Descent into the Depths of the Earth (greyhawk)

by Paul Kidd

  With a flip of his long hand, Oberon gestured to Lord Ushan. “My Lord, you are satisfied that this human speaks the truth?”

  Looking as though he would rather choke, Lord Ushan gave a chop of his hand. “He speaks truth, my lord! But-”

  “Excellent.” Oberon leaned back upon one elbow in hischair, thoughtful eyes resting upon the Justicar. “Justicar, continue.”

  Jus signaled to the faeries controlling the slowglass, and the images reeled on. “There will be another visitor to the room sometime withinthe next hour of elapsed time.”

  Tarquil lay perfectly still, utterly unmoving. The entire court frowned, noting the unseemly stillness of the victim. Someone cleared a throat to speak, when suddenly an image appeared. A new figure had entered Tarquil’s sleeping chambers.

  The figure stole in through a magic gateway made by the fireplace arch. White robed and masked in a blank faceplate painted with mocking tears, the image carried itself with incriminating stealth.

  Jus froze the scene.

  “As it pleases the court, this individual-or an identicallydressed one-was later found to be a consort of the demon queen Lolth, who wealmost had as your uninvited guest here this morning.”

  The scene played on, and the entire court leaned forward to stare.

  The masked faerie pulled something palm sized from its pouch, holding it with enormous care. Creeping carefully over to Tarquil, the assassin cautiously pressed its gloved hand into the sleeping cavalier’s hair, held theposition, and then withdrew.

  The masked figure put its weapon into its pouch and drew the heavy leather glove from its hand. A silver ring sparkled briefly on the assassin’s hand. Jus froze the image, looked at the ring, then watched as themasked faerie kicked at Escalla’s discarded dress. With an air of triumph, themasked face peered directly at the slowglass gem, heard a noise, ripped the gem free, and shoved it into the front of the robes.

  Down cleavage. Jus pointed at dim white shapes preserved in the image.

  “Female. Breasts bound flat with bandages for disguise.Far, far larger breasts that Escalla’s.”

  “Hey!” Escalla looked betrayed. “I have understatedelegance!”

  “Understated enough to be identifiable.” The Justicardismissed the pictures above. He nodded to Escalla who began rummaging inside a portable hole. “My Lord and Ladies. Commissioned by Lord Faen to pursue thestolen slowglass gem, I pursued the gem through magic gates into the underdark. This slowglass bauble is a rather expensive gem, and so coveted that the thief saw fit to wear it as a necklace, even though it only hung from a piece of string.” Jus stroked his chin quietly.

  “From this point, the slowglass will show the thief’s journeythrough the underdark-a journey through drow checkpoints and a lich’s lair,through a kuo-toan temple, and into the city of the drow themselves. The gem thief has been working to a larger plan, a plan to use Lolth as an instrument to release the faerie Queen of Wind and Woe from imprisonment.”

  The entire faerie court immediately froze.

  The Justicar merely shrugged and continued, “The images herewill show the summonation ceremonies. Escalla and my party were able to interfere. The masked faerie lost the slowglass in combat with Escalla.”

  Escalla’s mother had sat like a creature with a vile smellbeneath her nose throughout the entire trial. Sitting erect, the woman made a show of wiping clean her hands. “A waste of our time. Your assassin is stillmasked! There is no way to ascertain her identity!”

  “Oh but there is!” Escalla hovering in midair before theassembled court. With a theatrical sweep, she addressed the entire room. “Thethief made a mistake! You saw it in the image. We need to find someone who always wears a silver spider ring!”

  Tielle immediately put her left hand beneath her dress. Lord Faen, Jus, and Escalla turned to look at the girl and raised their brows. Escalla flew over to join her family, while Lord Faen turned back to the Erlking.

  “My King, evidence seems to point well away from EscallaNightshade.”

  “Granted,” Oberon replied gravely.

  “Oh hoopy!” Escalla clasped full hands to her bosom in joy,then tossed something in the air. “Hey, sis! Catch!”

  A beautiful conical shell fell into Tielle’s lap. Tielle gavea screech of raw fear and hurled the thing off her lap, leaping away in terror.

  Hovering above, Escalla flexed her fingers as though unsheathing claws.

