All Shadows Fled - Ed Greenwood [3]
Inder shrugged. "Several thousand, perhaps."
"So, with all this magic to hurl about, reshaping worlds," Othortyn snarled, the end of his tail rearing back and lengthening into a hollow stinger, "why did oh-so-mighty Elminster stop making his rocks before the whole host was done?"
Inder frowned as his master pierced the cork of the bottle and drank deeply. The apprentice said, "His spell-as would any mighty magic, we believe-created an area of wild magic… which is still spreading. A wizard would see such a thing as the greatest danger of all, and would do nothing to aid its spread-nor dare to risk himself in its vicinity."
"So the Great Foe did not confront his own foes directly," Hastrim added, "fearing for his skin."
"He turned instead to the other armies, where only lesser mages stood against him," Inder continued, "and-"
"Speak no more of the Foe," the old Shadowmaster said sharply. "What has become of our kin who reached Faerun?"
"Atari, Yinthrim, and Revered Elder Ahorga survived the battle with the three accursed humans who came here," Inder said in more sober tones, "and seem to be roaming Faerun in many shapes, learning its ways and uses."
"Others of our house have found their own, separate ways into Faerun," Hastrim added. "We have scryed Bralatar and Lorgyn, and seen one other, whom we believe to be Lunquar, get of Byatra…" His voice trailed away, and there was a little silence.
"Is that all?" Othortyn growled. "I thought Jaster had gathered a dozen or more eager younglings around him!"
"He did," Inder said quickly, "but when Starner came to you with word that the Great Foe was caught in the loop trap you cast at their gate, you told him to gather all kin with spells to spare and make haste to-"
"Blast all who defy me!" Othortyn roared, and lightning leapt from his eyes like two darting white flames, roaring across the chamber to swallow up Inder and the scrying portal with him.
Hastrim staggered back with a startled sob as his companion and their spell vanished into wisps of curling smoke.
"I did tell you, Inder, not to mention the Great Foe again," Othortyn said chidingly. Then he turned his head from the drifting smoke and said politely to Hastrim, "Please continue with the exposition of events that Inder so abruptly abandoned…"
Hastrim stared at him in stunned silence, face pale. Muscles rippled around his mouth as he fought for calm.
"Feel free to be as clever as you feel necessary," the old Shadowmaster said soothingly.
Hastrim looked at Othortyn, and then his gaze fell again to regard the greasy curls of smoke that had been Inder. He swallowed.
"Well," he said unhappily, "perhaps it would be best to begin when it was first noticed that three humans- bearing a magic sword-had somehow stepped from Faerun into the heart of Shadowhome… undetected."
"Good, good," the old, bald Shadowmaster said encouragingly, opening another bottle. "Would you like something to drink?"
"Er-" Hastrim began, and then added with sudden firmness, "Yes," and a long, snakelike tentacle put a dusty bottle in his hand.
*****
Faerun, Daggerdale, Flamerule 15
"Easy, lass," a familiar voice rumbled as Sylune" of Shadowdale slowly blinked her way back into awareness. " Twas well done, to be sure. Ye shattered a spell loop, a very nasty Malaugrym magic-and there were a dozen of them waiting with all the spells they could think of, for us to break out. It's probably best that Shar and the lads were stunned when ye hurled me elsewhere. It saved them from about forty mind-rending attacks, and left me free to use the sort of Art that was really necessary."
Elminster gestured down the hillside, and Sylune saw rainbow swirlings there, above torn earth and blasted stumps. The trees around the stream and the leaning bridge were no more… and