Into the Moral Darkness: (Now a Completed Story!)

[Nonlethal Force]

It was only a few moments before the acolyte returned with Master Searthu. She bowed before Brandt, although it was Searthu who spoke first. “I hear you have a need, Brandt?”

Brandt smiled and extended a hand in a friendly gesture. “As always with this crew.” Brandt motioned to the foursome standing behind him. “But as luck may have it, you may hold the key to success for these four.”

Master Searthu grinned as he looked at the foursome and Ophee. He had heard the stories about Brandt and the sneak attack form Ophee. He could tell that they were largely still recovering. He could also tell by the way that they surrounded Ophee that she had been able to redeem herself in the eyes of justice.

Master Brandt continued. “Well, all kidding aside, we think we’re onto something rather significant in Tongra. There is a wizard in Eberdeen who may well be using some inappropriate means to accomplish his own hidden agenda. It turns out that our own Ophee here was the victim of a drug induced brainwashing. I’m afraid that there might be more innocents involved than only Ophee, however. You see, the wizard has a few other information gatherers throughout the major cities in Tongra. If the wizard was able to brainwash Ophee into acting against her own will, it is likely that his other employees could be given the same treatment. Is there any chance that you could find them?”

Master Searthru nodded. “There is always a chance, so long as I have something to focus on. In addition, the more that you could narrow the search area the better I’ll be able to find them.”

Brandt turned to Ophee. “Start with the ones of whom you are most confident in your ability to find, Ophee. Then work down the list. If we can have success at first, it may prove valuable.”

Ophee looked to Master Searthu. “Ready?”

Master Searthu smiled as if looking upon his own acolyte. “Any time, my dear.”

Ophee looked down to her lap. The uniform color of the blanket covering her legs allowed her to distance her mind from the room and begin to search her memories of the others. “I suppose I am most familiar with those who are closest to me. I’ve occasionally traveled through Partuss in coming to my post here in Fingerdale. You’re searching for a young man in Partuss by the name of Eliah Dungar. He comes from an unusual mixture of human and elf blood. His father was human, and he bears great resemblance to his human lineage. About the only thing that he received from his mother are the typical elven ears and almond shaped eyes. He has his father’s red hair and a red goatee as well.”

Master Searthu accepted the knowledge with a nod. “And where is he most likely to be found in Partuss?”

Ophee nodded and grinned. “This one’s easy. He talks all the time about a bakery beside his office. During the day, he can usually be found in his office or at the bakery. He loves their bread, and apparently they have a supplier of meats as well. He raves about their roast beef sandwiches covered in horseradish sauce. The name of the bakery is ‘Sweet Endings.’ His office should not be far if you can seek that place.”

Master Searthu nodded and opened up a cylindrical leather case about the size of a quiver for arrows. He pulled out a single piece of rolled parchment. “I assumed from your summons, Brandt, that you would need me to work my specialty. I’ll need just a moment to get into the proper frame of mind and then I’ll put my skill with insight to good use.”

Master Searthu inhaled slowly and then spoke the words printed upon the scroll. “Oasha-Tel Praos.” The words began to glow intensely yellow as the magic was released. Tiny yellow crystals appeared to rise off of the parchment and drift towards the eyes of Master Searthu. Gradually the whites of his eyes took on a slight yellow tint as they absorbed the magic from the scroll.

The priest of Reah allowed his eyes to dart left and right as he began to see the remote location. “I can see the bakery, now. The bakery is only occupied by the woman behind the counter. I’ll take a look outside and in the surrounding buildings until I have found the one that you call Eliah.”

The party sat in silence for several minutes. Master Searthu’s eyes were quite fascinating to watch. They appeared to look at random locations inside the room within the temple, even at various people. However, from the focus of the eyes and the look of concentration upon his face, they could tell that Master Searthu was not actually seeing anything within the room.

After about three minutes Master Searthu smiled. “I believe I’ve found him, Ophee. I see a red haired human sitting at a desk. He does have an impressive goatee, along with those elven ears of which you spoke. He has not taken notice of my magic.”

Ophee smiled. “That’s the one, it’s got to be him. How many pointy-eared, red haired men can there be in Partuss?”

The party spent the better part of the next two hours locating each of the wizard’s information gatherers. Master Searthu had brought plenty of parchment with the proper spell upon them. As Brandt had suggested earlier, starting with the most familiar gave encouragement to Ophee. She was able to remember each of their names, which in itself was a huge boon to Master Searthu. His magic was strong enough to locate each of the wizard’s servants with what Ophee could provide. With each casting of the spell, the whites of Master Searthu’s eyes turned more and more yellow.

Once they were finished, Semieon turned to Master Searthu and nodded in appreciation before addressing Brandt. “We’ve been sitting around doing nothing but healing for far more days than we should have, I imagine. Now that we have this information, I suggest we do something with it.”

Brandt’s acolyte interjected with concern. “You’re not fully ready for the world!”

Brandt grinned. “You’re a good acolyte of Reah, that’s for sure. But I feel a good bit of Bemme in that statement as well. Of course, Bemme’s love and compassion is nothing of which you should be ashamed. Either way, however, the truth is that in service to Reah we must seek justice first. We are fully healed, at least physically. We might be a good bit rusty and our joints a bit stiff, though. But it cannot be denied that our bodies have been restored completely through Reah’s might.”

The acolyte bowed in service and didn’t speak again. Ischarus was the next person to speak. “I can’t help but think of the irony in the numbers game. The wizard has seven information gatherers. Since Ophee has been brought to our side that number is now reduced to six. Counting Ophee and Brandt, there are six people deeply involved in thwarting the wizard. The numbers are even.”

Master Searthu cleared his throat. “Am I nothing next to Brandt’s might?” He grinned after making the comment and flashed a wide smile to Brandt.

Brandt took the opportunity to reply. “Actually, Searthu, you can play a significant role if you would be so kind. Someone is going to need to stay here and keep an eye on all the remaining six marks.”

Searthu nodded. “My magical sensors have been put on an automatic mode. They will signal me if there is any substantial change in location. For now, they will monitor their mark. I can view them whenever the need arises.”

Brandt nodded and bowed deeply at Master Seathu’s response. “Then, what I am about to suggest is a bit bold. But I think if we are going to strike quickly, we’re going to need a plan like the one that I am about to propose. I think we should split up and use teleportation magic.”

Brandt’s acolyte breathed in deeply at the suggestion, but she made no comment. Brandt continued to expound upon his idea. “We aren’t going to have to look for a kill, and we’ll have surprise on our side. Our first priority would be to split up and convince the wizard’s servant’s to surrender to us and come to the temple. Assuming they don’t take that message kindly, our next objective would be to render them unconscious and bring them here for holding. Then we can counteract the brainwashing.”

Charis smiled, but it was Rhema who surprised everyone with the next comment. “I like the plan. It’s simple and direct. It has my vote.”

Ischarus was shocked as much as everyone else with the suggestion. “Rhema? Aren’t you usually the cautious one? I expected to have to jump in head first in my support and convince you that it was the best way.”

Rhema shook her head. “No, not this time. There is a time for caution, and this is not it. We’ve already given the wizard plenty of lead time to work his plan. He doesn’t know we are still alive. If we go after his servants one by one, he might notice. That’ll give him time to react. The only way that we can hope for complete success is to strike quickly and simultaneously at all points. It isn’t like me to support this idea, but it logic has merit.”

Master Searthu interjected a comment before anyone else could speak. “Well, my vision upon the wizard’s lackeys will last for another half of a day. I suggest you take no more than six hours preparing yourselves. Meet me in my office when you are ready to leave. Once we are all gathered, I’ll see to your coming and going.”

Semeion grinned mischievously. “Brandt, do you still have those magic rings that you allowed us to use when we needed to get to Bacrothen and the Tongra-Quehalost Mountains? If we had those, the four of us could bring ourselves back. Assuming that you could bring yourself back, it would leave only Ophee for Master Searthu to concern himself over. That would no doubt make his job easier.”

Brandt’s face jumped with excitement. “An excellent suggestion, Semeion. The rings are back at my house, but I can easily retrieve them in our time frame. And, that leaves supplies and assignments to be discussed.”

Master Searthu stepped to the door. “If I may, I will excuse myself and return to my office. It will be easier to monitor my magic without the distractions of conversation.”

The party nodded and waited for Master Searthu to leave before continuing. Once he was gone, Charis rose from Ophee’s bed and turned back to Ophee in order to speak to her. “Ophee, you’ve seen us in action. I think you should be the one to assign us our duties. You know your counterparts in the other cities and hopefully their weaknesses.”

The party concurred, and Ophee began to ponder the assignments. “Well, three of them don’t take much thought at all. I’d like to go to Partuss. I know Eliah the best, and he is the one I’ll be most successful in convincing. The most advanced of the wizard’s employ is Jerome in Eberdeen. He’s also the most likely to be protected under my former master’s magic. I’d recommend Brandt pursue him. Finally, I’d think that sending Semeion after Barra in Classo would make sense. She’s an oaf, and I don’t use that term lightly.”

Semeion looked a bit confused. “You plan on sending my fragile frame after someone who is an oaf? By oaf, I assume that you mean the muscle-bound kind?”

Ophee smiled pleasantly. “Yes. Barra is all muscle and no mind. Your magic should be quite effective against her, assuming that you can take her by surprise. I would recommend direct conflict rather than persuasion. She’s not likely to listen anyway, and if you try to talk first you’ll just give up your surprise.”

Charis smiled at Semeion. “Just remember, the greatest tree can be felled with a small axe. It’s all in who holds the axe. You can do it!”

Ophee continued with the assignments. “Well, that leaves Charis, Rhema, and Ischarus. Rhema, you would probably do well against Ehre in Reignsburg. She’s a bit of a follower, and your persuasiveness might do well against her. I’d suggest sending Ischarus against Darr in Juniper, just because I don’t see any way that one isn’t going to end in a fight. I suppose then that leaves Charis against Haroth in Bacrothen. You’ll do alright, I’m sure. Although be prepared for a fight as well. My former master was no fool. He put his strongest and most loyal servants in the largest cities. Those are the duties that fell to Brandt, Ischarus, and Charis.”

Charis smiled and put a reaffirming hand on Ophee’s shoulder. “It sounds as though you’ve done well in giving us your suggestions. Now we just need to get prepared and get to Master Searthu’s office.”

Brandt opened the door. “If you’ll follow me, all of you, I’ll take you to where your possessions are being stored.”

[Sblock=Color-Free Speech Section]
It was only a few moments before the acolyte returned with Master Searthu. She bowed before Brandt, although it was Searthu who spoke first. “I hear you have a need, Brandt?”

Brandt smiled and extended a hand in a friendly gesture. “As always with this crew.” Brandt motioned to the foursome standing behind him. “But as luck may have it, you may hold the key to success for these four.”

Master Searthu grinned as he looked at the foursome and Ophee. He had heard the stories about Brandt and the sneak attack form Ophee. He could tell that they were largely still recovering. He could also tell by the way that they surrounded Ophee that she had been able to redeem herself in the eyes of justice.

Master Brandt continued. “Well, all kidding aside, we think we’re onto something rather significant in Tongra. There is a wizard in Eberdeen who may well be using some inappropriate means to accomplish his own hidden agenda. It turns out that our own Ophee here was the victim of a drug induced brainwashing. I’m afraid that there might be more innocents involved than only Ophee, however. You see, the wizard has a few other information gatherers throughout the major cities in Tongra. If the wizard was able to brainwash Ophee into acting against her own will, it is likely that his other employees could be given the same treatment. Is there any chance that you could find them?”

Master Searthru nodded. “There is always a chance, so long as I have something to focus on. In addition, the more that you could narrow the search area the better I’ll be able to find them.”

Brandt turned to Ophee. “Start with the ones of whom you are most confident in your ability to find, Ophee. Then work down the list. If we can have success at first, it may prove valuable.”

Ophee looked to Master Searthu. “Ready?”

Master Searthu smiled as if looking upon his own acolyte. “Any time, my dear.”

Ophee looked down to her lap. The uniform color of the blanket covering her legs allowed her to distance her mind from the room and begin to search her memories of the others. “I suppose I am most familiar with those who are closest to me. I’ve occasionally traveled through Partuss in coming to my post here in Fingerdale. You’re searching for a young man in Partuss by the name of Eliah Dungar. He comes from an unusual mixture of human and elf blood. His father was human, and he bears great resemblance to his human lineage. About the only thing that he received from his mother are the typical elven ears and almond shaped eyes. He has his father’s red hair and a red goatee as well.”

Master Searthu accepted the knowledge with a nod. “And where is he most likely to be found in Partuss?”

Ophee nodded and grinned. “This one’s easy. He talks all the time about a bakery beside his office. During the day, he can usually be found in his office or at the bakery. He loves their bread, and apparently they have a supplier of meats as well. He raves about their roast beef sandwiches covered in horseradish sauce. The name of the bakery is ‘Sweet Endings.’ His office should not be far if you can seek that place.”

Master Searthu nodded and opened up a cylindrical leather case about the size of a quiver for arrows. He pulled out a single piece of rolled parchment. “I assumed from your summons, Brandt, that you would need me to work my specialty. I’ll need just a moment to get into the proper frame of mind and then I’ll put my skill with insight to good use.”

Master Searthu inhaled slowly and then spoke the words printed upon the scroll. “Oasha-Tel Praos.” The words began to glow intensely yellow as the magic was released. Tiny yellow crystals appeared to rise off of the parchment and drift towards the eyes of Master Searthu. Gradually the whites of his eyes took on a slight yellow tint as they absorbed the magic from the scroll.

The priest of Reah allowed his eyes to dart left and right as he began to see the remote location. “I can see the bakery, now. The bakery is only occupied by the woman behind the counter. I’ll take a look outside and in the surrounding buildings until I have found the one that you call Eliah.”

The party sat in silence for several minutes. Master Searthu’s eyes were quite fascinating to watch. They appeared to look at random locations inside the room within the temple, even at various people. However, from the focus of the eyes and the look of concentration upon his face, they could tell that Master Searthu was not actually seeing anything within the room.

After about three minutes Master Searthu smiled. “I believe I’ve found him, Ophee. I see a red haired human sitting at a desk. He does have an impressive goatee, along with those elven ears of which you spoke. He has not taken notice of my magic.”

Ophee smiled. “That’s the one, it’s got to be him. How many pointy-eared, red haired men can there be in Partuss?”

The party spent the better part of the next two hours locating each of the wizard’s information gatherers. Master Searthu had brought plenty of parchment with the proper spell upon them. As Brandt had suggested earlier, starting with the most familiar gave encouragement to Ophee. She was able to remember each of their names, which in itself was a huge boon to Master Searthu. His magic was strong enough to locate each of the wizard’s servants with what Ophee could provide. With each casting of the spell, the whites of Master Searthu’s eyes turned more and more yellow.

Once they were finished, Semieon turned to Master Searthu and nodded in appreciation before addressing Brandt. “We’ve been sitting around doing nothing but healing for far more days than we should have, I imagine. Now that we have this information, I suggest we do something with it.”

Brandt’s acolyte interjected with concern. “You’re not fully ready for the world!”

Brandt grinned. “You’re a good acolyte of Reah, that’s for sure. But I feel a good bit of Bemme in that statement as well. Of course, Bemme’s love and compassion is nothing of which you should be ashamed. Either way, however, the truth is that in service to Reah we must seek justice first. We are fully healed, at least physically. We might be a good bit rusty and our joints a bit stiff, though. But it cannot be denied that our bodies have been restored completely through Reah’s might.”

The acolyte bowed in service and didn’t speak again. Ischarus was the next person to speak. “I can’t help but think of the irony in the numbers game. The wizard has seven information gatherers. Since Ophee has been brought to our side that number is now reduced to six. Counting Ophee and Brandt, there are six people deeply involved in thwarting the wizard. The numbers are even.”

Master Searthu cleared his throat. “Am I nothing next to Brandt’s might?” He grinned after making the comment and flashed a wide smile to Brandt.

Brandt took the opportunity to reply. “Actually, Searthu, you can play a significant role if you would be so kind. Someone is going to need to stay here and keep an eye on all the remaining six marks.”

Searthu nodded. “My magical sensors have been put on an automatic mode. They will signal me if there is any substantial change in location. For now, they will monitor their mark. I can view them whenever the need arises.”

Brandt nodded and bowed deeply at Master Seathu’s response. “Then, what I am about to suggest is a bit bold. But I think if we are going to strike quickly, we’re going to need a plan like the one that I am about to propose. I think we should split up and use teleportation magic.”

Brandt’s acolyte breathed in deeply at the suggestion, but she made no comment. Brandt continued to expound upon his idea. “We aren’t going to have to look for a kill, and we’ll have surprise on our side. Our first priority would be to split up and convince the wizard’s servant’s to surrender to us and come to the temple. Assuming they don’t take that message kindly, our next objective would be to render them unconscious and bring them here for holding. Then we can counteract the brainwashing.”

Charis smiled, but it was Rhema who surprised everyone with the next comment. “I like the plan. It’s simple and direct. It has my vote.”

Ischarus was shocked as much as everyone else with the suggestion. “Rhema? Aren’t you usually the cautious one? I expected to have to jump in head first in my support and convince you that it was the best way.”

Rhema shook her head. “No, not this time. There is a time for caution, and this is not it. We’ve already given the wizard plenty of lead time to work his plan. He doesn’t know we are still alive. If we go after his servants one by one, he might notice. That’ll give him time to react. The only way that we can hope for complete success is to strike quickly and simultaneously at all points. It isn’t like me to support this idea, but it logic has merit.”

Master Searthu interjected a comment before anyone else could speak. “Well, my vision upon the wizard’s lackeys will last for another half of a day. I suggest you take no more than six hours preparing yourselves. Meet me in my office when you are ready to leave. Once we are all gathered, I’ll see to your coming and going.”

Semeion grinned mischievously. “Brandt, do you still have those magic rings that you allowed us to use when we needed to get to Bacrothen and the Tongra-Quehalost Mountains? If we had those, the four of us could bring ourselves back. Assuming that you could bring yourself back, it would leave only Ophee for Master Searthu to concern himself over. That would no doubt make his job easier.”

Brandt’s face jumped with excitement. “An excellent suggestion, Semeion. The rings are back at my house, but I can easily retrieve them in our time frame. And, that leaves supplies and assignments to be discussed.”

Master Searthu stepped to the door. “If I may, I will excuse myself and return to my office. It will be easier to monitor my magic without the distractions of conversation.”

The party nodded and waited for Master Searthu to leave before continuing. Once he was gone, Charis rose from Ophee’s bed and turned back to Ophee in order to speak to her. “Ophee, you’ve seen us in action. I think you should be the one to assign us our duties. You know your counterparts in the other cities and hopefully their weaknesses.”

The party concurred, and Ophee began to ponder the assignments. “Well, three of them don’t take much thought at all. I’d like to go to Partuss. I know Eliah the best, and he is the one I’ll be most successful in convincing. The most advanced of the wizard’s employ is Jerome in Eberdeen. He’s also the most likely to be protected under my former master’s magic. I’d recommend Brandt pursue him. Finally, I’d think that sending Semeion after Barra in Classo would make sense. She’s an oaf, and I don’t use that term lightly.”

Semeion looked a bit confused. “You plan on sending my fragile frame after someone who is an oaf? By oaf, I assume that you mean the muscle-bound kind?”

Ophee smiled pleasantly. “Yes. Barra is all muscle and no mind. Your magic should be quite effective against her, assuming that you can take her by surprise. I would recommend direct conflict rather than persuasion. She’s not likely to listen anyway, and if you try to talk first you’ll just give up your surprise.”

Charis smiled at Semeion. “Just remember, the greatest tree can be felled with a small axe. It’s all in who holds the axe. You can do it!”

