Jeff Inlo - Nightmare's Shad

Linda looked about her and faced the expressions of all those who cared for her. Even though she might have been the only individual who could withstand the power of Enin, she could not disregard his request.

"What can I say? I'll stay out."

"And that's wise, but I'm going in," Sy offered, "and I don't want to hear an argument. I can't move like Ryson or Holli, and I can't cast spells, but you're going to need another pair of eyes. I'm trained for this and all of you know it. I'm a soldier and I understand a soldier's sacrifice."

"I don't want anyone to sacrifice anything," Ryson protested.

"And neither do I, and that's just what I mean."

"You will get no argument from me," Holli offered, as she, too, understood what Sy meant. "Another soldier is a welcome addition."

"Then I guess it's settled," Ryson said, "but if you all don't mind, I'd like a moment alone with Enin."

Enin nodded and then guided the delver to a private room.

"What do you wish to know?"

Ryson came right to the point.

"You once said you can see the destiny in people. Are you seeing that again in me? Is that why you're sending me?"

Enin almost laughed, but he could not hold to any true amusement. The wizard once saw Ryson's destiny very clearly, but that destiny was met, and Enin had to make a confession of his own.

"I have removed myself from that power," Enin admitted. "I decided it was best."

"You mean you just turned it off?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

A revelation that definitely surprised the delver. Ryson had come to view Enin as almost omniscient. That was apparently no longer the case and such an admission held other implications.

"So you can't see the destiny in Heteera, either? You can't tell if this was all supposed to happen?"

"Can't be sure of any of that. I no longer want to be sure. As I said, I have cast aside that ability and I have no intention of reclaiming it."

Curiosity quickly gripped the delver. He could not imagine why someone would willingly turn off an ability that would offer information that could not be easily obtained elsewhere. A delver sought answers from all sources and closing one off felt like a sin.

"Can I ask why?"

Enin sighed. "Despite my power, I'm no god. I'm just a man."

"But as you said, you have great power. Shouldn't you use that power?"

"To what end? Should I actually try to intervene in matters that I see as fate? No, that would be unwise. Or perhaps I should start making decisions based solely on these destinies? A very bad idea."

"I'm not sure I would agree," the delver confessed.

"Only because you have not thought it out, experienced the true consequences. Let me illustrate my point. My efforts here in Connel are sometimes delicate. I have dwarves calling at me from one direction, humans calling at me from another. I have to sort out many things. I have had to guide them the best way I know how. When I started to see individual destinies in the people who trusted me, I could not ignore what I saw. I was beginning to judge humans and dwarves alike on their destinies, which they could not control, as opposed to their character, which they could. Is that wise?"

"No."

"Beyond that, if I was going to accept anyone's trust, I couldn't allow myself to peek into their future, especially without their consent."

"I see," but the delver still wasn't sure he agreed. He then considered how Enin's self-induced limitation related to their current dilemma. "So you really don't have any idea of what's going to happen? We could go into the dark realm and not come out?"

Enin realized what he was admitting. With all of his power, he truly could not be sure if Ryson would succeed, if he would even survive. He tempered that truth with his own belief in the delver's ability.

"With absolute certainty? No. In that, I am like any other man, but I do have an understanding of this world and the realm you are about to enter. I have confidence in you. I believe you will be fine."

"Care to expand upon that just a bit? I mean, I've had glimpses into that world. I'm not looking forward to going in there." Ryson prodded.

"I can appreciate that. I have told you once before that you are magic. Do you remember that?"

"I remember. Didn't quite understand it then, and I'm not sure how it helps now."

"It helps because you should realize that magic is a part of you. You don't store it like I do, you don't have to collect it. As a delver, you were born with it as a part of your essence. You bring the magic with you wherever you go. It allows you to be a delver, and as a delver, you are a very powerful individual. That is why I believe you will be fine."

"What about Holli and Sy?"

"You will protect them as they protect you. I'm not sending any of you to some certain death."

"And that's it?"

"I'm afraid so. If you wanted something more, I can't help you."

"Then I guess we should be on our way."

Taking the most direct route, Ryson led Sy, Holli and a small group of soldiers out of Connel and toward the badlands that served as the perimeter for the LacobianDesert. It meant cutting through the denser sections of Dark Spruce, but he found paths that avoided any danger or delay. He brought them out of the forest and to the spot where the portal fluctuated in and out of existence. When they first arrived, there was no sign of the rift, and so, they prepared quickly for its return.

Only Ryson, Sy, and Holli would enter the dark realm. The soldiers would wait outside the portal, watch over the horses, and guard the area. The delver revealed that there were no current threats in the immediate vicinity, but keeping the grounds surrounding the rift clear remained a priority.

Sy distributed the supplies that the three would carry into the dark realm and then checked his weapons. He knew he would be the most vulnerable and so he couldn't allow for any mishaps. He steadied himself for the mission and then requested any information that might be useful.

"Anything we should know before we go in?" the captain asked of Holli.

"Focus on our goal," Holli responded, "and try to differentiate between true threats and the hostile environment. That will be no easy task. The lands we will enter are beyond foreign, they are intimidating and oppressive. Death is everywhere, but we can not allow that to keep us from our mission."

"Okay, no sightseeing, no problem here."

Holli smiled at the attempt to lessen the tension. She checked the supplies she had been given and continued with her assessment.

"Beyond that, I think we are ready. We have sufficient supplies of food and water. I do not believe we will need this amount, but better to be prepared. Based on Ryson's description, the vessel is not something that can move at great speed. You are the slowest among us… no offense intended."

"None taken.Can't argue with facts."

"But you are not a liability by any stretch of the imagination. I believe you be will be more than able to keep the pace necessary to catch our quarry. Based on what we know, Lief intends to protect the magical vessel. He can't lift it himself, but the vessel itself is capable of movement. It is reasonable to assume Lief managed to coax it away from the gateway, but I would not expect they will be far."

"Maybe he can use the magic to move it faster?" Ryson offered.

"If so, I will be able to follow the trail. Enin has taught me how to move through space in the most efficient manner, even through space in the outer dimensions. I can easily offset any advantage Lief might have gained by utilizing magic stored in the vessel, but I doubt that will be the case. If I were Lief, I would keep the profile of the magical signature as low as possible. I do not think he wants attention now."