Dwarven Nations - Hammer And Axe Part 20

"I accept this;' Raistlin repeated more calmly, "with the understanding that the future can be changed. What must we do?"

He listened. Caramon clutched his arm, moaning in agony.

"How do we get through to the Tower alive?" Raistlin asked his unseen instructor. Once mare he attended carefully, then nodded. "And I will be given what I need? Very well. Farewell then, if such a thing is possible for yaw on your dark journey.'

Raistlin rose to his feet, his black robes rustling around him. Ignoring Caramon's sobs and Goldmoon's terrified gasp as she saw him, the mage went in search of Tanis. He found the halfelf, back against a tree, battling a host of elven warriors.

Calmly, Raistlin reached into his pouch and drew forth a bit of rabbit fur and a small amber rod. Rubbing these together in his left palm, he held forth his right hand and spoke, "Ast kiranann kair Gadurm Soth-arn,: Sub kala'alaran:'

Bolts of lightning shot from his fingertips, streaking through the green-tinted air, striking the elven warriors. As before, they vanished. Tanis stumbled backwards, exhausted.

Raistlin stood in the center of a clearing, of the distorted, tormented trees.

"Came around me!" the mage commanded his companions.

Tanis hesitated. Elven warriors hovered on the fringe of the clearing. They surged forward to attack, but Raistlin raised his hand, and they stopped as though cras.h.i.+ng against an unseen wall.

"Come to stand near me:' The companions were astonished to hear Raistlin speak- for the first time since his Tests-in a normal voice. "Hurry;" he added, "they will not attack now. They fear me. But I cannot hold them back long:'

Tanis came forward, his face pale beneath the red beard, blood dribbling from a wound on his head. Goldmoon helped Caramon stagger forward. He clutched his bleeding arm as his face was twisted in pain. Slowly, one by one, the other companions crept forward. Finally, only Sturm stood outside the circle.

"I always knew it would come to this;" the knight said slowly. "I will die before I place myself under your protection, Raistlin:'

And with that, the knight turned and walked deeper into the forest. Tanis saw the leader of the elven undead make a gesture, detailing same of his ghastly band to follow. The half-elf started after, then stopped as he felt a surprisingly strong hand grip his arm.

"Let him go;' the mage said sternly, "or we are all lost. I have information to impart and my time is limited. We must make our way through this forest to the Tower of the Stars. We mast walk the way of death, for every hideous creature ever conceived in the twisted, tortured dreams of mortals will arose to stop us.

But know this-we walk in a dream, Lorac's nightmare. And our own nightmares as well. Visions of the future can arise to help us-or hinder. Remember, that though our bodies are awake, our minds sleep. Death exists only in our minds- unless we believe otherwise:'

"Then why can't we wake up?" Tanis demanded angrily.

"Because Lorac's belief in tine dream is too strong and your belief too Weak.

When you are firmly convinced, beyond doubt, that this is a dream; you will return to reality:"

"Ii this is true;' Tanis said, "and you're convinced it is a dream, why don't you awaken?"

"Perhaps;" Raistlin said, smiling, "I choose not to:'

"I don't understand!" Tanis cried in bitter frustration.

"You will," Raistlin predicted grimly, "or you will die. In which case, it won't matter:'

Chapter I0.

Waking dreams. Future visions.

Ignoring the horrified stares. of his companions, Raistlin walked to his brother, who stand clutching his bleeding arm.

"I will take rare of him," Raistlin said to Goldmoon, putting his own black- robed arm around his twin.

"No," Caramon gasped, "you're not strong en-"His voice died as he felt his brothers arm support him..

"I am strong enough now, -Caramon:' Raistlin said gently, his very gentleness sending a s.h.i.+ver through the warrior's body. "Lean on me, my brother:'

Weak from pain and fear, for the first time in his life Caramon leaned on Raistlin, The mage supported him as, together, they starting walking through the hideous forest.

"What's happening, Raist?'' Caramon asked, choking. "Why do you wear the Black Robes? And your voice-"

"Save your breath, my brother;" Raistlin advised softly.

The two traveled deeper into the forest, and the undead elven warriors stared menacingly at them from the trees. They could see the hatred the dead bear the living, see it flicker in the hollow eye sockets of the undead warriors. But none dared attack the black-robed mage. Caramon felt his life's blood well thick and warm from between his fingers. As he watched it drip upon the dead, slime- coated leaves beneath his feet, he grew weaker and weaker. He had the fevered impression that the black shadow of himself gained in strength even as he lost it.

Tanis hurried through the forest, searching for Sturm. He found him fighting off a group of s.h.i.+mmering elven warriors.

"It's a dream;" Tanis shouted to Sturm, who stabbed and slashed at the undead creatures. Every time he struck one, it vanished, only to reappear once more.

The half-elf drew his sward, running to fight at Sturm's side.

"Bah!" the knight grunted: then gasped in pain as an arrow thudded into his arm.

The wound was not deep, because the chain mail protected him, bur, it bled freely. "Is this dreaming?" Sturm said, yanking out the blood-stained shaft.

Tanis jumped in front of the knight, keeping their foes back until Sturm could stanch the flow of blood.

"Raistlin told us-" Tanis began.

"Raistlin! Hah! Look at hid robes, Tanis!"

"But you're hero! In Silvanesti!" Tanis protested in confusion.. He had the strangest feeling he was arguing with himself. "Alhana said you were in Ice Wall!"

The knight shrugged. "Perhaps I was sent to help you:'

All right. It's a dream, Tanis told himself. I will wake up.

But there was no change. The elves were still there, still fighting. Sturm must be right. Raistlin .had lied. Just as he had lied before they entered the forest. But why? To what purpose?

Theca Tanis knew. The dragon orb!

"We've got to reach the Tower before Raistlin!" Tanis cried to Sturm. "I know what the mage is after"

The knight could do nothing more than nod. It seemed to Tanis that from then on they did nothing but fight for every inch of ground they gained. Time and again, the two warriors forced the elven undead back, only to be attacked in everincreasing numbers. Time pa.s.sed, they knew, but they had no conception of its pa.s.sing. One moment the sun shone through the stifling green haze. Then night's shadows hovered over the land like the wings of dragons.

Then, just as the darkness deepened, Sturm and Tanis saw the Tower. Built of marble, the tall Tower glistened white. It stood alone in a clearing, reaching up to the heavens like -a skeletal finger clawing up from the grave.

At sight of the Tower, both men began to run. Though weak and exhausted, neither wanted to be in these deadly woods after nightfall. The elven warriors-seeing their prey escaping-screamed in rage and charged after them.

Tanis ran until it seemed his lungs would burst with pain. Sturm ran ahead of him, slas.h.i.+ng at the undead who appeared before them, trying to block their path. Just as Tanis neared the Tower, he felt a tree root twist itself around his boot. He pitched headlong onto the ground.

Frantically Tanis fought to free himself, but the root held him fast. Tanis struggled helplessly as an undead elf, his face twisted grotesquely, raised a spear to drive it through Tanis's body. Suddenly the elf's eyes widened, the spear fell from nerveless fingers as a sword punctured its transparent body. The elf vanished with a shriek.

Tanis looked up to see who had saved his life. It was a strange warrior, strange-yet familiar. The warrior removed his helm, and Tanis stared into bright brown eyes!