Chapter 2

The trial. Lothanal, caught in the act of looking in to the demon world must stand trail and face the consequences of his act.

Lothanal stood before the assembled sorcerers. At the room’s farthest end, in an alcove, sat Darwyl the king. He was wearing his crown and robes of state and by his side Prince Ellard watched the proceedings with an air of disdain. Next to him Lothanal recognised Cralan, the king’s life long friend and advisor. They were the same age, mid forties but the difference between them was marked. Where Cralan looked old with his grey hair and loose jowls, Darwyl was so much more youthful and could even have passed for Ellard’s brother, rather than father. His dark hair harboured only a few flecks of grey, and even they somehow made him look more regal. Lothanal turned his gaze away, feeling rage surfacing; he must not let them see his anger.

Looking around his gaze fell on the rune. It was painted white against the marble surface and its complexity was stunning. Lothanal cast a critical eye over it, seeking an error no matter how small. His heart laboured. He couldn’t recognise decipher it all, but the parts he did looked perfect.

Frantically he sought Salar, his apprentice, amongst the many faces. The assembly room was in two tiers and folk stared down from the balcony and the ground floor, trying to get a glimpse of him. Had Salar placed a scanth into the design? If he had then there was a chance.

At that moment Tanal walked onto the floor and a silence descended. Hatred flooded through Lothanal as he watched the other man strut before the king.

“My Lord,” Tanal started. He looked the part of a betrayer as his eyes turned to meet Lothanal’s. Tanal was a good looking man but this morning he looked weary. His close cropped hair was dishevelled and stubble marked that he had not shaved that morning.

“A week ago I had a warning that Lothanal may be contacting demons. Assuming the worst, we set a spell of seeing in his laboratory and last night we watched him contact the demon world.”

Voices cried out from the audience and Tanal and the others had to wait for order to return.

Darwyl looked thoughtful, “How did you know he was contacting demons?” he asked.

Lothanal leant forward. He had assumed the imp had betrayed him but now he would find out for certain.

For a moment Lothanal saw doubt on Tanal’s face as though he was uncertain how to proceed. Then he seemed to make his mind up. Skirting the rune he walked towards the king. His footsteps echoed on the marble. Sunlight streamed through tall glass windows making Tanal’s shadow seem to caress the rune as he went.

Finally he stood before the king. “Highness...” Even at this distance Lothanal could hear him clearly. They must have used sorcery to enhance sound in the large auditorium. That explained the constant rustle of clothes as people fidgeted. Lothanal looked around the balcony, hating each person in turn. That they were watching his trial galled him.

Lothanal was talking again and he turned his attention back to the proceeding, vowing to have revenge. “…I have studied the people of the land and they have a belief about a shaol.”

Lothanal frowned. There it was again, another mention of a shaol. He was intrigued to know more.

“Go on,” the king encouraged.

“The people believe that a shaol is a guardian spirit that watches over us.”

Murmur went around the assembled throng but when the king looked up it subsided.

“And how did this warn you about Lothanal and the demons?” the king asked, looking somewhat puzzled. Lothanal was equally mystified. This sounded like a child’s tale.

“A shaol manifests itself as a sixth sense. This is why some people are forewarned of danger. Ashona…,” Tanel continued, looking around for his colleague. “…I believe, has an uncommonly strong link to her shaol.”

Again muttering. Lothanal looked at Ashona. She sat with her eyes downcast, clearly not enjoying the attention of so many people.” Lothanal’s thoughts were in turmoil. So the imp had not betrayed him.

 “I have been interested in the concept of a shaol for many years and I have been studying Ash’s. She seems to have a heightened sense of danger as well as a strong feeling that events have already transpired, like walking into a room you have never entered before and knowing the layout.”

“Many of us have that feeling,” the king said smiling. “Hence the expression, seeance.”

Tanal nodded. “I think that is a shaol, seeing events before we do and conveying a feeling of seeance.”

“So what does this have to do with Lothanal? He is an Eldric Lord, so standing him on trial should not be done lightly.”

“This is a sham, not a trial,” Lothanal shouted, pointing at the rune. “You’ve found me guilty before this trial started, otherwise this rune would not have been cast.” Lothanal felt himself shake, so great was his rage.

“Silence,” the king said. “Continue, Tanel.”

“Ash told me she was having nightmares. Nightmares about demons. I would not normally be concerned. Nightmares are common, but why demons I asked myself?”

Tanel turned to address the onlookers. “She persuaded me the nightmares were too vivid to ignore and I conducted an experiment. I asked Ash to sleep in various rooms about the citadel. Her dreams were always worse in the northwest quarter, where Lothanal’s laboratory is situated. At first I was at a loss as to precisely where to pinpoint the cause of Ash’s nightmares. Then I positioned servants with lamps about key points in the northwest quarter.”

“Why lamps?” the king asked. Lothanal had also wanted to ask that question and a frown furrowed his brow.

