Dwarven Nations - Hammer And Axe Part 21

"Kitiara!" he gasped in shock. "You're here! How? Why?"

"I heard you needed some help;" Kit said, her crooked smile as charming as ever.

"Seems I was right:" She reached out her hand. He grasped it, doubting as she pulled him to his feet. But she was flesh and blood. "Who's that ahead? Sturm?

Wonderful! Like old times! Shall we go to the Tower?" she asked Tanis, laughing at the surprise on his face.

Riverwind fought alone, battling legions of undead elven warriors. He knew he could not take much more. Then he heard a clear call. Raising his eyes, he saw Que-shu tribesmen! He cried out joyfully. But, to his horror, he saw them turning their arrows upon him.

"No?" he shouted in Que-shu. "Don"t you recognize me? I..."

The Que-shu warriors answered only with their bow strings. Riverwind felt shaft after feathered shaft sink inks his body.

"You brought the blue crystal staff among us!" they cried. "Your fault! The destruction of our village was your fault!"

"[didn't mean to;' he whispered as he slumped to the ground. "I didn't know.

Forgive me:"

Tika hacked and slashed her way through elven warriors only to see them turn suddenly intro draconians! Their reptile eyes gleamed red, their tongues licked their swords. Fear chilled the barmaid. Stumbling, she b.u.mped into Sturm.

Angrily the knight whirled, ordering her out of his way. She staggered back and jostled Flint. The dwarf impatiently shoved her aside.

Blinded by tears" panic-stricken at the sigh) of the draconians, who sprang back. into battle full-,grown foam them own dead bodies, Tike; last control. In her fear, she stabbed wildly at anything that moved.

Only when she looked up and :saw Raistlin standing before her in his black robes dial she come to her senses. The made said nothing: he simply pointed downward.

Flint la!," dead at her feet, pierced by her own sword.

I led them here,. Flint thought. This is my responsibility. I'm the eldest. I'II get them out.

The dwarf hefted his. battle-axe .and yelled a challenge to the elven warriors before him. But they just kaughed

Angrily. Flint strode forward - only to find himself walking stiffly. His knee joints were swollen. and hurt abominably. His gnarled fingers trembled with a palsy that: made him lose his grip on the battle-axe. His breath came short., - And then Flint knew why the elves weren't attacking: they were lelting old age finish him.

Even as he realized flays., Flint felt his mind begin to wander. His vision blurred. Patting his vest packet, he wondered where he had put those confounded spectacles. A shape loomed before him, a familiar shape. Was it Tika? Without his gla.s.ses, he couldn't see

Goldmoon ran among the twisted, tortured trees. Lost and alone, she searched desperately for her friends. Far away, she heard Riverwind calling for her above the ringing clash of swords. Then she heard his call cut off in a bubble of agony. Frantically she dashed forward, fighting her way through the brambles until her hands and face were bleeding. At last she found Riverwind. The warrior lay upon the ground, pierced by many arrows-arrows she recognised!

Running to him, she knelt beside him. "Heal him, Mishakal," she prayed, as she had prayed so often.

Hut nothing happened. The color did not return to Riverwind's ashen face. His eyes remained locked, staring fixedly into the green-tinged sky.

"Why don't you answer? Heal him!" Goldmoon cried to the G.o.ds. And then she knew.

"No!" she screamed. "Punish me! I am the one who has doubted. lam the one who has questioned! I saw Tarsis destroyed, children dying in agony) How could you allow that? I toy to have faith, but I cannot help doubting when I see such horrors! Do not punish him:' Weeping, she bent over the lifeless body of her husband. She did not see the elven warriors closing in around her.

Ta.s.slehoff, fascinated by the horrible wonders around him, wandered off the path, and there discovered that-somehow his friends had managed to lose him. The undead did not bother him. They who fed oft fear felt no fear in his small body.

Finally, after roaming here and there for nearly a day, the kender reached the doors to the 'Tower of the Stars. Here his lighthearted journey came to a sudden halt, for he had found his friends-one of them at least.

