Into the Abyss

Tom rematerialized in his cave. He turned slowly and walked over to his chair. As he sat down all he wanted to do was cry. He was frustrated, angry, upset and tired. Guilt still nagged him, yet now compounded to it was a feeling of helplessness. Here he was trapped in this demonic body, doing demonic things and under the control of a wizard at war. The way he’d acted, when confronted by the force field had been shameful, the emotions that had racked him then, were almost incomprehensible now. At the time it had felt like getting through the force field had been the most important thing in the world; that it had to be done at all costs. Yet now he realized there was no good reason, he’d literally been out of control.

He was ashamed of his totally uncontrolled behavior when trying to finish his mission. Rationally, he knew he couldn’t control the pain or things he did there at the end, but that didn’t help. Especially considering that when he’d killed the man, he should have been in full control.

If he’d been able to do so, Tom would have cried, but apparently demons still didn’t have any tearducts, so all he could do was something like sobbing. The killing of the man and his behavior at the end, two acts of uncontrolled passion, simple thoughtless reactions. Things he’d always thought he was above, when he looked at the ignorant, emotional, juvenile bullies in his school. What was he coming to? Why him, why were things so unfair? Sobbing he drifted off into a weary, drained sleep.

∼

Jenn put away the last of the dirty bandages. A serving girl had come to relieve her of tending the patients while they slept, so she could rest herself. Wearily she stood, and walked back into the tower. The children had been put to bed a few hours ago. The guards were posted on the walls. Although several more attacks had been made by Exador, none had penetrated the wards. She climbed tiredly up the stairs, her right hand dragging on the center pole of the staircase. She didn’t know if she’d have the energy to write in her diary tonight; but she supposed she must, Rex’s death couldn’t go unrecorded.

∼

“So what are we going to do?” Jehenna asked. She and Lenamare stood on the roof top of the central tower, looking out at the invading army beyond the softly glowing wards. The army was big, six to seven times larger than they had expected. Where did Exador get the men? Jehenna wondered.

“What can we do. That idiot student got himself killed, and his girlfriend is out of commission with her stupid grief. Both of them were central to the foundation of the wards.”

“Well, we could hardly have expected them to be put out of commission like that.”

“I suppose, but nonetheless, with two of the legs supporting the wards gone, it’s now only a matter of time before they begin to decay. If only we could have got them primed first, instead of doing it ad hoc. Then they would have lasted for a year after all the casters were dead. As is, with no priming and two out of thirteen legs useless, we’ve got maybe four weeks, forty days, before any decay starts. Once that happens, they will only last another forty days. In all, a total of two lousy Uropian months before they decay to nothing.”

“Which of course they’ll never get a chance to do,” said Jehenna.

“Precisely, as soon as Exadung out there realizes the thing’s decaying, he’ll do everything in his power to help it. So in reality, we only have a little over six weeks.”

“Unless Exador manages to outguess us again.”

“No,” Lenamare said, turning to face her. “Twice, maybe. But no one does that sort of thing to me three times. I’ve learned my lesson. I will not even give him the chance to outguess me. There is positively absolutely no way the man can know that he toasted one of my warders. Thus he can’t know that this field can’t be maintained indefinitely.

“This time around, I’ve got a few surprises for him.” Lenemare turned to glare out at the army surrounding his home.

∼

Jenn looked out over the edge of a merlon on the parapet of the schools defensive wall. Everywhere she looked there were men lined up behind the wards. The number of besiegers seemed to have grown over the past few days, she wasn’t sure because she hadn’t had a chance to observe the enemy closely before this point. She’d only gotten quick glances during her errands.

This was the first free moment she’d had since the siege had begun. Finally after three days, the wounded were finally getting to the point where they no longer needed her constant attention. Unfortunately, she mused, for some patients, it was because they had passed away. Luckily, however, thanks to the skills of the doctors and her spells, most would survive. True, many would bear burn marks and scars for the rest of their lives; but at least they had their lives. Rex wouldn’t even have that.