A dragonslayers tale
Chapter 13: Mage's wisdom equals mage's foolly

The high mage was staring down at the crystal, his eyes narrow and his expression one of worry. The crystal was what had given them the opportunity to bring the wall down for their new dragons and it was a very powerful artefact which had been discovered by chance almost a century ago. It had given them a golden opportunity for otherwise it would have been very hard to take the fight to the enemy south of the mountains. It would have been accomplished, no doubt about that but it would have taken much more time. As it were the crystal had speeded things up and he was in a way worried because of this. The brotherhood was too impatient, too determined to see results soon. The mage was a very skilled one, once he had been a top student at the academy and his road to the path of chaos had been a long and winding one, born out of an endless row of tragedies and misfortune. He wasn’t a fanatic, nor was he a dreamer. He saw things in the light of logic and he was proud of this. He did want to create a name for himself, to be remembered and this was a good choice then. But the actions of the brotherhood weren’t logical anymore, the new things which had been conjured up or resurrected were beyond them all. The leaders refused to listen to the mages and now this. At the base of all magic lays logic and this was just the opposite, they were racing along and didn’t bother with such things as proper preparations. Sooner or later things would go awry and when magic does that it is rarely pretty, nor is it safe.

He stared at the crystal, over the last days it seemed to have changed, the colour had become less vibrant and the glow had diminished. It was placed near his chambers high in the citadel since he was in charge of it and he would have known if anyone had entered the chambers and tampered with it. He hadn’t told Simaon, the idiot wouldn’t understand at all. When he was around the crystal it felt as if it was being drained somehow, as if the energy was leaking away and he was afraid that the wall would return to normal sooner than expected. He sighed and took a deep breath, started chanting a soft monotonous melody, the crystal seemed to hum in tune with it but the tone was off somehow. He grimaced and stopped, stared at the crystal. “So, what is wrong with you?”

He walked over to an altar and picked up a sort of wand, it held another piece of crystal and he stared at the huge crystal once more. This did evade him, and that ticked him off. He was the best of all the mages gathered there, the one with the most experience and also the most intelligent one. The younger ones were eager, some fanatics and others too taken by their own hopes for power and might. They didn’t see the pattern behind the things they did, if the balance truly was to be shifted in their favour they had to work in a specific manner. Things had to be done subtly, not with huge exaggerated shows of strength. A man who brags too much about himself is sure to lose everything sooner or later and he had learned that a humble path is a safe path. In special when dealing with the forces of chaos, it is in its very nature that it seeks to destroy everything, even those who serve it.

He held the wand over the huge crystal and this time he did chant something different, a much faster and high pitched spell and he closed his eyes and let his energy merge with that of the crystal. It was rather dangerous but he was skilled and in control of himself and it wasn’t that difficult when you knew how to do it. He allowed the energy to flow freely through his mind and then he broke the connection with a gasp, he stared at the crystal with huge eyes and then he dropped the wand and swore, so bad it was a miracle he didn’t spontaneously combust there and then.

What in hell’s depths were those idiots doing? This could end with a disaster, what was Simaon really thinking? The obnoxious fool was bringing something like that to the city? He had lost every little ounce of common sense he ever had owned and the mage had to take some deep breaths. You cannot expect that something like that would end well, it would be like throwing a lit torch unto gunpowder and thinking that nothing would happen. He threw a thick velvet cloth over the crystal and then he took off. If Simaon really had an associate out there that person had to be stopped. Old Badrian had been right, they should listen to the advice given to them by the ancient ones. The warnings were real, not just fairy tales and he didn’t want to lose everything just because of some overly zealous fools. These noble men were used to having things their way the moment they waved a finger but that didn’t happen here. You cannot rush magic, it has its own schedule and sometimes that schedule was rather different from that of the humans trying to exploit it. Spells cannot just be thrown, they have to be prepared and the timing has to be perfect, and to introduce a force of chaos into this delicate balance they had spent centuries creating would be foolish to say the least.

He had a thing or two to say to Simaon and he gathered his cloak tighter around himself and walked off at a brisk pace. He was not going to let this pass by without doing something about it. Simaon had no idea of what he was about to do, it would be a grand mistake. The high mage had cooperated with Arabur and tried to stop whoever it was Simaon had out there but it had failed so far and that alone told the mage that the person behind the dragon’s death was someone very dangerous indeed. The elemental they had summoned had disappeared and the mage controlling it had almost died and the goblins too had vanished, something was truly wrong and he was afraid that it was more than one person after all. The so called associate of Simaon was probably just an ordinary person, not capable of handling great magic at all and he or she could have been misled. If perhaps a group of mages was heading their way it could end with a complete disaster. The balance of the magic there so very fragile. So much could go terribly wrong.

The mage hurried through the polished marble halls and he was mumbling angry words the whole time, Simaon was gonna hear it now, the whole truth. Nobody liked the so called leader and he was surprised that none had finished the man off yet. He was like a peacock, showing off his feathers but cowering the moment a hawk appeared. The citadel was just as gorgeous on the inside as the outside and it did show a great deal of wealth. The guards recognized him and did nothing to stop him, they saw that he was angry and trying to stop a pissed off mage would usually be the last thing you ever did. Most men prefer to die in their own beds, peacefully in their sleep, not screaming whilst being devoured by some unnamed demon from the Gods alone knew what dimension.

Simaon had an office at the far end of the administrative wing of the citadel, it was the grandest there was and very luxurious and he walked up to the door and pushed it open, his mind glowing with anger. Simaon stood by the window, that cocky grin plastered to his face and he was fidgeting with something, something golden and small. The black haired man turned and stared at the mage, he frowned. “Jurza, what are you doing here? You have not asked for an audience!”

