Apprentice

by Nicholas Hale

  Gale felt the doorknob grow warm as he touched it. It seemed Illazehra had placed several wards and magical protections around the apartment. A fresh fragrance of bath scents hit him as soon the door was opened. After the smells of the marketplace, this almost seemed like heaven. Still feeling lightheaded, Gale closed the door. His heart skipped a few beats as he saw Illazehra sitting near the window.

  "Well?" she asked as he walked in.

  As succinctly as possible, Gale explained the situation to her.

  "You don't look surprised," he said after he finished.

  "I spoke to Kugan while you were out."

  Magic. Not really a good idea, but he knew better than to tell Illazehra her business. She would have taken the necessary precautions.

  "What do you want to do, then? I'll be meeting Balthus soon. He'll come back with Renal's location, and he'll be looking for an answer," said Gale.

  Illazehra sighed. This was the real reason Gale had lied to Balthus. It wasn't safety. Illazehra needed more time to make her decision.

  "Things really look bad for Renal, don't they? What do you think will happen if I leave?"

  "Honestly? I don't think that's a good idea. The Summoners are single-minded in their pursuit of the egg, but once they get it, they'll leave Archon for good. The Ravens, however, never forget. You don't know Renal like I do."

  "You were together in the Ravens at one time were you not?"

  "For a short while. I actually joined before him."

  "Really? I didn't know you were so old."

  "Er...I'm not, actually, and neither is Renal."

  "So you think he can still come out on top?"

  "As I said, you don't know Renal as I do. He was the real reason I left the Ravens."

  Illazehra sighed again, leaning back and closing her eyes. Gale felt his stomach rise into his throat again. He had cravings for flesh before, but this was different. There was something delicate about her. He was still thinking before she spoke.

  "I never could stand Archon. My master told me I was a fool to stay here. But the gold was simply too good."

  "Where is your master now?"

  "The isle of Jericho. It's south of Eora. In name, it's a tributary of the Eoran Empire, but the Eoran army has been spread thin ever since the war in the tundra started. We should go there and meet up with my master. A thief like you and a mage like me could make a killing there, you know. Plenty of freelance work there."

  Gale was flattered that she chose to include him in her plans. There was something appealing in running away from Archon with her.

  "What about Renal?" asked Gale.

  "What about him?" she asked with a quizzical look on her face.

  "Aren't you two…?"

  She threw back her head and laughed.

  "Whatever gave you that idea?" she asked, still laughing.

  "I… Rumors, I suppose."

  "No. Well, I might have had something for him when I first joined the Ravens. But then, what girl wouldn't? He does have a certain charisma about him. An aura of power."

  Probably, thought Gale. In a place like Archon, a man like Renal was a king.

  "So," she continued, "what about it? Still want to run away with me to Jericho?"

  "Do you know a man named Garren Winters? The assassin?" asked Gale.

  "Who doesn't?" she asked.

  Stupid question, thought Gale. She had been working with the Ravens long enough. Even if she hadn't, she would know the name Garren Winters. The most infamous assassin in all of Aegis. Rumor had it his reputation reached as far as the Eoran Empire.

  "If you leave now, especially after they know you're alive, they'll send him after you."

  "What?" she asked incredulously.

  "Even if Renal loses this war, your name would be listed in the ledgers as a retainer for the Ravens. Darius would have a duty to hunt you down. And Garren Winters... He's one man whose reputation does little justice to his abilities. If he's hunting someone, they're dead. There's no mistaking it."

  "But it sounds preposterous! Sending a man like that for—"

  "Illazehra...nobody deserts the Ravens. This is how guilds stay together. And this is why men like Garren Winters are employed. He cares very little for gold. He will chase you into the heart of the tundra, into Namoth's very lair if needed."

  She appeared to be deep in thought. He could have perhaps handled any other assassin in the Ravens.

  "We could still leave. Believe me, I would like nothing more than that. I can hold my own, even against Black Peter," said Gale, "But we can't hide from him. Not Garren."

