by Jeff Inlo
Dimi quickly gathered up the precious rocks and shoved them into his pocket. The additional payment calmed most of his concerns, but not all.
"You're only going to take a small portion of my core, right?" the young and misguided spell caster questioned.
"You'll barely notice what I remove."
The response was mostly accurate. Neltus planned on removing half the boy's magical core, but since the young spell caster was so inept, he believed Dimi would barely notice the sizable loss.
"And you're sure you know how to do this?"
Neltus fumed, but he needed the boy compliant in order to complete the task. He lacked magic of his own and Dimi would supply the power for the deed. If the boy remained skeptical of the undertaking, he might hold back, and such doubts could jeopardize the process.
"You have heard of Enin, yes?" Neltus asked.
"He was the most powerful of all of us," Dimi declared, "but I heard he lost his power as well."
"He lost it in the same fashion I did. It was removed during a battle between the two of us. Do you understand what that means? I was skilled enough that I fought the most powerful wizard in the land. Only the interference of a ghost led to my loss."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"The reason we fought is because I once took a slice of Enin's core. Do you think I could have succeeded in that if I didn't know what I was doing?"
"Is he the one who showed you how to do this?"
"No, it was another, a powerful sorcerer. His name was Ansas. Have you heard of him?"
The boy's uncertainty turned to apprehension.
"Ansas was evil!"
Neltus almost agreed, but he had come face to face with absolute malevolence, felt ominous wickedness throughout his essence. Reiculf, the daokiln, had invaded the totality of his being, and at that moment, Neltus appreciated true evil. Though Ansas was certainly devoid of consideration for others, the sorcerer was not quite in the same category.
"A mischaracterization," Neltus replied. "He was arrogant, powerful, self-absorbed, but I wouldn't necessarily call him evil."
"He wasn't good!"
"No, he wasn't."
"And I've heard rumors he's stuck in Demonspawn."
"They're not rumors... and he chose to remain in Demonspawn. He wished to fight Reiculf. Reiculf is evil. Pure evil. Would evil fight itself?"
"Evil fights everything."
"And so does arrogance, and that's what Ansas was. Arrogant! So arrogant in fact, that he made sure he perfected every spell. He cast pure ebony magic in a perfect circle. You're aware of that, yes?"
"I heard he was obsessed with purity," Dimi admitted.
"He was. That's why he chose me, and it's why I chose you. When the magic was inside me, I could cast in pure red magic, and so can you."
"But my spells are terrible."
"That's due to your skill, not the magic. Unlike you, I didn't lack skill. That's another reason Ansas chose me. He realized I knew what I was doing. Do you think a magic caster as conceited and as powerful as Ansas would teach his spells to someone who didn't know what he was doing? Put aside your fears. You've been paid far more than is appropriate for the magic I will take from you... magic which you are clearly incapable of utilizing properly."
Dimi could not argue. He was a horrible spell caster, so incompetent he tended to avoid using the magic which flowed within him. He did not wish to discuss his inadequacies, but he feared his shortcomings might lead to catastrophe.
"What about me? Even if you know what to do, I don't. Like I said, my spells are terrible."
"But that's the point. You're not going to cast a spell."
"But I'm still not sure what I have to do."
Neltus dropped his head into his hands and rubbed his face with both palms. He knew Dimi was immature as well as incompetent, but he didn't think the boy was as dense as the gold in his pouch.
In previous days, Neltus would have made incessant fun of the boy, insulted him with overflowing joy, but Neltus' days of irritating, aggravating, and infuriating others with unparalleled glee ended when he lost his magical core. Unfortunately, life was no longer a game for the powerless wizard. His irreverence was replaced with frustration, and that frustration was quickly turning into desperation.
In order to avoid striking the lad, Neltus turned away. He cursed silently over and over. Eventually, he released enough anger to face the boy once more.
"Do you know how to pour water out of a jug?" Neltus demanded.
