Pools of Darkness

by James M. Ward

  The knight bowed to the sorceress. “I will allow you to use the brazier if you promise that it be returned to a temple of Tyr after our mission is accomplished.”

  Evaine was clearly excited. “This is just the thing we need! A brazier like this can enhance my magic and improve our chances of finding the pool! Tomorrow, I’ll be ready to cast the spell. Miltiades, this is truly a wondrous gift from your god. Please thank him for me. Be assured it is in good hands.”

  Gamaliel handed his mistress a green silk handkerchief with a fine gold cord along its edges. The knight lifted the brazier. Evaine spread the handkerchief under the device. Miltiades placed the golden cap over the flame, and Evaine spoke a word of magic. Gathering the corners of the handkerchief upward and pulling on the golden cord, the brazier disappeared into a tiny, green silk pouch. Evaine slipped the cord over her wrist.

  “Miltiades, I promise the brazier will be returned to one of Tyr’s temples after Phlan has been restored.”

  Miltiades’s illusionary face smiled. “Please follow me. I have some items here for all of you. I think Tyr would wish you to have them.” The knight led the way deeper into the tomb.

  The scent of lilacs wafted up from inside the dank crypt. At one side of the chamber lay a small pile of equipment.

  “The evil army had a strange sense of honor,” Miltiades explained. “Because I defeated Zarl in battle, I was entombed with all his important possessions. I think there are some useful items for all of us.”

  The paladin sorted through the pile, handing items to his astonished companions.

  “Andoralson, please take this oak shield. Its protective power is great. You will not be struck by arrows, rocks, or catapult fire while you carry it.

  “Talenthia, this is a magical chalice of healing. By filling it with water or wine, you may create a healing potion once each week.

  “Ren, this is magical barding for your horse. Part of its magic is that it adjusts to fit any mount, even your magnificent beast. It is feather-light, and your horse won’t even know he’s wearing it. The spells on this barding will protect your mount from all magical attacks.

  “For you, Evaine, is this ring. It allows you to see creatures hidden from sight. You will know the presence of invisible creatures, those hidden by darkness, and those hidden by any magical means.

  “And for the fine Gamaliel.” The paladin dug deeper into the stack of equipment. “You obviously don’t fear magic the way some barbarians do. For you, I have a magical ring that will never allow you to be poisoned. Whether you breathe poison vapor, consume food or liquid, or are struck by a tainted weapon, the poison will not harm you.”

  Miltiades looked pleased with himself. The group admired their gifts with surprised looks, and at once, all murmured their thanks.

  “Now, now, do not thank me. These are gifts from Tyr as much as they are from myself. I wish to be a valuable part of your group. Tyr will watch over all of us. Now, we should prepare for our journey.”

  Gamaliel led the way out of the chamber. The sky was growing dark. Knowing his mistress’s habits, the barbarian spoke. “We’d better find a place to camp. It’ll be dark soon, and we need a safe place to sleep. I assume you’ll want to build a fire.”

  No one was in favor of sleeping in the graveyard, and Evaine explained she would need a place clear of the evil influences of such a site for her spell. She instructed Gamaliel to run ahead and find a clearing for them. He bolted out of the graveyard and was gone before the sorceress could explain.

  “Gamaliel’s a fast runner and an excellent tracker. He’ll find a campsite in no time. And he may even have dinner for us by the time we arrive.” Talenthia scowled, thinking that the sorceress was probably just bragging. Ren and Andoralson doubted anyone could be that efficient, but said nothing.

  Evaine continued. “Is the ghost’s black blade still lying in the grass? We can’t just leave it here for anyone to find. Miltiades, what should we do with it?”

  The knight spoke solemnly. “The blade certainly should be hidden, but no one may touch it. The safest place for it will be inside my tomb.”

  Without a word, Evaine strode to the site of the battle. The smoldering blade still lay in the blackened grass. The sorceress spoke a few words, and a green mist flowed from her hands. The vapor enveloped the sword and raised it a few feet off the ground. Concentrating, Evaine slowly walked toward the tomb with the blade suspended in the air ahead of her. She entered the tomb and promptly reappeared. “Is there anything else that should be done to safeguard that sword?”

