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.He cried out and backed away, raising the darksword to strike yet again."What are you doing?" Jhingleshod snatched the halves of the skull out of the pool."Well need those!"Galaeron stared at the iron knight in uncomprehending shock, then slowly began to understand that it was over, that Wulgreth had been hacked and blasted into so many pieces that it would take him the better part of a tenday to draw himself together again.Galaeron lowered the sword."That's right," he said, realizing that Jhingleshod believed they would destroy this Wulgreth in the same way they had the demilich."Hold onto those pieces until we find the phylactery."Even had he the heart, Galaeron knew better than to tell the iron knight what he had surmised about the Karsestone.His heart feeling almost as cold and numb as the hand that held the darksword, he waded over to the wall and returned Vala's blade, then laid his icy hand on Takari's mangled shoulder."This will slow the bleeding," he said."And don't worry.We'll be back in Rheitheillaethor before you know it."Takari opened her eyes and pushed his hand away."No, Galaeron.You made your choice."& •€> •©• •©•••Another death scream rolled across the brown water, muted by the gossamer curtain of steam, yet still accusatory in its anguish.Laeral ducked beneath the surface and swam toward the voice, using her magic to move almost as fast underwater as she could have through the cold dawn air.After her garbled sending to Elminster (she still had no idea if he had understood her), she had taken an escort often warriors and ten war mages through the new gate to Roc-nest—and promptly been ambushed by a half dozen phaerimm.Though they were prepared for that possibility—even expected it—all of their magic protections were dispelled before they cast a single spell.At that point, Laeral should probably have ordered her small company to teleport back to Waterdeep.Instead, desperate to discover what had become of Khelben and hoping to recapture the gate, she moved her group to the rim of the basin.Four of the phaerimm rushed to press the attack, driving her company into the Marsh of Chelimber before they had time to regroup.In the confusion that followed, the small force became separated, and the phaerimm began to pick them off one at a time.She managed to slay two of the creatures during the long night, but those losses had been more than replaced by reinforcements from Evereska.The thornbacks were using their magic to heat the marsh.Having raised the temperature to a simmer already, they no doubt intended to either force their prey out of hiding or boil it alive.Neither possibility frightened Laeral, for she could easily teleport back to Waterdeep before either grew necessary—but she was loathe to abandon those who could not.Laeral pushed her head up to confirm her bearings.The voice was weaker now, having faded to a whimper, but it was also closer—just beyond a willow brake.Fearful of making any noise that would betray her approach, she ducked beneath the surface to circumvent the thicket underwater.As she rounded the corner, three concussions pulsed down through the water, nearly rupturing her eardrums and jolting her so hard that the last air left her lungs.She pushed off the mucky bottom and launched herself into the air with a flying spell, her fingertips crackling with a silvery ball of her most potent magic.On the other side of the willows stood a trio of murk-swaddledmen, one cradling the mangled figure of a Waterdhavian warrior, the other two using black glaives to pin down the writhing remains of a spell-blasted phaerimm.The men were all the size of bugbears, with brilliant gem-colored eyes and flesh as dark as shadow.While their weapons were familiar in form and function, the ebony blades looked more like black glass than steel, and the shafts might have been wood, metal, or neither.The tallest, a copper-eyed figure in a flowing tabard as dark as night, glanced at the silvery ball on her fingertips."If you are who I think you are, it really wouldn't do to throw that at us.We mean you no harm." He used his glaive to raise the phaerimm's twitching tail.'Two more remain, but we have found ten of your men, recovered six more bodies, and have reports of four teleporting away too wounded to fight.Would that be all?""So it would seem." Laeral let the magic die on her fingers."And you are?""Escanor Tanthul." The shadowy figure flourished his cape and bowed."These are my brothers, Aglarel and Clariburnus."The other two figures bowed and said in unison, "At your service, milady."Laeral closed her open jaw and returned the gesture with a curtsy."Laeral, Lady of Blackstaff Tower.""Yes, we know," said Escanor
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