Delver Magic Book Xiii Concealed By Deceit

A wizard capable of casting in shadow magic seeks out Ryson Acumen in hopes of examining the Sword of Decree. The magic caster believes there is a secret hidden in the sword. Through the power of shadow, he tells the delver he can examine the history of the blade's enchantment. When Ryson decides to investigate further, he ventures into the heart of Dark Spruce Forest. He follows a trail of magic unaware of the deception behind the tale. When he returns home, he finds the town of Burbon under siege by an army of goblins and an old enemy waiting to exact revenge. Still believing the sincerity of the magic caster, Ryson follows the wizard's advice in hopes of removing the dark creatures from the land. He realizes too late that the spell caster has deceived him and that the welfare of the land has been placed in jeopardy. His friends are threatened and face incredible levels of destruction. Even the spirit of Sy Fenden is endangered. Realizing that escape is impossible, Ryson turns to an unexpected guardian and forces a confrontation with the spell caster.

Informed by a perceptive spell caster that gaps within the currents of magic reveal an ominous threat, Ryson Acumen begins his search for an individual capable of seizing magical influence. As the delver explores the forest of Dark Spruce, he discovers a curious trail of elves and dark creatures. He faces a perplexing wave of magical disturbances which encourage him to continue his pursuit even as they present challenging obstacles to overcome. While he remains on the trail, Ryson faces the convergence of another threat. In Demonsheol, Rul Saattan allows a human wizard to shape events within the demon breeding grounds. In an attempt to topple the forces of destiny, the demon lord unleashes the chaos of free will across his domain, and the structures of fate begin to tremble at the prospect. Though barriers around the realm restrict Rul's influence, they cannot contain the desires of a frustrated wizard intent on destroying the delver. When Ryson ultimately confronts both the demon lord and the wizard, he faces more than a test of faith. He is forced to consider the potentially conflicting roles of choice and destiny. The delver cannot dismiss the mysteries placed into his consciousness, but uncovering the answers threatens to leave him broken and vulnerable to the influence of the demon lord

After the tragic demise of a magic caster, Ryson Acumen questions the apparent injustices involved within the struggles of life and death. As he considers the apparent contradictions presented within past conflicts, he receives three prophetic visions from the Sword of Decree. The images contain scenes of death and destruction. There is no apparent connection within the horrors he witnesses, but he knows that all three tragedies could occur within days. Unwilling to allow such devastation to go unchallenged, he begins a search for answers. He believes the visions are connected to certain magical enchantments placed within the blade. He enlists the aid of two powerful spell casters as he hopes to unravel the mysteries of ancient energy and to defeat the misguided magic which thrives in shadows. As the visions move closer to reality, Ryson realizes he must do more than prevent a tragedy. By accepting his role among forces he can never possibly comprehend, he becomes part of a larger design to save the entire land from devastation.

Ryson Acumen wakes one morning to find his hometown surrounded by elves. A thrust of magic places the town of Burbon under the cover of a powerful spell, and only when the human village is completely sealed off does the elf leader, Standish Loftber, reveal his demands. Loftber knows that the human wizard, Jure, has taken possession of elf essence, and the elves will not leave until they retrieve what is rightfully theirs. Jure refuses to simply abandon what he views as a precious gift. He vows to retain the essence and swears to strive against any attempt to remove the magical energy. In hopes of escaping the town, the wizard enlists the help of his friends and companions. Ryson and Linda Acumen, Holli Brances, and Enin work with the wizard to break through the elf spell of distortion. The delver leads the group, utilizing his skills to deceive the elves and conceal any hint of a trail. They flee to the dark lands and struggle to find the one path which will steer them clear of a grave and costly confrontation with the elves.

