The Summoned
The Light Plane: LePaige's Castle
Leo was walking down the hallway toward the throne room, taking a
good look around - in case he wouldn't get the chance to later.
Soon now, it would be very soon now. Two days ago, scouts had reported enemies
moving from the new Nexus toward the castle. Today, lookouts had reported
the enemy massing just outside of the Heroes' forest. Tomorrow, Leo was certain,
there would be an attack. He didn't want to think about it. According to the
lookouts, there did not appear to be any siege apparatus prepared. There
wouldn't be, at least not yet. Norax's first attack wouldn't be a conventional
one at all. Of the few magic wielders left in all the planes, most were in the
Dark Plane, which placed them under Norax's control. If Norax was planning
to attack as he had before, his first attack would be one of magic's creation.
Storms, probably. The high winds and lightning would be of great use to Norax's
wizards. Both Seeker and Paul had expressed confidence that they could create
counterspells far in advance of such movements, but Leo didn't consider that
a very good battle strategy. Paul and Seeker were two quite powerful wizards,
and their presence would be worth a great deal more offensively. Leo had
tried to convince the two to let LePaige's magic-users handle the counterspells,
but neither Seeker nor Paul wanted that. LePaige had three total wizards,
two who were considered - at least by their own standards - to be 'masters' and one
who was still an apprentice. Seeker himself had spoken to them and found their
defensive abilities wanting.
"Sir Eastman, I mean no disrespect to the magic users of this
castle. They have trained in their ways for a long time, and that is their
manner of learning. However, their ways are offensive. Counterspells are not
greatly stressed in the learnings of young wizards." the aged man had argued.
In the end, there had been compromise. Seeker would provide
counterspells, and Paul would provide offensive capabilities. The three mages
of the castle could do whatever they pleased - though Leo suspected that Seeker
was right in his assessment, and they would choose to lend Paul their support.
So be it.
Leo had also talked to Rachel. It had been difficult. Ever since
she had opted to come with the group, he had watched her, carefully. She had
never since done anything to betray them, never since did anything to make him
believe that she was being controlled by Norax. But he had to talk to her
regardless.
She was a kind person, Leo could tell that. He could tell why
Asa enjoyed her company. She was also old, and that much was not readily
apparent. If one looked close enough, one could tell. She had lived a life
nearly as long as Norax, and it was apparent that it was weighing upon her, both
physically and mentally. So he had spoken to her. All the light and care
had quickly vanished from her eyes when he had mentioned Norax. She told him
that he no longer had any loyalty to the man, either of the traditional sort,
or the kind forced by a summons. Even when she was young, and promised herself
to Norax, she had been careful - and worded her offer so it could only be used
once. With a cold glint in her eye, she had once again assured Leo that the
warlord arrayed against them would receive no mercy from her.
Leo wasn't certain what frightened him more - that Rachel got so
cold and distant when Norax was mentioned, or that it was beginning to remind
him more and more of Elayna's behavior.
Elayna. He didn't look forward to talking to her. He was fairly
certain she wasn't looking forward to talking to him, either. They both knew
what he was going to tell her: She wouldn't be on the front lines. She
wouldn't be with the medics, in the back as support. She would be in the
innermost castle with the rest of the civilians, hopefully not getting herself
killed like everyone else involved in the war. And, bent on revenge as she
was, she was probably not going to take the news very well. Leo wondered if
he shouldn't have Seeker or Paul talk to her. They would know what to say.
Leo knew that it was one of the Planeskeepers' fundamental tenets that a
person should never fight for revenge. Leo couldn't exactly say that without
being a hypocrite.
His mind turned, slowly, to the last person in their small group.
Asa Brown. Asa, who was currently resting in the ward. Asa, who - until a few
days ago - had nearly been given up for dead. Asa, who was the reason they
were all here in the first place. He hadn't talked to Asa. He supposed he
would have to, and probably later that very day, but he suspected he wasn't
going to like it at all.
Asa had changed - The old Asa hadn't been the most brave
soul in the world, but he would fight alongside you. The Asa he had seen
briefly the day before seemed a shell of his former self. Pale and shivering,
the young summoner appeared to have aged ten years in the space of his recovery.
