“And your daughter by Isily?” he asked, guardedly.
“Little Ismina is also unaffected. By the spell, not by the experience of witnessing a magewar up close. I believe she didn’t arrive at her mother’s castle until after the spell. But she’s terrified, confused, and in shock from the battle. Destroying a witchstone like that effects anyone with the psychic sensitivity of a slug,” I reminded him.
“I recall,” he nodded. He’d been there the night of Urik’s rebellion.
“As far as their lands go, I’ve had the Order send a competent magelord to oversee the transition and inventory the estates. Particularly his professional records. I need to know exactly what Dunselen was up to, who he spoke to, and how far he got in his researches.”
“You think that the key to Alya’s recovery is within his notes?”
“Mayhap,” I shrugged. “But they need to be studied. What Dunselen did at Saleisus and other estates during the course of his natal experiments was reckless and irresponsible. I created snowstone out of desperation – it was a side-effect. But what he did created new areas of thaumaturgical instability. There may well be some treasures in his work, but they will be buried under a mountain of dross. More, they will create further problems of their own.
“But my primary goal in searching his notes is to discover any clues to the identity and location of the Enshadowed,” I told him, firmly. “When they intervened in my affairs, they attracted my attention. When they were complicit in the maiming of my wife, they drew my wrath.”
“You intend to pursue vengeance, then?” he asked, surprised.
“I’ve done all I can with Alya,” I reasoned. “Until I can get some god to fix her, or use the powers of the Snowflake, which is far from understood, I can’t do much else. So I’m going to make war on Korbal and the Enshadowed,” I declared, quietly.
“Are we not already at war with one dark power?”
“Sheruel is an existential threat to humanity,” I admitted. “But Korbal and his Alka renegades made this personal, when they invaded my home and assisted in an assassination attempt on me and my wife. I’m still working on a weapon to challenge the Dead God in his power. But Korbal has just emerged from long entombment, and by all accounts he’s weak and dependent upon his minions. Waiting for him to grow in strength before he is challenged is poor strategy. Not when I have a head full of righteous wrath and a small army of warmagi at my command.”
“Minalan, is that wise?” he asked, one eyebrow cocked.
“Perhaps not,” I decided. “But it’s strategically valid. More, it’s what I want to do. It needs to be done. Even the Alka Alon are scared shitless of the idea of a return of Korbal. Sheruel may be intent on the extinction of humanity and the domination of the continent, if not the world, but Korbal has it in for the Alka Alon Council, specifically. As they’re working together, that can’t help but solidify our alliance, once they climb down from the trees and start moving with purpose.”
“Then why not let the Alka Alon deal with Korbal? It seems that they would be better suited to combat one of their own. They did imprison him last time,” he pointed out.
“And how did that work out?” I spat, angrily. “I cannot depend on the Alka Alon to get to him within my lifetime. They’re immortal. They could spend a decade discussing the matter before they acted, and that’s insufficient. In a decade Korbal’s power will be inconceivable. And while this may not mean much to you, they are relatively unsophisticated about enneagrammatic magic, compared to other disciplines. I’ve recently become intimately familiar with it. If anyone has a reasonable chance of ending Korbal’s threat before it’s too strong, it’s me.”
“That seems like the assumption of a great responsibility, Minalan,” he observed. “When one has just received the care of two children, unexpectedly, and must also care for his injured wife, investing in a quest for vengeance like that sounds like tempting fate. Or escaping.”
“Escaping?” I laughed, humorlessly. “She’s my godsdamned wife, Cei. I love her more than anything. There is no escaping what I did to her. What I allowed to happen to her. I took a vow to protect her, and I failed. Holding her attackers to account is all I have left.”
“You have your children,” he noted.
“My children who will ever be in danger, as long as threats like Korbal and Sheruel exist,” I countered. “I am not just a father, Cei, I’m also the Spellmonger. Like it or not, this is the job I have to do. No one else can do it – and I’m not even certain I can. But I have to try, because no one else will.”
“Yet you cannot merely appear at the gates of Korbal’s hall and demand single combat.”
“Not since he’s occupied the ruins of Anthatiel,” I agreed. “This quest will take some time, some planning, and some preparation. And not a little intelligence gathering. But I am committed to Korbal’s destruction, now. He and the Enshadowed will learn that you cannot make war on the Spellmonger lightly.”
Cei studied me some more, then put the cap on the bottle. He put huge hand on my shoulder. “My friend, when you are ready to go on this quest, I would be honored if you would count me as a member of your company.”
I looked at him, stunned. “Cei, I thought you weren’t in favor of it?”
“It is my duty as your castellan and advisor to help you examine your motives and your goals completely, Minalan. It is my duty as your friend to help you achieve those goals. If you are committed to this quest, then let us put to rest the question of its motives, as we have, and focus on the requirements for its completion. Perhaps the arm of the Dragonslayer can play some role,” he suggested, casually.
