The Shadow Realm

by James Galloway

  The very first thing he taught her was how to summon Elementals. But before teaching her the spells, he trained her in Elemental etiquette, reinforcing to her the fact that the same Elemental spirit was going to answer her call again and again and again, so it was imperative that she treat her Elemental with respect. If she angered her Elemental, it may disobey her, or even attack her out of irritation. Fortunately, however, it was very hard to anger an Elemental that much. They gained power by being summoned, and were willing to endure the period of servitude necessary to gain that power in exchange. Elementals could not be harmed in any way, even if their forms were destroyed, since their animating force was an energy not of their world, and therefore could not be harmed while it was on their world. That was why Elementals were so willing to fight on a Sorcerer's behalf, because it knew that even if its material form were destroyed, it would suffer no real injury.

  "Alright, I understand," Keritanima pressed. "Show me the spell."

  "The spell is woven the exact same way for all four Elemental types," he told her. "The only difference is the Sphere you use. It's a two flow spell, but it's fairly complicated, and its patterns change depending on how much energy you want to grant the Elemental when you make its material form. So pay attention." Tarrin had never summoned a Water Elemental before, so he decided to use that as his example, and also to find himself a Water spirit. "I've never summoned a Water Elemental before, so I'll do that. It will let you see how to introduce yourself to the Elemental."

  Tarrin turned and looked over the rail, then began. He wove the spell slowly to his seeming, but at a speed that would let Keritanima see what he was doing. He wove the spell very loosely, making it very spacious, and held it in that state for a long moment to let Keritanima look over the spell's design. "See it?"

  "I see it," she affirmed. "It is complicated."

  He nodded, snapping it down and then releasing it into the ocean. He felt the spell take form, and felt the link between the spell and that other place where the spirits of the Elementals lived open. He felt something come through, and then felt the weave fully activate.

  An amorphous mass of water suddenly rose up from the relatively choppy surface of the sea, a column of water that came up over the level of the rail. It expanded and widened a little, but was still a pillar of rotating water, but two reddish spots appeared near its top. Eyes. Tarrin felt the Elemental connect with him, and then looked at it calmly as the others stared at the creature in fascination. "I'm Tarrin," he said aloud. "I thank you for answering my call. I didn't summon you for any specific task, though. I needed to show my student the right way to weave the spell, and how to treat her Elementals with honor and respect."

  That made the Elemental warm to him very quickly. It communicated its understanding, was a little pleased that it would have to perform no tasks. It then asked a most curious question. Why after so long were the Elementals being invited back to this world?

  "Because the magic that summoned you has only just been rediscovered," he answered it aloud.

  It understood that, and then asked if it should do anything.

  "No, you've already done what I needed you to do. Thank you for your service. You can go back home now."

  He released his side of the spell, and felt the Elemental's spirit return to where it came from. The pillar of water shuddered, the two glowing spots vanished, and then the pillar of water simply fell back into the sea.

  "That was amazing!" Keritanima said. "I could almost feel something passing between you and it!"

  "There was. The Elemental will be linked to you by your thoughts," he told her. "It can communicate with you like that, from any distance. It's almost like the telepathy that Shiika has. Alright, your turn. Let's start with an Air Elemental. I want you to make it just like I did, but replace the Water flow with Air."

  "Alright." Keritanima's brow furrowed as she began repeating the spell. Tarrin knew Keritanima's amazing ability to remember things she saw almost perfectly would mean that she would be able to duplicate the spell, and after a little practice, she would have it completely memorized. She wove the spell very loosely, moving much slower than she was capable of weaving to make sure she was doing it right. He didn't blame her; it was a very, very complicated spell, but the fact that it was only a two-flow spell made the risk of a Wildstrike more remote. Spells with one or two flows fizzled almost all the time if they failed. Only complicated spells with three or more flows tended to explode in a Wildstrike. The more flows used, the more the chance increased, Dolanna had taught him so long ago. Keritanima finished, and held it in its loose state easily as Tarrin studied the weaving she had done. He found it an almost perfect copy of his own spell. He did point out the few mistakes she'd made, and she corrected them quickly.

  "Alright, it's ready," Tarrin announced. "Go ahead."

  Keritanima snapped it down, then relased it. It was a little different sensation because he didn't do it himself, but he could feel the spell activate, feel it breach into that other dimension where the Elementals lived. The air over them suddenly gusted and swirled, and two glowing reddish spots appeared over them, looking down. Keritanima wilted slightly after the spell took form, but that wasn't something to be surpised about. Summoning an Elemental was hard work, and she'd been using her magic steadily all day. Summoning the Elemental had taken the remainder of her strength.

  "It worked!" Keritanima squealed in happiness, then she composed herself. "I'm Keritanima," she introduced. "Thank you for answering me." Tarrin could sense the communication going on between them. "No, I don't have any service for you to do. I'm sorry. I summoned you because I just learned the spell, and had to practice it. I know it seems like a silly reason, but it's better to know I can do the spell now, when it's not vital, than when my tail depends on it working." She paused, seeming to listen. "No, I'll be alright, I'm just a litle tired. Thank you for asking. It seems that the spell was a complete success, so you can go back home now. Sorry to drag you away for no reason."

