Part 47 (1/2)
”I am the guardian of the Hammer of Kharas. I have kept it safe until the G.o.ds returned and a dwarven hero of honor and righteousness came to claim it. Now my duty is done, my punishment is ended. They cannot keep me here.”
”You talk like this was a prison,” said Tas.
”It was,” Evenstar replied gravely.
”But,”Ta.s.slehoff spread his arms, looked up at the wide blue sky- ”you could fly anywhere!”
”I was bound to my promise, a promise I've kept for three hundred years. Now I am free to go.”
”You could fight alongside us,” Tas suggested eagerly. ”Why, I'll bet you could tie one of those red dragons in knots and make him swallow his tail!”
Evenstar smiled.
”I wish I could help you, little friend. I would like nothing better. I cannot, however. We dragons took a vow, and although I opposed it and advised against it, I will not break the vow. Though I cannot fight at your side, I will do what I can to aid you. These draconian creatures you describe trouble me greatly.”
”What are you going to do? Make them swallow their tails?”
”That would spoil my surprise. Farewell, Ta.s.slehoff Burrfoot,” said Evenstar. ”I would ask you to keep my secret, for the world must not yet know that my kind exists, but I understand that secrets can be a great burden on one with such a light and merry heart. Therefore it is a burden I will not inflict.”
Tas didn't understand. He barely heard. He was wrestling with a choke in his throat that wouldn't go away. The dragon was so wonderful and beautiful, and he looked so unhappy, that Ta.s.slehoff took off the ruby spectacles and held them out in his small hand.
”I guess these belong to you.”
The dragon reached down an enormous claw, a claw that could have engulfed the kender, and gently snagged the spectacles with a tip.
”Oh, before I forget,” Tas said, sadly watching the spectacles disappear in the dragon's grasp, ”how do we get off this tomb? Not that I'm not enjoying my stay here,” he added quickly, thinking the dragon might be offended, ”but I left Tanis and Caramon and the others on their own, and they tend to get into trouble when I'm not there to watch over them.”
”Ah, yes,” said Evenstar gravely. ”I understand.”
The dragon drew a large rune on the flagstones. He breathed on the rune and it began to glow with a s.h.i.+mmering golden light.
”When you are ready to depart, step onto this rune, and it will take you to the Temple of the Stars where the dwarven Thanes are gathered to await the Hammer's return.”
”Thank you, Evenstar,” said Tas. ”Will I see you again?”
”Who knows? The G.o.ds hold the fates of all in their hands.”
Evenstar's body began to s.h.i.+mmer with the same golden light. The light grew dim, then faint, then vanished altogether in a radiant haze. Tas had to blink several times and snort a great deal to clear some snuffles from his eyes and nose. He was still not seeing all that well, when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
A white-bearded, stoop-shouldered dwarf stood in front of him. The dwarf held a pair of ruby-colored spectacles in his hand.
”Here,” said the dwarf, ”you dropped these. And mind that you don't lose them! Spectacles like this don't grow on trees, you know.”
Tas started to say he would treasure them forever, but he didn't, because the dwarf wasn't there to say it to. The dwarf wasn't anywhere.
”Oh, well,” Tas said, cheering up, ”I have the spectacles back! I'll be very careful of them. Very careful.”
He tucked the spectacles into his pocket, made sure they were safe and secure, then went back to the red gla.s.s roof.
Flint and Arman were gone, and so was the Hammer. Tas was wondering what could have happened to them and was seriously considering trying to break the gla.s.s, so he could crawl inside and find out, when the double doors flew open.
Arman walked into the sunlight. ”I have the Hammer of Kharas!” he proclaimed in triumph. He was so pleased with himself, he even smiled at Tas. ”Look, kender! I have the sacred Hammer.”
”I'm glad for you,” said Tas politely, and he was, in a way; Arman did look very proud and happy. If he was happy for Arman, he was sad for Flint, who came trailing out the door after Arman. Flint looked subdued, but not as crushed and disappointed as Tas had feared.
”I'm sorry, Flint,” said Tas, resting a consoling hand on the dwarf's shoulder, a hand the dwarf promptly removed. ”I think you should have been the one to take the Hammer. Oh, by the way, can I have my hoopak back?”
Flint handed it over. ”The G.o.ds made their choice,” he said.
Tas didn't quite see how the G.o.ds had anything to do with finding the Hammer, but he didn't like to argue with Flint in his unhappy state. Tas changed the subject.
”I met a golden woolly mammoth, Flint! He showed me the way out,” he said.
Flint glared at him. ”No more woolly mammoths. Not now. Not ever.”
”What?” Ta.s.slehoff was confused. ”I didn't say woolly mammoth. There's no such thing as a golden woolly mammoth. I met a golden... woolly mammoth.”
Ta.s.slehoff clapped his hands over his mouth.
”Why did I say that? I didn't see a woolly mammoth. I saw a golden... woolly mammoth.”
Tas slapped himself on the head, hoping to jolt his brain. ”It was big, it was gold, it had wings and a tail, and it was a... woolly mammoth.”
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't manage to say the word... woolly mammoth.
Tas heaved a deep sigh. He'd been looking forward to telling Flint, Tanis and all the rest how he, Ta.s.slehoff Burrfoot, had spoken to a golden... woolly mammoth, and now he couldn't. His brain knew what he wanted to say. It was his tongue that kept confusing things.
Flint had walked off in disgust. Arman Kharas was marching about the battlements, holding the hammer and shouting to the world that he, Arman Kharas, had discovered it. Tas trailed after Flint.
”I did find the way out,” he said. ”I met a... er... someone who showed me. All we have to do is step on that golden rune over there, and it will take us to someplace or other. I forget.”
He pointed to the brightly glowing rune, glistening on the flagstones.
”Oh, yes! The Temple of the Stars. Your father's there,” Tas said to Arman, ”waiting the return of the Hammer.”
Flint looked astonished and skeptical. Arman was tempted, but suspicious.
”Where did this rune come from?” he demanded.
”I told you. I met someone. The guardian of the tomb. He was a...” Tas tried his very best to say it. The word ”dragon” was in his throat, but he knew perfectly well what it would come out as ”woolly mammoth,” and so he swallowed it. ”I met Kharas. He showed me the rune.”
Arman's face darkened, and so did Flint's.
”Kharas is dead,” said Arman. ”I paid homage to his spirit. I will return when I may and see to it that he is entombed with honor. I do not know who or what that apparition was-”