You have seen what I can do," the elf finally replied. "I cast the power of the storm and in a perfect circle. You believe I can grow further? Cast perhaps in pure white or even a second circle?"

"Are those your aspirations?"

"What else is there?"

Ansas eyed the elf carefully.

"There is the purity of your natural hue," the sorcerer announced with growing enthusiasm. "You think you have been true to your inherent ability, but we both know that is not reality. You have allowed other magic to stain your spells. You have dabbled in spells of water and fire."

"Both are part of violet energy. The storm brings rain and lightning."

"If you are going to make excuses, then we are already done and you are of no use to me."

The words actually bit into Scheff's desires. He didn't want the conversation to end just yet. He thought of being more, of growing, of reaching a greater potential. He always thought he might someday expand his abilities and cast a pure white circle. For most spell casters, that was the ultimate ambition, but the sorcerer seemed to offer something else, something uniquely waiting for Scheff, something that he and he alone could grasp.

"I want to hear more."

Ansas didn't smile, revealed no satisfaction. In fact, he felt no great joy or gained no sense of victory. He had neither hopes nor expectations for anyone in particular. If Scheff didn't accept his insight, he would eventually find someone, or something, equally talented in violet magic that would dare to be more. He did, however, find greater interest in discussing what was the center of his own ambitions.

"Understanding magic is more than discovering new spells, increasing your efficiency, or expanding your talents. It's about remaining true to your inner self, finding the quality that separates you from the rest. I admit you are more skilled with magic than the others in your camp, but what does that make you? How are you truly different than every other elf of the forest?"

"I cast in a perfect circle," Scheff responded almost defensively.

"Is that what you consider different? Other elves have achieved a circle as well. They have been forgotten, just as you will be someday."

Scheff found the remark unsettling. He didn't wish to simply fade away into irrelevance. He tried to defend himself, disclose some reason why the sorcerer was wrong, but he couldn't find the words.

Ansas revealed another fact that disturbed Scheff.

"The girl next to you casts in a perfect triangle, not quite a circle I grant you, but it has its own advantages. If anything, she is much more memorable than you. Look at how she shines."

"But she casts in yellow and I hold the power of the storm. If I wished to shine, it would be in the form of lightning and it would destroy this room."

"Good! Hold to that thought because I want you to understand that taking full hold of your unique talents can make you more than different… it can make you legendary. You can do more than just destroy a single room. I'm talking about casting spells of pure violet fury, storms powerful enough to tear lands apart, to send seas spinning into the sky, leaving nothing behind but dry land. You have that capability within you, but not while you delude yourself into believing you have remained focused on your true inherent ability."

Suddenly, Scheff found the discussion almost intoxicating, and he knew the growing desire he felt did not come from the sorcerer, but from within.

"Let us say I accept your presumption," Scheff allowed, "that I have not been as true to my natural hue as you say. What is it that you can do for me that I can not do for myself?"

"Two things. I can remove the taint of other hues from within you and I can infuse within you the richness of pure ebony power."

Scheff, however, saw an immediate contradiction.

"If I accept your ebony magic, that would spoil the purity of my violet energy, would it not?"

"Of course not." Ansas shook his head, frustrated he had to explain so much. "What will an infusion of black energy do to any natural hue of magic? It will only darken the shade, not change its basic composition. It will remain violet, but it will be more powerful. I watched you. The energy you cast is already a dark violet. Deepening that shade will not diminish your strength. Can't you understand that?"

"I think so," Scheff revealed as he struggled to grasp the concept. "I think I see what you mean. If I try to attain white magic, I have to gain equal control over all the hues and give up my single inherent power. I become diluted. But if I focus on only the violet energy, there would be no such dilution. Accepting the black magic within me will not alter my energy, it would just darken the shade… sharpen my focus."

"So you can understand," Ansas nodded. "I wondered if there might be at least one among you intelligent enough to see."

"You must not listen to him," Haven Wellseed intervened.

"It isn't me he's listening to," Ansas corrected the elf. "It's himself."

"Why are you doing this?" Haven asked.

"What is it you think I'm doing?"

"Tempting him.. tempting all of us."

"You think I'm some demon? Grow up. I am doing nothing but offering you an opportunity."

"You take us against our will to offer us an… opportunity?" Haven asked, aghast by the sorcerer's presumptuous attitude.

Ansas replied with a dismissive tone of his own.

"I took you against your will because I can. I offer you an opportunity because I can. Anything you read into it beyond that is your own imagination."

"Why will you not simply let us go?" Haven implored.

"I intend to… eventually. I still have one personal matter that needs to be addressed. I need your camp of elves for that one last matter."

"You will not hurt us?"

"I doubt that will be necessary, but I make no guarantees. If I must hurt you to gain what I need, then I will, unless you decide to take me up on the same opportunity I offer to your companion. You are powerful with yellow energy. You could become even more powerful."

"I have not said I would join you… yet," Scheff noted.

"I realize that, but that has no bearing on my offer to the others." Ansas then pointed to Haven and another elf at her side, the elf that was proficient in emerald energy. "These two have the same potential as you. I will show them how to grow in skill and power."

"Why?" Haven demanded.

"Because I was defeated once, not because I was the lesser skilled caster, but because I was unwilling to stain myself with another hue. A simple spell was cast upon me that held me in check, a spell that could have been broken easily if I allowed myself to cast a lesser spell, a spell that was not ebony in nature. I made the correct decision and I held true to myself."

"But you just said you were defeated."

"I lost a single battle. What does that mean? Those that can't learn from defeat are as weak as those that never attain victory. I have learned much." Ansas waved to the piles of pages upon the shelves all around them. "I now know I could have defeated the spell without casting another hue. I could have used the ebony power to defeat any spell, for the black magic is not just shadow, or change, or even death. It is the ultimate energy that passes between all things. When we look into the blackness of a hole, we say that we see nothing, but it is beyond that. We can see into infinity… if you know how to look. Blackness can consume anything and everything. That is the strength of my purity."

"But we do not cast in black," Haven replied.

"And you never shall, but you can augment your personal hue with its influence."

"My glow would darken."

Ansas glared at what he believed was nothing more than short-sightedness.

"Are you a servant to the magic, or does the magic serve you?"

Haven had never been questioned in such a way, but still, she responded with total honesty.

"I believe it might be both."

"Then you are a fool. You only have two directions you can take. You can either be like everyone else and aspire for nothing more than being an unfulfilled version of your true self, or you could be one of the most powerful spell casters of your race. Why be just another elf, some nameless follower? Be something more."

"I do not aspire for that kind of power."

Ansas simply shrugged.

"Then I am finished with you." The sorcerer turned to the elf proficient with emerald magic. "The emerald energy that burns within you is the strongest of any elf in your camp. Four of the six elves that I brought here before you made your doomed effort to break my barrier also cast in green, but they are weak compared to you. When I felt your magic against the barrier, I knew you were stronger. You could be stronger even still, more powerful than you can imagine. Do you wish to consider growing into something more, or do you wish to be like her, a foolish child?"

"I will not become an enemy of my camp," the elf replied."

"You are more narrow minded than the female. Fine."

"What have you done with the others," Haven interrupted, "…to the six you took before us?"

"They are here. In one of the other rooms. I questioned them, but found their powers and their will lacking."

"You haven't hurt them?"

"Why would I waste the energy?"

"Why didn't you return them?" Haven demanded.

"Again, why would I waste the energy?"

It was Scheff who started to view the whole situation in a new light.

"So we actually did help you. You were looking for the most gifted casters in each hue. We separated ourselves for you."

Ansas nodded with slight appreciation for the observation.

"You do have it within you to see more than the others. It would be a shame if you wasted that."

Haven stepped toward Scheff.

"You must not listen to him. He only wants to corrupt you."

"Does he?" Scheff wondered. "He talks about making me stronger, making me something I did not consider before this."

"He just wants to use you."

Scheff looked toward Ansas, but the sorcerer said nothing.

"You have nothing to say?" the elf asked. "No response?"

"None," the sorcerer replied.

"You see?" Haven pressed. "He will not argue because he knows it is the truth."

"And yet," Scheff added, "there is something to this. We can be more powerful than we are. We can reach heights we never considered."

"At what cost?" Haven demanded.

Again, Scheff looked toward Ansas.

"Is there a cost?"

Ansas sighed.

"Why must this all be so… wearisome? I have explained it once, but your limitations always require me to repeat myself. Cost? If you wish to reach the level I envision for you, you must remain true to your inherent hue. You must never cast in another color. You will also have to cast out all of the energy within you to purify yourself. I will show you how. Finally, you must also receive a small amount of my energy… my ebony magic. I'm not looking to corrupt you. There will be no hidden spell. The magic will be pure ebony power. It is meant to solidify the base of your color. That's it. Nothing more and nothing less. I won't explain it again."

"He is trying to change you!" Haven implored.

"Yes, but maybe for the better." Scheff answered.

"You can't be this foolish."

Before Scheff could respond, Ansas ended the conversation. The sorcerer held up his hands to demand quiet as he appeared to peer off into the distance, even though he only stared at a blank wall.

"The argument is over. You will have your chance to decide, but not now. We will all return to the other elves. Three visitors have entered the dark realm in search of your camp. Two of which I hoped would come."

Chapter 14

Jure created a portal which closely mimicked the one used to abduct the elves. He allowed for a slight variation. Matching the dimensional passage precisely would have brought them to the exact spot where the elves had been sent and that was not the most prudent approach. It would be safer to track them from a slight distance as opposed to stumbling into some unknown struggle. The rift formed quickly, becoming a stable gateway into the dark realm.

Before allowing anyone to pass through the gateway, Holli examined the portal and the lands beyond to ensure their passage would be a safe one. As she continued her own inspections, she asked Jure to check the integrity of the magic that bound the two dimensions. She also requested that the delver use his superior senses to probe the dark lands through the portal. She had no intention of stepping into an ambush.

Ryson stared into the dimensional opening. He could see no immediate danger, no colossal monsters waiting to devour them, but a growing uneasiness dominated his thoughts. He hated the dark realm. Everything about it assaulted his senses. Even before stepping through the rift, he knew he would find anguish rushing at him from every dank corner. There would be pain, not actual physical trauma, but enough mental torment to cause enormous distress in the pit of his stomach. For him, entering the dark realm was like entering a shag's den after rolling in salt. He was asking for agony.

Despite the unwelcoming landscape that waited on the other side, the three willingly stepped into the heart of the rift. Once through and standing on the dreary ground of an entirely different existence, Jure asked Holli for guidance.

"What do you want me to do with the portal?"

"I do not wish to offer an open passage for any nearby creatures," Holli insisted, but she also hoped they would be able to return quickly to Dark Spruce. Keeping the portal active offered an avenue for safe retreat. "Can you leave it open, but place a block on the path?"

"I can, but how strong do you want me to make the barrier? The larger creatures might be able to break through a minor spell. A stronger barricade would guarantee protection, but it would eventually become a drain on my energy."

"Not an enviable option," Holli admitted. She did not wish to languish with indecision, and despite the advantage of retaining the portal, she settled upon the safest choice. "We are facing a spell caster capable of abducting an entire camp of elves at once. We may need your power. Close the portal completely. If we need to, either you or I can create a new one back to Uton."

Jure accepted the decision and quickly cast a spell to close the rift. He then looked about the bleak lands.

"We should be very close to the point where the elves were taken. If they were not forced to move a great distance, Ryson should be able…"

The wizard stopped in mid-sentence and gazed over his left shoulder.

"What do you sense?" Holli demanded, as she, too, felt something of enormous magical strength in the distance.

"A strong source of energy, a powerful spell." He nodded in the direction he looked. "Over there. Not far."

There was little the elf could see as a tall bluff blocked their line of sight. Holli turned to Ryson.

"Can you hear or smell anything in that direction?"

Ryson steadied himself. He had tried to constrain his senses once he stepped through the portal. The sounds of the dark realm consisted of groans and whines of pure misery. The scent was of suffocating anguish. Opening himself up to such sensations was a measure of self-torture. Unfortunately, his abilities were needed.

Facing the direction Jure indicated, the delver took an even breath through his nostrils. Instantly, he caught the scent of many elves in the distance. He turned his head slightly and held an ear to the oppressive wind. He could hear them as well.

"He's right. They're close and in that direction. Probably below those razor crows."

Ryson pointed to the gray sky where over a dozen small birds circled in the air.

"Do you note any signs of distress in what you can hear?" Holli asked.

"No. They're not moving, at least not running or fighting. There's nothing that would indicate any kind of conflict."

"The strong magic concerns me," the elf admitted and she turned her attention back to the wizard. "Anything you can sense from the magic? Its purpose?"

"It's constant and powerful. It's also unique in certain properties. It matches the sensations I received from the elf camp."

Holli looked across the barren land. She knew the delver was well suited for the job she had in mind, but based on the circumstances, she believed he would require additional security. She decided Jure's talents were needed again as well.

"Can you place a defensive shield over the delver that would protect him from any magical traps?" she asked of the wizard.

"Traps?" Jure noted with a hint of surprise. The energy aura was so strong that he doubted hidden magical snares were the true danger. Still, he deferred to Holli's tactical plans and offered what he could. "Well, I could place a spell of deflection around him. Any magical energy would be disbursed away from him, but it would only be temporary, a very short duration."

"I believe that is all we will need." Holli turned to Ryson. "I do not want to stumble forward without greater information. I would consider a sight spell, but a sorcerer of great power could potentially distort it. I need something I can depend on. I need you."

"What do you want me to do?" Ryson asked.

"A fast scout. I want you to rely on your speed as well as your senses. Do not try to observe every last detail, but gain an overall view of what is ahead of us."

"I can do that," Ryson agreed. Not out of fear but out of caution, he wanted to understand Holli's concerns. "You think there are magical traps waiting for us? Because if there are, I won't be able to sense them."

"I believe it is doubtful. I think whoever has done this has far too much power to bother with traps, but I would rather take the precaution. Are you ready?"

"Yes."

Holli nodded to Jure.

The wizard conceived a spell of deflection, one that would disburse magic as opposed to absorb it. It was the most efficient way to ensure the delver's safety against any traps. A perfect circle of white magic appeared around Jure's wrists. When he gently pressed his hands toward the delver, the magic spun off his hands and encircled Ryson's body. After but a moment, it disappeared.

"It won't last long," Jure warned, "but it's a fairly solid defense. You will be shielded against any magical attack, but only magic. It won't do any good against arrows and swords, or even claws and teeth."

"Don't worry about it. I don't sense any dark creatures nearby, other than those razor crows, and I'm not really worried about them. All I can sense are the elves, and they're fairly close."

"I know it will be difficult," Holli acknowledged, "but open your senses to everything. Do not try to analyze any of it. Simply obtain what you can. Trust me on that. Run in and run out. That is all we will need."

"This won't take long," Ryson responded.

The delver wasted no further time on words. He turned toward the scent and sound of the elves and dashed toward them in a blur of motion. Trusting completely in Jure's spell, he moved almost without care. He sensed no danger in the form of dark creatures, so he did not have to worry about any physical attack. It was only the magic that could harm him, but not while under the protection of Jure's incantation.

His delver eyes scanned the ground before him, charted the safest path across the rocky terrain. His legs carried him fluidly over the harsh ground, and his perfect balance allowed him to adjust to the uneven land. He raced across a small hill, then leapt over a ravine and finally rushed up to the top of the rocky bluff.

Upon reaching the high ledge, Ryson turned hard to his right. The ground in front of him declined quickly into a much lower clearing that stretched out for a great distance. Though he spotted the elves instantly, he could not see them clearly, and the cause snatched his attention.

The enormous dome that appeared like a translucent, overturned bowl defied Ryson's expectations of reality even as he rushed across the tortured terrain of a nightmare realm. The walls forged a shadowed but transparent curtain that flowed down from the sky. While he could see through the entire barrier, he could not dismiss its overwhelming presence. Its immense size astonished the delver and he could not imagine the force of will necessary to create such a magical fortification.

Taking hold of his senses and forcing any astonishment clear of his intended purpose, Ryson continued to run toward the magical wonder. His eyes scanned the whole of the barrier just as he took several great breaths through his nostrils. He opened his ears to every sound. He did just as Holli asked. He didn't pause to consider what he saw, smelled or heard. He simply took it all in as he raced along the open grounds of the lowland clearing.

He decided not to touch the translucent wall that surrounded the gathering of elves. He wasn't sure what the reaction might be between it and the magical shield Jure placed around him. Instead, he rushed entirely around the large dome in order to ensure it was complete. He found no breaks in the wall.

For all the elves he could see, he did not observe any injuries. They all seemed in good health, though their spirits seemed bleak. It was not a surprise. He could not imagine what it would be like to be held captive in such an oppressive prison. The dark realm was desolate enough on its own. To be trapped for long under a massive and unmoving shadow would likely have driven the delver mad.

There were no dark creatures near the dome, other than the few razor crows flying overhead, but they were outside the shaded wall. It was the one shred of optimism he could find. He could not imagine why the elves had been corralled in such a manner, but at least he saw no imminent danger to their well-being.

After completing his dash around the barrier, Ryson rushed back to Holli and Jure.

"I found them. They look alright, but they're under some kind of barrier. I'm not sure…"

Holli cut him off.

"Do not try to explain it. Just keep your mind focused upon everything you sensed." She then turned to Jure. "Please remove your spell."

Jure did so with a wave of his hand.

Without another word, Holli cast a spell of her own. A green octagon emerged from her fingertips. It expanded as she spread her arms outward. It engulfed the three of them as she placed one hand on Ryson's shoulder and the other on Jure's.

Instantly, they shared the full sensations of Ryson's memory. Ryson himself found the recollection strengthening in his own mind just as it passed to Holli and Jure. He saw the overwhelming dome, even relived the sense of awe he felt when he first saw it. Deep in his mind, he recalled his inspection of the elves, heard their mumbled discussions with enhanced clarity. He even smelled the smoke of their small fires as if they were burning right next to him. The crispness of the memory surprised him, surpassed his recollection of the actual event.

Holli removed her hands from her companions once the memory was passed in full. Both she and Jure had been able to experience every sensation Ryson acquired during his scout and with the same vivid recollection.

Holli engaged them both with her considerations, disregarding any fascination with the results of her spell.

"No visible threats," she concluded. "Razor crows, but not enough to pose any true danger. The grounds are clear of dark creatures both inside the dome and across the lowland clearing. The elves have secured a camp. They have guards in the trees and at the perimeter. They also seem to have obtained significant supplies of food and water."

"The barrier is remarkable," Jure added. "It's stable but translucent, and apparently uniform and unbroken. It appears to have been in place for some time. Amazing."

"There did not seem to be any magical traps," Holli noted. She then looked to Ryson. "Do you feel it is safe to approach?"

"I didn't see anything that might be a problem, other than the barrier."

"That does appear to be the main obstacle, but you were able to hear the elves, which means they can hear us. We can communicate with them, and that should be our next objective."

"I would like to get a closer look at that barrier," Jure requested.

"Then let us proceed."

Ryson took the lead and guided the elf and wizard over the few obstacles before them and to the very edge of the barrier. The delver's earlier scout had already gained the attention of the elf guards at the perimeter, and two figures moved toward them from the center of the camp.

With the barrier between them, the elf guard captain, Birk Grund, and the camp elder, Shantree Wispon, greeted the newcomers with growing optimism. They had been found… and by Holli Brances no less. Though the powerful wizard of Connel was not with them, the two trapped elves could not deny the hope that rescue was near.

After a brief discussion revealing the extent of their capture and the identity of their captor, the two elf leaders allowed Holli and Jure to consider the implications of the additional information and to devise a plan of liberation.

Considering the full extent of what they learned, Holli could not avoid the obvious conclusion.

"Ansas wanted to bring me here," she declared.

"Maybe the both of us," Jure added.

"That is true. Together we defeated him in Pinesway, and I forced him to accept banishment in the dark realm. He has been here ever since, perfecting his abilities and perhaps planning his revenge."

"Maybe we shouldn't be hanging around here waiting for him to notice us," Ryson offered.

"Also true," Holli agreed. "We need to get everyone back to Dark Spruce as soon as possible."

Though her abilities as a magic caster were growing, she knew she could not break through the magical barrier. Jure, however, was blessed with greater skills.

"Can you free them?" she asked of the wizard.

"I've been analyzing the barrier," Jure admitted. "It doesn't require additional energy to maintain its existence, just the magic it was given at the initial casting. It's also blocking all teleportation and portal spells by slightly destabilizing the space within the dome. Portals can't be opened, and space for teleportation can't be condensed because of the unstable conditions. A clean path can't be created."

"But can you break through?" the elf pressed.

"I think so."

"We have tried," the elf guard captain revealed. Birk explained the attempts made to destroy the wall and how they failed.

Jure considered everything he was told but did not lose faith in his ability to conquer the barrier. He didn't wish to seem boastful, but his power and his circumstances allowed for a different approach. He quickly described his intentions.

"You were limited on what you could do because you were trapped on the inside," Jure noted. "I'm not. The instability of the space inside the dome in relation to the stability of the barrier itself is the key. I can't teleport us in or anyone out, but I can cast a teleportation spell on the exterior of the wall itself. That should create enough disturbance to shatter it."

"You're going to try to teleport the barrier?" Ryson asked, curious about the technique. "Where are you going to send it?"

"I'm not really going to send it anywhere. I just want to compress the space that the barrier itself occupies. In essence, I will teleport the outer shell back upon itself. When I do, the instability within the barrier should shift and press against the wall. If that happens, I believe the whole thing will collapse."

"There will be no need for that," a firm voice announced. "That would take too much of your magic, and I don't want you blaming your defeat on any loss of energy. I want you to know that I bested you when you were at full power."

Ansas walked up to the group following the same trail Ryson had used to reach the edge of the barrier. The sorcerer revealed no emotion as he faced the elf guard and the wizard who had once defeated him and forced him into exile.

"I give you credit, though," the sorcerer continued. "Your idea was sound. It would have worked, but as you will see, it's not necessary."

For but a moment, he disregarded them all and concentrated on the barrier he created. Ansas showed no concern for his safety, even as he stood before those he viewed as enemies. With a wave of his hand, the barrier dissolved.

"The elves are free to leave as they wish. They may construct a portal back to their forest at their leisure. I won't stop them…" he paused and refocused his attention upon Holli and Jure, "…that is as long as you two don't try to escape with them."

Despite the presence of an elf elder and the captain of the elf guard, Holli took command. She was no longer an official member of the camp, and thus, she held to no traditional role as a subordinate.

"Begin evacuating immediately," she stated to Birk Grund.

"He still has several members of our camp," the guard captain noted. "I will not leave without them."

"I have no intention of holding them against their will," Ansas responded. "You see? They travel behind me. They can go as they please."

Ansas glared over his shoulder at the column of elves cautiously making their way back toward the other elves. As they passed, the sorcerer eyed Scheff, but only for a brief moment. He had not yet received an answer regarding the elf's intentions, but such a matter was trivial at best. The sorcerer was far more interested in the inevitable confrontation he would initiate with Holli and Jure.

Scheff noticed the sorcerer's gaze. He didn't avoid it, but he said nothing. He still considered what he would ultimately choose. As he moved away from the sorcerer and toward the gathering of elves, he could not dismiss a feeling of regret. He wondered if refusing the sorcerer's offer might be the biggest mistake of his life. He trudged forward with the other elves, struggling with a decision that would determine his future.

Once the elves passed back into the fold of the others, Holli questioned the elf captain.

"Is that all of them?"

Birk nodded.

"Get everyone out. Do not leave anyone behind… even elf guards. We shall handle this ourselves."

"Very well."

Birk guided Shantree Wispon back toward the center of the lowland clearing. A portal was quickly opened and the elves began to cross back to their home.

An uneasy silence gripped the four individuals that stood apart from the elves waiting to escape. Ansas watched the three companions with marginal interest. He disregarded the delver, but he took sweeping glances at the wizard and the elf. After a few moments, it sounded as if he chuckled to himself.

Jure stood stone still with his arms to his side. He kept his gaze locked upon the sorcerer and he prepared several spells in his mind. If Ansas so much as gestured, Jure would bring the full force of his own magic against him.

As the elves continued to cross through the portal, it was Holli who broke the uncomfortable quiet.

"You wanted us here, for what reason?"

"Come now, elf witch. You're not that dense. I wish to rectify a previous mistake. You have grown in power, but we both know you're still no match for me. Your associate found a way to beat me last time. He will not have the same success."

"So you are determined to engage in some pointless battle?"

"Pointless to you, not to me."

"And if we simply refuse… just leave this place and you?"

"I will abduct the elves again, but next time, I will kill half of them. I will have my way."

Jure wished to strike at that moment. In light of the elves' abduction, the additional threat was enough to justify any means to subdue the sorcerer, but he would not act without Holli's consent.

"So we have no choice," Holli announced.

"You never did."

Holli turned to the delver.

"Ryson, go to the elves. Assist them in their departure. Wait for us at the portal. If something happens to us, return to Connel and advise Enin of what happened here."

"But I…"

"Do not argue. Please, trust me."

It was the last two words that forced Ryson's decision. He did as he was asked and rushed off toward the portal.

"What if I objected to that?" Ansas asked.

"You and I both know you do not wish to face the delver. Only a complete fool would, and though you are many things, you are not that."

"And do you think your threat to tell Enin of my actions might frighten me?"

"I do think you should consider it."

"Of course I've considered it."

"And you still wish to continue?"

"There is nothing that will stop what I have planned."

Holli shook her head in disgust.

"This is so childish. What should we do now? Should we face opposite directions, march twenty paces, turn and begin casting spells at each other?"

"It does seem rather uncomfortable, doesn't it?" Ansas admitted. "But I believe I have an answer. Your companion is waiting for me to strike and then he believes he can contain me. Why don't I make the first move and we can finish this quickly?"

Ansas stepped back calmly. With deliberate steadiness, he cast his first spell. It was of no great consequence, a simple shadow strike that was meant to dull the perceptions of his opponents.

Jure watched with growing surprise. He was prepared to launch a defensive spell of immense power, but he knew immediately that such a response was unnecessary. He expected the sorcerer to move quickly, viciously, but the slow and steady movements of his foe allowed Jure to analyze the spell before it was even cast. It was so weak it was almost pathetic.

Adjusting his own spell, Jure cast a very simple light shield that disbursed the shadow before it could strike. He had much more magical energy at the ready and he decided to use it to end the conflict with limited consequences. He believed he understood Ansas' one weakness and attempted to exploit it before the sorcerer could utilize whatever plan he concealed.

A pure white circle of energy formed around Jure's hands. With but a few words, he cast the magic directly upon the sorcerer. The white magic turned blue and formed a sheer wall of water, a magical shell that would surround Ansas, a barrier somewhat similar to the shadowed dome which imprisoned the elves.

Ansas did not smile, but he reveled in the wizard's error. It was exactly the spell he expected, the very reaction he wanted from Jure. During his first encounter with the old wizard and the elf, he had been trapped in the same manner, encircled by a wall of water that opposed his ebony magic. He was trapped because he wouldn't cast spells of fire or storm to disburse the water; he refused to stain the purity of his castings with a hue inferior to ebony energy. Since that defeat, however, he learned he did not have to stoop to such actions. He could destroy the barrier and remain pure.

"I was hoping you would do that," Ansas revealed.

"Why?" Jure asked, still somewhat uncomfortable with Ansas' seemingly apathetic approach. He could still see the sorcerer through the translucent blue shell and found the unconcerned expression on his foe's face slightly unnerving. "Do you think I lack the power to hold the shield? You're wrong. I've learned to tap into great pools of energy. I can outlast you if I have to."

"That's almost laughable."

"I don't see you trying to escape."

"Would you like me to? Fine."

As Ansas pressed his hands together in front of his face, a ring of pure black energy, darker than any night sky ever produced in Uton, formed around the sorcerer's waist. It expanded outward and brushed against the blue shell of magic. At contact, there was no blast of fury, no explosion of opposing wills. The dark ring simply seeped into the shell, flowed outward, and engulfed the entire watery prison.

Ansas slowly pulled his hands apart. As he did, the shell around him changed from transparent blue into a darker, almost navy color. He used the dark magic to change the composition of the imprisoning shell. It turned from fluid water into a thin solid, similar to that of charcoal wafers. With a flick of his fingers, the shell shattered into a fine, black dust.

"Your containment shield worked once on me, but never again. I don't have to directly counter your spells… use fire against water or light against shadow. I simply have to alter their nature, not an easy task, but the purity of my magic makes it possible."

The ease with which the sorcerer altered the imprisoning spell left Jure uneasy but not defeated. He still cast white magic in a perfect circle and he did not doubt his own abilities.

"You've only proven that you can escape a simple water shield. You've hardly won."

"But I have. I've proven that I can defeat your shield. I wanted you to cast that spell of yours. I think it's why I trapped the elves the way I did. I wanted to put that thought in your head."

"You also wanted to bring me here," Holli added.

"Absolutely," Ansas admitted. "My banishment to this place was your demand, and I agreed to it based on the circumstances of a single battle. You had defeated me and offered me a choice… accept banishment or die. While I might have stayed here based on that choice, the banishment existed only as long as my defeat remained clear. That is no longer the case. Now, I have beaten you."

"Beaten us?" Jure objected. "You countered one simple spell."

"I have done more than that. I have illustrated how I can overcome any hue. That was the purpose of this encounter."

Holli cast a doubtful glance upon the sorcerer.

"You abducted an entire elf camp simply to prove you learned a new application of your magic? I find that difficult to believe."

"Why are all of you so narrow minded? I abducted the camp to bring you here. I could destroy you at will. Despite what this old man believes, he is no longer a match for me. I think you know that, but I choose to do for you what you once did for me. Return to your land. We are even, elf witch, and any agreements forced upon me are now irrelevant. I go where I want, when I want."

"What if I'm not done with you?" Jure intervened.

"You would be a greater challenge than the elf witch, but you are still at my mercy, especially here. As far as you being able to tap into pools of energy, you have no idea of what I can do. You were smart enough to notice the instability inside the dome barrier, but were you aware that I could teleport in and out of the barrier with ease?"

"It was your spell. Why wouldn't you be able to manipulate it?"

"Idiot. It has nothing to do with the barrier's origin. It has everything to do with my control of ebony magic. Teleportation is the very essence of alteration. Although any hue can cast the spell, it is black energy that is best suited for shifting space, and I am the master of that magic. I can reach across and through dimensions. I have found ebony energy that is more pure than I have ever seen. It is darker than even that which exists in this realm. It comes from a place where there is no light, none at all."

"Good for you. Seems to me I'm still standing in front of you. You wanted me here to prove something. I don't think you've proved anything."

"I've already explained why I wanted you here," Ansas sighed. "I have vindicated myself. Whether I stay in this realm or not is now my concern. The banishment I vowed to accept is no longer relevant."

"That is all you wanted?" Holli questioned. "You would let us leave?"

"I have no further need of you."

With that said, Ansas turned and walked away.

"He's just turning his back on us, like we're not here," Jure exclaimed.

The entire altercation defied reason. There was no grand battle, no cataclysmic spell, no spent and exhausted magic caster unable to continue and forced to concede. Jure knew he had not been defeated, and yet the conceited sorcerer turned his back as if the elder wizard did not even exist.

Holli also expected more, but she wondered if it might have been their good fortune that the sorcerer decided to limit the confrontation.

"Should I let him go?" Jure asked.

Holli watched Ansas' back as the sorcerer slowly marched away. He was not innocent, not by any measure. He had abducted elves and made it clear he discarded his self-imposed banishment. None of it sat well with her, and allowing such a dangerous sorcerer to simply walk away bothered her beyond measure.

There were, however, certain measures of success she could not ignore. They had found the elves and freed them. All of them could return to Dark Spruce. Rather than press for further conflict, she decided to accept the uncertain outcome.

"This is not the time for a battle with him. We have achieved our ends. The elves are safe."

"And he is free to return to Uton," Jure noted as he nodded toward Ansas.

"The only thing that kept him here was his own word. He could have broken that at any time. We need…"

Before she could say any more, Holli caught a glimpse of an unexpected commotion down near the portal. Her elf guard instincts took over and she turned to face the disturbance. A single elf refused to enter the rift. Rather than return home, the elf in question rushed away from the gateway and toward where Holli and Jure stood.

Holli cut off the dashing elf, grabbed him by the shoulder and twisted him to the ground before he could get away.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"I am staying here… with him," Scheff gestured toward Ansas, but as he did, he threw both hands up and cast a spell of blinding lightning.

By the time Holli and Jure's vision cleared, Scheff was back on his feet and racing toward the sorcerer.

"Are you both alright?" Ryson asked as he rushed to their side.

"What is going on?" Holli demanded as she struggled to assess the situation.

"He wouldn't go back," Ryson explained. "He argued with Birk and then he just took off. Do you want me to go after him?"

Holli said nothing at first. She watched the renegade elf close upon the sorcerer. She wondered what Ansas might do if he felt threatened. When the sorcerer turned to see the elf confront him, she was surprised to see Ansas simply nod and return to his path. Scheff fell in behind like a loyal servant following his master.

"That can't be good," Jure remarked.

"We need more information," Holli cautioned.

Birk reached them and explained what Scheff had told them, why he refused to return to Uton, and what Haven Wellseed had further clarified about the discussion in Ansas' study.

"Should we try to bring him back?" Ryson pressed.

"I do not believe a fight against the two of them would be advisable," Holli answered.

"He would not listen to reason," Birk offered. "He dismissed Shantree Wispon as if she meant nothing to him."

"He refused to take direction from the camp elder?" Holli asked with obvious surprise.

"Blatantly," Birk affirmed.

"Maybe he's not in his right mind?" Ryson wondered.

"Haven stated she sensed no spell of persuasion. She believes Scheff made the decision to stay on his own."

"This doesn't seem right," the delver exclaimed.

"I agree," Jure added. "I wasn't happy we let Ansas go, but what can we do with the elf? Tie him up and throw him through the portal? I don't think any of this is good news."

Holli stared off at the departing sorcerer with a new elf accomplice in tow. Jure was correct in many aspects. None of what happened boded well for anyone, least of all for an elf gifted with powerful magic over storms who joined with a sorcerer skilled in ebony energy. Unfortunately, there was little they could do. Was she willing to attempt to abduct Scheff and save him from himself? Not at that moment, not while others remained in harms way.

"Let us all leave this place. I will discuss this with Enin."

Chapter 15

Jure sought out Holli among the elves massed together in Dark Spruce Forest. He had just finished casting a teleportation spell that sent the delver back to Burbon. He had done so away from the other elves so as not to cause any confusion or even alarm.

The elves were quite used to magic, but a human wizard capable of casting white magic in a perfect circle was certainly uncommon in Uton. Holli did not wish for Jure to raise any additional attention. Hoping to avoid any comparisons to Ansas, she advised him to cast his spell away from the elf camp.

Most of the elves had gathered in a central clearing while Birk Grund directed the guard to secure a local perimeter. Those that lingered in the open spaces appeared more tired than anxious as they waited for orders from the council. They only wished to return to their normal activities; to return to the forest, collect food, and rest. They had been removed from their home for far too long and few were able to sleep during their confinement in the dark realm.

Unfortunately, normalcy and rest would have to wait until the immediate area was cleared of threats. It didn't take long for dark creatures to move into the region after Ansas abducted every member of the elf faction. Goblins rushed into the region like ants onto a picnic blanket filled with crumbs, and it would take a substantial effort to coax the monsters back to a safe distance.

Jure found Holli conferring with Birk. Not wishing to interrupt, he waited respectfully off to the side as the two elves discussed the dangers surrounding the campsite.

"There are many creatures," Holli advised, "so many, in fact, I cannot obtain a clear picture of the full number. They are not within range of our bows, but they are close enough to warrant concern."

"Not a surprise," Birk noted. "Quite a few of our stocks were raided. Goblins do not miss an opportunity."

"I definitely sense goblins scattered nearby," Holli confirmed, "Mostly to the south and west, and also a river rogue near the stream between them. Beyond them, it is a haze. There are just too many to isolate. To the northeast, I know there is at least one shag, maybe more."

"I have spotters in the trees working on identification," Birk replied. "We are aware of the shag. It has been here for some time. It causes us no harm and helps to keep the goblins away. I also know of the rogue. Its arrival is new and not welcome. I have already dispatched a patrol to convince it to abandon this area. You are certain there are a large number of goblins surrounding it?"

Holli nodded.

The captain reconsidered his tactics as he incorporated the additional information. With quick deliberation, he decided to alter his plans.

"The rogue probably has its appetite set on those goblins," Birk acknowledged. "If they leave, the rogue might be more willing to move downstream. Give me a moment to redirect the guard to put a priority on the goblins."

As the captain of the elf guard turned to give new orders to a messenger, Jure took the opportunity to update Holli on his activities.

"Ryson has returned to Burbon safely," the wizard advised. "He seemed eager to get back. What do you want me to do to help here?"

