Pools of Darkness - James M Brown [66]
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 feelings 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.
11
Eerie Parley
The atmosphere inside Denlor's Tower was heating up. But it wasn't enemy wizards or warriors applying the pressure.
"You