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ghosts, or spirits, or whatever, will start appearing all over the place?"
"Spirits will not simply return to this land at will. They areeither
summoned and controlled by dark magic, or they must have some higher purpose."
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Ryson quickly caught the underlying possibilities of such a reply. "Since
I assume you are not controlled by dark magic, I guess you have some higher
purpose?"
"I do. It is a purpose of the highest order. Do not, however,
misinterpret me. I am not a savior, not a heroine who comes with the power to
end the threat which exists. I play the mere role of messenger. My ability to
alter the current course may only be negligible, but it is a purpose which
allows for my presence here. It is your presence upon Sanctum which is of
greater importance. I am limited to this spot. I would not be able to travel
to find you. Your presence here signifies greater powers at work."
Ryson cast a doubtful look upon the sorceress apparition. "That's the
second time I've heard that, and I'm not sure I accept it. You talk as if some
force is guiding me along. I don't think so. I was just doing a job and things
just happened. It's hard to imagine that something else might be responsible
for me being here."
Shayed cast aside his doubts. She turned the attention to Ryson's
motionless associate. "I assume it was your speechless companion that spoke of
it first."
Ryson suddenly remembered that Lief was at his side. He turned to see the
flustered elf still and quiet. The delver placed a hand on the elf's shoulder
as Lief's eyes stared unblinkingly at Shayed.
"Hey, Lief."Ryson shook him lightly. "Are you alright?"
Lief regained his voice, but his skin remained gray."It is Shayed!"
"I know." Ryson could not help but chuckle at Lief's disposition. The
stunned expression and the gray pallor of his companion lightened the delver's
mood considerably. For the first time since they met, it was Lief who showed
greater surprise at the stirring events which had passed over them.
"Do not make light of this," the elf clamored. His rising emotions
finally chased away the gray pallor and restored a flush red to his cheeks.
"I'm not making light of this," Ryson said trying to bite back his smile.
"But you should see your face. It's getting red now, but before it was almost
as white as hers."
Lief clenched his teeth but said nothing further.
Shayed beckoned for their attention once more.
"Both of your reactions are quite understandable," she said calmly. "I
assure you, I am glad to see both a representative of the delvers and the
elves." She looked squarely at Lief as if trying to recall his face. "What is
your name?"
"I am Lief Woodson." The elf bowed slightly.
"I am pleased to meet you." Her voice lost some of its inherent warmth as
she pressed the elf for his knowledge. "Do you know what is happening here?"
"I know much less than I would like. We have found a breach in the wall
of Sanctum. It must break to the hollow for I can feel the magic flowing
through the rift. That also tells me that the sphere remains in Sanctum.As for
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why the breach exists or as to who might have caused it, I can not say."
"No one is responsible for the breach," Shayed stated firmly. "The sphere
itself has broken through."
"That can not be!" the elf blurted out, but he caught his tongue quickly.
"Forgive me, I meant no disrespect. I just could not believe that that was
possible. But if you say so, then so it must be."
"You need not apologize, Lief Woodson. I understand your surprise, but
rest assured it is true. The sphere has used the power within it to break from
its prison. It created the quake to shift the mountain. At the same time, it
discharged a powerful blast of energy which created the opening in Sanctum."
"That would explain what I saw in the crevice," Ryson acknowledged. He
placed a hand to his chin as he recalled the sight of the cavern. As delver's
are capable of doing, a clear image came into his mind and he could see the
inside of the tunnel with great detail. "It wasn't man-made and the force came
from within."
"Your senses are keen, delver," the apparition said with an even warmer
expression. "They will be needed, that is why I believe there are greater
powers at work here."
"You talked about a higher purpose before," Ryson responded. His voice
revealed his skepticism about these greater powers, but for the moment, he
turned upon his curiosities of Shayed's appearance. "Before you start talking
about how I'm needed, can you tell me why you're here?"
Shayed answered without hesitancy. Her words held the conviction that
made it clear to Ryson of how she was able to lead the alliance of different
races long ago. She spoke with neither pride nor arrogance over her own
importance. "I was responsible for encasing the sphere within this mountain. I
have come to understand that my decision was neither right nor wrong. It
simply delayed the inevitable. Perhaps, it allowed for a time where the
participants were better prepared for what they must face. Only time can judge
that matter.
"Regardless, the time has come. The sphere can no longer be entombed.
There is nothing which might hold it. With each day it becomes more aware of
its surroundings. It is slow to think, slower to react. That is why it took so
many cycles of the seasons to break free. It will not take as long if the same
approach is taken. There is but one thing that must be done. The sphere must
be destroyed."
The mere mention of the destruction of the sphere extracted an animated
response from Lief. His own mind raced over the legends ofelflore and how
Shayed herself gave her very life to prevent the wizards from doing what she
now suggested. "Are you sure?"Lief questioned with eyes nearly bulging. "I
mean not to question you, but the Wizard War? Was it not fought to prevent
that very thing? What of the elves? Will they be safe if the tainted magic is
freed?"
"They are not safe now," Shayed replied with the first hint of sadness.
The mention of the war brought a flood of memories, of decisions long ago,
actions when she was of mortal body. She continued. "Nor is anyone safe. If it
reassures you, it is my belief, no, my acceptance that the destruction of the
sphere will not mean the end of the elves. It is the sphere which corrupts the
magic, the sphere which creates the poison. If the sphere is destroyed, so
will be the poison."
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"Your word is more than enough for me," Lief stated firmly. Any shred of
doubt evaporated with the conviction of Shayed's words. Lief now stood boldly
willing to take up the weight of any endeavor at the simple command of the
spirit sorceress. "If you command the sphere to be destroyed, then so it
will."
"Now, wait a minute!" Ryson passed a glance at Lief. The issue of the
sphere, the momentary debate, and the final decision all seemed to pass him
by. It was his own question of Shayed's higher purpose that led to each, yet
he remained as ill-informed as a newborn. Sentence was past, and he remained
uncertain of the very issue at hand. He became almost as demanding in tone as
Lief had displayed during their journey to Sanctum. "Maybe all you need is the
word of a spirit and you're off, but I still need to know more about what in
the name of Godson is going on here."
Shayed spoke patiently to the delver. "Your service is needed delver.The
services of all races, in fact. The sphere can no longer be held within this
mountain or any other mountain. It has gained enough awareness to realize it
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