Dragons of The Dwarven Depths Part 4

With that, he retired to great applause.

"What a short memory he has," Sturm remarked. He smoothed the long mustaches that were the hallmark of a Solamnic knight and Sturm's pride, along with his father's sword and armor, the only legacy his father had left him. "Elves and a dwarf helped save his miserable life!"

"And a kender!" Tas added indignantly. a kender!" Tas added indignantly.

"Maybe Elistan will remind him of that," Tanis said, as the Revered Son of Paladine stepped forward.

"The G.o.ds of good hold back the darkness," Elistan stated, "as they hold back the snows that must soon blanket this valley, but winter will come and so too will the forces of evil."

Hederick interrupted him.

"If, as you say, Revered Son, your G.o.d, Paladine, and the other G.o.ds of Light have protected us in the past, can't we be a.s.sured that they will continue to protect us in the future?" the High Theocrat asked.

"The G.o.ds have helped us, that is true," said Elistan, "and they will continue to help us, but we must do our part. We are not babes in arms, whose every need has to be met by the parents. We are grown men and women. We have free will, a gift given to us by the G.o.ds. We have the ability to make choices-"

"And we choose choose to remain here in this valley," said Hederick. to remain here in this valley," said Hederick.

This drew a laugh and applause.

Flint nudged Tanis with his elbow. "Look there," he said urgently, pointing.

The Plainsmen were leaving. They had turned their backs on the speakers and on their fellow refugees and were walking out of the grove. Riverwind and Goldmoon remained, seemingly reluctant to leave, but then, with a shake of his head, Riverwind walked off. He said something to Goldmoon, but she did not immediately follow him. She sent her searching gaze through the crowd until she found Tanis.

Goldmoon looked at him long, and he saw in her sad smile an apology. Then, she, too, turned her back and went to be with her husband. Both left to join their people.

By now, everyone in the crowd was watching the Plainsmen depart. Some cried, "Good riddance," but others stated that it was a shame to let them leave in anger. Elistan tried to say something, but the clamor in the crowd drowned him out. Hederick stood in the background, smiling contentedly.

Raistlin was at Tanis's elbow, plucking at his sleeve. Tanis could smell the fragrance of dried rose petals emanating from the young mage's pouch of spell components that he wore on a belt around his waist. Tanis could also smell the scent of decay that lingered about Raistlin, a scent the sweet perfume of roses could never quite mask. Rose petals were not the only spell components the mage carried. Some were far less pleasant.

"Something is wrong," Raistlin said urgently. "Don't you feel it?"

He gave a sudden hiss. His hand seized hold of Tanis's arm, the long, slender fingers digging painfully into Tanis's flesh.

"Raistlin," said Tanis irritably,"this is no time for-"

"Hush!" Raistlin raised his head, as though listening. "Where is the kender? Quickly! I need him!"

"You do?" Ta.s.slehoff cried, amazed. "Excuse me," he added importantly, stepping on Flint's toes. "I have to get by. Raistlin needs me-"

"You have the sharpest eyes among us," said Raistlin, grasping hold of the kender. "Look into the sky! Swiftly. What do you see?"

Tas did as he was told, craning his neck and peering up into the sky, nearly tumbling over backward in the process.

"I see a white cloud that looks like a rabbit. There, do you see it, Caramon? It has long ears and a puffy tail and-"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Raistlin snarled, giving Tas a shake that snapped his head back. "Keep looking!"

"It might help if I knew what I was looking for," Tas pointed out meekly.

"That mage shivers my skin," said Flint, scowling and rubbing his arms.

"It's not him," said Tanis. "I feel it, too. Sturm!" he called, looking about for the knight.

Sturm had been standing in the shadows of an oak, keeping himself apart from the others, especially Raistlin. The serious-minded knight, who lived by the code, Est Sularas est Mithos Est Sularas est Mithos, "My honor is my life," had grown up with Raistlin and his brother, and though Sturm liked Caramon, the knight had never liked nor trusted his twin.

"I sense it as well," Sturm said.

An uneasy silence had fallen over the crowd. People turned this way and that, searching for the cause of the p.r.i.c.klings of fear that tingled in their arms and raised goose b.u.mps on their flesh. The Plainspeople had halted and were gazing skyward. Riverwind had his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"This reminds me of something!" Tanis said suddenly.