Ophee continued with the assignments. “Well, that leaves Charis, Rhema, and Ischarus. Rhema, you would probably do well against Ehre in Reignsburg. She’s a bit of a follower, and your persuasiveness might do well against her. I’d suggest sending Ischarus against Darr in Juniper, just because I don’t see any way that one isn’t going to end in a fight. I suppose then that leaves Charis against Haroth in Bacrothen. You’ll do alright, I’m sure. Although be prepared for a fight as well. My former master was no fool. He put his strongest and most loyal servants in the largest cities. Those are the duties that fell to Brandt, Ischarus, and Charis.”

Charis smiled and put a reaffirming hand on Ophee’s shoulder. “It sounds as though you’ve done well in giving us your suggestions. Now we just need to get prepared and get to Master Searthu’s office.”

Brandt opened the door. “If you’ll follow me, all of you, I’ll take you to where your possessions are being stored.”
[/Sblock]

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Chapter Nine: ESSENTIAL FACULTIES

Charis knew the world was wavering around her. She had done this several times before, and by now it had become routine. The feeling of disorientation would only last a half of a second if she kept her eyes closed. For her, the secret to minimizing the teleportation weakness was not watching it happen.

They had met in Master Searthu’s office. The priest of Reah had a small ring of crystal balls which apparently acted as routers for the spells that he was using to see Ophee’s equivalents in the various cities of Tongra. The crystal balls reflected the arcane sight perfectly and allowed the six travelers to familiarize themselves with the location to which they were headed.

Charis knew that she was teleporting into a back alley behind the building that her mark was living in. He didn’t currently appear to be involved in the work of the wizard, and as far as Master Searthu and Charis could determine Haroth was actually in his apartment. Bacrothen was a large enough city that Haroth would not likely work in the same space as he lived.

Charis ran through the mental checklist as she opened her eyes and realized that she was in the back alley. The magic that dwelled inside of her pulsed with each beat of her heart. As her footsteps lead her to the side of the building, her body released adrenaline and her heart rate increased even more. Her right hand slipped to her side and felt the handle of the war hammer dangling from her belt. Her left hand felt the corresponding location along the opposite side of her belt and felt the leather grip of her favorite weapon. “Hopefully it won’t come to that.”

Charis closed her eyes as she approached the front of the building and offered a short prayer of blessing. “May Bemme protect us both, and may Reah lead Haroth to the light of understanding.”

She opened her eyes once more and turned the corner. She left the darkness of the alley behind her and quickly strolled to the front door of the building. Master Searthu had already used his arcane sight to make sure that the door was not locked, so when the door opened easily under Charis’ touch she was not surprised. Her eyes quickly found the stairs and she ascended them in pairs.

At the top of the stairs she spun on her heels quickly and found the door that she was looking for. “Apartment five. Here we have Haroth’s current residence.” She breathed in deeply before curling her fingers into a fist and using her knuckles to rap against the wooden door. The door was solid.

There was a tired reply from the other side of the door. “Hold on, I’m coming.” Heavy footsteps approached the opposite side of the door where Charis stood.

The door jerked open, and a large man stood on the opposite side of the threshold. His eyes looked over Charis and he grunted. “I don’t need no saleswoman, lady.”

Charis smiled, and tried to remain diplomatic. “Well, perhaps not. But it sounds as though someone to help you with your grammar might not be a bad idea. But that isn’t why I’m here, either.”

The man sighed and rolled his eyes. “Make it quick, lady. It’s my day off, and I’m trying to enjoy it by catching up on some sleep.”

Charis continued to smile. “Is that the job that you do on behalf of the wizard in Eberdeen?”

She could tell that her question had caught the man off guard. His eyes looked more seriously upon the woman standing before him. He realized that she was well armed and looked as though she knew how to use what dangled from her belt. “What’s this about, lady?”

The smile vanished from Charis’ face. “I know one of your associates. Your master in Eberdeen has no doubt a spoken of her. She goes by the name Opheiluka, and she does in Fignerdale what you do here for the wizard.”

Haroth stepped backwards one step. “So what does this have to do with me? You got a problem with Opheiluka, seek her out. You got a problem with her master, go through her.”

The grin returned to Charis’ face. So far, she was actually enjoying this. She liked being able to keep Haroth off his guard by revealing information that she knew about his line of work. “My problem isn’t with Opheiluka. I’m actually quite concerned about you, to be honest. You see, my associates discovered that Opheiluka had been brainwashed by the wizard that you serve.”

The man looked into Charis’ eyes. His focus narrowed. With a sudden flash of speed his hand reached behind the door and his body spun around. His hand held a kukri, and the sharp inner blade caught the outside of Charis’ arm. The handle of the kukri was thick and made of some kind of engraved white horn. Were it not for the man’s skill at weilding the sharp weapon, the blade would have appeared entirely ceremonial if hung from a wall. The thick false edge of the weapon glistened as the man followed through with the attack.

Charis stepped back into the hallway and began to cast a spell. Her heart leapt with excitement as the blade was brought forth. She had been hoping that violence would not have been necessary, but she couldn’t deny enjoying the thrill of combat. “Daancrah Pashor Shintar.” She knew that the spell would take a moment to resolve itself, and she would have to be careful in splitting her concentration between the spell and her opponent.

Haroth pursued Charis into the hallway, and the narrowness of the area meant that Charis didn’t have many places to run. Turning her back to Haroth and descending down the stairs was simply not an option. Haroth easily closed the distance that she had put between them and he slashed again with the elongated and bent knife. Once more the blade caught Charis and drew blood. Fortunately, Charis had braced herself against the blow and was able to continue to focus on the developing spell.

Charis stepped backwards once more and found herself against the wall. As soon as she moved, her earlier spell resolved and the magical energy brought three golden beetles into existence. The beetles that had been conjured into existence were no simple garden variety of beetles, however. Each of these beetles likely weighed thirty pounds or more, and their thick shells glistened with a faint pale glow.

One of the beetles appeared between Haroth and Charis, while the other two appeared behind him. Each of the beetles jumped up to use their strong jaws to latch onto his midsection, but only one was able to bite hard. Haroth managed to fend off the other two attacking beetles with quick use of the flat part of the elongated blade as a shield.

Charis knew that the Haroth’s attack on her had twice been successful, but she was not yet worried about her injuries. They were only flesh wounds at this point. In a bit of an unusual tactic for Charis, rather than pull out her hammer or pick she pulled the composite bow off of her back. In an instant she had an arrow knocked on the string. The arrow flew through the air and clipped the man in his shoulder. The blow was no worse than the pair he had already given to her. The arrow stuck out from his shoulder as if she had shot it into a bail of hay.

Haroth slashed at the beetle between himself and Charis, and his thick blade managed to catch the beetle between two of the protective pieces of chitin on its back. The armor of the beetle was strong enough to keep the blade of the kukri from digger in far enough to puncture any vital organs. As he attacked, Haroth growled at Charis. “You were supposed to be dead, you slave trading fiend! People who do what you do in life do not deserve to live!”

The beetles attempted to strike once more, and again only one of the beetles managed to land a successful blow. As the beetles jumped to Haroth and were aggressively repelled, Charis’ mind churned with Haroth’s words. It appeared the he had been fed the same lie about the party as Ophee.

Charis replied again, holding the draw of another arrow into a ready position to strike. “I do not traffic slaves! Ophee was told the same lie, and she has since come into the truth. Lay down your blade and I’ll call off my beetles and refrain from firing upon you!”

Haroth paused, taking inventory of the fact that the battle had not gone well for him. He lifted the blade into the air slowly and raised both hands above his head. The beetles relaxed in posture the second that they were no longer threatened by Haroth’s blade.

Charis smiled at the beetles and knelt to the ground. She continued to speak to Haroth, however. “I serve Bemme, and to a lesser extent, Reah. You should be able to tell that much by the glow of my friends here. I am not a force of evil; my friends and I are a force of good that has been manipulated like you to serve the wizard in Eberdeen. If you give me your blade, I will tend your wounds and demonstrate my servitude to Bemme and Reah.”

Haroth slowly knelt to the ground and slid his blade towards Charis. “You have bested me in combat, anyway. To continue would have only brought death.”

Charis lifted the blade off of the ground and slipped it underneath her belt in a fashion that didn’t risk the edge slicing through the belt. She looked to the beetles and spoke to them. “Tinko, Hubrah, and Di-Ehlah: you have served me well. Please give my regards to Bemme as I send you back. I appreciate your coming to my need and leaving the service of our goddess for a short time.” Charis closed her eyes and the beetles blinked out of existence.

Haroth looked to Charis. “Is Opheiluka still alive? She is with you?”

Charis rose to her feet and slowly approached Haroth. “She is, although we all almost died at the wizard’s hands. Once I have healed your wounds I would like to take you to see her.”

Haroth rose to his feet and held his hands out as an indication that he didn’t plan to struggle any more. Charis had free access to the wounds from the beetles and the arrow shaft. She reached for the arrow shaft, but Haroth pulled away.

The man spoke quickly as he jerked backwards. “If it is all the same to you, I’ll do it myself. Then you can heal me.”

Charis shrugged; it didn’t matter to her who inflicted the pain of removing the arrow. Haroth clenched his teeth and pulled the shaft of the arrow straight out from his shoulder. He never spoke a sound, although the look on his face told Charis that the act was quite painful.

Charis reached up with her hand and once more called upon her magical power. This time her magic was not used in self-defense. It was time for her magic to heal a wound before it could fester. Charis couldn’t help but smile as she hoped her healing of the physical body would go far in healing the domination that the wizard had over Haroth. “Bondras-tol Egro.” The familiar yellow glow passed from her hands and into Haroth’s wounds.

[Sblock=Color-Free Speech Section]
Chapter Nine: ESSENTIAL FACULTIES

Charis knew the world was wavering around her. She had done this several times before, and by now it had become routine. The feeling of disorientation would only last a half of a second if she kept her eyes closed. For her, the secret to minimizing the teleportation weakness was not watching it happen.

They had met in Master Searthu’s office. The priest of Reah had a small ring of crystal balls which apparently acted as routers for the spells that he was using to see Ophee’s equivalents in the various cities of Tongra. The crystal balls reflected the arcane sight perfectly and allowed the six travelers to familiarize themselves with the location to which they were headed.

Charis knew that she was teleporting into a back alley behind the building that her mark was living in. He didn’t currently appear to be involved in the work of the wizard, and as far as Master Searthu and Charis could determine Haroth was actually in his apartment. Bacrothen was a large enough city that Haroth would not likely work in the same space as he lived.

Charis ran through the mental checklist as she opened her eyes and realized that she was in the back alley. The magic that dwelled inside of her pulsed with each beat of her heart. As her footsteps lead her to the side of the building, her body released adrenaline and her heart rate increased even more. Her right hand slipped to her side and felt the handle of the war hammer dangling from her belt. Her left hand felt the corresponding location along the opposite side of her belt and felt the leather grip of her favorite weapon. “Hopefully it won’t come to that.”

Charis closed her eyes as she approached the front of the building and offered a short prayer of blessing. “May Bemme protect us both, and may Reah lead Haroth to the light of understanding.”

She opened her eyes once more and turned the corner. She left the darkness of the alley behind her and quickly strolled to the front door of the building. Master Searthu had already used his arcane sight to make sure that the door was not locked, so when the door opened easily under Charis’ touch she was not surprised. Her eyes quickly found the stairs and she ascended them in pairs.

At the top of the stairs she spun on her heels quickly and found the door that she was looking for. “Apartment five. Here we have Haroth’s current residence.” She breathed in deeply before curling her fingers into a fist and using her knuckles to rap against the wooden door. The door was solid.

There was a tired reply from the other side of the door. “Hold on, I’m coming.” Heavy footsteps approached the opposite side of the door where Charis stood.

The door jerked open, and a large man stood on the opposite side of the threshold. His eyes looked over Charis and he grunted. “I don’t need no saleswoman, lady.”

Charis smiled, and tried to remain diplomatic. “Well, perhaps not. But it sounds as though someone to help you with your grammar might not be a bad idea. But that isn’t why I’m here, either.”

The man sighed and rolled his eyes. “Make it quick, lady. It’s my day off, and I’m trying to enjoy it by catching up on some sleep.”

Charis continued to smile. “Is that the job that you do on behalf of the wizard in Eberdeen?”

She could tell that her question had caught the man off guard. His eyes looked more seriously upon the woman standing before him. He realized that she was well armed and looked as though she knew how to use what dangled from her belt. “What’s this about, lady?”

The smile vanished from Charis’ face. “I know one of your associates. Your master in Eberdeen has no doubt a spoken of her. She goes by the name Opheiluka, and she does in Fignerdale what you do here for the wizard.”

Haroth stepped backwards one step. “So what does this have to do with me? You got a problem with Opheiluka, seek her out. You got a problem with her master, go through her.”

The grin returned to Charis’ face. So far, she was actually enjoying this. She liked being able to keep Haroth off his guard by revealing information that she knew about his line of work. “My problem isn’t with Opheiluka. I’m actually quite concerned about you, to be honest. You see, my associates discovered that Opheiluka had been brainwashed by the wizard that you serve.”

The man looked into Charis’ eyes. His focus narrowed. With a sudden flash of speed his hand reached behind the door and his body spun around. His hand held a kukri, and the sharp inner blade caught the outside of Charis’ arm. The handle of the kukri was thick and made of some kind of engraved white horn. Were it not for the man’s skill at weilding the sharp weapon, the blade would have appeared entirely ceremonial if hung from a wall. The thick false edge of the weapon glistened as the man followed through with the attack.

Charis stepped back into the hallway and began to cast a spell. Her heart leapt with excitement as the blade was brought forth. She had been hoping that violence would not have been necessary, but she couldn’t deny enjoying the thrill of combat. “Daancrah Pashor Shintar.” She knew that the spell would take a moment to resolve itself, and she would have to be careful in splitting her concentration between the spell and her opponent.

Haroth pursued Charis into the hallway, and the narrowness of the area meant that Charis didn’t have many places to run. Turning her back to Haroth and descending down the stairs was simply not an option. Haroth easily closed the distance that she had put between them and he slashed again with the elongated and bent knife. Once more the blade caught Charis and drew blood. Fortunately, Charis had braced herself against the blow and was able to continue to focus on the developing spell.

Charis stepped backwards once more and found herself against the wall. As soon as she moved, her earlier spell resolved and the magical energy brought three golden beetles into existence. The beetles that had been conjured into existence were no simple garden variety of beetles, however. Each of these beetles likely weighed thirty pounds or more, and their thick shells glistened with a faint pale glow.

One of the beetles appeared between Haroth and Charis, while the other two appeared behind him. Each of the beetles jumped up to use their strong jaws to latch onto his midsection, but only one was able to bite hard. Haroth managed to fend off the other two attacking beetles with quick use of the flat part of the elongated blade as a shield.

Charis knew that the Haroth’s attack on her had twice been successful, but she was not yet worried about her injuries. They were only flesh wounds at this point. In a bit of an unusual tactic for Charis, rather than pull out her hammer or pick she pulled the composite bow off of her back. In an instant she had an arrow knocked on the string. The arrow flew through the air and clipped the man in his shoulder. The blow was no worse than the pair he had already given to her. The arrow stuck out from his shoulder as if she had shot it into a bail of hay.

Haroth slashed at the beetle between himself and Charis, and his thick blade managed to catch the beetle between two of the protective pieces of chitin on its back. The armor of the beetle was strong enough to keep the blade of the kukri from digger in far enough to puncture any vital organs. As he attacked, Haroth growled at Charis. “You were supposed to be dead, you slave trading fiend! People who do what you do in life do not deserve to live!”

The beetles attempted to strike once more, and again only one of the beetles managed to land a successful blow. As the beetles jumped to Haroth and were aggressively repelled, Charis’ mind churned with Haroth’s words. It appeared the he had been fed the same lie about the party as Ophee.

Charis replied again, holding the draw of another arrow into a ready position to strike. “I do not traffic slaves! Ophee was told the same lie, and she has since come into the truth. Lay down your blade and I’ll call off my beetles and refrain from firing upon you!”

Haroth paused, taking inventory of the fact that the battle had not gone well for him. He lifted the blade into the air slowly and raised both hands above his head. The beetles relaxed in posture the second that they were no longer threatened by Haroth’s blade.

Charis smiled at the beetles and knelt to the ground. She continued to speak to Haroth, however. “I serve Bemme, and to a lesser extent, Reah. You should be able to tell that much by the glow of my friends here. I am not a force of evil; my friends and I are a force of good that has been manipulated like you to serve the wizard in Eberdeen. If you give me your blade, I will tend your wounds and demonstrate my servitude to Bemme and Reah.”

Haroth slowly knelt to the ground and slid his blade towards Charis. “You have bested me in combat, anyway. To continue would have only brought death.”

Charis lifted the blade off of the ground and slipped it underneath her belt in a fashion that didn’t risk the edge slicing through the belt. She looked to the beetles and spoke to them. “Tinko, Hubrah, and Di-Ehlah: you have served me well. Please give my regards to Bemme as I send you back. I appreciate your coming to my need and leaving the service of our goddess for a short time.” Charis closed her eyes and the beetles blinked out of existence.

Haroth looked to Charis. “Is Opheiluka still alive? She is with you?”

Charis rose to her feet and slowly approached Haroth. “She is, although we all almost died at the wizard’s hands. Once I have healed your wounds I would like to take you to see her.”

Haroth rose to his feet and held his hands out as an indication that he didn’t plan to struggle any more. Charis had free access to the wounds from the beetles and the arrow shaft. She reached for the arrow shaft, but Haroth pulled away.

The man spoke quickly as he jerked backwards. “If it is all the same to you, I’ll do it myself. Then you can heal me.”

Charis shrugged; it didn’t matter to her who inflicted the pain of removing the arrow. Haroth clenched his teeth and pulled the shaft of the arrow straight out from his shoulder. He never spoke a sound, although the look on his face told Charis that the act was quite painful.

Charis reached up with her hand and once more called upon her magical power. This time her magic was not used in self-defense. It was time for her magic to heal a wound before it could fester. Charis couldn’t help but smile as she hoped her healing of the physical body would go far in healing the domination that the wizard had over Haroth. “Bondras-tol Egro.” The familiar yellow glow passed from her hands and into Haroth’s wounds.
[/Sblock]

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Ophee had used the crystal ball to find direct path into Partuss and to the bakery near to which Eliah was working. Once she had the route memorized she had Master Searthu teleport her just outside the city limits. Partuss wasn’t a large enough town that walking in would take too long. It would be much easier to not arouse suspicion if she entered the city from the outside than if she had appeared in a back alley like Charis.

She had little trouble finding the bakery. She hadn’t often visited Partuss on her ways to and from Eberdeen, but she had visited it often enough to know where to find the bakery. In order to mask her approach, however, Ophee had Master Searthu teleport her to the less populated northern side of the city. Thus, while she knew where to find the bakery within the city, she was not familiar with the path that she had taken onto the city this time.

Once she found the bakery, she checked inside to see if Eliah had moved from the office to the bakery. The bakery had several patrons inside, but none of them were the red haired, pointy eared man that she sought. Nodding to herself, she turned to the building beside the bakery and found Eliah’s office.

Her knuckles wrapped solidly on the door. “Eliah, it’s Ophee. Open up.”

From behind the closed door Ophee could hear a wooden chair hit the ground. She had apparently caught Eliah leaning back and startled him. Only seconds later the door opened quickly. “Ophee? But, we were told that you were dead! Our master pulled us all back to Eberdeen a few days ago and gave us the news. He told us that you had been killed while stopping an underground slave ring.”

Ophee smiled sarcastically. “The reports of my death have been largely over-exaggerated.”

Eliah laughed at Ophee’s facial expression and comment. “Well, obviously.”

Ophee’s lips parted into a full smile. “No, Eliah, you don’t really understand. Much has been exaggerated. There is no slave ring at all. It was a lie. I need to step inside and tell you.”

Eliah’s smile vanished. “Careful, Opheiluka. You’re trespassing on the sacred ground of employment now. You know the ties and obligations that bind us together. And you know the bondage of the oath of loyalty that we each are expected to hold up with our master.”

