"But if you join me," said the demon, Corthain's face smiling, "you can have him. You, and only you. I will make you into the most beautiful and powerful woman in the world. You shall be a queen, and Corthain will worship the very ground upon which you walk." The demon moved closer, the crimson glow in Corthain's eyes brightening. "All this I give you as a free gift. You need only reach out your hand and take it."
A series of images flashed through Rachaelis's mind, each more potent than the last. She saw herself in Corthain's arms, in his bed. She saw him looking at her with worshipful adoration. It was impossible, she knew that. A fantasy. Yet the image was so intoxicating...
Then she saw the demon reaching for her.
Those images were of the demon's making. And it would use them to reach into her mind. It would claim both her mind and body, and Rachaelis would not even realize what it had done.
Had that happened to Paulus and Talvin?
She screamed and slammed her hands against Corthain's chest. A look of surprise passed over his face, and then white astralfire roared from her fingers. The demon bellowed and stumbled back, white fire drilling into it. Its face blurred and flickered, and for a moment Corthain's handsome features morphed into something far worse, a nightmare of fangs and tentacles and gleaming black bone.
Then the demon jumped backwards, hurtling through the air, and landed besides Sigaric's stone throne.
"You cannot stop me!" hissed the demon. "Struggle all you want, puny Adept, but it will matter not. The Jurgur woman bound me to the boy's flesh, and only his death can banish me." The demon laughed. "And you are too weak to kill him."
"I don't need to kill him," said Rachaelis, walking closer, "and I don't want to banish you. I'm going to destroy you."
Desperate rage flickered over the demon's face.
Both the demon and Sigaric vanished in a flash of crimson fire.
Rachaelis looked around, her mind racing. Had the demon turned invisible? No, Rachaelis's magic let her penetrate a spell of invisibility with ease, and the demon was not that foolish. Perhaps it had astraljumped, taking itself and Sigaric somewhere else in this demented dream world. She cast the spell to sense the presence of magic, feeling the currents of power flowing around her.
And she felt the echoes of the demon's passage.
Rachaelis cast the astraljump spell, the corrupted world dissolving in a flash of silver light.
She reappeared atop one of the inner Ring's towers, standing a turret thirty yards across. Sigaric still sat slumped on the stone throne, the chains of fire biting into his flesh. He looked as if he could barely stay conscious.
The demon stood next to the throne, this time wearing the guise of Thurvalda. Her eyes blazed with crimson fire, her scarred face twisting in a hideous snarl.
"Enough running!" snarled the demon. "I had hoped to claim your flesh, Adept. But you are too stubborn. So I shall settle for simply destroying you."
"If you could destroy me," said Rachaelis, drawing on her magic, "you would have done it already instead of running."
Thurvalda's snarl deepened. "Then let us put that to the test!"
Rachaelis cast a spell, and white fire struggled against crimson flame.
Chapter 10 - A Magister's Wrath
After a bit of effort, Corthain found that he could move.
Not very far. An inch at a time, perhaps. But the invisible force holding him to the ground was weakening.
Looking at Orain, it was not hard to see why.
The Magister's face twitched with strain, sweat dripping down his jaw. The effort of holding so many spells in place at once was draining his strength. Plus, he had to reserve some power to deal with Rachaelis and Sigaric when she weakened the demon.
Corthain moved another inch. It felt as if a pile of bricks rested upon his chest, but he could move.
Now if only he could think of something useful to do.
And he had to do it quickly. If Orain thought it through, he would realize he did not need four living hosts in reserve. Killing one or two would help conserve his strength.
"You realize that this is a terrible idea," said Thalia.
"For the last time," said Orain through gritted teeth, "shut up."
Of course, Thalia was already doing a fine job of distracting Orain.
Corthain moved another inch. His sword and dagger were still in his hands, and he was almost close enough to throw the sicarr at Orain. Perhaps that would distract the Magister and allow Thalia to break free and cast a spell.
"Do you really think you are strong enough to bind a greater demon?" said Thalia.
