Chapter 378 - Uncooperative Spellbook

We're in the final stretch of Book 5 now! I've been rejuggling a lot of scenes to bring everything together, so it ended up taking an extra day. I've got the entire ending in first draft form though so I'm hopeful I'll be on time for the rest of the book. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

As the attention in the room focused on Hump, he was beyond caring. Too much had happened, and if he had a way to improve the situation, he had to speak up, even if there was a danger of things not working out.

There wasn’t much to it. Hump explained that he had worked on warlock formations in Sheercliff City and after encountering a similar gateway formation to this one beneath Fort Nordric, he had spent some time deciphering it. It wasn’t all true, but it was true enough. The Book of Infinite Pages had done the work for him.

“In summary, you’re confident that you can activate this formation?” General Korteg said.

“Reasonably. Until I attempt it, it’s nothing more than an educated guess. I suspect that once it’s open, our time to use the rift will be short, particularly if warlocks are waiting for us on the other side. If we’re to do this, we need our force to be ready as soon as the spell activates.”

General Korteg thought for a long period, thumbing his chin. “What are the odds of success, Wizard Humphrey? If you were to make another educated guess.”

Hump frowned, glancing to Aldric for a suggestion.

“This is on you, lad,” Aldric said. “You’ve given us an opportunity. There’s no shame if this doesn’t work out.”

“In which case, it’s a coinflip,” Hump said, trying to be realistic. “I’m sorry I can’t give better odds, but I don’t want to give you false expectations, General. There’s every chance this fails, and even if it succeeds, we may not end up in Alveron, but in some other realm the warlocks have access to.”

General shook his head. “Those odds are far better than we had.”

“Humphrey has a point,” Count Daston said. “This could take us anywhere. The warlocks may have an entire network of formations just like this.”

“Or it could be an ambush,” one of the members of the general’s retinue suggested. “And I mean no offence by this but feel the need to point out the obvious—Wizard Humphrey could very well be a warlock too.”

“A valid observation, but Wizard Humphrey has already proven his loyalties,” General Korteg said. “Not only does Count Daston speak highly of him, but I myself have heard of his great deeds since coming to Fort Nordric.”

“Indeed, General,” the man said. “My apologies, Wizard Humphrey. I meant no disrespect, only that these are dangerous times.”

Hump smiled, caught off guard by the high praise as well as the sincere apology of a Chosen that was likely of the sixth circle. “None taken. I understand your caution.” He looked at all the people that had vouched for him. “And thank you all for your confidence. Now if I may, whatever your decision, this will take some time for me to figure out. I suggest I begin now while you continue the discussion.”

“There is no need,” General Korteg said. “Begin your work, Wizard. As far as I see it, we have no choice in the matter.” He raised his voice, addressing the room. “It is more than just our cities at stake. There are forces at work here that even I am not fully informed on. We must reach Alveron, and we must do all we can to ensure the safety of King Henry and our temples.”

“The men must be informed,” Count Daston said. “I will go. They should know the day is not yet over.”

General Korteg nodded. “And I shall prepare a task force. Have the men eat, rest, and replenish what stamina they can. They must be ready, but it shall be an elite force that lead this effort through the breach.”

“In that, you and I are in agreement,” Count Daston said.

As Count Daston left the room, he placed a hand on Hump’s shoulder. “You’ve done well, lad. Whatever happens, you have my thanks.”

“Of course, sir,” Hump said.

“Inquisitor Tunnhill, I suggest you send for the warlocks held captive in the encampment,” Aldric said. “They may prove useful.”

The man nodded. “I’ll have a Chosen of Vesta retrieve them.”

***

Nishari trailed behind Hump as he approached the formation, dragging her feet as she walked. The little dragon was so tired she looked like she might just fall asleep standing up. Hump ran a hand over her head. “You stay with Celaine, sweets.”

Celaine directed her gently to the side and gave him a smile. “I’ll watch her.”

Hump smiled his thanks and turned his attention to the spell formation. He’d been confident a minute ago, but truly taking in the size of it changed that. Hump’s party and Wizard Aldric all looked at him as if awaiting some instruction. Hump stroked his chin wizardly. Ignoring the fact that the formation was inscribed in blood, Hump could tell just how masterful the workmanship was, even without understanding most of the runes. There was no light left in it—whatever essence the warlocks required to activate the spell was entirely used up now, which made it difficult to get a proper grasp of what he was working with.

His eyes caught on five circles around the centre of the formation, each of them containing an ashy powder. Hump glanced at Wizard Aldric. “Spell components?”

The wizard approached, leaning heavily on his cane as he half squatted for a better look. “I suspect so. Likely the spell requires catalysts to full function.”

“This is out of my area of expertise,” Hump said. “How do we figure out what catalysts are required?”

“Leave that to me,” Aldric said, groaning as he stood again. “I’ll have the inquisitors decipher the surrounding runes where they can—that should give us a clue. The captured warlocks may have answers too.”

“If not?” Hump asked.

“Experimentation.” Aldric grinned. “I’ll have an alchemist bring their stock. Warlocks typically utilise the same kind of ingredients—bones, blood, other bodily things. You focus on the formation, I’ll handle this.”

