Wizards Conclave

"Impressive," Dalamar acknowledged, after a long silence. "You have been gifted with powerful magic. And you are right: The potion you were given was indeed a reward, which the gods in their wisdom evidently intended for Je

"There is more… here is another of my rewards. And now I know that I am to give it to you."

She pulled the black book out of another pocket and was startled at the way Dalamar's eyes brightened at the sight of the unassuming tome. When she extended it, he snatched it from her hands almost violently. With exaggerated care he opened the cover and started looking at it, turning the thin pages faster and faster with rising excitement.

"Do you know what this is?" he hissed.

"A spell book, I should think," she replied.

"It is the key to my life, to the past I thought was gone forever." He looked at her with a new expression-a modicum of warmth but also respect, Coryn realized. "There can be only one reason these gifts were given to you. All three gods of magic must have joined forces for your Test, and all three wanted you to succeed. But why? Why?"

"Yes, I succeeded in the Test. But there is a greater challenge, one that I shall require your help to face. It is a challenge that faces all godly mages."

Je

"It seems we have found our White Robe," Dalamar said to Je

After explaining to Je

She told them about his unusually potent artifact. "It was a small stone, but it absorbed the effects of my most powerful spells. The Master of the Tower called it… an 'Irda Stone.' I fear it will make it impossible to attack Kalrakin directly, if he can render himself immune to magical blows."

"But we can't abandon the Tower to him!" snapped Dalamar.

"Of course not!" Coryn agreed. The dark elf glared to be addressed so sharply, but he waited for her to go on. "There was another part of my Test… I saw twenty-one wizards in the Hall of Mages, seven of each color."

"The Conclave!" Je

"Well, the gods have returned now, and I think we need to hold another one," the girl explained. "A new First Conclave. We need to summon all the wizards to the Tower, and we need to do it soon."

"But I have been seeking wizards of any robe for months!" Je

Coryn removed the third of her gifts, the slender magic wand. "There is one last reward that I was given, an enchantment that will send the summons of our gods across the world. It is a spell that has never been cast before, and can be used only once-we will need a laboratory, a hot oven, and many unusual components."

"We can do it in Palanthas," Je

"And the casting of this spell?" asked the dark elf, his eyes glittering with excitement. "After we have done our preparations, how will we work the magic?"

"We must go to the top of the highest mountain on Ansalon," Cory explained, the words flying from her lips as if she had known the answer all her life. "The spell must be cast when the three moons of magic are all full, and all near zenith."

"The Night of the Eye, of course! "Je

"Tomorrow night," Dalamar said anxiously, "which doesn't leave us much time."

"No, and that is why we must hurry." Coryn climbed to her feet. She saw the mules were tethered nearby, and Dolly nickered familiarly as she went up and scratched the animal between the ears. "I see that the saddlebags are already packed," she noted cheerfully, nodding to Dalamar. "As you suggest, we will use work space at your house," she said to Je

"Enough talk-let's get going!" said Dalamar, taking another moment to admire his book before he slid it into one of the pockets of his robe.

The other two wizards nodded as Coryn raised the wand, and the sparkling power of magic pulsed in the air around them.

Chapter 20

The Night of the Eye

The wand teleported all three of them, plus their mules, to the plaza before the great house in Palanthas. Je

Rupert didn't seem surprised to see them. With his usual dignified air, he held open the front door as the three wizards approached the manor.

"Please have Do

"Very good, my lady. And welcome back."

"Thank you." Je

"And to you, too, miss," Rupert said to Coryn as she closely followed Je

She smiled, embarrassed and pleased. "Thank you… Rupert." She looked around at the sound of rapid footsteps to see Do

"You're a wizard, now?" he gasped.

She smiled at him. "Yes, but I'll still take your help, next time we need to go to the market."

"But"-he looked crestfallen-"you got a white robe? Not red?"

"Sometimes you get a better painting when you use more colors," Je

Dalamar, a stack of Je

Dalamar, brushing by with his load, scolded her for gawking. Coryn set down her load and rolled up her sleeves as she followed the enchantress into the room and a far recess of the lab.

"Now, what can you tell me about this spell?" the older woman asked.

Cory took the wand from her outer pocket and held the slender reed of wood in her hands. It was pliable-she could bend it nearly into a circle if she wanted-but very strong. And she knew just from touching it lightly that the knowledge and power was there, contained within, ready to be used.

"We'll need high heat; we have to melt glass. And we also need to blow the glass. Each of us must make one globe. Let's see… we'll need platinum dust, dried kelp-golden kelp. And…"

She rattled off a list, which Je