  "You didn't drag it away, Kerri," Tarrin told her. "It responded willingly. It wouldn't mind if you summoned it over and over and over, most likely as long as you warned it you were going to do so."

  She looked at the Elemental, and then she nodded. "Oh, I understand. Well, I don't think I need to practice to the point of summoning you again. Thank you for coming. You can go home now."

  With a sudden gust of wind, the glowing eyes disappeared, and then the wind returned to normal. "How was that?" Keritanima asked him with bright eyes.

  "Not bad," he complemented. "You were polite, you answered its questions, and you showed some consideration for its feelings. It probably went home not regretting answering you, and that's what you were aiming for."

  "Good. I'm suddenly tired," she complained, leaning against the mizzenmast.

  "It's a demanding spell, Kerri, and you've been using magic all day. I figured that it would wear you out. That's why we did this last."

  "Smart thinking. Let's go below, so I can sit down for a while. And could someone tell someone to bring me some warm bread and a glass of wine?"

  Tarrin spent the rest of the day more or less by himself, staring out over towards the drifting coastline of Wikuna, as it appeared over the horizon then retreated back out of sight. They passed a surprising number of smaller vessels, rakers and even some barges and fishing boats, the Wikuni plying trade with themselves or fishing up the evening meal. All the other ships stayed well out of the way of the squadron of clippers, often dropping anchor and raising sails to remain stationary as the formation sailed by, either out of respect or because of some kind of rule of seafaring which Tarrin didn't know. The lessons had gone well, but Tarrin was a little unsettled by Dolanna. She had watched it all, and had a very, very intent look on her face. She was learning about magic that she couldn't use, and he was worried that she was going to try to use it. If that happened, she was going to cross over the line, and either end up being da'shar herself or getting Consume
d. Summoning an Elemental took a tremendous amount of energy, even though it wasn't a spell of High Sorcery, and it also required a command over the Weave and a control of the flows that only someone with a great deal of experience could manage. Only Weavespinners could use the spell, it was one of the many spells reserved for the upper tier of the magical order.

  He thought about that a moment. Dolanna certainly could managed to ascend to da'shar. She was a very, very experienced Sorceress, and was capable of many things that most other katzh-dashi would consider impossible. Dolanna's ability to weave blindly had awed him for quite some time, because it was something that everyone else said was impossible. She had tremendous skill, and she also happened to be a very strong Sorceress as well. Dolanna was small, but her magical powers were formidable, comparable to the powers of those present on the Council. Dolanna could be on the Council. If there ever was a candidate for da'shar, he could think of nobody better qualified than Dolanna.

  But Dolanna had been a skilled and strong Sorceress for a long time. So had many on the Council. It made him wonder why nobody had ever become da'shar before, why every single person who had faced the test since the Breaking had been Consumed. What made things different now? Why the change?

  You are the reason for that, kitten, the Goddess told him. Remember when Spyder and Jenna told you about the sui'kun? About how the realms of magical ability increase with each new birth of a sui'kun?

  "Yes, I remember that."

  Well, kitten, you represent the resurgence of the high orders of magic, she told him. When you were born, the realms of the Weavespinners were reopened, among other things. Before you were born, no Sorcerer could face the test and become a Weavespinner, because the entrance into the Weave was blocked. If they can't reach the Heart before the moment of destruction, they fail. So they would fail, despite instinctively understanding what must be done to save themselves. They would seek me out, but the door to reach me was closed. When you were born, that door was reopened.

  "That must have been hard for you," he realized soberly.

  It was, kitten, harder than you will ever know, she told him sadly. But thankfully, I won't lose any more. You were the first new Weavespinner in a thousand years, but in just two short years since your powers were awakened, there are now four of you. And there are many who are primed and ready to face the test, like Dolanna, she affirmed. A great many, because they had so much time to train and practice and grow, and they have always been exceedingly careful to never allow themselves in a position where they may lose control. In time, I will goad them into the test.

  "Should I do anything with Dolanna?" he asked. "I think she's going to try something foolish."

  Leave her alone, kitten. She must make her own choices.

  "That sounds ominous."

  That depends on how you see the situation, she replied. Don't you think Dolanna is ready to face the test?

  "If anyone is, she is," he said after a moment. "I don't know of any Sorcerer more skilled than Dolanna. Others may have more raw power than her, but she's so experienced, it's almost scary."

  That's because when others were sitting in the Towers reading books and playing politics, Dolanna was out in the world, the Goddess told him. You always learn fastest by doing, and Dolanna has been out there doing since before you were born. Any time I needed a skilled, intelligent, courageous Sorcerer to perform a task, Dolanna was always on my short list of candidates. But don't you dare tell her that, she warned. She doesn't know how many times she's been acting directly on my orders, even when she didn't realize it.

  "I won't," he said. "She's going to do it, isn't she? Try to use the magic I taught Kerri."

  I won't tell you that, kitten, but I would suggest that you don't sleep too soundly tonight, she said plainly.

