Now he was back, rescued by an inferior Guild wizard and brought back to Talon Guild Headquarters to speak with the Guildmaster. Gram reached the bottom of the stairs and walked into the lounge area that led to the Inner Circle chamber and the Guildmaster’s rooms beyond. The lounge was completely empty, save for himself and Cam. Cam had been the Guildmaster’s loyal servant since before anyone could remember. It seemed an odd relationship that the Guildmaster’s closest confidant should be a lowly butler, but Cam’s devotion to professionalism was unquestioned and it added an air of respectability to the Guild that would otherwise be absent.
As Gram took a few steps forward, Cam approached him respectfully and said, “Good evening, Inner Circle Member Gram.”
“Good Evening, Cam. How are you?”
Cam inclined his head and said, “I am well. It is good to see you again. It has been a long time.”
“I have been occupied elsewhere.”
“Yes, when the Guildmaster told me you were trapped in the Plane of Chaos, I must confess I feared the worst.”
Due to the lowness of his station, Gram was surprised to find that Cam always seemed to know everything the Guildmaster did. “Yes, well, I feared the worst as well. Is that what the Guildmaster wants to speak with me about?”
Cam ignored the question as he rightfully should and asked, “May I get you a drink, or something to eat?”
Gram smiled outwardly and said in good humor, “No, thank you.”
Cam inclined his head again in a most agreeable act of submission. “Very well, my Lord. I believe the Guildmaster is waiting for you within.”
“Then I thank you for your hospitality as always, Cam.”
Gram walked casually across the large room. The splendor of the Inner Circle lounge always impressed him, even if he did not see the need for such finery. The trinkets gathered during life, even a life as rich as the Guildmaster’s, could not compare to the power and riches of the cosmos. Gram took one last look at the expensive artwork that adorned the walls and the leather furniture where the Thirteen often waited on the Guildmaster’s whim, much like he was now. Gram had known the Guildmaster for more than 200 years, and this was not the first time he had been called back for a private consultation.
Gram opened the door gracefully, without knocking, and walked in. As soon as the door opened he was surprised to hear he had interrupted a spirited debate.
The Guildmaster said, “Your alliance with my Guild is critical to my plans to establish a new kingdom. The benefits to you and to your people will be beyond your wildest dreams. You just have to be patient a little while longer.”
A female voice responded, “My people are getting slaughtered! We came to the surface and attacked Armena because you said the time was right, that we would achieve easy victories. My people are dying like never before. It’s time for you to keep your end of the bargain.”
Gram quickly shut the door behind him, announcing his presence, and turned to face his master. The room was dark, as it so often was, lit only by a series of five candles on a brass rod. Rumor was that sometimes servants would come into the Guildmaster’s apartment, find a completely dark room and believe the Guildmaster was out, only to find him studying a scroll in the darkness. This led some to believe the Guildmaster could see in the dark, but that was an ability that only the Krone possessed as an adaptation to millennia spent beneath the ground. Of course, rumors always persisted about the founder of the Talon Thieves Guild. It was just as likely, and already proven, that the Guildmaster frequently took fine-looking women into his bed, but that did not make for an interesting tale. The candles sat in the middle of a small table, and sitting at that table, sharing a bottle of wine together, were the Guildmaster and Arun!
They both turned to look at him as the door latched. The Guildmaster seemed perfectly at ease, but Arun looked as startled as him. No doubt Arun was here to discuss issues the Krone were having with their Talon Guild allies. The Krone were a warrior race, strengthened by the harsh life they lived in the Underworld. They were dark and mistrusting, but then again, so was he. It was difficult keeping the dark elves appeased, but when they were properly motivated, they had a singular drive. That was what made them so invaluable, and why Gram appreciated having them as allies, and lovers.
As Gram entered the room, the Guildmaster was the first to speak. “Gram. Good, I’m glad you could join us. Mistress Arun and I were just discussing some of the finer points of our alliance and the implications they entail.”
Gram nodded his head slightly. “Guildmaster, I am at your service, as always.”
In the dim light, the Guildmaster turned to Arun and said, “Gram has just now returned to the Talon Guild after being rescued from the Plane of Chaos.” He turned to Gram. “How long were you trapped there?”
“Five very long days.”
Arun looked at Gram and asked, “Is that a fact? Gram’s reputation as a great wizard precedes him. My detachment of Krone in the Old Shetley Fortress has told me of his exploits. How is it that you ended up trapped in the Plane of Chaos, Lord Gram?”
Gram agreed with Arun’s subtle suggestion that it was best if the Guildmaster did not know about their relationship. Of course, it was quite possible he already knew. Gram had tried to keep some semblance of privacy in the past, only to have the Guildmaster subtly let him know that he knew.
Gram opened his mouth to answer Arun’s question, but the Guildmaster spoke for him. “As I said, Gram just arrived at Guild Headquarters, so I don’t know all the details myself. The Old Shetley Fortress was destroyed, and so far, only three survivors have made it back. Apparently, the fortress was attacked by a group of elves from Armena that are searching for the First Heir. Gram took them prisoner, only then to be attacked by an ancient dragon. Somehow, during the attack a blue portal leading to the Plane of Chaos sprang into existence and swallowed the fortress whole.” The Guildmaster turned back to Gram and asked, “Would you say my summation is correct?”
