The Summoned
The Tomb Plane: Chamber of the Sealed Book
Asa walked into the room with a look of grim determination on his
face. Here it was, then - the place where he could find the forbidden
book.
The nearest guard turned quickly to confront him. "What are you
doing here?" he asked, looking annoyed at the unannounced visitor.
Asa stopped walking, and looked over to the guard purposefully. "I
am here to examine the book." he said, his voice commanding. It was certainly
a good ruse, he only hoped he had enough acting talent to pull it off.
"And just who do you think you are?" the guard retorted. "Not just
anyone can look at the book, you know. In fact, almost nobody can. Not even
me - my only job is to keep onlookers who don't know what's good for them away.
And that includes you."
"Hey..." one of the other guards had left his post and was walking
toward Asa. There were at least three more guards, but they were continuing
their rounds. The behavior puzzled him for a moment, until he realized that
the other guards likely suspected he was a distraction.
The new guard walked up to his comrade, flashing nervous glances
toward Asa as he spoke. "That's the new summoner - the one that was up in the
throne room the other day."
The first guard nodded. "I thought he might be." Turning back to
Asa, the guard adopted an even more stern stance. "Get the hell out of here.
From what we've heard, you almost let loose our guest upstairs. Maybe that
book's the only thing you need to do it. Regardless, we can't let someone
who's not even in control of himself anywhere near that thing. Go home, enjoy
your new life. Become a productive member of our society, instead of trying to
bring the whole thing down, all right?"
Asa glared. "Now listen to me! I don't know about you, but I am
not native to this plane. I haven't been here so long that I've forgotten
everyone back home. There's a war going in in my plane! My friends could be
dying - or even dead - right now, and I wouldn't even know it! I need to go
back home, so I can help them. The people of this encampment have been kind to
me, but here is not where I belong!"
The guard seemed taken aback for a moment. Then his resolve
returned, and he shook his head. "I understand what you're trying to do. Like
it or not, though, this plane is your home. You have duties here, too - this
group's duty is to ensure that the Dark One does not awaken, and that nobody
gets their hands on this book. Even without an artifact, they could do a great
deal of damage. Someone like you could destroy us all."
Asa shook his head in frustration. "You!" he called to one of the
other guards who was patrolling. "You were part of the light guard?"
The guard Asa had addressed stopped patrolling, and looked to his
superior questioningly. The first guard nodded.
"I'm wearing the armor, aren't I?" the Light warrior said.
"Does the name 'Leo Eastman' mean anything to you?"
The Light warrior's eyes widened. "Of course it does! But how do
you know about - "
"I know him." Asa continued, rushing his speech as he felt the
withering gaze of the first guard. "He's helping my people wage a war against
Norax, much as you did. I was struck down by the same man you were."
"This is not the time or place for remembrances!" the first guard
spat.
Asa ignored him, finding himself beginning to grow desperate.
"It's my intention to return home, and help him finish his fight! Wouldn't you
like to return home?"
The Light warrior nodded. "This is about that book, isn't it? You
think the book could get you home. You wouldn't be the first, you know. But
nobody who has tried it has ever succeeded. And they've all disappeared, too -
just like the first guy who had it."
"Nobody's been here with this before." Asa countered, raising the
Gatekeeping Rod so the Light warrior could see it.
The first guard put his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Put that
away, boy - you mean well, but don't go trying to divide my men against me."
"Let him read the book." The commanding voice came from behind
Asa. The young summoner quickly moved out of the way of the newcomer.
Simon Keyes - the leader of the entire group of which Asa was the
newest member - stepped into the room, his very presence commanding attention.
At his side, loremaster Shaaron stood, looking as though she was thinking very
hard about something.
"Sir Keyes, sir?" the guard who had previously been an annoyance
was now as humble as he could be.
Keyes looked over the guards. "Shaaron believes that the newcomer
may be able to escape this place. Daniel, would you not want to return
home if you had the chance?"
The Light warrior - apparently Daniel - looked nervous to be in the
presence of his commander. "I would like to see my home plane again, sir. I
have a duty here as well, however. It would be a difficult decision."
"True. However," this time his gaze centered on the first guard,
"what if the situation were reversed? What if you were trapped in a foreign
plane, while you knew your duty here was going unfulfilled? Would you not want
to return?"
The first guard's gaze fell, and he mumbled a low "You are correct,
sir."
Keyes nodded. "No ill has ever become this group because of one
who has read the book. The only harm has come to the readers. Young one, are
you prepared to accept this risk?"
Asa met the elder's gaze unwaveringly. "I am, sir." He said it
with a great deal of conviction, most of which he actually felt. It had taken
him several days of thinking, but he had decided - he would either read the
book of forbidden magic, and possibly destroy his life, or whither away in the
Tomb Plane, and definitely destroy his life. He had made his decision.
"Very well, then." Keyes gestured toward Daniel. "Bring the book
to Asa. It belongs to him now." With that, the elder warrior left the
room.
There was silence for a few moments, which was broken by Daniel.
He was handing over the tome to the young summoner. The first guard had
stomped off somewhere, but Shaaron had remained.
Asa reverently took the tome from Daniel, who appeared relieved to
be rid of it. The summoner stared at the cover for a few moment. "How did
Keyes know that I was going to do this?" he whispered to himself. "I told
nobody."
Shaaron cleared her throat, forcing Asa's attention from the book.
The loremaster still appeared slightly nervous, but apparently was willing to
talk. "I told him. I saw the look in your eyes after I told you the origin of
this book. To tell you the truth, I'd have been rather disappointed had you
not taken it." She smiled. "And I believe in you Asa. I really do think you
can get home with that thing."
Asa began walking from the room, and Shaaron joined him silently.
Moments passed, without either of them saying a word. The duo passed from the
small chamber into the larger hallway, the light from the encampment visible
even from this far away.
Without a word of warning, Asa sat down, holding the book to his
chest and shuddering. Shaaron's face betrayed the worry that he had seen her
display so often around him. Why did he have to be such a burden?
The loremaster sat down next to the summoner, but said nothing.
Instead, she looked over towards the encampment. "Not all those native to your
plane will wish to return." she said, quietly. "But I think some will. Do you
wish me to tell them that you're going to make the attempt?"
Asa nodded. "Yes, but not for another few days. I need to study
this book." his voice was strained so much that even he could hear it. "It's
just... using the Gatekeeping rod, even without the instructions in the book,
it takes something out of me. Every time I do it, I fear that I'm losing a
part of myself. I think... if I start to use this book, will I no longer be
me? Will the Higher Path magic find me, and twist me into whatever form my
soul takes?"
Shaaron was silent for a moment, then spoke, her voice calming.
"That won't happen, Asa. The man who brought the book here was no demon - he
fought them alongside our men, and worked for the protection of all the groups.
I believe you will do the same thing, Asa. You will use the Gatekeeping Rod.
It will not use you.
Asa shuddered once more, and slowly began to calm down. "I hope
that you are right, Shaaron. Even if you're not, there's no turning back. I
have to do this."
With that, Asa opened the book.
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