Ophee shook her head from side to side. “Eliah, I need to come in. We need to talk, but I’m not talking here in the hallway. It’s just not safe. Someone might overhear.’

Eliah’s eyes narrowed as he focused on Ophee. From her perspective, it appeared as though his hair grew in reddish intensity, although in truth it was the reddening of his facial skin from the increased blood pressure. “Okay, come in and we’ll talk. But promise that you are aware that I take my oaths seriously.”

Ophee nodded in agreement and accepted his invitation. Once she was inside, Ophee turned to Eliah and replied. “Oh, I take my oaths seriously as well. I am loyal to those who demonstrate they desire my loyalty by remaining loyal to me. We’ve been lied to by the wizard in Eberdeen.”

Eliah nearly spat as he replied quickly to Ophee’s accusations. “You’d better explain that accusation quickly, Ophee. Our master has been very good to us. We’re paid well, and so long as we do what we are asked he doesn’t get rid of us. Our tasks aren’t even that hard. It’s a nice job, Ophee. Don’t make me report you in anger rather than reporting with joy to our master that you are still alive.”

Ophee smiled sarcastically once more. “He was satisfied with my death, remember? With all his ability to glean information through us and magic, don’t you think he should have been able to find out if I was alive?” Ophee knew that the temple had been shielded from the wizard in Eberdeen, but she also knew that he had the magic to turn the destroyed barn upside down in the process of looking for remains as well. He had accepted her death far too easily for Ophee’s tastes.

Eliah paused for a moment before replying. “I suppose, but he was grieving, Ophee. You were like a daughter to him.”

Ophee closed her eyes at the memory. She had once felt as if he truly loved her like a father would love a daughter. Now she simply felt betrayed, like a slave who found out that the master’s love was solely based on possession and her ability to be productive. Suddenly she realized that she understood Charis’ past so much better. “You were told that I was killed in the process of destroying a slave ring?” Ophee’s mood and tone had changed. She didn’t want to express the emotion inside of her, so her words come out flat.

Eliah nodded. “We were. We were told that our master was attempting to snuff out a slave ring that he had discovered, and they were operating through Fingerdale. We were told that he had equipped you with a few magical items. Our master said that he had given you the ability to shield yourself from lesser magic. He said that he had also given you the ability to destroy them in a powerful fire. He swore that the item that protected you from lesser magic had been designed to protect you from the same slaughtering fire that would destroy the slavers.”

Ophee laughed. “So how did your master explain my death? If I was protected from everything, how did I die?”

Eliah shrugged his shoulders. “He was very distraught, Ophee. His emotions were blocking his thinking. He said that he didn’t know.”

Ophee laughed at the thought. “When has there ever been anything that your master didn’t know when he would bring us in from the field? Do you honestly believe that your master didn’t know something, especially if it involved someone he supposedly loved like a daughter?”

Eliah swallowed hard. “I don’t know. Like I said, he was upset, Ophee.”

Ophee used her left hand to crack the knuckles in her right hand in one swift motion. “Oh, I don’t doubt that he was upset, Eliah. He was upset because he had lost a slave. I might yet die in the process of destroying a slave ring, but it was no slave ring that he sent me up against.”

Eliah stood up in an agitated fashion, but Ophee merely leaned back in her chair in response. “Oh, sit back down, Eliah. I can explain myself. Why don’t you quite feeling defensive and just listen? If what I say to you doesn’t make sense, I’ll leave.”

Eliah breathed in deeply and then slowly exhaled. “Fine. I’ll sit back down. But you had better have a good story.”

Ophee brought her lips together tightly and thought for several seconds before speaking. As she thought, her head began to bob back and forth and her eyes looked as though they would cry, although they never did bring forth tears. “Listen, Eliah. I’ve recently discovered that our master manipulates the truth that he gives to us. And he does it through very disreputable means. He does it through brainwashing. Can I assume that when you come in for training he always starts with a cup of hot tea as you sit and talk on the sofas in his office?”

Eliah nodded, but didn’t respond. Once Ophee saw the nod, she continued. “I was recently sent on a mission into Quehalost to retrieve a substance called Black Arum. It is also known as Arum Dracunculus, the Stink Lily, and even the Voodoo Lily. The reason it has the last name is because when an excretion from the roots is combined with a bit of magic a toxin is developed. This toxin makes the mind quite pliable. The toxin was probably slipped into our tea, so that your master could implant suggestions while we thought we were being trained. I know that he does it because of the story I’m going to tell you. I collected the Vodoo Lily for him, and didn’t know what I was doing until it was used on me!”

Ophee paused, but Eliah didn’t take the opportunity to ask any questions. Ophee continued her story. “You see, the last time I was brought in for training I was told that I was to seek out and find a slave ring. When I had found the slave ring I was supposed to contact the wizard with information. But he never told me about the magic items with which he had equipped me. He set me up. He only gave me part of the information consciously. The rest of the information he slipped into my mind while I was under the effect of the Arum Dracunculus.”

Once more Ophee paused, and this time she could tell that her story was affecting Eliah. His eyes told her that the seeds of doubt had been sowed. “Eliah, what I am about to tell you is the truth. You see, the wizard put a secret command word into my brain. When the command word was triggered, I lost control of my ability to make my own decisions. When the command word was triggered, I activated a magic ring that I didn’t even know how to use! That right there is proof that I was brainwashed! I nearly slaughtered my friends because the wizard had set me up and wanted them dead. The same friends who had helped him collect the Arum Dracunculus in Quehalost were set up by the wizard to be executed at my hands and without my ability to choose otherwise.”

Eliah swallowed hard and decided to speak at this moment. “So, if the wizard’s plan went off as desired, why did weren’t you protected? How did you discover what you are claiming?”

Ophee smiled at the thought of her friends who were at this very moment scattered around the nation of Tongra telling this very same story to her associates. “The wizard didn’t expect me to be with a significant follower of Reah. That one was able to barely withstand the magic ring that the wizard had given to me. He was able to conjure up a spell that penetrated the shielding that the wizard had used to protect me. Seconds later, when we were all dying, acolytes of Reah showed up and brought us back to safety within their temple. They were able to piece together what happened. When I was revived several days later, they could tell that my memories did not include the act of destruction that I had initiated. Once they determined that I was brainwashed, it was a matter of research and magical testing to find out how it happened. That’s how we learned about the use of the Voodoo Lily.”

Eliah opened his lips to speak, but the words didn’t come. Instead, a single tear trickled down his left check and moistened his goatee. His eyes glanced in the direction of Ophee, but they were focused as if he were looking through her into the unknown.

Ophee grimaced as she empathized with Eliah’s pain. “I know, Eliah. I know what it is like to realize that we’ve been serving a wizard faithfully, but the wizard hasn’t been faithful in return. I know what it is like to realize that at least once I have done something without memory of doing it. I also am faced with the possibility that this is not the first time I have done something without my knowledge. And I know that I am nearly responsible for the death of four of my friends, and I could do nothing to stop it. I know.”

Eliah swallowed hard. “Can the temple of Reah determine if I have been under the effect of Arum Dracunculus? I’d like to know. I’d like to know the truth.”

Ophee smiled and rose to her feet. She knelt beside her friend and placed a hand upon his knee. “We can see. Will you come with me?”

Eliah looked up to Ophee and nodded. Together the rose to their feet and turned to the door. They would seek out the whole truth, together.

[Sblock=Color-Free Speech Section]
Ophee had used the crystal ball to find direct path into Partuss and to the bakery near to which Eliah was working. Once she had the route memorized she had Master Searthu teleport her just outside the city limits. Partuss wasn’t a large enough town that walking in would take too long. It would be much easier to not arouse suspicion if she entered the city from the outside than if she had appeared in a back alley like Charis.

She had little trouble finding the bakery. She hadn’t often visited Partuss on her ways to and from Eberdeen, but she had visited it often enough to know where to find the bakery. In order to mask her approach, however, Ophee had Master Searthu teleport her to the less populated northern side of the city. Thus, while she knew where to find the bakery within the city, she was not familiar with the path that she had taken onto the city this time.

Once she found the bakery, she checked inside to see if Eliah had moved from the office to the bakery. The bakery had several patrons inside, but none of them were the red haired, pointy eared man that she sought. Nodding to herself, she turned to the building beside the bakery and found Eliah’s office.

Her knuckles wrapped solidly on the door. “Eliah, it’s Ophee. Open up.”

From behind the closed door Ophee could hear a wooden chair hit the ground. She had apparently caught Eliah leaning back and startled him. Only seconds later the door opened quickly. “Ophee? But, we were told that you were dead! Our master pulled us all back to Eberdeen a few days ago and gave us the news. He told us that you had been killed while stopping an underground slave ring.”

Ophee smiled sarcastically. “The reports of my death have been largely over-exaggerated.”

Eliah laughed at Ophee’s facial expression and comment. “Well, obviously.”

Ophee’s lips parted into a full smile. “No, Eliah, you don’t really understand. Much has been exaggerated. There is no slave ring at all. It was a lie. I need to step inside and tell you.”

Eliah’s smile vanished. “Careful, Opheiluka. You’re trespassing on the sacred ground of employment now. You know the ties and obligations that bind us together. And you know the bondage of the oath of loyalty that we each are expected to hold up with our master.”

Ophee shook her head from side to side. “Eliah, I need to come in. We need to talk, but I’m not talking here in the hallway. It’s just not safe. Someone might overhear.’

Eliah’s eyes narrowed as he focused on Ophee. From her perspective, it appeared as though his hair grew in reddish intensity, although in truth it was the reddening of his facial skin from the increased blood pressure. “Okay, come in and we’ll talk. But promise that you are aware that I take my oaths seriously.”

Ophee nodded in agreement and accepted his invitation. Once she was inside, Ophee turned to Eliah and replied. “Oh, I take my oaths seriously as well. I am loyal to those who demonstrate they desire my loyalty by remaining loyal to me. We’ve been lied to by the wizard in Eberdeen.”

Eliah nearly spat as he replied quickly to Ophee’s accusations. “You’d better explain that accusation quickly, Ophee. Our master has been very good to us. We’re paid well, and so long as we do what we are asked he doesn’t get rid of us. Our tasks aren’t even that hard. It’s a nice job, Ophee. Don’t make me report you in anger rather than reporting with joy to our master that you are still alive.”

Ophee smiled sarcastically once more. “He was satisfied with my death, remember? With all his ability to glean information through us and magic, don’t you think he should have been able to find out if I was alive?” Ophee knew that the temple had been shielded from the wizard in Eberdeen, but she also knew that he had the magic to turn the destroyed barn upside down in the process of looking for remains as well. He had accepted her death far too easily for Ophee’s tastes.

Eliah paused for a moment before replying. “I suppose, but he was grieving, Ophee. You were like a daughter to him.”

Ophee closed her eyes at the memory. She had once felt as if he truly loved her like a father would love a daughter. Now she simply felt betrayed, like a slave who found out that the master’s love was solely based on possession and her ability to be productive. Suddenly she realized that she understood Charis’ past so much better. “You were told that I was killed in the process of destroying a slave ring?” Ophee’s mood and tone had changed. She didn’t want to express the emotion inside of her, so her words come out flat.

Eliah nodded. “We were. We were told that our master was attempting to snuff out a slave ring that he had discovered, and they were operating through Fingerdale. We were told that he had equipped you with a few magical items. Our master said that he had given you the ability to shield yourself from lesser magic. He said that he had also given you the ability to destroy them in a powerful fire. He swore that the item that protected you from lesser magic had been designed to protect you from the same slaughtering fire that would destroy the slavers.”

Ophee laughed. “So how did your master explain my death? If I was protected from everything, how did I die?”

Eliah shrugged his shoulders. “He was very distraught, Ophee. His emotions were blocking his thinking. He said that he didn’t know.”

Ophee laughed at the thought. “When has there ever been anything that your master didn’t know when he would bring us in from the field? Do you honestly believe that your master didn’t know something, especially if it involved someone he supposedly loved like a daughter?”

Eliah swallowed hard. “I don’t know. Like I said, he was upset, Ophee.”

Ophee used her left hand to crack the knuckles in her right hand in one swift motion. “Oh, I don’t doubt that he was upset, Eliah. He was upset because he had lost a slave. I might yet die in the process of destroying a slave ring, but it was no slave ring that he sent me up against.”

Eliah stood up in an agitated fashion, but Ophee merely leaned back in her chair in response. “Oh, sit back down, Eliah. I can explain myself. Why don’t you quite feeling defensive and just listen? If what I say to you doesn’t make sense, I’ll leave.”

Eliah breathed in deeply and then slowly exhaled. “Fine. I’ll sit back down. But you had better have a good story.”

Ophee brought her lips together tightly and thought for several seconds before speaking. As she thought, her head began to bob back and forth and her eyes looked as though they would cry, although they never did bring forth tears. “Listen, Eliah. I’ve recently discovered that our master manipulates the truth that he gives to us. And he does it through very disreputable means. He does it through brainwashing. Can I assume that when you come in for training he always starts with a cup of hot tea as you sit and talk on the sofas in his office?”

Eliah nodded, but didn’t respond. Once Ophee saw the nod, she continued. “I was recently sent on a mission into Quehalost to retrieve a substance called Black Arum. It is also known as Arum Dracunculus, the Stink Lily, and even the Voodoo Lily. The reason it has the last name is because when an excretion from the roots is combined with a bit of magic a toxin is developed. This toxin makes the mind quite pliable. The toxin was probably slipped into our tea, so that your master could implant suggestions while we thought we were being trained. I know that he does it because of the story I’m going to tell you. I collected the Vodoo Lily for him, and didn’t know what I was doing until it was used on me!”

Ophee paused, but Eliah didn’t take the opportunity to ask any questions. Ophee continued her story. “You see, the last time I was brought in for training I was told that I was to seek out and find a slave ring. When I had found the slave ring I was supposed to contact the wizard with information. But he never told me about the magic items with which he had equipped me. He set me up. He only gave me part of the information consciously. The rest of the information he slipped into my mind while I was under the effect of the Arum Dracunculus.”

Once more Ophee paused, and this time she could tell that her story was affecting Eliah. His eyes told her that the seeds of doubt had been sowed. “Eliah, what I am about to tell you is the truth. You see, the wizard put a secret command word into my brain. When the command word was triggered, I lost control of my ability to make my own decisions. When the command word was triggered, I activated a magic ring that I didn’t even know how to use! That right there is proof that I was brainwashed! I nearly slaughtered my friends because the wizard had set me up and wanted them dead. The same friends who had helped him collect the Arum Dracunculus in Quehalost were set up by the wizard to be executed at my hands and without my ability to choose otherwise.”

Eliah swallowed hard and decided to speak at this moment. “So, if the wizard’s plan went off as desired, why did weren’t you protected? How did you discover what you are claiming?”

Ophee smiled at the thought of her friends who were at this very moment scattered around the nation of Tongra telling this very same story to her associates. “The wizard didn’t expect me to be with a significant follower of Reah. That one was able to barely withstand the magic ring that the wizard had given to me. He was able to conjure up a spell that penetrated the shielding that the wizard had used to protect me. Seconds later, when we were all dying, acolytes of Reah showed up and brought us back to safety within their temple. They were able to piece together what happened. When I was revived several days later, they could tell that my memories did not include the act of destruction that I had initiated. Once they determined that I was brainwashed, it was a matter of research and magical testing to find out how it happened. That’s how we learned about the use of the Voodoo Lily.”

Eliah opened his lips to speak, but the words didn’t come. Instead, a single tear trickled down his left check and moistened his goatee. His eyes glanced in the direction of Ophee, but they were focused as if he were looking through her into the unknown.

Ophee grimaced as she empathized with Eliah’s pain. “I know, Eliah. I know what it is like to realize that we’ve been serving a wizard faithfully, but the wizard hasn’t been faithful in return. I know what it is like to realize that at least once I have done something without memory of doing it. I also am faced with the possibility that this is not the first time I have done something without my knowledge. And I know that I am nearly responsible for the death of four of my friends, and I could do nothing to stop it. I know.”

Eliah swallowed hard. “Can the temple of Reah determine if I have been under the effect of Arum Dracunculus? I’d like to know. I’d like to know the truth.”

Ophee smiled and rose to her feet. She knelt beside her friend and placed a hand upon his knee. “We can see. Will you come with me?”

Eliah looked up to Ophee and nodded. Together the rose to their feet and turned to the door. They would seek out the whole truth, together.
[/Sblock]

 

[Mahtave]

Still reading, and still enjoying!

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Reply to Reader ... Not an Update.

Still reading, and still enjoying!

Thanks for the reply! I hope you are enjoying a bit of the solo action lately. I've been wanting to showcase the individual over the group for some time.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Semeion twisted the ring on his finger and vanished from the inside of Master Seathu’s office. The follower of Reah smiled as he looked into the crystal ball that held the vision of the arcane spying spell of Barra’s office in Classo. He saw Semeion appear behind the tall and muscular woman. Even through the curvature of the glass he could tell that Semeion was no physical match for Barra. “May Reah protect him.” Master Searthu paused for a moment of prayer and then watched the others perform their teleportation as well.

Semeion decided to speak before attacking. He knew Ophee’s advice had been to strike before giving her a chance, but he couldn’t justify attacking a person without giving them a chance to choose to avoid conflict. “Barra, I’ve something to tell you about your master in Eberdeen.”

The large woman jumped and spun around. Semeion had obviously surprised her by magically teleporting into the room. “Who are you, and how did you get into here?”

Semeion’s eyes grew wide as she rose to her feet and looked down upon him. Even though he was only two inches shy of six feet in height, she still dominated over him by over eight inches. “My name is Semeion, and there is something that you need to know about the wizard that you serve.”

Barra wasn’t in much of a mood to listen to anyone who had intruded upon her space. Her hand reached across the desk and her fingers easily gripped the leather exterior covering the sheath which protected her blade. In a second the woman had the blade drawn. The handle of the sword was easily long enough to allow both of her massive sets of fingers to secure the blade. “Nobody knows of my service to the wizard in Eberdeen except those that my master tells. I don’t recognize you, so you better either explain yourself or I will slice your tiny, fragile frame in half.”

Semeion wasn’t about to take chances against a large blade, however. “Barra, there is no need for the blade. Put it down.”

Barra’s fingers clenched the weapon in preparation to strike. Semeion was ready for the move. He had assumed from Ophee’s description that Barra would resort to physical oppression to control a situation. He wouldn’t let her use the weapon against him. “Crang-d'hai Shintar” He pointed toward her blade as she began to bring it forward in a low arc. With the ceiling above her, she couldn’t use a powerful overhead swing like she had wanted.

The blade began to disintegrate as it swung through the air. As the steel neared Semeion’s position it burst into millions of pieces each no bigger than a grain of sand. The momentum of the swing carried these particles onto Semeion, but they did no harm to him. He was covered in tiny steel fragments from the waist up, but he was uninjured.

For an instant, Barra was off balance. The disappearance of the weight of the blade was enough to disrupt her motion. She stumbled to her knee, and Semeion pounced on the opportunity. “Barra, I don’t want to hurt you. I want you to know and see the truth! But if you force my hand, I can hurt you.”

Barra looked up to him and snarled. Semeion had not managed to convince her to hold back her physical assault. “You came in her as an unwelcome guest. Don’t get on your high moral horse!” She rose to her feet and focused upon Semeion’s position.

The young mage stepped back several steps in order to put a little bit of distance between him and the woman. “I’m sorry, Barra, but you’ve forced my hand.” He exhaled and then quickly replenished the air in his lungs. “Zysh Shintar.”

A deep darkness flashed from the ends of Semeion’s fingers and lurched toward Barra’s eyes. Although the darkness coated her head, Barra managed to shake her head and wipe her eyes with the webbing between her thumb and index finger. As she wiped her face, the darkness fell to the ground.