"It is not my place to say," Holli replied. "This is no longer my camp. Birk Grund is in charge of securing the area. I have been assisting him as he requests. For now, I would suggest that we both wait and see if he requires additional aid."

Jure accepted the suggestion without debate. He was certainly willing to assist the elves, but he wouldn't force his help upon those that didn't request it. He also wouldn't pretend to understand the intricacies of an elf camp. Any conclusions he might draw would be nothing more than foolish conjecture.

His discipline and dedication brought him more than just the ability to cast potent spells in each hue, it reaffirmed his belief that everyone had a calling, a place in the land. He recognized he was never the most gifted when it came to intelligence, but he also believed he didn't have to be born smart to act smart. If knowledge was the derivative of focused study, wisdom was the windfall of contemplative experience. And his experiences continued to remind him that there was a reason for his talents, a higher purpose that he should never ignore.

In that regard, he was not yet sure why he was there, in Dark Spruce, but he believed the answer would eventually become clear. While he would always work to improve his abilities, he would also allow room for providence to guide his decisions and actions. He would not try to force his own desires on the path set before him.

With such considerations tempering his actions, he waited patiently beside Holli as he reflected on the totality of his circumstances. In that moment of quiet contemplation, he was hit by the staggering complexity of his life and the way he waded into it without so much as a blink of surprise. With but one look around, he appreciated the richness of those very same circumstances. There he was, standing among elves.

Elves!

He was in an elf camp, and yet it was so simple he would have never guessed the importance of the site. There were clearings, a few simple shelters, and paths to the trees, but that was it. If he stumbled upon the area when the elves were absent, he would have assumed it was nothing more than an abandoned loggers' camp.

But even as he acknowledged it was so much more, he found himself almost discounting the significance of its presence. That was a mistake, one he decided to correct.

He was a human standing in the forest waiting for instructions from a captain of the elf guard. It was not something many humans would ever experience. He watched the progression of elf movements both in the trees and around the nearby clearing with a newfound appreciation for what he could see and learn.

And it didn't end there. Goblins were in the woods.

Goblins!

When did the land turn so twisted that he would treat such a revelation with casual acceptance? Goblins and elves, wizards and magic; his life had become a most interesting adventure. He wasn't a young man, but he wasn't so old that the thought of such things left him yearning for days past. His back might have ached a little more and his knees creaked a little louder, but how could he not be amazed at the spectacles around him or at what he had become?

While Jure reflected upon the fascinating events surrounding the elf camp, Birk returned to take council with Holli.

"Scouts in the trees have located several goblin packs in the area. Guards have been dispatched to deal with them first. The rogue is being watched. I believe that it is best to avoid direct conflict with the creature. Many in the camp are tired and we need to secure the immediate area as quickly and peacefully as possible. With your ability to sense dark creatures, I hope you can remain here for a while to ensure we do not miss any threats."

"I will be happy to help."

"Is there anything I can do?" Jure offered.

Birk quickly regarded the human wizard. He was aware of Jure's ability to cast white magic and in a perfect circle-he had seen Jure cast spells in the dark realm as well as the teleportation spell that sent Ryson back to Burbon-but the elf captain was unsure of the human's full capabilities. Wary of unknown costs, he did not wish to set the wizard loose to help clear the campsite, even though it might have been the most efficient way to remove the bevy of dark creatures roaming the forest.

Still, Jure was a potent asset and there remained a menace which the elf captain could not ignore. Though the elves were released from the dark realm, Birk would not believe the threat of Ansas had been completely removed.

"I am concerned about the sorcerer," the elf captain admitted. "There are things we can do to protect our camp, but I believe he has the power to offset any defenses we can muster."

"You believe Ansas might recapture the camp?" Holli wondered aloud.

"It is a possibility I should not dismiss. He did it once. He may well do it again."

"I believe he obtained what he needed," Holli revealed. "I do not see a reason for a second abduction. I also do not believe Ansas would waste his energy unless he could profit from the endeavor."

"That might be, but I would feel better if I knew more about how he was able to accomplish the task in the first place." Birk then turned back to Jure. "Can you shed some light on this matter?"

Jure explained everything he had learned from previously examining the camp as well as from the information offered by the swallit that discussed the event with Ryson.

"Everything points to a very determined effort by Ansas to take your camp-in its entirety-as bait to attract Holli," Jure summarized. "I believe, based on Ansas' ability, that kind of effort could be duplicated, but as Holli said, it would take an enormous effort and I fail to see what Ansas would gain from a second abduction."

Birk rubbed his chin as he considered the new information.

"That makes me rest a bit easier, but I still feel somewhat vulnerable."

The elf captain grimaced as he looked about the camp. The elves remained grouped together, safe for the moment from predators in the forest, but not from the onslaught of some magical assault from a distant realm. As they stood in one large mass, they seemed so exposed to the sorcerer's power. His gaze fell back upon Jure as he made one last request.

"If you would, please examine the entire camp once more. Let me know if there is anything that might assist us in avoiding another abduction or if there is something I have overlooked that might leave us susceptible to any magical attack."

Jure looked first to Holli to ensure his acceptance would meet her approval. When she gave him a slight nod, he offered his service without exception.

"I'll do everything I can."

"I will remain here," Holli added. "Even now, I can sense most of the goblins leaving the vicinity. Once I am certain this area is clear, I will move with the outer guards to locate additional creatures."

"That would be most helpful," Birk affirmed. "Let me know if either of you need anything."

"Just let everyone know what I'm doing," Jure requested. "I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable."

"Done."

Jure turned to his appointed task with renewed attention on the underlying aspects of the abduction. He knew how the elves were seized. Despite being spread out across their camp and in the trees, they were plucked from the land in one single wave of instantaneous teleportation. Ansas completed this task from an entirely different realm, so he must have been able to create some anchor point within the elf camp. Achieving such a result was a staggering display of concentration and control.

Creating the anchor would have been the easiest challenge. Opening a portal in the center of the elf camp would have allowed for an immediate point of reference to all the elves in the area. The difficulty would have been teleporting the elves the moment the portal was created. There could not have been even a moment's delay, or the elves would have been forewarned of the assault.

While Jure considered the attention necessary to complete such an objective, he wondered if he could duplicate the spell. Opening the portal would be child's play. Even teleporting a massive number of elves into the portal would be within his power, but it went beyond simply a great number. It had to be every single elf. He would have to grasp every individual simultaneously, and that was the single most challenging issue.

Jure recognized that the time of the abduction was not necessarily a constraint. The moment was chosen by Ansas himself. The sorcerer could have waited until the conditions were perfect. The question was, what were the necessary conditions?

As Jure examined the camp for a second time, he placed greater focus on the elves themselves as they were not available during his first assessment. He found it easier to lock onto individual elves than if he had to do something similar with humans. He believed it had to do with the magical essence inherent in each elf. That would have assisted Ansas, but it would still take great concentration to take hold of so many elves at one particular moment, to place their existence in his mind in a manner that would allow him to teleport them to a particular spot without their cooperation.

With that thought, Jure wondered if some of the elves might have in some way assisted in the matter. He did not believe it was some conspiracy, but the magic could influence individuals into making choices that they might normally avoid, and Ansas' ability over black magic gave him particular strength in the areas of alteration.

It was worth considering, but it seemed a weak explanation. Several of the elves were talented magic casters. A sorcerer trying to alter their judgment to subconsciously assist devious plans would almost definitely be uncovered by at least one of the more perceptive elves.

No, the answer had to be more subtle.

If Ansas could not influence the elves, he might have sought to influence the magic, to use the energy that surrounded the elves as a map to each individual's location. If Ansas could have manipulated certain energy waves without actually linking to the elves' magical cores, he could have created the necessary anchors and also avoided detection.

It was only speculation, but it held merit. Jure wondered if he could accomplish the task himself. He considered the options available. Certain spells seemed more likely than others, and particular hues seemed to have inherent advantages. Spells of light or shadow would be easier to disguise than spells of fire or water.

Placing the strategy with regard to Ansas' abilities led Jure to a reconsider his assumptions. Ansas would not have used fire or water, or light… but shadow was a distinct possibility. Ansas would have remained true to the ebony energy of his essence. With the black magic so pure that it defied Jure's grasp, it would potentially be beyond the notice of even the most sensitive elf.

A theory took shape in the wizard's mind. Ansas could have cast his ebony magic across dimensional planes and into Uton, but it would remain dominated by his unique control. The magic could reach across the land and isolate each and every elf of the camp without ever being noticed because no one would be looking for it. It was not a spell that shaped the magic, but Ansas' force of will.

With a recollection of the ebony energy that he could not absorb, Jure reached out to the magic pulsing across the land. Instead of trying to analyze the energy that would willingly flow into his being, he searched for the magical residue that would oppose him.

It was difficult at first, but eventually he tuned out the free flowing energy that was willing to be shaped by his skills. As he began to clear his mind of what he viewed as positive energy, his inner being filled with an almost totally neutral sensation. There was a blankness forming within him, and that's when he noticed the first hint of an abnormality.

It wasn't like a disease in the energy, a sickness taking hold. It was more like a reverse current in a stream, as if a small section of a waterway decided to flow in the opposite direction. A small glint of energy was trying to avoid him. It wasn't the actual magic he felt, but the reverberations in waves around him.

The sensation was difficult to isolate but impossible to ignore, and Jure began to follow it. He stepped about the camp, blocking out every curious stare of the elves around him. He walked in circles and in disjointed angles, all the while with his face turning toward some obscure vibration. As he moved about the camp, he realized the source was not coming from some part of the land, but from one of the elves.

Jure didn't wish to be obtrusive, but he couldn't ignore the implications. One of the elves was emanating magic similar to the energy he sensed that actually belonged to Ansas. Jure slipped through the gathering of elves, trying not to offend, but also understanding the importance of his search. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to isolate the strange wave. It was as if he was trying to find a dead fish hidden deep in the pocket of one individual in a crowd of fishermen.

Within moments, his actions became too curious to ignore. Every elf knew he was searching them, but they could not guess the reason, save for one, and she spoke up without hesitation.

"I think you are looking for me," Shantree Wispon stated calmly, but with clear determination to take control of the somewhat tense situation.

Jure was slightly taken aback by the authoritative tone, but he remained certain his finding was important.

"Forgive me," the wizard noted as he stepped up respectfully to the camp elder, "but I was asked to check the camp for certain… irregularities that might point back to the sorcerer."

The wizard paused to make a more thorough assessment. Without a doubt, he had found what he was looking for within the elf leader.

"There's something within you that belongs to Ansas."

"Are you certain?" Shantree demanded.

Jure, in order to confirm his suspicions, took a moment to seize upon the emanation. There was no doubt there was a strand of energy within the elf elder that contained curious properties. It was more than simple magic residue or even shards of a decaying spell. There was firm substance within Shantree, and despite its magical essence, it rejected Jure's grasp.

"Yes," the wizard confirmed.

Holli and Birk had both noticed the commotion and arrived together to review Jure's findings, but it was Shantree who took command.

"Ansas placed his energy within me," the elf elder explained. "I was able to manipulate it, but only to a degree. I used it to assist the camp when we were trapped in the dark realm. He gave me enough to keep everyone alive, but I could only use it for purposes he seemed to allow. It would not completely bend to my will. When we exited the dark realm, my connection to the magic ceased. I believed he took back what he felt was his. I can no longer touch it, or even sense it within me. I thought it was gone, but it seems you are telling me it is still there. Is that correct?"

Jure didn't wish to burden the old elf woman with such news, but he couldn't lie to her probing eyes. He didn't quite understand the politics of elves, but he quickly realized he was speaking to an individual of authority, one who spoke for the entire camp when a single voice was needed.

"It is."

"Am I a danger to anyone around me?"

"That would be difficult for me to say," Jure admitted.

"Do not worry about difficulties, worry about the truth."

Jure accepted Shantree's direction and concentrated on what he could sense with certainty.

"I don't think you are a hazard to anyone else at this moment, but Ansas certainly left a portion of his magic inside you."

"So you do not think I will explode?" Shantree asked with a very slight smile.

Jure knew the elf never believed such a calamity was possible, that she only asked the bizarre question to lighten the mood. It worked, and he gained a greater appreciation for Shantree's approach.

"No, you won't explode."

"Excellent," she replied with a slightly more obvious smile. Her good humor quickly faded, and she returned to the seriousness of the matter. "We still must address why the sorcerer would leave a small portion of his power within me. What does he hope to gain? What advantage does this allow him?"

The elf guard captain entered the conversation as the security of the camp remained his absolute concern. He required further information and he questioned the human wizard.

"What exactly do you sense? Has he placed some spell upon her?"

"No, there isn't a spell. A spell would imprint direction on the energy."

"But can you be sure?" Holli asked. "You said that Ansas' magic has the ability to defy you."

"Yes it does, and maybe I can't be completely sure, but a spell takes magic and gives it characteristics of some desire. That's all a spell really is. Magic is the fuel for the aspirations of the caster. I don't sense any such direction in the energy."

"But could such direction be hidden from you?" Holli pressed.

"I suppose it's possible."

"Then we have to remain cautious."

"I can't argue with that," Jure allowed.

"Can you remove it from her?" Birk requested, hoping to be free of the threat.

"No, that I can't do. I'm sorry, but the magic won't let me take hold of it in any way. To tell you the truth, that's why I don't think there's a spell involved. If there was, I would think I could counter it, but there's just nothing there for me to combat."

Birk turned his questions to Shantree. He did so with great respect for her authority over the camp, but he knew she understood his responsibilities.

"Do you believe you are in danger, or that you might pose a danger to this camp?"

"No, I asked the wizard that question for the same reason you ask it of me now. The safety of the camp must remain paramount."

"Your safety is also vital," Birk announced with pure honesty.

"Only with regard to how I serve this camp," the elf elder replied. Once more, she looked to the human wizard who was powerful in the ways of magic in his own right. "Tell me this, why do you think Ansas would leave a mark upon me?"

"A mark?"

"In essence, that is what he has done."

"I never really looked at it that way," Jure revealed, "but I guess 'mark' is as good a description as any. He may just want to keep some kind of connection to you."

"So I am a potential danger," Shantree noted.

"Not really," Jure explained. "I know that might not make sense, but I'm guessing here. The truth is he doesn't need that kind of link. He was able to teleport the lot of you without that kind of permanent anchor before. He created his own at the precise moment he needed it, so he really doesn't need the one inside you."

"Then why is it there?"

"Maybe he's using it to keep watch over us," Birk offered.

"Possible," Jure allowed.

Holli, however, divulged the truth she could not deny.

"While it might be possible. It is not probable. From my limited contact with Ansas, he does not like to waste his time or his energy. While I believe he will test his abilities in order to expand his talents, he tends to have deliberate reasons for his actions."

"Keeping watch over the camp would not be deliberate?" Birk questioned.

"It would be deliberate, but as Jure pointed out, it would not be necessary. Ansas was able to abduct the entire camp without marking a single elf with his distinct energy. Leaving it in Shantree would be inconsistent with his previous behavior."

"Then what do you think he's doing?" Jure asked.

"It is as Shantree said;" Holli declared, "she is marked. It is a reminder of what happened in the dark realm. Ansas is freed of his self-enforced exile and he's expanded his grasp back to Uton. This camp is a trophy for his victory and the mark on Shantree is his claim to that triumph."

Jure was amazed at the explanation, but it all fit together. There was arrogance in the sorcerer. He couldn't deny it. It actually made quite a bit of sense.

"So what do we do now?" Jure wondered.

"We secure the camp," Shantree announced. She then directed her wishes to the elf captain. "Once the immediate area is safe, I want you to find a spot for me away from the others. Even if this strange magic within me is nothing more than some seal of victory, the camp should not be placed at risk for my comfort."

"It will be as you say," Birk acknowledged.

Shantree directed her final request to the wizard at her side.

"I would ask that you stay with me during this time. I believe you are the most qualified in monitoring me."

Jure was ready to accept, but he looked to Holli again for a final determination.

"He can stay with you while I assist Birk in securing the outer perimeter of the camp," Holli allowed, "but after that, he must accompany me back to the human town of Connel. I must seek council with Enin and I will need Jure to explain what he has sensed here."

"Very well," Shantree conceded. She nodded to Jure with another warm smile. "Let us make the most of our time together. And by the way, if I am to explode, I would like a warning."

Jure laughed, and he knew he would enjoy his time with the elf elder. He then thought of one last issue that needed to be addressed.

"What of the elf we left behind? Scheff, I believe was his name. To be completely honest, I think if there's a risk to the camp, it's him."

"There is little we can do at the moment," Holli advised. "He left of his own accord, but I do not think he holds animosity toward any of us."

"Hopefully, he will come to his senses," Shantree offered.

"He was very skilled in magic, wasn't he?" Jure asked.

"Yes," Birk confirmed with a grim expression. "You could tell?"

Jure nodded.

"He was very focused on the magic," the wizard offered. "I don't think it was interfering with his decision, I think it was the other way around. I think he intended on following the magic."

"Maybe that is why he chose to join with Ansas," Holli acknowledged. "The thought of such power can be intoxicating."

"It's also foolish," Jure noted. He shook his head in disgust.

He believed that it wasn't always possible to save people from their own mistakes, but he didn't like the thought of innocents paying for the errors in judgment of others. What he liked, however, never seemed relevant. There always seemed to be innocents caught in the middle of someone else's schemes or grab for power and glory.

He would talk to Shantree about Scheff during their time together and she would offer him insight into why the elf would make such a choice. They would discuss many of the things relating to the elf camp. It was another opportunity to learn, and Jure didn't waste it.

Chapter 16

After helping to free the elves from the dark realm, Ryson returned immediately to Burbon with the aid of a teleportation spell cast by Jure. Without having to trek through the woods, he found himself just outside the town's borders by the edge of the forest.

Teleportation was a strange sensation for the delver. Ryson normally relied on his instincts and abilities as he traveled, utilizing the thinnest whispers of a trail to overcome the most difficult terrain. Teleportation, however, involved travel based on magical passages, and the experience varied greatly from one spell caster to another.

Enin tried to explain it to the delver on different occasions, told him how the magic could create a dimensional path and how it could condense space between a point of origin and a final destination. The certainty of the path in the spell caster's mind and the strength of his or her magic would affect the sensation of travel.

Enin could cast spells where a single step could take Ryson from one side of Uton to another. Other teleporting experiences felt more like soaring over a compressed landscape, as if he had been shot up into the sky by a catapult only to land softly at some spot far off in the distance.

Jure's magic was very powerful and it seemed as if the delver had been pushed through a blurred tunnel in a single heartbeat. Ryson did not see the treetops of the forest as he traveled, nor did he feel the rush of wind on his face. For but a brief moment, existence swirled around him into curved walls, as if he was in a long tube that connected the elf camp with the boundary of Burbon. Through very little effort of his own, Ryson was out of the woods and crossing the clearing that surrounded his hometown.

Thankful for the immediate return, he rushed through Burbon's southern gate. The sun hung high in the sky but had begun its slow descent into the west. It was early afternoon, and since Linda normally worked evenings at the Borderline Inn, Ryson believed he would find her at their home.

He raced there without delay, without stopping at the guard headquarters. He decided not to seek out Sy and not to offer any information on the elf disappearance or the encounter with Ansas. It wasn't his duty to make such reports. Ryson was no longer authorized to act on behalf of the town. Since Sy had sent out Holli for answers, the guard captain could get the information from her when she and Jure returned to Burbon. Perhaps it was out of spite that Ryson ignored his friend, but it was also out of a desire to see his wife, for he had not left her under the best of circumstances, either.

Usually when Ryson returned from a scout, Linda would greet him with a joyful smile and a welcoming embrace. When he broke through the door, he hoped she would be there and happy to see him, the uneasiness of their previous departing forgotten. He would tell her about his journey and why it was fortunate he had set off to find the elves. She would understand and the distance that had opened between them would be removed.

To his dismay, he was met with only silence. He called to her, but there was no answer. His keen senses revealed the truth, and he knew she was home. He just couldn't understand her uncaring response to his return. He found Linda resting in bed staring at the blank ceiling.

"Are you alright?" Ryson asked, disregarding everything that had happened to him and focusing entirely on his wife.

"So you're back," Linda acknowledged but with no expression of joy at seeing her husband return.

"Yeah, we made out okay, but what about you?"

"What about me?" Linda responded, continuing to avoid Ryson's eyes. She kept her gaze on the ceiling. "I guess I'm just the same as I was when you left. And I'll be this way when you leave again."

The harsh charge stunned the delver. Despite the indifference in both her tone and expression, she made it sound as if Ryson was already planning to abandon her.

"I'm not looking to leave."

"Not this instant, but you will."

"Why are you already worried about that? I just got back."

"Because I can see it," she replied, and her blank expression turned to a slight scowl. She continued to stare at the ceiling, but her eyes narrowed and a small crevice formed between her eyebrows. It certainly wasn't an emotional outburst, but at least the response broke through the previous coldness. "You come back, you leave, you come back, you leave. It's what you do."

Ryson wasn't sure how to respond. In a way, Linda's description was accurate. He did leave her, time and again. He went out on scouts, went out to explore the lands. And he didn't just leave as if going to work for an afternoon. His journeys kept him away from home for many days at a time. He also knew he would leave again, maybe not soon, but eventually, he would. He was a delver. It was what he did, but then again, he always returned home.

"We try not to look at it that way," he finally said. "I don't leave because I'm trying to get away from you. You go off to work at the inn, not just because you have to, but because you like to. It's what you do. Going out to explore is what I do."

"That's true. You go off to find missing elves and I tend bar."

"I don't always find missing elves. Most of the time I don't find anything at all."

"And most of the time I stand behind a bar and pour drinks to strangers."

Ryson wondered if that was a clue to her depressed state, if she had become dissatisfied and saw her life as a monotonous routine. He didn't want that for his wife. He wanted her to enjoy her life, as he enjoyed his. Hoping to share that pleasure, he quickly offered what he saw as a potential solution.

"Do you want to come with me on my scouts? I've offered before."

"I would only slow you down."

"Who cares? We would be together."

"Together doing what you want to do, not what I want to do."

"What is it you want to do?"

"I want to be happy."

To be happy.

It was a revealing statement. To a very real extent, it meant she was unhappy, and that was a revelation that stung the delver. He had believed he belonged with Linda, that in her he found someone willing to accept him as he was, but if she was not happy, that belief quickly became tainted.

Uncertain of what her rather vague response really meant, Ryson proposed the only other solution he could see. He didn't want to give up his life, didn't want to try to be something he wasn't, but he knew Linda was facing something more than just loneliness. He wanted to make her happy. Hoping to demonstrate how far he was willing to go to help her, he offered to fight off every urge he felt as a delver.

"You want me to promise to stay here? If that's what you need, I will."

It wasn't an empty vow, nor a simple one. Despite all of the distractions he faced while searching for the elves, he never took his thoughts completely off his wife. Whether talking with the swallit or exploring the dark realm, Linda always remained in the back of his mind. He considered what he would give up for her, and he believed it would be anything. Holding to that belief, he made his offer, and it was as genuine as it was monumental.

"I want you to be happy," Ryson continued, "and I'll stay here… if that's what it takes. I won't go on another scout unless you want me to."

Linda responded without hesitation and without acknowledgment to the sincere sacrifice Ryson was willing to make.

"What a hero you are. That way you can blame me. No, I don't need your promises. We've talked about this before."

With that caustic response, Ryson began to reach his limit.

"Yes, we have," he responded with a hint of annoyance and a growing frustration, "and I thought we settled it."

"I can't argue that. Many things have been settled… whether I like it or not. Don't feel bad about having to leave again at some point. To tell you the truth, I'm looking forward to it."

Ryson quickly swallowed any anger as his concern began to grow. He pressed his emotions aside, which was no simple task, and began to seriously consider what he sensed. She was speaking in a tone and with an expression that was foreign to him. He almost believed she was under some spell, but he knew that was impossible. She was immune to magic. He sat down on the edge of the bed next to her and tried once more to get some idea of what was wrong.

"This isn't like you. I know you don't like me leaving. I don't like it, either. But we've dealt with this before and it never came to this. What's different now?"

"I just feel differently," Linda declared, though she certainly didn't reveal any great distress over the admission. She said it as if she was remarking about the calm weather outside.

"Are you sick?"

"No, I'm not sick."

"Then what is it? What's making you feel different?"

"Maybe nothing. Maybe I've been like this the whole time and just didn't realize it."

"But you're not acting like you usually do."

"Am I supposed to be doing something different?"

At a loss, Ryson explained that even her current position was out of the ordinary.

"You don't usually lie down in the afternoon. You have to go to work soon."

"I suppose."

Her indifference left the delver unsure of what to say or do. He held back his frustration, but he admitted a simple truth.

"This isn't normal."

"When is it normal to be married to a delver?"

And once again, the delver felt a painful sting in the pit of his soul. Unable to mask his apprehension, he spoke out the truth.

"That's what I'm talking about. You're making it sound like you made a mistake."

"Maybe we both made a mistake."

The statement struck even harder at Ryson and he fought for understanding.

"Why would you say that?" He finally approached a subject he did not wish to address, felt it might make matters worse, but since Linda crossed a threshold, he felt it was necessary. "Is this all because you think we can't have children?"

"I don't think, I know."

She seemed so certain, and that in itself caused Ryson unease. The basis for her conclusion came from some conjecture about magic, yet neither of them had any true grasp of the matter. They weren't spell casters, didn't study the magic as did wizards and sorcerers.

"How can either of us know for sure?" Ryson submitted.

"You're a delver and I'm a human. It's not hard to guess."

"That hasn't stopped any one before," Ryson insisted. "Humans and delvers have had children together. Actually, purebred delvers are somewhat rare."

"And getting rarer," Linda added.

"That's not the point. Humans and delvers mixed in the past and they'll mix again in the future. Most of the delvers I know have some human heritage in them."

"But I'm a human that's immune to magic."

"So you think you're immune to having children?"

"Immune to having your children." She paused to finally look at him. Her eyes were devoid of any passion. She gazed upon him as if he was nothing more than one more patron arriving at an otherwise crowded tavern. "As a delver, the magic is part of you. It's inside you and makes you what you are. You really wouldn't exist without it, but that same magic can't touch me. That means a part of you can never touch me. Don't you get that?"

It finally hit him solid, a deep understanding of what she was talking about. His own appreciation of being a delver was growing. He didn't cast spells or absorb magical energy, but the energy made him different, gave him his abilities. He would pass on the magic to any child of his. Whether it be pure delver, or part human, the magic would have to exist, but it couldn't exist within Linda.

He stood up from the bed and walked to a window. As he looked outside, he believed he knew what she was saying. It went deeper than not having children. It had to do with them, about their lives together. They weren't just a human and a delver trying to work through a difficult time together. There was something that now stood between them, a barrier, just like the barrier that kept the elves imprisoned in the dark land. She was immune to that part of him which made him a delver.

It was a revelation far too bleak to consider. The implications were staggering. It meant more than just not having children. It struck at the very core of their existence together. If he dwelled on it, it could break them apart. He didn't want that, not for one moment. He decided to concentrate on the aspect of children, something they could investigate… together. He turned to face her with renewed determination.

"I know you're immune to magic, but neither of us really understand it. We can talk to someone, find out what it really means."

"Why bother? Just face it. We're incompatible."

Another dagger to Ryson's soul; she came out and very plainly stated that which he did not want to accept, the very fear that twisted his insides. And she did so with continued indifference, as if she was talking about some napkin that might not match a decorative tablecloth.

"You can't mean that… and I don't believe it!" Ryson exclaimed with enough emotion to offset Linda's apparent apathy. "We talked about this before, too. It wasn't just chance that we met. Of all the things that happened to me after the magic returned, meeting you made the most sense. It probably kept me sane."

"Maybe neither of us is sane."

"No, I won't accept any of that. I've seen too much. Things happen for a reason. If we weren't supposed to be together, I never would have made it this far. We were supposed to be together."

Linda sighed as she revealed her full view.

"I tried to convince myself of that, but now we know the truth. When we met, I had no idea I was immune to magic, and I sure didn't know delvers had magic in them. Think about it. All this time, I've been worrying about what might happen to you when you were out on some scout or fighting some monster that shouldn't even exist. It's absurd when you think about it… absurd because I should have been worrying about something else, worrying about the truth."

"You think we were never supposed to be together in the first place," Ryson whispered, not wanting to speak what he understood from Linda's words, but not being able to ignore it, either.

"It makes you wonder."

But Ryson would not wonder. He would not let the smallest doubt enter his soul. He knew where he was supposed to be.

"You're wrong," he said sternly, not wanting to be harsh to his wife, but not wavering from his conviction. "You're forgetting everything that's happened to us. We've dealt with destiny. We've seen it play out. We've even dealt with the power of my sword, a power that reveals clear direction. If we weren't supposed to be together, we would know by now. The sword would have made it clear. It never has. We've survived worse than this. We've gone through things that would have crushed other people. We can make it through this."

Linda looked at it from an opposing viewpoint, though with restrained emotions.

"You want to talk about all the things we've been through? Fine. Maybe they were all one big sign. Somebody was trying to tell us something, but we didn't want to listen. Now I see it, and it's hard not to listen. Maybe the sword didn't try to give you some clear understanding because you already knew the truth, but refused to accept it. That's happened with the sword before. It can't make us believe the truth if we don't want to."

"No! Now you're trying to twist things to make me believe something that's not true. We can get help for this. We're going to talk to someone that knows. Enin used to be able to see destinies. He knows the truth. He can help us."

"Enin's not here anymore. He lives in Connel."

"I know. We're going to talk to him."

"I'm not going anywhere. I don't have to talk to some wizard about something I already know."

"Then I'll go alone!"

"So you're leaving again… already."

Not willing to be deterred, Ryson admitted his intentions.

"That's right. I am. But I'm not going out on some scout. I'm going to Connel and I'm going to find out about all of this. I don't want to leave you like this, but I'm not going to ignore it, either. This is too important. It's about us. If I stay, I'll just be sitting here watching it all die. I'm not going to do that."

"You do whatever you think you have to," Linda allowed as she stared back up into the blank ceiling.

Chapter 17

Another arasap waited outside the back of Ryson and Linda's home. It could distinguish the discussion inside by perceiving the vibration of their voices. It knew Ryson was leaving for Connel. It simply had to be patient.

It could not be detected by sight as it flattened itself onto the ground and appeared as nothing more than a wide puddle not yet drained into the very soaked ground. It was slightly concerned about Ryson noticing its scent as it understood the potent senses of delvers, but it believed he was much too distracted to perceive such a minor irregularity in the air.

Within but a few moments, the small hair-like protrusions on the exterior of the creature picked up the departure of the delver. It felt the force of the front door opening and closing, and then the breeze of Ryson racing up the street on his way to Connel.

The arasap knew that the delver would be gone for quite some time, much longer than necessary for it to complete its task. It knew the condition of its objective. It had been afforded that information from other arasaps. Their form of telepathy allowed them to communicate with each other over fairly long distances. It knew the woman would not struggle, and so, it did not even have to waste magic to disguise its appearance.

The greasy substance of the arasap slipped easily beneath the back door. Once inside the home, it rose up from its flattened state but took no distinguishable shape beyond a distorted, oblong mass. It slid through the house until it found its objective laying down in a back bedroom.

Linda heard the sick gurgling noise of the creature pushing its own amorphous substance across the floor. When it entered the room where she lay, she regarded the ghastly blob with only mild interest. To her, it looked like nothing more than an oversized bubble that might arise from a slimy bar of soap.

Despite its repugnant presence, she actually showed more curiosity to the floor where the arasap moved. She wondered if it left a thick ooze. Based on the disgusting noise it made while slogging across the floor, she imagined there would be an obvious trail of sludge. She was neither surprised nor grateful to see that the monster left no evidence of its path upon the surface it traveled.

The creature's grease-like body remained completely intact and it left none of its substance behind. There were no tracks at all, not a trace of its passage left upon the floor. Even when the delver returned to his home, he would have to concentrate fully to detect the slightest hint of the arasap's trail.

The creature no longer concerned itself with the delver. Its mission was directed toward Linda Acumen and it leaned over her bed with malicious intent.

Linda continued to display little concern over the invasion. She regarded the monster as a minor curiosity, but nothing more. As she looked up into the center of the thick, towering mass, she believed she heard it speak, and in a way, she did. Its voice, however, reached her through her mind, not her ears.

"I was informed you would be obedient," the arasap indicated with satisfaction.

Linda didn't believe she was being submissive in any way. She simply didn't care about the creature or its plans. Her emotions had been temporarily deadened, isolated and blocked off from her consciousness. For the most part, her mind was clear-she could think without any fog of confusion-but her thoughts lacked any passion whatsoever.

"You remind me of someone," Linda replied with barely any interest in the monster's words or its intentions.

"I am not surprised. Others have come before me. Now, turn your head."

Out of complete indifference to her well-being, Linda did comply. She turned her head away from the arasap and looked at a corner of the ceiling. She kept staring at that blank corner even as she felt a thick fluid slide up her arm toward the base of her neck. She never flinched even as the sludgy substance pressed against her skin, passed through it, and slunk deep down her spine.

Eventually, she took her gaze away from the corner and looked to where the creature had been hovering over her. It was no surprise to her that it was gone. She couldn't feel it inside of her, wasn't sure it was there, but she could not deny the thought of being infected by a foreign substance. After only a few moments, she didn't even care.

Chapter 18

"So what do you benefit from this?" Scheff asked as he walked behind the sorcerer through the dark realm.

"Still concerned with some kind of hidden price? Do you think I'm some demon? You sound like the girl that chose to leave with her camp." Ansas stopped as he considered the elf, Haven Wellseed. He looked back over his shoulder at where the elves had departed. He hoped she might be running after them, but there was nothing behind them but barren rock. "Shame. She had potential. More than you."

"She could not cast in a circle. I can."

"It's not what she is," the sorcerer noted forcefully as he turned completely about to face the elf, "but what she could be."

"That may be," Scheff replied defensively, "but she is gone and I am here."

"True, she held to her simplistic beliefs, yet you are still asking me inane questions," Ansas noted.

"I do not think so," Scheff argued. "My beliefs are based on reality. You are offering to assist me. You said you would show me how to purge myself of my impurities. You also said you would instill part of your black energy within me. I do not believe someone like you gives away power so willingly, without anything to gain in return."

"I suppose your concern is somewhat reasonable," Ansas conceded. The sorcerer then stared directly into the face of the elf with an expression almost as dark as the magic he cast. "I do this because I want to prove a point… and I hope to gain an ally. The point is that purity remains paramount. You can never be as dominant as I am, but you can become something of legendary ability. As for being my ally, I do expect some gratitude once you realize what I've done for you. You will be far more powerful than you are now, and I may want that power at my disposal."

"So you wish to make me a slave?"

Ansas could not contain his disgust, though he spoke in a very controlled manner.

"You are an idiot. If I wanted to make you a slave, I could do so with a wave of my hand. Do you think I couldn't?"

"Then why don't you?"

"Because you would only be a shell of what you could be. I can't make you grow stronger if you are under my influence. You are no value to me under those circumstances."

"But why do you think I would serve you as an ally?"

"Because once you see how much more you can be, you will understand what I offer. I can give or take away the ebony energy at my discretion. If you turn against me, you will give up everything. If you take advantage of the opportunities I offer, you will grow more powerful by the day."

And so it was laid bare before Scheff. He did have a choice to make. If he agreed, he would link himself to Ansas in more ways than one. He might not be a slave, or even a servant, but he would be at the sorcerer's call. Further, the power of Scheff's magic would not be completely his own. That did not sit well with the elf. It was not simply a matter of associating with the brusque sorcerer, it meant accepting a different kind of subordination. Even as he was gaining a level of independence by releasing the shackles of camp elders and traditional elf beliefs, he was tying himself to the whims of the sorcerer. He did not wish to trade one suffocating constraint for another.

He almost refused, almost created his own portal back to Uton, but in the end, he decided everything had a cost. A deeper desire grew stronger than his concerns. He voiced that craving to Ansas to ensure he would receive the proper compensation for his collaboration.

"It is not just powerful magic I am after," Scheff admitted. "When you talk of what I could become, I believe I understand what you mean. There is something within me, something of great significance. I know I can be more than I am. You said 'legendary,' but I believe I can be something even more. I do not wish to be one more elf in the legends of elflore. What is elflore but a collection of myths?"

"I don't bother with such trivialities," Ansas responded with disregard to the myths of Scheff's race.

"That is exactly my point. I will not be trivial. I can surpass the legends."

"An interesting ambition, but surpassing the legends is nothing more than comparing yourself to long dead elves."

"That may be true," Scheff acknowledged, "but I must accept my current station. I am nothing but an ordinary elf with a special ability to control violet magic."

"And that's not enough for you," Ansas noted while comprehending the craving in the elf's voice.

