It was so late when the reply from King’s College arrived that Jen ended up spending the night at The Tower. It sounded like the old professor was out in the field exploring a recently discovered ruin. The administrators had provided a rough location and the Headmaster promised to assign someone to fly her there. That offer was enough to make up for any discomfort she might have felt at the sleeping arrangements.

Ann had conjured her a bed in the conference room and provided linens. When Jen asked Mariela why she was allowed to have an actual room upstairs the scholar replied that since she worked with sorcerers so often they considered her an honorary member of the family. Not that Jen especially cared about her sleeping accommodations, she’d slept far rougher than what the sorcerers provided. The Headmaster’s discomfort at her situation amused her no end. He was like an innkeeper who ran out of rooms and was forced to put guests up in the stable.

After a good night’s sleep Jen left her makeshift bedroom, her pack slung over one shoulder, and crossed into the foyer. Ann was waiting with a plate of food which Jen gladly accepted. She’d eaten most of it when the Headmaster emerged from the direction of his office with two women in tow.

In the lead was a lean woman in her late twenties. Her cheeks were sunken in and she had fine wrinkles around her eyes that gave the impression of an older woman. Beside her was a young woman around Jen’s age with bright red hair wearing an acid green dress.

The younger woman brushed past the Headmaster and marched right up to Jen. “You’re Damien’s sister. I’m Amanda, we were yearmates. I’ll do my best to help you find him then blow up whoever took him.”

She thrust her hand at Jen who shook it. Her brother hadn’t mentioned Amanda, at least not that Jen remembered. The woman was blunt, but she seemed to mean well.

“I’ll take all the help I can get, thanks.”

The older woman grabbed Amanda by the collar and yanked her back. “Don’t mind her. Amanda often leaps before she looks. I’m Kat Gentul, her mentor. We’re at your service for as long as you need us.”

The Headmaster looked from Kat and Amanda to Jen then back again. “I guess that takes care of the introductions. Kat can send updates to me and I’ll pass them on to Lidia. If you need additional resources please don’t hesitate to ask. Finding and recovering your brother and the other missing sorcerers is our highest priority.”

“Thank you, sir.” Jen bowed to the Headmaster. Even if he did think Damien was dead, at least he was making the effort to find out for certain. She turned to Kat. “You know where we’re headed?”

Kat nodded. “Approximately. Once we get close we should be able to sense his soul force.”

“And if we can’t we could just burn down the forest until we spot the ruins.” Amanda smiled at the prospect in a way that made Jen question her sanity.

Kat grabbed Amanda and forced the younger woman to meet her gaze. “Remember what we discussed. You don’t blast anything unless I say so, got it?”

Amanda pouted for a moment then said, “Fine. Can we go now?”

“I’m ready,” Jen said.

Kat led them out into the empty courtyard. “Good luck!” the Headmaster shouted after them.

Kat conjured an oversized chariot that would easily fit all of them and Jen stepped aboard. It reminded her of the transport Master Shen used, only a bit smaller. When Amanda had joined them the chariot shot into the air and turned south and a little east.

They hadn’t gone far when the Great Green appeared below them. The huge forest soon covered everything for as far as they could see in every direction. How could anyone find anything down there? The trees grew so dense the ground only rarely appeared through the canopy. Jen tried to catch a glimpse through the gaps, but even with her enhanced senses all she made out was leaves.

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They reached the target area around midmorning and began circling. Everyone remained silent, straining with all their senses to detect some sign of the professor.

After almost an hour of circling Amanda said, “I sense something down there.” She pointed a little to the left of their current course.

Kat looked in the direction her apprentice indicated then nodded. “I do too, but I’m not certain it’s human.”

Amanda frowned. “I sense no corruption.”

“No, it’s not a demon either. I’m not certain what it is.”

Jen had heard enough. “Why don’t we go down for a closer look? If it’s the old man, great. If not we can keep searching.”

