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."Thir!"She had changed the hemp robe of the One's temple for a silken cloak with a plunging bodice.Around her neck she wore a silver amulet shaped like a human hand, with a pair of emerald eyes staring out from the palm – the holy symbol of Iyachtu Xvim.Her face still bore the welts where I had slapped her."How nice to see you, Malik.It's a wonder the Banedead did not kill you." She smiled sweetly then spit in my face.When I proved too helpless to wipe her spittle from my eyes, she turned away and added, "He seems harmless enough now, Tyrannar."A pair of heavy boots crunched across the rubble, and then the imposing figure I had seen silhouetted against the sky peered down at me.He had a princely face with a square jaw and a drooping red mustache, and his pale eyes were as cold and cruel as the heart slurping in my breast."I am Fzoul Chembryl." He took a cloth sack from his belt and kneeled down to pull it over my head."I hear you have been looking for me."Forty-ThreeThe City of the Dead was a jewel losing its glitter.Kelemvor stood in the highest pinnacle of the Crystal Spire and watched a gray tide washing across his realm.As the dreary wave spread, the glimmering window lamps winked out, the shining street lanterns went dull, the sparkling candles flickered and faded to black.Only an ashen gleam remained, cloaking the city like the pall of a coffin, illuminating every corner with a pale, shadowless glow.Lord Death was extinguishing the lights of his domain.From that moment forward, no flame would burn within its walls, no sun would shine upon its streets.In the City of the Dead, there would never again be brilliant light or velvet black, only countless shades of gray."Kelemvor, I do not think much of these changes." As Mystra spoke these words, she appeared in the pinnacle beside Lord Death."I hope you will forgive me for saying so.""There is nothing to forgive." Kelemvor turned to face Mystra, revealing that he had changed more than his city."I did not do it to please you."Mystra gasped.She had seen at once that Kelemvor had changed his customary leather armor for a pearly cloak and charcoal hood, but that had not prepared her for what lay within the clothes.Her lover's rugged face had been replaced by the impassive visage of a silver death mask.His eyes had changed from emerald gems to drab gray orbs that lacked both pupils and irises, and his mane of wild black hair had grown as white and silky as spiderwebs.Even his brawny chest, now hidden beneath a tattered breastplate of scale mail, seemed sunken and hollow.Kelemvor waved a hand over his new figure."This appearance is more in keeping with my true nature."Mystra raised her hand to her mouth and said nothing, as she could think of nothing gracious to say.Kelemvor shrugged."I see that Avner succeeded.""Yes.Thank you for sending him.""Mask sent him, not I.""So Avner said." Mystra paused."I wanted to speak with you about that.Avner does not deserve-""Avner is now the Seraph of Thieves.What's done is done, and you have no time to waste on things that cannot be changed." Kelemvor took Mystra's arm and guided the astounded goddess across the room."The instant Helm is free, he will look for you here.Perhaps you should see what you came to see, then leave.You have much to do before the trial."Though stunned by the curtness of Kelemvor's words, Mystra nodded at their truth."Yes, Talos has been making inroads-""Forget Talos, Mystra.Answer the charges!" They reached the other side of the pinnacle, and Lord Death's tone grew more calm."If you do not, we are both doomed.Tyr has not separated our charges.""Is that your only concern, Kelemvor?" Mystra jerked her arm free."I had not thought you so selfish.Perhaps you should fetch Adon, and then I will leave.""I cannot bring him to you." Kelemvor pointed through the crystal wall, down to a huge crowd of souls awaiting judgment outside his palace."Adon stands in line.""Line?" Mystra pressed her face to the crystal and peered into the shadowless gray light of the City of the Dead.Even to a goddess, the throng was too distant to discern a single soul."You're making Adon stand in line?""Of course.He rejected you in life; that makes him one of the Faithless.Moreover, he begged me to steal your worshipers from the Fugue Plain, and that makes him one of the False.""But Adon is insane!" Mystra whirled on Kelemvor."You understand that better than anyone.""I must hold even the insane responsible for their choices." Kelemvor stared down at the throng.His eyes could see individual souls no better than Mystra, but he knew which speck was Adon: the one at the end of the line."If I do not punish the insane when they turn from their gods, then half of Faerun will go mad.Too many mortals are too lazy to pay their gods the proper worship."Mystra spun Kelemvor around and stared into his empty gray eyes."Have you gone mad yourself? Who are you hiding behind that mask? Cyric? Tempus? Mask?" She backed away, raising her hands to blast the imposter with raw magic."You cannot be Kelemvor.He would never say such things.""This is the same Kelemvor to whom you, Mistress Ariel, paid a very special price on the way to Elminster's Tower."Mystra did not lower her hands.Many people knew that Ariel had been her true name as a mortal, Cyric among them.And Cyric also knew that she had revealed it to Kelemvor during the Time of Troubles, as a sort of payment for accompanying her to Elminster's Tower.But there was one thing Cyric did not know about the arrangement."What was the price, Kelemvor?"He answered at once."Your love.""It is you." Mystra lowered her hands then waved an arm at the dreary city outside."But why, Kelemvor?""Because I am the God of Death.""But where is your pity? To condemn Adon-""Pity is for mortals, not the God of Death.Adon will be judged according to his words."Mystra's jaw fell.She stared out over the drab city for a long time, and finally turned to Kelemvor.Then I want you to return him to life for me.""Return a madman to life? Who would that serve but Cyric?""Who is not your concern," Mystra replied."It is enough that I ask.""No.That Adon will speak against you is your concern, but he has already dared denounce me for being your lover.I will not have him undermining the belief of my own worshipers.""I am begging you, Kelemvor." Mystra stepped closer to Lord Death and took his hands."In the name of our love!"Kelemvor shook his head."Not even for you.I must fulfill my duties as a god – and I warn you to do the same, or it will be the Circle taking your powers, not Talos or Cyric."Mystra jerked her hands away."How dare you lecture me! I did not become a goddess to turn my back on those who-"Jergal's shadow-filled cloak appeared between Mystra and Kelemvor."Excuse me, Lord Death, but Helm demands an audience.""Kelemvor, return Adon to life!" Mystra's words echoed out of the empty air, for no sooner had the seneschal spoken Helm's name than the goddess had vanished."Return him to Faerun, or our love is done!"Then it is done already," Kelemvor replied, though even he could not tell if Mystra heard him [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]