Elminster in hell - Ed Greenwood [150]
Alone and maimed in a cavern deep in Avemus, Elminster went to his knees and sobbed bitterly. The mind that had ridden his for a seeming eternity was stilled and gone…
It's a dark thing to lose any being one knows so well.
[red, writhing pain, drifting back so slowly through torment, at last to the light…]
"Fires take all," Nergal muttered, as weak and sick as he always was when coalescing back from tattered smoke and essence to solidity once more. He glared around blearily at the offal-choked cavern and the small, round black stone that was always there when he cheated death. More mighty contingency magic spent, wasted because of carelessness.
"That was a near one," he whispered, not yet strong enough to growl. "I'll never reign in Hell if I go on underestimating humans."
"Too true," a voice said sweedy, from behind him.
Nergal, rightful Prince of Hell, whirled around as quickly as he could on rubbery limbs. He stared into the smiling face of the Witch-Queen of Aglarond, who floated less than an arm's-reach away.
Her smile was as wide as that of a wolf, and her eyes were two dark flames.
"Go down forever, devil," she hissed-and spread her hands. Holy water that was afire with blue-white and silver flames burst over him in a torrent. The last thing Nergal ever heard was the Simbul snarling,"For what you did to the one I love, I just wish I could slay you again and again!"
A dark, scaled hand set down a goblet that smoked and bubbled green in the gloom. "How amusing," Asmodeus observed from his throne of linked, living she-devils, and meant it.
Idly the Lord of Nessus reached out. Slaying magic built and snarled darkly up his arm and filled his cupped hand. When his palm was full, he'd flick his wrist and sent it to Avernus.There it would slay the exhausted, sobbing human sorceress whose image floated above him. She even now embraced the ruined, armless body of a man in a hidden cavern, all her attention bent to pouring her vitality into him.
Asmodeus started to smile. Ah, sweet irony…
***
In a void of drifting stars, Mystra drew the howling man from her breast. She held Halaster out to face a whirling vision-the greatest devil of all smiling as dark fire filled, his hand. She whispered urgently,"Now!"
Halaster Blackcloak broke off a slobbering sound that was half-howl and half-giggle, drew himself up with dark eyes blazing, and snapped, "Asmodeus! Bow down!”
The Lord of Hell turned his head in astonishment- and across the voids and spheres and drifting chaos, their eyes met.
With a crooked smile Halaster Blackcloak said the word of the spell Mystra had taught him. All his raving madness roared out into Asmodeus, jolting that elegant body.
Those amused and sinister eyes rolled up and leaked golden fire. That quirked mouth parted in a cry of astonished agony.The fire of that titanic spell raged through the devil's mind.
As Mystra firmly dosed the link between void and Nessus Asmodeus blinked at the gloom all around and took another sip from his goblet. Now, what was it he'd been going to do? Something amusing…
***
Mystra laid down the black-robed wizard like a little doll on his own bed deep in Undermountain, patted the heads of his guardian deep dragons, and turned back to the void and the waiting arms of Azuth.
As they floated together, she sighed, smiled, and said, "I do love happy endings."
Before he kissed her, Azuth frowned and said gently, "That might well prove a problem in the future."
***
In Avernus, the black flames that had been Nergal died down.A lemure sniffed and flowed hungrily toward the smell.The fury that had blazed here, scorching rocks that had been scorched so many times before, was spent. For now.
Chapter Twenty-Four
BRIEF EXCITEMENT IN AGLAROND
"May I present," the Masked One said in amused tones, handing the lovely gowned lady forward with a flourish, "ThorneiraThalance, now Acting Crown Regal of Aglarond."
Phaeldara looked up from the throne. "Not for another