Now came the hard part. The half-ogre was going to need both of his hands. He balanced himself carefully on the ledge. “Jaz-pear, hode tight,” he said. The dwarf snaked his arms around Groller’s neck. The half-ogre found another handhold.
He climbed like a spider again, hanging from a rocky wall that tilted at a slant toward the opening. Groller’s fingers ached from the rocks, and from supporting the weight of the dwarf. He scrabbled for holds and swung his legs about desperately.
The frantic movements upset the bats nearby. Their squeals filled the air. Groller couldn’t hear the bats, but he felt them. The air was stirred by their wings, and a few of them struck him with their movements.
Finally Groller’s legs found a deep crack, and he was able to continue his climb. A few moments more, and the two were lying in the tunnel.
Jasper was the first to move, but then Groller took the lead again, using his sore fingers to guide them along the passage. He spotted Fury ahead of him in the tunnel. The beast pawed at the ground and then whirled away. The wolf was apparently alone and had not brought Rig or Feril with him. Perhaps something had happened to them, Groller thought. The half-ogre hurried along, twisting his head to make sure Jasper was following.
The passage coiled like a snake, just as he remembered, and he saw the wolf pawing at the ground again. Groller started to run. Fury turned the corner and disappeared from sight.
Groller sped around an outcropping and into the mouth of the cave. It was dark. For a moment the half-ogre suspected he’d made a wrong turn and found a different chamber. But then his eyes saw gray patches.
Jasper practically barreled into him, as the dwarf rounded the corner.
“Several hours, at least.” Jasper recognized Feril’s voice. “I’m exhausted,” she said. “We’re stuck here until I can get my strength back—unless you can find another way out of this cave.”
“It’s darker than night in here.” That was Rig’s voice. “Like a tomb.”
Jasper heard other sounds, an odd clicking-clacking that came from beyond the chamber.
“I wonder where Groller and Jasper are? They should have been back by now.”
“We are back, Fiona,” Jasper said.
“And just where have you two been?” Rig demanded. “We’ve been fighting spawn. They’re still out there. Feril sealed the cave off to keep ’em from killing us.”
“Whew! What’s that smell?” Fiona asked.
“Uh, bat droppings,” Jasper answered.
The dwarf tugged on Groller’s tunic, and the half-ogre followed him into the large chamber. Groller headed toward Feril and the wolf. Fury’s golden eyes greeted the half-ogre. Groller stared at them.
“Bat droppings. You find bat droppings, and we find spawn,” Rig said. “Where were you?”
“Exploring,” the dwarf said. Exploring this cave and myself, he silently added. Finding my faith. He took a deep breath and walked toward Rig. His lungs felt healed—both of them—and his faith was restored. A smile spread wide across his face. “Groller and I just did a little exploring.”
14
Sunken Ships
“I’ve been exploring the possibilities surrounding Takhisis’s return,” Palin said. “Something... bothers me.” The anxiety in his voice was evident as he stared into the water-filled crystal bowl. Gilthanas’s face stared back at him through the widening ripples.
“Bothers you more than the dragon goddess coming back?”
“No,” Palin said with a laugh. “There is little worse that could befall Krynn. It is where she will return that is bothering me. If we guess wrong—”
“No one will be there to stop her,” Gilthanas finished. “If we guess right, we might not have the power to stop her anyway.”
“But we must guess right if we are to have the slightest chance.”
“Agreed. What are the options?” The elf’s voice sounded soft and hollow.
Palin steepled his fingers. The lines on his face were noticeably deeper, especially around his eyes, as if he had aged in the past few weeks. He released a long sigh. “The Master is confident Takhisis will appear somewhere near the Window to the Stars. It is an ancient place in Khur.”
“I have heard of it.”
“The Master says all his divinations point to that area, and yet...”
“And yet?” Gilthanas asked finally.
“The Shadow Sorcerer is adamant that the site will be Ariakan’s Rest. There is wisdom in his words as well. It is a mystic place for the Knights of Takhisis.”
“Takhisis appeared there before,” Gilthanas said.
Palin nodded. “My associates refuse to come to an agreement. Neither will consider the other’s position. They have almost come to blows over the matter.”
“Our forces are too small to split up,” the elf said.
“And the two places are far apart.”
“Are you alone?”
Palin nodded.
“Then tell me, whose counsel do you trust more? Perhaps that should make the decision.”
Palin shook his head, shrugging his stooped shoulders. “I don’t know.” The Master was the personification of the Tower of Wayreth, he thought, and the embodiment of high sorcery in the form of a man. He could wear the face of any sorcerer he chose. The Shadow Sorcerer was wrapped in mystery, as well. Perhaps he was a man, perhaps a woman. Palin had come to rely on both mages heavily during the past several years. But he did not trust one above the other.
“How can I help?” asked Gilthanas.
“You’ve got magic on your side,” Palin began, “and a dragon. If Silvara is willing, the two of you could explore the area around the Window after you’ve taken Usha and Blister to the coast, to Ak-Khurman. Check for signs and see if you notice anything unusual.”
“Khur’s a big country. It will take time.”
“It will take the others time to obtain the crown. With the Shadow Sorcerer’s help, the Master was finally able to contact Feril and Rig. It took some doing. They had sealed themselves in a cave, several miles away, to avoid dozens of spawn. The Master told them you found Dhamon, and they decided to head to Ak-Khurman.”
Palin sighed. “And I cannot risk destroying any more of the arcane items here to power a spell to send them to Ak-Khurman.”
“In Ak-Khurman—” Gilthanas began.
“Feril and the others will meet Blister and Usha there. Then they’ll all head to Dimernesti. Usha has plenty of steel with her to rent a ship.”
“And Dhamon...?”
“What of him?” asked Palin.
Gilthanas let the question hang in the air. Quickly he explained how the mysterious shadow dragon and Silvara had broken Dhamon’s link with Malys, and how the former Knight of Takhisis no longer appeared to be a threat.
“Do you trust Dhamon?” the sorcerer asked in a cracked voice.
“I trust Silvara.”
Palin cocked his head. “If there is no threat, he could be helpful. Still...”
“Your wife and Blister are capable and, I believe, safe in his company. But I’ll take the glaive away from Dhamon to be sure. He’s different, Palin, changed. But I suppose anyone would be after what he went through. Silvara claims he is completely out from under the red dragon’s control. And, as I said, I do trust Silvara.”
“Then he can accompany Usha and Blister.” Palin seemed to relax a little. “We will deal with the matter of Goldmoon’s death later. Be careful on your journey, my friend. The wilds of Khur are dangerous.”
“I have learned to be careful. And you?”
“I will go to Ariakan’s Rest.”
“What signs should we look for?”
Palin pursed his lips. “Dragons gathering,” he answered finally. “Wherever Takhisis intends to arrive, there will be other dragons and their minions. And there will be Knights of Takhisis.”