Balion, the dark tower, need feeback badly.

Roughly twenty leagues from where the young man had settled in for the night, Caius, the Summoner at the Dark Tower, was pacing up and down his study relentlessly.1

The gold inlayed desk where he would usually sit was empty, but the eyes of the two Criado in the room never left the intricately carved masterpiece.2

They new better than to watch Caius as he stalked back and forth raging. It wasn’t often that Caius lost his temper, maybe only a handful of times in the last decade, but tonight he was livid.3

“Are you two not my most powerful and trusted advisors?” Demanded the Summoner as he paced yet another circuit of the room.4

“Did I not give you the responsibility of keeping the students here in the grounds at all times? To make sure they stayed unaware of how they came to be here? Tell me, how was Balion able to avoid the detection sensors that you promised me would disable any student trying to leave?” Caius tone was deadly cool as he made his way to his seat facing the other two men.5

Caius sat and took a mouthful of the spiced wine from the jewel incrusted goblet.6

When he next spoke he made a point of keeping his tone civil, barely.7

“So are you going to tell me how this student managed to avoid your snares or not?”8

Both men raised their heads and were now looking directly at him, sensing that his temper was now held in check they felt it wise to answer as best they could.9

“The truth is we don’t know” said Ludo, always the more intelligent of the two he took up trying to explain.10

“The guards we spoke to said they didn’t see anyone either enter or leave. Said they didn’t even sense the presence of any Criado other than themselves. Our sensors still stand. With no effects showing that anyone left the tower grounds in the last two days, let alone one of the students. The only thing I can think of is that he has learned a way in which to hide his power.”11

Caius raised his eyebrows, “And what would make you think that?”12

“Because it’s the only way which I can think of that would allow him to leave the grounds, undetected with no sign of his going” answered the thick set Snowdoian.13

The Summoner nodded absently, he might have read somewhere before that that was possible, “Nothing is impossible, that I know well. But if he has found a way to hide his power he could be even more important than we thought. And the only way we will know for definite is to have him back here at the tower. What did his teachers say about his attitude in classes, and the way he was acting? Did they notice any changes in him?”14

Ludo shook his head, “They said he was the same as always, attentive in his lessons and progressing well.”15

Caius nodded his head, a small ironic smile playing on his features, “so he’s deceptive as well as clever. How comes no one mentioned more of this Balion to me before?” features returning to their previous annoyance, “And what reason would he have for leaving in the first place?”16

Ludo looked to his fellow advisor Saul, obviously thinking it time for him to start answering some questions.17

Saul gave a shrug of his shoulders, “We kept you informed of his progress the same we did with the other students. We didn’t note anything particularly different about him. He’s neither the most powerful nor intelligent of the students. As for his reasons for leaving, I think the only way we’re likely to find that out is from Balion himself.”18

Caius took another sip of wine. “You say he is so unremarkable? But yet he has evaded both your snares and your trackers. You need to stop underestimating. He is obviously more powerful than you know.”19

Looking at the two advisors with a cool hard gaze the Summoner gave his orders.20

“I want him found, no matter what. Make sure there are at least two Criado in all the major cities this side of the river Ren. I also want our Criado in the Hall to be informed, just encase our runaway student gets any fancy ideas. You two have served me faithfully for many years, do all in your power to bring him back here alive. And DON’T let anything like this ever happen again.”21

The threat in his words was clear. It said - if you fail me again, it will be the last time.22

Both quickly nodded their agreement.23

“Leave me. I have things to see to before I can retire this night.”24

Once the two ever faithful - and usually competent - men had scrambled out, closing the door silently behind themselves, Caius let out a wary sigh. Why did things have to start going wrong when he was just starting to put his plans in order? The boy could be nothing. That was true. But it was also possible that he was the one he had been waiting the last eight years for.25

Now he would have to speak with his master and inform of what had occurred. He won’t be pleased with the current events, and Caius wasn’t looking forward to explaining how it came to pass that one of the potentials had managed to escape his grasp.26

Caius was scarred of no man. But his master wasn’t a man at all. He was something more. Something akin to a god, and it wasn’t good for anyone to displease a god, no matter how powerful they were.27

Warding the room with a small shield designed to keep out eavesdroppers, Caius relaxed in his chair.28