Gram was at a loss for words, which was an entirely new sensation for him. “Yes, Guildmaster. I apologize for the loss to the Guild and I apologize that you had to send a Guild wizard to retrieve me. By your leave, I will fill you in on the details at a later time.”
The good humor and jovial attitude fell away from the Guildmaster as he got down to business. “Yes, I have come to expect better of you, Gram. As one of my most trusted members of the Inner Circle, you should not make a habit of failure.”
Oh, good gracious, when would this end? Gram let the appropriate emotions of contrition flow across his face. “No, of course not, Guildmaster. Rest assured, my resolve has only grown stronger.”
“I would think so. I look forward to hearing about your recent battle and transport to the Plane of Chaos, but first we need to discuss your plan to bring Armena to its knees.”
“I appreciate the need to hasten the process, but the Cataclysm spell is not yet ready. We need to wait a few more moons, then the destruction of Armena will be assured.” He said nothing else and assumed his obvious statement would end the discussion.
Arun spoke up swiftly. “I don’t care if it’s ready or not. My people are dying like never before. You need to destroy Armena now, or else there may not be any Krone left to continue the alliance.”
Gram wanted to say snidely that the end of their alliance would indeed be a shame, but those were not the words that came out of his mouth. “If I cast the spell too soon, it will not work. No one will die, and the Krone will still be in their current situation.”
Arun lost her temper, reminding Gram that her passion was one of her most attractive features. “You will cast the spell as soon as possible!”
“Who are you to say such things?”
“I am the new Matron Mother of Evox, the greatest of all Krone cities. You will address me with the proper respect.”
Gram turned to the Guildmaster and said, “What has happened?”
“While you were away” – the Guildmaster em
phasized the word away – “Arun’s mother was assassinated by followers of the elven god known as Venal. In fact, we recently learned that every Matron Mother of all six Krone cities was recently killed by followers of Venal.”
“How is that possible?”
“We don’t know. There must have been several traitors among the Krone, and the attack must have been coordinated over a number of years. What matters is that Arun can now rightfully be called the Mistress of Evox.”
Gram noted to himself that the situation just kept getting better and better. Up until now, Gram had always maintained a certain control over Arun. She had always been his subordinate, whether she knew it or not. Now it looked like the dynamics of their relationship had changed.
Gram turned to Arun with great difficulty and said, “Mistress Arun. I mean no disrespect, but I cannot cast the spell at this time.”
Arun was clearly about to explode when the Guildmaster held up his hand, silencing them both. “Gram, you are always somewhat mysterious. I generally leave you alone because I don’t need to know and because you always bring me results. But we have reached a turning point in the history of the Guild that concerns more than your interests. Tell me the details of this spell. What do you need to finish your work and what can it do for our allies?”
“With pleasure.” Gram pointed to a chair at the table. “May I?”
“Of course.” Gram took a seat and Arun sat down as well. The Guildmaster picked up his wine and swirled it around in the glass, while Arun waited expectantly.
“I told you the Cataclysm spell would completely obliterate Armena, and that was not an exaggeration. But only if the spell is cast at the right time, by the right wizard, with the correct amount of magic-user potential.”
“Explain,” said the Guildmaster.
Rather than answer, Gram continued on excitedly. “Everyone knows Tellus was once ruled by dragons. They broke the continent into kingdoms that stood unopposed for thousands of years. The only way the yoke of a dragon’s power could be broken was when it was opposed by the will of another dragon.
“But what brought about an end to these kingdoms? Why isn’t Tellus still under their reign of terror?”
Arun moved closer with interest, while the Guildmaster leaned back in his chair, already having heard this part of the story.
“Their empire was fractured when Malcoy the Undoer cast the only Cataclysm spell in recorded history. He singlehandedly destroyed the great red dragon known as Rubellite and killed every living creature in his kingdom. The spell put a curse on all dragonkind that is still in effect today, which is why they lost power, and why their numbers have been declining for two thousand years. The downfall of this one great kingdom was a kink in the armor that showed dragons were not invincible.
“Unfortunately, the knowledge of how to cast a Cataclysm spell was lost over time. Bards tell tales of the gods deeming the spell too powerful to be placed in the hands of mortals, choosing instead to scatter the knowledge to the winds.” Gram shook his head, knowing that such a ridiculous story could not be true. “However it was done, the ability to cast a Cataclysm spell was presumed lost over the millennia, until now.