"No, it is not. My aspirations go beyond simply casting spells with efficiency and skill. I do not wish to look to external sources. You, your ebony magic, even the violet magic that I can control now; all of that is inconsequential. It is all outside of what I am. I want to advance, to evolve. I do not wish to simply cast spells of power based on the energy I can wield. I want the full power of the storm to bend at my whim. I want to become the storm."

Ansas tilted his head at the elf, at first in curiosity and then in appreciation.

"It seems you do have some idea of what I'm talking about, because that's exactly what I'm offering. You have an inner talent, a skill that you can either waste or expand. If you wish to step beyond being a skilled spell caster and toward becoming an elemental force, you have to devote yourself to that inner ability. You must become the lord and master of your ambition, the director of your path. For you, there is nothing but your grasp over the violet hue. As I said to the other elf, the magic must serve you. You do not serve the magic. Unless you can accept this one principle, you will never reach your intended goals."

"I understand."

"Good, then follow me."

Ansas led Scheff back to the small wooden house that served as the sorcerer's home in the otherwise bleak realm of monsters and chaos. As they walked, not one creature dared molest them in any way. The dark creatures that lay in wait for prey could sense the power in the sorcerer and they wanted nothing to do with him.

Upon entering the house, they moved through the corridor and back to the sorcerer's study. Three other individuals waited inside, but Ansas did not bother to acknowledge their presence as he moved to his desk. He had called to them as he walked with Scheff and their attendance was expected.

Before sitting in his chair, Ansas pointed to a spot on the floor.

"Stand there and don't move."

Scheff obliged but felt uncomfortable as all eyes were upon him. He looked upon the three strangers that regarded him with both interest and suspicion. Two were human, a man and a woman. The third was an infern, a half-demon dressed in black armor with a white hot face.

"His hue is violet but there are many impurities within him," Ansas announced to the others. "I will need you all to help purify him."

The command appeared to alleviate the suspicions of the three spell casters as well as invigorate their attention to the newcomer. It was as if Ansas was offering up the elf as a late afternoon snack.

Scheff's discomfort grew, but he held his tongue. It was not trust that kept him quiet, for he had none for any that were before him. He doubted any of them would be true to their word, regardless of the circumstances. They had their own interests to guard, as did he. It was his own desire that kept him still, and that desire began to burn.

As he stood in that small room, he felt an extremely distinct and very unique aura of power around each individual. The more he probed the energy around them, the more apparent it became. As his sight adjusted to the pulse of magic, he believed he could see a cloud of dark red envelop the male human, while a mist of navy blue encircled the female. The infern glowed constantly, but its white face and black armor suddenly appeared immersed in a haze of burnt orange.

He realized he could see the brilliance of their undiluted hues, their individual focus purified in the most precise manner. They had also agreed to Ansas' terms and found glorified legitimacy in the concentrated nature of their inherent abilities. Red, blue, and orange; the color of each was deeper and darker than he had ever seen before in any realm of existence.

Scheff reveled in his decision, believing he would find the same vivacity in the violet essence within him. He foresaw his individual supremacy in the sheer magnificence of a titanic storm.

He almost laughed at the three spell casters there to assist in his transformation. What were they? Land, water, and fire; insignificant to the potential of his path. The pure ferocity of a storm was more than just a cataclysmic tempest raging over land and water. The storm was the raging fury of gods. He stood at the doorstep of transcendence, of becoming a god himself.

The consideration was intoxicating and the perspective forced further self-examination. He thought of his previous advancements, how proud he was to reach the skill of casting in a perfect circle. He once thought he might reach the proficiency of white magic. A renewed contemplation on that empty ambition caused him to shift his amusement and laugh at his own ignorance.

What did he need with other hues? Why should he dilute himself? To cast in white meant ignoring the very power that was his and his alone. Just as he stated to Ansas, he grasped tightly to the belief that he did not need to reach out to some exterior force. He only had to develop the violet hue deep within himself and he would ascend into a higher being, become an immortal of elemental dominance.

"I want to begin," Scheff stated.

"We are about to," Ansas replied. "Do you think I would waste time?"

Scheff smiled slightly.

Ansas leaned back in his chair as he regarded the elf with greater care than he normally allowed. With near boredom, he described what Scheff should expect.

"Despite the fact that magic itself is pure in form, there is always residue from past spells that cling to both the energy and the caster. Since you have cast spells in many hues, there is a great pool of impurity at your core. The first step of the process is to remove this unnecessary and unwanted residue."

"What must I do?"

"I have devised a method that will allow you to cast off your energy into what is essentially a filter. I will create a conduit between you and another object, one that I will not identify. You only need to know that the target will not accept magic, and that is the key to the purging. As the magic escapes through the conduit but is not captured, it will quickly break free. It will do so in pure form, for while the object at the end of the conduit will not accept the magical energy, it cannot deflect the impurities within the magic. All of the shadows, echoes and residues of your past spells will be pulled free and absorbed. The magic itself will facilitate the purification by pulling more and more of the residue from you and depositing it into the opposite end of the conduit. Do you understand?"

"I believe so, but what kind of object refuses to accept magic, or reject it, especially in pure form?"

"That is not your concern. What you must focus on is the process. At the beginning, it will be very easy for you. The magic will pour out of you in a normal fashion, but the purification process will quickly accelerate. The energy within you will begin to dwindle to levels I doubt you have ever experienced. You will feel weak and empty. You will want to break from the transfer. You must not."

"I will hold."

"I don't doubt it, but that won't be the true test. With the most peripheral energy depleted, the magic held at your very core will begin to join the transfer. It is at this point I will direct the other spell casters to link to your essence to draw out any vestiges of energy matching their particular hues. They will feed on energy that should not be within you in the first place. This will be quite painful."

Scheff looked at those around him with a greater appreciation for their eagerness. They would grow stronger at his expense, but it was only temporary. If he wished to remove those energies that would inhibit him, he had to accept the terms.

"I see."

"And then you will begin the most painful process. I must remove what is left within you before I can infuse your core with ebony energy. The black magic will become the foundation for your new magical core. Do you know why?"

Scheff could guess, but he did not wish to make the attempt. He knew the sorcerer had a far greater understanding of the ebony magic, and he wanted to learn, not to expound foolish conjecture.

"No."

Ansas appeared to appreciate the response.

"Most people believe ebony magic is that of shadow, alteration, and death. That is true, but only to a point. I have seen the very heart of pure blackness and it is far more than that. In its absolute pure form, it is the absence of everything. Think about that for a moment, think about the vastness of all existence, of every realm, every dimension. Now, consider a force that could oppose all of that."

"I believe that is beyond my comprehension," the elf admitted.

"I respect your honesty, but at least grasp the depth of what I'm saying. When I pull every last bit of magic from you-and that will be extraordinarily painful for you because you are elf-you will be hollow inside. That emptiness will be enforced by a foundation of complete and total nothingness. You will have discarded all of your previous beliefs and misconceptions. It is from that point you can rebuild yourself in the fashion you were meant to be."

"I am ready," Scheff stated with certainty, ready to take the first step into his perceived ascension into a greater existence.

"Very well."

Ansas did not even bother to stand. He remained behind his desk as a circle of black energy coursed around his left hand. With a flick of his fingers, the ring floated out to a space in front of Scheff. It formed a hole in reality, something like a portal, but its ultimate destination was hidden to the elf as if a veil of secrecy shielded the other side.

"The conduit is open and it is linked to you. Concentrate on expelling your magic into it. You are not casting a spell, only emptying yourself of magic."

Scheff understood that part of the process. He had recently discussed fortifying others with energy through magical links. He saw the process at work as he and the other elves attempted to escape Ansas' barrier. Releasing energy without casting a spell was somewhat like exhaling smoke from a pipe.

He seized the opening of the conduit with his magical core. He felt no pain, no discomfort at all, but the link was undeniable. He followed the connection with his magical senses. The established link was like a cord and he could almost touch the pitch black line that led out of him and into the abyss of nothingness that sat between dimensions of reality.

The connection passed through the emptiness and Scheff could finally see that it led back to Uton. He could not, however, follow it to its ultimate destination. The line hit what appeared to be a blurred wall, an endpoint that would not allow the magical connection to complete the link. The cord became somewhat of a hose pointed at its objective but unable to attach. While he could not identify the target, he understood that somehow it would refuse any magical energy passed towards it.

Despite being unable to follow the connection to its end, Scheff allowed the energy to spill out of him, and it flowed freely into the black hole. It started as a normal expulsion, an outward thrust of magic, but almost instantly, the outpouring of magic became a flood of escaping energy.

Scheff could not control the current. The magic rushed out of him in great waves. It felt as if he was vomiting out the energy in violent heaves. His body trembled and he felt a small crater form in the pit of his belly.

As the flow continued, the crater began to grow. Scheff felt as if his very insides were being pulled from his body. The hollowness expanded and soon he felt as if he was nothing but an empty shell. His knees buckled, but he managed to remain standing. He could still see those around him and he looked to Ansas with a painful expression.

"Very good," the sorcerer acknowledged while ignoring the elf's growing discomfort. "We will begin the second phase."

Once Ansas nodded to the other spell casters, they greedily cast their own spells which linked themselves to the elf's magical core. They pulled at the energy trapped deep in Scheff's essence. They only took magic that matched their particular hue or energy that was completely pure in nature, energy that had not been shaped by the bias of some color.

What started as a flood diminished to a small stream, not because Scheff tried to restrict the outward flow, but because there was very little magic left within him. As the other spell casters viciously pulled at what they could, the pain of extraction magnified. Scheff began to stumble as a great weakness washed over him. He could no longer stand and he fell to his knees.

The three spell casters ignored Scheff's plight. They continued their grab of power and they fought with each other over any fragment of pure energy. As the elf coughed and retched, they strengthened their own spells to dig deeper and deeper.

Ansas stood up to get a clear look at the crumpled elf. He spoke, and for the first time allowed a greater passion to shape the tone of his voice.

"Do not fight against them. Allow them to take everything from you that they can. What they pull from you, you do not want. It represents the mistakes you have made in the past, your misjudgments, your decision to allow weakness to enter. Free yourself from the past and take hold of your future, a future you make for yourself. Look to nothing else and you will be prepared for what is to come."

Ansas peered deep into both Scheff and the conduit that continued to accept a small trickle of magic from the elf's essence. He examined the links to the other spell casters. When he saw them run dry, he acted.

"Cease your spells," he commanded, and the two humans and one infern complied immediately.

Scheff found momentary relief as the three links to his core ended abruptly. Only the conduit pulled at him, but it did so in a much more passive manner. As he looked about the room, he realized he could only see in black and white. All color was absent from his vision. He did not have to see any color at all, however, to appreciate the complete shadow that formed around him.

Ansas had cast a new link, one of absolute emptiness. It was the total absence of existence and it enveloped Scheff like an avalanche of darkness. It also ripped away every last shred of magical energy hidden within the elf's essence.

Scheff's vision was extinguished. He could not even see shadows, but he did not have to see to feel the raging force tear through his insides. He felt as if he was being turned inside out. The pain was beyond monumental, it was spirit rendering. The hollowness he felt expanding throughout his body became his reality. He muttered a simple truth.

"I am dying."

As if spawned by the very emptiness that engulfed the elf, Ansas' face appeared within Scheff's tortured awareness. When the sorcerer spoke, the elf could hear the words as if implanted in his consciousness.

"Yes, you are," Ansas replied.

"You lied to me?"

"Is that what you think?"

Scheff did not see deceit in the eyes of the sorcerer, but he did not wish to die. It was not the reward he sought.

"I do not understand."

"Of course you don't. You are facing something you have never dealt with before. The abyss. The ultimate destiny. I brought you here so you could face death and then avoid it. Only by embracing the emptiness of your existence can you free yourself of the chains and barriers that limit your potential. All of the magic within you is gone. There is nothing left. You will be dead in mere moments unless…"

"What?! What must I do?"

"Take hold of what I give to you and understand that we make our own way. Despite this ebony magic that creates the new foundation of your essence, you will devote yourself to the magic you can control. Your essence will become the essence of the storm and all other constraints will be abolished from your mind."

In the fashion of an answer, Scheff embraced the emptiness that surrounded him and at the same time gave up on every other aspect of his life. The hollow magic would serve as his base, but he knew, from that moment on, he would fill himself with the violet energy that was his to command.

The room came back into focus and the elf found his strength returning. In moments, he stood and acknowledged the others in the room. He announced himself as an equal and as if seeing them for the very first time.

"I am Scheff," the elf stated. "I am the storm."

"I'm Neltus," one of the humans replied. Neltus was middle-aged, overweight, and had extremely long and unkempt hair. Despite his rather ragged appearance, he seemed quite pleased with himself. "You're not the storm yet, elfie, but you will be. I'd say I'm the land, but then I would sound even bigger than I look, and that's just wrong."

"Ignore him," the other human intervened. She was tall and plain, but her deep blue eyes revealed the essence of her hue. "I'm Rivira."

Scheff nodded and then peered at the infern.

"And you, half-demon? What should I call you?"

"I call him torch boy, but he doesn't answer to that," Neltus offered.

The infern glared at the human spell caster but only replied with his name.

"Gnafil."

Ansas quickly grew tired of the inane chatter. He had more important considerations. He had achieved his objectives far more quickly than he planned. He removed his self-imposed banishment and proved to the elf witch and her wizard accomplice that he was superior. The elves he used as bait were no longer his concern and he had added another spell caster to the list of those who would prove the dominance of purified magic. He still hoped to find spell casters skilled in yellow and green magic, but he had other ambitions as well. He needed time away from distractions to plan his path.

"I have given you the opportunity I promised," Ansas noted to Scheff. "Don't waste it. Go wherever you wish… find a suitable place to grow. Prove to this land your true potential, show them what the purity of violet energy means. If I have additional opportunities for you, I will call. You may all leave me now."

Chapter 19

The four spell casters exited Ansas' small house in the dark realm by mundanely using the front door. It's not that they were unable to teleport directly out of the sorcerer's study, but they had learned not to. Ansas created his home as a haven for quiet reflection, and he didn't appreciate others casting spells in his personal sanctuary. He requested-actually required most forcefully-that those he entrusted with slices of his dark power used the proper doors as he had seen fit to create.

Neltus signaled for Scheff to follow him, and the elf wisely moved with caution through the front entrance and out onto the harsh landscape of the dark realm. All the spell casters stepped a few paces away from the exterior of the house before they turned to face each other. It was Neltus who addressed the others with obvious enthusiasm.

"So, who wants to see the new guy test his powers?"

"You are such a child," Rivira, the human sorceress, noted. "Why do you have to make it sound like some idiotic initiation?"

"Because it is?" Neltus responded cheerfully. "Come on, Rivi, you know he's dying to see what he can do, to see if he's any different. You also know that we want to watch. It's a chance for us to see someone else make the same mistakes we did."

The infern glared at the heavy set magic caster.

"I did not make mistakes," Gnafil hissed.

"Oh yes you did, torch boy, I was there, remember?"

"What I remember was allowing the magic to choose its own direction. I made no mistake."

"You almost set the entire sea on fire!" Neltus replied.

"That was the power of magic without direction."

"And that's not a mistake?"

"No, it is not."

"Fine," Neltus sighed. "It wasn't a mistake, but are you going to tell me you don't want to see what elfie decides to do?"

Gnafil said nothing.

"I take it that means you do want to see. And what about you Rivi? You going to let the men go off alone?"

"Absolutely not, but I go because I wish to expand my own abilities, not to watch some novice."

"What are you all talking about?" Scheff asked in a suspicious tone.

"We're talking about you," Neltus laughed. "We're going to take you somewhere safe where you can cast your first spell."

"I have no intention of putting myself on display."

For a brief moment, Neltus' expression turned slightly harsh as the playful grin evaporated from his mouth.

"You best understand your place on the ladder, elfie. If the three of us want to watch what you do, we will." A twinkle quickly returned to Neltus' eyes as he waved off the elf's initial rejection. "Besides, it'll be fun. You'll learn a lot faster, too. We all made mistakes when we started out. You're going to have questions. You know you are."

Scheff frowned, but after realizing he was outnumbered by three magic casters that were much more experienced, he made no further objections.

Seeing they were all in agreement, Neltus joyfully took the lead.

"Excellent. I'll bring us to somewhere safe."

"You always pick the spot," Rivira protested.

"It's a good thing, too. Imagine if I brought torch boy to the forest."

Neltus didn't wait for further objections or for Gnafil to angrily respond to the perceived insult. He placed his hands above his head and a circle of red magic rotated up and down his arms.

Concentrating on the entire landscape that surrounded them, he pulled at the dimensional bonds that kept the different existences separated, and yet still connected. He did not break the purity of his hue by attempting to ride the waves of light or shadow between dimensions or by utilizing a mix of hues to connect two points of existence. He focused entirely on his crimson energy and its connection with the land. Allowing the energy from two distinct existences to generate a unique connection, he pressed them together as if shifting sands from two piles into one.

When he released the ring of energy, it spun off his arms and formed a wide portal directly in front of him. He smiled widely back at Scheff and then leapt through the dimensional rift.

Rivira and Gnafil looked expectantly at Scheff. It was clear they would wait for the elf to cross before they stepped through. They would follow and their patience was waning fast.

Knowing he did not have a choice, Scheff stepped through the portal and found himself back in Uton, but in no less harsh an environment.

The black and gray stone of the dark realm was replaced by the tan, dry sands and cracked rock of the Lacobian Desert. The heavy, humid winds disappeared, as the elf was greeted by the hot parched air of a dry land. The half-dead trees oozing with a sickly sap were nowhere to be found, but Scheff could see several tall cactus rising defiantly from the desert floor.

Scheff found the conditions even more displeasing than the dark realm. He had lived all his life in the thick forest of Dark Spruce. He did not travel beyond its borders. The surrounding wasteland of sandstone cliffs and high dunes were as foreign to him as the hostile grounds of another dimension. The hot, dry air burned his lungs and the smell of the desert was something he could not describe. It seemed both empty and overpowering at the same time.

He almost leapt back through the portal, but he could see Gnafil and Rivira bounding across and he was forced backwards to make room. Before he could get around them, Neltus closed the portal.

Rivira revealed a similar expression of discontent and made her dissatisfaction known to all.

"I hate the desert," the sorceress complained.

"I know you do, sweetie," Neltus laughed, "but we played near the sea last time. That was much too big of an advantage for you. You have to learn to deal with dry land."

Rivira did not appreciate the insinuation that she was ill prepared to deal with a harsh environment and clarified her own understanding.

"Nothing is completely dry."

"Then you should be happy."

"I am not happy with the desert."

"I don't think you're happy with anything. You complain a lot. At least torch boy doesn't talk as much."

"And you talk too much," Gnafil noted.

"Well played," Neltus allowed, "but the truth is, I picked it as the safest spot for the new guy. If we put him near a sea, he could wipe out an entire coastal town by mistake. We put him in the mountains, and he could cause an avalanche or flood a valley. No, this is better. It's pretty wide open with not much else to get in the way."

"I don't care who gets in the way," Gnafil hissed.

"I know," Neltus admitted. "I think you would torch an orphanage without a second thought, but I don't think we want that kind of attention. We can't expand our powers if we're running from every witch and warlock hunter in the land."

"What do I care for hunters?"

"You don't, torch boy, but if you start stirring the pot, maybe some other wizard starts getting interested in us… like the one in Connel."

Neltus didn't even have to say Enin's name, but all of them knew of the powerful wizard. Despite their expanding talents, none of them believed they were a match for a spell caster that controlled pure white magic with two perfect circles.

Turning to the elf, Neltus decided not to waste any more time.

"Alright, elfie, let's see what you've got."

"Excuse me?" Scheff responded.

"Time for you to cast a spell, tap into that new pure power of yours."

"Just like that?"

"What? You need time to prepare?"

"I need time to consider the implications of what has happened."

"What's to consider? All the previous spells you've ever cast have been ripped out of you. This will be like casting your first spell all over again."

"And that is exactly why I should take time to consider what I cast."

Neltus frowned.

"You think too much, elfie."

"You would rather have me not think at all? Perhaps then I, too, would set something as big as the sea on fire."

Neltus tilted his head, but then saw the annoyed expression on the infern's face. The rotund spell caster laughed heartily.

"Very good!" Neltus approved. "You took a shot at torch boy… and on your first day. I like you, elfie."

"I would appreciate it if you ceased calling me 'elfie.' I find it irritating."

"You best get used to it, because that's just one of the things the land can be… irritating. Think of me as the pebble in your shoe, or the sand down your shirt, or the grit in your eyes."

"You will not get used to it," Rivira advised. "He is childish, as I said before. Do your best to ignore it."

"Very well, then I will also ignore his impatience and I will take my time."

"I have no intention of waiting," Gnafil sneered, and the infern turned his attention to the open lands in the distance and cast a spell of his own. A dark orange circle appeared at the palm of his gauntlet and he flung it into the deep blue, desert sky.

The ring of amber rotated as it grew both wider and longer. It turned into a spinning tunnel of flame that swirled across a high dune. It was a towering twister of pure fire, feeding on the hot air. It roared like an angry beast filled with hate and fury.

"Not bad," Rivira allowed. "Do you still control it?"

In response, the infern directed the fire tunnel back and forth with swift hand movements. Gnafil forced the flaming twister to dance in various directions.

"I wish to attempt to douse it," Rivira announced, but looked respectfully to the infern for approval before casting her own spell.

When Gnafil nodded, Rivira's eyes flashed dark blue and her own azure ring of power leapt far above her head. She kept the circle in place, but allowed it to spin faster and faster. She used it to pull every drop of moisture from the air and ground as it grew in bulk. There was so little water in the immediate area, the magic pulled from great distances and far into the sky.

Once she had obtained sufficient water, she molded the ring into a long liquid spear. Revealing deft control, she pointed the spear at the flaming twister and cast it with an arced projection.

The long shaft of water flew high above the desert floor in an upward angle until it found a clear path into the center of the narrow twister. Its pointed tip dropped downward, and the spear plummeted at a much steeper angle.

Gnafil attempted to maneuver the fire tunnel away, but the dark blue, liquid javelin adjusted its own path to compensate. Even as the infern commanded the flame twister to dodge and weave, the two massive elemental forces collided.

Rivira's water spear exploded when it reached the center of the fiery tunnel. A great cloud of steam erupted from the top of the twister as if it had become a smoldering volcano. The blaze dimmed significantly, but it did not go out. The steam cloud dissipated into the sky with a slow, weakening hiss and the flames soon returned to their initial brilliance.

Though the infern showed no delight over the apparent victory of his spell, Neltus was much less reserved.

"Score one for torch boy."

Rivira shook her head in disgust.

"Did you expect differently? We are in the desert."

"Still complaining, eh?" Neltus laughed, but quickly dismissed the sorceress and turned to Scheff. "Well, elfie. Times up. We're not going to wait around forever."

Scheff had watched the other two spell casters intently. Their magical strength was awe-inspiring, but he understood he had access to the same levels of energy. His was the aura of violet storm and he decided to make his own claim to power.

Focusing on the still burning twister of fire, Scheff decided to cast a tornado of his own, one that would match the size and strength of the column created by the infern. The elf's twister, however, would be born not of fire, but by the heart of a storm.

With his first spell, Scheff could not ignore the influence of the dark energy deep inside of him. He could not tap into its strength, but it guided his connection to the magic all around him. It kept him completely focused on his inherent hue, allowed him to dig deeper into his own magical core to shape the violet power.

A perfect ring of purple magic rotated about his wrists until he cast it out into the desert horizon just to the left of Gnafil's fire column. The violet color was much darker than it had ever been. It quickly expanded and elongated into a narrow but furious band that stretched from the desolate ground high into the blue heavens.

Gale winds from the upper reaches of the sky swirled into the magical current of Scheff's violet energy. The cyclone spawned a growing storm cloud in the previously clear desert atmosphere just as the base of the long, spinning column stretched down to the high dunes. The violently circulating winds sent rock and sand in all directions.

Even at a great distance, the spell casters could feel the harsh grains of sand batter their exposed skin, but Scheff ignored the distraction. The elf maintained control over his cyclone and he sent it directly toward the infern's column of fire.

"What are you doing, elf?" Gnafil shouted with growing alarm.

"Testing the strength of your fire against my winds," Scheff responded almost gleefully.

The extent of his newfound energy surprised the elf, stoked his confidence and pressed him to test the limits of his power. He fed the cyclone with even more of his energy just as the high winds of his twister crashed into the flaming walls of Gnafil's tornado.

The results surprised the elf. The gale force currents of the cyclone failed to snuff out the flaming twister as Scheff expected. Instead, it fed the flames as it merged into the center of the fiery column.

"I can not control it!" Gnafil screeched. "Pull back!"

"I have lost touch with mine," Scheff admitted. "I can not even see it."

The flames engulfed the spinning winds and the twisting tower of fire doubled in width, then tripled and continued to grow.

Before Neltus acted, he winked at Rivira.

"Still think the desert was a mistake?" he asked with a grin.

Not waiting for Rivira to admit she was wrong, which Neltus knew she would not, he cast his own spell. A ring of crimson magic flew from his finger tips and skipped across the ground toward the column of fire. It was not affected by the ripping winds or the roaring flames, and it took a position directly underneath the cyclone. The instant it was in place, it exploded with a dark red flash.

Sand and rock poured into the center of the twister from every direction. It came in giant waves, each nearly as tall and as wide as the cyclone itself. At first, much of the dirt and debris was cast aside, but it kept pouring over the center of the column.

After about a dozen waves, the flames began to dim and the spinning winds started to sputter. More and more stone and sand filled the twister, and the cyclone's movements became lethargic and labored. The violent tornado could not fight off the choking waves of debris, and eventually the heavy sands completely smothered the combination of fire and wind.

As the dust slowly settled, the spell casters revealed various reactions. Scheff appeared visibly shaken, surprised at how much raw power was at his command, and just as surprised at how quickly it broke from his control. The infern appeared furious while the sorceress revealed an expression of annoyance. Neltus, however, seemed greatly amused by the entire debacle.

"That was almost as much fun as when Gnafil set the sea surface on fire," Neltus laughed.

Rivira shook her head and stepped up to the elf.

"Let that be your first lesson, Scheff. You are indeed strong with the storm, but the pureness of your magic creates a greater concentration of energy for each spell. You may not be able to manipulate the dark magic Ansas planted within you, but it will feed you nonetheless. If you're not careful, even the simplest of spells can break from your control. A basic rain storm could turn into a hurricane, and not only rage against your target, but drain you of your energy and leave you defenseless against your own spell."

"But the fire was Gnafil's spell," Scheff objected.

"And it was fed by the wind of your cyclone. If you don't think you would have been responsible for roasting us all, then you have no idea of the consequences of your own spells… and that is a very dangerous consideration."

Rivira said nothing more. She and the infern cast separate teleportation spells and exited the Lacobian Desert.

"Ahh, don't let her get to you," Neltus advised. "She's always a bit high strung. I think it was a great start."

Scheff wasn't sure if that was a compliment or a jesting insult, and so, he said nothing in response.

Neltus' mirth slowly died away. He looked at the huge pile of sand and stone created by the mix of spells and considered the combined power of magic they had displayed. It was a concern that plagued him when he realized that Ansas wished to purify new spell casters.

Taking a quick look at Scheff, Neltus decided to take advantage of their moment alone and pressed for the elf's opinions on such subtle matters.

"Let me ask you this, elfie, where do you think this is all headed?"

"Headed?"

"Yeah, headed. You're not deaf are you? No, 'course you're not, just a bit slow, or I'm sure you'd rather say 'careful.' Be that as it may, I admit you're a cautious one, and you must have thought long and hard about the sorcerer's offer. What made you take it?"

"He offered me an opportunity to grow stronger on a new path," Scheff admitted. The elf then nodded over to the same mounds of sand and stone that marked the last position of his cyclone. "Evidently, he was correct."

"Yeah, you've got more power than you had before, can't argue that, but that brings me back to my original question. Where is this all headed?"

"You mean what direction will I take?"

"I guess that's one way to put it, but I'm talking more about all of us together, not just what you're going to do next."

Scheff considered the question in the context it was given. He thought about himself, Neltus, Rivira and Gnafil and how they all fit in with the opportunity Ansas described. He gave what he thought was the obvious answer.

"We are all going to get stronger."

Neltus shook his head.

"No, elfie, think bigger, wider. The big picture. What is it?"

"The big picture? I do not understand."

"You haven't spent much time out of the forest, have you?"

"Of course not. I am an elf."

"Alright, let me put it to you this way; we didn't all get a piece of Ansas just because he wants to play around with magic. At least, I don't think so. I'm trying to figure out what he ultimately wants to do with us."

The answer to that question seemed obvious, and it was a question that Scheff had already put before the sorcerer.

"He wants us to expand our powers, to become something greater. He said so himself."

"Come on, elfie, that doesn't add up. You're looking at this from our perspective, not his. Ansas isn't going to just give away a piece of himself so we can get stronger. Let's face it, he's not the warm and fuzzy compassionate type, hoping to make the land a better place for us spell casters."

"You believe he has ulterior motives?"

"Don't you?"

"He is powerful enough that he would not have to hide his purpose from us."

"Not if he needs us to go along willingly. Sure, he could threaten us and I'd probably go along. I'm not too proud to admit the guy scares me to death, but maybe that won't work for him. Maybe we have to accept all this willingly."

Scheff considered the idea, and he had to confess it held merit. Still, Ansas seemed forthright about what he offered.

"He spoke plainly to me. I do not believe he is of a character that would depend on deceit. If I did not oblige him, I honestly believe he would have accepted that decision and simply moved on to find someone else. He did so, more or less, with another elf that was at my side."

"Really? What happened?"

"She refused his offer, but he let her return to her camp, just as he said he would."

"Interesting."

"But not surprising," Scheff replied. "It made perfect sense. He offered an opportunity and she declined. He would not be bothered with trying to convince her to change her mind."

Neltus appeared uncertain of the elf's conjecture. It seemed reasonable, but then returned to his primary concern.

"Then that brings us back to the original question. What does he really want out of all of this? He offered me more power than I could imagine, and he's made good on that bargain. He told me he would utilize me to help others become pure, and it would be to my benefit. He wasn't kidding about that, either."

"Then why do you question it?"

"Because he's a little too hung up on this purity stuff. He keeps saying this is going to lead us to some kind of higher existence. That kind of unnerves me. What does that mean to me? Am I going to become some pure elemental force of the land? I don't even know what in blazes that might be."

"And that is what concerns you?"

"Yeah, and it should concern you, too. Because it might mean he expects you to turn into some large storm. No more elfie, just a big bag of wind, rain, and lightning. You want that?"

Scheff did not answer.

"And then there's Ansas himself. He casts pure black magic. That in itself is kind of disturbing. I think it's rarer than white magic. What does he expect to become? Death?"

Neltus let out a heavy sigh. He wasn't worried about saying too much to the elf. He also wasn't concerned with Ansas finding out what he thought. Part of the sorcerer's magic was already inside of him, and Neltus honestly believed if Ansas wanted to know any of his deep secrets, there was nothing he could do to shield them from the sorcerer.

In the end, Neltus realized he would gain no greater insight from Scheff.

"Well, elfie, I can't complain too much about what's happened. Ansas has kept to his word and I intend to keep to mine. I'll continue showing up when he calls, but I'll also keep wondering what he really has in mind. I don't think he's ever going to tell us. I'm guessing he doesn't think we're entitled to hear it. Maybe we're not. It's just something to think about."

Chapter 20

Linda never rose to leave for work. She remained in bed gazing at the ceiling, staring at the emptiness above her that seemed to symbolize her condition. She tried to make sense of what was happening to her, tried to understand all of the emotions that had crashed down upon her, and then left her frozen and too tired to care.

She couldn't.

So many images had rushed through her mind, images she couldn't comprehend. They were like flashes of memories, rekindled occurrences brought out by a distinct smell or a familiar song. They were far from complete; just shreds of scenes, small pieces of a picture… a corner here, a torn edge there. While there was never sufficient detail to get a full understanding of the stray recollections, enough substance was imprinted in her mind to glean certain aspects for reference. To add to her dismay, the images never contained anything she could actually recall, nothing she could place within the realm of her own previous experiences.

What was worse, many of the strange fragments contained a deep emotion. Fear, anger, sadness, desperation, worry, confusion; all of these sensations were contained in the shreds of mysterious messages, yet they were all foreign. It wasn't her fear, or her anger, or even her confusion. The emotions that somehow rushed into her consciousness weren't her own.

She knew what it was like to be afraid and she certainly knew how to worry. She worried every time Ryson left to explore some dangerous part of Uton. Even when she tried to bury her anxiousness, she still understood it.

It was by no means an unfamiliar sensation, but the torrent of unfamiliar thoughts sparked an emotional sensation that lacked any attachment. It was like she was concerned about something that meant nothing to her, as if she suddenly became anxious over the chip in a dinner plate owned by a neighbor. Obviously, she shouldn't care, but for some reason, such anxieties took a dominant place within the center of her being.

It was the same with her anger. Most of what had flooded her consciousness wasn't hers. She was getting frustrated at what was happening to her, but that feeling was far overshadowed by the rage of another sort. Again, it wasn't her anger that had cast a shadow across her being, it was an external fury. The emotion was raw and clear, but whatever its source, it wasn't really her concern. Just as with her anxiousness, it was like she was mad about something totally inconsequential, as if being annoyed with a broken farm cart. What should she care about such things?

Despite the irrelevance of the concerns, the fury that had washed over her burned with frightful force. The instant the mysterious thoughts cascaded through her mind, she trembled with fury. The rage had been so deep she wanted to scream as her muscles tensed and her vision blurred with red hot wrath.

It was the same with the other emotions as well, but they didn't have quite the same degree of influence. The sadness crushed her spirit, and the anxiety closed in upon her, made her feel as if everything was rising up against her. The confusion jumbled her perspective and the dread had her glancing over her shoulder at every bump and shadow.

The fear behind that dread and the terror that struck on its own was almost as powerful as the anger. It billowed over the other emotions and placed her in a state of pure panic. Combined with the anger, those two emotions had forced reality from her mind. Her fear and rage ballooned and she would have struck out against anyone who was near her.

Thankfully, when the flood of strange thoughts had rushed through her consciousness in the past, she was alone. No one saw her eyes burn hot with fury and her face turn pale with terror. No one witnessed her removal from the reality around her.

It had happened three times before. Foreign thoughts pushed their way into her mind and left her reeling, placed her in a fit of emotional upheaval, but in all three cases, the raw anguish eventually dissipated. With each instance, however, it seemed to take a little longer for the reaction to subside.

Once the raw emotion faded, she was left with a distorted recollection of confused thoughts. She remembered the flood of images, but she couldn't piece them together in any coherent manner. It was a jumble, a mass of disconnected impulses.

Even as she tried to coax the images and corresponding emotions into some rational order, the effort wore on her. The feelings she tried to grasp didn't invoke a matched response. As she reflected on the blurred considerations of sadness or fear, her own emotions dimmed. Pulling at the loose threads left her tired and growingly disinterested. Her emotions began to drift far into the background.

The fuzzy haze that clamped down on her grew stronger over time. She could recall all three episodes, but she found she cared less about them with each encounter.

With her emotions very much in check, she considered Ryson. She believed she should be angry with him, angry for not understanding, angry for leaving her again so soon, and certainly angry for not realizing she needed help.

She wondered if she was being too hard on him. He said he wanted to help. That was why he left, to go speak with Enin. The wizard might have an answer.

But to Linda, the consideration held no hope. Her optimism was buried deep with all of her other emotions. She found no solace in Ryson's attempt to find an answer for her problems.

She thought of the magic. That was why Ryson went to talk to Enin, to better understand what they faced. He was trying to be rational, but what was rational about magic?

Nothing.

Not to her.

That was the one thing she clearly understood, the one aspect that came through even when foreign thoughts raged within her. The images might have confused her, the emotions might have first incensed her only to leave her numb, but she knew without a doubt that the magic could never touch her.

She had been told she was immune by individuals with great control over the energy, and she knew there was a power flowing across the land that was always beyond her reach. Previously, her immunity wasn't something she completely accepted, mostly because she really didn't understand it. For some reason, she was very unique. Every one else could touch the energy and sensed the change when the magic first returned to the land. She was apparently very special, but she couldn't comprehend why.

Most of that changed the first time the flood of strange fragments hit her. She still didn't understand the magic, but she was suddenly aware that it could not penetrate her. Any doubt about that was flung from her consciousness and any question of her immunity disintegrated.

Upon that first torrent, she had instantly thought of Ryson. She realized how the magic was within him, within all delvers, but it was a part of him that she could never share. Because of that, they would also never be able to have children. No matter how it was forced at her, the magical energy could not alter her in any way. She could see the spells, see their effects on others, witness illusions, hear the sound of magical thunder and smell magical fire, but the magic itself could never enter her body.