He hadn't dared talk to the man then, and he wasn't sure he did now. Seeker
assured Leo that Asa was physically fine now, but wasn't sure if the man was
ready to fight. He had left that question up to Leo.
So was Asa ready to fight? It wasn't as though he could afford not
to have Asa on their side.... Norax was a very strong summoner, and LePaige's
forces were outnumbered. An extra summoner on their side would work wonders.
While Rachel's experience was welcome, and hopefully would be enough to
neutralize Norax's summons, Asa would help even the odds greatly.
The only unknown in Leo's battle plans was a large one - the
strength of LePaige's men. He didn't know how much training they had possessed,
nor how strong they were of spirit. Would they be able to handle the
monstrosities that Norax could summon, or the magic that the wizards flung
at them? Or even, supposing Seeker and Rachel did an effective job of
neutralizing those advantages, how would the soldiers fare against Norax's men?
If they had not changed since Leo had fought them, they would fare well indeed.
Norax's men were not disciplined soldiers. They fought out of fear of their
warlord, not out of defense of their home. They were sloppy fighters, and had
very little training. It was only that which had allowed Leo's Light Guard
to survive for as long as it had. In the end, however, superior numbers had
bested them. Leo did not intend for that to happen again.
The Light Plane: LePaige's Castle, wizard's sanctuary
Paul looked at his mentor quizzically. "You mean... I was
supposed to find the Higher Path?"
Seeker was across the room, seated comfortably on a chair. Paul,
on the other hand, was busy pacing back and forth nervously.
"Yes, you were to discover this path. All Planeskeepers do. Long
ago, I discovered the Higher Path, as did Luther before me, and Kanaos before
him" Seeker explained calmly.
"And there have been those," Paul added, his agitation evident,
"like Kanaos, for instance, who haven't been able to resist the lure, correct?"
"Yes. Kanaos, and those who have followed his path, serve as a
lesson to the Planeskeepers." Seeker looked into the eyes of his apprentice, to
make sure that the point was getting through. He needn't have, however - Paul
was riveted to the discussion. "It is not enough to resist the call of the
Higher Path once. You must constantly resist it. Every spell you make from
this day forward, you must craft carefully so that you do not tap from that
greater force. Every suit of armor which you enchant, every counterspell which
you may place, and every minor spell you cast must be done with the strictest
of caution. You only need to fall once, before you've fallen for all time."
Paul was looking downward now, his eyes closed. "And what if it's
too much? What if I decide that I can't handle that kind of responsibility?
There's no going back, is there?"
Seeker smiled slightly. "Of course there is. You would just need
reach into the higher path, and use its power to wipe your memory clean. You
would not remember as little as your own name, much less how to use the power
that once lied so close."
"It's a bit self-defeating to use the Higher Path in an effort to
try to keep me from using the Higher Path." Paul pointed out. "But I see your
point - I'd be lost to it before I could even think about how to start erasing
my mind. And if I were willing to use the Higher Path for such a thing, why
not use it to a good end, right? I mean, I could go down there, and wipe
Norax's armies out with no more than a wave of my hand. Provided I let Norax's
sword nowhere near me, that is. I could stop the war in an instant, and bring
peace to the planes. Only... I might not. Legend tells us that even Telan,
who was by far the most benevolent of the Great Three, no longer knew if he
was his own master. Most likely, the power would simply make me an insane
demon, trying to tear everything apart. That's not exactly what I want out of
life." Paul sat down heavily. "Why, Seeker... I don't understand why. Why do
the Planeskeepers know about the Higher Path? Why give them such a horrible
burden?"
"Asa once asked me a similar question. He was rather astounded that
we carry this burden. I told him that it is the test of a Planeskeeper.
Someone who can work for good will ignore the temptations of the Higher Path.
As much power as it can give to you, it can only be used selfishly, which
is why the selfless one does not walk that path. But I didn't tell Asa all
of it. At the time, there were more pressing things, you understand. However,
there is more. Paul, there is something that makes the Planeskeepers more than
ordinary magic users. Until two days ago, you had power comparable with the two
wizards that LePaige has here. With your discovery, you are far greater a force
than you ever were before. What people don't recognize, Paul, is that the
purest power lies on the boundary."
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