will know. It is clear that he can sense the sword’s power or he would not have been able to stop me yesterday. We must make sure he believes that the sword remains at the Keep. It is with that mistaken belief that you will be able to approach and catch him unawares.”
He produced an oddly shaped leather pouch that he used to cover the hilt and pommel, tying it with small straps to the scabbard. Satisfied, he handed the sword to Jake.
As Jake took the sword, he could feel gentle warmth seeping through the leather. He propped it up against his chair and faced Tomaris.
“What if I need its power?” he asked. “If we are going to die and the sword can save us, what am I to do?”
“If your lives depend on it, of course you should use its power,” the old man said. “I am not asking you to sacrifice your life to maintain the deception. Just know that if you use it, the demon lord will be forewarned and your task will be much harder. The demon will have time to prepare and our best chance of success is to catch him by surprise.”
Jake nodded glumly. Hailyn reached over and gave his hand a squeeze of reassurance.
The doors of the room opened and a couple of servants came in, carrying trays of food. After the food was on the table, the servants left, closing the door behind them.
“Please eat,” Tomaris said. Once they had begun to eat, he spoke again. “Before you leave, we must discuss this ability that Jake has demonstrated. This power you described is not something I have heard of anyone possessing. Having thought on it, I may have been wrong on the reasons the demons wanted you. I believed that the magic you wield was what made you different. It is now clear to me it is this new ability that they wished to control. They must have learned of it from the one you called Bruce.”
He shook his head slowly. “Imagine the possibilities. They could use you to control kingdoms, if you could get close enough to the ruler. You could help them crush any resistance by taking the will to fight from their enemies.”
“It is this will that the Creator has given man, the freedom to choose good or ill, that they detest. Due to their power and immortality, they see themselves as the rightful rulers of man. That a human could defy them inflames their hatred. The great irony is that the Creator also gave them free will and they used it to defy Him.”
“It is in this that I share Hailyn’s concerns, Jake. While I do not doubt your goodness, if you continued to strip the will from others, you may find that kind of power can be sweet. This Bruce, though he was under the demons’ dominion, should be a warning to you. He lost sight that the people he hurt and controlled were individuals with the right to choose their own fates. To take from them this precious gift sounds too close to what the demons do to those deluded fools that give themselves over, the ones you call half-men.”
He leaned forward slightly. “However, I will not say that you should not use this ability if you have no other option, as with the bandits. Just be aware of the risks and consequences of your actions.”
“One final caution, child. You should not use this ability on anyone under the demons’ influence. Their life energy is corrupted by the demons’ power. I do not know what will happen to you if you absorb that tainted energy. You said that you also pulled in the emotions of the men when you use it. Imagine the emotions to which you would be exposing yourself, if you drew in a half-man’s energy. Better to use your magic and destroy that person than to risk that consequence.”
Jake nodded slowly in agreement, taken aback. He had never considered that he might have to use this ability on half-men. Images of Matus and Surt flashed in his head. He shuddered slightly at the thought of taking in their emotions. “I will remember that, Tomaris,” he
He produced an oddly shaped leather pouch that he used to cover the hilt and pommel, tying it with small straps to the scabbard. Satisfied, he handed the sword to Jake.
As Jake took the sword, he could feel gentle warmth seeping through the leather. He propped it up against his chair and faced Tomaris.
“What if I need its power?” he asked. “If we are going to die and the sword can save us, what am I to do?”
“If your lives depend on it, of course you should use its power,” the old man said. “I am not asking you to sacrifice your life to maintain the deception. Just know that if you use it, the demon lord will be forewarned and your task will be much harder. The demon will have time to prepare and our best chance of success is to catch him by surprise.”
Jake nodded glumly. Hailyn reached over and gave his hand a squeeze of reassurance.
The doors of the room opened and a couple of servants came in, carrying trays of food. After the food was on the table, the servants left, closing the door behind them.
“Please eat,” Tomaris said. Once they had begun to eat, he spoke again. “Before you leave, we must discuss this ability that Jake has demonstrated. This power you described is not something I have heard of anyone possessing. Having thought on it, I may have been wrong on the reasons the demons wanted you. I believed that the magic you wield was what made you different. It is now clear to me it is this new ability that they wished to control. They must have learned of it from the one you called Bruce.”
He shook his head slowly. “Imagine the possibilities. They could use you to control kingdoms, if you could get close enough to the ruler. You could help them crush any resistance by taking the will to fight from their enemies.”
“It is this will that the Creator has given man, the freedom to choose good or ill, that they detest. Due to their power and immortality, they see themselves as the rightful rulers of man. That a human could defy them inflames their hatred. The great irony is that the Creator also gave them free will and they used it to defy Him.”
“It is in this that I share Hailyn’s concerns, Jake. While I do not doubt your goodness, if you continued to strip the will from others, you may find that kind of power can be sweet. This Bruce, though he was under the demons’ dominion, should be a warning to you. He lost sight that the people he hurt and controlled were individuals with the right to choose their own fates. To take from them this precious gift sounds too close to what the demons do to those deluded fools that give themselves over, the ones you call half-men.”
He leaned forward slightly. “However, I will not say that you should not use this ability if you have no other option, as with the bandits. Just be aware of the risks and consequences of your actions.”
“One final caution, child. You should not use this ability on anyone under the demons’ influence. Their life energy is corrupted by the demons’ power. I do not know what will happen to you if you absorb that tainted energy. You said that you also pulled in the emotions of the men when you use it. Imagine the emotions to which you would be exposing yourself, if you drew in a half-man’s energy. Better to use your magic and destroy that person than to risk that consequence.”
Jake nodded slowly in agreement, taken aback. He had never considered that he might have to use this ability on half-men. Images of Matus and Surt flashed in his head. He shuddered slightly at the thought of taking in their emotions. “I will remember that, Tomaris,” he
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