Spirit Past (Book 8) (5 page)

"Do you still believe your magic is more powerful than mine?" Macheve cackled, but it was not the serp who acted. It was Reiculf who had ripped life from the forest and found such pleasure in the display.

Scheff froze, partially in fear, but mostly in uncertainty. He faced the ultimate evil, a malice that was not supposed to exist beyond the boundaries of Demonspawn. It was as if the very bowels of the dark realm had been unlocked and poured onto the ground before him.

"Still hoping to understand it all?" Macheve asked. "The answer is within you, just as it was once within me."

"This is not a part of me!" Scheff disputed.

"But it is. You willingly accepted Ansas' magic. You opened a conduit to your core. Even though the sorcerer's magic no longer resides within you, the channel still exists. That is your past, a choice you can
not deny. Reiculf can reach through such a conduit, mix his essence with yours. You will become a part of him and he will become a part of you... but control will be his."

"No! We are not in Demonspawn. His power is limited to that dimension."

"Come now. You just saw what I did. Do you think I could do that on my own... a lowly serp? I have walked upon the desolate grounds of Demonspawn. I have met... and joined with the daokiln. Now, he can reach other realms through me, thus I came for you."

Scheff saw the ecstatic expectation in Macheve's eyes. He knew the serp was preparing to take over his mind. She could not do so with her own influence, but she had access to the greatest of all evils. If a passage to his core did exist, he was more than just vulnerable, he was in grave danger. Grasping at one last hope, the elf professed his own belief regarding the daokiln.

"I do not accept his presence!"

Macheve cackled again.

"You do not have to. To a degree, the rules have changed. He does not have to wait for you to come to him. He can take you on his own."

"Not if I refuse him!"

"Normally, that might be true, but you continue to forget your past. You accepted the sorcerer's magic. It was
you
that made that decision, not Reiculf. No one forced it upon you, and now you have to face the consequences. You can't deny what you've done."

"I make no attempt to deny it, but I have grown, and I will not make the same mistake again."

"Irrelevant."

As if to prove the declaration, Reiculf unleashed his dreadful magic. He reached out through Macheve, used her manipulative talents and expanded them to an unimaginable level. With his own energy reaching out like a thousand tentacles, Reiculf took hold of the pathway that still existed to the center of Scheff's essence.

The daokiln sliced off a portion of the elf's core and replaced it with his own diseased magic. Pulling Scheff's essence through Macheve, Reiculf consumed it back in Demonspawn, thus mingling the elf's energy with his own... both in his body and Scheff's. The connection was complete. The elf spell caster was in the grip of the demon master.

Neltus knew the infern would be waiting for him, but he pretended to be surprised. He entered his private room at the tavern with casual ease, but came to a complete halt at the sight of his unannounced guest. The crimson casting wizard appeared momentarily startled. He gave his visitor a perplexed look as he stood apparently unprepared for the half-demon's presence, but nothing could have been further from the truth.

"Torch boy? Is that you?"

Gnafil never appreciated the nickname the obnoxious spell caster gave him. He didn't wish to respond and give the wizard the satisfaction, but his desires no longer mattered. He was on a mission for Reiculf, and so the half-demon swallowed his pride.

"You know it is," Gnafil replied. "Though Ansas' magic is no longer inside us, the echoes of the bond remain. There is no way to completely purge the link that was once between us. I can sense you, as I know you can sense me."

"That may be, torch boy, but you shouldn't just sneak into my room like this. I didn't expect you, and I could have mistaken you for a common thief. That wouldn't have gone well for you."

"I can protect myself," the infern hissed.

"Come on, Gnaffy," Neltus replied with a playful and slightly malicious grin. "You know you could never beat me. Nothing to be ashamed of, it's nothing personal. Just the natural alignment of the elements. Fire versus rock and dirt; I always win. You can't burn through what I can cast, but I can always snuff you out."

The infern would have enjoyed putting that claim to the test, especially with his amber magic mixed with the sheer intensity of Reiculf's malice. With the energy at his disposal, the infern could have burned through granite like it was dry kindling, but he was forced to focus on the daokiln's wishes and not his own.

"That is no longer the case, but I am not here to challenge you."

"Oh, and why are you here?" Neltus asked, pretending to be curious.

The human wizard, however, already knew the answer, and it chilled his soul. Still, he did his best to appear as confident as ever. If he was to survive, he needed to time his escape perfectly. It took a great deal of preparation for the spells he was about to cast, but misdirection was as important as timing.

