Mark Sehestedt: Sentinelspire

Berun looked down on his master. He would not give in to despair. He'd been dead before. To die now… at least he would have the hope of being found worthy to join the Oak Father. Such a fate might be welcome after the horror of the past days. But Berun knew that if he died here, he had to take Chereth with him. Otherwise, untold numbers of people- entire nations-would die as well.

"Ah," said Chereth, looking past Berun's shoulder. "Look who is back."

Berun craned his neck around to see Sauk climbing over the ledge of the tower. He no longer held his blade.

"I thought you might be too stubborn to fall," said Chereth. "Hail and well met, Sauk,"

"I…" Sauk dropped to the ground and sat, his chest heaving. "I have no quarrel with you, Old Man. I'm here for… for him." Sauk pointed at Berun.

"Taaki truly meant that much to you?" said Chereth.

"Why ask what you already know?"

"Your devotion is commendable, Sauk," said Chereth. "It is one of the many things I admired about you. Had you taken a different path in your early years, you might have been a disciple to make me proud."

Sauk snorted. "Damned leaf lover."

Chereth smiled, though a dangerous glint filled his eye. "This leaf lover just beat you like a cur."

"I seem to remember your leaves beating me," said Sauk. "You haven't faced me yet, Old Man."

"Old I am, yes. But it seems I'll outlive you. Look."

Chereth pointed to the east. The clouds of last night's storm still hung heavy in the sky, but they did not reach quite to the horizon, where the bright glow of dawn was already peeking over the edge of the world.

"The time approaches," said Chereth. "The stars, the Tears of Selune, the Dawn Heralds, the Five Wanderers… all are in perfect alignment, pulling the molten blood of Faerun into the beating heart of Sentinelspire. Soon, the new world begins."

Chereth walked to the very center of the roof. The vines holding Berun pulled him behind. The druid looked at Lewan, who had almost finished removing the last vines from around Ulaan's legs.

"You could have been a prince in paradise, boy, with your choice of women," said Chereth. "You chose poorly." He looked at Berun. "A third time now, I offer my forgiveness, for the affection I still bear for you and the loyalty you once gave me. I will not offer again. Join me in a new paradise. Teach our ways to a new world. Or die here. Now."

Berun tried to move his arms. He could feel his weapons in his hands, but the vines held him tight. He sighed and said, "What you offer isn't paradise. It's just a greener hell. You can rot there on your own."

Chereth's jaw stiffened and his lip twisted into a sneer. "So be it."

He turned to face the entrance to the stairs and said, "Come!"

Two killoren emerged, moving with their unsettling, almost-human grace. Behind them walked Talieth, her clothes torn, her hair a tangled mess, skin scratched and bloody. Still, she walked like a queen. She took in the scene around her, glancing at Sauk, Lewan, and Ulaan. Her eyes widened when she saw Berun.

"Kheil, I-"

"I'm sorry, Talieth," said Chereth. "It seems that your former love will not be joining us after all. He would rather die here than live with you in paradise."

Talieth stopped, glanced again at Berun, then fixed her gaze on the druid. "I will not leave without him."

Chereth returned her gaze for a moment, then sighed and said, "You have ruled here too long, it seems. You misunderstand me. You no longer command anyone or anything. I am not bargaining with you. I am offering you the chance to live, and serve me in a new world. Or you can die here." He shrugged. "Understand-I don't need you. I only need what you carry. And I can have it."

Chereth raised his staff and pointed it at Talieth. The killoren leaped away as vines rustled forward, wrapping around her and pinning her arms. She struggled, frantically at first but then giving up entirely. One of the killoren grabbed a leather cord from round her neck and pulled, yanking Erael'len from Talieth's bodice. Before the killoren could get a look at Erael'len, a long tendril of ivy darted out, grabbed the relic, and whipped it into Chereth's waiting hand. Raising his staff, the druid began a long chant.

Berun heard rustling in the leaves that carpeted the roof, and looked over to see Sauk charging Chereth. The half-orc was still several paces away when Chereth glanced at him, almost casually, and flicked his staff. Vines snapped forward, seized Sauk's legs, and the half-orc hit the ground, where more vines entangled him. The druid resumed his chant.

Berun felt it before he heard it-a low rumble, like distant thunder, only it did not dissipate. It grew, all the leaves on the roof rattled, and then Berun could feel the stone of the tower shaking beneath him.

"Lewan!" Ulaan screamed and kicked the last vines off her legs. Her limbs tingled as the blood began to flow again. A few burned twigs and leaves still clung to her clothes. "Lewan, we have to run!"

"It won't matter now." He looked at her, resignation in his eyes, then grabbed her in a fierce embrace. It hurt her burned skin, but she didn't care.

The trembling increased, and Berun could hear the stones rattling. Chereth kept up his chant, his voice rising over the rumbling of the mountain.

Furtive shapes came up the stairs, ignoring Lewan and the girl, walking right past them. The killoren-all that had survived the battle below. They moved quickly, and Berun saw something in their eyes for the first time-fear. The killoren knew what was coming. More climbed over the tower's ledge. Some ran and some shambled, almost beastlike, but all headed for the air shimmering between the statues and walked through, back to their world. Those who had been guarding Talieth joined their brothers, passed into the hazy air, and disappeared.

"Chereth!" Berun called out. "Master! Stop this! Stop it before it's too late!"

Chereth turned to face him, an exultant smile on his face, but he did not cease his chant. He was still smiling when a dusky brown shape hit him in the face, all biting teeth and scrabbling claws. The druid's voice broke and rose into a shriek. He dropped both staff and relic and slapped at the treeclaw lizard ravaging his face. As soon as the staff left his grip, Berun felt the vines around him lose their strength, and he dropped to the floor. He could feel the tower shaking, but the rumble in the air was quieting, and the tremors losing their strength.

Berun thrashed and kicked. Broken twigs and thorns jabbed his skin, cutting bloody swaths in his back and arms, but he didn't care. He kept fighting.

Chereth's cries stopped, and Berun dared to look up as he continued his efforts to free himself. The half-elf's face was a ruin-bright red blood surrounding darker patches of shredded skin and flesh. Both eyes were intact, and they burned with fury.

"Damn you!" Chereth shrieked.

Berun heard a screech and saw Perch nor far away, standing on his hind legs amidst the leaves. His forepaws hooked into savage claws, Perch looked up at the druid with his jaws open in a fierce show of aggression.

Chererh bent and retrieved his staff. He raised it, but even as he took in a breath to summon his spell, Sauk plowed into him from behind. They hit the roof hard, and Perch had to scramble away to keep from being crushed beneath them.

It gave Berun the distraction he needed. He lunged forward, tearing loose from the last of the vines, half rolling and half stumbling, then he dropped the hammer and reached out. His hand grabbed Erael'len.

"No!" screamed Chereth.

Berun looked up. Chereth stood again, staff raised, his face a mask of blood. Behind him, a tangle of vines had wrestled Sauk to the ground. The half-orc thrashed and cursed and screamed, but he could not break free.