Spirit Past (Book 8)

by Jeff Inlo

  "My shield will also last far longer than we could remain in this place," Haven reported. "It does not take a great deal of my essence to scatter shadow."

  "And if we are overwhelmed by darowks?"

  "That will force me to increase the energy into the shield," Haven conceded, "but Ryson could fight off the darowks with his sword."

  "The sword will not reflect the unnatural light of this realm," Holli noted.

  "My light is not of this domain, and I have access to sources of even greater virtue. It will take very little energy to sufficiently power the delver's blade."

  "Very well. Both of you remain prepared to strike when we are attacked."

  Holli stepped carefully but quickly about the grounds. She remained inside the circle of Ryson's patrol, but she needed to gauge the enemies' movements. She was surprised they had not yet been attacked.

  They were being watched, she knew that for a fact, and if the demons knew they were there, then so too did the daokiln. Based on her understanding of Demonspawn and the swirl of malevolent magic that helped shape its existence, she believed Reiculf sensed their presence the moment they entered his realm. She also assumed the daokiln was aware of Scheff's unnatural state. An animated, soulless corpse would not go unnoticed in a place of such spiritual iniquity.

  As Holli continued to stalk the hostile grounds that shuddered under her feet, she considered Reiculf's options. The daokiln could attack, and that seemed the most obvious tactic. Other options seemed highly unlikely. The demon lord wouldn't hide, and he couldn't flee. Though Reiculf's connection to Macheve allowed him to send his magical power outside of Demonspawn, he could not leave the realm without altering his very essence.

  Macheve, however, was not bound by the same constraints. The serp could cross into other dimensions at will. Though the daokiln would remain protective of the serp, Reiculf might allow for such movement to save his pawn. Holli began to worry if the sorcerer had considered all possible escape routes.

  Holli rushed back to Ansas with questions in need of immediate answers.

  "Can you speak to me as you continue to search for a passage to Macheve?" the elf demanded.

  "Of course," the sorcerer responded with almost sickening vanity.

  "Can Reiculf send the serp out of here?" she asked hastily, ignoring the sorcerer's arrogance and focusing on a growing concern for a weakness in their plan.

  "Of course he can. You know that."

  "Would that not then be his best alternative?"

  "No, it would be a foolish waste of time and energy."

  "How so?"

  "Because it would not change the basic elements of my plan."

  "How can you say that?" Holli questioned. "Our purpose here is to break the link between Reiculf and Macheve. If she leaves, we will be left to face Reiculf. What must we do to recall her?"

  "Nothing."

  "Then we would lose her!"

  "Nonsense. At this point, all paths lead through Reiculf. Scheff's core remains tied to the daokiln, and so is Macheve. No matter where she goes, she cannot break the connection."

  "So there is not one place she can hide, not even some far dimension? You will be able to reach her even if she leaves this realm?"

  "Without a doubt," Ansas stated confidently. "The energy of this place vibrates with the rage that is within the daokiln. He could not cut me off if he wanted to."

  The explanation seemed reasonable to Holli. She did not have Jure's gift for following the flow of magical energy, but she knew enough about such connections to understand certain properties.

  She then considered their foe. If Ansas understood the workings of magic within Demonspawn, it was certain the daokiln comprehended them as well. Holli's growing concern turned to absolute alarm.

  "Reiculf would know that, would he not? He would know the threat we represent."

  "More than likely," Ansas agreed as he continued to inspect the magical currents that flowed in and out of Scheff's core, trying to find the distinctive stream that would lead to Macheve.

  "And how do you think the daokiln will react? He would not just allow us to take the serp while he stands idly by."

  "I assume he will attack."

  Holli pointed to the surrounding landscape.

  "With what? Not a single demon has moved against us. Demonspawn has responded to Haven and Jure's protective spells because it sensed the benevolence in their actions. Beyond that, we have faced no further resistance."

