The Summoned
Nexus Forest
The Light Plain: Nexus Forest
Slowly, Asa's mind emerged from the inky void that
it had spent the past day in. His eyes fluttered open, and a moment
later, he was able to figure out where he was.
He was in the forest.
Asa attempted and found he was able to turn his
head. The flickering light of a campfire glowed not to far away.
"Asa?" a light voice called. Elayna's form
entered his field of vision. "You're awake?"
The summoner managed a nod - he wasn't sure if he'd
be able to speak. Elayna, apparently releived, sat down, obscuring
Asa's view of the campfire. "Paul's angry with you... and I think
you might have made a mistake in summoning her."
Asa had figured that Paul wouldn't be happy, but
he was slightly surprised at Elayna's reaction. He expected that
Elayna would heartily approve any method neccessary to bring Norax down.
Elayna, not noticing the thoughtful expression, continued speaking.
"You've been out cold since you sent that creature
back." Elayna informed him. "I guess you're stronger than you
were that first time, when you were unconscious for three days. I
hardly had to use my magic at all. I healed you once, and I renewed
the spell that keeps you from bolting for that Nexus every chance you get."
The memory struck Asa full force. The Nexus.
Its calling was diminished, but still there. If only he had known
about this particular effect of the Nexus... the closer he got, the less
of a choice he had. He could have just stayed home for the rest of
his life! Asa managed a sigh without an inordinate amount of pain.
"Jamie's upset with you too, though I think it's
just because she doesn't like seeing you like this.... I don't really
enjoy it very well either." Elayna paused for a little while, looking
toward the ground. "I mean... I don't want you to be hurt."
With an act of will, Asa managed to sit up.
He opened his mouth to say something, but suddenly he couldn't think of
anything appropriate. Elayna didn't notice.
"Leo... Leo's all worked up over Korenor.
I don't know what he thinks of Banishment... he has been worried about
you though... we all have. I know that it didn't hurt you as much
this time, but I don't trust her."
Some words of Paul's from the last time this
had happened suddenly occurred to Asa. Instead of becoming more
difficult to summon her, you will find it increasingly easier. That
had been the mage's prediction... and, according to him, a fate far worse
than death.
Ironically, he found himself drawing upon the idea
of Norax. Not as the warrior/summoner was at the moment, of course,
but how he had been. Norax had been willing to sacrifice himself,
using a weapon whose power would almost certainly destroy him, to fulfill
his mission. Asa expected no less of himself. This had begun
as a relatively simple quest- stop Norax from enslaving him... it had started
changing with the death of Elayna's father. Then Leo had been thrown
into their plane, bringing with him the stories of his fight against the
warlord. Asa was no longer working to free himself. He was
working to free an entire plane. And if his life was the price....
Then it was a price he was prepared to pay.
"Asa?" Elayna asked, looking at him curiously.
"I'm sorry..." he said, his voice sounding weak
even to himself. "I was just thinking."
"That's all right..." Elayna paused for a
moment. "I'm glad you're okay."
Asa managed a smile. "Thank you." he
stopped, taking stock of his surroundings. The campfire, hiding behind
Elayna, was burning low, judging by the shadows it cast. A tent was
dimly visible beyond the fire, and Asa thought he could spot Leo lying
next to a pile of his armor near the edge of the trail. He couldn't
tell where everyone else was, but what he could tell was that they were
in a forest, probably the Nexus forest unless the team had taken a drastic
change of direction while Asa was out. This lead him to ask his next
question. "This path... it isn't the main path, is it?"
Elayna shook her head. "It's the path we spotted
by the graveyard. We thought that we should get you to the Nexus
as soon as we could. I don't know how long I can shield your mind."
she looked away as she said this last sentence, as though ashamed to fail
him. After a moment, she resumed. "Paul says that he thinks
it's warded, and for that I'm glad. I've seen glimpses of something
in that forest...." Elayna chose not to elaborate, instead changing
the subject. "We've got another day's march ahead of us, and then
we'll be at the Nexus. I'll do what I can, but do you think you'll
be okay?"
Asa nodded. "I think so... as long as I can
concentrate on what I'm doing."
"Okay." Elayna seemed to be looking for something
to say. "I'm going to sleep. I think you should do so too,
we've got a bit of a hike tomorrow." With that, she got up and moved
to the tent.
