Danica Pt. 18

"Yes, delightful," Zoraster mused, "I can use both sides; turn the weapons of the gods upon each other to my own ends."

A wicked smile on his face, Zoraster left the room and went to set his plan in motion.

{*****~~o~~0~~o~~*****}

Brandon offered to walk Andrea to her room once they had all bathed and dressed in the morning. They all wanted to pick up where they had left off the night before, but both Brandon and Andrea had to go to their duties soon.

Danica kissed them both goodbye, and thought she would go check on Marlena and Celes. She went to her lab and mixed potions that would help them overcome the effects of the hangover both women were surely experiencing right now.

She was just about to go take the first potion to Celes when Zoraster walked in the room. "I have a task for you, little rose."

Danica sat down the two potions and crossed her arms, waiting for the Archmage to continue.

"Your fortune in befriending elves serves me well, because I require a rare spell component from their lands. I wish you to go immediately and obtain the silverthorn," Zoraster explained.

Danica snorted and smiled, saying, "One little problem -- I doubt I'm welcome there. You made me steal an artifact from Darius -- Remember? I'm sure he's not exactly happy with me, and he has a lot of influence there."

Zoraster laughed, and then sat down to examine his fingernails as he spoke, "You underestimate the influence you had on the man. He accepted the fact he had been used, but still longs for you. He revealed nothing of the theft to anyone."

Danica's lip quivered slightly and she had to fight hard not to show her taskmaster more than that. Darius had touched her heart as well, and it had been very hard to leave his bed that night and vanish.

Zoraster continued, "Thus, you should have little difficulty reaching the wood of the elves and gaining admittance. You will not go to the wizard's home under any circumstances. You will remain hidden while in the town so that none recognize you. Obtain what I require, and then return here. Your reward for completion of this task will be a reduction in young Andrea's duties, and I shall grant her a home of her own near the hedge maze."

Danica's eyes lit up upon hearing that. A home near the maze would give Andrea a place to winter her plants, store the herbs she grew, and reach her plants more quickly, "I understand," Danica acknowledged.

"I thought such would pique your interest. Very well -- return quickly, because time is of the essence. Be prepared for any eventuality. Good day, little rose," Zoraster finished as he rose from his chair and left.

Realizing she did not remember the pattern to reach the outpost in the town, and wanting to take the potion to Celes anyway, Danica went to the woman's room. Celes was certainly in need of assistance, having a terrible hangover.

The potion did the job, much to Celes' relief. "Thank you, Danica. I thought my head was going to explode."

"You're welcome. You really let loose last night. I've never seen you like that before," Danica said as she slipped the potion bottle back into a pocket.

"I have lots of things on my mind. I guess I was trying to make them go away," Celes mumbled.

Danica patted Celes' arm with a comforting smile, and then said, "I need the pattern to reach Arrisport. Zoraster sent me after silverthorn from the elven lands there."

"I can't imagine you'll be welcome around there, considering how we left," Celes replied, rising to fetch something from a drawer.

Danica sighed, "He told me that I won't have any problems. Darius never told anyone about us stealing the wand."

Celes brought over a piece of paper and cast a spell to make an image of the teleportation pattern appear on it for Danica to memorize. "You don't need magic to charm a man, I guess."

Danica sighed again. "Neither does he. It was hard to leave, and it will be hard to return -- especially since he forbids me to see Darius."

Celes nodded. "You should go get it over with. I'll take the other potion to Marlena. Thank you again."

"You're welcome, Celes. He's going to give Andrea a place of her own near the hedge maze and reduce her duties when I bring back the silverthorn, and that makes it all worth it. She'll be so happy," Danica explained as she handed over the other potion.

"At least he's using someone in a positive way to influence you this time."

Danica smiled. "I'm not going to count on it continuing. I should go get what he wants so I can get back and surprise Andrea."

Celes waved Danica away. "Go then, I'll go take care of Marlena."

Celes sighed as Danica left, staring at the door. The primary thing on her mind the night before, causing her to drown it in drink, was the growing difficulty she had in fighting her need for Danica. Every day it seemed she grew closer to the woman, and desired her more. It was becoming nearly unbearable not to say anything.

