by Jeff Inlo
Ryson warned Jure and Vraya of the harshness of Demonsheol. The dreary landscape matched their expectations of a realm created for demons, but the coldness of the air surprised them both. It was not biting, as they anticipated, but rather hollow. It felt as if any warmth quickly drained away into the nothingness which enveloped the sky. All that was left in the air around them was a vacant chill that accented the void.
The delver quickly scanned the area for any immediate threats. Finding none, he questioned the elder wizard about the cost of the portal.
"How much of your magic did that take?" Ryson questioned.
"Quite a bit," Jure revealed. "Even with the barriers removed, it's not easy to move a pit demon from one realm to another, especially against its will."
"Is there energy here for you to regain your full strength?"
Jure reached out to the waves flowing through Demonsheol. At first, he recoiled from the anguish and pain racing across the bleak landscape. He tried to reach above it, pull magic from higher elevations, but there was a great emptiness in the gray sky. The hollow cold was even more severe at higher altitudes. He believed Baannat's realm of nonexistence tainted the upper levels of the domain, and there was nothing for him to grasp but chilled desolation.
Cautiously, he returned his focus closer to the ground and picked through the waves of hate and anger. After straining against vicious flows, he finally found strands of energy which powered the magical creatures of Demonsheol. Within the currents, he located faded remnants of red and purple magic, very little blue, and almost no yellow. Streams of gray and brown energy were far more prevalent, and deeper within the currents, he found wide and powerful flows of ebony magic.
He knew the energy would add to Vraya's strength, but he could also use it to revive his own depleted reserves.
"There's power here I can use," he advised the delver. "It's a bit heavier than I would like, but I can adjust." He then turned to the sorceress. "Vraya, there's a great deal of ebony magic caught in the undercurrents near the surface. You can probably use it to add to your own strength."
The sorceress reached out for the energy and found it quickly. She felt the magical pool within her own core expand immediately.
"Thank you. It's very strong."
"Probably because of Ansas' presence within Rul," Jure offered.
"That will probably mean Rul will be utilizing it as well," the sorceress cautioned.
"It doesn't matter," Ryson responded boldly.
"It wouldn't be wise to underestimate him," Jure counseled.
"I'm not. I understand exactly what he is, and I know what we have to do to stop him."
Jure, however, had no idea what Ryson meant. He hoped the delver would offer some insight to his plans, but Ryson remained tightlipped regarding any strategy. The elder wizard offered his own view of withholding such information.
"Back near Burbon, you told me I should have warned you before I headed off to the Lacobian, that I should have told you about my plan regarding the dathit. You were right. It was good advice. You might want to heed it yourself."
"If I tell you what I'm going to do, you may have your doubts," the delver explained. "I can't afford to take that chance. I'm going to need you to be absolutely certain about what we're doing. But I will tell you this; I'm going to need your magic, all of it. When I take out my sword, start sending it into me... both of you. Don't make it obvious, but you're going to have to funnel as much as possible into me if I'm going to succeed."
"You're going to use magic against Rul?"
"In a way, yes. But like I said, if I tell you too much, you're going to question what I'm doing. I've learned enough to know that I can't have you putting your own influence into the energy. It has to be free. Can you do that? Both of you?"
"I can," Vraya responded without any doubt.
"If that's what you want," Jure allowed. "I'll do it, but are you sure about this? You've never cast a spell before."
"You're right. I haven't, but I do utilize the magic within me, don't I?"
"Yes, you do."
"And that's what I intend to do here, but I'm going to do it through Rul. To do that, we're going to see him... now."
"If you want me at full strength, I'll need more time to regain my energy," Jure insisted.
"Don't worry. We have a ways to go. We'll take it slow, so you'll have time to gain back as much magic as possible."
They walked unmolested across the desolate lands of Demonsheol. Ryson remained vigilant. He recognized the scent and even saw several demons in their path.
Beasts of all sizes waited in the distance, and many appeared willing to attack. They lurked behind large boulders or prowled through shallow ravines. But as the three visitors to Demonsheol drew close, each demon let them pass.
Ryson could sense hesitancy within the beasts. They appeared consumed with opposing desires, as if they were not sure what they should do. He saw a thirst for violence in their eyes, but there was reluctance in their movements. Not one attacked, but each demon pressed the decision to withdraw to the very edge.
As the three companions moved deliberately to their destination, the delver knew Rul Saattan was aware of their presence. If Rul had somehow missed the creation of the portal in his realm, the demon lord could probably sense the ebony magic contained within the sorceress. Their free passage across Demonsheol was a clear indication of Rul's intentions. The demon lord was allowing them an audience.
Ryson was not surprised to find Rul Saattan back in the wide and empty crater. It was almost like a massive throne room, a vast region of despair with the master of all demons waiting at the center. None of the three individuals—Reiculf, Ansas, or Baannat—ever cared for the ominous trappings of gloomy castles or foreboding fortresses. They each wanted their own existence to be the clear focal point of attention. Rul's presence at the center of the depression maintained that perception and highlighted the arrogance of his dominion.
