Stardeep_ The Dungeons - Bruce R. Cordell [116]
Kiril spoke, "You are my Far Traveler yet, Nangulis. You've come farther than I ever imagined-you've come back from death itself to find me."
Nangulis released one of her hands to wipe away another streaking tear from her cheek. "Don't cry, Bright Star."
"I cry because I am happy," she explained.
"As am I… yet my recollection is blurred. You spoke of sacrifice and death…" He shook his head, confusion evident in his expression.
"Let us not speak of such dark things," urged Kiril. She had eyes only for the man before her. All around them, shapes moved, staggered, fought, and perhaps died. She ignored them as best she was able. Nangulis deserved her wholehearted attention.
Raidon Kane opened his eyes on chaos. He lay in a mirrored, many-walled chamber. Lying atop him was a faintly groaning Knight. He pushed the figure off and stood. He saw fitst Kiril, kneeling and apparently lost in some fell enchantment, for she seemed unconcerned that not ten paces from her, the Keeper Telarian wielded a blade of fire and darkness. With it he hacked at some invisible shape that overlay a central pit illuminated from beneath. His mother's forget-me-not, still clutched in Raidon's hand, twitched as if pained with Telarian's every blow.
He had triggered a transfer, but what had happened since?
He statted toward Kiril, intending to shake her out of her odd daze. Running, his gaze took in another star elf female he didn't recognize. Was this Delphe, the betrayer Kiril and Telarian had spoken with? She lay on the floor not far from Telarian, clutching one mutilated hand with the other. Had the mad Keeper been dispatched so easily? Raidon's intuition was confused. His attention had been so focused on using his forget-me-not to effect a transfer into the Throat that he hadn't paid heed to Kiril and Delphe's conversation in the tunnel.
Telarian's unrestrained laughter and wild swings with a weapon whose every slash made Raidon's skin prickle was… worrisome. Had this Keeper also fallen to the Traitor's control?
He took another step and something stirred at his feet. He recoiled before he recognized the supine, smoking shape of Xet. The dragonet rotated its head to fix him with an entreating glance. Its mouth moved, and a single plaintive tone emerged.
Raidon reached down and stroked the creature's muzzle. Then he picked up the tiny thing. He carried Xet and set it down before the kneeling swordswoman. In Sildeyuir, the monk recalled how Kiril had revealed a strong affection for Xet-perhaps seeing it would snap her from her trance.
"Kiril, wake and see me," urged Raidon. "What transpired here? Should I oppose the remaining Keeper?"
A moment of quiet drew the monk's attention to the lip of the Well. The diviner stepped back just as something burst up from the cavity, dissolving whatever invisible cap Telarian had been working to destroy.
The figure emerged as if a ballista bolt, gtazing the ceiling at the top of its arc. It came down hard on bent legs where Telarian had just stood. The entire floor shuddered under the impact. It was a statue, akin to those they'd seen in the tunnels, but larger, and splashed with ichor and gore, as if the construct were fresh from battle.
Telarian addressed the construct. "Cynosure, your time as Stardeep's warden is complete. Loose the bonds, so I can eradicate the Traitor."
A voice replied, coming not from the statue but from somewhere high on the ceiling. "Telarian, you've fallen to insanity.
Killing him will conclude his Final Pact of Apoapsis-a passage will be opened to the Abolethic Sovereignty! Xxiphu would rise!"
"Yes! It is destined to rise-the future is set!" screamed Telarian, nearly spitting with hysteria. "Unless I divert it here and now!"
If Raidon held any question whether Telarian had succumbed to lunacy, he had his answer.
"The future is ever changeable-each new day is a chance