Pools of Darkness - James M Brown [48]
The first three got cooked when they touched the ward. That broke the spell, though, and the other two just sauntered in. I was ready for them, of course, and made short work of them. And to answer your next question, I dragged the bodies into the woods. They didn't smell too nice, and I didn't think the first thing you should see upon awakening was a pile of disgusting bodies. Gamaliel tilted his head proudly.
Evaine scratched the cat's head vigorously. "You're worth you're weight in catnip, Gam. I guess fate was on my side when I hooked up with you." All the wounds that were covered with the magical ointment had closed completely. "Feel better, Gamaliel? I think I got all the scratches." The feline responded by rubbing his face against her shoulder and purring.
"We'd best get ready to hit the trail," Evaine noted. "After we're packed, show me where you put the owlbears. Their feathers make great spell components." She stirred the fire, leveling out a small heap of coals. After setting a metal cup filled with water on the coals, she went about packing her gear. Evaine carefully gathered the quartz powder and poured it into a vial, shaking out the cloth, then tucked it away.
By the time the water boiled, Evaine had everything packed. She carefully removed the cup from the fire and added an herbal mixture. Leaving it to steep, she followed Gamaliel to the stream to fill the waterskins. By the time she returned, the brew was ready.
The herbal mixture was her own recipe. It was a combination of soothing and healing herbs that smelled like mint and raspberries. She drank it as hot as she could bear, then dropped the cup into her pack. Gamaliel was already brushing their footprints from the camp.
Evaine gathered her pack and scanned the area. Everything looked to be in order, and she was feeling much better already. Gamaliel finished hiding their footprints. Seeing that his mistress was ready, he led the way toward the owlbears. After the sorceress had gathered what she needed in the way of owlbear feathers, Evaine told Gamaliel what had happened in her spell. While they talked, the sorceress puzzled over the meaning of the spell.
"Gam, you've been with me long enough to know how the spell should have worked. Normally, the pool pulls my mind along until I arrive at its location. Then I can see precisely where it is and what conditions surround it. And usually, I can learn something of the evil nature of the pool."
She frowned and paused. "But this time, I didn't even see the pool. I didn't even see Phlan. If I had to guess, I'd say that some catastrophe of epic proportions had befallen the city. I'm almost afraid to speculate. I guess I'll just have to wait until we reach the city."
Gamaliel didn't always understand magic, but he knew his mistress. He always offered his support. It isn't often that you question the outcome or success of your spells, Evaine. You're careful, and I've rarely seen your magic go awry. Trust your instincts. They're usually right.
"But that's part of the problem, Gam. I'm not sure what my instincts are telling me right now. I want to believe my magic, but is it possible for a whole city to disappear?"
Gamaliel didn't respond, but rubbed against Evaine's leg. They both knew it was time to go. Gamaliel led the way. His mistress followed silently, puzzling about the results of her spell.
They trudged through the woods for two hours, until Gamaliel stopped suddenly in his tracks. Evaine didn't say a word, but stopped instantly, watching the cat. Her hand moved automatically to the lining of her cloak. Its many pockets held her spell components.
Gamaliel's ears twitched, honing in on the faintest sounds. His nostrils flared as he sniffed for the scent of whatever was out there. Evaine heard nothing but the wind in the trees.
Then, without warning, Gamaliel spun and dug his haunches into the soft earth. In a split second he was airborne,