  "Hmmm. Looks like I'm staying then," she said, forcing a smile.

  Gale couldn't say he was happy. Somewhere, deep inside his heart, he wished that she would have chosen to leave. He could have faked her death somehow, but sooner or later, word would get back to Renal. And if he knew that Illazehra had deserted the Ravens in the hour of their greatest need... Or had word somehow reached Darius that a mage on retainer had fled from the Ravens?

  "How is he doing?" asked Gale, pointing to the heavily bandaged body of Ceívar lying on the bed.

  "Surprisingly well," replied Illazehra. "There's something...unnatural about him. It's no magic I know of, but I feel it at work when I'm near him."

  That much was for sure. Gale shivered as he remembered the bear-like Ursvang swiping its large claw. A hit like that should have cut a normal human being in two.

  "I looked at his weapon," continued Illazehra. "It's a very fine blade, but it's not enchanted. This is the first time I've seen a blade without a spell-breaker enchantment stop magic."

  "Looks like Ceívar has his own secrets," said Gale, wondering if Renal knew what his lieutenant was really capable of.

  Although Gale did have his own suspicions.

  Chapter 61

  "A toast, then," said Darius loudly, holding up a chalice of wine, "to new alliances."

  A toast to insanity, thought Coran as he raised his own chalice. He looked around the room and saw the six hellion wolves resting. Lesser planar creatures, Coran knew for sure, and not formidable as far as extra-planar creatures went, but demons still by definition.

  "Mm. This is exquisite wine," said Nadia, one of the five Summoners in the so-called 'alliance' and, thankfully, the one present in the room at this time.

  "The Llothran family imports only the finest vintages from Eora. You won't find better wine in all the Aegean Isles," replied Darius. "Although it saddens me that your master, Dahl, isn't here for the celebration," he added with mock disappointment.

  What celebration? thought Coran without speaking out loud. They had yet to actually get their hands on Toskk.

  Still, Coran was glad that the man named Dahl wasn't in the room. Summoners in general were difficult to be around, oozing demonic essences that made a normal person uncomfortable. It was annoying to have to expend energy in keeping up shields against the demonic essences.

  Dahl, Coran had learned from their first meeting, was exceptionally hard to be around. Judging from sheer magical presence, Coran knew his master, Thaugmir, was far stronger, yet with Summoners, one never knew...

  "Ah, but he takes his work very seriously," replied Nadia. "He wishes nothing more than to find the egg and be done with this farce."

  "I still say he should have left the interrogation to me," replied Darius. "My men could have that fat fool of a mage singing in minutes."

  "Your barbaric techniques, while quick, often prove to be unreliable. We have better ways of getting men to cooperate."

  Barbaric? That was rich, coming from a Summoner.

  "I'll place my trust in your master, then," said Darius, refilling his glass.

  "You shall see," said Nadia, sipping her wine.

  Coran could only imagine what they were doing to the mage called Daedalus in the dungeon. They couldn't kill him, but they couldn't torture him either. From what Coran knew, Daedalus did not know Toskk's location, nor had he seen the egg a second time.
>
  A small part of him felt regret at the betrayal. He almost had second thoughts when he saw the mage's face light up in a smile as he entered the inn. Daedalus had been under the impression that Coran was there to seal the deal. He couldn't even look at the man's face as three of Darius's men and one of the Summoners jumped him after Coran gave the signal.

  Coran coughed and nearly spat out the wine as he felt a hand across his back.

  "You should be the happiest one here!" said Darius. "I get the guild, Dahl gets his egg, but you...you get the Tome of Naxannor. Even I know of its value!"

  Coran managed a weak smile.

  "You should be glad for the opportunity," said Nadia shooting him a vile look. "You know not the pain that our great master, Izul, went to in obtaining that tome. Not many copies of it exist today..."

  "I truly am grateful. As is my master," replied Coran.

