The Orb of Chalar: A Trilogy of the Land of Donothor: Part Two

By Benjamin Towe

The world of Donothor was a child feeling the pangs of growth. A just man and his family labor to unite the peoples of Donothor against beasts and lawlessness. Dark Magick of utmost power carries ancient evil to Donothor. Childhood is spoiled. Alliances of dwarves, men, gray elves, prismatic dragons and Light Sorcerers oppose the alliances of goblins, hobgoblins, ogres, giants, black dragons, dark elves, and Dark Sorcerers. An aberration of Magick creates a breach between two very different worlds. These worlds become entangled. Peoples of both worlds struggle against the forces of Dark Magick. They must face a myriad of fantastic beasts. What courses should they take? How will events in one world affect the other? Can ancient powers overcome the evil? What are the keys to victory?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Apr 28, 2006
• ISBN: 9781425922948

Benjamin Towe

Benjamin Towe is a dedicated Whovian, crafty old Dungeon Master, and lover of all things magic and make believe. Ben is a graduate of Mt. Airy (NC) High School, Davidson College, and the University of Virginia School of Medicine. Dr Towe served five years in the US Army Medical Corps and has practiced family medicine. Doctor “T” loves reading and writing science fiction and fantasy novels. The novels of the Donothor and Elfdreams series are Doctor T’s Rx for fantasy. Children of Magick joins his literary family of Justful Deception, the Queen’s Secret, Thirttene Friends, Dawn of Magick, Lost Spellweaver, First Wandmaker, Wandmaker’s Burden, Emerald Islands, Mender’s Tomb, Deathquest to Parallan, Orb of Chalar, Chalice of Mystery, Death of Magick, and Unwonted Spellweavers. Escape to an Elfdream! Happy reading!

Book preview

Prologue

Uyrg was primordial evil.

The demon came to the world of the sorcerers.

The indefatigable evil and maliciousness of Uyrg had plagued the world. The combined energies of the Light Sorcerers had kept the great demon from rampaging through the lands and overwhelming the spirits of the people. Uyrg was forever searching for means to gain dominance. The demon was esteemed by the Dark Sorcerers. Uyrg was the primary source of Dark Magick.

The origins of the Orb of Dark Knowledge, the great artifact guarded by the Light Sorcerers, and the Phials of Mastery of Magick, the lost treasure of the Dark Sorcerers, were unclear.

There were myths and teachings. There were stories used to scare naughty children at night. Folklore motivated those who desired supremacy.

The supreme accomplishment of the Dark Sorcerers had been the creation of the Phials of Mastery of Magick.

The greatest Dark Sorcerer of his generation was Boton the Necromancer. The avarice of Boton was unsurpassed. He sought supremacy and summoned the demon Uyrg. Uyrg demanded payment for its services. The bounty usually was stolen from the Light Sorcerers; payment was often in flesh. Uyrg was particularly fond of the flesh of maidens and children. Boton successfully summoned Uyrg from his dark lair in the Gray Abyss.

For the price of never-ending fealty Boton received the dark ichor that coursed though the demon’s veins. The ichor was mixed with five material spell components. These were the components of the Spell of Slowing, the components of the Teleportation Spell, the components of the Spell of Wisdom, the components of the Spell of True Seeing, and the components of the Spell of Limited Wish. Uyrg only gave enough ichor for the creation of fifteen phials of elixirs.

The material components were prized and extraordinarily rare; they were mixed with the dark ichor of the demon. The mixtures were subjected to Spells of Tranforming.

The Spell of Slowing components created Elixir of Longevity; four were created.

The components of the Teleportation Spell created Elixir of the Stars; three were created.

The components of the Spell of Wisdom created Elixir of Enhancement; three were created.

The Spell of True Seeing created Elixir of the Future; two were created.

The components of the Limited Wish created Elixir of Wishing; three were created.

Boton in his eagerness to enhance his power consumed one of each elixir.

Boton attained longevity. The aging process slowed allowing the Dark Sorcerer to maintain the vigors of youth.

The Elixir of the Stars gave him an ability that had never been attained by a Dark Sorcerer. He gained the talent to transfer to a fifth dimension, the Astral Plane. He was capable of casting spells and regulating the flow of Magick in the four dimensions from whence he came.

