To Be Chosen (65 page)

Samuel watched as Daniel picked up a small dead branch and placed it five strides over to the right. “I think you have mastered, Talon Strike. Cut the potential and let’s get going. Perhaps you will tell me on the way how you can restrict your life force energy to the point from which you focused your spell.”

“Jerremy once told me the Teki are always in a hurry. I’m glad because I share that trait at the moment,” Daniel replied, and matched action to words, walking quickly. When Samuel caught up, the Ducaunan said, “Concentration and lots of practice, that’s how I restrict the glow.”

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Serin Gell sat on his throne in the receiving room. Glowing spheres floating near the ceiling provided the light. Flapper was leaning against the left wall. One eye on the side of its compressed head stared at him while the one on the other side could only see the wall. The Condemned had difficulty keep its balance, what used to be Sherree Jenna found it hard to breathe, its lungs being so compressed. He would have to use the spell on her again and alter the shape or soon she/it will die. Raven/Lassiter was standing in the middle of the floor along with nine other Condemneds, ones Serin had not gotten around to altering, they still appeared human, and were completely bald. Many of the completed Condemnations were in holding cells within the hill complex.

He spent his leisure time Condemning some of the commoners collected along the way, was just about ready to start on the Accomplisheds from the Tomlin Project, when he realized Jordan and Olivia were gone. They slipped away, probably back to Vance Cummin, fools that they are. Their actions were irritating yet unimportant in the over all scheme of things, so Serin put them out of his mind, and concentrated on his successes. The flute of Della Lain was beside him on a pedestal, waiting to be destroyed, just as soon as everything he worked for culminated.

He relished the thought of Vance Cummin bowing to him, being named Maestro, and the glory to be received by Tarin Conn. He could have that now, just summon potential and melt the flute down to a puddle. So many times in recent days he had been tempted to lash out at the cursed crescendo and free the Supreme Maestro, yet could not resist the urge to acquire the trumpet of Tarin Conn and take vengeance upon Daniel Benhannon. The last information from Fenton confirmed his contact had stolen the trumpet from Serena and that the Ducaunan Accomplished was on his way to the Foothills.

Serin laughed again, unable to contain his mirth. He wondered which would come first, the trumpet or the opportunity to Condemn Daniel Benhannon. The ruby amulet, one of three gems embedded in the left arm of his throne began to glow, meaning someone is in the southeastern entrance. The emerald would mean someone had entered from the north and the amber, from the southwest, which was seldom used. Serin cast, Find: Potentials, and focused out to a four span radius, it never hurts to be cautious. An aqua-marine glow in the shape of a man appeared in the north cave, a potential Serin knew well enough. So, Rex Badger, Vance’s closest ally, has come to call, but his presence meant little compared to the one approaching the southeast entrance. There were two, one orange, similar to Lassiter’s Fledgling who died in Lamont. Serin sprang from his throne, rubbed his hands together, and shouted for joy. The second person was tall and his potential, topaz blue, indicating a life force energy he knew well, and had been the focal point of in the past. Daniel Benhannon was here!

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Daniel entered the cave. Guano squished beneath his boots and the entrance was so dark human eyes were useless. He concentrated on Sly and received a colorless image of himself and Samuel walking slowly under the bat. “Just keep walking straight, the door is thirty strides ahead, and don’t touch the wall unless you enjoy the feel of bat poop,” Daniel whispered.

“You considered this the best of three entrances. What was your criterion, the one that stinks the most?” Samuel replied, clearly not pleased with the choice.

Daniel stifled a chuckle yet could not keep the smile from forming. “This entrance is used the least. I figured Serin Gell would not expect company coming in this way and I rather liked the idea of tracking bat poop into his lair.”

“You would,” Samuel grumbled softly, as dung beetles crunched beneath his feet. “The next time we sneak up on somebody I get to choose the entrance.”

“We’ll take that trail when we come to it,” Daniel whispered, and continued on to the door. “Does the Eagle Guild have a spell that opens doors, one that is narrowly focused?”

