“You’re using a ward against plants,” Jez said.
Sariel nodded without turning around. “A simple matter.”
Jez stumbled. A ward to physically keep a specific thing out was difficult, growing even more so as the number of affected things increased. A ward designed to keep out something as broad as all plants would be almost unimaginably complicated. Even as he tried to examine Sariel’s working, his head throbbed as the complexity of it nearly overwhelmed him. Lina tapped his shoulder, and he looked up to see that they had entered the clearing where Aphlel resided.
A trio of what could only be afur Lifebringers, led by Illeon, stood around the lord of healing. Illeon’s hands glowed orange. A similar light surrounded Aphlel, though he never moved.
“I thought they already tried that,” Jez said.
“They have, though Illeon hopes that by delivering an extended effort, they may succeed where Raphlia failed. Now, you were wondering if the shadows might have come from Aphlel, were you not?” Jez nodded, and Sariel shrugged. “Perhaps. None of us have ever been knocked out in this fashion. We do not actually know what is possible, though I believe the ones here did come from him. The rest could have come from Aphlel, though perhaps they were created because the working that affected him was strong enough to spill over into the city. That is the theory Manakel now favors, though his knowledge of such things is limited.”
“What do you think?” Jez asked.
Sariel stared at Aphlel. The lord of healing might have been a statue if not for the occasional light that shone from his skin. “More than any other, Aphlel’s power is the power of life, and there is much life here. He may be somehow linked to the people in town. If that it is the case, it is possible that his dreams spilled over into mortal minds.”
“But how would that summon the shadows?” Lina asked.
Sariel smirked. “Have you ever touched a mind as powerful as Aphlel’s?”
“Once,” she said. She closed her eyes for a second and rubbed her temple. “When Sharim first called Aniel into the world, I tried to restore him. I thought my head would explode.”
Sariel stared at her for a few seconds before nodding. “Then, you understand how much power is there. Perhaps he had a particularly bad dream and sent that out to the mortals connected to him. If their minds were insufficient to contain the dream, it might well have spawned the shadows. Have you spoken to any of those who were asleep?”
Jez shook his head. “I didn’t check, but I’m not sure any survived. They would’ve probably been the first to fall. Lina?”
She shook her head. “I could ask around, but unless the afur were there when the shadows appeared, the soldiers would’ve had no defense.”
“Yes, I suspect that you are right,” Sariel said.
“We can’t keep watch on every sleeper in town,” Jez said. “How do we stop this from happening again?”
“I have been giving the matter some thought. The problem is that without access to the Keep of the Hosts, there is nothing to insulate us from mortalkind.” He waved an arm, and at first, Jez thought he was indicating the various plants that grew around him, but after a moment, he realized Sariel meant the whole manor. “We keep ourselves in this place as a way to separate from mortalkind, but it is a poor substitute. Perhaps more can be done to remedy that.”
“How?” Jez asked.
“Last year, you retrieved the Library of Zandra from Between.”
Jez nodded. “Gayel put it there during the fire, but no one knew how he did it.” His eyes went wide. “You want to do that again. You want him to move...what? The manor? Put that Between?”
Sariel shook his head. “Not all the way. We lack the power to do that at any rate, but perhaps we can move it just enough to shield the city from our presence.”
“You won’t be able to help then,” Jez said.
Sariel grinned. “We will be able to leave whenever we wish, and you, of course, will be able to cross over. When you find Andera, we will be there, fighting by your side. Until then, we can use the afur that have returned to us as intermediaries.”
“Then, you’ve forgiven them,” Lina said.
Sariel shook his head. Nearby, Illeon’s shoulder slumped, and one of the other healers let out a sigh, but Sariel continued. “Forgiveness has never been within our power, but we have granted them a new purpose. Perhaps that will be enough.”
Jez nodded. “What do you want me to do?”
“Continue to try to reconcile with the king and queen and with the beast men. We must all be united once the masters of the Academy return with news of Andera’s plans.”
“I’ll do that,” Jez said. “How do I reach you?”
“We can leave the front gate as a link to the mortal realm. Crossing over from this side will be simpler and should be possible almost immediately. The working will take some time to stabilize from the other side, perhaps a few hours. Once that happens, you will be able to enter without difficulty.”
“All right. When will you do it?”
“Now, if you are ready. Gayel already crafted the circle. I need only to activate it.”
Jez nodded. Lina looked like she wanted to speak, but her eyes hardened in anger, and she clenched her jaw. Sariel, oblivious to her, raised his hands and uttered a single word. Clouds formed out of nowhere, hiding what little Jez could see of the sky through the canopy of leaves. Tendrils of fog flowed into the garden, winding around trees and plants. One brushed against Jez’s face, and he knew that if he tried, he could shape it into whatever form he could imagine. With an effort of will, he forced the fog away. Strangely, his mind seemed to clear as he did.
Sariel raised an eyebrow. “You have grown better at shaping Between.”
Jez nodded and blinked several times and noticed Lina gripping her head, as if from a headache. He turned back to Sariel. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not spend any more time here than I have to. The last time wasn’t pleasant, and I’ve had enough shadows for one day.”
