Elminster_ The Making of a Mage - Ed Greenwood [142]
It came. The world rocked, and a blinding flash clawed at his eyes even through his tightly shut lids. Kadeln landed hard on his back and spat a curse at the gods for putting a hard tree-root under his spine. Then he blinked his eyes until he could see again and rolled to his feet. Broken trees and smoking grass surrounded him, with nary a dragon in sight… and stumbling sightlessly out of the smoke came a fat Calishite in tattered silks, a dagger clutched in one trembling hand.
Hah! He could even rob Taraj of his quarry this night! Kadeln smiled a thin, cruel smile and raised his hand to slay the man. It would take only the least of his spells. Then a dark form melted out of the air in front of him-Taraj, tattered and blackened with soot.
"Out of my way, Hurlymm," Kadeln said coldly, but his dazed fellow magelord seemed not to hear. Hmm… perhaps an accident might befall Taraj here, with no watching eyes to speak later of Kadeln's treachery. Or would it be wise to fell this lazy, blood-hungry idiot, and have perhaps a stronger mage rise to take his place in the councils of magelords?
Kadeln made his decision, sighed, and stepped around the bemused Taraj, raising his hand again to hurl a death bolt at the sobbing merchant. As he passed, the dark tatters seemed to ripple. Kadeln Olothstar had been a magelord for many years. He turned to see what shape Taraj was taking-just in case.
Cold blue-gray eyes swam out of the melting form to meet his own, around a hawk-beak of a nose, and a mouth that smiled at him without warmth or mirth.
"Greetings, Magelord," that mouth said, as one dark arm rose up to strike aside Kadeln's raised hand. The dark form's other arm streaked up to his mouth. "I am Elminster. In the name of my father Prince Elthryn and my mother Princess Amrythale, I slay thee."
Kadeln was gabbling the words of a desperate spell as the stranger, still smiling that steely smile, thrust a finger into the magelord's mouth. Flame burst forth in a sphere that rolled down the magelord's throat, and found no ready room to expand.
A moment later, Kadeln Olothstar burst apart in flames that briefly outshone the sun… and then swiftly died away into drifting smoke. Silence fell-followed a moment later by the Calishite, who gave a despairing moan as his eyes rolled up and he thudded limply to the scorched turf.
The lady who glided into view atop the nearest ridge made a face at the blood covering Elminster. He looked up at her quickly, raising a hand to blast another foe if need be-and then relaxed, and called, "My thanks-again-for my life."
Myrjala smiled as she came up to him and spread her hands. "What, after all, are friends for?"
"How did ye do it this time?" El asked, striding forward to embrace her. She whispered something and made a small sign with one hand-and the magelord's gore was abruptly gone. Elminster looked down, shook his head, and then wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.
"Let me breathe, young lion," Myrjala said at last, pulling her head back. "To answer you-I used that spell you're so fond of, switching folk about. Taraj was the dragon who struck the wall-spell, and I guided you into his semblance."
"I needed ye after all," Elminster said, looking into her dark, mysterious eyes.
Myrjala smiled at him. "There's much more to do for Athalantar yet, O Prince… and I need you whole to do it."
"I'm-losing my thirst for killing magelords," Elminster said.
Myrjala's arms tightened around him. "I understand, and respect you the more for that, El-but once begun, we must take them all… or all we'll achieve for the folk of Athalantar is changing the names and faces of those who rule them iron-hard. Is that all you want to have done to avenge your mother and father?"
When Elminster looked up at her, his eyes were bright and hard. "Who's the next magelord we should slay?" he snapped.
Myrjala almost smiled. "Seldinor," she said, turning away.
"Why he, of them all?"
Myrjala turned back. "You have been a woman.