Song of the Saurials - Kate Novak [22]
Just as Alias and Akabar stepped across the threshold, a balding, burly man-at-arms came racing across the entrance hall toward the gate. Alias recognized him as Captain Thurbal, the warden of the town of Shadowdale. Thurbal looked anxious and distracted, and in his haste, he ran into Heth.
"Captain," the boy squeaked, "what's wrong?"
"Heth! Good-you're just the person I need!" the captain exclaimed as he grabbed the page's shoulders. "Run to the inn and bring back any mages who may be staying there! Hurry!" He pushed the page toward the door, then turned to Alias.
"Alias, it's good you're here. We may need you."
Heth looked annoyed and began to protest. "But, Captain, his lordship said that today I was to page only for the trib-"
"No buts, boy!" Thurbal shouted. "This is an emergency!"
"Excuse me," Akabar said. "I'm a mage. What's wrong? Can I be of some assistance?"
"Thank Tymora!" the captain exclaimed. "Come with me, please." He took the Turmishman's arm and hustled him across the front hall toward the tower's main staircase.
Hurrying behind them, Alias asked anxiously, "Thurbal, what's wrong, anyway?"
Without breaking his stride, Thurbal explained, "Some fiend from a lower plane has broken into the tower."
"That's impossible," Alias interrupted. "Elminster has warded the tower against-"
"So we all thought," Thurbal said. "The Harper bard Kyre says the creature is from the Nine Hells, however, and it's barricaded itself behind a wall of ice.
The creature is in the same passage where the Nameless Bard is imprisoned.
Harper Kyre transported herself beyond the wall magically to help Nameless, but the rest of us are stuck on this side of the wall. We may need a mage to take it down."
At the mention of Nameless, Alias looked alarmed and began to race up the staircase. Akabar and Thurbal had to take the steps two at a time to keep up with her.
"Head for the west tower room," Thurbal huffed as they reached the third story.
Alias dashed off ahead of the two men, running past the doors to the Harpers' courtroom. As she turned the corner of the hallway, she was forced to halt abruptly to avoid running into the wall of ice.
The thing was dismally cold; it made the corridor feel like a fen in winter. Two guards were piling burning torches at its base, but there was no indication whatsoever that the wall was melting.
Mourngrym was hacking at the ice wall with a great axe. He had managed to chip away several inches, but it had taken its toll on him. His face and ears were flushed from the cold, his hands were red and raw, and the tips of his fingers were white from frostbite. He looked exhausted. As Alias watched, the axe slipped from his grasp and clanged to the floor.
"Mourngrym!" Alias cried, taking hold of his shoulders and pulling him away from the wall. "You've got to stop before you lose your hands."
Mourngrym looked back at the swordswoman with grim determination. "I can't, Alias. Nameless and Harper Kyre are trapped behind there with an evil monster," he said.
"I know," Alias said, trying to keep her voice calmer than she felt. "I've brought Akabar. He'll dispel the wall."
Just then Akabar and Thurbal turned the corner of the corridor. Akabar's eyes widened at the sight of the wall of ice, and he swallowed uncertainly. The wall was obviously very thick, indicating that it had been cast by a spell-caster far more powerful than he. Without much hope, he began a chant to dispel the magic ice.
Mourngrym, Alias, and the two guards moved away from the wall as the mage raised his clasped hands over his head. Akabar finished his disenchantment spell by unlacing his fingers with a flourish. Sun-yellow motes of light sparkled toward the wall and scattered across the