The Rune Stone

Ritual

" I am ... better now. I think. My mind is my own again. " said Teagan as he slowly raised to his feet, clutching his head.

" Blessed be the Maker. I would have never forgiven myself if you had died. Not after I had brought you here. What a fool I am. " muttered lady Isolde, helping the man stand. “ Please. Connor is not responsible for this … There must be some way to save him.” She’d say afterwards, turning to Kralich. “ You knew this all along ! “ retorted the mage in an accusing tone. “ I … Yes. I didn’t tell you because I believed we could help him. I still do. Without the college taking him away. “ responded Isolde lower her gaze to the ground, not being able to look Kralich in the eyes.

“ I am sorry, my lady, but Connor has become an abomination. He’s no longer your son. “ said a voice from the far end of the hall. It was the blood mage Jowan, which prompted Isolde to cry out accusingly. “ YOU ! You did this to Connor ! “ “ I didn’t ! I didn’t summon any demon. I told you ! Please, if you’ll let me help … “ “ Help ?! You betrayed me ! I brought you here to help my husband and my son. And in return you made everything worse ! “ the woman contined. “ Is this the mage you spoke of Isolde ? Did you not say he was locked in the dungeon ? “ asked Teagan, trying to calm the spirits somewhat. “ He was. I had hoped, and assumed the creatures had killed him by now. He must have been set free. “ she’d answer. “ I did it. And he’s no more to blame than you are lady Isolde. I thought he’d be useful. “ answered Kralich in the same cold tone. “ Useful ?! After everything he did, he should be exectuted ! Without him, none of this would have happened. “ claimed the woman. “ Your secrecy made his actions posibile, lady Isolde. “ said Kralich in a calmer voice. “ But I …” “ I know … what you must thing of me, my lady. I took advantage of your fear. I am sorry. I … never knew it would come to this. “ Interrupted Jowan.

Teagan took a deep breath. “ I think Kralich is right. And I shan’t turn away his help. Not yet. And if Connor is truly an abomination – “ prompting Isolde to interject. “ He’s not always the demon you saw. Connor is still inside him, and sometimes he breaks through. Please, I just want to protect him ! “ “ Isn’t that was started this ? You hired the mage to teach Connor in secret … to protect him. “ said Teagain accusingly.  “ But … If they discovered Connor had magic, then they would take him away ! I thought if he learned just enough to hide it, then … “ answered Isolde. “ And Taric knew nothing ? You didn’t tell your husband anything of your plans ? “ continued Teagan. “ Taric would only demand we do the right thing ! I was not going to lose my son ! Not to … to magic ! “ retorted the woman.

“ And now you may lose him anyway, and so much more. “ said Kralich, crossing his arms. “ No … No please ! There must be another way ! There must be something we can do ! “ said Isolde. “ What even are our options ? Where is the lord ? “ continued Kralich. “ Upstairs in his room. I think the demon has been keeping him alive. “ answered the lady. “ So if we destroy the demon, then you husband might perish. “ sighed Kralich. “ Jowan ? Anything to add ? “ he’d say turning to the other mage. “ … The demon in Connor needs to be destroyed. Killing Connor is … the easiest way to do that, certainly … But there is another way, as you must know, since you are a mage yourself. One of us two could confront the demon beyond the Veil, without hurting Connor himself.“ said Jowan. “ What do you mean ? The demon is not within Connor ? “ asked Teagan with a puzzled expression upon his face. “ Not physically. No. The demon approached Connor in the Fade, beyond the Veil while he dreamt, and controls him from there. We can use the connection between them to find the demon. “ answered the blood mage. “ You … you can enter the Fade then ? And kill the demon without hurting my boy ? “ asked the lady with tears forming in her eyes. “ We do not have enough mana or mages to do that Jowan. You surely know that just as well as I do. “ interjected Kralich. “ No … but I have … blood magic. I could enable another mage to do so. Yes, mana provides the power for the ritual. But I can take that power from someone’s life energy. This ritual … requires a lot of it, however. All of it, in fact … “ said Jowan. “ So … someone must die ? Someone must be sacrificed ? “ asked Teagan with a slight tremble in his voice . “ … Yes, and then we send another mage into the Fade. I can’t enter because I am doing the ritual. ” Said the blood mage pausing briefly to sigh dissapointed. “ Maybe… Maybe I shouldn’t have said anyhing. It’s … not much of an option … “ he ended. “ The power has to come from somewhere. The College is a week’s ride away, at best. So we are not getting any mana soon that way. “ Kralich pointed out after pondering for a while.