  Ansas raised his head and scanned the horizon. He frowned as he realized that Holli was indeed correct. While the realm was reacting against their presence, not one demon appeared ready for any offensive. If anything, it appeared the shadowy beasts of Demonspawn were demonstrating remarkable restraint.

  Ansas initially expected Reiculf to act quickly when they arrived. He believed both Linda and Scheff would be immediate targets. Knowing the threat the dead elf represented, the daokiln would attempt to destroy Scheff's body, or so the sorcerer believed.

  Due to Enin's spell, Reiculf would not be able to reach out with his overwhelming magic to obliterate the animated corpse. He would have to rely on a more physical assault, and Ansas was prepared to defend Scheff, even as the dead elf's body remained somewhat protected by the fashion with which Enin teleported them to Demonspawn. Such defenses, however, were so far totally unnecessary.

  "This is very wrong," Holli advised.

  "Obviously," Ansas replied almost dismissively.

  "We need to reconsider our strategy."

  "It is my strategy, and I already have," the sorcerer replied, as he had quickly come to a conclusion regarding the reaction of the daokiln. "If Reiculf has studied my notes, which seems obvious at this point, then he understands what I will attempt to do. He knows how I view magic and how I can manipulate it. He will attempt to do the same. He's going to use Scheff."

  "Use him? How?"

  "In the same fashion I intend to. He will reach through the elf in hopes of claiming his own prize."

  Their situation had taken a serious turn, one in which the elf guard could not follow completely, but her anxiety expanded.

  "Explain yourself!"

  "Just as the magic within Scheff will allow me to isolate Macheve, Reiculf might extend his magic through the dead elf and take hold of Neltus. Both Neltus and Scheff shared my magical core. They are connected. By utilizing my own methods, he will understand exactly what needs to be done."

  "You are certain of this?"

  "I am now. I can see Reiculf's magic flowing through Scheff in the same manner in which I hope to reach Macheve."

  Holli finally saw the ultimate peril in Ansas' plan. In Scheff, they had brought a key into Demonspawn, a key they hoped would open a door to the serp, but it was a key to many doors. Reiculf would hope to use it as well. She considered a chain of events that would lead to the destruction of all of Uton.

  "And just as Macheve is not safe no matter where she goes, Neltus would not be safe even in Burbon," Holli acknowledged with the edge of urgency shaping her words.

  "You have a penchant for explaining the obvious."

  "It is also obvious that it will not end with Neltus! Reiculf will use him to claim Enin!"

  "That would be the logical expectation," Ansas agreed with no apparent alarm. "Neltus remains in Burbon. Enin is just outside the town's wall. Imbued with Reiculf's magic, Neltus would be able to overcome Enin's defenses. It seems the daokiln is willing to trade Macheve for Neltus and your powerful teacher."

  "And what of Shantree?"

  "He will take her when he is finished with Enin. It will be an afterthought."

  "We have to get out of here!"

  "No. We stay and take care of Macheve. This is our chance."

  "Chance? If anything it is an opportunity for Reiculf. He wanted us to come here like this. It is obvious."

  "Of course it is," Ansas agreed, but without matching alarm.

  "If we lose Enin, Macheve will not matter."

&nb
sp; "I am not so certain Enin, or Neltus, will be lost. Burbon remains protected by a great power. Do not forget the guardian spirit that protects the town."

  "But Reiculf must be aware of Sy's spirit. He would not take the risk unless he was certain he would prevail."

  "Not take a risk?" Ansas scoffed. "Of course he would. Nothing is certain in this conflict. That is why it is being played out as it is. Sometimes risks are necessary. Reiculf understands that, as do I."

  "But we are allowing Reiculf to get everything he desires!"

  "Are we? Perhaps I have other plans. I might have miscalculated Reiculf's intentions, but I am still prepared to surprise him."

  "Is there something you are withholding from us?"

  "Of course there is. Do you think I would reveal all my plans when the daokiln could easily monitor us through the magic within the dead elf?"

  "This is madness! You are playing with more than our lives, you are risking all of Uton!"

