by Jeff Inlo
The use of such power made him uncomfortable, left him feeling vulnerable, but then he thought of Sy. The ghost warrior had returned, and the full power of Burbon's defenses had been restored. They had survived an attack by three immense demons even after Sy had been taken. With the ghost captain back and ready to defend the town, Klusac knew Burbon would continue to endure.
Through twisting shadows of black energy, Vraya guided her companions through an alteration of space, turning a long and challenging journey into a single instant of travel. Unlike Captain Klusac, altering time and space felt natural to the sorceress. Changing the rules allowed for new beginnings, and she felt as if a great opportunity was suddenly before them.
She could see it in the delver's movements. She knew he wanted to save Holli, and the sorceress watched him with growing appreciation as he shed the gloomy disposition which previously haunted his steps.
No longer did he walk as if an anvil of disappointment was chained around his neck. He directed others with absolute certainty. He carried himself with an air of triumph.
When they arrived at the badlands in a flash of black energy, Ryson moved immediately to the single tree rising from the barren plain. He placed his hands on the trunk as if he was trying to reach for something deep within the living wood.
Enin, Jure, and Vraya followed the delver and stood beside him. They all waited for instruction, but Enin was clearly the most eager to hear the delver's plans.
"What is it you're hoping to do here?" the coreless wizard finally asked.
"You're going to call her back," Ryson said, as he continued to peer up into the branches of the tree.
"But I told you, I can't reach her."
"On your own that would be true, but you're not going to do it alone. I'm going to help you. But I warn you, it's going to hurt."
"I'm not afraid of pain, especially if it would help Holli, but how can I help her if I don't understand you?"
"It's not me you have to understand. It's your own conception of existence. You have to lift the limitations you yourself have created. I've heard you speak enough that I know you accept spiritual existence, but you're treating borders and boundaries as if they're unbreakable. Rul proved they're not."
"You're using Rul Saattan as a guide?"
"No, trust me on that, I'm not, but I am looking at the opportunity his mistakes created. You can thank Vraya for that."
The sorceress smiled but took no further credit.
"What kind of opportunity?" Enin questioned.
Ryson didn't want to waste precious time explaining, but he needed Enin to grasp the concept, otherwise he would fail to make the proper connection.
"Reiculf wanted to free himself of certain barriers. That's why he combined himself with Ansas and Baannat. He weakened himself when he did that, but he did manage to remove a number of restrictions. Demons are able to travel to other realms, but it also opened the door for spirits to enter Demonsheol. That's how we beat Rul. We found a positive outlook hidden in a potential tragedy. That's what Vraya told me to look for."
"I still don't understand what this has to do with Holli," Enin confessed.
"Back in Burbon, you told Rul that you weren't an empty vessel, that even without your magical core you still had your soul. Do you really believe that?"
"Of course."
"Then you should believe Holli's soul is still within this tree."
"I do, but that's not the problem. She chose to make this transformation. She was able to maintain a single purpose when she completed her change. That purpose was to save us. That's all she could risk. If she tried to hold to additional intentions—like the thought of reversing the transformation—she might have changed back before she defeated Neltus. She didn't want that to happen. It worked. She saved us, but now she no longer has the awareness to turn herself back."
"She does if we can reach her," Ryson contended. "And I know we can. You can use the magic I send into you to reopen the links you once had with Holli. You used to be connected, remember?"
"Of course I remember."
"And I've heard you and Jure talk about echoes of magic. Those links still exist. You just have to find them."
"I can find them within me, but there's no magic to power them. And there's no way I can make the connection to what's left of Holli's magical awareness."
"My sword is going to power those links," Ryson claimed, and he once again unsheathed the Sword of Decree. "This blade has the power to burn the essence of any being it touches. That means it reaches beyond magical cores. It can send energy into your soul, enough magic that it will allow you to rekindle all of the previous connections you once had with Holli. But you have to direct it once it's there. You have to turn the enchanted flames into a purpose."
Enin finally began to see what the delver intended. He found the concept intriguing.
"Basically, you want to light a fire in my soul," Enin acknowledged.
"Exactly. Like I said before, it's going to hurt... a lot, but you have to do this."
"How can you be so sure this is going to work?" Jure questioned, curious about the delver's insight.
"Because I did basically the same thing with the pit demon outside Burbon and with Rul in Demonsheol. I'm not sure if the pit demon has a soul, but I used this sword to force it to see what was inside Burbon's guards. I made it see what I once saw in myself. It saw the souls of the soldiers. When it did, it knew it couldn't win."
"The same way the demons in Demonsheol knew they couldn't defeat the army of angels that came down against them," Jure concluded.
"Now you understand." Ryson then turned back to Enin. "And you have to understand as well. If you're not an empty vessel, then neither is Holli. Her spirit still exists within that tree. We just have to reach it. My sword can help you do just that. It can stimulate the essence of your soul, allow it to reach through those magical echoes of the connections you once had with her. The enchantment will bring your souls together. When it does, you can help her shape the magic that's still within her, help her to change back to what she should be... an elf guard."
