Kender, Gully Dwarves And Gnomes t1-2 Read online

  Suddenly aware of the presence of the god, aware, now, of the danger it was in, the Graygem flared with brilliant gray light. Trapped by the magic of the wizard's symbol on the floor, it could not move, but it began to spin frantically, changing shape so fast that it was nothing more than a blur of motion to the eye.

  The aspect of the wizard changed too. Once again, the black dragon burst into being, its great body obliterating the chair, its vast wingspan filling the cone-shaped room.

  Palin glanced at it without interest, being much more absorbed in his own internal struggles. The Graygem was exerting all its energy, trying to protect itself. It was offering Palin anything, everything he wanted. Images flashed into his head. He saw himself as Head of the Order of White Robes, he saw himself ruling the Conclave of Wizards. HE was driving the evil dragons back into the Abyss! HE was doing battle with the Dark Queen. All he had to do was kill the dwarf…

  Kill a god? he asked in disbelief.

  I will grant you the power! the Graygem answered.

  Looking around, Palin saw Sturm's body bathed in sweat, his eyes wild, his fists clenched. Even Tanin, so strong and unbending, was staring straight ahead, his skin pale, his lips tight, seeing some vision of glory visible only to himself.

  Dougan stood in the center of the pentagram, watching them, not saying a word.

  Palin held fast to the staff, nearly sobbing in his torment. Pressing his cheek against the cool wood, he heard words forming in his mind.

  All my life, I was my own person. The choices I made, I made of my own free will. I was never held in thrall by anyone or anything; not even the Queen of Darkness herself! Bow to others in reverence and respect, but never in slavery, nephew!

  Palin blinked, looking around as though awaking from a daze. He wasn't conscious of having heard the words, but they were in his heart, and he had the strength now to know their worth. No! he was able to tell the Graygem firmly, and it was then that he realized the black dragon behind him was undergoing similar torture.

  "But I don't want to flay the skin from their bones!" the dragon whimpered. "Well, yes, I wouldn't mind having my island back the way it was. And ten maidens who would act like maidens and not turn into poets."

  Looking at the dragon in alarm, Palin saw its red eyes gleaming feverishly. Acid dripped from its forked tongue, burning holes in the polished floor; its claws glistened. Spreading its wings, the dragon lifted itself into the air.

  "Tanin! Sturm!" Palin cried, grasping hold of the nearest brother and shaking him. It was Tanin. Slowly the big man turned his eyes to his little brother, but there was no recognition in them.

  "Help me, wizard!" Tanin hissed at him. "Help me slay the dwarf! I'll be the leader of armies…"

  "Dougan!" Palin ran to the dwarf. "Do something!" the young mage shouted wildly, waving his arms at the dragon.

  "I am, laddie, I am," said Dougan calmly, his eyes on the Graygem.

  Palin could see the black dragon's eyes watching him hungrily. The black wings twitched.

  I'll cast a sleep spell, Palin decided in desperation, reaching into his pouches for sand. But as he drew it forth a horrible realization came to him. His fingers went limp, the sand trickled from them, spilling down upon the floor.

  His magic was gone!

  "No, please, no!" Palin moaned, looking up at the Graygem, which appeared to sparkle with a chaotic malevolence.

  The wooden door to the room burst open, banging against the wall.

  "We have come as you commanded us, Graygem!" cried a voice.

  It was the voice of the dark-haired beauty. Behind her was the blonde, and behind them all the rest of the women, young and old alike. But gone were the diaphanous gowns and seductive smiles. The women were dressed in tiger skins. Feathers were tied in their hair, and they carried stone-tipped spears in their hands.

  And now Tanin's voice rang out loudly as a trumpet call, "My troops! To my side! Rally round!" Raising his arm, he gave a battle cry and the women answered with a wild shout.

  "Bring me wine!" cried Sturm, executing an impromptu dance. "Let the revelries begin!"

  The blonde's eyes were on him and they burned with lust. Unfortunately, it was lust of the wrong kind. She raised her spear, her eyes looking to her leader — Tanin — for the order to attack.

  "You promise me?" said the black dragon eagerly, its forked tongue flicking in and out of its dripping mouth. "No more gully dwarves? I didn't mind the rest so much, but I won't be changed into a gully dwarf again!"

