“You said you needed information from us. What are you looking for?” I asked.
“For one thing, how to destroy that crate, but I see that that will have to wait. Secondly, I know that Shadow and his team have found another table and are heading towards it as fast as they can, but I have completely lost track of them. I would like to know how they found that table so that I can look for more, and where it is so I can be ready to help, if need be,” he said.
“I understand what you are saying about there being more than one side in this realm, but the weave has chosen Vydor as grandmaster of the realm. There can only be one,” said Korshalem.
“I am not contesting his rank. I am merely saying that if we do not work as a team, the seven ancient magi will return, and a new era of darkness will be born. They cannot make new tables now. The tables have to be made in this realm by living people of this realm, so if we destroy all the tables they cannot return,” said Henrik.
“Until someone gets the idea of building one for them,” I said.
“Yes, which is why this cannot be a temporary agreement. We must forge this alliance for all time,” he said.
“How strong are they now?” asked Mantis.
“It is hard to say. I have not directly encountered one yet. I know Spectra forced one into retreat, but I suspect she was mostly bluffing and fooled the magus. If I had to guess, I would wager they are probably approaching elite level,” he said. “But every table we find and destroy sets them back. Every crate that is not delivered slows their growth.”
“What do you two think now?” I sent.
“I think he is right. We have no choice but to team up, but I do not like it, not at all,” sent Korshalem.
“Are we certain he is being honest?” I asked.
“I believe him,” sent Mantis.
“I think your proposal has merit, Henrik. I can give you the location that the Nevermore II is heading for. That is simple enough. I intend to be on hand myself to see what happens. Our plan was to let Shadow and his team attempt to destroy the table, and intervene if that green-hooded magus reappears,” I said. I expected that the destruction would cause a large enough disturbance in the weave for him to see it, regardless.
“Excellent,” he said. “Then we have an agreement?”
“I will have to confer with my council on this, but I believe we will,” I said.
“And the crate?” he asked.
“We will take it with us and see to its destruction,” I said.
“I do not think it is wise to move the crate through the weave, and mundane transport would take far too long. Can you bring Shea here?” asked Henrik.
“Grandmaster, he has a valid point. Besides, I think it would be good to hear her view of him,” sent Mantis.
“I will see if she can come. By now, the Shadow Fox will have rejoined the Nevermore II. We can come back with her tomorrow at this time,” I said.
“Excellent. Now, please eat and enjoy,” said Henrik.
Chapter Seventy-Six
The next day Mantis and I traveled to the Nevermore II. Even though the Nevermore was traveling under cloak, I was able to track them via Shadow’s ring, the one that he used to communicate with me. Once aboard the Nevermore, I called a meeting with Shadow’s command staff.
“Thank you all for coming at such short notice,” I said when they were all seated around the table. “And it is especially good to see you up and around, Phoenix!”
“Thanks, Grandmaster! I’m back, and at the top of my game!” he said.
“Before we start, let me say congratulations on your mission so far! All of you are performing with the excellence I have come to expect from you. It is no small feat that you have accomplished out here. You are proving that the model of the Dragon Guard is the correct one for our navy.”
I paused there to let them absorb that and bask in the praise for a moment. Then I said, “Now let me tell you what has been happening back home.” I told them about the station and the table that had been found there. “We now suspect that the first station was intended to also house a table, but it had not yet been delivered. We are actively searching for more stations, but so far we have found no sign of them. I suspect they plan to put stations and tables in key locations near our space, as we are likely to be their primary target.”
“Grandmaster, the next time a table is found, can you bring me to it before you destroy it? I can use it to find more,” said Spectra.
“That is a good idea, but it was not possible in this case. The Battle Wizards and the navy destroyed it before I had been alerted to its discovery,” I said. “There is another piece of news for you, and that is that we found another crate.” I noticed fear pass over Spectra’s face when I said that.
“Grandmaster, if there are two, that could mean lots more!” she said.
“I am sure there are more; however I doubt there are ‘lots more.’ We have confirmed our suspicions. They are being used to charge the tables and bring the seven ancient master sorcerers back from the grave,” I said.
A ghastly silence passed through the room when I said that. I did not continue at first; I wanted the magnitude of the situation to sink in. After a few moments I said, “Shea, I would like you to come with me and destroy the second crate. I can do it, but I would need to bring it to the Spirit Realm to do so safely, and that is too great a risk at this time.”
“Why is that risky, Grandmaster?” asked Karlith.
“Because that is where the seven magi are who want the crate. If they were to take possession of it, it would accelerate their plans. Please understand that we are on the verge of a new era of darkness. If we do not destroy all the tables and crates, these sorcerers will come back and will quite likely be the most powerful force in either realm. They have had ten thousand years to grow in their power, and in contrast all magi today are centuries away from full power,” I said.
“I will certainly go, but where is the crate, Grandmaster?” asked Shea.
I smiled, “Why, “the old man” has it,” I said.
