Tangled webs - Elaine Cunningham [112]
Liriel quietly slipped aboard and searched the hold for the device that Hrolf had used to summon the sea-elf ranger. She dropped back into the water on the seaward side of the ship and turned the crank on the small box. A series of clicks and squeaks ensued, and the drow leaned back against the Elfmaid's hull to wait. Liriel suspected Xzorsh had not gone far, but even so the wait was painful, and for the first time she regretted her decision to lend her ring of water-breathing to Fyodor. If she'd had it, she might have gone out in search ofXzorsh.
Perhaps an hour passed before she saw the dark shape moving swiftly toward her. Liriel took a deep breath and plunged beneath the water, swimming out to meet the summoned ranger.
The first blast of power took her unaware. Like an iron fist, it thrust into her mind and gripped her will, dragging her closer. But Liriel had in full measure the dark-elven ability to shake off magical attacks. She thrust aside the mental intrusion and pulled her dagger. Just in time-the creature who'd attacked her rounded a stand of waving seaweed and came into full view.
The creature was fishlike, with an enormous, bulbous head and three vertically stacked eyes. Faint purple light shone from these eyes and cast an eerie nimbus in the water. Slender tentacles rippled behind like locks of hair as the creature's sharklike tail propelled it forward with terrifying speed.
Liriel drew in a startled gasp of seawater. An aboleth! Such creatures inhabited the hidden waters of the Underdark, but she had not thought to encounter one here. She spun and with frantic haste swam for the surface, speeding her way with her innate powers of levitation.
The drow shot from the water, coughing and sputtering. Seizing the rail of the ship, she hurtled over and dove for the deck. She rolled several times, as fast as she could, putting as much distance between herself and the lethal beast as possible.
A long, thin tentacle snapped into the air with a whiplike crack. Seawater flew in a sharp spray, mingled with dark droplets of venom. Liriel shielded her face with her arms and prayed that none of the drops would find her. When no stinging pain came, she dared to look up.
Two tentacles gripped the rail. With a mighty tug, the aboleth heaved itself upward. The ship rocked wildly, and Liriel began to slide toward the rail. She grabbed a knife from her sleeve, thrust it deep into the crack between two boards, and hung on for her life.
A silent shriek tore into her mind, a mental blast that spoke of rage and pain and frustration. The aboleth's massive body splashed fully back into the water, but the clinging tentacles remained where they were, twitching uncontrollably.
Lirielleaped to her feet and ran over to the rail. Two of her throwing spiders clung to the severed tentacles, their killing magic spent. The water below churned wildly, thick with swirling ichor and the flashing of silver weapons. Then Xzorsh came into view, his green head breaching the surface along with the heaving, struggling aboleth. The ranger straddled the creature, the knife in his webbed hands flashing as he stabbed down repeatedly.
Nor was his the only weapon brought to bear against the aboleth. The drow's keen eyes made out the forms of several other fighters-man-shaped, but with silver-green skin and legs that ended in fins rather than feet. Each of these warrior wielded a three-pronged silver pitchfork, and they wheeled and darted like eels as they attacked the enormous monster.
Liriel whirled and ran back to the weapons rack. She seized a harpoon and leaped into the neck-deep water. The fighters-all but Xzorsh-scattered at once. The drow lunged at the aboleth's eyes, putting her full weight behind the blow. The weapon sank deep into the middle orb, and the creature's struggles finally ceased. With a grimace of disgust, Xzorsh slid away from the dead monster.
"Who were those people?" Liriel demanded, shielding her eyes with one hand as