P I and Magic Book II: The Gods Return
Copyright© 2005 by Volentrin
Chapter 9
The long and short of why I was at the castle, was that Jorslan had gotten information about what my and my wife's gift had been from Pejoru. After admitting that it was true, that Pejoru had indeed gifted us with total access to his library of spells, Vostich instructed me to find a counter-spell to the curse on his sword.
Now why hadn't I thought of that? I guess it was the newness of the whole situation which had caused me not to think of it. The result was I was sent back to my office, where the gate to the library was located. I had been told what to look for, and I found it.
I thought about the spell I wanted, and it came to me. I was surprised at the complexity, and the power that was required to cast it. By myself, there was no way I could do it. But with Jorslan and Vostich powering it?
I memorized the spell, and made my way out, but not before I memorized a couple more. Call me crazy, but I wanted a few spells up my sleeve, just in case. Why? Well, Markus and Melissa were guesting at Vostich's castle right now.
So it was, that an hour later, I was back at the castle. I was preparing to do a spell to remove the curse from the sword. Vostich had shown it to us while in the room where he had retrieved some family heirlooms for myself, my wife, and my sister.
Vostich, Jorslan, Mirwanna, and I were all gathered in a room. It was an underground room which was made specifically for spell work. The walls absolutely glowed with containment spells, and other spells I was not familiar with. Since this was not in the library, nothing suggested itself to me about what they did.
The sword had been drawn from its scabbard. It glowed with power, and vibrated with... need. Vostich had not handled it with his bare hands. He wore silk gloves, which was a way of preventing magical connections from touch alone.
Silk was a very good insulator for magical items. After Vostich had draw the sword from its scabbard, he lay the sword in the exact center of a peculiar looking pentagram.
First, I thought of the spell. I nodded to the others that I was ready. Keeping the spell foremost in my mind, I felt contact from the other three.
We started. Keeping the spell firmly in mind, I did my best to impose it on the sword. The sword resisted! Jorslan slammed power into the spell. The sword still fought back, but it was slowly being overcome.
Vostick then added his power, as did Mirwanna. Still the sword held. We were at a stalemate. I concentrated harder, and added the power from my ring. Slowly, ever so slowly, the sword was losing the ground it had held.
Finally, without warning, the curse on the sword broke! As it did, the three souls that had been captured and held by the sword, were released. I had a moment where I saw their ethereal bodies, two men and a woman. They looked at us, then they dissolved. They were gone to wherever souls went, when released from their bodies. As the spell broke, our part was over, and we stopped pouring power into the spell. Since it had completed its task, the spell dissolved itself.
"Very good. The curse is broken, and now my family's sword is clean once more, and can be used for its true purpose. Killing demons," Vostich said solemly.
"I recall seeing this sword, named Demon Slayer, in the past. It was instrumental in killing off the half human half demons. It will be good to see it take the field once more," Jorslan said. He turned and left the room.
Vostich followed him, leaving the sword where it lay. Mirwanna looked at me, raised her eyebrows at me, and shrugged.
"It seems almost anti-climatic for some reason," she said. She turned and left also.
I was about to go when I felt a call. I stopped and looked around. I finally realized where it was coming from. The Sword! It was calling for someone. I tried to send it a message, but it did not seem to hear me.
I looked carefully at the sword. The hilt was a white ivory looking substance, with small reliefs carved on it. It had a gem set directly on top of it. The blade was a shimmery silver, with runes that seemed to waver and change even as I looked at them!
I was taken with one rune in particular and went closer to get a better look. Something in the back of my mind was warning me. I could hear Pao telling me to stop, but I still walked slowly to the sword.
I leaned down to look at this fascinating rune, but it went out of focus. I knew if I picked up the sword, I could get a good look at this rune. I could hear Pao now yammering warnings but I was not paying to much attention to him. I reached down, and grasped the hilt.
It felt like an electric charge going through me. I also felt a connection go between me and the sword. Finally it was over, and I was released. I gasped in realization of what I had done! I had bonded with this sword!
I actually felt the sword's smugness over the bonding. I also earned the wrath of Vostich. He appeared almost as soon as I had touched the hilt. What followed was a tirade of unheard of proportions.
He finally ran down, and sighed.
"Well, it would seem the sword has chosen. I should have taken it up as soon as we broke the curse, but I thought we had time before the sword's imperative took over," he said with another sighing.
I apologized yet again, but he waved it off.
"I am sorry, Paul. I should not have blamed you for the sword's abilities and needs," he stated then continued, " It obviously wanted you. I don't know why or how, but the sword chose you as its owner/partner," he finished with a musing tone of voice.
I still had the sword in my hand. I could see even without going to second sight that the sword shimmered with power. It was a sword that had one primary purpose, and that was to kill demons.
I reached down and got the scabbard and sheathed the sword. I could still feel the connection with the sword. It was like a friend murmuring and telling me it would always be there for me.
Pao was impressed with it. I suppose Pao was in a better position to appreciate it than I was. Pao was a very old Drebasty, and a sword master at that. I was interested in seeing how the sword and Pao worked together.
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