"Where is Zhimosom?" Lorit said. He looked over at Chihon as she held the book. She was as determined as he was to see this through.
"What foolishness is this?" Neussul demanded.
"Where is Zhimosom? Where are you holding him?" Lorit looked from one wizard to the next. Most of the council members just sat quietly. Awbelser simply nodded, assuring Lorit that he was on the right path.
"Holding him? You think I am the one who trapped him?" Neussul asked.
"I know you are the one." Lorit raised his power, ready to take the wizard on. "Where is he?"
"You wish a battle? Very well, then." Neussul waved his hand. Suddenly they were standing across from each other on a large competition field that was used for jousting. The field was split by a low single rail fence meant to keep the horses separate from one another during the charge.
Lorit stood at one end, Neussul at the other.
Neussul raised his hand and created a fireball. Lorit raised his shields and waited for the oncoming rush of the fire, but nothing came.
"Oh, really, did you think we were just going to stand here and throw fireballs back and forth until one of us tired?" Neussul called to him from across the field.
Neussul raised his arms, tossing the fireball into the air. It transformed into the shape of a dragon about the size of a large horse. It flew circles over Neussul's head, awaiting his command.
Lorit watched as the flaming dragon swooped in the air. He knew he had to come up with a proper counter to the fire dragon, but what was it? What could he send to counter the flaming behemoth?
Lorit reached out to Chihon. It was becoming almost automatic that when he was confronted with a challenge, he sought her help and advice. "What do you think? The magic of the Firebird? Burn brighter and stronger than his dragon?"
"I think he's prepared for a strength-against-strength challenge. We have to come up with something more subtle. Something that can counter the heat of his dragon."
"Water?" Lorit sensed her agreement and started the spell to create a creature totally of water. He recalled the shape of an eagle, imagined it made completely of water. He saw the outline take shape. The feathers glistened as they formed, their tiny ridges shaped out of waves that crested along its wings.
The shape grew steadily until it was larger than Neussul's dragon. Lorit concentrated on the eagle, pushed his will into it, and finally gave it a life of its own. It leaped to the challenge, streaking for the dragon, its talons out, grasping for the flaming beast. Its wings beat the air sending sparks flying from its opponent.
The dragon launched itself straight up as if trying to avoid contact with the watery eagle. Lorit felt the power draw that the eagle took as it reeled after the flaming dragon. The two creatures collided in a cloud of steam and sparks. They bit and clawed at one another, flaming wings beat against watery wings, sending a hissing cloud of steam into the still air at each contact.
They battled on, as the morning grew longer. A fine mist of water and ash settled over the parade ground, leaving the grass glistening like the morning dew. Lorit felt power draining from him with each renewed attack. If this kept up for too much longer, he knew he would be exhausted and exposed. He reached down, deep into the ground, until he found both a source of magical power and of heat. He channeled those powers through himself and Chihon, directing them toward his creation as it attacked the flaming dragon again and again.
In a final burst of strength, he reached out for the water nymphs' magic. He drew from them and combined their magic with the power he had infused into the eagle. It cried out, screeching so loud Lorit thought he would go deaf.
The eagle disengaged from the dragon and headed for the sky.
"Looks like your pet has had enough," Neussul called out. The dragon took up its previous station circling around his master.
Lorit stayed focused. The eagle turned, folded its wings, and plummeted for the ground, picking up speed as it came. Like a thunderous breaker, it struck the flaming dragon with the force of a mighty wave crashing against a stubborn cliff. The dragon shuddered, gave out one last terrible cry, and then exploded into a shower of sparks and flame, shedding ash all over the field.
The eagle screeched once more and came to rest near Lorit. It inclined its head first to Chihon, and then to Lorit, and then dissipated until it was just a cloud of steam that quickly vanished into the warm air.
Lorit looked back at Neussul. The wizard looked slightly worse for the wear. He was disheveled and stood askew as if the man himself had been beaten. He raised his arms wide and shouted at Lorit. "That was just the beginning."
