Elminster in hell - Ed Greenwood [135]
Ho, no! magic! must have it!
Nergal's mind bellow was almost deafening. El smiled grimly and raked through the magic with both hands, letting the chaos of command words and purposes and powers wash over him as he sought something-anything-useful.
Rings that spat fire, wands that melted flesh, bracers that-wait! This!
With shaking hands El plucked it forth and held it, just for a moment. He set up a snarl of silver fire in his mind so that Nergal wouldn't be able to read his thoughts.Yes, this would do admirably-a scepter only as long as his hand, dark and finely made. Netherese-crafted, in fact, by Shadow Master Telamont Tanthul long, long ago. It could make two hands, or three, or six, out of one.Three hands, or three hearts, or three legs, as desired, but only bone and blood and flesh. A way of whelming armies or healing the maimed…
Hurriedly he raced out of the lair, keeping his mind full of fire, and hid the tiny scepter under a stone near a certain tree. Then he retreated to the lair, stumbling dazedly around amid the magic and staring at Marane's dainty fangs.
With an excited growl, Nergal crashed to the ground outside.
El let the fire fall and sent forth his thoughts in a feigned fury of excitement. These should be enough! Just let old Nergal set foot in here, and I'll blast him to ashes! Why, there's not a devil in Avernus that can stand against these, now that I've poured all my silver fire into them! I can-oh, gods!
Tall and terrible, Nergal loomed in the cleft and sent a forest of flailing tentacles stabbing into the darkness. In a trice Elminster was battered against stone, shoved along it, slapped nearly senseless, and then snatched out into the light again, blinded and strangling in the grip of a tight-clenched tentacle, while clinks and rattles told him Nergal was gathering magic in a frenzy.
I could crush your skull Like a rotten fruit, man. Give me one good reason why I should not.
The silver fire will explode out of me and slay thee too.
Don't y-eh? It would?
Aye. Best leave my head and neck alone.
So i shall, Neigal agreed savagely, twisting and wrenching.
Only silver fire kept Elminster from fainting at the sickening pain. Dimly he was aware that the devil had torn away both of his arms at his elbows, leaving jagged, dripping stumps of broken bone.
He called on the fire to give him strength, and feigned a mad frenzy, keening as he rose and lucked out and flailed away with his arms. He leaked enough silver fire that Nergal hissed in pain and flinched away. El grimly thrust the stumps of his arms into the outcast devil's wounds, like a child stabbing with a stick in blind rage and utter futility.
After a moment, Nergal chuckled harshly and dealt Elminster a blow that sent him spinning away to crash down on distant rocks. Pain made him bound up again in shrieking spasms. "Stupid wizard."
Behind silver fire, El thought, Stupid devil. I thrust my broken arms deep into you, and left bone chips behind. Deep inside, beneath thy healings. It may not be Alassra's Blood Ring, but 'twill do. Ye'll see. He let the fire fade again-and was almost deafened by Nergal's mind-voice, crashing in.
Again you whisper to yourself of your own cleverness! Enough! This memory of yours, and this, and this one, too, show me what to cast, to keep you ajjvf.-hah! Thus!-so i can do this!
[tentacles stabbing out, slapping around arching torso, and then wrenching… flesh tearing wetry…]
[scream, ripping agony No devil no devil agghh gods please no!]
That's sight, plead! Go on! Plead, and I'll ignore you! Hahahaa!
[diabolic laughter, roars of rage and glee, tentacles shredding and flailing, pulping what little is left]
A tall devil that once more wore the shape of a pit fiend stood glowering down at the seared, feebly crawling pieces of what had once been a man. With a reluctant snarl, Nergal sent forth tentacles to gather up quivering flesh and heal, knitting