Surface World 2 Page 6

  “We simply cannot accept its word.”

  She wondered if Dregous sensed something and turned to the orb, “Why do you not answer?” The sphere continued its silence.

  “Very well, we shall leave,” Dregous announced.

  Tuke stepped next to Dregous, “I know who…” he stopped midsentence.

  “Silence priest,” the sphere pulsed his warning.

  Tuke’s eyes widened then shut, collapsing in front of Dregous. “Angelique,” he managed to grab Tuke and set him down.

  Seeker assisted, “What happened?”

  “His presence annoys me… fear not assassin, he only sleeps. I did not want to hear his preaching… that sort of nonsense makes me want to gouge my eyes out…,” then his tone softened, “If I had eyes?”

  “Then we will take our leave,” Dregous stated politely.

  “Do so and he will never awaken, remember, by all things nothing is eternal.”

  They looked at it in silence. He knew his meaning. Someday it would escape and hunt them down. “Now you speak,” Dregous turned. “He received payment, he will free you.”

  Errotamsa knew what the others wanted beforehand. This one was beyond his senses. No thought, no emotion, no desire, barely a presence, only his voice. “I will answer yours if you answer mine,” he ventured.

  Dregous thought a moment, “Question and answer for the like,” he clarified.

  “What you ask, I ask in turn,” it hummed.

  “Agreed.”

  “My true name is Ashmatorr.”

  “I am Dregous Von’Negrous.”

  “My father is Asmodeous.”

  He concealed his surprise. It was an arch demon’s off spring they dealt with, “Dorian Von’Negrous.” The demon was astonished an ancient power fathered Dregous. That explained his inability to sense him.

  They swapped questions and answers to their satisfaction. Dregous paced, “Upon liberation, what is to stop you from infracting upon us?”

  “We shall pact,” he suggested. Ashmatorr was confident Dregous was unaware of his heritage, otherwise he wouldn’t be so cautious.

  The prince thought for a long while, “Agreed, Shall I…?” he dared. Ashmatorr agreed with a polite tone, warning he was unamused. Dregous proceeded on a blank parchment from his magical tome.

  I, Ashmatorr, also known as Errotamsa and by any other name, name of offices, of positions, titles, in this world or any other go under and the like, shall not bring harm to Dregous Von‘Negrous, party and descendants, whether in life or in death, in any fashion, be it verbal, physical, spiritual or use any servant, slave, worshippers or any outside source living or dead of any kind. Should I break this agreement I will forfeit all rites, knowledge, wealth and power, positions, titles stated above and all others, immediately upon Dregous Von’Negrous the undersigned.

  “My, quite thorough,” he praised. Dregous didn’t allow him to penetrate his defenses. A thin sparkling red line appeared on the contract. “We shall sign in blood,” Ashmatorr stated. He gambled contracting with the prince.

  “Blood or ink, it is the same,” and realized Ashmatorr was too confident. Did I forget a clause… what did I leave out? he wondered.

  “So be it. I am a traditionalist. Now that that nasty business is aside, what is it you wish lord Dregous?” he mused.

  The prince was certain he over looked something. There was nothing he could do now. “Dregous, I do not like this,” Tatiana stated.

  “As do I. However, our choices are narrow. We cannot leave Tuke as such…. Is there anything you want?”

  “I have what I need,” she stepped closer and allowed her arm to swing gently to touch his hand.

  The mage’s chest pinged with excitement from her touch. He grabbed her index finger and gently squeezed it. Dregous forced his thoughts away from the princess. It took him a moment to regain himself. He thought of absorbing greater knowledge. Instead wished it to take effect as he required it.

  “Clever… cautious, clever nonetheless; it is done.”

  Dregous released her finger and walked to the ranger, “Rem!” he blurted, the Half-Elf snapped back, wide eyed and startled.

  “Why did you do that for?” he demanded.

  “I need to know if you are here.”

  “Damn, I was fine till you spooked the hell out of me!”

  “You seem to have overlooked it attacked Tuke,” Tatiana pointed.

