Zeph Malston: The Aether Mage

In the skies above the forest north of Asperitus, a large fiery red bird could be seen flying at a relaxing pace. Two elves sat on its back acting as scouts to locate the demon's den. Below them in the forest were Bernard and the Valir. They had taken a platoon of enlisted warriors and mages into the forests to fight the cultists.

"I can't help but think you're not taking this seriously," Eli said to the woman snuggled up against his arm. Relina was currently clinging to him while they were searching for the demon's lair.

"Of course I am darling. I just know we should appreciate the time we have together. Besides, Cara's got her eyes open and she'll let us know if he sees something," the elf summoner replied as she patted the back of her phoenix.

Eli looked at the checkered blanket laid out on the bird's back and the wicker basket full of food next to them. "I just don't think it's an appropriate time for a picnic."

"It's lunchtime and we need to eat, or are you saying you don't want to have a romantic picnic in the sky with your lovely fiancé?"

"No… I would love to have a picnic with you dear."

A voice interrupted their conversation. "That's a good answer, Eli. But I would you request that you keep your more intimate conversations from the open communications channel." The two elves heard the amused voice of Bernard from their pendants. Eli completely forgot that they were keeping a communication line active in case of surprises.

Bernard was sitting at a table he conjured from the earth and plant life nearby. The valir and troops nearby enjoying their lunch break in the cool afternoon shade, comforted by the gentle breeze of the forest.

"Ha ha!" Max began to sing, "Eli and Relina sittin' on a birdy. If the lord didn't stop them, they'd be doing the dirty." He chuckled at his little rhyme until everyone heard him get smacked upside the head. "OW! The hell Miri?"

"Grow up, you idiot," Miri scolded her friend.

"You grow up, shorty," Max responded, starting of a small argument that caused the rest of the valir to sigh.

Bernard sighed while he watched the two valir argue with each other in the forest. The search was closing in and he could tell that everyone was trying to ease the tension in their own way. By the end of the day, he would know where the demon was hiding. He looked to the group of mages and warriors that arrived earlier that day. They would be the first wave of attackers. That was why they were equipped with the newly finished revolvers from the lab. Five valir, three grand mages, a platoon of warriors, and mages might be overkill if the encampment they attacked last night was any indication of the enemy's abilities. A smile crept across his face. Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. "All right, knock it off," he yelled. "We're here on important matters and we need to maintain a certain level of proper conduct. I understand that we all need a way to cope with the stress of traipsing through the woods with our guard up, but try to keep from these unnecessary shenanigans.

Relina's face was broadcast in front of Bernard by his pendant, "I assume you're addressing the two children and not myself and my fiancé. After all, we haven't gotten to spend quality time with one another at all this weekend and we are on a lunch break." Relina's face floated in front of Bernard with an empty smile. Despite the sweetness of her voice, there was an underlying chill to her words. An audible gulp was heard from one of the nearby troops that saw and heard the call.

The old lord coughed into his hand to buy some time to collect himself. "Of course not Lady Ashgrove."

_____

Back under the cloudy skies of Andronath, the streets were clear of protestors, and less police were patrolling the sidewalk. After mages spent weeks purifying negative energy from the city, the populous became much less violent and more open to peaceful confrontation. It was good news for the nobles that were becoming increasingly afraid of rebellion. However, there was at least one being unhappy with this turn of events.

Resdin was scowling in his study, the glass of brandy in his hands doing little to calm him down. Kael Thannin watched the demon, trying to suppress his amus.e.m.e.nt at Resdin's plight. The Demon Lord's plans were falling apart. Andronath's traitors were exposed. Demons were being hunted down, and it was still far from the new year. At this rate, there would be nothing to show for Resdin's efforts by the end of the month.

"I can feel the amus.e.m.e.nt radiating from you, despite your efforts to suppress it. Tell me young prince, is my frustration that pleasant a thing to witness?" Resdin stared out his window into the city, frowning as it seems peace was being restored. The lingering negativity in the capital was fading, slowly but surely.

Kael finally allowed his smile to come forth. "Honestly, yes it is. Blame my father for passing down his delight in seeing others suffer."

"And why are you not upset. This plan was to help destabilize this country so that yours would have an easier time to accomplish its goals."

Kael sighed. "My father's goals you mean. If I seem to be taking this turn of events well, it's because I expected this plan to fall apart from the beginning."

"What do you mean?"

