Joint Intentions (Book 9) (10 page)

Ryson would have preferred reaching Enin's home on foot. He could have avoided the busier roads and raced through back alleys and side streets. He also didn't appreciate sharing a carriage with Neltus, but he decided he should keep an eye on the hefty wizard until they reached their destination.

When they arrived at Enin's house, they were met at the door by a half dozen dogs thrilled to see the delver. After Ryson greeted each tail-wagging animal, he announced the reason for their visit.

Enin guided his visitors to the study where he could consider Neltus' proposal with fewer distractions. Enin was almost as suspicious of Neltus' motives as Ryson had been, but he had agreed to listen to the ex-wizard's plea. He, above all others, understood the emptiness which plagued a spell caster unable to hold magic. After hearing Neltus' initial theory, Enin dismissed the proposal as empty hope.

"Don't you think I would have considered that?" Enin questioned Neltus.

"You might have," Neltus allowed, "but not in the manner I have. Look at how the algors live. They're out in the desert, they congregate in those sandstone cliffs, they live closer to the land than anyone else. More importantly, even the way they use the magic is different."

"How do you see it as different?"

"What do they do when they want to use magic?"

"They are healers."

"Not when they want to attack. When they want to use magic against someone, they create sand giants. That's why I understand them differently than you. I see how they use the land with their magic."

Enin agreed that each individual used magic differently. Unique skills and practiced techniques allowed for spell casters to utilize different spells in different ways. His own perception gave him insight into magic few had ever possessed. Still, those differences did not offer a solution to the problem of losing a core. No matter how magic was used, it had certain distinct qualities which could not be altered or ignored.

"Their use of the magic is irrelevant to our underlying problem," Enin professed. "You could not animate sand giants right now anymore than I could fly."

"I'm not saying their use of sand giants will solve our problem. I'm saying it proves that I might know just a little more about this than you."

"I sincerely doubt that's the case. Your magic might have focused solely on the land, but my control extended over all the hues, including your crimson magic. I do not see how the algors' use of sand giants would lead you to some insight I do not have."

"That's just it. Your control over things like air and light make you look at things differently. This isn't a matter of wrong or right. It's a matter of opinion."

"Opinions have little to do with facts, and the fact of the matter is that you and I have lost our cores. Without one, we can no longer utilize magic in the manner which you hope to achieve."

Neltus would not relent.

"And I still say that's a matter of opinion, and opinions are formed on experience. That's why the algors are important. When they create sand giants, they don't just cast a spell. They have to collect the magic first. They pull it from their surroundings because it's not within them. Just like us, they can't store the magic."

"And that's where your reasoning fails. Algors may not be able to store magic, but they still have a core. Their core is just porous. The magic slips through over time, but they still have the ability to absorb and capture the energy, even if it is only for a limited time. That is how they differ from us, but it's a great difference indeed."

"But maybe we can still learn from them. They are able to pull vast flows of magic from the land. Their concentration may be a key."

"I understand their abilities far better than you think. Concentration is not a relative variable. Do you honestly believe their focus is greater than mine?"

"Not greater... different. No one denies your ability. You could cast the most complex and devastating spells in all the land, but you never faced the limitations the algors had to face since the beginning of their very existence. Your core was an ocean of magical power. You could store amounts unthinkable to the average spell caster, and you could store it almost indefinitely. The algors never had that luxury. They had to use it immediately or it would be lost to them."

"And that is exactly what I have said. The issue is not only storage, it is also collection. My core was vast, and when the need arose, I could create a flow of magic far beyond what any algor could muster."

"But you placed that flow directly in your core."

"And so do the algors. Their application is no different than mine."

"Yes, it is. It has to be. Look at it this way... we viewed the magic like gold. We could hold it in our pockets until we needed it. They view the magic like air. They don't store it. When they need more, they breathe it in in larger quantities, like me after I run."

There were others in the study, individuals still capable of utilizing the magical energy. Jure, a wizard proficient in casting white magic in a perfect circle, had listened attentively to the ongoing discussion.