Orain scowled. "Paulus and Talvin both controlled the high demon."
"Idiot," said Thalia. "The high demon controlled Paulus and Talvin. It just let them think they were equal partners. A creature like the high demon has millennia of experience manipulating mortals. Though I suppose pompous old men are especially vulnerable to its blandishments."
"Stop talking," said Orain, "or I'll burn your lips shut."
Thalia laughed. "No, you won't."
"You have a fool's confidence," said Orain.
"I have well-founded confidence," said Thalia. "You're juggling too many balls, Orain. The psychokinetic force to hold us pinned, the ward to bind me, the power to deal with the demon...you're like a man climbing a staircase with an armful of bricks. All I need to do is to tickle you with a feather, and you'll fall. Badly."
Orain gave her a chilly smile. "I only kill when necessary, but I am very much going to enjoy killing you. It will take days. You will beg for mercy before it's done."
"Your beard looks stupid," said Thalia. "Did you staple a rat to your chin?"
Luthair burst out laughing, and Orain trembled with rage.
And for a moment, the force holding Corthain wavered, and the silver glow around Thalia dimmed.
Orain turned his back on Thalia, ignoring her, and focused his attention on Rachaelis.
Corthain moved another inch closer towards him.
And as he did, Luthair caught his eye and nodded at the wall.
Corthain followed his seneschal’s gaze and saw the glint of metal.
Maria's aurelium mace.
It had rolled free from the pile of benches pinning the Sister. It lay only a few feet from Corthain, and his mind started to race. Orain hadn't been able to hit Maria with a psychokinetic spell, so instead he had buried her beneath the benches. But if aurelium disrupted magic...what would happen if Corthain held the mace?
Would it disrupt Orain's spell long enough for Corthain to stand?
There was only one way to find out.
Corthain jerked himself closer to the mace, inch by inch, his muscles straining.
Orain, intent on Rachaelis and ignoring Thalia's steady stream of mockery, did not notice.
###
White astralfire exploded against crimson flames.
The blast knocked Rachaelis back against the ramparts, and she fought to keep her balance. The demon stalked towards her, loosing another volley of crimson flame. Rachaelis cast another spell, silver light flaring around her. The demon's magic hit with considerable force...but not enough to collapse Rachaelis's wards.
She struck back, throwing all of her strength into a shaft of white astralfire, so bright that it drowned the crimson light of this hellish place. The demon screamed, Thurvalda's face distorted with agony, and Rachaelis’s magic drove it back. For a moment the demon trembled, the image of Thurvalda rippling and wavering as the fire devoured the demon.
Yet her attack ended, and the demon recovered.
"You cannot kill me," it hissed.
Rachaelis had hit the demon hard enough to destroy it over and over again. Yet somehow it continued to fight, continued to recover. Did the creature have another source of power?
Another blast of crimson flame howled at her, and Rachaelis had no more time for thought.
###
"What," growled Orain, "is taking so long?"
He wi
ped sweat from his forehead, glaring at Rachaelis.
"You had better hurry, whatever you're going to do," said Thalia. "Do you have any idea what Aramane Morulan will do to you?"
"Aramane Morulan is a mewling craven," said Orain. "A fool who spends all his time weeping over the plight of the slaves. No doubt he'd try to negotiate a peaceful solution."
"Or he'll turn your skull into a smoldering pile of coals," said Thalia. "Never come between that man and his daughter."
Orain glared at her. "Stop talking."
"Why?" said Thalia. "It's not as if you have the power left to stop me."
"Not at the moment," said Orain. He grinned. "But if Rachaelis doesn't overcome that demon in the next few moments, I'll be out of time. Then I'll just have to kill you all to cover my tracks."
Thalia sniffed. "I should like to see you try."
Corthain heaved himself over another few inches, and his fingers brushed the handle of Maria's mace.
###
Another blast of crimson flame hammered against Rachaelis's wards.