The ground near Neussul's feet started to rise up as if something beneath it were struggling to escape. The grass bulged at first and then broke apart as a mound of rich dark earth arose. It increased in size until it was twice as tall as the wizard was, then started to take on the shape of a troll. Its muscles bulged, stretching at the skin made of earth until it glistened.
"Ideas?" Lorit quickly shot to Chihon.
"I don't know, but he's weakening. I can feel Rotiaqua more clearly, so his hold on Zhimosom must be weakening. Keep doing what you're doing. You have him on the run."
Lorit thought. What would counter the strength of the earth and the power of the troll? If he could conjure something made of air, it could dry out the earth and turn it to dust, but what form would be the best one?
The troll beat its fists against its chest and started toward Lorit. He had to think quickly before the beast was upon him. He reached down deep inside himself searching for the animal he needed to counter the Troll.
Suddenly, he had it. He visualized the Zilant, with its six pairs of wings and long snakelike body. He grasped the air, forming it into the shape he had ridden through the treacherous winds in the mountains high overhead.
It sprang forward, heading straight for the advancing troll. The troll swatted at it as it flashed past. The Zilant turned and twisted around as it passed the troll, striking the ugly beast on its massive shoulder. Large sharp fangs made of air plunged into the dark earthy flesh. When the fangs withdrew, they left behind a pair of dry flaky patches where the troll's skin turned to dust.
They kept at it, the Zilant twisting and turning in the air. It struck at the troll as it passed, sinking fangs into whatever flesh was exposed and slashing with its tail. The troll spun around, swatting the air. It caught the Zilant in the midsection as it flashed by, grabbing the thick snake's body in his earthen hand. He threw the Zilant to the ground.
The Zilant shook off the impact and leaped skyward. It attacked again, this time more timidly than before. Once again, the troll struck as it flashed past. It grasped the Zilant by the tail and slammed it to the ground.
Lorit could feel the power drain out of him with the impact. He reached deep within himself for more, tapping Chihon's power and anything he could use to fuel the battle. Then he remembered. He whispered the name "Kal'ryni." Nothing more. Nothing was needed. He heard Chihon echoing his thoughts as she called out on her own.
The magic of the mini dragon combined with his and rushed through him. Lorit guided it to the Zilant with renewed hope. The Zilant sprang to life, attacking the troll with strikes almost too fast to see.
The troll swatted at the Zilant, trying to make another grab as it flashed past, but it was too slow. The Zilant bit again and again into the flesh of the troll, each time leaving a new mark where its skin turned to dust. It whipped its tail around the troll as it passed, leaving large stripes of dusty skin where it made contact with the beast.
The troll slowed down in its counter attack. Its skin was dry and cracked, transformed from the glistening brown of the soil from which it had been formed into a dusty light-brown of parched earth. It cracked and shed dust and dirt with every move as it fought. The troll made one last lunge at the passing Zilant and then shattered as if it had been made of clay and struck with a hammer.
Clods of dry earth showered Lorit and Neussul as the troll disint
egrated, and Neussul crumbled to the ground.
Lorit walked cautiously to where Neussul lay. The wizard looked like he had aged a dozen years during their fight. "You have him, don't you?" Lorit demanded. "Tell me how to release him and I'll let you live."
"You may have learned to defeat my conjurations, but you can't defeat me," Neussul said, his voice shaky and tired.
"Bring the book." Lorit waved Chihon over. "I think I recall a spell that will do just nicely."
"Here." Chihon handed him the book.
"You can't open that," Neussul said. "You said you couldn't."
"I can now." Lorit passed his hand over the lock on the book, and it sprang open with a snap. He grasped the cover and felt the pages with his fingers, searching for the page he wanted, and he opened the book.
"This is the one I was thinking of." Lorit glanced over at Chihon, his finger pointing to the blank page.
"That should do nicely." Chihon stepped up to Lorit and grasped his hand as he raised his staff and turned his attention back toward Neussul. He took a breath, preparing to utter the spell.