She wasn't sure just how much that upset her. The emotions that were attached to the foreign memory strands were not her own, so they interfered with any true response. Once the alien emotions faded, she was left fatigued and indifferent. She was incapable of registering a sincere reaction.

And so, she contemplated her future, their future, with muted feelings. She wondered if she could make realistic assessments under such conditions, but at the same time, she didn't care much either way. Everything seemed so insignificant. It was easier to become disinterested than to fight through the haze.

Just as she sank into greater unresponsiveness, another wave of sensations rushed across her. The feeling was so odd. At first, she was aware of something trying to take hold of her, as if she could sense a hand reaching toward her, but whatever it was, it could not touch her. It was nothing more than a flailing attempt to reach into her. She did nothing to avoid contact. She didn't have to. Her immunity kept her safe from the unprovoked connection.

While the mysterious hand of distant energy couldn't touch her, it could still somehow point to her. As it did, she felt another intense surge press against her, but it, too, bounced away. It was magic, and it could not invade her being on its own.

But just like the past three encounters, the magic was not completely pure. Even as it deflected away from her, it left something behind. The action of crashing against her broke off small segments of the flow, particles that didn't belong but found their way into the substance, like woodchips scattered over the top of a stream. When the current hit Linda, it was as if the water broke away but the excess debris kept moving in the same direction.

As these foreign substances congregated against her, they eventually pressed themselves into her mind. Once more she experienced the strange flash of disjointed images. They manifested themselves like a bizarre dream. She was simply a bystander. She didn't invoke the scenes into her memory. They just raced by unannounced and uninvited.

As the fragments of thought rushed forward, they bombarded Linda with scores of negative emotions. All of the previous destructive feelings, such as anger and sadness, returned with renewed vitality. She shrank from the coldness ingrained in them, and her body shivered despite the warm temperatures in the room.

The stream of emotions took hold of her in a way that the initial magical contact could not. A fierce bond allowed the segments of scattered images and crushing emotions to reach deep into her soul. Most of her own emotions remained boxed away, but an invading anger and frustration brought out her fury.

She leapt from the bed, disgusted with herself for being so passive. She cursed and screamed, but there was no one there to hear her, and in that, she thought of Ryson.

He had left her, so she would leave him. She raced out of the bedroom and then out of their house with just the clothes on her back. She carried nothing with her as she stormed toward the western gate.

As she drew near the guard post, one of the soldiers recognized her. It was odd enough for someone to be moving toward his post so late in the afternoon on foot and empty handed, but it was also out of the ordinary to see the delver's wife stray far from her home or the Borderline Inn where she worked. There was little to the west but the river and Dark Spruce Forest, and the soldier never encountered Linda heading off alone in that direction, so his concern grew.

"Linda? You're leaving? You might not want to go out there alone. There's been some…"

"Get out of my way," she hissed without looking at the soldier.

Her rebuke caught the soldier off guard and she crossed past the gate before he could question her further. His surprise quickly faded, and he caught up with her before she made it too far down the dirt road.

"Don't you think you could use an escort? There's been a great deal of activity in the area lately."

"No," she growled.

The soldier was at a loss of what to do, but he didn't believe he should just let her continue.

"Really, Linda, it's not safe. If something happens to you…"

She cut him off with an angry glare.

"Did my husband need an escort when he left?!"

"No, but he's a delver."

"So delver's get special treatment, do they?"

"That's not what I meant."

"If you're going to prevent me from leaving, I'm going to demand to know why!"

The guard became defensive.

"It's my job to protect the gate and the people that come and go into Burbon."

"And is it your job to interfere with everyone's business?" she demanded. "If I feel like going for a walk, I'll go for a walk!"

"But why into the forest?"

"Why is that your concern?"

They were going in circles and the soldier was growing frustrated.

"I have to warn you that it's not safe."

"Fine, you've warned me. Do you have the authority to stop me?"

The soldier grimaced. He could stop her if she posed a threat to the town, but she didn't. There was little he could do.

"One last time," he offered, "I can get you an escort, or I would recommend you head out to the east if you're just looking to go for a walk."

"I'll go where I want," and she stormed away from the confused guard.

Chapter 21

When Ryson appeared at Enin's front step in Connel, over a half dozen dogs ran to greet him. The delver happily bent low to acknowledge each one. He smiled broadly as they licked his cheeks, nose and ears. It was the greatest feeling in the land to be recognized, and accepted, by such loyal and loving animals.

"They are always so happy to see you," Enin noted as he walked out to meet his friend.

"And I'm always happy to see them."

Ryson spied a medium sized dog with a dark brown coat. It was a mix of breeds too numerous to mention as well as difficult to identify.

"He's new," Ryson noted. "Haven't seen him before."

"You're correct."

"You find a stray?"

"No, no strays in Connel. Dogs are much too valuable. Best warning systems in all of Uton, even better than magic. He was somewhat of a gift."

"A gift?"

"Well, he belonged to a friend of mine, an older gentleman. The dog was actually a gift to him from his son. They were together for a short while, but my friend unfortunately became very ill. He knew of my love for dogs and asked me to take care of this one if he didn't get better."

"He didn't?"

"No."

"I'm sorry."

"Thank you," Enin responded sadly, but then looked to the dog and a smile returned to his face, "but I know they will be together again eventually. We all will. Dogs and people have a bond that is stronger than this existence."

Ryson didn't quite understand exactly what Enin meant, but he took great joy in the words as he continued to pet and scratch every dog around him. As he rubbed the new dog's ears, the delver posed a question to the dog's face.

"What's your name, big guy?"

"Stomps," Enin answered for the dog.

"Stomps?"

"Yes, he has a habit of stamping his front paws when he wants something. Apparently, he did it when he was a puppy and still does it today."

The delver peered into the dog's eyes.

"So you're a demanding fellow? Good for you."

Ryson's interaction with the animals made Enin's smile even stronger.

"Why don't you get a dog?" the wizard asked.

It was a question that always crept into the back of Ryson's mind every time he visited the wizard, but he always suppressed any further considerations. Enin's question pulled the idea further out into the light and forced the delver to deal with it more openly.

"Dogs aren't easy to come by," Ryson answered as a way to approach the issue in a more practical manner without the influence of emotion. "You said it yourself, they're valuable; more valuable than gold, land or magic in my eyes."

"Stomps here would be willing to go home with you," Enin offered. "I can tell. They talk to me you know."

Ryson looked back and forth from Stomps to Enin. The question of having a dog was no longer simply pulled from the back of his thoughts for further consideration. It was presented to him as a clear choice. He was pleased beyond measure to hear the dog would be willing to accept him, but reluctance born of his insecurities quickly chased any immediate acceptance away. Unable to simply say no, Ryson again attempted to deal with the matter based on circumstances and not desires.

"I thought his previous owner wanted you to have him?"

"He just wanted me to make sure Stomps was taken care of. I know you would make sure of that. I'm not breaking any promise, if that's what concerns you."

And just like that, all barriers seemed to be removed. If Ryson wanted a dog, he could have one, but he also realized it was an enormous commitment, one he shouldn't make in the spur of the moment.

"I would love to, but…"

"You think Linda would mind?"

The mention of his wife revived the concern that brought Ryson to Connel. He didn't know what Linda would think of having a dog. In truth, he was very confused as to what Linda was thinking about anything. With their relationship weighing on him, he realized what was truly keeping him from immediately accepting the proposal.

"I want to talk about Linda with you. That's why I'm here."

Ryson turned his attention back to Stomps. Crouched down before the dog, he found happiness, but he finished revealing his reluctance as if explaining it to Stomps.

"I would love to take you home, but I'm away too much. I wouldn't want to leave you alone."

"You could take him with you on your scouts," Enin suggested.

"Too dangerous. I don't know what I would do if something happened to him. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."

Stomps looked back into Ryson's eyes and then licked the delver's nose.

Enin chuckled to himself, and then explained what he saw in the dog's mind and heart.

"That's okay, Ryson. Stomps understands. The time isn't right for you at the moment. He knows that. He'll be fine here. He likes me, though he thinks I'm a bit odd."

Ryson smiled back at the dog. He whispered a response, but said it loud enough so that the wizard could hear him as well.

"I'm with you, boy. Wizards are odd people. They do odd things."

Enin chuckled again, but then took a hard look at the delver and considered everything that Ryson had said.

"Why don't you come inside?" Enin asked. "We should talk in private."

The wizard guided Ryson into his study. They both sat down and Enin started the conversation without hesitation.

"You are concerned about Linda," Enin recognized. "What is it that I can do for you, or her?"

Ryson wasn't sure how to start, so he simply threw out the one concern that seemed to create Linda's downward slide.

"Linda doesn't think we can have children."

"She's right," Enin responded simply.

The wizard's certainty shocked the delver. He didn't have a great understanding of the magic, but he believed its very existence made almost anything possible.

"You're sure?" Ryson asked.

"Absolutely. She's physically immune to magic. A delver child is part magic. That's just the way it is."

Ryson rubbed the back of his neck, uncertain of what to say or do next. He realized that Linda was right. She didn't need to speak to Enin, or anyone else. She knew the truth. At that moment, he did, too, and it left him confused… uncertain of his future.

"This surprises you?" Enin wondered.

"Yeah, I guess."

"I suppose it might," Enin allowed. "Did you plan to have a family?"

Ryson struggled for an answer. It was a very personal issue and it was difficult to discuss.

"It's complicated," the delver finally admitted. "It's not that we didn't talk about it. We just never made a decision one way or the other."

"Yes, family life is indeed complicated."

Ryson felt the urge to explain further. Revealing that they had not made certain decisions left him uneasy, as if he had acted irresponsibly.

"I guess we were just taking things as they came. Maybe that's not the smartest way to handle things, but you have to realize delvers don't always have a plan. We tend to switch paths quickly. You also have to consider everything that's happened since we got together. We met right when the magic returned. After that, it's been almost one crisis after another. We've been happy to just stay alive."

"That's true," Enin conceded. "Okay, so there was no set plan and many challenges, but if you don't mind me asking-and this is just about you, it has nothing to do with what you think Linda wants-did you want to have children?"

Ryson had to give Enin credit. The wizard pulled another question from the depths of the delver's heart and forced him to face it. It was indeed a very personal question, but also a very important one, one that he believed he might have been avoiding.

"Like I said, it's complicated."

"That might be, but if you want to get through this, you're going to have to be honest with yourself first before you can deal with it honestly with Linda."

Ryson sighed and made a very truthful admission.

"I don't think so… want to have children that is. I'm away a lot. I face a lot of danger. Godson! Look at what's been happening to me over the past few seasons. I've been fighting monsters and demons. Do I really want to bring a kid into something like that? I mean, you just asked me if I wanted Stomps. It's not that I don't want him, it's just that I don't want anything to happen to him because of me. If I'm concerned about having a dog, why would I want a child?"

"Your point is well taken. Your honesty is also to be commended. That's a very good start to handling your problem, but now we have to consider the other half of the equation. What about Linda?"

What about Linda?

Yet again, another difficult question. Ryson rubbed his forehead as he dug through his memories of his discussions with his wife. He tried to piece them all together and come up with a clear answer.

"She worries about me as it is. I'm not sure she would want to add to that."

"But maybe with a child she would have something to divert her attention," Enin proposed.

It wasn't a thought completely foreign to the delver.

"I know what you're saying. If she was taking care of a child, it might take her mind off me being gone, but I'm torn about that. I feel bad about leaving her alone. If she had a child, she might not mind as much, but then I'd be leaving them both. And that's not right. We shouldn't start a family just so I could run off and explore. It sounds terrible. I don't want to just leave everything to her. Raising a family is tough. I should be there."

Enin began to see a fault in Ryson's reasoning.

"That matter is now irrelevant," the wizard remarked. "You can't have children, so agonizing over whether or not you should be there for them is not the question. You seemed surprised to find out you couldn't have children with Linda. I asked if you had planned on having a family. You obviously didn't. As for Linda, you seem to be focusing on whether or not it would be fair for her to have them without you being around. That doesn't really answer the question. Do you think Linda wanted to have a family?"

Ryson couldn't avoid the issue any further. He had to give his honest opinion.

"I don't think so. That's the truth."

Enin nodded and accepted the presumption, but he would not allow the discussion to end there.

"Yet you seem concerned about leaving her alone. I'm just wondering if having children is the real problem. I don't doubt that has caused some immediate concern, but is there something else? I don't mean to pry, but I can't dismiss the obvious. You've been talking about leaving Linda alone. I know you do that because you have to… you're a delver. But you seem almost guilty about it. It sounds as if you may be questioning whether or not you really want to be a delver."

Ryson wasn't sure if it was anguish or relief that sliced through his spirit. The wizard cut right to the heart of the issue. Enin had addressed the concern that perhaps scared him the most, yet it was also the reason he came to the wizard for assistance.

"I'm not questioning it. I think she might be. Actually, I'm wondering if Linda wants to be with a delver."

"I see," Enin acknowledged as he considered the serious question with great deliberation. "I have spent time with your wife, even talked to her about it. She knew what to expect. She was always going to worry about your safety, but I don't think she ever held it against you, wanted you to be something else."

"That might have been before, but she seems different now. She made this remark about not having children and now she doesn't seem to care about anything. It's the magic she's immune to, not me, but something happened to her."

"It might have been a shock to her. Not wanting children and not being able to have them are two different things. In the back of her mind, it was always a possibility. Now, she realizes it no longer is. She probably just needs time."

It made sense, but the conclusion was much too abrupt for Ryson's liking. He had hoped Enin would be more proactive in offering a more helpful solution.

"So that's it?" Ryson asked.

"You hoped for more?"

"Yes! I don't understand this magic stuff, not like you do. I was hoping you might be able to do something."

"I can't change her immunity, and I can't make you something you're not."

"But maybe you can do something else."

"What did you have in mind?"

Ryson knew of Enin's great powers. He even knew of abilities the wizard had discarded.

"You used to talk about seeing the destiny in people, you had the ability."

"Yes, I did, and I blocked it out. I was making judgments of people based on what they would face, and that was wrong. No one should make a decision based on what I was able to see. It wasn't fair."

"That's not what I'm talking about. I believe Linda and I were destined to be together. Too many things happened to us for that not to be true. I was thinking you could validate that for us."

"There's one problem with that. I could never see Linda's destiny. I believe it was because she was immune to magic."

"But you could see my destiny."

"That is true, but you're not the one with the issue, she is, and I'm still not sure I understand how that might help you." Enin paused as he considered the entire situation. "Ah, I see. You want me to look into your destiny and tell you that everything is going to be fine between you and Linda, don't you?"

Ryson felt a surge of guilt. In essence, it was exactly what he wanted. He didn't want to admit it, but there was no sense in trying to avoid the knowing gaze of the wizard.

"Yes, is that so bad?"

"No, I understand your situation, but I don't think you understand mine. Even if I could just turn that ability back on, I'm no fortune teller. I saw destined events, moments of critical choices. We have several paths we can follow, but most of them lead to one significant event or another. Whether or not you were, or still are, destined to be with Linda would not necessarily be in the realm of my seeing."

"But you have seen things in the past regarding my destiny. Even though you couldn't see hers, you have to admit they fit together."

"Yes, it has always seemed you and Linda were on convergent paths."

"Then that's what I want her to hear. Maybe you could talk to her…"

At that, Enin held up both hands. He would have done almost anything to help Ryson and Linda, but the delver was asking him to influence someone about their most personal matters.

"Ryson, please do not ask me to get involved in… domestic issues. I am not unsympathetic to you and the problem you seem to face, but this is not the answer. In a way, you're hoping I can influence your wife with my abilities. I know you're not talking about casting a spell over her-we both know that would do no good-but it's almost the same thing. She may not be able to touch the magic, but she has some comprehension over its power. If I start telling her things she can never really validate, it's going to lead you both into trouble. No, this is something you have to work out another way. There's no magical destiny that will solve your problems."

"I don't want you to try to trick her, just tell her what you think."

"What I think? Sometimes I don't know myself. You talk about complications, think of my life for a moment. I know you think I often drift off, but that's not really the truth. At this very moment, my consciousness is trying to separate a half dozen different thought patterns that have me concerned with various levels of magical intricacies. I don't want to make it seem as if the magic assaults me, but it opens my awareness to paths I cannot adequately describe."

Enin paused to consider the delver's own awesome abilities and believed he might have found a way to offer more clarity.

"Think of your own senses," the wizard continued. "What you can see, smell and hear is far beyond my ability. I know there are times you can be overwhelmed by what you sense. That's why you have to go out and explore the world. If you didn't, I believe you'd go insane."

Ryson appreciated the wizard's understanding of his personal situation, but he remained focused on his problems with his wife.

"That's why I thought you might be able to talk to her," Ryson said. "She'll respect what you have to say."

"And what is it exactly I should tell her? You don't want me to trick her, but you want me to try to explain to her how I see things. How am I supposed to explain it to her in a way that will make her lose her reservations? I can't even explain it to myself. Imagine having three dreams while you're awake and you might have an idea of what goes through my mind. Now, you want me to try and give Linda, who is completely immune to magic, an idea of what I think? Do you really expect that's going to make her feel better?"

Ryson had to admit it began to sound more and more confusing.

"I guess not."

Enin tried to reassure his friend.

"I appreciate that you came to me. It shows you have a trust in me. I appreciate that more than I can say, but I also think this is a challenge that you and Linda can overcome by yourselves. If you believe you were meant to be together, then I think deep down she believes it as well, and nothing in this land will be able to break you apart. Destiny is more than some kind of twisted joke meant to force us into trying circumstances. It's also more than a test. It's part of our passage through this existence, a reminder that we are not trapped-or alone-in some random collection of events caused by our own manipulations. Have faith in that."

Once more, Ryson didn't quite understand everything the wizard meant, but he did believe he and Linda belonged together, and perhaps that was why he went to Enin in the first place, to confirm that belief. In a way, he had done so. Enin might not have been willing to come right out and say it, but the delver could sense it. That was what Enin was trying to tell him, and Ryson would help Linda reaffirm it as well.

"I'm glad I came here," Ryson admitted.

"I hope I helped," Enin offered sincerely.

"You did. I'll do what I can. Thanks." It was really all Ryson could say. He felt a little awkward and he tried to redirect the conversation. He realized that he had not yet seen Holli and she was usually not far from the wizard's side.

"Has Holli returned yet?" he asked.

"Not yet," Enin revealed. "She's still assisting the elves that have returned from the dark realm, but she and Jure should be returning quite soon… perhaps any moment."

"You've spoken to her?"

"Not exactly, but my link to her remains strong. I understand what happened."

"So you know about the sorcerer?"

"Ansas? Yes, an interesting individual."

'Interesting' was not quite the word Ryson would have used to describe the sorcerer. 'Treacherous' was much more appropriate.

"What are you going to do about him?"

"Nothing."

The simple answer surprised the delver.

"You don't think he's dangerous?"

"My opinion is irrelevant. What is important is that he has done nothing that requires my intervention."

Ryson wasn't ready to agree with such an assertion.

"The elves might argue that. He abducted them… used them."

"That may be true, but isn't that an issue for the elves? They haven't asked me to intercede for them."

"If they did?"

"Then I would seek out this Ansas and request he make the proper reconciliation. I am happy to offer protection for anyone that asks me, but I refuse to become the conscience of the land, or its overlord."

"So you'll assist but not meddle," Ryson offered, somewhat beginning to understand Enin's position.

"You put it very well."

"Well, I think you've assisted me today. I'm not sure exactly how you said it, but I do believe Linda and I will be alright. I guess it's just something we have to work out together. At least now we know the truth about having kids without any doubts. We'll just go forward from here."

"That's the best way to move." Enin then felt a small pang of guilt for not willing to go further, for not going to speak to Linda. He made a conciliatory offer. "I don't want you to think I'm unwilling to do more. If Linda wishes to speak to me, I will certainly do so, but I only ask that it be her request, and not yours. There is a difference."

"I understand. I should get back to her."

"Do you want me to send you there?" Enin asked.

"Would you mind? I'd like to get back to her as soon as possible."

"Not at all. I can send you right to your home, or outside the town gate. Which would you prefer?"

"Outside the gate," Ryson stated. "She's probably at work by now and I'd rather not have you just deposit me inside the Borderline Inn. It might cause a stir."

"I would agree. Are you ready?"

Ryson nodded.

"Very well. It was a pleasure to see you again. Come back soon and see Stomps. He likes you."

"I will."

Chapter 22

Upon leaving the town, Linda used the main road that led west out of Burbon and into Dark Spruce. Though it was a fairly wide stone and dirt passage, it had become infrequently traveled over the past several seasons. It was still used as a supply line for well guarded convoys that wished to cross the forest in either direction, but it remained a lonely road normally devoid of travelers.

Once she was well out of range of Burbon, unable to see the tall watch towers that served as part of the town's defensive perimeter, she turned down a nearly invisible foot path. It was a foolish choice, but it led her to where she wanted to go. She rushed brazenly away from the main road, willingly turning her back to the only sign of civilization.

As the trail before her narrowed, so too did her craving to escape any connection to her home. Initially, she welcomed the thicker brush and the ever expanding clusters of trees as they served to form a natural barrier, separated her more and more from any passage back to Burbon. She embraced the isolation.

Linda didn't stagger or stumble through the forest; she stormed across the rough terrain as if it was just one more irritation that added to her fury. As the forest became more of an obstacle, she cursed at the tree trunks that blocked her way, swatted away the branches that scratched her face, and kicked at the roots that forced her to falter. She viciously ripped away at the brush that blocked nearly every path, all the while raging at each individual stalk as if it were a personal nemesis.

If asked, she couldn't reveal her ultimate destination beyond wanting to go deeper into the forest and away from Burbon. She tried to maintain a westerly direction, but eventually, even that became a futile effort as the thick woods closed around her. The surrounding trees left her without any reference point to guide her travels. In all directions, everything looked very much the same, and so, she simply pressed onward into the denser sections of Dark Spruce.

The diminishing path twisted and turned through the trees, broke over both rock and mud, and ultimately disappeared altogether. Eventually, there was nothing for Linda to follow beyond seemingly senseless animal trails through the shaded grounds of the heavy woods.

She had no food, no water, and no weapon for defense. She didn't care. She didn't concern herself over her safety or her ability to survive. Her palpable anger pushed her onward, but it was only partially her own rage that stoked her emotional state.

Most of the fury that swelled inside her came from an external source, and the raw emotion agitated her beyond clear thinking. She felt a certain amount of fear to be sure, fear that might have forced her to turn back from such a dangerous course, but the anger eventually suffocated everything else.

Even as she raged through areas known to be inundated with goblins and shags, she screamed out curses without a single care to whom or what might hear her. Her arms flailed in every direction, doing more than swiping away the surrounding brush and branches. She swung furiously at the empty air, as if assaulting ghosts that only she could see.

If she had been able to see herself, she would have realized she was more than a mad rushing spectacle, she was an attraction for anything within shouting distance. But even if blessed with a moment of clarity, she wouldn't have ceased her ravings.

She did not care about what might discover her, gave no thought to the dangers in the forest. If something wished to attack her, she actually welcomed the challenge. Perhaps it was the foreign emotions that clouded her judgment, or perhaps it was a way to release the tidal wave of fury, but she had no desire to avoid any confrontation.

Her antics did not go undetected… they couldn't for long. Even as the ordinary animal inhabitants of the forest took flight from her path, creatures more inclined, even attracted to fitful outbursts, gave quick notice. They did not regard the raging clamor as a signal to make a hasty retreat. Quite the opposite, they were hostile beasts often looking for a fight.

Initially, clusters of goblins sensed easy prey. The screams were somewhat odd, but also recognizable. They knew of humans, knew they still entered the forest. They had seen convoys passing through the woods, but they were usually well guarded. Goblins would attack supply lines only if desperate or if their packs had reached numbers enough to overwhelm the escorting guards.

Smaller groups of goblins waited for easier prey, and over time, they tended to uncover the hapless adventurer or the lost straggler. Even human scouts that were well trained in surviving the forest often fell to goblins, either through momentary carelessness or some ill-timed misfortune that left them unprepared and on indefensible ground.

As for Linda, several goblins watched her intently, even if they couldn't understand her intentions. She stood out like a burning arrow sailing across an open night sky. Her actions were beyond lunacy. They were suicidal.

Something beyond her rage, however, gave the goblins pause, kept them from immediately falling upon the deranged human screaming so near their meager camps. Even as the female called out in anger and disgust, they sensed a confrontation should be avoided, many even raced away.

It was not her insane rage, and certainly not her physical presence that raised the goblin anxiety. It was not even her immunity to magic. In fact, that was something they might have sensed, and if so, would have attacked as a dangerous anomaly.

Immunity to magic was not something dark creatures could accept or even understand. When the land was without magic, they were shut out from Uton, forced to remain in the dark realm. Magic was the key to escaping the desperate breeding grounds of their origin. The total absence of magic was something dangerous to them, something they abhorred.

They never got close enough to sense Linda's magical immunity for there was a haze of another sort drifting off of the cursing human. Goblins were not adept in forms of spell casting, and nearly all lacked sensible judgment, but they instinctively understood power.

The woman might have been a vulnerable target, an easy victim for even a few goblins with paltry weapons, but every goblin could feel the obvious force that seemed to drip off the woman like water from melting icicles. And so, each diminutive fiend gave her a wide berth and let her pass further into the forest without incident.

With a protective emanation of which she was not even aware, Linda continued her unyielding march through Dark Spruce. She was oblivious to the goblins. If she had noticed them, she might have even challenged them. She also failed to notice the tracks of a much larger beast, a creature that had previously claimed the territory she carelessly invaded.

The shag heard the human long before it spotted her. At first, the clamor annoyed the monster. It wondered if it was yet one more predator trying to stake a claim to its lands. Such instances had increased over the past few days, and the creature was growing weary of the conflict.

Though not terribly intelligent and certainly not passive, the beast had been able to avoid such clashes in the past. It had done so due to its fortune in finding a territory frequented by elves. The shag had learned to coexist with the elves, mostly by avoiding the slender and nimble tree walkers, but when the elves mysteriously abandoned the area, other monsters brazenly filled the gap.

Rather than avoid the encroaching dark creatures as it had done with the elves, the beast decided to fight them off. The river rogues were the most difficult, but even the larger goblin packs were becoming a nuisance. The new invader, one that was exceedingly loud, was another such irritation.

Upon closing in on Linda, the fur laden beast also sensed an ominous aura spilling out from the woman. It smelled of something the monster could not quite identify-not death, not even evil-but something that offered a message of its own. There was nothing truly sinister about the interloper, but there was something around her that exuded more than just danger. It was a warning, one the large shag could not dismiss.

The creature lacked the intelligence to pinpoint the sensation, but it was reminded of the moment it crossed over from the dark realm. It was a suffocating blankness, a stirring absence of reality. It was very much a sensation the creature wished to avoid.

Initially, the shag backed away from the intruder. The lingering cloud of peril surrounding the invader removed the monster's instinct to defend its territory, but only temporarily. As the beast retreated toward its den, its small mind swam with an even greater influence; a desire for dominance.

The shag could not fully comprehend the scope of the aura around Linda. It found it repulsive, even terrifying, but it was not ready to concede to a simple sensation. While it normally acted more on instinct than on critical considerations, the choice it faced became surprisingly clear. It could run from the strange trespasser or it could assert its claim over the territory.

Ultimately, the creature decided to turn around. It had fought off too many intruders to simply skulk back into its den. The shag stalked toward the sound of harsh curses with renewed courage.

#

Ryson went first to the Borderline Inn. He was disappointed to hear that Linda had not shown up for work, even concerned, but not completely surprised. He recalled her previous state of emotional detachment. If she had remained in such a condition, skipping work would have been understandable. He would have even suggested it.

He rushed to their home, expecting to find her there, wondering if she was still lying in bed. He passed through the front door hoping she would rush to him with joy in her eyes as she had done so many times in the past.

Nothing.

There was no sign of trouble. Everything in their home remained in order. Linda simply wasn't there. There was no note, no indication at all of where she might have gone.

His concern began to grow. He wanted to find her as soon as possible, and to that end, it was imperative to get more information. After his last conversation with Sy, Ryson wasn't sure it was the best idea to see the guard captain, but based on the circumstances, it was the only place to go.

Ryson didn't always appreciate the level of control in Burbon-the level at which the town guard maintained order and the reciprocating attitude of its citizens-but there were times it worked to his advantage. Ryson might have enjoyed the freedom of spirit that allowed him to race off into the hills for days at a time, but the rest of the town's citizens normally restrained any great urges of wild independence. Burbon thrived on order, it embraced it. Unusual behavior was noted immediately. If something was going on in Burbon, Sy would know about it.

After sprinting to the center of town, Ryson knocked on the guard headquarters door and waited respectfully to be allowed to enter. Despite his growing distress, he patiently asked to see the guard captain as opposed to simply rushing into his office. He was very happy to see Sy come out to greet him, until he heard what the guard captain had to say.

"I'm glad you're here," the captain revealed. "I heard you just came through the gate and I was about to send someone out to get you."

"I was looking for Linda," Ryson revealed. "I thought you might know where she is. She's not at work, and…"

"We don't know where she is," Sy interrupted with a strained tone. Knowing the delver would want as much detailed information as possible, he continued quickly. "She walked out the western gate after you left for Connel. She was on foot and wasn't carrying any supplies. We thought she would be back quickly, but she hasn't returned."

"What?!"

"I know. It doesn't make any sense."

It was beyond not making sense for the delver, and Ryson grasped for reason.

"Was there anyone with her?"

"No, she was alone."

"Did you send someone out after her?"

"Of course I did. I have guards on horseback still out on patrol. There's no sign of her." Sy could see the panic growing in the eyes of the delver and he did his best to lessen Ryson's greatest fears. "I've had the patrols report back at standard intervals. There also isn't any sign that she was attacked. We've found nothing that would indicate she's been harmed. The road is empty."

The additional news did little to ease the delver's near incapacitating dread. With sheer force of will, he fought off the confusion and anxiety, shut out the shocking fear. He considered what he knew, reviewed the facts in his mind, and questions requiring answers flowed from his lips.

"She just walked out the western gate? Where was the guard? Didn't anyone try to stop her?"

Sy explained everything he learned from the report of the guard at the gate. As the captain expected, none of it satisfied the delver.

"She went into the forest?!" Ryson exclaimed. He couldn't believe it. The entire situation altered from unbelievable to unforgivable, and he was ready to blame everyone. "And you let her go?!"

The question wasn't a surprise to the captain. It was his first reaction as well, but he kept the sentiment to himself. He had went over the details with the gate guard when he received the first report. He wondered if he would have done anything differently if he had been there himself.

"My soldier didn't want her to go. He did everything to persuade her, but she insisted. There was nothing he could do."

"He should have stopped her!" Ryson insisted.

Sy understood Ryson's outburst, but he defended his guard.

"What could he have done? Arrested her?"

Ryson boiled with anger but couldn't afford wasting any more time. Arguing with the captain was irrelevant. All he could think of was Linda… alone in the forest. He raced from the office and toward the western gate.

As Sy watched the delver leave, he considered his options. In the end, he allowed the delver to leave Burbon without interference. If there was anyone within the town's borders that could find and help Linda, it was Ryson. He would let the delver do what Ryson did best, and prepare to help him if necessary.

The captain sent a message to the guards to step up their patrols outside the gates and be prepared to assist Ryson if any request was made. It was all he could do.

Ryson bolted past the guards at the western gate and down the road towards the edge of Dark Spruce. As he ran, he scanned the numerous tracks in the dirt. It was a myriad of wagon wheel trails, as well as soldier and horse tracks all mashed together.

Still, finding Linda's initial trail was not difficult for him, not for a delver. He could still catch a faint trace of her scent and he quickly found the tracks in the dirt road that led into the forest. He followed them with a flicker of growing hope, but when they turned off down a small trail, Ryson felt as if his heart was going to explode.

His gaze followed her tracks deeper into the forest. He understood why the guards didn't find her. There was no sane reason for her to make that turn. And since she did, there was probably very little they could do to save her.

Could he save her?

He wouldn't answer the question in his mind. He couldn't. The obvious answer was too painful. He had explored that section of the woods many times. He knew the dangers. He could avoid them. He was a delver. But what chance did Linda have?

#

The shag stepped directly up to the female and looked her over with a mix of feelings. On instinct alone, it wanted nothing more than to grab her, snap her spine, and bring her back to its den. She was much larger than a goblin and would serve to feed the monster for several meals.

Confusion, however, initially overrode the beast's more basic instinct. It continued to sense the strange aura around the human, an emanation that served as a warning. The radiating field puzzled the shag. Not quite a glow or a cloud of smoke, it could not be seen by the eyes, but its existence could not be denied. It was like a shroud of minute dust particles that avoided detection even in a sunbeam.

The unique and intangible covering didn't necessarily protect the potential prey, like some magical suit of armor, but it cast a shadow of admonition. It was almost as if the human had been claimed, much like the territory the shag protected, and the female had been marked in such a way that predators would recognize.

Once more the beast considered turning away, but the aura slowly began to fade. Portions of a small cloud continued to float around the woman, but that was dissipating as well.

As it did, the shag sensed yet another perplexing attribute. It could not dismiss the absence of magic within the human, yet it seemed as if a very small pocket of strange energy existed within the woman's center. The immunity could not be ignored, and while it angered the beast, the entire situation left the monster bewildered.

Beyond the magical immunity, there was the action of the prey herself. The shag could not comprehend why the human dared to defy it. It expected the female to attempt to flee or cower in fear. She did neither. The woman stared at the shag with contempt, daring the beast to attack her.

And contempt was exactly what Linda felt. She locked her gaze upon the eyes of the hairy beast before her. She sneered at it even as the beast towered over her. There was fear deep in her consciousness at facing such a monstrosity, but it was completely submerged in boiling anger. So much so that she did not waver in her stance. Her back remained straight and her knees stable. She kept her arms at her side, but her hands were clenched into tight fists.

"Well?" she growled.

The shag growled back in response… not a roar, but a subtle snarl.

"Is that supposed to scare me?" Linda demanded.

Her head pounded, the pulse of her blood thumped against her skull. All of existence around her narrowed into tunnel vision of the shag. Everything else faded into a seething desire to strike out at the creature.

And she did.

Her right hand came up quickly and she threw a straight punch into the center of the beast's chest.

The shag felt no pain, but it actually stepped back in apparent amazement.

Linda took not one, but two steps closer, reducing the distance that was initially between them. She had to bend her head back to look up into the creature's eyes.

"What's the matter?" she demanded in an even more vicious growl. "Don't you know what to do?"

She didn't strike the shag again. In fact, she dropped her hands back to her sides. She left herself completely vulnerable, but she never, not for one instant, believed the beast would lash out against her. She didn't know why-she could not feel anything other than the anger and could not see anything beyond the shag in front of her-but she remained absolutely certain the monster would not dare attack. Logically, she should have expected to be killed in an instant, but logic could not break through the crowded emotions at the center of her being.

"I'm not moving!" she declared. "We can stand here all day if that's what you want. We can stand here forever. Why not?"

The shag stared down at her for only a moment more, uncertain of what to do until it sensed yet another invader. It smelled, heard and saw the new presence all at once-it could not miss it-and despite the shag's own size and strength, it knew it was outmatched.

The hairy beast turned and ran back to its den, climbed deep into the shadows. It would not exit for several days, unwilling to risk a conflict with a being of colossal physical power and even greater strength of spirit.

Linda sneered at the fleeing shag's back, cursed at it for cowardice. She almost followed it, would have been willing to enter the monster's den, but her fuming rage kept her frozen in place. She visibly shook as she shouted a string of profanities.

Eventually, she, too, noticed the rustling behind her, heard the heavy footfalls over her tirade. She didn't turn to face the striking thumps of a giant's steps or to see small trees shoved gingerly aside to make room for the titanic form. Instead, she stared off into the distance, her gaze following the shag's path of unceremonious retreat.

The cliff behemoth did not seem fazed by the torrent of obscenities streaming from Linda's mouth, though he would never indulge in such hostile comments himself. He ignored the outburst and instead looked to the trail of the shag to ensure that it had left. Certain that the beast was long gone, the giant turned its gentle gaze onto Linda.

"Do you recognize me?"

"Of course," Linda barked, barely acknowledging the colossal form next to her. She didn't move at first, but rather kept staring off at the trail the shag had taken. When she realized the beast would not return, she finally turned her venom unjustifiably upon the cliff behemoth.

"You think I'm an idiot?" she accused with a sneer.

"Not at all," the titan responded almost cheerfully but remained clearly concerned with Linda's well-being.

"You're Dzeb," Linda offered, as if to prove herself superior to the cliff dweller. "You're the cliff behemoth that keeps showing up around… Ryson."

She almost couldn't say the delver's name, and when she did, she appeared repulsed by it.