"Of course."
"Then you know what you have to do. The magic is the water. Your core is the jug. You don't have to do anything else with it. Pour the magic out of your core and let me shape it."
"So I pour it into you?"
"No! Absolutely not!"
The rebuke shocked Dimi and the boy stepped back. He considered leaving, but then he looked upon the sack of gold and the second diamond. He didn't want to give up what he had already gained, and he wanted more.
He didn't mind losing the magic. It never served him as he hoped. Every spell he cast fizzled. If anything, the magic flowing within him caused him far more grief than contentment. The wealth Neltus offered would allow him an easier life, a life where he wouldn't have to work on enhancing his skills.
"I don't know what to do!" Dimi wailed.
Neltus steadied himself. Building trust and communicating was difficult for him. He would have rather mocked the boy, but he couldn't afford to lose the opportunity. He could see Dimi wanted money, that was beyond apparent. Wealth in the form of gold and gems remained easy for Neltus to obtain. It was the magic he wanted, and spell casters with a deep red hue were difficult to find. He didn't wish to start his search all over again, so he pressed down his natural tendencies and actually sounded comforting.
"I know it's hard for you, but you can do this, really. Your deficiencies do not lie in the magic itself. They come from your inexperience with spells, but you are not casting any spell. Your previous... difficulties... have no bearing on what we're about to do. To put it simply, your spell cannot fail because you're not casting a spell. Do you understand?"
"I think so, but where do I send the magic?"
"Just push it out of your core without specific influence. You need to focus on one thing and one thing only... allow the magic to spill into my spell, not into me. Without a core, I can't hold it, not even for a moment. There will be no magical link between us because there's nothing to connect us. But you have to maintain focus. If you don't concentrate, the energy will break away and dissipate."
"But how do I focus on a spell that I don't cast?" the young man wondered.
If Neltus still had his magic, he would have buried the boy in a mound of dirt and debris, but somehow, he managed to contain his anger and offered an answer.
"I've explained it to you. You don't cast a spell. You don't try to create a link. You just push the magic out of your core with a desire to be bound to a spell, any spell, the closest spell. It will hover around you waiting for direction. I might not be able to absorb the magic, but I can shape it as long as its source allows it. That's what you have to do. Send out the magic and let me shape it. Nothing more. Do you understand?"
"I think so."
"Just give it a try. If it fails, the magic will just end up flowing back into you. Alright?"
Dimi nodded.
Neltus placed both of his hands on the boy's shoulders. He could not cast a spell to reach into the boy's core. There was no magic within him to mold into a spell and no core to attract the energy that flowed freely across the land. If he was to succeed, he had to take hold of the magic offered up by another. He had to wait for Dimi to create the opportunity.
Despite Neltus' condition, he still knew inherently how to shape magic, and he, just like anyone else in Uton, could use enchanted items. In essence, he believed the boy would work in the same measure.
"Begin," Neltus commanded.
Dimi pictured a jug of water
, and he placed that image in the center of his being. In his mind, he allowed the water to turn into magic and then he began to tilt the jug. Magic began to spill out of his essence, but he did not shape it in anyway. Surprisingly, it was far easier than he imagined.
"I can do this!" Dimi shouted with delight.
"Of course you can," Neltus allowed. "I told you, you're not casting a spell, and it's the crafting of spells where you are weak. Now, I will start directing the energy with my own spell. It's going to feel a bit strange, but don't fight me."
Neltus could not absorb the magic in any fashion, could not make it his own energy, but he was able to shape it. It was like he was placing his hands in another artist's clay. He could not possess it, but as long as the magic remained clear of Dimi's influence, Neltus could mold it as he wished.
For the first time since the ghost of Sy Fenden had stolen his core, Neltus felt the energy bend to his will. He felt almost rejuvenated. Magic was his to command. Even as he could not drink in the energy, he could finally cast a spell of his own design.