Jurza sneered. “And never should I have to ask for one, I am the high mage here, the one running this whole operation and you do naught but give orders and organize things even a child would be able to understand better.”

Simaon gaped. “I beg your pardon?!”

Jurza walked closer, pointing at the other man. “You have ordered someone out there, seemingly working for you, to bring a person capable of killing a dragon over here?! Are you completely out of your mind? That sort of powerful and unknown magic cannot be mixed with ours, it will have the potential to destroy everything!”

Simaon just laughed. “You are the stupid one here Jurza, imagine what we can do with such power?”

Jurza almost growled. “You are no mage, you have no idea of what magic truly is, and how it works. It is a most delicate thing, like webbing spun from sugar, one wrong move and everything will crumble. That person cannot be allowed to get any closer.”

Simaon just shrugged. “Oh, I hear that lord Buraz and Arabur already have tried stopping it, with the help of some of the younger mages. They didn’t succeed. Which just proves that I am right, that power ought to be ours”

Jurza gaped, some of the other mages had tried too? And he hadn’t been informed? That was outrageous and told him that they truly could be facing real problems. Simaon waved a hand. “Don’t worry, I have ordered some of the newest creations we have to move forth, nothing will get past them which I don’t approve off”

Jurza hissed. “Oh you fool, you incompetent rambling…arse! Didn’t you hear what old Badrian said? Your actions can cause this whole operation to fall apart like a house of cards.”

Simaon scoffed. “And who is the drama queen hmm? You mages do always exaggerate, it is in your nature. The dreghil will kill everyone except that person with the magical power and that person will be ours then, a valuable tool”

The mage went pale like a sheet. “Dreghil? You have released dreghil? Gods!”

Simaon just grinned and shrugged, his eyes did reveal a great deal of glee. He enjoyed seeing the mages squirm. “Oh they are just another weapon right? Created to be used by us, in whatever manner suits us. Don’t worry so much, it will be alright”

Jurza had a hard time talking, the shock simply too great. “Simaon, you are no mage, you are not even well versed in the lore of old. You cannot be serious, the dreghil are something so terrible our ancestors never even dared to use them.”

Simaon grinned even wider. “Then they’ll make mincemeat of any enemies, like I say, no worries there”

Jurza was panting. “You will cause our fall, I just know you will. You are an arrogant beast and I despise the dirt upon which you have treaded. The mages won’t take orders from you anymore, I will make sure of that”

Simaon frowned. “Jurza, don’t be silly now, be a good little bookworm and go read some spells or something. Let the real men deal with politics and protection”

He was flipping something between his fingers and Jurza saw what it was, a small gold coin of some sorts. He felt the magic in it and realized that Simaon really truly didn’t have a clue about what he was doing. The coin was extremely dangerous and no sane mage would have dared to handle it, and here that fool was playing with it? Jurza felt how anger exploded within him, how his fear and frustration and utter despise of the man just burst forth and he pretended to be turning around to leave. Simaon laughed. “Yes, go back to the basement like a good obedient pet, after all, you mages know so little about life”

Jurza spun around, a small throwing knife left his right hand and flew straight for the tall man, and it should have pierced his chest but stopped just inches from his skin. Jurza blinked in surprise and Simaon sent him a devilish grin. “Protective spells can be bought you see!”

Simaon made a gesture and the dagger flew back, so fast Jurza didn’t have time to dodge it. It hit him square in the chest and he fell with a thud, his last dying thought one of utter disbelief, it shouldn’t have ended thus. Simaon stared down at the dead mage with triumph, he was truly invincible and he laughed out loud. He didn’t notice that Arabur had been standing behind the door the whole time, witnessing the entire scene. The fat man was shaking all over, their best mage dead because of Simaon? Oh now he really truly had a cause for this. He just had to gather his courage, and do things right.

He took a deep breath and knocked on the door, he put on his most servile expression and hoped that his acting skills didn’t let him down now. Simaon stared at Arabur who stopped as if he got really startled by the sight of the dead mage. “Aaahh, what…what has happened here?”

Simaon just made a vague gesture. “The poor man went mad, tried to attack me, he had it coming. So, why are you here?”

Arabur bowed his head. “Uh, I am just here to tell you that the final tests of the larger cross breeds have been a success, they are ready!”

Simaon raised an eyebrow. “Indeed? How delightful, I hope that we can send them out tomorrow then?”

Arabur nodded. “Oh yes, they are eager. Mighty beasts, the kingdoms will soon surrender to us”

He saw that Simaon walked over to the window, staring at the city below. Magical lights did turn it into an enchanting and beautiful sight, like a huge tree filled with thousands of many coloured fireflies. The man was chuckling with delight and Arabur did for once in his life move with stealth, the wine glass in the desk was just a couple of feet from him and he didn’t make a sound. Simaon did stare at the shadow of the mountains, he had just warded off a real threat and now the mages would most certainly be too afraid of him to protest against any of his ideas again. Arabur bowed slightly, the man was shivering a bit and Simaon seemed to grow an inch just out of sheer pride. He was indeed a great leader, one everybody would bow to soon. He waved his hand at Arabur. “You may leave, tomorrow we will be one step closer to our greatest triumph yet”

Arabur bowed even deeper. “Yes…you are right…”

He walked out of the room with his eyes on the floor and cringed as he passed by the body of Jurza, now they had lost their best mage and Simaon was still acting this cocky? Oh this would be so very sweet indeed. He stopped at the end of the corridor and sought shelter behind a small closet. He was rather sure he didn’t have to wait for long.

