What Once Was One (Book 2) (23 page)

“Heed my words, Hellsfire.”

I nodded. “I will.”

Renak’s sharp eyes stared at my hands and the chest. This was it. I took a deep breath before I lifted the latch. The chest creaked as I opened it. A bright, white swirl of light rushed out of it. It enveloped me inside and out, filling every part of my body with warmth and comfort. The light shifted and changed, becoming black. I shivered from its icy touch. With each breath I took, the air around me was frosty.

“Something’s wrong,” Renak said.

The streaking light left me, heading for Renak. It consumed him and he faded in and out of existence.

“What is it?” I asked.

“The spell’s been changed.” He wasn’t disturbed by his flickering appearance, but by his magic. “The wizard in my tower. He’s altered it somehow.”

“What about the barrier?”

“It’s down.” Renak stared at his fading hand. “If only I had more time to deduce what is different. Hellsfire, be careful of this wizard. He’s crafty. Deal with him quickly, then heed my words. The land is in grave danger.”

The most feared and powerful wizard the world had ever known was carried out on a black beam of light, vanishing.

I hesitated, terrified of what I would find outside. If my friends weren’t there, then it meant what I saw in the nexus was true. I still had to worry about the threat that lingered to destroy the land. But first it was time to deal with Premier.

I had no time to think about it, as the portal began to seal itself. I took one last look at this amazing, fearful, and empty place. The light blinded me and filled me with life and power as I stepped out of the nexus and into a changed world.

CHAPTER 12

The blurred, jumbled room was like an unfinished painting, its colors running down the canvas. I blinked and shook my head several times before the room came back into focus. I expected the nexus to disappear, but it still lingered, illuminating the chamber.

“You’re alive,” I said, staring at Prastian and Behast, relieved to see their confused faces.

“Of course,” Behast said, “You weren’t gone for more than an hour.”

“I wasn’t?”

“No.”

“What did you see?” Prastian asked.

“Your deaths, along with the princess’s.” I breathed a little easier. That meant she was still alive. “I’m just glad you’re all right.”

“Can you tell if the Great Barrier is down?”

I reached out with my magical senses, but I shook my head when I found nothing. “It’s too far. I don’t feel a great magical disturbance. Stradus told me he felt something when the barrier was first put up, yet there’s nothing now.” I wasn’t alive then, but someone was who might know the difference. “Premier, is there a way you can tell if the barrier is down?”

Premier closed his eyes. After a few moments he opened them and said, “No.”

“Then how do we know if it’s down?” Prastian asked.

“It’s down,” Premier said. He didn’t state why, but there was something he was hiding from me.

I glanced at Prastian. He subtly nodded as he got the binding potion ready. He would act as soon as I made my move, or Premier did. “Remember your promise, Premier.”

“I remember.”

Premier and Baal took one step closer to the exit. Behast drew his sword, I summoned my magic, and Prastian readied himself to throw the potion. He would only get one chance. The light in the chamber dimmed.

“I didn’t actually expect you to succeed,” Premier said. “The nexus should have broken or killed you like it did everyone else.” He pulled out two vials and cradled them in his hand. “As promised, the cure for your friends.”

“Give them to me.”

Premier didn’t budge. “Assuming you get out of here alive, it looks like the princess has another reason to thank you, but that reunion will be short-lived as you will soon find out.” He grinned and dangled the potions in the air. “Alexandria will be left alone. However, you said nothing about Southern Shala.”

“Get ready,” I said not moving my lips, and in a low enough tone for only the elves to hear.

“Thank you for giving me a chance to return home, Hellsfire. There’s going to be plenty of old scores to settle, plus a lot of new opportunities. There’s one last thing you should have realized.” Premier stared past me at the nexus. The light in the room darkened further. “Catch!”

“Now!” I said.

Prastian threw the vial at Premier and I tore my eyes away from him, holding my hands out. As my eyes followed the potions, the nexus sealed completely, plunging the chamber into darkness. I had no idea where the potions were so I lifted my robes out, praying my robes would catch them.

My robes thumped as the potions landed in them. I let out a breath of relief and secured them in my purse. I formed a huge fireball in my hand, illuminating the room. I was about to fling it at Premier or Baal, but they were already gone. The broken vial of binding potion was where Premier once stood.

We rushed out into the corridor to find them. The elves used their long ears while I scanned for any sign of magic. They could have been anywhere, as they knew the tower far better than we did.

The elves didn’t hear Premier or Baal running up the stairs. With Baal’s heavy steps, they should have. I moved down the hallway. Shadows crept along the walls and ceiling. They must have gone down one of these corridors, but which way?

My magical senses pricked me, and I felt something very old and powerful. It wasn’t Premier, but it could be anything in this ancient tower. I remembered Renak’s words about Premier. I peered down the darkened hallway, feeling the presence coming closer.

“I hear something,” Behast said.

“Me too,” Prastian said.

Before I could illuminate the shadows down the hallway with my flames, a slimy tentacle reached out and seized my wrist. I tried to pull my arm away, but I couldn’t. It began draining me of my magic, and I swayed like a reed in the wind. The fireball in my hand almost vanished. I kept the magic lit lest we be plunged into darkness. Behast yelled and cleaved through the tentacle. A monstrous bellow echoed from down the corridor.

A gigantic orange worm nearly filled the entire hallway. It scraped its belly along the floor, its open mouth shooting out dozens of squirming tentacles. The tentacles only went for me. I screamed at my body to run, but I stood like a statue, while they wrapped around me. Having my magic sucked away made me feel like a newborn babe. It was hard to maintain my tiny spell, which grew smaller each passing second until it was no bigger than a candle’s flame.

