Jeff Inlo - Nightmare's Shad

"That's what we're here to talk about," Ryson declared.

The elf would not release her icy stare from Heteera, but she questioned the veracity of Ryson's claim.

"Do you really know why you're here? Do you have any idea of just how powerful and dangerous she is? You think I can let someone like this just walk up to Enin? What spell does she have you under? I do not blame you, Ryson Acumen. Even with all my training, she's powerful enough to take control of my thoughts if I gave her the slightest opportunity."

It was Heteera who spoke up.

"I have them under no spell. Ask the woman, she comes here of her own will. She knows of the danger. You know she can't be touched by the magic. How could I take control of her?"

Holli remained reluctant to alter her focus or her determination, but she could not deny Linda's gift. No spell could harm Ryson's wife directly and no wizard or witch, no matter how powerful, could ever hope to take control of her mind.

The elf guard called first to the soldiers of Connel.

"Keep your aim on her. If she raises her hands, kill her."

Ryson was appalled by the order.

"Holli! You can't!"

"Do not worry about me," Heteera replied. "I won't try anything, but do you see now why I needed your help?"

Holli ignored them and moved carefully to Linda's side. She grabbed the bridle of Linda's horse. She guided them about so she could see directly into Linda's eyes.

"Tell me why you are here," Holli asked. There was true compassion in her voice, but there was also authority. She wanted a clear answer, without doubt or hesitation.

"We're all here to see Enin," Linda answered. "There's something out near the desert. It's Lief. He's back… not alive… but like a ghost." She stopped, as if she realized how absurd her story actually sounded and now she worried if the elf might disregard her completely.

Holli, however, urged her on. "I know. I can sense that upon her. She has cast a spell to summon the spirit of Lief Woodson. She could not hide that from me. Go on."

"There's a portal… an opening to the place where the dark creatures come from. Like the one Enin opened."

"I could sense that as well," Holli nodded, becoming more confident that she was learning the truth. "What else?"

"Lief made something… something horrible. It's killing dark creatures and storing magic like Ingar's sphere."

At this, Holli's expression drew cold.

"What you are saying is very serious. I need you to be sure. I know you're immune to the magic, but your eyes can still be deceived. Illusion can work against you. You learned that when battling Baannat. Do you remember?"

Linda did not wish to remember, but she knew she would never forget.

"Yes," she whispered.

"I want you to search deep within you," the elf insisted. "Do you think you are being influenced by an illusion? Do you think your husband is acting in any way that you would consider unnatural?"

"No," Linda responded quickly, "to both questions. We have to talk to Enin about this."

"Very well," Holli nodded. "You will see him immediately."

"What did you intend to happen?" Enin asked. His tone was not harsh, but he clearly appeared agitated by the news that was brought to him by his friends and the sorceress he questioned.

Heteera did not feel threatened by the wizard, or by the dogs that stood obediently at his side. She didn't feel awestruck by his presence, but she could not deny an overwhelming sense of insecurity. The magical energies ran strong within her-far stronger than any ordinary spell caster-but compared to Enin, the range of her ability was significantly inferior. Standing in front of him, she understood why even novice magic casters could sense his presence from almost anywhere in the land. The energy that coursed through the wizard-that he could control with great skill-roared like an ocean, and despite her own considerable connection to the magic, she was but a meager stream.

She collected herself quickly. Despite her previous failings, she had managed a small victory. She finally had the attention of the wizard, an opportunity she could not waste. It was not her goal to try and impress this man, but she hoped to make her desires clear, make it so that he would believe she meant no harm to anyone. He was the key to her redemption.

"The magic is such a gift," she explained, "but most people don't see it. I don't blame them. Look at what's happened-here and across the land. People fear the magic, but that's because all they see are monsters and beasts roaming the land. They don't look at what the magic can do."

"I understand, but that doesn't come to the point."

Ryson almost laughed. He stood beside his wife, as Sy and Holli looked on. Enin was infamous for drifting from the point of any conversation, but the delver stifled a chuckle and allowed the discussion to continue without interruption.

Heteera did not find anything amusing. She knew with certainty that she would be unable to live with the thought of her mistake spiraling out of control. She did not wish to be known as the inept sorceress with great power and no ability. She cringed at being considered a fluke of nature, or worse, a dangerous fool with her finger on the land's destruction. To be labeled as such would crush her spirit, but it would have been much worse if those who might suffer from her actions chose to question her purpose. Despite her failings, she wanted her intentions to remain above reproach.

"If we could remove the creatures that crossover, then people would see the true benefits."

"So you hoped to remove the magic that they use to exist in this realm? Commendable but foolish. Magic in itself is pure in form. Only when it is altered to the whim of those that seek to utilize it does it take on a particular intention or quality."

"Actually, no, that's not what I hoped to do. I just wanted to close the rifts. If the dimensional portals could not exist, then nothing could cross."

Enin shook his head. He understood the desire, but he could not comprehend the action.

"So in hopes of closing doorways to the dark realm, you opened another?"

"I did that just for temporary access to the dimension. If successful, that one would have closed with all the others and no new ones could have been opened."

"So you took this monumental action upon yourself? Alone?" Enin could not disguise his surprise. "You have great power, and potential, but you're not alone. And you clearly lack the necessary control. Even you would have to admit to this. Why didn't you try to talk to other magic casters before you tried this."

"Who could I have talked to? Other humans? The most capable spell casters go out into the desert to experiment. They couldn't care less what others think. Why would they help me? They wouldn't want to be bothered. Could I speak to the elves? They have a unique understanding of the magic. They would not see it from a human point of view."

"You could have come to me," Enin offered.

"I didn't think you would see me."

"You could have at least tried."

The sorceress hung her head in her next admission.

"I was impatient."

"Not only impatient, but imprudent as well." Enin said as he reflexively dropped a hand down to pat one of the dogs on the head. "You can't save the world on your own. That is a task left for a power far greater than magic. This hope of yours is beyond any of us and you proposed to do it alone. I do not understand."

Exactly the words Heteera did not want to hear. She did not want her motives placed under question, even indirectly.

"I didn't think it would hurt to try."

"So you would try this, but you would not attempt to meet with me first?"

Heteera trembled slightly in despondency. She could not reply. The very thing she feared the most was now being tossed over her shoulders, a weight of responsibility pulling at her soul.