Simaon was chuckling as he poured himself some wine, the vintage was exquisite and very expensive and it had already been tasted by one of his slaves so it was safe. He did enjoy the sweet taste and drank the entire glass down. Yes, he would celebrate, this was a day of glory and the first of his days as the undisputed master of this whole city. Nobody would oppose to his rule now. He put the glass down and frowned, the wine was strong and left pleasant warmth in his gut but this time the warmth became rather unpleasant rather fast. He cringed, he was suddenly very warm indeed and gasped as pain shot through his body, he grasped his belly and the heat became unbearable, he did let out a shriek as he staggered backwards, his mind reeling. How was this possible? It couldn’t be true, he couldn’t have been poisoned? It was so below him to die thus, he was the master of this place, the Gods were on his side weren’t they?

He was unable to stay upright, as he fell towards the window the door opened and Arabur entered, he was staring at Simaon with very cold eyes, the servile expression was gone, all that was left was sheer hatred. “You are worthless, nobody. You are no longer valuable to anyone and you did murder our best mage. This is just what you deserve!”

Simaon crashed into the window and flames burst out of his belly, he was screaming like mad in agony and fear and he fell through the glass in a cloud of sharp shards and fire. Arabur sneered. “Have a nice trip to hell you idiot”

Simaon clawed at anything to hold onto and the coin was still in his hand for some reason, it was warm and he knew it was magical. He had no idea of what sort of magic it contained but he grasped at a straw, screamed as he fell towards the bricks down below. “May the chaos devour you all, goddamn traitors!”

Simaon didn’t have time to say anything more, he did make contact with the ground and it was made from expertly laid bricks and the impact did make the ground shake a bit, the guards by the gates did spring back with gasps of horror and the remains of their former leader laid there and looked like an overripe pomegranate someone has dropped from high up. It wasn’t much left of him which reminded them of a human being. The coin did spin around a few times, the thin piece of gold had survived the fall just fine and it fell over onto its side with a gentle plop. Simaon didn’t know it but if he had known how to use the coin he could have saved himself with ease, as it was the coin had been given a very unspecific order and now it would wait and see if it could replace some way to make sense of it. Magic is patient, time doesn’t exist to this primeval force and so it just felt content to lay there and shine. Its time would come for sure, it would make sense of the order sooner or later.¨

Arabur stared through the broken window and he was chuckling, Buraz had asked for something epic and epic it had been for sure. To watch Simaon fall to his death like a burning torch had been wonderful and Arabur spat out of the window, he felt so much better now. Buraz would lead them, and he would do his best to erase the mistakes Simaon had done, including the whole mess with the so called associate and the person with magical abilities.

He straightened his coat and raised his chins and walked out of the office with an expression like a king. They would all laugh tonight and party, Simaon’s demise was something well worth celebrating. It was a day of glory!

The group was getting ready to move forth, nobody had decided to turn around and although they dreaded the path ahead their resolve was adamant and would never fail. Phraan was tacking up Drake, he was trying not to think too much of the mission, after all, they were facing something few of them could even imagine. The huge cat had returned to him and then it had just disappeared, it probably returned to whatever dimension it belonged to and Phraan didn’t need it anymore so he didn’t try to call it back. He could call for it again when they needed an extra guard. The morning light was grey and faint and the air very cold, they were indeed in the high mountains now and here nature showed no pardon if you didn’t come prepared. Imeah appeared from behind the wall, she was well dressed and should be alright but Phraan saw that she was shivering and he felt a sting of fear right away. He rushed to her side, not caring what the others would think of it. “Are you alright?”

She shook her head and sent him a tiny smile. “No, but do not let me delay you, we need to ride now, right away.”

Dabin frowned. “You said you would tell us something important?”

She nodded but her face was very drawn. “Maybe later today, we have to move on, while there is light”

Phraan frowned. “Are you ill?”

She nodded and got up on her horse, he could see that her eyes were blurred and her expression one of barely contained pain. “Imeah, you are clearly not able to ride, what is wrong, please, do tell me!”

She reached down and caressed his cheek. “I cannot tell you Phraan, not yet. We shared this night but this…this I cannot share, I am sorry”

He swallowed hard. “Then ride with me? Please, you are unable to control the horse should something happen, I can keep you safe”

She sighed and her eyes did sparkle for a moment. “I do thank you for your offer and I accept”

He lifted her off her own horse and put her onto Drake, the others stared. Thiana walked over. “What is wrong?”

Imeah tried to smile. “I am not well, but do not bother, I think I may have eaten something which didn’t agree with me”

The wood elf did look rather suspicious but shrugged and walked off and Phraan did see that Zaray was staring at the ground, her eyes dark and her face told of sorrow. He felt panic surge through his body, Imeah had more or less said that she wouldn’t survive this journey, was this it?

They rode on, the terrain was even worse to cross downhill and they used much of the morn getting back to the valley floor. From there it went a little smoother and they could increase their speed. The huge rock wall which indicated the start of the hidden path was getting more and more impressive and Phraan stared at it with narrow eyes. How that could mark the start of anything was beyond him, the wall was several miles wide and so tall it felt as if it was towering above them already. Zaray was keeping her eyes open for trolls and other creatures and here the ground was surprisingly even and there were few screes and loose rocks. They rounded a turn and saw some odd discolorations of the ground, and some pieces of wood did protrude from the soil. Zaray just pointed at them. “These are the last remnants of the Great War, much blood was shed here, so much it forever changed the soil.”

Phraan shuddered, it was as if the cliffs still resounded with the cries and shouts of a great battle. Imeah sat in front of him and she had been quiet the whole time, sometimes she would shudder and her eyes close. She was obviously in great pain so why didn’t she allow them to help her? There had to be something they could do? Why did this happen? She was so warm to the touch and he felt so terrible for not doing anything, Peter did ride up next to them and he was staring at Imeah. “How is she doing? Can it be food poisoning?”