While Jure did not have Enin's insight into many facets of magical energy, he hoped to grow his own powers through expanding his understanding of more complex concepts. He might not have enjoyed Neltus' company, but he could not deny an interest in the discussion. While Jure believed Enin was absolutely correct in his assertions, he noticed a small divergence between the two viewpoints. He attempted to bring the two opposing considerations together, place them on a similar plane.

"Differing views of magic shouldn't alter basic characteristics," Jure offered.  "Whether it's looked upon as gold or air, the magic remains the same. I mean, I can see how certain factors can affect qualities such as spell strength and duration, but is that really the issue here? I see this as a consideration of the base qualities in the energy itself. Even if there are other variables, certain characteristics of magic remain constant."

Neltus nodded. He wanted to keep Jure in the conversation. He respected the older wizard's ability, if not Jure's more devout viewpoints. Neltus believed keeping the discussion based on magic, and magic alone, would allow him to make his case.

"You're right, the magic doesn't change, but even you have to admit that personal skills and abilities will affect how the energy is used. You cast in pure white, but you used to cast in only... what color was your origin?"

"My core was initially based on blue energy," Jure admitted.

"The power of water, a strong power, but it wasn't enough for you. You decided to expand your skills. You became equally capable in casting in all hues. Now, think back when you could only cast proficiently in a single color. Don't you believe you viewed the magic differently back then?"

"How so?"

"Weren't you overwhelmed by the energy flowing out of the water?"

Jure recalled how the initial wave of magic made him feel. Walking near the water created a bristling current of energy which made him feel almost as if he was drowning, even as he stood on dry land.

"I imagine everyone was overwhelmed the first time they felt the surge of magic," Jure admitted.

"And we overcame those feelings in different ways, adopted methods to deal with the sensation. As I said, you expanded your control over the full spectrum of magic, but others are often satisfied with their inherent powers. People like me kept our focus entirely on the original hue of our cores. I learned to cast in pure crimson. Red was not simply a limitation for me, it was a flag of honor, the basis of my power."

"And Holli still casts in green," Jure offered, as he nodded to the elf who also served as Enin's personal guard.

"Yes, she does," Neltus agreed, but he could not completely hide a hint of disgust when he looked upon the elf guard. He believed Holli Brances' skill with the energy was deficient and not worth mentioning.

"So?" Jure questioned. "What does that have to do with your problem?"

"She casts in green, I used to cast in red, you cast in white, and Ryson here... well, he doesn't cast any spells, but the magic is still within him, allows him to move like no human can. It's all about individual choices and abilities. The characteristics of the magic may not change, but how they are used by an individual varies in great degrees."

"But you are now talking about the different hues of magic," Enin insisted, "not the essential difference between the two of us and the algors. We have lost our cores. They have not."

"But even when we had our cores, we still looked at magic in a different way than the algors. That's my point."

"Your point does not address the simple fact that magic cannot be used by those without a core."

Neltus believed he reached the appropriate time to act. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver coin. He placed it on Enin's desk and then made a simple request of Jure.

"Enchant the coin for me. Place magic within it—as much as it will hold—but do not give it a purpose. I don't want you to include any spell or influence within the magic. Simply put raw energy into the coin."

Jure did not trust Neltus enough to simply follow his request without further explanation.

"Why?"

"Just like you, Ryson didn't believe I could cast a spell without a core. I told him I cast a spell to teleport to Connel. I don't think he believed me. I want to prove to him it's possible."

Enin intervened.

"Of course it's possible for you to use an enchanted item. Anyone can."

"And that is the point of this debate. You're all saying I can no longer use magic. I'm saying I can."

Neltus looked back to Jure, and continued with his request.

"Your magic is white, which means it can be cast in any hue, including red. If you place your magic within the coin without any other influence, I can use it to cast a spell, even one based in crimson energy."

"No one doubts that," Enin maintained.

"Ryson does."

"I don't know much about magic," Ryson offered, "but if Jure and Enin say it's possible, then I don't need an example."

"That's not the point anymore," Neltus argued. "We're talking about different opinions, and yours is just as important as any."

"Just what is the point?" Enin demanded. "I am as empty as you, but I know I could utilize an enchanted item, even one that simply stored magic. And
that
is the point. Storage is not the same as absorption. Algors may not be able to store magic, but they have a core, and thus they can absorb it."