Kat nodded and a golden dome formed over the chariot as they descended toward the trees. The chariot crashed through the canopy, sending branches falling to the forest floor. It was a good thing they weren’t trying to sneak up on anyone.

Once they smashed through the canopy there was plenty of space between the massive hardwoods for them to land. “There’s the ruin,” Jen said.

It really was a ruin too. Tumbled stone from what she guessed was once a crude fort lay scattered amongst the trees. The most intact bit of construction looked like a doorway. Since most of the building behind the opening had collapsed she couldn’t imagine where it went. There was no one immediately visible and no sign of a camp. Jen wanted to call out for the professor, but didn’t dare after Kat’s mention of something nonhuman in the area.

“The soul force I sense is coming from over there.” Amanda pointed at the opening then walked toward it.

Jen shrugged and followed along behind. When Amanda reached the doorway she conjured a ball of light and sent it through. “There’s an opening in the floor with a rope dangling down it.”

Jen reached the opening and sure enough someone had tied off a knotted rope to a boulder that probably weighed three tons. She didn’t know what the sorcerers sensed, but that rope was exactly the sort of thing a human explorer would have with him.

“Looks like the professor’s here after all,” Jen said. “Let’s see if we can find him.”

Jen grabbed the rope and swung over the lip of what looked like an old trapdoor to the cellar. She climbed down hand over hand while the sorcerers floated along beside her providing light. When she’d gone thirty knots down it became clear that this was no basement.

“Can you summon a little more light?” Jen asked.

Amanda conjured a light that resembled an underground sun and sent it floating away. A massive cavern spread out around them for hundreds of yards in every direction. Jen shivered. It seemed her lot to spend her time crawling around underground. She finally spotted the floor about ten feet below. It had to be fifty feet back up the opening. She was impressed an old professor could manage the climb down, much less the climb back up.

When they reached the floor Jen asked, “Can you still sense whatever you sensed up above?”

Amanda shook her head. “I sense something, but it’s not the same as before.”

“No, this is human for sure.” Kat turned to her right about thirty degrees. “It’s this way.”

They walked along behind Kat across the smooth stone floor. They didn’t light up the whole space, but here and there hints of tumbled buildings appeared in flashes. This felt a great deal like the ruined city under Port Valcane. It was too remote to be of any great use to the cult, but that didn’t mean something else didn’t live here.

The three of them made their way through the darkness for half an hour before Kat stopped and directed her light globe up and off to one side. Hanging fifteen feet above them, an indistinct shape struggled in a crude net suspended from a mostly intact tower.

“Professor Dorius?” Jen asked.

The trapped individual stopped struggling. “That’s right. Good to see a human face down here. Surprising, but good.”

“Hold still and we’ll help you down.” Kat conjured a disk under the net and Amanda severed the rope holding him up. When he was free Kat lowered him to the ground. “There you are.”

Jen helped him free himself from the net. When the last restraint was gone Dorius stood up, brushed his khaki trousers off, and peered at them through filthy spectacles. He had white hair jutting out from under a broad-brimmed hat, a scruffy beard covering a deeply lined face, and a lean, muscular build. A long knife hung from his belt and he had a satchel over one shoulder.

“You three are certainly the most attractive rescuers I’ve ever had. Thank you for your assistance. I assume the college sent you.”

“In a manner of speaking,” Jen said. “They provided your location. We need your help on a very important matter.”

“Really? It's been many years since I was asked to consult. Perhaps this isn't the best place to discuss it.”

Amanda popped up and spun around slowly. “Master?”

“I sense them too. We’ve got company.”

“Ah, yes,” Professor Dorius said. “I forgot to mention there are goblins in this ruin. I've been dodging the little buggers for a day and a half.”

Jen drew her sword and peered into the darkness. “You didn't think to mention that in the beginning?”

Shining eyes appeared in the darkness all around them. They were surrounded.