Joint Intentions (Book 9) (12 page)

Holli turned to Jure.

"How long until you have enough magic to create a sufficient crater in the sand?"

"Simply making a crater wouldn't take that much magic," Jure answered. "Just push the sand aside. A few moments more and I can handle it."

Ryson wouldn't remain quiet.

"If you're thinking about using Linda, forget it!"

Holli did not respond to the delver directly. Instead, she returned her focus to the algor.

"Can the algors bend the magic away without using an opposing force?"

"It would take several days."

"How long if we could used something that would act in opposition to the magic?"

"If there was a human totally immune to magic... barely a few moments."

"Didn't you hear me?!" Ryson demanded. "We're not using Linda as bait!"

Holli kept her attention on the algor.

"Would there be any danger to the one immune to magic?"

"None," the algor replied.

"That's not true!" Ryson interrupted angrily. "Ansas used Linda to purify magic and it almost drove her insane."

"Purify?" the algor asked.

"Yes! He once sent waves of magic at her from other spell casters to empty out their cores. He wanted them to hold pure magic."

"Purifying is not bending," the algor responded. "Purifying casts out remnants of magic within a core. Bending is the redirection of magical flow. There are no purification issues."

"How can you be so sure?" Holli questioned. "I need to be absolutely certain that Ryson's wife will not be in danger. I will not sacrifice anyone to correct my mistake."

"There will be no danger," the algor replied.

Holli turned quickly to Ryson and spoke with absolute sincerity.

"I will not put this decision in your hands. This is my fault and I must take action. I will give my life to protect Linda. I will put her life above mine, even above Enin's, but I believe the algor. I also believe that this is Enin's only hope. I intend to teleport to Burbon and retrieve Linda. Do you intend to stop me?"

Ryson gave one quick glance at the pit demon. The beast remained motionless, holding Enin up towards its faceless head. Ryson understood the danger. The moment the demon decided Enin was no longer worth its attention, it would crush him like an insignificant insect. Ryson did not wish to put Linda at risk, but if they did nothing, Enin would most certainly die. Even though Holli did not put the ultimate decision in his hands, he still had to make a choice.

"If you go," he whispered, "I won't stop you."

"Very well, I want you to go get the algors in the sandstone cliffs. Tell them what we're going to do. Prepare them as needed."

"There is no need for that," the algor professed. "As has been said many times, what one knows, we all know. They are already aware of the beast's presence, and because I know of your plan, they know of it as well.  I will call to them when they are needed. They can perform the task from the safety of the caves. There is no need to bring them here."

"Then I'll go with you to talk to Linda," Ryson stated. "I'll make sure..."

"You should remain here," the algor interrupted. "If the demon begins to wander off, you are the only one with the speed to follow."

"He is right," Holli stated. "We should not waste anymore time. Jure, prepare a spell to create the crater. I will return as soon as possible. When I am back, I will want the crater dug out of the sand and the algors ready to remove the magic from the hole without delay."

Holli spared one moment to grab Neltus' arm, and she pulled him toward her harshly.

"I'm taking Neltus with me and I'm going to leave him in Burbon."

The declaration startled the algor.

"Take him away?"

"He also lost his core," Holli explained. "The pit demon may eventually realize that and take him as well. I will not risk another prisoner, and I do not want anything else to distract us from our plan. We keep this as simple as possible. I will be back."

Not waiting for a response, Holli immediately cast a spell of teleportation. She and Neltus disappeared in a wave of emerald magic.

Holli and Neltus arrived near Ryson and Linda's home, but the moment they appeared in Burbon, Neltus staggered about the street as if he had enjoyed far too much wine. His legs buckled under him, and he almost fell to the ground. Only Holli's firm grasp kept him upright.

"What is wrong?" Holli demanded severely and with little compassion.

Neltus looked about as if he could not begin to comprehend his surroundings. Clearly disoriented, he stared at the neat and tidy houses of Burbon wondering if he was witnessing a mirage. He expected the unforgiving environment of the desert... prepared himself for hot winds over dry sand, not a cool breeze wafting down well maintained streets. The scene around him was anything but harsh. The lamplighters were already at work, ensuring the small town would not be encased in total darkness as the sun sank in the west.

"Where are we?" he managed to ask through his confusion.

"In Burbon."

"Burbon? What happened? Why isn't this the Lacobian? We were supposed to end up in the desert." Neltus looked about, obviously confused by the absence of others he expected to be at Holli's side. "And where is everyone else?"

"Were you not paying attention?" Holli admonished. "I told you I was taking you away."

"Away?"

Neltus looked at Holli, but then turned away quickly. He didn't want the elf guard to notice his reaction. He felt something draining out of his body, an influence which appeared when he was pricked by the algor. As the odd sensation diminished, he began to recall the events which had become somewhat of a blur.