Samuel stepped up to the door and placed his hand on it. An orange glow surrounded him and his life force energy flowed into the door, spreading out from the point of physical contact. The door slid into the wall and light filled the cave, causing a multitude of bats to squeak their discomfort.

Daniel opened his eyes, ceased concentrating on Sly, and entered the complex, tracking guano with each step. Samuel walked silently behind him. Glowing spheres, ten strides apart, and floating near the ceiling, lit up the corridor. The walls were gray with arched doorways that had barred windows, from which could be heard shuffling sounds. Daniel glanced into a cell and counted three Condemneds in just the time it took to pass by.

“I wonder if Jerremy is in there,” Samuel whispered.

“That would be chore number three, we will come back and look after we subdue Serin Gell and retrieve Sherree,” Daniel told him.

Samuel glanced to his left. “The cell on this side also has Condemneds. I think we may need your scouts if the rest of these cells hold the poor souls.”

Daniel considered asking the squirrels to do the search, but decided against it. If he completed chore number one, he could use Find All to locate Sherree and Jerremy. “I like your positive attitude. Most folks would be worrying about the
Three-bolt Accomplished of the Serpent Guild standing in our way.”

Samuel came forward and matched pace, shoulder to shoulder. “Why should I be worried about Gell? I’m with the invincible Daniel Benhannon, who brings bat poop to his enemy’s lair, and goes on mid-night strolls with panthers.”

“There is no need to get snippy,” Daniel replied as they reached the single door at the end of the corridor. This one was made of wood and had an ordinary latch.

“I’ll go in first,” Samuel was all business now, an eagle about to dive at his prey.

Daniel nodded approval and Samuel stepped ahead and opened the door. A short passage led straight to the room Longwing had seen from the north entrance. In the middle of the room were a group of bald people, dressed in the red and black silks of Aakadon, both men and woman. Standing with them was a tall black Condemned with a bird-shaped head and its only clothing was a silk cloak that seemed to be a part of it, as if giving it wings. The poor soul’s feet were formed into talons. They were all facing forward, but the front of the room was not visible from where Daniel was standing. He summoned a trickle of potential and focused a hair thin beam behind him, placing an invisible shield, wall to wall, ceiling to floor, and added a Da Capo. No one was going to be coming in or out from the southwest entrance.

Samuel came to a stop. “I am going to summon potential for Confusion which will keep him from concentrating enough to cast a Melody. Then I will cast Lock Joints and take away his crescendos. I want you to summon potential and we will hit him simultaneously, me with Confusion and you with Talon Strike.”

“I have no herald so don’t stand out there waiting to be announced. Come Daniel, we know each other too well for us to stand on ceremony,” Serin Gell called out in his scratchy sounding voice.

Samuel glanced at his guano covered boots. “So much for entering where he would least expect,” he said through clenched teeth.

“He doesn’t know I can summon potential,” Daniel whispered into his friend’s ear, and then walked straight into the room. Samuel cursed and joined him a moment later.

Serin Gell was seated upon a throne. In the room with him were two Condemneds and nine bald people who stood without making a sound, each face devoid of emotion. One of them looked familiar.

“That’s Jerremy,” Samuel pointed out a little too loudly.

“You are correct and yes, he has been Condemned. I have been putting off the alterations until your Ducaunan friend arrived. Seriously Daniel, did you, an impotent Accomplished, really hope to confront me with a Fledgling of the Eagle Guild?”

Daniel realized all of the bald people were Condemneds and also noted the flute lying on a pedestal. “I’ve come to call you to account,” he replied and focused beams of potential, finer than the thinnest hair, some from the back of his head and from his thumb, placing a shield on the other two entrances, and the flute. He added Da Capos to perpetuate them, and tied those off to his life force, all while Serin Gell was laughing.