She renewed her defenses. The demon seemed to shrug off her most powerful attacks. Her own strength was not infinite, and she felt exhaustion creeping up on her. Once her power failed, the demon would defeat her.
Or, worse, it would possess her.
The demon stalked closer, red fire crackling around hooked fingers.
"You are mine, Adept," hissed the demon. "Your flesh is mine." It laughed, Thurvalda's face gleeful. "I said you could not banish me!"
Rachaelis blinked. The demon had said that before, but she had thought it an idle boast. But what if it was a simple statement of truth?
So why couldn't she destroy or banish the demon? Perhaps something anchored it to the mortal world...
Another shaft of crimson flame shot at her, and Rachaelis deflected it with a silver ward.
And all at once she understood.
Thurvalda had boasted that she had bound the demon into Sigaric's flesh. And if Sigaric had not taken the demon voluntarily, that meant Thurvalda had forced the demon into him with a blood spell.
And blood spells could be broken.
Rachaelis's eyes fell upon the stone throne. Sigaric slumped against it, gazing at her with despair. The chains of fiery light in his flesh throbbed and pulsed.
Chains of light, Rachaelis realized, that were the exact color of Thurvalda's blood spells.
She hit the demon with as much white astralfire as she could muster, stunning it, and whirled to face Sigaric.
The boy's eyes widened in surprise.
"This," said Rachaelis, "is probably going to hurt."
She sent a bar of silver astralfire at him. Sigaric screamed in agony, and the silver flame tore through the fiery chains like a knife through soft cheese. The chains withered into black ash and vanished, and the crimson fire filling the sky flickered and writhed.
"No!" roared the demon, surging towards Rachaelis.
The earth shook, a vast chasm opening across the Ring’s grounds. The inner towers collapsed into the abyss, the floor falling out beneath Rachaelis's feet, and everything went black.
###
Corthain's fingers closed around the aurelium mace, and some of the pressure pinning him to the floor vanished.
Not all of it. Instead of a pile of bricks upon his chest, he only felt as if he wore a hundred pounds of armor. But he could move, and he thought he could strike Orain.
But he would have only one chance.
Rachaelis flinched and drew in a long breath, and Sigaric started to moan.
"Ah!" said Orain, face alight with eagerness. "Finally."
Rachaelis leaned forward, eyes closed, and Sigaric slumped against the bed, shuddering like a dying animal. Rachaelis was winning, and the demon within the boy was on the defensive.
Which meant Orain was going to kill her and bind the demon.
Orain muttered a spell, blue fire flickering around his fingertips, and Corthain was out of time.
He sat up, clutching the aurelium mace in his left hand, heart hammering with effort. Orain did not notice. Corthain started to rise, intending to bash Orain in the back of the head with the mace. Then Orain stepped forward, the fire around his hands brightening, and Corthain had to act.
He threw the sicarr at the Magister.
His aim was off and his hand shook from the effort of fighting the spell. But Rachaelis had fashioned the weapon well, and the blade sank into Orain's left shoulder. The Magister stumbled forward with a surprised shriek, the fire vanishing from his fingers.
The pressure disappeared from Corthain, and he shot the rest of the way to his feet. Luthair and Thalia stood, and Corthain heard the creak of the benches as Maria pushed her way free. Orain snarled and flung out his hands, a ward of blue light appearing around him.
Both Orain and Thalia began casting spells. Thalia was strong, but Orain was much stronger. A magical battle between them would likely leave Thalia dead and the Temple a pile of smoking rubble.
"Thalia!" shouted Corthain. "Silver astralfire!" If Thalia knocked down Orain's wards, perhaps Corthain or Luthair could land a killing blow.
Thalia gave a sharp nod.
Sigaric screamed, and a pillar of crimson fire shot from his chest.
###
Rachaelis opened her eyes, her heart pounding, sweat dripping down her face.
She saw Sigaric collapse against his bed, eyes bulging. A shaft of red fire erupted from his chest, coalescing into a hooded shape fashioned of smoke and bloody fire, its eyes like burning coals.
