Joint Intentions (Book 9)

by Jeff Inlo

  "I can see why he thought that. I know he was always obsessed with purity, and this energy appears as if there's a complete absence of all other hues."

  "There is an absence of everything," Holli advised. "Baannat's realm is one of nonexistence."

  "I've always found it interesting Ansas didn't notice that when he filled himself with this energy," Jure noted, as he continued to inspect the portal. "Emptiness is not the same as transformation."

  "No, it's not," Vraya agreed, "but along with the feel of shadow, I can't deny the strong sense of alteration coming from the portal itself. Maybe that's what blinded Ansas to the content of the power. The portal is actually one massive piece of transformative energy. I can feel the drastic levels of variation all around it. If Ansas once pulled energy directly from Baannat's realm by reaching beyond the borders of existence as opposed to pulling it through a portal, the sensation would have been even stronger. He probably thought he was getting the most powerful ebony magic in all of existence."

  "Ansas was arrogant and foolish," Ryson offered.

  The delver remembered how the ebony casting sorcerer used his wife to purify others, including Neltus. It almost drove Linda mad. He also recalled how Ansas decided to remain in Demonspawn to battle Reiculf. It was a clear demonstration of conceit. Ansas had made many mistakes.

  While considering the sorcerer, Ryson placed Ansas within the scope of the puzzle they faced. He had no absolute answers, but certain aspects remained clear to him.

  "Ansas is stuck in Demonspawn," the delver continued, "and that's even more reason to believe that Neltus wouldn't deal with Reiculf. Neltus was afraid of Ansas, almost as much as he was afraid of the daokiln. But Baannat... Neltus would have dealt with the slink ghoul."

  "But how would Baannat gain control of a pit demon and a doppelganger?" Jure questioned. "That doesn't seem possible."

  "I didn't think it was possible Baannat could escape his own realm," Ryson offered, "and yet we're looking at a portal right in front of us. Do you still think Baannat's not involved? My sword says differently."

  "I can't deny it looks that way," Jure admitted.

  "There remain questions," Holli stated, as she scanned the plateau in its entirety. "How was Neltus able to reach the top of this spire without his core? How was he able to open a portal into Baannat's realm? What did he hope to accomplish by contacting Baannat? And where is the slink ghoul now?"

  Jure offered possible answers to the first two questions.

  "Neltus used that coin I enchanted when he met with us. He was able to teleport us to the Lacobian. He also stated to Ryson he had used another enchanted item to teleport to Connel."

  "Teleportation within Uton is not the same as opening a portal to Baannat's realm or reaching the top of this tower."

  "No, it's not," Jure agreed. "But with enough magic, I think Neltus could do it. The fact is, I know he did. No matter how I look at this portal, I see Neltus' design. It wasn't his magic, but it was his spell. There are no other recent tracks up here, so he didn't have help at the time the rift was created. It had to be an enchanted item, which would also mean he probably created the portal before he got his core back. "

  "You are certain?"

  "I am. I also don't think it would be that difficult for him. I've opened a portal to Baannat's realm myself. The remnant of that spell is still here. It's not fresh, but if he looked for it, he could find it and use it as a guide to open a new gateway."

  "And I think I can answer what he wanted from Baannat," Ryson added. "We all agree Neltus wanted his core back. It was Sy who took it from him. Sy's a spirit now. Neltus knew there was no way he could fight a ghost, especially without his magic, but he had to find a way. And what is Baannat? He's something in between a ghost and a slink ghoul. He's not all substance, but he's not a complete spirit either."

  "You believe that would be enough for Neltus to actually risk contacting Baannat?" Holli asked. "Let us not forget, Neltus was a cowardly individual without magic of his own. With the properly enchanted items, he might have had the means to reach this precipice and contact the slink ghoul, but would he have the fortitude? That is a daring proposition."