  Coran nodded. He honestly didn't see the value of the tome, but he knew his master desperately wanted it. Something about demonic tomes made them impossible to copy. There were cryptic clues and magical runes inscribed on every page. The tome was said to document the events that took place thirty years ago, when the Summoners had first raised Naxannor. Coran didn't know why his master was interested in it, but he suspected it had something to do with Naxannor passing by the Shadow Spire without attacking it.

  Coran remembered wetting himself as he saw the vast hordes of Naxannor encamped a small distance away from the spire. After a few days, the hordes simply moved away. At first Coran, in his inexperience, thought that it was Thaugmir's prowess that had driven the demons away. But over the next few years, Thaugmir had been obsessing over the reasons as to why Naxannor had passed the Shadow Spire by.

  After the arch-demon had been summoned, the Summoners had assigned some of their order the sole duties of documenting every action that the demon had taken and every word it had spoken. That was the truth held in the Tome of Naxannor. As Coran expected, Thaugmir considered the tome a much more valuable acquisition than the egg. Furthermore, it had cost him nothing. The only price to be paid was Daedalus. Darius had put together the plan and a temporary alliance was formed between him, Coran and the five Summoners in Archon.

  The hellion wolves suddenly appeared agitated as the doors swung open. Three men walked in. Two of them, Coran could tell were Darius's men. They were flanking a much older man.

  "Ah, master Theodore. How nice of you to join us."

  Darius walked to meet and hug the man. It appeared forced, but the man did respond in kind.

  guild"I suppose you have come bearing good news for me?"

  The man's eyes darted around the room, betraying the slightest hint of fear as he saw the hellion wolves move in his direction, but he remained silent.

  "Well, speak!" laughed Darius. "You have nothing to be afraid of here."

  "I must...refuse your offer. I do, however, promise the full neutrality of my hall. We shall not interfere—"

  One of the men flanking him drove a blade into the older man's throat. Gurgling blood, the man fell to the floor clutching his neck.

  "Such a waste..." said Nadia, flicking her hand. One of the hellion wolves leapt across the room and landed on top of the fallen man, ripping into his flesh. The remaining wolves began howling.

  "Arron Liven is second in command of Theodore's guildhall," said Darius. "He has been wanting to dispose of this relic for years. Let him know he's in command now, and relate to him the same terms."

  The two men disappeared the way they came.

  "And send in Adrianna!" he shouted at their backs.

  Coran spoke.

  "You have the support of the Summoners. You still need more men?"

  "Renal is not a man that dies easily. Besides, the Summoners are almost done here. I need to consolidate my standing in the Ravens. Once they find the egg and leave, I have no desire to be left in a vulnerable position."

  "Ah! My dear Adrianna," said Darius to the latest arrival. A short, lithe woman. "Do we have an answer from Thanril?"

  "He doesn't want to lend his support, but he has promised full neutrality until this affair is resolved. He has also mentioned that he would give his complete support to the winner."

  "That old bastard!" said Darius, laughing.

  "Do we...dispose of him?" she asked.

  Darius's jovial expression was replaced with one of complete coldness as he spoke.

  "Not a hair on his body is to be touched," said Darius sternly. "His neutrality is the best thing I can hope for. Whatever else Thanril is, he's completely loyal. It's his loyalty for Renal that led him to remain second in command, when he could have seized power for himself. Once the Summoners leave, I will require his full support if I am to retain control of the guild-hall. If not, I could very well find a hundred blades at my back the moment they leave."

  Adrianna nodded.

  "But post some men outside his house," added Darius as the girl was leaving. "I would like to know of his movements."

  Cautious as ever, thought Coran.

  While the tome was important to Thaugmir, it was the promise of more business with Darius that interested Coran. The man truly had a gift when it came to finding rare artifacts. Looking at him, it appeared there was much more to him than just an ordinary thief who wanted his own guild-hall. Coran could sense no magical protection on him, yet he seemed at ease in the presence of the Summoners and their hellion wolves.