The Elixir of Enhancement enabled Boton to cast spells of higher difficulty and gave him the ability to cast more quickly. He fatigued less with spell casting. This ability to cast spells of greater power while maintaining his vigor gave him a tremendous advantage in conflicts with other spell casters.

The Elixir of the Future enabled Boton to attain the aptitude to see possible courses of the river of time. He could foresee one version of the future. There were too many possible turns in the great river and too many tributaries to make any attempt at gazing into the future infallible.

The Elixir of True Wishing was the greatest Magick. The power of a Wish was sought greedily by Sorcerers of all means and alignment. The Elixir granted the power of a single Wish.

These enhancements meld with Boton’s essence. He passed them to his seed.

His new powers did not release Boton from the fealty commitment; Boton merely became a powerful minion of a more powerful master. Boton’s greed and evil endured many generations. He had no personal need of the remaining Elixirs. Each could only be used once. He discovered this when he attempted to strengthen his position by consuming a second Elixir of True Wishing. He had not cast the first Wish before drinking the second phial. The Magick of the two Elixirs could not coexist. The second Wish Spell was lost.

The greediness of Boton influenced his decision to secure the Phials of Mastery of Magick to prevent their use by others. He created a simple black box to store the treasures.

Boton cast a Spell of Hiding Magick upon the box holding the nine remaining phials. A Detection of Magick Spell would not reveal the presence of the powerful Elixirs. The false bottom of the chest was hidden to casual and intricate inspection. A child’s hairpin could trigger the latch opening the bottom of the box. Boton smiled when he realized that most sorcerers did not possess a child’s hairpin.

The box was entrusted to the care of the Dark Sorcerers. It was considered a symbolic treasure without bartering or Magick value. None realized that the simple box contained the phials. The first caretaker was Montague. Montague was a powerful sorceress who did not share the knowledge that Boton had of the Elixirs.

The number of phials in the secret compartment of the box had been reduced to seven when Boton was forced to barter for his life during one of his astral adventures. The astral travel carried him to the shadow of a gray sun and he inexplicably lost his powers. He parted with two Elixirs of Longevity. The chest thus contained two Elixirs of the Stars, two Elixirs of Enhancement, and two Elixirs of the Future, and a single Wish Elixir.

Boton lived beyond all his peers. His mind remained strong but eventually his body started to fail. He finally chose to use the Wish Spell that he had saved for so long. He thought carefully about the wording of the Wish.

He finally chose,I wish for the return of youth and to retain the wealth, wisdom, and knowledge that I have attained with age.

Boton awakened upon the sands of the great arid desert of central Sagain. His mind could recall all of the Spells that he had learned. He tried to stand but could not. He tried to sit up but could not. He glanced at the tiny fingers of his hands. He was an infant alone in the desert. He had no Spell components. He saw the approach of the sand wolf. He heard the deep growl. He was barely a snack for the large beast.

Uyrg had no interest in the Elixirs and turned its attention elsewhere.

The greatest accomplishment of the Light Sorcerers had been the containment of Uyrg by an alliance of eight Light Sorcerers.

Gwindor, a Light Sorcerer credited with the creation of many of the curative and palliative spells known to the world, had formulated a plan to rid the world of the pestilence of Uyrg.

The plan required great preparation and cooperation by the alliance, a powerful group of Light Sorcerers assembled by Gwindor. Gwindor, Nolvotor, Coalzar, Valzartan, Tanacand, Pravazar, Telmazar, and a young Light Sorceress comprised the alliance.

All were elderly with the exception of the lone sorceress of the group, who was youthful and exceptionally beautiful. The sorceress had a remarkable attribute that had made her unique in a world of sorceresses. The color of her long tresses changed with her affect, much as the scales of a prismatic Dragon. In spite of her youth, she had contributed greatly to the preparation of the Sphere of Imprisonment, a crystalline device devised to incarcerate the lifeforce of the demon Uyrg.

Gwindor feared retribution from the forces of the Gray Abyss and feared an outpouring of evil against the world if the alliance was successful in purging the demon. He also feared the possibility of failure. The great Light Sorcerer had cast Translocation Spells upon his seven co-conspirators. If this world were lost they might improve other worlds; they might survive and further good. Translocation Spells were powerful Magick that would carry the seven Light Sorcerers away from the world to other domains. The casting of each Translocation Spell required that Gwindor rest afterward for an entire cycle of the moon. The powerful Magick drained its caster.

Gwindor finalized his plan.

