Pure Choice dm-6

by Jeff Inlo

  Pure Choice

  ( Delver magic - 6 )

  Jeff Inlo

  Jeff Inlo

  Pure Choice

  Prologue

  It appeared harmless and ordinary, but if seen in direct light without shadow magic hiding its natural appearance, it would have frightened everyone in town, even the most hardened soldier. Unlike a pure shape shifter, the arasap lacked the ability to completely disguise itself, but it could manipulate its figure to match the contour of any number of creatures. Size was normally not an obstacle. The highly pliable property of its supple, liquid-like substance allowed it to expand to the height of an average tree or shrink to the size of an ordinary coin.

  While proficient shape shifters could take on almost any identity and mislead the most critical observer, an arasap lacked the definition to mask itself on form modification alone. It could not physically arrange its features to appear as anything more than a transparent outline. To take on the full masquerade, it had to depend on magic.

  As it walked through the town of Burbon, the lone arasap shrouded its identity by sculpting itself into a generic human form and then twisting the shadows around it. The creature relied on gloom much the same way the illusionist alters light. Though not a powerful spell caster, it utilized the gray magic to create the illusion it was nothing more than an ordinary merchant. It influenced the shades of light to contrive a face complete with aged lines and sagging skin, and it magically generated the image of thinning hair, as well as a full set of clothes.

  The arasap moved through Burbon at dusk without raising the concern of the town guard it evaded at the gate or the citizens it passed on the streets. It moved with quick, deliberate steps, like a weary traveler bent from fatigue and hurrying to find cover before a coming storm. It looked like so many other traveling merchants who entered the town with the intent of making a fast sale and then heading back home.

  To say the arasap walked on two legs would be somewhat deceiving. Its grease like substance gave it only the barest margin of solid form. With its profile shaped to include arms and legs, it was able to mimic the movements of a human. That, however, was where its similarity to the people of Burbon ended.

  The creature did not have eyes for it did not need to see. Instead, it had thin and flexible hair-like growths that it could extend and contract at will. The tiny follicles covered its gelatinous body and served as sensory receptors. They picked up light, sound, and scent, and they allowed the arasap to gain complete awareness of its surroundings.

  It also had no mouth… had no need for one. It communicated with a form of telepathy, and it did not need to eat to gain nourishment. Arasaps obtained nutrition from nonphysical sources and in a manner that defied sanity.

  It was not quite the search for food that drove the creature down the streets of Burbon but an understanding that sustenance would be forthcoming if it accomplished its task. It normally would seek out novice spell casters or individuals unaware of their magical talents, but an arrangement of extraordinary circumstances persuaded the monster to seek a most unusual objective.

  It would be the first, but it understood that more would come. It would prepare the host for others, make it easier for their arrival. It would have to share, but the harvest would be rich. It would not feed immediately, but it knew that when the process began, it would eat well. All it had to do was ensure it entered the proper host undetected,

  It would not ask for directions in fear of revealing its presence, and so it relied upon what information it could pick up from the surrounding humans. A few words from an overheard conversation, a scent drifting from a chimney in the distance, and the recognition of street signs allowed it to hone in on its target.

  The fading light assisted the arasap in its mission as it continued to stalk the shadows to avoid detection. Lonely alleys allowed it to reach its ultimate destination unnoticed, but the interior of the Borderline Inn was not quite as dark as the creature hoped. The arasap was forced to use more of the magic at its disposal to strengthen its disguise. Fortunately, it would not take long to complete its objective. It sensed the woman the moment it entered the establishment. It could not have missed her, for the total lack of magic within her was beyond repulsive to a creature that fed off incantation remnants.

  It waited off to the side of the main room of the tavern. It appeared to check its pockets, but it was actually monitoring the movements of the woman before selecting a table in an isolated corner. When the timing was perfect, it quickly sat down and signaled to be served.

  Linda Acumen walked up to the table. Something about the traveler unsettled her, but she had become accustomed to strange occurrences and odd visitors. Her immunity to magic kept her from touching the energy that others could use in a variety of ways, and she shook off the troubling sensation as she had done numerous times before.

  "Room and a meal, just a meal, or something to drink?" she asked

  "Just ale," the traveler muttered.

  "I'll be right back."

  As Linda swung around to return to the bar, the stranger called out.

  "There is one more thing," the creature noted as it reached out and tapped Linda on the shoulder.

  No one was watching, and even if someone had passed a glance to the lonely corner, another shadow spell concealed the entire table. Not a single patron of the inn noticed the disturbing sight as the arasap's masquerade slipped away and it became a thin strand of jelly that slid across Linda's neck.

  Linda tried to face the guest to handle the additional request, but she could only do so as if moving in slow motion. It seemed to take forever to complete the turn, and when she did, the stranger was nowhere to be seen.

  Someone or something was reaching into Baannat's realm, stealing his magic. The slink ghoul almost harshly rebuked the attempt, but instead, he decided to allow the theft to continue. After all, there was little else that interested him at the moment. The rather bold incident might lead to an amusing distraction.