Phraan shook his head. “No, we all ate the same last night, I have no idea of what it is, she refuses to talk to me”

Peter tilted his head. “Tersus has got medicine? I bet he can make something which will ease her discomfort”

Imeah waved a hand in a gesture as if to ward something off. “No, no medicine.”

Phraan groaned. “But you suffer, please, tell me what’s wrong”

She leaned back against him. “No, the time isn’t right”

A shudder ran through her and he had to hold her tight to prevent her from falling, what in the name of every hell was wrong with her?

They rode for yet a couple of hours and Zaray stopped by a tiny lake. The water was so clear it was as if it wasn’t even there and freezing cold and the strange woman did bring some water over to Imeah in a cup. “Here, you need this”

Imeah took the cup but she was barely able to move and Phraan was close to tears. “Zaray, I beg you, there must be something we can do?”

Zaray sighed and put a hand on his arm, she appeared to be just as gripped by despair as him. “No, Imeah has chosen her fate Phraan, nothing can save her.”

Phraan let out a roar. “Then what is wrong?! She wasn’t ill yesterday, and now…she is dying!”

Zaray just sent him a dark glance and walked off and he let out a small wail and embraced Imeah again, this was like losing Vitile again, he couldn’t bare it. “Imeah, listen to me, what is wrong with you”

She stared at him, the red eyes glazed and distant and she was barely able to speak. “No, not yet”

Everybody was staring at them and Fastonar walked over, he was very worried and Phraan saw that he was a bit pale too. “We cannot linger here, can you carry her on the horse again?”

Phraan swallowed a harsh sob. “No, I…she is in too much pain, she cannot ride now”

Fastonar laid a hand on his shoulder. “Then we’ll keep watch, I…I am sorry”

Imeah was writhing, her skin burning hot and Phraan could swear he heard cracking sounds, as if her bones did snap when the convulsions got worse. She wasn’t making any sounds though, her agony was silent and he felt hot tears flowing down his cheeks. Watching her suffer thus was horrible and the others did keep their distance, gave them some privacy. She appeared to be unconscious but after a while she opened her eyes and they were clear again. “Phraan”

He leaned in closer, her voice barely audible and she closed her eyes again. “Yes?”

She held his hand, hers so tiny and warm and he felt as if despair was going to swallow him whole. “Do not tell anyone of what I am about to say, it is time”

He pretended to gather her up, held her closer as if she was dead already. She whispered. “A servant of chaos rides among us, I have been poisoned, by the same hand that killed Vitile. But nobody must know, fate must be allowed to take its course”

Phraan held his breath, disbelief surging through his brain. “No, it cannot be, who would…NO!”

She gasped, her eyes shooting open. “I will go now Phraan, I will prepare the path for you. My spirit has sought the artefact and weakened it, I will make sure that you can enter the mountains but time is of the essence, you cannot hesitate. I can only do this for a while, before my spirit is called forth to join my ancestors.”

Phraan shook her, buried his face against her chest. “Who, who did this to you?”

She smiled, a very sad smile. “It will hurt you”

He gasped and rocked back and forth, overcome by grief. “Not as much as losing you”

She smiled again, there was blood on her lips. “Oh Phraan, you love so easily, your heart is so great. Guard it well my dear, it is your strength, and your weakness. Don’t let love become the ruin of all”

He sobbed. “Who!”

She sighed and told him and Phraan just stared down at her face with disbelief before he felt cold all over. It did make sense, it did all make sense now, in an odd perverted manner. Aiolo couldnt have been alone, it explained everything.Imeah made a gargling sound, her eyes rolled back and he let out a wail. She managed to get back for a fleeting second. “Farewell, I could…have loved someone like you”

Then she suddenly went limp and her breath stopped and Phraan let out a roar of anguish and sorrow. Zaray came over, kneeling next to him. “We need to move on”

He sneered at her. “You! You knew this would happen! Why didn’t you stop it?!”

Zaray sighed and there were tears in her eyes. “Because we cannot succeed without her sacrifice. Her spirit is strong Phraan, stronger than her body ever was. She will help us from the spirit realm. Let go, it is the only way!”

Phraan stared down at the lifeless face, he felt a seething anger inside but he already knew that the secret had to remain a secret for yet a while, he would get his vengeance sooner or later and it would be grand. “Let us at least bury her”

Zaray waved at Ivran. “Get over here, I know you can do it, create a tomb for her, something the scavengers won’t be able to get through”

Phraan laid Imeah’s body onto the ground and Ivran cringed. “Oh Gods, I am so sorry Phraan, I…I liked her a lot”

Phraan had to rinse his nose, tears were still flowing down his cheeks and he felt so emotionally drained it was a wonder he stayed upright. The young man took a deep breath and they stepped away from the body. Ivran tried to focus, he remembered the tombs he had seen before and imagined one being built over Imeah and suddenly the ground seemed to be move and well up like a wave coming from all directions. They got out of the way and the wave of rock did close up around the body and it changed its shape into a box shape and a figure did show up on the top. It was a wolf and Ivran stared at what he had created and Zaray smiled widely. “A wolf, excellent, she had the courage of a she wolf”

Phraan dried his face, how could he face everybody now, knowing what he knew? He couldn’t afford a slip of the tongue nor any other mistakes and he stared at the tomb and in his mind he swore to avenge her, just as he had sworn to avenge Vitile. He walked over to Drake as if he was asleep, he saw that Thiana was crying and Taurin was trying to comfort her and Tersus did look shocked too. Dhokay and Shaluun did stare at the ground, visibly distraught and Fastonar was fidgeting with the reins of his horse, he too seemed distraught. Phraan took a deep breath. “Let’s move, we cannot linger here”

He mounted the huge stallion and the others got on their horses as well, Zaray was staring at him and there was a silent warning in her gaze. She knew something and Phraan had an odd feeling of being the only ignorant one among them. The wall of rock was rather close now and Zaray said they would reach the path the next day, the stone was as smooth as a window and there were no markings upon it of any kind. But now they did see something else far ahead in the distance, between the peaks of the ragged mountains. It was some sort of shimmering light and it did look like auroras but it wasn’t moving and it looked solid. Zaray pointed at it. “The wall”

Phraan felt a surge of sheer awe, it seemed to stretch into the very heavens themselves and it stretched in every direction. “That is impressive!”