  "No, it's desperate," Ryson answered. "And that's what Neltus was. He was desperate to get his magic back, and now that he has it, he's not going to give it up. I could see that when he tried to kill me. If he thought Baannat could help him beat Sy, he'd face the slink ghoul to do just that."

  "But you still do not think Neltus would face Reiculf?" Holli pressed.

  "That's another story. I know what I know, and I'm certain Reiculf can't harm Linda. If Neltus was part of a plan to get Linda, it couldn't have been generated by the daokiln. It just couldn't. I'm sure of that, but there's nothing keeping Baannat from going after her. There's also a reason why the ghoul might want to. He had her in his realm once before. He tortured her. He might want to do it again."

  Jure nodded in agreement.

  "It makes some sense," the elder wizard suggested. "Baannat once had Linda and Enin trapped in his realm. He might want them both back."

  "Then we return to my last question," Holli responded. "Where is Baannat?"

  "The portal is still open," Vraya pointed out. "That would indicate he hasn't completed whatever it was he wanted to do here."

  "Do you think he is wandering around the dark realm?" the elf guard asked.

  "I don't," Jure insisted. "Enin and I talked about Baannat. He might be able to crossover to this plateau, but he would find it very difficult to exist for any period of time outside his own realm. Yes, he has substance, but with each moment he spends in nonexistence, it becomes more difficult for him to maintain his form in a purely physical world. He might be able to move around this plateau—he once admitted it acted as a bridge for him—but going off deeper into the dark realm would be a risky decision. I think if he were to venture too far for too long into a physical world, he would ultimately break apart."

  "But he could leave the plateau for a short duration, correct?"

  "Yes, but I still think it's more likely he's back in his realm."

  "Then why is the portal still open?" Holli questioned.

  "When I find him, I'll ask him," Ryson stated far too harshly for Holli's liking.

  The elf guard noted a growing hostility in the delver, and she could see he had already made a decision about what he was going to do next.

  "Do you really believe it is wise to enter Baannat's realm?" she challenged.

  "We have to know where he is. If not here, then there aren't too many other alternatives."

  "Facing the slink ghoul in his own territory may not be the best way to determine the ghoul's location."

  "I've faced him in there before. I can handle him."

  "You know, this could be exactly what Baannat and Neltus want," Jure suggested to Ryson. "This could be a trap. They might want you in there. You're the biggest threat to the slink ghoul there is."

  "It doesn't matter."

  "Yes, it does matter," Holli contradicted the delver. "We can not afford foolishness at this point. Additional mistakes will not help. Enin is still in the clutches of a pit demon, and Neltus remains at large with his magical core intact. If you become trapped in Baannat's realm, our predicament may become too critical to overcome."

  "You want to know where Baannat is," Ryson reminded the elf guard. "Do you have another way to answer that question?"

  "Perhaps that question should wait."

  "Wait for what? It was my sword which directed us here. Do you really just want to walk away... ignore the message from the sword?"

  "No, I do not, but I worry about your priorities."

  "My priority is to protect my wife."

  "Commendable, but also emotional. And your emotions may lead to mistakes. I know. Or have you forgotten the errors I have made in my desire to correct my own poor judgment?"

  "I'm still waiting for other options," Ryson replied. "I'm the only one who can go in there and face B
aannat. We all know that."

  "Maybe we should go after Enin first?" Jure offered. "We can't just forget about him."

  "I haven't forgotten about him," Ryson revealed, "but you're the one who's been wondering about who could control a pit demon. Should we go battle a dathit without having any idea who's behind all of this? You probably still think Reiculf's involved. Is it smart to take on a pit demon and the daokiln without knowing why this portal is even here?"

  "I am not arguing with your logic," Holli stated as she reassumed control of the discussion. "I am concerned with your state of mind. I do believe this needs to be investigated, and I also agree that you are the one best suited to handle this. But I must be certain you are ready for the encounter."

  "You think I'll be careless?"

