The Summoned
Interlude II
The Light Plane: Nexus of summoning
Leo Eastman awoke on the cold stone floor.
It took him a few moments before he realized where he was, and then it
came to him. He was in the light plane. He was where he had
wanted to go in the first place. Norax had done him a favor.
Shakily, Leo stood up. Now that his forces were decimated, the light
plane would be the next place attacked. He had to get to LePaige
and warn him.... A sudden surge of guilt came over him as he thought
of his forces, captured or dead. He had abandoned them. He
shook his head slowly. There had been nothing he could have done,
and he had known it. Better someone escape to warn the others than
have more needless bloodshed. Leo walked away from the now inactive
thread of the nexus and began climbing down the stairwell. It was
a long way to the bottom, and Leo was already tired. More than once
he had to stop and steady himself- falling down the stairs and getting
himself killed after having gone this far was an irony he did not want
to experience. Suddenly, the stairs ended and Leo found himself standing
in the main hall. Light poured through the stained-glass windows
and splashed onto the floor. Tables were placed neatly in rows with
a walkway in the middle, books lined shelves placed between the windows.
Leo found himself staring at the splendor that imbued the main hallway
of the building. In the dark plane, the aged construction that housed
the nexus had been a dark, run-down place infested with rats and less identifiable
creatures. Here, it had obviously been cared for. A few people
were at the tables, reading through the books or writing something of their
own. An elderly man who had been tending to the books on one of the
shelves glanced over at Leo and then walked slowly toward him.
"Greetings Pilgrim. I do not recall seeing
you enter this building, but I am frequently busy and cannot always greet
visitors. Please accept my apologies. I am Father Kellens."
He said, extending his hand. "Welcome to the Nexus of Summoning."
Leo shook the man's hand without even realizing
he was doing it. This man was at least thirty years older than he
was. And at 32 years, Leo was no young man. It simply amazed
him that someone could live for this length of time. Again, his mind
remembered that the light plane was a very different place than what he
was used to. There had not been a war fought in the entire plane
for a century... it was a much more peaceful land than he knew. After
a moment, he managed to speak.
"I am Leo Eastman. Thank you very much for
your welcome. I hate to bother you, but could you perhaps tell me
how I might find a person by the name of Charles LePaige?"
Father Kellens smiled. "King LePaige?
You have certainly come from a farther land than I thought not to have
knowledge of that! He is North and to the West of here."
King LePaige? That thought was new to Leo.
His messenger hadn't mentioned that LePaige was a king... just that he
had influence with the armies of the light plane. Leo didn't have
time for reflection, however. "Thank you for your aid kind sir...
I must go there immediately." he said hurriedly, moving from the hall.
Another shock hit him as he stepped into the forest
surrounding the Nexus. The light of the sun filtered through
the trees, setting the whole forest alight. No such place existed
in his home. It was rare to see something so simple as a tree in
the Dark Plane, much less the sun. After a moment, he managed to
bring himself back to the task at hand, and slowly headed down the only
path he saw leading into the forest.
The Dark Plane: Norax's Tower
Korenor entered the throne room hesitantly, being
sure to be as quiet as humanly possible. Norax was sitting, possibly
asleep, on his throne and Korenor did not want to disturb him.
"Korenor...." Norax said, not moving from his position
on the throne. "Why have you come?"
"The clerics have prepared the elixer for you, master."
Korenor replied, hesitant to move any closer. Norax continued looking
straight ahead, as though his assistant was not even there.
"I did not request the cleric's mixture. I
think I told you not to prepare it. Why have you done so?"
Norax's voice betrayed no anger, or any other emotion for that matter.
"I- I thought that it may do some good." Korenor
replied sheepishly. He had known that Norax had told him not to make
it, but he had feared for his master's health.
"Very well. Have them bring it here.
While it may not help, it can't hurt me, unless the magic binding the clerics
has finally failed.... I doubt that though."
Korenor bowed slightly and hurried from the room,
not believing that he was still standing after disobeying an order and
not wanting to stay around long enough for Norax to change his mind.
His servant gone, Norax slowly stood upward.
He extended one hand and chanted something unintelligable. A bright
yellow crystal appeared, suspended above his palm.
"My summons failed." Norax said, seemingly to nobody.
"I wish to know why."
The crystal glowed and suddenly a voice began to
speak, echoing from every location in the room. "Your summons has
not failed.... It has only been blocked- put off until another time.
Your subject cannot be transported here, but he will come here on his own.
He is driven by the summons, and there is nothing that he can do to fight
it."
"Where is he? Show me." Norax demanded.
The crystal turned a bright white and the throne
room vanished from Norax's vision. Surrounding him now was the city
of Dacono in the dead of night.
"He is there, and he is not alone." the voice said.
One of the houses shimmered slightly.
"Show me what is inside. Show me what he is
doing!" Norax nearly yelled his command.
The scene vanished from his vision and the throne
room reappeared.
"What is this? Show me what he is doing!"
Norax could feel a rage coming on. The crystal, glowing a light yellow,
reappeared in above his hand.
"We cannot... it is protected by a magic greater
than ours." The voice began sounding mournful "Seeker has created
a barrier."
Norax, with an overt act of will, supressed his
anger at hearing that name. The Seeker was known to even him, and
was one of his greatest enemies. The voice spoke again of its own
accord.
"Seeker..." it hissed. "Seeker inprisoned
us.... Master, when shall we be free?"
"Soon. I shall set you free soon."
"Free us!" The voice demanded, becoming suddenly
louder. "Free us from Seeker's magic!"
Norax chanted something and the crystal vanished.
The room was silent once more. Slowly, he turned and took the rod
on the wall.
"Drachenovus..." He whispered. The rod glowed
a pale red. "He is there. Find him, destroy his companions,
and take him to me."
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