She had driven the greater demon from Sigaric's body. Demons could not exist for long without a host in the mortal world, and it would soon be drawn back into the astral realm.
Unless it found a host.
The hooded shape lunged at Rachaelis.
She cast a spell, a ward of white light flaring around her, and the fiery shadow rebounded from it. The demon whirled and shot towards the Temple's sanctuary. Rachaelis staggered to her feet in pursuit.
She came to a surprised stop.
The sanctuary lay in disarray, the benches piled against the walls. Sister Maria struggled to free herself from one the piles, while Corthain and Luthair stood with weapons in hand. Thalia faced Magister Orain, both of them casting spells. The blue light of a ward surrounded Orain, while the sicarr she had given Corthain lay at the Magister's feet, the blade wet with fresh blood.
The demon flew into the sanctuary.
"The demon!" shouted Rachaelis. "Stop it before..."
Thalia and Orain finished their spells.
Silver astralfire hammered against Orain's ward, the blue light winking out. Invisible force erupted from Orain's hands, throwing Corthain, Luthair, and Thalia to the floor. The edge of the burst caught Rachaelis, and she fell against the wall.
Orain stalked towards her, his face bright with fury and pain.
"Where is it?" he shouted. "Where is the demon? You stupid girl! Why did you have to ruin everything?"
"It's behind you!" said Rachaelis. "White astralfire! You..."
The demon swooped towards her, and Magister Orain turned.
###
Corthain staggered back to his feet as the demon plunged into Orain's chest.
Orain shrieked. He staggered, placing one hand against the wall for support. He closed his eyes and shook his head once, twice, three times.
Then his eyes opened, ablaze with crimson fire.
"Yes," he said, his voice carrying the eerie double echo of demonic possession, like two voices talking at once. "Yes. This is much better than the feeble child. Much stronger. Much more experienced."
He turned to face Rachaelis, grinning.
"And as for you, I'll..."
Corthain brought the aurelium mace down on the Magister's head with all his strength.
It made quite a mess.
Orain spun, his face frozen in surprise, and then collapsed to the floor.
His blood pooled around him.
Corthain let out a long breath. Sister Maria approached, limping a bit, and Corthain handed her the mace.
"Thank you for the use of your weapon," he said. "Sorry I didn't get the chance to clean it off."
"Quite all right," said Maria, taking the mace. "You put it to good use, Lord Corthain."
Corthain stepped past Orain's corpse and helped Rachaelis to her feet.
"Are you all right?" he said.
"I think so," said Rachaelis. "What happened? Why was Magister Orain trying to kill you?"
"Apparently he was an associate of Talvin and Paulus," said Corthain. Orain had spoken of a secret College. Did that mean there were more Adepts like him? "We..."
"It's gone.”
Sigaric stood in the doorway, staring at Rachaelis with wide eyes.
"The voice is gone," said Sigaric, stunned. "You actually killed it. I didn't think you could. I thought it would kill us both. The voice is gone." He started to cry. "I didn't think I would ever be free of it."
"It's not over yet," said Rachaelis, stepping free from Corthain. "Thalia?"
Thalia lifted her hands, and Rachaelis cast a spell.
Orain's corpse twitched as the demon took control, his dead eyes blazing anew with crimson light.
Rachaelis and Thalia struck. White astralfire burst from their fingers and slammed into the dead man. Orain's corpse writhed, the demon trying to escape, but it was too late.
The white fire drowned the crimson glow in Orain's eyes. The hooded wraith of dark light rose from the corpse, only for the white astralfire to tear it to shreds.
Chapter 11 - An Initiate of the Conclave
"Rachaelis Morulan," said First Magister Arthain Kalarien from behind his massive desk, "step forward."
Rachaelis took a deep breath and stepped forward.
She wasn't sure what was going to happen next.
Behind Arthain stood Jonas, Nazim, and a dozen other Magisters. Her father stood among them, his expression tired. Arthain's face was stern and forbidding.
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