City of Jade

22

DARK DESIGNS

MID SPRING, 6E7

Nunde again locked himself in his quarters and once more quaffed the bitter brew. And after but moments he fell back as if dead. Yet his aethyrial self flew free, and for the fifth time in as many years, he arrowed east. He soared over land, and to his astral sight all shades and colors were reversed: dark was light; light, dark; crimson shone viridian; sapphire shone ocherous; amethyst, amber; ebon, alabaster; and the reverse. The night skies were bright and speckled with dark stars; the moon, black, reminiscent of Neddra. Faster than any eagle he soared, swifter than even a shooting star. And when he reached his destination, dawn at that place broached the horizon, the skies darkening, the leading arm of the black sun even then beginning to lip the rim of the world. Quickly, he flew to where a man slept, and there upon a workbench, Nunde’s aethyrial self saw that the labor had at last been completed.

He swiftly flew out from there and to an adjoining chamber, where another man slept with a woman lying at his side. She gave a small start as Nunde entered, and he was careful not to let his spectral essence touch her. In but a moment, she settled back into sleep. Cautiously, Nunde merged with the man, but in a heartbeat or two he flew free again.

Nunde then darted westward, for he could feel his aethyrial strength ebbing. Out from this land and over Xian and Aralan and down through Alban he soared, arrowing for Caer Pendwyr. At last he arrived, where he momentarily merged with yet another man, one well away from the palace, for he knew that place was warded against creatures such as he. Nunde then flew up and out and fled back to his vile sanctum ere his aethyrial strength gave out.

He rested a full day and all the next, and then went to his laboratory, where he slew several Drik and took their essence into himself.

Then he unrolled a map and called Malik unto him, and when the apprentice arrived, Nunde said, “My vengeance will soon fall due.”

“Indeed, master,” said Malik, dreading what would come next.

“It is time. Take the Drik and Chun and Ghok and others that I have assigned to you and march east to here”-Nunde’s finger stabbed down to the map-“where you or my chosen one will slay Aravan and all those with him. I care not if he is mutilated, just as long as you bring his corpse to me.”

And then Nunde laughed, Malik laughing with him, even as the apprentice’s gut churned with dread at what lay waiting at the place he was ordered to go.