  Baannat had been cast into a realm of nonexistence. He once held sway over more magical energy than any creature in Uton and even found a way to avoid death, but victory always eluded him. He had been defeated by the wizard, Enin, and by the upstart delver, Ryson Acumen.

  As punishment, he was reduced to a form that was neither physical or spiritual. His essence was a mix of the two and as a result he was forced to maintain his existence in an empty void that was beyond life… and death. He was the ruler of a realm of pure nothingness and his only source of entertainment came from peering into worlds beyond his direct control.

  There was magic in his realm-not the same kind that flowed through Uton or the dark realm-but a hollow energy that hung in lifeless strands across the shadows of infinity. The slink ghoul had developed a connection to the dead energy and when he felt it begin to trickle out of his realm, it caught his interest.

  Baannat watched the flow carefully. When the pull became stronger, his annoyance grew once more. Despite the momentary diversion the pilfering allowed, it angered him that anyone would dare steal what he felt was his and his alone. But again, he held his wrath. Even as his disturbed emotions bubbled with fury, he could not dismiss the fact that the brazen act offered a diversion… and possibly an opportunity.

  While he could not open portals to escape his prison of shadow, he had limited access into other existences. He could influence creatures outside of his shadowed realm, reach into the dark lands or even into Uton with subtle manipulations. Yes, the theft of his magic was an affront to his nonexistence, but the slink ghoul was always willing to take advantage of someone else's mistake… and misfortune.

  Chapter 1

  "It can't be the same one," Sy Fenden growled. "They're quick, but river rogues don't travel
that fast, especially on dry land."

  "How'd they get inside the walls?" the soldier who just offered the news of another sighting asked Burbon's captain of the guard.

  "My guess? The drainage ditches that run under the walls," the captain offered without much doubt. "We have to let the water go somewhere… not too unreasonable to assume at least one of these things would eventually follow the water flow, especially with all the rain we've been having."

  "But the ditches are gated at the walls," the soldier responded.

  "The gates rust and these things are strong," Sy noted. "At daybreak, we'll check the grates. I'm betting at least one will have been pulled free. It's not a surprise. The only surprise is that more than one came in during the same time. Blast, I thought these things were more territorial."

  The guard captain considered his options. His first concern was for the safety of Burbon's citizens.

  "With two of them roaming around, we're going to have to issue an alarm. I was hoping to isolate the first one without causing too much clamor-didn't want to agitate it-but I can't risk it. Inform the tower guards to signal a breach warning. Immediate shelter… with no exceptions." That was all the soldier would need to send to the towers, but Sy expanded on his orders to make them clear. "Everyone goes to the nearest shelter and stays put. I want everyone inside as soon as possible. I don't want people trying to race home."

  The soldier nodded, pulled a small red flag from his belt, and moved directly beneath a street lantern to be seen easily in the night. He waved the flag to gain the attention of the guards standing watch in the towers and then offered the signals to communicate the captain's orders.

  Just as the soldier was finishing the first communication, Sy added to the message.

  "Expand the alert to all guard posts and call for a security sweep of the entire town by foot soldiers only. No horses. All horseback patrols are to stand fast. I want both rogues accounted for as soon as possible."

  Just as Sy finished the additional orders, Sergeant Klusac arrived. He directed his mount across the town street and to the captain's side.

  "More bad news, captain," the sergeant offered with both sympathy for his leader's dilemma and concern for the growing problem. "A third sighting within the town… not even close to the other two. This one is to the east. There's definitely at least three rogues inside the wall. Tower watch reports additional sightings beyond the town borders as well. Another two were spotted outside the wall to the northwest."

  "What the blazes is going on?" Sy demanded, not of the sergeant or of the guard finishing the signals, but of the dark skies above, hoping to get some stroke of clarity. "Five river rogues in the same area. What is this… some kind of conference I didn't know about?"

  It was not meant to be a joke. The words were spoken with both frustration and bewilderment.

  "I don't understand it, either," the sergeant admitted. "I thought they kept clear of each other."

  Sy quickly turned his attention to addressing the calamity.

  "Keep all gates closed. No one exits to deal with the two on the outside. I don't want anyone going outside the wall until we know what's going on. Get additional archers up in the towers and on the walls over every drainage ditch. I don't want any more of these things getting inside."

  The sergeant motioned for the guard to signal the new orders to the towers and then updated his captain on what he knew.

  "I just came from the northern section of town. I checked out both sighting locations, but the creatures have moved on. Third sighting occurred closer to the eastern gate. If I had to guess, I'd say they got in under the wall to the northeast."

  Sy nodded. "There's a drainage ditch there that leads out to a nearby farm, but we have to cover them all until we know for sure."

  "I won't argue," the sergeant agreed. "As for the rest of the town, all gates are closed and I told the gatekeepers to wait for additional orders. We'll keep the other two rogues out-and any others that might be skulking around out there-but there may be more than three inside." He paused as he took a sweeping glance at the dark skies. "Still cloudy, I think more rain is on the way… a lot more. Visibility is already poor, could get worse."