Neussul cringed, holding his hands in front of his face. "All right. My stone was spelled to take him to the temple in Quineshua."
Lorit lowered his staff and leaned over the wizard. As he took his first step, Neussul lifted his hand and threw a fireball at Lorit. The blue sparking sphere rushed in with a strange whistling sound.
Lorit raised his shield as the plasma ball hit, sending him reeling. He was unprepared for the intensity of it and stumbled to his knees. Neussul approached him, pressing a spell of confinement on him.
Lorit struggled, but he couldn't free himself from the spell. He felt his strength flow out of him as he tumbled to the ground. He lost his grip on the Summa Purus Magicae, and it fell to the soft ground beside him.
Neussul bent down and picked up the book. "That was foolish." Neussul looked down at Lorit, kicking him with his foot. "Thanks for opening the book for me, but you have no right to this. It belongs to me."
Neussul opened the book. He flipped from page to page, getting more and more agitated as he did. "What is the meaning of this?"
Lorit lay still at his feet, trying to give the impression that he was defeated, as he carefully pulled at his shirt to expose the hexagram on his back.
"Where is the book?" Neussul demanded. He kicked Lorit, catching him in the ribs. Lorit flinched in pain but continued his effort.
"You have it." Lorit looked up at Neussul, who was leaning over him. Lorit could smell his breath as he came closer.
"Don't trifle with me, boy!" he screamed. "Where is the book?" Neussul raised his staff, and Lorit could feel the pressure of the spell intensify. He struggled to turn his back to Neussul.
"It's here." Lorit turned his back, exposing the hexagram to the wizard. He couldn't see what happened. All he heard was a scream, and the thud of the book landing on the soft earth next to him.
The binding spell released, and Lorit lay there, exhausted. Chihon rushed over to help him to his feet. She reached down and picked up the Summa Purus Magicae, brushing the dirt off it.
"What happened to Neussul?" Lorit asked.
"He turned to fire, then to ash, and then he disappeared."
"Let's go free Zhimosom," Lorit said. He reached his hand out for Chihon.
"We can't just walk into the temple and demand that they release him. Can we?"
"We can," Lorit said confidently.
"Are you strong enough?"
"I can make it," Lorit said. "With your help." He knew they could do it. He was still unsure he could defeat the temple, but he believed that, with Chihon's help, they stood a good chance.
He looked at the Summa Purus Magicae in her hands. "We don't need to carry that with us, do we?" He imagined the book sitting in the wizard's hidden study, where they had first seen it. The book vanished from her hand.
"Come on." Lorit reached into his pocket and touched the small silver star Rotiaqua had given him. He drew upon the many sources of magic he'd learned on their journey and took them to the temple in Quineshua. They materialized just outside the room where Zhimosom was being kept. Lorit reached out his hand and waved it across the door.
The locks sprung free, and the door opened slightly. Lorit grasped the door and flung it opened. He started to charge into the cell when he felt a hand on his arm. "Be careful," Chihon said.
Lorit probed the cell, wary of any trap that may have been set for him. There was one, but he quickly defused it.
He entered the cell, knelt down, and examined the trap that had ensnared Zhimosom. He could feel the magic that powered the spell fading, now that Neussul was not alive to drive it. Lorit carefully made his way through the twisted layers of spells, trimming and cutting through them until Zhimosom was free.
He could feel Zhimosom's frailty, as he caught him and held him up.
Lorit felt a prickling sensation behind him as if some threat was standing nearby. He turned to see a priest filling the doorway. He was thin and birdlike in his appearance, and he wore a plain black robe with no trimming. "You must be Lorit."
Lorit reached out to pull Chihon protectively behind him and quickly raised his shields.
"Good. Shields. I'm glad you'll provide some challenge." The priest raised his hand and created a fireball. Lorit could feel the heat of it across the room. He hardened his own shield in preparation for the coming assault.
