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Authors: Bruce R. Cordell
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they received.
Yet it was no spell she recognized.
“Fugitive … Manaallin!” It was the voice of her pursuer. Yet his tone had shifted slightly. Ususi maintained her silence, waiting for the attack. Her hands were poised to release a torrent of destructive curses.
“Ususi Manaallinif you can hear me, I pray you pause. I haven’t come so far to lose you now.” The voice sounded strained, and its authoritative blare was dulledby what? Ususi couldn’t tell.
He was crafty enough not to poke his head through the arch and look up the stairshe must have sensed Ususi’s spells ready to strip his flesh and worse. So instead, he seemed to be trying to draw her into the arms of his attack.
Ususi yelled down the corridor. “It’s a standoff, Vengeance Taker! I will not walk into your trap, and if you follow me up these stairs, it’ll be the last act you ever take!”
A chuckle answered her threat. The voice said, “Will you pretend you did not leave this painful blaze to catch me?” Another chuckle, somehow self-deprecating.
Ususi didn’t have the first clue what the taker was talking about.
“Explain,” she said.
“Your ploy succeededyou were clever in identifying every dormant trap in this molding ruin with your red dyebut even cleverer in failing to mark the very last one.”
Ususi recalled running low on dye when she entered the hallway of the two emperors.
The wizard cocked her head, wondering. Could it be? Ususi carefully descended twelve or so steps to reach the arch that connected into the room of the annulus.
The inscribed hallway was a blaze of white, syrupy light. Floating in its midst, like a fish in a bowl, was the vengeance taker. His arms struggled to reach a purchase they were not long enough to find, and his legs kicked ineffectually, failing to propel him in any direction at all. The vengeance taker was caught.
Ususi nearly turned and dashed back up the stairs. Now was the time to make good her escape, before the man figured out how to free himself. If he could do so. Or, she could strike him while he was helpless.
But how often would the opportunity to question a vengeance taker present itself? It couldn’t hurt to discover how angry Deep Imaskar was with her for weakening the Great Seal enough so she could take her leave. Or why they’d waited so many years to send someone after her.
Better to ask the vengeance taker. Ususi pasted a conciliatory smile on her face and approached the ensconced agent of those who wished her harm.
“There are questions I’d like to ask you, Vengeance Taker.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Warian Datharathi disembarked from the sleek watercraft in the city of Vaelan.
The dissolute son returns, he mused. He turned and watched the small crew as they opened the hold of the courier ship. First out was his horse, Majeed. Despite being on the outs with his family, being a Datharathi had its benefits anywhere Trade Authority offices or embassies operated. As one of the eleven most influential families in Durpar, Datharathi Minerals was partly responsible for paying Trade Authority upkeep. On the other hand, members of the Datharathi family enjoyed free passage on Trade Authority couriers.
Previously known as Vaelantar, and like its sister cities of Ompre and Assur, the city was overrun by monsters flooding out of the Curna Mountains. But Durpar finally expelled the invaders in 1096 DR. In the three hundred years since those tumultuous times, the name Vaelantar was shortened to Vaelan. More importantly, Vaelan grew into the crown jewel of Durpar’s trading empire, and enjoyed status as one of the most preeminent destinations on the Golden Water, or indeed, in all the Shining Lands.
The Dolphin Pier was one of nine piers exclusively reserved for merchant traffic. Of course, many smaller and larger piers filled the coast in either direction: the private piers reserved for the personal yachts of the very wealthy, as well as piers set aside for the highly
Yet it was no spell she recognized.
“Fugitive … Manaallin!” It was the voice of her pursuer. Yet his tone had shifted slightly. Ususi maintained her silence, waiting for the attack. Her hands were poised to release a torrent of destructive curses.
“Ususi Manaallinif you can hear me, I pray you pause. I haven’t come so far to lose you now.” The voice sounded strained, and its authoritative blare was dulledby what? Ususi couldn’t tell.
He was crafty enough not to poke his head through the arch and look up the stairshe must have sensed Ususi’s spells ready to strip his flesh and worse. So instead, he seemed to be trying to draw her into the arms of his attack.
Ususi yelled down the corridor. “It’s a standoff, Vengeance Taker! I will not walk into your trap, and if you follow me up these stairs, it’ll be the last act you ever take!”
A chuckle answered her threat. The voice said, “Will you pretend you did not leave this painful blaze to catch me?” Another chuckle, somehow self-deprecating.
Ususi didn’t have the first clue what the taker was talking about.
“Explain,” she said.
“Your ploy succeededyou were clever in identifying every dormant trap in this molding ruin with your red dyebut even cleverer in failing to mark the very last one.”
Ususi recalled running low on dye when she entered the hallway of the two emperors.
The wizard cocked her head, wondering. Could it be? Ususi carefully descended twelve or so steps to reach the arch that connected into the room of the annulus.
The inscribed hallway was a blaze of white, syrupy light. Floating in its midst, like a fish in a bowl, was the vengeance taker. His arms struggled to reach a purchase they were not long enough to find, and his legs kicked ineffectually, failing to propel him in any direction at all. The vengeance taker was caught.
Ususi nearly turned and dashed back up the stairs. Now was the time to make good her escape, before the man figured out how to free himself. If he could do so. Or, she could strike him while he was helpless.
But how often would the opportunity to question a vengeance taker present itself? It couldn’t hurt to discover how angry Deep Imaskar was with her for weakening the Great Seal enough so she could take her leave. Or why they’d waited so many years to send someone after her.
Better to ask the vengeance taker. Ususi pasted a conciliatory smile on her face and approached the ensconced agent of those who wished her harm.
“There are questions I’d like to ask you, Vengeance Taker.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Warian Datharathi disembarked from the sleek watercraft in the city of Vaelan.
The dissolute son returns, he mused. He turned and watched the small crew as they opened the hold of the courier ship. First out was his horse, Majeed. Despite being on the outs with his family, being a Datharathi had its benefits anywhere Trade Authority offices or embassies operated. As one of the eleven most influential families in Durpar, Datharathi Minerals was partly responsible for paying Trade Authority upkeep. On the other hand, members of the Datharathi family enjoyed free passage on Trade Authority couriers.
Previously known as Vaelantar, and like its sister cities of Ompre and Assur, the city was overrun by monsters flooding out of the Curna Mountains. But Durpar finally expelled the invaders in 1096 DR. In the three hundred years since those tumultuous times, the name Vaelantar was shortened to Vaelan. More importantly, Vaelan grew into the crown jewel of Durpar’s trading empire, and enjoyed status as one of the most preeminent destinations on the Golden Water, or indeed, in all the Shining Lands.
The Dolphin Pier was one of nine piers exclusively reserved for merchant traffic. Of course, many smaller and larger piers filled the coast in either direction: the private piers reserved for the personal yachts of the very wealthy, as well as piers set aside for the highly
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