Darkvision - Bruce R. Cordell [96]
"I said stop, Iahn!"
Scowling, the vengeance taker slid to a halt before the two strangers, dragonfly blade in hand. He didn't sink the blade into either of the men's heads, so Ususi considered her command a success.
The younger man yelled, "Are you more servitors of the crystal?" He squinted guardedly at Ususi's keystone and pumped his fist, as if readying himself for some great effort.
"No," Iahn responded.
"No?"
"We are not agents of evil," confirmed Ususi, walking near to them, though she didn't put down the keystone. "We are here to oppose that which has awakened here. I must ask-who are you? Why are you trespassing in the Celestial Nadir?"
"Trespassing?" asked the older man. "This site is under the control of Datharathi Minerals. We've established a mine claim here, no matter the outre landscape. Up until a moment ago, Madam, we were running for our lives." He paused. "I'm Zel. Zel Datharathi. Thank you for dealing with our pursuer."
"You are welcome. But as to your claim-it is invalid. This location isn't open to mineral exploration. This entire realm"- Ususi gestured around at the mote-littered darkness-"is a relic of the ancient Imaskari. As such, it is the property of Imaskar's inheritors. Besides, it's terribly dangerous."
"Yes, we've come to understand that," said the young man, "to our sorrow."
"Did you get your prosthesis at the Body Shop?" asked Ususi, pointing to the crystal arm.
"No. It predates the Body Shop by four or five years. Don't worry-I'm free of the taint these plangents seem to carry."
Ususi nodded. It fit. Only the crystal worked specifically by Shaddon, or touched by Pandorym prior to implantation, seemed to carry the taint. While both her keystone and the young man's arm showed dark filaments in the core, the discoloration appeared to be only an indicator of Pandorym's awakening in the Celestial Nadir, not a sign of influence from that malign entity.
"And who are you?" Ususi asked.
"I'm Warian Datharathi. This is my Uncle Zeltaebar. The opening into this terrible dimension is my grandfather's fault."
"Is Shaddon your grandfather?" Ususi asked.
Warian nodded. "Did you meet him? He's been… subverted by some malignant creature he found in this dark realm. He sold his soul for the sake of gold long ago, but his aspirations for complete power finally consumed him in this enterprise. I've… I've never been close to him, not since I was too young to know better."
Zel said, "Actually, no one in our family was particularly close to him. Except for poor Sevaera." He pointed at the head at Ususi's feet. "Her trust in Shaddon led her down a terrible path." His voice caught as he spoke, and he wiped at one eye.
Warian gave a small shake of his head as if attempting to push away an unpleasant thought, then looked back at Ususi. "Who are you? I've traveled the Shining South widely over the last few years, and neither of you are from around there, that's obvious."
"We have a connection to the Imaskari who built this space," responded Ususi. "Whatever your grandfather awoke here, it is a vengeful force that now moves against a refugee population of Imaskar that secreted itself away long ago. Unless we can stop it, that population will be eradicated."
Warian's eyes grew wide. "How's that possible? The Imaskari are long dead. No offense," he finished, looking slightly sheepish.
"We've maintained the secret of our survival for protection," said Ususi, and gestured at herself and Iahn. "Our forebears made many enemies, and we, the children of that great empire, have renounced the imperial dreams that proved only a path to destruction."
Iahn had fixed her with an unflinching glare. The wizard knew why. She'd revealed the existence of surviving Imaskari. But this young man wore a crystal graft embedded in his flesh that wasn't susceptible to Pandorym's manipulation. He could help them, and Deep Imaskar, too.
"Now that Pandorym has attacked us, our existence is no longer a secret. Thankfully, my arrival here in the Celestial Nadir means I can take direct action against the threat."
"Pandorym?"