Joint Intentions (Book 9) (23 page)

"Enin could cast in ebony magic as efficiently as any other color," the elf reminded the sorceress.

"True, but that's the point. He was equal in all the hues. He could temper the traits of ebony magic with that of red, blue, or yellow. I cannot. My core exists for transformation. If I reached Enin's level of proficiency, I could not contain myself from altering every situation to one I believed would be more suitable for all."

The explanation rang with honesty, but Holli returned to the basis of her questions.

"So you have no idea why Neltus would want to bring Enin to the Lacobian Desert?"

"None," Vraya admitted.

Holli then turned to Jure and Ryson.

"That is the crux of our dilemma. We must determine why Neltus brought us to the desert."

"I assume it was to get his core back," Jure offered.

"In which he was successful," Holli responded. "But it was clear Neltus was not working alone. He might have restored his magical core, but the plan did not go as he originally expected."

"That's probably true," the elder wizard agreed. "I think Neltus definitely wanted us in the desert; at least it's obvious he wanted Enin out there, and probably also Ryson."

"About Enin," Vraya interrupted. "There was another reason I came here... beyond taking care of the dogs. I believed you would eventually return here and I wanted to tell you what happened to him."

"What is it?" Holli demanded.

"I followed the pit demon. It wasn't difficult. It left obvious tracks in the desert, but eventually they stopped. A portal had been constructed to the dark realm. The pit demon used it."

"The dathit left Uton?" Jure questioned.

"What about Enin?" Ryson asked.

"Every sign I could find indicates the pit demon took Enin through the portal as well."

"If this is true," Holli posed, "then it represents a drastic turn. Are you certain of the portal's construction?"

"I'm certain," Vraya stated with conviction. "I can take Jure there to confirm what I saw."

"That will be required, but not simply for confirmation. We will need to know where the pit demon went, where it took Enin, and most importantly... why."

"Let's go," Ryson urged. "We can't just stand around."

"No, we can not," the elf agreed,  "but we also must understand what we are up against. This unsettling news raises additional questions. The innkeeper in Portsans was correct. I was too focused on correcting my errors. I will not fall into that trap again. While I remain certain we must do what we can to free Enin—and capturing Neltus remains a priority—we must look at what led to the problems we now face."

"She's right," Jure added with a grimace. "This is getting more and more confusing. The pit demon can't be ignored."

"I don't want to ignore it," Ryson responded with frustration.

"I know," Holli acknowledged. "You wish to chase it, as do I, but we must understand what we are pursuing. Demons require an anchor, much like spells. For a demon to move from one realm to another would require a displacement of its anchor. There are consequences for such actions."

"And this demon has moved twice," Jure added. "Pit demons don't just show up in Uton. They can't crossover like goblins or shags. It's like Holli said; there are obstacles to such movement."

"My attention returns to Neltus," Holli admitted. "He brought us to the desert, but first he contacted Ryson. He could have come to see Enin on his own, but he brought the delver. Why?"

The answer suddenly came clear to Ryson. The pieces fell together in one massive wave.

"Linda," he whispered. "He wanted Linda! After the pit demon captured Enin, it just stood there. The doppelganger came up with the idea to distract the pit demon, but it was Neltus who suggested we bring Linda into the Lacobian. That's who Neltus wanted all along."

"But Neltus appeared displeased with the doppelganger," Holli noted. "He revealed the presence of the demon to us."

"That was after he got his core back."

"He also made it sound as if he was double-crossed by someone," Jure offered.

"That is true," Holli agreed. "Neltus was working with someone else, there was a plan to trap Enin and Linda, but Sy interfered."

"And that's exactly what I'm talking about," Ryson stated. "The plan was to get Linda in the desert. When Sy kept her from leaving Burbon, everything fell apart. Neltus managed to get his core back, and then he took off, but I still think the main purpose was to get Linda and Enin into the desert. If you want to know who's behind all of this, we need to figure out who would want to trap Enin
and
Linda."

Jure believed he had the answer, though it was one he wished he did not have to reveal.

"It's Reiculf," the elder wizard offered.

"No, it can't be," Ryson responded far too quickly, as if he was sure it was impossible.

"I don't think there's any other answer," Jure persisted, actually wishing he was wrong, but believing it was the obvious answer. "Reiculf knows Linda is a threat to him, and he wanted to capture Enin before."

"Enin no longer has his core," Ryson argued. "He would be useless to Reiculf."

"How can we be sure? More importantly, who else could control a pit demon? That's the key right there. This is a dathit we're talking about. It took hold of Enin and then just stood there like a bale of hay. I agree the plan was to get Linda out into the desert, but tell me who else could keep a pit demon in line?"

