Pools of Darkness

8

In the dim light of dawn, Evaine's spell to locate the pool ended abruptly. Her traveling mind was instantly dumped into her brain. In the woods once more, she realized her face had been dusted by the white powder of the pulverized crystal, but she was otherwise unharmed. She looked up toward Gamaliel.

The cat was already on his feet. If I didn't know what a strain you'd just been through, I'd tease you about looking like a carnival clown. But you need rest.

Without a word, Evaine brushed the dust from her face into the cloth in her lap. She carefully gathered the corners of the fabric, then held it up to Gamaliel, who took the cloth in his mouth and deposited it carefully into a metal cup near the bedroll. The powder would be used as a component for another spell.

The cat returned to his mistress, allowing her to lean on him to rise to her feet. Then he led her to the bedroll. She slid to the ground. Gamaliel grasped a corner of the blanket in his teeth and pulled it up to Evaine's shoulders. He muzzled her cheek and ear, purring. Are you going to be all right?

Evaine didn't open her eyes, but answered the cat. "Yeah, Gam, I'll be fine. I just need to rest. Take care of things for me, will you?"

Gamaliel stretched out on the blanket alongside Evaine. His front paws lay extended in front of him. Don't worry about anything, mistress, he said, nuzzling her hair. We've been here before.

Evaine was already asleep. Gamaliel knew she might sleep for a long time. His job was to protect his mistress as long as necessary.

The sorceress awoke in complete darkness. The coals left in the firepit had died, but she saw two points of light in the dark. "Gam? I sure hope that's you."

The cat was at her side in an instant, ready to mother her. You slept nearly a full day. It'll be dawn in another hour. Here's the waterskin and some dried fruit. You'd better eat something so you can begin to recover. The cat dropped the items into Evaine's hands. She followed his orders without question.

After a few minutes, Evaine felt better. Her mind was clearing, and her body was regaining energy. "Gam? Thanks for looking after me. Sometimes I don't know what I'd do without you."

I know. Sometimes I don't know what you'd do without me either, answered the cat. Now that Evaine was recovering, Gamaliel had reverted to his usual teasing self.

Evaine just laughed. She couldn't find it in herself to be upset with the cat-she was too accustomed to his attitude. In fact, she often thought to herself that she wouldn't have him any other way, but she'd never admit that to the feline.

"I'm going to lie here until the sky lightens, Gam. Have you eaten anything? Why don't you find yourself some breakfast? I'll be fine." Evaine really was feeling better and knew her companion must be hungry.

Gamaliel hesitated, but then decided that it wouldn't take long to hunt up some food. He rubbed her hair with his nose, then crept into the woods.

Evaine dozed. When she awoke, Gamaliel was polishing off a large trout. She wondered why he never tired of eating fish. She watched as the cat finished the last scraps, then meticulously began to wash himself. It was a careful, perfect habit that Evaine never tired of seeing. In her life of adventure and challenges, simple, normal routines were a comfort.

As Gamaliel finished, Evaine rose and stacked tinder and kindling onto what used to be the fire. She spoke a single word of magic, and a bright green flame appeared on the tip of her finger. She held it to the tinder, and, in moments, the wood was ablaze.

Are you sure you should be doing that? You've had a rough time. A person can handle only so much magic, you know.

"Are you kidding? This is nothing. I hardly have to think about this trick anymore. I can remember when I first learned this spell. I was so impressed with myself that I did it all the time. But now it's almost second nature." She smiled. "Don't worry, Gam, I'll be fine. But I won't be spying on the pool for at least a week. That spell would be too much." Much as she hated to admit it, Evaine was drained by the pool spell. The incident would have killed a weaker wizard.

So what happened, anyway? It didn't look like your scrying went well. You looked as if something went wrong. Gamaliel was eager to hear the story, but knew he had to wait until she was ready to tell it.

Evaine sighed. "Something did go wrong, I think. I really don't understand it." She looked at the cat in the growing light and suddenly noticed great ragged scratches on the side of his face and along one shoulder. "Gamaliel, what happened to you? You look like you were in a war! What went on while I was asleep?" Evaine instantly arose and picked up her pack, rummaging for a healing ointment.