  "I think there is a danger you will allow emotions to cloud your judgment, as I have allowed them to cloud mine. I am only trying to prevent you from making the same mistake I have already made."

  "It's appreciated, but unnecessary."

  "Is that conviction speaking... or overconfidence? There is a difference."

  "Conviction. I know what's at stake."

  "Very well, but let us see if there might be some additional safeguards we can put in place." Holli looked to Vraya. "You have stated you have been able to watch him from a distance. Will you be able to see him when he goes in there?"

  "No," the petite sorceress admitted. "His sword won't go with him. It's the magic of being a delver which will allow him to have partial substance in Baannat's realm. That magic won't apply to his sword. If he doesn't have his sword, then I can't follow him. It's the alteration of the blade which I've been using to watch him."

  "You stated you watched him against Baannat before."

  "Not when he was in Baannat's realm," Vraya confessed. "The time he went in there before, he was lost to me. I've never been sure what happened to him in there."

  "I managed to survive," Ryson stated. "I was also capable of battling Baannat, even in near total nonexistence."

  Holli turned to Jure.

  "Is there a spell you could cast upon him which would allow us to keep track of him?"

  "There's nothing I can think of. I'd have to anchor a spell to him, but his body is going to stay out here, or at least most of it will. I'm not even sure how this all works. It's like Vraya said, it's Ryson's unique magic that'll allow him to have some kind of physical presence in there, but Ryson's magic is colorless. I don't understand its qualities to mimic it, or follow it."

  "Then you will have to go in alone," Holli relented as she turned back to the delver. "Time is an issue, and we do not fully understand the passage of time within Baannat's realm. What you sense beyond the rift may be different than what we experience out here. You must move quickly. Determine if he is present within his realm, but do not waste too much time questioning him. We will not be able to trust his answers. Simply scout the area surrounding the other side of the portal and return here."

  "There may be one thing I can do," Vraya offered before Ryson could respond. "When he enters the portal, his consciousness won't necessarily change, but it will be separated from his body. It's not an actual transformation I can follow, but it is a division of sorts. If I place a shadow spell over his complete existence, part of it will remain here and part of it will go with his consciousness when he enters the portal."

  "What will that allow you to do?"

  "I won't be able to see him, but I can monitor the division of the spell. Like I said, it's not quite a transformation, but it is a change in aspect. That may give me a chance to make a connection to him once he goes through the rift. If I can connect the flow through the portal, we might be able to speak to each other through the magic."

  "Seems reasonable," Jure acknowledged.

  "Would Ryson be able to reply?"

  "I really don't know, but a one way conversation is better than none."

  "I'll probably be able to hear you through the portal," Ryson offered, "even without the spell."

  "That's true, but this would be a stronger link," Vraya explained, "and it may allow us to relay messages to each other. If something happens out here, you'd have a better chance of knowing what's going on."

  Holli considered the offer. She was not sure how far she trusted the sorceress, but she could rely on others to determine the safety of the incantation.

  "If Ryson agrees, I will allow it, but I will also ask that you let Jure link his magical awareness to your spell."

  "Still don't trust me?"

  Holli did not hesitate in answering.

  "Not completely. You remain unknown to me and I have already made several errors in judgment. I will not take unnecessary risks."

  "I understand," Vraya replied. "You're an elf guard. I shouldn't be surprised. I'll work the spell so Jure can follow it just as I can."

  "Ryson?" Holli asked. "Are you comfortable with this?"

  "What's the spell going to do to me?" the delver asked before agreeing.

  "It will shade you... all of you. What you see will appear slightly darker, what you feel will seem slightly more dreary. You may even experience a sense of sadness you can't describe because I have to place the shadow into your consciousness as well as over your body."

  "Is this going to dull my senses?"

  "Not completely, you'll still be able to rely on them. The best way to describe it would be if a storm cloud immediately appeared overhead and began to rain on you. Admittedly, it's more difficult to see and hear things in the rain, but that's the price we have to pay in order to maintain a connection under these conditions."

