Dragons of The Dwarven Depths Part 34

Tanis gave up translating. He simply told everyone what was going on.

"This is terrible!" Sturm said grimly. "Now they will never let the refugees inside!"

"The question is: how did he know about the refugees?" Raistlin hissed. "Tell Flint to ask him that."

"I don't see how that matters?" Sturm said impatiently.

"Of course, you you don't," Raistlin returned caustically "Ask him, Flint." don't," Raistlin returned caustically "Ask him, Flint."

The dwarf shook his head.

"They won't listen," he said grimly. "We walked into Realgar's trap. Not much I can do about it now."

Hornfel was forced to defend himself, strenuously denying the charges leveled at him by Realgar. Arman Kharas denied them, too, stating that he had come upon the companions by accident, adding that he himself had placed them under arrest and brought them before the council.

"Along with the curse of Grallen," Realgar shouted.

"Silence, all of you," Hornfel roared and, finally, the other Thanes ceased arguing. He glared at them until they all resumed their seats. The soldiers released Arman, who smoothed his beard and glowered at Realgar, who regarded the young dwarf with a leer.

Turning to Flint, Hornfel said in grim tones, "Answer me, Flint Fireforge of the Neidar. Are these charges true?"

"No, the charges are not true, great Thane."

"Ask him about the humans hiding in the valley!" Realgar snarled.

"We do do come in the name of a group of humans," Flint said. come in the name of a group of humans," Flint said.

"He admits it!" Realgar cried in triumph.

"But they are not soldiers. They are refugees!" Flint countered angrily. "Men, women, and children. Not an army! And we did not not try to sneak into Thorbardin. The Northgate opened for us." try to sneak into Thorbardin. The Northgate opened for us."

"How?" Hornfel asked. "How did you find the gate that has been hidden these three hundred years?"

Flint answered reluctantly, knowing this was exactly the wrong thing to say, for it played right into the Theiwar's hands, yet there was no other explanation he could offer. "The Helm of Grallen led us here and opened the gate for us."

Raistlin was at Tanis's side, his hand closed over Tanis's arm.

"Tell Flint to ask the Theiwar how he knew about the refugees," Raistlin urged.

"What does it matter?" Tanis shrugged. "Once the gate was open, his people probably went to investigate."

"Impossible," Raistlin countered. "The Theiwar cannot abide sunlight!"

Tanis stared at him. "That's true..."

"Hush, both of you!" Sturm cautioned.

Hornfel had taken a step forward. He raised his hand for silence.

"The charges made against you and your friends are very serious, Flint Fireforge," he stated. "You have entered our realm without permission. You have destroyed the gate."

"That wasn't our fault," cried Ta.s.slehoff, and he was immediately half-smothered by Caramon's large hand.

"You bring among us the accursed helm-"

"The Helm of Grallen is not cursed," Flint said wrathfully, "and I can prove it."

Lifting the helm, he jammed it onto his head.

The Thanes, one and all, leapt to their feet, even the Aghar, who mistakenly thought that since everyone was standing it was time to adjourn.

Raistlin dug his nails into Tanis's arm. "This could be very bad, my friend."

"You were the one who wanted him to put the d.a.m.n thing on!" Tanis said.

"This is not the time or the place I would have chosen," Raistlin returned.

Sturm instinctively put his hand to his scabbard, forgetting the dwarves had taken his sword. The dwarves had deposited the confiscated weapons near the entrance. Sturm calculated the distance, wondering if he could reach his sword before the soldiers reached him. Tanis saw the knight's look and knew what he was thinking. He cast Sturm a warning glance. The knight gave an oblique nod, but he also edged a couple of steps nearer the door.

Flint stood in the middle of the Court, the helm on his head, and for long, tense moments, nothing happened. Tanis started to breathe easier, then the gem on the helm flared red, flooding the court with bright red-orange light-a holy fire blazing in their midst. The helm covered Flint's face; only his beard showed, flowing from beneath, and his eyes.

Tanis did not recognize Flint in those eyes, nor, it seemed, did Flint recognize him or anyone else. He stared around as if he had walked into a room filled with strangers.

The Thanes were silent, their silence grim and foreboding. All laid hand to hammer, sword, or both. The soldiers held their weapons ready.

Flint paid no attention to the Thanes or the soldiers. He studied his surroundings; his gaze, filtered through the helm's eyeslits, taking in everything, like someone returning to a loved place after a long journey.

"I am home..." Flint said in a voice that was not his.

