The concern was justifiable, but there was nothing he could do about it. The danger to him was no greater than the danger to all those that faced the goblin uprising. He guessed Enin already considered the potential hazard and that was why the powerful wizard entered Heteera's mind. Jure would hold to hope that either Heteera would decide to do what was best, or that Enin would find a way to stop her. He could see no reason to wait.
Before establishing his link to the energy within Heteera, he concentrated on his spells. He needed to have them ready as the flow of power would be tremendous. He knew the magic sought purpose, and he would give it exactly what it required.
Deciding to follow Enin's earlier spells as a guide, Jure prepared two incantations to give him sight across the valleys. He chose not to utilize lightning, but something of a more enduring nature and wider scope to serve as the anchor. He would embed a second spell, a sight spell, within the first casting and his awareness would spread across the region.
Prepared for the flood of magic, Jure reached into the recesses of Heteera's consciousness and took hold of the barrier spell that he created long ago. Despite his preparation, the surge almost tore him apart. He wrestled with the deluge as he focused on his first two spells. After he spoke the final words of the incantation, the ring of white magic that surrounded his chest rose up into the sky with the speed of a lightning bolt.
High overhead, the circle of magic began to spin faster and faster. The outer edges expanded, but the inner hollow collapsed upon itself. It formed a great white ball of fire in the sky, a source of light that was brighter than the moon in its full phase. Only the sun itself was brighter, but it had long since set.
The magical orb bathed the entire region in light. It chased away the blackness of a night sky and blotted out the stars. The waves of magical illumination washed over every farm, outpost, town and city. Such was its brilliance that it brought the goblin insurgency to a sudden halt. The small monsters could not ignore the great star that rose over the valleys that offered a hopeful beacon and contradicted their dark plans.
Just as the rays of light spread across the land, so to did Jure's awareness. The surge of magic from Heteera continued to race into his essence, and the elder wizard directed it with incredible control. His second spell had quickly followed the first, and he embedded his sight into the beacon above. He gained near omnipotence over the Great Valleys, seeing everything at once. The rush of power fed his abilities to conceive a vast array of images. The torrent of knowledge could not overwhelm his thoughts since the magic raised his awareness to an equal standing.
In that moment, he saw it all. He saw every goblin, knew their exact position. He watched them stare up in uncertainty at the light in the sky. He saw the limits of their destruction and the misery they caused. He would bring it all to an end.
#
Before Jure blasted a hole in Prilgrat's home, Enin shed his essence from his body and stepped into Heteera's consciousness. It was exactly as it had been before. A small plot of level ground served to hold the sorceress' limited connection to reality. A ghostly representation of Enin's form stood upon that empty, lifeless space as he inspected the status of the sorceress' mind. The barren gap appeared stable but limited, as the great mound representing the barrier completely encircled and overwhelmed the lonely space.
The sorceress had kept her promise. She only absorbed enough magic needed to maintain her condition. The incoming energy was but a gentle hum, and it eased into her essence to serve as sustenance for both the sorceress and the spell that constructed the barrier. The mound had not grown by even a whisker, and there was no immediate threat of a magical overload.
The lackluster mountains that encased the tunnel of magic remained strong. The thick walls would hold back the energy and prevent other spell casters from tapping into the magic. Of course, it was not designed to keep Jure away, just the opposite. The wall would open willingly for the elder wizard.
Enin stood upon the section of bare ground for only a moment, registering the phenomenal power encased in the apparent rocks that served as a physical representation of Jure's spell. Enin made no push to reach into the energy. Instead, he brushed his hand gently across the rock, checking the very pulse of the magic.
There was so much energy within the sorceress, Enin wondered how she could allow it to remain so bottled up. Yes, the barrier was constructed by another wizard to offset her lack of control, but she embraced the obstruction. She willed herself into isolated despondency despite the tremendous levels of energy that waited for her command; magic that could be shaped into spells of amazing power.
He reminded himself, however, that she considered the magic a curse and not a blessing. He could not misguide himself into believing she viewed the magic as he saw it. He had been gifted with uncanny control over the energy. She had little to none.
Still, the wizard sensed the desire for purpose buried deep within the mound. He believed that desire came from Heteera, but he could not be completely sure. Heteera's mind had once been a jumbled mass of confusion, and although she appeared to have reconstructed her consciousness into a coherent identity, she remained a tortured spirit. It was difficult to gauge purpose or meaning under such circumstances.
Jure insisted that Heteera meant no harm, and Enin believed that to be true. The sorceress never deliberately caused damage or injury. Any harm she caused from her actions was purely accidental.
Unfortunately, an accidental miscalculation over the next critical moments could cause a terrible disaster. Jure was taking a great risk, but as Enin considered Jure's plan, he realized it was a risk worth taking. It was simple yet bold, but it was also benevolent. It would require vast amounts of magic, but the magic was there, more than enough, perhaps too much.
Determined to see both Heteera and Jure through the endeavor, Enin willed himself over the barrier and deeper into Heteera's essence where he knew he could communicate with the sorceress. He crossed over the mountainous barrier in one forceful bound, and came to rest in the darkness of Heteera's self-inflicted isolation.
One flickering light waited in a cavernous hole of shadow, but it made no acknowledgment of the uninvited guest. As the wizard moved across the bleak nothingness, the light even tried to back away, but there was nowhere to go. The nothingness engulfed them both and movement within the shadows became relative to their distinct levels of will. As Heteera could not match the wizard's resolve, she ultimately gave up trying to escape.
"Heteera?" Enin called out.
"I thought we were done," the sorceress bemoaned, but with a near emotionless tone, not wishing to have another discussion, wanting only to return to the quiet of her isolation.
Once more, Enin realized how far the sorceress had withdrawn. She embraced the emptiness, and he suddenly worried how she might react if she feared it would be ripped from her consciousness. Before he could even attempt to save her, he had to prepare her for what he knew was coming.
"I'm here to warn you."
Heteera was through with warnings. She had found her sanctuary and wished only to submerge herself into it.
"The magic is stable. Leave me alone."
"It's not that. I know you've kept your word, but…"
He never got to finish. At that very moment, Jure linked to the magical energies caught behind the barrier. The surge of power was so strong that Heteera noticed it immediately, and emotion found its way back into her essence.