Despite her pain, the sorceress giggled out loud, attracting the attention of the others. Hey, that tickles! she said silently. Ouch, don't make me laugh. She opened her eyes to find everyone looking worriedly at her.

"I see you've met the real Gamaliel. My familiar should be a little nicer now that I'm awake. Talenthia, can you do anything for this pain? My head is splitting." The druid hesitated, looking worriedly at the cat. The sorceress ordered Gamaliel to lie down.

A stern-faced Ren watched the attractive druid work her magic on Evaine. "I can understand why you didn't tell us about your familiar. I would have done the same thing in your place. But the creature's loyalty in guarding you prevented our helping you and could have endangered your life."

"He won't prevent you from touching me again. I'll make sure of that," she said, rubbing the brown fur between her giant cat's ears. "What happened after I was knocked out?"

"Oh, nothing much," Talenthia replied, finished with her healing. The ever-cheerful druid made light of the serious battle. "We destroyed three werewolves and three wolfweres. I checked to make sure none of us, including you and the cat, got the lycanthropy sickness."

"How did you know those creatures were evil lycanthropes, anyway?" Andoralson asked. He handed Evaine some sweet-smelling fruit juice in a wooden chalice.

"We could all tell they were odd somehow. But when they pulled out that fresh meat, I knew what type of evil they were. The meat was human. Gamaliel knew by the smell. He and I can communicate mentally, if you haven't guessed that already. I would have given you all more warning, but I truly thought my missile spell would kill their leader. The creature must have been unusually powerful."

"Yes, it was. Snapping that creature's neck was more difficult than I anticipated," Miltiades noted. "But we discovered many interesting things about them while you were knocked out."

"Oh yes, you're going to love what we found," Talenthia said sarcastically. She strolled over to Ren to check his healed wound for a fourth time. "Give her the parchment they were carrying."

Andoralson handed over a small, official-looking folder with a broken wax seal. The tiny runes on the seal were in an ancient, magical script, one Evaine had learned as an apprentice. The script proclaimed the holder of the document to be a trusted ambassador. An ambassador of what, she couldn't tell, because part of the seal had fallen away. She read the scroll aloud.

To the lords and mercenary captains reading this scroll, I, Lord Marcus, bid you greeting.

The bearer of this document is a trusted servant of my new realm. He is empowered to hire and negotiate in my name for troops and mercenaries who would consider declaring fealty to me in my red tower.

The rewards such warriors may earn are vast. In my service, the battles are brief and the booty great. Those who would join should travel west of what was once Hillsfar along the coast of the Moonsea. All soldiers will be met by other servants of mine and escorted to my tower.

Lord Marcus, Red Wizard of Thay

The ranger sought Evaine's opinion. "I dreamed of a red tower just before I arrived in Phlan. I didn't think it bore any significance. Could Phlan's pool of darkness be connected somehow to this tower?"

Evaine thought for a few moments. "The large area of darkness that I saw in my spell is located west of Hillsfar. Considering what I know of such places, it's entirely possible that the tower could be within the darkness, along with the pool. But that doesn't account for the missing city.

"We should continue riding toward the smaller patch of darkness. I'm convinced it's connected to the larger evil, and it'll provide important clues." She smiled. "Besides, my home is a few days' ride south of Zhentil Keep. It's a stone cottage hidden in the edges of the elven forest. We can all rest there and discuss our strategy. I can cast another spell to locate the pool. Being that close to the area of blackness should give me more clues about what we are facing.

"I still own many of Sebastian's possessions. If the small blackness is indeed the home of my mentor's adversary, those items will help prove who I am and enlist the aid of the old wizard. Unless anyone objects, that's how I'd like us to proceed."

"Evaine" Ren said, stripping off his weapons to create an amazing pile of daggers and short swords, "could you ask Gamaliel to turn into a human again? Now that you've assured him we won't be harming you, I'd like to talk to him alone for a moment."

Gamaliel blurred and transformed before Evaine could ask. He rose to his feet to look at Ren. The glares they shot at each other might have been poisoned darts.

"Follow me, please. But first, I'd appreciate it if you'd remove your gloves." Ren requested.

Ren stared at the barbarian for a moment, then turned and walked into the woods without looking back to see if Gamaliel followed.

I can't imagine what he wants, Gamaliel, but please try to be polite. We have to work with this ranger, even if we don't particularly like him. Evaine pleaded with him mentally.

As you wish, the barbarian agreed, then turned to follow Ren.

Casting a worried look into the forest, Evaine retrieved a brush from her backpack and began untangling her hair.

"This Marcus character seems to be trying to raise a huge army," Evaine said, thinking out loud.

"Yes," Andoralson agreed. He checked the rabbits that sizzled over the fire and brushed a sticky concoction over the meat. The scents of herbs and roasting meat were delightful. "With the Moonsea region so stirred up, I don't think he's going to get more than a couple of hundred, maybe even a thousand troops. But an army like that could take advantage of the chaos in the region. Gods only know what this Red Wizard could do to the balance of life around here."

"Miltiades, what could you do with a thousand troops? Especially with the condition the Moonsea is in now?" Evaine had grown to respect the warrior's battle sense. She was beginning to like the undead paladin. He didn't speak much, but he had an intelligence and discipline Evaine appreciated and admired.

"With a thousand good troops, I could conquer all the tent cities of the Moonsea. But without the real cities, the ones the gods have stolen, it would be only a series of hollow victories. If I were on a mission of conquest, I'd certainly want more than hundreds of poor refugees.

"There is more to this Marcus than meets the eye. If he were earnestly trying to hire mercenaries, he would have sent more reliable ambassadors than those lycanthropes. He's either a miserable strategist or he just wants a few armies for some brief attack." The paladin was obviously puzzled.

Evaine and Miltiades continued their discussion about the mysterious wizard while Andoralson flittered about the campsite, muttering about overcooked meat and listening for the return of Ren and Gamaliel. Irritated by their absence, he served up the rabbits, quite proud of his cooking despite his annoyance. The remaining two servings he placed near the fire.

Half an hour later, with supper finished and their portions overcooked, two bruised and battered men limped out of the woods. Ren's hands bore bleeding scrapes and he sported a large cut along his neck. Gamaliel was almost unrecognizable behind two blackened eyes.

"What have you two been doing?" Evaine shrieked.

"I was being polite," Gamaliel said innocently. His eyes blazed a bright green but were tinged with gold.

You're annoyed with the ranger, but you enjoyed your fight, didn't you? Evaine silently communicated.

Not to worry, mistress. I'm only slightly wounded, and the ranger finally realizes that I'm not one to be trifled with. Evaine snickered at the haughty tone in his mental message.