He made sure to get all of his emotions under control before attempting the long since memorized summoning spell. It wouldn’t do for his master to see the apprehension he had over the escapee.29

Chanting in low words, Caius opened himself up and surrounded the words with his power, giving them the force needed to penetrate into oblivion and get his masters attention. 30

The room went deathly cold as Caius came to the end of his mumbled chant.31

Over all the years that Caius had been a Summoner, the feeling of standing on the edge of a precipice just waiting for oblivion to swallow him up was not something he enjoyed doing.32

“Master” Called the Summoner, his voice laced with power.33

“It is I, Caius. I have news to bring you.”34

The presence in the room shifted at his words. There was no visible sign that anything untoward was happening in the room. But Caius felt the menacing power of his master’s gaze.35

As was usual, Caius calmed himself. Overriding the natural surge of terror that told him to flee that awful presence.36

“WHAT IS THIS NEWS THAT MY MOST TRUSTED SERVANT BRINGS TO ME. I SENSE YOUR APPREHENSION, WHATS WRONG CAIUS ?”37

Caius fumbled for words, he should have taken more time to get his emotions under control, “My master is as always very perceptive. One of the potentials has managed to escape my control. I hope to have him back very soon, but I thought you should be informed.”38

The terror redoubled as the last words left his mouth, and the presence in the room roared his anger.39

“ESCAPED! HOW IS IT THAT A MERE BOY COULD ESCAPE YOU CAIUS!? HAS HE ALREADY BEEN BROKEN!?”40

Caius held his hands to stop them shaking. It was obvious that his master would be able to sense how terrified he was, but he wanted to claim as much dignity as he could.41

“No Master.” His voice coming out as a coarse croak. “He has not been broken yet. My advisors say that he has learned a way to hide his power, giving him the ability to leave the Tower undetected. We are sending everything we have in his pursuit, it wont be long until he is once more under my control.”42

The presence was silent for a moment before it spoke again. What his master was thinking about Caius had no idea. The terror lessened as he started to become accustomed. It was a couple of minutes before his master next spoke.43

“IT IS POSSIBLE, CAIUS. FOR ONE TO HIDE HIS POWER. BUT IT TAKES THE UTMOST SKILL, AND IT USUALLY TAKES DECADES BEFORE ONE HAS THE RIGHT CONTROL OVER THEIR POWERS TO ACHIEVE IT.”44

Caius heart sank. When Ludo had told him his theory, he was sure he had remembered reading something about it many years ago. He had not bothered with wanting to learn it. He wanted people to KNOW how strong he was, not hide it.45

“So you think he is the one we have been waiting for?” asked Caius, half anticipating the answer and half dreading it.46

“IT IS POSSIBLE. BUT BECAUSE HE HAS SUCH GOOD CONTROL OVER HIS POWERS DOSENT MAKE HIM ANYMORE LIKELY.” Revilement flooded him at his masters words. Maybe it wasn’t that bad after all. Maybe he still had the one he had been waiting for in the tower. 47

“NEVERTHELESS” Carried on his master, “YOU MUST BRING HIM BACK IMMEADEATLEY. DON’T SUMMON ME AGAIN UNTIL YOU HAVE HIM, OR THE ONE WE‘ER AWAITING MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN.”48

Then the presence was gone, sending the room back into its normal ambience. 49

The usually self composed Summoner sat taking deep breaths, trying to calm himself.50

He hated having to speak with his master. He worshipped him. But the touch of oblivion he felt every time he summoned his presence was terrifyingly repulsive.51

Well, one has to make sacrifices to gain power. And what power he would have when his master finally arrived. 52

Caius smiled to himself as he thought about his masters coming, his mood improving significantly.53

The boy would be dealt with soon enough. His master had practically said he didn’t think he was the one. He would tell his advisers that if they could not bring him back alive, dead would do just as good.54

His master had said to bring him back. He didn’t specify in what condition. Surely if his master didn’t think he was the one, he wasn’t.55

Finishing the wine left in the goblet, Caius pushed up from his chair.56

Tomorrow he would see the guards punished for their failure, he had to keep all on a tight leash. A public lashing should do.57

The Summoner smiled at the prospect as he made his way through the connecting door leading to his sleeping chambers. 58