The Memory of Darkness (on hold until October)

17 - The Third Assassin

The castle was in a state of confusion, with rumours flying, and the inhabitants eyeing anyone they didn't recognise with suspicion. People stared with grim fascination at the chapel garden as they passed by. If anyone stopped to look, they were quickly hurried along by Telvaral Guards positioned at the gate.

Inside the garden, Coren watched intently as Felix examined the wall of the chapel. The old man placed various crystals against the stone. Some changed a variety of colours, some were unaltered. He reported his findings to Gretchen, who recorded them in a small note book.

The scorch mark left by the fireball seemed to be of particular interest. Felix pointed out a number of features to Gretchen, before she staggered backwards, a look of horror on her face.

Coren decided to investigate. "What have you found?" he asked.

"Rather a lot," said Felix, his face pale. "I've found traces of two frost portals, one coming in, one going out. I've also isolated the signals of three individuals coming in."

"Can you track them?" asked Coren.

"That remains to be seen," said Felix. "I'll certainly try, though I'm not hopeful."

The knight stared at the variety of crystals that Felix held in his grip. "How does it work?" he asked.

"It's quite simple," said Felix. "Mages have their own signals, sometimes known as aethrentic markers. The portals left different markers, and it seems as if there was some kind of cloaking enchantment at work, which was to be expected. These crystals are tuned to isolate the signals, to make them easier to identify."

Coren nodded, as if he had any idea of what was to be expected, or how pieces of rock could be tuned to do anything. "Is there something interesting about the scorch mark?" he queried.

"Oh yes," said Felix, a rather ghoulish grin on his face. "I told you I've found three signals coming in, but there are only two going back out. Come and have a closer look at this." He gestured towards the blackened stones. "Do you see anything odd?"

As well as being blackened, the stonework was smoother than that surrounding it. The edges of the scorch mark glistened with tiny crystals that were not present elsewhere. It reminded Coren of a rock that his tutor had shown him as a boy. It had been struck by lightning, liquefying the insides for a split second, before reforming in sparkling, coloured layers. "Was it melted?" he asked. "How much heat would you need to do that?"

"An absurd amount," said Felix. "Though that isn't the really interesting thing. Look." He pointed to a patch on the wall, slightly darker than the rest, tracing a shape with his finger. "Head, shoulders, one arm slightly raised... She got one of them, and did a thorough job of it."

Coren stared at the patch in grim fascination. It was hard to make out, but was the kind of thing that couldn't be unseen once you knew it was there; the unmistakable shape of a human being, as if it had been drawn onto the wall. "How?" he asked, eyes wide.

"A highly localised blast of intense heat," said Felix. "This was anything but ordinary fire. I haven't seen anything like it. The rest of the building is intact, even the windows, but that person was incinerated, their scant remains now fused with the wall itself. Do you know what temperature is required to reduce the human body to ashes in an instant?"

"Well, no," said Coren.

"Nor do I," admitted Felix. "But it's high. Ridiculously high. Gretchen! Make a note, I want to know that temperature!"

"Yes Uncle," said Gretchen, her face blanched. She scribbled in her book, before taking another look at the gruesome dark patch. "Did you know the Princess could do this?" she asked.