Mud and Magic Ch. 13

"To be frank, I have grown used to Surface food too," Tanith said softly. "Especially that venison. Beats cave creepers or fungus bread."

"You're... willing to give away that artifact over a few tons of meat?" Lilith gasped. Her rage had lost a lot of steam.

Tanith's lips curled into a smile. "No. Not just meat." She rose and discarded her own garments before lowering herself onto Carver's knee. "I was thinking about an alliance. The news of Mother's death will surely spread like wildfire, especially if the Chaos Queen thinks it prudent to let her children know. We might be forced to defend ourselves. I see more use in being able to ask for three hundred soldiers in a time of need than having a piece of rock able to control dragons which haven't been seen in these parts for centuries. Don't you agree?" Tanith leaned forwards, engulfing Lilith's cock with hungry lips. Lilith only groaned in heat.

* * * *

"Come in!" Thurguz bellowed. Rhys opened the door to the half-orc's study and entered. The late morning sun slanted through the singular window, pooling in a bright spot in the center of the cluttered room. The old wizard looked horribly tired as he squinted at Rhys. Piles of books piled high on his far-seeing table, along with a teapot and some half-eaten food.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important," Rhys said. "I can come back later."

Thurguz made a dismissive gesture. "Nah, I could use a break. Been reading the books Chassari has brought all night." He shook his disheveled head. "What's on your mind?"

"Freeing Celeste, for a start. Faedal has her."

"Good riddance then," Thurguz snarled, slapping the table top. "After all we did for her-" He gnashed his teeth. "I'm not sure I want to save her."

Now it was Rhys grinding his teeth. "Master, with all due respect -- if we let Celeste slip through our fingers, Hilgrun's death will go unpunished. Do you want that?"

"And what will be the cost of trying to apprehend her? Do you even know where she is?"

"Yes and no."

"You're not making much sense, lad. What is it now?"

Rhys took a steadying breath. "I know Celeste is with Faedal. I've seen them talk. He has locked her up in a tower, in a small keep next to a rather striking crater lake. Sheer cliffs everywhere. A breathtaking view in the morning. But that's the end of what I know. This fortress could be anywhere."

Thurguz bared his fangs and shook his head. "I know the place. It's called Skyview Lake. The keep and surrounding land had been gifted to our former adventuring band by King Orran IV. It was our base of operations for ten years before Carver swore fealty to Desire."

Rhys' eyes lit up. "So you know how best to attack it?"

"Yes and no," Thurguz said, a weak grin tugging at his lips. "It's been a few decades since last I've laid eyes upon that place. There is no telling how Carver or Faedal might have fortified it. I'm certain many of the old secret passages are sealed or trapped by now. That's what I would do anyway. Make the place dangerous for former inhabitants." He locked gazes with Rhys. "You really want to attack Faedal in his lair?"

The sorcerer grinned sheepishly. "You have final say. If you think it is too dangerous, I'll probably heed your warning. I learned my lesson last time. But I'm determined to bring Celeste to justice for what she did to Hilgrun and Zentam."

Thurguz chuckled and a bit of life seemed to seep back into his eyes. "You're not the only one who learned a bit, lad. Saying 'no' only seems to cause all kinds of havoc. Before you storm off and hire some shady characters in Lordehome, let me offer what help I can. Just promise me you'll be careful." The half-orc rose and cleaned up the far-seeing table, stacking books onto the floor and precariously balancing his dinner -- or breakfast -- on top of them.

"I've seen Faedal fight close up. I have no desire to deal with him just yet. I only want to find and rescue Celeste. If she is willing to come with me, that is."

Thurguz manipulated the levers above the table, bringing the southern half of the Western Continent in focus. "I'm not sure Faedal even is the bigger problem right now. Celeste might be one of the most powerful spellcasters I have seen in a while."

"Even more powerful than you?"

Thurguz chuckled again. "Easily. I'm pretty sure she could give Idunn a run for her money as well. I had forgotten just how powerful Celeste was before we tamed her."

Rhys raised an eyebrow. "Tamed, Master?"

"Yes." Thurguz cast down his eyes. "When she came to us, Celeste was dangerous, not only to her enemies but to herself as well. We found her in the ruins of a burned-out village, the only survivor amidst a blazing inferno. She was untouched by the violent energies whirling around her, crying for her parents. I am not proud to say so but Idunn and I managed to rein in her destructive tendencies by teaching her less efficient ways to use her magic."

