Lora’iel clicked his tongue, head rolling on his shoulders. “No one speaks it for fear more power will be given to the chaos meant to consume the realm.”
“Well,”—Damien held out the box with the bit of clay inside, and Amma could see in his stance his own discomfort, reminiscent of when they so quickly fled the Stormwing manor in Elderpass—“if you know this One True Darkness’s form, I suppose you could mold it with this, but even then, I doubt any of you are capable of bringing about the end times with it. It is just an illusion, after all.”
Lora’iel did not move to take it, leaving Damien there with his arm outstretched, almost as if he were pleading, and not for the trade, but for something else. Something like acceptance.
Amma grabbed the box from Damien and thrust it at Lora’iel. “Here.”
The elf backed away. “But it’s…it’s…”
“It’s no different than any other magic,” she said, hearing the brusqueness in her words but not caring. “If it’s infernal arcana or earth arcana or pretend-ghost arcana orwhatever, you’re using it to protect yourselves and this forest, so that must mean it’s good, right? What’s the big deal?”
Lora’iel was taken aback, but gingerly received the illusion. “Well, I’m just not sure what to say to that.”
“You could say thank you.” She planted her hands on her hips, scowling up at him. When the elf simply swallowed, she cocked her head. “Well, go on.”
He mumbled out some very unimpressive gratitude. Amma was not yet pleased.
“And you know what else? You can apologize.” She gestured to Damien, noting that he looked almost as afraid as the elf she was chastising. “I find your hasty judgment and your refusal to cooperate while Damien’s been working so hard to help all of you completely unacceptable. It’s bad enough you refuse everything he offers, but then to insult his heritage and his prowess? You should be ashamed.”
“I, uh…” Lora’iel nodded in agreement and stuttered, “I am remorseful for my words and actions.”
Amma gave him a contrite nod, arms crossed, standing with her chin jutting out, and then she cleared her throat and settled down, stepping away. She felt Damien watch her as she hurried back over to the knoggelvi where Kaz sat, glaring at her shrewdly, bundled in his sweater. After Damien taught them the Chthonic words and they made a few attempts at conjuring and squashing different possible beasts, they were finally free to be on their way.
Elves were rumored to have a quick way to step through forested lands, and this proved correct. They took a path that was lined with rocks, each of which their escort, Vespa’riel, knew by name. With just a few steps, they were traversing wide swaths of the wood, though it felt only like a simple stroll through the forest. During their walk, Damien asked Vespa’riel about the Lux Codex, and the elf had a number of stuttered out answers for him, mostly vague and overarching, but when he asked about its relation to infernal magics, she finally had a question for him instead.
“What do you intend to do with this book?”
“Nothing to the Gloomweald,” he told her flatly, “so it is not your concern.”
Vespa’riel cast a wary glance at Amma. “But you’re solely interested in scholarly pursuits, yes?”
“Yes, of course,” he said dryly. “Now, what is its physical effect on those who are touched by the Abyss?”
“Hives, burning, eventual necrosis, and death.”
“And the spells contained within. Do they…that is, is it possible they…reverse certain effects of other magics?”
Vespa’riel tapped her nose in thought. “Well, um, I don’t know exactly because it’s not meant to be used that way. It’s a book of goodness and light, like the name says.”
“Sure, but that means it must have some mending or…say, healing spells within it? Maybe even, I don’t know…curse removal? Artifact…purging?”
At this Amma looked a bit more sharply on the path ahead of them, the wood thinning and a brightness beyond the trees. Damien hadn’t been clear what he wanted the book for, and Xander hadn’t told him much about it except that it was deadly. Kaz seemed to notice too, and from his place where he rode on the head of one of the knoggelvi, he leaned forward between its ears to listen harder.
“I’ve never seen it, mind you, I just know about its history,” said Vespa’riel, “but I imagine it must be heavy with clerical magics and thus arcane healing. I believe, in fact, it has the only proven resurrection spell in existence within its pages.”
Damien nodded then, accepting this, and they reached the exit to the Gloomweald. Vespa’riel prepared to leave them, but hesitated a moment, fidgeting from foot to foot. “I feel as though I should say, if you do come in contact with this book, it should be preserved, not destroyed.”
“Yes, of course, old words written down aren’t just important to archivists,” Damien said heedlessly.
“No, I mean, its use may be required and soon,” Vespa’riel said, more courage to her words. “Lora’iel was not exaggerating about the whispers on the wind, but he was not entirely forthcoming either. There is a rot in the earth.”
Damien appraised the small elf. “You’ve seen this rot?”
“Just as I’ve taken you to the edge of the Gloomweald so quickly, elves can travel to other forests in the same way. We’ve sought out the rot, and we’ve seen it in the Kvesari Wood, northeast of the realm. We believe it is a result of what the others call The One True Darkness. That isn’t its name, obviously, but that is what it brings. Its intent is to blight out the entirety of existence. It is called E’nloc, and it is nearly as old as Dil’wator’wovl, though made up of things even older.”
Amma’s stomach twisted, watching the sincerity set in Vespa’riel’s features, not even fear, but sadness.
Damien only appeared to be puzzled. “And you think it is wise to tell a blood mage, a demon spawn, that he should not destroy a book that could protect against this evil?”