"Too bad our acquaintance has to be so short." He threw the fireball at Lorit. It was weak and feeble, much less of a threat than he had expected from a priest. It washed harmlessly across Lorit's shields.
Zhimosom stepped around Lorit and raised his hand to the priest. "Not today, Sulrad."
Lorit felt a drain as Zhimosom tapped his power and drew on it. He had not known Zhimosom could do that. Before he could say a word, they were back in Zhimosom's study, where Rotiaqua waited.
"Good to see you all," she said as Zhimosom sat down heavily.
Rotiaqua pulled out a chair and sat next to Zhimosom. Lorit could see the toll his captivity had taken on the pair.
Lorit reached out to Zhimosom to lend their power. It mingled with those of the old wizard and sorceress, but there was more. He thought he could sense the smallest touch of the priest's magic in it too. The one Zhimosom had named as Sulrad. It was as if the priest were connected to Zhimosom still. Lorit felt the power flowing that way, only a small fraction of it, but it was unmistakable.
"When did you figure out the book?" Zhimosom asked.
"After the last trial, we opened the book and found it blank. That's when it occurred to me that the book was a convenient ruse. There never was anything in it, was there?"
"There was, at one time, but I decided it was too dangerous to keep all those spells in one place. That's why I emptied the book into the others I keep around my study."
"Neussul wasn't working alone, was he?" Lorit asked. "I could feel his connection to the temple."
"No, he wasn't. He was working with Sulrad. I had begun to notice it in his magic. It was impure.
"The temple wants you dead," Zhimosom said. "They knew I was helping you, so they convinced Neussul to capture me. Had he been working alone, we could easily have handled him, but he had the temple magic to draw upon."
"Why does Sulrad's magic linger on you?" Lorit asked.
"Because we are connected."
"Connected? Connected how? Like Chihon and I are?"
"No, more like Chihon and Ukina are."
"You mean you are connected to Sulrad now? Was that because of what he did to you?"
"No, Lorit, Sulrad didn't do anything to me," Zhimosom explained.
"Sulrad knew he had to leave me alive in order to save himself. Once I was transported to the temple, I knew that I would survive this ordeal. If I died, so did Sulrad."
Zhimosom leaned toward Lorit. "You see, we have been connected since I was younger than you are. That's why we have never been able to go after the temple dire
ctly. If Sulrad dies, so do we. We cannot fight him. Had I not been so weak, you would have found him a formidable enemy, but my weakness also affected him. Had he not been acting through Neussul, he would have been unable to do anything to harm or hinder me."
Lorit signed a heavy sigh of relief. "I felt like I could have killed him easily just before you pulled us out. I'm glad you didn't let that happen, but with Neussul defeated, you can return to your rightful place at the head of the council."
Zhimosom laughed. "I'll be stepping down from that position soon enough. I have only a few things to teach you and my position falls to you. I'm ready to move on."
"Move on? I thought you were going to train me. How will I learn to be a Master wizard without your help?"
Zhimosom just looked at Lorit and laughed. "You already are a master wizard. You've passed all the trials and bonded with the most powerful sorceress in generations. You are ready to take your place, and I am ready to rest."
"I thought you said it would take decades for me to learn everything I needed." Lorit didn't feel like a master wizard.
"That was before you undertook the trials. You have everything you need now."
Zhimosom rested his staff on the table before him and folded them. "Together, you and Chihon will head up the Wizard's Council."
"What about you and Rotiaqua?" Lorit asked.
"We'll be moving on. Not immediately, but soon," Zhimosom said.
"When?" Lori asked. He was worried about what he would do without the guidance of the old wizard.
"Not for a while," Zhimosom said. "Although I fear we will only be able to advise you from now on."
"We're losing our powers now that you have come fully into your own," Rotiaqua said. "One day soon, we will cross over into the next world and begin a new life there, secure in the fact that a master wizard and sorceress watch over the land."
WHAT’S NEXT IN THE SERIES?
Wizard's Education Page 40