"The same way you're trying to teach Sen patience and restraint by having her work as a servant?"

Thurguz sighed. "Yes. Would you rather have me unleash her on the world, only to be killed when her own raging emotions cause her to make a fatal mistake? I'm trying to save lives, even if my methods seem overly cruel." Quieter, he added: "It's not like I'm forcing her to stay here against her will. Sen could leave whenever she wants. She chose not to. I am not like Carver!"

Rhys laughed, a soft, bitter sound. "Where could she go? Maybe the idea of the whole wide world at her fingertips is even more painful than having to watch other students graduate before she even is allowed to wield a knife?"

Thurguz shook his head. "If I'd known how much of a pain in my ass you'd become, I would have never taken you in." He sighed. "Come, look."

"Was that a compliment, Master?" Rhys joined the wizard at his far-seeing table.

"I'm not sure myself. See Lordehome over here? Carver's fortress is over there, a few days to the south. And Skyview Lake is about a week's ride east of that, in the foothills of the Seaclaw Mountains."

"No roads to get there?" Rhys critically eyed the bird's eye view the table showed him. "It looks dreadfully lonely out there."

"That's why Orran IV was so quick to use it as payment. The keep is ancient, built by the elves as an outpost against the giants who called the Seaclaws their home. There's not much to find in the vicinity apart from a small village inhabited by shepherds and miners. Couple of monster nests but we took care of them when we moved in." Thurguz sighed wistfully. "Good times. Carver, Idunn, Zephrya and I, scourge of Ogres, Trolls and other assorted critters."

"Master?"

"Never mind my babbling." Thurguz shook his head. "There are a few goat trails which wind over the passes here, here and here. We didn't bother with them though, not with a powerful sorceress like Idunn in our midst."

"So you teleported in and out?"

"Yes. Since we worked all over the Old Kingdom, we mainly used the Cat & Cockatrice Inn in Lordehome as the staging ground for our adventures, using the keep to store our treasure and as a retreat in between missions. We had all the necessary facilities, like a smithy and library and a chapel." Thurguz had a far-away look in his eyes. "When Carver betrayed us, I decided to improve on the idea by making this tower not only our home but a place of learning for other adventurers. Maybe my ambitions were a bit too grand."

"I am truly grateful for what you have done, even if I failed to properly show my appreciation," Rhys said, placing his hand on Thurguz' arm. "Without you and Celeste and Idunn, I might be dead by now, killed in the same attack which cost Dara and all the others their lives. Or maybe I would have died much sooner, drained by my own magic."

Thurguz looked pointedly at his hand. Rhys removed it from the half-orc's arm and blushed. "Anyway, I want to help. And the first step will be to find out what in the Burning Pits Celeste was thinking when she rampaged through your -- our -- home. To do that, we obviously need to bring her back here."

"It sounds almost as if you have a plan," Thurguz grumbled. "Out with it."

Rhys shook his head. "It's more the skeleton of a plan. There are too many blanks yet. I don't know who will accompany me, considering how fresh these recent events are in everyone's mind."

"You seem pretty collected, all things considered," Thurguz observed.

Rhys made a face. "I'm done grieving. Or maybe I haven't even truly started to grieve. So many people close to me have died in what seems like the blink of an eye. I'm afraid if I sit down and take a breath to deal with it all, I might never get up again. Faced with that possibility, I'd rather channel my energy into something useful."

"That's rather insightful," Thurguz said.

"Having a very wise elven ghost in earshot does help. Haloryth helped me focus my thoughts on these important matters." Rhys smiled fondly and touched the ring sitting on his right index finger. Two bright motes of light seemed to dance within the silver band. "Anyway, the idea is rather simple. Teleport as close to the keep as possible, infiltrate it, find Celeste and teleport back out, hopefully all without alerting Faedal to our presence. I was thinking of taking two, maybe three companions along to supplement my lack of experience and combat prowess."

"How are you planning to deal with Celeste? You can't assume she'll come willingly. She didn't hesitate to kill Hilgrun and maim Zentam so you should be prepared to subdue her. And you can't rule out the possibility she's there on her own accord."

Rhys vehemently shook his head. "Celeste is held against her will, that much was obvious from the scrying spell I used. She's deathly afraid of Faedal. I did some reading last night as well and, from what I've learned about charms and compulsions, her behavior didn't match any known mind-altering magics."

