[ WP ] After the Dark Lord conquered the realm everything turns out really damn good .

Samef was about as fit as a man of his age could be, and was very used to climbing stairs in his armor, but even he was beginning to lose the feeling in his legs by the time he reached the top of the tower. He envied Nalia and Telail for their lighter kits, although they were less physically fit and were suffering from fatigue as well. 
 
 What was the matter with sorcerers and unreasonably tall towers? 
 
 Samef and his small company, which consisted of his daughter Nalia and their companions Telail and Urrim, emerged through the hatch to the highest room. The area was sparse; there was no roof and the walls were only waist-high, and the only piece of furnishing in the place was a kind of altar opposite the hatch. The altar was translucent, like quartz, and held a faint prismatic glow in the desert twilight 
 
 `` Ah, I was wondering when you would make it here'', called the voice of Arrnai, a vicious and wicked woman and the target of the company's expedition, presently emerging from behind the altar. `` Although I did manage a fairly good rest in the meantime, considering the fact that I was sleeping on cold marble...'' She was interrupted by a bolt loosed from Urrim's crossbow, which burst into a shower of feathers on its way to the villain, and harmlessly fizzled out of existence as it landed on the floor. 
 
 `` Tisk, tisk. I would expect better of you if I did n't know better, Urrim. At least you should let Telail brief you before attacking a location fortified by magic.'' Samef noticed Telail tense slightly, clearly upset at being embarrassed in front of a rival mage. 
 
 `` As I was saying, though, I am sorry about the height of this building, but I had to ensure that this location was remote enough that we could complete our present encounter privately before any of your reinforcements arrive.'' 
 
 `` You're mad, sorceress'', accused Nalia. `` Do you just want to fight us alone to stroke your ego?'' 
 
 `` No such thing, my darling'', said Arrnai, `` I need you here to finish the rite.'' 
 
 Samef felt the blood drain from his extremities as the realization struck him. `` We've been tricked'', he muttered to the party as his soldier's mind began reworking plans of attack as plans of retreat. 
 
 `` By Heaven,'' exclaimed Telail, `` I know what this is now. There are many rites and rituals for acquiring power, but if she needs us as part of the ritual... it could only be... no one could have anticipated...'' 
 
 Samef must have wished ten thousand times for Telail to be rendered speechless, but now was not the time. 
 
 `` My dear fellow sorcerer, I will save you the trouble of explaining the matter in your nervous state. Simply put, your ally now knows what spell this is, and it is much grander than he could have imagined. It also betrays my age, as the ritual must be completed in ten increments, one every ten years, and this is the final enchantment. Of course, looking as young as I do, he would have ruled the possibility out. Further, I must confess that I am actually quite a bit more powerful a magician than I have let on. You see, to be as brief as I can and still convey the gravity of the matter, there is a spell thought to have given the gods their power over nature long ago, no person in recorded history has been able to complete this spell, and I am about to change the latter.'' 
 
 `` You demon'', spat Nalia. 
 
 `` Please, child. There will be time for name-calling, and certainly time for the fight you all so desire,'' at this she eyed Urrim, who had finished impotently reloading her crossbow. `` For now, we must talk. Before this night is through, you will help me to complete the spell, and you will do so of your own will.'' 
 
 `` Telail'', said Samef, `` is it possible for a sorcerer to affect the will, considering how powerful Arrnai claims to be?'' 
 
 `` No,'' answered the mousy young man, `` not by magic, at least. But any person can affect the will by wielding language skillfully enough.'' 
 
 `` All true,'' said Arrnai, `` although you neglected to mention that that limitation will no longer apply to me once I've completed this casting.'' 
 
 `` Still, there is nothing you could say to make us choose to help you,'' protested Samef. 
 
 `` The dusk is young, yet,'' replied Arrnai with a smile. `` You have no way to attack me here, and no way to escape. Please sit and hear my story.'' 
 
 Arrnai sat at that, and soon Samef, Telail, Nalia, and, reluctantly, Urrim, followed suit. 
 
 ( continued in reply )
