by Jeff Inlo
Enin heard the warning, but he noticed something else, something deep within the magic. When Ansas created the structure, his ebony magic formed a barrier that served to keep the creatures of the dark realm from invading his sanctuary. That warning still existed and Enin could feel it repelling the beasts in the distance, but there was a new sensation, something that did not exist the last time he entered the building.
In pure opposition to the pulses that discouraged trespassers, a subtle portion of the magic beckoned those attuned to the energy. It felt almost like a call for help.
"The creatures will not come any closer," Enin announced, "but there is something going on here."
Before stepping closer to the structure, Enin turned a wary eye toward Neltus.
"What do you sense out here?" Enin asked.
"Ansas' magic!" Neltus replied. "I had it inside me once. I won't forget it."
"And what is it telling you?"
"Telling me?"
"There is a message in the energy."
"There's no message! There's just raw power, power that doesn't wish to be disturbed!"
"Look deeper. These creatures around us can sense it... I can sense it, too. That's why they're here."
"I don't want to look deeper! My connection to Ansas' magic is the reason Reiculf wants me!"
Neltus' plea caused Enin to reconsider what he felt. As he took greater care to analyze the energy, he remained certain of what he sensed. The magic vibrated with a message, an apparent request for aid. The appeal resonated through the air, very much like the distress call of a wounded animal. It was no wonder so many dark creatures were drawn to the area, but they feared to come any nearer. Enin considered the basis for such a message. He knew Reiculf would not call for assistance, but the daokiln might use such a tactic as a trap.
Enin finally revealed what he sensed to the others.
"The magic is calling out for aid. That call is coming from the inside of the house, but I can't determine its origin. We need to go inside."
"Not all of us," Holli advised. "We need eyes out here. I will stay and guard the perimeter."
"The creatures will not come any closer," Enin advised.
"The beasts in the distance may not be the only threat. Until we know more, we must not make any assumptions of the dangers we face."
"I will stay with her," Dzeb offered. "The house is a bit small for me. I would prefer the open space."
"Very well, but call if you need us."
Enin led Ryson, Linda, and Neltus through the front door. He moved quickly to the back study and noted the empty shelves.
"See?" Neltus exclaimed. "They're gone. Ansas notes... they took them. That's what Gnafil told me."
"Someone has taken them," Enin agreed, but he remained somewhat skeptical of Neltus' story. He turned to the delver in order to gain greater insight. "Ryson, what do you sense in here?"
Ryson took a few moments to inspect the floor and the empty shelves. He smelled the air and looked back down the hall. He then confirmed certain facts.
"There was a serp and an infern in here not too long ago. I'm pretty sure it was Macheve. Their scent is still in the air and there are prints in the dust on the floor and on the shelves. They took the notes and walked back out the front door."
"Please follow their trail."
Ryson did as he was asked. He moved back down the hall and out the door. He took several steps to his left before the wizard called for him to stop.
"That's far enough. I can sense it here. There was a portal created. Not a normal gateway... but a passage to Demonspawn."
"You see?" Neltus exclaimed, feeling vindicated but also recalling what brought him to Enin in the first place. "They left with the notes to Demonspawn. That means they went to see Reiculf."
"We should not jump to conclusions," Enin advised.
"What other conclusions can we make? Gnafil is half-demon! Why would he go to Demonspawn? It would be certain death. And the serp... you sent her there as punishment. If she was able to somehow escape, do you think she'd go back on her own? The only reason they'd go to Demonspawn willingly is because Reiculf ordered them!"
Enin could not argue with the logic of Neltus' claims.
"It does seem as if Reiculf has extended his influence over creatures in this realm. That is not something to be happy about."
"I'm not happy about that. I just want you to believe me!"
Believing Neltus was not an easy task, and Enin strived for more information.
"Ryson, what do you think of all of this?"
"I don't know what to think," the delver admitted. "They took the notes. They disappeared from here. I mean, that's what I see and smell. There are scents and tracks... it's not an illusion, is it?"
"No, it's not," Enin confirmed with a grimace.
"I don't know what else to tell you," Ryson confessed. "Whatever is going on can't be good."
"Now can we get out of here?" Neltus pleaded. "Everything I told you was true."
"No," Enin replied.
"No?" the crimson casting wizard questioned in absolute disbelief.
"We do not understand everything that is happening here yet," Enin explained. "I may be ready to believe your story, but there is something else we must consider. The call for help should not be ignored."
"But there's no one inside the house. There's no one to help! We need to get out of here!"
Though difficult for him to admit, Ryson had to agree with Neltus yet again.
"He's right, Enin. There was no one else here. Just the serp and the infern. And they left. We know where they went. It's not a good idea for us to hang around here. Holli was right, too. There are thousands of creatures surrounding this place."
"They are here because of something calling out from the magic."
