At the Gates of Darkness. Raymond E. Feist

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      ‘Pug,’ said Amirantha. ‘You need to summon him at once.’

      Jason sat back. ‘And how am I supposed to do that, given that I have no idea where he is?’

      Amirantha gave Jim a sidelong glance, then said, ‘I count Pug many things, but a fool is not one of them. Even if you don’t know where he is, I’m certain that he’s left you with the means to contact or summon him, should the need arise; and such a need has arisen.’

      ‘Really?’ asked the younger magician. He looked at Jim for corroboration.

      ‘I think so, as well,’ said Jim.

      ‘Very well,’ said Jason, rising from behind the small desk. ‘Come with me.’ He picked up the candleholder.

      He led them out of the room and across the floor of the keep’s great hall. Brandos stood near his wife beside the large hearth where a pot of stew was simmering. The old fighter shot a questioning look at Amirantha, but with a nod of his head the Warlock indicated that he should stay where he was.

      Jason led them up a flight of stairs to the upper floor of the main building and down a long hall that traversed the building to the tower opposite Amirantha’s residence. The single candle Jason held provided the only light on that floor. To the best of the Warlock’s knowledge, the tower stood empty, save for the enchantment on the top floor that caused the ominous blue light to glow whenever a ship came within sight of the castle.

      They climbed a circular staircase to the second to last floor and Jason opened a door. Inside the room was bare, save for a construct of wood: two curving poles sat on top of a base that looked metallic. Amirantha glanced at Jason and said, ‘Tsurani?’

      The young magician said, ‘In design, yes. Pug built it.’

      ‘What is it?’ asked Jim.

      ‘A rift gate,’ said Amirantha. ‘What our friends the Star Elves call a portal.’

      Jason went to a small shelf near a shuttered window and pulled down a small cloth bag. He handed the candle to Jim, then knelt and carefully opened the bag. Reaching inside he pulled out an odd looking device: a square box covered with odd designs, strange levers and wheels.

      ‘This was created by an artificer of Tsurani descent, in LaMut. It’s a little ungainly compared to the old Tsurani devices.’ He shrugged as if what he was saying was simple trivia.

      He then placed the device on the metallic base between the two poles, tripped one of the levers and stood back. ‘I have no knowledge or ability when it comes to rift magic,’ said the young magician. ‘It is difficult and outside of my interests. Only Magnus and a few others know much about it, although no one knows as much as Pug. He had this constructed should the need arise to summon him.’

      Suddenly a whooshing sound filled the room, then a crackle of energy, followed by a shimmering between the poles. A grey void appeared, scintillating colours ran faintly over its surface, like oil refracting light on water.

      ‘Pug will receive the alert in a moment. He should appear as soon as he is able.’

      ‘Do you know where he went?’ asked Jim.

      Jason said, ‘We only know what little he tells us.’

      Long moments dragged by, then, suddenly a figure stepped through the rift. A short man with a closely trimmed beard, Pug still wore the ancient fashion of the Tsurani Great Ones: a simple black robe and cross-gartered sandals. ‘What is it?’ he asked as soon as he was through.

      Jason inclined his head towards Jim and Amirantha, and it was the Warlock who spoke. ‘We’re being played for fools, Pug.’

      Pug’s brow furrowed as he asked, ‘What do you mean?’

      ‘I’ll explain,’ said Amirantha, ‘when Jim has told you what he saw a few days ago in the Jal-Pur, but it would help if we had another with us.’

      ‘Who?’

      ‘We need an expert on death.’

      Pug looked slightly bemused. ‘I know just the fellow.’ He turned and held up his hand. The Warlock could feel shifting magic in the room, though Jim only felt his ‘bump of trouble’ start to act up. After a moment, Pug said, ‘You two, follow me.’ To Jason he said, ‘Put the toy away when we’re through.’ He stepped into the rift.

      Jim turned and said, ‘Please send word to Captain Jenson to weigh anchor and make for Krondor. I’ll find him there.’ He turned and followed Pug.

      Just before he entered, Amirantha turned to Jason and said, ‘You might also tell Samantha that Jim and I will be missing supper tonight.’ He then followed the other two men into the rift.

       • CHAPTER THREE • Sergeant-Adamant

      CREEGAN GESTURED WITH HIS HAND.

      Sandreena entered his quarters still covered in dust from the road and feeling hunger pangs. Once she had given care of her horse over to the stable boy, she had paused only long enough to drink deeply from the well behind the temple, but she hadn’t eaten anything but a handful of dried fruit and some nuts since leaving Land’s End. Her order was mendicant and there was no dedicated shrine or temple in Land’s End, so she had survived on what she had purchased in Durbin with the last of her coin.

      The moment she handed her documents to the Father-Bishop she knew something was wrong, something that had nothing to do with the message she had delivered to him. He waved her to sit in a chair opposite his desk and said, ‘The Grand Master has passed.’

      She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and made a short prayer to the Goddess to care for the old man on his way to Lims-Kragma’s domain. He had been a good man, almost saintly, and Sandreena had no doubt that he would be rewarded with a higher place on the Wheel of Life.

      The Father-Bishop remained silent while she prayed; when she opened her eyes, she discovered him staring intently at her. ‘Father-Bishop?’

      Creegan smiled; it was not a friendly or warm expression, but rather the smile of a man finding humour in a very dark place. ‘The end of life is not necessarily a cause for sorrow, daughter,’ he said using the address usually reserved for minor members of the order, clearly communicating the difference in their ranks. She was uncertain why he felt the need to emphasise it, but knew he did nothing without a reason. ‘The Grand Master served the Goddess well, for many years and has earned his final rest.

      ‘But the timing is…inconvenient.’ He stood and said, ‘I must leave at once for Rillanon, for the convocation is to be held only a week after the funeral, and the selection of the new High Priest is more critical than is usual.’

      She knew he was referring to the matter of the demon host: the ‘Legion’ as it was called, was out there somewhere, threatening to bring its ravages upon this world. Few people within the temple, and even fewer outside, knew that the threat existed. Sandreena was aware of it only because of the confidence in which Father-Bishop Creegan held her. And fewer still knew of the relationship between the Father-Bishop and the Conclave of Shadows led by the magician Pug.

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