Oh, it was nothing, really. The four wolves ran off as soon as they got their noses singed on your protective spell. It was the pair of owlbears that gave me a little trouble. Gamaliel was obviously proud of his victory, and his feigned modesty made Evaine laugh.

"Mister Tough, eh, kitty? You amaze me sometimes. How did the creatures get through the ward, anyway?" Evaine rubbed the ointment into the cat's wounds. The scratches healed before her eyes.

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, sailing over Evaine's head at something behind her. Evaine ducked and spun in time to see the cat's front paws land on the chest of a seven-foot-tall creature swinging an axe over its head. Gam knocked it to the ground, taking another monster behind it to the earth as well. These were ugly creatures with yellow-brown fur and snouts like bears. Their pointed ears stuck straight up, mimicking the giant fangs that protruded from their jaws. Gamaliel was a flurry of fangs and claws, and in moments, the lead creature stopped moving. The thing barely knew what had hit him.

Meanwhile, Evaine was summoning energies and scorching the attackers. She had fought bugbears before and knew that speed was the trick to overcoming them. All totaled, nine creatures had crashed out of the bushes and were circling Evaine and the cat. Gamaliel was finishing off the second bugbear he had pinned, leaving seven still on their feet.

The sorceress recited the words of a short but powerful spell. Eighteen green magical jets leaped out of her fingertips, whizzing toward the creatures. Finding their targets, the missiles seared through armor and flesh, enveloping each creature in a green aura for a split-second. The smell of singed fur and flesh filled the air. Five bugbears were each hit by three missiles, killing two of them instantly. A fifth monster was hit by two missiles, wounding it seriously. The sixth monster was only scratched.

Gamaliel had killed his second bugbear. He checked on Evaine's success and immediately leaped at the least wounded monster. Sorceress and familiar had been through so many battles together that neither needed to consult the other before acting. They instinctively knew what they should do next. The cat always chose the creature that posed the greatest immediate risk to his mistress.

Gam knocked the bugbear to the ground, but not before the monster's axe sliced into the cat's shoulder. Gamaliel hissed in pain, but his attack never slowed. He tore into the grotesque creature.

Evaine managed to dodge the swings of the three creatures that now tried to circle her. The magical ring of protection turned away several axe strikes. She cast another spell and promptly disappeared from sight.

The monsters stood stupefied for a moment, wondering what to do next. Their prey had seemingly escaped. But Evaine had turned invisible, rushing out of the center of the trio. She knew better than to have the enemy at her back.

Evaine reappeared several feet down the path. She shouted to get the creatures' attention. As they turned to face her, a miniature hailstorm erupted over the heads of the bugbears. It lasted only a few minutes, but the pelting ice killed the three weakest creatures.

The remaining monster charged Evaine, its axe held high. She dodged, but found herself trapped in the thick underbrush. As the axe started its downswing, Evaine grimaced, closing her eyes. She heard a whump, but felt nothing. Opening her eyes, Evaine saw the bugbear flat on its belly with Gamaliel's jaws at the back of its neck. She reached for her dagger, but the monster had stopped moving.

Evaine slumped to the ground, panting. Gamaliel rolled onto his side, his wounded shoulder staining his fur dark red. The sorceress located a small vial in her pack, then hurried to the cat's side and took his muzzle in her hand. "You know what this is, Gam. It'll fix you right up. Open your mouth."

The cat blinked, but didn't protest as he opened his jaws. Evaine's entire hand fit easily into his mouth. She emptied the contents of the vial into the back of his throat. The feline swallowed, and his wound immediately began to heal. In moments, there was no sign of the injury.

The pair sat on the ground, breathing heavily, for several minutes. They finally rose and began checking the bodies for coins or useful items.

The task of rifling bodies was always unpleasant. The bugbears were grimy and bloody, and smelled of filth and rotting meat, but the sorceress accepted income wherever it presented itself. Spell components could be expensive. A few coins were always welcome.

