"Despite the fact that magic itself is pure in form, there is always residue from past spells that cling to both the energy and the caster. Since you have cast spells in many hues, there is a great pool of impurity at your core. The first step of the process is to remove this unnecessary and unwanted residue."
"What must I do?"
"I have devised a method that will allow you to cast off your energy into what is essentially a filter. I will create a conduit between you and another object, one that I will not identify. You only need to know that the target will not accept magic, and that is the key to the purging. As the magic escapes through the conduit but is not captured, it will quickly break free. It will do so in pure form, for while the object at the end of the conduit will not accept the magical energy, it cannot deflect the impurities within the magic. All of the shadows, echoes and residues of your past spells will be pulled free and absorbed. The magic itself will facilitate the purification by pulling more and more of the residue from you and depositing it into the opposite end of the conduit. Do you understand?"
"I believe so, but what kind of object refuses to accept magic, or reject it, especially in pure form?"
"That is not your concern. What you must focus on is the process. At the beginning, it will be very easy for you. The magic will pour out of you in a normal fashion, but the purification process will quickly accelerate. The energy within you will begin to dwindle to levels I doubt you have ever experienced. You will feel weak and empty. You will want to break from the transfer. You must not."
"I will hold."
"I don't doubt it, but that won't be the true test. With the most peripheral energy depleted, the magic held at your very core will begin to join the transfer. It is at this point I will direct the other spell casters to link to your essence to draw out any vestiges of energy matching their particular hues. They will feed on energy that should not be within you in the first place. This will be quite painful."
Scheff looked at those around him with a greater appreciation for their eagerness. They would grow stronger at his expense, but it was only temporary. If he wished to remove those energies that would inhibit him, he had to accept the terms.
"I see."
"And then you will begin the most painful process. I must remove what is left within you before I can infuse your core with ebony energy. The black magic will become the foundation for your new magical core. Do you know why?"
Scheff could guess, but he did not wish to make the attempt. He knew the sorcerer had a far greater understanding of the ebony magic, and he wanted to learn, not to expound foolish conjecture.
"No."
Ansas appeared to appreciate the response.
"Most people believe ebony magic is that of shadow, alteration, and death. That is true, but only to a point. I have seen the very heart of pure blackness and it is far more than that. In its absolute pure form, it is the absence of everything. Think about that for a moment, think about the vastness of all existence, of every realm, every dimension. Now, consider a force that could oppose all of that."
"I believe that is beyond my comprehension," the elf admitted.
"I respect your honesty, but at least grasp the depth of what I'm saying. When I pull every last bit of magic from you-and that will be extraordinarily painful for you because you are elf-you will be hollow inside. That emptiness will be enforced by a foundation of complete and total nothingness. You will have discarded all of your previous beliefs and misconceptions. It is from that point you can rebuild yourself in the fashion you were meant to be."
"I am ready," Scheff stated with certainty, ready to take the first step into his perceived ascension into a greater existence.
"Very well."
Ansas did not even bother to stand. He remained behind his desk as a circle of black energy coursed around his left hand. With a flick of his fingers, the ring floated out to a space in front of Scheff. It formed a hole in reality, something like a portal, but its ultimate destination was hidden to the elf as if a veil of secrecy shielded the other side.
"The conduit is open and it is linked to you. Concentrate on expelling your magic into it. You are not casting a spell, only emptying yourself of magic."
Scheff understood that part of the process. He had recently discussed fortifying others with energy through magical links. He saw the process at work as he and the other elves attempted to escape Ansas' barrier. Releasing energy without casting a spell was somewhat like exhaling smoke from a pipe.
He seized the opening of the conduit with his magical core. He felt no pain, no discomfort at all, but the link was undeniable. He followed the connection with his magical senses. The established link was like a cord and he could almost touch the pitch black line that led out of him and into the abyss of nothingness that sat between dimensions of reality.
The connection passed through the emptiness and Scheff could finally see that it led back to Uton. He could not, however, follow it to its ultimate destination. The line hit what appeared to be a blurred wall, an endpoint that would not allow the magical connection to complete the link. The cord became somewhat of a hose pointed at its objective but unable to attach. While he could not identify the target, he understood that somehow it would refuse any magical energy passed towards it.
Despite being unable to follow the connection to its end, Scheff allowed the energy to spill out of him, and it flowed freely into the black hole. It started as a normal expulsion, an outward thrust of magic, but almost instantly, the outpouring of magic became a flood of escaping energy.
Scheff could not control the current. The magic rushed out of him in great waves. It felt as if he was vomiting out the energy in violent heaves. His body trembled and he felt a small crater form in the pit of his belly.
As the flow continued, the crater began to grow. Scheff felt as if his very insides were being pulled from his body. The hollowness expanded and soon he felt as if he was nothing but an empty shell. His knees buckled, but he managed to remain standing. He could still see those around him and he looked to Ansas with a painful expression.
"Very good," the sorcerer acknowledged while ignoring the elf's growing discomfort. "We will begin the second phase."
Once Ansas nodded to the other spell casters, they greedily cast their own spells which linked themselves to the elf's magical core. They pulled at the energy trapped deep in Scheff's essence. They only took magic that matched their particular hue or energy that was completely pure in nature, energy that had not been shaped by the bias of some color.
What started as a flood diminished to a small stream, not because Scheff tried to restrict the outward flow, but because there was very little magic left within him. As the other spell casters viciously pulled at what they could, the pain of extraction magnified. Scheff began to stumble as a great weakness washed over him. He could no longer stand and he fell to his knees.
The three spell casters ignored Scheff's plight. They continued their grab of power and they fought with each other over any fragment of pure energy. As the elf coughed and retched, they strengthened their own spells to dig deeper and deeper.
Ansas stood up to get a clear look at the crumpled elf. He spoke, and for the first time allowed a greater passion to shape the tone of his voice.
"Do not fight against them. Allow them to take everything from you that they can. What they pull from you, you do not want. It represents the mistakes you have made in the past, your misjudgments, your decision to allow weakness to enter. Free yourself from the past and take hold of your future, a future you make for yourself. Look to nothing else and you will be prepared for what is to come."