Enin went silent. He examined the tree and considered Ryson's words. When his core was within him and filled with magic, he could sense so many things. He was well aware of the different stages of existence. He accepted them, took joy in having the knowledge. He knew Ryson's idea held merit.
He also knew it held pain. The Sword of Decree burned the very essence of anyone it touched. The blade had set inferns—half-demons filled with fiery magic—into an uncontrollable blaze. Enin knew the scorching flames of the enchantment would bring fire to his own soul, but in order to reach Holli, he would have to embrace the inferno. It would be worse than setting himself aflame. It would be like swallowing lava and feeling the enormous heat burn its way from the inside out.
Still, there was never any real chance he would decline. He remembered how he had wanted to regain his magical core. Sy wouldn't allow it. He had to accept life without a core, but at least he could let magic from other sources pass through his being. He could still shape the energy, even if it burned.
Enin placed his hands on the massive tree trunk while Ryson backed away.
"I'm ready," the coreless wizard stated as he braced himself.
"I'm going to pierce you in the back of the shoulder. It won't be a large wound, but you'll feel the sting first, then the burn."
"Please don't make me wait," Enin pleaded through gritted teeth.
Ryson granted Enin's request, and without another word, pressed the tip of his enchanted blade into the coreless wizard's flesh at Enin's left shoulder. The sword's radiance grew brighter, and Ryson could feel the surge of energy flow out of the blade. He focused on the current of magic, placed his beliefs within the pulsing rush. He recalled the image of his own soul. It was a vision he would never forget. He allowed the insight of that experience to sink deep into the magic raging through his sword.
Enin did not need that much guidance from the d
elver, but he accepted it in hopes it would ease the pain. It did, but the blazing surge still pushed him to the brink of unconsciousness. He screamed as he gripped the tree with all his might, his fingernails digging into the bark. He forced his spirit to push through the suffering and reach deep into the essence within the trunk. He directed the flow of magic through broken links that once connected him to the elf guard.
When Enin still had his core, he and Holli could communicate, share thoughts and concepts, even magical energy. It allowed the elf guard to maintain watch over the wizard, and it helped Enin teach Holli certain concepts in magic which could not be easily communicated through simple words.
Those links had been shattered when Enin lost his core, but the echoes remained. Enin worked feverishly against the burning agony to rebuild the connections. He directed the enchanted energy into old broken threads, twisted the fragments together, and for one instant, renewed the connection.
The flaming anguish almost subsided completely in that single moment. Enin was reconnected with Holli's essence. He could not see her, for the magic from Ryson's sword did not allow him to project his full awareness into Holli's limited consciousness. He could only call to her.
"Holli?"
"Enin?" a voice called back.
It was Holli.
The coreless wizard knew he had to work fast. He could only afford limited explanations, just enough so that she would allow him to bring her home.
"You saved us. Neltus has been defeated, his core removed. You have to come back now. Don't fight me."
Holli said nothing. For the elf guard, life had become simple, condensed. It was as if she had been placed in a cocoon. She did not hear, see, or feel anything around her. She had not fought against the limitations, did not struggle to break free. She was content to rest in the calm midst of her inner magic.
Enin, however, began to pull at the energy within the tree which contained Holli's essence. He twisted and turned the magic as he fought for control. Without a core, it was difficult. He could not absorb it. He had to shape it as it rested within the confines of its current state.
Holli suddenly felt the turmoil. It alarmed her, made her feel vulnerable. It was like being caught in a windstorm. The magic which held her within its blanket of security began to tremble at the instability. The tumult of slight breezes grew stronger, turned into heavier gusts.
She felt she should resist, as if an invader was taking what was hers and putting her existence in jeopardy. She wanted to take hold of the magic, bring it close to her and wrest it away from the hands of the intruder. She despised indecisiveness, but her focus was split.
She had heard Enin's voice. She knew it was his. The rekindled links of her previous connection to the wizard were unmistakable. It was no imposter. Somehow, Enin had found a way to reach her, but she was confused.
Her circumstances had changed, but she could not fathom how. The cocoon of magic which surrounded her and kept her safe also limited her awareness. Not only did it serve as an envelope of security, it also dulled her perception.
The echo of Enin's voice, however, was clear in her mind, and she recalled her mentor's words. He advised her not to fight him. She knew Enin would neither hurt her nor lie to her. She trusted him with her life.
She was also an elf guard, and she remembered her duty was to protect Enin no matter what the cost. If it was necessary for him to utilize the magic within her, she would allow it, even if it meant her death.
Still, she could not comprehend what was happening to her. Ignorance was as bad as indecision. She could not help Enin if she could not grasp the reality of her circumstances. She struggled for greater understanding, but she could not break through the fog which swirled through her perception.
In the end, she surrendered to the outside force. She allowed invisible hands to pull the magic away from her. She would let it go in whatever direction the external influence guided it. As Enin requested, she would not fight.
