Pool of Twilight - James M. Ward [5]
She raised an eyebrow, gazing speculatively at her son.
"What?" Kern asked defensively. "What is it?"
"This is a problem," Shal said. She took a troubled breath. "Oh, I've suspected it for some time now. Why do you think I always tell you to stay away from my chamber when I'm working on a spell?" She dusted the remnants of the crystal from her hands. "This confirms everything."
"Confirms what?" Kern asked in utter desperation.
"You are unmagic, Kern." Her face grew serious. "It's my fault, of course. I cast a number of powerful spells while I was pregnant with you. I would have rather not cast them but was forced to in order to save your father, as well as the city of Phlan. Now it seems they have affected you, though I'm not yet sure if the effect is permanent, or even if it will be consistent from one day to the next."
Kern's head was spinning. "Affected me in what way?"
"Magic doesn't work on you, Kern. Now, this might not actually be all bad. It means you're immune to harmful spells. But it also means you're immune to magical healing as well, like the spell your father tried to cast on you after your strange nightmare,"
Kern groaned in dismay. "Isn't there something you can do to fix things?"
"Well, we can help you practice lowering your magical guard." Shal smiled reassuringly at her son. "It won't solve the problem, but it may help."
Before Kern could reply, Listle burst into the room. A flurry of silver sparks followed in her wake. Shal scowled at the elf's flagrant use of her swiftness spell.
The elf grinned sheepishly. "I know I wasn't supposed to cast another one," Listle said excitedly, "but I thought this was too important to wait"
"What is it, Listle?" Kern asked.
Her silvery eyes were positively glowing. "It's the clerics at the temple," she exclaimed. "They've solved Bane's riddle!"
Kern stared at the elf uncomprehendingly.
She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Don't you see, you ogre-brained oaf? They've discovered where the Hammer of Tyr is hidden!"
2
A Riddle Answered
Weighted down by his heavy armor, Kern hurriedly descended the tower's central staircase. As a paladin-aspirant, tradition required that he don full armor before visiting the temple of Tyr. That included a heavy shirt of chain mail, a breastplate of beaten steel, and greaves to match. Over this he wore the tabard of pure, unblemished white that marked him as a supplicant to the Order of Paladins. At his side hung the worn battlehammer he used for practice.
He tried to adjust his heavy chain mail shirt, but no matter how much he jerked and twisted, the armor still seemed to pinch him under the arms. He found Tarl already waiting for him downstairs, Shal at his side. The two were in the middle of an intent conversation, which was broken off abruptly when Kern entered the room.
Before he could wonder what they had been discussing, Tarl spoke exuberantly.
"The temple's sages have been trying to solve the riddle of the hammer for twenty-two years. Are you as curious as I am, Son, to learn if they have discovered an answer at last?"
Kern nodded. "I'm ready, Father."
"And so am I," a sparkling voice said behind Kern.
He whirled just in time to see Listle step blithely through a wall of solid stone, the ruby pendant she always wore winking brightly.
"Must you do that?" the young warrior asked with a frown.
"Must I do what, Kern?" the elf replied innocently.
Kern gritted his teeth, unwilling to give her the satisfaction of a reply. Listle had the disconcerting habit of stepping through walls and other seemingly solid objects when one least expected it. Shal considered the elf's ability to pass through solid matter a magical curiosity. Kern just considered it a nuisance. He stepped forward, opening the tower's door.
"Be careful," Shal admonished them, her eyes grim. "Remember, Phlan isn't the safe haven it used to be."
The three promised