Death of an Adept

"I think there's a fair chance of that," Raeburn replied. "And at very least, Soulis was able to invoke Taranis in the same way the Head-Master did, and induce him to channel his power through the tore. I know that power, Angela; I've tasted it. And oh, it is sweet}"

"Power is always sweet," Richter murmured. "What if it cannot be channelled through the dagger?"

"I feel confident that it can," Raeburn replied. "We have already begun potentializing the dagger by using it in the bull sacrifice. I remind you that the tore was activated by the life-blood of human sacrifice. If anything, the dagger should prove an even more potent focus, since it is the direct instrument of sacrifice."

"That assumes that we can contact Soulis," Angela said. "And that he will agree to share his knowledge."

"We can contact him," Raeburn said confidently. "Our Derek is acquainted with the basic methodology."

Mallory went a little pale. "I only assisted," he whispered. "It was Geddes who summoned Michael Scot."

"I'm quite aware of that," Raeburn replied. "And I shall require your assistance in a like manner for this operation. I mention the incident only to underline that we do have experience in summoning the dead. In the case of Soulis, we shall use a wizard to summon a wizard. Master Taliere will serve very well in that capacity, and you, my dear Derek, will ensure that he cooperates."

Mallory breathed out a relieved sigh and nodded slowly.

"Suppose Soulis is currently incarnate?" Angela asked. "You can't have forgotten the problems with Scot."

"No, and it wouldn't have been a problem, if not for Sinclair's meddling," Raeburn snapped. "In fact, Michael Scot would have been my first choice for this operation, but Sinclair put him beyond our reach by placing his protection on Scot's current incarnation."

"Was ist das?" Richter murmured, raising a startled eyebrow in inquiry.

"A schoolgirl named Gillian Talbot," Raeburn murmured, with a dismissive wave of his hand. "She'd be about fourteen by now. We'll retrieve her one day. But for now, we'll have to settle for Soulis."

"What about Soulis?" Angela said. "You never answered my question fully. Even if we can contact him, what makes you think he'd agree to help us?"

"Because I can offer him the one thing he desires more than any other thing," Raeburn said, smiling thinly. "I can offer him his liberty."

"His liberty?" Richter repeated. "Are we to understand that this Soulis is somehow a prisoner?"

"In a manner of speaking," Raeburn said somewhat smugly. "In the past few days I've engaged in some covert investigation of my own. It seems that Soulis' spirit presently languishes in a state of limbo, to which he was exiled at the time of his death by an edict of banishment which prevents him from ever again reincarnating."

The cavernous pause elicited by this revelation was at last broken by Richter's perplexed sigh.

"If Soulis was as powerful as you claim," he said tentatively, "how could he have allowed himself to be bound in that way?"

A pained smile flickered across Raeburn's face, almost a grimace.

"Perhaps I should acquaint you with the manner of his passing. As the years went by and his excesses became more outrageous and more blatant, Soulis apparently became overconfident in his own abilities and allowed his defenses to slip. Outrage and anger had been growing among the folk around Liddesdale, and he also appears to have come to the notice of a Hunting Lodge of the time.

"I have no details on what they did," Raeburn went on, amid looks of indignation from his listeners, "but I can tell you that his tenants eventually rose up in a body, attacked the castle, and took him prisoner. Somehow his occult powers were nullified, or at least suppressed. Laden with iron chains, and wrapped in a sheet of lead, he was taken from Hermitage Castle to a site now known as the Nine Stane Rig and there boiled alive in oil in his own brazen cauldron. His body was burned thereafter and his ashes scattered on the wind. His soul…"

"Bound by a Hunting Lodge," Mallory muttered through clenched teeth.

Raeburn shrugged. "Save your indignation for the Hunting Lodge we must deal with, Derek. Suffice it to say that I've analyzed the spell that bars Soulis from the Wheel of Reincarnation. For all its potency, it appears none too complicated. He can't unlock it - but I can."

"Oh?" Angela said, a note of challenge in her tone.

"The real challenge will be in locating Soulis," Raeburn continued, ignoring the jibe. "Since he is presently adrift among the Inner Planes, it will be necessary to conjure him back to the material world in such a manner as will allow us to acquaint him with our proposal. It will not be pleasant for him, since I plan to use the circumstances of his death to structure our summoning.

"Given his situation, I would be very surprised if he declined to cooperate with us. After all, what other prospect has he got? It may be centuries before anyone else is inclined to make him a better offer."