Wind Blown Ashes: Episode 8, Leaving the Library

New spells in her book it is time for Ashes to move on.

Ashes burned her notes; again. This time, relief filled her as two different scholars watch her do it. She dearly wished she dare remove, and burn, the three spells she came up with from these notes, but didn’t dare while she wore that ring.

Chances were, those spells wouldn’t help. Having read that book and made those spells, she feared that ring now more than ever. Her mistress should have taken it from her even if it required taking her arm. A child such as she had been, could not make a rational decision on such a thing, and that decision should have been made for her. Ashes had no clearer sign that her mistress didn’t like her than the fact she hadn’t taken that ring.

“It isn’t nearly as hopeless as it seems. Nor is Durgon’s Option called for,” Benz said, appearing to have followed her thoughts.

She shivered. “No, I am not yet ready to have my soul sacrificed to one of the Gods of Light to keep me out of the abyss.”

Scholar Astin spoke. “Maybe you should before it is too late. Having your soul trapped in an altar is far better than being the possession of a demon, even an imp. If you call on that imp, that will no longer be a possibility.” She paused to look at Ashes. “You will call on it. Something will force your hand. Seven times that imp has gotten the soul of the person who called on it as those diamonds testify.” The old gray-haired woman shook her head, then continued, “Less than one Gray sorcerer in a thousand becomes powerful enough to remove such a ring. Sorceresses of the Gray reaching that level are even rarer. Most have to dedicate themselves to either Light or Dark to get that level of power. You have no chance now at Light, and Dark would mean something worse than an Imp gets your soul.”

With that, she picked up the cast containing the tome and left.

Scholar Benz sighed, then spoke. “Scholar Astin, having charge over such powerful tomes, has made her skeptical of other’s abilities. She hears almost only of failure, and little of success. Though I have been accused of being overly optimistic since I am surrounded by tomes of those that succeeded. You yourself have already succeeded well beyond what you expected in entering the library. Instead of a single spell added to your spell book, you have added six.”