He walked further into his room, pretending that Gnafil's visit was unimportant to him... even mundane. He casually removed his coat, which further unveiled his rather unkempt appearance. His shirt was wrinkled and slightly stained with various spots of gravy and ale. He threw his coat on a chair in the corner and emptied the contents of one of his pockets on a desktop. He appeared completely unfazed by the infern's appearance, even as a sizeable chunk of fear gnawed at his insides.

The wizard would have preferred to run, but he knew he would be caught. Gnafil was right; they were still connected by shadows of the past. Neltus wouldn't be able to hide his trail from the infern unless he covered his tracks, and that had to be done with precise skill.

As the wizard moved about the room, Gnafil watched carefully for clues of Neltus' intentions. He sensed something different about the spell caster, but the infern could never appreciate the outrageous antics of the wizard. The obnoxious human was always something of an oddity to the half-demon. Without wishing to waste anymore time, Gnafil announced the purpose of his visit.

"Your skills are required by Reiculf."

Neltus froze, his hands remained near the assorted items he had removed from his pocket. He continued to stare at the numerous coins spread across the desktop. He allowed the fear that was already within him to bubble to the surface, but just for a moment. He believed it was necessary to complete the charade.

Hoping to make a quick and severe turn of emotions, he quickly bit down on his anxiety and let out a laugh. His sizeable belly shook enough to disturb the desk and send two coins rolling off the edge. He looked back at the infern as he ran his fingers through his unkempt hair.

"You had me going there for a moment," the spell caster admitted through a wide smile. "Reiculf? Good one. Even scarier than Enin. I guess you figured you had to come up with something big, but come on... the demon master? Really? Don't you think that's a bit much?"

Gnafil was slightly confused by the reaction. He noted the initial fear, understood it, but laughing at the daokiln was like swimming with river rogues, not a good idea.

"Take care, wizard. Reiculf does not share your sense of humor."

"Of course he doesn't, but
you
seem to like jokes."

"Jokes?"

"Come on, torch boy, don't carry this too far. Do you think I just fell off the vegetable cart?"

"You are speaking riddles to me," the infern admitted, unable to comprehend Neltus' reaction.

"Okay," the wizard allowed, "let me spell it out for you. You're pulling my leg. I don't know why, maybe you want to get back at me for calling you torch boy. It's a good joke, but that's all it is."

"You think this is some game?"

"Absolutely," the wizard lied.

"Then you are wrong."

"No, I'm not," Neltus insisted with an even bigger smile. "It's a gag. It has to be. I know you couldn't have talked to Reiculf. I might not know everything there is to know about demons, but I know the master of all demons isn't going to waste his time with the likes of you... or me for that matter. I also know you wouldn't be able to see him. Right? I mean there are rules about demons, not that I understand them, but you can't just waltz over and have a little talk with Reiculf. You should have chosen someone else. Maybe Godson. That would have been a good one, too."

"The rules have changed," Gnafil snarled, beginning to believe he understood the spell caster's impudence.

"Rules don't change," Neltus scoffed. "Not rules like that anyway. This is Reiculf we're talking about. If he could reach out to you or me, he'd just destroy us all."

"But he
can
reach out to you or me. Ansas has made it possible."

"Ansas? What's he got to do with this? That sorcerer is long gone and I say good riddance."

"You wouldn't have said that to his face."

"That's very true, but I don't have to. Like I said, he's gone, taken away by that Baannat creature. Look, Gnaffy, this joke has gone on long enough. I'm all for a good laugh, but you're overdoing it. In all honesty, I'm a bit surprised. You used to be such a stick in the mud. I couldn't even get a chuckle out of you. Now, you're making jokes about Reiculf. Quite a jump, but if this is a new side of you, it needs some work. How about we go get something to eat and work on it together?"

Neltus raised an eyebrow and did his best to offer an expression of goodwill. He had put on quite an act, but he knew it was necessary. He had hoped it would be enough, hoped that the infern would recall his pompous behavior and accept the charade as nothing more than an annoying reflection of the wizard's personality.

The infern was more confused than suspicious. He expected Neltus to offer resistance, but not in the manner of outright amusement. Gnafil snarled with irritation as he felt it necessary to clarify the wizard's fate.

"Ansas may have been taken, but his discoveries have altered existence. You already know that. Your magic was used to link the serps of the coast, to allow them to pool their talents."

"So?" the wizard questioned with a shrug.

"Those serps were sent to Demonspawn by Enin."

Neltus feigned momentary shock. He wanted to make it appear as if he had no idea what had happened to the members of the serp council, even though that was far from the truth.