Ivran was just staring with his jaw almost hitting his chest, his eyes were wide open. “The sheer amount of power…”

Zaray grinned. “Yes, imagine that”

Dhokay pointed at a narrow gorge straight ahead. “I bet we can stay there, it is getting dark again soon”

Zaray tilted her head. “Yes, but we cannot light any fires, the enemy do know we are coming and they will try to stop us again. We have to be very careful”

Rhuk and Dabin were glaring at the rock face, their expressions told of wonder. Phraan looked down at them. “What is it?”

Rhuk tilted his head. “Ah, that smoothness? It isn’t natural, someone has sort of…changed the rock”

Dabin nodded. “Yes, it is like a piece of butter, being spread over a slice of toast, only with rock as butter and a heck of a huge knife”

Dhokay was blinking and Tersus stared at the rock with obvious awe. “Such magnificent technique, I wonder how it was done?”

Peter shrugged. “Magic?”

Rhuk shook his head, “No, something else, something way closer to the mundane, but it must have taken time. And that tells me that this rock wall is important.”

Zaray sighed and her eyes were very sad. “It is, during the war this valley marked the path to the city, the mountain wall was erected to block it off”

Shaluun frowned. “And yet it marks the start of a path to it?”

Zaray nodded and pointed at the shiny surface. “Yes, one only a few can hope to replace. You will see tomorrow”

Fastonar hadn’t said anything but he was staring at the wall with obvious doubt. “We should never have come to this place, we have lost too many. “

Zaray grinned. “Don’t be so pessimistic, at least we’ll go down in history as true heroes”

Fastonar mumbled. “I wonder! But we’ll avenge our dead, it is our duty and our privilege.”

They rode towards the gorge, it didn’t appear to be very tempting and Shaluun was trying to look for some better place to seek shelter when they noticed an odd greenish light which was approaching the path, rather slowly. Fog followed it and Zaray suddenly turned pale and swore. “Damn it, I was afraid of this”

Fastonar looked scared. “What sort of deviltry is this?”

She got off the mule and nodded to Ivran. “The very worst, Ivran, we need your help now, please, you must create a shield, like in that cave.”

Ivran did look as if he didn’t really understand but he got off the horse and they gathered around him. Phraan did see figures moving in the fog, and he felt chilled to the bone. “What do they do?”

His voice did shiver and Zaray hissed. “They simply suck the very soul out of any living thing and devour it”

Everybody stared at her and Ivran yelped. “That is…I have no word”

Zaray sneered. “Neither do I, they are abominations. I had never even imagined that the brotherhood could become so desperate as to reawaken these monsters”

Ivran was trying to focus and a very shivering dome seemed to rise around them. Fastonar was grasping his sword with pale hands. “Can they be killed?”

Zaray shook her head. “No, they aren’t flesh and blood, just…spirit. Not even my bow can harm these, the arrows will just fly without harming them in the least. In fact it will drain my strength rather fast, they may absorb the energy of the arrows.”

Phraan felt trapped. “The cat, can it harm them then?”

She shook her head. “No to that as well, if Ivran’s dome doesn’t do the job we’ll be in serious trouble. This is the worst the dark mages ever conjured up”

Fastonar was staring at the fog, it moved very slowly and somehow that made it even worse to watch. “You do know an awful lot about their deeds don’t you?”

She nodded. “Naturally enough, I was a prisoner in that city for years.”

Now they heard sounds, odd noises which reminded them of the sound of someone retching rather violently. Dhokay was gaping. “Is that the monsters?”

Zaray nodded. “Yes, charming yes? Don’t move, they have very sharp senses but they don’t see this dimension, only the one which souls inhabit”

Ivran was sweating. “I am not so sure about this dome folks, it isn’t strong, and I feel kind of weird”

Zaray spun around. “What? Don’t tell me you too are falling ill?”

Ivran swallowed. “I don’t know, I just…I don’t feel right. It is as if I am facing some sort of resistance, I cannot explain it. I feel weak!”

The dome was shivering and looked like an oversized soap bubble and Phraan got a bizarre feeling that one prick from a pin would make it burst. They saw the figures in the fog better now and Rhuk and Dabin made a unison sound of horror. Phraan saw why, the figures were dwarves, or rather, they had been dwarves once upon a time. Now they were wraiths, greenish apparitions of skeletons with some remains of armour and clothes and the empty eye sockets of naked skulls seemed to glow with an insatiable hunger. Rhuk trembled visibly. “By the braids on my father’s feet, what is that?!”

Zaray swallowed. “Dwarf warriors who fell in the war against the chaos, their souls captured by the enemy and turned into this…”

Dabin was green, not as green as the attackers but not far from it. “Oh Gods, it is terrible”

The fog was snaking its way along the ground and Zaray seemed tense, she was fidgeting with a medallion she wore around her neck and her eyes were seemingly aglow. Ivran moaned. “I feel something, it is seeking me!”

