Stone of Tears

Richard glared at her for a long moment before finally taking a swig of the hot water. He dribbled a little on a strip of cloth—something Kahlan had taught him—and tied it around his head, both to cool his brow and hold back his lengthening hair. Richard hooked the waterskin back on his saddle. “so what happened here?”

She swept her hand once from the southeast to the southwest. “Where the land was narrowest, here, not only armies but wizards did battle, and sought to prevent one another from advancing. The wizards laid down spells, conjuring every sort of magic, in an attempt to snare their opponents. Both sides, equally, unleashed wickedness of unspeakable horror and danger. That is what lies ahead.”

Richard stared at her glazed expression. “You mean to say that their magic, their spells, are still out there?”

“Unabated.”

“How can that be? Wouldn’t they wear away? Fade?”

“Perhaps.” She sighed. “But they did more. To maintain the power of their spells they built structures to sustain the force.”

“What structures could do that?”

Sister Verna still stared out at nothing, or perhaps, to things he couldn’t see. The Towers of Perdition,” she whispered.

Richard stroked Bonnie’s neck and waited. At last, Sister Verna seemed to dismiss her private thoughts with a deep breath and continued.

“From one sea to the other, both sides built opposing lines of these towers, invested with their power and wizardry. They were begun at the sea, and came together here, in this valley. But because of the force of the towers each side built, neither side could get close enough to complete the last tower in their own line. What they had wrought ended in a stalemate, with each side prevented from completing their last tower. It allowed a weakened place in the magic. A gap.”

Richard shifted uneasily in his saddle. “If there’s a gap, then why can’t people cross.”

“It’s only a lessening in the full strength of the line. To each side, all the way across the hills and mountains, to land’s end, and beyond, out into the sea where it somewhere diminishes, Perdition’s line is impenetrable. To enter is to be claimed by the storms of spells, the magic. Any who enter would be killed, or worse—they could wander the brume forever.

“Here, in this valley, the deadlock prevented the completion of the last tower on each side that would have sealed the line. But the spells wander and drift between the gap, like thunderclouds drifting on the wind, clashing and coming together in places. Because of the weakness in this place, there is a maze that can be passed through by those with the gift. The clear passages are always shifting, and the spells cannot always be seen. They must be felt, with the gift. Still, it is not easy.”

“So that’s why the Sisters of the Light can make it through? Because they have the gift?”

“Yes. But only twice at most. The magic learns to find you. Long ago, Sisters who went through to the New World and returned were sent again, but none ever returned a second time.” Her gaze left his, seeking the distant emptiness. “They are in there, never to be found, or saved. The Towers of Perdition and its storms of magic claimed them.”

Richard waited until her eyes came back to him. “Perhaps, Sister, they became disaffected, and chose not to return. How would you know?”

Her expression sobered. “We know. Some who have been through have seen them”—she inclined her head toward the shimmering distance—“in there. I, myself, saw several.”

“I’m sorry, Sister Verna.” Richard thought about Zedd. Kahlan might find him, and tell him what had happened. He had to push away the painful memory of Kahlan. “so, a wizard could make it through.”

“Not a wizard of his full power. After we teach those with the gift to control it, they must be allowed to return before their power is fully developed. The whole purpose of the line is to prevent wizards from getting through. The fully developed power of a wizard would draw the spells as a magnet draws iron filings. It is they that the magic seeks; it is for them that the towers were built. They would be lost, just as would anyone who didn’t have some use of the gift to feel the gaps in the spells. Too little, or too much, and you are lost. That is why those who created the line could not complete it; the domain of the spells from the other side prevented them from entering. Their creation ended in deadlock.”

Richard felt his hopes sag. If Kahlan carried out his request to seek out his old friend, Zedd could not do anything to help him. Swallowing back the numbing loss of hope, he reached up and felt the dragon’s tooth hanging on the leather thong at his chest. “What about going over? Could something fly over?”

She shook her head. The spells extend up into the air, as they extend out into the sea. Anything that can fly cannot fly high enough.”

“What about by sea? Could you sail far enough out to go around?”