Infinitium

(Day 180) Aprilis 24th, 12th year of the Dragon, Age of Enlightenment

The Vizier watched as Ester, once again a young woman, strode off towards her quarters to get some clothes. He’d returned her to human form and listened as she made her report.

“Vizier, the former King of Venoran, Adamantadine, was 10 miles south of Venoran and walking along the road towards Crownport,” Ester had said.

The Vizier had asked her a few more questions to which she did not know the answers. He’d noticed that she hadn’t blushed or broken eye contact since returning to human form, even though she was naked. Some could shape change into a form and back out fully clothed. The spell he cast either destroyed the clothes or left them behind. When the target was returned to their original form they were naked. Ester had been informed of this and had still volunteered. Then she’d made her report with no thought to her nakedness. This acolyte knew her duty and would go far. He’d given her a gold piece for her diligence then set her to get dressed. As she turned a final corner and dropped out of sight he had to admit that the young lady was both responsible and beautiful. Should he pursue…

Returning his thoughts to more important immediate matters the Vizier made his way into the underworld of Andidreas Castle. The Vizier approached two guards standing in front of the catacomb entrance. They didn’t move as he stepped forward and through the door, as it opened, then closed, automatically as he passed through it. He stepped into a small chamber with a spiral staircase that led down to the various levels of the catacombs. The Vizier stepped into empty space and plummeted more than 300 feet before he landed safely due to a spell that had been added to the staircase long ago. The Vizier stepped through another door into a giant room filled with many wondrous items.

As the Vizier made his way down the center aisle towards the back of the room he thought about the fate of the mage Xsistant and how far into the future he had traveled. This had given the Vizier an idea about how to handle Adamantadine. The Vizier had come down to the catacombs to see if the item he thought he’d remembered seeing was still down here. There was the possibility another mage had used it though few knew of its existence. The Vizier stepped to a blank wall and placed his hand on a specific brick. A soft chime sounded, and a portal opened directly behind the Vizier. Turning he stepped through the portal and it closed behind him. Above him looking down was the naked form of a female demon armed with only a sword. The Vizier knew that anyone stepping through the portal without the proper enchantments on their body would have been killed Instantly as the sword she carried removed the target's head from their shoulder.

The Vizier stepped toward a glass case and opened it. Inside a single ring sat on a pillowed pedestal. He reached in and picked up the ring. The demon looked with interest until the treasure had been retrieved. The Vizier noticed that when no alarms went off the demon lost interest and the sword vanished. Examining his prize, he used Identity to make sure the ring was the one he thought it was.

Identify Success! Crux. This ring allows the wearer and everyone with 10 feet of them to travel to a target location or person. The target can be anywhere. Also, the ring can target persons even if they have traveled through time into the future. This ring bypasses all resistance and will deliver the wearer and everyone within 10 feet to the target location.

WARNING: This magical item is potent. Do not destroy this ring.

The Vizier reviewed the properties of the ring as he made his way back up to the castle proper. Next, he looked through the recruits casting Detect Alignment. He was looking for a recruit that still had some good left in her. He came across a young human woman. At only 19, Tasha was from a very poor family and had been conscripted to serve in the Army as either a pleasure toy or cook. For 10 gold The Vizier paid off her service commitment and also promised to send 10 gold to her family if she was successful. Intrigued she’d followed him back to his workshop where he’d given her the ring to wear, placed a Geas on her, and then removed her memory.

She could not give away a trap that she had no memory of. Next, the Vizier gave her the important task of finding and contacting Adamantadine on the road and delivering a message to him that he wrote and sealed while she waited. For this, he would pay her parents 10 gold, which allowed him to keep the promise he’d already made to her. Not seeing a downside to the bargain, she’d agreed. She was to get a good night’s rest, eat, then head out in the morning.

As he left his chambers the Vizier felt considerably happier than he had earlier. He made his way to Ester’s quarters and knocked on her door.

Still fully nude, Ester answered the door, “Yes Vizier,” she said offering for him to enter as she closed the door behind him.

“First, I would like to commend you on the awesome work you did, additionally I would like to let you know that I must send you out as a hawk in the morning.”

“The task?” she asked.

“I have written a message for Adamantadine that another is to deliver to him. I have also given her another task to complete. Your task will be to remain at least 100 feet away from her at all times and not return until she disappears with Adamantadine.”

“Sound’s simple enough, so I will be a hawk for a bit?” she asked.

“Yes”

“Was that the only reason you came to visit me?” she asked as she stood and moved toward the Vizier running a finger under her left breast.

A couple of hours later the Vizier turned as he was exiting Ester’s room and said, “We will meet in my workshop two hours before sunrise. I will cast the spell and then you will follow Tasha until her task is complete. Remember no closer than 100 feet. I would be disappointed if anything were to happen to you.”

Ester, now dressed in her Acolytes Robe nodded and replied, “Yes Vizier.”

The Vizier smiled as he closed the door and walked down the halls back towards his chambers. A smile was a very uncommon sight to see on his face which terrified those that did not know him well. Those who did know him recognized the smile for what it was, the indication that the Vizier was about to do something so heinous to their enemies that it would be spoken of for ages to come, at least they hoped so. There was a rumor that the king from up north was making his way south. Maybe the Vizier was smiling because he was taking care of that problem. Most hoped so as they passed him in the halls.