Dhokay sneered. “The dark mages, I bet they want to destroy him first and foremost”

Zaray walked over to Ivran, put a hand on his head. “Ivran, close your eyes, listen to me. I will strengthen you and ward off this attack but you have to trust me. I will have to enter your soul to do this”

Ivran blinked and then he nodded, the fear in his eyes was obvious. “A-alright, go ahead.”

Zaray closed her eyes too and she started to mumble something which did sound like spells, the dome was shivering and trembling like jelly and it couldn’t be very strong at all. Ivran jerked and let out a hoarse cry, he was very pale. “Stay still, I have almost reached them”

Zaray was sweating and Phraan saw that she was shivering too, this had to take an awful lot of strength to do. “Do something to distract them, fast!”

Everybody stared at each other and then Tersus made a grimace and opened his saddle bags. He pulled out some small bags made from a very fine cloth and he weighed them in his hands. “I have no idea of whether or not this will work…”

Zaray was panting. “Try goddamn it”

She was chanting even louder now and Ivran was shaking as if in a seizure, his eyes were rolling and there was a crackling sound coming from the dome. Tersus threw the bags, one by one with powerful movements and the bags did fly for quite a distance before they hit the ground. The thin fabric did fall apart and a thin mist of powder did fill the air. Tersus waited for a few seconds and nothing seemed to happen. Then he grasped his flint and steel and made a spark, got some pieces of dry wood to burn and tossed them out as well. The result was terrifying, suddenly there was a loud boom and the air around the dome caught fire. They were standing in the middle of an inferno and the horses did whinny with fear and threw their heads up. The fire burned down very fast and now the fog was gone but the wraiths were still there, staring at the dome and still hungry. Zaray did scream something and pushed against Ivran, she pressed the medallion against his forehead and the young man let out a shrill scream and fell, smoke rose from both him and Zaray and he was gasping. “It is gone, it is gone.”

He got back onto his feet and the dome got more solid again, he was trembling still and Zaray was sitting, obviously completely exhausted. “I closed him off, but it cost me a lot. The dark magic, it was seeking to destroy him, make him vulnerable”

Shaluun stared at her with huge eyes, “What?”

She rubbed her head and shook herself. “They may remember me now, and I had hoped that I would remain forgotten”

She got up, soaked with sweat. “You do know a great deal about magic too, and you are no mage?”

Fastonar’s voice was sarcastic and she nodded. “I only used the magic inherent in my people, I fear that may have been too much”

Rhuk was staring at the wraiths with open disgust and sorrow. “Their souls are lost, condemned.”

Zaray grimaced. “Do not pity them, they are sheer evil now”

Thiana and Taurin was clinging to each other, eyes wide with fear and both were shaking all over, this had to be utter terror to them, being killed by these abominations meant no afterlife. Phraan was hoarse. “Will the dome hold now?”

Zaray shrugged. “I don’t know, Ivran may not be strong enough to hold it up, these things are patient, they are already dead so waiting for days won’t harm them at all”

Fastonar growled. “We are trapped here, goddamn it, I want to die fighting when I die, not…like this”

Ivran closed his eyes. “They know we are here, I can sense them. Their minds are empty, there is nothing there, only hunger. They cannot be stopped”

The first wraith did fling itself against the wall, it was thrown back but Ivran let out a small howl of pain. Zaray grasped him and she did look horrified. “Did you feel it?”

He nodded. “Yes, it hurt like….like ice!”

She turned around, stared at the wraiths, many were emerging and she was in obvious despair, not knowing what to do. “They do target Ivran, damn it. Does anyone have a good idea?”

Nobody spoke and more wraiths attacked the dome, Ivran screamed again, and Phraan did to his horror see that wounds did appear on the young man’s skin. “The dome, it is an extension of his own magic, of his soul. They harm him through it!”

Thiana’s voice was trembling and Phraan stared around him, there had to be something they could do? He turned to Tersus. “Do you have anything useful?”

Tersus shrugged. “Nothing which works against apparitions, I am sorry”

The wraiths were howling, the grotesque faces looked triumphant and Zaray moaned. “I cannot give Ivran more energy, fighting the mages through him has drained me!”

Fastonar frowned. “What did you do?”

She made a grimace. “I killed a few dark mages, it takes a lot out of you”

Dhokay was wide eyed. “No shit? Goddamn it, you do have some power!”

Zaray was leaning against a rock. “Yes, but nowhere near enough”

The wraiths seemed to gather for an all-out storm attack and that would most likely kill Ivran, and bring the dome down. They all prepared to fight for their lives one last time when a sudden flash of light appeared right in front of them. A huge figure seemed to burst out of thin air and it landed on the ground with a heavy thud. They gaped, it was a sort of wingless dragon and its hide was so shiny it did remind them of the skin of certain beetles. It had a heavy head with very strong jaws and the red eyes were filled with an eerie sort of intelligence. It held something in its maw and walked towards them, it was so large even Dhokay only reached the middle of its shoulder. Zaray was gasping. “I cannot believe it…”

The creature seemed friendly, it walked slowly forth and dropped the objects on the ground in front of Phraan. Zaray stared and her face told of utter disbelief. “We have an ally on the inside, take them Phraan, and do it now. It is our only chance.”

He stared at the massive beast, its eyes did follow him with great calm and he took a deep breath, it was a sword and a gem of some sorts and he picked the gem up. It felt warm to the touch and it was quite lovely to look at. Then it felt as if that warmth did spread all through him and he remembered the dream he had had, the mountain top and the feeling of being more than before. This was it, this was that moment again, only with slight differences. The gem seemed to dissolve, become one with him and he blinked and tried to control himself as everything seemed to spin before his very eyes. Zaray was smiling. “At last, the awakening, the sword, take the sword!”

