Joint Intentions (Book 9) (16 page)

"Do you really think it would answer our questions? And if it did, how could we believe whatever it said?"

The sorceress' reservations forced Ryson to consider Vraya's appearance and whether or not he should treat her with any more trust than he would allow a doppelganger. He offered a rather brusque but completely honest consideration of his own rising concerns.

"You're right. We couldn't trust it. And the same might go for you. I have no idea who you are or where you came from."

Vraya revealed little offense at the delver's admission.

"That's very true, but I really haven't asked for your trust, have I?"

"But you're answering my questions. I assume you want me to believe you. Everything you're telling me could be a lie."

"What do I gain with a lie? If I wanted to hurt you, I would have let your friends die."

"Some people help others for their own benefit, to get something they want."

"Have I asked for anything in return?"

"No," Ryson admitted.

"And as for motives, you help others all the time. Did you give that assistance with ulterior motives? And what about your friends? They've offered their aid freely as well. Did they do so in order to obtain something?"

"They helped because it was the right thing to do."

"And you won't give me the same consideration?"

"I don't know you."

"That's true, but I'm hoping you will come to know me. All I ask is that you give me a chance. I have nothing to hide. Look closely at me now. Do you sense anything of a demon in me?"

"You could be anything. You use ebony magic... and you cast in a circle. I've heard that's very rare, and I know it's very dangerous. I've only come across one other person who was able to do that."

"Ansas," Vraya revealed with a nod.

"That's right."

"And you think that since Ansas caused you nothing but grief that I'll probably do the same?"

"It wasn't just grief," Ryson responded almost indignantly. "He caused pain, a great deal of it."

"And you're going to base your opinion of me on your experience with Ansas?"

"You have to admit there are similarities."

Vraya shook her head with obvious disappointment, and then offered her own view of Ryson's bias.

"Enin once cast in two white circles. He used his magic selflessly and with a desire to help others, isn't that right?" the sorceress asked.

"Yes, but I don't see..."

"There was a slink ghoul named Baannat," Vraya continued before the delver could finish. "He also cast in two white circles, but the slink ghoul always had his own interests in mind. Were Enin and Baannat the same?"

"No," Ryson admitted.

"Then if you can't judge Enin based on what you knew of Baannat, don't judge me based on what you know of Ansas."

Ryson couldn't argue with the sorceress' logic, but he remained curious... and somewhat suspicious.

"I still don't know why you're here, or where you came from. And you seem to know certain things about me."

"You're becoming somewhat of a legend in Uton, but I won't lie to you. I've been watching you, especially lately."

"Watching me?"

"Yes, for quite some time actually. I've seen you accomplish some amazing things. More importantly, I've learned a great deal, not only about you, but about myself as well."

The admission surprised the delver and raised his suspicions even further. A dozen questions erupted in his mind. He wanted to know how she was able to watch him without him sensing her. He guessed she used sight spells, but he could not imagine how such spells would have gone unnoticed by his friends, spell casters with considerable magical powers of their own.

"How have you managed that?"

"Through the magic. I'd try to explain, but I know you're not comfortable talking about such things, especially ebony energy. But black magic is the essence of change, and you have to admit, you've had some experiences that have created rather important alterations in the land."

"Do you watch others?"

"No, not the way I've kept my attention on you. I do not like to divide my focus."

Ryson's concerns grew. He wondered from where she watched, and for how long she kept her attention upon him. He considered what she might have seen. He could not deny feeling somewhat violated and he almost erupted in anger. His curiosity, however, continued to overwhelm his resentment, and he revealed the most important question with one simple word.

"Why?"

"Because you are an intriguing individual."

"There are intriguing individuals all over Uton. Why focus on me?"

"As I said before, you've been at the heart of so many critical events."

"So have others. Enin, Holli, Jure; have you been watching them as well?"

"Only when they have been with you."

"Why am I so important to you? Have we met before?"

"No, we haven't."

"Then why would you show up like this, and why would you help me?"

Vraya found the constant questions somewhat unnerving. Normally when she revealed her impressive skills with ebony magic, people offered her a great deal of respect and even liberty. They didn't constantly question her motives, but then again, she had little experience with immensely curious individuals.

"You certainly are a delver."

"I think anyone would be curious about being watched... delver or not."

"Fair enough," Vraya allowed. "And I have been watching you closely, so I do owe you an explanation in that regard. Do you understand the basis of ebony magic?"

"I think so. I know it's rare... and powerful. "

"It is, and my essence is one of transition. The foundation of my magical core is built on the very concepts of absolute alteration."

"But what does that have to do with me... and why you've been watching me?"

"There have been, and continue to be, some extremely important events leading to a great transition in the land. I'm drawn to it. I sense the change. It's the basis of my magic. And let's be honest, the changes that have already occurred over the past season have been epic. Reiculf found a way to break through the boundaries of Demonspawn. Enin lost his power, as did Neltus. Neltus' loss wasn't as important at the time, but he has just regained his core, and that
is
important. That was an event I simply couldn't ignore. It brought me here... and here you are."