Apparently, Danica didn't need magic to charm a woman, either.

{*****~~o~~0~~o~~*****}

Danica arrived at the teleportation pattern in Arrisport a short while later, dressed for the warm, humid climate. She told the servants that she required nothing, and immediately activated her rings to become invisible and silent.

The trip through town to the outskirts was uneventful, and she was soon out of sight of anyone within the town. Danica decided that walking to the woods was going to take entirely too long, and cast a spell to soar upward and fly to her destination.

She could see the woods as soon as she ascended, and sped toward them, startling several gulls in the process. When she neared the woods, Danica settled to the ground once more, not wanting to look as if she were trying to enter unbidden.

Danica could feel eyes and arrows, trained upon her as she approached the wood. The elves would surely know she was there, and would be watching her. She walked up near the edge of the forest, stopping there and waiting for some sign from those that lived there.

It took several minutes for an elven woman to step out of the trees and approach, training a bow upon Danica. "What do you seek here?"

"My name is Danica, I helped your Queen once, and I wondered if I might ask a small boon of your people. I need some silverthorn, and it is only from within your lands that I can obtain it."

The elvish woman lowered her bow, and a male appeared from behind a tree next to her. They conferred for a moment, and then the newly arrived elven man said, "The name you have offered sparks memory. Wait there; I shall go speak with another."

Danica nodded and sat down on the grass, making sure she didn't appear in any way threatening. The elven woman kept an eye on her, and two more elves appeared as well, one male and one female.

One of the newcomers approached, surprising Danica by leaving the woods. The elven woman carried no weapon, only a staff with living leaves sprouting from it. She looked at Danica curiously and said, "You possess much magic, and I sense the touch of Nymphs upon you. There is something else as well. Are you a witch?"

Danica shook her head. "No, I'm not a witch. My friend Celes is, perhaps you sense something about her."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps. What of the touch of Nymphs?"

Danica blushed slightly. "I was drawn to a pool where two sought to restore their sister, and I guess I helped -- although I don't remember much."

The elf pursed her lips. "Most curious. I have never heard of one being chosen who was not of the people or a servant of nature." The elven woman took a deep breath then and said, "The scent of the temptress is upon you."

"I've been Awakened," Danica explained.

The elven woman responded, "Yet you do not serve the goddess. You are a very curious human."

Danica shrugged, "I don't know what to say. I mean no harm."

The elf smiled. "I sense that as well. I know your name, and know the great service you have done for us in saving our Queen. I will give you the silverthorn, as you have requested."

Danica smiled back. "Thank you. If it isn't too much to ask, I could use some clay nurtured in your lands as well. I have used all of it I was given last time."

"It shall be so. The trees whisper to me that you are important and I shall heed their call."

It was Danica's turn to be curious then. She contemplated what the woman had just said as she stood. Her eyes were drawn to a flash of flame off to the side as soon as she gained her feet.

Two arrows were already in the air by the time Danica turned to see what had caused the flame. The missiles bounced off the chest of the enormous being that had appeared. The creature roared and sent forth a blast of flame toward the male elf. He screamed as he burst into flame, dropping to the ground and rolling.

Another arrow flew from the elf maiden's bow, having no more effect than the previous two missiles. More arrows sped from the woods, each ricocheting away harmlessly. Danica started chanting, casting the banishment spell. She knew from the size of the creature and its resistance to the arrows that mere cold spells were going to have no effect. Magic designed specifically to combat demons was going to be the only chance of driving the creature away.

The elven woman with the staff was surrounded by a shimmering aura of green light, and she chanted as well, pointing her staff toward the demon. Yet another arrow sailed toward the demon's eye, bouncing away as if that dark orb was as armored as his purple hide.

The demon roared and summoned up a night-blue ball of energy in his hands, "You will die, pawns of the Fey!"

Danica completed her casting as the demon hurled his hellish missile at the elf with the staff. The woman's aura wavered for a moment, but repelled the projectile and caused it to dissipate in a puff of oily smoke. Danica released her banishment spell, and the creature roared in pain.

