Delver Magic: Book 06 - Pure Choice (29 page)

It was worth considering, but it
seemed a weak explanation. Several of the elves were talented magic casters. A sorcerer
trying to alter their judgment to subconsciously assist devious plans would
almost definitely be uncovered by at least one of the more perceptive elves.

No, the answer had to be more
subtle.

If Ansas could not influence the
elves, he might have sought to influence the magic, to use the energy that
surrounded the elves as a map to each individual's location. If Ansas could
have manipulated certain energy waves without actually linking to the elves'
magical cores, he could have created the necessary anchors and also avoided
detection.

It was only speculation, but it
held merit. Jure wondered if he could accomplish the task himself. He
considered the options available. Certain spells seemed more likely than
others, and particular hues seemed to have inherent advantages. Spells of light
or shadow would be easier to disguise than spells of fire or water.

Placing the strategy with regard
to Ansas' abilities led Jure to a reconsider his assumptions. Ansas would not
have used fire or water, or light... but shadow was a distinct possibility.
Ansas would have remained true to the ebony energy of his essence. With the
black magic so pure that it defied Jure's grasp, it would potentially be beyond
the notice of even the most sensitive elf.

A theory took shape in the
wizard's mind. Ansas could have cast his ebony magic across dimensional planes
and into Uton, but it would remain dominated by his unique control. The magic
could reach across the land and isolate each and every elf of the camp without
ever being noticed because no one would be looking for it. It was not a spell
that shaped the magic, but Ansas' force of will.

With a recollection of the ebony
energy that he could not absorb, Jure reached out to the magic pulsing across
the land. Instead of trying to analyze the energy that would willingly flow
into his being, he searched for the magical residue that would oppose him.

It was difficult at first, but
eventually he tuned out the free flowing energy that was willing to be shaped
by his skills. As he began to clear his mind of what he viewed as positive
energy, his inner being filled with an almost totally neutral sensation. There
was a blankness forming within him, and that's when he noticed the first hint
of an abnormality.

It wasn't like a disease in the
energy, a sickness taking hold. It was more like a reverse current in a stream,
as if a small section of a waterway decided to flow in the opposite direction.
A small glint of energy was trying to avoid him. It wasn't the actual magic he
felt, but the reverberations in waves around him.

The sensation was difficult to
isolate but impossible to ignore, and Jure began to follow it. He stepped about
the camp, blocking out every curious stare of the elves around him. He walked
in circles and in disjointed angles, all the while with his face turning toward
some obscure vibration. As he moved about the camp, he realized the source was
not coming from some part of the land, but from one of the elves.

Jure didn't wish to be obtrusive,
but he couldn't ignore the implications. One of the elves was emanating magic
similar to the energy he sensed that actually belonged to Ansas. Jure slipped
through the gathering of elves, trying not to offend, but also understanding
the importance of his search. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to isolate
the strange wave. It was as if he was trying to find a dead fish hidden deep in
the pocket of one individual in a crowd of fishermen.

Within moments, his actions became
too curious to ignore. Every elf knew he was searching them, but they could not
guess the reason, save for one, and she spoke up without hesitation.

"I think you are looking for
me," Shantree Wispon stated calmly, but with clear determination to take
control of the somewhat tense situation.

Jure was slightly taken aback by
the authoritative tone, but he remained certain his finding was important.

"Forgive me," the wizard
noted as he stepped up respectfully to the camp elder, "but I was asked to
check the camp for certain... irregularities that might point back to the sorcerer."

The wizard paused to make a more
thorough assessment. Without a doubt, he had found what he was looking for
within the elf leader.

"There's something within you
that belongs to Ansas."

"Are you certain?"
Shantree demanded.

Jure, in order to confirm his
suspicions, took a moment to seize upon the emanation. There was no doubt there
was a strand of energy within the elf elder that contained curious properties.
It was more than simple magic residue or even shards of a decaying spell. There
was firm substance within Shantree, and despite its magical essence, it
rejected Jure's grasp.

"Yes," the wizard
confirmed.

Holli and Birk had both noticed
the commotion and arrived together to review Jure's findings, but it was
Shantree who took command.

"Ansas placed his energy
within me," the elf elder explained. "I was able to manipulate it,
but only to a degree. I used it to assist the camp when we were trapped in the
dark realm. He gave me enough to keep everyone alive, but I could only use it
for purposes he seemed to allow. It would not completely bend to my will. When
we exited the dark realm, my connection to the magic ceased. I believed he took
back what he felt was his. I can no longer touch it, or even sense it within
me. I thought it was gone, but it seems you are telling me it is still there.
Is that correct?"

Jure didn't wish to burden the old
elf woman with such news, but he couldn't lie to her probing eyes. He didn't
quite understand the politics of elves, but he quickly realized he was speaking
to an individual of authority, one who spoke for the entire camp when a single
voice was needed.

"It is."

"Am I a danger to anyone
around me?"

"That would be difficult for
me to say," Jure admitted.

"Do not worry about
difficulties, worry about the truth."

Jure accepted Shantree's direction
and concentrated on what he could sense with certainty.

"I don't think you are a
hazard to anyone else at this moment, but Ansas certainly left a portion of his
magic inside you."

"So you do not think I will
explode?" Shantree asked with a very slight smile.

Jure knew the elf never believed
such a calamity was possible, that she only asked the bizarre question to
lighten the mood. It worked, and he gained a greater appreciation for
Shantree's approach.

"No, you won't explode."

"Excellent," she replied
with a slightly more obvious smile. Her good humor quickly faded, and she
returned to the seriousness of the matter. "We still must address why the
sorcerer would leave a small portion of his power within me. What does he hope
to gain? What advantage does this allow him?"