In the desert, he had not been in total control. Some of the things he had said were of his own accord, but other words from his mouth were born from foreign desires, ideas which stemmed from the schemes of another. His mind had been enveloped by an outside force. He could not quite pinpoint the source of the manipulation, but he knew it began when the algor arrived within their midst.

His core might have been removed, but he was still susceptible to magic. He also retained his insight over the energy. He could not completely take hold of the magic, grasp it for his own use, but he could pursue it. Feeling the ripples of outside influence fade from his essence, he followed the echoes of the spell which had invaded his mind. It led him to a most disturbing discovery.

Baannat!

Neltus had been used, and he was not happy. The algor's small stab was not meant to move him aside. It was a discreet method of placing Neltus' under the manipulation of another. A spell of deception had rushed through the algor's claw. It had taken control of  Neltus' thoughts, words, and actions without anyone noticing. He would have remained under that influence as long as he stayed in the desert.

Once he had been teleported away from the algor, the energy lost its purpose. There was no one in Burbon to maintain a grip on Neltus' mind. With the link broken, the magic flowed out of his hollow center and Neltus regained full consciousness. The magic might have been delivered by the algor's small and sharp claw, but the influence which took control of his mind came from a familiar source. It was indeed Baannat.

The remnants of the twisted magic allowed the coreless wizard to trace its intentions directly back to its origin. The slink ghoul's plans unfolded before him, for Neltus' own deviousness was similar to that of a monster of incomplete substance.

In that glaring moment of clarity, he understood the ghoul's ultimate objective. It was a daring, even dangerous ploy, but it had little to do with Neltus' needs. As the scheme crystallized in his mind, Neltus doubted Baannat ever intended to help him retrieve his magical essence.

Angry at the betrayal, he wondered if he should inform Holli of what he had discovered, but he would not willingly help the elf. He would only help himself. Revealing information of such magnitude would be a waste of an advantage, and his own objective remained paramount. Since he was in Burbon, there was still a chance for him. It was in Burbon where he had lost his core, and maybe he could bargain for what was rightfully his.

"I'm alright," he finally stated as he steadied himself. "I'm still not used to being so empty inside. Your teleportation spell flooded me with a sensation of magic. I keep trying to pull at energy that's not there, and I get confused."

Holli had neither sympathy nor concern for Neltus' welfare. She offered one bit of advice, followed by a biting revelation of the truth.

"Go to a tavern and fill your emptiness. I have no further use for you."

While some ale and food certainly enticed the coreless wizard, Neltus remained determined to stay involved. Though he no longer cared about Enin, or anyone else in the desert, he feigned concern for those left in the Lacobian.

"No, I want to help."

"You can help by staying out of the way."

Holli disregarded Neltus and moved with an elf's graceful speed toward the house of the Acumens. She raced swiftly up the front walk, but as she arrived at the door, a familiar form materialized before her and obstructed her path.

The ghost of Sy Fenden floated confrontationally between her and the doorway. The apparition's expression revealed absolute defiance. Sy placed his arm out forward with his palm facing Holli. It was clear he did not wish her to continue.

It was the first time Holli had witnessed the specter of the soldier she respected. She had perceived spirits before, and thus, the appearance of a ghost failed to startle her. Still, the clarity of Sy's form could not be dismissed, neither could the staunchness of his intention. He meant to block her path, and the resoluteness of his expression placed her on the defensive.

"Sy?" the elf questioned. "Do you block my way? I am in need of assistance."

The ghost stood firm.

There was much Holli would have liked to say to the spirit soldier, but she discarded all personal desires... save the one meant to reverse her costly mistake. 

"I need to see Linda immediately. Enin is in danger."

The ghost would not move. His arm remained extended forward. Sy made no attempt to communicate with the elf, other than to impede her progress.

"I have to take Linda to the Lacobian Desert," Holli insisted, hoping to make her intentions clear with as little unnecessary explanation as possible.

The spirit of Sy Fenden finally offered the form of an answer. He shook his head firmly and then he shifted his hand to point over the elf guard's shoulder.

Holli turned to see that Neltus had followed her and waited at the edge of the road in front of the Acumens' home. She believed the ex-wizard's presence created the tense confrontation.

"You do not understand," the elf explained, as she returned her gaze to the apparition before her. "He has nothing to do with this. I am leaving him here to keep him out of further trouble. A dathit has taken hold of Enin. We have a plan, but we need Linda, need her immunity to magic."

Sy lowered his arm but did not move away from the door.

"Will you let me pass?"

The apparition shook his head once more.

Within the house, Stomps began to bark and Linda came to the door. Ryson's wife was surprised to see the apparition on her doorstep blocking the path of the elf guard. She had no idea of what was happening. The last she knew, Ryson had left for Connel to speak with Reader Rachael at the Church of Godson. Confusion colored her thoughts.

