Joint Intentions (Book 9) (21 page)

"Did he have any direct conflicts with you?"

"Just one. He tested me to see if I really was a contrarian. He tried to dump a bowl of hot soup on my head. It ended up on his face instead. He never tried anything again."

"But you still let him come here."

"Because he knew how to entertain a crowd. Yes, he was obnoxious, but some people like that kind of thing, especially when they know I'll control it. He could never go too far, so people didn't mind his antics."

"Did he hold it against you?"

"You mean did he want revenge? No. I'm sure of that. I would have seen it, but that was never his intention. I don't think he minded the restrictions. I never made him do anything he didn't want to do. I just kept him in check. But I kept everyone in check, that worked to his advantage. It's like I said, he came here because it was safe."

Holli began to understand why Neltus would find Ott's tavern a sanctuary, and it explained why the red cored wizard visited the establishment in the past. It did not, however, explain why Neltus would have chosen the warehouse as a place to escape. She still believed Neltus picked Portsans because he assumed he would be followed, and she still believed Neltus led them to Ott's establishment.

"I admit, personal security has always been important to Neltus," Holli stated. "I can see why he would frequent the establishment of a contrarian determined to maintain the peace, but I doubt that is the reason he would have wanted us here."

Ott shrugged. He could not offer any explanation and willingly revealed as much.

"I haven't seen Neltus for some time. I told you that before, and it was the truth. I have no idea why he wanted you here."

All could see the answer was sincere. While Holli struggled with the response, the elder wizard began to see a possible reason in the very conflict which had just taken place.

"It was safe for Neltus," Jure pointed out, "but it sure wasn't safe for us. We faced a contrarian while you were determined to find answers. Neltus knows you and he knows Ott can read intentions. Considering everything that has happened, a conflict between us was just about guaranteed. I think Neltus believed Ott would have destroyed us with our own power."

"Would you have gone that far?" Holli asked of the innkeeper.

"I go as far as anyone who stands against me," Ott admitted. "You should know that. It's not my intention that matters, it's the one I'm up against."

"And Holli's intention is to stop Neltus," Jure added.

"No," Ryson interrupted, "her intention was to kill him."

"He's right," Ott agreed.

"And so Neltus might have hoped that such an intention would have been turned against us," Jure noted. "I think it's safe to say Neltus wouldn't have been too distraught if we all ended up dead."

"I think there may be something more to this as well," Ryson suggested. "I think he's telling us that we're not going to get our way, that he's not going to give up his magic under any circumstance. Think about it. If he wanted us to run into a contrarian, he was basically stating he was going to reverse our intentions."

"Perhaps you are right," Holli agreed, and then she looked to the innkeeper. "Is there anything else of significance you can offer?"

"Change your intention," Ott responded without hesitation.

"But my intention is to capture Neltus. He is a threat..."

"No," Ott interrupted. "Remember who you're talking to. I can see exactly what you want, and it goes beyond Neltus. You want to correct the mistakes you've made. It's understandable, but that's not the same as stopping Neltus."

Holli did not dispute the claim, she could not. How could she argue with a contrarian about her intentions? He would know them as well as she would, but he would have no reason to obscure them. She would have to put aside her ambition, her doubts, and her pride in order to address the full scope of the dilemma.

She realized Ott was absolutely correct. She wanted to correct her previous mistakes more than she wanted to find a solution to the problem as a whole. While the two endeavors held to certain similarities, they were not quite the same in principle.

"You are right," Holli admitted. "I have been far too focused on my errors in judgment and not the root cause of the dangers we face. I will have to accept my mistakes and move on from them. There are more important matters to discuss."

Holli looked to Jure.

"I wish to thank you," the elf acknowledged. "You were right about this man. We needed to speak with him."

"But we really haven't learned anything new," Jure admitted. "We still don't know where Neltus is."

"No, we do not, but I have realized we have to look further back. We need to focus on other issues."

Holli then offered a sincere response to Ott as well.