While not surprised, the delver was still angered to see Neltus by the demon lord's side. The crimson wizard remained in a state of total oblivion, unaware of his predicament. He was held upright by a magical field, and Ryson could feel the tingling sensation of static energy surrounding the unconscious wizard.
There was no visible sign of Sy, but somehow Ryson knew the spirit was completely trapped within the crimson wizard's core. He couldn't quite see the ghost captain, even with his delver eyes, but he could sense Sy's presence. He could almost hear Sy's voice deep in the back of his mind. There was no clear message, no words, only a faint whisper of assurance. It gave Ryson the courage to continue.
The delver led Jure and Vraya to the center of the crater. The two spell casters flanked Ryson as they approached Rul Saattan.
"I suppose I must now expect the appearance of uninvited guests to my realm," Rul offered as an acknowledgment to those he viewed as trespassers. "If I am able to freely enter other realms, then the doors to my domain must remain unlocked as well."
"More than you know," Ryson replied.
The delver's confidence irritated the beast.
"Just because I expect intruders," Rul growled with a twisted snarl, "does not mean I am forced to indulge their intrusion. I have given you a great deal of latitude, delver—mostly because you have served me well—but do not misjudge my tolerance as acceptance for your unsuitable attitude."
"I haven't served you at all," Ryson disputed.
"Of course you have. The barriers which once locked me within my realm are gone. I have Neltus' core at my disposal, a core which has been exposed to a spiritual plane of existence. I have opened a door and set a path for perverse spirits to find their way to me. And I have the essence of the ghost captain as a trophy for my success. I will study the spirit and find ways to use him to my advantage. You were essential in all of these achievements."
"What you consider achievements are only illusions."
"Illusions?" the monster questioned with a smirk. "Is this not Neltus by
my side?"
"It is."
"And you can sense Sy Fenden trapped within the wizard. I could see that when you drew near."
"I can," Ryson affirmed.
"And was I not able to enter your own realm and claim both of them?"
"You were," Ryson confirmed.
"Then how are these illusions?" the beast mocked. "Are we both under some spell of which I'm unaware?"
"No, but you're under the wrong impression of what's happened here."
"Then why don't you enlighten me?"
"That's why I'm here."
Ryson drew the Sword of Decree. He made no threatening move with the weapon, but held the sword high. The blade did not glow, for there was no natural light within the realm of Demonsheol for it to reflect. The gloomy illumination which radiated from the bleak land was born of angry emotions; rage, bitterness, and hate. The sword was never meant to enhance the burning radiance of such fruitless passions.
With the Sword of Decree unsheathed, Vraya and Jure worked guardedly to feed magic into the delver. They did not cast any spell. Through the force of will, they channeled their magic out of their own cores and into Ryson's. Both did so by using the enchanted blade as a focal point.
The sword served as a funnel of sorts and absorbed the black and white magic. The blade remained dim even as powerful energy rushed through the weapon and into the delver's essence.
Rul looked beyond the blade and glared into the delver's eyes.
"Certainly you don't intend to attack me with that sword," the creature of hate and loathing challenged.
Ryson didn't answer directly. He looked up and down the blade as he revealed its history.
"I think you know it was forged by the elves. It was enchanted with radiance as a defense against shadow trees. It won't glow here because the light of your realm is unnatural. But it has other enchantments. It can burn the essence of any creature just by barely scraping the skin. It also has the ability to offer insight. There are times I get messages. Sometimes it exposes something which might be hidden, reveals things I might have missed. Sometimes it gives me direction... guidance."
"And was it such a message which brought you here?"
"Not this time, no. The sword sent me to see Baannat, but it's been quiet after that. I came here based on what I discovered on my own."
"And will you stop wasting my time and reveal your misguided discovery?"
Almost hoping to antagonize the beast further, Ryson continued with his appreciation of the weapon.
"The blade was named the Sword of Decree by the elves, but they didn't give it the enchantment of insight. It only started offering direction when it came into my possession. I was recently told this sword became more than it was because there was honor in my soul. I don't know if I believe that, but I do believe there is no honor inside of you. Whether you're Baannat, or Ansas, or Reiculf, you're selfish, arrogant, and evil."
"And your insults do nothing to prove your point. You continue to waste my time."
"It's not meant to be an insult. It's a revelation, just like the messages I get from my sword, but this one is coming from me. You made a mistake when you merged three flawed forms into one. You didn't enhance the strength of any of those who existed before you. You diminished them... diminished them all."
"You believe I'm weak?" the monster laughed.
"Weak? No, but you are weaker than you were as three individuals... and you're now far more vulnerable as well."
"And just how am I vulnerable?"
Ryson continued with what he viewed as indisputable evidence of the truth.
"Reiculf was the most powerful of the three, the ruler of Demonspawn and filled with unimaginable levels of magical energy, colorless in nature and capable of fueling incredibly destructive spells. But by merging with Ansas and Baannat, you mixed that colorless energy with black and white magic. You also absorbed forms incapable of holding such boundless energy. The slink ghoul wasn't even a complete entity. You see? You lessened the underlying strength of the most powerful of the three."
