Chapter Eight

Playing with Magic

Screaming echoed through the cavern. A lone dwarf hung from chains on a rough wall of stone his body covered in scars. As four figures in black robes took knives to his flesh. Wraith smiled inwardly as they dipped the knives into jars and then ran their blades along the dwarf’s flesh; the dwarf screamed but no blood ran from his wounds as a fresh scar appeared.

The satchel Wraith had stolen from the wizard had contained five potions as well as the spell book. Wraith had Ember look at the potions and he had identified them as two minor potions of feeling, a minor stamina potion that bestowed the feeling and strength of a night of sleep restoring the body’s ability to push themselves in combat again and perform complex moves of combat, a minor potion of stealth that attuned a person’s senses and increased the limberness of their body and a mana potion that allowed more spells to be cast each day.

The jar the kobold torturers were using was filled with a thickened version of the healing potion, but the blades still inflicted the sharp pain, but the potion instantly closed the wounds. The kobolds laughed and one of them stabbed the dwarf in the stomach twisting the bladed before forcing a potion down his throat and pouring some over the wound. The dwarf arched back fell back against the wall and he panted from the excursion.

Throw him back in the pit, Wraith ordered.

The kobolds and they released the chains and lowered the dwarf to the ground. Manacles with thorns that stabbed into the skin whenever they were moved were placed on his wrists and ankles. The dwarf sagged as they dragged him along past open cells in the wall with iron-banded doors with unlit torches along the wall. They threw him down a ten-foot-deep pit filled with soggy wet mud at the bottom where all kinds of various insects lived. The tiny pests irritated the skin causing itching and rashes while leaches would latch onto his skin.

The dwarf knelt and began praying. “Zizula, father of light and the champion of goodness protect my soul from these foul creatures that have been sent to test me in my service to you, let me not fall to temptation but deliver me from the darkness and into the embrace of the light. Give me your power and your strength to overcome,” he pleaded.

“It's no use cleric,” Ember’s voice slithered out of the shadows. “This is a place of darkness and only in the light can you pray to regain your power. This is the realm of the damned and the dead and it is your home for the remainder of your days. You will never again feel the warmth of the sun on your face, this I promise you.”

“Zizula will not abandon me,” the cleric stated not looking up.

Ember laughed as Wraith had instructed him to do, “There are thousands of clerics of Zizula, hundreds of paladins not to mention the countless priest and followers, do you really think he will miss one lowly servant such as yourself?”

“No scheme of the darkness escapes the eyes of the light,” the cleric replied, “how many more weeks do you plan on keeping me here?”

“Weeks? Oh, my poor, poor friend, you have been here only three days,” Ember said with another laugh, “I see your lack of true sleep has messed with your sense of time. Tell me, I am curious, what is it like to be in constant pain? To have been abandoned by all your friends…”

“They did not abandon me!” the dwarf shouted in rage his bloodshot eyes looking up into the white scales of the kobold above him.

“Oh, but they did. Would true friends really leave their friend to make his last stand alone? I don’t think so, if they had really cared about you, they would have fought to the death alongside you or dragged you to safety,” Ember said smoothly in a gentle voice.

“I ordered them to,” the dwarf said but his voice began to sound uncertain even to him, “the shadow was draining my life away I had but moments to live.”

“And yet here you are. Do you know they haven’t even come back to look for your body? Our scouts tell us they returned the children to town collected their reward and left,” Ember said. This was a lie, of course, Wraith didn’t have the time or the inclination to bother with the heroes, but the lie would help to break the dwarf’s spirit.

“My body would have been buried in the cave in,” he said.

“You can tell yourself that if it makes you feel better,” Ember said soothingly, “Now I think it’s time you spend some more time with your new friends.”

Two solid portcullises pulled up and the dwarf froze as the insane gibbering of the mad slimes reached his ears again. His body shook but he was paralyzed as the slimes stared at him with their solid yellow eyes their mouths babbling and wailing. The slimes were trapped behind a pane of glass, but it didn’t stop their voices from being audible or their terrifying gaze and visage from attacking the cleric's sanity.

How long do you think it will be before he breaks? Wraith asked Ember.

“At this rate, I’d give him a month for his best-case scenario those stamina and health potions were really a stroke of luck for us. Artificial sleep is no substitute for the real thing and his mind will become unstable during the week but even if he holds out you need to kill him in three weeks,” Ember stated.

