P I and Magic Book II: The Gods Return
Copyright© 2005 by Volentrin
Chapter 5
I flew east for about 20 minutes. Dragons can eat up the miles very quickly. I angled down, and landed about a ten-minute walk from the village of Slotfir. As soon as I changed into my human form, I could feel it.
The closer I got to the village, the worse it felt. At first it was just an uneasiness. Then it got worse. I finally came into the village proper, and made my way to the only inn.
I entered, and saw that while it was crowded, it was an unusually silent crowd. They quickly looked me over, and then went back to their... brooding. I walked to the bar, and asked for ale. My voice seemed unnaturally loud in my ears.
I was thinking that I had missed something, as my ale was served and I paid for it. I walked to the end of the bar, and leaned against it, sipping my ale in thought. First, flying in, I had not felt this uneasiness. It only happened after I relinquished my dragon form.
Then, while finishing my journey into the village, I had been increasingly nervous and depressed. I muttered a brief spell, and that vanished. Animals! That was it. I didn't see any cats or dogs. Nor had I heard any cows lowing, or sheep, or any roosters crowing.
I had seen horses, but these had been bunched together, as if for protection. I decided to go with a frontal attack all the way. First, I thought of the spell I wanted, and then I cast an eye around the inn, and then I cast it.
The reaction was remarkable! The tension and fear hanging in the very air, was gone. I had put up a shield around the inn, and it was free of the miasma that had been draining everyone here.
I heard startled exclamations from several people. Then silence returned, and all were looking at me. Well, I had not been silent with my spell. I raised my mug in salute, and drained it.
"Another mug my friend, and I will gladly buy a round for all here if they so desire it," I told the innkeeper.
There was a moment of silence, then a rush to the long bar. I was questioned. Everyone wanted to know who I was and what was happening. The innkeeper was busy for a few minutes filling mugs. Soon my few remaining brasses, and most of my coppers were gone. Still, I had a few silvers and several golds, to tide me over. I didn't think I would be broke, before I finished my task.
"In answer to your question, I am Paul Landkur, Duke De Landkur, and I have come to demand answers from my vassal, Baron Slotfir. He has much to answer for," I said in an angry tone of voice.
"Now then, how long has this feeling of dread and despair been going on?" I asked.
While the answers varied, it seemed to be a bit over a week, now. Some people on the outskirts of the village had just up and left. Soon, it seemed that no one else could. If someone wanted to leave, and started to leave, they found themselves wondering back to the village after a short time.
I nodded and thought about what I should do. The castle proper was still another two miles east, on a hill over looking the great inland sea, and everything for miles around.
I sent out my senses, and felt that the source of the miasma was at the castle. I nodded as people began a litany of complaints. I finally held up my hand.
"I swear to you as your Duke, that before this day is out, the source of this problem will be gone," I said, and drained my ale.
"You will all be safe, in here. I will firm the shield, and you can bring your wives and children here for protection," I said, and worked a spell of protection into the shield that I had cast around the inn. When I was finished, I walked out the door and took the east road towards the castle.
I cast several small spells of protection over myself. I decided that instead of one massive shield, I would go with smaller shields. They were designed to last so long, and collapse, only to reveal another shield of similar type behind the collapsed shield.
I did this as I marched towards the castle. I had gone about a mile and a half, when I was stopped by several of Baron Slotfir's soldiers. They had some ridiculous demands that I surrender myself, and they had a magic worker, who appeared to be under an external control or influence.
"I command you all to stand aside, and let me pass. I am The Duke De Landkur, and your lord's liege. Stop me at your peril," I said grimly.
"I am sorry your grace, but our orders are to take you and deliver you to our lord," a man who I guessed to be the senior guard present said.
I sighed, and pulled out a tried and true spell. I cast a sleep spell over the area, and soon all the guards, and the magic user, were asleep. I snorted. I was getting good mileage out of that spell.
I cast another spell binding them to sleep until I countered it, or a day went by. That should keep them firmly out of the way until everything was resolved. I counted 12 soldiers and 1 magic user. That had to be a pretty significant portion of the good Baron's men at arms that he would have available to him at the castle.
"Father?" a deep melodious voice said.
I jumped and spun around. There was my Arch Angel. I hadn't called him to me. Interesting.
"Yes? I am a little busy right now," I told it, him. Arch Angel was definitely a he.
"I want to help you. I have been gathering information on this type of demon," Arch Angel told me.
"All right, what can you tell me about it?" I asked curiously.
"It is a minor demon from one of the outer circles of the Hell Plain. Yes, I know, it is similar to the Hell of our world. There is a great probability that earth has had interaction in the past with this Hell, and the results are written into the myths of earth.
"It feeds on despair and hopelessness, and you putting up that shield around the inn, has warned it that someone with strong magical capabilities is in the area," Arch Angel told me in a matter of fact voice.
I nodded slowly. Ok, so I had sent it a warning. Well, it knew someone would be coming for it sooner or later. It had to. I thanked Arch Angel and started striding towards the castle. Arch Angel walked with me.
"Are you capable of defending yourself, in the event of an attack?" I asked him curiously.
"Yes. I have learned enough magic to counter anything that this demon can cast at me. I am more worried about you," he told me.
I stumbled to a halt. I looked at him with amazement.
"You're staying to protect me?" I asked, my voice full of incredulity.
"I have only just gotten you as my father. I would hate to loose you already. I would protect you, if you would allow it," he said to me.
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