  “It’s only a little seashell, an empty one from a kuo-toantemple.” Escalla picked up the shell and held it to her ear with a look ofconcentration on her face, as though she were talking to the mollusk inside. “What? What was that? Tarquil’s assassin used a kuo-toan cone shell? But wenever mentioned that to anyone but Daddy and Lord Faen!” Escalla turned big wideeyes upon Tielle. “What? How would Tielle recognize a kuo-toan cone shell unlessshe was the assassin? I dunno. Let’s ask her!”

  Waving at her sister, Escalla pulled a severed hand out from behind her back-a hand wearing a silver ring.

  “Hey, dimwit! You lost it back at the temple, ring and all!We even got it on the slowglass!” Escalla shook the feminine hand back and forthin a wave. “Gotcha!”

  Tielle shrank back in her seat, then shoved both of her hands into the air. “I have two hands.”

  “Yep, and a regeneration spell only takes about a minute.”Escalla twirled the severed hand in the air. “If I get a clone spell cast onthis, you think you’ll be twins?”

  Tielle didn’t hesitate an instant. With a screech, the girlblasted a black bolt of energy-not at Escalla but at Oberon, who sat staring onhis throne.

  Jus whirled, the white sword streaking from its sheath. White light met black in a screaming howl of agony, sparks spraying all across the hall. The black bolt sheared in two, each part ploughing through the palace walls to either side of the Erlking. Jus sank into guard position, his magic sword smoking black as it dissipated the deadly force still clinging to the blade. Cinders snarled, hissing smoke, and the Justicar launched toward Tielle.

  As the entire court erupted in chaos, Tielle turned, ripped a flower from a vase, and threw it through a fireplace. A magic gateway flashed into place. She dived and rolled, plunging through the portal an instant before the Justicar’s sword blurred through the empty space. The gateway had gone-openand shut in a single instant.

  “Damn!”

  The court was still sealed tight by the guards’ spells.Escalla ripped open the scrolls in the case on her back-treasures from theunderdark-and trilled out the passwall spell. A hole appeared, leading onto thelawns crowded with refugees. Tielle emerged from a gazebo and instantly dived toward a garden patch, searching for herbs to use as keys for her escape.

  Escalla snarled through the air and hit her sister full tilt, both of them tumbling end over end across the grass. Hundreds of refugees stood and stared.

  In the palace hall, guards had clustered about the Erlking, too shocked to follow in pursuit. Only Lord Nightshade, Lord Faen, and a few courtiers had followed into the night.

  Escalla’s scroll tube went flying. Hair ripped, and lichstaff tumbled. Tielle drew a dagger but took a right-cross from Escalla’s fistthat threw her back against a tree. Tielle turned, seized an orchid, and tossed it toward a garden arch. A gate sizzled into existence, but Escalla smashed a branch across Tielle’s head before she could fly free.

  Jus lumbered down the lawn. Other faeries followed, slow and dazed. Tielle and Escalla fought in bitter fury, punching spells at one another that were too weak to pierce through each other’s defensive screens. Each hadexhausted all their best spells battling in the underdark. Escalla now took the fight where it belonged. She kicked her sister in the chest, sending her ploughing through the grass.

  “Bitch!”

  “Sniveling little daddy’s girl!” Tielle wiped blood back fromher nose. “When I’m queen I’ll have them rip your guts apart.”

  Escalla swore and threw a spell-a minor little thing thatricocheted from Tielle’s defensive shields.
Tielle laughed and backpedaled gailythrough the air, one eye on the gateway shimmering in the dark.

  “Time to bid your comic spells farewell!” The girl spread herwings wide. “Lolth will be back, and I’ll be with her! Time to shoot off andaway!”

  Jus and the faerie guards were coming fast. As Escalla made a lunge for her fallen lich staff, Tielle tipped a mocking salute to one and all and headed for escape.

  From behind, Escalla’s voice came loud and clear. “Nope! Timeto die and get buried!”

  Tielle whipped her head about. Escalla stood in the grass, lich staff at her feet and an open scroll in her hands. “Hey! You like comicalmagic? Top this!” Escalla trilled spell syllables, unleashing powerstored in the scroll. “Flesh to stone!”

  Tielle screamed and tried to plunge through the gate, but the powerful spell blasted into her from behind. As Jus, Henry, and a dozen faeries thundered onto the scene, Tielle’s body jerked and turned to stone, slammingdown to the ground.

  Escalla stalked forward, looking extremely miffed.

  “Framing me was the worst idea you ever had, bitch!” Escallaflicked out the scroll. “Spell number two-for those of you who have come throughthis with a sense of humor-stone to mud!”

