Jeff Inlo - Chain of Bargains

"Not necessarily, not if the demon wished to hide," Jure explained.

Holli did not wish to sound skeptical, but she agreed with the delver. She could not imagine a draevol escaping her notice for such an extended period of time. Yes, it was possible it could elude her and mask its presence with a shrouding spell, but she thoroughly explored the city for days.

"We were in Ashlan too long for a draevol to cover its existence with a spell of its own making."

"No, not a shadow spell or some kind of temporary cloak, but hiding in another way. You spoke of the abnormal motion of the magic-how it flowed into the city and then flowed back out. This was occurring in both Ashlan and Huntston. I believe the draevols directed that flow, made certain the energy covered them. It is not being utilized in any spell. It is being used as a curtain."

"Is that possible?" Ryson asked.

"It is a very rational explanation," Enin answered, his knowledge of the magic greater than any of those gathered together.

"Think about it," Jure continued. "You spoke to a magic caster in Ashlan, and he offered the idea that the flow of magic was a shove or a reminder. In a way, that was probably true. The draevols were focusing the magic on the two places where the goblin activity was the greatest, Ashlan and Huntston. They were reminding the goblins who was really in charge, but it served another purpose as well."

"If the flow was directed with the right precision, it could have blocked out any magical revelation of the draevols' presence," Holli allowed, as she began to follow the elder wizard's theory.

"Not just a shove or a reminder to the goblins," Jure acknowledged, "but a distraction as well. A wave of magic to flush away any signs of the draevols. That also may be why they restricted the use of magic in Ashlan, to avoid reducing the flow and allowing the demon to be uncovered."

"But she noticed another spell caster in Ashlan." Ryson countered. "How was she able to do that and not sense draevols?"

Jure remained steadfast in his assumption.

"The flow was not meant to hide the fire mage. It was directed to cover the activities of a draevol. Think of it this way… where is the best place to hide a handful of dirty water? At the bottom of a river. What happens if you place such fouled water at the bottom of a heavy current? It gets washed away and no one sees it, but what happens if you place a handful of dirt on the top of a river? It gets spread out and everyone can see it. The fire mage placed his spell at the top of the current, where it was noticed."

Jure looked back toward Heteera. He recalled how the magic surged through the room right after Heteera initially collapsed. He remembered what Enin had told him, how the sorceress wanted to bury herself in isolation using the magic to erase her consciousness.

"It's like her. She wanted to use the magic to flush away her identity. The draevols are doing something very similar. They are using a great rush of magical energy-not to wipe away their existence-but to hide their actions."

"It would explain the magic anomaly," Holli admitted, "something I have been unable to do. It would even explain the presence of the inferns and their willingness to keep order in Ashlan and guard the outer rim of the valley. "

"What about the bloat spiders?" Ryson asked. "They were guarding the valley, too."

Holli answered again, finally placing all of the elements in order. With the help of Jure, it seemed she had found the right sequence.

"Draevols have great influence over many dark creatures. Bloat spiders make excellent deterrents. The demons wanted humans to leave the valley and not come back. By using inferns and bloat spiders, they directed the humans through Pride Gap. Strog wanted refugees heading west across the plains towards Connel. He needed to keep Enin occupied. He did not want the refugees heading south. Humans by nature will avoid spiders."

"Is this really what's going on?" Ryson asked. "Or are we just guessing?"

"It fits everything we have seen," Holli replied. She did not have to struggle to place the answers together. They snapped into place with ease.

Jure made the final assertion as he put one last question to Holli.

"You are familiar with elflore's description of draevols? I assume it's the same as the legends that I have studied. How do they come into being?"

Her own answer cleared any doubts from her mind.

"They are spawned from the entrails of diseased beast demons. They are spawned in twos."

"Twins," Ryson added, as a shiver went down his spine. He didn't wish to discount the prophecies-they had been right before-but he also felt great unease in discovering the answers to so many questions were prearranged in a book written long ago.

"Yes, twins," Jure noted. "That prophecy starts looking rather interesting, especially if you fill it out with probable events. It was called the Chain of Bargains, correct?"

Holli nodded, but then added one correction.

"The Broken Chain of Bargains."

"We know the dwarves made a bargain with the goblins and the goblins made a bargain with certain humans. We can't deny that, but it just can't end there. What would bring inferns to Ashlan? Certainly not the goblins. Draevols have to be involved. Since Prilgrat is dealing with the goblins and the inferns, he has to be the connection to both, and when you're dealing with goblins and demons, any bargain can be broken. What was it you said about the false leader from the prophecy? Oh yes, 'A bargained unity is nothing more than a disguised agreement to a false leader's end to no ends.' Not quite sure what that all means, but it certainly seems to point to Prilgrat."

Jure paused for a moment as he contemplated his past reflections. He remembered what he felt in the magic to the east. His recollection only confirmed his suspicions.

"It has to be draevols, and they had to make a bargain with Prilgrat. Without even considering the prophecy, it's the only thing that makes sense. Prilgrat is getting something from this… what it is, I don't know, but I can't dismiss what I sense. I have felt something far off in the east, something in the magic. I told Enin about it. I compared it to an old stain that your eyes find whether it's there or not. The draevols are that stain."

Jure looked to those around him. He didn't wish to take command of the situation, but he could not stifle what he saw as the only plausible explanation. Still, he turned the focus back to the others and respectfully asked for their view.

"I don't know, maybe I'm wrong, but I just don't think so. Can anyone see something I'm missing… a flaw?"

Ryson almost didn't speak, but he had to point out his reservations.

"I'm not sure if it's a flaw," the delver began, "but I'm worried we might be looking at this the wrong way. Are we trying to fit a solution to the problem… or to the prophecy. That's my only concern."

Enin addressed the concern with a viewpoint focused on the magic.

"We are not simply addressing the prophecy. We are addressing the totality of everything that has happened. The prophecies did not lead you back to Connel. Your sword did. Are you willing to disregard the enchantment that has saved you countless times?"

"No, I'm not." Ryson admitted.

"I can not find fault with your theory," Holli stated, "and I have been trying to find a suitable solution for days."

None of them could contradict Jure, for there was no flaw.

"So what do we do about it?" Ryson wondered aloud.

"I will confront Prilgrat," Enin stated without hesitation. "He cannot lie to me. I won't allow it. I will know the truth."

"We have to do more than that," Jure added.

Enin agreed without argument.

"I know. You will come with me. We will find the so-called twins and we will remove them as a threat as well. I am not against greater aid. We will let this prophecy of Godson be fulfilled."