"It's not only the delver I care about, but you as well," Dzeb admitted.

Linda scoffed at the concern, tossed it aside like some old, heavy sweater on a very warm day.

"Why aren't you in the mountains?"

"I was concerned about you."

"I don't need your concern," Linda said, and then actually spat on the ground as if the thought left a bad taste in her mouth.

"You have it anyway."

"Shouldn't you be praying to Godson or something like that?"

"I can do both."

"Good for you."

A silence fell between them, but neither seemed to mind.

Dzeb looked about the forest, smiled at the birds and squirrels that chirped happily at his presence. Many appeared in plain sight, as if the simple existence of the cliff behemoth in their forest was a blessed event for them to enjoy.

Linda's mind was still filled with foreign fury. The anger burned inside her, but she had no real target for her animosity. She had left Burbon, and for the most part, discarded thoughts of her husband. Her rage remained, but it was growing more unfocused by the moment.

The only distraction was the peaceful cliff behemoth next to her, and eventually she grew irritated at his silence.

"Well?" she finally demanded.

"Well what?"

"Don't you have something to say to me?"

Dzeb contemplated the question and offered an honest response.

"Not necessarily. I don't mind just standing here with you."

"What if I don't plan on standing here?"

"That would be fine," Dzeb said calmly. "Where do you intend on going next?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because I do."

Linda released a frustrated sigh.

"It's none of your business!"

"I apologize if I'm intruding."

"I don't need your apologies, either."

Dzeb did not respond this time. The mighty cliff behemoth just smiled at Linda, his calm blue eyes revealed a deep peace within.

The expression of contentment irritated Linda even more.

"Don't you have something better to do?"

"No."

"Well, maybe I'll change my mind and just stand here for days on end," Linda growled, as if to annoy the cliff behemoth with her stubbornness.

"Then I will stand with you."

"I don't need your protection."

"From the way you dealt with the shag, I can see that. But if it's not necessary to offer you protection, at least I can offer you companionship."

"That's another thing I don't need."

"But I do. Hopefully, you will humor me."

"I find nothing humorous about you."

"I could try to tell a joke," Dzeb offered

"Don't," Linda snarled.

"Very well."

Deciding that standing motionless beside the cliff behemoth was simply too frustrating, Linda pressed on once more through the forest. She didn't follow the trail of the shag, but rather turned slightly to her right and chose a random path through the trees.

Dzeb gave her plenty of space, but then began to follow her as if guarding her flank. After a few steps, he made sure she would accept his presence.

"Do you mind if I walk with you?"

"What do I care?"

Dzeb smiled again, satisfied with the arrangement. He followed Linda through the forest. Every now and again, he would have to press smaller trees aside to fit through a passage, but he did so with great care, creating just enough room for him to get by. He ignored Linda's continued cursing as she pushed through the brush, but he took the time to acknowledge the birds and squirrels that seemed to follow them along. While the number of animals they encountered in their path grew, not a single dark creature dared to come near.

Chapter 23

Ryson followed Linda's tracks through Dark Spruce Forest as immeasurable panic blurred his thoughts. He tried to focus, keep his mind on the task before him, but he couldn't dampen the raging fear that was born from a simple reality. His wife was alone in Dark Spruce Forest, and that was probably a death sentence.

He tried to keep the ponderous despair from crushing his spirit, tried to hold to hope. He forced himself to envision finding her alive just behind the next section of brush, but each time he found only empty ground, a prevailing dread rushed back into his consciousness. Flashes of horrible images kept reaching in from the corners of his mind. He tried to beat them back, cursed his own lack of faith, but the thought of losing his wife was not something he could easily discard like a piece of stale bread. It was a driving fear that strangled every other possible concern.

To add to his ever expanding anxiety, he couldn't understand her movements. Her tracks revealed a determined march, as well as a complete disregard for her surroundings. There was no hesitation, no backtracking. Every step was made with conviction and it appeared she chose the most difficult path she could find.

It was easy for him to follow. He was a delver and the deep woods could not dissuade him from moving forward or even slow his progress. Where Linda stormed angrily through the forest, he glided swiftly over the uneven grounds. He faced no obstacle he could not overcome, but the path left him bewildered.

At first, the trail led due west, and in itself, the course made little sense. There was nothing for Linda in that direction, nothing but bone-chilling peril that kept even the bravest loggers out of Dark Spruce.

To add to the confusion, her path started making twists and turns that lacked any apparent reason. It was not as if she was lost, for she avoided every possible clearing. Instead, she had plowed into the densest sections of the forest, not only with complete disregard for the dangers she might face, but with an apparent craving to find them.

Even as Ryson tried to block out every imaginable horror that was not simply an exaggerated fear but a stark reality, he could not ignore the underlying implications of Linda's movements. It was not the path of someone trying to reach a certain destination, like home. It was the path of someone trying to escape, and one question crystallized in the delver's mind.

Why would she choose a path away from Burbon?

The answer opened a gouging pain in his abdomen. He began to understand that she wasn't just running away from Burbon… she was running away from him!

He shook off the crushing thought, considered it nothing more than panic driven nonsense. He would only discover the truth when he found her, and he was determined to do so. He moved with greater speed born of desperation. Concentrating on Linda's trail, he shut out the rest of the forest, but not completely, and in that, he found even greater turmoil for his raging emotions.

Ryson could not help but notice the fresh tracks of several small goblin packs. He didn't wish to acknowledge them, tried to convince himself they were unrelated to his own concerns, but how could he escape the truth? There were as many goblins in the forest as there were trees. They would notice the careless movements of his wife. How could they not? And they were not creatures of benevolence that would help a lost human find her way.

He tried to avoid following the goblin tracks with his gaze, but his delver mind forced him to uncover the truth. He expected to see them intercept the trail of his wife, but for some reason, they never did. From their movements, Ryson knew the goblins were aware of Linda's presence, but rather than confront her, each pack clearly avoided any encounter.

While the information he gleaned from the trails relieved him, the rationale for such behavior puzzled him as much as Linda's bizarre path. There was no plausible reason for the goblins to make such a determined effort to flee from a human, especially one so vulnerable. Such a target should have made the goblins gleeful with anticipation.

But the tracks of the goblins were just as clear as those of Linda. Packs of the vicious monsters consciously and consistently altered their routes to elude his wife, as if they had discovered a mountain lion, a shag or a rock beetle in their path.

As the delver pressed onward, he found another set of tracks that brought him both delight and possibly an explanation. The prints in the ground were clearly those of a cliff behemoth. A single giant had come from the north, intercepted Linda's trail, and then followed. Even a goblin horde might run from a lone cliff behemoth.

But as Ryson examined the footprints, the theory did not hold. Many of the goblins had turned back long before the cliff behemoth would have been noticed. Some of the goblins had even turned north to avoid Linda, and probably inadvertently stumbled near the titan. As he placed the trails in their proper sequence, the delver knew it was not the cliff behemoth that the goblins chose to avoid, but instead, they had turned away from Linda specifically.

Examining the tracks brought yet another question to his delver mind. Why would a cliff behemoth come from the north and then follow the trail of his wife? It didn't make sense.

His curiosity had still not matched his concern for his wife's safety, but it was growing. The situation, however, had turned and there was actually cause for optimism. The delver knew a cliff behemoth would do Linda no harm.

He swelled with emotions of confusion, concern and even hope. He had clear facts before him. He knew what was happening, he just couldn't understand why.

The last set of tracks he came upon were the most confusing of all. He found the trail of a shag converging on Linda's path. At first, the finding ripped a hole through his budding hope as the monster and his wife had clearly come face to face. The thought of such an encounter was difficult to envision, but the signs on the ground revealed a perplexing outcome.

She should have died. There was no other plausible conclusion. The cliff behemoth had not reached her in time. The shag was there first, and yet, no such horrible confrontation had occurred. After a brief encounter, the shag had retreated. Linda was still very much alive and had actually departed the area with the cliff behemoth in tow. The signs were as undeniable as they were incomprehensible.

He also realized that he was closing in on her. He cleared his mind of his confusion and anxiety. After checking the direction of the wind, he inhaled deeply through his nostrils. He caught Linda's scent, not from the ground or the brush, but from her person.

He tilted his head as he lifted one ear higher than the other. He could hear the cliff behemoth pushing through the forest. It also brought Ryson more than hope, it finally brushed away his suffocating fears.

Linda was alive!

He was sure of it. She was moving through the forest and the cliff behemoth was following her.

Racing at near top speed, leaping over any thick brush in great bounds and dodging around tree trunks, Ryson quickly caught sight of the behemoth's back. As he closed on the cliff dweller, he was certain he recognized the giant. He could not possibly determine how or why Dzeb was there, but even his delver curiosity could not overcome his desire to be with his wife. He dashed passed the giant in a blur of motion and caught up with Linda.

He cut off her path and came to a stop directly in front of her, forcing her to come to a halt. He was thrilled to see her, until he noticed her expression. When he looked into her eyes, he almost didn't recognize her. He didn't see joyful acknowledgment, he saw furious disgust.

"Why did you come here?!" she hissed.

Ryson almost couldn't respond. All of the relief at finding her drained out of him in an instant.

"I was looking for you," he was able to say just above a whisper, but he was almost in shock at her hostility.

"Looking for me? Looking for me?!!!" Her shout then dropped to an icy snarl. "Why would you bother looking for me?"

All Ryson could do was point out the obvious.

"You weren't home. I was worried. They told me…"

"They? Who is they?" she demanded.

"Linda, what's wrong? You know I'd come looking for you."

"Answer me! Who told you?"

Stunned, Ryson blurted out the truth.

"The guards saw you. Sy told me."

"So you're talking to Sy again? Good for you."

Ryson couldn't believe it. He expected her to be overjoyed, but she seemed angry over absurd details. Completely confused, he pressed for some kind of explanation.

"Why did you come out here?"

Linda's eyes widened and she shook visibly, but only for a moment. As she stared into Ryson's face, she seemed to be able to see his thoughts, and her response was chilling.

"You know why," she responded in another hiss. And then she nodded her head as if punctuating her accusation. "Yes, you do. Deep down you know exactly why I'm here… to get away from you."

"Don't," Ryson whispered.

"Don't what? Go ahead! Tell me what it is that I'm not supposed to do. Is there something you don't want to hear? That's what you're really saying! You can't figure out what's going on, can you? What should I do… am I supposed to throw my arms around you? Is that what you want? Don't stand there looking all confused. Don't be a fool. I understand what's going on. You want me to be thrilled to see you, but you can't understand why I'm not."

He couldn't believe what she was saying, knew there was something wrong with her. She was sick. She had to be. That's what Ryson grasped at, but even holding to that thought, it still hurt. He tried to reason with her, assert the full truth and not simply accept her wild reasoning.

"You weren't running just to get away from me. That can't be all there is. There's something else."

"And suddenly you know all the answers?"

"No… I don't, but this doesn't make sense. Why would you run out into the forest just to get away from me? You could have went anywhere… Connel, Pinesway, even further east into the farmlands. This was dangerous and you knew it. You could have even stayed home and told me to leave you alone. You didn't have to come out here. Why would you put yourself in that kind of danger?"

"Why?" Linda reeled with shock at the question, as if incapable of believing that Ryson would actually ask. "To show you what it feels like, that's why! Are you really that stupid? You leave all the time. Where do you go? Just to Connel? To Pinesway or the farmlands? No! You go into this forest. You go into the hills and the mountains. You go anywhere you want. I can do the same!"

Linda's wrath grew. She began to pace about the forest floor, flashing an angry gaze at Ryson with every turn. She would start to talk, but before a hostile word could pass through her lips, she clamped her mouth shut and grunted through gritted teeth. She shook her head and smacked her hand against her hip as if she needed to strike out at something, anything.

She suddenly stopped stone dead still and stared into the ground. She bit down on her lip, almost drawing blood. She stopped hitting herself, but her hands clenched into tight fists. She began to breathe heavily and when she finally looked up at the delver, there was pure rage in her expression.

"You tell me I could have stayed home? That you would have left me alone?! You wouldn't even leave me alone out here! You followed me like some pathetic puppy! I didn't want you here. I don't want you here. I want you to leave me. Go back to exploring some hole in the ground or whatever it is that delver's do. I'm sick of you. Do you hear me?! I'm sick of you!"

The words cut him more than any weapon could, but Ryson held his ground. He would not turn from her. He wouldn't even argue with her. He accepted it all.

"I'm sorry," he offered.

His sincere apology, however, meant nothing to her. She lashed out, swung with her fists, but not at the air, the tree branches, or even her own hip. She struck at her husband. Struck him over and over.

"Get out of here!" she screamed.

But Ryson wouldn't move. He wouldn't even try to avoid her assault. He accepted it; penance for every conceived error in judgment. He allowed her to take out her anger on him, hoped it would purge her of whatever fury was stuck inside of her.

It was Dzeb that intervened. He wouldn't allow Linda to continue. As gently as he could, he took hold of her. Pulled her away so she could not reach the delver.

Linda continued to swing in Ryson's direction even as she hit nothing but the tree branches overhead. Her frustration exploded.

"Let me go! Let me go!"

But Dzeb would not release her.

She struggled mightily, but she could not hope to break the titan's grip. In a fit of pure fury, she screamed with every ounce of energy within her. It was the last noise she made before she passed out.

Ryson rushed toward the cliff behemoth and took his wife from Dzeb. He held her in his arms as a flood of emotions overwhelmed him. He was hurt, both physically and emotionally. He was confused and at a complete loss for what to do next.

"She's not herself," Dzeb said with more than just compassion. He appeared to have a far greater understanding of the situation than the delver.

"What's wrong with her?" Ryson demanded.

"Something is inside of her, something that should not be there."

"I don't understand what that means."

"Do you understand that the rage was not her own?"

It was a relief to hear, but Ryson wasn't sure he could believe it.

"You're saying something's controlling her?"

"Control? No. Confusing her. Angering her."

"Do you know what it is?"

"I cannot say."

"Then how do you know?"

"How could I not?"

Ryson wanted to shout at the behemoth, but he could not find it within himself. He was emotionally spent, but he still needed answers.

"Dzeb, this isn't the time for games. How did you know?"

"I am not trying to play a game with you, Ryson Acumen. She is stricken, even you should know that, but by what, I still cannot say. I simply do not know."

"We need to get her to help."

"I am in agreement. Let me take her for now."

Ryson was reluctant to let Linda go. He almost argued, but the gentle behemoth stated a simple truth.

"You must use your skills to find the quickest path back to your home. You cannot do that and carry her at the same time. Let me help you."

Ryson conceded and allowed Dzeb to gently take hold of Linda once more.

"You lead and I will follow," the cliff behemoth offered.

Ryson agreed, but decided to change their destination.

"We're not going back to Burbon. We're going to Connel. I don't know if this is magic or not, I don't see how it could be, but I think we should go see Enin."

Dzeb nodded and then followed Ryson through Dark Spruce toward the east, toward Connel.

Chapter 24

Linda regained consciousness just as Ryson and Dzeb reached the outer limits of Connel. She stirred as if waking from a long sleep, but she never struggled to be free of the cliff behemoth's grasp. She looked up at Dzeb, recognized the giant, but did not smile or curse. She simply shrugged.

"She is awake," Dzeb alerted the delver.

Ryson stopped immediately with both relief and trepidation gripping his every thought. He was thankful to hear Linda was conscious, but he braced himself for a another outburst of her seemingly uncontrollable fury. It was like finding her in the forest all over again. His heart leapt at the prospect of avoiding catastrophe despite the terrible odds, but he feared just how angry she would be over his decision to remove her from Dark Spruce.

He stepped up quickly to check on her, and to possibly cope with a barrage of insults and scorn. As he looked upon her face, most of his fear began to drain away, but his burden had not been completely eased.

Linda appeared well enough, but the hostility that had been etched on her face melted into indifference. She gave him no joyful smile of recognition, no glow of emotional attachment. She just looked at her husband, and then seemed to gaze through him as if he wasn't even there.

"Are you alright?" Ryson asked with genuine concern, but also with a level of delver curiosity. He could not understand the change within her, and though he worried terribly about her, he could not dismiss the mystery of her emotions.

Linda did not answer immediately. She took a heavy breath as she looked at the delver with clear recognition. She did not shout or snarl at her husband, showed not the slightest hostility, but she didn't offer any genuine affection, either. Her expression, her entire being, was devoid of emotion.

"Did you hear me?" Ryson asked again, not wanting to antagonize his wife, but needing her to answer.

"I heard you," she replied. "I'm tired. Where are we?"

"Connel."

"It looked familiar," Linda stated.

"Do you remember what happened?"

"When?"

"In the forest, right before you passed out."

"I think so," she admitted with another shrug.

She frowned slightly, but not at the thought of her own actions. She could recall her outburst-even remembered striking her husband-but that caused her little regret. The only thing that annoyed her, and it was only marginally, was the thought of the shag running away.

"I hit you," she announced as if she had recalled serving him an ale at the Borderline Inn. "I was in the forest. A shag ran away from me. I wonder why."

"I believe because it saw me," Dzeb offered. "Do you remember me?"

"Yes. You kept following me."

"That's right," Dzeb confirmed with a sincere smile, very pleased to hear that Linda recalled most of the events.

Her attitude, however, did little to encourage the delver. While she wasn't hostile to him or the cliff behemoth, she regarded them both with the barest consideration.

"Would you like me to put you down?" Dzeb asked.

"Are you well enough to walk?" Ryson pressed.

Linda disregarded the concern of her husband. She seemed to weigh the benefits of walking on her own as opposed to being carried. In the end, she wouldn't make a decision and left it to the giant.

"You can if you want."

"I want you to be safe," Dzeb replied. "I will hold onto you until you wish me to put you down or we reach our destination."

"Where are we going?" Linda wondered but with no real interest one way or the other.

At that very moment, they were interrupted by a soldier on horseback who had ridden out to meet the threesome. The guards at Connel's border could not ignore the sight of the cliff behemoth, nor could the citizens at the edge of the city. A crowd was beginning to form.

"I'd like to ask you the same question," the guard announced as he moved up. "Where are you headed?"

Dzeb smiled broadly at the horse. He cradled Linda in one arm, allowing him to lift the other free. As he held out his palm, the horse willingly stepped up to the giant and nudged the huge hand with its snout. Dzeb patted the horse gently but lovingly.

"Do you recognize me?" Ryson asked of the soldier.

"Yes, you're the delver… Acumen, I believe."

"That's right," Ryson replied with relief. He hoped that would make things easier. He didn't want to be delayed by guards that might question his intentions. He knew Enin was difficult to see, but he had a long history with the wizard. "We need to see Enin."

"I don't think that's going to be a problem. He'd want to know about your friend here. I've heard about cliff behemoths, but never saw one myself. Never thought I ever would, to tell you the truth."

The soldier regarded the giant with both a sense of awe and gratitude. Despite the overwhelming appearance of the cliff behemoth, word had spread through the ranks that they had assisted humans in the past. He was grateful for that. He had defended the city against shags and bloat spiders-colossal beasts in their own right-but neither could match the staggering presence of the titan before him.

"What's the best way to handle this?" Ryson wondered aloud.

The guard looked back to the city border. The number of curious bystanders was growing. He wasn't sure what the delver wanted with Enin, but he acknowledged the wizard was the best suited to handle the situation.

"I'd like to get you to a safe place," the guard stated. "You're causing too much commotion out here in the open. Did you have a place in mind?"

"I was going to head right to Enin's home. I've been there before."

"Then you know that might not be the best place to go. You're going to attract a big crowd and there are some narrow streets between here and there with quite a few open markets as well. Too many people at this time of day. We also need to find a place that can accommodate your friend's size."

"Would you escort us to the Church of Godson, please?" Dzeb requested as he continued to pet the contented horse.

"That's not a bad idea," the soldier allowed. "You alright with that?"

Ryson was fine with the idea and nodded in agreement.

"Alright," the soldier stated and then reviewed the surrounding grounds. "This is what I'd like to do. I'm going to lead you around that hill to my left. That's going to take us out of the view of the crowd. Then, I'm going to pick up the pace a bit. I know you can keep up," the soldier acknowledged as he looked to Ryson, but then turned to Dzeb, "but how about you?"

"I will try to maintain any pace you set," Dzeb announced with all humility.

"I don't think you have to worry about him," Ryson added. "They are surprisingly fast and their long stride allows them to cover a lot of ground in a hurry."

"Great. Then I'll lead you down a side path I know. We're still going to attract attention, but not as much. I'll get you to the church, get you inside, and then I'll send word to Enin."

"Thank you very much."

"Not a problem. Okay, let's go."

The soldier pulled on the reigns and led his somewhat reluctant mount toward the hill. The horse did not wish to leave the cliff behemoth, but when the animal saw the giant follow, it perked up noticeably. The horse seemed more than pleased to be leading the cliff behemoth. In fact, the animal appeared downright proud.

They moved quickly. The soldier looked back only once. When he noted the speed and agility of the behemoth, he lost any worry of outpacing the giant. He nudged his horse to a quick step and entered the city out of sight of the initial crowd.

Others within Connel, however, quickly took note of the giant. They could not have missed him. Curious onlookers tried to follow, but by the time they recovered from their original surprise, the small group of travelers had weaved their way out of sight. Only a few citizens managed to keep up, but they found the pace and path difficult to maintain.

The guard moved through alleys wide enough to handle Dzeb's massive frame but deserted enough to avoid growing attention. He steered them away from all street markets and public squares, and he maintained a swift pace to lose all followers.

Other guards on patrol quickly observed the continuing disturbance. They moved in to address the mammoth form rushing through Connel's streets. After brief calls to the lead soldier, they accepted the short explanation without debate. They even assisted in diverting any growing crowds. Rather than detaining or even delaying the group, the escorting soldiers allowed for even faster travel through the city.

While making such progress and gaining the assistance of the soldiers, Ryson believed the decision to bring Linda to Connel was the correct one. The only other choice was Burbon, and though he would have liked to bring Linda home, parading a cliff behemoth through the controlled streets might have raised other problems.

He was actually surprised the soldiers of Connel were so accommodating and willing to assist without obtaining approval from superiors. He knew Burbon's guards would have been much more reluctant to permit such a disturbance. He wondered if they would have allowed Dzeb to pass through the town gate without checking with Sy, but that was not a concern in Connel, and Ryson dismissed such thoughts in order to focus on the well-being of his wife.

Much sooner than Ryson hoped possible, they had reached the tall steps of the Church of Godson. The soldier stopped at the base, but ensured the delver and cliff behemoth would reach the door.

"You going to be alright from here?" the soldier asked.

"It'll be fine," Ryson assured the guard. "I know them, and they view cliff behemoths as kind of a blessing. We've been here before."

"You know I've already asked other guards to get word to Enin. I'm going to the nearest post. I'm going to make sure they increase patrols around the church to keep any gawkers from creating a problem."

"Thanks again."

"Just get inside as quick as possible," the guard requested.

His horse gave one last look to Dzeb and whinnied a final farewell before following the soldier's urges to move on. The behemoth offered a bow of his head and another broad smile to the departing animal.

"Such magnificent servants of Godson," the giant noted and then followed Ryson up the remaining steps and through the door of the church.

Ryson quickly explained the situation to a few followers and the Reader Rachael. He was pleased but not surprised to hear they would assist in any way possible. They placed Linda in a comfortable chair in the main seating area for the congregation. The stone building contained an interior that was large enough to easily accommodate Dzeb's size, as if it were built with the understanding that a cliff behemoth was apt to enter at any time.

Ryson checked first on Linda. She showed no further signs of hostility and remained uncaring to her situation and her surroundings. The delver found such an attitude as unimaginable, but hopefully he would get answers when Enin arrived. While he waited, he decided to address his curiosity regarding other matters.

"Why are you here?" Ryson asked of the cliff behemoth.

"You, and Godson, guided us here," Dzeb remarked as if the answer was obvious.

"No, sorry, I didn't mean why are you in Connel. What brought you into the forest? I found your tracks. You came out of the north. I assume from the mountains?"

"Yes."

"Well, why?"

"To help your Linda."

"But how did you know she needed help?"

"How did you?"

"Because she's been acting strange," a slightly frustrated Ryson replied, "and I knew she ran off into the forest. I couldn't find her at home and asked the guards. How could you have possibly known she was out in the forest?"

"It is Godson's will she be protected," Dzeb answered with total candor and an acceptance of the situation based on pure faith.

It might have been sincere, but the answer lacked substance for the delver.

"That doesn't answer the question"

"Yes, it does."

Ryson tried to make the connection between his question and Dzeb's answer. He couldn't. All he could imagine was that Dzeb received some kind of divine communication, but how the giant might have received that message defied his understanding. Needing to know, he pressed for greater detail.

"So what happened, did you get some kind of message from above? Was there a voice from the sky, a bolt of lightning, did an angel whisper in your ear?"

Dzeb shook his head and laughed lightly.

"I understand you are a delver and you want answers," the giant allowed, "but some things defy explanation."

"So you're not going to tell me?"

"I have told you."

Ryson held back a groan but admitted an honest annoyance with the behemoth's reply.

"I hate it when you do this."

"Do not make room in your heart for hate," the behemoth advised.

"Okay, bad choice of words, but I still don't understand it. Linda just takes off, which is a surprise to everyone, and yet you show up in the forest right when she needs you. We haven't seen you in some time. It's obviously not a coincidence. You didn't go to Burbon. You were clearly following her as if you knew right where to find her. All I'm asking is how did you know to go looking for her in the forest?"

"What does an apple taste like?" Dzeb asked.

Ryson was stunned by the question.

"Excuse me?"

"You have eaten apples before, yes?"

"Of course, but…"

"What do they taste like?"

"They taste like apples, some are sweet, some are sour. What's this…"

"Aren't some berries sweet and others tart?"

"Yeah," Ryson allowed, but he still couldn't imagine what the giant was talking about.

"Do berries taste like apples?"

"No, berries taste like berries and apples taste like apples."

"But you still haven't explained to me what an apple tastes like."

Ryson began to understand where Dzeb was headed but needed to confirm it.

"So you're trying to make a point about how you can't explain how you knew to go into the forest?"

"I'm trying to show you how some things are difficult to explain. An apple tastes like an apple because it does. I knew to go into the forest because it was Godson's will. I can't explain what it's like to know His will. I didn't hear some voice from the clouds, I didn't get struck by lighting, and I didn't hear whispers from angels. I know because I just do… just as you know what an apple tastes like when you eat one."

Ryson almost debated the contention further, but he saw the large oak doors swing open. Enin entered the church with Holli and Jure by his side.

Enin was about to greet those assembled when his gaze fell harshly upon Linda. He held out his arms to keep Jure and Holli from moving forward and issued an immediate warning.

"Will you all please move away from Linda!"

Everyone gathered in the church hesitated. Ryson would not leave his wife and Dzeb held fast to his belief that Linda required his protection. Even the members of the church, those that knew Enin's vast power, chose to defy the request. They were reluctant to step away from the woman that had been brought into their care.

"I understand your hesitancy," Enin allowed, "but I must insist."

"What are you talking about?!" Ryson demanded. "I'm not leaving my wife."

"I'm not asking you to leave her, but a safe distance is necessary."

"Why?"

"There are arasaps inside of her. Now please, for your safety and hers, just take a few steps back."

Ryson and Dzeb would still not heed the wizard's warning.

"What?!" the delver cried.

He turned to look upon his wife. She sat still and quiet, looking down at her hands with no apparent concern for the wizard or his accusation. Ryson thought there might have been something wrong with her, but he never imagined what Enin professed.

"What are you talking about?"

"Ryson, please. She's in no immediate danger, but you might be. You are much too close to her."

"I'm not walking away from her!"

"There is no danger to me," Dzeb added as if to reinforce the choice Ryson had just made. "My charge is to keep her safe, and so I shall until she is better."

"I see," Enin acknowledged.

The wizard knew if he could not persuade the mighty cliff behemoth to take precautions, it would be useless to ask the delver to step away. He did insist the members of the church move to the side of the large room. Once they reluctantly agreed and allowed a clear path between Linda and those who just arrived, Enin consulted with Jure.

"Do you sense them?"

"Four of them," Jure responded in the affirmative, "but I don't understand."

"I don't, either!" Ryson implored. "How can something be inside of her? Are you saying she's possessed?"

"Infiltrated would be a better description. Do you know what an arasap is?" Enin asked of the delver.

"Vaguely," the delver admitted with growing frustration and alarm. "I read about them in the legends. They're like jelly monsters. They feed on magic."

"A common misconception. They are not made of jelly, and they do not feed on magic. They feed on spell residue."

"Magic… spells… what's the difference?! She's immune to magic!"

"I know, but you are not. That's why I believe you are in greater danger than Linda. I know you won't step away, but at least allow me to deal with this."

"You can help her?" Ryson hoped.

"I have to understand it first," Enin explained. "Now, please, give me a moment."

Enin looked ever deeper into Linda, but her immunity to magic made seeing the arasaps extremely difficult. Still, he could sense them and their unyielding hunger. They were a great danger to unsuspecting magic casters and the wizard knew enough of their abilities to comprehend some of the situation, but not the full scope.

"You are correct, Jure," Enin declared to the elder wizard. "There are definitely four within her. It's strange, though. I would have guessed they would have been more difficult to isolate as separate entities, but somehow they are each very unique in a fashion I cannot fathom."

"I know," Jure agreed. "It's almost as if they're four completely different species, but I always thought arasaps were nearly identical in nature."

"They have been in the past."

"Maybe that explains why they're inside her," Jure offered. "Maybe she provides them a unique feeding experience."

"They shouldn't be able to feed off of her at all," Enin stated. "They should be starving inside of her, and yet, all four seem exceedingly strong. That's why we can sense them despite Linda's immunity."

"Can we get them out?"

"I'm trying to figure a way," Enin admitted, "but I'm at a total loss. A spell would be useless. Linda serves as a total barrier to magic. I can't grab them. Can you?"

Jure shook his head.

"No, I can sense their unique impulses, but I can't touch them. They're beyond my grasp."

Enin turned to Holli.

"Can you sense them at all?"

"No," the elf revealed. "She is like a solid wall to me."

Ryson noted the contradiction and questioned the original theory.

"Maybe she's right. Maybe they aren't inside of her. Holli could always sense dark creatures. Maybe you two are sensing something else, something that's making Linda act so strange."

With that, Enin recalled Ryson's previous trip to Connel and the delver's concerns about Linda's state of mind.

"No, Ryson, we are not mistaken. There are definitely arasaps inside of Linda. Holli can't feel them because she is attuned to the magical presence of dark creatures. That presence is blocked by Linda's immunity. Jure and I can feel the arasaps on a different level. We do not simply sense the creature. We grasp the very presence of foreign entities and their energy."

"Can you help her at all?"

Enin remained silent, but only for a moment. He did not want to crush the delver's hopes, but he had to be truthful.

"At the moment, I'm at a loss. Linda makes the perfect sanctuary for the creatures. Her immunity to magic places a wall between them and anything we hope to accomplish. I believe the best thing to do is wait them out. They will eventually starve inside of her and they will be forced to come out and feed. It may take a while, but they cannot stay in her indefinitely."

Jure saw the dejected look in the delver and decided to offer an idea that was sparked by Enin's description of the situation.

"Maybe we can coax them out," the elder wizard proposed.

"Coax?" Enin asked with guarded interest. "In what way?"

"It's like you said, they're behind a wall, but that should work both ways. It's not just a defensive barrier, it's an obstruction as well. They can't get to any magic. That means they can't feed on anything. They also shouldn't even be able to sense us."

"Go on."

"My magic can't penetrate Linda, but if I press it against her, the arasaps should sense any spell residue that breaks away."

"Yes, I see."

"One or two, hopefully all of them, will seize on it and follow the trail out of her and back to me. If I drop my defenses, they shouldn't be able to resist the opportunity, but they won't know you're here until it's too late. Think about it. There's nothing inside of her for them and there has to be a mountain to feed on inside of me."

Enin followed the plan through to its ultimate conclusion.

"And once they are outside of Linda, I can deal with them appropriately. You would never be in any danger. Very good."

"You think it can work?" Ryson asked with newfound hope.

"I don't see why it wouldn't," Enin acknowledged. "It's like I said before, arasaps don't feed on magic, they feed on spell remnants. Magic in itself is pure, but the caster places his or her intentions within the energy to mold it into a spell. When the spell expires or is reflected, the intentions don't simply evaporate. Some of it falls away from the freed magic, but a small portion remains within the caster. It's like a memory, but it resides in the magical core, not in the mind."

"That feeds them?" the delver asked, bewildered by the concept.

"They are not creatures of this land," Enin reminded the delver. "They do not eat like you might imagine."

While Enin explained the situation, Jure considered the best way to entice the arasaps. He could not simply pour a small portion of his magic into Linda, for she was immune, and it would never pass into her. He believed the best way was to concentrate on the arasaps themselves. He could not link to them directly, but he could direct his magic toward their presence.

He thought of a simple wind spell, a violet based incantation focused on the flowing properties of a small breeze. He could not cast the spell on Linda, but rather on himself. He would become the source of the gentle breeze, and he could then direct it at the arasaps while keeping the flow connected back to his magical core. The magic would deflect away from Linda, and as it did, the intentions of his spell would break away. It would be enough to get the arasaps' attention.

At the same time, he would intentionally lower his natural defenses. He could use the magic to create access tunnels back to his own magical center. It would be like putting up a 'welcome' sign to any parasite that fed on magic or spell residue.

Jure did not wish to leave himself open to the creatures, but he felt it was the only way to extract them. It was a simple matter of poking them enough to get their attention and then giving them clear passage to a meal they could not refuse.

"I believe I'm ready," he announced."

"This won't hurt her, will it?" Ryson questioned almost harshly.

"She is in no danger," Enin assured the delver. "It is Jure that is most at risk. If even one gets inside of him, there's no telling the damage it can cause."

"But you can stop them, right?" Ryson demanded. With all of his heart, he wanted Linda cured, but the thought of someone else suffering caused him to question the plan. "Maybe you can direct the arasaps at me. There's magic inside of me."

"Yes, there is," Enin agreed, "but perhaps not enough spell residue to tempt the creatures to exit their sanctuary. We still aren't sure why they're in there, but we need to make this work on the first try. Jure is too tempting a target for them to ignore and he knows what he's doing. Do not worry, Ryson, the instant they pass beyond Linda's body, they will be vulnerable to my magic."

Enin looked to Jure.

"Whenever you're ready."

Without another word, the elder wizard prepared his spell. He pressed his hands together, and though he focused on the purple energy of the storm, pure white magic appeared in a circle around his fingertips. He lightly twitched his fingers toward Linda as he concentrated on the presence of the arasaps. He felt the magical energy flow from his body, and could even feel the echoing vibration as it bounced off Ryson's wife.

As Jure cast his spell, Enin prepared to act in an instant. He would know the moment any of the arasaps attempted to follow the magical flow back to Jure, and considering the elder wizard's potential, Enin believed the creatures would not hesitate. He was shocked by their reaction.

"They are not taking the bait!" Enin declared.

"Incredible," Jure agreed. "They should have jumped at it. There should be nothing inside of her and they choose to stay. It doesn't make… wait a moment. There is something inside of her. Something familiar. There is something within Linda that is defying me beyond her own immunity… Ansas!"

"Cease your spell!" Enin demanded.

Jure complied without hesitation.

Ryson could not contain himself.

"What's going on?! What happened?"

Enin ignored the delver, but only for a moment. He needed to verify Jure's finding.

"You are certain?" Enin asked of the elder wizard.

"There's no question," Jure confirmed. "It's his unique energy. The same magic that defied me when I found it at the elf camp."

Despite the great number of avenues Enin's mind traveled at that moment, he understood both Ryson's concern and curiosity. Mixed together, the delver would be beyond impatient and the wizard knew enough to address the situation with as much clarity as possible.

"Ryson, part of this is becoming clear to me. I do not believe Linda is in immediate danger, and I think I know why she has been acting the way she has. Still, I need to know everything that happened in the dark realm with the elves."

Ryson found the wait nearly intolerable, but he held to the hope that with enough information, Enin would find the answer to help his wife. He, Jure and Holli reviewed everything they knew about Ansas and what happened in the dark realm, including the incident with the elf, Scheff.

"Yes, yes, yes," Enin responded after listening to the last words. He tapped his forehead with his fingers for a moment and then rubbed the top of his head with the palm of his hand. He looked over to Linda and then tapped his forehead once more.

"Ansas talks about purity," Enin said to himself, "and offers a way for the elf magic caster to purify himself. He can't link to Linda, that wouldn't do any good anyway. He needed the arasaps, but they had to do more than just feed on the residue. He combines the two. Yes. Absolutely. It would work. We don't know if the process has occurred, but we have to believe it has. He probably has others. Sure he does. He has four. That's why there are four inside of her. He'll want to send more."

That was all Ryson needed to hear.

"More of them? She's going to be attacked again?"