Before she could say more, the algors reached Holli and Jure. They split into two groups; one cluster surrounded the elf, the other group encircled the elder wizard. They gathered around in tight circles with some of the algors reaching past others in order to touch those they intended to restore. They gently placed their claws on the two prone bodies and began to pull healing magic directly from the night sky and the cooling sand.

The magic which flowed out of the algors cascaded around the two injured bodies. Healing energy rushed inward to cleanse every wound and mend every broken bone.

For each individual, the magic displayed stark differences in character. Vibrant green was clearly evident in the powerful currents which flowed into Holli. The emerald magic glowed brilliantly in the surrounding darkness. Not only did it remove her injuries, it replenished the elf guard's essence with the power of life that was not always easy to find in the harshness of the Lacobian.

For the wizard, the magic swirled about in all the various hues. Blue appeared to be the dominant color, but only marginally. Red, orange and violet rushed into Jure's body with near equal potency.

The two slowly began to stir, but the algors held them still until they completely healed even the smallest injury. When the magic finally stopped, the algors rose up from the desert as one. They all began to speak simultaneously, but not the exact same words.

Ryson managed to catch several statements, but not all of them.

"You are well again."

"The wizard has quite a reserve of magic."

"All of the colors."

"The desert is a difficult place for an elf."

"They brought the dathit."

"They should leave."

The rest of the declarations blurred together into one indistinguishable mumble of intertwined voices.

"Thank you for your help," Ryson offered, as he raced over toward the elf and wizard and helped his friends from the ground. He looked back to the algors and revealed an honest desire. "I wish there was something more I could do for you, someway to repay you."

The algors responded in unison.

"You are delver, and you are algor—one of us, but not one of us—and so you understand what it means to be algor. When we help you, we help ourselves."

They said nothing more, they simply turned around as a group and walked back to their sanctuary.

Holli could not ignore the algors, but their presence as well as their hasty departure left her confused. She recalled little of what had happened. She remembered returning to the desert with Neltus. She also recalled his assault and the blurring of her surroundings caused by a wave of sand. Realizing she had been attacked by the crimson casting wizard, she prepared to defend herself. Unfortunately, the rotund wizard was no where to be seen.

"Where is Neltus?!" the elf guard demanded.

"He teleported away," Ryson offered.

"Fire upon the fool!" Holli cursed, but she knew her worries did not end with Neltus. "And the dathit?"

"It walked off to the west."

"Still carrying Enin?"

"Yes."

"What of the doppelganger? And who is that... the human woman?"

"The doppelganger was buried right along with you and Jure. I was told it changed into a rock beetle and has burrowed away. The woman appeared after Neltus left. She's a spell caster. She removed the sand that Neltus used to bury you. She's also the one who told me about the doppelganger turning into a rock beetle."

The elf offered a nod of thanks to the petite sorceress, but nothing else. Holli had little time for pleasantries, and though she had a multitude of questions for the stranger, she needed to make a complete appraisal of the dangers and challenges she faced.

She stalked angrily across the desert, analyzing the tracks in the sand. As she moved without pain or stiffness from her previous injuries, she examined the claw marks of so many algors leading to and from the sandstone cliffs. She knew their arrival had been fortunate.

"The algors came to help?"

"I called to them," Ryson admitted.

"It does not appear you left this area. I see their tracks leading from the stone cliffs, but not yours."

Vraya decided to offer an explanation.

"That was me again. I carried Ryson's request to the algor's home with a spell of my own."

It was Jure's turn to enter the conversation with an observation he made from the remnants of Vraya's castings.

"I sense your spells. You cast in ebony magic."

"I do," Vraya admitted.

"And your spells are quite controlled. You cast in a circle, don't you?"

"Right again."

The revelation proved to be yet another dagger into Holli's evaluation of their situation, and despite the other issues she faced, she immediately needed to assess the danger posed by the potentially powerful sorceress.

"Why are you here?"

Vraya sensed the suspicion in Holli's voice and in the elf's icy stare, but she disregarded it and answered without apparent insult.

"I've sensed some staggering changes in the land."

"She said she was watching us," Ryson offered before the sorceress could continue, making sure Holli was given all available information.

Vraya corrected the delver just as quickly.

"Actually, I have been focused on the delver, not all of you." Knowing the elf would require further explanation, Vraya continued willingly. "He's been at the heart of some rather important events lately, events which have altered the land in many ways. I've already told the delver of a few, but there are more. A spirit warrior protects his home. That is no small event in its own right, but there are other things as well. All of them revolve, in some way, around Ryson Acumen."

Jure saw clarity in the sorceress' claims. He offered his considerations based on his appreciation of her magic.

"Her essence would be drawn to events causing certain transformation," Jure suggested. "Ryson has been in the middle of some important incidents. Even spell casters who don't cast in ebony have probably felt the impact of some of his actions. For a sorceress with a core of black energy, it would be almost impossible for her to ignore."

Holli would not accept the simple explanation.

"We have not heard of her until this moment... a spell caster capable of casting ebony magic in a perfect circle. Suddenly she appears in the desert just when our situation becomes dire. Do you not find that strange?"