  "Is it madness?" Ansas questioned harshly. "Enin can see and hear everything that is happening here. It is his spell that holds us here. By now, he is aware of the danger. If he believes I am making a mistake, he would have already recalled us. We are still here. He understands the risks as I do. He believes we can still succeed. And so do I."

  Chapter 27

  Neltus had seen Ryson Acumen enter the Borderline Inn and then saw him leave with his wife; another indication the battle with Reiculf was reaching a climax. Gnafil had died, of that he was certain. The wizard had not witnessed the death, but he felt it through the currents of magic that previously connected them. The link was severed in the most extreme fashion, and Neltus could only imagine the daokiln's frustration at losing another slave.

  With Ryson returning to Burbon, the crimson casting wizard could also sense the brewing of a larger conflict. The delver was not simply returning home; Neltus could read that in Ryson's tense movements. There was no joyous reflection of victory, but rather a sense of gloom that hung on every step the delver took.

  The wizard, however, remained in his seat in the corner. He did not stand to greet the delver or call Ryson over. He showed no urgency to discuss matters involving the daokiln. Despite the signs of an imminent clash, Neltus remained relatively safe, and he lacked the curiosity of a delver to ask any questions.

  He wasn't quite content with his situation. He didn't like the small town filled with people far too orderly for his liking, but he was trapped there. He tried to avoid ale and wine, and for the most part succeeded. He spent a great deal of time eating. It kept him occupied, and it made the owner of the tavern happy. Neltus paid in gold. With his crimson power attuned to every mineral, it was easy for him to find, and he had pockets full of it.

  He wondered how long such a lifestyle could continue. He ached to use his magic, but to do so would be to invite catastrophe. He considered chasing after the delver, but he realized that choice was no longer available. He could not leave Burbon, not by magic nor by foot.

  Despite the displeasure with his circumstances, he knew he was better off in a town bent on order than standing within reach of Reiculf. He was certain the daokiln could not take him as long as he remained where he was.

  He was wrong.

  The initial sensation stunned him. The dimly lit, smoky surroundings of the tavern dropped from his sight as if someone threw a sack over his head. Rage, bitterness, hate, and aggression swelled through him, but the seething emotions did not come from his mind. His thoughts did not fixate upon a clear subject for his fury, nor did they paint a hazy image for his unrelenting anger. As the invading passion pulsated with anonymous resentment, he realized the source of rage was not his head. Instead, the strong emotions exploded from his belly.

  The harsh feelings surged down each limb and up his back. With one massive kick, they boiled into his brain. He still could not see, but he began to curse loudly. His arms and legs shook violently, and there was nothing he could do to gain control of his body and stop the vicious tremors.

  As he fought for sanity, he instinctively called upon the crimson energy to offer him support, provide a foundation on which he could secure himself. As he did, he felt the ferocious emotions build. He realized his magical center was the source of the mayhem. The hostile emotions were riding the currents of his deep red energy.

  With his last gasp of consciousness, he probed the magic. As he followed the rage back to its source, he located the remnants of Ansas' magical core which he once absorbed. Through that memory, he perceived a greater and darker power, not in terms of color, but in the depth of evil.

  Neltus had never entered Demonspawn, but he had cast a spell to open a portal to the domain. He had felt its unmistakable dread, and he could not ignore its presence as it overwhelmed him. He was not yet in the grip of Reiculf, but he could feel the daokiln's sanctuary invade his spirit, or more accurately, he knew his soul was being ripped from his body and poured into Demonspawn.

  The last image in his mind before he lost his will was that of an elf; a spell caster he was once connected to through Ansas' ebony magic. Neltus recognized Scheff's face, but there was something missing from the empty expression. He realized it was the spark of life. The next thing he knew, his own spirit was pulled through the magical core of the dead elf and placed in the grasp of the daokiln.

  When his sight returned and he could see within the tavern again, Neltus felt the sudden urge to bury the establishment and all its patrons in a wave of rock and dirt. The small-minded humans with their desire for order and routine irritated him beyond measure.

