Stone of Tears

“Well, you think on it,” Richard said, “because I’m about to start an adventure.”

“What are you going to do?”

The less you know, the less adventure you’ll have to worry about. You just find out the things I need to know. If the veil is torn, we’re all going to have a never-ending adventure.”

“Well,” Warren said with a twinkle in his eye, “I found out at least one thing of help, then.”

The Stone of Tears?”

Warren nodded with a grin. “I found out there is no way you could have seen it. It’s locked behind the veil. In a way, it’s part of the veil.”

“Are you sure? Are you sure I couldn’t have seen it?”

“Positive. The Stone of Tears is the seal that keeps the Nameless One locked in his prison of the dead, in the underworld. He can rule the souls of the dead there with him, but he cannot come to this world. The Stone of Tears seals him there.”

“Good,” Richard said with a relieved sigh. That’s great, Warren. Good work.” He gently gripped Warren’s robe and pulled him closer. “You’re sure. There’s no way the Stone of Tears could be in this world.”

Warren confidently shook his head. “None. It’s impossible. The only way for the Stone of Tears to be in this world would be for it to come through the gateway.”

Richard felt his flesh beginning to tingle. “Gateway? What’s the gateway?”

“Well, the gateway is what the name implies. A passage. In this case, a passage between the world of the living and the world of the dead. It’s magic of both worlds, a passage constructed of magic. The gateway can only be opened with both Additive and Subtractive Magic. The Nameless One has only Subtractive, since he is in the underworld, so he can’t open the gateway. The same way someone in this world could not open it, because we have only Additive Magic.”

Bumps were rising on Richard’s arms. “But someone in this world, someone with both forms of magic, could open the gateway?”

“Well, sure,” Warren stammered. “If they had the gateway. But it has been lost for over three thousand years. It’s gone.” He gave Richard a self-assured smile. “We’re safe.”

Richard wasn’t smiling. He grabbed Warren’s robes in both hands and yanked his face close. “Warren, tell me the gateway isn’t called the Magic of Orden. Tell me the gateway isn’t the three boxes of Orden.”

Warren’s eyes slowly expanded to the size of gold pieces. “Where did you hear that name for it?” he whispered in a disquieted tone. “I’m the only one in the palace besides the Prelate and two other Sisters who are permitted to read the books that call the gateway by its ancient name.”

Richard gritted his teeth. “What happens if one of the boxes is opened?”

They can’t be opened,” Warren insisted. They can’t. I told you, it takes both kinds of magic, Additive and Subtractive, to open a box.”

Richard shook him. “What happens!”

His eyes still wide, Warren swallowed. Then the gateway between the worlds is opened. The veil is breached. The seal is off the Nameless One.”

And the Stone of Tears would be in this world?” Warren nodded as Richard tightened his grip on the robes. “And if the box were to be closed, that would close the gateway? Seal the breach?”

“No. Well, yes, but it can only be closed by one with the gift. It takes the touch of magic to close the gateway. But if one with the gift closes the box, the gateway, then it ruptures the balance, because he has only Additive Magic, and the Nameless One escapes the underworld. More correctly, this world would be swallowed into the world of the dead.”

Then how can the box be closed to keep the worlds separated!”

The same way the gateway is opened. With both Additive and Subtractive Magic.”

And what about the Stone of Tears?”

“I don’t know. I would have to study.”

Then you better study fast.”

“Please,” Warren whined, “you don’t mean that you know where the boxes are. You haven’t found them, have you?”

“Found them? The last time I saw the boxes, one was opened, about to suck my bastard father into the underworld.”

Warren fainted.

Chapter 57

Under the impotent rays of the late-day sun, an old woman was spreading wood ash on the ice covering the vast expanse of stairs. Kahlan walked past, relieved that the old woman didn’t look up to see that the person in the heavy clothes, white fur mantle, and carrying a pack and bow was the Mother Confessor returned to Aydindril.

She was in no mood for starting a celebration tonight. She was exhausted. Already, before coming home to the palace, she had climbed up to the Wizard’s Keep on the mountainside, but the Keep was stone cold and dark as death. The shields were in place, though a Confessor could enter, but no one was inside.

Zedd was not there.

The Keep sat now as the last time she had seen it so many months ago, when she had left to find the missing great wizard. She had found him, and helped stop the threat from Darken Rahl, but now she needed the great wizard again.