Enin looked up with a startled expression.

"Attacked?"

"You just said more were coming!"

Ryson's shocked expression brought Enin's attention back to the immediate concerns of the delver.

"Not attacked, but I see it all now. She is being used as a tool."

"By Ansas?"

"Yes, to purify the spell casters that have decided to accept his offer."

"How is that possible?!" the delver demanded.

"You have to understand how it all works. Every time I cast a spell, I manipulate the magic with my will. I express my intentions and even my emotions at the moment of casting into the energy. Those complex sentiments work their way into the magic both inside and outside the spell caster. It becomes spell residue."

The delver was baffled. He was filled with worry over his wife and the wizard was talking about what amounted to nothing more than leftover spell manipulations.

"What's this have to do with Linda?!"

"Everything. Ansas is using her to eliminate the spell residue from the casters, to eliminate even the faintest trace of their previous castings. They end up with no residuals of previous spells, as if they never cast a spell before. They are, in essence, pure."

"But you said it yourself, Linda is immune to the magic."

"She is, but the arasaps are not. They carry the magic, and they entered Linda physically, not magically. They have embraced a portion of Ansas' ebony energy and then infiltrated Linda. He can not link to her, but he can link to them. If a caster used that link to remove all of his or her magic, the combination of Linda and the arasaps would become a filter. The magic would bounce away from Linda, but the spell residue would be absorbed by the arasaps. That's what they feed upon."

Jure listened intently and immediately understood.

"Incredible," the elder wizard exclaimed. "The combination of Linda's immunity and the arasaps' ability to feed on spell remnants would actually cleanse the spell history of any caster."

"Exactly," Enin agreed. "It also explains Linda's behavior. The emotions caught within the residue are pulled into her. She's not immune to them. It affects her behavior. She has outbursts of anger, like she had in the forest. The arasaps feed on the residue and that, in turn, then stifles her own emotion."

Ryson really didn't understand what was going on. He focused on one thing.

"Can you help her?"

"Absolutely," Enin stated earnestly. "The creatures are linked to Ansas. I will make him remove the arasaps from her and refrain from doing such acts in the future."

Chapter 25

Enin brought all those around him directly to the small house the sorcerer used as a refuge in the dark realm. The powerful wizard grasped the trailing strings of the portal connection that Ansas had previously created to purify the elf, Scheff. The dimensional rift's origin had been opened in Ansas' study, but its exit point was ultimately tied to the arasaps within Linda. Though the portal had been closed when Scheff completed his purification process, the echoes of the magical path remained loosely attached to the space around Ryson's wife, and they were strong enough for Enin to follow.

Utilizing both teleportation and a portal in much the same manner Ansas had done with the elves of Dark Spruce, the wizard pulled everyone into a vortex of instantaneous dimensional crossing. In the single blink of an eye, their surroundings changed from the vast open space within the Church of Godson's stone walls to the much more cramped area in a small wooden house.

Dzeb had to crouch down to fit under the ceiling of Ansas' study, but he insisted on remaining by Linda. The giant did not carry Ryson's wife, but stood near her at all times, a silent protector ensuring no further harm would come to her.

Linda, who was brought along in order to remove the arasaps from within her, showed neither annoyance nor gratitude at having the cliff behemoth constantly at her side. She watched with an ambivalence that seemed remarkable considering they had traveled to the dark realm to free her of creatures that had taken refuge inside of her.

To everyone else's dismay, they found the house unoccupied. It did not appear abandoned, for the notes Ansas created remained piled upon the shelves of his study. All of the rooms, however, were empty, and neither Ryson with his delver senses nor Holli with her ability to sense magical creatures could locate the sorcerer anywhere nearby.

Ryson raced about the house in a fury, trying to seize on any shred of Ansas' whereabouts. He moved on his own without advise or guidance from any of the others. He ran through each room like a swirling wind that would shift directions the moment it hit a solid wall. With each quickened step, his anger at Ansas became more intense, and his desire to find the sorcerer swelled.

All of the pain over the past several days, all of the anguish he and Linda suffered, was not born out of any true conflict between him and his wife. It was forced upon them, thrown into their laps by some self-centered magic caster intent on bettering himself at the cost of others. The twisting anxiety that ate at his insides, the overwhelming worry that ripped at his every thought, the crushing confusion that kept him from sleep, and the sweeping fatigue that sapped his strength could all be traced to one man.

The full force of his delver concentration fell upon that man. Ryson would not allow the sorcerer to escape. On pure determination and without a hint of doubt, he would find Ansas, force him to remove the arasaps from his wife, and then ensure the perpetrator would never dare to come between Ryson and Linda again. How would he do that? He envisioned the most simple of solutions; he would tear Ansas' arrogant head from his muscular body.

The violence of his thoughts might have been out of character, might have even caused Ryson pain and regret if he had considered such aggression at another time, involving another matter. But at that moment, all he could picture were the arasaps invading his wife at the command of the sorcerer. Those were the thoughts that consumed the delver, and any remorse over his brutal intentions could not eclipse the emotional upheaval caused by the sorcerer's own malicious actions.

Realizing the sorcerer was not in his sanctuary, Ryson directed his delver senses upon the myriad of trails within the structure. It was not an easy task. They had been brought to the dark realm, an environment of warped mayhem. The wretchedness of that existence always assaulted the delver whenever he crossed into that plane, but the obstacles went beyond the sickening smells and the soul hardening shrieks in the distance.

He was in a strange home, created out of a mix of ebony magic and bizarre material originating from that twisted realm. Trees did not grow healthy and tall. They were warped and struggled constantly to survive. Any wood used to create the structure intrinsically held to an aggressive desire, and the delver could almost sense the hostility in every splinter.

Beyond the aggressive vibrations, Ryson seized upon every remnant of each visitor. He noted the lingering traces of the elves that had been abducted and brought to the house. There were several scent trails that he identified one by one. They were of varying age, one of which was fairly fresh.

He also realized the diversity of intriguing guests did not end with the seized elves. Others had been in the home quite recently as well, including human magic casters. He even noted the obvious signs of an infern, but he would not allow the thought of a half-demon to deter his search.

In fact, he clamped down with ferocity on his delver curiosity and forced any diversion from his mind. He separated the various trails, branded them in his mind, and removed any possible distractions from his attention. He narrowed his concentration on the various signs of the sorcerer. He followed them all and placed the movements in subsequent order.

Focusing ever clearer on everything he could sense, he quickly isolated the freshest trail. He knew Ansas had been in the house very recently, appeared to have left just before Enin transported them all to the dark realm. With that realization came another; Ansas had escaped, but only by the thinnest of margins.

Believing Ansas somehow knew they were coming, Ryson thought of the arasaps. Jure explained that the sorcerer's magic was inside the creatures. If so, it was possible Ansas could have used some magical link to witness the actions of anyone near Linda. That meant that the sorcerer could have been spying on them the entire time. Worse, Ansas was still using Linda, using her for his benefit… and causing Ryson even more pain.

He wouldn't allow it to continue, not for long. He followed the trail right out the door without advising anyone else where he was going.

"He left," Jure noted with a hint of surprise.

"It's okay," Enin reassured the elder wizard. "He's not in any immediate danger. There are no creatures in the vicinity. I checked. I believe they avoid this place out of fear."

"What if he finds Ansas outside? Should we let him face the sorcerer alone?"

"Don't worry. When I cast the teleportation spell, I linked myself to the magic within Ryson. When he comes in contact with Ansas, I'll know. Let him continue his search while we see what we can discover here."

Enin walked over to the shelves containing Ansas' magically written notes. He reviewed several and revealed both astonishment and disappointment.

"Amazing," the wizard acknowledged. "He has so much insight and yet at the same time he is so short sighted. He turns everything back on himself."

Jure took a handful of papers and perused the notes as well.

"What do you mean?" the elder wizard asked of Enin, hoping to gain a greater perspective of the sorcerer.

"Reading these, you would think his interest is entirely on the ebony energy, but there is a deeper revelation. He is consumed by the desire to influence the magic and he ignores how it might influence him. He regards himself as the sole manipulator, believing that the magic is here simply for his utilization. He places himself above everything, and that is both dangerous and foolish."

"Do you think he'll…"

Jure was not able to finish his question as Ryson rushed back through the main entrance.

"I found his trail," Ryson announced. "He was here right before we showed up. It's fresh, but he must have just left."

"Where does the trail lead?" Holli asked, wondering why Ryson would have abandoned the chase.

"That's the problem," Ryson revealed with growing frustration. "It just ends."

"He probably teleported himself or even opened a portal back to Uton," Enin offered. "But don't worry. He won't be able to get away. I will still be able to follow his trail. Show me what you have found."

But when Ryson brought Enin to the spot where the trail ended, the wizard could not find any trace of a magical path, no indication that a teleportation or portal spell had been cast anywhere near the area.

"Are you sure the trail ends here?" Enin asked of the delver.

"Positive. Look, you can see his footprints."

The tracks were visible to all, and they did, in fact, just stop, as if Ansas simply stepped into oblivion.

Holli bent down to examine the markings. She felt the harsh ground with her fingers, checked the depth of the prints. She waved her hand over the last footprint and watched the gray dust scatter slightly in the breeze she made with her palm.

After straightening up, she moved carefully forward, checking the ground at varying lengths away from the last tracks and in all directions. She felt the dirt in several other areas and then scanned the skies. She quickly returned to the delver. Even without finding further traces of the sorcerer, she did not wear an expression of confusion. She appeared to understand some hidden secret, but she needed to confirm her suspicions.

"Do you still have his scent?" the elf asked of Ryson

"Yes."

"Then there must be a scent trail that matches his tracks. Does that end?"

"What do you mean?"

"Forget about the other signs. Focus only on what you smell. Tell me if the scent trail ends at the same spot his tracks stop."

"Out here? It's difficult," Ryson admitted. "The stench is overpowering."

"Ignore it," Holli commanded. "I believe we can find him."

That was all the delver needed to hear. He crouched low and tried to find the scent of the sorcerer near his last markings in the ground. Ryson inhaled the thick, humid air in light and brief breaths. He narrowed in on Ansas' scent, even moved backward along the trail to confirm he had it.

Once certain, he moved forward again to the last set of tracks. As he did, he instinctively rose his head up from the ground and kept moving forward. He even took several leaps in the air as he continued away from the others. The last leap was a breathtaking jump high above the ground that revealed his stunning delver abilities.

Ryson turned back to his friends.

"His trail doesn't end. It goes up into the air."

"He flew," Holli nodded in agreement.

"You mean he flew like Enin can?" Ryson demanded of Holli.

Looking at the others, he realized that flying was no small accomplishment. Even Enin was apparently surprised by the revelation, but Ryson wasn't ready to give the sorcerer that kind of credit. He turned his attention back to Holli.

"I've seen you float over the ground. Couldn't he have just done that?"

"I am only able to cast momentary spells of levitation. There is a difference between levitation and flight. Trust me, he flew."

"This complicates things," Enin admitted. "He is more talented than I would have guessed."

Ryson didn't care about Ansas' talents. He wanted to find the sorcerer. He wouldn't be stopped no matter what spell the sorcerer cast.

"Can we follow the magical trail?" Ryson asked of the wizard.

"No, he did not use magic to affect space. He didn't compact it for teleportation and he didn't create a magical path for a portal. He just elevated himself and then flew off. It's not the same thing."

Ryson would not be deterred.

"It doesn't matter. He won't get away. I can still follow his scent trail. Even in the air." The delver looked to Enin with expectation in his glaring eyes. "You can fly and you can carry me with you. You've done it before. All you have to do is follow my directions and I'll tell you which way he went."

Enin looked to Holli hoping for an additional opinion.

"It may work. What do you think?"

"I do not see why it would not," Holli offered. "It would just require patience and concentration. I would suggest that the rest of us stay here. When you find him, you can teleport us to your position. That way you won't be distracted and Ryson can concentrate on the sorcerer's scent."

"It's probably the best plan," Jure agreed. "I can keep watch over everyone here. I can even protect Linda from any new arasaps. They would have to physically touch her. The best…"

Ryson thought of the arasaps and instantly cut Jure off.

"Don't say anything else!"

Jure obeyed the order without hesitation but looked immediately toward the delver for an explanation.

"I think Ansas is using the arasaps to watch us," Ryson explained. "I think he knew we were coming. That's why he took off."

"They shouldn't be able to see us," Jure contradicted, "or hear us. Linda's magical immunity would create a barrier."

"Ansas left right before we showed up," Ryson countered. "And then he just flew away. Why would he do that? He knew we were coming. I can tell."

"But it shouldn't be possible," Jure maintained, but only for a moment, "…unless the arasaps have managed to tap into Linda's senses as well as her emotions. Perhaps they see what she sees, hears what she hears."

"That would explain a great deal," Holli agreed.

Enin said nothing but quickly cast a spell. He could not cast it directly upon Linda, or even on the arasaps within her, but he could focus on the space surrounding Ryson's wife.

The others could not ignore the wizard's actions, especially the delver. Ryson knew his wife was immune to magic, and couldn't understand why Enin would direct a spell towards her.

"What did you do?!" Ryson demanded.

"I placed a… think of it as a curtain… around your wife. You can't see it, but it is there. She can no longer hear or see us, which means the arasaps and Ansas can no longer see us or hear us."

"So she thinks we're gone?!" Ryson stated with his alarm growing.

"I understand your concern, but in her state, she does not mind. She cannot see or hear anyone of us, save Dzeb. I thought it would be best if he looked after her. The curtain does not block him out."

"So she thinks I've left her?!" Ryson was about to demand Enin remove the spell, but Holli affirmed the wisdom of the move.

"We need you to help us find and defeat Ansas," the elf intervened. "If you wish to help Linda, you must accept this."

"Of course I want to help her!" the delver roared. "But not like this!"

"It seems we have little choice. You yourself demanded Jure to remain quiet. How can we communicate?"

Ryson was becoming frustrated at having his words and actions used against him, and they were no closer to reaching the sorcerer.

"But if Enin just cut us all off from Linda, then Ansas knows we're aware he was listening."

"If he is watching us, then he already did," Holli noted. "You just said as much only a moment ago. This may be difficult, but we need you to find him."

Despite how it would affect the delver, Jure decided to expose yet another flaw in their plan.

"We have another problem. If Ansas was listening to us-which he probably was-then he knows how we're going to try to follow him."

Enin saw where the elder wizard was going.

"And he now knows to mask his scent from the delver."

"So he's going to get away?!" Ryson groaned.

"No," Jure said with certainty.

Holli recognized the elder wizard's tone.

"You have an idea?"

"I do. I believe I can find him, but you have to take me back to the elf camp."

Chapter 26

Without hesitation or even asking for further explanation from Jure, Enin teleported the group through a portal once more, and they emerged just outside the borders of the elf camp in Dark Spruce Forest. He did not know why Jure needed to speak to the elves, but the magic that flowed through his consciousness seemed to approve of the decision. He could never quite explain it to anyone else-as there was no one in Uton that could control the energy with the same proficiency-but the magic would often open his awareness to events of great consequence. He felt the lines of energy converging around them, almost guiding them to where they needed to go.

The sudden appearance of uninvited guests alarmed the elf guards on patrol and they called for the new arrivals to halt. The outer perimeter of sentries did not openly confront Enin's party with threats, but they remained on high alert and were extremely cautious involving any magical portals. Each elf remained in position as the elf captain rushed to the scene.

Birk Grund, recognizing most of them as allies, addressed them all with a level of respect, but he also insisted they reveal their purpose.

"Why have you come here in such a manner?"

Jure knew the answer, but he allowed Holli to speak for them all.

"We are in search of Ansas," the elf replied.

"Is he near?" the captain demanded.

Holli did not sense the sorcerer, but as of yet, she was uncertain why Jure wished to return to the elf camp. She bid the elder wizard to finally explain his intentions.

"No, he's not here," Jure explained. "He's still in the dark realm, but there are now two links to him that I can follow. One is with us." The wizard nodded to Linda. "The wife of Ryson Acumen is harboring four arasaps with a portion of Ansas' black magic. That is one point. The other is within Shantree Wispon."

None of the others, save Enin, could understand Jure's intentions. It was Holli who pressed for further explanation.

"But the links only create a path back to where the last spell was cast," Holli asserted. "The link to the arasaps led back to Ansas' study. The link to the elf elder will only lead us back to the area in the dark realm where the elves were taken after abduction, the ground that was under Ansas' barrier. Do you believe that is where he is hiding?"

"I doubt it, but I won't be following the links of a spell. I will seize upon the similarities within the two points of magic-the one in Linda and the one in Shantree. Ansas left part of himself in both, and I should be able to find the commonality between the two distinct portions, separate out the differences, and draw a direct path back to his unique power. That will lead us right to him… wherever he is."

Ryson didn't understand the magical implications, really didn't care about them. He wanted nothing more than to get to Ansas as quickly as possible, but he also considered the need to act with greater care. His impatience and carelessness had already led to one setback. He despised the thought of any delay, but he wouldn't make the same mistake twice. There was no way he would allow Ansas to escape again.

"How are you going to block out Shantree?" the delver asked. "We can't let Ansas know what we're going to do. If he was able to use Linda's senses, he can probably use Shantree's. Is Enin going to cast another spell around her?"

Birk immediately responded with a harsh rebuke.

"No one is going to cast a spell on anyone in this camp without discussing it with me, the council… and especially the camp elder!"

"But if we tell her what the plan is, then Ansas will be warned," Ryson responded with growing frustration, unsympathetic to the elf's concerns.

"Warned of what?" Birk demanded.

"We are going after him," Holli explained in the most diplomatic tone she could muster. "He has used arasaps to penetrate Linda Acumen. We must free her of the parasites."

"She has my sympathy, but you do not have my authorization to cast a spell on the camp elder. Ansas has already abducted us once and any action against him must be considered by the council, or at least the camp elder herself."

Ryson finally boiled over. He stepped up to the elf captain in a blur of motion and gazed defiantly into Birk's eyes.

"Do you know how many times I've saved this camp? If you think I'm going to let your idiotic rules interfere with what we have to do, you're sadly mistaken."

The elf captain's tone grew cold as he stared back at the delver with equal defiance.

"Have a care delver. You forget where you stand."

Ryson stepped even closer.

"I haven't forgotten anything. I know about the guards in the trees… even the ones you think I can't see. Would you like to see how fast I can drop them to the ground like sacks of dried beans? I can be finished and back here before any of them can string an arrow, let alone get off a shot at me."

"Ryson!" Holli admonished. "That will not help!"

Ryson would not back down.

"Holli, we're going to find Ansas, and this over controlling captain is not going to get in my way!"

It was Jure who offered a solution.

"Ryson, I don't think it's necessary to block out Shantree," the elder wizard stated with all honesty.

The delver would not release his gaze from the elf captain, but he directed a demanding question at Jure.

"What do you mean?"

"What I'm planning on doing does not require stealth. Even if Ansas realizes what I'm going to do, he won't be able to hide. As long as I can sense the magic within Shantree and Linda, I will be able to build a path to Ansas. There's not a barrier he can create that will stop me."

"Are you certain?"

"I am."

Ryson would not apologize to the elf captain. Instead, he simply disregarded him as if the elf no longer mattered. He turned instead to Enin.

"If that's the case, then I want you to remove the spell surrounding Linda," the delver demanded. "If Shantree can see and hear what's going to happen, then so can she."

Enin agreed and quickly removed the spell. Linda, however, showed no indication of recognizing any changes around her.

"Linda?" Ryson asked. "Can you see me?"

His wife looked directly at him but in a fashion that appeared as if she was looking through him.

"I see you," she admitted.

Her total indifference nearly shattered Ryson's heart. He was ready to kill for her, and she regarded him with no more attention than she would give a gnat buzzing around her face. Attributing everything to Ansas and the arasaps inside of his wife, Ryson twirled about to face Jure.

"Do whatever you have to do. Find him!"

"We need to speak to Shantree," Jure revealed and then looked to the elf captain for assistance.

"And so you shall," Birk Grund acknowledged, more than willing to escort the group to the camp elder.

Shantree Wispon listened intently to Jure's explanation and was eager to assist the human wizard. She hoped they would not only force the sorcerer to remove the arasaps from the delver's wife, but also make him take back the unwanted piece of ebony magic from her core as well.

She could not touch the foreign energy in any fashion or utilize it to cast spells, but its existence within her haunted her every waking moment and caused nightmares she had not experienced in years. She almost wished Jure had never told her of the dark magic within her, but somehow she believed she would have eventually discovered the truth on her own.

She had remained separated from the elf camp. She also realized that if some solution was not found, she would be forced to relinquish her role as elder. She could not continue to lead if she could not trust her own decisions. Being marked by the sorcerer was leading her to oblivion, but perhaps the combined strength of Enin and Jure would be sufficient in freeing both herself and Linda Acumen.

With Shantree's approval and with Birk monitoring the procedure, Jure began the task of finding the connection between the dark energy in two different sources. He could not grab hold of the energy, as it continued to defy him, but he could feel it… analyze it with regard to its magical characteristics. He probed both Shantree and Linda at the same time, disregarding the echoes that wavered back to any past spell. Instead, he latched on to the similarities he could detect.

Within moments, he perceived a vibration from both portions of energy that matched each other exactly, but they didn't form any link between each other. The waves traveled outward across dimensional space. He had found the trail he was looking for.

To his amazement and dismay, the connection reacted to his probing. The moment he seized upon it, he felt it move. It jumped like a taught string that had been plucked by an opposing finger. The end of the path had changed. While he was initially able to follow it to an exact location in the dark realm, the new path's final destination eluded him. It remained fixed, but it rested within a thick haze he could not penetrate.

"I had him," Jure disclosed. "He was in the dark realm…"

"Take us there!" Ryson ordered.

The delver's demand was for immediate action, but the elder wizard hesitated. With all his might, Jure attempted to see through the dark mist, but he could not make a clear distinction of Ansas' position.

"He moved. I've lost him," the elder wizard confessed with a great tinge of guilt.

The delver reacted almost violently. Rage was apparent throughout his stiffened body.

"What?! Find him again!"

"I have found him," Jure revealed, "but I don't know where he is."

"You're not making sense!"

"You don't understand. He's in the dark realm. I'm sure of it, but he's… he's in some kind of haze."

Before Ryson could react, Enin intervened.

"Jure, if you can follow a trail back to him from two different points, you should be able to locate him."

"I have located him, but I don't understand where he is. It's like he's in some kind of cloud. If I can't determine the exact location, how can I send us there? It seems he figured out a way to hide himself after all."

With that admission, Ryson did react, and he poured his fury toward the elf captain.

"This is your fault!" Ryson accused as he pointed angrily to Birk. "Ansas figured out what we were doing because of your idiocy!"

The elf captain glared with equal anger at the delver, but before he could defend his decision, Jure took full responsibility.

"No, Ryson, it was my mistake. I was overconfident. I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't help my wife!"

"But he can still help Linda," Enin professed. "He just needs some assistance. Calm yourself for a moment, Ryson. What's done is done. Let us see what we can do to solve this dilemma."

Enin turned back to the elder wizard.

"Tell me what you sense."

"The truth is, I'm not sure," Jure revealed. "I can't take hold of the energy in either one of them, but I can follow both strands back to their source. The magic doesn't want me to, but it can't stop me."

"So you can follow it. Where does it lead?"

"He's still in the dark realm, but it's not quite the same. I don't think he's really hiding, but he's somewhere I can't define."

"Then maybe you just need to expand your understanding of that realm," Enin advised. "The dark realm is a lazy term, but there is an absence of celestial light, so it is somewhat befitting. Some think of it as the spawn of nightmares, the level of consciousness created by our deepest fears and a repository for our heaviest burdens. They are partially correct, but they oversimplify. It is not some illusionary expression of our darker imagination. It is a very real place, and it remains connected to our land. That's what you must concentrate on."

"I don't have a problem following the trail to the dark realm. It's this particular area that Ansas seems to have found that I can't really distinguish."

"That's what I'm trying to help you with," Enin advised. "Existences are layered upon each other. Some are obvious and others are very subtle. Even here in this forest, there are layers of existence. In the ground beneath our feet and in the air, there are tiny creatures waging their own battles, their own struggles. Layered all around us, there are presences of another sort. They are no less here than we are, even though we can't see them. For the most part, they disregard us and we disregard them."

"You mean like insects?"

"Yes, but other entities as well-some so small we can't even see them, others totally invisible because they lack physical properties-but their existence is no less real. The dark realm is just one more layer, but it is placed out of normal reach, connected only by magic. It may be a land of monsters, but it is also a realm of imagination, and there are layers there as well."

Jure began to grasp the concept.

"So you're saying Ansas is still in the dark realm, but he has separated himself from the rest of the dark creatures. In essence, he is in his own layer."

"In simplest form, yes, but I need you to be careful in how you perceive all of this. There is a great deal of overlap and if you attempt to isolate particular sections, you will lose him. You have to allow the magical trail to be your guide and open your consciousness to wider possibilities. I don't believe it's Ansas that's clouding your mind. I believe you are just having difficulty allowing your thoughts to take hold of alternate realities."

"I'm not sure that helps me find him," Jure revealed. "I can't just wipe my mind clean and let some new reality take shape."

"You don't have to," Enin allowed. "You just have to let the magic take you where you need to go. You know Ansas better than I do. Where would he place himself in the dark realm?"

That was a question Jure could answer easily.

"Far above it all. Even the largest of monstrosities would still be nothing more than a mosquito to him."

"He is that arrogant?" Enin questioned.

"Absolutely."

"Then if the dark realm is a physical reflection of the darkest corners of our imagination, use Ansas arrogance to help define the space around him. Don't try to create it yourself. Instead, let the magic and your understanding of Ansas guide you to his exact location."

With a new direction, the elder wizard concentrated once more on the magical strands of ebony magic. Though he could not grasp the dark energy that flowed back into the nightmare dimension, he could follow it and he knew it led directly to Ansas.

Jure ignored his previous experiences in the dark realm, forced out the images that his memory recreated in his mind. He allowed his consciousness to travel across existences without preconceived notions of what to expect.

Near the very end of the magical line, he reached a murky haze. Initially, it kept him from discovering his surroundings, but he patiently remained just outside the fog. He didn't attempt to burst through or shape the mist based on his own expectations. Instead, he waited for his surroundings to take on characteristics of their own.

He considered everything he knew of Ansas. The sorcerer was beyond arrogant. He was totally self-indulgent. He was also brash and self-assured, perhaps a bit too confident in his ability. Jure decided to use that to his advantage.

The elder wizard remained patient as well as persistent. He simply allowed his consciousness to take hold just outside the haze. He would use Ansas' brashness against the sorcerer. In essence, he offered a challenge, one he believed the sorcerer could not refuse.

The haze began to take a more detailed form. It first took the shape of a dark cloud, like a large puff of smoke, but it quickly took solid structure. He could see a wide plateau, a stretch of ground upheld high in the air by a single column, but one with a firm foundation. He knew they could walk upon the lonely ground, even the massive cliff behemoth would be well supported.

As Ansas' location came into greater focus, Jure realized he was not alone in issuing a challenge. The sorcerer had issued one of his own, one the elder wizard had met and overcome.

"I have him," Jure announced.

Chapter 27

"I'll give you credit; you continue to surprise me," Ansas conceded. "I wasn't sure if you could reach me here on your own, but you did. You may not have Enin's vast energy or his control, but you are relentless. Is that how you achieved your white circle of magic?"

"What I achieve and how I do it is my own business," Jure responded coldly.

"Is that belligerence or modesty? I hope it isn't the latter. It's a useless characteristic. I have no use for braggarts, mind you, but humility is a self-imposed impediment. In order to achieve greatness, you can't deny it. Modesty is just one more weakness that must be cast aside. You should be more attentive to yourself and willing to learn what I can teach you."

As if to contradict that very point, Jure ignored the sorcerer and checked on the others. With one spell, he brought them all to the dark realm; Holli, Enin, Dzeb, Ryson and Linda, as well as Birk Grund and Shantree Wispon. He wanted to ensure their safety, for he knew they were in a perilous situation. To his relief and satisfaction, they were all on stable ground, well away from any of the dangerous ledges that, beyond the sorcerer, represented the most immediate threat.

They stood upon a high plateau elevated well above the lands of the dark realm where horrific creatures stalked. It was a simple stretch of ground, but it was lifted into the vast heights by one towering mass of solid gray rock. They ventured into a region of the dark realm far above the tallest cliff walls where hook hawks and spin vultures built their nests. There were no other apparent hazards nearby-no lakes of fire, shifting sand pits, or dark caves with unknown terrors-but a fall from that height would have been devastating, even to the cliff behemoth that made his home in the majestic Colad Mountains.

The ground at the top of the plateau was flat, hard, and devoid of all life. There were no warped, half-dead trees jutting out of the gray rock or disfigured insects burrowing into the dry soil. It was empty and dim, shadowed from the flickering lights of the fire pits below.

The plateau existed in the vast gray reaches of the dark realm's sky, but the dimension was so very different from the lands of Jure's home. It was shrouded in the shadows of a gray canopy that gripped the realm with unforgiving sameness. There were no stars, no sun above. They stood upon the upper reaches of that dreary existence, a dimension without beauty or joy. It was not a scenic overlook that allowed for glorious views of some distant horizon. There was just turmoil and hopelessness below, and the plateau served as a detached platform to overlook it all. Perhaps Ansas used it as a testing ground for spells of various nature, or perhaps he just liked to place himself high above the other dark creatures.

Jure believed the high plain was created by the sorcerer, another sanctuary like his simple wooden house, but one that was neither simple nor ordinary. The plateau was not merely some tall peak of a vast mountain. It was an area totally isolated from the rest of the dark realm.

Physically, the flat ground sat atop a mystifying spire that defied its surroundings. While very little in that nightmare world appeared natural, the solid column of gray rock appeared to reach beyond the limits of even twisted sanity. It was as if the plateau tested the very confines of the dark realm, pressed against the edge of the nightmare existence.

While many winged beasts of the realm could reach dizzying heights, none of the flying monsters dared to soar overhead. Jure realized they stood at the upper boundary of existence and any airborne creatures that dared to pass beyond the peak were risking entering a void.

Jure also understood that was why he had such difficulty in pinpointing Ansas' location. They stood upon an area that marked the upper boundary of the dark realm, and the haze he had to reach through was the twisted mix of one existence over another. There was the dark realm and the void beyond, and the flat ground of the plateau served as the last stop before emptiness.

"Is everyone alright?" Jure asked of those gathered around him, his spirit somewhat dimmed by the surrounding gloom.

"We're all fine," Enin answered. "You did very well."

"Oh, please," Ansas interrupted. "How condescending. I already acknowledged his effort. What does your little platitude add? Why not pat him on the head?"

"Perhaps I should pat you on the head," Enin replied, "and reassure you that you can do better next time."

"Better?"

"Yes, you clearly failed to hide from us."

"Hide?" the sorcerer sneered. "Is that what you think?"

"Certain facts are clear. You fled from your home when you knew we were coming for you. When you realized Jure would follow your magic, you tried to cover yourself in the haze of this place."

"Hiding would have meant I didn't want you to find me. That's not even remotely true. I wanted you to find me, but in the place of my choosing. I led you here."

"Led us?" Enin scoffed. "That almost sounds like you wanted us to follow you. I find that difficult to accept."

"And why is that?" Ansas challenged the wizard.

"You are skilled in magic enough to understand that I am prepared to deal with you."

"Of course! I should have realized that," the sorcerer jeered with dripping sarcasm. "I can't believe I made such a terrible mistake. I am inconsequential to your greatness."

"No one is inconsequential, and I am not deluded with such arrogance," Enin replied. "If there is anyone with a warped sense of self-appreciation, it is you."

Ansas actually smiled.

"You think I'm arrogant? You really are a disappointment. I am simply self-aware. Nothing more and nothing less."

It was Ryson who interrupted the relentless banter.

"Why are we wasting time? If someone doesn't make him remove those arasaps, I will!"

"Ah, the delver, coming to save his wife. How gallant. Unfortunately for you, I have no plans to remove the arasaps. If anything, I will be adding several more."

Holli realized that would be enough to send the delver racing toward the sorcerer, and there was no one fast enough to stop him. She spoke out just in time to keep Ryson from rushing forward.

"Ryson, do not let him goad you into a mistake. There is nothing that can save him here."

"And is there something that will save you, elf witch?"

"Enough of all of this," Enin stated as he stepped forward. "You will remove the arasaps from Linda Acumen and you will also remove the mark of your energy from Shantree Wispon."

"And if I refuse?"

"I will not allow you to refuse," Enin stated with casual regard.

Ansas smiled again, but it was a darker grin, a wicked self-indulgent smirk.

"Then we have exactly what I hoped for. I must admit, I've always wanted to face you. You might cast in two perfect white circles, but this realm works to my advantage. I created this rock edifice with the help of one named Neltus. It brings me to the very limits of this realm, not so I can overlook the creatures of the existence, but so I can be closer to the fringes of other realms. From here, I can reach into areas of complete darkness. I can find the strength to beat you."

"This is not some duel I intend to fight," Enin revealed.

"But it is… perhaps not a perfect duel. You've brought your friends, but I have allies of my own."

At his call, four magic casters appeared on the plateau; an infern, two humans, and an elf. Many recognized Scheff, the elf that abandoned his camp to join Ansas. Most also recognized Neltus, as they had dealings with him previously.

While Ansas did not introduce them by name, he did not hesitate in revealing their powers.

"They all carry my energy, so they all represent a part of me. They have obtained sufficient skill to cast in a single perfect circle, but they also have been instructed to remain absolutely loyal to their respective hues. They are pure and so they represent a distinct element of magical strength."

"And you think this will change the outcome?" Enin asked.

"No, I believe the outcome remains in doubt. The challenge exists. I will pit my power against yours. Their arrival simply levels the field."

"Their arrival means nothing," Enin stated firmly. "This will end badly for all of you. I give you one last chance. Remove the arasaps and your magic from my friends and vow on your beloved ebony energy to never take action against them again. I will allow you to remain in this realm with your powers intact."

"You think I would just give up?" Ansas asked with a rather amazed expression.

"What I think is irrelevant. I simply give you a choice to make."

Ansas considered the proposition, not for its ultimate intention, but for how it was offered. He wondered how far Enin was willing to go.

"I find this even more interesting," Ansas revealed. "Your power is indeed immense, but your perception is flawed. You have the ability to make your word absolute law, and yet you leave decisions to others. You are much too passive. You should be forcing your will on others, not giving in to their inconsequential decisions."

"I am not so corrupt."

"Corrupt? What a ridiculous concept. Corruption is nothing more than a point of view. What you see as-what? perhaps immoral? — I see as inevitable. The quest for a higher existence is paramount to petty judgments."

"Your concept of life is frighteningly empty."

"Is it? You talk about choices. Will you allow others to choose? I have at my side an elf that wishes to test his abilities. I can feel it. He is actually looking forward to a conflict. I see no reason to deny him that opportunity. While he is the least experienced of those I have called, I still believe he can defeat the old man that stands beside you. Will you let your wizard friend choose to meet the elf in battle or will you dictate what happens?"

Enin answered without hesitation.

"I will leave that to Jure."

"What?!"

It was not Jure who questioned Enin's response, but Ryson.

"I'm not going to stand here while they fight some idiotic wizard's duel!" the delver shouted. "We're here for Linda! Help her… now!"

"Patience Ryson. If we are to save Linda, Ansas must be defeated."

"I know, so why are we wasting time?!"

"He must be defeated completely and unquestionably. This is the first step. And each individual must make his or her own choice."

Jure quickly entered the conversation.

"I see no need to delay things," Jure advised as he addressed Enin. "You can stop all of this in an instant."

"Is that what you want?" Enin asked.

"It doesn't matter what I want."

"Actually, it matters very much. I am beginning to sense that this is all more than it appears. We have all been brought here for a reason… you as much as anyone else. I am not about to simply place my will above a higher purpose. I don't think I could if I wanted to."

"The only purpose I care about is helping Linda," Ryson interrupted. "Nothing else matters!"

"Ryson, I know you are very concerned about Linda, but trust me. There is something building here. There is a larger issue at stake. I have no idea where it's ultimately going to lead, but it involves all of us. That's why we're here, including you and Linda. If you want to save your wife from Ansas, we have to see this through to the end. If not, she'll never be safe from him. Never. Do you understand?"

Ryson looked over at his wife, saw that she had heard everything that had been said, and yet, she still didn't care about what was happening around her. The delver knew he couldn't allow that to continue, and he didn't want to have to face it again.

"No, I don't understand," Ryson admitted, but in a far less emotional tone. "If you think this is what we have to do to help her, then I'll do whatever it takes."

"I'm not sure I understand, either," Jure added. "You think this is about me?"

"I know you're part of it," Enin revealed. "Something tells me you have to decide for yourself."