Sacked up against the closed doors, Tika fought for her life against. a host of misshapen, nightmare-begotten foes. Tas saw that if she could get inside the Tower, she would be safe. Das.h.i.+ng forward, his small body flitting easily through the melee, the reached the door and began to examine the lock while Tika held the elves back with her wildly swinging sword.

"Hurry, Tas!" she cried breathlessly.

It was an easy lock to open; with such a simplistic trap to protect it, Tas was surprised that the elves even bothered.

"I should have this lock picked in seconds;' he announced. Just as he set to work, however, something b.u.mped him from behind, causing him to fumble.

"Hey!" he shocked at Tika irritably, turning around. "Be a little more careful-"

He stopped short, horrified. Tika lay at his feet, blood flowing into her red curls.

"No, not Tika!" Tas whispered. Maybe she was only wounded! Maybe if he got her inside the Tower, someone could help her. Tears dimmed his vision, his hands shook.

I've got to hurry, Tas thought frantically. Why won"t this open? It's so simple.

Furious, he tore at the lock.

He felt a small p.r.i.c.k in his finger just as the lock clicked. The door to the Tower began to swing open. But Ta.s.slehoff just stared at his finger where a tiny spot of blood glistened. He looked back at the lock where a small, golden needle sparkled. A simple lock, a simple trap. He'd sprung them both. And, as the first effects of the poison surged with a terrible warmness through his body, he looked down to see he was too late. Tika was dead.

Raistlin and his brother made their way through the forest without injury.

Caramon watched in growing amazement as Raistlin drove back the evil creatures that a.s.sailed them; sometimes with feats of incredible magic, sometimes through the sheer farce of his will.

Raistlin was kind and gentle and solicitous. Caramon was forced to strap frequently as the day waned. By twilight, it was all Caramon could do to drag one foot in front of the other, even leaning upon his brother far support. And as Caramon grew ever weaker, Raistlin grew stronger.

Finally, when night's shadows fell, bunging a merciful end to the tortured green day, the twins reached the Tower. Here they stopped. Caramon was feverish and in pairs.

"I've got to rest, Raist:' he gasped. "Put me down:"

"Certainly, my brother;" Raistlin said gently. He helped Caramon lean against the pearl wall of the Tower, then regarded his brother with tool, glittering eyes.

"Farewell, Caramon;' he said.

Caramon looked at his twin in disbelief. Within the shadows of the trees, the warrior could see the undead elves, who had followed them at a respectful distance, creep closer as they realized the mage who had warded them off was leaving.

"Raist;' Caramon said slowly, "you can't leave me here! I can't fight them. I don't have the strength! I need you!"

"Perhaps, but you see, my brother, I no longer need you. I have gained your strength. Now, finally, I am as I was meant to be but for nature's cruel trick- one whale person:"

As Caramon stared, uncomprehending, Raistlin turned to leave.

'Raist!"

Caramon's agonized cry halted him. Raistlin stopped and gazed back at his twin, his golden eyes all that were visible from within the depths of his black hood.

"How does it feel to be weak and afraid, my brother?" he asked softly. Turning, Raistlin walked to the Tower entrance where Tika and Tas lay dead. Raistlin stepped over the kender's body and vanished into the darkness.

Sturm and Tanis and Kitiara, reaching the Tower, saw a body tying on the gra.s.s at its base. Phantom shapes of undead elves were starting to surround it, shrieking and yelling, hacking at it with their cold swords.

"Caramon!" Tanis cried, heartsick.

"And where's his brother?" Sturm asked with a sidelong glance at Kitiara. "Left him to die, no doubt."

Tanis shook his head as they ran forward to aid the warrior. Wielding their swords, Sturm and Kitiara kept the elves at bay while Tanis knelt beside the mortally wounded warrior.

Caramon lifted his glazed eyes and met Tanis's, barely recognizing him through the b.l.o.o.d.y haze that dimmed his vision. He tried desperately to talk.

"Protect Raistlin, Tanis-" Caramon choked on his own. blood-"since I won't be there now. Watch over him."