Into the Wastelands: Book Four of the Restoration Series by Christopher Williams Page A

together and then he had returned to the normal world and been gone for weeks. She probably thought he had been avoiding returning out of choice.
    “Uh,” Flare said, not really sure what to say.
    Diana turned her gaze on him and her eyes opened wide at the sight of the ropes and his general appearance. “What happened to you?” she demanded. The anger disappeared and was replaced by concern.
    “I was captured by agents of the Church,” Flare answered, “one of them is a monk who can use sorcery and he carries a sword.”
    Diana’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. “I thought you said the Church hates sorcerers.”
    “They do,” Flare agreed, “but apparently they hate me more.” He held up his bound hands in front of him. “A little help, please.”
    She took a step forward, caught sight of the medallion around Flare’s neck, and froze. Her eyes widened again and her right hand unconsciously went to her thr oat. “Where did you get that?” s he asked, her voice barely louder than a whisper.
    Flare took a deep breath. “The same monk that captured me also put this around my neck. It’s pure torture when I try and use sorcery.”
    She nodded. “I know.”
    It took a moment for the words to penetrate. “What do you mean you know?” Flare asked. “Do you know what this thing is?”
    “Yes,” Diana answered somewhat confused, “don’t you?”
    Flare shook his head. “No. I’ve never heard of anything like it.”
    Diana was silent for a moment and then started speaking quietly. “When I was studying to be come a sorcerer, an apprentice was required to travel to the tower of Rayamandor . The last step for an apprentice to become a sorcerer was to pass certain tests. Once those tests were completed, the council would place this medallion around the apprentice’s neck.” She paused and glanced at the medallion again. “Or at least one very much like it. The apprentice was commanded not to use sorcery until told otherwise.” The council knew that sooner or later the apprentice would use sorcery and experience the pain of the medall ion.” She took a deep breath, “W ell do I remember when I tried. The pain was unbelievable.” She notic ed Flare’s look of confusion, “I t wasn’t a test. Rather it was a demonstration of the power of the medallion. The medallion was the worst punishment that the council could bestow on a sorce rer.”
    “You can take it off of me, can’t you?” Flare asked a little worried. If this was the worst punishment for a sorcerer, then did that mean that it was impossible to remove? Early on, he had tried to remove it, but it had nearly burnt his hands when he touched the cool metal of the medallion.
    Diana smiled, sensing the anxiety in Flare’s words. “Relax. It only works if placed around the neck of a sorcerer by another sorcerer, but any sorcerer can remove it as well.” Then she stepped around behind Flare and he felt her hands fighting the small clasp on the back of the metal necklace. After a moment it came loose and Diana removed the medallion from around his neck.
    Breathing a sigh of relief, Flare closed his eyes and reached out to use his spirit. Immediately his senses seemed sharpened all the aches and pains of his body receded. He smiled and opened his eyes. He was somewhat taken aback by Diana. She was staring at the medallion and studying it closely.
    Flare opened his mouth to ask her again to cut his bonds, but then he remembered he didn’t need to. Instead he directed his spirit and something like air sliced through the bonds and the ropes fell away.
    Pushing himself shakily to his feet, Flare stood there for a moment just rubbing his wrists. A good six inches of his forearms were red and enflamed.
    He looked back at Diana and she was still studying the medallion. “Is everything all right?” he asked.
    Diana looked up from the medallion and smiled. “Yes, everything is fine. I just haven’t seen one of these is so long.”
    “I hope to never