Ник О'Донохью - Kender, Gully Dwarves, and Gnomes

“I’m going to go find Lord Gargath,” said Palin, standing up abruptly. But he was so dizzy that he staggered, scattering cushions over the floor. “Are the rest of you coming?” he asked, fighting this strange weakness and wondering why his brothers didn’t seem afflicted.

“Yes,” said Tanin, extricating himself with difficulty from the dark-haired beauty’s embrace.

“Count on me, lad,” said Dougan grimly.

“Sturm?” said Palin.

“Just leave me here,” said Sturm. “I’ll act as ... rear guard ...”

The women broke into merry laughter.

“Sturm!” Tanin repeated angrily.

Sturm waved his hand. “Go ahead, if you’re so keen on talking to some moldy old wizard, when you could be here, enjoying ...”

Tanin opened his mouth again, his brows coming together in anger. But Palin stopped him. “Leave this to me,” the young mage said with a twisted smile. Setting the staff down carefully among the cushions, Palin lifted both hands and held them out, pointing at Sturm. Then he began to chant.

“Hey! What are you doing? Stop!” Sturm gasped.

But Palin continued chanting and began raising his hands. As he did so, Sturm’s prone body rose into the air, too, until soon the young man was floating a good six feet off the floor.

“Wonderful trick! Show us some more!” called out the women, applauding.

Palin spoke again, snapped his fingers, and ropes appeared out of nowhere, snaking up from the floor to wrap themselves around Sturm’s arms and legs. The women squealed in glee, many of them transferring their admiring gazes from the muscular Sturm—now bound hand and foot—to the mage who could perform such feats.

“G-good trick, Palin. Now put me down!” Sturm said, licking his lips and glancing beneath him nervously. There was nothing between him and the floor but air.

Pleased with himself, Palin left Sturm in the air and turned to Tanin. “Shall I bring him along?” he asked casually, expecting to see Tanin regarding him with awe as well.

Instead, Palin found his older brother’s brows furrowed in concern. “Palin,” said Tanin in a low voice, “how did you do that?”

“Magic, my dear brother,” Palin said, thinking suddenly how unaccountably stupid Tanin was.

“I know it was magic,” Tanin said sharply. “And I admit I don’t know much about magic. But I do know that only a powerful wizard could perform such a feat as that. Not one who just recently passed his Test!”

Looking back at the levitated Sturm hovering helplessly in the air, Palin nodded. “You’re right,” he said proudly. “I performed a high-level spell, without any assistance or aid! Not even the Staff of Magius helped me!” Reaching out, he took hold of the staff. The wood was cold to the touch, icy cold, almost painful. Palin gasped, almost dropping it. But then he noticed that the dizziness was easing. He felt his skin grow cool, the buzzing in his head diminished. “My magic!” he murmured. “The Graygem must be enhancing it! I’ve only been here a short while, and look what I can do! I have the power of an archmage. If I had the gem, I’d be as strong as my uncle!” Palin whispered to himself. “Maybe stronger!” His eyes glistened, his body began to tremble. “I’d use my power for Good, of course. I would seize the Tower at Palanthas from Dalamar and cleanse it of its evil. I would lift the curse from the Shoikan Grove, enter my uncle’s laboratory.” Thoughts and visions of the future came to him in a swirl of wild colors, so real and vivid he literally reeled at the sight.

Strong hands held him. Blinking, clearing the mist from his eyes, Palin looked down to see himself reflected in the bright, dark, cunning eyes of the dwarf. “Steady, laddie,” said Dougan, “you’re flying high, too high for one whose wings have just sprouted.”

“Leave me alone!” Palin cried, pulling away from the dwarf’s grip. “You want the gem yourself!”

“Aye, laddie,” said Dougan softly, stroking his black beard. “And I have a right to it. I’m the only one who has a right to it, in fact!”

“Might makes right, dwarf,” Palin said with a sneer. Picking up his staff, he started to walk toward the door. “Coming?” he asked Tanin coldly, “or must I bring you along as I’m carrying that great oaf!” Gesturing toward Sturm, he drew the young man toward him with a motion of his hand. Twisting his head, Sturm gazed back at Tanin in fear and alarm as he drifted through the air.

“Oh, no! Don’t leave! Do some more tricks!” cried the women in dismay.

“Stop, young mage!” Dougan cried. “You’re falling under the spell!”

“Palin!” Tanin’s quiet voice cut through the buzzing in his brother’s head and the laughter of the women and the shouts of the dwarf. “Don’t listen to Dougan or me or anyone for a moment. Just listen to yourself.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean, my brother?” Palin scoffed. “Something wise that suddenly struck you? Did a brain finally make an appearance through all that muscle?”

He leered mockingly at Tanin, expecting—no, hoping that his brother would become angry and try to stop him. Then I’ll really show him a trick or two! Palin thought. Just like my uncle showed my father ...

But Tanin just stood there, regarding him gravely. “I–I

Name of the gods!” Palin faltered, putting his hand to his

head. His cruel words came back to him. “Tanin, I’m sorry! I don’t know what’s come over me.” Turning, he saw Sturm, hanging helplessly in the air. “Sturm!” Palin snapped his fingers. “I’m sorry! I’ll let you go—”

“Palin, don’t—!” Sturm began wildly, but it was too late.

The spell broken, the young man fell to the floor with a yell and a crash, to be instantly surrounded by cooing and clucking women. It was a few moments before Sturm made his appearance again, his red hair tousled, his face flushed. Getting to his feet, he pushed the women aside and limped toward his brothers.

“I was wrong,” Palin said, shivering. “I understand now. These women are being held in thrall ...”

“Aye, lad,” said Dougan. “Just as you were yourself. It’s the power of the Graygem, trying to take hold of you, exploiting your weaknesses as it did theirs—”

”—by giving us what we want,” Palin finished thoughtfully.

“That’s what we’ll turn into, the longer we stay here,” Tanin added. “Slaves of the Graygem. Don’t you see, these women are guarding it just as effectively inside this castle as their men are outside. That’s why nothing changes in here. The Graygem’s keeping it stable for them!”

The women began sidling nearer, reaching out their hands once more. “How boring ... Don’t go ... Don’t leave us ... Stupid rock ...”

“Well, let’s go find this Lord Gargath then,” Sturm muttered, shamefaced. Try as he might, his gaze still strayed toward the blonde, who was blowing kisses at him.

“Take your spears,” said Tanin, shoving aside the soft hands that were clinging to him. “These women might or might not be telling us the truth. That old wizard could be laughing at us right now.”

“They said he was ‘up there.’ ” Palin gazed at the ceiling. “But where? How do we get there?”

“Uh, I believe I know the way, laddie,” Dougan said. “Just a hunch, mind you,” he added hastily, seeing Tanin’s dark look. “That door, there, leads upstairs ... I think ...”

“Humpf,” Tanin growled, but went to investigate the door, his brothers and the dwarf following behind.

“What did you mean, you’re the only one who has a right to the Graygem?” Palin asked Dougan in an undertone.

“Did I say that?” The dwarf looked at him shrewdly. “Must have been the gem talking ...”