Delver Magic III: Balance of Fate, Jeff Inlo [most popular ebook readers .txt] 📗

would probably suffice to offset my difficulty in distance. A sorceress in tune with the power of storm would have no problem with such a spell. If the spell were cast in such a way that it would carry my very will in all directions, then distance would no longer be an issue. The spell would need to be open ended and constantly linked to my own mind, that is why I need a spell caster with great reserves of magical energy. As for time, another storm spell would be necessary—this one along the lines of pressure and imprint to allow my will to be more engrained in the minds of my minions. Again, this spell would also require a constant tap into your powers, but again only for the sake of that one simple spell.

“With the assistance of these two spells, my weaknesses would be removed, my army would be limitless—in essence my power would be limitless. We would be able to conquer as much as we desired. Further, opposed to conquerors that became weakened by stretching their forces to thin over large areas, my army would achieve just the opposite. The more we conquered, the stronger we would become. Control over one region would not lead to conflict within. Instead, it would lead to a larger army and thus more power. As long as I have the ability to shape the desires of those I wish to control and as long as you kept that ability from waning over time or distance, there would be no end to our conquest. As partners in this, we would share in the spoils of what this legion of dark creatures conquered.”

“This is your offer?” Tabris stared coldly at Sazar. If not for her surprise, she might have simply obliterated him with the wave of her hand. Still, she could not refrain from questioning the audacity of the serp. “You offer me nothing and you stand to gain much. In fact, your offer is less than nothing. To give you want you want would require a constant drain of my power, a link to you that would add to your strength and diminish my own energy. This is insulting.”

“No, you have not heard me in full. I will not deny the power I seek will cost you in magical energies, but even you must agree the total cost would be negligible compared to your vast reserves. My guess is you would not even notice the drain. I simply require a boost in range and endurance of my own powers, nothing more. I require no library of spells, no focus of your attention beyond the initial casting. It is just a simple extension of my own influence. How much energy would it take from you to cast a continuous spell of wind drift and a spell of imprint that would be linked to my powers of persuasion?”

“A shred would be too much because I say again I gain nothing from such an effort, so why should I bother.”

“You should bother because I do offer a gain, a substantial gain that would allow you everything you currently desire.”

“And how would you know what I desire?” Tabris eyed the serp almost dangerously.

“Simple. I understand logic. I need to in order to do what I can do. Do you disagree with that?”

Tabris said nothing.

Sazar turned his back to the sorceress and peered out across the vast wasteland that stood before him just beyond the oasis conjured by the sorceress.

“Why are you out here?” He did not let Tabris answer. “You are here for the same reason many magic casters have come here, to practice your craft without distraction. You are growing in power but you lack experience. With each day your understanding increases, but you are also shackled, limited by the resources you have before you. You test your skill on empty sand because it offers no resistance and little danger. Spells gone wrong can do little damage out here. The truth is, however, you crave more. You wish to build on your spells, build on your knowledge and build on your experience. If I am wrong, then I shall leave now. Better yet, if I’m wrong simply cast your spell of destruction on me and I will be no more.”

Sazar waited a scant few moments. He did not worry for he knew his assessment to be accurate. He continued on with his back still to the sorceress. “The real truth of the matter is that I would be able to conquer only as long as you allowed it. The moment you felt as if our bargain did not aid you in any way, you could simply cancel the spell and my army would be gone, my conquests would be ended. It is, therefore, very much in my interest to make sure you not only gain at the initial bargain, but continue to gain as time goes on.

“Since I know what you desire, and I know that it is in my interest to make sure those desire are met, do you not believe that I would have an idea of how to ensure this?”

“I do not like playing in riddles, serp,” Tabris stated, but her tone was not as harsh, not as threatening. “I asked for your offer. If there is more to it, then I will hear of it now.”

“The offer is as I said it would be. We will share in the spoils of my army’s conquest. What you fail to see is what those spoils include. With every outpost, town, and city I take, there will be prisoners, prisoners I have no need for—prisoners I will send to you. You may do with them as you wish, practice whatever spell you desire, utilize them in whatever fashion necessary to assist you in gaining knowledge and power. Because these will be humans from defeated and occupied towns, you will be able to carry out your will without fear of consequence. There will be no war parties seeking justice, no vengeful militia threatening to put an end to you. Just as you will give me an everlasting flow of a very small part of your magical energy, I will give you and everlasting flow of a very large number of experimental subjects for your magical endeavors.”

Sazar understood choices. He understood them very well. When his true power was broken down to its most basic principle, it all relied on his ability to manipulate, to steer his target or victim toward a path that would benefit him the most. There were, however, some choices that were beyond his power. The all important choices, the choice of faith, the choice of love, the choice of loyalty, and ultimately the choice between good and evil, these choices belonged to the individual alone. When an individual faced a choice such as these, nothing the serp could do could sway that decision.

Sazar kept his eyes away for he knew that Tabris faced such a choice at this moment. While it was not within his power to force her down the twisted path of dark desires, he was not above the craving to try. He did not want to allow a lapse in instinct to cause disaster. This was a powerful sorceress that could incinerate him with a wave of her hand. He would not risk trying to persuade her in anyway, and he made as much known to the sorceress without hesitation.

“I must say no more,” he admitted with a candor that was not his natural character. “I will admit I greatly desire to have this power, so great is my desire I might be willing to attempt to sway your opinion. We both know we can’t have that. There must never be a doubt that you accepted this proposal on your own under no influence of my own. I will give you as much time as you need.”

“I need no further time,” Tabris answered quickly, “and I know you did not try to bend my will to yours. Had you tried, it would have been the last thing you did in this life. No, I have decided on my own and I will accept your proposal.”