Phraan grasped it, it was a rather long sword which could be used both with one hand and two and the hilt was wrapped with dragon hide and decorated with rubies. The blade itself had an odd dark colour and it was rather narrow with a very long point to it. It was a vicious looking thing, the hand guard shaped like two dragons feet with long talons, pointing away from the hilt and towards the blade again, the pommel was a massive lump of that dark steel but in the middle was an opal and it was shining with breath taking brilliance. He had to stare at the weapon with awe, it felt as if it was forged just for his hands and the balance was perfect. It was a very intimidating sword and it felt empowering just to hold it. Then he felt a sort of jolt of energy rush through him and the blade started to glow from within, bright unreal blue. Everybody stared and Zaray swallowed visibly. “She is yours now, I thought this blade was a mere legend but fate favours the bold it seems”

Phraan frowned. “She?”

Zaray nodded. “Rivath, it is so ancient nobody even knows who forged it”

The wraiths had backed off for a few moments, possibly blinded by the light, but now they howled and came back and Ivran staggered, blood running down his face. “Do something, now!!”

Phraan stared at Zaray with wild eyes. “Please, do tell me that this blade can kill them?”

Zaray nodded. “It can kill everything Phraan, even a God, but you are vulnerable to them, remember what was given”

He frowned. “Imeah did give me…”

Zaray shook her head. “No, not that gift. Your body may be stronger now but your soul is what these beasts are after. No, the shaman! Now is the time, you are awakened, you are who you were meant to be.”

Phraan fished the little piece of metal out of his pocket and Zaray grinned. “Lay it on your palm, quickly now”

Fastonar was staring at Phraan with huge eyes, for a moment it seemed as if Phraan had grown, become even taller than before and he did glow from within, the same eerie glow the blade showed. “By every God…”

The piece of metal laid there for a second, then it suddenly flattened itself and stretched and with a speed which was impossible to believe it covered his entire body before it shaped itself into a full suit of armour. It had exquisite details and it was extremely light. Only a narrow slit in front of Phraan’s eyes were left open and his long hair did flow from a small opening at the back of the helmet like a banner. Phraan stared at his hands, now they were covered by gauntlets which looked a lot like dragon hands and Zaray nodded. “Now they cannot harm you, very few things can, kill them before they kill Ivran!!”

Phraan felt dizzy still, and he was light headed and felt very strange, as if his body somehow was too small for him. He took a deep breath and ran through the dome, he felt no resistance and brought the sword up with a roar. The blade did make a strange sound, like someone singing a very high and clear note and it was both beautiful and eerie at the same time. Wraiths stormed towards him but couldn’t reach him, the armour did ward them off and the glow surrounded him completely now. The blade cut through the wraiths and to his astonishment he did feel the impact, as if these were creatures of flesh and blood. But it did kill, the wraiths sort of vanished into a wisp of smoke when he chopped into them and he knew that the blade did complete him. His gift of killing had finally found its true match and with this blade he could now destroy almost everything he wished to.

He danced through the mass of wraiths, the blade cutting a shining blue path and the armour did look as if it was forged just for him, just as the blade. Zaray was smiling, a very pleased smile. “We do have a chance now, we truly do”

Phraan was moving so fast every movement did become a blur, and he moved without a sound. That was the most amazing thing about it. The remaining wraiths did try to flee, but he did catch up with them with ease and ended them all. He did take a look around and saw no more enemies and the dome did disappear. The huge dragon did just stand there, its red eyes watching him with a sort of acceptance. The armour did disappear, it just shrunk back to a tiny piece of metal again but now it was a ring and it did look very anonymous. Phraan stared at it, tried to take it off but found that he couldn’t. Zaray came to meet him, she grinned widely. “Don’t bother, it will never leave you now.”

Phraan saw that Ivran was on the ground, shuddering. “Is he gonna be alright?”

Zaray nodded. “Yes, eventually. He needs rest and food”

Phraan stared at the blade, it didn’t glow anymore but it was still terrifying and he let a hand run down the lethal metal. It felt as if it welcomed him, as if it did enjoy the touch. He swallowed and stared at Zaray. “You do owe me an explanation, and do not try to avoid it, I want to know!!”

Zaray sighed and looked down, her lovely face was filled with a sort of melancholy. “Alright, but let’s set up camp first. Ivran needs help, and there is still a risk of more attacks although I doubt it. This must have truly shaken them to the core.”

Phraan did sheath Rivath in one of his own sheaths, it did fit pretty well and he gave that sword to Taurin instead. He didn’t need three swords, he had only two arms. They did put up camp rather fast, the horses were still shaken from the explosion and they were all cold and tired. Fastonar was staring at Phraan with awe still and the half elf did replace that a bit disturbing, he was still Phraan, not some deity. Zaray smiled. “You can call forth the cat now Phraan, it will guard us”

Phraan did focus, and the huge cat did appear out of nowhere, just like the dragon had. It was still following them and Phraan stared at the huge beast and had no idea of what it was. It didn’t look quite like any dragon they had ever seen. “Is that a new species?”

Zaray sat down, found some food and shook her head. “No, his story is long and it is linked to ours. You will see that when I have told everything, it is time for that now. Tomorrow we enter the hidden path, everything can happen then”

Phraan tilted his head. “So, what are my weaknesses? I bet even that armour does have kinks in it?”