  Miltiades nodded and asked the other men to assist him at the entrance to the crypt. The doors were pushed shut with an unearthly creaking noise.

  Gamaliel suddenly appeared at the edge of the graveyard. “I’ve found our campsight. Follow me.” The companions gathered their horses and set out on foot after the barbarian. In moments, they arrived at a secluded clearing. The babbling of a stream filled the air. Two huge jackrabbits, freshly caught, lay at the center of the clearing.

  Anything else I can do? Gamaliel silently asked Evaine.

  The sorceress shook her head and chuckled. She knew he had transformed into a giant cat the instant he was out of sight. The others wondered what she found so funny, but were afraid to ask.

  “If you’ll be coming with us, Miltiades, you’ll be needing a horse. Evaine, do you have anything in your magical bag of tricks that’ll give him a horse?” Ren’s voice was joking, but he wouldn’t have been surprised if she had produced a steed.

  “No need, ranger. I have my mount.” The paladin reached into a pocket and drew out a miniature stallion carved of ivory. He held it out to Evaine, who grinned and nodded, then he set the figurine on the ground and spoke a word of magic. In a white flash, a fully saddled stallion appeared in the clearing. Talenthia eagerly admired the horse, then Miltiades reduced it to a statuette again and slipped it into a pocket.

  The group quickly divided up the work of gathering firewood and preparing the rabbits. Evaine announced that as soon as everyone was settled, she would place a spell of protection around the site. Ren asked for volunteers to take turns on nightwatch.

  “That won’t be necessary,” Miltiades stated. “I do not need sleep. I will be awake the entire night, and I am more than happy to serve as your guard.” The exhausted party accepted the knight’s offer gratefully. Still, Evaine was glad to have Gamaliel around—just in case.

  When the meal was finished and everyone was settled, Evaine asked for attention. She would be casting her spell at dawn and insisted on explaining the procedure and giving instructions.

  “This is one of the most dangerous spells a wizard can cast. It is not dangerous to the five of you, but it could kill me or render me insane. If anything goes wrong, I guarantee the result will be disaster.

  “If no creatures approach overnight, the ward that I place around this camp will still be in place in the morning. Do not enter or leave the clearing or you will be fried to a cinder before you know what has hit you. I require this safeguard because I can’t have monsters wandering into camp in the middle of the spell.

  “Ordinarily, I must build a fire and purify it. The brazier will allow me to skip that step and conserve some of my energy.

  “Once I begin casting, I cannot have any distractions. You must not speak and you must not walk around. If my concentration is broken, we’ll all be sorry.

  “I will be gazing into a crystal for the greater portion of the spell. My body and brain will be present, but my mind’s eye will be elsewhere. Even if you think I’m in trouble, do not disturb me. Follow Gamaliel’s lead if you think I need help. He has seen me cast the spell dozens of times.”

  The barbarian nodded grimly, and the others silently noted their agreement.

  “When the spell ends,” the sorceress continued, “the crystal will shatter, but I won’t be injured. Gamaliel will take over from there. Follow his instructions; my life will depend on him.

  “I will be nea
rly unconscious all day following the spell. Don’t think you can wake me, throw me on a horse, and hit the road. I will have almost no powers, and you’ll put us all in danger if you drag me along. All you can do is let me sleep and regain my strength. We can start out again the second morning. Any questions?”

  Andoralson snickered. “Can you write down the instructions for this spell so I can try it sometime?” Talenthia’s elbow landed squarely in her cousin’s ribs.

  Evaine’s green eyes blazed at the druid. “I know you command some magic, but if you were to try this spell you would spend the rest of your natural life in a coma or hopelessly insane. Your brain would be plagued by monsters of your imagination so horrible that you could do nothing but scream and writhe in your bed. You would die a thousand horrible deaths in your mind and you would be so tortured that you’d wish for death. But you couldn’t even ask to be put out of your misery.” She scowled, almost daring the druid to ask another snide question.

