Chapter Three: Deal With The Devil
"Master? I don't mean to disturb you but, ummm... a ..." The apprentice stood in the chamber of his teacher, inside the Tower of High Sorcery.
"What is it? Say it already, I don't have time for your incoherent ravings. Either speak or be gone Lykus."
"Master Triest, a man has entered Darken woods."
Triest looked up from his studies and stared at the young apprentice, "Is he attempting to seek the tower or not?"
Lykus gulped loudly and stepped back, "I think not master. I am not sure what he wants, his thoughts are blocked from me. That is why I came to you. He has the markings of a Knight of Solamnia, yet he bears no armor."
Triest scratched his chin, he had meant to shave today, stubble always bothered him. "Intriguing Lykus, How about you let the Tower find him. I am curious to see what this man intends, and why even you could not read his thoughts. Well, do I have to repeat myself? Go!"
Lykus, shaking in fear, almost fell over himself attempting to close the door to Triest's chambers. He then ran down the stairs, almost tripping over his robes more than a few times, in an attempt to hurriedly cast the spell for the Tower.
*** *** *** *** *** ***
Michael had been traveling for more than a day when the Tower materialized in front of him, almost out of nowhere. He had not seen it looming in the distance, which he thought he should have since it was taller than any tower he had ever seen. He approached the tower with some anxiety but nonetheless entered through the doors.
"You have been expected, Knight is it?"
Taken aback by the sudden presence of another, Michael reached for his sword. Triest moved out of the shadows atop the lower stairs. "There will be no need for that Knight, and believe me, if you attempted to use it, you would be the one in pain, not I. Now what may we here at the Tower of High Sorcery do for an obviously lost man like yourself."
"The Tower of High Sorcery? I didn't seek it out, I thought it was only found by those who seek it?"
Triest began to descend the steps. "And sometimes not even by them, however one of my apprentices spotted you and attempted to determine your intentions, to no avail. Even I seem unable to read your thoughts, which alone is enough for me to be curious as to what your intentions are."
"The thought of one of you mages in my head is sickening enough, I would appreciate it if you stopped, and my intentions have nothing to do with you or your kind, unless you could magic me to Vingaard Keep and save me a couple days travel I will be going."
Michael turned to leave but Triest magically stood before the door, blocking his way. "That could be arranged of course. But at a price. You must tell me why you travel Darken Woods when even the most fearless man dares not enter its shade."
"The Andreas' Empire has an army marching on Vingaard Keep, it slaughtered my troop and I was the sole survivor. I travel through these cursed woods to warn my brethren before the army reaches them."
"So, you were the sole survivor? How did you manage that?"
Michael once again reached for his sword, "What are you insinuating mage! That I hid while my brothers fought? I fought by their side until I sustained an injury. The enemy must have thought I was dead when I was only unconscious. You have insulted me by your insinuation."
Triest smiled broadly, "I insinuated nothing, you insinuated my questions meaning. I just was curious as to how they had not slaughtered you when your entire troop had not been saved. But, since you have fulfilled your half of the deal, I will arrange for your arrival at Vingaard Keep. On one condition of course. You see, the Andreas Empire has hired some of my wayward brethren."
Michael's jaw dropped in shock, "You mean renegades? They have Renegade mages on their side? Paladine help us."
"As I was saying, they have hired them out. Renegades are extremely hard to track down, much less capture, if I could get a large group of them at once and burn them out, not only would it be helping myself but your Vingaard Keep as well."
"Burn them out? What does that mean?"
Triest moved over to a cabinet and pulled out a glass and a bottle of wine and poured some for himself. "I would force them to spend their energies to the point were they burn themselves out and are no longer able to use magic. It is how we deal with Renegades or Wilders as they prefer to be called. This would allow for the Tower to take care of a problem while helping you at the same time it would seem."
Michael paused as he watch Triest drink some of the wine, "If I agree to let you help me, and you double cross me, I will personally kill you! You hear me magi? And if you think my sword wont make you bleed try me."
Triest smiled as he placed the glass on the counter. His red robes swished as he began to cast a spell." You might feel some nausea your first time, so don't make to many sudden movements, Solamnic." With that a bright light flashed and then they were gone. Lykus peeked out of the room he had been hiding in and hurriedly ran up the stairs muttering to himself, "The Conclave wont approve at all, no no no. I must tell them immediately."
