Chapter 8 Part 7

Armegon smoothed his clothing and shuffled about in the powdery ash. Many long moments passed. He did not expect an immediate response from Blackheart, the warlock would have to gather his henchmen and summon his brother, but it was taking far too long.

Armegon was beginning to wonder if Ultrecht's spell had been detected when after half an hour of waiting, a small pop in the air to his left caught Armegon's attention.

Morteous Blackheart stood on the plains of Gly-ou-vogue. Twenty meters away stood the sorcerer, Armegon. Morteous slung aside a riding cape he had been wearing and cracked his knuckles. He had been itching to get at Armegon for some time.

At Morteous' side stood Tyson. Summoning the mage from the ship enroute to Freon had been Morteous' first act after sensing the elemental magic. The human mage looked about nervously. Something was terribly wrong. Where were Ultrecht and Avery?

Tyson did not have time to voice his concern when an awesome presence settled over them all. A figure coalesced into the bodily form of a three meter tall human giant. It was Ragnera. The horrible shadowy form of Reaper was in his hand and the god radiated fear to all who beheld him. Even Armegon was taken aback at the sight. Should they attack the sorcerer then and there, Tyson felt sure that they might have won the battle outright, but the presence of the god was overpowering.

"Behold, a false god!" a voice boomed from their rear. Everyone turned to face the source of that noise. Avery stood with feet firmly planted and hand on the hilt of Liberator. His amber eyes blazed and his cloak billowed out gently behind him from a slight breeze.

Ragnera immediately accepted the challenge. "Fear, foolish mortal for thou has earned the honor of my immediate anger. Prepare to feel the Edge of Night," the god roared in response and using the horrible name of the weapon he wielded.

Avery responded by drawing Liberator into the full light. "Even the darkest night breaks before the Dawn of Law," he informed the god and held Liberator high. Immediately the ranger was enveloped by a soft warm nimbus of golden light. The power of the Sword of Justice awoke and made its wielder the equal to his opponent. Avery swelled to an equal height and defiantly faced Ragnera.

The god roared in anger and charged, leaping across the distance to the defiant ranger in a matter of seconds. His dark blade rose high in the air and came down in a crashing blow aimed to split Avery's skull, but at the last moment Liberator snapped out and intercepted the attack turning it aside. Then in a flash, both combatants vanished from the field.

In the sudden silence following the brief performance of the two escalating powers, Armegon took a moment to wonder how Avery would fare in the battle. He did not reflect too long, however as Morteous and Tyson were turning back to face him. Tyson glanced about nervously and Armegon was not the least bit surprised when the mage vanished.

"Well?" Armegon asked the warlock.

Morteous held his hands out face up. "Hold, Armegon," he pleaded. "I have no wish to fight with you like this. It is my step brother and nephew who hunger for political power, and with them gone, I am not bound to do their will."

Armegon hesitated. Morteous was not the kind of person you trusted too far, but he well remembered how well the warlock had fought the last time they had met, and the siege spell took hours of preparation unless it was locked in the canister he had used the last time they had battled.

"Where’s Tyson," Armegon demanded. "For his treachery, his life is forfeit!"

"I know not where he is and should you find him you may deal with him as you see fit. If he can not defend himself, he is not deserving of survival."

"What are you after?" Armegon asked. In spite of the warlock's claim, he was there for a reason, and even if they did not fight, Armegon was not about to accept that Quickdraw meant him no harm.

"I seek only knowledge," Morteous claimed taking a slight step closer. "I seek to learn the method of your magic and to teach you the method of mine as well should you wish it."

Armegon remained silent. He noted Morteous' step and knew that the warlock had ulterior motives than an exchange of lore. "What makes you think that you can assimilate my magic."

Morteous moved another step closer. He needed to get as close as possible before springing his trap. "As you know by now. We had a long time to study the Tome of Creation. From its pages I derived a spell allowing me to work all forms of magic, even that of Ultrecht eventually. Using this information, I hope to establish an academy where all the forms of magic can be studied and interfaced." He took another step.

"So you want a truce?" Armegon asked.

"I do not wish to fight you," Morteous claimed. "In the first place, I am not convinced I can win, and in the second place, should I emerge victorious, your unique form of magic would be lost forever." Several more steps closer, and Morteous would be ready.

Armegon had not missed Morteous' advancement. Even though the argument was sound, Armegon did not for a moment entertain the thought that Morteous wanted to let him live. Ultrecht had said that the derivations on the paper found in the Tome was necromantic in nature. That meant that Morteous would be able to extract what he wanted from the dead. Experience had shown that Blackheart was very fond of undead.

Armegon was wary. Within moments, the warlock would tip his hand and make his move. Armegon was ready with a defensive barrier for when the attack came. He let Morteous close the distance.

Morteous took another step and Armegon watched as the warlock's eyes went out of focus; he was casting his spell.

Armegon stepped back and summoned his magic, but stopped short. The warlock's magic was not coming at him. Instead, long black threads were whirling about Morteous and wrapping him in a cocoon of darkness. Armegon watched transfixed as the living darkness writhed with passion against the warlock's body and then transformed the being within.

When the shadows retreated, Morteous had been replaced by a bipedal gray mass with long black tentacles reaching out towards Armegon.