I was touched, emotionally, by what the Wilderlands knight was proposing. He had a family of his own, after all, a new child, new lands to rule, and responsibilities to my barony. Yet he was suggesting putting all of that aside to help me pursue a mad quest for vengeance.
“I couldn’t ask you to do that, my friend,” I sighed.
“Which is why I volunteered. Minalan, this is more than duty speaking, or even friendship. Alya is a countryman of mine, and dear to me personally. I can only imagine what rage fills your soul right now . . . mine is but a pale reflection of it. Yet I am wrathful enough myself to find this necromancer in whatever hole in the wilderness he has hidden in, and crush him under my hammer until there is nothing left that cannot pass through a sieve,” he said, solemnly.
“And what will Lady Estret say about this?”
“She is a noble woman and an ideal wife,” he said. “She will understand this. She is a friend of the Baroness, too. When she was heard the news of the battle, she was distraught.”
“That’s much the same as Sister Bemia,” I agreed. “Indeed, all of Sevendor is upset at the loss of their Lady. The Bovali are ready to march, should I give them a direction. The warmagi are livid. If I do not act, eventually, they will become frustrated.”
“Then you have their support,” he nodded. “That is good. What about the kingdom?”
“This is a magi affair,” I said, sternly. “I will inform Their Majesties what I do, after I do it. I am not about to wait around for Rard’s permission to go duel a dark lord. I can make the argument that the security of the kingdom is in peril from an arcane direction, which clearly is in my purview. But even if he does object, I am beyond caring about his opinion, or that of his son. This is my war,” I declared. “It’s a magewar. In the unlikely event that I need his assistance, I’ll ask for it.”
“Well said,” Cei murmured, approvingly.
I looked at the knight, who seemed as soused and melancholic as I was. The expression of sympathy was almost too much to bear. “You know,” I choked, “we will be celebrating our fifth anniversary, this winter. I’ve a bottle of fine mead from our honeymoon we were to share in celebration. But I will not open that bottle until Alya remembers my name and my face,” I vowed. “That will be cause for celebration.”
“May that day be soon, my friend,” Cei said, compassionately. I took great str
ength in his support, I realized. He had been right, I’d needed a friend more than I needed a loyal vassal.
“Not soon enough,” I sighed. “Every day she is gone from my life is a failure. If I need to throttle the gods themselves, I will. But I will not rest until Alya is restored to me, and those responsible are held to account. And may the gods help anyone who is foolish enough to get in my way.”
APPENDIX
Minalan’s Thaumaturgic Orismology of Enchantment
Achronyx An enchantment that has malfunctioned due to degradation over time
Agraffe A wire or other binding mechanism used to wind around some wands
Allodyania A common pain associated with the production of enchantment
Anadipsic An enchantment that requires a tremendous amount of personal arcane energy
Anserine The curve in a staff or rod
Anxiolytic Reduction of the natural magical resistance of an object
Apricate Exposure of an enchantment to natural magical energies
Arietate The expressed magical result from the use of a wand
Aristophren A master enchanter
Ascian The quality of being ideal for enchantment
Asthenic a wand of temporary enchantment
Avaline ancient wisdom on thaumaturgy
Baculine pertaining to wands and rods
Badigeon binding enchantment to solidify a network of sub-enchantments
Baedeker a specific guide to individual enchantments
Balanoid an acorn-shaped finial
Balneary the process of bathing an enchantment in useful energies or medium
Bandelet small band around a wand, staff or rod
Banderol a magically inscribed bandelet
Barathrum an enchantment requiring an immense amount of constant power
Bardel a form of enchantment carrying other enchantments
Barmcloth traditional working apron garment for an enchanter
Barognosis ability of an enchantment to perceive weight and mass
Barton the field of effect of a given enchantment
Baryphonic an object that resists a thaumaturgical essay
Bascule a wand of control designed to have power over one particular element of a spell
Bathmism The directive evolutionary force in an enchantment that develops the spell
Bathypelagic enneagrams found in the depths of the sea creatures from ancient times
Benefactive the condition of an enchantment acting positively on a subject
Beneficiate To remove impurities from a raw magical material in preparation for enchantment; also a term regarding the period in which the enchanter prepares himself for the work
Benet The term for the enchanter who removes enneagrams from living things
Benthic Enneagrams that come from the ocean
Benthos,the the Sea Folk’s powerful ancestors
Berge a glass upon which magical viewings may be projected
Bersatrix an enchantment that regulates another enchantment
Betise a serious error in enchantment
Bewray to do a thaumaturgical exploration of an object
Bibelot a short, small set of thaumaturgical instructions accompanying an enchantment
Blain a naturally occurring node of magical energy
Blendure mixing of multiple magical energies to achieve a desired effect
Blepheral the portion of the enchantment regarding activation
Boaotian simple enneagrams, such as basic elementals
Bodement statement of expectation concerning the outcome of a thaumaturgical experiment
Bodge a failed enchantment
Boethetic a class of spells and enchantments designed to heal
Bolar a ceramic covering made of thaumaturgical clay
Bolide a sudden, explosive, and sometimes dangerous effect of an enchantment
Bonify to magically augment an object before enchantment
Borsella a specialized wand for working with thaumaturgical glass
Bort particularlized or pulverized material used in enchantment
Bouleuterion a conclave or meeting of enchanters for the purposes of preparing a work
Boult the act of discovering thaumaturgical pathways (boyau)
Boun the act of attaching thaumaturgical connections between boyau.
