by Dean Cadman
The charge of power in the air suddenly intensified, causing small bolts of lightning to strike the ground all around them. At first they seemed random, but as he continued chanting his incantation, they began to focus on one spot—the dragon heart. The wave of pure rage which the dragon heart emitted caused him to stagger backwards, almost breaking his concentration. It battered at his mind with an intensity he could barely comprehend. He knew he couldn’t maintain his concentration under such conditions, and was about to reluctantly end the incantation, when he suddenly felt a familiar presence within his own mind: Cole.
He could feel Cole’s hand on his shoulder, and realised that he had entered his mind to bolster his defences against the dragon heart. Normally he would have been outraged by such an intrusion, but given the circumstances, he realised that it was better than the alternative. Now that he had started the power drain on the dragon heart, it could not be stopped. If he didn’t finish the incantation in its entirety, the opportunity to use its power to reopen The Great Rift, would be lost forever.
The dragon heart’s impact on his mind lessened considerably, and he was once again able to concentrate on his incantation. Strangely though, the voice of the shard was still clear in his mind, as if Cole’s attempts at blocking it were completely ineffective. He didn’t care too much about the shard, he could deal with that himself.
His chanting went on and on, growing louder and louder over the noise around them. As his words of power drew more and more magic from the dragon heart, it began to emit a low humming noise. It was almost imperceptible at first, but it grew louder and louder as he continued to recite the incantation, until it was so loud that it hurt their ears. Powerful streaks of purple and blue power filled the air around the dragon heart, blinding their vision to what lay beyond the clearing.
The loud humming eventually gave way to a low rumbling sound, and the dragon heart started to gently vibrate. That was Zedd’s cue to move into the third phase of the incantation. He had no sooner started the next phase, when the ground began to shake beneath their feet. The shard suddenly called out to him in sheer terror, as it sensed the upheaval around them. But he blocked it out. He could also feel Cole’s strained efforts at holding back the renewed mental attacks of the dragon heart, and felt certain it would have been well beyond his ability to do so alone.
The dragon heart was now vibrating so violently, that he could almost have sworn there were two of them. The wind had also grown considerably in strength, blowing around them like a miniature tornado, whipping at their robes, and stinging their eyes with airborne debris. The surrounding air positively thrummed with power, as the area around them began to darken.
It was time for the final part of the incantation.
Zedd raised his voice above the deafening noise around them, as he seamlessly flowed into the final phase of the spell. The random arcs and bolts of power suddenly focussed on one precise point in the air, punching a tiny hole through the very fabric of their world, and into the Netherworld beyond. The dragon heart sent an immense wave of sheer hatred crashing against them, sending Cole to his knees, but it was already too late for it. Its magic was being pulled directly into the Netherworld, forcing open The Great Rift once more, and now nothing could stop it.
The air in front of them seemed to ripple outwards, as the incredible amount of magic was absorbed through a single point in the air. A small dark spot appeared at its centre, and slowly a tear began to form. Almost immediately they could feel the presence of Netherworld creatures from the other side, just waiting to be released into their world, and devour anything they could find. Zedd shuddered.
What had started as a steady flow of magic, had now turned into a raging torrent, as the dragon heart haemorrhaged its power into The Great Rift. The air directly in front of The Rift darkened to a black, beyond black. No light penetrated it, and nothing could be seen through it. It was just… nothingness. A void.
Even though The Great Rift was still only open a fraction, the feelings of sheer terror which flowed over Zedd were incredible. He knew that Cole was still helping to shield his mind, but even so, he wasn’t sure how much longer he could withstand it. He knew that he must continue the incantation until the dragon heart was fully depleted. He just hoped that he could hold out long enough for that to happen.
A moment later the dragon heart began to shake violently in front of them, as it tried desperately to hold onto the last remnants of its power. It failed, and a heartbeat later it exploded into millions of pieces, blowing Zedd and Cole clean off their feet. The death-pulse was like nothing they had ever felt before. It was so powerful that it actually caused both men to momentarily blackout. They woke a moment later to find the dragon heart gone, and in its place, a small crater.
The air was thick with dust and debris, and as both men scrambled to their feet ready to run, it started to clear. What they both saw shocked and terrified them in equal measures. Where there should have been a large opening in The Rift, there was only a small tear. The damaged dragon heart had failed to fully reopen The Great Rift. That in itself was bad enough, and would certainly carry dire consequences for them both later at the hands of Lord Zelroth—if they survived that long. It was, however, what was starting to emerge from that tear which terrified them the most.
Both men instantly recognised it as a Culzach. A small, fleet footed Netherworld creature with a fearsome reputation for hunting in packs. Where there was one, there were always others nearby. It screamed in pain as its skin began to blister in the strong midday sun, but it never once tried to retreat. Instead, it continued to struggle through the small tear in The Rift, ignoring its own fear and pain so it could reach their world. It almost seemed like it was being forced out of the Netherworld against its will. Not exactly being pushed out, but as if it was more scared of who, or what had sent it, than it was of facing the midday sun.