Jure looked over at Ansas. He had nothing but contempt for the sorcerer. Ansas was everything Jure previously revealed to Enin, arrogant and self-centered. Still, the sorcerer was growing more powerful, strong enough to believe he could actually defeat Enin. But that might have been nothing more than additional conceit.

The elder wizard considered the elf, Scheff. It was the elf that would be his challenge, an elf that abandoned his camp to grow stronger. The elf, however, chose a darkened path, one that relied on self-indulgence and vanity.

With that thought, Jure considered his own path. He, too, had become stronger over the past several seasons, but he did not believe that his aim was solely to better himself. At every opportunity, he had used his magical talents to help the land, not just himself, and he had willingly taken direction from those he trusted.

He searched his own soul to determine what he should do. He knew he did not wish to battle the elf for his own glory, but he also believed, just as Enin had said, that he was there for a reason.

The elder wizard stepped towards Ansas and the spell casters he summoned, creating a large buffer between himself and his friends.

"You want me to face your elf, fine."

Chapter 28

Scheff eagerly stepped away from Ansas. It was his moment and his alone, the first test of his abilities after he cast out the mistakes of his past. From that moment forward, he believed a total immersion in violet castings would bring him closer to fulfilling his absolute potential. He would no longer be saddled with the failings and weaknesses of external influences.

High on the barren plateau, he felt an invigorating rush of anticipation as he faced the elder wizard. He knew little about Jure but understood the old wizard cast white magic in a perfect circle. Previously, he considered striving to attain the same level of proficiency, but that was before he assumed what he believed was a more enlightened course.

After accepting the slice of ebony magic, casting in white was almost an abomination, a deviation from purity. The concept of casting in anything beyond the inherent hue was a consideration that needed to be soundly defeated. By overcoming what he once hoped to achieve, Scheff would bury his previous and faulty convictions once and for all. It was a challenge he relished.

Jure felt no such thrill. He was tired and slightly confused. Very little of what was happening made sense. He felt as if he was being thrust into a struggle that had great significance, but he wasn't sure who had the most at stake.

For his own part, Jure felt he had very little invested in the events transpiring on the high plateau. He wouldn't have minded knocking Ansas around a bit, but he had no quarrel with Scheff. He tried to make that clear as he wished to avoid needless conflict.

"This is rather pointless," Jure confessed, hoping to stir some sense of reason in the elf. "I've never met you before. Why do you think this is necessary?"

"There are very few that can cast in a circle of pure white magic. You are a challenge I have to overcome."

"What in blazes for? I'm not challenging you."

"I am challenging myself. You represent what I once hoped to attain, when I was ignorant of my true potential."

"So you're going to force me to fight you just to prove you made the right choice?"

"No! I already know I made the right choice. The magic within me is now pure. I am centered on the violet hue of my natural abilities. There are no obstacles in my way. All I have to do is remain true to myself and I will be beyond legendary."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Are you mocking me?"

"Mocking? No. I just can't believe what you're saying. What you do here isn't going to make you legendary-no matter what happens."

"This is my first step. Once I defeat you, then there will be no doubt that my pure energy is stronger than any mix of hues. I am pitting my future against my past."

"So you think this is all about what you can do?"

"That is all that concerns me."

"Despite the fact that there's a piece of Ansas in you?"

"That is only a necessary reminder. I can't utilize that energy for myself. It is only the base for what now keeps me focused."

Jure just shook his head.

"You disagree?" the elf asked with a hint of anger.

"You're being used," Jure noted as plainly as he could.

"Used? I am doing this because I desire to do so. Why are you?"

"I wish I knew. Like I said, I think this is rather pointless."

"Yet, you stepped forward anyway," Scheff remarked.

"Because I think I'm supposed to, not because I want to. Big difference."

"Then it is you who is being used."

"Maybe, but we've all got our orders."

"Then that is the difference between you and me. I no longer take orders." Scheff glanced quickly toward Birk Grund and Shantree Wispon. "Not from a captain of the elf guard, and not from a camp elder."

"What about that guy behind you? Aren't you here because he called you?"

"He offered me an opportunity, an opportunity to do what I wish to do… to test my abilities. And it is time I do just that. Prepare yourself."

Scheff brought his hands together. A dark purple ring formed around his wrists. Pointing his arms to the gray skies, he willed the energy up over Jure. The dark violet circle took a position high over the elder wizard's head. It swirled about as it flashed several bolts of lightning at its target.

Jure moved with equal speed. A circle of white magic formed around his body and remained there as it absorbed each fiery flash of violet mayhem. The power of each impact jolted the wizard, but when the purple ring finally dissolved, Jure was still standing.

"You're strong," Jure remarked, "I'll give you that, but I think your bolts would have been even stronger if you mixed in a little yellow or orange magic."

"You are mistaken."

"I don't think so."

"Then cast the same at me, and let us see."

"I don't want to hurt you. I think you're just being misguided."

"Then prove me wrong!" demanded the elf.

Jure shrugged but decided to do exactly that. He cast a ring of power of his own that combined purple, orange and yellow magic. He placed it over the elf and willed it to strike.

The elf reacted by casting a small violet cloud over his head to absorb the energy, but when the bolts of lightning hit the cloud, flames burned through the folds and surges of light erased the purples shadows. The sheer force staggered the elf. Scheff managed to remain on his feet, but the power of Jure's magic shattered his confidence.

In near panic, the elf looked toward Ansas, but the sorcerer provided no encouragement.

"And like that you're going to give up?" Ansas asked with obvious disgust. "One spell and you crumble. I was obviously wrong about you."

Scheff steadied himself. He said nothing to the sorcerer, made no request for assistance. Instead, he returned his attention to Jure.

"I was not prepared."

"Son, that wasn't even my best shot."

"And you have not received mine."

Scheff placed the full force of the storm into one compact spell. High winds, driving rain, flashes of lightning, and crashes of thunder fell upon Jure in one massive wave. The fury was as magnificent as it was devastating.

Jure had just enough time to cast a shield spell composed of every color. The magical field surrounded him completely, and though it buckled and wavered at the intense assault, it held. Still, the elder wizard had to catch his breath as the storm finally dissolved.

"You see," Scheff declared to Jure, as he also gave a quick glance to Ansas, "I am far more now that I am pure. I have shed my weaknesses."

"I never said you weren't powerful," Jure conceded. "I said you were misguided. I still think so."

"Misguided? Misguided?! No! If anything, I finally see the truth. My spells are far more powerful than they have ever been before. I have proved that already."

"Prove? What did you prove? More importantly, who did you prove it to? Me? Yourself? Or the sorcerer over there?"

"I do not have to prove myself to anyone. I only seek to challenge myself."

"Now your starting to sound like the sorcerer. That's what he's all about. I know. I've dealt with him before. He thinks he's the only thing that matters. He disregards everything else. Is that what you want? Is that how you want to think?"

"What I want is to progress! I want to advance to a state of being beyond your limited aspirations. I will become the very power of the pure storm. I will be the wind, rain, and lightning combined into absolute perfection."

Jure couldn't bring himself to dislike the elf, not completely. The elder wizard didn't like Scheff's tone or the selfishness in the elf's ambitions, but that was youthful pride speaking. He had no idea how old the elf was, but immaturity could be cured. Despite the arrogance of his words, Scheff revealed a desire to grow and that desire might eventually lead to greater wisdom. The elder wizard couldn't fault the elf for that.

Scheff, however, was looking in the wrong direction, accepting guidance that was potentially harmful. The elf bought into Ansas' belief that everything came from within and the ridiculous notion that purity led to absolute power. Scheff was considering his abilities not as a gift but as a demonstration of pure individual development, and the elf clearly viewed the magic as nothing more than an inconsequential tool to manipulate.

Jure felt such a self-serving view would ultimately limit the elf. Scheff was blinding himself to influences that were far more important than the magic itself. Disregarding such concepts as sacrifice would lead to an empty journey.

Comparing Scheff's abilities to his own, Jure believed his own growth was based on a dedication to both discipline and faith. Even when he practiced his spells in the desert, he left room for guidance… not just direction from some experienced magic caster or advice from a well-meaning wizard, but a desire to follow the path placed before him. Even at that moment, he was willing to accept a higher calling as opposed to simply forging a direction based on his own desires.

Wondering if he might see a way to reach Scheff, the elder wizard tried to establish what he believed was a fallacy in the elf's logic.

"If you're trying to be the full storm, then you have to include the hues of water and light. You might want to think about that when considering this concept of pure magic. The storm isn't just dark clouds and wind. You said it yourself. It's rain and lightning as well."

"You are twisting my words."

"No, I'm just repeating them."

"You think your storm spells would be more powerful than mine?" Scheff asked, but then answered the question himself. "That is what you are implying and that is why this challenge is necessary."

"Maybe it is," Jure conceded. "Maybe you'll learn something more important than you think."

"I will learn how to defeat you."

"Actually, maybe you'll learn there's more to life than your own narrow point of view. And by the way, I'm still standing here."

It was a defiant declaration, a near taunt that enraged the elf.

"Old fool! You brought this on yourself!"

Scheff cast another storm spell, but this one dwarfed the first. It was meant to do more than simply defeat the elder wizard; it was cast with the pure intention to annihilate him.

Thrown into the air by the elf, a purple ring of power compacted itself into a flat disk no larger than the size of a small dinner plate. It hovered high above Jure's head, spinning at incomprehensible speeds. It pulsated with both fury and intensity, a dark purple shadow throbbing with a massive potential to unleash absolute devastation. Despite its meager size, it cast a great darkness over the entire plateau.

Realizing the elf unleashed all of his energy into one compact spell, Jure doubted he could survive the onslaught. If he tried to absorb all of the power, the force of the individual elements would crush him or the overwhelming energy would tear through him. He didn't believe he was strong enough to block every lightning bolt as well as the deluge of rain and blasts of wind, but in an instant of comprehension, he knew he didn't have to.

Jure cast several spells at once. He used a wind shield to deflect the gale burst that would rip him apart and a water bridge to divert the surge of water that was meant to drown him. He cast a land spell that brought the ground up around him to draw away the lightning, and a light spell that speared through the darkness. In every spell he cast, he focused on redirecting the energy rather than attempting to meet it head-on. He would not try to overpower Scheff's fury, but simply repel it into the lifeless rock around him.

The barren ground of the dark realm would serve as the receptacle for nearly all of Scheff's magical onslaught. Since the existence was-as Enin explained-a physical representation of the darkest corners of imagination, it could easily absorb Scheff's ferocious outburst of anger. Jure didn't have to match Scheff's power, he simply had to avoid it and use the advantages of his surroundings.

By the time Scheff realized what was happening, it was too late. He had committed himself to the one spell, believing there was no way the elder wizard could survive. He could not retract the casting or immediately reabsorb the energy that was flowing out of his core. Just as when he cast the cyclone against the half-demon's flaming twister in the desert, he had lost control of his spell.

The wind swirled about the two spell casters in a deafening roar, interrupted by mind shattering cracks of thunder. The pouring rain rushed down over the plateau, but directed its sheer volume entirely on the elder wizard. Streaking bolts of lightning struck near Jure again and again.

Each element had the strength to obliterate the wizard, but not the will to overcome Jure's manipulations. The magical shields redirected each strike and sent the wind, rain, and lightning into the very fabric of the dark existence. They stood at the very edge of that realm, at its connection to a surrounding void. The very nature of the connecting planes fully accepted-even desired-the conceit inherent in the dark violet storm. The selfish desires intertwined into the elements of Scheff's spell forged a path that would not touch the noble wizard.

Scheff could feel the spell pulling the last remnants of magic from his core. He had exhausted his magical reservoir and it would take time to recharge. In that time, he would be vulnerable to the wizard who was using only a portion of his energy to survive the storm. The elf had made yet another mistake, but he still did not quite see the truth or uncover the error in his judgment.

When the spell ceased, Scheff would not look to Ansas for assistance. He had been defeated and he had to accept his fate. He waited for Jure to cast the spell that would destroy him in bitter silence. The spell, however, never came.

The elder wizard had no desire to end the elf's life. He believed Scheff had certainly been foolish, and though foolishness sometimes led to senseless deaths, it wasn't mandatory. If it was, Uton would have been a very empty place, and he himself would have died long ago.

In some ways, he saw himself in the elf's desire to embrace the energy of the storm. When Jure was first able to cast magic, the overwhelming sense of power confused him, even frightened him. As he practiced and grew, he soon reveled in his newfound abilities. It would have been easy to let the idea of grandeur swallow him in unshackled pride. Fortunately for him, he looked for purpose, not glory. That was the key to both his survival and growth, and it would also serve him in his dealings with Scheff.

Jure searched for the purpose of that moment. He remained uncertain as to what was happening on the plateau. He had defeated the elf, but nothing had really changed. Then again, maybe it had. He wondered if he could reach the elf.

"You made a lot of mistakes there, son."

"Spare me the lecture," Scheff finally responded.

"I don't have one for you, just a question. Do you still believe in this nonsense of purity?"

"I believe in the power of the storm, my storm."

"If that's the case, then you have to admit it wasn't enough."

"I admit to nothing. I simply have not had enough time to grow stronger. The purity in me is still new."

"Sounds like an excuse to me, a bad one."

"I only needed more time and I would have defeated you."

"More time for what? That always seems to be the reason when things don't work out. You think you would have grown stronger? Maybe, but that's not why you lost. You lost because you looked only to yourself. You think it all revolves around what you can do. It doesn't. You want too believe that you're in complete control. You're not."

"Control comes with experience. That is what I lack."

"I don't care how much experience you have. You're going to have to realize that there are some things you just can't control. You think I'm here because I want to be? You think I controlled this? When are you going to give up this notion that everything revolves around you?"

"I thought you were not going to lecture me," Scheff grumbled.

"It's not a lecture. It's the answer to the question. Your belief in purity is nothing more than conceit. That's why it's nonsense and that's why you lost. All the time in the land wouldn't have changed that."

With that said, Ansas became annoyed at the conversation and wanted it ended.

"Just kill him and be done with it. It wasn't his purity that failed him. He failed himself."

"I have no intention of killing him," Jure revealed. "I don't think he was being malicious, but I do think he was acting terribly stupid. He listened to the wrong voice in his head. Maybe he'll learn to listen to a different one and find a new lesson."

"What lesson?" the sorcerer snarled with disgust. "That he is incompetent?"

"You're amazing," Jure noted with contempt. "I beat you once, too, remember?"

"And I was prepared to face the consequences. The elf is clearly incapable of rising above anything beyond an average spell caster. Do the land a favor and remove him from it."

Scheff finally turned to the sorcerer. He did so not with a request for assistance, but with a question of his own.

"But you admitted you lost before and you said it was important to learn from defeat. Are you saying I cannot learn from what has happened here?"

"I'm saying you're an embarrassment to me."

"I lost, but as the wizard said, you lost to him the first time you met as well."

"Entirely different matter. I was on my own."

"And I was not?" the elf asked in pure amazement at the sorcerer's suggestion.

"You had part of my magic inside of you to guide you."

"And this is what you consider guidance?"

"This is what I consider a wasted opportunity." Ansas redirected his attention back to the elder wizard. "I congratulate you again. I really didn't think you had it in you. Now, are you going to finish him off?"

"No," Jure replied simply.

"You would not eliminate a potential future threat?"

"He's not a threat to me if he understands what's really going on here. Despite what you say, maybe he will learn from his mistakes… and maybe he'll start putting some trust into something larger than himself."

Ansas grew quiet as he considered the elder wizard. His stare eventually turned to the elf.

"No, I don't think so. He is a disappointment. That's all."

With his verdict rendered, Ansas extended an open arm toward Scheff and forcibly removed his dark magic from the core of the elf. The sorcerer disregarded the elf's screams. He took it all back and left Scheff empty and disheartened.

Chapter 29

Scheff crumpled to the ground, but remained alive. Unconsciousness ended his pain and his screams. The dark magic Ansas instilled in him was gone, and the elf had emptied his own reserve of energy with his last spell against Jure. Vacant of all magic, he was no longer an integral part of the conflict. Ignored by Ansas, he became nothing more than a discarded piece of rubble, just another part of the dark realm's barren landscape.

Jure knew Scheff was still alive, and saw no need to assist him further. The elder wizard had already accomplished much that would help the elf. With both of them surviving the ordeal, the outcome of the battle forced the sorcerer's hand. Ansas might have believed it was a great punishment to remove the dark magic from the elf, but Jure believed it was more of a blessing. If Scheff could learn from his mistakes, then the elf had yet another opportunity to start fresh, and he might eventually understand that the sorcerer would have led him to ruin.

Looking at his own part in the madness, Jure hoped that would be the case. It would reinforce his belief that there was a greater purpose to what was an otherwise meaningless conflict. He was happy to be alive, but he found no triumphant inner joy in defeating Scheff. As he stood at the middle of the plateau lifted high into the gray sky, he gave one last look at the fallen elf and considered everything around him.

A nightmare.

That was what the dark realm was… a bleak landscape covered by a gloomy sky and bereft of hope, but its very nature saved Jure, and perhaps it would save Scheff as well. Maybe the elf would regain consciousness as if waking from a nightmare and seek to find a better light of understanding.

Whatever the ultimate outcome, Jure believed he had completed his task. If the old wizard had been brought to the dark realm to do some good, it had been done. No doubt there were still dangers lurking upon the high plain, but he didn't believe they were for him to face.

Despite the presence of the arasaps and the other spell casters, Jure knew Ansas was the true threat to them all-on both sides of the plateau. Even so, he actually turned his back to the sorcerer as he returned to his friends. He did not seek congratulations from those that witnessed his victory, and his expression revealed he did not wish to hear them.

It was Ryson who spoke out, but not to Jure. He had grown tired of the senseless exchanges, and he directed his rage toward the sorcerer across the plateau.

"I want those arasaps out of my wife!"

"You don't listen very well," Ansas responded. "A characteristic I find common… and annoying. I have no intention of removing the arasaps."

Stepping in the path between Ryson and the sorcerer, Enin decided to make his own declaration.

"Your intentions are irrelevant. Regardless of what happens here today, I will see that you remove them."

"A rather bold determination. You would have to force me to do so, and I don't think you have it in you. Oh, I realize you are the formidable wizard with two circles and white magic, but I still think you are the personification of dilution."

"Dilution?"

"Absolutely. Despite your great control and enormous energy, you stretch yourself thin. The pale whiteness of your magic is a reflection of that characteristic. That is why I am ultimately superior. I might lack your control, but the ebony energy that flows through me is the concentration of strength."

"You are quite wrong," Enin declared. "Casting white doesn't lead to diluting all the other hues, it means embracing them as one. You are trying to break apart that which was meant to be looked upon as a whole. You don't even understand the power of your own magic. Casting black doesn't darken the other colors, it means accepting them. Ebony magic is the energy that allows for transformation. That is why it's so powerful."

"You're the one that is wrong, and that's why you are unable to cast in pure black magic!" Ansas shot back. "You may believe you can cast in ebony power, but it is only a darkened shade of gray. The magic I cast is not touched by the other hues. It is totally pure, and in that form, it is beyond transformation. It is the path to infinity. While there is a limit to what you can cast, I face no such limits. That's because I removed them. I understand the absolute truth of what casting magic is all about. It is the process by which I will reach absolute perfection."

"How sad for you."

The voice was not of the wizard, and the tone was not of sarcasm. It contained sincere sorrow. The response was brief, but those few words echoed the true sentiment of the mighty cliff behemoth.

Unwilling to back down from anyone, Ansas defied the giant's sympathy.

"You have something to say to me, cliff dweller?"

"You have placed yourself in a dark place," Dzeb continued. "You have isolated yourself from the truth."

"The behemoth wishes to talk about truth?" Ansas scoffed. "That's almost funny. What could you possibly understand about the magic?"

"More than you might guess."

"Then enlighten me," the sorcerer challenged, believing there was little the cliff behemoth could comprehend about a practice that allowed humans to reach beyond the limits with which they were born.

"I understand that you no longer cast ebony energy," Dzeb revealed. "If you know anything about cliff behemoths, you would know I do not lie. I have no need to deceive you. It is actually very plain. If you look, you can see it."

The revelation was a surprise, one that struck at many upon the plateau.

"What are you saying, cliff behemoth?" the sorcerer demanded before anyone else could speak.

"You have lost your way."

"Oh, please. Don't tell me you're going to give me some sermon. That's worse than a lecture."

"Not a sermon, just an observation. Your magic is that of emptiness, of the abyss, of a soul turned to its own appreciation. That is not ebony magic. It is the energy of a lie. It is in direct opposition of Godson. That means your power is useless on me. If you do not believe me, then try it."

It was a bold declaration, even from a cliff behemoth, and Enin wondered what would make Dzeb issue such a challenge. The wizard knew cliff behemoths did not boastfully pit their immense physical attributes against others for the sake of pointless bravado. Though they were graced with vast might and near invulnerability to physical attack, the giants steered away from any such tests of strength. Their focus had always been on their faith, and their humility was a blessed example to other inhabitants of the land.

The wizard realized that Dzeb was not trying to provoke Ansas. The titan was attempting to reach the sorcerer, to point out what the cliff behemoth saw as an obvious truth… a truth that started to crystallize before Enin as well.

Enin considered everything that was happening around him and he saw an unmistakable sequence of extraordinary events. While he blinded himself from seeing an individual's destiny, he never lost sight of the larger forces at work, and he always acknowledged the presence of divine influence. It seemed inevitable that the events at the near zenith of the dark realm would direct the fate of many on that day.

Unable to shake a sense of interlocked fortunes and fates, Enin looked deep into the sorcerer. Just as Dzeb had claimed, he could see the magic within the sorcerer, but it was no longer ebony energy. The black magic Ansas once yielded with both instinct and skill had been replaced by a true colorless power. It was not the vast magic of alteration or the ultimate bond that connected the layers of existence. It was the absence of hope and the emptiness of nonexistence.

While Enin began to see a pattern of necessity take shape within the conflict, Ansas reacted to the challenge of the cliff behemoth. The sorcerer eyed the giant suspiciously. He believed his dark magic could easily overcome Dzeb, for the sorcerer considered his abilities a testament to true advancement. The behemoth was nothing more than a clumsy mistake of nature, a powerful entity, but one with limited potential and even less insight. Still, the sorcerer had no intention of casting out his energy unless it advanced his own cause, and Ansas refused to directly assault the giant.

"I have no desire to waste my time. I plan to use my ebony energy against the great Enin, but that is for later. There are others that must be tested. Your side might have won the first battle, but that was an obvious mismatch. The elder wizard is second in power only to Enin, and the elf was a waste. I have three much more capable spell casters waiting their turn."

"That's what you hope to do here?" Jure called out. "To have some kind of contest? Absurd."

"And what of the elf witch? Does she think it is absurd as well? She is a warrior, she understands the challenges of battle. She has grown more powerful in emerald magic. Wouldn't she be slightly interested in knowing if she has grown enough to defeat someone like Neltus?"

Neltus grinned widely.

"Oh, yes," the pudgy spell caster delighted at the offering. He had always wanted to face the elf guard and apprentice of Enin.

Neltus wielded crimson magic and he did so with skill even before he met Ansas. The sorcerer added to his power, and Neltus believed Holli would be no match for his advanced talents.

He knew she cast in emerald magic, but his red power was grounded in the small slice of ebony magic that Ansas placed in his core. He had become even closer to the land and he believed the green energy of the elf witch was vulnerable to his greatest attributes. The land was the foundation for nature's strength. Without crimson energy, emerald magic was anchorless.

"Let's have a real test of wills," Neltus exclaimed. "No more amateurs squandering their energy."

"What do you say, Holli Brances, ex — elf guard?" Ansas questioned. "You are now more a sorceress than a soldier. Care to test how far you have really come?"

Holli disregarded both the sorcerer and his lackey.

"I have nothing to prove… to you or anyone else. I have defeated a draevol, accepted banishment from my camp, helped win a war against a dwarf army, and I am an apprentice to the most powerful wizard I have ever seen, present company included. And yes, I am no longer an official guard to my camp, but I have never forgotten my training. I will always be an elf guard. I direct my service where it is needed. If my memory serves me, it was in that service that I helped to defeat you and an army of dark creatures at Pinesway. You speak often of not wasting time or energy. Why should I waste either on you or your pompous companion?"

"Very well spoken, and with that in mind, it is time I put an end to this," Enin declared. "I don't know what you intended here, Ansas, but unless you're totally blind, you have to realize this is beyond some ridiculous wizard battle."

"And what do you think it is?" Ansas scoffed. "Some struggle between the forces of light and darkness? Don't make me laugh about your concepts of evil."

"No," Enin remarked. "This is not at all what it appears to be on the surface. Jure was right about Scheff and it applies to you as well. He has been misguided, but it wasn't his desire to commit malicious acts. He was just filled with a sense of self importance. I doubt that evil is your intention, either, but your path of self-serving manipulations is no less dangerous to yourself and those that might fall prey to your ambitions."

"Spare me the lecture about good and evil. I understand evil. I always have, but I have no use for some mythical conflict that was created only to limit true potential. Good versus evil… it is nothing more than a game created by those desiring to manipulate one group or another. I serve neither. I serve myself."

"And that is the danger. With all of your power, you should be aware of the travels of the soul."

"Now you'll tell me about some higher plane of existence? Spare me that as well. It is nothing more than a fanciful refuge for those that will not take the step into higher existence themselves."

"Don't you see?" Enin almost pleaded. "That's what Dzeb tried to tell you. You are not headed toward a higher existence. You don't even…"

"Don't try to save me," Ansas interrupted. "I don't need to be saved."

"But you do, we all do. If you put all of your faith in only yourself, you're going to be disappointed."

"And now you wish to teach me about… what?…some ridiculous myth created by people unwilling to see the truth? Save it for the giant. These miniscule people that pray to their small gods, they have no idea. Their pathetic illusions are no match for the infinity of what is inside me. My thoughts can create spectacles beyond the grandest descriptions of their meaningless and so-called divine legends."

"You're being arrogant and ignorant. This may be your last chance. Try to understand before it's too late. I do believe you understand evil in its base form, but you're disregarding the influence of a greater power. It's bad enough that you set this path for yourself, but you have endeavored to bring others with you. You are pulling them away from hope as well, and that is a grave mistake in judgment."

"Wonderful. Another sermon."

"Call it what you wish, but Dzeb is correct. You no longer cast black magic. The energy within you has turned into a lie. It is a deceit that will bring you to a very bad end."

"So says the wizard that understands he can no longer win. I, on the other hand, will see this to its conclusion."

Ansas then looked to all those gathered around Enin, even gave a passing glance to the spell casters that carried his energy within them.

"For those who don't understand what that means, let me be clear. I will make my stand here on this high ground. If any of you think you can change my plans, you are mistaken. The arasaps will remain in the woman immune to magic. I will continue to use her to purify others. She will go mad in time, but that is irrelevant. The purity of magic and the advancement of those that recognize it are far more important. I will replace the pathetic elf that failed my expectations, and I will find new spell casters that are adept in other hues. There should be no mystery about what I intend to do."

As Ansas continued to reveal his purpose, it was his own allies that showed the most interest. They had previously heard his explanations, but all of them-particularly Neltus-held to their suspicions. They did not believe the sorcerer offered up his own energy just to prove a point, and it certainly wasn't out of a desire to be generous and benevolent, a suspicion that Ansas confirmed with his next statement.

"I have not shared power for the sake of simply giving it away. I will use my energy to cross dimensions and gather strength. By bringing others into the folds of my being, I will prove that the purity of a single hue is the path to a higher existence. Those that are gifted with the proper abilities will learn that, through me, they can release the shackles that have been passed down to them. They will grow, and more importantly, I will grow with them. The energy that courses through me will be the common link, and their abilities will expand mine. I will never have to stain the purity of my magic, and yet I will have access to power beyond imagination."

"There are limits you should not… cannot cross," Enin warned.

"Limits? And what limits are those? The ones held by the weak grasping on to their myths and legends? The ones too scared and confused to realize that we control what we can become?"

"Ansas, it is you who is no longer in control. You are spiraling into an abyss. This might be your last chance. The ebony magic…"

"Don't bother with your ridiculous attempts to fool me. I know what power rests within me. It has always been pure and it remains so. I will use it to purify others, just as I will use the human woman."

"I can't allow that to happen," Enin said sadly, realizing Ansas had chosen his path and it was one that would indeed lead to a terrible tragedy.

The sorcerer, however, found only anger in hearing the wizard's tone.

"Allow? What? You think you can snap your fingers and my will no longer matters? You think it's that easy?"

"Easy? It's not a matter of hard or easy. It is a matter of necessity. You must be defeated. I know that, and so does Ryson. I have no intention of humoring you with some kind of wizard's duel. Just as Holli has said, I have nothing to prove, but the delver has several important issues with you."

Just as Jure had done, Enin turned his back on the sorcerer as he looked to his friend. The great wizard began to see everything unfold, and he understood who was meant to battle the sorcerer.

"A person fighting for something they believe in is far stronger than a person fighting for their own glory," Enin reminded the delver. "It is your task to battle the sorcerer."

Ryson was shocked. He had no misgivings about making the sorcerer remove the arasaps from Linda, but he was surprised at the sudden turn of events.

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me on this, you are the one who must do this. Most important, it is within you to save your wife, and you must do so now. Remember what I have said. Do not think so much about defeating Ansas, he is not a threat to you. He can only hurt you if you let him. Think more about saving Linda, there is a difference."

Not needing to hear more, the delver did not hesitate to act. He said nothing further to Enin. He didn't even pause to consider his surroundings or his tactics. His life revolved around speed, and it would be with speed he would assault the sorcerer.

Disregarding all others, Ryson bounded toward Ansas and was upon the sorcerer in an instant. The delver did not draw a weapon… not the two war blades at his hips or the Sword of Decree from the sheath across his back. He struck Ansas with his bare hands and in rapid succession to completely demoralize the sorcerer. Ryson wanted Ansas to realize that he could strike at will and there was nothing that could stop him.

Not wishing to render the sorcerer unconscious, Ryson targeted areas that would cause the most severe and jolting pain. He hit Ansas in the spine, the neck, the ears, every joint, and under the ribs. He used an open hand, struck with the base of his palm, and hit certain spots several times to elevate the level of punishment.

Never giving the sorcerer a chance to react, he continued moving, twisting and turning in random fashion. He ducked, then sprang upwards. He altered his pace, never allowing himself to become a target. He pounded away fiercely, but with just enough control to keep Ansas from passing out.

It was difficult for him to remain focused on his objective. Enin told him to think about saving Linda, and that was paramount, but punishing Ansas and unleashing his own anger quickly crept into his consciousness. Each time he felt his hand crash into Ansas' body, his emotions leapt ever higher. He did not want to believe he took enjoyment out of the attack, but he could not deny the growing stimulation that washed over his being. He wanted to hurt the sorcerer, make him pay for what he did in such a way that Ansas would never consider assaulting Linda again.

Ansas was overwhelmed. He did not expect the sudden battering. He tried to bring a spell to his lips, but with each smashing blow from the delver, a flash of pain burst his concentration. His muscular body and the burning will of his overriding conceit kept him from bowing to the barrage, but there was little else he could do. He remained upright and on his feet. Believing his physical attributes were capable of handling his opponent, he tried to swing at Ryson, but he could not connect against the swift moving delver. He grunted with each stab of pain, but issued no other cry or plea.

The others upon the plateau, all save Linda, watched the mauling in dumbfounded amazement. Ansas' spell casters stood very near to the assault, could even feel the wind from the force of many of the blows, but they remained too stunned to assist in any way. The two figures became a twisted mass of confusion, and even if they could manage to stifle their shock, they wouldn't have had a clear target.

Those across the plateau were startled by Ryson's pure aggression. Most knew Ryson very well, and the viciousness of the attack bristled against their understanding of the delver's nature. In that moment of pure violence, they did not see the individual who cared deeply about life-the delver that would avoid bringing pain and injury even to goblins that wanted to slay him. They saw something very different. They saw the unhinged fury of an individual pushed to the limit of his tolerance. To their astonishment, they saw a ruthless delver using his gifts in a savage attack against a foe who chose to strike at the person Ryson cherished the most.

Even if she knew that Ryson was attacking the sorcerer for her sake, Linda ignored the entire scene. She stared at the lifeless rocks by her feet. She showed not the slightest interest in the conflict that would decide her own fate. She felt nothing inside, her emotions cut off from her consciousness by the arasaps that invaded her body.

As Ryson continued to batter the helpless sorcerer, he allowed himself one glance toward Linda. He saw the emptiness of her expression, and though it only compounded his anger, he finally heeded Enin's initial advice. He placed all of his attention on saving his wife.

The delver stopped striking at Ansas. With the last two flashes of movement, he grabbed hold of the sorcerer's hands just above the wrists and turned them at angles that would create sufficient pain with the proper pressure.

Ansas, though more muscular and stronger than the delver, could not break the hold without risking severe injury. He was, however, finally able to clear his head. He eyed the delver with clear hostility, but with surprising patience, he waited for Ryson to make the next move.

Ryson twisted one of the sorcerer's wrists just enough to get his point across.

"You're going to remove the arasaps. Now!"

Ansas let out a heavy gasp, grunted at the pain that continued to remind him of the beating he had taken. He cast a defiant stare into the delver's eyes.

"And if I don't? What? You will break my wrists? Do you somehow believe I will not be able to cast any spells in that condition? You don't understand anything. That might hinder inferior spell casters, but that will not stop me. You could cut off my arms and I could still cast spells. Concentration is all that is required. The movement of the arms simply assists in focus for someone like me."

"It's you who doesn't understand. This is about the pain I can cause you. Breaking your wrists would just be the start."

"I see," Ansas offered and he paused to consider the situation. He inhaled again and flinched at another stab of pain. As if the throbbing aches helped convince him, he capitulated without further argument. "Then I will cast the spell that will remove the arasaps. You don't even have to release my arms."

Ansas looked toward Linda and quickly whispered several words. He never raised his hands, never needed to. A circle of dark magic rotated around his body. As it did, it began to carry him off the ground.

Caught off guard, Ryson tried to gain a better grip of the sorcerer. He released Ansas' hands and tried to throw his arms around the sorcerer's waist. The delver struggled to steady himself, but he lost his balance as his feet were pulled from the ground. Without a firm footing, he could not keep the sorcerer from taking flight.

Unwilling to leave himself vulnerable in the air and unable to restrain Ansas, Ryson released his hold and dropped back to the hard ground of the plateau. He kept his eyes on Ansas as he darted toward the center of the high plain. There was plenty of room to maneuver and few obstacles, but he was stuck on open ground without cover whereas the sorcerer could obviously fly and remain out of reach.

The sorcerer took the opportunity to scan the entire reaches of his sanctuary. He was free of the delver and believed he had Ryson Acumen at his mercy, but he remained wary of the wizard. He could not believe that Enin would allow the delver to be annihilated, which was exactly what Ansas planned to do. He looked over to the wizard, but saw that Enin made no move to interfere.

Holli realized the full danger of the moment. She attempted to act. She pulled the bow from her shoulder and was about to take an arrow from her quiver when she felt Enin's hand on her back.

"There is no need for that," Enin whispered.

"You are going to stop this?" the elf questioned.

"I couldn't stop it if I wanted to," the wizard revealed, "but I assure you, Ryson is in no danger."

Holli couldn't understand. To her, the delver's peril was clear.

"No danger? The sorcerer remains out of reach and can dispose of Ryson at will."

"No, he can't. Dzeb was right. Ansas no longer casts ebony magic. The power within him cannot harm Ryson any more than it can harm the cliff behemoth… and as Dzeb stated, cliff behemoths do not lie."

"What should we do?"

"Allow Ryson to save his wife."

And that was exactly what the delver intended to do. He had made a mistake and allowed the sorcerer to connive his way from the delver's hold. Ryson was at a clear disadvantage, but he would not fail Linda.

With a delver's quick eye, he considered his surroundings. Danger lurked overhead and on the ground to his right. Though Ansas was the main threat, he could not discount a possible attack from the other three magic casters that had sided with the sorcerer. They were all dangerous, but none of them could match his speed, and just as he had always done, he prepared to use it to survive.

Ansas, however, announced his own truth.

"You've earned your death, delver. I would have made it quick, but you seemed to take too much pleasure in striking me. You almost had me, and if you weren't so weak, you might have actually defeated me. If it gives you comfort, you can take that to your grave, but the last thing I want you to remember is that your wife is mine to use as I please."

Ansas didn't even bother to lift his arms, as if to prove he could cast a spell of devastation on sheer will alone. A shadowy circle formed around him and then slowly drifted down his body. Once the ring of dark magic broke free of the sorcerer, it floated toward Ryson Acumen.

