Aaralon said nothing, certain that this new condition would be an unwelcome burden, but equally certain that he wasn't being offered a choice in the matter.
The instructor burrowed into a featureless wooden chest floating amidst the sea of magical odds and ends strewn across the floor and stacked against the wall. After a moment of searching, he appeared to find the object he had been seeking. Memp drew it out hooked on the claw of his index finger and extended it to Aaralon.
It was a small burlap bag that was circled in several layers of tight and intricately fixed runes. The runes were inked in silver but glowed slightly blue and hummed with intense power. Aaralon took the bag from the extended claw and closely examined the runes before touching the drawstring. It wasn't until he'd reached the third layer of arcane symbols that he recognized the pattern as one that he'd seen before in the Tome of Fire Flesh. They were runes of demon warding, and of great power. They were also, he knew, many grades stronger than those that he had used in the summoning circle for the Tar'oth.
"When you find princess Elsie, you will make her wear the contents. Look inside."
Aaralon loosened the drawstring and opened the bag. Inside lay a maroon leather collar much like those used on domesticated hounds and also worn by the larger of arch-mage familiars. The tarnished silver buckle was twisted and warped into strange, tangled curves that eluded the eye, but looked serviceable. A series of several spine-like protrusions studded the inside, sharp, and just long enough to penetrate skin and draw blood.
"Take it out," Memp instructed. |