"Master? I don't mean to disturb you but, ummm... a ..." The apprentice stood in the chamber of his teacher, inside the Tower of High Sorcery.
"What is it? Say it already, I don't have time for your incoherent ravings. Either speak or be gone Lykus."
"Master Triest, a man has entered Darken woods."
Triest looked up from his studies and stared at the young apprentice, "Is he attempting to seek the tower or not?"
Lykus gulped loudly and stepped back, "I think not master. I am not sure what he wants, his thoughts are blocked from me. That is why I came to you. He has the markings of a Knight of Solamnia, yet he bears no armor."
Triest scratched his chin, he had meant to shave today, stubble always bothered him. "Intriguing Lykus, How about you let the Tower find him. I am curious to see what this man intends, and why even you could not read his thoughts. Well, do I have to repeat myself? Go!"
Lykus, shaking in fear, almost fell over himself attempting to close the door to Triest's chambers. He then ran down the stairs, almost tripping over his robes more than a few times, in an attempt to hurriedly cast the spell for the Tower.
*** *** *** *** *** ***
Michael had been traveling for more than a day when the Tower materialized in front of him, almost out of nowhere. He had not seen it looming in the distance, which he thought he should have since it was taller than any tower he had ever seen. He approached the tower with some anxiety but nonetheless entered through the doors.
"You have been expected, Knight is it?"
Taken aback by the sudden presence of another, Michael reached for his sword. Triest moved out of the shadows atop the lower stairs. "There will be no need for that Knight, and believe me, if you attempted to use it, you would be the one in pain, not I. Now what may we here at the Tower of High Sorcery do for an obviously lost man like yourself."
"The Tower of High Sorcery? I didn't seek it out, I thought it was only found by those who seek it?"
Triest began to descend the steps. "And sometimes not even by them, however one of my apprentices spotted you and attempted to determine your intentions, to no avail. Even I seem unable to read your thoughts, which alone is enough for me to be curious as to what your intentions are."
"The thought of one of you mages in my head is sickening enough, I would appreciate it if you stopped, and my intentions have nothing to do with you or your kind, unless you could magic me to Vingaard Keep and save me a couple days travel I will be going."
Michael turned to leave but Triest magically stood before the door, blocking his way. "That could be arranged of course. But at a price. You must tell me why you travel Darken Woods when even the most fearless man dares not enter its shade."
"The Andreas' Empire has an army marching on Vingaard Keep, it slaughtered my troop and I was the sole survivor. I travel through these cursed woods to warn my brethren before the army reaches them."
"So, you were the sole survivor? How did you manage that?"
Michael once again reached for his sword, "What are you insinuating mage! That I hid while my brothers fought? I fought by their side until I sustained an injury. The enemy must have thought I was dead when I was only unconscious. You have insulted me by your insinuation."
Triest smiled broadly, "I insinuated nothing, you insinuated my questions meaning. I just was curious as to how they had not slaughtered you when your entire troop had not been saved. But, since you have fulfilled your half of the deal, I will arrange for your arrival at Vingaard Keep. On one condition of course. You see, the Andreas Empire has hired some of my wayward brethren."
Michael's jaw dropped in shock, "You mean renegades? They have Renegade mages on their side? Paladine help us."
"As I was saying, they have hired them out. Renegades are extremely hard to track down, much less capture, if I could get a large group of them at once and burn them out, not only would it be helping myself but your Vingaard Keep as well."
"Burn them out? What does that mean?"
Triest moved over to a cabinet and pulled out a glass and a bottle of wine and poured some for himself. "I would force them to spend their energies to the point were they burn themselves out and are no longer able to use magic. It is how we deal with Renegades or Wilders as they prefer to be called. This would allow for the Tower to take care of a problem while helping you at the same time it would seem."
Michael paused as he watch Triest drink some of the wine, "If I agree to let you help me, and you double cross me, I will personally kill you! You hear me magi? And if you think my sword wont make you bleed try me."
Triest smiled as he placed the glass on the counter. His red robes swished as he began to cast a spell." You might feel some nausea your first time, so don't make to many sudden movements, Solamnic." With that a bright light flashed and then they were gone. Lykus peeked out of the room he had been hiding in and hurriedly ran up the stairs muttering to himself, "The Conclave wont approve at all, no no no. I must tell them immediately."