Pool of Radiance_ Ruins of Myth Drannor - Carrie Bebris [117]
In desperation, the dracolich breathed his fire once more-this time at his own limbs. The web fell apart, freeing Pelendralaar’s head. Though the flames had billowed against the dracolich’s skin, he’d suffered no damage from them.
The Staff of Sunlight, however, had. The inferno that blasted from the creature’s lungs burned hot enough to melt metal. The staff bent into a U as Pelendralaar slowly clamped his mouth shut. Its light faded away, then disappeared altogether as he swallowed the precious weapon.
Though the dracolich triumphed over the staff, the flickering flames did not return to his eye sockets. The holy rays had rendered him sightless.
Nonetheless he could still feel the sturdy warrior clinging to his wing. Pelendralaar twisted his long neck, trying to catch Athan in his sharp teeth. The fighter braced his sword arm. When the dracolich darted his head toward Athan, the warrior used the beast’s own momentum to drive his blade into Pelendralaar’s snout.
With a roar of pain and rage, the creature jerked back its head.
The fighter, still gripping his sword, was torn from Pelendralaar’s wing and now dangled from the beast’s snout. He clung to the hilt with both hands as the dracolich thrashed his head from side to side, but could not maintain his hold against such violent force. He went sailing through the air, straight toward the Pool of Radiance.
“Athan!” Ghleanna screamed.
Faeril sent her ghostly hammer racing toward Athan with lightning speed. The weapon struck him just hard enough to alter his course. He landed in a heap at the edge of the pool.
Immediately, light burst from the mouths of the gauntlets. The beams arched forth to strike the pool, infusing its depths with a pure white glow. As the blessed light met the pool’s tainted amber radiance, the water churned and roiled.
“The pool is dying, Pelendralaar!” Corran cried. “You shall soon follow!”
Athan, too? Kestrel gazed at the brave fighter. He had not moved since crashing to the ground. With the dracolich standing between him and the rest of the party, Faeril could not reach him with her healing magic.
“I have no intention of falling to a pathetic handful of mortals,” the dracolich rumbled. Though still fierce, his speech had lost some of its strength. The blinded creature swiped his claws toward the sound of Corran’s voice. His talons whistled past the paladin but struck another target-Durwyn.
The force of Pelendralaar’s blow knocked the burly warrior to the ground. Despite the lacerations oozing blood down his entire right side, Durwyn tried to rise. He struggled, then sank back to the floor, his arms going limp. “I can’t feel my legs,” he gasped. “I can’t-”
Move, Kestrel finished silently. Apparently, Pelendralaar shared Mordrayn’s paralytic touch. Or vice versa. While Faeril dodged her way to Durwyn’s side, Kestrel sent her last dagger soaring toward the beast. The trusty blade scored another strike to his underbelly.
He hissed and lunged toward her with open jaws, but they met only the acid-edged heads of a volley of magical arrows-courtesy of Ghleanna. “That’s for my brother,” she spat.
In response, the dracolich spewed another gout of flames. The sorceress held forth her spellstaff, drawing the heat and fire into the enchanted wood. The staff glowed red with the intensity of the attack it had absorbed. White smoke wisped from its runes. Ghleanna tapped the staff twice on the floor.
The flames spilled out and raced toward the dracolich. The great beast raised his head and laughed. “You think my own fire can harm me? Foolish hatchlings!” He swept his tail in a wide arc.
Kestrel ducked, letting the tail breeze over her head. Corran and Ghleanna did likewise. She noted that