He shaped the magic so that it would reach back into Dimi's essence. He continued to pull at the energy in order to strengthen his spell even as he probed for the boy's core. When he made contact, he could barely restrain his emotions.
The heart of Dimi's magic was far more substantial than Neltus had hoped. It was pure red and pulsing with power. Neltus knew that once he took a portion of it for his own, it would form a solid foundation for his newly developed center, a strong core deep in dark crimson hue.
With the magic creating a conduit to Dimi's essence, Neltus extended the necessary connection to complete his task. Within the flow of energy, he fashioned a growing red blade to slice the boy's magical core in half. With growing hunger, he thrust the crimson blade into Dimi's magical heart. As he did, the boy screamed.
Dimi felt more than a stabbing pain, he felt a splintering of his very being, as if he was being pulled apart.
"You said it wouldn't hurt!" he screamed.
Neltus did not reply. His fingers dug deep into the boy's shoulders and would not let him pull away. He continued to mold the magic even as he ripped it from Dimi's essence.
Frantically, the boy tried to break free, but he could not resist Neltus' grip or the hold of the magic that pulled at his core. The room began to swirl, and Dimi's knees grew weak.
Neltus struggled to hold Dimi upright as he continued to slice away at the energy in the boy's essence. When it finally split, he attempted to take hold of it. No longer needing Dimi, he allowed the boy to fall to the ground.
The moment Neltus' hands broke free from the lad, the slice of magic he had cut from Dimi began to break apart in his fingers. He tried to shove the shaven core into his own essence, almost as if he was swallowing an entire pie at once. He pressed it into the very center of his being, but it passed right through him.
The remnants of Neltus' spell allowed him to hold the core for a few precious moments, but there was nothing he could do with it. Without a foundation of his own to hold it in place, he could not take permanent possession. At every attempt to stabilize the core within his being, the pulsating mound of magic slipped away. It was like trying to grasp a slimy fish with oiled hands.
As failure became inevitable, Neltus released his hold. The freed section of Dimi's core broke apart into a burst of magical energy and ultimately returned to the boy's center. Dimi's magical foundation was whole once more and Neltus was left empty.
Dimi had crumpled to the floor after Neltus released him. He had lost consciousness during the process and never saw Neltus surrender. After long moments, his eyes fluttered opened and he took one long, deep breath.
For reasons unknown to him, he could feel the magic within him as he had never felt it before. He knew his core remained completely intact, that Neltus had not succeeded in taking even the smallest slice. For some reason, he was greatly relieved.
As he came to his feet, he found Neltus sitting in a chair with his head propped up in his hand.
"You didn't take it," Dimi stated the obvious.
"I couldn't hold it," Neltus admitted.
"What happened?"
"Without a core of my own, I had no way to contain it. I tried. Godson, I tried. But there's nothing within me now. I am completely broken, like a pail with no bottom. I could grab a hundred slices of magic, but I have nothing inside me to hold them."
The boy was even further relieved, as he knew they would not try again. He wouldn't have allowed for it, even if Neltus insisted. He still, however, wished to be paid.
"It's not my fault. I did everything you asked. I shouldn't have to give back your gold."
Neltus leapt to his feet and grabbed Dimi by the collar. His anger and frustration erupted.
"You think I care about gold?! I can replace what I gave you in the blink of an eye. The land and I were once connected in a way you cannot comprehend!" He sneered at the boy as he lowered his voice, but he continued to seethe with rage. "You may cast in red magic, but you have no idea of the power I once had. The land kept no secrets from me. It revealed deposits of gold and silver you can't imagine. Do you think I would forget such a thing? I could be the richest man in the land."
"Then why do you care about the magic?"
"Because wealth is nothing without power! And I had power! More power than you could possibly conceive. What good is it to have all the gold in Uton if someone can take it from you?"
"So I can keep what you gave me?"