  Tuke opened his eyes and found Angelique’s light blue eyes on him, “What happened?” She briefly explained. “You should not have…”

  Seeker interrupted, “I know….”

  Tuke continued, “Nothing good comes from dark creatures.” Seeker looked at him knowingly. “You know what I mean.”

  She smirked, “I tease.”

  They heard Tuke, “How are you feeling?” the princess asked as she knelt and gently caressed his hair and cheek.

  “You concerned us,” Dregous added.

  “Angelique explained….”

  The mage interrupted, “Please, with respect, let us discuss this elsewhere.”

  “How do we free it?” Seeker asked.

  “My thoughts as well,” Tatiana glanced at Dregous.

  “There my friends, I cannot help you, for if I do, it will mean the worst for us.”

  “The worst…, meaning?” Tatiana questioned.

  “Meaning his father….” Dregous chimed.

  “Even I do not know what he will do. However, I guarantee it will not be a pleasant venture.”

  “Clearly,” Dregous gave the sphere a quick wide-eyed flash as he studied the crystalline ball and stand. The pillar was composed of ice and quartz crystal. It eluded him how ice morphed with the quartz. Crystal could morph itself onto any stone if the conditions were right, but water?

  The elements of the material plane, earth, air, fire, water, each had a function. Fresh water for cleansing rituals, seawater for purification. He wet his finger and quickly passed it along the ice and taste it; salty.

  The mage contemplated the puzzle, Tatiana’s patience grew thin. Puzzles and riddles annoyed her. She paced to calm herself. An hour passed. “Have you not deciphered it?”

  “I must ensure it is done correctly or…,” Dregous started. Tatiana’s impatience took over and crossed before the pillar and swung her sword at the pedestal.

  The prince shielded himself with his cloak. The contract laid before the sphere. The Pillar exploded sending shards of crystal and ice everywhere as the others shielded their faces. She quickly recovered and struck it before it hit the ground. The mage abruptly grabbed the contract.

  The sphere shattered into dust. In its place, was a golden mist. “What were you thinking, I could have hit you!” she scolded. Dregous rolled on his back and slipped the contract into his robe pocket.

  The mist floated undisturbed by the wind. As Dregous gathered himself from the floor, the mist formed into a young handsome human male. “I salute you Lord Dregous. You are among the few that understands,” he brought his hand to his chest, lips, and forehead then extended it outward with a slight bow.

  Tatiana stepped away sheathing her sword as Ashmatorr faced her. “You should have made your wish my dear princess.”

  Rem's ears perked. “Princess, she is a princess?” he looked at the group, “She is not a princess.”

  “You did not know?” Ashmatorr stated.

  “No,” Rem replied. “Are you a princess?” he demanded from her.

  “We will explain later,” Dregous reasoned.

  Ashmatorr’s darkness started to spread to the party, “Are we not all friends?”

  “Now is better than later,” Rem insisted.

  “We, are not friends!” Tatiana shouted at the demon as she stepped to Rem, “This is not the place. Can you not see he toys you!” she hissed.

  “It is time you leave,” Dregous suggested.

  “That was not part of our agreement,” Ashmatorr stated. Dregous realized his failed clause.

  Tuke s
tood with seekers aid. “Thou hast no office here… be gone, foul unclean….”

  “Easy…,” Tuke froze and was pulled slightly from Seeker, dangling on his toes, then Ashmatorr addressed Dregous, “That is why I wanted him unconscious, so I would not have to hear that prattle.”

  “I will send…” Tuke squeezed.

  “Tuke No!” Dregous shouted. The demon extended his hand clenching his fist. Tuke was stricken and lifted from the ground gasping for air. The others drew their weapons, demanding his release. The prince stood between the party and demon instructing them to stand down.

  “Do you require tutorage?” Ashmatorr asked mildly.

  “Release him!” Tatiana demanded.

  “Please Angel…,” Dregous pleaded then faced the demon. “You are correct he should have remained asleep. I implore you, spare him.”

  The Drouwen possessed something he didn’t expect, compassion, and thought it an excellent tool against him. “Very well, I feel magnanimous…, regardless his intention towards me.” He released Tuke but rendered him unconscious.