"It's not Reiculf," Ryson stated firmly.

"The facts seem to say otherwise," Holli replied. "Jure is right. Maintaining control over a pit demon is nearly impossible. Only the daokiln would have that kind of power."

"But Reiculf can't go after Linda... he can't. That's not sentiment in me talking. It's not even fear... or wishful thinking. It's the absolute truth. I stopped Reiculf. I put part of my magic into him. It's still there, I can tell. I can feel it. It's still acting as the barrier I meant it to be. When I beat Reiculf, I vowed to protect my wife from him. He can't hide from that. He just can't. It would change who he is."

"Then explain the pit demon."

"I can't," Ryson admitted, but he remained convinced about the daokiln. "There must be something else, something we're missing. We all agree Neltus was being used. The wizard wanted his magic back, maybe bad enough to even make a deal with Reiculf, but how could he have managed that? How could he have made it to Demonspawn without his magic? Reiculf couldn't have just reached out and grabbed him. The daokiln is caught behind barriers, barriers I know still exist. And let's be honest, there's no way Neltus could have initiated all of this. How does he get from Uton through the dark realm and into Demonspawn? He wouldn't have made it through the Lacobian on his own, let alone the dark realm."

"He has a point," Jure allowed as he eyed the elf guard. "There are still holes in all of this."

"But you still believe Reiculf is involved, do you not?" Holli pressed the elder wizard.

"I do. If this was some trap, and I don't see how it's anything else, there's no one else who could control a pit demon."

"I also remain concerned about Reiculf's possible involvement," the elf acknowledged. "Consider Neltus. He has become more cunning and more devious. Perhaps it was born from the desperation from losing his magic, or perhaps it is something darker... the taint of Reiculf's control. The demon lord once possessed Neltus' essence. It is likely such evil left behind a stain of contamination."

"Do you think Reiculf is actually controlling Neltus again?" Jure asked.

"No, I do not. Neltus actions may reveal a more sinister outlook, but they have not reached a level associated with the daokiln. Still, we should not dismiss the possible connection."

"I'm telling you, Reiculf can't be the one going after Linda," Ryson insisted.

Vraya had remained surprisingly quiet until that very moment.

"If you're looking for enlightenment, you might just have it within reach," the sorceress advised.

Ryson reacted almost immediately. He understood exactly what the petite sorceress meant, and his hand reached over his shoulder to grasp the handle of the Sword of Decree. With one swift tug, he released the blade from its sheath and held the weapon in front of him. He stared at the glowing metal with sheer determination.

The shining sword reflected the flames of the nearby fireplace as well as from the surrounding lamps. With one sudden burst, it bathed Enin's study in miraculous radiance. As it continued to glow, it offered direction, though not quite revealing every detail of the danger they faced.

"We have to go see Baannat," Ryson claimed as he looked to his companions with a growing anger at having to face the slink ghoul one more time.

"Neltus was here," Ryson revealed, as he examined the trails on the top of the spire and reported his findings to his companions.

Jure had transported them from Enin's study directly to the plateau of the tall rock tower. If they were going to confront Baannat, they needed to enter the dark realm and stand upon the bridge where they could reach into the slink ghoul's realm of nonexistence. Jure was able to cast the necessary spells to bring them there, but upon arriving, they found several surprises.

Though the spire peak was unoccupied, there were signs of recent activity. Both the delver and the elf guard immediately noticed the fresh tracks across the dusty, flat rock, and they all spotted the hazy rift floating in midair. As Ryson and Holli examined the markings on the ground, the elder wizard focused his attention on the gray shadow of a portal which hovered over the center of the plateau.

"Neltus created this," Jure advised. "I'm sure of it, but it's odd. It's his spell. I can see his design all over it, but I don't think it was his magic. It was crimson energy which opened the rift, but it wasn't his. It's also no longer being held together by the initial spell. Energy from the other side of the gateway is holding it open."

Holli considered everything she saw and heard. Ryson's enchanted sword might have directed them to Baannat, but the weapon did not offer any further details involving the slink ghoul, Neltus, or even the pit demon. Their initial discoveries added information, but she still needed to place everything in the proper context.

The elf guard had allowed Vraya to accompany them, but she insisted the sorceress follow every request, every order. Holli believed having a sorceress powerful in the ways of alteration would prove advantageous, and she was about to put that belief to the test.

"Vraya, examine the portal," the elf guard demanded. "Tell me exactly what you sense."

The petite sorceress moved carefully toward the shadowed hole. She dared not touch it, for she could sense the vast differences between the realms connected by the gateway.