What? Why? Wraith asked confused and a bit annoyed at not being able to take my time so soon after his triumph.

“Dungeon-conclave is in forty-five days on the summer solstice and if you're going to be a record holder and have a grand opening you will have needed to have actually killed the adventurer. If you can break him before that even better but you’ll still have time to beat that record later,” Ember explained to me.

“Dungeon-conclave?” Wraith asked.

Ember sighed, “Remember? I was talking to you about it when you were installing that bolder trap?”

Oh, right, Wraith said a bit of annoyance coming into his voice as Ember reminded him of that trap, he’d been really annoyed when the adventurers had just gone over the water and avoided his entire trap set up.

Ember sighed again. “Dungeon Conclave is a gathering of all the minds of the dungeons within a hundred miles. You all gather together accompanied by your lord sparks in bodies made to impress and show what type of dungeon you have. Dungeon’s make alliance’s trade materials, spells and information, it’s a wonderfully complex political environment but only law-abiding dungeons are allowed there,” Ember cautioned.

What are the rules? Wraith asked.

“You must have never killed a fellow law-abiding dungeon or lord spark, you must not have revealed the secret of your existence or that of any other dungeon, you must promise to honor the sanctity of the dungeon where the Conclave is being hosted at and promise to behave as a guest not harming the environment or ecology of the dungeon or coerce other dungeons through violence while the conclave is in session and a week before and after the conclave. a host is prohibited from showing favoritism, poisoning, or causing any damage to the bodies of his guests. If you cause any damage to the body of another or to the dungeon you must pay a wergild determined by the vote of the other dungeons at the conclave. If a dungeon goes rogue and breaks the law you will join forces with all the other dungeons to destroy them to preserve the secret of your existence,” Ember said.

How are these rules enforced? Wraith asked taking in the rules and their implications.

“The dungeon hosting the Conclave will cast a Truth seeing spell and ask if you have broken any of the laws, if you lie your core will be dragged before the Conclave and they will find what law you broke and if you are deserving of death,” Ember explained. “I’m going to need to leave for a week to discover where the conclave will be held so you’re going to have to manage without me for a while.”

I was doing just fine without you before you arrived, Wraith said haughtily.

Ember gave the impression of someone rolling their eyes, “You had a crack in your core so big your output of mana was nearly equal to your input.”

Oh right, whatever, I said, before you go let’s talk about this spell book. How do I use it?

“Can you read it?” Ember asked.

Yes, I was able to get that from the wyrm priest during the incident, Wraith said.

“And by incident do you mean one of the many times you’ve almost died?” Ember asked me pointedly.

Yes, Wraith said blithely.

Ember bobbed in the air, an approximation of a shrug. “Try teaching it to Hob, my lieutenant. I guess this would be a good time to teach you about inhabiting a body.”

I can inhabit a body why haven’t you taught me this before! Wraith asked in shock and feeling anger welling up inside me for him withholding this piece of knowledge and power.

“Because if the body dies while you’re in it the damage to your psyche could be irreparable and drive you insane causing you to go rogue and all the other dungeons to kill you,” Ember explained, “It’s the reason you're forbidden from harming other dungeon’s bodies during Conclave.”

Oh, Wraith said my anger dissipating. Thanks for protecting me then.

“No problem boss, now let me show you how to run a body, you can’t just inhabit a body like a soul spark, but you can control it with one of us assisting you,” Ember explained. “You need to then push your mana into the body almost as if you were invading a new territory, the soul spark will then invite you in and you will have full control of the body. This will allow you to learn how to use the spells since you will be able to speak audibly, also the soul spark will learn since you will be doing this with their body,” Ember described to me.

So, I read the spell book say the word’s in the book and perform the gestures while possessing the body? Wraith asked.

“More like possessing their soul but the effect is the same,” Ember replied. “Go ahead and give it a shot.”

Wraith called Hob forward and had him take the body of a kobold on hand. I pushed a tendril of darkness into the body and then past it, I pushed into something more something intangible but alive with energy. There was a moment of resistance and then Wraith’s mind went dark for a second. Wraith opened his eyes, not his eyes but the eyes of Hob’s body. He opened his mouth and a hiss escaped.

“Well this is different,” Wraith said his voice coming out somewhat slurred as Wraith struggled to use muscles he had never had.