Hornfel's angry expression softened to doubt, uncertainty. He looked at his son, who shook his head and shrugged. Realgar smirked, as though he'd expected nothing less.

"He's play-acting," he muttered.

Flint walked over to the dais, climbed the stairs, and sat down on an empty throne-the black throne, the throne sacred to the Kingdom of the Dead. He gazed defiantly upon the Thanes as though daring them to do anything about it.

The Thanes one and all stared at him in paralyzing shock.

"No one sits on the Throne of the Dead!" cried Gneiss. Grabbing hold of Flint's arm, he tried to drag him bodily from the sacred throne.

Flint did not stir hand or foot, but suddenly the Daewar Thane reeled backward, as though he'd been struck a blow by an unseen hammer. He fell off the dais and lay, trembling with fear and astonishment, on the floor.

Flint, seated on the Throne of the Kingdom of the Dead, wearing the helm of a dead man, spoke.

"I am Prince Grallen," he said, and his voice was stern and cold and not Flint's own. "I have returned to the hall of my fathers. Is this how I am welcomed?"

The other Thanes were eyeing the Daewar, who was still on the floor. No one went to help him. No one was leering or scoffing now.

Rance turned to Hornfel and said nervously, "You are his descendant. Your family brought the curse upon us. You are the one who should speak to him."

Hornfel removed his helm, a mark of respect, and approached the throne with dignity. Arman would have gone with his father, but Hornfel made a sign with his hand, indicating his son was to remain behind.

"You are welcome to the hall of your fathers, Prince Grallen," Hornfel said, and he was polite but proud and unafraid, as became a Thane of the Hylar. "We ask your forgiveness for the wrong that was done you."

"We Daergar had nothing to do with it, Prince Grallen," Rance said in a loud voice. "Just so you know."

"It is not fair that we should be cursed," added Gneiss, heaving himself to his feet. "Our father's fathers knew nothing about the plot against you."

"Your curse should fall on the Hylar alone," said Rance.

"What a farce!" said Realgar.

"Peace, all of you," said Hornfel, glowering around at them. "Let us hear what the prince has to say."

Tanis understood. Hornfel was clever. He was testing Flint, trying to discover if he was acting all this out, or if he really had been taken over by the spirit of Prince Grallen.

"There was a time when I would have cursed you," Flint told them. His voice grew hard and terrible. "There was a time when my rage would have brought down this mountain." His anger flared. "How dare you bandy words with me, Hornfel of the Hylar? How dare you further affront my ghost, untimely murdered, my life cut off by my own kin!"

Flint brought his fist down, hard, on the arm of the throne.

The mountain shivered. The Life Tree shuddered. The floor shook, and the thrones of the Thanes rattled on the dais. A crack appeared in the ceiling. Columns creaked and groaned. The Aghar Highbluph let out a piercing shriek and fell over in a dead faint.

Hornfel sank to his knees. He was afraid now. They were all afraid. One by one, the soldiers in the hall went down on their knees onto the stone floor. The Thanes followed, until only Realgar was standing, and at last, even he knelt, though it was obvious he hated every moment of it.

The tremor ceased. The mountain was still.

Tanis glanced around swiftly to make sure everyone was all right. Sturm knelt on one knee, his arm raised in salute, as knight to royalty. Raistlin remained standing, balancing on his staff, his face and his thoughts hidden in the shadows of his cowl. Caramon had whipped off his helm. He was still keeping hold of Ta.s.slehoff, who was saying wistfully, "I wish Fizban was here to see this!" Tanis shifted his attention back to Flint, wondering what was going to come of this.

Nothing good, he thought grimly.

The silence was so absolute it seemed that Tanis could hear the sound of the rock dust sifting to the floor.

Hornfel spoke again, his voice unsteady. "Your brothers confessed their crime before they died, Prince Grallen. Though they did not kill you, they held themselves responsible for your death."

"And so they were," said the prince balefully. "I was the youngest, my father's favorite. They feared he would overlook them, leaving the rulership of Thorbardin to me. While it is true their hands did not deal my death blow, yet by their hands I died.

"I was young. I was fighting in my first battle. My elder brothers vowed to watch over and protect me. Instead they sent me to my doom. They ordered me to march with a small force on the fortress of Zhaman, the evil wizard's stronghold. I did what they told me. How not? I loved them and admired them. I longed to impress them. My own men tried to warn me. They told me the mission was suicidal, but I would not heed them. I trusted my brothers, who said that my men lied, the battle was as good as won. I was to have the honor of capturing the wizard and bringing him back in chains.