  Frozen in a pose of horror, Tielle’s petrified shapeinstantly dissolved into a pool of mud. Escalla steepled her fingers as she surveyed the results.

  “Aaaand for my grand finale, let us just cancel out thatflesh to stone spell, huh?”

  The result was a big pink pool with a pair of blinking eyes staring up from the mess. Escalla bit her thumb at her sister, then turned about to see Henry and the Justicar staring at her wide-eyed. Escalla could only roll up her scrolls and shrug.

  “Like I said, I have a nasty side!”

  25

  A splendid day began in the Dreadwood. Sun streamed throughthe trees, lighting upon ruined village roofs and mossy giants’ bones. Woodsmokecarried the scent of bacon in the air. A few faerie courtiers walked along or fluttered above the paths, peering at the astonishing sights of an unknown world. Drifting over it all came the sound of happy feminine singing-a voicethat had not a worry in the world.

  Enid the sphinx, freckle-spattered and eternally polite, came loping from the old tavern, batting at a rolled up ball of parchment with her paws. She stopped as she saw a ten-foot hole sitting in the middle of the path, and minced over to peer into the depths.

  The hole was deep and looked remarkably comfortable. It had been lined with polished bookshelves that smelled pleasantly of beeswax. Hundreds of books and scrolls were neatly stored in place. Enid’s entire librarylay in the middle of the shelves, surrounded by scores upon scores of new books.

  Still singing happily, Escalla came flying out of the tavern. She wore new clothing-black elven chain mail so fine that it felt like sheerblack silk, gloves and leggings, skirt and halter, all as stylish as a faerie could wish. Followed by a floating disk that bore two dozen fresh new books, Escalla whirred over to Enid and waved.

  “Hey, Enid! It’s for you. Like it?”

  “Like it?” Enid peered down into the hole with wide eyes.“Are those books all for me?”

  “Books, maps, scrolls, riddles, lost languages… I evenswiped some from a lich, so be careful with those! Bought the rest in town. Keoland paid a reward for returning their lost population.” Escalla tugged atone corner of the hole and lifted it up. “And it all folds up like ahandkerchief! We can carry it with us wherever we go.” Escalla tucked the foldedportable hole into Enid’s pretty collar. “Here. From us to you-a gift for ourfriend.”

  Escalla hugged the huge sphinx, who nuzzled happily and purred. Heaving a sigh and enjoying the sunshine, Escalla looked over the crumbling old village. With her lich staff at her belt and her recharged ice wand in one hand, Escalla lifted into the air on silver wings.

  “Polk! Come on, man. We’re going! And don’t forget the map!”

  A snort came in reply, and an annoyed voice echoed from inside the shadows of the inn. “I can’t bring the damned map! You know dangedwell I can’t! Someone else will have to!”

  “Just carry the damned thing and stop grousing!” Escallawaved her arms in irritation. “Look man, you’re a hero back from the dead!Faerie magic-lifetime warrantee! Can’t you just be a little bit pleased?”

  A big hairy badger waddled out of the door and glared up at Escalla. “You did this on purpose!”

  “I did not!” Escalla bridled, the picture of absoluteinnocence. “Would I do that to you? Hey, man! It was faerie magic! How was Isupposed to remember that they can only do reincarnation spells?”

  “It ain’t funny!” As a badger, Polk made an impressivesight-fat, hairy, and with a regal waddle to his walk. “I can’t even pour my ownbeer!”

  “We’ll put it in a bowl for you! At least they made it so youcan talk. What’s your problem?” Ever helpful, Escalla brought the case to Enidfor judgment. “Enid, does this suit him or what?”

  The sphinx wrinkled up her pretty nose as she bowed down to inspect the sulking badger. “Well, I must say I like the stripes!”

  “See! She likes the stripes!” Escalla waved a hand at Enid.“Think of the advantages. No more clothing expenses, hours of happy excavation,and you get to sleep in all winter!”

  Polk glared at Escalla and licked his chops. “I said it ain’tfunny.”

  “All right, here’s a plan.” Escalla sat cross legged onEnid’s furry back. “We’ll go find someone human who has a proper raise deadspell. Then we’ll just kill you again, and get them to raise you back!”

  Polk bristled in annoyance. “I’d still come back as a badger!I come back as what I was when I died!”