"I also thank you. I am sorry for my actions, but it seems your wisdom was needed."

Ott almost wanted to be noble...
almost
. He thought about wishing the elf well in her mission, knew that she intended on taking his advice to heart. He also understood that the elf guard fully intended on doing whatever was necessary to keep the land safe. He hoped, for all their sakes, she would find success. He wanted to convey those wishes in an appropriate manner, but in the end, he couldn't help being slightly bitter about how he was defeated.

"Next time you come into my place, act accordingly," Ott remarked.

He said nothing more as he returned to his inn with a slam of the alley door.

Holli nodded, understanding the innkeeper's bitterness. Losing was a bitter pill.

"Jure," she finally stated, "continue to replenish your energy. I will teleport us back to Connel."

"Not the desert?" Ryson asked. "What about Enin?"

"I have not disregarded his welfare," Holli insisted, "but Jure was right about that as well. If the dathit wished Enin to be dead, there is nothing we could do to prevent it. It is time to reconsider all that has happened, time to look at this from a wider perspective."

Baannat did not enjoy venturing far beyond the stone tower. When certain conditions allowed—such as a foolish wizard opening a portal into his realm—the ghoul could enter a physical existence, but he found the excursions almost painful. He discovered that remaining near the fringes of nothingness alleviated that pain.

Rising to the upper levels of the dark lands, the platform of the tower offered the ghoul sanctuary from a domain of harsh realities. The plateau's proximity to overlapping boundaries allowed for Baannat to reach out to the emptiness and cleanse his senses. It was not the horrid stench or the morbid screams which disturbed him. It was the heaviness of the physical substance.

The dark lands emanated more than just suffering. The thick, humid air drifted across the open space like slow moving waves of futility. The pools of fire and acid offered withering heat, and the ground remained thick with crusty dust. Everything about the realm seemed heavy and overburdened.

The slink ghoul had grown accustomed to nothingness, an absence of the very qualities which made the dark lands so distinct. As he journeyed deeper into the realm, he longed for the removal of any sensation. Unfortunately, such a reprieve would have to wait.

He needed to bring the pit demon out of the Lacobian Desert. The giant maintained its hold on Enin, and the coreless wizard had become extremely important to the slink ghoul's plans. Baannat would have preferred to transport the dathit directly to the high plateau, but he could not risk bringing the massive demon to an area of such instability.

The grounds around the stone spire were infested with dark creatures, and the presence of a demon would have stirred them into a frenzy. The ghoul could not afford a skirmish between the monsters if he hoped to keep Enin alive.

Venturing away from the spire was not the slink ghoul's only concern. Baannat had also lost his influence over the doppelganger. The arrival of a sorceress casting black magic created sufficient upheaval to create a fracture in his connection to the demon. He had sensed the shape-shifter turn into a rock beetle to escape the tomb of hardened sand, but that was his last communication with the demon.

The ghoul was uneasy about the break. Reiculf had promised him full control over both the dathit and doppelganger. The loss left him considerably troubled about their agreement.

Still, the slink ghoul remained intent on fulfilling his end of the arrangement, even if he had to alter his plans. The capture of Enin remained the key to his success, but he needed to secure the coreless wizard in a place where the heavy influence of the dark realm would be at its least destructive.

Once he located a suitable location, he created a portal which connected the dark lands with the Lacobian Desert, and he called for the dathit.

Following the will of its new master, the giant stepped through the portal with Enin in its massive hand. The demon cared little for its surroundings, but the passage through the rift left it temporarily disoriented. It had no face to offer an expression of confusion, but it stood motionless upon the bleak lands, giving no sign of acknowledgement to the slink ghoul.

Held within the thick fingers of the giant, Enin was alive and conscious. He found the giant's actions and his arrival in the realm of dark creatures both distressing and perplexing. He had been removed from Uton and brought to a land of great turmoil and torment. Without his magical core, he was defenseless.

