James Ward - Pool of Twilight

"Kern is going to be journeying to the ruins of the red tower in three days," Shal explained, her voice heavy with worry. "I don't like the idea of him walking into unknown danger, Evaine. I want to know who it is who's after him."

Evaine thought for a long moment. "There is a way, Shal," she said finally. "But I think I will need some help."

"Anything," Shal said earnestly.

"We need to search for this mysterious enemy of yours, and we're going to have to leave our bodies behind." Evaine's mind worked quickly. "Whoever this foe is, he or she must be a wizard of some sort. And I have no doubt that the wizard is drawing on this pool of twilight. It takes enormous amounts of power to summon and control as many fiends as you've described. I know that all too well. Now, since Kern is the person this evil wizard of ours is after, we'll need to start by concentrating on him. But I can't do this effectively without you."

Evaine went on to explain the specifics of the spell-the material components, gestures, and necessary arcane incantations. When this was done, she took a deep breath.

"This spell will not be without risks, Shal," she warned her friend.

"They're risks I'm willing to take, Evaine."

Evaine didn't argue with her friend's resolve. "I'll be able to help you along. I have a fair amount of experience with this sort of thing." She grinned eagerly. Gods, but she loved magic. This was going to be exciting.

"Ready?" Evaine asked.

"Ready," the wizard of Denlor's Tower agreed.

Simultaneously, Evaine and Shal prepared to cast the spell-Evaine in her pocket dimension, Shal in her tower a hundred leagues to the northeast. Gamaliel stalked close to his mistress. Whenever she cast one of these spells, her body was completely vulnerable. Though it was unlikely anyone would attack her here, it was Gamaliel's duty to watch over her. She could not be disturbed until she woke up from the spell. Otherwise, disaster would result.

Evaine lighted a small brazier, sprinkling on a handful of herbs. A flame flared up, crackling with blue, silver, and crimson sparks. She drew out a small quartz crystal from a velvet pouch and placed it gently on top of the brazier.

She closed her eyes and breathed in the pungent smoke, then whispered a strangely sibilant incantation three times as she moved her hands through a complex web of gestures.

Evaine felt her ethereal self rising from her body. She could see all around, even though she had not opened her eyes. She reached forth a ghostly hand toward the mirror.

Shal…

She spoke in a voice inaudible to mundane ears, but Shal could hear her.

I'm here, Evaine. At least I think so. This is a bit unusual for me…

Evaine cautioned her friend. Don't fight the sensation. Just let yourself float, as if you're adrift in a warm sea. Now reach out to me, not with your arms but with your mind. I'll do the same.

Evaine concentrated, reaching out with tendrils of thought, searching. Then she connected.

I found you! came Shal's excited response.

You have indeed. Now let's go. The longer we're away from our bodies, the bigger our headaches will be when we wake up.

Evaine led the way. Her consciousness rose high into the air, Shal's in tow. The two sorceresses-or at least their spirits-sped southward. The slate gray surface of the Moonsea slipped away beneath them. It was much like flying, except there was no touch of wind or chill air.

Look! Shal exclaimed. The ships down there. They look like toys.

I know the scenery is breathtaking, Shal, but concentrate on the spell, Evaine warned. We're vulnerable to attacks now that we've left our physical selves behind. There are creatures that dwell - and feed-solely in the spirit realm.

Evaine felt a mental shiver emanate from Shal's presence.

Having your spirit eaten - that's not a very comfortable thought.

Evaine laughed wryly. I imagine it's not a very comfortable feeling!

Holding hands as they sped on, the two sorceresses left the expanse of the Moonsea behind. Soon an eerie, disturbingly familiar shape loomed in the twilight before them.

The ruins of the red tower. Here Phlan had been captured by the Red Wizard Marcus twenty-two years earlier. The sorceresses swooped down to circle about the tower. The ruin looked like a jagged tombstone in the fading daylight.

Can you feel it? Shal asked in disgust.

Yes, there's still evil there, Evaine thought back. Powerful evil.

She could feel it radiating from the ruins in hot, nauseating waves. Something lurked down there, deep in the shadows below the tower, something eternally hungry, oozing with maleficence.

You need to think about Kern, Shal. We need to discover if this is the source of the evil that is directed toward him.

I'll try, Evaine.

Shal's thoughts were silent for several moments as they both concentrated. Suddenly, Evaine caught sight of a thin trail of inky darkness arcing back across the Moonsea, toward Phlan.

That's it! came Shal's thought. I can sense the evil reaching out toward Phlan. Her tone become hard. Whatever is down there, it loathes Kern.

And fears him, Evaine added after a moment. She gently probed the spindly trail of darkness. It felt oily to her ethereal fingers, but she couldn't detect any traces of active magic in the pool they had destroyed two decades before.

I don't think this is the source, Shal. Something is down there, all right. Something powerful. But not a pool. I don't think this is the source of the fiends, or the foe we seek. Let's head toward Phlan and try again.

They raced across the deepening sky. The orb of the moon, Selune, lifted above the horizon, igniting the surface of the Moonsea with its cool, pearly fire. Soon they drifted over Phlan.

Evaine could see countless signs of the city's decay in the pale light of the moon. She'd had no idea Phlan had deteriorated so badly.

All right, Shal. Once more, I need you to focus all of your thoughts on Kern. Every last bit of your energy.

Evaine scanned in every direction, hoping to spot even the faintest clue. There! she thought excitedly.

What is it?

What we were looking for. She concentrated, helping Shal to see what Evaine had already noticed. A dull, metallic-looking streak rose up out of the city and reached away into the night, toward the northwest. There's something odd about the magic I'm sensing. It must be from a pool, yet it's like none I've ever dealt with before.

Is it a pool of radiance or darkness?

Evaine concentrated, then frowned. Neither. She gave up. We must follow it to its source.

The two sorceresses flew toward the distant peaks. The feeling of magical power intensified as they went. As the dark, jagged silhouettes of the Dragonspine Mountains loomed before them, the evil emanations grew stronger yet.

Suddenly, Evaine felt the attention of another consciousness pass over her like a searing beam of light. There was someone-something-ahead, and it had sensed them coming!

Shal, you've got to break the spell.

Why? the wizard replied in confusion. What's wrong?

Please don't argue, Shal.

Evaine could sense the attitude of the mysterious being change from surprise to anger. It must be a guardian of some sort, Evaine realized. They were in grave peril!

You've got to -

Too late.

A blast of magic ripped through Evaine's mind. The guardian of the pool was assailing them with all of its dark power.

Evaine! Help me! came Shal's terrified plea.