Serin focused on the Teki. “I recognize you. Samuel Cresh, the third Talented at the Battle of Bashierwood,” the wretched Accomplished said and a cruel smile lit up his gaunt pasty face. “My vengeance is complete. The trumpet of
Tarin Conn will soon be in my hands, those responsible for my defeat at Bashierwood are in my grasp, and I will soon destroy the flute of Della Lain and free the Supreme Maestro Tarin Conn!”

The man was getting overly excited and proving he was responsible for the theft of the trumpet, although seemed unaware that his minions, Cale Tomei and Jak Taltin, were dead. There was an old saying in the mountains, “Be careful when asking for rain, you may get a flash flood.” Daniel noticed the Condemned leaning against the wall. It looked like a pale sore-covered fish out of water. Its gender was indiscernible, seeing as it was grot
esquely contorted out of shape.

“Unfortunately for you Daniel, your Condemnation must take place before I free my master. Although, I will make you watch while I Condemn Accomplished Cresh and alter Jerremy DeSuan like I did Sherree Jenna over there,” Serin Gell said, and pointed to the fish-shaped Condemned.

Daniel’s breath caught in his throat while his eyes locked onto Sherree. It was like being struck by a lighting bolt. His face tingle with heat and he took a breath. He arrived too late! The revelation never said anything about Condemnation. He closed his eyes, unable to look upon her.

“It is too bad really. A true shame you missed how I stripped her naked, ripped her fingernails, toenails, nose, ears, and breasts from her body, and worked my artistry upon her. Well, you are at least seeing the end result. You know, I might have been just a tad extreme with her. You see, the form I chose cannot sustain life so I will have to rearrange her body again. Now you will have the opportunity to watch as I contort her into a state capable of sustaining her in agony for many years to come,” Serin Gell kept talking, fueling the anger boiling up in Daniel, who opened his eyes and fixed a level stare on the object of his rage.

Samuel let out an inarticulate scream and glowed orange. At the same time, Daniel sprang forward and slipped a wall to wall, ceiling to floor, shield between him and Samuel. A bright orange beam of light hit the shield, was absorbed, and only served to make it glow bright blue. “What!” his friend shouted clearly confused, and then looked at Daniel. “That’s your potential.”

Serin Gell grabbed his baton, a level three crescendo, giving him command of six bolts of potential, and
sprang from his throne. A burnt-amber beam shot out, striking Daniel on the forehead, and did nothing more than strengthen his personal shield. “This is not possible! You should have been Condemned by my spell. I know about the Silencing, Tarin Conn told me so,” Gell stated, as if denying what was happening could save him.

Daniel wanted to scream, having come so far yet failing to save Sherree. He did not care what this man knew. “Did he also tell you that I am a younger version of him? Did he tell you I am the other Chosen Vessel? Did he warn you another confrontation with me will cost you your life?”

The sneer disappeared from Serin’s face and his brows drew down in anger. He grabbed the flute, no doubt hoping to add eight bolts to his potential, and tried to play it. Air did not flow into the instrument and the valves were immovable. Failing to make it work, he threw it on the ground and shouted, “Ask him yourself!” And then a burnt-amber sphere appeared, surrounding the flute. The floor began to sizzle as the corrosive light ate into it and the flute glowed topaz blue. “No, this is not possible. How could you have placed all of these shields? My ring would have glowed if potential was focused at me,” not one beam had beam focused at him, “I watched and know you did not have the glow of potential around you.”

Daniel was in no mood to educate this man. “You hurt Sherree,” he told him in a low flat tone of voice.

“I more than hurt her, you ignorant fool!” Serin Gell shouted back.

Daniel raised his hand and sent a jet of white hot flame at the foolish Accomplished.

Serin jumped to the right and sent blades of solidified air whirling towards Daniel, who was shielded, but still spun to the left, instantly reacting with the skill and form of a Master-of-the-blade, and then launched a beam of Blunt Force at his opponent, clipping him on the shoulder and sending him spinning to the floor. Gell rolled to his feet and sent little balls of flame in rapid fire bursts. Daniel kept his mouth closed, covered his nose using his right hand, and charged at the Pentrosan while the personal shield absorbed the assault.