"Jure is correct. The makeup of the portal hasn't really changed, but the source of its power has. The magic which originally constructed the portal has been replaced. It's been washed away by energy from the other side of the rift. The magic seems to be of ebony essence, but for some reason, I don't think that's right. There's something lacking in the energy itself."

"That's not a surprise," Jure offered. "I think the magic in there is as empty as the realm itself."

"Empty magic?" Vraya questioned.

"Maybe that's not the best way to describe it," Jure explained. "It still has a certain level of power, but it's not like the energy in Uton, or even here in the dark lands. The extent of its influence is shaped by the hollowness of Baannat's realm."

"So it might have the essence of shadow?" Vraya wondered. "That would give it a similar pulse as ebony magic."

"I can't really be sure. I've never touched it myself. But I do know that Ansas thought it was black energy. He embraced it without knowing it was from Baannat's realm. When Ansas was trying to gain strength, he reached for magic he believed was untouched. At that time, he believed the magic in there was the purest of ebony energy."

"I can see why he thought that. I know he was always obsessed with purity, and this energy appears as if there's a complete absence of all other hues."

"There is an absence of everything," Holli advised. "Baannat's realm is one of nonexistence."

"I've always found it interesting Ansas didn't notice that when he filled himself with this energy," Jure noted, as he continued to inspect the portal. "Emptiness is not the same as transformation."

"No, it's not," Vraya agreed, "but along with the feel of shadow, I can't deny the strong sense of alteration coming from the portal itself. Maybe that's what blinded Ansas to the content of the power. The portal is actually one massive piece of transformative energy. I can feel the drastic levels of variation all around it. If Ansas once pulled energy directly from Baannat's realm by reaching beyond the borders of existence as opposed to pulling it through a portal, the sensation would have been even stronger. He probably thought he was getting the most powerful ebony magic in all of existence."

"Ansas was arrogant and foolish," Ryson offered.

The delver remembered how the ebony casting sorcerer used his wife to purify others, including Neltus. It almost drove Linda mad. He also recalled how Ansas decided to remain in Demonspawn to battle Reiculf. It was a clear demonstration of conceit. Ansas had made many mistakes.

While considering the sorcerer, Ryson placed Ansas within the scope of the puzzle they faced. He had no absolute answers, but certain aspects remained clear to him.

"Ansas is stuck in Demonspawn," the delver continued, "and that's even more reason to believe that Neltus wouldn't deal with Reiculf. Neltus was afraid of Ansas, almost as much as he was afraid of the daokiln. But Baannat... Neltus would have dealt with the slink ghoul."

"But how would Baannat gain control of a pit demon and a doppelganger?" Jure questioned. "That doesn't seem possible."

"I didn't think it was possible Baannat could escape his own realm," Ryson offered, "and yet we're looking at a portal right in front of us. Do you still think Baannat's not involved? My sword says differently."

"I can't deny it looks that way," Jure admitted.

"There remain questions," Holli stated, as she scanned the plateau in its entirety. "How was Neltus able to reach the top of this spire without his core? How was he able to open a portal into Baannat's realm? What did he hope to accomplish by contacting Baannat? And where is the slink ghoul now?"

Jure offered possible answers to the first two questions.

"Neltus used that coin I enchanted when he met with us. He was able to teleport us to the Lacobian. He also stated to Ryson he had used another enchanted item to teleport to Connel."

"Teleportation within Uton is not the same as opening a portal to Baannat's realm or reaching the top of this tower."

"No, it's not," Jure agreed. "But with enough magic, I think Neltus could do it. The fact is, I know he did. No matter how I look at this portal, I see Neltus' design. It wasn't his magic, but it was his spell. There are no other recent tracks up here, so he didn't have help at the time the rift was created. It had to be an enchanted item, which would also mean he probably created the portal before he got his core back. "

"You are certain?"

"I am. I also don't think it would be that difficult for him. I've opened a portal to Baannat's realm myself. The remnant of that spell is still here. It's not fresh, but if he looked for it, he could find it and use it as a guide to open a new gateway."

"And I think I can answer what he wanted from Baannat," Ryson added. "We all agree Neltus wanted his core back. It was Sy who took it from him. Sy's a spirit now. Neltus knew there was no way he could fight a ghost, especially without his magic, but he had to find a way. And what is Baannat? He's something in between a ghost and a slink ghoul. He's not all substance, but he's not a complete spirit either."

"You believe that would be enough for Neltus to actually risk contacting Baannat?" Holli asked. "Let us not forget, Neltus was a cowardly individual without magic of his own. With the properly enchanted items, he might have had the means to reach this precipice and contact the slink ghoul, but would he have the fortitude? That is a daring proposition."