Beyond the land of Uton where Ryson Acumen makes his home, the barrier which once surrounded Demonsheol has fallen. Demons can move freely from one realm to another and return to their homeland without consequence. The destruction of the barrier allows one demon taskmaster to make a startling choice which drastically impacts both realms. Turmoil does not end with the actions of a single beast. In Dark Spruce Forest, a seemingly innocent experiment turns into tragedy. The elf camp is thrown into chaos and the wizard Jure falls into a state of absolute despair. Unable to cope with the calamity, the wizard begins a journey toward self-destruction. Ryson is forced to act on several fronts. He must find Jure, stabilize the elf camp, and deal with a renegade primeval. When the delver finally faces the demon, he discovers that far more is at stake than any territorial claim. He struggles in a vicious battle only to realize that certain decisions are beyond his influence. In hoping to save the land as well as his own conscience, Ryson discovers the one possible solution is also a chance for redemption.

A rolling tremor passes through the land of Uton signaling a return of long absent magic as well as an ancient evil that accompanies it. Ryson Acumen, purebred delver, senses the changes and begins his explorations to discover the source behind the upheaval. In his investigations, he learns that legends he considered fables hold more truth than fantasy. The delver encounters elves and learns the Sphere of Ingar, a talisman that captured all magical energies long ago, is free from its tomb in Sanctum Mountain. As violent, evil creatures return to shred the very fabric of reality, the sphere gains awareness and chooses to spew corrupted magical energies to obliterate all life. The sphere must be destroyed, but it rests within Sanctum, a hollow mountain with a single path to its center. The way to the sphere remains defended by devices created long ago, forged by members of each race to thwart entry to the mountain's core. Those that wish to defeat the sphere must not only overcome these barriers, they must conquer the mistrust which has flourished during the long period of separation. Human, elf, dwarf, algor and delver must reunite to defeat the obstacles that now protect the sphere. Once inside Sanctum, representatives of each race face the secrets of the ages that once undone will change their lives forever.

After witnessing his own soul during an encounter with Reiculf—the lord of all demons—Ryson Acumen's unquenchable curiosity blossoms as he hopes to comprehend the larger meaning of his inner essence. While he begins a quest of spiritual understanding, he meets an old adversary on a quest of his own. The wizard of crimson spells, Neltus, has lost his magical core. Without it, he is unable to embrace the red energy which served him in so many ways. Determined to regain what was removed from him, the coreless wizard takes uncharacteristic risks, and without the delver's knowledge, joins forces with creatures of far more wicked intent. From the desert to the western shores, Neltus leads Ryson through twisted passages of betrayal. Foes from the past combine forces to threaten every level of existence, and the delver faces a warped menace in a new realm of deceit. In one devastating wave of upheaval, demons are freed from the restrictions which held them within their breeding grounds. Colossal fiends capable of destroying entire cities are unleashed on the land, and even the spirit warrior who guards Ryson's hometown is unable to stop them. The delver and his allies face a whirlwind of treachery as they stumble from one disaster to another. While the threats to Uton continue to grow, the delver takes control of the battle and brings the fight back to the demons' breeding grounds. Returning his focus to his initial quest, Ryson breaks through new barriers and allows a growing enlightenment of his inner essence to guide him against his enemies. A new perspective of the spirit offers the one path which may allow him to defeat the devious menace and save his friends.

Ryson Acumen finds that his time of service to the Land of Uton and its people is not yet complete. Together with Holli Brances and Lief Woodson, they must work together once more to end a growing threat and to meet their own undeniable destinies. It is not without loss or sacrifice as they struggle to battle grotesque forces of malevolence. Enemies once forgotten return to hold sway over each ensuing conflict. Under the conniving guidance of the serp Sazar, legions of dark creatures rise out of Dark Spruce Forest. Allying himself with a sorceress of power in the Lacobian desert, Sazar finds the strength to rule and turns his lustful eyes eastward. Targeting the outposts and farmlands surrounding Connel, the serp forms a dark army to bring terror to the humans. Even as Ryson and his elf friends struggle against such foes, they look to the powerful wizard Enin for aid, but the spell-caster remains withdrawn from nearly every clash. It is within him to decimate the entire horde, but the consequences of such intended actions trouble his very soul. An understanding of balance has taught the wizard more than caution, it has led him to the presence of a being of equal power, but a creature with intentions of malice. Enin's unwillingness to interfere in the choices of individuals is born of the belief that he must allow all those around him to seek their own path. While these paths may differ, each will lead those that travel them to their ultimate fate.