Zaray sighed and leaned back, her face dreamy. “Yes, you are still rather vulnerable when magic is involved, in special the type dark mages use. But you can fight even that if you fully accept who and what you are. I will tell you, but do eat first, it is a very long story”

Everybody had sat down and the remains of the food they had was sent around, Ivran did look half dead and he was in obvious pain. Thiana and Taurin did try to help him by washing the wounds with water they had put herbs in and Dhokay and Shaluun did look rather worried. “I don’t think the visible damage is the worst”

Dhokay’s voice was dry and Thiana nodded. “Yes, you are right, he is very weak now. They almost drained his magic, a little more and he would have been dead.”

Zaray did grimace. “That is very bad, we do need him in there, he has to recover soon”

Phraan frowned. “I wasn’t vulnerable to those wraiths?”

Zaray turned towards him. “No, they are created by dark magic but they are not all that magical, they are rather primitive.”

The two dwarves were still pale. “Have their souls found peace now?”

Zaray shrugged. “They have been freed from the force which enslaved them so I would guess so yes.”

Both breathed a sigh of relief, Phraan knew how important the afterlife was to dwarves and this had shaken the two to the core. Zaray did bite into some dried meat. “The dark mages called those creatures dreghil, it means hunger in the language the first of them used.”

Phraan had to grin, a wry swift grin. “Rivath means thirst in the language of the high elves”

Zaray did grin back. “Yes, a name well chosen.”

Dhokay did stare at Zaray. “So, we do all have many questions to ask and you have avoided them all for days. Would you care to enlighten us?”

Zaray nodded. “Yes, some of what I know is for Phraan’s ears alone but I can tell you some. My story started a very long time ago, back when the wall was new and the city behind it just constructed. The war was over, the mages had agreed upon a truce and everybody was pleased, or so the leaders believed.”

Shaluun tilted his head, the long blonde hair had come undone and was flowing freely, for a moment he did look very feral indeed. “Some weren’t happy with the truce?”

Zaray nodded. “Yes, the seeds of the brotherhood as we see it now were sown back then, and they have been germinating ever since. It has been a silent enemy, growing in plain sight but so well hidden that none did see it”

Rhuk did look confused. “How? That is a contradiction?”

She smiled back at him, pulled her long legs up. “Yes, but these men were so clever, you cannot change things from the outside, but whence you take control of the entire brotherhood from the inside you can do pretty much whatever you want to. They have just waited”

Thiana did look curious. “For what?”

Zaray pointed towards the mountain. “For the artefact which allows them to bring their dragons through the wall. They have searched for it for centuries and when it was found they started getting active again, dragons were created, and new ideas set in action. They emerged once more, spreading their influence over the lands, bringing in more mages and seducing many powerful people.”

Fastonar was still looking as if he did doubt her. “So, what does that have to do with you?”

She sighed and closed her eyes. “The dark mages were curious, it is one of their main traits, they will always try to replace something new to control and rule, something which will add to their power.”

She did stare up at the stars. “My people were forgotten by everybody, we lived far north, in a valley which was protected by powerful spells. We are not like all others, we do all have this one gift which defines us, which makes us unique. Some of us were so powerful they could be compared with Gods, and the mages were aiming for just that power. They wished to capture some of us and turn them into slaves.”

Phraan held his breath, and Dhokay did suddenly look as if he had seen the light. “You are of the clan of Ibrasha, the first people who sought the magic and tamed it?”

She nodded. “Yes, and the magic changed us, forever. It is a part of our blood, for good or bad.”

Fastonar was gnawing at some meat, he didn’t look impressed but Phraan knew him, he was interested. “So?”

Zaray leaned backwards again, her face was strangely naked in the starlight. “They attacked the valley but couldn’t get through the defences, they were too strong. No dark mage can ever hope to overpower one of us, we are like living flames of light, and we destroy darkness with our mere presence”

Everybody was staring and Zaray had a sad smile on her face. “I was a child back then, a wild one, not very obedient and not at all able to understand danger. I had left the valley to look for some rare flowers and they managed to catch me. I wasn’t trained, hadn’t awakened yet. I was like any other elf and they tried to force me to become their obedient little pet. I had no powers, no magic. They didn’t realize that this comes with age, that we are no stronger than all other elves before we reach that point in life when the power awakens in us.”

Phraan remembered what she had said, he was of her kin. His power had started to awaken and now it was released in its full form, it was terrifying. “So, what happened to you?”

Dabin did look a bit nervous when he asked and Zaray sent the dwarf a swift and reassuring smile. “I was treated just like an ordinary servant, sent to do mundane tasks for the one mage who became my master. Later my beauty made me sought after and he made sure that he did reap the benefits from that. I had never forgotten who I was, and what. I used all I secretly learned to teach myself all I needed to know, to access their every secret.”

She looked down. “I was going to destroy them, to crush all they were from the inside. I had such faith in my own strength but I found that I was wrong, that I wasn’t all that strong after all. I was naïve, blinded by the very power I sought to destroy.”

Phraan held his breath. “What did you do?”

She shrugged. “I tried to kill the high mage, and they didn’t kill me when they caught me but threw me into a cell under the citadel. I stayed there for a very long time, only my anger and hatred kept me alive.”

Fastonar cringed. “The high mage? I bet that was a powerful person, sounds like hubris to even think of murdering someone like that!”

She did look a bit sombre. “Indeed it was, I was not aware of just how strong these dark mages were, they rarely show their full power. But the stay in the basement did teach me a lot, I became so much stronger in spirit”

Taurin was rubbing Thiana’s back and she did look rather tired. “How did you escape?”

She grinned, a rather vicious grin. “There are servants there, people who aren’t mages. The city does have a population of people who live rather ordinary lives. They know nothing else than the life there and even in a city controlled by dark mages there are criminals. I was found by a thief and he helped me escape.”

Everybody stared. “A thief? Who could be so bold as to steal from the dark brotherhood?”