With that said, Enin considered exactly what it meant. He looked back to the small house and considered its origin. Ansas had built the unassuming structure to serve as a quiet sanctuary in a chaotic land. The sorcerer had placed his pure ebony magic inside the wood to ensure privacy. That magic kept the monsters at bay, but a new pulse of energy offered an opposing message and it called out with almost the same potency.
Enin was not as adept as the wizard Jure at sensing the flow of magic, but his connection and control over the energy was unmatched in all of Uton. For him, the magic served as a source of both enlightenment and strength. It expanded his consciousness across the varied realms and fueled his ability to grasp concepts beyond a physical existence.
It was impossible for him to discount discrepancies in the magic or ignore obvious inconsistencies. The energy radiating from the small house, however, seemed flush with opposing functions. He needed to consider the anomaly before him, and he began to mutter his thoughts as he lost himself in consideration of magical contradictions.
"Spells can become warped," the wizard said to himself, "that is not necessarily a surprise, but that happens over long periods of time. The energy can lose direction. The purpose within it can become diluted. But this is not just an odd twist of a decaying spell. There is no spell, at least none that I can recognize. The message is clear. It would have to be, or the creatures would ignore it."
Enin shook his head as he began to pace, walking past the others as if they did not exist. He continued to contemplate the puzzle of the message.
"Other than Ansas' notes, what is the connection between this place and Reiculf? Why would there be a call for help? And who is it for? It certainly isn't for the inhabitants of this realm. If so, it would be a waste of energy. The message is calling for them, but they won't come any closer. And, there's no one here to help. There's only the memory of Ansas himself, and Ansas..."
Enin recalled the sorcerer's fate. Ansas' essence had been taken into a realm of nonexistence, taken by Baannat. The picture became clearer and Enin did not like what he saw. Unfortunately, he could not dismiss what was happening. It required additional investigation, efforts that might prove painful to
those with him. He looked to Ryson and Linda, for their memories would be the most distressing.
"I have to take you to a place that will remind you of an unpleasant past," the wizard announced, "but it is necessary. I can't ignore what is happening here."
Ryson's curiosity exploded.
"Where do we have to go?"
"Do you remember where you last fought Ansas, where you defeated him? It was a high plain upon a towering cliff created within the outer limits of this dimension. It was almost a bridge between the dark realm and surrounding existences."
"That's where Baannat claimed Ansas' essence," Ryson offered. "We left his body there."
"Yes, and that may be the key to what is happening here."
Chapter 7
Scheff climbed through the trees of Dark Spruce Forest as if he hadn't a care in the land. He smiled at the elf guards who let him pass freely through the perimeter of their patrols. He stepped across branches with a spring in his step and leapt from one tree to the next as cheerfully as a squirrel roaming through the forest with a large acorn in its mouth.
Despite his agreeable demeanor, his plans for the elf camp—particularly its leader—were far from pleasant. His cheerfulness was born out of the ease in which he moved through the outer guards. Not one sentry gave him a second look, not one elf asked him his intentions. Why should they? He was a member of the camp, one of their most powerful and able spell casters. His past might have contained certain missteps, but he had acknowledged his errors and worked to regain the trust of every elf.
As Scheff passed into the inner regions of the elf camp, he continued to smile, but his focus turned to several spells that were part of a large scale assault. Multiple incantations were needed, and though his control of the violet magic was strong, casting them all at once would require substantial concentration, a characteristic made somewhat diluted by his condition.
He was about to unleash pain and anguish, and while the diabolical plan was crystal clear in his thoughts, the desire to cause such torment was not his own. It wasn't as if he was under the influence of a serp. Though Macheve had trapped him in Dark Spruce, it was Reiculf's magic that bound him. The powerful magic of the demon master suppressed certain aspect's of the elf's identity—such as conscience, integrity, and empathy—and intensified the influence of a checkered past.
It was as if the elf spell caster's mistakes earlier in life returned to the forefront of his mind with ultimate supremacy. Scheff's full memory collapsed, and only small pieces of his past took shape in his thoughts. Those memories became more than simple images, they became driving forces, fueled by Reiculf's hateful energy.
It wasn't regret or remorse that seeped into his consciousness. There was no moral reflection of his past deeds, just recognition of their existence. Scheff's previous errors in judgment, born out of arrogance, flooded out all other considerations. They overwhelmed his understanding of the present and future. They directed his thoughts and actions as if they were his only source of inspiration. It was like drowning in the errors of his own personal history.
Once near the center of the elf camp, Scheff dropped from the trees and stepped into a wide clearing. Despite his great power, he was just another elf, and he could walk among them without causing the slightest stir. As he moved past the other elves, he dismissed their presence, save for one.
After surveying the area, he fixed his sight upon the elf elder, Shantree Wispon. He knew the elf guards would protect her at all cost, and once the assault began, they would most assuredly remove the camp leader from any potential danger. He knew they would guide her to the most secure area they could find, but that would work to his advantage. What he could not afford, however, was losing track of her in the confusion. While he could not allow that to happen, he also had to cast a number of spells within the camp before he attempted to take control of the elder... and confusion was an integral part of his scheme.