“Good first attempt,” Ember praised try reading a spell.

“Most of these are useless,” Wraith said looking at the nine spells in the book, “Only four of them can actually be used in combat the rest are either useless or stupid. There is literally a spell here to make some dancing lights when the hell would you ever have a situation when you’d need to use that? Why even bother learning it?”

“Stop complaining and cast a damn spell,” Ember said possessing his own body. “Come on cast one those combat spells on me.”

I sighed, it was a very satisfying thing to do inside of a body, and then set down the book on a rock. I shrugged the shoulders of the body I was in and then stretched out a hand and bent down my pinky and ring finger and thumb, pointing my index and middle finger forward. I twisted my hand in a circle and said, “Inferi.” There was a small spark but nothing else happened. “Damn it, that should have worked.”

“Did you push any mana into it?” Ember asked.

“No,” Wraith admitted realizing his foolishness.

“Try again and push a little fire mana into it this time then,” Ember said.

Wraith replied the spell and gesture again and this time shoved fire mana into his hand and through the middle finger and out as he shouted, “Inferi!” there was a burst of fire as large as a small boulder that flew like a comment. Ember’s body burned to cinders and the ashes scattered across the blackened stone.

Ember’s soul rose up from the ashes and he gave me a peeved impression. “How much mana did you put into that spell?”

“All of it,” Wraith admitted a bit chagrinned.

“Firebolt is a cantrip Wraith!” Ember shouted, “You’re supposed to put barely any mana into it. Try it again.”

“I used all my fire mana though,” Wraith protested.

“Try a different type of mana,” Ember ordered.

“I think you're enjoying giving me orders a little too much,” Wraith said as he stretched out his hand again. He pushed his dark mana into the spell, “Inferi.” He said but nothing happened without even thinking Wraith said, “Inferi-necri!” Dark flames shot out and wrapped around another kobold who was walking towards the prisoner’s pit with a bottle of stamina potion and a bowl of gruel. The flames began eating away at his flesh and pulling him in toward the center as they ate away at him.”

“Good spell but be careful experimenting with magic, it can be very dangerous also I think you should stop experimenting on us make some animals or something if you want to do that,” Ember said.

“Why don’t you try that disguise spell now?” Ember suggested.

“Why to bother I can make a body to look however I want,” Wraith replied.

“Then go ahead and try,” Ember scoffed.

“Fine,” Wraith said and exited Hob’s body.

Wraith then focused his will growing a body of flesh and skin creating a mirror image of the female warrior Martha. Look familiar? Wraith asked.

“Okay good job that is a very impressive memory you have,” Ember praised him. “Well you’ve seemed to have got the basics to make me another body and I need to go find out where the summer conclave will be this year.”

Barhom, The Dwarf

The dwarf closed his eyes and readied himself for his move. The kobolds lowered him down from the wall and he sagged they brought the manacles over and he fell to the ground grabbing a shard of glass and struck at a kobold stabbing a piece of broken glass into its throat.

He grabbed the manacles and swung them striking the kobold in the temple knocking him out. He grabbed the leather roll of torture implements and ran. He pulled a torch from a wall scone and stepped into a cell along the walls. He slammed the door pulling the manacles through and using them to lock it shut.

He grabbed an iron filing tool closed his eyes and struck it against a rock sparking it against the torch and flooding the pitch-black cavern with light. He stabbed the torch into a crack in the stone knelt and clasped his hands in prayer.

“Father of light, I beseech you in my darkest hour to give me the power I ask for to deliver me from my tormentors. Deliver me not into the hands of darkness but deliver me from the servants of the darkness. Let your light break the shadows and prevent the summoning of the darkness, in your name I pray,” the cleric intoned, and his body began to shine with light.

He stood and grabbed the torch and it formed into a hammer glowing with heavenly light, he smashed open the door and strode out. Kobolds ran towards him and he charged forward to meet them halfway. He blocked a blow with a club and then slammed his hammer through the kobold’s skull and into the chest of a sword-wielding kobold. He bent down and grabbed the sword he held it to his chest ready to fall on it when there was a crack of stone and a pile of rubble shifted.

Three tall figures appeared through the cloud of rock dust and Martha stepped into view. “Come on Barhom we have to get out of here!” She shouted.

“Martha?” the dwarf asked in shock.

“Barhom don’t listen to her,” another voice said, and Martha appeared from the tunnel behind him.