Asa sat where he was for a moment, listening to
the crackle of the fire. After a while, he laid back down and fell
asleep.
"Wake up!" Jamie called, sounding annoyed.
Asa's eyes opened, taking in the sight of the morning's light filtering
through the trees. His first, disorgainized, thought was to wonder
how long he had been asleep this time. Time spent asleep was becoming
too similar to time spent in a coma from summoning. He got to his
feet, feeling the stiffness in his muscles acutely. Jamie was standing
where Elayna had sat the night before, and Jamie didn't appear anywhere
near as friendly.
"Oh good, you're awake." She said, an edge
to her voice. "Glad to see you haven't dropped dead from that monster
of yours! What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking that maybe I didn't want you to
die!" Asa shouted back, suddenly not at all in the mood for this treatment.
"I know you're a wonderful swordfighter, and so's Leo, and I'd trust Paul
with my life. But there were too many enemies! I did what I
had to do!"
Jamie, looking flustered, declined to reply.
She just glared at Asa until Paul appeared, Leo following him. Paul
looked toward Asa, and then decided that he wasn't going to say anything.
Leo, carrying a heavy pack that Asa assumed contained their supplies,
just looked at the path ahead.
"So, are we prepared to journey?" Leo asked,
looking primarily at Asa. Again the summoner was struck by the fact
that he was the reason for this quest, and again he reflected that it was
a fact that he didn't like. He just nodded in reply. Leo began
to move down the trail.
Elayna passed Asa as she moved toward Jamie, glancing
up at him briefly without expression. Asa started following the group,
the call of the Nexus echoing through his mind faintly.
After an hour and a half of marching, the path that
they were on diverged. Both looked equally travelled, which was to
say, hardly travelled at all.
"Left." Paul said, after thinking for a moment.
Everyone was about to follow Paul when Asa spoke up.
"No, the quickest way is to the right." he said,
before he had even realized he was saying something. It was the truth
though- at least, the Nexus was that way. He didn't know about the
path itself. He could feel it still, its insistance having grown
louder in his mind, despite Elayna's protection.
Paul looked toward Asa quizzically, but made no
objection as he started walking down the path that the summoner had reccommended.
Everyone else did too, saying nothing. The entire morning everyone
had been giving him a wide berth, perhaps out of concern for his health.
Or perhaps out of fear of the power he commanded.
The quality of the trail deteriorated rapidly.
Their progress slowed as they were forced to march single file, Jamie hacking
at wayward vegetation in front. Asa didn't say anything, and neither
did anyone else. The only noises were those of Jamie's forays through
the wilderness and her occasional curses at the thorny vegetation.
Asa was no tracker, and had very little experience at all in forests, but
something seemed wrong. He opened his mouth to say something to Leo,
who was walking in front of him, when he realized it for himself.
There were no noises coming from the forest.
The evening before, there had been crickets and the noises of larger beings,
but this morning there was nothing. Asa had no idea how long the
forest had been silent, but it usually wasn't a good sign.
"You have strayed from your path, human." a deep
voice, not without a small amount of meanace, sounded from behind Asa.
Asa froze where he was, and slowly turned around.
In the center of the path, something that looked like a panther stood,
regarding Asa with disinterest. Asa's companions, hearing the voice,
also turned, but found that they could do little, with the width of the
trail constraining them.
"We mean no harm" Paul spoke up from his position
behind Leo. "We just wish to pass through."
"Silence!" the panther-thing roared, glaring in
Paul's direction. Turning back to Asa, it spoke to him. "I
apologize for my outburst, but I did not address him, and so he had no
reason to speak to me. That was very rude of him, do you not agree?"
Asa nodded. "Yes, it was very rude."
he said. He had no idea who or what this thing was, or why it had
chosen him to speak to, but it seemed reasonable, so Asa supposed he might
be able to talk his way out of a confrontation.
"Yes, and I can only abide a certain amount of rudeness.
Pray your friends offend me no further!" This seemed directed more toward
Paul than him. "Now, back to our conversation, for it is very important.
I am named Noen, and I am the guardian of this path." the panther
looked toward Asa expectantly.
After only a moment's hesitation, Asa figured out
what was expected of him. "My name is Asa, and I am a traveller."
"That is not all that you are." Noen seemed amused
in some vague way. "You are also a summoner- I can smell the magic
within your staff."
"That is correct. I am a summoner."