Enin felt the energy submit further to his will. It became easier for him to shape. He could feel the life in the emerald magic, and it was in that energy which he placed his hope.
He put forth a command of rebirth into Holli's magical core, a concept the tree would understand as renewal and rejuvenation, but he added his own guidance to the magic surging through his spirit. He guided the tree back to its original form, back to that of an elf guard.
For Holli, the turmoil increased. She felt as if she was about to be uprooted. She screamed. She wanted the mayhem to stop, but she refused to restrict her magic in any way. She felt like she was shrinking, as if her limbs were being pulled deep into her body. She tried to ignore the aches which she could not identify. It seemed as if she hurt in places she could not touch.
She almost altered her decision, almost pulled the magic back around her into a shield which would protect her, but before her resolve failed, she began to feel the warmth of the sun. She could sense the light, and rather than draw the magic back into her core, she reached for the warm glow to the east.
As the sun rose over the eastern hills of the badlands, Holli was restored.
Epilogue
"Holli came back completely," Ryson revealed, as he sat comfortably in Reader Rachael's office. "It was amazing. It was like she never transformed. She said she couldn't remember much after she turned into a tree, didn't even recall what it felt like to be rooted into the ground. She didn't seem to care. She just started demanding answers. I guess she wanted to make sure the danger had passed. That's exactly what I would have expected of her, but I think she's changed a bit."
"How so?" Reader Rachael asked, as she found the delver's recounting of the events both amazing and inspiring.
"For a brief moment, I reconnected her with Enin. I think they were both grateful about that, but this link was a bit different. I used the enchantment of my sword which reaches into the essence, so it wasn't just some magical link which connected them. It was a deeper connection. I think she's still trying to grasp what that means."
"Did she say anything about it?"
"No, she was only concerned about Neltus and Rul Saattan. When we told her what had happened, I think she was both angry and relieved."
"What do you think she was angry about?" Rachael wondered.
"I think she still blames herself for everything that happened. To some extent, I think she believes she caused more harm than good. I know she thinks she should have kept Enin out of the hands of the pit demon in the Lacobian, and I think she believes it was her fault we were caught by Neltus out in the badlands. I think that's why she was willing to sacrifice herself in the first place."
The reader considered what she knew of the elf guard. She knew Holli demanded perfection of herself. The reader also knew such a demand could never be met. But if Ryson was right about a possible change in the elf's outlook, Holli might find a new path, a discovery which would allow herself room for reflection on inescapable flaws.
The reader also wondered about Ryson's outlook.
"I know you don't blame her, but do you think anyone is at fault?" Rachael questioned.
Blame.
It was not a concept the delver wished to dwell upon, but he couldn't ignore it. Decisions had been made... and consequences followed. He couldn't escape making the connection between the two, and he couldn't avoid pondering the actions of certain individuals.
Rachael was right about his perceptions regarding the elf guard. He didn't blame Holli for anything. The pit demon surprised them all. If anyone should have detected the giant under the sand, it should have been him. But he didn't place overall blame on himself either. Ryson considered the chain of events, and he saw it beginning before they even reached the desert. The spark which ignited the flames of strife started before he met Neltus outside the church.
Thoughts of the rotund wizard offered Ryson a possible answer.
"Neltus certainly shares some of the blame," the delver finally revealed somewhat reluctantly, "as doe
s Baannat. Reiculf gets a large portion of it as well."
"You don't sound too convincing. Is it because you don't want to place blame?"
"No, I have no problem finding fault with any of them for what happened. I'm just looking at things differently than Holli. She thinks Enin, as well as all of Burbon, should have never been placed in harm's way in the first place."
"You don't agree?"
"In that regard, I agree with her completely. I wish no one had to face any danger, but that's just not possible, especially in a world filled with monsters. I'm sure Holli realizes that too, but deep down, she's an elf guard. She wants to protect everyone."
"And you're a delver, so you wish to understand everything."
"At least as much as possible. I can't say I understand everything that happened here, but I learned quite a bit. For me, I'm starting to believe that maybe all of this wasn't as bad as it first seemed."
"You think this was all a good idea?"
"No, I can't say that. Everything which happened occurred because someone was selfish, or angry, or just plain evil. Reiculf wasn't looking to help anyone other than himself when he merged with Baannat and Ansas. And all Neltus cared about was getting his core back. Neither one of them cared about who got hurt or what got destroyed. For a while, I thought I had lost Holli, and I wondered what else could go wrong... but I can't help feeling that things might have turned out for the best."
Reader Rachael did not want to dispute the delver's claim. She heard hopefulness in Ryson's words. It was an optimism that she shared, but she wanted to ensure she understood the delver's perspective. She also had to point out the clear danger which all of Uton faced, a peril which was undeniably a result of the events surrounding Rul Saattan's formation.
"From what you told me, demons can now enter our land almost at will. That may not be the best thing that's happened to us."