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.If ever a time comes when that is not so, may my death- and his-be not far behind."Raistlin's eyes narrowed at this vow.He regarded his brother with a thoughtful, somber expression.Then Tanis saw the mage's lip curl, the serious mien wiped out by his customary cynicism.It was astartling change.For a moment, the twins' resemblance to each other had been remarkable.Nowthey were as different as opposite sides of a coin.Sturm stepped forward and clasped Caramon's hand, gripping it tightly, wordlessly.Then he turnedto face Raistlin, unable to regard him without obvious disgust."I apologize, Raistlin, " the knight said stiffly."You should be thankful you have such a loyal brother.""Oh, I am," Raistlin whispered.Tanis glanced at the mage sharply, wondering if he had only imagined sarcasm in the mage's hissingvoice.The half-elf licked his dry lips, a sudden, bitter taste in his mouth."Can you guide us through this place?" he asked abruptly."I could have," Raistlin answered, "if we had come here prior to the Cataclysm.The books I studied dated back hundreds of years.During the Cataclysm, when the fiery mountain struck Krynn, thecity of Xak Tsaroth was cast down the side of a cliff.I recognize this staircase because it is still intact.As for beyond-" He shrugged."Where do the stairs lead?""To a place known as the Hall of the Ancestors.Priests and kings of Xak Tsaroth were buried incrypts there.""Let's get moving," Caramon said gruffly."All we're doing here is scaring ourselves.""Yes." Raistlin nodded."We must go and go quickly.We have until nightfall.By tomorrow, this city will be overrun by the armies moving from the north.""Bah!" Sturm frowned."You may know lots of things as you claim, mage, but you can't know that!Caramon is right, though-we have stayed here too long.I will take the lead."He started down the stairs, moving carefully to keep from slipping on the slimy surface.Tanis sawRaistlin's eyes-narrow, golden slits of enmity-follow Stunn down."Raistlin, go with him and light the way," Tanis ordered, ignoring the angry glance Sturm flashed up at him."Caramon, walk with Goldmoon.Riverwind and I will take rear guard.""And where does that leave us?" Flint grumbled to the kender as they followed behind Goldmoon and Caramon."In the middle, as usual.Just more useless baggage-""There might be anything up there," Tas said, looking back to the pedestal.He obviously hadn't heard a word of what had been said."A crystal ball of farseeing, a magic ring like I once had.Did I ever tell you about my magic ring?" Flint groaned.Tanis heard the kender's voice prattling on as the two disappeared down the stairs.The half-elf turned to Riverwind."You were here-you must have been.We have seen the goddesswho gave you the staff.Did you come down here?""I don't know," Riverwind said wearily."I remember nothing about it.Nothing-except the dragon."Tanis fell silent.The dragon.It all came down to the dragon.The creature loomed large ineveryone's thoughts.And how feeble the small group seemed against a monster who had sprung fullgrown from Krynn's darkest legends.Why us? Tanis thought bitterly.Was there ever a moreunlikely group of heroes-bickering, grumbling, arguing-half of us not trusting the other half."We were chosen." That thought brought little comfort.Tanis remembered Raistlin's words."Who chose us-and why!" The half-elf was beginning to wonder.They moved silently down the steep stairway that curled ever deeper into the hillside.At first it was intensely dark as they spiraled down.Then the way began to get lighter, until Raistlin was able toextinguish the light on his staff.Soon Sturm raised his hand, halting the others behind him.Beyondstretched a short corridor, no more than a few feet long.This led to a large arched doorway thatrevealed a vast open area.A pale gray light filtered into the corridor, as did the odor of dankness and decay.The companions stood for long moments, listening carefully.The sound of rushing water seemed tocome from below and beyond the door, nearly drowning out all other sounds.Still, Tanis thought hehad heard something else-a sharp crack- and he had felt more than heard a thumping and throbbingon the floor.But it didn't last long, and the sharp crack wasn't repeated.Then, more puzzling still, came a metallic scraping sound punctuated by an occasional shrill screech.Tanis glanced atTasslehoff questioningly.The kender shrugged."I haven't a clue," he said, cocking his head and listening closely."I've never heard anything like it, Tanis, except once-" He paused, then shook his head."Do you want me to go look?" he asked eagerly."Go"Tasslehoff crept down the short corridor, flitting from shadow to shadow.A mouse running acrossthick carpet makes more noise than a kender when he wants to escape notice.He reached the doorand peered out.Ahead of him stretched what must once have been a vast ceremonial hall.Hall ofthe Ancestors, that's what Raistlin called it.Now it was a Hall of Ruins.Part of the floor to the east had fallen into a hole from which a foul-smelling white mist boiled up.Tas noticed other huge holesgaping in the floor, while chunks of large stone tile stuck up like grave markers.Carefully testingthe floor beneath his feet, the kender stepped out into the hall.Through the mist he could faintlydistinguish a dark doorway on the south wall.and another on the north.The strange screechingsound came from the south.Tas turned and began walking in that direction.He suddenly heard the thumping and throbbing sound again to the north, behind him, and felt thefloor start to tremble.The kender hurriedly dashed back into the stairwell.His friends had heard the sound and were flattened against the wall, weapons in hand.The thumping sound grew into a loudwhoosh.Then ten or fifteen squat, shadowy figures rushed past the arched doorway.The floorshook.They heard hard breathing and an occasional muttered word.Then the figures vanished inthe mist, heading south.There was another sharp cracking sound, then silence."What in the name of the Abyss was that?" Caramon exclaimed [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]