  "I understand. I'll be there for her in case anything happens."

  I appreciate that. I have to go now, kitten. Be well. I love you.

  "I love you too, Mother," he nodded, and then he felt her retreat from him. He sighed and looked over the rail, out to sea, not reacting when Sapphire landed lightly on his shoulder from behind. "Well, little girl, it looks like I may have a problem tonight," he told her in a low tone as she rubbed her head against his neck.

  She chirped in reply, then clambored down his arm and goaded him into holding her to his chest. He scratched her between the horns delicately with the tip of his claw and stared out towards the coastline of Wikuna. He was more than a little worried now.

  It happened around midnight, as the ship stood motionless in a period of dead calm. Tarrin had been standing on the deck, staring up at the moon, with Sapphire on his shoulder and Kimmie standing quietly beside him. He hadn't told her what was going on, why he was so nervous, so she simply accepted things as they were and kept him company. He'd been admiring the moon when he felt that now familiar surge in the Weave, the surge of it finding a portal into the real world that presented no resistance to it.

  Just as he had feared, Dolanna had tried to use Weavespinner magic, and now faced being Consumed as a result.

  "Stay here," Tarrin told Kimmie, reaching up and taking hold of Sapphire and then quite deliberately placing her in Kimmie's paws. "Stay with Kimmie," he ordered her in a tone that would brook no disobedience, and then he hurried towards the stairs below decks. He literally jumped down the very steep flight of stairs, rushing towards Dolanna's cabin door as Keritanima opened her door at the end of the companionway, her face unsettled. Tarrin grabbed the latch of Dolanna's door, but found it locked. Not put off by that, he sank his claws into the wood frame of the door and ripped it off its hinges, getting it jammed in the doorframe, so he simply put a fist against it and shattered it like a china plate. He could sense the power reaching a crescendo in Dolanna--she was right on the verge of it, he had to get to her quickly and explain what to do! The shattering of the door released blazing light into the companionway, light emanating from Dolanna's body as Magelight writhed and swirled around her form. She had her eyes closed, and instead of screaming in pain or convulsing, she had her arms crossed her chest and had the most incredible look of absolute concentration on her face. Goddess, what a woman! She was actually not panicking! Tarrin was taken aback by that, more than he would have been surprised to see her in pain or in terror, as he himself had been, and then he realized that she was already forming the bridge into the Weave.

  Dolanna knew what to do!

  For the first time, he had a chance to see the actual process of crossing over, of ascendance into a new realm of power, up close and rationally enough to understand what was happening. He felt Dolanna's power form the bridge into the Weave, and then felt her consciousness retreat from her mortal form. That left her body behind, a body immobilized without its consciousness to guide it, then felt her escape into the Weave, drawn to the Heart like a tossed stone falling to the bottom of the pond. She left his range of senses, but it was but a heartbeat before the Magelight surrounding her suddenly shivered, then absolutely froze, as the power within her reached its maximum potential...and then simply stopped. It then seemed to quiver, and then blazed forth ten times brighter, casting blinding light into the companionway, a light of searing heat that didn't burn the deck, yet burned away Dolanna's clothes, leaving nothing behind but the amulet around her neck. Tarrin realized that she had found the Heart, and now the communion with the Goddess had shown her what to do, as she reached back to her mortal form and used the power built up inside her. The Magelight coalesced quickly, forming the concave star around her small body as he felt the power within suddenly begin to take shape, to form, to be woven. He read the flows of the weave, realized that it was the spell of Transmutation that would render Dolanna invulnerable to the heat that the power within her was generating. He sensed her weave it, a spell of such stunning complexity that not even Keritanima could have woven it with that one look at it, and then it was released. Tarrin sensed it sweep through Dolanna's small, slim body, altering the very nature of her, transfor
ming her, though showing no outward sign of doing so.

  As Tarrin watched, the amulet around Dolanna's neck changed, growing the leg-like extensions from the center star that made the center of the amulet resemble a spider, flowing outward and connecting to the triangles that surrounded it.

  And then it was over. The bright light that enveloped Dolanna simply disappeared as Dolanna's consciousness was flung back into her body. Dolanna gave only a slight sigh, and then crumpled bonelessly to the deck.

  She had done it, and done it without any assistance!

  Tarrin stared at her in awe for a moment, then came to his senses and rushed into the cabin. He scooped up her small body carefully, gently, then set her on the bed as Allia, then Dar, and then Keritanima rushed into the room, stepping carefully over what was left of the door with their bare feet. All of them had obviously been in bed, for Keritanima was wearing a silk nightgown, Dar a pair of hastily pulled-on trousers not buttoned up in the front, and Allia nothing but a cloak thrown over her shoulders, a cloak she didn't exactly bother to pull around her. That made Dar militant about keeping his eyes away from that side of the room. "Tarrin, what happened?" Allia asked first, since she was the first to arrive.

  "Dolanna tried to use the Weavespinner magic I taught Kerri," he answered. "She overstepped her abilities, and ended up crossing over."

  "You mean she's like you now?" Dar asked.