  “Well, then we could reincarnate you again!” Escalla seemedutterly enthused by the idea. “I mean, a badger is only one random choice out ofmany! Maybe you’ll come out as something even hoopier? How about a giantwoodlouse? Or you could be a beaver and do woodwork in your spare time.”

  “No, thank you.” Polk sniffed in enormous self-importance.“Badgers got dignity, and from here on, if you don’t do what I tell you, I’llgive you all fleas.”

  Escalla froze. “Do badgers have musk glands?”

  “You’ll find out.” Polk waddled over to Enid’s back andclambered aboard. “So we’re leaving? Where’s lunch? Where’d the Justicar go? Iwant to fill him in on all my newfound woods-wisdom. Bein’ a badger gives a mana whole new range of skills!”

  Walking quietly through the forest, Lord Faen, LordNightshade, and the Justicar reached a meadow filled with buttercups. The brilliant yellow flowers glittered in the morning sun, the winter cold giving way to a warm and mellow spring. The Justicar found a mossy log and spread Cinders out beneath a sunbeam. He popped a piece of coal into the hell hound’smouth, and the dog sucked happily and thumped his tail against the bark.

  ’nk you!

  “You’re welcome.”

  The big man scratched fingers across his freshly shaven head, his dragon scales armor gleaming in the sun. The newly repaired magic sword at his belt gave a sniff and wriggled in her sheath.

  At least justice has been done. The sword’s voice brimmedwith self esteem. A Justicar! A dealer of justice! Ours is a most satisfying profession.

  “Quite.” The Justicar poured good dark ale from his ownflask, passing little thimble cups to Lord Faen and Escalla’s father. The twofaeries sat cross legged on the mossy log, frowning as they tested the alien drink and finding the earthy taste a bit puzzling. Lord Nightshade drained his cup then held it out for more, while Lord Faen quietly put his own drink aside.

  Patting Cinders between the ears, the Justicar watched the two faerie lords as he refilled the small thimble-cup.

  “Did you find him?”

  Who? Benelux jittered in her sheath. Who? Who?

  Lord Nightshade spared the sword a long suffering glance and turned to the Justicar. “He was found sheltering on a Clan Sable estate in themiddle of Elysium. I believe a full confession will not be necessary.”
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  Who was found in Elysium? Benelux rattled her sheath in anger. I say! If we are going to be a partnership, you must allow me into your confidence! How else can you ben’fit from my wealth of good advice?

  “The murderer.” Jus sighed and poured himself an ale. “He wasfound in Elysium.”

  Benelux jittered. But… but the murderer was thatwretched girl, the one who tried to unleash that demon! The one who looks like your partner-only with bigger breasts!

  “You can’t murder something that’s already dead.” Lord Faendecided to risk the beer and took a sip. “The body had been dead for hoursbefore the cone shell was used. Remember the pooled blood? The unbleeding wound? No. Tielle wasted her efforts there. Tarquil had been gone for hours.”

  The Justicar spared a droll glance down at his sword. “Youfound nothing odd in the fact that Tarquil slept peacefully right through a striptease?”

  I know nothing about such things. The sword gave a primlittle sniff I suppose it might be possible.

  “Escalla dancing half-naked is a pretty good recipe forwaking someone up.” The Justicar drank from his flask. “No. The body had alreadybeen poisoned. Escalla was framed. Tielle’s assassination attempt was simplecoincidence. She wanted to stop Clan Nightshade from returning to the Seelie Court before she could finish her plans to release the Queen of Wind and Woe.”

  Annoyed, Benelux jiggled up and down. So who killed Tarquil?

  Jus, Lord Faen, and Lord Nightshade all looked at the sword as though she were an idiot.

  “Why, Tarquil did!” said Faen.

  There was a long, somewhat smug silence between the three men. Finally Lord Nightshade helped himself to another beer.

  “You see, my dear, Tarquil’s life was hanging on a thread.Too many vendettas had been declared upon him. It seemed a good idea to lie low. His uncle, Lord Ushan, wanted the alliance with Clan Nightshade stopped, so they concocted this little affair. They cloned Tarquil and killed the copy, hoping to frame Escalla for Tarquil’s murder. In a few years, Tarquil would havereappeared claiming to be a clone, inherited his own estates, but still would not have been legally responsible for the deaths his previous self had caused in duels.” Escalla’s father brimmed with richly deserved satisfaction. “A horriblescandal if it should come out. Clan Sable is therefore giving us foil support for our return to the Seelie Court, as well as abandoning a few strategic offices to other, wiser heads…”