Jeff Inlo - Nightmare's Shad

The last statement was offered not as a gift, but more of a declaration of the dark sorcerer's desires. It was as if his verdicts formed reality.

Neltus was of course thankful, but suspicious.

"Why?"

"Because you impressed me."

Again, it didn't sound as if it was meant to be a compliment, and certainly not offered for the purpose of flattering Neltus. It was more of a statement of fact than anything else.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Ansas," the sorcerer replied as he looked Neltus over like a cow at an auction. He then shrugged, as if Neltus' physical appearance did not match the dark sorcerer's expectations. Continuing, he offered more information, but all the while regarding Neltus as nothing more than a simple diversion and worth little consideration. Even as he spoke, he looked about the town with a sense of detachment. "Baannat asked me to remove the pathetic force of magic casters in this abandoned town and then take the eastern plains."

"You willingly do Baannat's bidding?"

This remark provoked a bit more emotion from Ansas, and he quickly placed his full attention on Neltus, something Neltus found extraordinarily unsettling.

"I willingly do my own bidding. He asked me, he didn't order me. You should pay closer attention."

Neltus wanted to leave it at that, but he felt as if he needed to explain himself.

"No offense, but you came here as part of Baannat's army."

"I came here to test my power. It was my time. Baannat simply created an opportunity. I chose to embrace that opportunity. Nothing more and nothing less." Ansas then regarded Neltus with a spark of impatience. "Enough of that. I'm here because I have questions for you, not the other way around."

Neltus bowed his head in submission and waited, offering no further word until spoken to.

"Why did you agree to join this group?"

"It was that or die," Neltus answered without hesitation.

"You don't expect me to believe that they threatened to kill you if you didn't join them, do you? They don't act in that manner."

"No, I thought Baannat would kill me. If he won, he would wipe out all the spell casters."

"And that was your incentive to join this group, to take orders from an inferior elf witch, and to place yourself in jeopardy? If you're going to reply with absurdities, then my impression of you will quickly diminish even further."

"It's not absurd! Baannat was sending forces into the desert. He was looking to conquer the eastern plains. Look at what happened here. Look at you! You were sent here to destroy the other spell casters. You revealed as much only a moment ago. Any one that might be a threat to Baannat's power would be removed. Every capable spell caster would die!"

"Am I going to die?" Ansas asked.

Neltus paused as he considered the question. Before him was a very powerful sorcerer who had clearly taken a stake in Baannat's game. He couldn't imagine why.

"I don't know," Neltus admitted.

"I assure you, I am not. I understand death better than anyone. Death does not wait for those who side with Baannat."

"What does wait?"

"Opportunity."

Neltus never considered that as a plausible alternative. It interested him and he wondered if he might profit from it.

"Are you offering me something?"

The dark sorcerer laughed, as if he heard a slightly humorous tale. "I've already decided to let you live, so I'm offering you nothing. I'm just curious about you. You have far more power than the elf witch, yet you bend to her will. That's only mildly surprising because you do so out of self preservation. I understand that now. And despite your abilities, there is one even more powerful than you who also defers to the elf."

"His name is Jure," Neltus confirmed. "He casts near white magic in a perfect circle."

Ansas shrugged. "And I cast pure black magic in a perfect circle. I would not submit to the elf witch, why does he? Why do you? Are you actually afraid of her?"

"I'm afraid of Enin," Neltus admitted. It was difficult to state, but it was the truth, and he was not willing to risk angering the dark sorcerer with lies.

"Enin is no longer a threat," Ansas revealed.

"How is that possible?"

"An error in judgment. He is trapped in Baannat's new existence. Take a lesson in that, Neltus. The truth is that Baannat is also trapped in that existence. Not to the same extent, but he can only project a portion of his will into a purely physical realm."

"How do you know this?"

"As I said, I cast in pure black magic. I understand death. Baannat controls the dark creatures because he offers something beyond their grasp, a chance of existence without consequence, but they are fools. There are always consequences. They grasp at the unattainable."

"So why are you here?"

"As I said, I wish to test my powers. I have already done so successfully in so many ways. Even now, the elf witch waits for her death at my hand. I could easily accommodate her, but there is no challenge in that." Ansas frowned. "And yet again, you are asking the questions. You really do not listen well, do you?"

"No, I do not. My apologies."

"Then listen carefully now. I understand now why you're here, and I accept it. I wish you to leave immediately. You don't have to worry about Enin or the elf, or Jure, or even Baannat. You are clearly not my equal, but you have power I find intriguing. You have remained true to the pureness of your true calling. The crimson energy cannot match the strength of ebony power, but it is a hue I respect. It is for that reason alone I will let you leave."

Neltus did not argue the sentiment. He simply bowed and continued his escape from Pinesway.

#

"You had to hear her, everyone did. You can't just hide here."

Jure had found Heteera crouched down behind a broken counter of an old general store. The sign had fallen into the dirt just outside the front door, but it remained legible. The shelves had long since been emptied of everything that was of any use or value. The only items that remained upon them were spiders, broken glass, and dust.

Heteera would not look up at Jure. She just stared at the grimy floor. She didn't wish to acknowledge him. She did not like him. He was so calm and certain with the magic. He had no idea what she went through, what it was like to have the energy flow within like a raging river that could not be contained or controlled.

"Well?" he pressed.

"Yes, I heard her, but I can't go."

"Why not?"

"Because I can't control it."

"You don't have to control it. Leave that to Holli."

Heteera exploded. She jumped up from behind the counter and bore into Jure with venom in her stare.

"She can't control it, either! She tried once before and it made things worse!"

Jure's expression turned to stone. Just as Heteera did not like him, he had no great admiration for her… and certainly no respect. She had immense power, but she was weak-weak in will-and it limited her true potential. She viewed control over the magic as simply an inherent quality, one that could not be obtained or enhanced through focus and determination. She was wrong. He was proof of that.

"You're coming with me. Holli will use your energy and you will allow it."

"Why? Because you say so? I'm not going to listen to you."

White energy bubbled around her as her anger grew. She made her threat clear, she would cast all her power at him before she agreed to follow him anywhere.

Jure responded with a display of his own. A circle of energy formed around him. It danced around his entire body, swaying and rolling in perfect rotations. The energy glistened white, but not as pure as Heteera's. A hint of blue stained it ever so slightly, but even that small imperfection could not dampen the truth.