By the time Evaine finished searching her victims, she had found a dozen gemstones and was able to fill a small pouch with silver and a few gold pieces. "We came out ahead, Gamaliel," she informed the cat. "There's enough money here to buy two horses with enough left over for the ferry across the Moonsea. Not bad."

Gamaliel looked up at his mistress. I don't suppose there's enough change left over for a nice ration of catnip, is there? It's been a while since you bought me any.

Evaine just laughed. "Gamaliel, the first catnip I see growing in the wild or available for sale at an apothecary is yours. I promise. You've earned it."

The cat purred, rubbed against her leg, and the two set off through the woods once again.

By the way, mistress, why is it that you didn't blast the whole lot of those ugly brutes with a lightning bolt? You could have killed them all with one spell. Gamaliel was already twenty yards ahead of the sorceress, but that didn't affect his telepathy.

"I considered that option, but I was afraid I'd either fry you along with the bugbears, or set the woods on fire. So I opted for some less spectacular spells. And it was still an easy battle."

The cat made his approval known and slinked through the underbrush.

Another night of camping passed uneventfully. Evaine and Gamaliel set up as usual, turned in early, and were back on the trail at first light. Evaine expected to link up with one of the major roads to Phlan late in the day. On the way she intended to buy two horses. She didn't want to search for the road after dark.

The pair traveled quickly, with only a few stops for water and rest. By midafternoon, they broke through the trees and found themselves at the edge of a dirt road wide enough for two carts to pass in opposite directions. Evaine knew they had arrived at the right spot.

Before leaving the woods, Evaine took a long look at Gamaliel. She decided it would be better not to be seen with a giant cat, as it would attract too much attention. With a sigh, she said to her companion, "Gam, I think you'd better change. We'll be safer if people think you're human."

The cat hissed in protest.

"Come on, Gamaliel, you know it's necessary," Evaine demanded. "Besides, it's human form I want, not house-cat. That's the form you really hate. This isn't going to kill you." The feline knew that change was the intelligent choice, and stopped grousing. He stepped away from Evaine, closing his eyes.

The pendant around the cat's neck began to glow a pale green. Gamaliel's tawny shape blurred. His furry body seemed to swirl and writhe, and then came into focus again. No longer was a cat standing in the woods, but a tall, wiry human male wearing clothing made of soft animal skins. The man had intense green eyes and sandy, shoulder-length hair. He moved with a smooth, fluid grace. On his hands were dark brown, kidskin gloves. Fingertips with sharp, tough claws protruded from the ends of the gloves. An enormous sword in a suede sheath was strapped to his back.

"Ah, now there's a warrior," Evaine said admiringly. "You're a beautiful cat, Gam, but you're a darn nice looking human. You'll get used to this shape again in no time."

Gamaliel said nothing, but followed his mistress out of the woods. They joined up with the road and saw that it was frequented by farmers, peasants, and pilgrims. The road wasn't crowded but was certainly busy.

Evaine kept her eyes open for anyone with horses to sell. She passed on a few nags, but eventually spotted a pair of horses that looked healthy and well cared for. Before approaching the owner, she cast a quick mind-reading spell that allowed her to learn whether the horses were stolen.

She negotiated with the horse trader for a few minutes, reading his thoughts and learning that the horses were indeed in good health. They were his own and were for sale simply because his family needed the money. Evaine negotiated a good price, and in a few minutes, horses and money had traded hands. She and Gamaliel mounted the horses and galloped down the road.

By nightfall, the pair arrived at the ferry that would carry them over the Moonsea to Phlan. A nearby inn had a vacant room for the night, a luxury Evaine welcomed after a week in the woods. She and Gamaliel stabled the horses, got themselves settled, and prepared for a comfortable night's sleep.

"We made it, Gamaliel. We'll be in Phlan tomorrow. It should be easy going from here on in."

Gamaliel replied with a peculiar purr that never sounded quite right coming from his human body.