Pool of Radiance - James M. Ward [128]
"Do you live here?" Ren questioned. He had never heard of a bronze dragon choosing a subterranean lair.
"Yes, honorable Ren o' the Blade. This has been my lair for several of your lifetimes. Greetings to you and your companions, Shal Bal and Tarl Desanea."
All three were startled that the dragon knew their names. Tyranthraxus, the evil possessor of the dragon's mind, recognized their concern and immediately spoke to assuage their fears. "Now, now, there's nothing to fear. You see, your reputation precedes you, and I must say that the length and breadth of Phlan is safer for your presence. In fact, it is your weakening of the power of the Lord of the Ruins that has allowed me to finally free myself of his control. For years, he held me captive here by means of mind control and a form of possession the likes of which I hope died with him. But his rotting body remains here in my lair. I would be indebted to you if you would remove it."
Ren motioned for Shal and Tarl to follow him, and he started down the stairs. Shal called Cerulean back into the Cloth of Many Pockets, and she and Tarl followed.
As the three stood facing the dragon, they were awed all over again by its size. Shal had never been in close proximity to a dragon, and she felt an unreasonable terror creeping through her body as she stared up at the gigantic beast. She realized as she looked on that her fear was not from the creature's presence but rather from the thread of a memory that was slowly being drawn across her mind."… Beware of the dragon of bronze." It took her a moment to recall the context in which she had heard the words, but then suddenly she remembered. Ranthor had spoken of the dragon! As he fought with Denlor to defeat the masses of monsters and humanoids that scrabbled at the tower's walls, he had warned her about the dragon of bronze!
At almost the same moment as Shal realized there might be good reason for her fear, Tarl became aware that the Hammer of Tyr, which he was holding at his side, was glowing bright blue in his hand. He could feel more than see the pulsing energy within the hammer, and he caught a glimpse of the dragon blinking as the hammer's rays reflected in its eyes.
"That thing you're carrying…" the dragon said innocently. "It's hurting my eyes. Can you cover it, please?"
Tarl lifted the hammer toward the dragon. "The light of the Hammer of Tyr should be soothing to you or any other good creature of the Realms."
Ren interrupted before the dragon could reply. "Where's the body you want disposed of?" he asked.
"Oh, yes, the body," said the dragon, turning its head away from the light. "It's here behind me. The Lord of the Ruins died along with several of his minions. Only two escaped." The dragon shifted its bulk to one side. Behind it were several charred bodies, piled together in a heap like sacks of flour. "I was finally able to break his-"
"The Black Watch!" Ren exclaimed suddenly. Despite the damage done by the dragon's lightning breath, the chain mail on the bodies remained intact, and those Ren could see bore the sign of the mercenary guild employed by Cadorna. "Those are soldiers of the Black Watch, not-"
"And the dragon is the Lord of the Ruins," whispered Shal, starting to back away.
Ren shook his head.
"Try to get one of the ioun stones" Shal whispered. "A good dragon wouldn't care."
Ren nodded his head imperceptibly, then turned back to face the dragon. "Which one of the bodies belongs to the Lord of the Ruins?" he asked as he walked to the inner curve of the crescent, the side of the pool opposite the dragon, as if to examine the bodies from that angle.
"He's at the bottom of the heap," answered the dragon. "He was the first to die."
Ren knew at that moment that the dragon was lying. Mercenaries such as those of the Black Watch would go to their deaths in hopes of treasure, but the minute their employer was killed, they had no reason to stick around. Ren also saw, as he came closer, that the necks of the soldiers had been sliced, and their blood was draining into the brilliant waters