Elminster_ The Making of a Mage - Ed Greenwood [113]
Galath straightened with such swift and obvious pride, swelling visibly before their eyes, that more than one magelord at the table sputtered with swiftly repressed mirth. Briost rolled his eyes up to look at the ceiling and asked it silently if Galath knew how to open a spellbook, or if, presented with one, he'd peel it like a potato?
The stone vault overhead did not answer… but then, it had hung above this high chamber in Athalgard for almost a century, and had learned to be a patient ceiling.
*****
The pain burned and roiled and threatened to sweep her away. In the darkening void, El clung grimly to the white light of her will. She must hold on, somehow…
Pain surged as the enchanted blade shifted and then slid smoothly-oh, so smoothly, in her own blood!-out of her, leaving her feeling empty and… open. Violated. Faerun should not see her innards like this, hot blood rushing out of her into the sun… but she could do nothing, nothing at all to stop its flow. Her hands moved a bit, she thought, as she tried to clutch at her wound, but now the light and sounds around her were fading, and she was getting colder. Sinking, sinking into a void that was everywhere around her, scornful of her failing life-force… and as cold as ice.
Elmara gasped and tried to gather her will. The white radiance she'd always been able to summon flickered feebly before her, like a watchfire in the night. She thrust herself forward into it, enfolding it and clinging to it, until she was adrift in a white haze.
The pain was less, now. Someone seemed to be moving her, rolling her gently over… for a moment panic soared within her as the movement shook her hold on the radiance and it seemed to slip from under her… El clawed at the void with her will until the white light surrounded her again.
Something-a voice?-echoed around her, eddying softly and crying afar like a trumpet, but she couldn't make out the words… if there were any. The void around seemed to grow darker, and El clung fiercely to her light. It seemed to grow in brightness, and from far away she heard that voice cry out in surprise and draw away, babbling in fear, or was it awe?
She was alone, adrift in a sea of light… and out of the pearly mists ahead something she knew swam up to embrace her. Dragonfire! Raging flames framing a street she knew well, and Elmara tried to cry out.
Prince Elthryn stood in the midst of blazing Heldon, the dancing flames gleaming on his mirror-polished black boots, and brandished the Lion Sword, whole and flashing back the flames. He turned, long hair swirling, and looked at Elmara. "Patience, my child."
Then smoke and flames swirled between them, and although she cried her father's name loud and desperately, she saw Elthryn no more, but instead a high hall of stone where cruel mages in rich robes bent over an ornate scrying-bowl held up by three winged maidens of glossy-polished gold. One was Undarl Dragonrider, the mage royal who'd destroyed Heldon. Another mage was passing his hand over the waters, waving his fingers angrily. "Where is he?" he snarled… and seemed for just an instant to see Elmara. His eyes narrowed, and then widened-but that chamber whirled and spun away into the void of light, and Elmara was suddenly staring into the eyes of Mystra, who stood in the air in front of her, smiling, her arms open to embrace.
Stumbling in haste, Elmara ran across unseen ground toward her. Tears welled up and burst forth. "Lady Mystra!" she sobbed. "Mystra!" The light around the goddess dimmed, and the smiling Lady of Mysteries was fading… fading…
"Mystra!" El reached out desperately, tears blurring the darkening scene. She was falling… falling… into the void once more, chilled and whimpering, alone, her light gone.
She was dying. Elmara Aumar must be dead already, her spirit wandering until it fled and faded… but no! In the dark, floating distance El saw a tiny light sparkle and flare-and then rush toward her, bright and spinning. She cried out in wonder and fear as the blinding brightness leapt at her and flooded around her