Rul glared at the delver but said nothing as Ryson continued.
"Ansas and Baannat were also powerful as individuals, but in different ways. Ansas utilized pure ebony energy. As I've already stated, his magic is now mixed with Reiculf's and Baannat's. Within you, the ebony magic which once fueled Ansas' sorcery is no longer pure. It's weaker now, even you can't deny that."
"I have never been concerned with pureness," the beast debated.
"And that's my point. Ansas purity was his strength. That's now gone."
Rul again went silent as the delver pointed to the last of the three elements of the demon master's existence.
"As for the slink ghoul, Baannat discovered his dominion over nonexistence. In his realm, he was able to overcome more powerful beings through his own incomplete substance. Within you, his advantage of incompleteness is now lost in your fullness. And his realm is gone, merged into this new domain."
"But I am still the ruler of this realm."
"Yes, you are, but that doesn't change the fact that you're not the threat you once were. When you twisted yourself together, you didn't become more than you were, you became less."
"And do you really think that makes me vulnerable?"
"More vulnerable than you were."
Rul Saattan's eyes glowed white. His massive body pulsated with hate and anger. He would have enjoyed reaching out and throttling the delver, choking the life out of the insignificant pest. With his transformation complete and the spiritually connected core of Neltus under his control, there was no reason to keep the hated delver alive. Rul had obtained everything he coveted.
Unfortunately for the demon lord, Ryson was correct. Rul was not the culmination of strength and power he had hoped to become. The strengths of Ansas and Baannat did not offset their inherent weaknesses. His power did not total the grand sum of the three individuals merged into his form. In fact, he had become substantially weaker than the form of Reiculf alone.
Had he tried to grab the delver, Ryson would have easily dodged the assault. Rul knew of the delver's speed and agility. It was something he could not hope to match.
To Rul's great infuriation, the delver had figured that out, but what Ryson Acumen failed to realize was that, even at diminished strength, Rul Saattan was still the master of his realm, and the demons of that domain would follow his commands.
They came from all over the region; some flew, some crawled, most just prowled across the bleak lands of Demonsheol to heed the call of their master. They ignored each other as they lined up along the ring of the crater. They screeched and screamed, roared and growled, as they peered toward the center of the great depression.
They numbered too many to count. They filled every space. Some were larger than the pit demons which towered over Burbon's wall, and they filled the gray sky high above the crater's edge. Others were as small as rats, and they scurried underfoot hoping to feast on any small shreds left behind once the invaders were battered and beaten. But for the moment, they all remained at the edge of the crater, revealing their fury and hostility in their constant howls.
Jure and Vraya watched the gathering horde of demons. Though they both possessed great power and skill, they knew they could never match such a congregation of evil. They could feel desperate hunger in the violent vibrations churning through the currents of magical energy.
Jure wondered if he should begin to withhold some of the energy he was funneling toward Ryson in case they needed to make a hasty departure. If he continued to feed all his magic through the delver's sword, they would have no defense against the gathering of monsters and no way to escape.
Ultimately, he decided against placing limits on what he offered. He did not wish to second-guess the delver, and more importantly, he believed he needed to remain on the path he had chosen.
There weren't always clear signs; definitive indications of what he needed to do. Often he had to listen to something beyond in
stinct, to grasp an influence deeper within him than the energy of his magical core. He had to follow a whisper within his soul and hope it would steer him in the right direction. Standing at the center of that crater in Demonsheol, the inner voice of guidance told him to stand firm.
For Vraya, it was never a question of whether or not to restrain her flow of magic into the delver. She had professed allegiance toward Ryson, and she intended to remain loyal to that promise no matter what her fate.
As the two spell casters made their decision, the demon lord revealed his own claim of superiority.
"I am not vulnerable in my domain," Rul snarled at the delver. "Even with all of your speed, how can you possibly hope to outrun the army which now surrounds you. And what of your friends behind you? They might have had a small chance to survive if they did not foolishly waste their magic by offering it to you."
Rul paused for a moment to gaze and grin menacingly at each spell caster. When he returned his attention to the delver, he growled with impatience.
"That's right, I'm well aware of what they've been doing, and it's all for nothing. Even with additional magic within you, you can't win."
"The magic isn't for me. It's for you."
In a blur of motion, the delver dashed closer to the demon lord. Once within striking distance, he swiftly jabbed the tip of his sword into the beast's shoulder. The point barely grazed Rul's thick gray skin, but it was enough to pour all of the magic which Ryson had gathered directly into the monster's essence.
Rul shrieked, and the scream overwhelmed the howls of the demons gathered around the crater rim. A burst of light revealed the flare of enchanted fire which rushed into the beast's core. The surge of soul-burning enchantment was quickly followed by two currents of black and white energy, the full measure of power the delver had received from Vraya and Jure.
Rul pulled away, and when contact with the sword was broken, another flash of radiance exploded across the crater and up into the blank sky. When the burst of light faded, the gray emptiness which seemed to swallow Demonsheol was gone, replaced with a night sky filled with stars.
Ryson offered only a partial explanation.