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.He grunted as a steel blade bit into his arm, and then cursed as another cut gouged his knee even as both attackers fell dead from the lightning-fast back-and-forth of his counterblows."I'm down!" gasped Ferros Windchisel, collapsing back against the wall, pierced by a Zhakarsword.Ariakas stepped to the side, straddling the body of his friend as the rabid dwarves lunged closer,driven to fury by the prospect of victory.The slashing of that white blade couldn't hold them at bayfor long.His weapon seemed to be the only brightness in the place, gleaming like ivory as it roseand fell.What was it about that sword?Call on her name in a cause that pleases her, and the great fury of her vengeance will be revealed inyour hand."Well, Queen," he muttered."If ever I've had a dire need, this is it!" He brandished the sword, notsure what to expect.A sneaking Zhakar hacked a deep cut into his thigh, and he shouted in pain.Blood trickled down his leg, and Ariakas wanted to slump back to the wall.Only the knowledge ofFerros Windchisel's inevitable fate kept him on his feet.Snarling his frustration, Ariakas swung the weapon hard enough to decapitate the Zhakar who hadwounded him."Please, Mistress!" he cried, in real desperation."In the name of Takhisis, all-powerful Queen of Darkness, please come to my aid!"The hilt trembled in his hand, groaning with a sound reminiscent of the crushing avalanches he hadheard throughout the winter.A deep rumbling shook the very foundations of the inn.Even theZhakar sensed the disturbance, ceasing their attacks and falling silent in suspicion and fear.Abruptly, a blast of cold air slashed him in the face, and a noise like a howling blizzard shriekedthrough the Fungus Mug.Wind eddied and swirled, driving stinging needles of ice against Ariakas but that was nothing compared to the fate of those who stood at the other end of his sword.Anexplosive cone of murderous frost swept outward, freezing flesh and blood, slaying dozens ofshocked, terrified Zhakar in the instant of its assault.Whirlwinds gusted through the room,sweeping over tables and chairs, frosting clothing and skin into brittle sheets of ice.Across theroom, shutters erupted outward, and the howling of wind rose.In panic, the surviving Zhakar ran screaming away from this nightmarish warrior and his deadlyweapon.Ariakas looked for Tale Splintersteel in the crush, but he could see no sign of the dwarvenmerchant-lord.Their business was not concluded yet.As a wide circle opened around him, Ariakas seized Ferros under one shoulder and roughly liftedthe Hylar to his feet.Supporting his injured companion in one hand and brandishing the blade in theother, the man slowly dragged them both from the Fungus Mug.During his deliberate advance tothe door, none of the Zhakar made a move against him, perhaps because fully a quarter of the barwas filled with frozen dwarf statues, mute reminders of the price of resistance.The rest had beenfrozen by fear.Finally, the pair tumbled across the threshold and into the alleyway beyond.A crowd had gathered,but these humans and Zhakar quickly parted as Ariakas, growling as he breathed, half carried Ferrosaway from the Fungus Mug.He stopped for a moment, realizing that he still bore his sword.As hemoved to resheath the weapon, Ariakas looked at his sword and nearly dropped the dwarf in hisastonishment.The gleaming blade, once pure white, had changed to an absolutely unblemished sheen of darkest, inky black.Chapter 13The Way of the TempleAriakas supported Ferros as they stumbled down the alley, but the dwarf quickly slumped, a deadweight.The human lost his balance, and the pair tumbled into the wet gutter, blood from theirwounds mingling with the effluence of the street."Thanks, warrior," grunted the dwarf, each word pushed forth with audible effort."Shut up," Ariakas groaned back."Save your strength I'm not gonna have you die after I went toall that trouble on your behalf."" 'Fraid you're outta luck that bastard stuck me pretty good." Ferros lifted his hands from his belly.Both palms were smeared with dark, sticky blood."Hang on," Ariakas commanded him.Pushing himself upward with his hands he reached his knees,and then laboriously climbed to his feet.His left leg and both arms throbbed from nasty wounds,though the bleeding had subsided somewhat.Reaching for the dwarf, he hoisted Ferros to a sitting position."Hold that wound tight," heinstructed."What d'you think yer doing?" demanded Ferros, with spirit."Shut up," Ariakas repeated.Kneeling, he grasped the dwarf and hoisted him over his back.Ferrosgrunted in irritated surprise, but kept his hands tightly pressed to the hole in his belly.Stumbling like a drunkard, Ariakas struggled to retain his balance.He knew that if he were to fallhe would never get up again at least, not with Ferros on his back.Slowly at first, then with greatersteadiness and deliberation, the human carried the dwarf to the end of the alley and turned ontoBridge Road.He didn't make for his house, however.Instead, his steps carried him up the long,climbing road to the temple of Luerkhisis.He had no recollection of how long it took him to make that long hike, which had winded him theprevious night when he walked it uninjured and unburdened.In the lower, crowded portions of thecity, bystanders took one look at the lines of furious determination etched in the warrior's face, andhastened to get out of the way.He reached the lonely stretch of road and made his way under the early glow of crimson Lunitari,which had just risen over the shoulder of the volcano.Still he plodded forward, his mind blank, atrance of exertion propelling him through the repetitive steps.Only when he at last reached the vast, dark snout of the temple did his awareness return.He didn'thesitate at all, marching right into one of the veils of blackness.Suppressing a shudder as themagical dark engulfed him, he continued resolutely forward until he emerged into the great, lamplitcentral hall.Novices and priestesses hurried toward him from all directions as he gently lowered FerrosWindchisel to the floor.The dwarf's eyes were closed, and his skin where it showed betweenbeard and scalp hair had faded to a pasty gray.Still, the warrior felt a trace of a heartbeat, and theHylar held his hands clenched determinedly over his wound. "Lord Ariakas! What's the matter?"Ariakas looked up, grateful to hear his name.He recognized one of the mature young priestessesfrom his tour of the temple she was a green-collar who had been leading a discussion class."We need the high priest! Show me to a private chamber, and get this dwarf carried there but goeasy on him! It's bad.And send someone for Wryllish Parkane immediately]"He felt a jolt of cruel satisfaction at the fear that flickered across the young woman's face."Takethem to the meditation rooms!" she barked at the novices, then turned and bowed to Ariakas withfull composure."I'll get the high priest myself!" She spun and raced off through the hall.Six strapping novices gingerly lifted the dwarf and carried him through a door at one end of thegreat hall.Aria
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