The seven Light Sorcerers would cast Limited Wish Spells; the Limited Wish Spell was sometimes referred to in the tomes as a Spell of Desire. Translocation Magick would be triggered after each Limited Wish. None would know the destination of another. Gwindor would remain and cast a Permanence Spell upon the device and face any consequences of the actions.

No sorcerer or group of sorcerers had ever attempted such a confrontation with the elemental forces of evil. Success would require a concerted effort employing the full extent of their powers. The alliance would refrain from casting spells one week before the attempt. They would take it easy. Casting spells of the magnitude that they were contemplating would require great energies.

The wise young sorceress had warned her mentor that his advanced age placed him in jeopardy. The casting could threaten his survival. The elder Light Sorcerer had been steadfast in his resolve to carry out the plan.

Uyrg was highly intelligent. Word was leaked that Gwindor had found the Tome of the Translocation Spell and the identity of the secret material component required to cast the Magick. The Translocation Spell would allow the demon to travel limitlessly to other worlds. Gwindor was rumored to be studying the Tome in a cave in Awl’s Peak. The lure of the great treasure and of a potential ambush of his greatest nemesis Gwindor drew the hideous beast from its lair to the trap. The demon perceived a lone Gwindor working over a spellbook in an isolated cave. The demon advanced and began a furious spell attack. Gwindor feigned injury. The massive creature cautiously advanced toward its prey to finish the task of destroying him. The seven conspirators broke their Silence and Invisibility Spells and began to cast simultaneously. The seven Hold Monster Spells were too much for the demon to resist; the element of surprise added to the effectiveness of the spells. Gwindor threw the Imprisoning Sphere into the air and the orb hovered over the beast. The eight Light Sorcerers directed their staves toward the demon. Uyrg snarled, cursed, and vowed vengeance. The effect of the Hold Monster Spells contributed to the failure of Uyrg to resist the power of the staves. The palm sized sphere was tiny in comparison to its quarry, but the great form of the beast began to slowly transform to a mauve wispy mist. The mist started to flow into the hovering sphere. When the gaseous form was fully inside the sphere the device began to flouresce a myriad of colors.

Gwindor took a small chest and etched the symbol of infinity into the wood of the top of the chest. He etched symbols of null on either side of infinity. He placed the old Tome within the chest onto the plush velvet lining. He gently placed the precious shypoke eggshells within the chest. The shypoke had long been extinct. Animals relegated to continuing their line by egg-laying were at a disadvantage. The disadvantage was compounded if the eggs or their shells were needed as material components of rare and powerful spells.

We do not have the knowledge or power to destroy the lifeforce of the demon. We cannot know the course of the river of time. Our progeny may discover a means to forever rid the world of Uyrg’s evil essence. The future may call for the destruction of this creation. We hope to craft an inescapable prison. There must be a fail-safe., Gwindor declared.

He continued,It is my wish that what we create will require the simultaneous force of not less than four staves of Sagain to destroy. The wisdom of a Light Sorcerer will be needed.

You will travel to distant worlds to prevent the unwarranted collecting of the staves of our forefathers, Gwindor said. Let‘s now end this thing. I wish you all well in your new worlds.

The seven conspirators secured their staves across their backs. The conspirators began to cast the Limited Wish Spells in a predetermined sequence. Old Gwindor, the eighth conspirator, watched and kept his staff leveled in the direction of the rotating sphere, which rotated in the center of a circle that the eight Light Sorcerers created with their positions in the cave. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder within an arm’s reach of the Sphere of Imprisonment.

It is my wish that the lifeforce and foul spirit of Uyrg be confined to the Sphere of Imprisonment that hovers before the Eight, the first sorcerer Nolvotor said.

He sliced his hand with an ornamental dagger. His blood dripped over the rotating sphere. The surface of the sphere sizzled and gray smoke rose from the orb. The interior of the sphere became smoky. Nolvotor passed the dagger to Coalzar. There was a loud thunderclap and a flash of lightning. Nolvotor vanished.

It is my wish that Uyrg may never be freed by one who willingly serves Uyrg. Uyrg may only interact if the holder of the Sphere of Imprisonment sacrifices some of his life’s blood, the second sorcerer Coalzar shouted.

He opened a wound in his hand and allowed his blood to flow over the sphere. The smoky interior became mauve. He passed the dagger to Valzartan. Coalzar vanished following another thunderclap and flash of lightning.

