The Book of Korum

  *

  Once everyone was safely through, Garn closed his eyes and let his hands drop. Immediately, the energies from the portal dissipated and were scattered back into the universe. Limply, Garnthalisbain's weak and ill body collapsed and fell from the sky. He flopped back onto his bed and lay there, completely unconscious.

  Interlude - Fifteen Minutes Earlier

  With a rasping sigh, Abalanor lowered his now empty wine cup and allowed his fire-eyed gaze to actually register the other people in the antechamber.

  Braxin Balinvain stood directly before his throne, both hands folded in front of his chest and his head bowed slightly. The perfect posture of obedience. But the dark elf knew better. The former Court Wizard was still garbed in the gray robes of office though the chain that marked his position was gone from about his neck and was instead wrapped around one wrist. He stood there with six rough looking men of varying sizes and types. All six were armed with a different weapon and wore a black arm band high around they're right bicep with a sigil of the sun upon it.

  "We are ready to do thy bidding, Master," Balinvain began in his mousy little voice, rubbing his hands together slightly. The six men behind him nodded slightly.

  Abalanor wearily looked them over. With a sneer he spoke to his underling. "Where did you find these... men?" he asked disdainfully.

  Balinvain's head jerked slightly and he bowed to cover it up. "I did as you yourself suggested, Milord. I hired them."

  "From where?" Abalanor repeated softly. Dangerously.

  One of the men stepped forward boldly. The dark elf favored him with his blazing gaze and smiled slightly as the man's confident pose and expression wilted to one of reluctance. When it no longer appeared that he was even to say anything, Abalanor prompted him with a slight motion of one hand. The man almost collapsed as he said: "We are members of the Sunraiders, Milord. Mr. Balinvain came to our headquarters and offered us a great reward if we were to assist him with a minor assassination. We could hardly refuse... " He trailed off from there.

  Abalanor leaned his head back and allowed his charcoal black hair to settle more comfortably about the back of his neck. "I see," he said. "Well let me elaborate upon what you probably do not yet know."

  "This task that you have been... hired for, is the most important task in the world today. Do you understand this?" The men gave each other a rather skeptical look. Abalanor slammed one hand down on the arm of his throne, the booming crash echoed resoundingly throughout the immense antechamber. "Do you understand?" he bellowed. Abruptly all six Sunraiders nodded their heads spasmodically. The dark mage seemed to relax again. "Good. For you see, failure, is totally unacceptable. If, for whatever reason, you encounter the people you are to do away with and you do not manage to kill each and every one of them... " He smiled thinly, emotionlessly. The men, including Balinvain paled at the sight. "There must be no survivors. Or there will be no survivors."

  The sudden chorus of, "Yes Milords" was actually quite humorous to witness, though Abalanor did not laugh.

  He looked at Balinvain sharply. "Do you have all that you need?"

  Braxin Balinvain nearly jumped at being addressed directly by his superior. "Yes, Milord" he squeaked. Then he cleared his throat and tried to speak in a more normal tone of voice. "Yes, Milord."

  Abalanor nodded minutely. "I hope so. For your sake." Balinvain swallowed audibly.

  Reaching out with one hand, the dark elf flicked his fingers once and then clenched. There was a brief flash of crimson light, and then in his fist was an oblong shaped rod about two feet in length. He handed it to Balinvain.

  The wizard accepted it with a bow. "Pray tell, what is this device Milord?"

  "That stave will give you and your men passage to your destination atop the Dragon's Tooth."

  Balinvain nodded. "I see, Milord."

  Abalanor stared at his underling for a long moment more. Then: "Are you expecting something else, Balinvain?"

  "No, Milord."

  "Then what are you waiting for?"

  Taking the ever so subtle hint, Braxin Balinvain gathered the collection of Sunraiders about him. Clenching the stave with both hands after taking a moment to examine it thoroughly, the wizard closed his eyes and concentrated. Within moments, all of them began to glow with an eerie red light. There was a slight thunderclap, and they vanished. Leaving the dark elf alone with his thoughts.