"No more running headlong into danger, lad?"

"Not with this knee." Rhys gingerly touched his misshapen patella. "My preferred companions would be Borna, Elara and Chassari but I don't know if any of them would be willing to join me in another dangerous mission. It's a small miracle we didn't get horribly massacred at the supply camp. If the Raighbaern and the two dozen soldiers he had with him had been present, we might never have made it as far as we did." He looked up, meeting Thurguz' gaze evenly. "As for subduing Celeste, I thought using a Disjunction Stone or three might do the trick. I don't trust my Dispel Magic spell just yet."

"That might pose a problem. I'm out. One of the items on Zentam's shopping list were new Disjunction Stones but with him incapacitated for some time..." Thurguz shrugged. "Not to fear though. I'm sure Idunn can whip you into shape. Speaking of my lovely consort, I think it is time we put our far-seeing table to good use again. We not only can use it to view remote locations."

"Oh?"

"This table also works as a focus point, allowing us to throw spells over vast distances. We could prepare a ritual as a diversion."

"Like what?"

"Fireballs from the heavens," Idunn said, entering the room. "Hello, Rhys. Thurguz. Did you sleep at all last night?"

Thurguz yawned expansively. "Not one bit, lady of my dreams. These tomes Chassari brought from the Imperial Academy were just too fascinating."

"And yet you're here tempting your pupil with tales of grand ritual magic? How do you plan on mustering the strength to do so?"

"Well-" Thurguz began. "I should probably find a bed. Can you work on Rhys' Dispel Magic spell?"

The resolute dwarven sorceress eyed Rhys curiously. "Do I want to know what for?"

"I'll happily tell you," the young sorcerer promised. "We'll need your help, after all."

* * * *

The following four hours turned out to be the most grueling exercise Rhys ever had the misfortune of attending. Thus far, the first few days of learning the concentration necessary to keep an Armor spell working under fire ranked pretty high on that short list but, when Rhys told Idunn what he and Thurguz were planning, Idunn took the old half-orc's wish to heart. She forced Rhys to cast Dispel Magic spells under combat conditions -- requiring high precision and split-second timing if he wanted to avoid suffering barely-throttled Firebolts and Magic Missiles.

"Still too slow," Idunn snapped. Before he even could voice his complaints, another swarm of angry force missiles homed in on him.

In his peripheral vision, he saw Haloryth shake her head. The elven spirit sat cross-legged on one of the cabinets lining the training room, watching intently as Rhys tried not to make a fool out of himself.

Snarling, Rhys whirled in place, his fingers tracing a line of elemental cold from his head to his navel. One end of the line vanished in the Ethereal Plane, the other was connected to a sizzling ball of power he had in his left hand. The magic missiles impacted the Nelearyn's Crown spell and fizzled, their energy harmlessly diverted into the adjacent dimension.

"You're supposed to cancel the spell before I can finish it," Idunn scolded him. "Good reflexes though."

"You know, dispelling static effects is so much easier. How am I supposed to know what kind of spell you're trying to cast?" Rhys asked, throwing up his hands in exasperation. His robe was singed, his hair disheveled and sweaty, and his limp was more pronounced than earlier that afternoon.

"The spell doesn't matter. You should be able to sense the energy buildup around me and tap it like an energy source," Idunn explained for the fifth time. "Your aim is to deny me said energy before I can fully grasp it."

"So you will simply choose another energy source and cast anew," Rhys complained. "We will keep doing this song and dance over and over until one of us slips up. Which will probably be me. It would make more sense to divert the spell once it's cast."

"I'm merely tickling you," Idunn said. "There is no telling how dangerous Celeste will be. Let's not forget that her magic has been augmented by Desire herself. I wouldn't toy with the idea of taking her spells head on."

"It would be so much easier if she just was a wizard," Rhys muttered. "Her memorized spells would eventually run out. But since she's drawing from the same energy sources as I am..."

"It will come down to a battle of wills," Idunn completed his thought. "If there is one bright side to all of this then it's the fact that you won't have to face her alone. You only need to make sure she doesn't kill you and your friends with her first spell, give the others time to overpower her bodily."

Rhys sighed. "I still hope that we can settle this amicably somehow."

Haloryth cleared her throat. "Even in peace, the value of strength should never be underestimated. Come prepared and rejoice if you don't have to use force rather than the other way round."

A stinging fireball knocked Rhys off his feet.

