The Spirit Well

by Charles E Yallowitz

  “But we also learned that a guardian can be replaced,” the gypsy insists before Luke puts a hand on her shoulder. She pushes him away, but follows to jab him in the chest with a locked finger. “You’ve been insulting her for a while, so I don’t want to hear from you. Do you even know how big of a hypocrite you are? Angry and crying about being betrayed, but you aren’t exactly standing by her side either. You’d throw her to the wolves while all of us know you still want to talk to Nimby. Why does he get a chance to explain himself when he killed somebody and ran away while Dariana admitted to trying to save us?”

  “You’re right,” Luke answers, rubbing at one of his remaining wounds. With a tired sigh, the half-elf gazes at the castle and lets the tension flow from his muscles. “I aimed my rage for Nimby at Dariana even though I knew her reason. Do I entirely trust her? No because I’ve been betrayed too many times. I’ll give her a chance since we can’t be fighting each other when facing the Baron. Doesn’t seem like we have much time left together anyway, which brings me to your hypocrisy. You want to save your friend by condemning someone else. Did you consider that Dariana doesn’t want to do that to an innocent person? She’s accepting her fate even if it’s a dark one.”

  “As her friends, we should try to help her.”

  “Only if she wants us to.”

  “Sometimes you have to do what’s right for your loved ones even if they don’t agree.”

  “Not by sacrificing an innocent.”

  “That’s why I said we find someone who wants to do this.”

  “And take the chance of someone with dark intentions taking over the Spirit Well?”

  “That’s why Dariana will read their minds when they aren’t paying attention.”

  “How is that not intrusive?”

  Luke and Sari suddenly lose their voices, the pair turning to glare at Dariana, who timidly backs away. She is about to free them from her power when Nyx walks over and holds a finger to stop the telepath. The channeler takes Luke and Sari by the hands and silently pats them on the knuckles. A stern look in her eyes stops them from speaking even when they realize that Dariana has returned their voices. Both breathe a sigh of relief when Nyx yawns and goes back to where Delvin is drinking coffee directly from one of his enchanted rings. The moment Luke and Sari relax, a gust of wind gently smacks them upside the head.

  “I believe Nyx wants you to stop acting like children and let the matter rest,” Dariana says with a chuckle. A series of croaks draws her attention to a group of large frogs that is hopping toward the edge of the clearing. “I appreciate your concern, but Luke is right. This is my fate and putting someone in my place is cruel. If we are truly supposed to be examples of heroism then we must accept our punishments instead of foisting them upon others. Besides, it is probably best that the Kernaghan bloodline be removed from Windemere. At least this way, I will be alive and have some purpose.”

  “I am disappointed in you, daughter,” the Baron announces, his voice booming across the swamp. The sky is filled with retreating birds and the champions see all of the animals leave the surrounding pools to escape into the trees. “Yet also proud because you are standing by those who are loyal to you. I can respect that even though it means we will eventually meet on the battlefield.”

  A bleeding portal appears several yards away from the champions and emits a wave of nauseating magic. Moss turns black and swamp water bubbles while a translucent figure appears above the gateway. Wearing a crimson shirt with tapered sleeves and an immaculate pair of black breeches, the Baron bows to his enemies. His ebony eyes take in the sight of the champions that he has been wanting to meet for countless years. The warlord licks his lips at the power wafting off most of the tense mortals, his expression of glee souring when he turns toward Luke. A rumbling laugh rolls from his throat and the sound creates deep cracks in the castle walls. The phantom’s amusement stops when a fireball passes through his head and explodes against a distant cloud. Following the ambient trail of magic, the Baron’s attention locks on Nyx and a shiver of anticipation runs along his spine.

  “Our battle will be glorious,” the immortal declares, adjusting his leather gloves. He appears to sit on the portal, which causes his legs to vanish into the churning energy “I never expected so many powerful adversaries to help me usher in my new regime. Gabriel did fantastic work on all of you even if one has decided to remain weak. My future citizens would never dream of rebelling if they see you fall. Oh, is that the drite I have heard so much about? Do not bother being invisible, little one, since your spells have no effect on me. I have yet to make a decision about you, but we will see what role you will play in our battle.”

  “Stop with a projection and face us, father,” Dariana says as she moves toward the portal. A rotting hand erupts from the ground to yank her legs into the earth. “You’ve wanted this battle for centuries. I know you aren’t afraid, so what are you doing? The temples are cleared, the Compass Key is fully powered, and the champions are finally awakened. What else do you need?”

  “I need the proper stage and to give you a test of my own,” the Baron replies, extending his hand to create a ball of crackling magic. Shadows with demonic faces swirl around the orb of purple lightning and green flames. “My curse is beginning to crack, but it still holds strong. You must come to me, champions. Fight the monster in his den and prove to the world that you are worthy of your title. But first, survive this.”