Barra shook her head once more and glared in Semeion’s direction. “I can kill you without a sword, and your magic has no effect on me. You had better hope that I don’t get my hands on you!” She jumped in Semeion’s direction and unleashed a serious blow with her fists. The woman’s strong fingers and knuckles cracked hard against Semeion’s jaw and brought blood out of his lower lip.

Semeion tasted the blood and stepped another moved away from the woman. If he could stay out of reach, it would be much easier to use his magic. He tried the spell once more. His strategy depended upon the effect. “Zysh Shintar.”

Once again the deep darkness leapt off of his fingers and lurched towards Barra’s face. This time, the darkness focused upon her eyes. The magical effect soaked into her eye sockets until the darkness had been absorbed and Barra could no longer see.

The woman was enraged. “I can still tear your frame apart even if I can’t see you! I know my office well and there is no place that you can hide!” Her left fist struck out in a jab in the direction of Semeion, but the young mage managed to duck to the left and avoid to menacing blow.

Semeion sighed. “Barra, I do not desire to injure you. I have already blinded you and made your attacks much more difficult to land. Submit to me, all I ask is that you listen.” He slowly walked away from Barra, putting as much distance as possible between him and the woman. He knew she could find him by the sound of his voice, but it would be an inaccurate science at best.

Barra growled against the voice whose owner she could not see. “I’ll find you, wizard.”

Semeion nodded, and brought his lips together to display his disappointment with respect to Barra’s stubbornness. “I was afraid of that, Barra. Again, I apologize for what I am about to do to you.” He knelt to the floor and stretched the fingers and palm of his left hand along the wooden floor. “Thin Sooth Egro.”

A small drop of oil formed along Semeion’s middle finger and spread across the floor to underneath the spot where Barra stood. Barra couldn’t see the magical effect approaching, and as she stepped towards Semeion her feet lost traction and she fell to the ground. Her large frame landed on the floor solidly. She tried to bring herself to her feet, but she was unable to lift herself onto her knees before Semeion was in position for another magical strike.

The young mage rose to his feet and looked with pity upon the tall woman who had been brought to the floor. The fall looked quite painful, although fortunately there had been nothing below her upon which she could land. “Your master betrayed you, Barra. Your master has been using you without your knowledge. You have been brainwashed and have committed acts without even remembering them. I can prove it to you.”

Barra spat upon the floor as she struggled to get to her feet. She couldn’t overcome the slickness of the magical substance beneath her. “My master has done no such thing. I would remember!”

Semeion smirked. Barra was demonstrating her ignorance of magic in that statement. “Then I will prove it you. My next spell won’t hurt anything except your pride.” The young mage snickered as he saw Barra freeze in response to his words. She was trying to brace herself against his attack. “Skrie Egro.”

A small ray of pale green light flowed from the outstretched fingers of his right hand and surrounded Barra. Gradually, Barra’s size began to shrink until her six and a half foot tall frame was now only a touch over three feet in height. She had been reduced to a diminutive size, barely taller than the merchant who had taught Rhema her mental powers. Now it was Semeion who dominated over Barra in size, although with her blindness she could not see for herself.

Barra could feel the effect of the spell, however. She could feel her size reducing and sliding over the floor beneath her. In spite of her struggle, she could not resist the effect. She howled in rage, but still could not manage to bring herself to her feet.

Semeion looked down upon the woman once more with sympathy. “This would have been much easier if you would have been willing to listen in the beginning, Barra. Now you have been blinded, coated in grease, and reduced to a simple fraction of yourself. How long will this need to continue? When will you see my purpose for coming here? I don’t want to hurt you, but I am determined that you should be confronted with the truth.”

Barra shook her head. “You had better work fast, wizard. You magic will not hold its effect for much longer. Once your magic wears off, I will hurt you. What will you be like when you can no longer depend on the limited resources of your magic? My strength never leaves. It can only be suppressed for short times by your tricks.”

Semeion nodded. Perhaps that was the first thing that she had said all day that he agreed with. “Very well, Barra. I had hoped to demonstrate that you could be beaten and have you be conscious of it. But, perhaps the only way to prove my point is to convert you. Your master beat your mind rather easily, I would imagine. My own magic should be able to duplicate his effect. In fact, you should be growing weary of hearing my voice right now. You should be growing tired just listening to my words. You should be growing mesmerized by the ever increasing monotony in my tone. Thin Umaam Egro.”

Barra offered no reply. In fact, she ceased struggling against the slick substance upon the floor. She merely lay in the grease, facing the direction of Semeion’s voice. It was as though her ability to choose was no longer a part of her conscious mind.

Semeion could tell instantly that his attempt to hypnotize her by the use of his voice had worked. “Barra, in a second, I am going to remove the spell that caused your floor to be slick. I want you to remain lying upon the ground. Then I am going to come over to you and teleport you to see Ophee and the other people the wizard in Eberdeen has in his employ. Do you think this is a wise idea? Would you like to go with me to learn the truth?”

Barra nodded. “Yes.” Her voice was soft and flat as if it were flowing out of her unconscious mind. “I will go with you.”

Semeion allowed his mind to release the slick oil upon the floor, and the magic vanished instantly. Barra did not move as Semeion approached. As he knelt to the ground, he turned to the location that Master Searthu had placed his arcane sensor. “I’m coming back. Make sure there are a few acolytes able to restrain her.” He touched Barra on the shoulder and twisted the ring that Brandt had given him.

[Sblock=Color-Free Speech Section]
Semeion twisted the ring on his finger and vanished from the inside of Master Seathu’s office. The follower of Reah smiled as he looked into the crystal ball that held the vision of the arcane spying spell of Barra’s office in Classo. He saw Semeion appear behind the tall and muscular woman. Even through the curvature of the glass he could tell that Semeion was no physical match for Barra. “May Reah protect him.” Master Searthu paused for a moment of prayer and then watched the others perform their teleportation as well.

Semeion decided to speak before attacking. He knew Ophee’s advice had been to strike before giving her a chance, but he couldn’t justify attacking a person without giving them a chance to choose to avoid conflict. “Barra, I’ve something to tell you about your master in Eberdeen.”

The large woman jumped and spun around. Semeion had obviously surprised her by magically teleporting into the room. “Who are you, and how did you get into here?”

Semeion’s eyes grew wide as she rose to her feet and looked down upon him. Even though he was only two inches shy of six feet in height, she still dominated over him by over eight inches. “My name is Semeion, and there is something that you need to know about the wizard that you serve.”

Barra wasn’t in much of a mood to listen to anyone who had intruded upon her space. Her hand reached across the desk and her fingers easily gripped the leather exterior covering the sheath which protected her blade. In a second the woman had the blade drawn. The handle of the sword was easily long enough to allow both of her massive sets of fingers to secure the blade. “Nobody knows of my service to the wizard in Eberdeen except those that my master tells. I don’t recognize you, so you better either explain yourself or I will slice your tiny, fragile frame in half.”

Semeion wasn’t about to take chances against a large blade, however. “Barra, there is no need for the blade. Put it down.”

Barra’s fingers clenched the weapon in preparation to strike. Semeion was ready for the move. He had assumed from Ophee’s description that Barra would resort to physical oppression to control a situation. He wouldn’t let her use the weapon against him. “Crang-d'hai Shintar” He pointed toward her blade as she began to bring it forward in a low arc. With the ceiling above her, she couldn’t use a powerful overhead swing like she had wanted.

The blade began to disintegrate as it swung through the air. As the steel neared Semeion’s position it burst into millions of pieces each no bigger than a grain of sand. The momentum of the swing carried these particles onto Semeion, but they did no harm to him. He was covered in tiny steel fragments from the waist up, but he was uninjured.

For an instant, Barra was off balance. The disappearance of the weight of the blade was enough to disrupt her motion. She stumbled to her knee, and Semeion pounced on the opportunity. “Barra, I don’t want to hurt you. I want you to know and see the truth! But if you force my hand, I can hurt you.”

Barra looked up to him and snarled. Semeion had not managed to convince her to hold back her physical assault. “You came in her as an unwelcome guest. Don’t get on your high moral horse!” She rose to her feet and focused upon Semeion’s position.

The young mage stepped back several steps in order to put a little bit of distance between him and the woman. “I’m sorry, Barra, but you’ve forced my hand.” He exhaled and then quickly replenished the air in his lungs. “Zysh Shintar.”

A deep darkness flashed from the ends of Semeion’s fingers and lurched toward Barra’s eyes. Although the darkness coated her head, Barra managed to shake her head and wipe her eyes with the webbing between her thumb and index finger. As she wiped her face, the darkness fell to the ground.

Barra shook her head once more and glared in Semeion’s direction. “I can kill you without a sword, and your magic has no effect on me. You had better hope that I don’t get my hands on you!” She jumped in Semeion’s direction and unleashed a serious blow with her fists. The woman’s strong fingers and knuckles cracked hard against Semeion’s jaw and brought blood out of his lower lip.

Semeion tasted the blood and stepped another moved away from the woman. If he could stay out of reach, it would be much easier to use his magic. He tried the spell once more. His strategy depended upon the effect. “Zysh Shintar.”

Once again the deep darkness leapt off of his fingers and lurched towards Barra’s face. This time, the darkness focused upon her eyes. The magical effect soaked into her eye sockets until the darkness had been absorbed and Barra could no longer see.

The woman was enraged. “I can still tear your frame apart even if I can’t see you! I know my office well and there is no place that you can hide!” Her left fist struck out in a jab in the direction of Semeion, but the young mage managed to duck to the left and avoid to menacing blow.

Semeion sighed. “Barra, I do not desire to injure you. I have already blinded you and made your attacks much more difficult to land. Submit to me, all I ask is that you listen.” He slowly walked away from Barra, putting as much distance as possible between him and the woman. He knew she could find him by the sound of his voice, but it would be an inaccurate science at best.

Barra growled against the voice whose owner she could not see. “I’ll find you, wizard.”

Semeion nodded, and brought his lips together to display his disappointment with respect to Barra’s stubbornness. “I was afraid of that, Barra. Again, I apologize for what I am about to do to you.” He knelt to the floor and stretched the fingers and palm of his left hand along the wooden floor. “Thin Sooth Egro.”

A small drop of oil formed along Semeion’s middle finger and spread across the floor to underneath the spot where Barra stood. Barra couldn’t see the magical effect approaching, and as she stepped towards Semeion her feet lost traction and she fell to the ground. Her large frame landed on the floor solidly. She tried to bring herself to her feet, but she was unable to lift herself onto her knees before Semeion was in position for another magical strike.

The young mage rose to his feet and looked with pity upon the tall woman who had been brought to the floor. The fall looked quite painful, although fortunately there had been nothing below her upon which she could land. “Your master betrayed you, Barra. Your master has been using you without your knowledge. You have been brainwashed and have committed acts without even remembering them. I can prove it to you.”

Barra spat upon the floor as she struggled to get to her feet. She couldn’t overcome the slickness of the magical substance beneath her. “My master has done no such thing. I would remember!”

Semeion smirked. Barra was demonstrating her ignorance of magic in that statement. “Then I will prove it you. My next spell won’t hurt anything except your pride.” The young mage snickered as he saw Barra freeze in response to his words. She was trying to brace herself against his attack. “Skrie Egro.”

A small ray of pale green light flowed from the outstretched fingers of his right hand and surrounded Barra. Gradually, Barra’s size began to shrink until her six and a half foot tall frame was now only a touch over three feet in height. She had been reduced to a diminutive size, barely taller than the merchant who had taught Rhema her mental powers. Now it was Semeion who dominated over Barra in size, although with her blindness she could not see for herself.

Barra could feel the effect of the spell, however. She could feel her size reducing and sliding over the floor beneath her. In spite of her struggle, she could not resist the effect. She howled in rage, but still could not manage to bring herself to her feet.

Semeion looked down upon the woman once more with sympathy. “This would have been much easier if you would have been willing to listen in the beginning, Barra. Now you have been blinded, coated in grease, and reduced to a simple fraction of yourself. How long will this need to continue? When will you see my purpose for coming here? I don’t want to hurt you, but I am determined that you should be confronted with the truth.”

Barra shook her head. “You had better work fast, wizard. You magic will not hold its effect for much longer. Once your magic wears off, I will hurt you. What will you be like when you can no longer depend on the limited resources of your magic? My strength never leaves. It can only be suppressed for short times by your tricks.”

Semeion nodded. Perhaps that was the first thing that she had said all day that he agreed with. “Very well, Barra. I had hoped to demonstrate that you could be beaten and have you be conscious of it. But, perhaps the only way to prove my point is to convert you. Your master beat your mind rather easily, I would imagine. My own magic should be able to duplicate his effect. In fact, you should be growing weary of hearing my voice right now. You should be growing tired just listening to my words. You should be growing mesmerized by the ever increasing monotony in my tone. Thin Umaam Egro.”

Barra offered no reply. In fact, she ceased struggling against the slick substance upon the floor. She merely lay in the grease, facing the direction of Semeion’s voice. It was as though her ability to choose was no longer a part of her conscious mind.

Semeion could tell instantly that his attempt to hypnotize her by the use of his voice had worked. “Barra, in a second, I am going to remove the spell that caused your floor to be slick. I want you to remain lying upon the ground. Then I am going to come over to you and teleport you to see Ophee and the other people the wizard in Eberdeen has in his employ. Do you think this is a wise idea? Would you like to go with me to learn the truth?”

Barra nodded. “Yes.” Her voice was soft and flat as if it were flowing out of her unconscious mind. “I will go with you.”

Semeion allowed his mind to release the slick oil upon the floor, and the magic vanished instantly. Barra did not move as Semeion approached. As he knelt to the ground, he turned to the location that Master Searthu had placed his arcane sensor. “I’m coming back. Make sure there are a few acolytes able to restrain her.” He touched Barra on the shoulder and twisted the ring that Brandt had given him.

[/Sblock]

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Rhema twisted the ring on her finger just after watching Semeion disappear. She hadn’t wanted to watch any of his conflict. For one reason or another, that was the battle she was most concerned about. As she twisted the ring on her own finger, she hoped for his sake that that the size differential would be able to be overcome.

Ehre was not quite as large as Barra. Judging from the view she could get from the crystal ball, Rhema thought that they would be about the same height. If it came to a physical contest, it didn’t appear that there would be a clear favorite.

However, Rhema also knew that it shouldn’t have to come to physical blows. If her mind was strong enough, and Ehre’s mind pliable enough, Rhema should be able to talk her way through Ehre’s defenses. She knew that the best way to make the encounter seem more legitimate would be to start from the very beginning. So, Rhema had used the ring and the vision from the crystal ball to teleport herself down the road from Ehre’s house. That way, Ehre could watch her approach if she happened to be looking to the street.

Rhema safely appeared in Reignsburg. Mentally, she knew that she wasn’t far from Archis’ potatoes and the Cachinnating Roadhouse. She would have loved to take a side trip to get herself a bit of a snack, but time would not be on her side. It was important to get to Ehre quickly and win her trust in case the wizard in Eberdeen happened to be taking note of the party’s advances upon his servants.

Ehre’s house demonstrated that she was a person of considerable means. The fact that she lived in a house all her own and not an apartment was indication enough. However, as Rhema approached the outside of the building she could see the signs of her wealth. Her house sat on a relatively large piece of land for being within the city limits. Behind the house, Rhema thought that she could make out signs of a grape arbor. Earlier in its life, the house had been surrounded by a split rail fence and the fence had recently been repainted.

Rhema approached the house from the front walk. She knocked on the door and stepped back, waiting for Ehre to answer the door. She waited several seconds before hearing footsteps approach the door from the inside. A woman answered the door, but Rhema could tell immediately that the woman wasn’t Ehre.

In spite of being caught by surprise, in her mind Rhema worked up a new plan for entry. “Good morning, I’m looking for the lady of the house. Perhaps you can help me out. I have a message for Ehre, and was told that she lived her at this residence.”

The woman on the other side of the threshold curtseyed quickly and nodded. “The lady Ehre is in today, would you be willing to come in and sit while I announce your presence to her?”

Rhema smiled, but she also knew that speed was of the essence. She didn’t want Ehre to have time to contact the wizard in Eberdeen, if that was even a possibility. “Certainly.” As Rhema continued, her voice changed in tone ever so slightly. Her words became laced with the mental powers that Rhema wielded. If Ischarus had been present, he’d have recognized it immediately. “Although I do have other business to attend, so please convey my urgency to your lady.”

When the woman curtseyed again, Rhema knew that the mental suggestion had worked. Ehre’s servant didn’t know why, but she was suddenly a bit averse to making Rhema wait too long. Rhema hadn’t planted fear into the woman’s mind, but she had planted a distinct displeasure towards keeping Rhema waiting. Fear would have aroused suspicion when the servant went to Ehre; but displeasure would simply indicate the significance of the message that Rhema brought.

Rhema’s ears tracked the woman’s footsteps through the house. It was clear that Ehre’s servant had been trained well. She walked the uncarpeted wooden floors with a soft step. However, Rhema was still able to here the woman ascend the stairs, and she could hear the slight creaking of the wooden slats above her as the woman traversed the hallway to the room where Ehre was waiting for her. Rhema heard the soft knock on the door, and she began to hear a soft discussion regarding her presence.

Several moments later, Rhema heard a pair of footsteps retracing the path that Ehre’s servant had earlier walked. Rhema smiled a bit smugly, knowing that her mental suggestion had gotten a response far quicker than would have normally occurred. Had Rhema simply left it at the servant’s discretion, Rhema would have likely been kept waiting for several minutes while Ehre ensured that she was presentable as a lady of a manor.

Once Rhema could hear that Ehre was coming, she quickly brought to mind another mental power that she had mastered. Her eyes closed as she envisioned the layout of the house. Thanks to the ability of Master Searthu’s crystal ball, Rhema was able to know the layout of the house to great detail. Her mind’s probe sought out the location where she knew Ehre and her servant walked.

The telepathic probe lingered for just a moment over the mind of the servant woman. Rhema could hear the servant woman’s thoughts as if they were being spoken to her directly. “Phorii be praised, lady Ehre didn’t make the lady downstairs wait! Now I can get back to my chores in the kitchen.”

Rhema’s lips parted in a gratified smile. The servant obviously had some kind of faith, and she also knew that the god Phorii that had been praised was known for his alignment in the same family as those that Brandt and Charis served. At least the servant could be trusted to act honorably in most circumstances.

Rhema’s mind probe paused for a moment so that it could hover over Ehre. The mind probe also managed to pick up on Ehre’s conscious thoughts as if they were being spoken directly to her. “For Vaina’s sake, this woman had better be important. No servant of mine suggests that I forego the assumed delay before making my presence known.”

Rhema could tell that Ehre had not been pleased to be thrown out of her normal routine, but that was something that she could manage. She also assumed that Vaina was the name of the servant woman who walked in front of her. She would need to be careful and not let the name slip out in conversation since she had not been told the name.

Rhema stood as the servant woman and Ehre descended the steps. Vaina descended the steps quickly. The urgency was in part a response to Rhema’s earlier mental suggestion, but it was also so that she could ready herself in the room and announce her lady before she arrived. As if choreographed, Ehre’s steps slowed on the staircase in order to allow time for her presence to be announced.

The servant woman reached the bottom of the steps and proceeded down the hallway until she turned the corner into the room where Rhema had been asked to remain. “Milady, I announce the arrival of the mistress of the house, Lady Ehre.” She curtseyed once more and Rhema smiled. Lady Ehre brushed past her servant without any recognition of the announcement and stopped as she saw Rhema before her.

Lady Ehre was dressed in a simple, yet exquisite, dress. The maroon fabric was expensive and delicate, but the dress had been cut so as to be functional. The fabric held loosely to Ehre’s body to allow her the freedom to move, yet when Ehre was not in motion the fabric hung straight to look formal.

The reason that Ehre had stopped, of course, was the instant disconnect in regard to the way that Rhema was dressed. Rhema was not dressed in the manner that Ehre had expected. She had assumed that a visitor of enough importance to cause her servant to toss out the standard protocol of appearances would be rather impressive. Rhema’s leather coat and simple leggings showed her to be nothing more than a common merchant or an errand girl.