“You need not worry about them. We are not fully in Between, and its inhabitants could no more easily reach you here than back in Randak.”
Jez shuddered. “Still, I think I’ll head back to the city.”
Sariel inclined his head. “As you wish. Illeon, if you would?”
The former Lifebringer nodded and made a flicking gesture at the plants which opened a path to the garden entrance. Jez and Lina started to walk away, but before they had moved out of sight of Sariel, Jez turned. “We found some strange runes in the basement. Kilos wanted to investigate them, but maybe it would be better if Leziel or Gayel did it instead.”
“Gayel spent most of his energy crafting the circle. He will spend a few days recovering. Leziel comes and goes as he pleases, and even we rarely know how to find him. Your friend is welcome to come here and examine them until one of us who has the proper knowledge can be spared.”
Jez nodded. “I’ll tell him.”
Lina took several deep breaths. She looked pale but seemed to be getting better. She gave him a weak smile, and he realized that this was the first time in a long time that he’d seen her do something other than scowl. His own mood seemed calmer as well.
“We should go,” she said as she took his arm.
He nodded, and together, they walked out of the manor. As they passed through the gate leading out of the grounds, the fogs of Between swirled around them, though they parted almost as quickly as they had appeared. The pair entered Randak to the sight of a large crowd gaping. Jez turned. Where the manor had been, there was now only a mountain of fog. If he squinted, he could just make out the gate through the mist. He took a deep breath and prepared to address the crowd when his blood went cold. He didn’t realize he’d started squeezing Lina’s hand until she pulled away.
“Sorry,” he said.
She shook her hand and glared, but her expression softened when she saw the look on his face. “What’s wrong?”
“The power of the p
harim high lords isn’t infusing the area anymore.”
Lina nodded. “That makes sense. They’re not really here anymore, after all.”
Jez shook his head. “That’s not what I mean. I think their presence was covering it up.”
“Covering what up?” Lina asked.
Jez took another deep breath and his nose wrinkled at the smell of sulfur. “Demonic magic. It’s everywhere.”
He had spoken a little too loud, and now fear was rippling through the crowd. He ignored it. Now that he knew what to look for, he could sense the tendrils of it reaching into his mind, slithering through cracks in his wards that he hadn’t known were there. With a minor effort of will, he burned them away. A flick of his finger freed Lina of the working ensnaring her, but it was everywhere, in every person in the crowd, and he didn’t have nearly enough power to free them all. Lina looked at him, seeming bewildered.
“Was that what I think it was?”
Jez nodded. “Mental magic.” He pitched his voice close so no one else could hear. “Whoever is doing this is trying to affect the entire city.”
CHAPTER 18
“My lord,” one of the townspeople said. “What happened?”
Jez started to respond but stopped before he’d gotten out more than a few words. How did he even begin to explain this? Dumbfounded, he turned to Lina. She nodded once and stepped forward.
“We found dangerous magics left behind by Dusan. To protect the city, we sealed the manor away.”
“That’s right.” Jez stumbled over his words. “We want to keep you safe.”
The crowd whispered to each other, and many looked at Jez with fear. He could practically hear them calling him Dusan. He tried to think of a way to reassure them, but no idea came. Lina waited for him to speak for several seconds, and when he didn’t, she spoke up.
“Please return to your homes.”
Jez nodded. The guards among those gathered, seeming to take this as an order, began dispersing the crowd, though many didn’t go very far before turning back to stare at the pillar of fog. It took a moment for Jez to gather is wits.
“We didn’t really think this all the way through, did we?”
Lina smirked. “We? I don’t remember you asking for my opinion. It doesn’t really surprise me that something like this would happen, though.”
Jez raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
Lina grinned. “It’s like Osmund always says. Your plans are horrible.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Very funny. What do we do about this?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure there’s anything we can do about the manor, and I can’t sense the working you’re talking about. Are you sure it’s mental magic?”
There were still a few people nearby. Lina followed his gaze and nodded. She waved a hand. At the edge of her silence field, the fogs of Between took on a slight violet shade, though he didn’t think anyone had noticed, especially in the failing light of dusk. He let out a breath.
“Not really. I can sense that it’s demonic energy, but it’s more like I can see the outline. I can’t sense the specific magic, but my mental wards held it back, once I knew what to look for. What else could it be?”
“I don’t know. How far does it go?”
Jez closed his eyes and concentrated, but his ability to sense demonic energy wasn’t something he had fine control over. He could sense that the power was there, but as far as learning its extent, he was limited. He took a few steps, but the smell remained uniform. If he focused, he could almost make out its shape. It was only when he moved closer to the fog that it weakened.
“It’s like it frayed when the manor was taken.” Jez tried to pull at one of the loose strands, but it crumpled in his hand. He tried again where the working was stronger. This time it was so solid he couldn’t move it. He sighed. “This won’t be easy to unravel.”
“The high lords?”
Jez nodded. “Once the manor stabilizes, we’ll go back. Until then, maybe we can learn more about it.”