With another roar, the demon pushed his hand toward Danica. She had no chance to react as the creature's power slammed into her, an invisible wall of telekinetic force that knocked the wind out of her and sent her hurtling backwards to the ground.

Danica fought for air as the chant of the elven woman built toward a crescendo. The demon turned back toward her and growled. The devil then darted toward the other elven maiden. The creature moved impossibly fast, shimmering in Danica's vision to appear behind the woman who was raising her bow.

Danica gained her feet and the other woman completed her chant at the same time -- a moment too late. As a beam of spring green energy leapt from the elven woman's staff, the demon and the maiden vanished in a puff of brimstone smoke and a clap of air rushing to fill the void they had just vacated. The beam of energy passed harmlessly through the smoke to dissipate on the other side.

Danica screamed, "No!"

The elven woman and Danica both moved toward the other elf at the same time. He was still smoldering and moaning in pain on the ground. Danica was reaching for a healing potion, but the elf used magic first, calling upon healing powers to restore the elven warrior.

Her magic worked quickly, extinguishing the flames and bringing back a healthy glow to his red, and in some places black, flesh. Danica helped him rise when the magic ceased and he was restored.

The elven warrior said something to the woman in their language, which Danica assumed must have been thanks from the tone and her response. His face hardened and he said something else from between clenched teeth. The elven woman sighed in response.

Danica asked, "What kind of demon was that? It barely flinched at my banishment spell."

"That was Meckataur, the Destroyer. He has become as a bane unto the elven people in recent years. Some of our people thwarted his foul works when he was still coming into his power, and he has vowed to annihilate us all," the elven woman explained.

Danica questioned, "How did he resist the banishment?"

"He is powerful. He has come into his own power, and has absorbed the abilities of many other demons. Also, he is not of the lower planes. Once he was a man, a good man, captured by a devil and led into temptation. He cannot be banished as can most hellspawn, as his rightful place is here, in this world. My druid magic, calling upon the power of nature, could have done him harm -- possibly destroyed him -- but I was too late," the elven woman lamented.

"What will happen to the other woman? Can we follow him -- rescue her?"

The druidess shook her head sadly. "Such would be suicide, which serves nothing. She will fall into herself, and his tortures will be lost upon her. She will pass on to her blessing in the next life, and there her pain will be ended."

Danica sighed and hung her head. "I'm sorry for your loss, and sorry I could not do more to prevent it."

The woman smiled. "It is not your fault, and she will join our ancestors dancing in the gardens of the gods. Death is but a part of life, just another stage in the evolution of the spirit. You did what you could, your spell nearly provided enough time for me to complete my spell. None could have asked more."

The elven warrior hung his head, and the druidess whispered something to him in her language. He walked back into the woods, vanishing with the skill only an elf could possess. The woman turned back to Danica then and said, "Come, because you have attempted to aid our people yet again, you may enter our wood and select what you need. Perhaps the blessed calm of our forest will help soothe your soul."

Danica nodded and followed the woman into the wood.

{*****~~o~~0~~o~~*****}

Meckataur appeared inside Nightmare Castle with a puff of smoke identical to that which had signaled his departure outside the elven wood. He spoke words of dark magic upon arriving, binding the unconscious elf woman in smoky bonds, dropping her to the floor.

Turning toward Zoraster, he growled, "Your little pet stung me, Zoraster."

Zoraster responded, "The spell was no threat to you, and I do apologize for the intervention of the druidess. I knew it was a possibility, but I considered it unlikely."

The devil roared, and then rumbled, "I want the fey bitch. I was only able to burn the other, and he will survive thanks to their magic. I will rend this one's soul."

"Patience, Meckataur, you will have all the elves you can devour soon enough. I have need of this one, in order to provide you that opportunity. How do you find my last gift?"

A grin spread across the devil's muzzle, "One has died, but my spawn grows within the others."

Zoraster clapped, "Excellent! I'm positive that at least a few will bring your spawn to term, and you will then have warriors truly fit to lead your hordes."

The Archmage's lip twitched into a half smile when he saw Mopario stiffen from hearing that remark. As a servant of the god of war, he felt it was his place to command the armies of the demon.