"Yes, yes. Now we come to the crux of our
matter. I have tested my strength against many people who travel
this road. Those who best me, I allow to pass to the treasure that
lies along this path. Those who do not..." the panther paused.
"Meet a less pleasant fate. But in all my years, I have never tested
my strength against a summoner. To best a summoner, it would require
that I best all that he had accumulated through his years. It would
be a supreme test of strength, and I would welcome this chance."
"So you wish to test your strength against me?"
Asa said, feeling a constriction in the middle of his stomach. This
thing would make mincmeat of him in seconds.
"Yes, that is what I wish." Noen said, its
eyes meeting Asa's.
Asa considered. He supposed that, if he turned
the thing down, it might let them go back the way that they had come, and
then they could take the left path. Then again, it might consider
refusal to be rude and slay all of them where they stood. He supposed
he had only one choice.
"Very well then, Noen. I accept your challenge!"
Asa said, with as much courage as he could muster. He just wished
he felt it.
"Excellent summoner, excellent! The first
attack is yours." The panther leaned back, as though preparing to
pounce. It probably was, Asa thought. The best way to get rid
of a summoner was to kill him before he could bring anything to his defense.
Asa leapt forward, swinging his summoner's staff and striking Noen in the
head with it. The panther, having expected a summon, was not at all
prepared for such an attack, and flinched back quickly, but not quickly
enough. The staff made a dull sound as it connected with Noen's jaw.
At that same moment, Asa whispered the words he knew would bring aid to
him.
Noen pushed off of the ground, trying to bear Asa
to the ground when suddenly the ground beneath him vanished, having been
replaced with a pit containing an earth elemental. The elemental
reached up and grabbed the panther, throwing it into a nearby tree with
crushing force. The panther rebounded faster than Asa or any other
member of the party could have predicted, and collided with the elemental
before the creature was even out of the pit that had created it.
The elemental fought, but not with half the viciousness of Noen, who tore
at the earthen creature with a rage Asa hoped never to experience firsthand
- though when the panther was done with his creation, it would no doubt
come after him.
The elemental vanished in a cloud of dust, choking
the guardian for just a moment, which probably saved Asa's life.
The summoner felt the fatigue come over him as his creature was involuntarily
released, but fought it off as he began whispering his words once more.
Another pit opened beneath the feet of the panther, who was not unprepared
this time. The newly created elemental did not even get the chance
to attack before Noen tore it apart. The panther, scrambling out
of the pit, regarded Asa solemnly.
"It is a shame." the panther said. "I was
hoping that you would have more exotic creatures for me to battle."
the panther walked slowly toward Asa. His fur was caked with dirt,
moistened in places by its own blood, but the wounds seemed superficial.
The panther did not walk as though injured. "Unfortunately, our time
draws to an end. It has been interesting battling one of your kind,
Summoner. Farewell." With that, the panther leapt into the
air intent on destroying Asa in one strike.
Noen stopped in midair, much to its surprise.
Slowly, he was borne backwards, and dropped into one of the pits.
"What manner of trickery is this?" the panther managed
to say, attempting to jump out of the pit. It met with similar results,
first being thrown high up and then slammed back into the pit. Noen
took a few cursory swipes at the air above him, striking nothing.
"Hmmm... summoner, I believe I have underestimated you. You have
created a being from the very air around me!"
Asa said nothing, trying to balance his sudden exhaustion,
controlling the elemental, and ignoring the call of the nexus at once.
Noen didn't seem to mind.
"True genius! It is not the first time that
magicians have tried to keep me in one place so that I might let them pass,
understand, but none as diabolical as this!" Noen paused. "Very
well summoner! You have won the battle! You are worthy to lay
claim to the treasure that lies upon this path!" the panther actually seemed
to chuckle. "But I will share with you this: I've allowed perhaps
a dozen to survive my onslaught, and none have returned this way with the
treasure that they seek. Farewell summoner!"
Some part of Asa's mind believed it a trap, but
he was too tired to do anything other than release the air elemental.
Instantly, his exhaustion doubled. The world swam out of focus for
a moment, but with an act of will, Asa managed not to pass out. He
was getting stronger, he reflected. And, most importantly, he had
won the battle without calling upon Thalla's aid. The panther, climbing
out of the pit and looking much more haggard than it had a moment ago,
regarded Asa solemnly, and then vanished into the forest.
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