Neltus grinned and then asked the question for which he already knew the answer.

"Does a coin have a magical core?"

"Of course not, but..."

"Yet it can still be enchanted with magic, just like a ring, a staff, a cloak, or even a book. These items can absorb magic, hold it indefinitely. And then it can be used, used by spell casters talented enough to concentrate on spells. For those of us skilled in incantation, we can use magic without absorbing it through our own core... magic but no core, just like an enchanted coin."

The idea actually surprised Enin. He knew there was something missing in Neltus' argument, but he was momentarily confused by an apparent contradiction in the characteristics of magical energy. He would have liked a moment to consider the idea, but Neltus did not give him the chance.

"You see? There are different ways to look at things. Now please, enchant the coin and let me show you exactly what I mean."

Enin remained puzzled, but he nodded to Jure. He wanted to hear more of Neltus' theory.

Jure picked up the coin. A bright, white circle formed around his wrist. He allowed uninhibited magic to fill the small piece of silver until it could hold no more. Unlike Dimi's spell of enchantment, Jure's incantation was quite efficient. No energy was lost in the transfer, and Jure still retained a significant amount of his own magic even after the enchantment was complete.

Jure flipped the coin to Neltus.

"There you go," Jure offered.

Without word or warning, Neltus cast a spell of teleportation which took hold of every individual in the room. In order to avoid losing any magic while casting his own spell, Neltus had to craft the incantation quickly. Without a core, he couldn't risk a more complex spell to pick and choose which individuals traveled with him. He had to take them all. Along with himself, the magic teleported Ryson, Enin, Jure and Holli out from Enin's study and into the Lacobian Desert.

Holli found the abrupt change of circumstances unwarranted and dangerous. They no longer stood in the safe confines of Enin's home. They weren't even in Connel. They stood upon the sands of the Lacobian, and though she could see the sandstone cliffs of the algors' sanctuary just beyond a few dunes, there were no safe havens in the desert.

The elf guard instantly removed the bow from her shoulder—a weapon she decided to keep close when Neltus entered Enin's home—and she readied an arrow, swiftly plucked from her quiver, against the string. She circled the others as she scanned her surroundings. She sensed no dark creatures in the immediate area, but the desert was a foreign place to her.

While the magic within her allowed her to perceive certain threats within close proximity, the desert contained a variety of hazards. Under such unsettling conditions, she would never be satisfied with such a minimal inspection, especially when other methods of reconnaissance and defense stood so near. She immediately gave orders to those around her, and she expected them to be followed.

"Ryson! Take a position at the top of that dune. If you sense any threats in the area, report back to me at once. If not, circle our position at least forty paces out. Return when you've completed one pass."

Ryson took off in a blur of motion. At the top of the dune, he noted a single traveler upon the sands, but he regarded the individual as a friend. Without acknowledging the lone walker any further, he raced out several paces and began the first circle around his companions.

"Jure!" Holli continued. "Prepare a shield spell against possible projectiles. There is no suitable cover here. Cast it at once."

The wizard also did as he was commanded. After focusing on the need for a proper defense and preparing the spell in his mind, he began the incantation. A white ring appeared at his wrists and then rotated up in the air to create a near invisible disk overhead. The shield was charged with bolts of energy and ready to strike at any stone, spear, or arrow cast in their direction.

Before she could request more of the wizard, Ryson returned and offered a quick report.

"There's an algor walking beyond that dune to the west of us. Nothing else nearby, other than the sandstone cliffs where the algors meet. There's no unusual activity near their sanctuary, so I doubt there are any threats in that direction. No scents in the air... well, other than the algors."

"What of the single algor to the west?"

"Just walking. They'll do that. Usually they all stick together, but there are times individuals just want to be alone. When they want to leave the group, they just start walking out into the desert. I've seen it every time I've been here."

"Any other tracks in the sand?"

"No, but the sand shifts pretty quickly out here with the wind. I don't think any tracks would last for long, so it's hard to say without taking more time to inspect the ground."