“What?” asked several of them at the same time.
“Yes. It turns out his name is Henrik. He has as much to lose as we all do if the seven return, so he has proposed an alliance against them,” I said and informed them about the deal.
“But he tried to kill me!” said Dusty.
“No, Dusty, he tried to recruit you. He has a very high level of respect for you. He hoped that you would become disenchanted with wizards, after seeing how wizards are viewed in my realm, and turn to him. That is why he saved you: to get you on his team,” said Mantis.
“Which, I would like to say, I am extremely glad did not transpire,” said Shadow.
“And the mage bolt in Shea’s back?” asked Dusty.
“That was my fault,” said Shea.
“What do you mean?” asked Dusty.
“He tried to cast it between us to force us apart, but I knew that if I let it hit me instead, you would break free of his charm,” said Shea.
“So you jumped in front of it?” asked Dusty.
“Yes. It was the only way I knew to save you,” she said.
Spectra reached out to Shea and hugged her. I thought I heard her whisper, “Thank you.”
“He definitely tried to recruit me more than once,” said Shadow.
“Yes. We have known for some time now that he has been building his forces from the dropouts and failures of our school. He is not connected to the sorcerers in any way that we know of. In fact, it seems he sees them as enemies as much as we do,” I said.
‘Then who were the sorcerers who kidnapped Flame, and the ones who attacked us on the capital planet?” asked Shadow.
“As far as we know, all the sorcerers you fought so far were from Korshalemia,” I said. “Who, I might add, also tried to recruit you.”
“So are we saying this Henrik is a good guy?” asked Dusty.
“No, we are not.
But we are saying that we need him as much as he needs us in this battle against the seven,” I said.
“So many things are finally coming together, Grandmaster,” said Shadow.
“They always do as events begin to converge on a pivotal point in history,” I said. “Shea, are you ready to go now?”
“Yes, Grandmaster,” she said with confidence.
“Good. Mantis will gate us to his tower, and then to Henrik’s base. We will return here once we are sure the crate is destroyed. Shea, while we are there, I would appreciate any insight you can give us into Henrik.”
She smiled and said, “Of course, Grandmaster.”
Goodbyes were said all around, and then Mantis opened a gate for us.
“May the real God of creation shine his light on each of you, and may you ever more walk in his light,” I said as we left, allowing the power of that blessing to protect them until I could return.
Chapter Seventy-Seven
We stepped out of Mantis’ gate into his gate room. We had to travel to his tower first to prevent the location of the Nevermore from being compromised, as it was possible Henrik could track the gate back to its origin.
“It feels weird to be back here,” said Shea.
“The last time you were in this room, I would have guessed you and Dusty to be getting married soon, not he and Spectra,” said Mantis.
Shea whipped around and said, “Please, Master, never speak of that to them!”
“No, I would not have, but it was important to me that you understood it,” said Mantis. “I would not want that to fester.”
“No, Master. Spectra is the perfect match for him, and I’m fully supportive of them. Someone else may come along for me. Until then I am happy enough in my role as their confidante and counselor.”
“Spectra and Dusty are getting married?” I asked.
“Yes, Grandmaster, though I don’t know how Master Mantis knows. The news is still fresh,” said Shea.
“I guessed it to be soon by the way they were acting, nothing more. Have they set a date?” asked Mantis.
“No, Master, not yet. It is not likely to be before we deal with this table,” she said.
“There are rules against their marriage,” I said.
“Oh, Grandmaster, please trust me in this matter. The worst thing in the world you could do right now is to prevent those two from marrying,” said Shea.
“Shea, as a priestess of Light, if your recommendation is to allow it that is enough for me. Please tell them, though, that they can trust me. I dislike the fact that those two seem so uneasy in my company,” I said. I would have made an exception for Dusty and Spectra without her recommendation, for my own reasons, but I would have been greatly interested in hearing hers. That would have to wait for another time, as we had more pressing issues to deal with first.
“I am afraid that goes with the job, old friend,” said Mantis.
I sent a message back to Shadow straight away, telling him I had heard about the wedding from Shea and that I personally approved it. “Shea, if you are ready, I would like to get this over with.”
“Yes, Grandmaster. I too am anxious to get this behind us,” she said.
“Very well,” said Mantis, and he opened the gate to Henrik’s place.
As we came out we found the room exactly as we had left it. The crate was still sitting where it had been, and even the food on the table looked exactly the same. Nothing was out of place; everything was exactly and precisely where it should be.
“Welcome back, and welcome to you, Mistress Shea,” said Henrik.
“Please, just Shea. I’m merely a helper,” she said.
“Shea, I am sorry about your brother. I was happy to see he made a full recovery,” said Henrik.
“No need to apologize. It was a battle for Master Dusty, and we were happy to win it,” she said with a soft smile.
I had to admire her. We were standing before one of the strongest magi in current existence, in his own home, still potentially one of our greatest enemies, and she showed not the slightest hint of fear. “Now, let us get to the matter at hand. Shea, do you need anything to do this?”
