“Thanks, Flame,” I sent.
The more Kymberly walked, the smoother and easier became her gait. She was winning the battle, but the tendril still held her. “Just focus on reaching your quarters. They are sealed, so you will be free of its influence once you get inside.”
As we walked, both Flame and I kept encouraging her. She was doing better and better, and when I saw the tendril begin to fade away I knew that she had won.
“Flame, it would not be proper for me to be seen walking into her quarters, so cover that up too, please. We both need to go in there and talk to her her,” I sent.
“So you want me to help you sneak into the quarters of a young, beautiful woman?” she asked.
“Yes, basically,” I sent back, and tried not to laugh. “You are doing very well, Kymberly. We are almost there.”
“Okay, I will make it appear that we returned to our quarters once we dropped her off,” sent Flame.
“Perfect,” I sent.
“We are here; just open the door and walk in. We will stay with you, but once the door closes you will be free,” I said.
She nodded and slowly reached out to open her door. It was as if she doubted her ability to do so, but she succeeded. Once the door was open, she sprinted inside. Flame and I stepped in after her and she slammed the door shut.
“There, is that better?” I asked.
“Oh, yes! Thank you, Master! I can’t hear it anymore!” she said.
Chapter Sixty
“Kymberly, please sit and rest for a while,” I said. “Flame, where is Glimmer?” I asked privately.
“I have him confined to quarters for now. He seemed much more stable in there,” she sent.
“Perfect. Do we have any other Spiritualists on board?” I asked.
“Yes, two more. Neither of them knows anything about the box,” she sent.
“Contact security and have them confine the Spiritualists to their quarters. Tell them as little as possible, for now,” I sent. “Kymberly, is it only the spirit traps that are the problem, or is the box itself involved?” I asked.
“The box is definitely amplifying their influence. Normally the spirit traps are only a problem while they are in sight,” she said.
“Will the influence be restricted to Spiritualists?” I asked.
“Normally, but never before have I heard of so many together at once, and there is something more,” she said.
“Go on,” I prompted.
“Well, it sounds silly, but these are acting as if they are alive. They are plotting and planning their moves. I can sense them thinking about what to try next,” she said.
“They are filled with spirits. Surely that is what you are detecting?” asked Flame.
“It’s not just that. As we were walking back, I felt it change its mind. Instead of wanting me to free it, it wanted me to kill you, Master Shadow,” she said.
“That’s it! We have to get Shea here to destroy it,” started Flame.
“She is out of reach right now. Instead, I have an idea. Let us move the box to a training room,” I said.
“Excellent idea, Master! Instead of locking all us up, we can seal the box in there. The training rooms should be more than sufficient to seal it up,” said Kymberly.
After checking the duty roster via Kymberly’s terminal, I saw that Karlith was still on duty, so I contacted him via a secure commlink, “Karlith, please report to Kymberly’s quarters for mission briefing, and please be discreet,” and included the location.
Flame sat with Kymberly, and they chatted quietly about totally random topics. I could never keep up with Flame when she talked with her girlfriends, and this occasion was no different.
Once Karlith arrived I said, “Karlith, we have to secure the box on Glimmer’s ship. I want to move it to a training room and seal the room tight. The problem is that the box is reaching out and exerting control over some of our magi, so I want the Dark Knights to assist in the transfer.”
“Certainly, Master. What is the plan?” he asked.
“Flame and I will board the craft while you take your team to training room fifteen. Once you have the room prepared and the area cleared, I will open a gate. Flame and I will get the box through the gate and lock it down to the floor. Then we will leave the room, and will ensure the room is sealed and guarded around the clock until we meet up with the Shadow Fox,” I said.
“Excellent plan, Master. I will gather my men and contact you when we are ready,” he said and marched out.
“He sure likes to stand around and talk things through,” said Flame.
“Yes, he certainly does. We had better head towards the hangar so that we are in position when he is ready. Kymberly, you did really well today. I am proud of you. Just stay in your quarters until the box is secured,” I said.
“Yes, Master,” she said.
“Rigal, if you are awake, meet us in the hangar with Glimmer’s ship,” I sent after we left Kymberly’s quarters.
“On my way,” he replied.
Once we were in the hangar, I briefed Rigal on the plan. “So I need you to be ready to seal the box in shields if it somehow gets away from us.”
“Yes, Master,” he sent.
“Master Shadow, we are ready,” sent Karlith.
“Good. We are going to board the craft. I will alert you when we are ready to open the gate,” I sent.
Flame and I slipped through the shields on to the ship, and I was immediately struck by the difference between now and my last visit. The room felt angry, and the spirits flying around were far more agitated. As I entered the room with the box, we could see it struggling to release itself from the bonds I had put on it the last time I was here. Kymberly was right, the thing was acting as if it had some intelligence. That was not good at all. If it could tap the combined thought-power of all those spirits, it might outsmart us.
