Darkthorn’s Blog

Ishton crouched next to Julia, his head reeling again. Julia’s mind was totally out of reach now, it seemed like there was nothing left of her. Everything was buried deeply; the normal surface thoughts that had assisted them in finding her past were gone. Blackmain entered and lent on the doorframe, smiling. Ishton frowned in response, progressively getting more worried. Further examination yielded only that Julia’s mind was trapped.

~ We have to get help. I cannot deal with a healing of this nature. ~

~ Where? How bad is it? We must save her. It is important to me. ~

~ My people. I know of one, he can help us. It is bad. Her mind is circling, with no finality being reached. I believe that she cannot escape from it by herself. Now is not the time to ask you why she is suddenly more important to you.~

~ I. Yes. ~

~ I shall prepare the magic for taking her. You take whatever you need. ~

Blackmain paused a moment, wondering whether he should go or not, despite what Ishton had said. He had much still to do before winter, and if they had to remain in the elven colony for too long, his chance to finalize the plans for summer would be lost. They had to save Julia though, without her, nothing would work. And if he was right, and she was his daughter, he would need to be there. The elves could likely tell him if his suspicion was correct anyway.

~ Hurry. I don’t know where or when this will end for Julia. We need to transport her as soon as possible. ~

Blackmain’s cloak was hanging on the back of the door, effortlessly blending into the wooden background. Blackmain decided against taking his crossbow, it wouldn’t be diplomatic when it was a peaceful mission. His throwing knives would be enough to remain them of his profession, as well as his simple dagger. The sword was an essential; its magic always came in handy for some reason and it often provided him with additional power to draw on when he was desperate. He shrugged on the breastplate; better protected than dead, but left the shield in its box.

Ishton rose from the floor gracefully, and walked to the workroom, mentally preparing himself to cast the energy back into the stone floor. It was a pity that he had needed to wipe it clean after the last casting, but the residual energy wouldn’t have assisted either, negatively charged as it was. He sank to his knees again, tracing a wide circle as big as the cramped room would allow. He followed this initial circle with two smaller ones, leaving a gap for Blackmain and Julia to enter. He then started to fill in the concentric rings with intricate looping designs, typical of elven work. Each of the circles followed a specific function: the first for protection, the second for direction and the third to hold everything together. Many a human spell-caster had forgotten this last ring, and paid for it in blood as their body parts separated during the journey. Equally, the ring of protection couldn’t hold if someone got the directions wrong – a seething pool of acid waste or a nest of determined poisonous vipers weren’t deterred by a protection spell that needed to be maintained by the caster constantly.

Nothing of the sort could go wrong with Ishton’s casting however, Ishton was a Master and had made this exact trip many times, often with Blackmain a dead weight on his shoulders. The man never did learn he wasn’t invulnerable. It hurt Ishton more often now, his friend was getting old, and Ishton could sense the tiredness in his thoughts. Blackmain entered with Julia inverted over his shoulders, indeed similar to Ishton’s memories. He smiled, and Blackmain looked at him quizzically.

~ What is so funny my friend? ~

~ You. But hurry still, we must depart. ~

Ishton and Blackmain gently laid Julia between them, her long limbs barely fitting within the confined circles. Ishton hurriedly closed the circles behind them, deftly inscribing the final directional instructions. Blackmain and Ishton settled down into mediation positions, Blackmain groaning slightly as his knees bent uncomfortably. Ishton reached again for Blackmain’s mind, drawing on it’s strength. Both were weakened, it would take both of their energies to reach the elven outpost. Even as Ishton pulled towards the area, he hoped that someone would be there to greet them, forewarned by one of the Seers.