you of an unpleasant past," the wizard announced, "but it is necessary. I can't ignore what is happening here."
Ryson's curiosity exploded.
"Where do we have to go?"
"Do you remember where you last fought Ansas, where you defeated him? It was a high plain upon a towering cliff created within the outer limits of this dimension. It was almost a bridge between the dark realm and surrounding existences."
"That's where Baannat claimed Ansas' essence," Ryson offered. "We left his body there."
"Yes, and that may be the key to what is happening here."
Chapter 7
Scheff climbed through the trees of Dark Spruce Forest as if he hadn't a care in the land. He smiled at the elf guards who let him pass freely through the perimeter of their patrols. He stepped across branches with a spring in his step and leapt from one tree to the next as cheerfully as a squirrel roaming through the forest with a large acorn in its mouth.
Despite his agreeable demeanor, his plans for the elf camp—particularly its leader—were far from pleasant. His cheerfulness was born out of the ease in which he moved through the outer guards. Not one sentry gave him a second look, not one elf asked him his intentions. Why should they? He was a member of the camp, one of their most powerful and able spell casters. His past might have contained certain missteps, but he had acknowledged his errors and worked to regain the trust of every elf.
As Scheff passed into the inner regions of the elf camp, he continued to smile, but his focus turned to several spells that were part of a large scale assault. Multiple incantations were needed, and though his control of the violet magic was strong, casting them all at once would require substantial concentration, a characteristic made somewhat diluted by his condition.
He was about to unleash pain and anguish, and while the diabolical plan was crystal clear in his thoughts, the desire to cause such torment was not his own. It wasn't as if he was under the influence of a serp. Though Macheve had trapped him in Dark Spruce, it was Reiculf's magic that bound him. The powerful magic of the demon master suppressed certain aspect's of the elf's identity—such as conscience, integrity, and empathy—and intensified the influence of a checkered past.
It was as if the elf spell caster's mistakes earlier in life returned to the forefront of his mind with ultimate supremacy. Scheff's full memory collapsed, and only small pieces of his past took shape in his thoughts. Those memories became more than simple images, they became driving forces, fueled by Reiculf's hateful energy.
It wasn't regret or remorse that seeped into his consciousness. There was no moral reflection of his past deeds, just recognition of their existence. Scheff's previous errors in judgment, born out of arrogance, flooded out all other considerations. They overwhelmed his understanding of the present and future. They directed his thoughts and actions as if they were his only source of inspiration. It was like drowning in the errors of his own personal history.
Once near the center of the elf camp, Scheff dropped from the trees and stepped into a wide clearing. Despite his great power, he was just another elf, and he could walk among them without causing the slightest stir. As he moved past the other elves, he dismissed their presence, save for one.
After surveying the area, he fixed his sight upon the elf elder, Shantree Wispon. He knew the elf guards would protect her at all cost, and once the assault began, they would most assuredly remove the camp leader from any potential danger. He knew they would guide her to the most secure area they could find, but that would work to his advantage. What he could not afford, however, was losing track of her in the confusion. While he could not allow that to happen, he also had to cast a number of spells within the camp before he attempted to take control of the elder... and confusion was an integral part of
Ryson's curiosity exploded.
"Where do we have to go?"
"Do you remember where you last fought Ansas, where you defeated him? It was a high plain upon a towering cliff created within the outer limits of this dimension. It was almost a bridge between the dark realm and surrounding existences."
"That's where Baannat claimed Ansas' essence," Ryson offered. "We left his body there."
"Yes, and that may be the key to what is happening here."
Chapter 7
Scheff climbed through the trees of Dark Spruce Forest as if he hadn't a care in the land. He smiled at the elf guards who let him pass freely through the perimeter of their patrols. He stepped across branches with a spring in his step and leapt from one tree to the next as cheerfully as a squirrel roaming through the forest with a large acorn in its mouth.
Despite his agreeable demeanor, his plans for the elf camp—particularly its leader—were far from pleasant. His cheerfulness was born out of the ease in which he moved through the outer guards. Not one sentry gave him a second look, not one elf asked him his intentions. Why should they? He was a member of the camp, one of their most powerful and able spell casters. His past might have contained certain missteps, but he had acknowledged his errors and worked to regain the trust of every elf.
As Scheff passed into the inner regions of the elf camp, he continued to smile, but his focus turned to several spells that were part of a large scale assault. Multiple incantations were needed, and though his control of the violet magic was strong, casting them all at once would require substantial concentration, a characteristic made somewhat diluted by his condition.
He was about to unleash pain and anguish, and while the diabolical plan was crystal clear in his thoughts, the desire to cause such torment was not his own. It wasn't as if he was under the influence of a serp. Though Macheve had trapped him in Dark Spruce, it was Reiculf's magic that bound him. The powerful magic of the demon master suppressed certain aspect's of the elf's identity—such as conscience, integrity, and empathy—and intensified the influence of a checkered past.
It was as if the elf spell caster's mistakes earlier in life returned to the forefront of his mind with ultimate supremacy. Scheff's full memory collapsed, and only small pieces of his past took shape in his thoughts. Those memories became more than simple images, they became driving forces, fueled by Reiculf's hateful energy.
It wasn't regret or remorse that seeped into his consciousness. There was no moral reflection of his past deeds, just recognition of their existence. Scheff's previous errors in judgment, born out of arrogance, flooded out all other considerations. They overwhelmed his understanding of the present and future. They directed his thoughts and actions as if they were his only source of inspiration. It was like drowning in the errors of his own personal history.
Once near the center of the elf camp, Scheff dropped from the trees and stepped into a wide clearing. Despite his great power, he was just another elf, and he could walk among them without causing the slightest stir. As he moved past the other elves, he dismissed their presence, save for one.
After surveying the area, he fixed his sight upon the elf elder, Shantree Wispon. He knew the elf guards would protect her at all cost, and once the assault began, they would most assuredly remove the camp leader from any potential danger. He knew they would guide her to the most secure area they could find, but that would work to his advantage. What he could not afford, however, was losing track of her in the confusion. While he could not allow that to happen, he also had to cast a number of spells within the camp before he attempted to take control of the elder... and confusion was an integral part of
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