  The portal collapses into the churning spell, which swells with a magic that sucks the light from the sky. Sensing that the blast is too powerful to deflect, the champions hurry to reach the Spirit Well and hide underground. Being the first one into the tower, Nyx holds the door open and watches the others leap into the hole. Her heart sinks when she sees that Dariana and Luke are still standing in the open, the forest tracker struggling to free the telepath’s legs from the ground. A screeching wind drowns out Nyx’s screams and her head swims from the sinister power that is surging throughout the area. She is about to run back into the storm when Sari catches her in an unbreakable hug and flips them into the Spirit Well.

  Unable to use his sabers to cut Dariana free, Luke tries to dig with his hands like a panicking dog. The harsh laughter of the Baron rings in his ears, which show him the faint silhouette of the warlord. Several times a howling gale knocks the warrior away and he has to drag himself back to his companion. Ignoring Dariana pleading for him to escape, the half-elf manages to free one of her legs before something gets in the way of the buffering winds. Looking up, he is surprised to see Isaiah blocking the spell and chanting with all of his mortal strength. A shield of sapphire energy appears in front of the fireskin, but is immediately shattered by a bolt of lightning from the Baron’s growing orb.

  “The sniveling servant has a spine?” asks the warlord, his mocking face appearing in the clouds above. The Baron creates fists of stone to beat on the caster from below and lightning knives to rain down on him from above. “I never considered what to do about you. Now I see that your time has come to an end. Die knowing that you have redeemed your honor and courage, Isaiah the Right Hand of Destiny.”

  “Grab her and escape!” the fireskin shouts before unleashing all of his magic for a final counterspell. The energy takes the form of a coiling serpent that streaks toward the Baron’s grinning face. “This is where destiny ends and free will takes over. Do not forget that you have control over your own actions. And, Dariana . . . I apologize for how I treated you. Perhaps things would have been different if I had been a better man.”

  Knowing they will not make it to the Spirit Well, Luke transforms into the griffin and yanks Dariana out of the earth. The champions soar into the sky, but the winds beat them back toward the ground when they try to rise above the castle wall. With a roaring screech, the molting beast manages to clear the parapets and believes they are about to get clear before the Baron’s spell goes off. Their hopes are dashed when the giant orb of lightning, fire, and shadows explodes into a storm of de
adly magic that drives them to the ground. The sight can be seen from as far away as Gaia and those with the most acute hearing pick up screams of agony mixed into the cacophony of destruction.

  *****

  Hours pass with nothing moving among the desolation except for the flies and beetles that are searching for food. The bugs continue hunting until a blast of fire erupts from a collapsed tower and Nyx scrambles out of the smoking hole. She is already down the pile of stones by the time the others have emerged from the Spirit Well, but the half-elf stops when she becomes fully aware of the destruction. The castle is nothing more than rubble and there are deep holes punched into the moist earth, which are already filling with swamp water. All of the trees that stand at the edge of the clearing have been twisted backwards until their tops fuse with the moist earth. Crimson clouds float across the sky and release a red rain that Nyx mistakes for blood, but discovers it is magic-tainted water.

  Her attention is drawn to a wisp of smoke and she hurries across the awkward landscape with her friends in pursuit. The channeler stops when she reaches the charred remains of a red wood staff that is embedded in the dirt. Nyx bends down to touch a pile of green powder, which is all that is left of the emerald topper. Scraps of steaming, black-scaled flesh are scattered about the area, most of them being slowly devoured by insects. Noticing a scrap of red cloth under a rock, the half-elf gingerly touches a splotch of blood on the fabric. A magical warmth runs up Nyx’s arm and she remembers the feeling of being carried out of a burning village. Tucking the piece of Isaiah’s robe in her pocket, the channeler puts her hand on the staff and watches it crumble into ashes.

  “Do you think he gave Luke and Dariana enough time to escape?” Sari asks, coming up behind her friend. The gypsy is quick to catch the other woman by the arm, preventing her from rushing blindly into the destruction. “Delvin sent Fizzle into the sky to look from above and Timoran is straining his ears for movement. We’ll find them because they’re alive. Just calm down and don’t wander off.”

  “Found them!” Fizzle shouts before diving towards where the central tower once stood. Not wanting to risk his friends by casting a spell, the drite tries to move a large chunk of rock. “Only see hand! Not sure who!”

  “I have it, little one,” Timoran says as he arrives and lifts the boulder. He throws the rock into the moat, which is nothing more than a trench now. “It is Dariana! She is unconscious, but alive.”

  “Looks like a blow to the head,” Delvin mentions when he climbs up and crouches next to the groaning telepath. He touches the bleeding bump on her temple, the wound shrinking enough to make her comfortable. “I don’t sense anyone else here. You said you heard the griffin, Timoran, so he might have landed somewhere else.”

  “What are the chances of that?”

  “High enough that we search because the alternative is that he’s dead.”

  “Perhaps the winds sent him far away.”

  “We’ll keep checking here and Dariana can scan for him once she’s better.”

  “Where’s Luke?” Nyx asks as she practically tackles Delvin. Her wide eyes are bright gold and shedding tears after not finding a trace of the forest tracker. “He isn’t here. Not even a speck of his energy. Like he’s been wiped off the face of Windemere. What happened to my little brother?”

  The adventure continues in

  Ritual of the Lost Lamb