"They gifted me with this helm, saying that it would make me invincible. They knew the truth-the helm would not make me invincible. Crafted by the Theiwar, the magic of the gem would capture my soul and keep it imprisoned so that even my vengeful ghost would not return to tell the truth of what happened."

"Your brothers were ashamed of what they had done, n.o.ble prince," said Hornfel. "They admitted their guilt to Kharas and then hurled themselves to their death in battle. Your father grieved when the bitter news was brought to him. He did what he could to make amends. He raised a statue in your honor and built a tomb for you. He buried your brothers in an unmarked grave."

"And yet, my father never again spoke my name," said Prince Grallen.

"Your n.o.ble father blamed himself, Your Highness. He could not bear to be reminded of the tragedy. 'Three sons I lost,' he said. 'One in battle and two to darkness.'

"In truth, you have no need to curse us, great prince," Hornfel added bitterly. "The throne where once your father sat as High King has been empty since his death. The Hammer of Kharas is lost to us. We do not even have the solace of paying homage at your father's tomb, for some terrible force wrenched it out of the earth, and now it hangs suspended high above the Valley of the Thanes. There the tomb of our High King floats, out of reach, forever a punishment and a reproach to us.

"Our nation is divided and soon, I fear, we must end up in a civil war. I do not know what more harm you can do to us, Prince Grallen," Hornfel said, "unless you bring the mountain down on top of us."

"Whew, boy!" Ta.s.slehoff whistled. "Could Flint really do that? Bring down the mountain?"

"Shush!" Tanis ordered, and his expression was so very fierce that Ta.s.slehoff shushed.

"There was a time when I would have taken out my vengeance upon you, but my soul has learned much over the centuries."

Flint's voice softened. He gave a sigh, and the hand that was clenched in a fist relaxed. "I have learned to forgive."

Flint rose slowly to his feet.

"My brothers' spirits have gone on to the next part of their life's journey. My father's soul has done the same, and with him traveled the soul of the n.o.ble Kharas. Soon I will join them, for I am now free of the cruel enchantment that bound me.

"Before I leave, I give you a gift-a warning. False Metal has returned, but so have Reorx and the other G.o.ds. The gate of Thorbardin is once more open. The light of the sun shines into the mountain. Shut the gate again, shut out the light, and the darkness will consume you."

"This is an act," Realgar muttered. "Can't you fools see that?"

"Shut your mouth, or I will shut it for you!" said Tufa. The Klar still held his knife in his hand.

"We thank you, Prince Grallen," Hornfel said respectfully. "We will take heed of your words."

Arman Kharas rose to his feet. "Is this all you have to tell us, Prince Grallen? Do you not have some word for me?"

"My son, be silent!" Hornfel admonished.

"The prince has said the G.o.ds are with us again! This is the time of which Kharas spoke: 'When the power of the G.o.ds returns, then shall the Hammer go forth to forge once again the freedom of Krynn.'"

Arman Kharas came to stand before the Throne of the Kingdom of the Dead. "Tell me how to enter Duncan's Tomb. Tell me where to the Hammer of Kharas, n.o.ble prince, for such is my destiny!"

The gem's light dwindled and diminished, flickered and died out.

"Wait, Prince Grallen!" Arman shouted. "You cannot leave without telling me!"

Slowly Flint lifted his hands and slowly removed the helm from his head. He didn't look triumphant or elated. He looked tired. His face was drawn and pale. He seemed to have aged as many years as the prince had been dead.

"You know!" Arman cried suddenly, pointing at Flint. The young dwarf's voice burned with fury. "He told know!" Arman cried suddenly, pointing at Flint. The young dwarf's voice burned with fury. "He told you you!"

Flint walked away from the throne of the Dead, holding the Helm of Grallen underneath one arm.

Realgar laughed. "This is sham, a fraud! He is lying. He has been lying all along. He has no idea where to find the Hammer!"

"He knew the details of Prince Grallen's life and death," Hornfel said. "The mountain shook when we doubted him. Perhaps Reorx and the other G.o.ds have have returned." returned."

"I agree with Realgar," said Rance. "Cloudseeker has shaken before now, and none of us claimed it was anything more than the way of the mountain. Why should this time be different?"

Flint pushed past the Thanes, only to be confronted by Arman.

"Tell me where to find the Hammer! I am a prince. It is my destiny!"

"Why should I?" Flint flared. "So you can take the Hammer, and throw my friends and me in your dungeons?"