Holli accepted Ryson's encouraging outlook, but she was not ready to relax. She wanted to see more of the desert, and Jure was adept at spells allowing for distant sight.

"Jure, I want you to cast a sight spell high in the sky. I want..."

Enin interrupted her with an odd statement of fact. He spoke as if they had never left his study. Rather than considering possible dangers lurking in the desert, he placed his attention squarely on Neltus.

"I have it now! You're right, but only partially. Coins don't have magical cores, but that's not what allows for the absorption of magic. It's the spell that's cast. You see?"

Neltus wasn't sure what Enin was saying. He was also looking about the desert, but not with the same concern as Holli. He was looking for some sign of Baannat. In his mind, he had accomplished his task. He had brought Ryson and Enin into the Lacobian. That was what the slink ghoul requested, and Neltus believed the ghoul would quickly make his own presence known.

But just as Ryson found no signs of intruders or threats in the desert, Neltus saw only empty sand. Enin's question caught him completely off guard. Stunned, he stammered out a response.

"Wha... What? See what? What are you talking about?"

"You compared us to coins or rings or anything else that can hold magic but doesn't have a core. It's an interesting comparison, but it's a faulty concept. You're looking at it from the wrong direction. The coin did not request the energy. The magic was stored because of Jure's will. It was his core that held the magic and his spell which then shaped it. The influence of the spell holds it in place. It has nothing to do with the coin."

"The coin?"

"The one you used to teleport us here. Just because it can hold magic and doesn't have a core doesn't mean the same principle will apply to you or me. There's an enchantment spell involved, and while individuals can certainly be put under spells of enchantment, they can't alter the fundamentals of magic. If they could, magic casters would simply enchant themselves into becoming more powerful spell casters. They could then build upon that process with an even stronger spell. After a few incantations, every spell caster in the land would be infinitely powerful, and that's just not possible. There are certain restrictions that always apply."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Neltus admitted.

Enin didn't bother explaining. Instead, he went on with other valid considerations regarding the faults in Neltus' comparison.

"Coins and rings and other enchanted items also do not cast spells. Do you see? You enchant the coin, you can even enchant it to hold a certain spell as opposed to simply filling it with plain and unspoiled magic, but the coin itself can't induce the enchantment. It takes an individual with a will of his own to invoke the spell held within the item. The item itself doesn't just come alive and unleash the spell on its own."

For a brief instant, everyone else stared at Enin as if he had decided to eat insects. His complete focus on the issue of cores and magic allowed him to disregard the fact that they were standing in the middle of the Lacobian Desert. The rest, however, could not simply ignore the drastic change in their surroundings. Continuing the discussion of magical cores left them speechless.

One within the group finally broke the silence as she gauged Enin's response with respect to the situation she found entirely too unpredictable.

"Are you saying we do not need to speak to the algors?" Holli demanded.

"It was as I initially stated," Enin confirmed, "the algors' process of collecting magical energy would not alter Neltus' situation... or mine. We could concentrate all we want on the energy, but we could never collect free flowing magic that we could use in a spell. Without a core, it's just not possible."

"Then there is nothing to be gained by remaining in the desert. We should return to Connel. This is not..."

Before Holli could continue, she was once again interrupted, but this time from an unexpected visitor.

The algor came up from behind them. Neltus stood in its path, and the algor reached out and pricked him with the tip of its claw.

Neltus barely felt the quick stab, but it was enough to catch his attention. He backed away from the yellowish green creature and allowed it to pass into the midst of the others gathered about the sand dune.

The large black eyes of the algor rolled about as the tailless lizard looked at each stranger with a slight tilt of the head. It moved easily across the sand, walking upright on webbed feet with claws at the end of its toes which offered it great traction. When it finished, it stated the obvious.

"Three humans, an elf, and a delver; all alone in the desert. Why are you here?"

"Forgive the intrusion," Holli stated. "We did not mean to trespass on algor land. Our arrival here was made due to a miscalculation of magic. We will be leaving at once."

Holli started to give instructions directly to Jure.

"Please teleport us back to Connel. We should..."

Neltus did not allow her to continue.

"No! Wait! We're already out here. We might as well talk to them."

"The desert is a dangerous place," Holli stated.