It is my wish that the Sphere of Imprisonment be resistant to the forces of Magick, Valzartan added, allowing his blood to cover the small rotating globe. The Sphere of Imprisonment began to radiate heat and took on deep red inner hues. Valzartan passed the dagger to Tanacand. Thunder was followed by the flash of light. Valzartan was gone.

It is my wish that Uyrg never again be able to draw the blood of another or cause direct physical harm to another, Tanacand stated.

He sliced his finger and allowed his blood cover the surface of the ball. The surface again sizzled. A rainbow of colors filled the interior. Tanacand passed the dagger to the Light Sorceress. He vanished after another thunderclap and flash of lightning.

It is my wish that the Sphere of Imprisonment be resistant to the forces of nature, the lovely Priestess uttered.

The Light Sorceress held in her left hand a small grotesque figurine that resembled the gnarled demon. She took the dagger, cut her left hand, and allowed her blood to cover both the orb and the figurine. She crushed the figurine with her bleeding hand. Her flowing tresses became every color of the rainbow. The Light Sorceress passed the dagger to Pravazar before she also vanished following the thunder and lightning.

It is my wish that Uyrg never attain physical form in this world, Pravazar said.

He cut his hand with the dagger and squeezed a snow white phoenix feather. He incanted and drove the phoenix feather into the smooth surface of the sphere where it disappeared. The interior became a brilliant white. The rotating globe briefly resembled a tiny sun. The cave was illuminated with the brightness of midday. Pravazar passed the dagger to Telmazar, the lieutenant of Gwindor. Pravazar vanished following the thunder and lightning. The brightnss faded.

It is my wish that this appendage create Death Magick within the Sphere of Imprisonment. If the Sphere of Imprisonment is disrupted, Death Magick will destroy the weakened lifeforce of Uyrg and any being allying with Uyrg at the site of the disruption, Telmazar forcefully stated.

He used the dagger to cut his hand. He gripped a jet black Tuscon feather. He pushed the Tuscon feather through the hard surface of the everchanging Sphere of Imprisonment. The globe darkened and all illumination left the cave. The Tuscon feather had touched the open wound on his hand. The Light Sorcerers had underestimated the lethality of the Tuscon’s appendage. Telmazar fell dead on the floor before the thunderclap occurred. The lightning flashed and the entire cave reverberated. The body of the Light Sorcerer remained upon the floor of the cave as the dim light slowly returned.

Gwindor stared at the slowly rotating orb. The Sphere of Imprisonment was filled with a myriad of smoky colors. The device was rotating about waist high. The death of Telmazar had shaken Gwindor’s confidence. Had the full extent of Magick taken effect? There was no alternative. He had no choice but to proceed.

Gwindor extended his hand and grasped the Sphere of Imprisonment. He uttered the one word incantantion that created the Permanence Spell.

He sighed and began to speak in a monotone, It is my hope that…

Gwindor did not finish his thought. He sensed heaviness deep in his chest. His vision dimmed. He called out to his apprentice Eprozar. The youngest of the Light Sorcerers, remaining invisible, had witnessed the events and had cowered in the shadows. Eprozar ran to his master as Gwindor fell to his knees. The young sorcerer took the Sphere of Imprisonment from Gwindor.

"Guard well the Sphere of Imprisonment. It should be called the Orb of Dark Knowledge. It must not fall into the hands of the Dark Sorcerers. Guard it well," Gwindor gasped.

The words were Gwindor’s last.

The Sphere of Imprisonment changed to a colorless orb. The eight Limited Wishes had confined the lifeforce of Uyrg to the Sphere of Imprisonment. Telmazar and Gwindor had perished in the effort.

Eprozar ran from the cave. He removed a device from his robes and threw it into the cave. The young Light Sorcerer fled down the mountainside. He carried the Orb of Dark Knowledge.

The ground rocked from the force of the explosion. The blast created by the device given to Eprozar by Gwindor collapsed the ceiling of the cave destroying all evidence of the activities of the alliance of Light Sorcerers. The rubble became the tomb of Gwindor and Telmazar.

Inside the sphere the consciousness of Uyrg was gloating. Time meant little to the demon.

Eprozar carried the orb from the cave and into seclusion.

Eprozar became troubled by dreams.