  "The world's gone mad!" Palin slumped back against the wall. He felt his strength and his sanity draining from him as the sand fell from his nerveless fingers. The chaos around him and the loss of his magic had overthrown his mind. He stared at the Staff of Magius and saw nothing more than a stick of wood, topped by a glistening bauble. He heard his brothers — one dispersing his troops for battle, the other calling for the pipers to strike up another tune. He heard the dragon's great wings creak and the intake of breath that would be released in a stream of acid. Shutting his eyes, Palin cast the useless staff away from him and turned his face to the wall.

  "Halt!" thundered a voice. "Halt, I command you!"

  Chaos whirled wildly an instant longer, then it slowed and finally wound down until all was silence and stillness in the room where before had been a blur of noise and motion. Raising his head, Palin looked fearfully around. Dougan stood on the pentagram in the center of the room, his black beard bristling in anger. Raising his arm, he cried out, "Reorx Drach Kalahzar!" and a gigantic warhammer materialized in the dwarf's hand. The huge hammer glowed with a fierce red light that was reflected in Dougan's dark, bright eyes.

  "Yes!" shouted the dwarf, staring up at the flaring Graygem. "I know your power! None better! After all, you are my creation! You can keep this chaos going eternally, and you know that I cannot stop you. But you are trapped eternally yourself! You will never be free!"

  The Graygem's light flickered at instant, as though considering Dougan's words. Then it began to pulse, brighter than before, and Palin's heart sank in despair.

  "Wait!" Dougan cried, raising one hand, the other grasping the handle of the burning red warhammer. "I

  say we leave everything up to chance. I offer you… a wager!"

  The Graygem appeared to consider, its light pulsed more slowly, thoughtfully.

  "A wager?" the women murmured, lowering their spears.

  "A wager," said the dragon in pleased tones, settling back down to the floor once more.

  "A wager!" Palin muttered, wiping his sleeve across his sweating brow. "My god, that's what started all this!"

  "We agree to it, " said the dark-haired beauty, striding forward, the shaft of her spear thumping against the floor as she walked. "What will be the stakes?"

  Dougan stroked his beard. "These young men," he said finally, pointing at Tanin, Sturm, and Palin, "for yourselves. Freedom for the Graygem."

  "What?" Both Tanin and Sturm came back to reality, staring around the room as though seeing it for the first time.

  "You can't do this to us, dwarf!" Tanin shouted, lunging forward, but two of the larger and stronger women caught him and, with strength given them by the brightly burning Graygem, bound the struggling man's arms behind him. Two more took care of Sturm. No one bothered with Palin.

  "If I lose the wager," Dougan continued imperturbably, "these young men will stay with you as your slaves. I'll break the magic spell that holds the gem trapped here, and it will be free once more to roam the world. If I win, the Graygem is mine and these men will be released."

  "We agree to the stakes," said the dark-haired beauty, after a glance at the Graygem. "And now what is the wager?"

  Dougan appeared to consider, twirling his moustaches round and round his finger. His gaze happened to rest on Palin, and he grinned. "That this young man" — he pointed at the mage — "will throw my hammer in the air and it will hang suspended, never falling to the floor."

  Everyone stared at the dwa
rf in silence, considering. What was the angle?

  Then, "No! Dougan!" Palin cried frantically, pushing himself away from the wall. One of the women shoved him back.

  "This young man?" The dark-haired beauty suddenly caught on. "But he is a magic-user — "

  "Only a very young one," Dougan said hastily. "And he won't use his magic, will you, Palin?" the dwarf asked, winking at the young mage when the women weren't looking.

  "Dougan!" Palin wrenched himself free from the woman's grasp and lurched across the floor, his knees so weak he could barely walk. "I can't! My magic — "

  "Never say 'can't,' laddie," Dougan said severely. "Didn't your uncle teach you anything?" Once again, he winked at Palin.

  It seemed the dark-haired beauty suddenly realized Palin's weakness, for she glanced about at her fellows and smiled in pleased fashion. "We accept your wager," she said.

  "Dougan!" Palin said desperately, grabbing hold of the dwarf, who was looking up at him with a sly grin. "Dougan! I CAN'T use my magic! I don't have any! The Graygem drained it!" he whispered urgently in the dwarf's ear.

