The Shadow Switch [Archive] - The Enchanted Quill

Cloric the Cleric

June 25th, 2003, 10:26

The young wizard bustled about in his room making the last minute checks and rechecks that would assure him a place in the future of Jarda'an. He knew that he could make no mistakes in what he was about to do, or his life, and possibly all of those here in the city of Mari'itte, would be forfeit.

He thought back to several days ago when he had discovered the true name of some lesser demon of the abyss, only the hundredth level, if his resources were current and correct. He had no way of possibly knowing that the name he uncovered was not a demon, or any other denizen, of that dark plane. He was not knowledgeable enough in the ways of the weave to understand what it was anyway, even had it been spelled out for him.

Had the mageling done a bit more research, and taken the name to Gorka'ai the Yellow (unfortunate bestowing of cloak color, not a descriptive term, much to the amusement of his apprentices), current master of the North Tower, he would have understood that while it was in fact a word of power, it had nothing to do with a single sentient being. More like three billion sentient beings, give or take a couple of million.

Jieran, the mageling in question, finished the preparations to his satisfaction and began to prepare himself for the confrontation he expected, for even a denizen of the hundredth level of the abyss would be fairly strong and malevolently evil. He crossed to the brazier that held the flame that would contain the beast and uncapped it, marveling at the simple magic that caused the flame to leap every time, thinking what good it would do the common folk to posses such an artifact. For Jieran was not evil, or even slightly warped, he was just passing a trial, one of his own setting, but a trial none the less. He made his way to the place he had prepared for himself and sat, beginning his casting.
His mouth formed easily over the words leading into the initial chant, though as the difficulty grew, the chanting slowed to assure that there would be no mistakes. As Jieran arrived at the turning point, the naming of the beast he meant to summon, he stopped and let the power gather in the air around him. He drew a deep breath and, in a near whisper, breathed the word his research had found.

In the storm of power that followed, Jieran found himself unsure that he had conjured correctly since this was not how it was supposed to go. He was reassured, however, when the gate started to appear in the heart of the flame, though it was tinged a bluish-green, not the red he expected of the abyss. He thought, perhaps, that his translation was wrong, and his suspicions were confirmed when the gate fully opened. Spitting its contents at him, the gate snapped just as he lost his concentration, which left the room strangely subdued after the brightness and loud crackle of the portal.

Jieran quickly gained his senses and took stock of the situation. His floor was now littered with whatever it was that the gate had brought to him. As he took note of the strangeness of the materials, he realized that they were not from any were near Mari'itte, or possibly even Ela'assa. No, these things came from somewhere far away, and they were beginning to move. As one of the strange items turned over, Jieran reared back in silent amazement, and muttered a quick oath to the lady of magic, "Ka'adi'ida aid me, what have I done now?"

It was a female, a human female.