  Andoralson looked sheepish. Miltiades had hung on her every word. Despite her original feelings about the paladin, Evaine had the feeling she was going to appreciate having Miltiades around.

  “Ren, I’m going to need you awake and alert during the spell,” Evaine said after a moment. “I need you to concentrate on the pool with every ounce of energy you have. It will help me make contact and get a solid fix on its whereabouts.” Ren nodded his cooperation, and the sorceress felt somewhat relieved. “I know I can depend on you with the lives of your friends at stake.”

  Evaine stood and paced the perimeter of the clearing. An emerald mist followed her, dissipating quickly. With the ward in place, the sorceress sat down to study. A few hours later, all the companions were in their bedrolls and sleeping fitfully.

  Gamaliel awoke Evaine just before dawn. Miltiades stoically stood guard over the camp as she retrieved the brazier from its miniature bag and removed the platinum cap. To her relief, a bright flame sprang forth.

  The sorceress spent nearly half an hour clearing her mind with meditation exercises. When she was ready, she signaled Gamaliel to awaken Ren and the others. The barbarian led the ranger to a position near the brazier, and whispered to the others to keep their distance.

  Evaine drew a large crystal from a pocket and performed the same ritual she had used at the campfire a few days earlier. After the crystal was heated by the magical flame, she laid the stone in her lap and began to concentrate.

  “Hey, what’s that roc—” Andoralson blurted out.

  Gamaliel was sailing through the air at the druid before he could finish his sentence. The barbarian knocked him to the ground, pinning his chest, and clamped an enormous hand over Andoralson’s mouth. “Keep your mouth shut or I’ll shut it for you!” Gamaliel whispered with a snarl. His tone was so menacing that the druid didn’t so much as blink. Ren, Talenthia, and Miltiades sat motionless.

  Thanks to Gamaliel, Evaine hadn’t noticed the interruption. Her mind now sailed up over the treetops and toward the pool. Her breathing was rapid and regular, her body was engulfed in a pale green mist. All the others could do was wait.

  Gamaliel eventually allowed Andoralson to sit up. But he sat glowering at the druid throughout the rest of the spell.

  After what felt like hours, the crystal in Evaine’s lap shattered into dust. Gamaliel leaped to her side. She was breathing hard, drenched in sweat, but otherwise healthy. Gamaliel collected the crystal dust, helped his mistress to her bedroll, and saw that she was safely asleep.

  Talenthia was the first to whisper to the barbarian. “Is she alright? Is there anything I can do?”

  Gamaliel responded calmly. “She’ll be fine. All we can do now is wait for her to awaken. We won’t know the outcome of the spell until she’s ready to tell us. In the meantime, you can do as you like. She’s sound asleep, so you’re not likely to awaken her.” The barbarian seated himself near the sorceress’s side with a waterskin, a tin cup, Evaine’s herbal mixture, and several clean cloths close at hand.

  Around midnight, the sorceress stirred. Gamaliel was still at her side, watching every move. Evaine opened her eyes abruptly and was relieved to see the barbarian’s face peering down at her. “What day is it?” she whispered.

  “It’s the middle of the night, the same day you cast the spell. You’ve been asleep, oh, about seventeen hours.” The barbarian dabbed her face with a wet cloth.

  “Good. That’s not very long. I should be ready to hit the trail in the morning. I feel strong. I think the magical brazier made a difference. And Ren’s presence allowed me to focus on the pool quickly.”

  Although the pair whispered in the dark, Talenthia and Ren awakened. Andoralson snored in his bedroll, but his cousin shook him awake. Miltiades watched silently, but stoked up the campfire, expecting that Evaine would be telling her story very soon.

  Gamaliel raked aside some hot coals and set out a cup of water to boil. The others dragged themselves and their blankets close to the fire. The night air was damp and chill, and the flames were a welcome relief.

  Evaine propped herself up and sipped some water. The others looked on, not speaking, waiting for her report. Finally, the sorceress spoke.

  “I know you’re all eager to hear what happened, but I must warn you, I think we’re in deeper trouble than we expected.”