“According to folklore, flames burn blue in a demon’s presence.”

The king nodded, “And cream sours.”

“That is also legend.”

“But why are there no tales about demons now, why is it folk lore?” the king asked.

“In the past demons used to plague this land. Their world is separated from ours by a void. At regular intervals the worlds come close together and then the void is sufficiently thin for them to cross.”

“Is that why Lothanal is keen to contact them?” the king asked, a frown knotting his brow.

“I believe it is, Highness. I believe the void is thinning and soon demons will once more come, to harvest souls.”

People shouted out in shock and it took a while for calm to be restored. “That is terrible news,” the king said, after the din had subsided.

“It is, highness. But attacks are both rare and random for only the strongest demon can cross. However, with help many more could cross over. As we have only been in this land for two hundred years we have not yet experienced these events. From my studies, I believe the void thins about every five hundred years.”

“So how did Ash know that Lothanal was contacting demons? What was affecting her dreams?” the king asked, looking somewhat puzzled.

“There we have the nub,” Tanal said. “I think Lothanal’s shaol, so horrified by what it was witnessing, contacted another person’s shaol, seeking help. Ash, having an uncommonly strong link with her shaol, sensed this.”

Tanel turned to face Lothanal, “In effect I believe his own shaol betrayed him; terrified by what he was doing.”

Voices were raised once more, but in disbelief.

“This is fairy tales,” Lothanal shouted, sensing that he could turn this to his advantage.

The king looked at him and for once Lothanal felt afraid.

“Whether shaols exist or not is immaterial, although from what I have heard I find the matter intriguing. However, far greater matters are at hand. Tanel…,” he said facing the other man, “…so once you were certain which room seemed to trigger Ash’s nightmares, what then did you do?” the king asked.

“Ash and I managed to gain entry, early one morning. We cast a spell of seeing and a glyph of concealment about that, all we had to do then was wait. And our timing was crucial, it seems.”

“And why was that?”

“Up until then I believe Lothanal had mainly been summoning an imp. The image we saw was of an early negotiation with the demons. They were waiting for him and I believe he was seeking a pact; it was clear that this was not the first time that he had spoken with them.”

Darwyl’s gaze fell on Lothanal. Again anger flooded through Lothanal and he struggled with his bonds. His hands were tied before him and behind him Eldric archers stood with arrows nocked.

“Is this true?” the king demanded.

Lothanal could contain his anger no longer, he knew he was doomed and there was no point in a denial. “Yes of course it’s true. Were you not listening – I was spied upon by your cronies after all.”

A murmur of voices echoed around the room. Darwyl raised a hand for silence and gradually the room quietened.

“Why? You are an Eldric Lord. You want for nothing. What do you seek in the demon world?”

Lothanal remained silent. His anger had burned itself out and now he was afraid, but he refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing his fear.

“By your own words, you have condemned yourself,” Darwyl continued. “Others have sought advancement through demons and that is the very reason we left our homeland. This land is vulnerable and soon demons will cross the divide, seeking souls when the fabric between the worlds grows thin. As we have heard, these attacks will be isolated and random, and we cannot prevent them happening. But what you intend, is much more serious. Any pact with the demons will involve souls, and lots of them from our experience.”

The king sat back as though considering his next option. “You will be banished from Eldric lands. Your name, Lothanal, is taken from you. Drachar I name you, unhomed. However, we dare not let you wander free given the power that you control. Given the seriousness of your intended crime, a spell will be cast to prevent your use of sorcery. Tanal, please proceed.”

Sixteen sorcerers took their places at points about the rune. Lothanal recognised Chanathan and Ashona amongst them but knew no others. Salar was not there but being an apprentice, that wasn’t surprising. Tanal nodded and together they traced runes. Fire, air, water and land elementals burst briefly into view, their thin voices filling the silence.

Lothanal felt his heart race. He did not know what to expect but he kept himself still. The elementals danced in frenzy around their allotted space. The air seemed to crackle with the spell’s power. Throughout the casting the mages’ voices rose and fell and then abruptly they stopped and the elementals winked out of existence.

“Is that it?” Lothanal sneered.

Tanal traced a rune and cast it at Lothanal – he fell to his knees a cry escaping his lips.

“Yes, that appears to be it,” Tanal declared.

Lothanal climbed to his feet, hating Tanal’s smug look. “Then remember me, for this is not the last time we will meet.

“I take your new name, Drachar, but not in the spirit by which you give it to me. I take it without shame. I name myself Drachar and it is a name that you will learn to dread, Darwyl, king of a homeless people.” At that moment the guards seized him, grabbing his arms and shirt firmly and pulling from the room. The people’s voices behind him were filled with alarm at his pronouncement. He allowed himself a smile, he had unsettled the gentle folk and if Salar had accomplished his task, soon he would do more than unsettle them.