He was not, however, as concerned for his own safety as he was confused about the pit demon's movements. Full demons which crossed dimensional space did so at a risk to their own existence and at a definite reduction in their influence and power. To Enin's amazement, the pit demon, other than being slightly confused, appeared to crossover without consequence.

Baannat noticed Enin's uncertainty. He snickered lightly as he closed the portal and then called out to his prisoner.

"How are you, brother?"

"You are behind this?" Enin questioned, as he looked down upon the ghoul standing at the pit demon's feet, his surprise mounting over Baannat's presence.

"Yes... and no. I did not start it. It was that fool Neltus and his desire to recover his magical core. He opened the door. I walked through."

Enin remained doubtful. He considered the full extent of the events he encountered and little made sense. He revealed his suspicions without hesitation.

"Neither you nor Neltus could control a pit demon, yet you are able to call this creature from one realm into another. I would have considered such a feat impossible had I not seen it for myself."

"Understandable. Full demons normally cannot transverse realms with ease. It takes suitable motivation, enormous energy, and the proper consent. But I have obtained all that is necessary."

"Even in your realm of nothingness, I highly doubt you could achieve such influence."

"You are correct again, brother."

Enin grew tired of the ghoul's reference to some imaginary relationship.

"We have had this argument before and I thought we were done with it. I am not your brother."

"Our relationship is complex. There was a moment in time when we separated and found ourselves on different paths, but once more, we have converged."

"We have never been on similar paths."

"You continue to dismiss the connection between us?"

"There has never been a connection."

"I would disagree. It seems our fortunes have always been linked, even to this very moment in time. Look at us, neither of us want to be in this place, yet here we are."

"That does not make us brothers."

"Be that as it may, I will continue to call you 'my brother' since it disturbs you."

"The only thing which disturbs me is what you've already revealed. You admit you lack the influence to control a dathit, and yet it stands before you. What kind of deceit are you practicing now?"

"Not deceit... well, not completely. I admit I was not totally honest with Neltus, but then the fool deserved it, especially after the way he took off on me. But that's alright, I don't need him anymore. I have you."

"Then forget him and explain this demon!"

Baannat cackled.

"You can be so demanding," the ghoul stated through evil snickers, "even when you have no authority. If I refuse to tell you, what are you going to do? You're empty. Your magic is gone. You can't unleash your fury upon me."

"That may be, but I'm not totally without influence. It's clear you intend to use me in some manner, and I will do everything in my power to ruin whatever it is you have planned."

Baannat cackled even louder.

"What can you do? Will you break free of the demon that holds you? Highly unlikely."

Enin glared at the ghoul but said nothing further. He couldn't make additional threats. Baannat was correct. He had no power, certainly not the kind necessary to defeat a pit demon, or even the slink ghoul. His core was gone, and all he could do was hope his friends would find him.

The ghoul nodded in appreciation.

"So you finally accept your position? Good. As a reward, I will explain why this giant demon listens to my commands. Reiculf has offered it to me."

"Reiculf?" Enin questioned.

"It was no small matter. As you know, there are certain restrictions on demons. They cannot move easily from one realm to another. They must do so of their own choosing. There are consequences they face for such a decision, and it requires vast levels of magic. Reiculf found one willing to leave Demonspawn, and the demon lord linked the dathit to my essence. The connection allows the giant to transition from one realm to another. The consequences, however, cannot be undone. In accepting a portion of my emptiness, it is now my slave. It is attached to me, and with a boost of magic from Reiculf, it is allowed to pass through realms in order to do my bidding. It is a bit of an abnormality, but it serves my purposes. The creature will do as I command."

"And you will command it to keep me prisoner?"

"And to protect you until I get what I want. That's why I brought it here, to this lonely section of the dark realm. You have to remain alive. I will need you so that I can bargain."

"And what is it you hope to gain?"

"For you? Ryson Acumen and his wife. But they're not my ultimate prize. They belong to another. I want Ansas back, and I will have him."

"But..."

Enin stopped. He finally understood the connection between Reiculf and the slink ghoul.

