Elaine Cunningham: The Best of the Realms, Book I

Abruptly, the wizard spun and began to march back tohis stone tower.

"Come!" he barked commandingly, "thereis much to be done this night."

"Wait!" Morgan called to the retreatingfigure. "What of Avadriel? If these. . sa-sahuagin. ." Morgan

stumbled over the unfamiliar word before continuing,"followed me, then they must surely know where she is. We have to helpher."

"Avadriel is a warrior and daughter of a noblehouse. She can take care of herself," Dhavrim replied, not stopping."But if what she reported is true, then all of Faerûn is in danger. Agreat war is coming, and we must be prepared!"

Morgan ran after the heavyset wizard, the thought ofAvadriel being torn apart by sahuagin driving everything else from his mind.

"She may be a warrior," he shouted atDhavrim, "but right now she's gravely wounded and alone, while thosecreatures are out there ready to tear her apart."

He watched in disbelief as the wizard, only a fewsteps ahead of him, ignored his plea. Avadriel would be killed and the fatcoward refused to do anything about it.

Wizard or no wizard, he thought acidly, I will makehim come with me.

Increasing his pace, Morgan caught up to Dhavrim andjerked hard on the wizard's meaty shoulder.

"Listen to me!" he shouted.

And instantly regretted his decision.

The wizard rounded on Morgan, his eyes flashing dangerouslyin the moonlit sky. Horrified, Morgan took a step back as Dhavrim pointed theglowing tip of his staff right at him-and began to laugh.

"By the gods, boy," Dhavrim managed towheeze in between chortles, "you've great heart, you do. There are fewwarriors who would dare brave the wrath of Dhavrim Starson." Another waveof laughter racked the wizard's frame. Seeing the young man's obviouslyconfused expression, Dhavrim sucked in a huge gulp of air and tried to calmhimself. "You've wisdom, too," he continued, "though I doubt youknow it. Avadriel is perhaps the only witness to the strength of the enemy.Such information is undoubtedly critical."

Morgan stood in stunned disbelief as the wizard, stillquietly chuckling, raised his arm and called out a name. A few moments later, afamiliar white form hurtled out of the night to settle upon Dhavrim's pudgyarm. The wizard whispered something to the gull, then Morgan watched the nightreclaim it as it flew away.

"It is time we were off, boy," Dhavrim saidsoftly.

He started down the path toward the beach, leavingMorgan to wonder briefly at the quicksilver nature of wizards.

Dhavrim stood at the stern of the boat and whispered aword into the deepening night. To Morgan, sitting anxiously in the smallcraft, it sounded like the dark hiss of sea foam-ancient and redolent withpower. The boat surged forward and cut across the waves, eventually piercingthe thick wall of fog. Another word brought light, pale and ghostly, pulsingforth from the silver-shod tip of the wizard's staff. The magelight shreddedboth fog and night. In its path, Morgan watched Dhavrim scan the horizon, grimand rigid as the unyielding stone of his tower.

Despite himself, he could not suppress a shiver offear. The wizard's words had frightened him. War. It was coming, and the tideswould run dark with blood before it was over. Damn it all, he thought,everything and everyone he knew was threatened by a danger he could scarcelycomprehend, let alone fight.

Especially Avadriel.

That's what frightened him the most. The sea elfwounded and alone, while a host of Umberlee's darkest creatures hungered forher flesh. If she should die, he knew that the world would seem empty. Geas ornot, he loved her.

This was madness, he thought bitterly. Perhaps hisfather had it right, sailing into the moonless arms of the sea, silent andalone. Perhaps some forms of madness were better than others.

Lost in the darkness of his thoughts, Morgan was surprisedto hear Dhavrim's voice cut through the night. "We're close now, lad. Keepwatch."

With that, he extinguished the light from his staff.

They had traveled through the thick bank of fog, andthe moon shone once more in the sky. By its light, he could make out theghostly silhouette of the sea caves just ahead.

As they drew nearer, Morgan's blood ran cold. In thepale light, he saw several figures creeping around the rocks near Avadriel'scave. Their movements seemed stiff and awkward, but even at this distance hecould identify them as kin to the creature that had attacked him on Dhavrim'sisland. He reported this to the wizard.

"Aye, lad, I see them," Dhavrim replied."Wait until I give you the signal, then cover your eyes."

Morgan nodded silently and waited as the dinghy drewcloser to the sea cave. His heart pounded heavily in his chest. The names ofseveral gods came to his lips, but he was too scared to utter a prayer. What amI doing here? he thought.

"Now!" shouted Dhavrim.

Hastily, Morgan drew both arms over his eyes. Evenwith this protection, his vision flooded with light. Just as suddenly, itdisappeared. The boat rocked and he heard a splash, followed by the wizard'svoice.

"Row hard for the cave and bring Avadriel out. I'llkeep the foul creatures occupied."

All thought stopped as Morgan struggled to obey thevoice. Quickly, he set the oars to water and rowed toward the cave. Off to hisside he could hear the sibilant hiss of sahuagin and the fierce cries ofDhavrim, but he forced them out of his mind. When he reached the sea cave hecalled out for Avadriel.

A small voice answered, "Morgan? What are youdoing here?"

"Quick, Avadriel, you must get in. I've broughtDhavrim, but the gods-cursed sahuagin are everywhere."

She jumped into the boat. Morgan found it difficultnot to crush her to his chest. Avadriel was alive, he thought, though theirsurvival depended on his strength and the power of an inscrutable wizard.Desperately, he turned around and rowed back out toward the wizard. In the wanmoonlight, he could see the evil creatures lying in crumpled heaps upon therocks. Dhavrim leaned heavily against his glowing staff, a beacon of hope amidthe broken sahuagin bodies.

Relief flooded through Morgan. They were safe.Steadily, he propelled the boat back toward the wizard, thinking all the whileof what his life with Avadriel would be like. He couldn't help but smile as shedrew her body closer to his. He turned toward her, ready to speak his heart,when the water in front of the boat began to froth.

Suddenly, the last sahuagin slavered out of the churningwater into the boat. With a cry, Morgan pushed Avadriel back, drew one of theoars out of the lock, and swung it at the beast.

It glanced off the creature's thick hide with a dullthud.

The sahuagin hissed loudly and brought its scaled armdown upon the oar, snapping it in half. Morgan watched helplessly as the beastmade a grab for Avadriel. Desperately, he took the splintered haft of the oarand jammed it into the creature's chest. This time the wood pierced the beast'sscales, sliding past muscle and bone. The sahuagin roared in pain and lashedout wildly, raking Morgan across his throat, before the boat overturned.

As Morgan struggled feebly to the surface, his throata corona of agony, he cast about for signs of Avadriel. In the distance, hecould still see the glowing tip of the wizard's staff, obscured by the crest ofa black wave. His limbs grew heavy, as if they were weighted anchors,threatening to pull him down, and his head spun from loss of blood. Disorientedand in pain, it took him a few moments to realize that he no longer needed tokeep himself afloat. Silently, Avadriel had come up from behind to supporthim.

Morgan tried to turn and see her, but his sluggish limbswould not respond. Instead, Avadriel gently laid him on his back, and carefullyheld his head above the water. He watched her in silence for a few moments, marvelingat the way her eyes absorbed the crystalline light of the moon, beforespeaking.