The spirits took notice of our presence and began to fly at us, but Flame reacted first. I saw fire leap in her eyes as she swung her staff around her body once and slammed the butt of it on to the floor. This sent a shockwave of magical fire out from us, forcing the spirits to retreat into the box.
“Don’t ever try that with me!” she called out and swung her staff back up, causing a wave of fire to envelope the box in a deadly cage.
“Karlith, I am opening the gate now,” I said and wove a gate to the training room. “Now we just need to push a flaming box through the gate,” I sent to Flame.
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t think about that. It’s just that the vile thing was in my head telling me to kill you,” she sent.
“Together we will use telekinesis to move it. Let’s not risk touching it, and do not douse your fire just yet.” It was very disturbing news to hear the box could at least attempt to influence more than spiritualists, but comforting to know that Flame was by my side. No one, not even I, could influence her against her will.
The box fought us the whole way through the gate. I did not know if it understood that it was a trap, or if it was simply fighting for the sake of it. Whichever, once it was through the gate, the last of the spirits flew through the gate as well as if they could not bear to be away from the box.
“There. Let us reseal this room and get back to Glimmer’s ship to make sure nothing else is still there,” I sent.
“Sure,” sent Flame as she added another layer of fire to the box. The snarl on her face told me that she was not yet over the box trying to force her to kill me.
Once I was sure the room and box were secure, we returned to Glimmer’s ship to find it empty of anything of interest. I assigned some magi to guard it just in case, but I did not expect anything to come of it. All the evil was contained in training room fifteen.
Chapter Sixty-One
The next morning I decided to collect the payment that Glimmer had promised us. I found him alone in his quarters under guard. Someone had brought him breakfast which he had just finished when I arrived
.
“Hello, Glimmer,” I said.
He stood up as I entered and said, “Hi, Sha … er, Master Shadow.”
“Please, sit and relax.” I waited for him to get comfortable and joined him. “How are you feeling today?”
“Much better,” he said. “Sometime late last night the box’s voice finally left my head, and I was able to get a good night’s sleep.
“So the box always speaks to you?” I asked.
“Until last night, yes. It was always trying to get me to do something. In the past I was able to resist it, but since coming here it was really pressing me hard to free it. This room gave me some relief, for which I am extremely grateful. But last night was the first night I spent completely free of nightmares since finding that cursed box,” he said.
“What did it want you to do?” I asked.
“Since coming here? It wanted me to free it. Before that, it was mainly asking me to take it places,” he said.
I decided to test his reactions and watched him closely as I said, “For now, we have the box secured. We will be destroying it soon.”
Relief, or maybe joy, came over his face. “Do you really think you can?”
“There is no doubt,” I said.
“That is wonderful news! How can I ever repay you for freeing me?” he asked.
“There is the matter of some information you promised us,” I said.
“Ah, yes, about that station. Well, you can blame the box for that,” he said. “When I first found the box, I listed it for trade in all the normal places and waited to see if anyone wanted it. One man contacted me; at least I think it was a man. Whatever it was, it had the general form of a human male, but I never got a really good look at him. Anyway, he offered me a very large amount of money for the box, far more than I would have estimated as its worth. He told me to meet him at the station and to bring the box. Well, in my years as a trader I have learned to be cautious, so I put one of the crystals into a containment unit and went to meet him.”
“A containment unit?” I asked.
“Yes. I did not know what those crystals were, but figured they might be dangerous to carry around, so I was careful not to touch them,” he said.
“Wise move. It saved your life. Do go on,” I said.
“Well, I met him at the time we’d set up, and he was not happy at all with me for bringing only one of the crystals. I told him: no money, no goods, and went to take back the crystal and leave. As I did, several men dressed in dark robes came and surrounded him. They started arguing in a language I did not understand, so I figured I’d better forget the crystal and get out. I got in my shuttle and took off as fast as I could. I was no more than a few light-minutes from the station when it blew. I was able to pitch my shields and ride the shockwave to safety, but most ships in the area were destroyed,” he said.
“Did your contact survive?” I asked.
“I don’t see how he could have. There was nothing left of the station. I have never seen a blast like that. Whoever he was, he must have upset some powerful people because all record of the station has been purged, and if anyone talks about it openly, they disappear,” he said.
“I suspect he could have been the reason the station exploded, and if so he would have had an escape plan. He had the crystal you brought with you?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said.
“That would explain how he could have caused the explosion,” I said.
“What, one of those crystals has that much power? What are they?” he asked.
“We call them spirit traps. They literally suck the life out of anyone who touches them and stores it in such a way that a sorcerer can tap into it, either to create an undead army or to power their spells,” I said.
He sat there in stunned silence for a while. Then he asked, “Is that how my men died?”
“It is likely,” I said.
He thought on that a bit and said, “So, is this guy that I saw building an army?”
“He might very well be. If so, there are likely to be more of these boxes drifting around out there collecting life force,” I said.