Though his power was magnified by the immeasurable strength of Reiculf's spiteful energy, the elves were powerful in magic. There were several spell casters within the camp, and if given the opportunity, they might be able to save the elder, not an acceptable outcome, and a mistake Reiculf would certainly not forgive.
In order to avoid a fatal error, Scheff cast his first spell with subtle misdirection. He whispered an incantation into the wind, and his magic cut across the interior of the camp as nothing more than a light breeze.
The spell itself contained no malice. It served as a monitoring tool used by elves when managing large groups. It ensured that all would be accounted for during travel. Scheff, however, altered the spell ever so slightly so it would mark every elf differently.
None of the other elves noticed the spell, or if they did, they discounted it as the routine surveillance of watchful elf guards. Even the most sensitive to the magic failed to recognize a malicious purpose in the ordinary casting. Elves traveled about the forest with casual ease, and magic was often used to monitor common activity.
The spell drifted lazily through the forest, leaving an imprint on each elf. It released a subtle signal to those who knew to look for it. Scheff noted the faint whisper that surrounded the elf elder. It was nothing more than a mere petal in a field of magical flowers, but it was enough for him to follow. He had Shantree marked.
With all the necessary preparations complete, the time had come for his betrayal. He began the assault with theatrical deception. He stalked about the center of the camp, staring into empty air. He stretched out one hand, and then the other as he seemed to grasp at something that wasn't there. He shook his head, muttered with confusion, but continued to prowl about the empty grounds, unsettled and distraught about something no one else could see.
His actions did not go unnoticed. Elf guards protecting the center of the camp watched the elf spell caster with growing alarm. They knew of Scheff's abilities and history, but their concern did not focus upon his past mistakes. They were aware of his magical prowess, and Scheff's behavior appeared to be focused on something beyond physical substance.
Unwilling to allow the uncertainty to continue, they signaled for the captain of the elf guard, and Birk Grund made his way toward the center of the camp. Before he could question the elf spell caster, mayhem erupted.
"We are under attack!" Scheff shouted, but there were no invaders visible. The elf spell caster pointed to empty air, even as the other elves searched for raiders of any kind.
Birk rushed to Scheff's side.
"What is happening?" the elf captain demanded.
"A cloak of invisibility hides them."
"Who?"
"River rogues! They have already breached the outer patrols."
Birk instinctively looked to the grounds and surrounding brush. Even rogues cloaked in spells should have been detected by highly trained elf guards.
"But there are no signs," the captain questioned, "even if invisible, there would be other indications."
"I do not understand it, either," Scheff lied, "but they are there!"
"How many?"
"Hundreds."
Hundreds of river rogues invading the center of an elf camp was a peril too dangerous to ignore. Even if he could not see or hear them, Birk had to accept the warning as legitimate. Without being able to pinpoint the location of the enemy, his first order focused on defense.
"Everyone in the trees! Move to elevated positions. Guards! Bows to the ready!"
The maneuver was expected by the cunning elf spell caster and Scheff moved forward with his plans.
"I will cover our escape."
Scheff placed his hands together and a perfect circle of violet magic rolled around his wrists. With a snap of his hands, the ring of energy expanded instantly into a thick, blanket of fog that rushed outward in all directions. In a matter of moments, the entire camp was engulfed in a churning mist.
"What are you doing?" Birk commanded. "We can no longer see!"
"And they cannot see us. The odds are even."
Scheff, however, pressed forward, disregarding the elf captain's anger.
"Continue with your defensive maneuvers," Scheff demanded. "I will engage the creatures."
Birk had no choice. He had given the order to find safe haven and every other elf in the camp chose to obey.
All across the forest, elves were leaping into the trees and climbing toward high branches. Elf guards formed pickets at the lower limbs. They prepared to unleash a barrage of arrows against any foe, but nothing disturbed the swirling and expanding fog.
The captain realized he was covered in the thickening mist. His elf guards could hear him, but they could no longer see him. He needed to rectify that without delay, but to do so meant leaving Scheff, and the elf spell caster was apparently the only individual who could locate the enemy.
"Scheff! Follow me! I need you beside me!"
"No time! I have to cast this spell or they will not be stopped."
Scheff unleashed another wave of violet energy and flashes of blinding light erupted across the forest floor. Lightning struck in a hundred places at once and the roar of thunder was deafening. The explosions knocked over several trees and started a few small fires, but even the flames could not pierce the billowing fog.
The titanic rumbles of thunder silenced the elf captain. He could not be heard over the roar, and deep in the fog, he was completely invisible to the elves in the trees. Unable to communicate in any fashion with his guards, he had no choice but to leave Scheff and scramble to a higher elevation.
Alone on the forest floor and completely engulfed in a dense fog, Scheff unleashed yet another spell, one that no elf would imagine he would ever cast. He had stated that hundreds of river rogues had attacked the camp, and it was time to make that assertion a reality.