Free Mindbender by David A. Wells

three inches on a side,” Malachi said through clenched teeth. “Each stone must be physically placed into the Gate itself by the same person in order to open it. Once open, it will remain open until one of the stones is removed. As long as the one who activated the Gate is alive, the portal will only allow creatures that he calls forth to pass. But if the one who activated it dies, then any creature that finds the portal within the netherworld can pass through it without restraint or control. As for where the keystones are,” he shrugged indifferently, “how should I know? I’ve been trapped in the aether for two thousand years. They could be anywhere by now.”
    Alexander looked at Malachi like he was trying to figure out how to kill someone who was already dead.
    The other sovereigns sat staring at Malachi with looks of shock and horror.
    “Where were the keystones when you died?” Alexander asked as calmly as he could.
    “Two were hidden in the Reishi Keep, the third was secured in a secret chamber inside the fortress where the Gate itself was located,” Malachi said.
    “So all three are probably still on the Reishi Isle,” Alexander said.
    Malachi shrugged defiantly. “Could be.”
    “How do I destroy the Gate?” Alexander asked.
    “How should I know,” Malachi said. “I never tried to destroy it.”
    Alexander turned to Balthazar. “Will the Thinblade be able to cut it?”
    “Possibly, but I doubt it,” Balthazar said. “I designed the Reishi Gates so that the Island Kings would not be able to use the Thinblades to destroy them. If this Nether Gate is made with a similar process, then I suspect it will be impervious to the Thinblade.”
    “I believe the better approach to this problem would be to find one of the keystones and place it beyond the reach of the shades,” Demetrius said.
    “I agree,” Balthazar said. “When last we spoke, you mentioned a Bloodvault keyed to your line. Perhaps that would be the safest place for the keystones once you locate them.”
    Alexander nodded in thought, then asked, “What can you tell me about the shades?”
    “They have no physical form in this world but are capable of possessing those of weak moral character, people bearing a burden of guilt or those in despair,” Demetrius said. “They are cunning and intelligent, not to be underestimated. Once a shade is in possession of a person, it is very difficult to drive it out while the host remains alive. They delight in causing harm and will go to great lengths to remain in the world of time and substance.”
    “How can I destroy them?” Alexander asked.
    Malachi laughed with a tinge of insanity. “You can’t.”
    “They can be confined within a magic circle like any other creature from the netherworld,” Demetrius said. “They can be banished back to the darkness by one of sufficient strength and talent, although attempting to do so can be very dangerous because it leaves the one casting the banishing spell open to possession. Another theoretical possibility would be to open a rift to the netherworld in close proximity to the shade. Since they do not belong here, their presence creates an imbalance. That imbalance would cause them to be drawn into the rift . . . theoretically. However, I know of no attempt to open a rift to the netherworld actually succeeding.”
    “It may also be possible to create a vessel to trap and contain them,” Balthazar said. “An enchanter of sufficient power and imagination may be able to accomplish such a feat. I believe I would have been able to create such an item during my later years.”
    Alexander thought for a long moment. He needed to talk to Mage Gamaliel. If anyone alive could create a vessel to imprison a shade, it was the Guild Mage. He also needed to find the keystones or at least one of them. He had no idea how he was going to go about doing that. Maybe his clairvoyance would help him, but for some reason he doubted it. He decided he had enough information