  "I can live with that."

  "Very well," Holli gave the final approval. "Cast the spell."

  Vraya did as she was asked. As a circle of ebony magic appeared around her right hand, she held out her left for Jure to clasp.

  The elder wizard was slightly surprised the sorceress requested physical contact, but he realized each spell caster worked differently with the magical energies. He placed his hand in hers and began to reach out with his own magic. A small ring of white power rolled off his finger and into the sorceress' palm.

  With Jure's magic in her grasp, Vraya inserted it within her circle of ebony energy. She then cast the pure black ring towards Ryson.

  The delver did not flinch. He watched the shadowed circle float toward him, and he allowed it to encase his head. The moment it touched his shoulders, everything around him turned slightly dark. As Vraya's magic seeped into his essence, he felt a growing sense of dread. It was not fear which aroused the sensation, but rather a billowing gloom.

  The sounds coming up from the dark lands were suddenly muted. Ryson was actually thankful for that—the shrieks of agony always disturbed him—but the dimming did not end with his ears. It also affected what he could see. The faces of his companions appeared slightly gray, as if they stood within the shadows of a lonely corner.

  Ryson took a deep breath as he forced himself to accept the sensation. His senses quickly adjusted to the effects of the spell, but it was more difficult to fight through the shroud of gloom pressing down on his soul. Once he steadied himself, he acknowledged the success of the spell.

  "It's in me... your spell. I can feel it all the way through."

  "So can I," Jure confessed.

  "Then there is no reason to delay," Holli stated. "Go through the portal now. The moment you are through, attempt to establish communication with Vraya. If you do not hear from her after a few moments, return at once."

  "But I should still scout..."

  "Not with Vraya's spell dimming your senses," Holli insisted strongly. "If there is an advantage to the spell, then I will allow it to remain upon you in Baannat's realm. If it does not enable any method to communicate, then it must be removed as soon as possible. We will reassess the situation at that point."

  "Alright. After I go through, I'll give it just a few moments. If I don't hear anything, I'll come right back. Okay?"

  Holli nod
ded in agreement.

  Ryson stepped up to the swirling gray portal. There was nothing to see on the other side, for that's what waited in Baannat's realm... nothing. He took one more deep breath and leapt into the portal.

  The instant he touched the rift, his arms and legs went limp as if he had instantly lost consciousness in the middle of his jump. His body passed right through the portal without ever leaving the dark realm, at least most of it did. A small, almost insignificant portion of his substance was carried into Baannat's realm by the force of the delver's inherent magic.

  To those standing on the stone tower plateau, it looked like Ryson jumped through a large, oblong circle of fog, but when his body came into clear space, the delver looked distorted, almost blurry. It was as if a haze formed around his body and stuck to him even as he hit the gray and dusty ground in a heap.

  Holli disregarded Ryson's apparently lifeless body and gave immediate direction to both magic casters before her.

  "Vraya, attempt to establish contact through your spell. Jure, try to follow the spell to Ryson's location."

  The sorceress nodded and spoke into the rift. She was not trying to force her words through the portal. Instead, she attempted to reconnect her broken spell and allow the flow of magic to carry her voice directly into Ryson's essence.

  "Ryson? Can you hear me?"

  The delver actually heard the sorceress through the portal as well as deep within his consciousness. He felt the vibrations of her voice come through the spell which remained upon his awareness.

  "Yes, I can," the delver replied. "Your voice is coming through the magic and the rift."

  Vraya announced the good news to Holli.

  Upon hearing the positive report, the elf guard called into the portal herself. Before Ryson moved too far from his current position, she wanted to ensure he could find his way back.

  "Can you still see the portal on your side or is it hidden?" the elf asked.

  "I can see it... barely. It's very dark, but there's just a hint of a crimson tint that I can make out. Give me a moment to get my bearings. Things are a bit different in here."