Wizards Conclave

Solinari was just begi

Then, side by side with Je

"Can you sense them?" Je

"I don't know," Cory admitted, straining for a glimpse of a robe of any color.

"Come, cousins under the three moons!" Je

Coryn saw a glimmer of white, flashing between two massive, gnarled trunks. A moment later an old, old man in a clean, unadorned robe of white emerged from the fringe of the forest. He tottered weakly, leaning upon a staff as he walked slowly. The young wizard was about to hurry forward, to give him her arm as a support, when Je

"That is Bernardus," she whispered, her voice strangely taut. Coryn glanced at the Red Robe and saw that tears were welling in Je

Coryn studied Bernardus. His hand on the staff was bony, tightly wrapped with papery skin. His nose was inflamed, his eyes rheumy and watering, and gri

Yet those bony arms embraced her with undeniable strength, and his breath smelled sweet as he whispered into her ear. "May all the gods rejoice, child, that a true daughter of Solinari has come forward to lead our order out of the darkness."

"Thank you, Grandfather-" She lapsed into the honorific of her tribe without thinking. He seemed touched. "And welcome back to our tower."

"Aye, lass. Let's see what can be done about this place." He frowned as he sca

By this time other figures, one or two at a time, were emerging from the woods and approaching the gates with various degrees. Coryn was taken aback at the sight of one dwarfish figure, swathed in a black robe with the cowl pulled low to mask the hateful sun. He limped grotesquely, and when he reached the shadow of the gates, two bent, crooked hands pulled the hood back.

Coryn gasped aloud as she beheld a scarred, eyeless face, surrounded by a thin patch of scraggly beard. A wide gash of a mouth gaped in a leering grin, and as that horrid face looked her over, up and down, she drew her robes more tightly about her breasts, and took a step backward.

"A young one, huh?" wheezed the dwarf with a harsh, breathy bark-a sound that Coryn only recognized as a laugh after several seconds. "Dalamar knows I sure likes 'em young! So where is that dark elf scoundrel?" The dwarf's sightless sockets swept across the courtyard. Clearly he could not "see" anything, yet he gri

The dwarf shuffled into the courtyard, toward the blank-face of the foretower. He stopped and turned to face Coryn, enacting an elaborate bow.

"Willim the Black, at yer service," he said with the same hacking chuckle, lewdly emphasizing the last word. Coryn watched, speechless, as he limped toward the foretower.

By this time, Je

"Rasilyss, my old teacher," Coryn's companion murmured. "May Lunitari be blessed-I never thought to see you again!"

"Bah, girl-you know I never sleep on the Night of the Eye. Yet it has been many years since those moons gave me a thrill such as this one past. I had no choice but to come."

"I know, dear. And thank you," Je

"Of course," Rasilyss replied as her eyes fell upon Coryn. "I see a resemblance before me that quite takes my breath away."

"She is my grandmother," Coryn said with a stab of worry. "At least, she was. I have not seen her for many months. I fear her health is failing."

"Have faith, girl. We old grandmothers can be stronger than you know."

"Thank you for the kind words," Coryn said. "And welcome back to the Tower of Sorcery."

There were many more of them coming, now, representatives of all three robes. Most were humans, and the great majority of these were aged, appearing to be considerably older than Je

"Ah, these youngsters are the legacy of the previous Head of the White Robes, Palin Majere," Je

Coryn glanced with interest at some of these fresh-faced students, all of whom met her inspection with expressions approaching awe. A young man, with a red peach-fuzz beard, hastened to kneel at her feet and take her hand, thanking her for the summons. A stout woman in an oversized white robe bowed formally to Coryn, and she batted away the tears in her eyes-tears of gratitude, Cory knew. She was a young person, but twenty years of age or so-old enough to make the White Robe feel acutely aware of her youth in the presence of all of these more experienced magic users.

Two elves came up to her, a surprisingly youthful-looking male and female bearing more than a passing resemblance to each other. "I am Adramis, and this is my sister Aenell. We heard your summons, Mistress, and it has brought us more joy than we have known in four decades."

"Thank you, and welcome," Coryn replied.

"Solinari, in his wisdom has chosen well," offered Aenell, holding her brother's hand in one hand as she reached out the other to clasp Coryn's. "Bless you!"

All the arrivals looked at the Tower with horrified expressions, and soft comments of disapproval and distress could be heard. The wizards in the courtyard spread out to look upon the Tower from all angles. They were growing angry, Coryn realized, and their numbers made her feel much more hopeful.

Here came another dwarf, also a Black Robe, who was followed by several more elves in a small band, a mixture of red and white. Now they were appearing in droves, shuffling by and murmuring their gratitude.

"The Tower has suffered terribly," said one elder White Robe, a tall and slender man who introduced himself as Galarant. "Even in comparison to the suffering inflicted upon the whole of Ansalon, this is blasphemy and desecration. Bless Solinari and all the gods, that we may take this place back."

"Yes, Grandfather," Coryn said. "With his help, we will prevail."