"Holli? What's going on?"

The elf guard made no attempt to pass by Sy, even though she believed she could walk right through him. She had too much respect for the memory of Burbon's captain to disregard him in such a manner. She stepped slightly to the side and arched her neck so she could see the delver's wife clearly over the ghost's ethereal shoulder.

"We need your assistance. Enin has been taken by a dathit."

"A dathit?"

"A pit demon, a massive creature from Demonspawn."

The simple description did little to erase any of Linda's confusion. She had witnessed monsters of various shapes and sizes, but she could not begin to fathom the magnitude of a colossal demon. Still, in seeing Holli's anxious expression, Linda accepted the situation as critical.

"Ryson's not here," Linda claimed, believing the request for aid involved her husband. "He's at Connel."

"Ryson is with us. We were all teleported to the Lacobian Desert. Your husband is unharmed, and he understands the peril we face and the need for your unique attribute... your immunity to magic. There is no danger to you, but we need to return to the desert immediately."

Linda was not given a chance to respond, as once more, Sy shook his head while staring directly at Holli.

Holli's frustrations began to rise, but she curbed them in order to address the growing complications of her situation.

"Sy, Enin is in the grip of a dathit. Without his magic, he is defenseless. We have a plan to save him, but we must go now. Every moment delayed is a risk to his life. If there is something I should know, tell me!"

The ghost said nothing.

"Do you believe I would willingly do anything to harm Linda?" the elf demanded.

The question was too complex to respond with a nod or shake of the head, and thus, the spirit remained silent and motionless.

"If you cannot answer, then let me pass!"
The ghost would not move aside, and Holli turned her attention back to Linda.

"Can you communicate with him?"

"He only speaks to Captain Klusac," Linda revealed.

"And where is this captain?"

"I have no idea, probably at the guard headquarters."

Holli considered the effort required to solve the standoff through further communication. She then recalled the image of the pit demon holding Enin in its mammoth hand. She despised the thought of acting rashly, but she believed Sy's reluctance to allow Linda to leave had more to do with Neltus' appearance than the calamity in the desert. She made a decision without further hesitation.

"I am sorry Sy, but I have no time for this." The elf then spoke directly to Ryson's wife. "Linda, are you willing to help Enin?"

Linda was not sure how to respond. Sy's persistence in blocking Holli's passage was obvious. She would have liked to know why, but the ghost would not speak to her. There was no reasoning she could examine behind Sy's presence or his diligence in keeping her and Holli apart.

As for the elf, Linda knew her to be levelheaded. Despite Sy's unstated objections, she believed Holli would never represent a threat to her. The elf guard had previously assisted her and Ryson, risked her own life to save Burbon, but there was clear desperation in her voice.

To Linda's dismay, there they were on her doorstep, two opposing forces locked against each other. She was at the center of some unknown dispute, and she was being forced to make a decision based on limited information from a silent ghost and a distressed elf guard. In the face of such difficulty, she reached for the one opinion she knew she could trust.

"Did Ryson agree to this?" the delver's wife questioned Holli.

"He is aware of the plan. I asked him if he would try to stop me. He said he would not. If you wish, you can speak to him yourself once we reach the desert. Will you come?"

It was the best conceivable solution, but to speak to Ryson, Linda would need to go with Holli.

"Alright," she decided.

"Then step around the apparition and we will go together."

Linda did as she was asked. She shut the door behind her and carefully moved past the ghost of Sy Fenden. When she nodded that she was ready, Holli began to concentrate.

The spell would be very difficult for the elf. She could not simply teleport Linda to the desert. The magical immunity of the delver's wife would inhibit a simple spell, but Enin had taught the elf guard how to reach out with her magic in different ways. He had shown Holli how to focus beyond the obvious and how to shape the influence of magic indirectly.

Holli concentrated on the spatial plane in which they existed, and rather than trying to teleport Linda as an individual, she attempted to move the very space the delver's wife occupied. The elf would magically switch the empty space over the sands of the Lacobian with the space Linda stood within at her own doorstep.

Before she could complete the spell, Neltus yelled out and broke the elf's concentration.

"No, wait! You can't just leave!"

The elf's eyes blazed with fury.

"Neltus! Remove yourself from my presence or I will put an arrow in your throat."

Neltus knew it was no empty threat. If the elf viewed him as a risk to Enin's safety, he would be dead before he ever touched the magic again. Thinking as quickly as possible, he gave a plausible excuse for the interruption.

"It's not me. It's the ghost. You can't just ignore him. Maybe there's a reason you shouldn't leave. Maybe it's a mistake to go back to the desert."

"I will not attempt a guessing game with an apparition, even if it is Sy Fenden!"

As Neltus glanced at the ghost captain, he found a way to keep Holli from leaving. He recalled his own previous experience with the ghost captain, and he revealed an absolute truth.