actually possible to regain what you have lost. If I'm to get what I desire, I will need you to be more than you are in your current state. Your skill with magic may be helpful, but you will need to do more than utilize enchanted items."
The hope of regaining his core seemed to grow brighter, and Neltus was more than willing to bargain with the ghoul.
"What do you need from me?"
Baannat knew much of Neltus' history, had witnessed portions of certain battles. He had seen the wizard's involvement in many important events since the return of magic to Uton, but the ghoul needed details regarding the removal of Neltus' magical essence.
"Place your mind in the past. Think of the moment you lost your core. Consider every detail. Leave nothing out. I will know this story completely."
Neltus did as he was told. He recalled every aspect of the battle which led to the removal of his core.
Baannat used his own twisted magic, energy that fluctuated in and out of existence, to peer into the memories of the human. He spoke in a low growl as he witnessed the events which led to Neltus' loss.
"The demon lord, Reiculf, took control of both your body and your mind. Through you, he brought his great powers into Uton. He planned to take control of the wizard Enin in order to spread his malevolence throughout all of existence. The ghost captain, the protector of Burbon, arrived to save the land, but at a great cost to you. He removed your core and broke the link between you and the demon master."
"Yes," Neltus confirmed.
"You ran off. Without magic, you were nothing. You learned that Enin also lost his core, removed by the same warrior spirit. You began to realize if Enin lost his magic, then there was little hope of you regaining yours. Still, you tried in vain to regain your core, but everything failed. When your last efforts proved fruitless, your desperation led you here."
Baannat grew quiet as he considered all that he had seen in Neltus' past. He saw weaknesses he could exploit. Neltus could become a very useful pawn... if utilized properly.
"The ghost captain is the key to your wishes," Baannat finally offered with a snarl. "He is the one who took your core. He is the one who must retrieve it and return it to your essence."
The proclamation did little to enhance Neltus' optimism. He had hoped Baannat would be able to rebuild his core, not offer useless advice.
"He won't do that! All he cares about is that stupid town of his."
"You will have to convince him otherwise."
"But I can't fight a warrior spirit! I wouldn't be able to defeat him even if I still had my core."
"I might be able to help you in that regard," Baannat replied.
"You can defeat a ghost?"
"What am I? I am both more and less than a physical presence. How does that differ from a ghost? I know more about this spirit than you can imagine. He cannot be defeated as would some spell caster or human warrior, but he has his weaknesses. It is a matter of exploiting those weaknesses."
"What weaknesses? What do we have to do?"
"First, we have to come to an agreement. If I am to assist you, you know I will want something in return."
Neltus would have given almost anything to regain his magic, but he was not so foolish to give an open-ended promise. He needed to understand the full cost before he agreed to any bargain with the slink ghoul.
"What do you want?" Neltus asked, his unease apparent.
"You were right in your previous assumptions. I want souls to torture, souls brought into my domain, but I will not waste my time with some insignificant boy or any other pathetic individual you might find so easy to defeat."
Neltus considered what soul would fulfill the ghoul's desires. The obvious choice was one that he believed remained beyond his reach. Handing over someone else's soul was not beneath him, but he also had to face certain realities.
"Even with my magic, I don't think I could get Ansas. I could try, but I don't think I could make that promise."
"The promise
The hope of regaining his core seemed to grow brighter, and Neltus was more than willing to bargain with the ghoul.
"What do you need from me?"
Baannat knew much of Neltus' history, had witnessed portions of certain battles. He had seen the wizard's involvement in many important events since the return of magic to Uton, but the ghoul needed details regarding the removal of Neltus' magical essence.
"Place your mind in the past. Think of the moment you lost your core. Consider every detail. Leave nothing out. I will know this story completely."
Neltus did as he was told. He recalled every aspect of the battle which led to the removal of his core.
Baannat used his own twisted magic, energy that fluctuated in and out of existence, to peer into the memories of the human. He spoke in a low growl as he witnessed the events which led to Neltus' loss.
"The demon lord, Reiculf, took control of both your body and your mind. Through you, he brought his great powers into Uton. He planned to take control of the wizard Enin in order to spread his malevolence throughout all of existence. The ghost captain, the protector of Burbon, arrived to save the land, but at a great cost to you. He removed your core and broke the link between you and the demon master."
"Yes," Neltus confirmed.
"You ran off. Without magic, you were nothing. You learned that Enin also lost his core, removed by the same warrior spirit. You began to realize if Enin lost his magic, then there was little hope of you regaining yours. Still, you tried in vain to regain your core, but everything failed. When your last efforts proved fruitless, your desperation led you here."
Baannat grew quiet as he considered all that he had seen in Neltus' past. He saw weaknesses he could exploit. Neltus could become a very useful pawn... if utilized properly.
"The ghost captain is the key to your wishes," Baannat finally offered with a snarl. "He is the one who took your core. He is the one who must retrieve it and return it to your essence."
The proclamation did little to enhance Neltus' optimism. He had hoped Baannat would be able to rebuild his core, not offer useless advice.
"He won't do that! All he cares about is that stupid town of his."
"You will have to convince him otherwise."
"But I can't fight a warrior spirit! I wouldn't be able to defeat him even if I still had my core."
"I might be able to help you in that regard," Baannat replied.
"You can defeat a ghost?"
"What am I? I am both more and less than a physical presence. How does that differ from a ghost? I know more about this spirit than you can imagine. He cannot be defeated as would some spell caster or human warrior, but he has his weaknesses. It is a matter of exploiting those weaknesses."
"What weaknesses? What do we have to do?"
"First, we have to come to an agreement. If I am to assist you, you know I will want something in return."
Neltus would have given almost anything to regain his magic, but he was not so foolish to give an open-ended promise. He needed to understand the full cost before he agreed to any bargain with the slink ghoul.
"What do you want?" Neltus asked, his unease apparent.
"You were right in your previous assumptions. I want souls to torture, souls brought into my domain, but I will not waste my time with some insignificant boy or any other pathetic individual you might find so easy to defeat."
Neltus considered what soul would fulfill the ghoul's desires. The obvious choice was one that he believed remained beyond his reach. Handing over someone else's soul was not beneath him, but he also had to face certain realities.
"Even with my magic, I don't think I could get Ansas. I could try, but I don't think I could make that promise."
"The promise
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