“No, Light will provide all I need and more. Master Henrik, you may want to move back,” she said and walked up to the crate. “This one has at least twice the number of the spirits in it that the last one had. I suspect this room would be full of malignant energy if not for Master Henrik’s spells locking it down.”
“Do you need me to remove them, Shea?” asked Henrik.
“No, Master, they will not be a problem,” said Shea.
I chuckled a bit. I believed that statement to be true, but it was apparent that Henrik did not know what to make of her. She appeared completely and totally unimpressed by him or his spellcraft. I felt certain that he had never had to deal with someone like her before.
She knelt before the crate, bowed her head and started chanting softly. As she chanted I could see the purest white power building around her. It was gentle and warming to me, but I could see Henrik backing away as the power got stronger. Shea continued to chant and suddenly, without any warning, threw her head back and raised her hands high. She increased the volume and pace of her chanting, which had a joyous and melodious sound to it. Through the bright white glow I could see the crate begin to collapse, and the spirits start to fly out. A rift in reality opened above her, and the spirits began departing through it. Shea’s white aura continued to grow brighter and even purer with time. Henrik was now about as far as he could get from Shea, but was desperately trying to watch.
In light of what I saw, I could not help but join in her song, and soon the white power covered me as well. It was not long before I could see and feel nothing but Light, and it was then that I realized that the god Shea worshipped was the one true God of Creation, the same one who had accepted me into his fold all those decades ago.
All too soon, the light faded and the room returned to normal. Shea stood and walked over to me. “It is finished.”
“That was simply amazing, Shea,” said Henrik as he walked back over.
“Thank you, Master, but it was not of me,” she said.
“Now, if you will excuse us, we must get Shea back to her post. Once the council has met I will send you our answer,” I said and nodded to Mantis.
“Certainly,” said Henrik.
Mantis opened a gate back up to his tower, and we walked through into the sanctuary of his home.
“Thank you, Shea. That was certainly well worth the trip,” I said.
She looked at me with tears in her eyes. “I always suspected you belonged to Light, but now I know for sure I am not alone!”
I smiled warmly at her. “You were never alone. You have family on the Nevermore and elsewhere, and it is time to return you to them. We can talk more when this is behind us. Now we must both return to our posts.”
Chapter Seventy-Eight
Spectra and I stayed on the Shadow Fox even when docked, usually alone. Occasionally Shea would drop in to tend her gardens, and Skryth would come by to do some work, but other than that we had the ship to ourselves. This night we were alone and had been enjoying a quiet dinner, talking about wedding plans and our future together.
“Are you ready?” asked Spectra.
“Yeah, let’s go,” I said as we finished cleaning up after our meal. Now that Shea was back and had had a night to rest, Master Shadow had called a meeting of the senior staff.
As we walked Spectra privately sent, “Have you talked to Shea since she got back?”
“No, why?” I asked.
“I’m just worried about her. Those boxes are pure evil. There is no way she could interact with them like she does without being somewhat affected,” she sent.
“She seems to think her deity protects her from that,” I sent back.
“Well, I have my doubts, but I would have to see it to know more,” she replied.
Once we rea
ched the conference room and took our seats, Shadow said, “Thank you all for coming. There are a few things we need to discuss. First, let me tell you our plan to deal with the ancient sorcerers and their tables. At this time it is believed they are still far from their full power, so none of the wizard council needs to come to this location. When we arrive, Spectra, will you be able to use that table to find the other tables?”
“Yes, Master, I think so,” she said.
“Excellent. Our plan is to coordinate a series of attacks. We will attack at this table, and at the same time some elite, and possibly some master, wizards will attack the other tables. If the grandmaster sorcerer appears at any of the tables, Grandmaster Vydor or Grandmaster Korshalem will come to destroy him. We should be able to handle any one of the other masters, and if more than one is present, one or more of our master-level wizards will come,” he said.
“Why doesn’t the full council just move from table to table until they are all wiped out?” asked Phoenix.
“For two reasons: firstly, we are trying to force them to split their forces up. If the grandmaster sorcerer shows, we want him to have to fight alone. Secondly, if we move our forces out here the sorcerers might possibly launch an attack on our home. While the master wizards could get back quickly, many millions might be killed before the attack could be stopped. We have to keep our defenses strong until we know where they are,” said Shadow.
“Master, that’s the same answer you gave us during operation Show of Force. Is war always so much of a guessing game and a balancing act?” I asked.
“Yes, Dusty, it is,” he replied. After waiting for more questions, he turned to Spectra. “You faced the green-hooded master sorcerer once already. How would you judge him?”
“Master, I think I could have beaten him had I realized sooner what he was, so maybe his level is advanced journeyman, at best. Once we were in the Spirit Realm, he gained considerable power, possibly to elite level,” she said.
Resurgence of Ancient Darkness Page 27