Rhema could see that Ehre was doing the best to control her disgust with the whole proceeding so far. The fact that her mind probe was still reading Ehre’s thoughts helped her as well. She would need to diffuse the irritation before earning her trust.

Rhema spoke first, rather than waiting to be greeted by Ehre. “Lady Ehre, forgive my appearance. I have come on a long journey to see you. In fact, there are only five others like me traveling across all of Tongra. To be completely honest, you are the only person in all of Reignsburg to receive a visit from anyone who has been given my task. If you can find it in your noble upbringing to forgive the fact that I have been dressed to meet the rigors of the road, I will tell you why my message is of the utmost urgency.”

Ehre’s posture and facial expression eased. Rhema had effectively played up to Ehre’s vision of her own self-importance that she could not refuse. With a gesture, Ehre dismissed Vaina. “I do have some time, please have a seat. If at any time I can offer you a drink, let me know and I’ll have my servant come and arrange it for you.”

Rhema smiled, and politely waited for Ehre to be seated first. After the simple display, Rhema sat down and began to speak. She was surprised with how easily Ehre had been placated. If this was any sort of indication, this visit might be easier than she thought. “I have a story that I think you would be interested in hearing.” Just to make sure that she had Ehre’s attention, Rhema had added her mental powers to the suggestion.

Rhema’s suggestive power didn’t work on Ehre, but it didn’t matter. Ehre was interested enough already. She didn’t need help being interested in a message for which she was the only recipient in Reignsburg. “Go on, do tell. Who is your message from?”

Rhema grinned. This would be the moment of truth. “My message is regarding a woman in Fingerdale named Opheiluka.” Ehre’s facial expression changed from one of self-indulgence to one of shock. Rhema could easily identify the change in expression and took advantage of it. “And, by your expression I can tell that you know Opheiluka.”

Ehre responded, forgetting her stately performance so far. “Opheiluka? But she is dead!”

Rhema smiled. “There are some who would have you believe that. I have come to tell you the truth. In fact, I do not think I need to explain to you why I have been sent to only you here in Reignsburg, do I?”

Ehre shook her head. “And our master? He is the one who sent you to me? That is strange, he normally uses magic to contact me directly.”

Rhema smiled smugly. She would add her mental powers to this sentence, and hopefully it would seal Ehre’s cooperation. “He is not ‘our’ master, Lady Ehre. He is your master. He is one of those who would like you to believe the lie that she is dead. I would suggest that you come with me and find out the truth for yourself. I have been sent to you not by the wizard in Eberdeen, but by Opheiluka herself.”

There was a little hesitation on Ehre’s part, and Rhema decided to once more apply her mental power to the lady’s ability to make a decision. “Come with me, Lady Ehre. I have come a long way to tell you the truth. Come with me.”

Ehre slowly rose to her feet. “Very well. I will go with you. Will I be traveling with you on horse or carriage? I’ll need to dress appropriately in either case.”

Rhema smiled and extended the finger that housed the golden ring. “Actually, neither. If you would be so kind as to hold my hand, I will take you to Opheiluka this very moment by magic.”

[Sblock=Color-Free Speech Section]
Rhema twisted the ring on her finger just after watching Semeion disappear. She hadn’t wanted to watch any of his conflict. For one reason or another, that was the battle she was most concerned about. As she twisted the ring on her own finger, she hoped for his sake that that the size differential would be able to be overcome.

Ehre was not quite as large as Barra. Judging from the view she could get from the crystal ball, Rhema thought that they would be about the same height. If it came to a physical contest, it didn’t appear that there would be a clear favorite.

However, Rhema also knew that it shouldn’t have to come to physical blows. If her mind was strong enough, and Ehre’s mind pliable enough, Rhema should be able to talk her way through Ehre’s defenses. She knew that the best way to make the encounter seem more legitimate would be to start from the very beginning. So, Rhema had used the ring and the vision from the crystal ball to teleport herself down the road from Ehre’s house. That way, Ehre could watch her approach if she happened to be looking to the street.

Rhema safely appeared in Reignsburg. Mentally, she knew that she wasn’t far from Archis’ potatoes and the Cachinnating Roadhouse. She would have loved to take a side trip to get herself a bit of a snack, but time would not be on her side. It was important to get to Ehre quickly and win her trust in case the wizard in Eberdeen happened to be taking note of the party’s advances upon his servants.

Ehre’s house demonstrated that she was a person of considerable means. The fact that she lived in a house all her own and not an apartment was indication enough. However, as Rhema approached the outside of the building she could see the signs of her wealth. Her house sat on a relatively large piece of land for being within the city limits. Behind the house, Rhema thought that she could make out signs of a grape arbor. Earlier in its life, the house had been surrounded by a split rail fence and the fence had recently been repainted.

Rhema approached the house from the front walk. She knocked on the door and stepped back, waiting for Ehre to answer the door. She waited several seconds before hearing footsteps approach the door from the inside. A woman answered the door, but Rhema could tell immediately that the woman wasn’t Ehre.

In spite of being caught by surprise, in her mind Rhema worked up a new plan for entry. “Good morning, I’m looking for the lady of the house. Perhaps you can help me out. I have a message for Ehre, and was told that she lived her at this residence.”

The woman on the other side of the threshold curtseyed quickly and nodded. “The lady Ehre is in today, would you be willing to come in and sit while I announce your presence to her?”

Rhema smiled, but she also knew that speed was of the essence. She didn’t want Ehre to have time to contact the wizard in Eberdeen, if that was even a possibility. “Certainly.” As Rhema continued, her voice changed in tone ever so slightly. Her words became laced with the mental powers that Rhema wielded. If Ischarus had been present, he’d have recognized it immediately. “Although I do have other business to attend, so please convey my urgency to your lady.”

When the woman curtseyed again, Rhema knew that the mental suggestion had worked. Ehre’s servant didn’t know why, but she was suddenly a bit averse to making Rhema wait too long. Rhema hadn’t planted fear into the woman’s mind, but she had planted a distinct displeasure towards keeping Rhema waiting. Fear would have aroused suspicion when the servant went to Ehre; but displeasure would simply indicate the significance of the message that Rhema brought.

Rhema’s ears tracked the woman’s footsteps through the house. It was clear that Ehre’s servant had been trained well. She walked the uncarpeted wooden floors with a soft step. However, Rhema was still able to here the woman ascend the stairs, and she could hear the slight creaking of the wooden slats above her as the woman traversed the hallway to the room where Ehre was waiting for her. Rhema heard the soft knock on the door, and she began to hear a soft discussion regarding her presence.

Several moments later, Rhema heard a pair of footsteps retracing the path that Ehre’s servant had earlier walked. Rhema smiled a bit smugly, knowing that her mental suggestion had gotten a response far quicker than would have normally occurred. Had Rhema simply left it at the servant’s discretion, Rhema would have likely been kept waiting for several minutes while Ehre ensured that she was presentable as a lady of a manor.

Once Rhema could hear that Ehre was coming, she quickly brought to mind another mental power that she had mastered. Her eyes closed as she envisioned the layout of the house. Thanks to the ability of Master Searthu’s crystal ball, Rhema was able to know the layout of the house to great detail. Her mind’s probe sought out the location where she knew Ehre and her servant walked.

The telepathic probe lingered for just a moment over the mind of the servant woman. Rhema could hear the servant woman’s thoughts as if they were being spoken to her directly. “Phorii be praised, lady Ehre didn’t make the lady downstairs wait! Now I can get back to my chores in the kitchen.”

Rhema’s lips parted in a gratified smile. The servant obviously had some kind of faith, and she also knew that the god Phorii that had been praised was known for his alignment in the same family as those that Brandt and Charis served. At least the servant could be trusted to act honorably in most circumstances.

Rhema’s mind probe paused for a moment so that it could hover over Ehre. The mind probe also managed to pick up on Ehre’s conscious thoughts as if they were being spoken directly to her. “For Vaina’s sake, this woman had better be important. No servant of mine suggests that I forego the assumed delay before making my presence known.”

Rhema could tell that Ehre had not been pleased to be thrown out of her normal routine, but that was something that she could manage. She also assumed that Vaina was the name of the servant woman who walked in front of her. She would need to be careful and not let the name slip out in conversation since she had not been told the name.

Rhema stood as the servant woman and Ehre descended the steps. Vaina descended the steps quickly. The urgency was in part a response to Rhema’s earlier mental suggestion, but it was also so that she could ready herself in the room and announce her lady before she arrived. As if choreographed, Ehre’s steps slowed on the staircase in order to allow time for her presence to be announced.

The servant woman reached the bottom of the steps and proceeded down the hallway until she turned the corner into the room where Rhema had been asked to remain. “Milady, I announce the arrival of the mistress of the house, Lady Ehre.” She curtseyed once more and Rhema smiled. Lady Ehre brushed past her servant without any recognition of the announcement and stopped as she saw Rhema before her.

Lady Ehre was dressed in a simple, yet exquisite, dress. The maroon fabric was expensive and delicate, but the dress had been cut so as to be functional. The fabric held loosely to Ehre’s body to allow her the freedom to move, yet when Ehre was not in motion the fabric hung straight to look formal.

The reason that Ehre had stopped, of course, was the instant disconnect in regard to the way that Rhema was dressed. Rhema was not dressed in the manner that Ehre had expected. She had assumed that a visitor of enough importance to cause her servant to toss out the standard protocol of appearances would be rather impressive. Rhema’s leather coat and simple leggings showed her to be nothing more than a common merchant or an errand girl.

Rhema could see that Ehre was doing the best to control her disgust with the whole proceeding so far. The fact that her mind probe was still reading Ehre’s thoughts helped her as well. She would need to diffuse the irritation before earning her trust.

Rhema spoke first, rather than waiting to be greeted by Ehre. “Lady Ehre, forgive my appearance. I have come on a long journey to see you. In fact, there are only five others like me traveling across all of Tongra. To be completely honest, you are the only person in all of Reignsburg to receive a visit from anyone who has been given my task. If you can find it in your noble upbringing to forgive the fact that I have been dressed to meet the rigors of the road, I will tell you why my message is of the utmost urgency.”

Ehre’s posture and facial expression eased. Rhema had effectively played up to Ehre’s vision of her own self-importance that she could not refuse. With a gesture, Ehre dismissed Vaina. “I do have some time, please have a seat. If at any time I can offer you a drink, let me know and I’ll have my servant come and arrange it for you.”

Rhema smiled, and politely waited for Ehre to be seated first. After the simple display, Rhema sat down and began to speak. She was surprised with how easily Ehre had been placated. If this was any sort of indication, this visit might be easier than she thought. “I have a story that I think you would be interested in hearing.” Just to make sure that she had Ehre’s attention, Rhema had added her mental powers to the suggestion.

Rhema’s suggestive power didn’t work on Ehre, but it didn’t matter. Ehre was interested enough already. She didn’t need help being interested in a message for which she was the only recipient in Reignsburg. “Go on, do tell. Who is your message from?”

Rhema grinned. This would be the moment of truth. “My message is regarding a woman in Fingerdale named Opheiluka.” Ehre’s facial expression changed from one of self-indulgence to one of shock. Rhema could easily identify the change in expression and took advantage of it. “And, by your expression I can tell that you know Opheiluka.”

Ehre responded, forgetting her stately performance so far. “Opheiluka? But she is dead!”

Rhema smiled. “There are some who would have you believe that. I have come to tell you the truth. In fact, I do not think I need to explain to you why I have been sent to only you here in Reignsburg, do I?”

Ehre shook her head. “And our master? He is the one who sent you to me? That is strange, he normally uses magic to contact me directly.”

Rhema smiled smugly. She would add her mental powers to this sentence, and hopefully it would seal Ehre’s cooperation. “He is not ‘our’ master, Lady Ehre. He is your master. He is one of those who would like you to believe the lie that she is dead. I would suggest that you come with me and find out the truth for yourself. I have been sent to you not by the wizard in Eberdeen, but by Opheiluka herself.”

There was a little hesitation on Ehre’s part, and Rhema decided to once more apply her mental power to the lady’s ability to make a decision. “Come with me, Lady Ehre. I have come a long way to tell you the truth. Come with me.”

Ehre slowly rose to her feet. “Very well. I will go with you. Will I be traveling with you on horse or carriage? I’ll need to dress appropriately in either case.”

Rhema smiled and extended the finger that housed the golden ring. “Actually, neither. If you would be so kind as to hold my hand, I will take you to Opheiluka this very moment by magic.”

[/Sblock]

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Brandt turned to Iscahrus, who was the only one to have waited to leave after Brandt. Brandt began to speak, but Ischarus smiled and spoke first. “Sir, with all due respect, I am used to leading. We’re going to go and fight our own battles, and I’ll fight better knowing that I was last.”

Brandt thought about countermanding Ischarus’ advice, but decided quickly that it really didn’t matter. “As you wish, Ischarus. Just let me summon a few assistants from Reah, if she will spare them.”

Brandt looked up to the set of manacles that hung from Master Searthu’s wall. The manacles were a common symbol used to represent Reah as the tools of her staunch pursuit of justice. “Reah, your servant is in need of your assistance. If you are willing, please send your light to me. Daancrah Pashor Fundar.”

Brandt waved his hands in the air, and suddenly three small globes of light appeared just outside of Brandt’s reach. The small balls of light floated in the middle of the air. They sang to Brandt in unison as their summoning came to a conclusion. “Reah has found honor in your quest, favored one. We are here to help.”

Brandt smiled in Ischarus’ direction and commented upon the appearance of the divine agents with a clear tone of humor in his voice. “Apparently, Reah is in a most literal mood, today.” Brandt could hear Master Searthu chuckling behind where he stood.

Master Brandt turned to the glowing orbs and pointed to the crystal ball displaying Jerome’s current position. “Our goal is to reach this man. He is the premiere servant to the caretaker of the city park in Eberdeen. Our goal is to take him alive, but we should not expect him to come willingly. I would ask that you do not risk danger upon yourself. If you will, protect me and offer assistance to my efforts. But there is no need for you to provide a direct assault upon Jerome. I will do that.”

The globes did not reply in so many words. Their position of flight altered in the room and the formed a horizontal equilateral triangle which slowly revolved around Brandt’s head. Ischarus couldn’t help but allow a slight smile of pride to appear as he watched Brandt teleport to Jerome’s location. Less than a second later, the glowing orbs vanished, following Brandt into battle precisely.

Brandt quickly recognized the new location, and once the orbs realized that they were outside they lifted themselves aloft to a distance of twenty five feet. They continued to stay directly above the servant of Reah who had summoned them, and they also continued to slowly revolve in a flat counterclockwise arc.

Brandt saw his mark, and he noted that Jerome had not yet noticed his appearance. The follower of Reah motioned to the small angelic figures to soften their melodic humming before he spoke. “Jerome of Eberdeen, I have come to confront you about your service to the wizard of the wizard’s college here in Eberdeen. It has been suggested that you follow the wizard while being under the effects of the Arum Dracunculus.”

Jerome spun around to face Brandt as soon as he heard the voice. At the mention of the Arum Dracunculus, Jerome began to chuckle. “Who do you think told him where to find the plant? I serve willingly; I do not need the drug to convince me of my master’s bidding. What I do, I do by my choice.”

Brandt was not completely surprised with Jerome’s statement. After all, Jerome was an assistant caretaker of Eberdeen’s central park. He should know something about the care of plants. “Then you have willingly enslaved others through your actions?”

Jerome laughed. His blue eyes grew darker as his laughter became much more ominous and serious. His eyebrows narrowed as he took note of the angelic orbs floating over a dozen feet above Brandt’s head. He extended an arm and pointed a long finger towards Brandt. Years of working in the soil had long since tinted each of his fingernails black. “It was my idea, but my master has the means of making the effect a reality. It would not have been possible without my research, but it is his hand that actually does the work.”

Brandt snarled at the confession. “Association by definition makes you no less guilty. Willingly participating in the enslavement of others is still against the tenets of this land and the teachings of Reah. I will bring you to justice.”

Jerome grinned, displaying a set of teeth long stained brown from drinking teas made from the leaves and roots of his plants. “Oh? Is that so?”

Brandt nodded. “I foiled your master’s plans already when he tried to work through Ophee.”

A look of pleasure passed over his face. “She was weak. She deserved to die. There is no place in the world for those who can be dominated so easily by a plant.”

Brandt shook his head. “I would think that you above all people would value life.”

Jerome couldn’t help but nod in Brandt’s direction. “I do value all life. Each life has use. Opheiluka’s life taught me to focus on why I struggle every day to keep from being weak. I learned from her life, but she was past her usefulness for quite some time.”

Brandt returned Jerome’s gesture. “Indeed. Now I think it is time to determine if you are past yours. Thin quas Zecka Zhendahl.”

As Brandt lifted his right hand up from his side and pointed it towards Jerome, a static charge collected along his fingertips. Once his fingers pointed towards the target, the charge jumped off of Brandt’s fingers and formed a large bolt of lightning. The energy danced through the air until it neared Jerome’s position. Without warning, the energy dissipated in midair with a disappointing fizzle. What faint energy remaining drifted dimly towards Jerome and was absorbed by a small gold ring.

Jerome laughed at the feebleness of Brandt’s spell. “Did you think you would find me weak and unprepared? Did you think that a spell of the Zhendahl strength could actually harm me? If so, then I think that the slayer of Opheiluka has vastly underestimated the power and protection of the wizard’s other servants."

Brandt had a sudden moment of fear. Ophee had told the party that Jerome would be the greatest challenge. But if Jerome was challenging him, there was plenty of room for concern that the others would be likewise challenged.

Jerome didn’t allow Brandt to dwell in his fear for very long, however. Jerome turned to the plants in the field around him as he stepped back from Brandt’s location. “Soo-ah Celluse Zhendahl.” The grasses underneath Brandt’s feet instantly grew to nearly five feet in height. Visibility was not obscured, but Brandt’s mobility certainly was vastly reduced. Should Jerome wish to get away, Brandt would have a difficult time following without the aid of his divine agents.

Brandt extended his hands. Fortunately, he had anticipated Jerome’s ability to use nature against him. When he was asking for his magical power from Reah, he had received knowledge on this very spell. Brandt knew that the counter was quite simple. “Soo-ah Celluse Zhendahl.” It was a matter of repeating the same magical phrase but with a different tone. The plants underneath Brant’s feet withered. Just to make his point, Brandt reduced the grass to an even lower height than it had begun.

Jerome snarled at Brandt’s ability. “So, I see that you have come prepared. Perhaps I will give you some credit. As it is, allow me to bring one of my friends to counter your three divine agents above! Daancrah Pashel Fundar”

The effect of Jerome’s summoning was immediately obvious. Flames burst from the ground, although the ground was not actually harmed. A ten foot snake with the torso and arms of a man burst through the flames. The creature’s left hand gripped the hilt of a large double bladed axe. The great flame that had summoned the creature diminished once the creature appeared, but smaller flames continued to leap from the creature’s skin and scales and either dissipate as they rose into the air or singe the ground beneath the creature’s unusual body as the creature slithered along the ground.

Brandt nodded as the humming of his three companions increased. “Indeed, my friends. Jerome has given you something to play target practice with. Have at the fearsome creature from the bottomless pit of the earth! As for me, Ythan Shintar!”

Five identical images of Brandt appeared to surround Brandt at the call of the arcane words. Brandt stepped towards Jerome and the images stepped with him. At times, the images seemed to pass right through one another. At other times, the images passed through Brandt. The effect of the spell was making it impossible to determine exactly which one of the six total images of Brandt the real follower of Reah was.

Jerome applauded lightly in appreciation of the parlor trick. “A handy trick, but nothing that is so easily defeated.” As Jerome spoke, the fiery snake-like creature slithered across the ground between Brandt and Jerome. The ground blackened as the creature moved over the grass. The creature hefted the double bladed axe over his head and struck at one of the six images. The blade of the axe passed through one of the images as it popped out of existence.

