Tymora's Luck - Kate Novak [135]
"Did you think that if you succeeded, Selune would forgive you?" Finder asked. "That because she was friends with Tyche, she would be pleased that you sacrificed Tymora?"
"Once it is done, Selune will have no choice but to accept it," Lathander argued.
"If you thought your cause was truly just, you wouldn't be reluctant for the Moon Maiden to know what you intend," Finder retorted.
As the two gods argued, Emilo climbed up on the stone altar where Lord Simon's attention was fixed on the crystals and glass spheres, which glowed and sparked with increasing brilliance. To Jas's alarm, the kender began making all sorts of rude gestures and faces directly in front of the god of the Flowing Flame. He's really pushing his luck, Jas thought as she watched Emilo caper about.
Then Jas remembered with a start that Emilo said Fizz Something had made him unnoticeable except to people from Krynn. Sirrion was from Krynn, yet he obviously wasn't noticing the kender.
"It's time, Lord Lathander," Sirrion said, turning to face his fellow god.
"Keep Lord Finder occupied," Lathander ordered the Flowing Flame.
Sirrion stepped between Finder and the fusion chamber as Lathander went to the altar and took up the blue crystal sphere.
"Lathander, no!" Finder shouted. He made a rush for the altar, but Lord Sirrion grabbed him and held him fast.
Holly was right behind the god. "My lord," she whispered to Lathander, "must you do this? How can it be right if it must be done without the knowledge of your allies?"
"I require your silence now, paladin," Lathander said warningly.
"But-"
The Morninglord glared at Holly as if she were a creature from the Abyss. "I will not tolerate disobedience," he said with a chill in his voice that could freeze the sun. The paladin collapsed to the floor, sobbing, unable to face her god's wrath.
Lathander held up the blue crystal sphere and began chanting Tyche's name. Simultaneously shrieks of "No!" came from inside the fusion chamber as Beshaba and Tymora felt their souls begin to merge against their wills.
Emilo, who still stood on the altar, placed himself squarely in front of the Morninglord and said boldly, "Excuse me, Lord Lathander."
When the kender spoke, Lathander pulled back as if he'd seen a ghost.
"I realize you don't want to be interrupted," Emilo said, "but I really think you should know something." The kender pointed directly at Lord Sirrion, who was grappling with Finder. "That god is a fraud. He is not Sirrion of the Flowing Flame."
Lathander looked at the kender with fury, but he glanced back uncertainly at Sirrion.
"He's not even from Krynn," Emilo insisted. "There, I've done what I came to do," the kender said, hopping down from the altar and running to Jas's side.
"This is ridiculous," Lathander snapped. "If he's not Sirrion, who is he?"
"Now, there's an interesting question," Joel replied. "Can you think of another power who would want to impersonate Sirrion?"
"One with an interest in destroying two goddesses and harming Lord Lathander's reputation at the same time," Finder suggested. "One who'd like to grab the power of those two goddesses for himself," Jas guessed.
Holly gasped with a horrible suspicion. "One who's been missing from his realm for days, not even returning when Beshaba destroyed it," she said as she looked up into Sirrion's glowing green eyes and realized why they were familiar. She had seen eyes just like them on a statue in a temple of evil. "My lord," the paladin shouted, "this impostor is none other than Iyachtu Xvim!"
Lathander whirled around to face the accused. The god who called himself Sirrion had released Finder, but as soon as he let go, Finder had grabbed onto him. The other god growled, a low, feral noise full of hatred. In a burst of godly power, he threw Finder from him.
"The farce is ended," the god said, transforming into the figure of a man with black scales and shaggy black hair, wearing nothing but a loincloth. It was indeed Iyachtu Xvim. "I will take what I am owed," he declared as he leapt