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All right. What do we do?
Place the talisman around your neck, then return with Rom to the others. I will guide you and your
dwarven companion into the mountain . . . and to the most likely place where you might find Rhonin.
He did not offer all she needed, but enough to make her agree. Slipping the chain over her head,
Vereesa let the medallion rest upon her chest.
You will be able to hear me whenever I wish it, Vereesa Windrunner.
Rom walked past her, already heading back. Come! We're wasting time, lady elf.
As she followed, Krasus continued to talk to her.Make no mention of what this medallion does. Do not
even speak around others unless I give permission. Only Rom and Gimmel presently know my role.
And what is that? she could not help muttering.
Trying to preserve a future for us all.
The elf wondered about that, but said nothing. She still did not trust the wizard, but had little other
choice.
Perhaps Krasus knew that, for he added,Hear me now, Vereesa Windrunner. I may tell you to do things
you might not think in the best interests of you or those you care about. Trust that they are. There are
dangers ahead you do not understand, dangers that alone you cannot face.
And you understand them all?Vereesa thought, knowing that Krasus would not hear the question.
There is still a short period of time before the sun sets. I must attend to a matter of import. Do not depart
from the tunnels until I give you the word. Farewell for now, Vereesa Windrunner.
Before she could protest, his voice had faded away. The ranger cursed under her breath. She had
accepted the spellcaster's questionable aid, now she had to obey his commands. Vereesa did not like at
all putting her life not to mention Falstad's in the hands of a wizard who commanded from the safety
of his far-off tower.
Worse, the elf had just put their lives in the hands of the same wizard who had sent Rhonin on this insane
journey in thefirstplace . . . and seemingly left him to die.
SEVENTEEN
At some point on the journey to where the orcs intended to keep him prisoner, Rhonin had collapsed
back into unconsciousness. Admittedly, he had been aided in great part by his guards, who had used
every excuse to hit him or twist his arms agonizingly. The pain of his broken finger had seemed little
compared to what they had done to him by the time he blacked out.
Yet now, at last, the wizard woke and woke to the nightmare of a fiery skull with black eye sockets
smiling malevolently at him.
Sheer reflex made the startled wizard attempt to pull away from the monstrous visage, but doing so only
rewarded Rhonin with more agony and the discovery that his wrists and ankles had been shackled tight.
Try as he might, he could not escape the near presence of the demonic horror looming above him.
The fiend, though, did not move. Gradually, Rhonin fought down his horror and studied the motionless
creature closer. Far taller and broader than the human, it wore what seemed flaming bone for armor.
What he had taken for a sinister smile had actually simply been due to the fact that the demonic sentinel
had no flesh covering its visage. Fire surrounded it, but the mage felt no heat. Still, he suspected that if
those blazing skeletal hands touched him, the results would be very, very painful indeed.
For lack of any better thought, Rhonin tried to speak to the creature. What who are you?
No reply. Other than the flickering flames, the macabre figure remained motionless.
Can you hear me?
Nothing again.
Less fearful and more curious now, the wizard leaned forward as best his chains would let him.
Suspicious, he moved one leg back and forth as best he could. Still he received no response, not even a
shifting of the head toward his moving limb.
As horrific as the creature looked, it seemed less of a living thing than a statue. Although demonic in
appearance, it could be no demon. Rhonin had studied golems, but had never seen one before, certainly
not one constantly ablaze. Still, he could think of it as nothing else.
The wizard frowned, wondering at the golem's capabilities. In truth, he had only one way to find out . . .
and, after all, the wizard needed to escape.
Trying to ignore his pain, Rhonin started to move his remaining fingers ever so slightly for a spell that
would, he prayed, rid himself of the monstrous guard
With astonishing swiftness, the fiery golem reached forward, seizing Rhonin's already maimed appendage
in a grip that completely enveloped it.
A searing fire engulfed the human, but a fire within, one that burned at his verysoul.Rhonin screamed,
then screamed again. He screamed long and hard until he could scream no more.
Barely conscious, his head slumped over, he prayed for the inner fire to either end or consume him
utterly.
The golem removed its hand from his.
The flames within dwindled away. Gasping, Rhonin managed to lift his head enough to look at the
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