  Seeker tended Tuke. Rem checked if he still breathed. “How is he,” Tatiana asked, he nodded. The Half-Elf felt guilty for defending the sphere.

  Dregous focus his thoughts directly at the demon, sending him a grateful message sparing his friend. The demon replied, nothing is without a price. “Now, where were we,” he glanced the mage.

  Chapter 6

  Never leave an enemy behind, it will return. Remove its head. If not, it will return and through the darkness will consume you.

  Lord Hellec’s footnotes ‘Closing Loose Ends’

  The prince controlled himself, “You were about to leave.” He had only one gamble to force the demon’s departure.

  Dregous’s tone was confident, “Interesting… do you have something up your sleeve,” Ashmatorr mused.

  “No…,” he said blandly, “though you violated our contract,” he reminded.

  “The contract states death or injury… he is neither.”

  It was another clause he missed, “You border its limits.”

  “Still within…, though, your mannerisms suggest you do have something.”

  “Perhaps you sense I joined a mages guild,” Dregous gambled.

  Ashmatorr’s pleasant smile was replaced by a stony scowl and folded his arms into his sleeves. He knew his meaning. A silence hung between them as the party watched. Any mage with a summoning spell could force him into servitude. The mages guild would give him almost anything. Dregous disarmed him, “Noted.”

  “Thank you for your boundless generosity,” Dregous bowed.

  “Remember the law,” he warned.

  “The mages codex,” he understood his warning. The codex, to know, to will and to keep silent.

  “If you fail, none will enjoy the fruits of the contract,” Ashmatorr bluffed. Should Dregous gain the prize of the contract, there would be nothing that could stand against him in this world. The demon had unintentionally backed himself into a corner. The Drouwen prince held the contract over his head.

  Dregous remained calm. Seeker knew the price dealing with demons. She was shocked they survived. The sisterhood would be stunned.

  A sudden gust of wind entered the cave. Ashmatorr faded into the spreading snow dust as they shielded their eyes. Dregous tried to still his nerves.

  Tatiana came behind him, “Are you mad?” she scolded.

  “I figured Drouwen’s have balls, but damn, you have a hell of a pair,” Rem stated. Tatiana glared at him. “What?”

  “Was that wise my Lord?” Seeker asked.

  “What happened?” Tuke groaned.

  “What is the matter with you… that was a demon,” Tatiana reminded.

  Dregous addressed her, “I am aware Angel, something had to be done.”

  “What was your meaning, that made it depart?” Tatiana asked.

  “Yeah, cause that wouldn’t make me leave,” Rem added.

  “With my association with a guild, he presumed, if his name was discovered, it would make his existence quite uncomfortable.”

  Tatiana didn’t understand why mages would want something so horrible. She checked on Tuke, “How is he.”

  “Well…, I believe,” Seeker helped Tuke stand.

  “What happened?” he repeated.

  Rem checked their gear as the others checked Tuke. This presented him an opportunity to make a great deal of coin by selling the demons name. As they gathered their things to leave, Tuke looked at Dregous, “I am grateful.”

  He smiled, “You would have done no less,” in the back of his mind he thought of the journal. According to it, there was supposed to be a guardian. He wondered if that in fact was the witch’s artifact? Did he misread her passage? As they exited he wondered if the mage in her journal had claimed her prize.

  “Sundown is upon us. We should stay the night,” Rem suggested.

  Tatiana agreed then addressed Tuke, “Is he gone?”

  The priest focused, “I sense nothing. Though that matters little since I could not sense him earlier.”

  “We will keep watch,” Tatiana said. Dregous glanced at the ranger mildly. Rem had sided against the group. “Hopefully it is gone,” she finished.

  “Dregous, could you make the potion upon returning?” Rem prepared his blanket.

  “I have no idea what the chemical composition…”

  He interrupted, “I know what the ingredients and measurements are I just do not know how they go together,” he said sharply.

  Dregous was going to respond, but decided against it. “That was uncalled for,” Tatiana warned.

  Seeker signed Dregous, ‘My lord, you are too lenient,’ as she helped Tuke with his blanket.

