Sunday Excerpt "Crucible"

Necromancer saw his opportunity and re-entered the conversation. “Perhaps I can be of assistance, My Master,” he said in a humble tone. “You may recall I still hold dominion over many powerful beasts of this world. Several of them roam the Sorrowful Sea. With a single thought I could order them to patrol the north shore looking for those who humiliated your Highness. Not only will they instantly notify me of a sighting, they can also prevent Linvin’s troop from crossing the lake. They are older than time itself and are unaffected by magic. Linvin will be checked until your arrival.”

“My arrival?’ Mandrean repeated in surprise. “My armies will close in and finish this troublemaker. That will be his fate. He will be trapped between the sea and my troops. Then he will die.”

Necromancer began to circle his master’s throne ominously. “So after all he has done to you and the Empire, you will not take the glory of killing the usurper for yourself? You would rather leave it for some brainless goblin on the giving end of a lucky strike? In the meantime, how many soldiers do you think he will annihilate? My guess is at least two Divisions. Say goodbye to Romadon any time in the future.”

“Not to mention the point of killing Grithinshield was to save face on your part. Dispatching armies to deal with one man will be seen as killing a fly by dropping a wall upon it. To gain any credibility, you must be the one who drives his blade through the impudent scum.”

“Stirring words,” Mandrean said in jest. “You would like me to fight Linvin one on one, wouldn’t you? It would give you great pleasure to see me fall.”

“You preclude that Grithinshield will be victorious. My Master is a far better warrior than he concedes.”

“If anyone should hunt him down and kill him it should be you, Necromancer. You alone have the magic to defeat him.”

“My Lord,” Necromancer said as he returned to his placating voice. “My vanquishing Grithinshield will not redeem your honor. After all, of everything that was destroyed today, your reputation is the most devastating on the list. Think of it. Death was just a hand’s reach away when Linvin held you hostage. Had you not accidentally slipped when you did, we might very well not be holding this conversation. He led you to the door like a dog. The Emperor I serve would never let that go unpunished. Nor would his predecessors. The Emperor I serve would chase down the vermin and kill him like a dog.”

The words moved Mandrean, but common sense prevailed. “Even if I were to confront Linvin individually, he would turn me to ashes with the Red Sapphire. I cannot compete with its power.”

Necromancer walked behind the throne so Mandrean would not see his visible frustration. Then he paused and thought. In a moment he addressed the Emperor again. “Let us say, for just a moment, the Red Sapphire was not an issue. Would you have any reluctance to confront Linvin then? Or would you still be afraid of the man who was your prisoner only this morning?”

Mandrean’s ego kicked up to another level. “He would be no match for me in combat without the stone. If he did not have it I would gut him like a fish.”

Necromancer smiled. He folded his arms behind his back and hovered into the center of the room. “Your skills are definitely formidable. He is clearly not your equal. So if you had power equal to the Red Sapphire you would have no reluctance to battle Linvin in individual combat?”