In time, the Orb of Dark Knowledge fell into the possession of Kreuseul. Kreuseul was the most powerful Light Sorcerer of many generations. He came to prominence in a time of great need.

Kreuseul became troubled by dreams.

Chapter 1

The Killing of Kreuseul

The world of Sagain was one of many billions of worlds. Sagain was a very old world; Sagain was a world of Magick; worlds of Magick were rare.

Countless generations of sorcerers had walked the lands of Sagain. Their powers had increased over time, resulting in refinement and diversification of Magick. The greatest spells of Magick, the Wish Spell and the Resurrection Spell, had on the odd occasion been cast successfully. Spell casters of sufficient intelligence and wisdom to master these highest level spells were borne only every hundred generations.

The Limited Wish, which was sometimes called the Spell of Desire, was cast with great physical, mental, and material expense to the sorcerer. The caster would develop extreme fatigue and would become vulnerable to physical and Magick attack. The sorcerer casting the spell would sustain some permanent loss of powers. There was finity to the Limited Wish.

The healing arts had been highly developed. Good health and long life had been the rule. Many, particularly the most powerful, aged imperceptively. The longer lives enabled the ever increasing refinement of the powers of individual sorcerers and increased complexity of Magick. The strong became stronger; the rich became richer; the greedy became greedier.

Many sorcerers possessed exceptional abilities. They tended to align with others who shared the same idealogy. The forces of nature and Magick were in constant upheaval.

Self-indulgence and jealousy had arrived on Sagain. They were masters served by many of the most powerful sorcerers. Sharing power and resources became easier said than done. There was not enough nectar to quench the ravenous thirsts of the most powerful Sagainites. The centuries of peace that enabled the longevity of the population and the advancement of their civilization ended.

Warring and bickering had replaced fellowship and the sharing of knowledge.

The lands and lords of Sagain had long known prosperity; now the great civilization was thrust into its twilight.

Evil from without and within the world was a mounting problem, but the forces of the natural world became the greatest problem facing the Sagainites, who had labored so long to bend nature to their desires and wills.

The binary star that illuminated and gave life to Sagain was now parching the land. The suns expanded in the sky; the life givers were becoming life takers. The waters of the lakes and seas were receding. Cooling rains were becoming a rarity. The great powers of Magick could not prevent the slow death of Sagain. Great as the powers of Magick were, Magick could not supersede the great forces of nature and the energies of the universe.

The Light Sorcerers had long endeavored to maintain the peace and prosperity of the world. The Light Sorcerers preferred to advance curative and protective Magick. This generation was led by a very wise sorcerer named Kreuseul. He had shown great knowledge and compassion; he was loved by the population. The care of the ancient Orb of Dark Knowedge had been entrusted to Kreuseul by the Light Sorcerers. This was an expected duty of the head of the order of Light Sorcerers. The Light Sorcerers did not endeavor to empower the device. Their goal was to keep it secure and out of the clutches of self-serving sorcerers.

Headaches and unsettling Dreams beleaguered the stewards of the Orb of Dark Knowledge.

Not all sorcerers of Sagain were interested in the common good of the world. The Dark Sorcerers were enamored by destructive Magick. They were called necromancers by some of the tomes and by their adversaries, the Light Sorcerers. They sought supremacy; now they sought survival as well. The expanding suns did not make a distinction regarding the orientation of a sorcerer

Clysis was the most powerful Dark Sorcerer of this and many generations. Clysis was entrusted with guarding the treasures of the order and the instructing the young. The treasures included the Black Box, a seemingly common little chest. The Black Box was given great symbolic significance by the Dark Sorcerers. No intrinsic power of the box was known; the Black Box did not emanate Magick.

The Dark Sorcerers were always searching for lost treasures. The lost treasures sought most by the Dark Sorcerers were the Phials of Mastery of Magick and a device of legend known as the Orb of Dark Knowledge.

Clysis was aged. He continued to labor to cheat the forces of nature. He sought youth, power, wealth, and now survival. He was assisted by his apprentice Morlecainen, a young necromancer driven by ambition and lust for treasure. Clysis did not fully trust the apprentice, even though Morlecainen had been chosen from a pool of promising Dark Sorcerers. Clysis did not share all his knowledge with the younger sorcerer; he tolerated Morlecainen because of his abilities in Magick and his enthusiasm. Morlecainen would follow orders.

