Rise of the Blade - Charles Moffat [93]
Draque took another quick step backwards. If Chev could absorb magic at will he would be helpless should the warrior decide to kill him. He looked to his wand and threw it down and unbuckled his swordbelt.
The warrior only smiled, having a vague sense of what Draque was thinking. "I won't kill you. I do think you could help me however. I've learned that I was tricked into hunting down the Harpers and now I intend to rebuke the mage who ensorcelled me. I need my sword more than ever now."
The drow frowned and shrugged off what was a weak attempt of a charm spell by Chev. Whether the attempt had been a conscious effort by Chev was open to question. "The blade is evil, I've been dismantling its enchantments."
"I can fix that."
"And if it blows up in your face and takes the rest of the Academy with it?"
"Then I will await you to bring it to me outside in the rose garden."
Draque ignored the prying enchantments and held his will in place. "Why should I do this favour for you? I am no Harper but I call many of them friends. I'm not about to betray them by handing over a weapon of such power."
"Even I, with my newfound powers cannot break your magical locks Marque Draque," Chev said, paying the mage a compliment. "But with that sword I could challenge a god to a duel and likely win."
"I don't doubt it. You still haven't answered my question."
"My foe is a mighty mage, twice as strong as you are. I'll need my sword if I'm to challenge such a power. The world would be better off with such a mage."
"What's the name of this mighty mage?"
"Korehren, I believe."
Again Draque was shocked and couldn't say anything.
"What's wrong?"
"Korehren is the name of the God of Corruption." The mage swallowed and gauged his distance to the nearest door.
"All the more reason to end his reign."
That thought struck the mage profoundly and for a moment he checked himself to make sure he hadn't fallen under some spell. He knew it was indeed possible to kill a god. Cyric, the God of Murder, had done it several times while still mortal and dubbed his own sword Godslayer. He turned half away from Chev and was tempted to run for him. The other half him begged him to let Chev have the sword and watch as history unfolded.
History and overwhelming curiousity won out and Draque dug into a pocket and pulled out a cigar. It lit on its own as he put it to his lips and bit down on it. "Follow me."
The door creaked open upon the dusty room and Chev felt the overpowering sense of chaos emanating from the sword. Stepping through the door, he stretched out his hand and the blade flew across the room at his will and was reunited with its master. It cried out in a plaintive voice, begging for the warrior to skewer the mage that had harmed its enchantments and broken its will.
Chev ignored the blade's pleading thoughts and looked about to see that the mage had fled the room. In his left hand, the warrior held aloft Tarrasqueslayer and smote it with the evil blade in his right. It did not explode, for the instant the magical bonds snapped, the glowing man reached out with his will and channelled the released power through his sword, healing the broken enchantments of his sword and silencing its evil urges.
The leftover energy flowed down the blade and joined with his swordarm. When the last of the magically fabric had been absorbed, Chev tossed the blue adamantite saber aside. He held aloft Gravebringer, its black adamantite giving off a dull shine. "Happy now? I ruined I perfectly good sword in favour of fixing you. If I have anymore complaints I shall complete Draque's dismantling and use your magical energy for myself. Is that clear."
The sword flashed light angrily but stayed silent.
Pierce leaned heavily against the wall as he walked and thanked Ao he was safe back on the ground. Grabbing Sharkslayer and Sidekick, he used them like canes as he headed north, hoping to find Rambertz. Reaching the bronze doors to the north, he opened them and breathed in the night air. He could smell the dew on the grass and wanted to