"Xak Tsaroth," Sturm murmured.

"There!" Ta.s.slehoff cried, pointing. "A dragon!"

It flew far above them, so high that the huge monster was reduced in size to a child's toy-a deadly toy. As the people watched in terror, the dragon dipped its wings and began to descend, winding downward in slow, lazy circles. The morning sun flashed off red scales and shone through the thin membrane of red wings. The fear that is part of a dragon's a.r.s.enal swept over the crowd. Primal fear from a memory of time's beginning. Deep-rooted fear that wrung the heart and made the soul shudder.

"Run!" Hederick shrieked. "Run for your lives!"

Tanis understood the terror. He felt the desire to flee, to run anywhere and nowhere in a desperate, panicked need to escape the horror, but he could see that running was the last thing they should do. Most of the people were standing beneath the trees, concealed from the dragon's sight by the overspreading branches.

"Don't move!" he managed to shout, though he had to struggle to breathe through the suffocating fear. "If no one moves, the dragon might not see us-"

"Too late," said Sturm. He gazed upward at the beast. "The dragon has seen all there is to see, and so has the rider."

The dragon had flown closer to them. They could all see the rider accoutered in heavy armor and a helm decorated with horns. The rider sat at his ease in a specially designed saddle on the dragon's back, between the wings.

Pandemonium broke out. Some people went racing for the caves. Others collapsed weeping and shivering, onto the gra.s.s.

Tanis couldn't move. He could not take his eyes from the rider. The man was huge with muscular arms that were bare, despite the cold. His helm covered his face, yet Tanis had no trouble recognizing him.

"Verminaard!" Tanis gasped, forcing out the name through clenched teeth.

"That's impossible!" Sturm said. "He's dead!"

"Look for yourself!" Tanis returned.

"He was dead, I tell you," Sturm insisted, yet he sounded shaken. "No man could survive such wounds!"

"Well, this one did, apparently," Flint said grimly.

"Remember that he himself was a powerful cleric, serving an all powerful G.o.ddess," said Raistlin. "Takhisis might well have restored him to life."

Someone barreled straight into Tanis, nearly knocking him down. The person shoved Tanis aside and kept on running.

Panic had seized hold of nearly everyone. People went haring off in every direction. Women screamed, men shouted, and children wailed. The dragon flew lower and lower.

"They've all gone mad!" Caramon shouted, trying to make himself heard above the chaos. "Someone has to do something!"

"Someone is," said Tanis.

Elistan stood firm, his hand on the medallion of faith he wore around his neck. Surrounding him were twenty of his followers and they were pale but composed, listening carefully to Elistan's instructions. Laurana was among these. She seemed to sense Tanis's gaze, for she turned her head and flashed him a quick, cool glance. Then she and the other followers of Paladine went among the crowd, taking firm hold of those who were in hysterics and ministering to those who had fallen or been knocked down or trampled.

The Plainsmen were also taking action against the dragon. They stood with bows and arrows ready. The dragon was still too far away for a good shot, but the archers were prepared in case the beast should try to harm those on the ground. Riverwind was giving orders. Standing beside him, shoulder-to-shoulder, was Gilthanas. The elf had his bow and arrow aimed and ready.

Tanis had not thought to bring his bow, but he wore his sword, the magical sword of the elven king, Kith-Kanan. He drew his weapon, thinking, as he did so that it would do little good against the enormous red dragon. Caramon had his sword drawn. Raistlin's eyes were closed. He was chanting softly to himself, readying a magical spell. Flint had his battle-axe in his hand. Ta.s.slehoff drew his own small sword that he had named Rabbitslayer, following Caramon's remark that the small blade would be useful only if Tas were attacked by a ferocious rabbit. Tas claimed the dagger was magic, but thus far the only magic Tanis had seen was the fact that the scatter-brained kender had not yet managed to lose it.

Armed and ready for a battle they could not hope to win, the companions stood waiting in the shadow of the trees for the dragon to start the slaughter.