"You see it now, don't you?" Baannat questioned with a twisted grin. "I'm going to trade Linda and Ryson Acumen to Reiculf for Ansas. Reiculf can't touch the delver and his mate, but I can. Your friends will come here to save you, and when they do, I will trap them. I will force the ghost captain in Burbon to release the delver's mate and then I will have her as well."

"You fool. You can't bargain with a daokiln."

"I already have. I know it's a risky proposition, but I can give to him what he wants most, something he can't get for himself. He has already turned over this dathit as well as a doppelganger to me. He will hold to his end of the deal... unlike Neltus."

"This won't work out as you planned! This is Reiculf. He will leave you with nothing!"

"Don't be so dramatic. You're making it sound as if I've already been duped. I assure you, I haven't. The truth is, I could be satisfied with just you. Reiculf must know this. I could take you back to my realm and torture you instead of Ansas, but I want to torture you both. The best way to hurt you is to harm the ones you care about. How will you feel when you know I've brought Ryson and his mate to Reiculf?"

Enin couldn't answer. He couldn't bear the thought.

"Don't you think Reiculf knows this?" the ghoul continued with a confident smirk. "He also will want to cause the most pain possible. This will all work out. I just have to pass through a few minor distractions."

"Distractions?"

"Yes, a sorceress arrived in the Lacobian. She is powerful. I have listened to her speak to Ryson. She is somewhat insightful as well. She could be a small problem, but I will find a way to deal with her. I have time."

"You may have no time at all. Ryson will track the demon, and Jure will follow the path of your portal."

"Oh, they will arrive here... eventually, and that's exactly what I want, but they have decided to go after Neltus first. I will let them punish the crimson wizard. When they are finished, then they'll come looking for you."

"And when they arrive, they will defeat you, as they have done many times before!"

"Not this time. This time I have a dathit at my disposal... and your life is literally in its hands. If they are not careful, my pit demon will crush the life out of you."

Baannat paused as he lifted his cat-like muzzle to the hot wind of the dark lands. He was not focusing on the scent of nearby monsters, but rather reaching out with his insubstantial form to hopefully catch the sensation of emptiness. He knew it was time for him to leave.

"For now, I have other matters I must address. I will send this pit demon deeper into the valley behind those cliffs. You will be held there until your friends attempt to free you.  I must return to the plateau on the spire. My magic is stronger there and I need to see what is happening, but I will return when the time is right."

With a wave of his hand, Baannat teleported to the top of the stone tower through a wash of erratic magic. The instability of the ghoul's body made the use of spells in a physical world somewhat problematic, but he could still manage certain incantations. Teleportation was somewhat easier for Baannat's warped magic, as the spell itself caused distortions similar to his own incomplete substance.

As he stood once more upon the flat plateau of the stone tower, the slink ghoul reached into the edges of the realm to turn certain transitional connections into possible viewing points. He had no anchors with which to cast a sight spell, but at the edge of reality, he could use his own distorted form to peer through dimensions and gain a perspective into distant lands.

The ghoul watched with satisfaction as Ryson and his friends defeated a contrarian, and Baannat saw how it was accomplished. The slink ghoul was reminded of how the delver foolishly respected life, and Baannat believed he could use that weakness to his advantage. The ghoul knew he could use Enin as leverage, especially against the elf witch. He only had to find the proper pressure to convince the delver to drop his guard as well.

Baannat continued to watch the events in Portsans. The contrarian had revealed little useful information, but the elf guard appeared to change her tactics. They would not be coming after the pit demon as soon as he hoped, but he knew they would come eventually. He would be ready.

Removing his attention from Ryson Acumen and the delver's companions, the ghoul stalked about the precipice looking down at the dark lands below. He continued to contemplate his strategy, but before he could determine certain details, he felt a force unknown to him.

It took hold of him from the inside as it wrapped around his misshapen essence. The foreign grasp tightened about his entire form, and the ghoul could no longer move on his own. He was pulled up into the darkness. Ultimately, he passed through gray boundaries and into a place he believed he would never have to enter.