  Dougan's face crumpled. "You don't say now, laddie," he muttered, glancing at the women and rubbing his bearded chin. "That's a shame," he said sadly, shaking his head. "A real shame. Are you sure?"

  "Of course, I'm sure!" Palin snapped.

  "Well, give it your best shot, lad!" the dwarf said, clapping Palin on the arm with his hand. "Here you go!" He thrust the handle of the warhammer into Palin's hands. Feeling the unfamiliar touch, the hammer's red glow faded, turning an ugly, lead gray.

  Palin looked around helplessly at his brothers. Tanin regarded him gravely, his expression grim. Sturm averted his head, his big shoulders heaving in a sigh.

  Swallowing, licking his dry lips, Palin wrapped his hands around the handle of the hammer, uncertain, even, how to hold the weapon. He tried to lift it. A groan escaped his lips — a groan echoed by his brothers.

  "By Paladine!" Palin gasped. "I can barely move this thing, Dougan! How can I throw it?" Leaning closer, staring into the dwarf's eyes, the young man murmured, "You're a god… I don't suppose…"

  "Of course not, laddie!" The dwarf looked shocked. "It's a matter of honor! You understand…"

  "Sure," Palin grunted bitterly.

  "Look, lad," Dougan said, positioning Palin's hands. "It's not that difficult. You just hold the hammer like this..

  there… Now, you pick it up and began spinning round

  and round in a circle. Your momentum will help you lift the hammer and, when you're going good, just give it a heave, like so. Nature will do the rest."

  "Nature?" Palin appeared dubious.

  "Yes" answered the dwarf gravely, smoothing his beard. "It's called Centrifug's Force or some such thing. The gnomes explained it to me."

  "Great!" Palin muttered. "Gnomes!"

  Drawing a deep breath, the young man lifted the hammer. A groan of pain escaped his lips, sweat stood out on his forehead from the strain, and he heard several of the women giggle. Gritting his teeth, certain that he had ruptured something inside him, Palin began to turn in a circle, the hammer in his hands. He was startled to notice that Dougan was right. The momentum of his motion made the hammer seem lighter. He was able to lift it higher and higher. But the handle began to slip in his sweaty palms…

  "He's losing it! Get down! Everyone!" Tanin called out, falling flat on his face. There was a clattering of spears as the women followed suit. Even the black dragon — seeing Palin spinning about in the center of the room, out of control, the hammer starting to glow a fiery red — crouched on the floor with a whimper, attempting to fold its wings over its head. Only the dwarf remained standing, his face split in a broad grin.

  "I… can't… hold… it!" Palin cried and, with a gasp, he let the hammer fly.

  The young mage fell to his knees, in too much pain and exhaustion to even bother looking to see what happened. But everyone else in the room, lying flat on the floor, raised their heads to watch the hammer. Round and round it whizzed, flying over the heads of the women, buzzing over Tanin and Sturm, whisking past the cowering dragon. Round and round it flew and, as it flew, it began to rise into the air. Dougan watched it placidly, his hands laced across his great belly.

  Glowing now a fiery red, the hammer circled higher and higher and, as it rose, the Graygem's light began to waver in sudden fear. The hammer was aiming straight for it!

  "Yes, my beauty," murmured Dougan, watching the hammer in satisfaction. "You forged it. Now, bring it home."

  Desperately the Graygem sought to dim its light, realizing, perhaps, that it was its own power that was drawing the hammer to it. But it was too late. The hammer flew to the Graygem it had helped create as a lass flies to her lover's arms. There was a shattering sound and a blinding flare of red and gray light, so brilliant that even Dougan was forced to shade his eyes, and no one else could see anything for the dazzling radiance.

  The two energies seemed to strive together, the red light and the gray, and then the gray began to dim. Peering upward, tears streaming from his eyes in the bright light, Palin thought he caught a glimpse of a gray, sparkling jewel tumbling from the air to land in Dougan's hand. But he couldn't be certain because, at that moment, the red glowing hammer fell from the air as well, plummeting straight down on top of them!

  Clasping his aching arms over his head, Palin hugged the floor, visions of his head being split open and his brains splattering everywhere coming to him with vivid clarity.

