Temple of the Winds

"I haven't translated much, yet, and I don't understand the way the magic worked, but I think that what the temple team did was to lock away the Subtractive portion of the wizards' magic. It's the Subtractive part that was used to turn people into these weapons; with it, (hey took away parts of who these people were. the parts these wizards didn't want, and then with Additive Magic, the wizards added in the things they did want, so they could use these people as weapons."

"What about you? You were born with both sides. If the power was locked away, how does that explain your gift? I, too, have an element of Subtractive Magic to my Confessor's power. Darken Rahl used Subtractive Magic, as do some of the Sisters. There are creatures yet today who have some of this element to their magic." Richard wiped a weary hand across his face. "I don't know. I'm not even positive about what I've told you. There's still most of this book to translate. I've only just begun.

"Even when I translate it all. I'm not sure it will provide the answers we want. This was an inquisition and trial: they weren't trying to teach me history. It was common knowledge at the time. They didn't need to explain it.

"What I'm beginning to think the temple team did was to halt Subtractive Magic's ability to be passed on to the offspring of wizards. Your magic isn't passed on from a wizard, so perhaps that's why it wasn't affected. Darken Rahl learned to use Subtractive Magic: he wasn't born with it. Therein, perhaps, lies the difference. Maybe they miscalculated how taking Subtractive Magic out of those born with the wizard's gift would affect the balance, and so didn't anticipate the way it would cause fewer and fewer to be born with the gift.

"Maybe they did know. Maybe that's what they wanted. Maybe that's why they were executed." "What about the red moons?"

"Well, when those in charge found all this out. they sent someone to undo what these wizards had done. They needed one with tremendous power, and conviction. hoping he would have enough strength to succeed. They sent the most zealous proponent of magic among them, a fanatic-the head prosecutor, a powerful wizard named Lothain-to the Temple of the Winds to undo the damage." Kahlan drew her lower lip between her teeth. "What happened?" "He got in, through Betrayer's Hall, just like you told me. It worked just as you said; Lothain entered, but in so doing, he betrayed them. I'm not sure what it was that he did: many of the words, I think, have to do with specific magic that I don't understand. But from what I gather, he reinforced what the wizards who sent the temple away had done. and made it even worse.

"He betrayed those in the New World. Because he had to alter the way the Temple of the Winds held this magic, it set off the warnings of the red moons.

"When the Temple sent the red moons, and the call for aid, a wizard was sent. Because the temple was sending for help, the wizards were glad for the call. since it meant that they wouldn't have to enter through Betrayer's Hall. They thought they would be able to get in and at last remedy the problem. He never came back. They sent another, more powerful and experienced wizard. He never returned, either.

"Finally, in view of the seriousness of the situation, the First Wizard himself went to the Temple of the Winds." Richard lifted the amulet at his chest. "Baraccus." "Baraccus," Kahlan breathed in wonder. "Did he get into the temple?" "They were never sure." Richard pushed his thumb back and forth along the edge of the table. "Baraccus came back in a dazed stupor. They followed after him, but he didn't react or respond to anything they said or did.

"He went into the First Wizard's enclave-his retreat-and left this there." Richard held up the amulet at his chest, showing it to her. "He came out, removed the rest of his outfit-these things I wear-and then walked to the edge of the rampart and jumped off the side of the mountain to his death."

Kahlan sat back up straight while Richard cleared his throat and gathered his voice before going on.

"After that, the wizards abandoned any further attempt to get into the Temple of the Winds, to answer the call of the red moons, as impossible. They were never able to get in to undo the damage the temple team and then Lothain had done."

Kahlan watched him with a sober look as he stared off at nothing. "How did they know all this?"