Clysis and Kreuseul were always on opposite sides of the fence. Their powers were equivalent. Clysis knew the legend of the device of great power held by the fraternity of the Light Sorcerers. He strived to gain an advantage over his adversary.

The great and powerful Clysis had turned the pages of many tomes, ancient and new, in hopes to gain knowledge of a means within Magick to either avert the impending natural disaster or to escape the presumably inevitable destruction of Sagain.

Clysis had been able to delay but not stop the process of aging. His time was finite. He was tired. The enormity of his recent castings had further weakened the greatest necromancer of Sagain.

Clysis began to have dreams; the dreams were vividly detailed. The Dark Sorcerer learned things from his dreams. The dreams directed him to an ancient tome; he learned of a means of creating a powerful Death Magick while studying this ancient tome. If he could attain this Magick, he could gain an overwhelming advantage. Creation of the Death Magick required a very dangerous acquisition. He would require the tail feathers of the Tuscon, a bird precariously close to extinction.

The Tuscon was a completely black bird of prey. A bite from its beak or the slightest scratch from its talons would be excruciatingly painful and usually fatal. The species was reviled and its extinction was sought throughout the lands. Farmers and hunters had diligently hunted the creature and burned its habitat. This had resulted in the extinction of the Phoenix population of Sagain as well because these birds shared the habitats of the Tuscon. The Phoenix had been invaluable to the sorcerers. The snow white birds had provided many spell components. Legends of the bird’s immortality were unfortunately untrue. A dead Phoenix was simply a dead bird. If burned, the Phoenix did not rise from its ashes.

The final Tuscon died in the heavily protected hands of Clysis. The bird grudgingly gave up its life and its feathers. After harvesting the six feathers, Clysis fashioned six arrows. He cast True Flight and Permanence Spells upon the arrows. The shafts of the arrows covered the lethal appendages taken from the Tuscon. He completed the construction of the arrows with a Spell of Desire. Clysis created six unerring arrows laden with Death Magick. The tail feathers of the last Tuscon of Sagain had given the Dark Sorcerer his advantage.

The six arrows meant six certain deaths regardless of the power or prominence of the target. There had never been such a potent Death Weapon in Sagain. The Limited Wish, True Flight, and Permanency Spells cast upon the arrows secured their lethality. The spells forever weakened Clysis. His time was shortened. His dreams became more vivid and detailed.

Clysis turned to Morlecainen and said,My body cannot do what my spirit wishes. I need your legs and eyes to carry out my plan. A chest lies in the vault of the Light Sorcerer Kreuseul. It is simple in appearance. There are few runes upon it but it is guarded by powerful glyphs. You will recognize the chest by the series of symbols etched upon this parchment. You will see the symbol of infinity in the center and the symbol of null located to either side of it. Do not attempt to open the chest.

Morlecainen asked,Master, how am I to get this chest? Won’t the Arch Light Sorcerer defend it? His Magick is renowned.

Clysis reached into his large cabinet and removed a small bow and quiver.

The old necromancer said,Guard well these missiles. They are but six and they are irreplaceable. You lack skills with the bow but that will not matter. Go first to the dwelling of Garijane. There aim an arrow in his direction. You will not miss your target. There will be such a commotion that attention will be drawn from Kreuseul; if he behaves as I anticipate he will continue to guard his domain. Go to the castle of Kreuseul. Aim in his direction and again you will not miss. Follow the directions that I have etched upon this parchment to gain entry to his great vault. Try to obtain his staff and use your bow to eliminate his offspring. The son will try to avenge the father otherwise. Return to me in haste as there will be great repercussions.

Morlecainen nodded. He accepted his instructions. He studied the parchment and then placed it within his raiments. He then donned a black robe and left the place of abode of Clysis which was perched upon a craggy precipice on Mt. Airie. He found his way to Garijane’s austere dwelling. He surprised the Light Sorcerer and launched the arrow before Garijane could react. The arrow only pierced his forearm but he fell dead instantly. Morlecainen resisted the urge to pilfer through the belongings of the young Light Sorcerer. His master’s words were firmly etched in his thought.