“Then the fact he wanted to buy this one off me is a bad sign,” he said.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because that means whoever is behind this is gathering their forces to make their move,” he said.
I leaned back in my chair and considered that. He had a valid point; the only reason to call the boxes back was to harvest what they had been collecting. Whether that was to get at the raw power, or to raise an army, I did not know. The crucial point was that it meant time was running out.
“We need to find this man who tried to buy the box. Can you relist the box?” I asked.
“Sure, but only if you wait to destroy it until after we use it as bait,” he said.
“Why?” I asked.
“I can't list something for sale that I don’t have. That could cost me my guild membership,” he said.
“That is fair. I will get back to you on that,” I said. I had no desire to keep that crate even a minute longer than I needed to.
“What is going to happen to me now?” he asked.
“What would you like to have happen?” I asked.
“I guess to get on my ship and try to rebuild my life,” he said.
“I see, and how would you do that?” I asked.
“I would restart my trading business. It is all I have,” he said.
“Maybe it is not,” I said.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“Stay with us a while, and I can show you a whole new life you never expected to live,” I said.
He looked at me with an odd expression that I could not quite work out. “Well, I guess I will stay at least long enough for you to lure that man who destroyed the station.”
“Great! Now I must go, but Flame and I would love to have you to dinner tonight,” I said. After making the arrangements, I left. On the way out I told the guards to allow him freedom to explore the open areas of the ship, but to keep him under watch.
Chapter Sixty-Two
The week passed without incident, and it was time for me to weavewalk back to the Shadow Fox and make sure our rendezvous was precisely set. For two ships to meet while traveling under cloak through the vast emptiness of interstellar space, very precise planning was needed. Even the slightest error in calculation could have us light years apart.
As I stepped into the weave I wondered about the way everything was starting to play out. It seemed that we had found part of the shadow, but only because the old man had helped us. The old man who, I guessed, was the rising head of the sorcerers of our realm, was helping the wizards. This was the second time he had done this. There had to be some motive to his actions, and I feared that he was tricking us into making him a more powerful enemy.
Soon Spectra’s marker appeared. It was a pleasant, glowing light with her color signature on it. The markers were as unique as their casters, making finding hers easy. I set it as my target and walked out of the weave into their conference room. Seated in the room was Dusty’s command staff.
“Welcome aboard, Master Shadow,” greeted Dusty.
I handed Dusty a pad and said, “Thank you. Before we start, here on this pad is the updated rendezvous route.”
“Great, Master. I will see that this gets to navigation,” he said.
“Master Shadow, how is Kymberly?” asked Spectra.
I smiled. Despite outward appearance, she really did care about people. “She is fine now, but it was quite a fight. The crate those gems are in apparently magnifies the call of the gems, and it told her to kill me.”
“Oh, no!” gasped Spectra. “Master, was she hurt badly?”
“Oh, no, I am sorry. She fought the gems, not me, and she won,” I said. “I moved the crate into a training room. Do you think that will be sufficient to constrain its influence for now?”
Spectra hesitated, but eve
ntually said, “Maybe, Master. Just maybe.”
“Spectra, what are you not telling me?” I asked.
“Master, as you know, spirit energy is really life force, but it does have some mind of its own. If we were talking about one, or even a dozen gems, it would be nothing; but with so many together, it is possible the crate could be alive.”
“And if it is alive?” asked Dusty.
“If so, we will have a really big problem. After all, what is the main driving force behind anything living?” she asked.
“Self-preservation,” said Skryth.
“Yes. Master Shadow, you could have locked in the training room the creature with the most power in the universe,” said Spectra.
I did not like the sound of that at all. Until then I was sure I could handle the box if I had to fight with it, but if it was alive and had somehow linked all that spiritual energy into one collective being, I doubted I could be any match for it. “Shea, are you sure you can destroy it?”
“I myself am no match for it. However, the Light is far greater and will destroy it through me,” she said.
“We need to get you to it somehow,” I said. A thought occurred to me. “Spectra, when you exit the Spirit Realm, how do you choose where you come back?”
“The same way you do, when you weavewalk, Master. I have a marker bound to this ship, and I always leave a marker behind whenever I travel anywhere by gate so that I can return to any specific point I need to,” she said.
“So, if I were to weave a marker for you, you could open a gate to the Spirit Realm, and once there gate back to the Nevermore II?” I asked. We were too far away to gate directly, and I could not take Shea with me via a weavewalk, but linking gates through the Spirit Realm would allow her to travel back to the Nevermore almost as fast.
“Yes, Master,” she said but something was odd about her answer. Something was bothering her, but I was not yet sure what. I watched Dusty wrap his arm around her shoulder and pull her close, and I wanted to ask what was wrong, but decided to wait to see if they said anything.
“Shea, if Spectra creates the gates, will you travel that way?” I asked.
Resurgence of Ancient Darkness Page 21