“When I defeated the lich known as Zeen, I found many things in his tomb beneath Locus. I found many rare and dangerous artifacts, but most importantly I found the lich’s spell book. While Zeen lived, he was one of the most powerful wizards ever to walk Tellus, in large part because of the knowledge he accumulated in his spell book. Like many wizards before him, Zeen wanted to control the power of the cosmos in order to live forever. He labored for the last several years of his life dabbling deeply into the dark arts, convinced he could obtain immortality. His wish was granted in the end, but at a price. He enhanced his power several times beyond what he achieved in life and became immortal by selling his soul and becoming a servant of the undead. The undead serve Seker, God of the Dead and keeper of Purgatory. They are his army on Tellus and they answer to him alone. Once Zeen obtained his immortality, he quickly went insane. After that, he did not add anything of value to his book of magic. He roamed the empty halls of his tomb for three centuries before I put him out of his misery.”
Arun spoke up. “This is a nice history lesson, but I fail to see …”
Gram pushed on. “Zeen was a direct descendent of Malcoy the Undoer. His spell book contained magic forgotten by every other wizard on Tellus, and it included the secrets to the Cataclysm spell. It was a find beyond compare.”
The Guildmaster leaned forward with interest. “How exactly does the spell work?”
“The spell requires a gathering of exceptional magic potential. Three things must fall perfectly into place in order for the spell to succeed. First, the rightful leader of the nation to be obliterated must be the catalyst for the spell. In this case I am referring, of course, to the First Heir of Armena. The weave of magic locks onto the leader’s blood and seeks to destroy anyone associated with his lineage. Second, a wizard with a singular focus and power, such as myself, is necessary to control the magic potential and channel its energy into the destruction of the leader’s bloodline. Third, the spell requires almost unfathomable amounts of magic potential to annihilate anyone associated with the First Heir. The potential is provided by other magic-users who are consumed in the casting of the spell. Divine and arcane magic-users obtain their power by drawing on the unlimited power locked in the cosmos. That is why I have been capturing as many magic-users as I can find over the last year. Most beings are not able to tap into this potential at all, which is why priests are so rare and wizards are even more so; even among wizards and priests the power to tap into this potential varies dramatically.
“The more magic-users I have, the more devastating the results. The more I consume, the more surface elves I can destroy.
“If all of these conditions are met in just the right proportion, then Armena will be no more. We are holding the First Heir in the Underworld, and I am willing to cast the Cataclysm spell. The only thing we lack is enough magic potential to ensure the spell’s success.”
The Guildmaster said, “You have been capturing magic-users at the Old Shetley Fortress and here in Locus for nearly a year now. Here at Locus alone, your people have captured so many Sorcerers and priests that the Crown of Kentar is beginning to take notice. Don’t you have enough magic potential by now?”
“It depends on the quality of those that have been captured. I cannot say for certain, but I do not believe I do.”
The Guildmaster looked at Arun with annoyance. He asked Gram, “And what will happen if you cast the spell prematurely?”
“I do not know. Maybe nothing. Maybe it will be entirely successful and Armena will be destroyed. Maybe only some of the surface elves will perish. The bottom line is that I will not cast the spell until I am certain of success.”
The Guildmaster looked directly at Gram with hard eyes. “You will if I order it.”
Gram took this simple statement for what it was. The Guildmaster was not making a threat, and he did not even raise his voice. The dark room was filled with three of the most dangerous individuals in all of Tellus, but there was no doubt the Guildmaster was in charge. Gram had to remember to whom he was talking and use persuasion, not threats.
“This is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity. Do you really want to risk the results by rushing to cast the spell too soon?”
The Guildmaster had not risen to his rank without being brilliant. Even in the dim light, Gram could see the wheels turning in the Guildmaster’s mind.
Arun took note of this as well and spoke up quickly. “If you want my help – if you want your precious kingdom – then you will destroy Armena now. The Krone came to the surface because we value the Talon Guild as allies. We came to the surface because you told us the time was right to attack. Ooltul and Infern’s End have already been captured. We only have four cities left and I am told one of those cities is under siege even as we speak. We are facing extermination while you sit here de
bating.”
Gram wanted to say that if the Krone had won the battles against Armena and lived up to their warrior reputation, then they would be marching into Bethel rather than losing their strongholds in the Underworld. He was certain the Guildmaster thought the same way, but of course he held back.
The Guildmaster said, “The forces of Kentar have moved more slowly than I thought they would, but now they are underway. Kentar has three armies converging on Armena even as we speak. The Krone will not be alone in this fight for long.”
Arun said, “We don’t have direct control over the armies of Kentar. Maybe they will continue to move more slowly than anticipated. If that is the case, then my race could be wiped out.”
“These are uncertain times for us all.”
“I’m not willing to leave my people’s fate to luck and the uncertainty of what Kentar might do. We control when Gram casts the Cataclysm spell. Even if he casts the spell tomorrow and it is not entirely successful, it will put Armena on the defensive. My people will be able to surge forward, and once the armies of Kentar arrive, there will be no stopping us. Armena will be destroyed either way.”
Gram shook his head and said, “I will not do it. Not yet. I need more magic-users.”
They both looked at the Guildmaster expectantly. He said, “Gram, could you cast the spell before the moon turns ten days from now?”
“There is no way I can cast the spell in that time and guarantee success.”
Do the Gods Give Us Hope? Page 4