As the fiery creature drew closer to Brandt, the divine entities hovering above Brandt increased the volume of their humming. A small beam of light struck out from each of the small orbs and landed upon the fiery creature. The beams appeared to wound the snake-like being, but the damage was not severe enough to take the attention of the fiery creature away from Brandt.

Jerome finished applauding and finished his speech. “Now I shall defeat the spell in one simple gesture. Daancrah Zzat Diast.” The humming of the divine agents was suddenly silenced by the cacophonous sound of locusts. The insects appeared out of the ground and surrounded Brandt and his mirages. As the insects drew closer to Brandt and attacked each one of the images, they popped out of existence.

Brandt held out his hand to keep the swarm at bay for a moment. He admired Jerome’s ability to use counter magic as well as he could. Without offering another chance for an exchange of parlay, Brandt lifted up his finger once more and cried out to Reah. “Smite mine enemy! Thin Kelath Teos Diast!”

From a point higher than either Brandt, his divine agents, the fiery creature, or Jerome could see, a column of fire descended rapidly. The fire focused onto Jerome’s position and encircled him. The servant of the wizard cried out at the effect that Brandt had called down upon him, but it was not enough to silence his magical energy. When the effect had passed, Jerome turned to Brandt and responded. “You have given your goddess a chance to speak, now feel the wrath of mine. Feel the wrath of nature! Thin quas Zecka Diast!”

Dark clouds gathered overhead. They appeared so suddenly that it had to be caused by the magical summoning of Jerome. The light of the sun was diminished as though it were night, and the only reason that Brandt could still see Jerome was because of the light radiating from his divine helpers. Now, the battle had extended beyond the two wielders of magic. Now, the battle was encompassing all of Eberdeen. Thunder rolled across the land, and a strong gale blew across the central park and through the city. Jerome pointed to Brandt, who held up his left palm to block the incoming attack.

Lightning arced from the sky and followed Jerome’s point. The electric assault slammed into Brandt’s hand and flowed through Brandt’s body. His robe began to smoke, and a dark circle was left behind from where the electricity had landed. Branded breathed deeply as he recovered from the magic within the assault.

Brandt was certainly the more powerful of the two as far as the realm of magic, but Jerome’s constant involvement with nature had made him considerably tougher. A battle of pure damage would not bode well for Brandt. Even though Jerome was the weaker of the two in magic, he would outlast Brandt in a simple exchange of assaults.

Brandt would need to end this quickly, before all of Eberdeen was consumed in Jerome’s magical summoning. “Zysh Sooth Shindar.”

Jerome braced himself for the magical attack, but an attack never came. When he realized that the power of Brandt’s spell would not have been enough to affect him anyway, he smiled. “You have become weak, wizard? Then I will strike you down! Thin quas Zecka Diast.” Another lightning bolt descended and flowed through Brandt’s body and into the ground.

Before Brandt could recover, the fiery creature summoned by Jerome slashed hard at him and caught him in the side with his axe. His robes were bloodied, but fortunately his divine agents came to his aid. The humming of one of the orbs increased, and the pale yellow glow of Reah’s healing surrounded his newest wound and sealed it. The other two orbs continued their assault of light upon the fiery creature. It appeared as though they had gotten its attention and it would leave Brandt’s vicinity.

Brandt knew that he could not survive another assault of the magnitude that Jerome could bring down from the storm. He was glad that his earlier spell had deceived Jerome. The spell was not a spell of combat as Jerome had assumed. In fact, the spell had heightened Brandt’s aptitude for the coming magical attack. He grinned towards Jerome as he pointed towards his enemy. Only then did he notice that his robe was now singed, and of course still smoking. “Zysh Umaam Diast.”

There was no excitement in Brandt’s voice. There was only the recognition of more pain. Jerome was struck by the sheer magnitude of Brandt’s spell. Boils and blisters immediately broke out over Jerome’s face, hands, arms, legs, and feet. His mind instantly blanked as if he had lost all personality, spirit, and intellect. Small strings of drool quickly gathered along his parted lips and slowly dripped out of his mouth. The dark clouds above the city vanished as quickly as they had come now that Jerome was no longer mentally able to contain the magical power that bound them to his location.

Brandt stepped towards Jerome. His spell had worked. “You have given the city quite a show, sir. They will long talk about the day that lightning struck twice and the park grass blackened from fire. But they will not know why. You and your now feeble mind are coming with me.”

Jerome groaned in horror, but Brandt’s spell now meant that he no longer knew enough words to even try and object. Brandt held out a finger in his direction. “I can kill you with one word, now that you can no longer defend yourself from my magical assaults. Resist and you will force my hand to kill you. Kneel, and I will spare your life and take you to justice.”

More drool dripped from Jerome’s mouth as he leaned forward to kneel. Brandt had once again beaten one of the wizard’s servants. Like the last battle, this one had nearly cost him more than he was able to give.

Brandt turned to his divine agents. “Drive the fiery beast back to the center of the world from which it came. Make sure that it does no harm to any person living in Eberdeen. Then you may return home and give my greetings and word of my devotion to Reah.”

The orbs began to slowly circle around the fiery creature and assault it from every side. It wouldn’t take long for the creature to be defeated. Their combined mobility and ability to fly kept them safe from the attacks of the creature.

Brandt turned back to Jerome. “Oh, one more thing. Ophee hasn’t passed her usefulness. In fact, she isn’t even dead. She is the one who sent me after you. Thank Reah that I value life and not only its usefulness. Your current state of drooling and your inability to think and speak doesn’t give you a very high rating on the current scale of useful life forms.”

[Sblock=Color-Free Speech Section]
Brandt turned to Iscahrus, who was the only one to have waited to leave after Brandt. Brandt began to speak, but Ischarus smiled and spoke first. “Sir, with all due respect, I am used to leading. We’re going to go and fight our own battles, and I’ll fight better knowing that I was last.”

Brandt thought about countermanding Ischarus’ advice, but decided quickly that it really didn’t matter. “As you wish, Ischarus. Just let me summon a few assistants from Reah, if she will spare them.”

Brandt looked up to the set of manacles that hung from Master Searthu’s wall. The manacles were a common symbol used to represent Reah as the tools of her staunch pursuit of justice. “Reah, your servant is in need of your assistance. If you are willing, please send your light to me. Daancrah Pashor Fundar.”

Brandt waved his hands in the air, and suddenly three small globes of light appeared just outside of Brandt’s reach. The small balls of light floated in the middle of the air. They sang to Brandt in unison as their summoning came to a conclusion. “Reah has found honor in your quest, favored one. We are here to help.”

Brandt smiled in Ischarus’ direction and commented upon the appearance of the divine agents with a clear tone of humor in his voice. “Apparently, Reah is in a most literal mood, today.” Brandt could hear Master Searthu chuckling behind where he stood.

Master Brandt turned to the glowing orbs and pointed to the crystal ball displaying Jerome’s current position. “Our goal is to reach this man. He is the premiere servant to the caretaker of the city park in Eberdeen. Our goal is to take him alive, but we should not expect him to come willingly. I would ask that you do not risk danger upon yourself. If you will, protect me and offer assistance to my efforts. But there is no need for you to provide a direct assault upon Jerome. I will do that.”

The globes did not reply in so many words. Their position of flight altered in the room and the formed a horizontal equilateral triangle which slowly revolved around Brandt’s head. Ischarus couldn’t help but allow a slight smile of pride to appear as he watched Brandt teleport to Jerome’s location. Less than a second later, the glowing orbs vanished, following Brandt into battle precisely.

Brandt quickly recognized the new location, and once the orbs realized that they were outside they lifted themselves aloft to a distance of twenty five feet. They continued to stay directly above the servant of Reah who had summoned them, and they also continued to slowly revolve in a flat counterclockwise arc.

Brandt saw his mark, and he noted that Jerome had not yet noticed his appearance. The follower of Reah motioned to the small angelic figures to soften their melodic humming before he spoke. “Jerome of Eberdeen, I have come to confront you about your service to the wizard of the wizard’s college here in Eberdeen. It has been suggested that you follow the wizard while being under the effects of the Arum Dracunculus.”

Jerome spun around to face Brandt as soon as he heard the voice. At the mention of the Arum Dracunculus, Jerome began to chuckle. “Who do you think told him where to find the plant? I serve willingly; I do not need the drug to convince me of my master’s bidding. What I do, I do by my choice.”

Brandt was not completely surprised with Jerome’s statement. After all, Jerome was an assistant caretaker of Eberdeen’s central park. He should know something about the care of plants. “Then you have willingly enslaved others through your actions?”

Jerome laughed. His blue eyes grew darker as his laughter became much more ominous and serious. His eyebrows narrowed as he took note of the angelic orbs floating over a dozen feet above Brandt’s head. He extended an arm and pointed a long finger towards Brandt. Years of working in the soil had long since tinted each of his fingernails black. “It was my idea, but my master has the means of making the effect a reality. It would not have been possible without my research, but it is his hand that actually does the work.”

Brandt snarled at the confession. “Association by definition makes you no less guilty. Willingly participating in the enslavement of others is still against the tenets of this land and the teachings of Reah. I will bring you to justice.”

Jerome grinned, displaying a set of teeth long stained brown from drinking teas made from the leaves and roots of his plants. “Oh? Is that so?”

Brandt nodded. “I foiled your master’s plans already when he tried to work through Ophee.”

A look of pleasure passed over his face. “She was weak. She deserved to die. There is no place in the world for those who can be dominated so easily by a plant.”

Brandt shook his head. “I would think that you above all people would value life.”

Jerome couldn’t help but nod in Brandt’s direction. “I do value all life. Each life has use. Opheiluka’s life taught me to focus on why I struggle every day to keep from being weak. I learned from her life, but she was past her usefulness for quite some time.”

Brandt returned Jerome’s gesture. “Indeed. Now I think it is time to determine if you are past yours. Thin quas Zecka Zhendahl.”

As Brandt lifted his right hand up from his side and pointed it towards Jerome, a static charge collected along his fingertips. Once his fingers pointed towards the target, the charge jumped off of Brandt’s fingers and formed a large bolt of lightning. The energy danced through the air until it neared Jerome’s position. Without warning, the energy dissipated in midair with a disappointing fizzle. What faint energy remaining drifted dimly towards Jerome and was absorbed by a small gold ring.

Jerome laughed at the feebleness of Brandt’s spell. “Did you think you would find me weak and unprepared? Did you think that a spell of the Zhendahl strength could actually harm me? If so, then I think that the slayer of Opheiluka has vastly underestimated the power and protection of the wizard’s other servants."

Brandt had a sudden moment of fear. Ophee had told the party that Jerome would be the greatest challenge. But if Jerome was challenging him, there was plenty of room for concern that the others would be likewise challenged.

Jerome didn’t allow Brandt to dwell in his fear for very long, however. Jerome turned to the plants in the field around him as he stepped back from Brandt’s location. “Soo-ah Celluse Zhendahl.” The grasses underneath Brandt’s feet instantly grew to nearly five feet in height. Visibility was not obscured, but Brandt’s mobility certainly was vastly reduced. Should Jerome wish to get away, Brandt would have a difficult time following without the aid of his divine agents.

Brandt extended his hands. Fortunately, he had anticipated Jerome’s ability to use nature against him. When he was asking for his magical power from Reah, he had received knowledge on this very spell. Brandt knew that the counter was quite simple. “Soo-ah Celluse Zhendahl.” It was a matter of repeating the same magical phrase but with a different tone. The plants underneath Brant’s feet withered. Just to make his point, Brandt reduced the grass to an even lower height than it had begun.

Jerome snarled at Brandt’s ability. “So, I see that you have come prepared. Perhaps I will give you some credit. As it is, allow me to bring one of my friends to counter your three divine agents above! Daancrah Pashel Fundar”

The effect of Jerome’s summoning was immediately obvious. Flames burst from the ground, although the ground was not actually harmed. A ten foot snake with the torso and arms of a man burst through the flames. The creature’s left hand gripped the hilt of a large double bladed axe. The great flame that had summoned the creature diminished once the creature appeared, but smaller flames continued to leap from the creature’s skin and scales and either dissipate as they rose into the air or singe the ground beneath the creature’s unusual body as the creature slithered along the ground.

Brandt nodded as the humming of his three companions increased. “Indeed, my friends. Jerome has given you something to play target practice with. Have at the fearsome creature from the bottomless pit of the earth! As for me, Ythan Shintar!”

Five identical images of Brandt appeared to surround Brandt at the call of the arcane words. Brandt stepped towards Jerome and the images stepped with him. At times, the images seemed to pass right through one another. At other times, the images passed through Brandt. The effect of the spell was making it impossible to determine exactly which one of the six total images of Brandt the real follower of Reah was.

Jerome applauded lightly in appreciation of the parlor trick. “A handy trick, but nothing that is so easily defeated.” As Jerome spoke, the fiery snake-like creature slithered across the ground between Brandt and Jerome. The ground blackened as the creature moved over the grass. The creature hefted the double bladed axe over his head and struck at one of the six images. The blade of the axe passed through one of the images as it popped out of existence.

As the fiery creature drew closer to Brandt, the divine entities hovering above Brandt increased the volume of their humming. A small beam of light struck out from each of the small orbs and landed upon the fiery creature. The beams appeared to wound the snake-like being, but the damage was not severe enough to take the attention of the fiery creature away from Brandt.

Jerome finished applauding and finished his speech. “Now I shall defeat the spell in one simple gesture. Daancrah Zzat Diast.” The humming of the divine agents was suddenly silenced by the cacophonous sound of locusts. The insects appeared out of the ground and surrounded Brandt and his mirages. As the insects drew closer to Brandt and attacked each one of the images, they popped out of existence.

Brandt held out his hand to keep the swarm at bay for a moment. He admired Jerome’s ability to use counter magic as well as he could. Without offering another chance for an exchange of parlay, Brandt lifted up his finger once more and cried out to Reah. “Smite mine enemy! Thin Kelath Teos Diast!”

From a point higher than either Brandt, his divine agents, the fiery creature, or Jerome could see, a column of fire descended rapidly. The fire focused onto Jerome’s position and encircled him. The servant of the wizard cried out at the effect that Brandt had called down upon him, but it was not enough to silence his magical energy. When the effect had passed, Jerome turned to Brandt and responded. “You have given your goddess a chance to speak, now feel the wrath of mine. Feel the wrath of nature! Thin quas Zecka Diast!”

Dark clouds gathered overhead. They appeared so suddenly that it had to be caused by the magical summoning of Jerome. The light of the sun was diminished as though it were night, and the only reason that Brandt could still see Jerome was because of the light radiating from his divine helpers. Now, the battle had extended beyond the two wielders of magic. Now, the battle was encompassing all of Eberdeen. Thunder rolled across the land, and a strong gale blew across the central park and through the city. Jerome pointed to Brandt, who held up his left palm to block the incoming attack.

Lightning arced from the sky and followed Jerome’s point. The electric assault slammed into Brandt’s hand and flowed through Brandt’s body. His robe began to smoke, and a dark circle was left behind from where the electricity had landed. Branded breathed deeply as he recovered from the magic within the assault.

Brandt was certainly the more powerful of the two as far as the realm of magic, but Jerome’s constant involvement with nature had made him considerably tougher. A battle of pure damage would not bode well for Brandt. Even though Jerome was the weaker of the two in magic, he would outlast Brandt in a simple exchange of assaults.

Brandt would need to end this quickly, before all of Eberdeen was consumed in Jerome’s magical summoning. “Zysh Sooth Shindar.”

Jerome braced himself for the magical attack, but an attack never came. When he realized that the power of Brandt’s spell would not have been enough to affect him anyway, he smiled. “You have become weak, wizard? Then I will strike you down! Thin quas Zecka Diast.” Another lightning bolt descended and flowed through Brandt’s body and into the ground.

Before Brandt could recover, the fiery creature summoned by Jerome slashed hard at him and caught him in the side with his axe. His robes were bloodied, but fortunately his divine agents came to his aid. The humming of one of the orbs increased, and the pale yellow glow of Reah’s healing surrounded his newest wound and sealed it. The other two orbs continued their assault of light upon the fiery creature. It appeared as though they had gotten its attention and it would leave Brandt’s vicinity.

Brandt knew that he could not survive another assault of the magnitude that Jerome could bring down from the storm. He was glad that his earlier spell had deceived Jerome. The spell was not a spell of combat as Jerome had assumed. In fact, the spell had heightened Brandt’s aptitude for the coming magical attack. He grinned towards Jerome as he pointed towards his enemy. Only then did he notice that his robe was now singed, and of course still smoking. “Zysh Umaam Diast.”

There was no excitement in Brandt’s voice. There was only the recognition of more pain. Jerome was struck by the sheer magnitude of Brandt’s spell. Boils and blisters immediately broke out over Jerome’s face, hands, arms, legs, and feet. His mind instantly blanked as if he had lost all personality, spirit, and intellect. Small strings of drool quickly gathered along his parted lips and slowly dripped out of his mouth. The dark clouds above the city vanished as quickly as they had come now that Jerome was no longer mentally able to contain the magical power that bound them to his location.

Brandt stepped towards Jerome. His spell had worked. “You have given the city quite a show, sir. They will long talk about the day that lightning struck twice and the park grass blackened from fire. But they will not know why. You and your now feeble mind are coming with me.”

Jerome groaned in horror, but Brandt’s spell now meant that he no longer knew enough words to even try and object. Brandt held out a finger in his direction. “I can kill you with one word, now that you can no longer defend yourself from my magical assaults. Resist and you will force my hand to kill you. Kneel, and I will spare your life and take you to justice.”

More drool dripped from Jerome’s mouth as he leaned forward to kneel. Brandt had once again beaten one of the wizard’s servants. Like the last battle, this one had nearly cost him more than he was able to give.

Brandt turned to his divine agents. “Drive the fiery beast back to the center of the world from which it came. Make sure that it does no harm to any person living in Eberdeen. Then you may return home and give my greetings and word of my devotion to Reah.”

The orbs began to slowly circle around the fiery creature and assault it from every side. It wouldn’t take long for the creature to be defeated. Their combined mobility and ability to fly kept them safe from the attacks of the creature.

Brandt turned back to Jerome. “Oh, one more thing. Ophee hasn’t passed her usefulness. In fact, she isn’t even dead. She is the one who sent me after you. Thank Reah that I value life and not only its usefulness. Your current state of drooling and your inability to think and speak doesn’t give you a very high rating on the current scale of useful life forms.”

[/Sblock]

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Ischarus knew that his fight would not be easy. Ophee had already clued him in to that much. He looked deeply into the crystal ball one more time to look at his mark. Darr was not a large man, but his body movements suggested a highly toned muscular system underneath his clothing.

He recalled to his mind the conversation in which Ophee had told the party of her counterparts. He distinctly remembered Ophee proclaiming confidence in each match-up she suggested except his own. Of course, by this point in time he could no longer be sure if that was actually the way it happened or if that was merely his perception of Ophee’s words. Either way, the next few minutes would likely end in bloodshed and pain, but hopefully it would not end in death for either person.

He turned to look around the room and could see into the crystal balls that Master Searthu was using to keep track on the others. Each of them had just begun their mission, and it was time for him to go. He caught Master Searthu’s eyes as the fingers on his gloved right hand reached the gold ring on his left ring finger. Master Searthu did not speak, but he did smile and nod encouragingly. Ischarus smiled and swallowed hard before giving the ring a simple twist. Soon Ischarus could see the room waver in front of him, only to change to the room that held Darr.

Ischarus spoke before Darr had a chance to realize that he had been joined by another person. “Darr or Juniper, who is working under the wizard of Eberdeen, I have come to inquire of your motions and inform you of the capacity of evil that your master has installed within you. You have the right to listen to what I have to say without the use of force.”