"Hey!" he yelled, slapping at his smoldering robes.

Idunn smiled sweetly. "We are not done yet, apprentice. On your feet and up your defenses. You won't leave this room until you can dispel my spells three times in a row."

"At this rate, I'll never make it to Skyview Lake," Rhys grumbled. Haloryth made a gesture, a little waggle of her fingers, and his mind seemed to sharpen. The fatigue, the irritation, even the grumble of his stomach vanished. Without distractions, he noticed the swirl of power mounting around Idunn. Remembering how he had drained the enchantments shoring up the Raighbaern's defenses in the Vasadil crypt, Rhys stretched out his hand, fingers splayed, and willed the strands of power to divert away from the scowling dwarf instructor.

The stone slabs in the crypt he had coaxed to drop on the undead had been easier to manipulate. Idunn's willpower was like an almost insurmountable bulwark, her grasp on the strands nearly unbreakable. But there were strands heeding his command. Rhys added his second hand -- a useless gesture like the first one but it helped him focus his attention -- and tore at every single strand as if it was the last remaining bit of magical energy.

Idunn guffawed and took a step back, her concentration momentarily broken. The gathered energy lashed through the room and gathered around Rhys in a dizzying mantle of power. Whatever Idunn had tried to throw his way, it had to be one hell of a spell. Rhys exhaled and allowed the energy to dissipate harmlessly into the ground.

Before he could ask what she had planned, he noticed the next spell incoming. But not from Idunn's direction. He whirled on his protesting left leg and yanked at the threads gathering around Haloryth. Grinning, the elven spirit raised her hands, conceding defeat.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Rhys proclaimed. "You're not part of this lesson!"

Haloryth blew him a kiss and pointed behind his shoulder. Rhys managed to look at Idunn just in time for the next spell coming his way. An icy cold and wet snowball hit him on his chest.

"That was pretty good but not yet good enough," Idunn said, unable to hide a little smile of her own. "Since you only managed to stop two spells, we start again. Get ready!"

* * * *

The sun had set when Idunn finally relented. Exhausted and hurting, Rhys left his bathroom, a towel wrapped around his hips and another around his shoulders, muttering obscenities.

"By Desire's floppy tits, Haloryth! Dealing with one sadistic sorceress was bad enough. Why did you have to get involved? Ow, I feel like I'm a singular bruise."

"Because the sooner you instinctively can react to someone casting in your vicinity, the easier your life will become. Didn't it become easier in the end?"

"It did? I just tried to keep up with the barrage you unloaded my way. On that note, how come you were able to use magic on me? Didn't you say you are unable to affect the Material world?"

"That's the rule for spirits, yes. But it seems there are exceptions. Especially concerning spirits haunting places or people. Much like a poltergeist is able to move items in the place he is cursed to haunt, I can cast spells on you since I'm basically haunting you. That is something I learned today. Isn't that fascinating?"

"I'd be more impressed if I wasn't hurting that much," he grumbled, limping over to his bed and yanking at the bell pull.

"Pain is one of the best means to learn something quickly," Haloryth said. "Considering the nature of your next mission, you can't spend a year or two perfecting Dispel Magic at a less bruising pace." She raised her hand and began to cast a spell. Rhys flung his hand her way and drained the spell before it could manifest.

"You might want to rein in that impulse, at least when I'm involved," Haloryth said, smiling. "I was about to infuse your body with a healthy dose of Ether. A first for me. Usually I used my magic to hurt people." She repeated the spell.

Rhys sighed and tried to relax. A moment later, a wave of soothing energy washed over him. He turned to look at Haloryth, only to see her wince.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"That... was unpleasant," she admitted, shivering. "I wasn't aware that channeling healing magic might negatively affect myself." The elven spirit made a sour face. "I'm a nice ghost, damn it!"

"Maybe I can talk to Uncle Ulrich on your behalf," Rhys suggested, stretching. "Thanks for the spell but save it for real emergencies please. I don't want you to hurt yourself because of me." He slipped off the bed and put on a fresh loincloth and robe.

"Are you expecting company?" Haloryth asked, cocking her head.

"I just don't want to give Sen funny ideas now that we're on speaking terms," he said, cinching the sash around himself. A moment later, someone knocked at his door. "Come!"

Sen entered the room. "That's new. You rang for me. What can I do for you?" The half-elven maid sniffed. "Hmmm, fresh out of the bath. Am I the reason?"