  The doors opened again. This time, a wave of coldness washed over the entire room. Nadia, who was relaxed just moments ago rose to her feet in rigid attention. Coran strengthened his magical wards as the demonic essences became stronger.

  Dahl. None of the other Summoners had an effect this strong. Strangely, again, Darius seemed unaffected.

  Strictly in terms of appearance, Dahl looked as plain a mage as Coran had ever seen. Nadia and some of the other Summoners favored more ornate clothing. It seemed mages of true substance had no need to adorn themselves. This had been true of Gawain as well, arch-mage of Norvind, who had visited the Shadow Spire months ago. Coran had been among the apprentices selected to meet him.

  "Master," said Nadia, bowing her head slightly in deference. "Is it done?"

  Dahl gestured as a bloodied and battered Daedalus was dragged into the room by two of the Summoners. Daedalus stood up looking frightened.

  Coran felt a twinge of guilt as he saw the broken man, but steeled himself, trying to think of the potential benefits. Right now, since the departure of that brat Lorian, there were three mages who could be considered foremost among the apprentices of the Shadow Spire. With the acquisition of the tome and Darius's friendship, Coran would be leaving the competition far behind.

  "Well, worm? Speak! What are your duties?" growled Dahl.

  "To...set up a meeting with Toskk. At the Colburn family warehouse."

  Something was wrong with the man. Daedalus's head was twitching as he spoke, and he grimaced with each word.

  "I don't think I understand," said Darius. "What information has he given you?"

  "He doesn't have anything useful for us. It appears this Toskk has concealed himself well, and only arranges meetings through an intermediary. A younger brother by the name of Riven."

  "I shall send my men to look for the boy then," said Darius.

  "No. If we capture the younger brother, and Toskk knows that this has happened, he could go to ground again, and we will lose the only option we have of capturing him."

  "We would hold a valuable bargaining chip if we had the brother..."

  "You seem to hold such bonds in high regard. While there are some who would sacrifice themselves for their blood, I have seen men turn on their own children. No. We cannot leave this to chance. We will not bet everything on a plan that relies on the ties between a thief and his brother."

  "What do you propose, then?"

  "This fool shall lure Toskk to a meeting place. One that Toskk will not suspect as a trap."

  "The Colburn warehou
se. I see. But I'm not convinced," said Darius looking at Daedalus. "Why would he not simply warn Toskk?"

  Dahl laughed.

  "When most commoners think of demons, they think of large bipedal beasts with razor-sharp teeth and claws. The lower planes are just as diverse in life as our very own plane. Razhl's Mold is a fungus that grows in a more obscure lower plane. You could say that the spores themselves are demonic in nature. When they infect the human mind, they cause unbearable pain. No one who has felt that pain will ever wish to feel it again in a thousand lifetimes. The fungus feeds on the very essence of a living creature. I have carefully infected our captive with lethal doses of the fungus. Normally it's strong enough to kill a human through the pain alone, but I have placed barriers so that the fungus affects him only under certain conditions. I have made him play out the conversation that I wish him to have. Any attempts at trying to subvert us will pull down the barriers that I have put in place. He has felt the pain numerous times now. Trust me when I say he will do exactly what we require of him."

  Darius laughed as he heard Dahl's words.

  "A novel method indeed! Nadia, I have to say you were right when you said that your master's methods were infallible."

  As appalled as he was, Coran had to think so too. It seemed far more effective than simple torture. There were spells of compulsion that had similar effects, but they only worked on the feeble minded. And there was the problem that it would drive the affected mind insane. The irony was that the weaker minds, more susceptible to compulsion spells, were also the ones that had the highest risk of insanity. This hellish mold, however, seemed to solve some that problem quite elegantly.

  "He won't try to remove it?" asked Coran.

  "Perhaps those more adept at magic would be able to, but not this one. He is far too weak willed and even thoughts of such actions will lower the barriers."

  Coran watched as the Summoners led Daedalus away.

  "How many men would you need at the warehouse?" asked Darius.