  Dregous signed, ‘The demon did more than he claimed…. Harm him not. If needed, I will remedy him.’

  “What?” Rem didn’t understand why Tatiana was upset.

  “Your tone… is harsh,” she shot back.

  “My tone…? I meant nothing by it. It is stressing what happened.”

  “And dealing with a demon is not?” she asked.

  “It seemed he had done this before.”

  “I am certain he will recall this moment when remedying your elixir,” Tuke chimed.

  Dregous spent the night studying the diary, hoping to glean more information. He guessed the witch’s other book was left in the remains of her cottage.

  The early morning sun stung Seeker’s eyes and sat up before the others. Dregous was still reading, “Anything?” she asked. He signed ‘No.’

  Rem shook his head looking at Dregous as the group began waking. He wondered what drives him and addressed the others, “Good morning,” then began packing.

  Tatiana was accustomed to his sleeplessness. “Good Morning, did we sleep well?” she asked, then looked at Dregous, “I would ask you,” she teased. The prince smirked walking to the cave mouth. He gazed at the landscape. The sky was clear, clouds streaked across a blue canvas. A cold breeze whipped around the rock face forming a tiny snow dust devil. The serenity relaxed him. The light made everything breath taking.

  Tuke greeted everyone cheerfully as Seeker handed him and the princess some jerky. Tatiana accepted with a smile and took a bite then joined Dregous, “I know yesterday concerned you,” she broke him from his trance.

  Seeker extended some jerky to Rem, he continued. Tuke smiled, “Do not mind him. He may not feel well.”

  “Pardon,” Dregous looked at the princess.

  Tatiana smiled, “Shall we go home?” then felt guilty for reminding him, “I mean…”

  Her words stung him as he interrupted, “I know Angel.” She awkwardly studied his eyes, there was a longing she guessed was home.

  Seeker stomped out the remnants of the fire as Tuke stood beside her. The others waited outside while Rem searched for a path to hasten their descent.

  The princess asked how Dregous survived. He didn’t go into details. In his descent, the urge to survive filled him as he though
t of his children and Tatiana. He managed a levitation spell when wind battered him unconscious.

  Mountain Dwarves surrounded him when he awoke. Miheen, a female dwarf stood between him and the others. Elves fascinated her, a Drouwen, was enticing. He learned the Dwarven clan hid from the new resident. The Dark Elf described what happened to him and his party. She explained it was Gnolls. They have been resisting them for months and abandon their home when goblins joined them. Dregous expressed his desire to rejoin his group. Miheen was attracted to him and volunteered to escort him back.

  When they return to town he would share with Tatiana more about the dwarves and the skills they employ. They didn’t reveal their number. Dregous was confident they will confide in him in time. He will help them with their intruders and in turn they will build his keep.

  When they reached the path, the dwarves made a hasty retreat, except Miheen. “When you are ready, find me,” she gave him a bright smile and a wink before retreating.

  “The Gods must favor you,” Tuke commented.

  “Agreed,” Tatiana added.

  “I have to admit, that is one heck of a tale. If I did not see you here, I would not believe it,” Rem added.

  “I do not,” Dregous replied. The witch intruded his mind and flinched. He masked it by reaching for the snow, pushing her out of his head. Tatiana sensed something and watched him.

  “First time?” Tuke smiled.

  “That will get very cold,” Rem warned. Dregous felt his hands grow colder and wet as he held it. Soon, the uncomfortable freezing stung his hands and dropped it.

  “Tuke and I think so,” she watched him play with the snow. She saw the little boy within with cold hands, it stole her heart.

  “Of course of course,” Tuke added. Dregous took a pinch of snow and put it in his mouth, melting almost instantly.

  “What are you doing?” Seeker asked.

  Dregous glanced with an arced eyebrow. “Nothing, why?” He looked like a child caught doing something wrong.

  Both women snickered. Tatiana wiped his lips. “Never mind,” she giggled shaking her head, thinking how adorable. Tuke chuckled.

  “Dregous, you do not eat snow,” Rem said.

  “But at the woods we consume some.”