Crown of Fire - Ed Greenwood [36]
The high priest turned to meet Xarlraun's central eye directly. The guard was trying to flee, now, darting back and forth as ten eyestalks turned and twisted to follow him. The beholder rumbled,
"Proceed. Tell me what the Brotherhood would do with spellfire."
"If we did gain spellfire," Fzoul responded, "we would use it first to enforce discipline in the ranks of the Brotherhood, until obedience was absolute. Here"-he waved at the sanctum around them-"we suspect Manshoon means to make us utterly loyal to him, whatever our god's commands."
He spread his hands in a gesture of resignation, and continued. "When Manshoon felt secure enough in his control of the Brotherhood, spellfire would be used to destroy key foes-Elminster of Shadowdaie and the Simbul of Aglarond, for example-who often anticipate and ruin our plans."
Fzoul watched the doomed guard flying with frenzied skill, dodging and darting about the ceiling of the chamber. One of the beholder's eyes swiveled around to meet his, and he went on. "Thereafter, spellfire would be used carefully and covertly to remove strong leaders who oppose us-Azoun of Cormyr, Maalthiir of Hillsfar, and the rulers of Mulmaster, CaIaunt, and then Thay. Our objective would be to advance our own agents to positions of greater influence in these places, to make them more amenable to our causes so we need not destroy or openly conquer them."
The high priest watched the guard swoop right at the eye tyrant, kicking eyestalks aside, then dart around behind its central body, making a desperate dive for the door.
"Experimentation with spellfire, to make it something we can preserve with breeding or nurture with training, would then follow," Fzoul added, as the guard plunged at the open doorway. At the last instant, the man swept his hands back to his sides and closed his eyes.
The snap of his breaking neck was softer and duller than either the priest or the beholder had expected.
Silently the eye tyrant used its powers to raise the corpse to its waiting mouth, cheated of its sport again.
It idly rolled the lifeless guard over and over in midair as it spoke. "Will you take a direct hand in trying to seize spellfire now from this Shandril?"
"Not willingly," Fzoul replied. "I fear Manshoon has come to view this battle as a personal one after Shandril slew a lover of his-Symgharyl Maruel, the sorceress known as the Shadowsil-and sent him fleeing from battle. In that flight, he lost his favorite dragon steed, one long bonded to him and of unquestioned loyalty, and had to fight his way through baatezu to get out of the ruins of Myth Drannor.
He will attack in person if he gets an excuse."
"I asked what the high priest would do, not how he expects Manshoon to behave," the eye tyrant observed coldly.
Fzoul answered it with a wintry smile-and the words, "I have learned the benefits of waiting until the bat?tlehungry and the foolish have worn a foe down, and then stepping in at the end. An open attack on Shandril would not be prudent, for the Brotherhood or for myself; if I fight her, it must be another way."
"We think so, too," Xarlraun replied. "And because of this, we have chosen to support you, Fzoul, over Manshoon. You seem wise enough not to act against him, or reveal our part, openly-for in a struggle between you two, both you and the wizard would be destroyed; the only question would be whether you would succeed in taking Manshoon down with you."
The beholders jaws opened, and swallowed the temple guard whole. Fzoul inclined his head in a nod of agreement, and then waited for the crunching sounds to subside.
When they did, the beholder went on as if there had been no interruption. "You wondered as to my sources earlier. Most important among them is a creature Manshoon thinks he controls absolutely-a lich lord known as Iliph Thraun. He is mistaken; you now control it absolutely-with this."
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