The Temptation of Elminster - Ed Greenwood [143]
The air in the cavern was suddenly alive with a singing tension. The proud mouth opened, and the voice that issued from it crashed and rolled like thunder through Elminster's mind as well as through the cavern. "I am Karsus! Behold me, and fear. I am The Lord of Lords, a God Among Men, Arcanist Supreme. All magic is my domain, and all who work it or trifle with it without my blessing shall suffer. Begone, and live. Tarry, and the first and least of my curses shall begin its work upon you forthwith, gnawing memories from your brain until naught is left but a sighing shadow."
Elminster looked sharply at Saeraede at those last words, but she sat calmly watching as the hair on the flaming head spat a halo of lightning out to the runes, the echoes of its mighty voice still rolling around the cavern as they faded, leaving it shaking and dust-ridden. They burst into showers of sparks and fell, taking the illusion of the arch and its wall with them.
Still wearing its cruel smile, the face closed its eyes and shrank back into the column of flame, fading as it did so. In a few moments the flames fell back into the rune, and it winked out, becoming mere dark and lifeless grooves in the stone floor.
"Did that curse afflict ye?" Elminster demanded, striding around to where he could see Saeraede.
She lifted the edge of her beautiful mouth in a wry smile. "Never… nor has it touched anyone, for 'tis all a bluff. Believe me, I've seen it many times down the years, whenever I grew overly lonely for the sight and sound of another human. 'Tis an empty warning, no more."
El nodded, almost trembling in his eagerness, and asked, "How can one see the scenes held by the other runes…and just what is in each?"
Saeraede pointed. "In this next rune lie two of the most destructive spells devised by Karsus…magics none else have attained since…as well as a defensive shielding of surpassing strength and a healing magic, he placed them thus in case his new self should have urgent need to do battle."
Her pointing finger moved. "The rune beyond holds another four magics, as powerful as the battle-spells but of more mundane usage. One creates a floating 'worldlet' to serve as a stronghold for the mage who uses magic to modify it further, one can stop and hold the waters of a river while digging out a new course for its bed, one can shield an area permanently against specific spells or schools of spells with precision…so that one can allow a lightning bolt but deny chain lightning, say, and the last can coddle and keep from harm a living human while permanently altering one limb or organ…Karsus most often used that to move heart or brain to an unexpected place, or graft beast claws where hands had been or extra eyeballs from others… he also gave some men gills to work under the sea for him, as I recall."
Saeraede waved her hand at the curving row of runes. "The others hold lesser magics, four in each…and Karsus himself demonstrates all castings, noting drawbacks, details, and effective strategies."
She watched the hunger in Elminster's face and suppressed a smile. She had seen this so many times before… even Chosen, it seemed, were like eager children when offered new toys. She waited for the question she knew would come.
Elminster licked lips that were suddenly dry, before he could swallow and say quietly, "I asked how one can awaken these runes, lady, to view what waits within… and ye've not answered that. Is there some secret here, some hazard or caution?"
Saeraede gave him a warm and welcoming smile. 'Nay, sir. As you're not Karsus and able to work the magics that respond only to his blood, there's but a matter of time…and your patience."
El raised a questioning eyebrow, and her smile broadened and slid into sadness.
"Only I can activate the runes," the woman on the throne added softly, "and I can call forth the power of only one in a month, by means of a nameless spell bound