Jeff Inlo - Chain of Bargains

Even as the magic was once again sealed within Heteera, Jure fought with a surging current of energy caught inside himself. Without a spell at the ready to utilize the energy, he found himself near bursting with magic. Only his control avoided a catastrophe, but the situation remained critical. The power within him pulsed like the racing heartbeat of a snow ogre in a full sprint. It raged against containment, fought against Jure's will. It did not simply press for release. It needed to be cast out in the form of a spell, to be given a purpose beyond being released back into the air.

"Cover your eyes!" Jure shouted.

Enin sensed the raw power building up within the elder wizard. He jammed his eyelids closed and buried his face into the crook of his elbow.

Jure placed one hand over Heteera's face to shield her eyes and wielded his other hand high up in the air. He closed his own eyes and bent his face downward towards the floor. In an instant, a flash of light exploded through the room as if a dozen stars came together in the palm of his hand. There was no heat, no wind, no force whatsoever. The light, however, burned for long moments. It would have blinded anyone who looked into it, but there was no one else in the room.

Eventually, the light burned out and Jure opened his eyes. A few spots momentarily filled his vision, but they quickly disappeared and his sight cleared. He lifted his hand from Heteera's face, and though she could not respond, he believed her vision also remained unharmed.

"Are you alright?" Jure asked of Enin.

"I'm fine," the powerful wizard responded, and though he believed he understood the situation, he required confirmation. "What happened?"

Jure appeared flushed-his eyes wide, his face red with color.

"A giant wave of magic flowed out of her. It was like nothing I've ever felt before. I couldn't maintain control. I had to let go, but I couldn't just release it. The magic… it wasn't just fighting against containment. It was like it wanted something… wanted to be used."

"I understand. I sensed the same thing," Enin answered with a nod.

"I had to actually cast it out. The only thing I could think of that wouldn't destroy the building was a light spell."

"The best choice," Enin agreed.

"I don't want to try that again," Jure admitted. "I'm too old for that. I'm lucky it didn't kill me."

Enin, understanding that it meant he could not check the integrity of the magic, agreed.

"No, that would be unwise. Still, I have to ask, did you sense anything else within the magic, anything beyond the desire for purpose? Any impurities, any hidden spells, anything at all that would give you an indication the magic was being manipulated in any way, even by Heteera herself?"

"No. It seemed so pure. It just wanted to be utilized… actually, demanded would be a better word."

"What of the barrier?"

"It's intact. I can feel it. It hasn't been broken or cracked. I'm pretty sure it's holding all the magic contained within her again. It's just that when I passed through into the magic stream behind the wall, there was so much force behind it, like a river being held back by a dam during a strong storm. It just flushed through the moment it had an opening."

"I see." Enin then finally moved back closer to Heteera's bedside. "I trust your judgment, but I have to go in there now. Something is obviously going on inside of her."

"Be careful." Jure offered with genuine concern, but then caught himself. He felt presumptuous for giving Enin advice and he felt the need to apologize. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded. I know you can handle this."

Enin smiled.

"When I stop making mistakes, you can stop telling me to be careful. That hasn't happened yet. I appreciate your concern. The fact is, I really don't know what I'm going to find in there."

"What do you need me to do, if anything?" Jure asked.

Enin took a moment and then eventually looked up with clear concern of his own etched on his expression. It surprised Jure, for he had never seen Enin so unsure of a situation.

"You have a great feel for the magic," Enin eventually said. "Use it now. If you sense a great surge within her like what you felt before, do everything in your power to control it."

"I wasn't planning on trying to get to the magic again," Jure admitted.

"It's not that. It's something else. She almost knocked me over before, and I just glanced by her mind. I'm worried I might stir up something more by going in deeper. If I do, you'll have to try and control it. You may not be able to contain it for long, so you'll have to channel it elsewhere."

"Another light spell?"

Enin shook his head.

"Unfortunately, a light spell may not be enough. If you have to, blow apart the roof and send it all into the sky any way you can."

"Do you really think that will be necessary?"

"I hope not, but I know how much magic is within her. If all of that explodes directly outward, I'm guessing the city will be destroyed."

"I won't let that happen."

Enin recalled what Jure had said but a moment ago, about being too old… and lucky the magic didn't kill him. Enin needed to warn his friend of the worst possibility.

"I'm not going to lie to you. If she unleashes it all at once, it will probably rip you apart, but if you hold together long enough, you'll save lives."

Jure heaved a heavy breath as he looked down upon Heteera, but he steadied himself and accepted the responsibility, along with the potential consequences.

"I understand."

Enin nodded.

"I know you do. You're a good man." He then looked back upon the sorceress who appeared to stare at the ceiling without a care. "Well, no sense delaying it."

Taking a firm hold of his mortal form with the magic that coursed through him, Enin guided his own consciousness out of his body and willed it into the recesses of Heteera's mind. The magic maintained a connection between Enin's soul and his mortal shell, but his essence was now free to enter the aspects of the sorceress' deeper being. His thoughts took on the same physical shape as his body, as this allowed him to create a reference point for his own existence, but he was nothing more than a spiritual presence attempting to make contact with Heteera's inner consciousness.

The moment he stepped within the sorceress' essence, he prepared himself for another rebuke. Despite his nonphysical form, he understood the power of will and the force of magic. He was not sure if Heteera would allow him to enter, and although he was ready for another surge of power, the onslaught still surprised him.

Wave after wave of seemingly unending force propelled itself at the wizard's presence. There was no true thought behind the surge, no attempt to block out the wizard. There was only a rush of magic heaved toward him. It was not a conscious attempt to repulse him. None of the energy was rushing out of the barrier. It was simply the raging current of magic racing into the sorceress from the very land itself.

Enin immediately understood the dilemma. Heteera was absorbing magic faster than the barrier could isolate it. Like water rolling down to the lowest level, the energy searched for a vessel to contain it. The wizard, with his vast ability to utilize magic, became like a sponge, and the magic naturally sought him out. He was like a powerful magnet and the energy like metal filings attracted to the force of his magical talents.

Rather than fight off the incoming force, Enin simply accepted it. As one of the most powerful wizards to ever walk the land of Uton, even as far back as the times recorded in elflore, his capacity far exceeded that of both Heteera and the barrier constructed within her. He couldn't do it indefinitely, but he could maintain the rate of absorption for a short period. With the force under control, he moved past the initial disruption and walked once more across Heteera's tortured mind.