He was not there to witness Enin's dismissal of the serp council into Demonspawn, but the echoes of their past connection remained strong enough for him to sense their passing into the realm of hate and despair. Even though they no longer held any of his magical core, he could still sense certain cataclysmic events. Passage into Demonspawn was not some insignificant affair. When the serps were forced into the pit of hate, it rang out to Neltus through the shadows of magic that once connected them all. He knew when they expired, and he even knew that one had avoided death.

"Really?" Neltus questioned, hoping to sound convincingly surprised. "Enin sent them to Demonspawn?"

"A fate they earned," Gnafil acknowledged.

"A dreadful end," Neltus admitted with a shake of his head. "I imagine it was painful."

"Their fate is not as important as the ultimate consequences. Through the serps, Reiculf learned of Ansas' discoveries. He obtained the notes the sorcerer made and adjusted the knowledge for his own purposes. He has learned how to transcend certain boundaries by mixing magical cores."

"Mixing?"

"Yes, he has created a bond through the magic itself that ties my core to his... and his to mine. He has found a way to reach out beyond Demonspawn."

Neltus stared at the infern, but only for a moment. He then began to pace about the room, apparently contemplating the news as if considering it for the first time. He even mumbled a few words the infern could not hear.

"This can't be true," Neltus finally responded, allowing his very real fear to bubble to the surface once more. There was no longer a need to hide it, and it would help him execute his plan.

"It is true," the infern insisted, "and Reiculf seeks all those who have experience in the transference of magical energy. You were joined with Ansas, and you allowed for the linking of the serps. He has great plans for you."

"Plans?" It was not an unexpected revelation, but Neltus allowed his growing fear to make his response that much more convincing. "For me? I don't want anything to do with this!"

Gnafil found the reaction more than sincere. He expected it. He knew the cowardice of the human spell caster would race to the forefront when confronted with superior power, and there were none in all of Uton that could match the vile energy of the demon master.

"That is not a surprise, but as I indicated before, you have no choice in the matter."

"But what if I refuse?" Neltus moaned.

"You will not be able to refuse. Reiculf can act through me. He can seize you at will."

Neltus turned silent, but again, only for a brief moment. His future was at hand, a choice had to be made. He knew it would come, and he had dreaded its arrival.

If he was to escape, he had to immerse himself in the qualities Gnafil knew he possessed. He had revealed his fear and succeeded in displaying the proper reluctance to serve the daokiln. His fear, however, would eventually be replaced by the desire to both survive and profit from an unavoidable outcome. He had made deals in the past—deals with powerful beings—and the half-demon was aware of his shady history.

Neltus allowed twisted thoughts to race through his mind. He wondered what it would be like to have the power of Reiculf at his command. He imagined all his past enemies kneeling before him. Deep down, he knew he would find no satisfaction through the demon master, but he needed to look beyond such awareness. He needed to appear willing to accept what the infern offered.

He also had to focus on his own hopes of influence and riches. It was possible that his own selfishness might actually save him. He looked upon the infern with a hint of enthusiasm, and then explained his thoughts.

"Maybe this could work out for all of us," the wizard offered with a wry smile.

"You sound as if you are considering some deal. There is no..."

The wizard cut off the infern.

"Now, now, Gnaffy! You might be connected to the big demon, but maybe you don't understand him as well as I do."

"You think you understand the daokiln?" the infern questioned harshly.

"I understand the facts. Reiculf could have taken me the moment I walked through the door, but he didn't. He wanted it all explained to me first."

"What does it matter?" the infern wondered.

"Why would he waste his time? Maybe because he
wants
to make a deal. Let's be honest, you know what I'm like. That means so does he. He knows I wouldn't dare fight him. I didn't want to fight Ansas... or Enin. And I certainly don't want to confront Reiculf."

"He knows you would not be so foolish, if that is what you mean."

"That's true, but doesn't it go beyond that? It seems Reiculf can take what he wants, but here you are still talking to me. I may not be able to refuse him, but choice does matter, doesn't it? I mean, he could force me if he wanted to, I accept that, but he'd prefer I would agree on my own."

"That would alter the dynamic between you," the half-demon confessed.

"So let me make the choice," the wizard offered eagerly.

The half-demon appeared willing to accept the suggestion, or at least consider Neltus' terms of surrender.

"What do you propose?"

"Let me create the portal to Demonspawn. Let me meet Reiculf in his domain. That way there would be no question, no doubt about my commitment."

"You would willingly step into Demonspawn?"

"It's like you said, I really don't have a choice. And you know me... I'd rather live with a demon than die with an angel."