The Source of Magic

       "I've met pretty strong magic," Bink said dubiously.

       "Yes, I know. And you have extremely strong magic yourself. But this-well, though I have never been able to fathom the precise nature of your talent, therefore my prior remark about you being an ordinary individual, empirical data suggest that it relates to your personal welfare. But at the source-"

       "Suddenly I understand," Bink said. "Where I'm going, the magic is stronger than mine."

       "Just so. Thus you will be vulnerable in a manner you have not been before. Your own magic suffers enhancement as you proceed, but only in a geometric ratio. Therefore it can not-"

       "He means the enemy magic gets stronger faster than our magic," Chester said. "So we're losing power proportionately."

       "Precisely," the demon agreed. "The nature of the curves suggests that the differential will not become gross until you are extremely close to the source, so you may not be much inconvenienced by it, or even aware of it. Still-"

       "So if I continue," Bink said slowly, "I come up against an enemy who is stronger than I am."

       "Correct. Because the strength of the magic field of Xanth varies inversely with distance, on both an individual and environmental basis-"

       "What about the magic dust?" Chester demanded.

       "That does indeed enhance magic in its vicinity," Beauregard agreed. "But it is not the major avenue for the distribution of magic. The dust is basically convective, while most magic is conductive. Were that village to close down its operations, the magic of Xanth would continue only slightly abated."

       "So they might as well relax," Bink said.

       "To continue: because of the inverse ratio, the enemy was not able to harm you on the surface, though he tried with demonic persistence and cunning. (I distinguish between the terms 'demonic' and 'demoniac'; the latter has a pejorative connotation that is unwarranted.) Which is why I am convinced it is in fact a demon you face. But here in the nether region, the enemy can and will bring to bear overwhelming magic. Therefore it is foolish to pursue your quest further."

       "I'm human," Bink said.

       "Yes, unfortunately. A demon would be more rational. Since you are a foolish human of exactly the type my research paper describes, you will continue inevitably to your doom-for the sake of your ideals and friendships."

       "I must be more human than demon," Jewel said. "I think he's noble."

       "Don't flatter me," Bink warned her. "It only exaggerates the effect of the potion."

       She looked startled, then prettily resolute. "I'm sorry the potion had to-I mean, you're such a nice, handsome, courageous, decent man, I-I can't say I'm sorry it happened. When we get back maybe I will take a drink myself."

       "But one reason I need the Magician is to find the antidote," Bink pointed out. "Apart from my friendship for him, I mean. In fact, we should have asked Crombie to point out the locale of the antidote, so-"

       "I could summon them again," Beauregard said. "But I would not advise it."

       "Why not?" Bink asked.

       "Because in the event the enemy is not yet aware of the precise location of their bottle, we do not wish to call further attention to it. We do not know what mechanisms the enemy has to observe you, now that its squiggle is gone, but we can not afford to assume they are negligible. It would be better to rescue your friends first, then attend to your more personal business."

       "Yes, that is true," Bink said. He turned to the nymph. "Jewel, I regret having to inconvenience you further, but my loyalty to my friends comes first. I promise, as soon as we rescue them-"

       "That's all right," she said, seeming not at all displeased.

       "She could wait here," Chester said. "Or go about her normal business. Once we obtain the antidote, we can bring it back and-"

       "No, only the diggle can take you there fast enough," Jewel said. "And only I can guide the diggle. There's lots of bad magic in the river channel, and very little in the solid rock. I'm coming along."

       "I hoped you would say that," Bink said. "Of course my feeling doesn't count, since-"

       Jewel stepped up and kissed him on the mouth. "I like your honesty, too," she said. "Let's get going."

       Bink, momentarily stunned by the potency of this first voluntary kiss, forced his mind to focus on the mission. "Yes-we must hurry."

       "The goblins are very bad in the deeper reaches," Beauregard said. "In recent years they have lost their savagery on the surface, but below they retain it. You have not encountered goblins like these."

       "It is not a matter of choice," Bink said. "We have to go there."

       "Then stay on well-lighted routes, when you're not phasing through actual rock. Like nickelpedes, they don't like light. They will face it if they have to, but generally they avoid it."

       Bink turned to the nymph. "Is that why you're afraid of the dark? Can you keep us in the light?"

       She nodded. "Yes…yes," she agreed to each question. Bink somehow had the impression that he could have asked somewhat more personal questions and had the same response. Or was that a flight of romantic fancy spawned by the potion?

       "At least get a good night's rest," Beauregard urged. "We demons don't need sleep, as such, but you humans can get very irritable if-"

       "No, we'd better move right along," Bink said. "A few hours could make the difference."

       "So could fatigue," Beauregard pointed out "You will need all your faculties about you, when you face the big magic."

       "Seems to me one demon's stalling," Chester said.

       Beauregard spread his hands. "Perhaps I am, centaur. There is one thing I have not told you."

       "If you plan to tell it, tell it now," Bink said. "Because we're leaving now."

       "It is this," the demon said reluctantly. "I am not at all certain that your quest is proper."

       "Not proper!" Bink exploded. "To rescue my friends?"

       "To seek the source of the magic of Xanth."

       "All I want is information! You, of all demons, should understand that!"

       'Too well," Beauregard said. "Information can be the most dangerous thing there is. Consider the power of your Magician, who specializes in information. Suppose he were armed with full knowledge about the ultimate nature of magic? Where would be the limits of his power then?"

       "Humfrey wouldn't hurt Xanth," Bink protested. "He's a good Magician!"

       "But once knowledge of the nature of the source of magic were known, what would stop an evil Magician from obtaining it? With the strongest magic of all, he could rule Xanth-or destroy it"

       Bink considered. He remembered how an Evil Magician had taken over the crown of Xanth-and had turned out not to be evil at all. But that had been a special situation. Suppose a truly evil man-or woman-obtained unconscionable power? "I see your point. I'll think about it. Maybe I won't go all the way to the source. But I must rescue the Magician, regardless."

       "Yes of course," Beauregard agreed, seeming ill at ease for a demon.

       They boarded the diggle and moved out, following the direction Crombie had indicated. "I don't know the deeper depths so well," Jewel said, "But there's a whole lot of solid rock here, since we're not following so close to the river. I'll tell the diggle to stay within the rock until we get there, and only to come out where there is light. I think you could sleep some while we travel, while I sing the worm along."