Morlecainen without delay went to the large luxurious estate of Kreuseul. He met many prominent Light Sorcerers streaming out of the estate. His Invisibility Spell served him well. As Clysis had predicted he found Kreuseul sitting alone in his study. He drew his bow and placed the arrow against the bowstring. He stretched the string tight. Kreuseul looked toward the tall youthful Dark Sorcerer just as the arrow was released. The arrow found its mark and the elderly Light Sorcerer fell limply to the floor. Morlecainen studied the room. The room appeared as the parchment from Clysis had indicated. He uttered a Detection of Magick Spell and the symbols of protection betrayed the hidden location of the entrance to the vault. He drew his staff and fired Magick Missiles from the staff toward each of the glowing symbols. The room rocked with the explosions of the glyphs. Clysis had correctly predicted that a series of mechanical devices would appear upon the wall to the west. No door was perceptible. Morlecainen pulled the devices as instructed by the writing of Clysis. Morlecainen could hear the turning of many gears. He pondered how old Clysis managed to know such detail about the secrets of the residence of Kreuseul.

The secret doors appeared and opened. The tall necromancer entered the vault. There were so many items; he could not find the staff of Kreuseul. Had the sorcerer anticipated the attack? How could he have done so? Morlecainen could not know definitively, but the wise Kreuseul had indeed been caught by surprise. He had allowed his young son to take the staff to his chamber to practice spells of protection. The son and the staff were missing. Morlecainen surveyed the area. He saw the object of his search sitting upon a piece of red velvet on one of the higher shelves. The uninspiring chest bore the symbols that were sketched upon the parchment. Infinity was flanked on both sides by null. (Ǿ ∞ Ǿ). Morlecainen picked up the chest and was surprised by its considerable weight. He hurriedly left the vault and fled the estate. He was able to return unimpeded to the craggy slopes of Mt. Airie. He stood before Clysis.

Well done my novice, Clysis said.

Chapter 2

Escaping Sagain

The black arrows had proven their worth. Clysis had exerted great effort to attain them. Clysis was rewarded when two of the arrows ended the lives his greatest rival, the Arch Light Sorcerer Kreuseul, and the heir apparent to the leadership of the order of Light Sorcerers, the youthful Garijane. The arrows had been fired from the bow by Morlecainen but their course was guided by Magick of Clysis. The apprentice had neither been able to kill the young son of Kreuseul nor to find the staff of the Light Sorcerer.

Clysis was in high spirits. Morlecainen had obtained the small chest that the Old Dark Sorcerer had described in detail. Clysis had not expressed interest in the myriad of items in Kreuseul’s study; Morlecainen had taken a few things. Morlecainen was of the opinion that Light Sorcerers were foolish. They should have been on guard at all times. He had given the chest to Clysis, but he had taken the liberty to deviously cast a Detection of Magick Spell. The spell had revealed strong emanations from within the chest. The spell also illuminated the symbols of protection etched on the chest by Magick. The chest was protected by multiple Glyphs of Warding Spells. A Glyph of Warding was a symbol of Magick placed by a powerful sorcerer upon an item. Morlecainen’s skills were not refined enough to remove such Magick. He destroyed the protective symbols on the wall of Kreuseul’s study by the application of offensive Magick. The force of the Magick Missiles triggered the destructive power of the symbols. He could not use that means to disarm the Glyphs on the chest; the technique would risk damage to the contents. Removal of the symbols of protection would be a challenge for one as powerful as Clysis.

Clysis waited until he was alone to study his treasures. He sent Morlecainen to gather ingredients for spells. In reality, the process employed by Clysis was simple. Clysis summoned a servant to open the chest. When the unfortunate servant opened the latch, the glyph fired and slew him. The top of the chest was now open. The chest contained a palm sized orb, which appeared to be made of polished crystal, and a small tome. There were fragments of fossilized eggshells in the chest. He did not know what these were but suspected they were essential to the spell detailed by the tome. Clysis smiled. The runes on the tome revealed that it contained the instructions for the elusive Translocation Spell. He had attained the greatest treasures of Sagain.

Low level Teleportation Spells were easy to learn. They worked only over short distances. The caster could carry nothing. The caster arrived at his destination nude and defenseless. This could present problems. Word of Return Spells only permitted returning to one’s sanctuary.

The Translocation Spell was potent Magick. The Translocation Spell was not limited by boundaries. The caster faced danger if he chose a destination beyond his own world. Assuring a habitable destination would require refinement and amplification of the spell. If he could master and amplify the Translocation Spell, Clysis would not only be able to escape from Sagain, but also be able to take with him many of his Magick treasures. The Magick of a Limited Wish would be required. The casting of a Limited Wish Spell always diminished the caster. Clysis had been weakened by the Limited Wish which created the black arrows.