"But Ryson didn't find anything dangerous out here. And what about the algor? Do you think he'd be out here if it was dangerous?" Neltus turned to the algor to confirm his belief.

"Is there anything out here we should be concerned about?" Neltus asked.

"At the moment, the nearby sands are safe."

"That could change," Holli insisted.

"Anything can change," Neltus argued, "but we've all been in the desert before. Surely you, Jure and Ryson could protect us if something pops out of the desert, and we shouldn't waste this opportunity."

"What opportunity?" Holli challenged. "Enin has determined that your considerations about magic are faulty."

"Alright, maybe I'm wrong about some things, but I still think we should talk to the algors. We're already out here, and how would it hurt to ask them how they view the magic? If nothing else, maybe you and Jure could learn something."

"We have no right to make such requests."

"You have a request?" the algor asked of the elf guard.

"No," Holli replied swiftly but respectfully. "We're sorry to have disturbed you."

"You have not disturbed me. You have barely disturbed the sand. What is it you wish to know?"

"You see?" Neltus stated. "He wants to help."

Enin decided to enter the discussion as he approached the algor.

"My name is Enin."

The algor bowed his head in greeting.

"The algors know of the great wizard."

"I'm afraid I'm no longer a wizard," Enin confessed, "great or otherwise, and that's why we have ended up in the desert. My friend here and I have lost our magical cores."

"Lost?"

"They were removed by a warrior spirit."

"The great wizard... a wizard no more," the algor stated sadly with a shake of his head.

"It was a small price to pay to keep the land safe from a great evil," Enin conceded, "but that is not the point of our arrival so near to your home. My friend believes the algors may be able to show us a way to use the magic without having a core. We all understand that it's difficult for algors to store magic, and he mistakenly believes the process you utilize to obtain the energy can solve our problem. I've told him it's futile, but he doesn't wish to give up hope."

"Futile?" The algor shook his head. "Not futile."

Neltus' eyes lit up like a glittering display of fireworks.

"You can show us how to use the magic, can't you?"

"I can show you how to bend the magic. You can never absorb it without a core, but the magic flows across the land in many ways. It can be reflected, twisted, and even bent."

"What does redirecting the magic have to do with absorbing it to cast spells?" Enin questioned.

"Immersion," the algor replied.

"Immersion?"

"Bend the flow, place yourself in the flow, mold the flow," the algor stated simply.

Once more, Enin appeared perplexed by a concept of magic which seemed absolutely foreign to him. He began to mutter to himself, but no one was sure what he said.

The algor said nothing, but its wide mouth seemed to bend into a smile. He allowed Enin to grumble in whispers as he waited patiently in the sand.

Ryson looked to the sandstone cliffs and offered a suggestion to break the momentary and uneasy silence.

"Maybe we should go to the caves in the cliffs, talk to some other algors. We could see if they know something different."

"What one knows, we all know," the algor professed. "No need to talk to others."

Enin started to speak again in a fashion the others could finally comprehend.

"This is very odd. I used to be so sure about the magic. Could losing my core have caused me to also lose insight? I didn't think that would be the case. There are still things I see clearly, but these ideas seem contradictory, almost unbalanced."

"Magic can provide the balance," the algor advised.

"But I have dealt with magical flows in the past," Enin replied. "I understand the concepts of redirection, even immersion. I have witnessed massive flows of magic and seen them pass through and among magic casters, but the core was always present. What good is immersion without a core?"

Holli remained convinced the desert was the wrong place to have the discussion, but as Enin's guard, she would yield to his wishes. He appeared to find interest in the topic, and with his ability to cast spells gone, she could not deny him the opportunity to consider alternative methods of exploiting the energy. She also viewed Enin as her teacher. As such, it was necessary for her to understand his concerns.

"The concept appears disjointed to me as well," the elf admitted. "We have all seen examples of magical flows. Some have been magnified. Others caused displacement. I  fail to see how a redirection in magical flow can allow for influence."

"Influence!" Enin responded quickly. "That's really the point of contention. It is influence that allows for the shaping of magic into a spell. It is influence that leaves its mark in the energy even after the spell is cast. And influence requires a core."