“ Then let it be my blood. I will be the sacrifice. “ said the lady of the castle with a slight frown on her face, visibly saddened. “ Isolde ! Are you mad ? Taric would never allow this. “ interjected Teagan. “ Either someone kills my son to destroy that thing inside him. Or I give my life so my son can live. To me, the answer is clear, Teagan. “ responded Isolde.

" Two wrongs don't make a right you know ... " chimed Nicholas from the side. " With a willing participant it does seem like the sensible choice, don't it ? " added Torstein. " Connor is blameless in this. He should not pay the price for my mistakes. " said the lady.

Kralich then paced around the room some more, meeting the gaze of both his companions. Torstein seemed to understand the situation at hand while Nicholas seemed more reserved. “ Would you murder a child then Nicholas ? I see the doubt in your eyes. “ would as Kralich approaching. “ I … no. But there must be another way, surely ? Could you not contact the other mages, do a teleport spell or something, bring them here with all they need ? “ would ask he rogue in the end. “ That would also take time, if they would even agree to do it in the first place, and not take us all in for aiding maleficarum and harboring an apostate. “ said the mage tilting his head towards Jowan briefly. Nicholas sighed. “ I suppose. What will you even do in there ? “ “ The spirit seems to be one of greed and desire. It will probably attempt to strike some sort of deal with me, to allow it to stay inside the mind of Connor. But I assume you very well know what a deal with a demon would go. “ answered Kralich.

Now, with the understanding of his party, Kralich turned towards the awayting Isolde and Teagan. Ser Perth simply unwatched the whole thing unravel silently. He must have felt powerless, not being able to do anything more to save his lord or his son.

" We shall let Jowan proceed with the ritual. He would be foolish to attempting to do anything else as it would squander his only remaining chance at redemption. " announced Kralich. “ Thank you. If this will save my son, then … then I am not afraid of what follows. “ muttered Isolde holding back tears and keeping her head high. “ You have my eternal gratitude. May the Maker go with you … “ she’d add.

“ Then … let us get this started. I will need some help, if you will mister Kralich. “ said Jowan.

Both of the men would the clear the room of anybody else and get to work. First they removed the carpet from the center of the hall, pushing all tables and chairs to the sides before Jowan made a cut upon his hand, letting the blood fall in a bowl . Afterwards he began drawing a circle on the stone floor. Kralich also took some of it, dotting runes around it . Next, lady Isolde was ushered into the room and some of her blood was taken in the same manner, mixing it with the remaining one from the blood mage. Another circle was drawn, smiliar to the other one, connected through a series of lines which resembled veins. The lady was then placed inside the second circle, which containted her blood, Jowan moving behind her while Kralich took his position inside the first circle.

The blood mage began chanting something in a gutural language, drawing the still bloody blade and keeping it pressed against the back of the lady who was now keeling down in a prayer position, muttering something of her own, tears rolling down her eyes. Jowan then yelled out, sinking the dagger deep into her back, drawing blood out as a white light began engulfing the woman. She would open her mouth to scream but no sound came out as she began levitated off the stone flood as if dragged by he shoulders. The blood mage then struck again, sinking the dagger again. And again. And again. And again. Until blood flowled freely around the air, spiralling around. With one more chant of power all the tendrils of red began to slither for Kralich, eveloping him in a dome the size of the circle he stood in. A single more intelligible word was then cryed out by the mage as the dome collapsed in on itself, promting Kralich to be ushered away into the unknown and lady isolde to fall, lifeless on the ground …