“What does it do, exactly?”
Tentatively, he touched it with his mystical awareness, and a surge of anger at the people for comparing him to Dusan filled him. He turned to glare that the few that remained nearby. As soon as his gaze fell on them, they scurried away, disappearing around corners and into buildings. How dare they, after all he had sacrificed? He pulled back, and the emotion calmed. He shook his head. “I think it’s what was making us so angry.”
Lina pursed her lips. “Haziel and Istar want to attack the manor.”
“And Welb wanted to raise an army. The attack of the nightmares probably made things a lot worse.”
She turned and stared into the fog. “We should go to the army camp. Some of the afur that have started gathering there were Darkmasks. Maybe they can work out a way to protect everyone.”
Jez hesitated on the verge of refusal. He wasn’t sure he wanted the aid of anyone who had gone to the king first. Just before he spoke, however, he felt a tendril of the working that had wormed its way past his mental defenses, and cut it off, banishing his suspicion. This was an insidious working, and he couldn’t afford to turn down any help he could get. He nodded, and they walked in that direction.
As they moved through town, Jez cast his mystical senses outward, trying to find any weakness in the demonic working, but it got stronger as they moved away from the manor. By the time they had gone a hundred yards, the strands were woven so tightly that he doubted he could pierce it, even if he drew on the full strength Luntayary offered. Its constant pressure against his mental wards and those he placed around Lina, caused a dull throbbing to pulse in his head, and he had trouble focusing on anything else.
“Jez, your nose,” Lina said as they approached the southern gate.
Jez brought his fingers up to his upper lip and was surprised when they came away bloody. His head was throbbing. This wasn’t a matter of power. He had power to spare, but the demonic working was pounding against his shields, never stopping, never weakening. In fact, it seemed to be growing stronger, though the increase was so gradual, he barely noticed.
“I’ll be fine,” he said. “I probably shouldn’t keep this up for much longer, but I should be fine until we reach the camp.”
She nodded but didn’t look like she believed him. They moved more slowly until they had entered the camp. Their arrival did not go unnoticed, and in a few minutes, Villia had joined them. She scowled.
“Jezreel. It is good to see that you can lower yourself to come see us instead of expecting the king to come to you. How gracious.”
Rather than respond, Jez extended his protections to encompass the afur. Instantly, Villia’s face softened, and the pain in his head doubled. She looked confused.
“What did you do to me? Your nose is bleeding.”
“Can you protect your mind?” he asked. “It’s hard to do three at once.”
“Protect it from what?” She didn’t wait for his answer, though. Instead, her eyes glowed violet. “Ah, I see. That is certainly unpleasant. A sustained assault with surges at irregular intervals. No wonder you look like you have been walking on hot coals. I can take care of myself. You and Lina too, for a little while at least. You could use a break.”
Abruptly, the pounding on his shield ceased. Jez let out a sigh of relief and let his wards fall. His skin tingled as he inclined his head to Villia. So caught up had he been by protecting their minds that he hadn’t paid much attention to where they were going. They were near the center of the camp. The royal tents rose a few yards away, and all around them, soldiers were staring. There was hardly a sound aside from a pair of men nearby, sharpening their swords on a whetstone. The soldiers weren’t overtly hostile, but they were obviously ready for trouble.
“Thank you. Can you take us to see the king? He’ll want to know about this, and I don’t think I should go in to see him alone.”
She winced. “That was a strong one. I did not realize this working was that inte
nse. I am impressed you made it this far. The king and queen have already retired, but for this, I will send someone to get them out of bed.”
Jez nodded, and Villia led them to a large tent. She sent a guard for Haziel and Istar and motioned for Jez and Lina to sit at a round table that was currently covered in maps. The world still felt like it was spinning as Jez sat down, so Lina explained what they had learned. Villia thought Sariel’s explanation of the living shadows sounded plausible, though none of the soldiers in the camp who had spawned the creatures had survived to confirm it.
It only took a few minutes for the king and queen to reach them. Haziel’s robes sat loosely on his shoulders, and Istar’s dress was wrinkled. They had obviously dressed quickly. Their scowls mirrored one another.
“What in the name of the seven are you doing here?”
Jez raised a hand. “Calm down.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down. I should have you arrested for your insolence.”
“If you will handle yourself and Lina,” Villia said, “I will take the king and queen.”
Jez nodded. “I think I can do that for a little while.”
“What are you two talking about?” Haziel said.
Jez nodded and raised his barriers. Before, he’d started his shield when the working was weakest. It had grown stronger as they moved away from the manor, but now it came upon him without the gradual buildup of strength. Instantly, pain blossomed in his head, but he clenched his teeth and managed not to pass out. The anger drained out of Haziel’s face though it didn’t fade altogether.
“Perhaps now we can talk in a more civilized manner,” Villia said.
“What’s going on here?” Haziel asked.
“It is a working, sire, a very powerful one. It has been affecting everyone, bringing anger to the forefront of their minds. We are shielded, but it is incredibly strong, and we cannot keep that up for long.”
Lifebringer (Pharim War Book 6) Page 9