Boutade a sudden expression of arcane energy
Boyau a line of communication from one area of enchantment to another
Boyg an issue with the thaumaturgical underpinnings of an enchantment
Bracciale a physical mounting for an enchantment
Brail a sub-enchantment limiting or regulating a more powerful enchantment
Braired the physical manifestation of an enchantment
Brash to fill a physical objects with magical components
Brayer specialized thaumaturgical wand designed to spread magical energies evenly
Breviary the written and practiced daily thaumaturgical treatment of an enchantment
Bricole the portion of the enchantment that interfaces with the user
Bridewell an object, usually a gem or crystal, which temporarily houses an enneagram
Bridoon technical term for an elemental template
Broch the magical glow associated with an enchantment
Brochette a specialized thaumaturgical wand designed to hold an enchantment in stasis
Brodequin internal enchantment housed within an exterior enchantment
Brogan external enchantment often used to protect and nurture an inner enchantment
Broma magical energy that fuels an enchantment
Buhl inlaying of magical material into an object for the purposes of enchantment
Bullition infusing and powering an enchantment with energy for the first time
Bulse interior pocket of an enchanted object containing (usually ground) magical components
Burrole an element of enchantment that monitors some local condition
Byssaceous an object with a large number of potential thaumaturgical connections
Cadrans specialized harness for holding an object for enchantment
Calamus Specialized thaumaturgic wand used for inscribing runes
Callote traditional skullcap of an enchanter
Camen a wand, staff or rod with a single specific purpose
Catena the sequence of activity leading to action in a spell or enchantment
Catenates a class of binding enchantments
Celation embedding enchantments into ordinary objects
Cenacle a small group of enchanters meeting regularly for discussion, food and drink
Cenote naturally occurring magical current
ceracete a class of transformation enchantments
ceralune a class of sudden, directed enchantments
cespite a class of enchantment covering a field or area of effect
chaptal a class of enchantment enriching or augmenting arcane power or effect
Concillibule a group of enchanters gathered toward a specific constructive purpose
Cummock a crooked staff often used as an arcane medical device
Cunctipotent an extremely powerful enchantment
Decrescent an enchantment that loses power over time
Decuman a powerful enchantment, usually requiring mastery over enchantment to assay
Decurtate an enchantment designed to expire after a limited time or duration.
Decurtate to shorten or reduce the power and effectiveness of an enchantment
Deflegamate to “distill” magical energy to its purest form before use
Deflexure inherent magical resistance in an enchanted object
Deflocculate to reduce an overall enchantment to its constituent steps
Defluent a declining stream of arcane energy
Defluent an enchantment designed to run down over time
Degustation adding power slo
wly and in small quantities to an enchantment over time
Deiparous the result of a powerful enchantment
Delenda useless or temporary enchantments that are destroyed or removed before desinention
Deliration a flaw in an enchantment that can lead to madness or illness
Delitescent a latent natural power of a substance for enchantment
Demisang a hybrid enchantment or enchantment using two different modes
Demulscent a glyph used to “tune” arcane energies in a particular direction
Demurge to saturate an object of enchantment with arcane power
Deobstruent an enchantment that removes deteursions and flaws from an object
Deonerate to remove an element from an enchantment
Deontic an enchantment’s purpose or function
Deopillate to remove a magical obstruction
Deordination a flaw in an object that makes it less suitable for a particular enchantment
Dephlogisticate To enchant something to prohibit the use from degrading the object
Deponent enchantments that stay passive but have an active effect
Depotentiate to drain an object or entity of power to use in enchantment or necromancy
Deprehend the act of capturing an enneagram magically
Depurate purifying and filtering arcane energies
Deracinate to remove an enneagram for use in an enchantment
Deray the process of an enchantment going bad
Desideratum the goal of an enchantment
Desinent the final part of the enchantment; binding and finishing
Deteursion cleaning and preparing an object for enchantment at the molecular level
Detort re-integrating magical energies after they have been separated and purified
Devall an enchantment’s capacity to lose efficacy over time
Diaclastic splitting arcane energies into useful forms
Diacope the magical template used on an object to prepare it to receive enchantment
Diadrom the capacity for an object to conduct and direct magical energy; the “vibe”
Diaglyph engraved magical instruction or rune on an enchantment