The elf guard captain entered the
conversation as the security of the camp remained his absolute concern. He
required further information and he questioned the human wizard.

"What exactly do you sense?
Has he placed some spell upon her?"

"No, there isn't a spell. A
spell would imprint direction on the energy."

"But can you be sure?"
Holli asked. "You said that Ansas' magic has the ability to defy
you."

"Yes it does, and maybe I
can't be completely sure, but a spell takes magic and gives it characteristics
of some desire. That's all a spell really is. Magic is the fuel for the
aspirations of the caster. I don't sense any such direction in the
energy."

"But could such direction be
hidden from you?" Holli pressed.

"I suppose it's
possible."

"Then we have to remain
cautious."

"I can't argue with
that," Jure allowed.

"Can you remove it from
her?" Birk requested, hoping to be free of the threat.

"No, that I can't do. I'm
sorry, but the magic won't let me take hold of it in any way. To tell you the
truth, that's why I don't think there's a spell involved. If there was, I would
think I could counter it, but there's just nothing there for me to
combat."

Birk turned his questions to
Shantree. He did so with great respect for her authority over the camp, but he
knew she understood his responsibilities.

"Do you believe you are in
danger, or that you might pose a danger to this camp?"

"No, I asked the wizard that
question for the same reason you ask it of me now. The safety of the camp must
remain paramount."

"Your safety is also
vital," Birk announced with pure honesty.

"Only with regard to how I
serve this camp," the elf elder replied. Once more, she looked to the
human wizard who was powerful in the ways of magic in his own right. "Tell
me this, why do you think Ansas would leave a mark upon me?"

"A mark?"

"In essence, that is what he
has done."

"I never really looked at it
that way," Jure revealed, "but I guess 'mark' is as good a
description as any. He may just want to keep some kind of connection to
you."

"So I
am
a potential danger," Shantree noted.

"Not really," Jure
explained. "I know that might not make sense, but I'm guessing here. The
truth is he doesn't need that kind of link. He was able to teleport the lot of
you without that kind of permanent anchor before. He created his own at the
precise moment he needed it, so he really doesn't need the one inside
you."

"Then why is it there?"

"Maybe he's using it to keep
watch over us," Birk offered.

"Possible," Jure
allowed.

Holli, however, divulged the truth
she could not deny.

"While it might be possible.
It is not probable. From my limited contact with Ansas, he does not like to
waste his time or his energy. While I believe he will test his abilities in
order to expand his talents, he tends to have deliberate reasons for his
actions."

"Keeping watch over the camp
would not be deliberate?" Birk questioned.

"It would be deliberate, but
as Jure pointed out, it would not be necessary. Ansas was able to abduct the
entire camp without marking a single elf with his distinct energy. Leaving it
in Shantree would be inconsistent with his previous behavior."

"Then what do you think he's
doing?" Jure asked.

"It is as Shantree said;"
Holli declared, "she is marked. It is a reminder of what happened in the
dark realm. Ansas is freed of his self-enforced exile and he's expanded his
grasp back to Uton. This camp is a trophy for his victory and the mark on
Shantree is his claim to that triumph."

Jure was amazed at the
explanation, but it all fit together. There was arrogance in the sorcerer. He
couldn't deny it. It actually made quite a bit of sense.

"So what do we do now?"
Jure wondered.

"We secure the camp,"
Shantree announced. She then directed her wishes to the elf captain. "Once
the immediate area is safe, I want you to find a spot for me away from the
others. Even if this strange magic within me is nothing more than some seal of
victory, the camp should not be placed at risk for my comfort."

"It will be as you say,"
Birk acknowledged.

Shantree directed her final
request to the wizard at her side.

"I would ask that you stay
with me during this time. I believe you are the most qualified in monitoring
me."

Jure was ready to accept, but he
looked to Holli again for a final determination.

"He can stay with you while I
assist Birk in securing the outer perimeter of the camp," Holli allowed,
"but after that, he must accompany me back to the human town of Connel.
I must seek council with Enin and I will need Jure to explain what he has
sensed here."

"Very well," Shantree
conceded. She nodded to Jure with another warm smile. "Let us make the
most of our time together. And by the way, if I am to explode, I would like a
warning."

Jure laughed, and he knew he would
enjoy his time with the elf elder. He then thought of one last issue that
needed to be addressed.

"What of the elf we left
behind? Scheff, I believe was his name. To be completely honest, I think if
there's a risk to the camp, it's him."

"There is little we can do at
the moment," Holli advised. "He left of his own accord, but I do not
think he holds animosity toward any of us."

"Hopefully, he will come to
his senses," Shantree offered.

"He was very skilled in
magic, wasn't he?" Jure asked.

"Yes," Birk confirmed
with a grim expression. "You could tell?"

Jure nodded.

"He was very focused on the
magic," the wizard offered. "I don't think it was interfering with
his decision, I think it was the other way around. I think he intended on
following the magic."

"Maybe that is why he chose
to join with Ansas," Holli acknowledged. "The thought of such power
can be intoxicating."

"It's also foolish,"
Jure noted. He shook his head in disgust.

He believed that it wasn't always
possible to save people from their own mistakes, but he didn't like the thought
of innocents paying for the errors in judgment of others. What he liked,
however, never seemed relevant. There always seemed to be innocents caught in
the middle of someone else's schemes or grab for power and glory.

He would talk to Shantree about
Scheff during their time together and she would offer him insight into why the
elf would make such a choice. They would discuss many of the things relating to
the elf camp. It was another opportunity to learn, and Jure didn't waste it.

After helping to free the elves
from the dark realm, Ryson returned immediately to Burbon with the aid of a
teleportation spell cast by Jure. Without having to trek through the woods, he
found himself just outside the town's borders by the edge of the forest.