  Sy gave another look to the blackened heavens. It seemed as if the skies were willing to add to his troubles.

  "Blast," the captain cursed again, and then gave additional messages for the signal guard. "Alert the towers to switch to covered torches. We're not going to be able to see flags in the rain."

  "It's also going to be harder to spot the rogues," Klusac noted.

  Realizing his options were dwindling, Sy looked back up to his sergeant.

  "Get Ryson for me."

  The sergeant didn't wish to delay or question his superior's orders, but he had to point out the truth.

  "If these things are inside, they're going to have to be killed. He won't be a part of that."

  The captain sighed heavily. "I know. He's going to want to try and capture them. It's not the way to deal with the situation, but he can sense them without seeing them. Without Enin here, we don't have many choices." Sy paused only for a moment, and then revealed his expectations. "Maybe he'll listen to reason this time, but I doubt it. If we have to, we'll play it his way."

  The captain knew that ended the discussion, but Sy offered more advice before the sergeant could turn away.

  "Be careful on the streets. Rogues spook horses something fierce. You're the only one I want riding through the streets, but I don't want you getting thrown. Go to the tavern first. My bet is he's there waiting to walk Linda home."

  Klusac nodded and directed his mount away without another word.

  After peering down several streets and alleys to ensure the citizens of Burbon had taken the warning to find immediate shelter seriously, Sy moved back to the soldier who had signaled the towers.

  "Signal the towers again. Cancel the order for the sweep. Have the foot patrols take positions at major crossroads and wait for further orders. Stay here and keep note of the tower communications. I'm going to the nearest barracks. I'll dispatch messengers back to you as soon as I get there. Use them to keep me apprised of what's happening here. When Klusac and Acumen return, send them to the barracks."

  After the soldier acknowledged his order, Sy moved quickly across the darkened streets, stepping through dancing shadows created by the flickering flames of the street lamps. The wind picked up, and he could smell the rain in the distance. Nothing was going to be easy.

  Tactical approaches to deal with the incursion flashed through his mind. The thick scales of the river rogues were durable, but not resistant to arrows. If he could find them, his archers could bring them down. Unfortunately, he knew the delver wouldn't allow the obvious approach.

  Still, the delver was the best suited to quickly scout the town and locate any river rogues within their walls. He'd try to convince Ryson, but he wouldn't waste time arguing. Heavier rains were coming, and that would hinder his efforts and work to the monsters' advantage. The river rogues had to be neutralized as quickly as possible, even if he had to give into the delver's passive nature.

  Fairly confident he could address the river rogues without casualties, he ceased isolating the problem and considered it with regard to his other worries. Five river rogues-three already inside the wall and two outside-were far beyond any rogue encounter they had previously experienced in Burbon.

  With the Fuge River nearby, there was always the threat of one or two wandering in too close, enticed by the scents of food and hopes of easy prey, but three actually breaching the walls was a little too extreme for the captain to dismiss as mere chance. He faced the prospect of finding a connection between the incursion of river rogues with other occurrences happening around Burbon.

  He considered all the activity at Pinesway. The neighboring town had once been abandoned and became a haven for bandits and thugs, but that was no longer the case. It was being rebuilt by dwarves and humans. The criminal element had been forced o
ut, and settlers continued to repopulate the area. Humans were even logging again just beyond the outskirts of the town.

  Sy believed it was possible a handful of rogues might have been alarmed at the increased activity… and especially the presence of dwarves above ground. River rogues might have been willing to hunt down humans, but the sturdy underground dwellers were another matter. Sy assumed that previous contact between rogues and dwarves had been limited at best. River rogues preferred hiding in the tall grass by the sides of waterways and dwarves remained below ground.

  The captain pondered river rogue activity and their more likely adversaries. With that thought, he mulled over another prospect that troubled him, gave him an uneasy feeling like listening to an out of tune instrument played by an intense amateur musician. It had been several days since he had received any reports from the elves of Dark Spruce, and elves and river rogues were natural enemies.

  When the magic first returned to Uton, elves and humans appeared to have the easiest time in reestablishing relations. Communication between his town and the elves of Dark Spruce Forest started out sporadically, but it had become more constant over the past few seasons. There wasn't any official treaty between them, but a casual agreement to share information had burgeoned into a fairly stable structure of cooperation. He believed the elves, and certainly his own forces, benefited from the shared intelligence.

  For some reason, however, all contact with the elves had ceased. He had sent scouts out into Dark Spruce, but he knew that elves could avoid detection if they chose to remain hidden. They had done so for countless cycles of the seasons when the magic was absent from the land. Avoiding human scouts in the deepest sections of Dark Spruce would be a simple task.

  The question was, why? Why would the elves break off all communication? To Sy's knowledge, there had been no hostilities between them, not even a minor misunderstanding.