"No, it's desperate," Ryson answered. "And that's what Neltus was. He was desperate to get his magic back, and now that he has it, he's not going to give it up. I could see that when he tried to kill me. If he thought Baannat could help him beat Sy, he'd face the slink ghoul to do just that."

"But you still do not think Neltus would face Reiculf?" Holli pressed.

"That's another story. I know what I know, and I'm certain Reiculf can't harm Linda. If Neltus was part of a plan to get Linda, it couldn't have been generated by the daokiln. It just couldn't. I'm sure of that, but there's nothing keeping Baannat from going after her. There's also a reason why the ghoul might
want
to. He had her in his realm once before. He tortured her. He might want to do it again."

Jure nodded in agreement.

"It makes some sense," the elder wizard suggested. "Baannat once had Linda
and
Enin trapped in his realm. He might want them both back."

"Then we return to my last question," Holli responded. "Where is Baannat?"

"The portal is still open," Vraya pointed out. "That would indicate he hasn't completed whatever it was he wanted to do here."

"Do you think he is wandering around the dark realm?" the elf guard asked.

"I don't," Jure insisted. "Enin and I talked about Baannat. He might be able to crossover to this plateau, but he would find it very difficult to exist for any period of time outside his own realm. Yes, he has substance, but with each moment he spends in nonexistence, it becomes more difficult for him to maintain his form in a purely physical world. He might be able to move around this plateau—he once admitted it acted as a bridge for him—but going off deeper into the dark realm would be a risky decision. I think if he were to venture too far for too long into a physical world, he would ultimately break apart."

"But he could leave the plateau for a short duration, correct?"

"Yes, but I still think it's more likely he's back in his realm."

"Then why is the portal still open?" Holli questioned.

"When I find him, I'll ask him," Ryson stated far too harshly for Holli's liking.
The elf guard noted a growing hostility in the delver, and she could see he had already made a decision about what he was going to do next.

"Do you really believe it is wise to enter Baannat's realm?" she challenged.

"We have to know where he is. If not here, then there aren't too many other alternatives."

"Facing the slink ghoul in his own territory may not be the best way to determine the ghoul's location."

"I've faced him in there before. I can handle him."

"You know, this could be exactly what Baannat and Neltus want," Jure suggested to Ryson. "This could be a trap. They might want you in there. You're the biggest threat to the slink ghoul there is."

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does matter," Holli contradicted the delver. "We can not afford foolishness at this point. Additional mistakes will not help. Enin is still in the clutches of a pit demon, and Neltus remains at large with his magical core intact. If you become trapped in Baannat's realm, our predicament may become too critical to overcome."

"You want to know where Baannat is," Ryson reminded the elf guard. "Do you have another way to answer that question?"

"Perhaps that question should wait."

"Wait for what? It was my sword which directed us here. Do you really just want to walk away... ignore the message from the sword?"

"No, I do not, but I worry about your priorities."

"My priority is to protect my wife."

"Commendable, but also emotional. And your emotions may lead to mistakes. I know. Or have you forgotten the errors I have made in my desire to correct my own poor judgment?"

"I'm still waiting for other options," Ryson replied. "I'm the only one who can go in there and face Baannat. We all know that."

"Maybe we should go after Enin first?" Jure offered. "We can't just forget about him."

"I haven't forgotten about him," Ryson revealed, "but you're the one who's been wondering about who could control a pit demon. Should we go battle a dathit without having any idea who's behind all of this? You probably still think Reiculf's involved. Is it smart to take on a pit demon and the daokiln without knowing why this portal is even here?"

"I am not arguing with your logic," Holli stated as she reassumed control of the discussion. "I am concerned with your state of mind. I do believe this needs to be investigated, and I also agree that you are the one best suited to handle this. But I must be certain you are ready for the encounter."

"You think I'll be careless?"

"I think there is a danger you will allow emotions to cloud your judgment, as I have allowed them to cloud mine. I am only trying to prevent you from making the same mistake I have already made."

"It's appreciated, but unnecessary."

"Is that conviction speaking... or overconfidence? There is a difference."

"Conviction. I know what's at stake."

"Very well, but let us see if there might be some additional safeguards we can put in place." Holli looked to Vraya. "You have stated you have been able to watch him from a distance. Will you be able to see him when he goes in there?"

"No," the petite sorceress admitted. "His sword won't go with him. It's the magic of being a delver which will allow him to have partial substance in Baannat's realm. That magic won't apply to his sword. If he doesn't have his sword, then I can't follow him. It's the alteration of the blade which I've been using to watch him."

"You stated you watched him against Baannat before."