  As he considered the town as a whole, he imagined the joy of crushing every building with a mudslide or having the ground open up and swallow every street. The shrieks of panic and rolling chaos would lift his spirits. How inspiring it would be to see the tidy and orderly little town left in absolute rubble.

  He wondered why he didn't do it before. There was a vague memory of some guardian spirit—some dead captain unable to let go of his precious town—but he no longer feared such a being. Threats of punishment and death no longer mattered. He was beyond both. What could a ghost do to him that Reiculf couldn't impose with much harsher consequences?

  No, he didn't have to listen to the town guard, their captain, or even the silent reproach of some spirit protector. He wouldn't have to contain himself any longer, and the rush of Reiculf's magic roaring through him might finally fulfill the ache in his belly.

  He restrained himself from destroying the town, not because he suddenly found compassion, or even sympathy for Burbon, but because his master had more important needs to address. Neltus would no longer be allowed to act on his own impulses without first considering the will of the daokiln.

  In Demonspawn, Reiculf grinned with a fierceness that could freeze the sun. Despite all the setbacks, he was on the threshold of ultimate victory. His previous failures might have held great sway in his realm, but they meant little in Uton. Beyond the threshold of his sanctuary, errors could be overcome. They were stepping stones to greater opportunity.

  He could not deny his losses, would not even make the attempt, for the past was his domain. He had been bested by fools, but history was always an unfinished painting. Several new brush strokes would serve to alter the path of the conflict and highlight its decisive outcome. At Burbon, the daokiln won his first important prize, and he hungered for the second.

  Neltus rose from his seat in the corner, stomped over to the bar and poured himself an ale. He ignored the complaints from the barkeep as he downed his drink and cast the mug upon the floor. He walked out of the inn, disregarding the gawks and stares of the other patrons.

  He stepped to the center of the street and looked to the west. He would not waste his time or energy hunting his prey. He would bring the daokiln's ultimate prize to him. Through the whispers of magic, he called to Enin.

  Enin appeared instantly. He stood upon the same street as the crimson casting wizard, but he remained several paces down the road from the B
orderline Inn. From Neltus' call, he knew Reiculf had taken control.

  It was no surprise. Enin had heard everything Ansas had said. He understood how Neltus had fallen, knew that Scheff's unique state opened pathways which could be exploited by both sides. Enin also knew he was the next target. He wondered how long he could stave off the daokiln's grasp. If it was only up to him, he knew he would eventually fall. There was, however, another power in Burbon, one that might offer aid... if he proved himself worthy.

  "You came quickly," Neltus stated, but it was not the wizard's voice that roared through the twisted mouth of the human spell caster. Yet again, the daokiln had taken firm control of his slave and spoke through Neltus' form with ferocious growls.

  "Is there any point in waiting?" Enin questioned.

  "You might have wished to give Ansas more time to trap Macheve. If I take you too quickly, I can end his puny attempts in Demonspawn. It is your teleportation spell that keeps them all in a state of magical transition, protects them from the dangers of my realm. Once I take control of you, I will also have control over your magic. If I end that spell, their protection will be gone. The human's immunity will no longer matter, for they will all be fully immersed in Demonspawn. And they will all die... slowly and painfully."

  "True, but if I run from you, you would give chase or you would pull me back to you using the currents of energy that connect us. I would wear myself out with attempts to escape. It is better for me to use my magic to defend against you."

  "There is no defense against me."

  "And yet you waste time arguing," Enin challenged. "If you wanted to take me quickly, why not do so?"

  "Because I enjoy savoring the moment. I always have. I can kill the others at my leisure. The only thing they can accomplish at this point is to take the serp from me, but that is no true loss. If I lose Macheve, I can always get her back."

  "And if she is killed?"

  "A small price to pay. This wizard I now control is worth a dozen serps, and you are worth a hundred times that. The energy I can pass through you can destroy realms. What would I need with a serp?"