The Dragon Highlord, mounted on the red's back, raised his arm in a mocking salute. Even from this distance, they could hear his deep voice rumbling orders to the dragon. The red gave an easy flap of its ma.s.sive wings and sailed upward. It soared over the heads of the archers, who loosed off a volley of arrows. Almost all found their mark, but none did any damage. Striking the dragon's scales, the arrows clattered off, falling to the ground. The Dragon Highlord extended his hand and pointed straight at the grove.

The dragon let out its breath in a gust of fire. The trees exploded into flames. A wave of scorching heat swept over Tanis and the rest. Thick black smoke choked the air.

Sturm caught hold of Ta.s.slehoff, who was staring at the dragon in open-mouthed excitement, and hoisted the kender off his feet and flung him over his shoulder. Caramon and Raistlin were already running for safety, as was Flint. Tanis peered into the smoke to see if anyone was trapped inside the burning grove.

The trees burned fiercely. Blazing branches fell down all around him. The thick smoke stung his eyes, choking him. The heat from the raging fire was causing his skin to blister. If people were still in there, they were doomed.

Tanis wondered grimly if Verminaard planned to set fire to the entire valley, but apparently the Dragon Highlord was content with simply terrifying them. The dragon lifted its head and flapped its wings and soared into the sky, flying with ponderous grace up and over the mountains. Dragon and rider were soon lost to sight.

The grove of oak, maple, and fir burned white hot, belching smoke that rolled into the sky and hung on the still air above what had once been a peaceful valley, a safe haven.

Chapter 4.

Flint tells a tale. Sturm recalls a legend.

For several hours following the dragon's attack, all was chaos. Families had lost track of each other during the mad stampede; children separated from their parents, husbands from their wives. Tanis and his friends worked to calm everyone, shepherding them back up into the caves where they would be safe if the dragon should come again. Goldmoon and the other clerics of Mishakal treated the frightened and the wounded. Elistan helped to restore calm and order, and by afternoon, all of the lost had been found; families were back together again. No one had died, which Tanis held to be a miracle.

He called a meeting for that night to discuss the dire emergency and this time he set the rules. No more public gatherings outdoors. The meeting was held in the largest cavern that could be found which was, of course, the cave that had been chosen by Hederick for his residence. The cave had a high ceiling with a natural chimney for ventilation that permitted the Theocrat to have a fire. This time, the meeting was limited to the delegates. Tanis had been adamant on that point, and even Hederick had grudgingly acceded to the wisdom of the half-elf's arguments. From now on, no one was to venture outside the caves unless they had good reason.

The delegates crowded into the cave, occupying every available s.p.a.ce. Tanis brought Sturm and Flint, telling the rest to remain in their dwellings. He had invited Raistlin, too, but the mage had not yet come. Caramon was under orders to keep Ta.s.slehoff away, to chain the disruptive kender to a wall if he had to. Riverwind and Goldmoon represented the Plainsmen. The terrible revelation that Verminaard was still alive, and the fact that he had discovered their location, had caused the Plainspeople to rethink plans of setting out on their own. Elistan was here, with Laurana by his side.

Hederick, as usual, spoke first.

Tanis thought that Hederick would be the first one to advocate fleeing the valley. The half-elf was astonished to find that Hederick still insisted on remaining.

"If anything, this attack reinforces my argument that we should stay here in the valley where we are safe," Hederick said. "Can you imagine the terrible tragedy that would have occurred if that dragon had caught us traipsing along some mountain trail with no cover, nowhere to run? The beast would have slaughtered us all! As it was, the Highlord realized that he was no match for us and flew off."

"The Dragon Highlord did not come to attack us, High Theocrat," said Sturm. "Lord Verminaard came to find us, and he succeeded. He now knows where we are."

"What will he do about it?" Hederick asked, spreading his hands. His supporters, gathered around him, all sagely nodded their heads. "Nothing, that's what. Because there's nothing he can do! He cannot bring troops through the pa.s.s. If he returns with the dragon, we will simply remain in the caves. Not even Lord Verminaard can burn down this mountain!"

"Don't be too sure of that," Tanis muttered.

He exchanged glances with Riverwind. Both of them remembered vividly the destruction of Riverwind's village in Que-shu, the solid rock walls that had melted away like fresh churned b.u.t.ter.