  “Wonderful,” Andoralson murmured. Talenthia silenced him with a stare.

  “I should first explain to you how the spell works,” Evaine said. “Although I was sitting here where you could see me and I was partially conscious of what was going on around me, a large portion of my mind left my body and flew in the direction of the pool, unencumbered. The travel is lightning fast. I must allow myself to succumb to the power of the pool and let it pull me along. That’s partly why the spell is so exhausting; while I’m letting myself be pulled by the pool, I must maintain control of my mind and soul.”

  The sorceress took another sip of water. “It seems that something is blocking or shielding the pool. Ordinarily, as my mind is whizzing through the air, I can see the countryside blurring along below me. This time, the pool pulled me to the southwest near where my old master lived, where I first studied magic. I continued on for several hundred miles in that direction.

  “It was there that I discovered a region of incredible blackness. I’ve seen some of these only lately—areas of the countryside enveloped in black, impenetrable clouds. But I’ve never seen one this large or this dark. These are places of intense evil, but I can’t imagine what could be generating a zone this large. As I said, I think we’re getting into something more terrible than I’d expected.

  “I circled the area several times, and from the pull of the spell, I could tell that the pool of darkness lay within. There was no way for me to enter the dark zone and guarantee a safe return.”

  Evaine paused while Gamaliel mixed the mint and raspberry tea and handed it to her. Miltiades stirred the fire which crackled brightly in the blackness of the woods. The sorceress continued.

  “I toured the surrounding countryside briefly to get the lay of the land and perhaps find a safe route for our journey. In the process, I found another tiny black zone, deep in a nearby forest. This gave me an idea.

  “The tiny zone of blackness is the home of an old acquaintance of my mentor. At least it used to be his home. I never met the man, but Sebastian spoke of him often. They used to visit each other and argue over spells and trick each other into favors. The two hated each other, but each appreciated the other’s powers. It was a rivalry both loved.

  “Although I’ve never met this other wizard, it’s worth a try to find out if he still exists. It’s a dangerous venture—I’m sure he won’t welcome strangers—but if I can prove that I knew Sebastian, maybe he’ll listen. Maybe he can even help us. Either way, his home is on the way to the dark zone. It won’t take us much time to stop there. And right now, I think it’s the only chance we have for a solid clue.”

  Finally, Ren spoke. “I think we’re all having mixed f
eelings about this mission, especially seeking out a being of evil.” He was greeted by nodding heads all around. “But right now, it’s our only choice. Why don’t we all get back to sleep. We can discuss this in the morning.”

  No one had to be told twice. Bedrolls were again rolled out. In silence, everyone settled in as the fire burned down.

  As he took up his silent watch, Miltiades smiled. All the bedrolls were a little closer to the fire than before.

  Eerie Parley

  The atmosphere inside Denlor’s Tower was heating up. But it wasn’t enemy wizards or warriors applying the pressure.

  “You can pout, you can sulk, you can even wear that blue silky thing you wear when you want something special, but you aren’t going on this raid.”

  “Tarl, I’m not going into the council chambers until we get this settled.”

  “Good. You can stay here until Phlan is teleported back to the Moonsea. I’ll talk to the councilmen.”

  Shal’s eyes blazed at her husband’s words. The pair left the tower and headed for the council chambers.

  Few citizens moved about the city today. Most were either stationed on the wall or gathering food for the hungry defenders. Of those who were near the council, all looked on as two prominent personalities of Phlan argued in front of the chamber doors. The sight was worth watching.

  The woman, who was over six feet tall with beautifully sculpted muscles, wrung her hands and pleaded with her husband not to go into battle without her. A slightly shorter warrior-priest of Tyr, dressed in full battle armor, was trying to calm his wife.

  Tarl grew more and more exasperated. “You and I have battled the horrors and evils that have assaulted Phlan in this cavern for over a month now. There is no end in sight. My only desire is to see you safe.”

  The sorceress gripped her husband’s hand. “Do you think I want you any less safe? Is the Warhammer of Tyr going to keep you alive forever? There’s only one way this argument is going to end. I’m going wherever you go. You can’t stop me.”