Clysis had prevailed against his greatest adversary.

The Dark Sorcerer had not been able to relish the defeat of his rivals. The climatery changes accelerated soon after their deaths. Some attributed this to the deaths of the Light Sorcerers, but the enlarging suns were the source of the withering heat and wind storms.

The world was facing doom. Clysis was facing doom. The Orb of Dark Knowledge was facing doom.

Clysis was troubled by dreams. The dreams filled his fitful attempts at sleep with thoughts of the Orb of Dark Knowledge. He had learned of its presence in the vault of Kreuseul in his dreams. He had learned the configuration of the dwelling of Kreuseul through his dreams. He learned the location of the vault of Kreuseul. He learned the means of entering the vault through his dreams. He learned that the Tome of the Translocation Spell rested in the chest with the Orb through his dreams. His dreams urged him to master the Tome of Translocation. His dreams helped him translate the ancient runes of the tome. He did not understand his dreams.

Clysis spent days studying the tome taken from the chest. He learned when he slept. Enhancing and modifying this Magick had been arduous, but ultimately Clysis began to feel comfortable. The inexplicable hints from his dreams continued.

Morlecainen and Clysis constructed a chamber. The room was about thirty paces square and had a ceiling the height of eight sorcerers. Clysis and Morlecainen were facing exhaustion, but they had fashioned a possible escape. They filled the chamber with their greatest treasures. Morlecainen called the chamber the Room of Sorcery. Clysis called it a chance.

Clysis had never cast a spell as complex as the augmented Spell of Translocation.

Clysis cast a Limited Wish. It is my wish that the Room of Sorcery and all its living, non-living, and Magick contents be sent to a world away from Sagain that has a familiar, habitable, and unthreatened environment. It is my wish that all living inhabitants of the Room of Sorcery arrive in the new world unharmed by the journey.

Clysis and Morlecainen conjured furiously. Clysis crumbled the precious shypoke eggshells as he cast.

The boy came to the Old Sorcerer’s Keep on Mt. Airie seeking vengeance for his father. He was strong in Magick and he did not fear the Dark Sorcerers. He was neither old enough nor wise enough to fear death. He would not be surprised by treachery as was his father. He was not limited to the protective Magick of his father. Since early childhood his mother had trained him in destructive Magick. The wise Kreuseul had not recognized that his spouse was a necromancer. She had never practiced her skills because she shared Kreuseul’s compassion for Sagain and its people. The blood of Boton flowed through her veins so longevity would serve her progeny as well. The enhancements that Boton had achieved were passed on to some of his progeny. The blood of Boton flowed through the boy’s veins. She feared for her son and her fears eventually were realized. She had taught her son so that he might be able to use all aspects of Magick for the betterment of Sagain. The boy may have been the first offspring of a Light and a Dark Sorcerer. The Dark Sorcerer attributes were dominant. The boy’s essence would be neither Dark nor Light; it would be Gray.

Whatever I feared has come to pass, she had told her son when she learned of her kind spouse’s death. There could only be one responsible. He has stolen things from your father’s study. Make good use of the skills that I have taught you.

Fate placed him invisibily entering the Room of Sorcery as the door was closing and the Old Sorcerer and Morlecainen were beginning to cast. Their concentrations kept the two from detecting the young sorcerer as he entered. His staff and devices were obscured by the enormous Magick within the Room of Sorcery.

The three Sagainites left the world of the expanding suns.

Those awake in the wilds of the simple world would only note a fleeting bright light in the night sky.

The travellers had arrived.

Clysis started to speak but his voice failed and he fell to the floor. He had survived the journey as he had requested in his Limited Wish.

The Old Sorcerer’s eyes were open but not seeing. The Translocation Spell had been the last act of Clysis. The strain of age, the Limited Wishes required to create the arrows and to modify the Translocation Spell, and the Translocation Spell had been too great. The efforts had cost Clysis his life.

Morlecainen did not grieve. The old Dark Sorcerer would likely have been his greatest competition in any world that they reached.

The towering sorcerer stepped through the door and surveyed the new realm for the first time. They had arrived in a fen. The air was hot and muggy. There was a bright yellow sun in the sky overhead. There were sights and sounds of life all around him; the air was fresh. Morlecainen slowly waved his left hand