Ansas peered deep into both Scheff and the conduit that continued to accept a small trickle of magic from the elf's essence. He examined the links to the other spell casters. When he saw them run dry, he acted.
"Cease your spells," he commanded, and the two humans and one infern complied immediately.
Scheff found momentary relief as the three links to his core ended abruptly. Only the conduit pulled at him, but it did so in a much more passive manner. As he looked about the room, he realized he could only see in black and white. All color was absent from his vision. He did not have to see any color at all, however, to appreciate the complete shadow that formed around him.
Ansas had cast a new link, one of absolute emptiness. It was the total absence of existence and it enveloped Scheff like an avalanche of darkness. It also ripped away every last shred of magical energy hidden within the elf's essence.
Scheff's vision was extinguished. He could not even see shadows, but he did not have to see to feel the raging force tear through his insides. He felt as if he was being turned inside out. The pain was beyond monumental, it was spirit rendering. The hollowness he felt expanding throughout his body became his reality. He muttered a simple truth.
"I am dying."
As if spawned by the very emptiness that engulfed the elf, Ansas' face appeared within Scheff's tortured awareness. When the sorcerer spoke, the elf could hear the words as if implanted in his consciousness.
"Yes, you are," Ansas replied.
"You lied to me?"
"Is that what you think?"
Scheff did not see deceit in the eyes of the sorcerer, but he did not wish to die. It was not the reward he sought.
"I do not understand."
"Of course you don't. You are facing something you have never dealt with before. The abyss. The ultimate destiny. I brought you here so you could face death and then avoid it. Only by embracing the emptiness of your existence can you free yourself of the chains and barriers that limit your potential. All of the magic within you is gone. There is nothing left. You will be dead in mere moments unless…"
"What?! What must I do?"
"Take hold of what I give to you and understand that we make our own way. Despite this ebony magic that creates the new foundation of your essence, you will devote yourself to the magic you can control. Your essence will become the essence of the storm and all other constraints will be abolished from your mind."
In the fashion of an answer, Scheff embraced the emptiness that surrounded him and at the same time gave up on every other aspect of his life. The hollow magic would serve as his base, but he knew, from that moment on, he would fill himself with the violet energy that was his to command.
The room came back into focus and the elf found his strength returning. In moments, he stood and acknowledged the others in the room. He announced himself as an equal and as if seeing them for the very first time.
"I am Scheff," the elf stated. "I am the storm."
"I'm Neltus," one of the humans replied. Neltus was middle-aged, overweight, and had extremely long and unkempt hair. Despite his rather ragged appearance, he seemed quite pleased with himself. "You're not the storm yet, elfie, but you will be. I'd say I'm the land, but then I would sound even bigger than I look, and that's just wrong."
"Ignore him," the other human intervened. She was tall and plain, but her deep blue eyes revealed the essence of her hue. "I'm Rivira."
Scheff nodded and then peered at the infern.
"And you, half-demon? What should I call you?"
"I call him torch boy, but he doesn't answer to that," Neltus offered.
The infern glared at the human spell caster but only replied with his name.
"Gnafil."
Ansas quickly grew tired of the inane chatter. He had more important considerations. He had achieved his objectives far more quickly than he planned. He removed his self-imposed banishment and proved to the elf witch and her wizard accomplice that he was superior. The elves he used as bait were no longer his concern and he had added another spell caster to the list of those who would prove the dominance of purified magic. He still hoped to find spell casters skilled in yellow and green magic, but he had other ambitions as well. He needed time away from distractions to plan his path.
"I have given you the opportunity I promised," Ansas noted to Scheff. "Don't waste it. Go wherever you wish… find a suitable place to grow. Prove to this land your true potential, show them what the purity of violet energy means. If I have additional opportunities for you, I will call. You may all leave me now."
Chapter 19
The four spell casters exited Ansas' small house in the dark realm by mundanely using the front door. It's not that they were unable to teleport directly out of the sorcerer's study, but they had learned not to. Ansas created his home as a haven for quiet reflection, and he didn't appreciate others casting spells in his personal sanctuary. He requested-actually required most forcefully-that those he entrusted with slices of his dark power used the proper doors as he had seen fit to create.
Neltus signaled for Scheff to follow him, and the elf wisely moved with caution through the front entrance and out onto the harsh landscape of the dark realm. All the spell casters stepped a few paces away from the exterior of the house before they turned to face each other. It was Neltus who addressed the others with obvious enthusiasm.
"So, who wants to see the new guy test his powers?"
"You are such a child," Rivira, the human sorceress, noted. "Why do you have to make it sound like some idiotic initiation?"
"Because it is?" Neltus responded cheerfully. "Come on, Rivi, you know he's dying to see what he can do, to see if he's any different. You also know that we want to watch. It's a chance for us to see someone else make the same mistakes we did."
The infern glared at the heavy set magic caster.
"I did not make mistakes," Gnafil hissed.
"Oh yes you did, torch boy, I was there, remember?"
"What I remember was allowing the magic to choose its own direction. I made no mistake."
"You almost set the entire sea on fire!" Neltus replied.
"That was the power of magic without direction."
"And that's not a mistake?"
"No, it is not."
"Fine," Neltus sighed. "It wasn't a mistake, but are you going to tell me you don't want to see what elfie decides to do?"
Gnafil said nothing.
"I take it that means you do want to see. And what about you Rivi? You going to let the men go off alone?"
"Absolutely not, but I go because I wish to expand my own abilities, not to watch some novice."
"What are you all talking about?" Scheff asked in a suspicious tone.
"We're talking about you," Neltus laughed. "We're going to take you somewhere safe where you can cast your first spell."
"I have no intention of putting myself on display."
For a brief moment, Neltus' expression turned slightly harsh as the playful grin evaporated from his mouth.
"You best understand your place on the ladder, elfie. If the three of us want to watch what you do, we will." A twinkle quickly returned to Neltus' eyes as he waved off the elf's initial rejection. "Besides, it'll be fun. You'll learn a lot faster, too. We all made mistakes when we started out. You're going to have questions. You know you are."
Scheff frowned, but after realizing he was outnumbered by three magic casters that were much more experienced, he made no further objections.
Seeing they were all in agreement, Neltus joyfully took the lead.
"Excellent. I'll bring us to somewhere safe."
"You always pick the spot," Rivira protested.
"It's a good thing, too. Imagine if I brought torch boy to the forest."