Darr’s shoulder’s jumped instinctively at the surprise of Ischarus’ voice. Much to Ischarus’ surprise, however, Darr did not turn around in his surprise. The man managed to quickly regain his composure and in a bold act of confidence keep his back to Ischarus. “You come unannounced and unwelcome into my house and it is I who have to listen to your pronouncements of justice? Tell me how that makes any sense.”

Ischarus smiled. He could see Darr’s hand slowly moving to the hilt of the large sword that hung at his side. He knew that Darr was trying to use a period of parley to trick him. There was little doubt that Darr was hoping to continue the discussion long enough for Ischarus to believe that Darr would not come against him and therefore let his guard down. Once Darr recognized Ischarus relaxing through his speech, he would no doubt strike.

Ischarus would take no such chance. “Ehoim nuan Egro.” The arcane words slipped out of his mouth easily and the effect of the spell was immediate. A magical vapor crept out from between the floorboards and quickly filled the small room. Within a matter of seconds it was impossible to see a raised hand more than a single foot in front of one’s face. Ischarus continued to speak as the magical effect took hold in the room. “Don’t take me to be a fool, Darr. I could see your hand reaching for your sword. I offer up the spell to force a conversation. You need to hear what I have to say before this comes to armed conflict.”

Ischarus could hear Darr chuckling across the room. “Oh, and I suppose that makes you noble? You have broken into my home and invaded my privacy. And now you force me to endure your presences even more because I can’t see enough to defend myself as is my right? That makes you anything but noble in my book, wizard. For all I know, that could make you nothing but a thief. You are likely robbing me blind without my being able to notice you doing so!”

Ischarus had managed to pick up on the faint sound of steel grating against steel. He could also hear in Darr’s tone the way that he emphasized certain words in a well disguised ploy to cover the sound of his delicate footsteps across the room. Thus when Darr’s blade quite accurately sliced through the precise location of where Ischarus’ head had been when he had last spoken, Ischarus was glad that he had made note of these things and moved towards the wall to his right. Darr’s blade caught nothing but air and vapor.

Ischarus smiled at Darr’s ability, although he knew that Darr would have no chance at seeing the acknowledgment. “You are not as helpless as you would have me believe, Darr. You seem to have quite the ability to defend yourself with steel against a humble wizard thief. So tell me, are you this cunning when the wizard in Eberdeen uses the Arum Dracunculus root upon you so that his bidding is flawlessly done?”

Darr offered up more laughter. Ischarus was prepared for a sudden strike should Darr want to use the laughter to disguise the sound of a sudden charge, but the attack never came. Instead, Darr spoke once more and carefully tried to disguise his cautious approach. “The wizard does not need to use the root upon me, spell caster. I do his bidding willingly. He works with vast strokes to manipulate the pawns of this nation to establish the proper environment for his bidding. I long to see him empowered and serve at his side as the commander of his army. There is no need for him to use the Arum Dracunculus upon me. There is little that he could ask me to do that I would not do voluntarily.”

Ischarus nodded as he quickly ducked and dove again to the right. He had not picked up on Darr’s movements as well as the time before. This time, Darr had anticipated Ischarus’ movement to the right and used a sweeping strike lower to the ground. When Ischarus rose again to his feet, he noticed that his right ankle had been cut to the bone. When he placed pressure upon the foot, there was a moment of intense pain. Fortunately, the ankle bone had done its job. Only the skin on the outside of the bone had been cut. The muscles and tendons on the opposite side of the bone remained intact. The pain from the cut skin would fade into a dull throb quickly enough; and at that point he would no longer be affected by the wound. His ankle would bear weight well enough.

Darr had given Ischarus the information that he needed. Ischarus now knew that Darr was aware of the wizard’s use of the Arum Dracunculus and gave his approval for its use. He knew that this alone was enough to give him permission to use force to capture Darr. He would not kill the man, but using force against him was completely justified by Darr’s earlier words and actions.

Of course, Ischarus chuckled to himself as he also realized that just because Darr was so willing did not mean that the wizard hadn’t used the Arum Dracunculus on him anyway. From what they had seen with Ophee, the Arum Dracunculus would be a great tool to use in order to ensure foolproof loyalty and a victim who has no recollection with regard to the manner in which they had been used. If the drug did not avail itself to the side of evil so easily, it would be a great tool.

Ischarus decided to play a little more cat and mouse while he set up his attack. “You’ve no doubt noticed by the blood on your blade that you’ve wounded me, Darr. Congratulations. You should feel proud of yourself. You’ve used your superior strength and steel to wound an already frail body.” Ischarus allowed a bit of a mocking tone to find its way into his speech.

Darr didn’t take well to the mocking. “It isn’t my fault that your first spell was a poor choice! If you cast a spell that hinders you more than it hinders me, I am not to blame.”

There was no strike from Darr that came with the last expression. Darr had remained motionless, as if he began to expect Ischarus to magically attack him. Ischarus knew that his ploy had worked. His tone had given away that he was planning something, but his words had deceived Darr in guessing what form the attack would take. Now was the time to convince Darr of the method of attack. “Lishtal Sooth Egro.”

Ischarus looked down to his own sword, which still rested within its scabbard. The blade glowed deep red for an instant, but the glow was largely obscured by the scabbard. He could see that the spell had taken effect, but he was sure that Darr would not be able to see the blade through the misty vapor that still clung around the room.

Darr ducked and rolled to the left at the sound of Ischarus’ magical command. He couldn’t be sure what the magical command would attempt to do, but he had been certain that Ischarus was going to try and use magic to attack him. He rose to his feet when he realized that Ischarus’ magical command had taken no effect upon him. “So, wizard, your spell could not touch me.”

Ischarus was waiting for Darr’s ego to show itself. He knew himself well enough to realize that no good swordsman was free from an ego and they were also prone to reacting in overconfidence. He also knew this was quite true of wizards. When Darr’s ego reared its expected head, Ischarus drew his sword in a flash of movement and dismissed the arcane fog that held the room in waiting. As the fog dropped out of the air and magically seeped back between the floorboards, Ischarus leapt at where he knew Darr would be standing. His blade continued to glow faintly red as it was drawn, and the steel seemed possessed in its desire to wound Darr. Ischarus had completely caught Darr off guard and landed a solid strike. The thick and almost viscous magic contained in the blade slid off of the sword and collected in Darr’s wound, increasing the pain and blood loss.

Darr moved with the pain and used his own blade to swipe Ischarus’ steel to the side after it had done its damage. Ischarus knew that there would be no more surprises. He paused for a moment as both he and Darr drew their blades into a ready position. “You’re wrong, Darr. It would seem that my spell did in fact touch you – and touch you well.”

Darr curled his upper lip in a snarl. “It appears that I have been wrong twice then. You are no wizard and you are no thief. You are some sort of ugly hybrid. You have polluted steel with an inner dependence upon magic. But I will not underestimate you again.”

Darr’s blade swung through the air and connected with Ischarus’ shoulder. The blade bit hard, but without the magic supplement that had given Ischarus an edge the attack was no worse than what mundane strike Ischarus had given to him. The look on Darr’s face indicated that he was pleased with the strike.

Ischarus stepped back and just out of Darr’s range with his long sword. He had prepared magic for this battle, and there was no sense in not using it. “Zysh Umaam Egro.”

Darr wasn’t fooled twice, however. He didn’t expect Ischarus’ spell to affect him. As soon as Ischarus moved back and spoke the words, Darr stepped up and swung hard towards Ischarus. It was clear that he had thrown everything he had into the mighty swing in an attempt to disrupt the magic flowing through Ischarus. Ischarus managed to barely hoist the blade of his sword high enough in time to deflect the angle of Darr’s attack.

The blow knocked Ischarus’ blade awkwardly backwards over his left shoulder, but Ischarus didn’t seem concerned. He took his eyes off of Darr for just a moment as he spun around in order to maintain the grip on his blade. As he completed the spin, the magic from the previous spell guided his hands and put the swing right on a path for Darr’s thigh. The steel bit deep and hard, and Ischarus rose up to a defensive position. “Might doesn’t always make right as you suggest, Darr. But magic and steel do make good bedfellows.”

Darr growled again and caught Ischarus with a sturdy angular slash. Ischarus could tell that Darr was frustrated by the fact that the ceiling prevented Darr from performing an overhead smash. The slice, however, managed to find a way through parts of Ischarus’ leather and leave several trails of blood. It would only mean more mending work for Ischarus when this fight was concluded.

Ischarus had accepted the blow because he knew that Darr was set up for his pièce de résistance. Darr was trying to overcompensate for Ischarus’ ability to do magical damage with his own strength. Rather than fighting smart as before, now Darr was simply fighting hard. Up until Darr’s last strike, Ischarus was not sure of his ability to win. Darr’s impulsive strike demonstrated to Ischarus that his opponent was convinced of Ischarus’ superiority. That could only mean that Darr was close to losing.

Ischarus twisted the blade around his shoulder as he cast one final spell. “Thin Zecka Egro.” His face instinctively broke into a smile as the very familiar words passed across his lips.

A static charge bounced out from the leather glove that covered his right hand. The charge arced as if it were several small lightning bolts bouncing up and down the blade. When Ischarus brought the blade forward and cut into Darr, the receiver of the impressive blow convulsed with the delivery of the static charge. The long sword dropped out of Darr’s hands and clanged noisily to the floor. Darr fell to the ground and was unconscious before he even made contact.

Ischarus knelt beside him and shook his head. “You could have been formidable, but in the end you just weren’t worth the worry.” Ischarus’ gloved fingers reached for the gold ring as the hand with the ring gripped Darr’s left arm. With a single twist of the ring, both he and Darr returned to Master Searthu’s office.

[Sblock=Color-Free Speech Section]
Ischarus knew that his fight would not be easy. Ophee had already clued him in to that much. He looked deeply into the crystal ball one more time to look at his mark. Darr was not a large man, but his body movements suggested a highly toned muscular system underneath his clothing.

He recalled to his mind the conversation in which Ophee had told the party of her counterparts. He distinctly remembered Ophee proclaiming confidence in each match-up she suggested except his own. Of course, by this point in time he could no longer be sure if that was actually the way it happened or if that was merely his perception of Ophee’s words. Either way, the next few minutes would likely end in bloodshed and pain, but hopefully it would not end in death for either person.

He turned to look around the room and could see into the crystal balls that Master Searthu was using to keep track on the others. Each of them had just begun their mission, and it was time for him to go. He caught Master Searthu’s eyes as the fingers on his gloved right hand reached the gold ring on his left ring finger. Master Searthu did not speak, but he did smile and nod encouragingly. Ischarus smiled and swallowed hard before giving the ring a simple twist. Soon Ischarus could see the room waver in front of him, only to change to the room that held Darr.

Ischarus spoke before Darr had a chance to realize that he had been joined by another person. “Darr or Juniper, who is working under the wizard of Eberdeen, I have come to inquire of your motions and inform you of the capacity of evil that your master has installed within you. You have the right to listen to what I have to say without the use of force.”

Darr’s shoulder’s jumped instinctively at the surprise of Ischarus’ voice. Much to Ischarus’ surprise, however, Darr did not turn around in his surprise. The man managed to quickly regain his composure and in a bold act of confidence keep his back to Ischarus. “You come unannounced and unwelcome into my house and it is I who have to listen to your pronouncements of justice? Tell me how that makes any sense.”

Ischarus smiled. He could see Darr’s hand slowly moving to the hilt of the large sword that hung at his side. He knew that Darr was trying to use a period of parley to trick him. There was little doubt that Darr was hoping to continue the discussion long enough for Ischarus to believe that Darr would not come against him and therefore let his guard down. Once Darr recognized Ischarus relaxing through his speech, he would no doubt strike.

Ischarus would take no such chance. “Ehoim nuan Egro.” The arcane words slipped out of his mouth easily and the effect of the spell was immediate. A magical vapor crept out from between the floorboards and quickly filled the small room. Within a matter of seconds it was impossible to see a raised hand more than a single foot in front of one’s face. Ischarus continued to speak as the magical effect took hold in the room. “Don’t take me to be a fool, Darr. I could see your hand reaching for your sword. I offer up the spell to force a conversation. You need to hear what I have to say before this comes to armed conflict.”

Ischarus could hear Darr chuckling across the room. “Oh, and I suppose that makes you noble? You have broken into my home and invaded my privacy. And now you force me to endure your presences even more because I can’t see enough to defend myself as is my right? That makes you anything but noble in my book, wizard. For all I know, that could make you nothing but a thief. You are likely robbing me blind without my being able to notice you doing so!”

Ischarus had managed to pick up on the faint sound of steel grating against steel. He could also hear in Darr’s tone the way that he emphasized certain words in a well disguised ploy to cover the sound of his delicate footsteps across the room. Thus when Darr’s blade quite accurately sliced through the precise location of where Ischarus’ head had been when he had last spoken, Ischarus was glad that he had made note of these things and moved towards the wall to his right. Darr’s blade caught nothing but air and vapor.

Ischarus smiled at Darr’s ability, although he knew that Darr would have no chance at seeing the acknowledgment. “You are not as helpless as you would have me believe, Darr. You seem to have quite the ability to defend yourself with steel against a humble wizard thief. So tell me, are you this cunning when the wizard in Eberdeen uses the Arum Dracunculus root upon you so that his bidding is flawlessly done?”

Darr offered up more laughter. Ischarus was prepared for a sudden strike should Darr want to use the laughter to disguise the sound of a sudden charge, but the attack never came. Instead, Darr spoke once more and carefully tried to disguise his cautious approach. “The wizard does not need to use the root upon me, spell caster. I do his bidding willingly. He works with vast strokes to manipulate the pawns of this nation to establish the proper environment for his bidding. I long to see him empowered and serve at his side as the commander of his army. There is no need for him to use the Arum Dracunculus upon me. There is little that he could ask me to do that I would not do voluntarily.”

Ischarus nodded as he quickly ducked and dove again to the right. He had not picked up on Darr’s movements as well as the time before. This time, Darr had anticipated Ischarus’ movement to the right and used a sweeping strike lower to the ground. When Ischarus rose again to his feet, he noticed that his right ankle had been cut to the bone. When he placed pressure upon the foot, there was a moment of intense pain. Fortunately, the ankle bone had done its job. Only the skin on the outside of the bone had been cut. The muscles and tendons on the opposite side of the bone remained intact. The pain from the cut skin would fade into a dull throb quickly enough; and at that point he would no longer be affected by the wound. His ankle would bear weight well enough.

Darr had given Ischarus the information that he needed. Ischarus now knew that Darr was aware of the wizard’s use of the Arum Dracunculus and gave his approval for its use. He knew that this alone was enough to give him permission to use force to capture Darr. He would not kill the man, but using force against him was completely justified by Darr’s earlier words and actions.

Of course, Ischarus chuckled to himself as he also realized that just because Darr was so willing did not mean that the wizard hadn’t used the Arum Dracunculus on him anyway. From what they had seen with Ophee, the Arum Dracunculus would be a great tool to use in order to ensure foolproof loyalty and a victim who has no recollection with regard to the manner in which they had been used. If the drug did not avail itself to the side of evil so easily, it would be a great tool.

Ischarus decided to play a little more cat and mouse while he set up his attack. “You’ve no doubt noticed by the blood on your blade that you’ve wounded me, Darr. Congratulations. You should feel proud of yourself. You’ve used your superior strength and steel to wound an already frail body.” Ischarus allowed a bit of a mocking tone to find its way into his speech.

Darr didn’t take well to the mocking. “It isn’t my fault that your first spell was a poor choice! If you cast a spell that hinders you more than it hinders me, I am not to blame.”

There was no strike from Darr that came with the last expression. Darr had remained motionless, as if he began to expect Ischarus to magically attack him. Ischarus knew that his ploy had worked. His tone had given away that he was planning something, but his words had deceived Darr in guessing what form the attack would take. Now was the time to convince Darr of the method of attack. “Lishtal Sooth Egro.”

Ischarus looked down to his own sword, which still rested within its scabbard. The blade glowed deep red for an instant, but the glow was largely obscured by the scabbard. He could see that the spell had taken effect, but he was sure that Darr would not be able to see the blade through the misty vapor that still clung around the room.

Darr ducked and rolled to the left at the sound of Ischarus’ magical command. He couldn’t be sure what the magical command would attempt to do, but he had been certain that Ischarus was going to try and use magic to attack him. He rose to his feet when he realized that Ischarus’ magical command had taken no effect upon him. “So, wizard, your spell could not touch me.”

Ischarus was waiting for Darr’s ego to show itself. He knew himself well enough to realize that no good swordsman was free from an ego and they were also prone to reacting in overconfidence. He also knew this was quite true of wizards. When Darr’s ego reared its expected head, Ischarus drew his sword in a flash of movement and dismissed the arcane fog that held the room in waiting. As the fog dropped out of the air and magically seeped back between the floorboards, Ischarus leapt at where he knew Darr would be standing. His blade continued to glow faintly red as it was drawn, and the steel seemed possessed in its desire to wound Darr. Ischarus had completely caught Darr off guard and landed a solid strike. The thick and almost viscous magic contained in the blade slid off of the sword and collected in Darr’s wound, increasing the pain and blood loss.

Darr moved with the pain and used his own blade to swipe Ischarus’ steel to the side after it had done its damage. Ischarus knew that there would be no more surprises. He paused for a moment as both he and Darr drew their blades into a ready position. “You’re wrong, Darr. It would seem that my spell did in fact touch you – and touch you well.”

Darr curled his upper lip in a snarl. “It appears that I have been wrong twice then. You are no wizard and you are no thief. You are some sort of ugly hybrid. You have polluted steel with an inner dependence upon magic. But I will not underestimate you again.”

Darr’s blade swung through the air and connected with Ischarus’ shoulder. The blade bit hard, but without the magic supplement that had given Ischarus an edge the attack was no worse than what mundane strike Ischarus had given to him. The look on Darr’s face indicated that he was pleased with the strike.

Ischarus stepped back and just out of Darr’s range with his long sword. He had prepared magic for this battle, and there was no sense in not using it. “Zysh Umaam Egro.”

Darr wasn’t fooled twice, however. He didn’t expect Ischarus’ spell to affect him. As soon as Ischarus moved back and spoke the words, Darr stepped up and swung hard towards Ischarus. It was clear that he had thrown everything he had into the mighty swing in an attempt to disrupt the magic flowing through Ischarus. Ischarus managed to barely hoist the blade of his sword high enough in time to deflect the angle of Darr’s attack.

The blow knocked Ischarus’ blade awkwardly backwards over his left shoulder, but Ischarus didn’t seem concerned. He took his eyes off of Darr for just a moment as he spun around in order to maintain the grip on his blade. As he completed the spin, the magic from the previous spell guided his hands and put the swing right on a path for Darr’s thigh. The steel bit deep and hard, and Ischarus rose up to a defensive position. “Might doesn’t always make right as you suggest, Darr. But magic and steel do make good bedfellows.”

Darr growled again and caught Ischarus with a sturdy angular slash. Ischarus could tell that Darr was frustrated by the fact that the ceiling prevented Darr from performing an overhead smash. The slice, however, managed to find a way through parts of Ischarus’ leather and leave several trails of blood. It would only mean more mending work for Ischarus when this fight was concluded.

Ischarus had accepted the blow because he knew that Darr was set up for his pièce de résistance. Darr was trying to overcompensate for Ischarus’ ability to do magical damage with his own strength. Rather than fighting smart as before, now Darr was simply fighting hard. Up until Darr’s last strike, Ischarus was not sure of his ability to win. Darr’s impulsive strike demonstrated to Ischarus that his opponent was convinced of Ischarus’ superiority. That could only mean that Darr was close to losing.

Ischarus twisted the blade around his shoulder as he cast one final spell. “Thin Zecka Egro.” His face instinctively broke into a smile as the very familiar words passed across his lips.

A static charge bounced out from the leather glove that covered his right hand. The charge arced as if it were several small lightning bolts bouncing up and down the blade. When Ischarus brought the blade forward and cut into Darr, the receiver of the impressive blow convulsed with the delivery of the static charge. The long sword dropped out of Darr’s hands and clanged noisily to the floor. Darr fell to the ground and was unconscious before he even made contact.