The shard must also have sensed the Culzach’s presence, because it started calling out to Zedd’s mind once more. For the first time Zedd actually replied to it, and without thinking, he told it to be quiet. Surprisingly, it obeyed him. But like any wayward child, only for a short time before resuming again. The Culzach was almost free now, and Zedd knew they didn’t stand a chance of outrunning it—they never did. It would chase them down long before they ever reached their circle of protection.
“I have to try and take control of it,” Zedd said, hoping that Cole would stay with him and continue to shield his mind against the mental onslaught now coming through The Rift.
“Yes,” Cole replied in a strained voice. He was obviously finding it difficult to maintain his barriers against the influence of the partially opened Rift.
“If it works, I’ll command it to attack anything else that comes through The Rift. Hopefully it will gain us enough time to reach the first circle of protection, so get ready to run when I say,” Zedd said. He didn’t wait for a reply, he simply started the incantation to take control of the Culzach. From the information he remembered about the Culzach, he didn’t anticipate it being a particularly difficult Netherworld creature to control—but he was wrong.
The strength of the Culzach’s mental resistance shocked him, and he struggled to gain control over the small creature. It was already more than halfway through The Rift, but fortunately his strenuous efforts at trying to take control of it seemed to be slowing its progress somewhat. He redoubled his efforts, pushing his will onto the creature, but it resisted him. He couldn’t use the threat of holding it in the direct sunlight, as he’d done with the Vesdari that he had summoned before. This creature had already chosen to do that itself.
He couldn’t understand why it was able to resist his commands so easily.
Danger coming… Help… Join me… Join me … the shard called out to him, making it even more difficult to concentrate on taking control of the Culzach. Suddenly he realised why the creature was able to resist him so easily. It was still drawing its strength from inside the Netherworld. He knew t
hat all the creatures would be more powerful now that The Rift was partially open, but this one was actually still halfway inside the Netherworld. He would have to wait until it had fully emerged before he could even hope to take control of it.
Danger coming… Must fight… Join me… Join me …
“Shut up!” Zedd shouted.
“Eh?” Cole asked.
“Not you!” Zedd snapped at him. “I’m going to let the Culzach fully emerge before I try and take control of it.”
“You’re going to do what?” Cole squealed by his side.
“I don’t have a choice. I can’t take control of it while it’s still partially inside the Netherworld, it’s just too strong,” Zedd replied, watching the Culzach start to pull its first clawed foot free of The Rift. Zedd sent his undead-minion towards the creature, so it would be well placed to intercept it, once it had fully emerged from The Rift. He knew that it wouldn’t last long against the vicious looking claws and teeth of the Culzach, but hopefully it would buy him the time he needed to take control of it.
The Culzach howled in pain as it skin blistered and bubbled in the strong sunlight, whilst struggling to pull its remaining trapped leg free of The Rift. It clawed frantically at the undead-minion, but it remained just outside of its range.
Danger here… Join me… Join me… Must fight …
Zedd took a deep steadying breath, and watched as the Culzach pulled its remaining leg free of The Rift. It was immediately replaced by the first signs of a second Netherworld creature trying to break through. The Culzach locked its eyes on Zedd, ignoring his minion completely. A loud hissing noise came out of its drooling jaws, as it flexed its razor-sharp claws menacingly at him. Its skin continued to blister and bubble in the midday sun, so much so, that it was now barely recognisable as a Culzach at all. Zedd knew it couldn’t last more than a few minutes in the direct sunlight without perishing, but that would be more than enough time for it to kill both him and Cole if he didn’t gain control of it in time.
Just as Zedd began to recite his spell of control, the Culzach leapt at him with a terrifying scream. His undead-minion caught it in mid-air by its leg, and slammed it hard against the ground with a sickening crunch. The impact would have been enough to kill any normal creature outright, but not a Netherworld creature, and certainly not one that had the extra strength associated with the newly opened Rift.
Zedd wasted no time in trying to force his will on the Culzach. He could feel how strongly it still resisted him. But he could also feel that it was nowhere near as strong as it had been before it fully emerged from the Netherworld. The Culzach was quickly back on its feet and circling his undead-minion, like a predator probing for weaknesses. Zedd guessed that his minion probably had the advantage when it came to brute strength, but the Culzach definitely had the advantage when it came to speed, agility, and most importantly, its deadly claws and teeth, which could tear his minion apart in seconds.
Zedd pushed hard against the Culzach’s defences, and couldn’t believe just how much of his magic he was having to use to break its will. His legs were starting to tremble with the sheer effort, and his head had already begun to throb. The Culzach tried again to reach him, but his minion intercepted it once more. This time, however, the Culzach was ready for it, and quickly eviscerated the undead-minion with its razor-sharp claws, spilling its rotting intestines all over the ground. In a matter of seconds it had shredded the undead-minion, scattering moving body parts all around the clearing.
The Culzach hissed in victory, then turned its blistering and smoking head in the direction of Zedd.
Must win… Join me… Join me …
It started to slowly stalk towards Zedd, and he pushed hard against its defences. It suddenly faltered in its steps, screaming its frustration at losing control of own its body. But its frustration was short lived, as it gained back its own mind a moment later. Zedd couldn’t believe that he was about to die like this. Here, in Afaraon, so far away from his family.