Behast jumped in front of me, slashing at the tentacles, breaking their hold on me. Prastian let loose his arrows at the worm. They clanged off the creature’s metallic skin. He changed tactics and shot at its gaping mouth. It screamed and closed its mouth, stopping the tentacles from coming through. It had no eyes or ears. Its colossal body rolled closer.

“We…must…go,” I said before my spell vanished.

Unfortunately, Premier would have to wait, but at least I knew where he was headed. Southern Shala would have to be warned about Premier and the threat Renak had told me about. I still couldn’t believe that the gods were at war. I prayed that in bringing down the Great Barrier I hadn’t doomed the world.

Behast swept me up and carried me over his burly shoulder. Prastian drew his sword and cut back the beast’s tentacles. They ran to the next floor, getting us out of the monster’s reach.

I tried to stand on my own, but I couldn’t. I leaned against the wall for support. Reaching into my purse, I pulled out my rejuvenation potion. My energy would be restored, but because of the nature of the creature’s attack, it would be awhile. Behast said he would carry me and he did.

They jogged back up to the top of the tower, hurrying to get back to our friends. The top floor was the only place we felt relatively safe. I figured that Premier kept it protected. We backtracked the way we had come, keeping a lookout for any surprises Premier might have left, in case he did go up instead of escaping from the tower. We scanned every door, table, and stone, trying to see if something was out of place. I kept my magic in place, but the light was pitiful. It exhausted me to keep up even that minor magic.

Eventually, we reached the top of the tower. Enough light shone that I no longer needed to keep up my spell. I was able to walk on my own two feet. We checked our room, hoping that Jastillian and Demay were still there and safe.

The pair slept, still smothered by the blankets we had left covering them. Sweat rolled off their pale faces and their breathing was labored. I poured one of the potions into each of their mouths, then wiped up the drops that didn’t go in. Their breathing eased, but that was all. It would take some time for it to work.

I kept an eye on the unconscious pair while Prastian and Demay searched the rest of the floor. I told them to get me if they found anything that made their hackles rise. They carefully checked everywhere, trying to find a potion, an enchanted weapon, or even a map of where Premier might have gone. They found nothing. Either he had stashed what was important to him or he had taken everything with him when he escaped. Renak was right. Premier was crafty. He had expected me to come here all along and he had planned things accordingly. I had thought him weak from his lack of magic, but I was wrong. Next time I saw Premier, I would waste no time in killing him.

I finally allowed myself to relax as the land of dreams called to me, the potion working its own magic.

----

When I awoke, night had fallen. I smiled when I saw a familiar face in front of me.

“He’s awake,” Jastillian said and smiled.

“You’re all right,” I said.

“We both are,” Demay said, handing me a jug of water.

I took a long drink, letting the water cool my parched throat. “I’m glad.”

“I’m not,” Jastillian said, frowning. “I missed seeing the Nexus of the Wastelands and that slippery snake got away.”

“There’s always Southern Shala,” Demay said.

“Aye,” Jastillian said with bright eyes.

“I want to thank you for bringing down the Great Barrier to save us, Hellsfire,” Demay said. “You didn’t have to. From what my brother told me, you took a great risk in doing so.”

“Thank you, lad,” Jastillian said.

I stared at my pale, smiling friends. I placed my hands on each of their shoulders. “No, thank you. You both saved my life. Premier would have killed me if it wasn’t for you two.”

I walked to the window and peered outside. It seemed quieter, somehow, and brighter. The black clouds that had settled around Masep, and particularly this tower, had dispersed. The constant eerie lightning that raced across them had fallen silent. Those clouds weren’t the result of the residual magic in the tower. They were the fault of the Great Barrier and the nexus Renak had used. I wished it was daylight so I could see how much it had all changed.

I peered at the countless campfires showing where the creatures were. What did they think about the skies changing? Were they fearful?

“Are you two well enough to travel?” I asked without turning around.

“Yes,” Demay said.

“And to fight,” Jastillian said, reading my thoughts.

“Good. We can’t explore the tower and find a secret way out. The tower’s far too dangerous if we don’t know where we’re going.” I clenched my hand, feeling my magic swell up. “We’re going home, and gods help whatever gets in our way.”

-----

It was a shame I didn’t have more time to study what was in Renak’s old stronghold. The knowledge, power, and history it contained could have taught me a lot. Even though my friends had already combed the top floor, I double-checked it, scouring for a clue they might have missed. Renak’s old journals would have helped a lot. Both for information on the threat in Southern Shala, and for the other knowledge they contained. I didn’t find anything, and the stronghold was too big and too dangerous to search it entirely. I wanted to see with my own eyes that Krystal was safe, and the Elemental Council had to be warned. Renak might have lied to me about my friends’ deaths, but he was deathly worried about the gods’ war.

We gathered our things and left the tower. My friends had their weapons drawn, and I cloaked myself in magic as I led the way. I glanced up at the sky. A gray overcast hovered above the city, but patches of blue and rays of sunlight poked out. It was far more than I had ever seen since my time in the Wastelands. The tower still had its magical gleam, but it didn’t shine as brightly.

The ogres and wolves were still guarding the gates, but other creatures had filled the road, watching the entrance to the tower. The two ogres guarding the gate turned to face us and ordered others beyond to open the gates. The wolves barked madly. The ogres had their swords raised, poised to strike. The other surrounding creatures had confused looks on their faces. I stopped in front of the ogres, just out of sword’s reach, and peered up at them.

“Move,” I said, staring them in the eyes.

The ogres didn’t budge. Their muscular bodies tightened, and they loomed over us. “Who are you?” an ogre asked.

“Move. I’m not going to ask again.”

The barking wolves made it hard to concentrate. I glanced at them and released a hint of power in my eyes. They whimpered and cowered away. The ogres looked stunned, but held their ground.