"She will utilize her abilities to retreat from your torments, Meckataur. You will gain no satisfaction from her. She has already entered the state, and you will not be able to break it. Her soul will be lost to you as well, because she obviously has the blessing of the fey and they will prevent you from taking her. She is of no use to you, and I assure you that she will know pain from my magic."

Meckataur growled, "Take her then, make her soul scream."

Zoraster smiled, "The manipulating fey gods will know her torment. I have another token of my appreciation to offer you as well."

Reaching into a pocket of his robes, Zoraster withdrew an amulet of black steel, engraved with dark symbols, "This will protect you from the sting of banishing magic in the future. I apologize for not completing it earlier."

Zoraster caused the amulet to hover toward the demon with a wave of his hand. When the demon closed his claws around it, he smiled again, "I can feel the power."

"Use it well. I must return to obtain what I sent my little rose to retrieve," Zoraster said, and then vanished.

{*****~~o~~0~~o~~*****}

Danica appeared in her room in a flash of light, half a dozen satchels of clay and other spell components from the elven wood at her feet. In her hand was a pouch containing the silverthorn Zoraster had requested. On her face was a wide smile. The peace and tranquility of the elven woods had indeed made her feel better, although she was still troubled by the power of the demon and her lack of magic to target and defend against the creature.

Danica heard a knock on her door almost as soon as she reappeared. Walking over to answer it, she found one of the wizards Zoraster regularly sent when he was too busy to deal with something himself. The man offered no word, simply held out his hand for the silverthorn. Danica handed it over and the man handed her a note from Zoraster, spinning on his heels to leave without another word.

"You're welcome," Danica muttered. She read the note, which simply stated that Andrea's duties would be decreased immediately, and described the house that was now Andrea's, very near that of Heather and Grant.

Danica smiled, thinking perhaps the couple could help her offer Andrea a fine housewarming before she sprang her surprise in Suthpaeral upon them.

Walking into her lab, Danica put away the clay and other things she had obtained, and then decided to go talk to Celes again to see if the woman knew of any magic to better combat demonic entities.

When her knock on Celes' door went unanswered, Danica thought she would go check Marlena's room. Celes was going to deliver the potion Danica had made for her, and might have stayed there.

Celes was in the room when Marlena opened the door to let Danica in. "Thank you for the potion, Danica. I really overdid it last night."

"You're welcome. I've done that on more than one occasion too," Danica replied.

Celes smiled when Danica walked in. "I forgot to ask, was Brandon feeling better?"

Danica let a crooked smile creep across her lips, "I'd say so."

Celes rolled her eyes. "I don't want to know. Did you get what the madman wanted?"

"Yes, and some more clay and spell components as well. That's why I was looking for you, actually. A demon popped in and attacked the elves while I was there. It didn't even flinch when I hit it with a banishment spell, and it blasted me with some sort of dark magic that flung me away like a leaf in the wind. I was hoping you might know some magic that would be useful if it ever happens again. I didn't like feeling so powerless, and the thing carried off an elven woman."

Celes furrowed her brow. "I know a few spells, but it sounds like that one has gathered a lot of power. If I hadn't abandoned my mother's craft and her book, I could probably offer you some real protection. Mother always said that a witch's purpose in life was to destroy demons and those who serve them. I'm sure she knew potions and charms that could protect you, and destroy them."

"Destroy them? I thought you couldn't destroy demons, only send them back to where they came from when they were in this plane," Marlena observed.

"Not with the Art," Celes explained, "But witchcraft can truly destroy them. Some elven magic can too."

"I wish you'd been with me. You might have been able to save that poor woman," Danica sighed.

"I don't think I'd have been much help against a demon that strong. I don't know enough of the craft, or enough about my powers."

"One of the elves said it wasn't always a demon, that it had once been a man," Danica added.

Celes blew out a whistling breath. "That's bad. Those things are a plague upon the world. They can't be banished because this is their natural place. They can be sent to the lower planes with the magic, but they can return immediately where a normal demon would be stuck there. Did it offer a name?"