Tanis glanced at Elistan, wondering when the Revered Son was going to speak. Tanis was starting to have serious doubts about Elistan and his G.o.ds of Light. Elistan had proclaimed that the Dragon Highlord had been killed with help from the G.o.ds, yet the evil Highlord was not dead. Tanis wanted very much to ask Elistan why the G.o.ds of light had not been able to prevent Verminaard from coming back from the dead. Now was not the time to question the Revered Son's faith, however. The High Theocrat was looking for an opportunity to denounce these new G.o.ds and return to the Seeker G.o.ds he and his followers had been promoting to their own private advantage. Tanis guessed that Hederick and his bunch were already at work to undermine Elistan's teachings. They didn't need his help.

I'll speak to Elistan in private, Tanis thought. Meanwhile, the Revered Son could at least give me his support, not just sit there in silence. If he's as wise as Laurana claims, he'll see that we can't stay here.

"Our danger grows by the minute, good gentlefolk," Sturm was saying, speaking to the a.s.sembly. "Verminaard knows where we are. He did not seek us out for the sake of his health! He has a plan in mind, you may be sure of that. To do nothing is to doom us all to certain death."

One of the delegates, a woman named Maritta, rose to her feet. She was middle-aged, stout, and plain looking, but she was also a woman of courage and of sense who had played a valuable role in helping the refugees escape Pax Tharkas. She admired Elistan and had little use for Hederick. Clasping her hands over her midriff, she faced the High Theocrat.

"You, sir, claim that we will be safe from the dragon if we stay here, but the dragon is not our only enemy. Winter is another foe, just as deadly. What happens when our food supplies run low and the game has vanished? When the bitter cold and lack of proper food brings sickness and death to the elderly and the young?"

She rounded on Tanis. "And you, Half-Elven. You want us to leave. Very well, then. Where do we go? Answer me that! Would you have us set out with no destination in mind, to wind up lost in the wilderness or starving to death on some frozen mountainside?"

Before Tanis could answer, there was a blast of chill air. The elaborate screen of branches and animal hides that covered Hederick's cavern rustled and was shoved aside. Torchlight flickered in the wind, the flames of the fire wavered. Everyone looked round to see who had arrived.

Raistlin entered the meeting area. The mage wore his cowl pulled low over his head.

"It has started to snow," he reported.

"Does he enjoy bringing bad news?" Sturm muttered.

"What's he doing here?" Flint demanded.

"I asked him to come. I told him what time to be here," Tanis said, irritated. "I wonder why he's late!"

"So he could make a dramatic entrance," said Sturm.

Raistlin walked over to stand near the fire. The mage moved slowly, taking his time, well aware that all eyes were on him, though few with any friendly feeling. He cared nothing about being universally disliked, however. Tanis thought that perhaps Raistlin even reveled in it.

"Don't let me interrupt, Half-Elven," Raistlin said, coughing softly. He held his hands over the blaze to warm himself. The firelight reflected eerily on his glistening golden skin. "You were about to say something regarding the dwarven kingdom."

Tanis hadn't said a word about this yet. He hadn't been going to spring it on people in this abrupt fashion.

"I have have been thinking we could find safe haven in the kingdom of Thorbardin-" he began reluctantly. been thinking we could find safe haven in the kingdom of Thorbardin-" he began reluctantly.

His proposal caused an outburst.

"Dwarves!" cried Hederick, frowning. "We'll have nothing to do with dwarves!"

His sentiment was loudly echoed by his supporters. Riverwind looked grim and shook his head. "My people will not travel to Thorbardin."

"Now see here, the lot of you," said Maritta. "You guzzle dwarf spirits and you're quick to take their money when dwarves come to your shops-"

"That doesn't mean we have to live with them." Hederick made a stiff and condescending bow to Flint. "Present company excepted, of course."

Flint had nothing to say in return-a bad sign. Ordinarily he would have given the Theocrat the sharp edge of his tongue. As it was, the dwarf sat in silence, whittling on a piece of wood. Tanis gave an inward sigh. He had known all along that his biggest obstacle to his plan of traveling to the dwarven kingdom was going to be this stubborn old dwarf.

The argument raged. Tanis glanced at Raistlin, who stood by the fire, warming his hands, a slight smile on his thin lips. He tossed this fireball into our midst for a reason, Tanis thought. Raistlin has something in mind. What, I wonder?