“Serea seloo israya,” Hunddal intoned, select words in the beautiful language Dauroth had created only for spells.
The sphere opened and an army as macabre as any witnessed in the history of Krynn wound its way across the landscape. Shambling determined skeletons by the hundreds filled the Titans’ view. Meredrakes wrapped only in dried skin weaved their way among the hollow-eyed ogre warriors, plodding along at the silent commands of their ghoulish riders.
That it was dark did not matter, for the sphere illuminated the horrific vision as bright as day. As Hundjal gestured, the image swerved to show what lay ahead of the fleshless horde.
At the very edge of the horizon, the towers and walls of the capital were just becoming visible.
“Should we not act?” asked Kallel anxiously. “This is surely meant as a threat to all our kind.”
“But it risks too much use of our power,” argued another Titan. “And we are surely safe here, so many days away and in this hidden valley. Let the grand lord deal with this trouble.”
Dauroth raised a hand for silence. “The destruction of an army of bones would be no difficulty for the Talon, with or without the help of the rest of the Titans.” He allowed himself a slight smile. “And, as for the grand lord … his part in my designs is at an end.”
Kallel leaned forward. “So you will let him be taken? After all this time, you will let him be taken?”
“In a manner that will mark his downfall and disgrace. Hundjal … ” At Dauroth’s behest, Hundjal caused the sphere to change to an image of Garantha. The Titans watched as the palace raced into view.
And there they saw hundreds upon hundreds of restless ogre warriors, dressed in the armor of the Grand Lord Golgren, waiting for the order to march. Mastarks with metal helms and body plates trumpeted impatiently, forcing several mounted fighters to struggle to bring their horses under control.
A horn blared. and out from the palace itself appeared their leader. Golgren was dressed as he liked to be when heading into battle, his armor immaculate and shining. He was accompanied by the Solamnic, also dressed in battle gear. Grinning confidently, Golgren saluted his warriors as he and the knight descended to a pair of horses with the grand lord’s elf slave a few steps behind them.
“The cur even brings his favorite pets along to keep him company in death,” Morgada purred. “Should we not at least save that little silver-haired morsel? Her blood must have much strength to have enabled her to survive his hungers.”
Dauroth shrugged. One elf more or less was not of any importance at that moment, and he didn’t care about the human either. “They will all die together, and the race will see that the great Golgren was less than a fherkuut with only one good leg.”
Fherkuut were small rodents with long snouts and tiny eyes. They had carved a niche for themselves in inhospitable lands by devouring other animals’ excrement and using the few nutrients within. To ogres, they were the lowest of all life.
The others laughed heartily at his clever mockery of the half-breed leader. Dauroth rose. “Come. Let the Talon prepare itself. The grand lord wishes our magic to fall upon the f’hanos. We would not want to disappoint him.”
Leaving their seats, the eleven spellcasters gathered like eager ghosts around Hundjal’s sphere, eyeing the first movements of Golgren’s force as it headed out to meet the f’hanos. Amusement glinted in the eyes of most Titans. They were finally going to be rid of the half-breed and in a manner that would curse his memory among ogres for all time. They did not know exactly what Dauroth had in mind but trusted in the leader of the Black Talon; he knew many cunning ways to kill his enemies.
And after Golgren was dead, the Titans, led by the Black Talon, would save the ogre race and take proper control of their destiny.
Dauroth took his place in the center of the group, dismissing the sphere and its image with but a glance. The others took up their appointed positions, creating a pattern with five points and five intersections. Hundjal and Safrag went to their usual places at an intersection opposite their master.
“Nay, my good Hundjal,” called the lead Titan. “Your place is close by me for this occasion.”
“Great one?” The apprentice could not hide his pleasure at that statement. To stand with Dauroth meant to take a lead in the spellcasting. It not only marked Hundjal as Dauroth’s most favored, but also emphasized his likeliness of rising up when the elder Titan stepped down from his hallowed position as their leader. Several of the others looked envious. Safrag merely stared downward. The Titans adjusted their pattern so as to accommodate the alteration that Dauroth’s invitation warranted.
Guiding Hundjal to the spot where the sphere had been, Dauroth placed his hands on the apprentice’s shoulders. “Dear Hundjal, my Hundjal! Ever daring, ever inquisitive! You hunt secrets with as much determination as you do your prey.”
Hundjal beamed proudly. Some of the others nodded their appreciation of the master’s assessment of his disciple. Morgada gave the senior apprentice a beguiling smile.
“I seek only to follow in your footsteps, my master. Your teachings are my existence. As you preach, I seek to emulate.”
“This will be a spell requiring some sacrifice,” Dauroth informed both Hundjal and the others. “And I think that, Hundjal, you understand the necessity of sacrifice, do you not?”
“Of course.”
“I am so gratified to hear that.”
Black flames suddenly blazed from Dauroth’s hands, enveloping the apprentice with searing heat.
Hundjal let out a gasp but seemed unable to move. The other Titans-with the exception of Safrag-couldn’t hide their shock.
“Stay your positions!” Dauroth demanded, his song-voice threatening. He leaned close to Hundjal so his next words would be heard by only his apprentice. “You have touched the forbidden, my pupil, transgressed against me-me! — in an unforgivable manner! I do set the law among us and no one, not even you, dear, precocious Hundjal, may break my rules … not even despite my wish and my guidance for you to do so!”
The apprentice’s eyes, darting wildly, widened as he understood that he had been manipulated into using the fragment. Hundjal had thought he was cleverer than his master. He was not.
“With you will die any impulse by others to wield that accursed thing! But fear not! You shall serve me and our cause in one last, grand manner and your memory will be honored for it.”
Hundjal let out a pathetic gurgle. Dauroth sang three words, three words that would have sent the rest of the Talon recoiling if they had not already been warned to stay in their places. They heard the terrible three words, the ones that condemned those who betrayed the master to a fate worse than even Donnag’s.
To become one of the Abominations …
Almost. Such a fate was not quite what Dauroth had in mind for Hundjal, for then his apprentice’s tremendous power would not be available to him for the spell against the f’hanos.
So there was a slight alteration to the words.
Then a horrified gasp escaped from the mouths of several of the Titans, for Hundjal suddenly and utterly liquefied. The beginnings of a howl issued from his lips and was quickly, mercilessly, cut off. The apprentice, robes and all, poured through Dauroth’s fingers onto the stone floor.
But it did not end there, for no sooner had the stomach-wrenching liquid pooled on the floor than it started dissipating into nothingness. As that happened, tendrils of glittering blue energy-a Titan’s magic-wafted upward.
And as the tendrils passed over the heads of the Titans, Dauroth opened his mouth wide and inhaled the magic, in the process seeming to swell in size. His body radiated a fearsome azure aura and he looked stronger, more powerful than ever.