Chapter 556: A Complicated Plan
"We have a plan that I think will make the best use of each of our skills," Aspakos said, gesturing to one of the slate boards sitting nearest to Hauke that depicted an intricate series of chains wrapped around the young Frost Walker’s horn.
"We have two plans, if the Mother of Trees is willing to hear me out," Erkembalt said. "But it depends entirely on her ability to regrow a severed horn. I’ve been told that witches possess a unique magic that can regrow..."
"No," Ashlynn said, immediately putting a stop to the artificer’s train of thought without letting him finish his sentence. "I do know the magic that you speak of, but the costs to use it are far beyond what anyone should be asked to pay. Unless you’re willing to sever your tail and blind your eyes to pay the cost, you should forget any notion of solving this problem by severing his horn," she said firmly, giving the artificer a very pointed look until he nodded in understanding.
"As I was saying," Aspakos said, placing a reassuring taloned hand on Hauke’s shoulder when he noticed the bright white sheen on the young Frost Walker’s horn. "We have a plan that will make the best use of each of our skills."
"The curse that binds Hauke is like a knot tied with seven strands," the feathered sorcerer explained, tapping on the diagram. "Each strand binds one of the core magics that comprise Frost Walker sorcery, and they have been pulled together into a braided knot with strands passing over and under each other in an intricate pattern that’s held under constant tension."
"The tension is the hard part, and it’s why I keep suggesting, er, that is," Erkembalt stammered when he felt the dark look from both Ashlynn and Aspakos. "The tension has to be released gradually, or the backlash of severing one of the chains binding him may burn out his ability to use that form of magic. If enough of them rebound, then even if he keeps his horn, it will become half dead, and he’ll be no different than a goat when it comes to using his horn for sorcery."
"You could be kinder, Friend Erkembalt," Aspakos said, giving Hauke another reassuring squeeze. "But that is the gist of it. In order to untie this knot, we have to sever each strand multiple times, working from the tip of his horn toward the base, severing them in sequence to release the tension until we can cut away the last of it."
"I’ll pull at the web of chains," Erkembalt said, waving his sharply pointed claws, revealing that each of them had been sheathed in an intricately carved silver blade, turning simple claws into precise surgical instruments with enough sharpness to tear through even the most stubborn curses. "All I can do is create a little space between the horn and the binding curse, the rest is up to you."