“It’s a disguise Barhom! we have to go quickly!” the first Martha said.

“I don’t know which of you is real,” Barhom said in indecision.

“It’s me!” the second Martha said, and war drums began to beat within the cavern. “Come on we don’t have the time they’re coming.”

“Where’s the rest of the party?” Barhom asked.

“They’re holding the line, so our exit won’t be blocked. come on don’t listen to her!” second Martha said screaming at him holding out her hand.

“We never split the party,” Barhom said and ran for first Martha and the party. They ducked through the narrow hole in the pile of rubble and fled up the tunnel into daylight.

“This way!” Barhom shouted leading them around a bend in the hall into another room. Suddenly the floor gave out beneath them and they began to fall down a pit in the floor. They fell down a shaft. The rogue and wizard held onto the lip of the edge and Martha were holding on a root Barhom hung from her boot.

“Give me your hand Martha!” he shouted.

“I can’t!” she shouted. “Why didn’t you grab onto something else. You're always messing things up.”

“What?” Barhom asked perplexed.

“The battle plan pressing on when we weren’t rested, that was your idea. Then we come back to get you and you lead us into a trap. You're so stupid!” she said kicking him in the face and sending him falling down, down.

He fell into a pool of water and was lifted out by scaled hands. Manacles were placed on his ankles attached to an iron ball.

“No, no, no!” Barhom said as the kobolds dragged him back and threw him in the pit. “No! No! No!” he screamed.

Wraith

The dwarf sat in his cell weeping the entire night and then wooden doors slid open revealing Martha standing there. Next to the white scaled kobold.

“As per our arrangement,” Ember said.

“What’s going on Martha?” Barhom asked.

“Your friends have agreed to leave us alone in exchange for one-hundred gold ringets, she is here to say her goodbyes,” Ember said.

“No, Martha you can’t leave me here!” he shouted.

Martha turned and took the offered bag from the kobold as it clinked heavily with coin. “You’re a fool Barhom you would have gotten us killed,” she said and walked away.

“No! No! No! No! No! No!” he screamed, repeating it over and over starting to rave he no’s turning into animalist barks and growls. “nawr!” he screamed and summoned a glowing golden hammer that turned blood red in his hands and he leaped forward the iron chain around his ankle breaking. He brought down his hammer and began slamming it into Martha’s body over and over.

It’s done kill him, Wraith commanded

Ember, who had just gotten back, drew his steel shortsword and thrust it through the back of the dwarf and into his chest. The dwarf shuddered and collapsed. Then there was shimmering in the air and a dark figure of grey and black covered in clinking chains rose from the dwarf’s body he turned his eyes glowing a fiery red. The chain began to smoke and twist in his hand.

“Shit!” Ember said an rolled to the side as the spirit swung the chain down where he had stood. “Close the doors!” he shouted. The portcullis rolled shut and Ember rolled under it. There was a brief beating on the door and then it stopped. “Okay,” Ember said slowly, “What the hell was that?”

Some sort of tortured berserker spirit, Wraith replied, I think I can learn the pattern without destroying it.

“Why would you not want to destroy it?” Ember asked throwing up his hands.

I just like having it, Wraith said with a mental shrug.

“Stupid dungeons and always wanting to keep original copies of things,” Ember muttered.

What? Wraith asked.

“Dungeons, you all start hoarding things, haven’t you ever thought of why you’ve been collecting that gold and silver and weapons in your core room. It’s your instincts, all dungeons do it and it can really mess things up, you keep undominated rogue monsters like this and they go rogue make it to the core room and kill you!” he said.

I am saving it for the right time to use it on my enemies, Wraith replied calmly but inside I was disturbed at the behavior he was pointing out in me, I was doing things without even being consciously aware of it. I would have to give this a great deal more thought.

“He went really nuts there,” Ember said changing the subject as he looked back at the door holding the corporeal spirit trapped.

Yes, having you use and those other kobolds use the ‘skin shifting’ spell was very effective he completely fell for it, Wraith agreed with a chuckle.

“Yep, that body you made was able to confuse him even more. Adventurers always look for a trick so the best way to hide it is to make a fake answer,” Ember sneered in disdain. “What are you planning on calling this type of undead?”

They appear to be some type of berserker, but it also looks like they have some abilities to make spiritual weapons, what do you think about the name Reavers? Wraith asked.