  He heard a resounding clang.

  Timidly raising his head, he saw the hammer, glowing red in triumph, lying on the floor at Dougan's feet.

  Slowly, trembling, Palin stood up, as did everyone else in the room. He was hurting and exhausted; Tanin had to come help him or he would have collapsed. But Palin smiled up at him as his big brother clasped him in his arms. "My magic's returned!" he whispered. "It's back!"

  "I'm back, too," said a voice. Glancing around, Palin saw the dragon was gone. In its place, crouched on the floor, his hands over his head, was a thin, middle-aged wizard dressed in black robes. The wizard sat up, staring around him as if he couldn't believe it. "I'm back!" he cried out joyfully, patting his head and his neck and his shoulders with his hands. "No rabbit ears! No dragon's breath! No minotaur muscles! I'm me again!" He burst into tears.

  "And you lost the bet, dwarf!" the dark-haired beauty cried out suddenly, getting to her feet. "The hammer fell!"

  "Yes!" shouted the women. "You lost the bet! The men are ours!"

  "Dougan…" growled Tanin ominously.

  The women were closing in on them, eyes burning with the fire of love instead of the fire of battle.

  Dougan raised the hammer above his head. His face was stem, his black eyes flashed as red as the glowing hammer. The voice that spoke was no longer the voice of the dwarf with the flashy clothes, but a voice as ancient as the mountains it had carved, as deep as the oceans it had poured.

  "Women!" the god called out in stem tones. "Listen to me! The power of the Graygem over you is broken. Remember now your children and your husbands. Remember your brothers and your fathers! Remember your homes and those who love you and need you!"

  One by one, the women looked around in dazed fashion, some putting their hands to their heads, some blinking in confusion.

  "Where are we?" asked one.

  "Why are we dressed like this?" asked another, staring at the tiger skin.

  "How dare you?" cried the blonde, slapping Sturm across the face.

  Only the dark-haired beauty seemed sad. Shaking her head, she said with a sigh, "I miss my family," she said softly. "And I remember him that I love and am betrothed to marry. But it will start all over again. The eternal wars. The fighting, the bleeding, the dying…"

  She turned to the god, only to find no one but a flashily dressed dwarf, who smiled at her in understanding.

  "Think a moment, lassie," said Dougan kindly, patting her hand. "You've read the books, remember? And
so have they." He pointed at the others. "You have knowledge now. No one can take that from you. Use it wisely, and you can stop the senseless wars. You and the others, with the help of your menfolk and your children, can make this island a paradise."

  "I don't know who you are," the dark-haired beauty said, gazing at the dwarf in wonder, "but you are wise. We will do as you say. And we will honor you always, in our hearts and our prayers." (And so the islanders prayed to a dwarven god, becoming the only humans, as far as any one knows, to once again worship Reorx, the Forger of the World.)

  Bending down, the woman kissed Dougan on his cheek. The dwarf's face flamed red as his hammer.

  "Go along with you now!" he said gruffly.

  Arms linked around each other's waists, the women ran, laughing merrily, from the room, and the brothers soon heard their joyful voices outside the castle walls.

  "As for you — " Dougan turned upon the black-robed wizard.

  "Don't scold me!" begged Lord Gargath meekly. "I've learned my lesson. Truly. I will never have anything to do with gems as long as I live. You can believe me!" he said, glancing up at the empty ceiling with a shudder.

  "And we'll expect to see you at the Conclave," said Palin severely, retrieving the Staff of Magius. "You'll be a renegade no longer?"

  "I'm looking forward to the next meeting!" Lord Gargath said eagerly. "Is there anything I can bring? A cake, perhaps? I make a marvelous devil's food…"

  AFTERWORD

  (This time for real)

  Dougan and the brothers returned to the gnome ship without incident. In fact, the warriors were so happy to have their women back with them, their families once more reunited, that they returned the armor and their swords. (The chief had decided the armor was too hot anyway, and he thought the sword a primitive weapon compared to a spear.)

  The gnomes had repaired the damage to the ship. Indeed, they discovered that having one end smashed in improved the steering immeasurably, and they were quite excited at the prospect of returning home to Mount Nevermind and smashing in the prows (or stems) of the remainder of the gnomish fleet.