"I know you think you can dodge this," Ansas declared, "but you can't. You have no where to run and it will follow you wherever you go. You can leap off the ledge, and if you somehow survive the fall, it will still find you. When it does, it will engulf you and slowly suffocate you. You won't die quickly, not by any means. Each breath you take will grow smaller and smaller. You will struggle but remain conscious. Your head will pound and your chest will burn. Even as you try to run from your own death-which the magic will make you want to do-you will realize you can't escape. That won't stop you. You will be a delver to the end, and you will run and run even as you take your last shallow breath. That is what will kill you."

Ryson listened to every word, and though the last thing he wished to do was submit to the sorcerer, he could not deny the fear that began to reach its way deep into his spirit. To any delver, it was a horrible end, but one he had no intention of meeting. He had outraced death before, he would do so again. He prepared himself, thought of Linda, and almost broke into a delver run. Only the voice of the cliff behemoth held him in place.

"It can't hurt you," Dzeb announced with a gentle voice. "Let it strike you."

Ryson was astounded. He couldn't even voice his surprise, but his expression revealed it when he looked toward the giant.

"You know that there is magic within you," Dzeb continued, "but there is also something more. It was never your sword or the delver magic that allowed you to persevere. It was the spirit within you, a spirit that is blessed by Godson."

Ryson didn't move, but he faced doubt. He did not live by the same faith as the cliff behemoth. He lived by the grace of being a delver, always depending on his senses and his speed.

Still, he could not discount a simple truth. In all of his trials, he never believed he was alone. Even upon that plateau, he was surrounded by friends, friends he knew would not betray him. Yet all of them stood solemnly by, not unwilling to offer assistance, but apparently deeming it unnecessary; even as a cruel and imminent death hung over him.

Holli did not move to aid him, nor did Enin. He would have trusted both of them with his life. Certainly both had the power to help in some way, and yet they made no attempt. He did not believe they would let him perish so callously. He could not accept that… would not accept it.

His last glance fell upon Linda. He understood her lack of concern. Arasaps had invaded her body and mind, placed themselves in a position to feed off the spell residue forced into her by Ansas' scheming. Their presence deadened her emotions and left her a shell of her previous self.

They had been through so much together. She accepted him as a delver and he allowed her to become the anchor for his heart. They met just when the magic returned to the land, and they had survived its influence over Uton… together.

Right before the shadow of magic encased him, Ryson remembered Enin's words.

Think about saving Linda.

That was what the wizard instructed. It wasn't about defeating the sorcerer. It was about helping his wife, but the direct path was not open to him. Linda's body had been infiltrated by creatures of no real substance, and the delver had no way to reach into Linda and pull them out. The arasaps were beyond his grasp.

Only Ansas had a connection to the creatures, for he had placed his dark energy in them before they entered Linda's magically immune body. If Ryson could just find some way to force the sorcerer to pull upon that magical connection, Linda would be saved. But how could he overcome Ansas' control over the magic? He couldn't.

And yet, Ryson began to realize that there was a reason for him to be on that plateau. He was a delver, and despite the difficulties and strains it caused with his wife, he would always be a delver.

In facing Ansas, he didn't have to discount his senses. He could use them, but he had to use all of them. All around him, there was something beyond what he could see, smell, and hear. There was something he could touch… not with his fingers, but something he could feel with his spirit. Once he acknowledged it, he could sense it in other ways as well. He could hear the comforting words of truth if he listened hard enough. He could see his hope for salvation in the faces of those around him, see it in the eyes of the cliff behemoth and even in the expressionless gaze of his wife.

There was a greater force at work, something trying to guide him… something larger than the magic, and it had always been with him. It was inside him, but it was also an external force that worked its own will to help guide those that would heed the call. Yes, there was strength within him, power in being a delver, but he could never dismiss where that strength came from, for that was Ansas' mistake.

And just as Ansas' dark ring of death fell upon him, enveloped him fully prepared to carry out the sorcerer's will, Ryson finally understood what he had to do. He couldn't explain it; it would be like describing what an apple taste like.

He accepted the cliff behemoth's words. He believed the magical shadow could not harm him. He accepted it on faith… and with the belief that if he could not be hurt, then Linda would be saved, for that was the ultimate truth.

Ryson immediately felt Ansas' conceit spilling across his spirit. It saddened him. Every ounce of the energy was empty, devoid of anything beyond the sorcerer's misguided delusion of his own greatness. There was nothing else-no faith, no belief in anything beyond the sorcerer's own abilities.

Ryson didn't try to redirect the magic and he didn't attempt to forcibly place his own will into the energy. Actually, it was just the opposite. He refused to struggle against the darkness that surrounded him. He just peered into it without fear. He asked for nothing from the shadow, and gave it nothing in return. He simply waited for it to pass, as he knew it would.

Ansas' spell of death brought no such suffering to the delver, an outcome the sorcerer could not comprehend. Floating in the gray sky above the lifeless plateau, he raged against the failure. Ansas' face twisted into a mass of disbelieving resentment as he tried to force his will upon the shadow of power which he himself set upon the land.

As if to revolt against its creator, the dark shroud lifted itself up and off of the delver and drifted to an empty spot near the center of the high plain. It swirled into a larger oval and an even darker shadow. It pulsated with a growing power of its own and soon appeared like a shallow tunnel with no end.

Throwing off waves of dark magic, the mysterious oval linked with every shred of Ansas' energy. Though the magic could not pierce Linda's immune body, it hovered about her like a rotating field of determined force and it pulled at the dark substance trapped within her. It grabbed the remnants placed into the arasaps and removed the energy from their very essence.

Unwilling to let go of the dark power that kept them nourished, the arasaps had no choice but to follow. The creatures oozed out of Linda's skin in a single wave, but quickly broke into four distinct entities that slid across the barren ground. They appeared lost and disoriented.

Linda collapsed the moment the last of the arasaps left her body. She fell into the hands of the cliff behemoth who held her in his massive arms.

With the arasaps out in the open, Enin did not hesitate and cast an immediate spell the monsters could not avoid. The wizard teleported the creatures back to the low lands of the dark realm, far away from them all.

The shadowed oval did not cease its taking with the arasaps. It sent a single spear of magic toward Shantree Wispon.

The elf elder, who was not immune to magic, stepped toward the shadowed flare. She allowed it to enter her body willingly and just as willingly allowed it to remove the mark of dark magic that Ansas had placed within her.

Setting its sights on the final hosts, the shadowy mass removed the share of dark energy from all three spell casters brought to the plateau, disregarding their screams of torment and pain. It left them crumpled and unconscious on the ground, just as Ansas had left Scheff.

With no remaining remnants to claim, it took hold of the power within the sorcerer himself. It ripped it all from him in one massive wave as if to chastise Ansas for his complete failure. In that same instant, the swirling mass pulled back upon the strands of magic it had released. It returned to a simple oval that hovered slightly above the ground, nothing more than a shadowed hole in reality.

Without magic, Ansas dropped from the sky. He remained conscious, but only barely. When his body struck the hard, unforgiving plateau, he groaned in pain.

Chapter 30

Ryson never saw the sorcerer fall. When the arasaps left Linda, he ran to her side, ignoring everything else around him. He stepped up directly to Dzeb, who carefully held Linda's unconscious body. The delver stroked her hair and touched her face, pleased to feel the warmth of her skin but still overwhelmed with concern over her condition.

"Linda? Can you hear me?"

She remained silent-still breathing, still alive-but unable to speak.

He watched her for long moments, hoping she would open her eyes and display that joyous emotion he longed for. He called to her again.

"Linda?"

It was Enin who responded after he dispatched the arasaps and then watched the shadowy oval reclaim its empty magic. Ansas had fallen, but the conflict was not quite over. While the wizard knew Ryson faced additional challenges, he willingly offered comfort to his friend.

"Don't worry, Ryson. She'll be fine. The arasaps are gone. There's nothing left of them inside of her, but it will take her a while before she regains consciousness."

Ryson wouldn't remove his gaze from his wife, but he needed to be certain.

"You're sure?"

"Absolutely. She will need rest, but she will be fine. You saved her."

That simple statement brought joy to Ryson's soul, but only for a moment. He remembered who was responsible for all his hardships, and the anger that he buried to survive the death spell surfaced once more. He swirled around to find the sorcerer. He saw Ansas lying in a heap upon the ground.

He clamped down on the sudden urge for vengeance, but only for a brief moment as he looked up to Dzeb.

"Take care of her."

"That is why I'm here."

Knowing that Linda would be safe, Ryson released the restraint that held him in place. In one quick rush, he dashed past the dark oval that continued to float just above the ground. Somehow, the delver understood the shifting mass had removed all of the sorcerer's magic. He bounded toward Ansas with a shadow of renewed anger covering his own heart. His feet stopped just short of the sorcerer's head. He looked down with contempt upon the prone body of his foe and realized the sorcerer had been injured. He didn't care. He grabbed Ansas roughly by the shirt and lifted him up off the ground.

Ansas groaned in pain. He was empty. His magical energy gone. The fall to the plateau broke several of his bones, and when Ryson twisted him around so they would be face to face, a jolt of unbelievable pain exploded across his body. He almost passed out, but the delver shook him hard. Another stab of pain kept him conscious.

"It's over," the delver growled. "The arasaps are gone and so is your magic. I don't know how I know, but I do. You have nothing left, do you? Do you?!"

Ansas couldn't answer. He just let out a moan.

Ryson grew weary of holding the sorcerer up and flung him to the ground. He remained over Ansas, his fury boiling in his head. He no longer saw a powerful spell caster reveling in the glory of his own self-ascribed godhood. He saw a pathetic insect willing to cause pain and suffering in some deluded quest for twisted perfection.

"What happened to your control of the magic?!" Ryson demanded. "What happened to your pure ebony power?!"

"I don't understand," Ansas mumbled.

"Do you think I care?! Do you remember what you said about my wife? Do you?!"

Ansas wouldn't answer, he couldn't. He was unable to stand, let alone think straight. He was beyond defeated. He was completely broken, his beliefs shattered. The energy that once swelled within him was yanked from his core like so many loose teeth. He was left wounded and powerless, unable to rise and incapable of casting the most insignificant spell. He was defenseless.

He once believed he could rise above all things, that there was no force in the land that could match his understanding of the ebony energy. He was above it all, an individual who broke the shackles of every limitation.

He didn't believe it was possible he could be defeated, but he was. To make the failure even more bitter, he had lost to a pathetic delver and he couldn't understand how.

Ryson did not care about the sorcerer's confusion. Ansas didn't deserve answers, he didn't deserve anything, save for swift retribution.

"I should kill you right now," Ryson snarled, "You deserve to die."

The delver pulled both war blades from the sheaths at his hips. The slightly curved blades were much shorter than the Sword of Decree, but they were also much sharper. With a swift swing, Ryson could remove the sorcerer's head with one strike.

Ansas cowered. Despite the pain erupting from each movement, he covered his head with his arms and tried to push himself away with short thrusts of his legs. He shrieked with each movement, but the threat of the war blades kept him retreating.

It was a laughable attempt. Ryson danced across the ground with barely an effort. He remained in constant striking distance as he considered the best way to end the sorcerer's life. He could slice his throat or pierce his heart. He could even slit open Ansas' belly and watch the sorcerer's organs spill out over the barren ground.

Ryson knew the war blades could kill. He had used them to kill before. He had once decimated an army of shags to protect the algors in the Lacobian Desert. He didn't want to kill those shags, certainly not like he wanted to end Ansas' miserable existence, but he had no real choice.

No choice.

Ryson suddenly remembered arguing with Sy about killing the river rogues. He had said he wouldn't be a part of it because he felt there was a choice. Was that still his line in the sand? That one question held his hands from delivering the death strike. Did he have a choice at that moment? Did he ever have a choice?

Ansas didn't believe in the struggle between good and evil, but Ryson did. He had been placed in so many struggles, stood before so many enemies, but he always tried to hold to decency… and mercy. He thought of the goblins he could have killed, but never did… river rogues and other monsters as well. Then, he thought of the shags he didn't want to kill, but did so anyway. He thought he had to. It was an empty excuse. That thought opened a hole in his soul, a hole he didn't want to expand.

It seemed he had so little control over what happened to him. He didn't ask for Ansas to enter his life, but the sorcerer did so anyway. He didn't want to face river rogues and goblins, but they were thrust at him regardless. Struggling for control against what fate threw at him was futile. The only thing he could really control were the decisions he made, such as the one he faced at that very moment.

He wanted to kill Ansas, to exact revenge for everything the sorcerer had done to him… and to Linda. Ansas deserved to die, but in the light of truth, Ryson knew that the sorcerer was no longer a threat.

With that realization, the delver understood what that moment was about. It wasn't about revenge, or even justice. It wasn't even about what Ansas deserved. It was about what Ryson was willing to do. The delver had his beliefs; beliefs that guided him down every path of his life. If they meant anything, he would have to hold onto them, even when he didn't want to. He wouldn't abandon those beliefs in the face of a hollow sorcerer who believed in nothing more than his own superiority. Ansas' road led to emptiness, but the delver's beliefs, if he held to them, would guide him to much more.

The decision was no longer difficult. Ryson would leave Ansas to his fate and the delver would continue to choose his own path. As he sheathed the war blades and turned away, he felt the hole in his soul being filled, the guilt removed.

As if in response to the delver's decision, the dark oval began to swirl faster. The shadows of its inner core began to shimmer and a ghostly presence stepped from out of the shadowed portal and onto the dark plateau.

Enin recognized the slink ghoul immediately.

"Baannat? What do you have to do with this?"

"Nothing… and everything."

Baannat's form was a mix of the material and immaterial. The slink ghoul did not completely exist on a physical plane. The cat-like features of his face were clear to all those that looked upon him, but they did not take solid form. In a previous battle with Enin and the delver, Baannat had cheated death and created a new realm. The ghoul was the ruler of a damned existence, and he arrived to claim his prize.

Ryson found the monster's appearance beyond troubling.

"How did he get here?" The delver glanced toward Enin as he looked for an explanation. "I thought he couldn't open portals to this realm."

"He can't, and he didn't." Enin explained. "Ansas ultimately did this all to himself. He brought Baannat's magic into this existence and that's what allowed the portal to open."

"So you understand," Baannat nodded to the wizard. "I am impressed."

"It was Dzeb who saw it first," the wizard acknowledged. "The energy inside of Ansas wasn't ebony magic, it wasn't pure, it wasn't even energy of this existence. His misguided quest for purity and perfection led him to the strands of energy that actually defied existence."

"Strands from my realm," Baannat hissed.

"Apparently so," Enin agreed. "Ansas believed himself superior to all things. He shut out the truth, and you replaced his ebony magic with the energy of your shadowed existence."

"Me? Do not place the blame where it does not belong. I could not have done so by myself. You know that. He put the wheels in motion. He kept reaching for more, and in doing so, he kept opening windows to my domain. He fed himself with pride, and his conceit led him beyond the truth. He ignored every sign, came up with an abundance of justifications for what he disregarded. He convinced himself of his own greatness even as I let him feed on the shadows of empty magic."

"Empty magic?" Ryson questioned. "That's not possible. He was able to fly."

"Are you suddenly an expert on magic, delver?" Baannat chided. "Ansas was always a powerful sorcerer with black magic. He could pull ebony energy from the very air to assist him in certain spells, but the magic at his core was the source of his power. When it began to dwindle from his use, it was replaced with magic that would not truly serve him as he wished. The spells he used to capture and fight the elves of Dark Spruce was very near the last of his own ebony energy. The energy within him after that was mostly from a hollow existence, my realm. In some ways, he could use it to manipulate the dark realm, but it did not completely bend to his will as he imagined. The magic also appeared to be incapable of harming you in any significant way. Shame."

"The magic of emptiness can harm no soul touched by Godson," Dzeb replied serenely.

The slink ghoul snarled at the comment, but could not argue the contention.

"What about the magic placed in the spell casters he tried to strengthen?" Enin wondered aloud.

"A combination of his magic and mine; a small remnant of his original energy that allowed those fools to tap deeper into their own cores and kept them all connected. It gave them greater power, but it was never truly theirs to control. They thought they were stronger, and in some ways they were, but not where it really mattered."

"So that's why I was unable to grasp the magic," Jure added. "It was tainted by energy from your realm. And that's why we were unable to trace it back to you… because there was enough of Ansas' black magic to conceal its source. The spells were linked back to the sorcerer, but the magic of your realm was always hidden underneath."

"But how did that portal open for him to get here?" Ryson demanded. "I thought he was trapped in his own realm."

"Is it so difficult for you to understand, delver? The sorcerer brought my magic into this realm. That allows for a door to be opened… only temporarily, but I can enter this realm to take what is rightfully mine. The sorcerer belongs to me now. It was his actions that led to this. He tried to kill you with magic that could not touch you," Baannat scornfully but reluctantly admitted. "When the spell failed to kill you, the game was over."

Ryson had nothing but disdain for the sorcerer, but he also did not trust the slink ghoul.

"Is that what this all was? Some kind of game to you?"

"Everything is a game to me now."

"What in Godson does that mean?"

The slink ghoul sneered at the delver.

"It means I can only do so much," Baannat growled. "There was a time I could have plucked Ansas from his own sanctuary and used him as I wished, but that is no longer possible. My participation is limited, so why should it be anything more than a game? The sorcerer placed himself above all things. He believed he was evolving into a god, he will discover he has not."

"And where does this all ultimately lead?" Enin asked.

"I intend to reclaim what is mine. The energy he fed upon belongs to my realm, and now so does he. I was hoping the delver would kill him. That would have made things easier. Another shame. What happens now is not his destiny… or the result of my intervention. It was his choice. You can not argue with me, can you Enin? You above all understand. You know why my realm was created. There was a higher purpose."

"Yes, that purpose was to hold abominations like yourself. It was never meant to feed the ignorant desires of misguided individuals."

"How it is used is not up to you… or me. The sorcerer became obsessed with proving his own superiority. He ignored the truth, blinded himself to it and then tried to influence others to accept his narrow views on ascension and superiority. He willingly reached into my realm and took what he should have never touched. Now he will pay the price. This is no surprise."

"The only surprise is that you're not calling me brother."

"We are no longer brothers."

"We never were," Enin stated flatly.

Baannat, unwilling to argue his connection to the wizard, dismissed the conversation. The slink ghoul pointed to the spell casters that remained unconscious. They did not wake, but the three previous allies to Ansas rose to their feet. Moving not by their own will but by the influence of the ghoul, they took hold of the sorcerer.

Ansas screamed when they picked him up. He struggled against them, but each thrash of resistance reminded him of his broken bones. He could not break free, and as he saw he was brought to the very maw of the portal, his eyes widened in absolute terror.

"Why was it all taken from me?!" Ansas shrieked..

"Why? You think it was yours?! You were wrong."

The three spell casters tossed Ansas into the portal and then immediately collapsed, their assistance no longer needed by the slink ghoul. Neltus, Rivira, and Gnafil crumpled back into unconscious heaps.

Ansas shrieked once more as he entered the portal. His body, however, went limp as it passed through the shadowy mass and ended up back on the barren plateau. There was no movement, barely a sign of life.

Ryson moved carefully to the prone form. He checked Ansas over quickly.

"He's still alive."

"That's why I would have preferred it if you killed him," Baannat snarled. "This makes it so much more complicated. His body can't exist in my realm, but I am unable to kill him. But in the end, it is irrelevant. He is still mine and I will not wait."

"So he's just going to stay here… alive… forever?" the delver asked.

"His true being is already in my realm. That is nothing but his shell. Nothing can reach it here and the small amount of magic still in his body will probably keep him alive for eons."

"What about the others?"

"They were his lackeys not mine. What do I care what happens to them? Do with them what you wish. There is no reason for me to stay. The sorcerer's spirit is waiting for me and I have so many things to show him."

Baannat released a cackle unsettling for them all to hear and then disappeared through the portal. The dark gray mass, however, lingered in its place.

Unwilling to allow the portal to remain-to allow Baannat an open invitation to enter the dark realm in the future-Ryson knew he had to destroy it. He could not cast a spell to disperse the magic, but he also knew the energy that created the rift belonged in Baannat's realm. It was an echo of emptiness and the delver intended to fill it with his own purpose.

Stepping within arm's reach of the swirling, pulsating oval, Ryson pulled the Sword of Decree from the sheath across his back. Though exposed, the blade did not radiate with great brilliance, for it only reflected the natural light of the delver's home, not the hostile glow from the dark realm's fire pits. While a portion of the blade's enchantment might have been somewhat muted, the weapon still revealed a clear direction to the delver, one he already intended on following.

With one great swing, he sliced the dark mass open. The portal dissolved in a flash of bitter darkness as all of the hollow magic trapped within the oval collapsed back into Baannat's realm.

In that same instant, the gray that enveloped the skies of the dark realm dissipated, and for the first time, the light of stars filled the heavens. Ryson's blade blazed with new brilliance and the radiance filled the shadows of the plateau.

The weapon in his hand revealed another answer. The breaking of the portal and the release of the hollow magic helped to bring the dark realm slightly out of its shadow of despair. It remained a barren land of nightmare and horror, but an act of conviction and trust opened a potential path to new light… new understanding.

Filled with optimism, Ryson raced back to his wife. Linda remained unconscious in the arms of the cliff behemoth, but with the Sword of Decree in his hand, the delver knew she would recover.

Dzeb looked down upon Ryson with a gentle smile and then looked up to the stars above.

"You have brought hope to this land," Dzeb acknowledged.

Ryson knew it wasn't just him that brought out the stars. It was all of them. They had come together to help one another. From Dzeb looking after his wife to Jure trying to reach a renegade elf, they all followed what was in their hearts. The path might not have been as clear as he hoped, but they did not turn away from it.

"I also figured something else out," Ryson admitted. "You came to help Linda because it was what you believed you had to do. You can't explain it, you just knew. I'm starting to understand that myself."

"I know you are," Dzeb replied.

"Indeed he is," Enin added, eminently proud of the delver's display of faith. He placed a hand upon Ryson's shoulder. "You did everything you needed to do. That's why I told you to focus on saving Linda. Ansas was only concerned with himself, not with all that was around him. You were never like that, and I wanted to make sure you remained so."

Before he could respond, Ryson heard the other spell casters stirring from unconsciousness. He made no move to confront them, but watched carefully as they rose to their feet.

It was Neltus who first realized that Ansas had been defeated. The sorcerer's body was limp on the ground. More importantly, Neltus knew the dark magic that once allowed him to cast spells of enormous power was gone. He looked across the plateau and saw foes he knew he had no chance of defeating. In a fit of fear, he cast his own portal and leapt into its center.

The sorceress, Rivira, and the infern also created portals for their escape. They retreated with the same urgency as Neltus.

"Should we follow them?" Jure asked.

"No," Enin answered. "They are back to what they were, but hopefully somewhat wiser. Let's hope they don't waste this second chance."

Ryson turned to Enin.

"What do we do with Ansas' body?"

"There's nothing we can do for him," Enin disclosed. "It will remain here, perhaps for an eternity. This plateau will become a tomb for his soulless body. In all honesty, I think it's somewhat fitting."

"There is one other we have to consider," Holli added as she nodded to Scheff who was slowly rising to his feet.

The elf had not seen everything that had transpired, but he knew the dark magic was no longer within his core. He looked at Ansas' limp body and somehow understood the sorcerer had come to an empty end. It was all a misguided waste, until he considered the outcome of his battle with Jure.

Scheff had been defeated, but he was still alive. As Ansas once said, it was important to learn from defeat. The elf realized the sorcerer had been wrong about many things, but not that.

The elf thought back on his initial decision, his desire to become legendary in skill and power. He was told to focus only on the natural hue of his magic and to ignore everything else. That portion of advice was ill-conceived, and Scheff understood he had to carefully consider everything that had happened in order to find his way.

Attempting to place the proper perspective on his experience, the elf remembered how Ansas spoke of good and evil. The sorcerer appeared to understand each, yet chose no clear path to either. Instead, Ansas tried to raise himself above both, to make his own enlightenment the ultimate quest. It might not have been intended evil, but it was selfish and arrogant, and eventually led the sorcerer to corruption.

Scheff had taken a similar course, and it was a path the elf no longer wished to travel. It was time for him to change directions, to consider something besides himself, something bigger.

Walking humbly toward Birk Grund and Shantree Wispon, he spoke in an apologetic tone.

"I am sorry, and I wish to return to the camp."

"We will be happy to have you," Shantree responded without hesitation.

"We should all leave this place," Enin advised. "Holli, please take the elves back to their camp. I will take everyone else back with me to Connel… the Church of Godson. I think that would be best."

Epilogue 1

Two days after the encounter on the plateau, Ryson traveled alone to Burbon in order to pick up a few essential items for himself and Linda. Before he left to return to Connel, he decided to stop at the guard headquarters in the center of town.

He asked to see Sy, but he did not go inside. He didn't want to speak to the captain in the confines of his office. He wanted to do it out in the street, out in the open. The delver didn't care if people passing by heard what he had to say. He had nothing to hide.

Sy came out and actually smiled. He did not bury the fact that he was thrilled to see his friend. He had been worried… greatly worried about both Ryson and Linda.

The captain asked how Ryson had fared. He did so not as a commander seeking a report, but as an anxious friend genuinely concerned about Ryson and Linda's welfare. Sy stood quietly as the delver revealed to him everything that had happened.

"Is Linda okay?" the captain asked when Ryson completed the tale of events.

"She's conscious, but still a bit tired. She doesn't remember everything, but probably more than she wants to. I've got a few things that I'm bringing back to her… to make her more comfortable."

Sy hesitated, but only for a moment. As was his way, he decided to face the delicate issue head on.

"So are you staying in Connel permanently?"

The question caught the delver off guard.

"Permanently? No. Enin just wants to keep an eye on her for a while longer. He believes she's fine, but he wants to be certain there aren't any complications."

"So you're coming back," Sy said without even trying to conceal his relief.

"This is our home," Ryson stated.

"I'm happy to hear that. It wouldn't be the same without you."

The delver then decided to bring up an issue of his own, one that he knew needed to be addressed.

"Before I go, I want to talk to you about the river rogues that got into town."

Sy was not so sure that was the best of ideas. He didn't like sweeping issues under the rug, didn't want to simply pretend that nothing had happened, but he didn't want to renew any conflict between them.

"Maybe this isn't the best time," Sy offered. "I don't think either one of us is looking to have another argument right now."

"Actually, it is a good time, because I don't think we were ever arguing about the same thing, and if we both realize that, then there wasn't really an argument between us at all."

"I think it's pretty clear we had a disagreement," Sy stated.

"Maybe it is, but I still want you to hear me out. I believe I owe you an explanation."

To the captain, it sounded as if the delver was prepared to make an apology. Sy wouldn't have rejected it, but he didn't quite understand it, either.

"Are you saying you were wrong?" Sy asked, revealing his confusion.

"Not really, not about everything. This was never about whether you were right and I was wrong, or even about killing or not killing. It was about sticking to what you believe in. You had your opinion and I had mine."

"Differing opinions is usually what causes arguments."

"Maybe," Ryson allowed, "but not when you see both sides. For what it's worth, I give you credit for doing what you thought you had to do. It has to be tough to be in that situation, trying to decide between life or death-not only for river rogues or even a sorcerer-but for an entire town. That's what's on your shoulders, and I get it. You believe in what you do and you stick to that belief."

The guard captain nodded in appreciation. The delver appeared sincere. More importantly, Ryson seemed to understand that every decision Sy made was with the best interests of the town in mind. Still, he recalled that it was Ryson's open defiance that got under his own skin. If they were going to resolve the issue, that had to be addressed.

"Then why did you fight me?"

"I didn't. I just didn't want to be a part of it. I knew you had your own perspective, one that other people valued. I guess it's why the people of Burbon put you in charge. They trust your judgment. I realize that when I go against you, I'm pretty much going against all of them as well. I'm making a tough situation that much tougher for you, and I don't want to do that."

"If you understand all that, then why did you get so mad at me?" Sy wondered.

"Things got out of hand. It was tense. I didn't like what happened with the large goblin. We were both upset at what happened that night. That doesn't change the fact that this is all still only about a difference in opinion. For me, it's not so much about agreeing or disagreeing. I understand your perspective. Like I said, I even respect it, but it's still different than mine. I'm hoping you can understand my opinion, because the only time I really got mad at you was when you tried to force me to give up my beliefs… to change my opinion of what was right."

Sy wanted to debate that assertion. He believed he allowed everyone their own beliefs and that he didn't infringe upon them. He wanted to say that he never attempted to alter his friends convictions, but he couldn't. The truth was that he did want to change Ryson's mind. Deep down, he couldn't deny it.

"You're right," Sy admitted. "I did want you to see things my way. I value you too much, both as a scout… and as a friend. I was afraid I couldn't count on you, and I wanted you on my side. I still do."

"I am on your side."

Sy frowned slightly. At first, he wanted to simply agree with the sentiment and move on, but it wasn't the complete truth.

"I know you're not against me," Sy acknowledged, "but when we don't agree on the best way to handle a problem, then we're not necessarily on the same side."

"But I won't get in your way."

"And that's how we leave it?" Sy wondered. "Because I'm not sure if this situation is any different than what it was before. I still have to give orders and I expect them to be followed. If a river rogue gets inside of the town again, I'm not going to risk my soldiers to protect its life. I realize you have your beliefs in what's right, but I can't let them interfere with what I have to do."

"Then don't let them. All I'm asking is for you not to give me an order you know I won't follow. And I won't put myself in a position where I might question your orders… like with Okyiq. I tried to make a deal with him for my own purposes. I was wrong. And then, I didn't like how you handled the situation. Wrong again. I'll try not to make those same mistakes. I know you don't want me to question your orders, but I still think I can help you, help this town… my home."

"What is it exactly you propose?" Sy asked.

"Let me do what it is I do best. Let me scout the lands around Burbon, let me find the threats for you before people are in danger. Just don't use me as a tool for unnecessary killing."

"And that may be our problem," Sy admitted. "That was our problem on the night we argued. Who gets to decide what's necessary?"

"I guess that's what we'll have to figure out. Maybe we can discuss things before they happen, work out a general idea ahead of time."

"I have no problem with being better prepared, so maybe we can work it out. Still, I need you to understand that the safety of this town is the most important factor, not my reputation, or even your beliefs. Nothing can get in the way of defending the people that live here."

"Like I said, let me help with that. I can be more active in my scouting. We can do more to keep threats out of Burbon."

"I can't argue with that."

There was an uneasy pause. They had seemed to find a potentially feasible solution, but both knew they would have to work at it and only time would tell if they would succeed. Ryson ended the silence as he didn't wish to delay his trip back to Connel any longer.

"So… when Linda is well enough to travel, we'll be back."

"You'll both be welcome. You've both been missed."

Epilogue 2

When Ryson returned to Connel, he met with Enin at the entrance to the Church of Godson. The wizard had made one last check on Linda and gave a glowing report to the delver. Ryson rushed inside to give the good news to his wife. After a much more joyful and affectionate meeting than they had had in the past few days, the delver bubbled with enthusiasm.

"Enin thinks you're fine," Ryson revealed to his wife. They stood in a back office of the church and were able to converse in complete privacy. "He said if there were any lingering effects of the arasaps, we'd know by now."

"I know," Linda replied. "He just told me."

"Did he also tell you we can go home any time you're ready? He said he would teleport us back to Burbon. He said he could send us right back to our house."

"That would be nice."

"Where's Dzeb?" Ryson asked. "I didn't think he was going to ever leave your side."

"He told me I was better before Enin did. He said it was time for him to go, but if I ever needed him, he'd be there."

"He already left?"

Linda nodded.

"I'm sorry I missed him," Ryson revealed. "I wanted to thank him."

"I thanked him for both of us."

"Well, I'm ready any time you are," the delver noted.

Linda was indeed ready to return home, but there was one thing she felt she needed to do before they left. The small office in the back of the church seemed to be the perfect place to deal with the tensions she knew were still standing in their way.

"Ry? I want you to know that I'm sorry for the things I said and did."

Ryson shook his head.

"No need for that. I understand."

"Do you?"

"Probably more than you know."

Still, Linda felt the need to explain.

"Those things inside me… every time Ansas purified one of his spell casters, they pulled something through me. It wasn't magic. I know that. The magic can't get inside me." She paused, but then willingly revealed her own perspective, and the unease that went with it. "That's why I knew we can never have children. Each time the magic was thrown at me, I could feel it just bounce away. For some reason, I thought of you and the magic that's always been a part of you. It all just became very clear to me, but that's not really what I'm talking about."

"Just say what you feel you have to say."

"They pulled emotions into me, not mine, but I could feel them… and I couldn't control them. I know Enin called it spell residue, but that's not what I felt. I felt someone else's… I don't know what to call it, 'will' maybe. It was the way they shaped the magic, but there was no magic to shape when it came inside of me. It was so strange."

"I imagine it had to be."

"But what was worse was it flooded my emotions. Everything became so scattered inside of me. Those creatures, I could feel them eating it all, taking it from me, but not all at once. Everything just bubbled to the surface. I was afraid, I was confused, I was even exhilarated, but mostly I was angry, but it wasn't really me. Well, the emotion wasn't mine."

"But a lot of the things you said were the truth," Ryson acknowledged with a knowing glance. It hurt for the delver to admit it, but he wouldn't hide from the truth. "I know you weren't the one responsible for all the emotions behind them, but the words… I heard every word you said. They didn't come from someone else. They were your words because they dealt with us and our situation, not someone else's."

Linda suddenly became very worried about where they were headed.

"No, that's not it."

"Don't worry," Ryson reassured his wife. "Like I said, I understand more than you know."

"But you need to know what it's really about," Linda implored. "The words might have been mine, but they didn't carry what I really felt. Words can be… confusing, especially when I was so out of control. I never wanted to hit you and I never meant to say the things I did."

"I realize that, but certain things came out. The emotions weren't yours, I know that, and you weren't in control. I know that, too, but there are things we have to face."

Linda stared down at the floor, but only for a moment. She looked back into her husband's eyes and decided to deal with the truth.

"I get lonely."

"I know. I didn't realize how much… until this all happened."

"I've gotten used to it. I'm able to deal with it."

"But when you lost control of your emotions, it all came out… and we shouldn't hide from it."

"I don't like it when you leave," Linda admitted. "And sometimes… sometimes I think you're more concerned with helping others than you are with taking care of me. Do you think that's selfish?"

"Not at all. If we're going to be truthful, then I have to admit I take you for granted. I'm grateful for the way you've dealt with being married to a delver. I probably don't say it as much as I should."

"I have accepted it, and I wouldn't change it," Linda admitted.

"I'm glad to hear that because I started to worry that you thought it was all a mistake."

"A mistake?"

"Yeah, a mistake for us to be together."

"Don't ever think that."

"We're being truthful, remember? That was what I worried about the most. I guess I still am. You tell me you don't want me to change, and I believe you, but I also realize just how lonely you are sometimes. It's a conflict that can't be resolved."

"But I know it's something I can live with," Linda stated.

"I don't want you to live with being unhappy."

"I'm not unhappy! I just want you to understand why I said those things to you."

"I know. It was the emotions…"

"It wasn't just that," Linda revealed. "I know we never made a decision about having children, but it was always in the back of my mind. It was something for me to fall back on. When it became clear that it could never happen, it hit me harder than I thought."

"I see."

"You said you were worried I might think it was a mistake for us to be together. I don't think I made a mistake, but…"

"But what?"

"But I wondered if we were supposed to be together. How could I not?"

Ryson nodded.

"I don't blame you," he admitted. "I thought about it, too. But I thought about every thing else as well. We've been through too much together and I realized it wasn't a mistake. Whether we can have kids or not isn't going to make or break us. And just because you're immune to magic, doesn't mean you're immune to me. We belong together because we do. I've accepted that. I hope you do, too."

"I have, but I want to make sure you see the whole picture."

"I do. I'm a delver, remember."

Linda couldn't help smiling and then she hugged her husband as hard as she could.

Ryson believed they had overcome the biggest obstacle, but he was not yet completely satisfied with the situation.

"We still have to deal with you being lonely. Where do we go from here with that?"

Linda stepped back. She almost spoke right out, but then held her voice. She hesitated for a few moments more and then decided to simply say what was on her mind and in her heart.

"Can we get a dog? Someone to keep me company while you're away? I've always loved dogs. I know you do, too. It would be good for us both."

Ryson smiled. He almost laughed out loud, but he didn't want Linda to think he was laughing at her… or her request. He thought it was a wonderful idea.

"Absolutely, I even know where we can get one. His name is Stomps." Ryson paused and then he did laugh. He thought about how things came into his life. It wasn't going to be a goblin or a river rogue, or even a sorcerer. It was going to be a dog named Stomps… and for some reason, Ryson believed that Stomps already knew what was going to happen. "You know, maybe that's what this was all about. I think we were supposed to get a dog, just like we were supposed to be together. We can make choices, and the right ones will bring us where we need to be. Come on, I'll introduce you to Stomps."

Content

Jeff Inlo
Pure Choice

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Epilogue 1

Epilogue 2