The boy still did not realize what Neltus was saying. There was enough magic within Dimi to do whatever he wanted. The lad could have taken everything and walked away. A wizard without a core was powerless to stop him.
Neltus looked at the boy with disgust. He was about to tell Dimi to take the gold and leave, but he realized there was one last path for him to travel, one last chance for him to regain what he had lost. He would take that course of action only as a last resort, but he realized he was out of options.
"You can keep what you have and take the additional amounts I promised... if you fulfill one last request. I may not be able to hold your magic within me, but you can still enchant inanimate objects."
Neltus looked about the room. He found a small book. He then pulled a single coin from one of his pockets and removed a ring from his finger. He placed all three items on a desk which stood against the wall.
"You will pour as much magic as you can into these three objects. You can handle a simple enchantment spell, can't you?"
The boy considered the appeal and confessed confusion over the request.
"I think so, but don't I have to weave a spell of influence as well? The enchantment should allow the holder to do something specific."
"That's only if the holder has no idea how to mold the magic. I have no such limitations. All I need you to do is enchant the items so they store the energy. Leave the spell to me."
"But I don't want to give up my magic anymore," Dimi confessed.
Once more, Neltus lost his patience.
"Idiot! I'm not asking you to give up any of your core. I'm telling you to enchant these items with magical energy. The discharge will be renewed. You're not giving up anything you won't regain over time. Now, if you want to keep any of the gold I have given you, you will do as I say."
Dimi did not have the courage to ask the consequences if he refused. He understood he would not be giving away any of his essence but only utilizing the energy within him for a spell of enchantment. He had cast spells before, discharged energy. Even as his spells failed, he had always regained strength as time passed.
"Alright," the boy yielded, "but my spells aren't very good."
"Just make sure you fill each object. I don't care how much energy you waste."
The boy looked upon the three items, grimaced, and then lifted his arms. A distorted loop of red energy appeared at his wrists. The misshapen mass of magic was both laughable and pathetic. It held no true shape, nothing close to the c
ircle which once symbolized Neltus' abilities.
Neltus shook his head as he watched large flows of magic wasted in the inefficient spell. Fortunately, there was enough magic within the boy to fill the objects despite the loss of energy.
When Dimi finally finished, he was essentially empty of magic. He would eventually recover what he had lost, but it would take a substantial amount of time. He was, at that moment, as powerless in magic as Neltus.
With the boy magically exhausted, Neltus could have overpowered Dimi and retrieved any payment he had already offered the boy, and he certainly couldn't be forced to pay what he promised. Neltus, however, fulfilled his portion of the bargain; not out of honor but from a desire to keep his options with the boy open.
"Here," Neltus grumbled, as he threw the half-filled sack of gold and the second diamond at Dimi. "You really didn't earn it all, but I said I would pay you. Remember that. In fact, I think you still owe me."
Neltus picked up the ring first and inspected it carefully. Despite the fact he had lost his magical essence, he would always recall what it was like to feel the energy surging through his being. He could feel it again in the ring.
He then picked up the coin. It held roughly the same amount of magic. The simple piece of silver would contain the power until he willed it free and shaped it for a spell that would be necessary to take him to a place he did not wish to go.
He placed the ring on his finger, put the coin in his pocket, and finally picked up the book and leafed through the pages. The book held the greatest amount of magic among the three objects, and it would serve as the key to open a very dangerous door. It was a door Neltus would have rather kept shut, but if he wanted his magic back, he would need to seek a creature who had also lost his magic but found a way to retrieve it.
Chapter 3
After Neltus sent Dimi on his way, he saw no reason to delay his decision. It was time to take a course of action formed of sheer desperation and to hastily head for a harbor of last resort. Cowardly in many ways and yet bold in others, he allowed his selfish desires to prod him forward. Struggling against his inherent weaknesses and his craven instincts, he buried his fears. He did not wish to face the creature he knew waited beyond the curtain of reality, but he could not deny the monster's connection to his own dilemma.