Temple Hill - Drew Karpyshyn [95]
Plugging his nose against the smell, Corin could only hope the gnome was right.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
"This is it," Fendel said, running bis hands over the ceiling a few feet from the stone wall blocking their path. "Well be coming in through the floor near the south wall, if memory serves."
If Corin didn't know better he would have assumed they had somehow gotten lost and run into a dead end, but by now he had learned to trust the gnome's sense of direction.
He didn't know how Fendel had been able to guide him so easily through the sub-tunnels without even looking at a map, or how the gnome had unerringly chosen the right path at every fork and branch. Maybe magic unlocked the small man's long-forgotten memories of his old hideout, or maybe Fendel had spent so much time down there he had never really forgotten the layout. To Corin, the explanation was unimportant. The only thing that mattered was that Fendel had delivered on his promise: He had brought them through the labyrinth to Xiliath's treasure room.
"Assuming that lizard-worshiping wizard's information is accurate, there're bound to be a few guards up above," Fendel cautioned. "But they won't be watching for us to come in this way. They'll be watching the main entrance to the north. If we act fast, maybe we can take them out before they set off any alarms."
"Do you have any spells that would do the trick?"
"No. Most of my spells are designed to protect, or hinder. I never got the knack of those quick-killing incantations. I can maybe slow them down, but I can't keep them from setting off an alarm."
"Leave the guards to me then," Corin said. "You just find Lhasha and use that potion to set her right."
"Fair enough," the gnome replied, pulling out the iron stakes and a heavy hammer he'd stashed in his magical bag earlier that evening. "But before I look for Lhasha, 111 have to wedge this trapdoor open. If it shuts behind us, I don't think we'll be able to open it from the other side. It won't do Lhasha any good if we rescue her and don't have a way out."
In less trying circumstances, Corin would have grinned at the methodical, organized, and ever practical functioning of Fendel's mind. As it was, he was simply grateful he had agreed to let the gnome come along. Already the little man's cautious preparation and forethought had saved his life countless times.
"Are you ready to do your thing?" the gnome asked.
Corin nodded.
Fendel flipped the trigger, and the trapdoor above their heads swung open with a groan.
With a boost from his larger companion, the gnome quickly scrambled up through the hole above them, and a second later Corin had pulled himself up and through it as well.
The cavern was huge, easily large enough to fit any of the buildings from the warehouse district inside. Set into the wall at regular intervals were burning torches, casting a dim glow about the entire room. The west side of the cavern was filled with wooden crates and barrels-like the Cult of the Dragon, much of Xiliath's operation was financed by smuggling contraband into the city. In the southwest corner were racks of weapons and stacks of armor. A cache large enough to equip a small army. In the southeast corner was the hooded, motionless figure of the medusa.
As the wizard had promised, the cave was full of statues-victims of the medusa's gaze. Forty, maybe fifty in all, were scattered about the room. In the dim light it was impossible to get an exact count-and impossible to pick Lhasha out from the bunch. Corin realized their chance of a quick in-and-out mission was very remote.
The only entrance to the great cavern, besides Fendel's secret door, was a wide arch in the north wall, guarded by four heavily armed soldiers. But instead of facing out into the approaching hall, as Corin had hoped, they were all looking back into the room, their attention drawn by the incriminating moan of the secret door's long neglected hinges.
Corin's battle cry rang through the chamber as he leaped through the door and