Jeff Crook - The Rose and the Skull

"This is the story as Gunthar told it to me. He learned it from Sturm Brightblade.

"It was during the War of the Lance. A group of heroes had been sent to the fortress of Pax Tharkas to divert the dragonarmies from their attack on Qualinesti. Inside the fortress, the group became separated. Tasslehoff Burrfoot and the wizard we know as Fizban were alone, and they discovered that a certain helpless, and to all appearances worthless, gully dwarf had been doomed to feed a dragon, quite literally, as he was fated to be the dragon's supper. Now the wise thing for Tasslehoff and Fizban would have been to find their way back to the others to help organize the resistance against the dragonarmies. They chose instead to rescue the gully dwarf. Why? Not because it was the wise thing to do. In fact, it was foolish, and it almost cost them their lives. What they didn't know, and what the other heroes didn't know, was that the group's plan had been discovered and a trap laid to capture them all. It was Tasslehoff and Fizban's foolish quest to rescue a gully dwarf that disrupted those plans and eventually led to the mission's success.

"They rescued Sestun, not because it was wise or militarily sound. They did it because it was the right thing to do."

Liam grew quiet then, looking in turn at each of the gathered Knights. He cleared his throat, his voice little more than a whisper. "We'll give them time to barricade themselves inside the fortifications at Xenos, and then we'll lay siege to the place. However, the wyvern riders from Xenos will never reach Ansalon alive."

"How can you be so sure?" Quintayne asked.

"The silver dragons. They guard the island ceaselessly. Now that we are openly at war they'll not allow anything to escape."

"We saw them at Castle Isherwood. When they came Pyrothraxus fled. So that means it will be days before the Knights at Xenos realize their messengers haven't gotten through," Valian said excitedly.

"Correct," Liam answered.

"That gives us time to plan, time to coordinate our assault," Quintayne said.

"And time to deal with the draconians," Meredith added with a grin.

"And rescue the gully dwarf," Liam added. "He is, after all, a hero. If he were human, we'd not hesitate to rescue him."

Lady Meredith rose and crossed the grass between the fire and the Whitestone to stand beside Liam. "That's right, Liam," she said, her voice choked with emotion. "You are absolutely right."

"But what about Pyrothraxus?" Valian asked.

"Pyrothraxus has retreated to his lair at Mount Nevermind. The silver dragons assure me that he will remain there for some time. It seems they surprised him at Isherwood and gave him a lesson he will long remember," Liam said.

"How do you know all this?" Quintayne asked.

"Since the War of the Lance, the master of Castle uth Wistan has ways of contacting the silver dragons. When I became Lord High Justice, Lord Gunthar showed me many of them. I have been in contact with them this night. Some of them were here tonight, during the fighting, though I doubt any of you recognized them, and more were watching." His eyes strayed to the starry heavens.

"If not for the silver dragons, Pyrothraxus would have long ago driven us from Sancrist," Liam continued, whispering. "We owe them more than anyone knows. It was through Lord Gunthar's careful diplomacy that so many have stayed here on Sancrist, guarding the heart of the Knighthood, while their fellow dragons retreated to their lairs in the Dragon Isles, abandoning humanity to the new dragons from across the sea."

"As long as they are holed up in Xenos, the Knights of Takhisis are harmless." Quintayne agreed, "Meanwhile, let's deal with Castle Slagd, the draconian fortress."

"It will not be easy," Liam said, "These draconians are not the normal sort. They've somehow managed to keep their stronghold a secret for at least two years, possibly more."

While he spoke, a servant poured brandies and served them to the other Knights in the library. It was late, only a few hours before dawn. The Knights had left Whitestone Glade in order to make hasty preparations for their next move.

Liam continued, "According to the gully dwarves, whom I had the pleasure of interviewing after the Grand Chapter…" The other Knights laughed. "… the draconians are led by someone called The Old Man. He is some sort of master of assassins, by my guess an aurak draconian, the most powerful kind. They are magic users, so that makes him doubly dangerous. The gully dwarves also assured me that there are not more than two draconians in the place, but we all know what that means. We must decide the best way to approach this problem, whether we should assault the castle in force, or send a small rescue party to find the gully dwarf and escape with him."

After much debate, it was decided that a small rescue party would work best. Even if Liam could spare the Knights to make up a large force, he had no way of getting them to the draconian castle. In any case, an assault would only serve to get the poor gully dwarf killed.

Instead, Liam chose a party of seven Knights to send on the rescue mission: Lady Jessica Vestianstone, Lady Meredith, the gully dwarf Glabella, two young Knights of the Crown, Ladies Michelle and Gabrielle. Sir Ellinghad also begged to go along, to atone for his voting against Sir Liam.

Liam finally chose Sir Valian. His wilderness skills would go far toward getting the group close to the fortress. "Besides," Liam added, "I believe Sir Valian has a score to settle with someone there."

"Indeed I do," Valian said into his glass. He drained its contents in one gulp.

When they had all gone, some to snatch a few precious hours of rest before dawn came fresh and rosy fingered, Liam paused with his back resting against the door and took a deep breath. This is it, he said to himself. Paladine, I pray I've made the right decision. I think it's what Gunthar would have done. No, I am sure of it. Now, only one more thing to do. He walked to the fireplace and ran his fingertips along the edge of the mantle. As though searching for something, his fingers played across the surface of the wood, feeling each bump and groove. With a muted click, a false brick on the hearth swung open, revealing a small compartment behind it. Liam reached inside and withdrew a tiny silver bell. He rang it vigorously, but it made no sound, and he returned it to its secret compartment.

Satisfied, he walked to the window and opened it. A brisk autumn air entered the room, bringing with it smells of smoke from the fires still raging in some parts of the forest. Liam breathed deeply of it, feeling it course through his body, as he stood in the open window and watched the night sky.

Among the stars gleaming overhead, one in particular caught his attention, one that seemed to move occasionally, though to a casual observer it would seem nothing more than a trick of the clouds racing overhead. As he watched, the star detached itself from the firmament and descended toward the castle. The closer it came, the less like a star it seemed, and more like some object of polished silver, which reflected the light of the fires burning here and there in the forest. As it dropped into the shadow of the trees, it disappeared. A few moments later, a human figure detached itself from the shadows of the battlements and approached Liam.

"Greetings, Lord Ehrling," the shadow whispered. A silver-haired man with elven features stepped into the light spilling from Liam's window. He was wrapped entirely in dark heavy robes, but his sapphire eyes glimmered like a low fire in the shadow of his cowl. A few strands of long silver hair spilled from the hood and onto his shoulders. "You rang the bell that only our ears can hear. I came."

"I need your help," Liam said. "I need the help of all the silver dragons on Sancrist. I am sending a small group of knights to the north end of the island.… "