Must live… Join me… Join me …
The shard was right. He must live. He couldn’t die here. Not now. Not like this. He put everything he had into one last-ditch effort, blasting the Culzach’s defences away with almost every ounce of magic he had left. His legs buckled underneath him, and he fell to the ground. The Culzach was already in mid-air, ready to tear him apart on contact, but its will was no longer its own. It landed on his chest, knocking the wind right out of him, but it didn’t attack.
Zedd pushed the creature off, adrenaline racing through his veins as he attempted to scramble away from the deadly Culzach. It was only when he chanced a glance back towards the creature, that he realised he had actually done it. He had taken full and complete control of the Culzach.
Cole looked like he was in complete shock. His eyes were wide open with terror, and his jaw hung slack. Zedd had barely managed to make it back to his knees, but he let out a loud manic laugh at the look on Cole’s face. Apparently he wasn’t the only one who had not expected to survive the encounter.
The sudden use of so much magic had made Zedd feel very nauseous, and his throbbing head was not being helped by the shard’s incessant calling. He knew that he must get back to his feet and flee before any more Netherworld creatures came through The Rift, but what he didn’t know, was that it was already too late.
As Zedd attempted to regain his feet, an other-worldly scream startled them both. A second Culzach had fully emerged from The Rift, and was now bearing down on their position. Zedd involuntarily stumbled backwards away from the creature, and with only a few feet to go before it would disembowel him, he commanded the first Culzach to attack the newcomer.
“Oh… Seven Hells!” Cole whimpered. Zedd followed his gaze back towards The Rift, and his heart skipped a beat in his chest. A third Culzach was now emerging from The Rift, and much faster than the first one had. It appeared that the tiny tear in The Rift might be widening.
Must win… Fight… Join me… Join me …
Zedd looked down at the shard in his hand. He hadn’t even realised that he was holding it. There was no chance they could outrun the Culzach, and even less chance that he could take control of it now that he’d used most of his magic reserves. Cole was nowhere near powerful enough to attempt it, even if he hadn’t already been holding back the tidal wave of terror being emitted by the Netherworld and its creatures. They were doomed. They would both die here, and nothing could save them.
Fight… Fight… Join me… Join me …
Zedd slumped to his knees, watching the two Culzach tear each other to pieces. The third Culzach was almost free now, and had already locked him in its sights. He looked down at the shard in his hand. It was so beautiful the way that it pulsed to his mage-sight. Like a million fireflies held in the palm of his hand. He wondered, not for the first time, what would happen if he dropped his mental barriers and agreed to join with it. Would it kill him? Would it take control of him? Or would he even cease to exist?
Join me… Join me… Fight … it called to his mind, as if it was reading his thoughts. He looked up at his impending death. It now only needed to free one leg from The Rift, and it would be on him. Could anything the shard do to him, be any worse than what awaited him here? He doubted it.
He dropped his barriers, and invited it to join him.
It felt like he’d been dropped into an ocean, having lived his entire life in a pond. The power which flooded him was beyond anything he could comprehend. The shard rejoiced in their new bond, and allowed him full dominance over it. He could see the vast power reserves it held, and it dwarfed his own. It was hard to tell, but he guessed it was at least fifty times the amount he had ever known himself, and now it was his to use as he wished.
Fragmented knowledge and memories flooded Zedd’s mind. And he could feel the shard trying to fill its own lack of understanding from his mind. It was a broken thing. Not only in the physical sense, but also a mental and emotional one too. It had no real knowledge of what it w
as, or about the world around it. It had only basic instincts, and the desire not to be alone any more.
He had saved it—and it was very grateful.
Cole felt the sudden rush of magic through his connection with Zedd. At first he thought the shard had finally broken through his defences, but when he momentarily took his eyes off the emerging Culzach to look at him, he couldn’t believe what he saw. Zedd’s aura now burned far brighter than it had before. The power he now radiated was truly incredible, and would have equalled, if not surpassed that of a Darkseed Elite.
He watched open-mouthed as the Culzach broke free of The Rift, and raced across the clearing towards Zedd. A bolt of power shot from Zedd’s hand, blasting the creature into the trunk of a nearby tree. It simply got back up, shook itself, and raced towards him again. He saw Zedd smile, as if it were some kind of amusing game to him, then felt the pulse of magic he used to take control of the creature. The Culzach stood no chance against such power, and relinquished its will to him instantly. Another blast of magic, and the second Culzach was under his control, ending the battle before them.
The first Culzach that had emerged was now little more than a burning mass of blistering skin and sinew, and a moment later it fell forward in a ball of flames, dead. The tear in The Rift had been forced open further, and a fourth Netherworld creature was now emerging. Zedd waited patiently until it had fully emerged, then took control of it like the others.
“Let’s go!” Cole said, tugging at Zedd’s sleeve. It seemed to startle Zedd, as if he’d forgotten that Cole was even there. “We need to go. Now!” Cole shouted at him. He didn’t reply, instead he turned his attention back to The Rift, as yet another Netherworld creature began to emerge. As soon as it was free, Zedd took control of its mind just like the others. Now he had four creatures under his control, and it felt good.
