Elminster_ The Making of a Mage - Ed Greenwood [68]
The wizard's brows shot up again. "And just what made you think Mystra would aid you?"
Elminster swallowed and found he couldn't shrug. Or move anything except his mouth. "The gods exist," he said slowly, "and their power is real. I have need of that power."
"Oh? The traditional way," the wizard said pleasantly, "is to study-long and hard, for most of a lifetime-and abase oneself as an apprentice, and risk life in trying spells one doesn't understand or in devising one's own new magics. What colossal arrogance, to think Mystra would just give you something when you asked for it!"
"The colossal arrogance in Athalantar," Elminster said softly, "is held by magelords. Your hold on this land is so tight that no other men in it have the luxury of colossal arrogance."
There was a murmur, somewhere among the ring of arms-men. Ildru glared around, and abrupt silence returned. Then the wizard sighed theatrically. "I weary of your bitter words. Be still, unless you want to plead."
Elminster felt himself being forced backward, to clamber up onto the altar.
"No spears yet," the magelord ordered. "I must work a spell first, to learn if this youth is all clever words and deluded dreams… or if he holds some secrets yet."
The wizard raised his hands, cast a spell, and then peered narrowly at Elminster, frowning.
"No magic," he said as if to himself, "and yet you have some link to sorcery, some minor ability to shape… I've not seen such before." He stepped forward. "What are your powers?"
"I have no magic," Elminster spat. "I abhor magic, and all that is done with it."
"If I freed you and studied what is within you to see where your aptitude lies, would you be loyal to the Stag Throne?"
"Forever!"
The mage's eyes narrowed at that proud, quick answer, and he added, "And to the magelords of Athalantar?"
"Never!" Elminster's shout echoed around the room, and the mage sighed again, watching the raging youth struggle vainly to spring down from the altar. "Enough," he said in a bored voice. "Kill him."
He turned away, and Elminster saw a dozen armsmen-and probably more he couldn't see, behind him-raise their spears, heft them, and take a pace or two back for a good throw.
"Forgive me, Mother… Father," Elminster said, through trembling lips, "I-I tried to be a true prince!"
The magelord whirled about. "What?"
And then the spears were in the air, and Elminster glared into the wizard's eyes and hissed, "I curse thee, Ildru of the magelords, with my death and the-"
He broke off in confusion. He hadn't expected to get this far in his curse, and he could see the wizard had raised his hands to weave some spell, crying out, "Wait! Stop! No spears!"
He could also see the armsmen staring at him as if he were a dragon-a purple dragon with three heads and a maiden's body, at that!
And the spears… they hung in the air, motionless, surrounded by pearly radiance. Elminster found he could move, and whirled around. There were spears on all sides, aye, a deadly ring of points leaping in to transfix him, but they all hung motionless in the air, and by the look on the wizard's face, it was none of his doing.
Elminster flung himself flat before this strange magic faded away. His move brought his face down low against the altar top, in time to see two floating eyes fade away, and a flame leap up from the bare stone.
Armsmen shouted and backed away, and Elminster heard the magelord cry out in astonishment.
The flame climbed, crackling, and then from it, bolts of flame roared out, consuming the spears where they hung. The spears became spars of flame that curled slowly and faded into smoke.
Elminster watched, openmouthed. A golden radiance was stealing outward from the altar, now, washing over him. Arms-men shouted in real fear and backed away. Elminster saw them turn and reach for blades and try to run, but they seemed to be shimmering and moving slowly, as if they were figures drifting in a dream. Slowly, and more slowly still the armsmen shifted as flames that did not burn them sprang up and surrounded their bodies. Then they stood still and