With that out of the way, Hump supposed the first thing to do was simply to test how it responded to his essence and then he would develop a plan from there. If luck was on his side, perhaps this would be all he needed to solve it. Hump studied the formation in his spellbook for a few minutes. He didn’t want to activate the spell, but he wanted to let his essence flow through the formation and feel how the runes responded to him.

“I’m going to activate the formation but not the spell,” Hump said, breaking the tense quiet that had settled over the room. “Don’t be alarmed if you sense any foreign intent or magic.”

People around the room stopped to watch, while Hump’s party along with Wizard Aldric stood nearby in the event that anything went wrong. Hump walked over to one of the runes to the left of the formation—a large, circular rune with many channels leading from it, each one layered with many smaller runes sprawled over the ground. Hump closed his eyes and breathed, envisioning the River and Waves as he prepared himself. In his mind, he saw the formation coming alight with essence—he felt the warlock magic he had come to know so well, the sickly intent, the soul infused power that drew so heavily on the life of others.

Hump braced himself for what he was certain would be a less than pleasant experience. His grip tightened on his staff, its familiar weight ground him as he touched to the central rune inscribed in blood. With an effort of will, he directed his essence into the formation. The lines of blood slowly filled with power, his essence trickling through them like water through cracks, snaking along the network of runes just as his spellbook has down him. Red light rose from them in an eerie mist that reminded Hump of the Red Fog. Around the room, there were a few words of alarm, but everyone here was an experienced professional. They stood by, waiting, watching for the unexpected.

Hump gritted his teeth as the formation pushed back with a force he hadn’t anticipated, its intent dark and vile. It slithered into his body like oil, slick and grimy beneath his skin. His blood felt think, tarnished by the wrongness of this power, a sickening sensation that penetrated all the way to his core. The air hummed as the power grew greater. Rune by rune, channel by channel, the great formation filled with essence. The red light filled the dungeon core chamber, illuminating the walls in red. Finally, it was full.

Hump felt a subtle but profound shift in the air, as if the magic had changed course. He glanced down at his spellbook, trying to figure out where he had gone wrong, only to see the formation fading before his eyes, replaced by a page on magical study.

It was happening again, just as it had happened when he’d recorded the formation under Fort Nordric—one the Book of Infinite Pages had refused to even name. Gylndaril was hiding it from him, but why? And why now?

Frustrated, Hump fought to maintain his grip over the formation, working on instinct to keep the runes fuelled with essence, refusing to let his intent become distracted. Suddenly, he felt a pull from within. Essence drained from him, not into the formation, but into his spellbook. His eyes widened in alarm as he stared at the leather tome. Immediately, he sensed the power of Glyndaril rising from inside, stealing away his strength.

“No!” Hump ordered in his mind, his word resonating with more force than intended, enhanced by the intent and essence of the formation.

Blue light erupted from the leather cover in response, shining along the spine and spilling into the air like smoke. The book trembled in his hands, the grain of the leather filling with essence like cracks of lightning, shifting as if it were alive. The essence that ran through it wasn’t just magic—it was something greater. From the centre, Glyndaril’s heartstone emerged, glowing with the pure, unfathomable power of divinity.

In an instant, the dungeon core chamber vanished, swept away as if it had never existed. Hump found himself standing in an endless expanse o blue sky, the ground beneath his feet gone and replaced by air. Before him, a silver owl appears, its feathers shimmering with a radiant light. The creature’s eyes locked onto his, twin orbs of the same piercing blue that stemmed from the spellbook. The light was so intense, it burned to look at, yet Hump couldn’t tear his gaze away.

NOT YET.

The voice boomed through the endless sky, not just heard, but rumbling deep in Hump’s soul. The sheer force of its intent sent a tremor through him. This was the unbridled intent of a god imparting its will on Hump. An order, not a request. A certainty. It was incomparable to the likes of the demon lord and Karlac.

Pain exploded in Hump’s mind. For a moment, everything went blank. His soul screamed in agony as the divine essence ripped through him, siphoning more of his strength. But beneath the pain, beneath the overwhelming orce of Glyndaril’s will, Hump had made his choice.

“There is no more time,” Hump shouted, his voice raw but filled with his resolve. “I must do this now.”

Glyndaril’s response came again, as loud and clear as before. NOT YET.

“That is not for you to decide,” Hump said. “The Book of Infinite Pages is mine, and I have no choice in this matter. The task must be done. The seals cannot be broken.”

The owl held his gaze and then gave a slow blink. The pressure relinquished, and Hump felt essence flood back into him, even more than was taken. Hump was once more back in the room, standing with his staff blazing, the essence of the spellbook linking with his focus. They blazed with the same bloody essence as the formation—the same power that now ran through his body. And before him, the formation had taken its full form.

The air trembled with the energy. The runes were fully activated, their purpose clear to him. There were still kinks to work out—the spell components had to be deciphered, the catalysts acquired—but instinctively, Hump knew he’d taken control.

He could do this. He would do this.