"It was overly complicated. There were too many parts, and my father is not known for his patience. You also admitted that this was your first attempt at conspiracy and subterfuge. You started off to big Lord Resdin."

The demon turned his face grim. "You are lucky I am unlike others of my kind."

"True. I don't think a demon other than you to be able to take criticism without a violent response."

"Still, smiling at my pain cannot be the reason you set up our meeting. What is it you want?"

The prince of Lor'Anth took a moment to pour a glass of brandy. "As you've stated before, my father has technically broken the deal you two made. Correct?"

"Yes," Resdin answered as he watched the prince take a drink with a smirk.

"Then that means that you don't have to follow through with your plans extending out into the new year. I propose you abandon the distraction you are providing my father and instead make a deal with me."

The demon lord's eyebrow rose in interest, "I was under the impression that you detested my kind."

"Oh, I do, but that doesn't mean that we cannot come to some sort of understanding."

For the first time all day, the demon lord smiled. "I'm listening."

"I'll provide information about my father's plans along with proof of his dealing with demons to the lords of Andronath. In return, I'll request them to help free my country from a homicidal maniac. We tell your commanders that the new plan was changed in order to punish my father for breaking the contract and it will not seem as if your whole endeavor here has been a failure. They will assume that the failure of the ley-line corruption was intentional in order to sabotage the emperor's plans.

You will be spared the assumption that your first conspiracy was a failure. I will have reason to ascend the throne of Lor' Anth and open friendly diplomatic relations with Andronath. It may not be as much as you had hoped, but you'll be able to take whatever dark magic energies you've acc.u.mulated from the ley lines and store them for your own devices.

Though, I have been wondering, why wait for the new year to harvest your spoils?"

"An old ritual I discovered required pouring negative energy into the ley lines to create an unhallowed territory. Transforming the country in such a way would be best done during the new year since its representation of new beginnings would increase the likelihood of success. I guess you could say it was for the sake of curiosity and my own amus.e.m.e.nt.

If successful, I could have created a demon spawning ground from all the negative energy and human emotion. The land itself would act as an easily acceccible point into the material realm for demons and It would swell my ranks and assist my expansion of territory in the ethereal plane. Though, that is impossible to accomplish under the circ.u.mstances." Resdin stood up and walked to his desk and pulled a cigar from a drawer. Kael watched him light it and take a slow drag. After a few moments of contemplation, Resdin exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, "This deal you propose seems acceptable."

_______

Ronan sat in the office of his manor in the capital city. The guards caught another would-be assassin last night. Attempts on his life had been increasing as the condition of the city had been improving. It was due to him leading the charge to exposing corrupt nobility and demon followers using Bernard's pells and inventions. Lord Ashgrove had called him earlier to inform him that he had stopped a beast horde before it made its way into the cities because of Lord Malston's warnings.

He looked at the blueprints on his desk and smiled. The plans had been delivered to magic engineers across the country as well as the ruling lords. If things went well, he'd be able to spend the winter solstice celebrating with his family this year.

Speaking of family, Evan came in earlier in the morning to relay some good news. First, the Kravich family had been found guilty of treason and all their lands and author was revoked. That meant that there would be much less trouble bringing Lili back home. He would rest more comfortably without them exerting political pressure and maneuvering behind the scenes. The second piece of news was much more important, at least to him. Lili had fully activated her heritage. Genevieve sent them a video showing off his granddaughter's newly whitened hair and frost blue eyes. Her overall physical appearance had slightly changed. Gone was his little tomboy and in her place was a white-haired young lady. He could see her discomfort in wearing that frilly dress. The audio of the video letting him know just how much she hated the new look and how much her mother loved it.

A wall of hovering screens floated in front of Ronin. The one in the center flashed alerting him to an incoming call. "Hello Bernard, how can I help you? Ronin noticed the look on his friend's face. It was a one he saw plenty of times in their youth. The hard look in his eyes only appeared when his old friend was ready to go to battle.

Bernard spoke calmly, "How are the others doing?"

Ronin took a look at the other screens to see varying images. Some of them were forests, others were caves. One even looked be underwater. After building the improved locators, Ronin helped coordinate groups throughout the country to discover demon bases and create a coordinated strike. "The others have yet to find the exact location, but the readings are looking promising. "How about you?"

A dark smile worked its way across the old man's face, a stark contrast to the gentle or amused look many were used to. "We found it."