Ischarus knelt beside him and shook his head. “You could have been formidable, but in the end you just weren’t worth the worry.” Ischarus’ gloved fingers reached for the gold ring as the hand with the ring gripped Darr’s left arm. With a single twist of the ring, both he and Darr returned to Master Searthu’s office.
[/Sblock]

 

[Nonlethal Force]

In many cases, the party returned to Master Searthu’s office only moments after leaving. The meetings that resulted in individual battles took the least amount of time. Semeion, Ischarus, and Brandt returned to the office first. Fortunately, Master Searthu had arranged for a significant number of acolytes and even a few city guards to be waiting for the party’s return.

Semeion returned first, and Master Searthu had heard Semeion’s warning after his battle with Barra in the town of Classo. The guards and acolytes were ready to handle the large woman well before Semeion’s magical hypnotic trance wore off. Barra was able to be taken into custody and transported to a holding cell in the city jail without much use of force.

The same was true of Jerome. By the time Brandt had finished with the most formidable of the wizard’s servants, there was little remaining of his mind. As Brandt and Jerome returned, the acolytes and the city guard were faced with handling a man who barely had the mental prowess to regulate his own body functions. However, this didn’t stop Brandt from offering up a few words of caution to the acolytes and the guards. “Be extra careful with Jerome, for a couple of reasons. First of all, his mind has been made so feeble that he really is a danger to himself. Until the spell wears off, I would recommend making sure that you are diligent about keeping him safe. However, make sure that he gets into a magically warded cell as soon as possible. Because once the spell does wear off, he’ll be quite a terror in the jail without prevention of his arcane powers.”

Unlike the others who returned at the very least conscious, Darr returned with Ischarus as a comatose lump on the floor. Ischarus had been forced to push Darr’s body to the brink of death so that he could be transported. Upon their return to Fingerdale, the remaining city guard made sure that he was secure before allowing the temple acolytes access to revive him. Once he was healed enough that his body no longer felt imminent danger, Darr regained consciousness and became even more hostile than when he had been confronted by Ischarus. The city guard had to forcibly get him to his feet and transport him out of the temple to the city jail.

Returning with the wizard’s three servants who had been more receptive to the party’s mission took a considerable amount of time more than the servants who had simply desired a contest of power. Charis was the first to return with one of these three largely because her experience with Haroth had begun as a contest of might and only ended by coming to terms. Semeion was pleased to see her return so quickly.

Haroth was greeted by Master Searthu as he and Charis returned. “Welcome to Fingerdale, Haroth. You’ve chosen to lay down your weapons and come peacefully. So long as you honor that decision no harm will come to you here. A few of my acolytes would like to take you to an examination room, where they will discover if the Arum Dracunculus has been used on you for brainwashing. Once the examination has been completed, they will heal any wounds that remain from your conflict with Charis.”

Haroth looked upon the agreement with a certain amount of displeasure. He hadn’t been fully convinced that what Charis had told him was true, but he was certainly in no position to argue and offer up resistance. He left the room with several well armed acolytes and headed towards an examination room.

Rhema was the next to return, leaving Ophee as last. Master Searthu gave the same greeting to Ehre that he had offered to Haroth. Ehre looked as though she were above the need for any kind of examination, but when several acolytes approached her she realized that it wasn’t so much of a choice as a compulsion. She did have a choice, but not the one she thought a person of her position should be offered. She desired to not be examined. Her choice was whether she would be examined honorably in the temple or as a prisoner in the city jail. Quickly recognizing her options, Ehre capitulated without argument and chose to be examined in the temple.

Like Semeion before him, Ischarus greeted his wife with a giant hug. Rhema returned the embrace, but showed much more concern for Ischarus’ wounds. “You’ve been hurt, Ischarus!”

Ischarus nodded, but brushed off the comment. “I’ve had worse. Darr wasn’t too much of a difficulty once I made him mad. He quickly moved from being a good tactician to simply being a brute. Once he became a brute, he was easy to defeat.” Rhema decided to say nothing more about the injuries. Instead, she simply returned his embrace and held onto him for several seconds.

Ophee took the longest time before signaling to Master Searthu that she and Eliah were truly ready to be transported back to Fingerdale. She had tried to move Eliah to a cooperative stance as quickly as possible for fear that the wizard in Eberdeen would begin to catch on to the party’s collective assaults on his servants. She understood that she needed the safety of the Temple of Reah to shield herself and Eliah from the wizard’s ability to seek them out. However, Eliah asked so many questions that she ended up staying with Eliah in Partuss far longer than she desired.

With each passing moment after the rest of the party had returned safely and their marks had been dealt with, Master Searthu and Master Brandt watched the arcane sight through the crystal ball that had been attuned to Eliah. They watched for any sign that Ophee and Eliah might be in trouble. Fortunately, there was no indication that the wizard in Eberdeen had become aware of the party’s efforts and soon enough Ophee and Eliah were returned to Fignerdale by Master Searthu’s magic. Upon their return, Eliah was escorted to an examination room to determine if the Arum Dracunculus had been used on him as well.

Once they were inside the temple, Master Searthu dismissed his arcane spying spells. The crystal balls each lost their image and faded into the picture of a swirling cloud. The crystal balls looked as though each of them were filled with smoke as Master Searthu picked them up from the ground.

Semeion was eager to follow behind him and collect the heavy black iron stands upon which the crystal balls had rested. He marveled at the intricate carving along the each of the legs and supports of the stands. He had a deep appreciation for the symbolic imagery and care for the arcane that Master Searthu demonstrated.

All of the stands had three legs, but some of the stands came together in the center before separating once more to provide prongs to support the crystal ball. Each of these stands where carved to look like a hydra. The legs of the iron stand were carved to look like the legs of the hydra. The place where the legs came together was the hydra’s thick body. Finally, the prongs separating from the body in order to hold the ball were carved into the shape of the various heads of the hydra. Thus, the crystal ball seemed to rest upon the back of each of the hydra’s skulls.

Regarding the stands that did not come together in the center, these were designed so that the three legs actually rose straight into the air and became the supports for the crystal ball. Each leg was carved to look like a gargoyle that was facing outward and supporting the weight of the ball upon its back between its shoulders. The legs of the stand were connected together by iron that had been carved to look as though the wings of each gargoyle were spread out and touching the tips of the other two gargoyles’ wings.

Once the crystals had been collected, Master Searthu invited the party, Ophee, and Brandt to sit down so that they could plan the next stage of their quest against the wizard of Eberdeen. Master Searthu’s office contained little furniture, so the group ended up sitting upon the plush carpet where Master Searthu had first placed the iron stands for the crystal balls. By the thickness of the carpet, it was clear that Master Searthu had this carpet placed in his room to encourage sitting and meditation.

Brandt waited until everyone was seated before speaking. “I think we should move against the wizard of Eberdeen before our advantage has been lost.”

Most of the party nodded in agreement, but Semeion shook his head from side to side. “The wizard in Eberdeen has not been challenged today, and he is likely at a full state of preparedness. Unless we strike at this very moment, he will likely have time to prepare himself for a strike which he can only assume will come quickly. That window of opportunity is closing quickly. We’d only have about an hour to act after he discovers that his servants have gone missing. If we take longer than an hour, he’ll have time to prepare for our coming.”

Ischarus turned to Charis and grinned. Her expression matched his own thoughts. “Well, then let’s go get him.”

Rhema held up a cautious hand. “Wait a minute. We can’t go in there without some kind of plan.”

Semeion nodded in agreement. “Besides, much of my magic is already spent. I can feel the drain on my body already. If we leave now, I’ll be all but useless.”

Brandt chuckled at Semeion’s assertion. “That’s one of the reasons why I enjoy worshipping a goddess and studying the arcane arts. It gives me a sense of being able to have the best of both worlds.”

Charis looked to Brandt with admiration regarding his assertion. “And a good bit of versatility, I’d imagine.”

Master Searthu spoke for the first time since inviting the group to sit upon his carpet. “Well, I did a bit of research while I was preparing for this moment. The wizard’s college is warded against long range teleportation. Only a person who is faculty at the wizard’s college can use a long range teleportation spell to gain access to the higher levels. But, I believe there is a way that we can gain access if we use a short range teleport. You see, the wizard’s college assumes that they’ll be able to deal with any threat that walks through its front door. All we need to do is get inside the building and I think we can teleport anywhere we’d like.”

Rhema nodded along as Master Searthu spoke. “So, we teleport to the surrounding area and walk in the front door. That shouldn’t be too much of a difficult task, surely.”

Semeion again shook his head in disapproval. “The only problem is that there is only one person here who has even been in to see the wizard’s office. In order for us to be able to use teleportation magic and guarantee that we arrive precisely where we want to be, we must have visited the place so that we can give specific parameters to the spell. Otherwise, some kind of grave mishap might occur.”

Brandt agreed with Semeion. “Or, as the best case scenario we spend too much time teleporting to precisely the right place that someone in the wizard’s college picks up on our presence before we can get to the wizard that we seek.”

Charis spoke next. She offered up what she hoped would be a solution. “So, we give one of these rings to Ophee. She can use the ring from inside the wizard’s college to teleport outside her old master’s office. If she is holding onto Brandt of Master Searthu, then they could teleport back and pick up the rest of us.”

Master Searthu nodded slowly. “That’s still a fair amount of time involved, and a fair amount of spell casting. However, I have an alteration that I think might just work. If I cast a magical spying sensor on Ophee and have her teleport, the sensor will find her in a second or two at the most at that short of a distance. If I tie that sensor to a crystal ball, we can use the rings like before and teleport directly to where we want to go. All that would matter is that I hold onto the crystal ball and make sure you all use the rings to teleport first.”

Brandt nodded firmly. “That plan will work. Can we be ready within the hour? I think Semeion is right in that if we let the wizard in Eberdeen have more than an hour then we might as well wait until a new day has come and we are all fresh. But if we can leave within the hour, we might be able to catch him off-guard.”

Everyone nodded except Semeion. “As I said, my magic is all but spent. I’ll be of little use to you.”

Brandt smirked at Semeion’s comment. “No, I do believe that in the end you’ll prove to be quite useful. Trust me.”

[Sblock=Color-Free Speech Section]
In many cases, the party returned to Master Searthu’s office only moments after leaving. The meetings that resulted in individual battles took the least amount of time. Semeion, Ischarus, and Brandt returned to the office first. Fortunately, Master Searthu had arranged for a significant number of acolytes and even a few city guards to be waiting for the party’s return.

Semeion returned first, and Master Searthu had heard Semeion’s warning after his battle with Barra in the town of Classo. The guards and acolytes were ready to handle the large woman well before Semeion’s magical hypnotic trance wore off. Barra was able to be taken into custody and transported to a holding cell in the city jail without much use of force.

The same was true of Jerome. By the time Brandt had finished with the most formidable of the wizard’s servants, there was little remaining of his mind. As Brandt and Jerome returned, the acolytes and the city guard were faced with handling a man who barely had the mental prowess to regulate his own body functions. However, this didn’t stop Brandt from offering up a few words of caution to the acolytes and the guards. “Be extra careful with Jerome, for a couple of reasons. First of all, his mind has been made so feeble that he really is a danger to himself. Until the spell wears off, I would recommend making sure that you are diligent about keeping him safe. However, make sure that he gets into a magically warded cell as soon as possible. Because once the spell does wear off, he’ll be quite a terror in the jail without prevention of his arcane powers.”

Unlike the others who returned at the very least conscious, Darr returned with Ischarus as a comatose lump on the floor. Ischarus had been forced to push Darr’s body to the brink of death so that he could be transported. Upon their return to Fingerdale, the remaining city guard made sure that he was secure before allowing the temple acolytes access to revive him. Once he was healed enough that his body no longer felt imminent danger, Darr regained consciousness and became even more hostile than when he had been confronted by Ischarus. The city guard had to forcibly get him to his feet and transport him out of the temple to the city jail.

Returning with the wizard’s three servants who had been more receptive to the party’s mission took a considerable amount of time more than the servants who had simply desired a contest of power. Charis was the first to return with one of these three largely because her experience with Haroth had begun as a contest of might and only ended by coming to terms. Semeion was pleased to see her return so quickly.

Haroth was greeted by Master Searthu as he and Charis returned. “Welcome to Fingerdale, Haroth. You’ve chosen to lay down your weapons and come peacefully. So long as you honor that decision no harm will come to you here. A few of my acolytes would like to take you to an examination room, where they will discover if the Arum Dracunculus has been used on you for brainwashing. Once the examination has been completed, they will heal any wounds that remain from your conflict with Charis.”

Haroth looked upon the agreement with a certain amount of displeasure. He hadn’t been fully convinced that what Charis had told him was true, but he was certainly in no position to argue and offer up resistance. He left the room with several well armed acolytes and headed towards an examination room.

Rhema was the next to return, leaving Ophee as last. Master Searthu gave the same greeting to Ehre that he had offered to Haroth. Ehre looked as though she were above the need for any kind of examination, but when several acolytes approached her she realized that it wasn’t so much of a choice as a compulsion. She did have a choice, but not the one she thought a person of her position should be offered. She desired to not be examined. Her choice was whether she would be examined honorably in the temple or as a prisoner in the city jail. Quickly recognizing her options, Ehre capitulated without argument and chose to be examined in the temple.

Like Semeion before him, Ischarus greeted his wife with a giant hug. Rhema returned the embrace, but showed much more concern for Ischarus’ wounds. “You’ve been hurt, Ischarus!”

Ischarus nodded, but brushed off the comment. “I’ve had worse. Darr wasn’t too much of a difficulty once I made him mad. He quickly moved from being a good tactician to simply being a brute. Once he became a brute, he was easy to defeat.” Rhema decided to say nothing more about the injuries. Instead, she simply returned his embrace and held onto him for several seconds.

Ophee took the longest time before signaling to Master Searthu that she and Eliah were truly ready to be transported back to Fingerdale. She had tried to move Eliah to a cooperative stance as quickly as possible for fear that the wizard in Eberdeen would begin to catch on to the party’s collective assaults on his servants. She understood that she needed the safety of the Temple of Reah to shield herself and Eliah from the wizard’s ability to seek them out. However, Eliah asked so many questions that she ended up staying with Eliah in Partuss far longer than she desired.

With each passing moment after the rest of the party had returned safely and their marks had been dealt with, Master Searthu and Master Brandt watched the arcane sight through the crystal ball that had been attuned to Eliah. They watched for any sign that Ophee and Eliah might be in trouble. Fortunately, there was no indication that the wizard in Eberdeen had become aware of the party’s efforts and soon enough Ophee and Eliah were returned to Fignerdale by Master Searthu’s magic. Upon their return, Eliah was escorted to an examination room to determine if the Arum Dracunculus had been used on him as well.

Once they were inside the temple, Master Searthu dismissed his arcane spying spells. The crystal balls each lost their image and faded into the picture of a swirling cloud. The crystal balls looked as though each of them were filled with smoke as Master Searthu picked them up from the ground.

Semeion was eager to follow behind him and collect the heavy black iron stands upon which the crystal balls had rested. He marveled at the intricate carving along the each of the legs and supports of the stands. He had a deep appreciation for the symbolic imagery and care for the arcane that Master Searthu demonstrated.

All of the stands had three legs, but some of the stands came together in the center before separating once more to provide prongs to support the crystal ball. Each of these stands where carved to look like a hydra. The legs of the iron stand were carved to look like the legs of the hydra. The place where the legs came together was the hydra’s thick body. Finally, the prongs separating from the body in order to hold the ball were carved into the shape of the various heads of the hydra. Thus, the crystal ball seemed to rest upon the back of each of the hydra’s skulls.

Regarding the stands that did not come together in the center, these were designed so that the three legs actually rose straight into the air and became the supports for the crystal ball. Each leg was carved to look like a gargoyle that was facing outward and supporting the weight of the ball upon its back between its shoulders. The legs of the stand were connected together by iron that had been carved to look as though the wings of each gargoyle were spread out and touching the tips of the other two gargoyles’ wings.

Once the crystals had been collected, Master Searthu invited the party, Ophee, and Brandt to sit down so that they could plan the next stage of their quest against the wizard of Eberdeen. Master Searthu’s office contained little furniture, so the group ended up sitting upon the plush carpet where Master Searthu had first placed the iron stands for the crystal balls. By the thickness of the carpet, it was clear that Master Searthu had this carpet placed in his room to encourage sitting and meditation.

Brandt waited until everyone was seated before speaking. “I think we should move against the wizard of Eberdeen before our advantage has been lost.”

Most of the party nodded in agreement, but Semeion shook his head from side to side. “The wizard in Eberdeen has not been challenged today, and he is likely at a full state of preparedness. Unless we strike at this very moment, he will likely have time to prepare himself for a strike which he can only assume will come quickly. That window of opportunity is closing quickly. We’d only have about an hour to act after he discovers that his servants have gone missing. If we take longer than an hour, he’ll have time to prepare for our coming.”

Ischarus turned to Charis and grinned. Her expression matched his own thoughts. “Well, then let’s go get him.”

Rhema held up a cautious hand. “Wait a minute. We can’t go in there without some kind of plan.”

Semeion nodded in agreement. “Besides, much of my magic is already spent. I can feel the drain on my body already. If we leave now, I’ll be all but useless.”

Brandt chuckled at Semeion’s assertion. “That’s one of the reasons why I enjoy worshipping a goddess and studying the arcane arts. It gives me a sense of being able to have the best of both worlds.”

Charis looked to Brandt with admiration regarding his assertion. “And a good bit of versatility, I’d imagine.”

Master Searthu spoke for the first time since inviting the group to sit upon his carpet. “Well, I did a bit of research while I was preparing for this moment. The wizard’s college is warded against long range teleportation. Only a person who is faculty at the wizard’s college can use a long range teleportation spell to gain access to the higher levels. But, I believe there is a way that we can gain access if we use a short range teleport. You see, the wizard’s college assumes that they’ll be able to deal with any threat that walks through its front door. All we need to do is get inside the building and I think we can teleport anywhere we’d like.”

Rhema nodded along as Master Searthu spoke. “So, we teleport to the surrounding area and walk in the front door. That shouldn’t be too much of a difficult task, surely.”

Semeion again shook his head in disapproval. “The only problem is that there is only one person here who has even been in to see the wizard’s office. In order for us to be able to use teleportation magic and guarantee that we arrive precisely where we want to be, we must have visited the place so that we can give specific parameters to the spell. Otherwise, some kind of grave mishap might occur.”

Brandt agreed with Semeion. “Or, as the best case scenario we spend too much time teleporting to precisely the right place that someone in the wizard’s college picks up on our presence before we can get to the wizard that we seek.”

Charis spoke next. She offered up what she hoped would be a solution. “So, we give one of these rings to Ophee. She can use the ring from inside the wizard’s college to teleport outside her old master’s office. If she is holding onto Brandt of Master Searthu, then they could teleport back and pick up the rest of us.”

Master Searthu nodded slowly. “That’s still a fair amount of time involved, and a fair amount of spell casting. However, I have an alteration that I think might just work. If I cast a magical spying sensor on Ophee and have her teleport, the sensor will find her in a second or two at the most at that short of a distance. If I tie that sensor to a crystal ball, we can use the rings like before and teleport directly to where we want to go. All that would matter is that I hold onto the crystal ball and make sure you all use the rings to teleport first.”

Brandt nodded firmly. “That plan will work. Can we be ready within the hour? I think Semeion is right in that if we let the wizard in Eberdeen have more than an hour then we might as well wait until a new day has come and we are all fresh. But if we can leave within the hour, we might be able to catch him off-guard.”

Everyone nodded except Semeion. “As I said, my magic is all but spent. I’ll be of little use to you.”

Brandt smirked at Semeion’s comment. “No, I do believe that in the end you’ll prove to be quite useful. Trust me.”
[/Sblock]