The Jewel of Turmish - Mel Odom [119]
Borran Kiosk denied them their urges just has he had forced them to remain in seclusion inside Alaghфn. Most of them had been there for days, hiding in abandoned buildings, tool sheds, and cellars awaiting his return. One of them was severely damaged, though, missing an arm and afoot.
It had replaced the missing foot with a block of wood, and it stood perched on a rooftop, staring down at the warriors and druids retreating from the advancing lines of sea zombies. Somewhere in the dim recesses of emotion that its limited intellect clung to, the skeleton wanted vengeance for the injuries that had been dealt it.
Clamping down on the skeleton's dark desires, bending it more thoroughly to his will, Borran Kiosk ordered it into motion again, heading it for the rendezvous point. The view through the skeleton's eyes shifted from the dockside battle to the jewel it clutched in its remaining hand. The crimson facets held a wet gleam. The skeleton's gaze swept on to the next rooftop. Even with one foot missing, it had enough power to jump between the buildings. The wooden block made landing difficult, but it was underway.
Borran Kiosk opened his eyes and found Allis staring at him. Behind her, limned in the fire of the burning ships, the battle raged on as more of the zombies made their way to shore. He laughed at his own cleverness and knew the city's defenders had to have been shocked and dismayed to see still more troops coming up from the depths.
Turning, the mohrg plunged deeper under the dark recesses of the piers. The makeshift torch in his hand lit the way, bringing the mouth of the sewer at the end of it into sharp relief. The sewer was almost ten feet wide, big enough to get small boats down into it in order to clean the drains.
Crimson-eyed rats peered out at him from behind the rusting iron grate across the sewer's mouth. Green sewer water spewed into the harbor
"Here," Borran Kiosk said, passing the torch back to Allis.
She took it grudgingly. "What are we doing here?"
The timbers supporting the pier overhead creaked and groaned as if it might give way. Being underneath the structure obviously made her nervous.
Borran Kiosk growled as he seized the sewer grate. The rats squealed and plunged back into the dark throat of the sewer.
"We are going to destroy the Emerald Enclave by taking away the one thing they five for: the wild lands of Turmish."
"How?"
Borran Kiosk grabbed the iron grate and yanked. The bolts set into the stone foundation him for the moment, but he heard the shrill of rusty metal turning loose. He bent to the task again.
"With Taraketh's Hive," he answered.
Allis shook her head, her many opal eyes glittering from the burning ships out in the harbor.
"I have read about the device," she said. "It was crafted by Taraketh Greenglimmer, an elf druid, who lived hundreds of years ago."
"More than a thousand," Borran Kiosk corrected.
He yanked on the metal grate again, and this time it came free, giving them access to the sewer. He threw the grate into the water, then took the torch again from her hand.
"Taraketh Greenglimmer helped stock the insect population around the Sea of Fallen Stars," he said. "After the stars fell from the heavens and destroyed so much of the lands that had been here, and water filled in the depths left behind, nature was out of balance here. Taraketh corrected most of that imbalance and helped make these lands more hospitable to elves. Of course, the humans promptly moved in once the regions were arable and more comfortable."
"But Taraketh's Hive only summons insects," Allis protested, "and only a few of them at a time."
Borran Kiosk stepped up into the sewer, noticing that his cloak dragged through the fouled water. He reached back and tore the cloak off. There was no longer any need for disguises. He plunged down the sewer, taking great strides that sent rats scattering in all directions.
After