He tried several other images, but found that each required such focus that it would take just as long to master them as it did to master an image of himself. While an illusion of a dragon or a revenant might be useful, he decided to start with something more simple for his next illusion-a ball of light. He reasoned that being able to produce light would be the most useful illusion he could learn, even if it wasn’t terribly frightening.
On many occasions, he tried to project his illusions while in a normal frame of mind, but he simply couldn’t envision the necessary detail to create a projection unless he was in a meditative state. His newfound power wouldn’t be very useful in a fight, but he was sure it could be put to effective use, especially if he could learn how to project his illusions while using his clairvoyance.
He didn’t speak of it openly, mostly out of a superstitious fear that voicing his hopes would prevent them from coming to fruition. He didn’t even try for the longest time, until one day, he realized that he hadn’t looked in on Isabel for days. She was nearly to Karth the last time he’d visited her, but that had been some time ago.
He’d gotten so caught up with his own work that he’d forgotten to check on her. With a feeling of terrible guilt, he slipped into the firmament and went to her. When he found her traveling through the jungle, unarmed and guarded by soldiers of Karth, it was such a shock that he slammed back into his body.
It took almost an hour to calm himself enough to reenter the firmament and go back to her. He followed her for an hour, periodically trying to manifest an illusion of himself and failing each time. She was talking with the leader of the unit of soldiers about the jungle, trying to learn everything she could about the new environment she found herself in.
The leader’s tone was respectful, yet firm. Mostly, his colors reassured Alexander that his wife wasn’t in any immediate danger, at least not from the soldiers she was traveling with. The jungle was another matter.
When he returned to his body, he lay staring at the ceiling for several minutes, trying to decide how to proceed.
“Isabel’s been taken by the House of Karth,” he said.
“What do they want with her?” Jack asked.
“I don’t know, but I get the impression she’s not in any immediate danger, although that could change once they get wherever it is they’re going.”
“Maybe she’s trying to form an alliance,” Jack said.
“Probably, but Karth has been ruled by tyranny for centuries on both sides. The man she’s traveling with is honorable, but I doubt the people he answers to are.”
“She’s resourceful,” Jack said. “Remember how she turned her capture by the Reishi Coven into a triumph. She could do the same here.”
“I don’t doubt her,” Alexander said, “not for a minute, but she’s all alone in hostile territory. She had Abigail at the fortress island.”
“Did you try to project an illusion through your clairvoyance?”
“Yeah, but I failed,” Alexander said. “Although, I think with some practice, I’ll succeed. In the meantime, I’m going to send her some help. Hector, Horace, prepare to leave for Karth.”
“But who will protect you, Lord Reishi?” Hector asked.
“I’ll be safe enough here,” Alexander said.
“Perhaps one of us could stay.” Horace said.
“No, you’re a team. You work better together.”
“Commander P’Tal wouldn’t approve,” Hector said.
“No, I doubt he would,” Alexander said, “but I’m sending you anyway. I’ll be here for months, and Isabel needs help now. Go to Karth and find her, but remain in the background. Don’t reveal your presence to her unless it’s necessary to protect her. Phane’s magic is still working within her, so you can’t really trust her to be herself. I just need to know she has someone watching her back.”
“If you command it, we will obey,” Hector said, “but reluctantly.”
“I understand,” Alexander said. “Go to Karth and watch over Isabel. I’ll talk to Bragador about transportation.”
Chapter 13
Alexander continued to work on mastering his magic, alternately using his clairvoyance as the sovereigns had instructed, looking into the very nature of the substance around him and attempting to see the world and more as a whole. He came to understand the nature of things more intuitively, learning how substance held together and how the world revolved around the sun.
He meditated on the basic building blocks of substance, watching them interact with one another, trying to understand why they behaved as they did. It was a subject he found his mind returning to with maddening frequency. He had other things to attend to that were far more pressing than such an academic pursuit, yet he felt drawn to it, almost compelled to understand this infinitesimal new world he’d discovered.
Periodically, he would float in the firmament, calling out to Siduri, but he never heard even a hint of reply. At times he wondered if Malachi had been right, if Siduri had just been a projection, but then he thought about his conversation with the first adept and remembered his colors, vibrant and subtle, refined and complex, like nothing else Alexander had ever encountered. That fact, more than anything else, convinced him that Siduri was real. Given his eccentric nature, it was likely that he’d said everything he had to say and saw no value in making a second appearance to reiterate his warnings.
Besides, Alexander was in no position to use the blood of the earth anytime soon. The more he thought about it, the more he doubted the wisdom of proceeding with his plan to create the potion. If Siduri’s warning had given him pause, the sovereigns’ warning had unnerved him. As much as he wanted to save Isabel, he knew she would never countenance him risking the world of time and substance for her.
He came to believe as the sovereigns did, that such power was better left alone, yet he couldn’t bring himself to even consider returning the tiny sample of the blood of the earth that he’d collected. To do so would be to cut off that option, that one precious chance to save Isabel. Even though reason told him he could never risk it, his heart told him to hold on to that hope in the event that all else failed.
Hector and Horace departed on a small boat rowed by Bragador herself. She took them to the coast of Lorraine and left them to their own devices to find passage to Karth, a task they both expressed supreme confidence in their ability to accomplish. Alexander felt much better knowing that help was on the way, that Isabel wouldn’t be totally alone in enemy territory. It was small comfort, given her situation, but he would take what comfort he could.
Anja grew quickly, spending more time with her mother, feeding and flying until she was nearly her full size. When Alexander expressed his astonishment at how quickly she had grown, Bragador just smiled knowingly, taking pride in her daughter. Anja still came by to see him, though much less frequently as Bragador placed heavier demands on her time. Alexander was both relieved and saddened. He’d become very fond of the young dragon and enjoyed her company.
Alexander finally succeeded at projecting a still image of himself during clairvoyance. His illusion appeared inside his Wizard’s Den and lasted for only an instant, but it was enough to confirm Alexander’s hope that he could use his illusions at will through his clairvoyance. The possibilities left him breathless. He could act to help his friends and allies even while confined to his bed.
“I saw you appear for just an instant, then you flickered and disappeared,” Jack said when Alexander opened his eyes.
“Really? I wasn’t sure if you could see it,” Alexander said.
“You appeared right over there,” Jack said, pointing, “although, I think you might want to work on the details. Now that I think about it, you didn’t look quite right-no Thinblade. The details matter.”