Elminster in Hell

The weight atop her was suddenly gone. A searing chill flowed out of her, and the blade of her dagger melted away like smoke.

Elminster stared down at the silver fire cascading over the Simbul's fingers. Her wound closed, and she winced, shaking her hand as if she could wave away the pain.

'Ye-ye serve Mystra!' he gasped, at last.

She looked up at him from under tresses of suddenly silver hair that curled and writhed like snakes. 'Of course,' she replied calmly. 'Doesn't everyone?'

Chapter Twenty-Three

FIRE IN HELL

Echoing darkness, the labyrinth empty…

I am afraid. I… cannot think. Where are my wits… where are my memories? Where am-I? There is nothing left. Nothing but fear. I am afraid. I am so alone. Dark, drifting… cold, all the brightness fled away. I am afraid.

Aha! Silver fire at last! But is this all? Has your goddess snatched away from you every… last… little secret I craved? I'll smash you into bone shards and powder! I'll make you scream for an eon, kept alive in torment, blind and writhing, as lemures feed on you and then vomit you forth for the next to gnaw on! I'll-gaahh! humans.'

Here I am. Over here, in Nergal. Back in my bones, nothing is left. Nothing at all. He has won.

Indeed, puny human wizard, how could it be otherwise? [gloating] Your meddling goddess may have stolen her silver fire from me, and her true secrets, too, but I have your memories-centuries and centuries of where this enchantment is hidden and how to awaken that magic, and all those. Gates, too….

I dare not stride into Faerun and amuse myseif properly- but oh, how many dupes I can command among your cringing humans, armed with what you know and the favors owed you to raid your toril at will and bring back ever more magic tome… Ah, but hell will tremble at last!

[whirling images of Avernus, awareness flung far]

And let rr begin now, with the smashing and humbling or your little plaything, come calling to save her Elminster!

[magic rushing out of Nergal like a mad torrent, rolling diabolic laughter, rock pinnacles topple onto a lone human figure]

haha!

[Head snaps up. Silver hair writhes. Lightning crackles, bursting rock into dust and rubble, hurled far away. Two eyes glow like flames within the tumult of roiling dust. A low, soft hiss somehow comes across half Avernus to their ears.]

'So, devil. There you are. Taste you now what I give to Thay.'

[Art rushes, so quick and bright that Nergal grunts in amazement. His bat wings beat in sudden urgency, arching and twisting and-Hell explodes in bright fury. The arch-devil spins helpless through shrieking air, a broken human in one fist.]

Fires op the pit, but she's strong! Well, we'll just have to…

Gaze upon her longer. Such grace, even in fury. Fascinating…

Aye, aye, such- what are you doing, human? Whispering in my head when I should be-

[bright inferno, roar of diabolic pain, bodies hurled helpless once more, two blazing eyes following amid silver flame]

Enough! Elsewhere, and let her fight across half hell to find us!

Red lightning wreathed them. It died, leaving them elsewhere in Avernus. Nergal's taloned hand came down on Elminster's shoulder and spun a chain and collar out of nothing.

Red lightning came again.

'Right behind us,' Nergal growled, 'blasting everything that stands against her. From lair to lair of my rivals we go, and let Avernus be laid waste!'

He roared with laughter-and they were elsewhere again. Red smoke and lightning rolled around their feet.

The outcast devil looked back and shook his head in what might have been admiration-or might have been fear.

'Devils tumbling down broken out of the skies,' he murmured. 'It won't be long before He of Nessus is alerted. I'd not want to be your little lady-love then!'

Lightning again, and darkness. A pit of offal, Elminster chin-deep and strangling on his collar as the firm-held chain kept him from drowning

— Comfortable again at last. Now, where were we?

Ho. Yes. From one spell duel to another. Still, 'tis better than the last memory we shared: seducing apprentices seems a mite hollow after Hell-harrowing at the hands of persistent goddesses.

Hmm. I fear ye require more refined judgment than ye presently possess.

[snort of dismissal, single mind lash] Cleverness later, wizard. Show time now.

[image proffered]

Why, that's stirring in me! Where are your-

Deep within ye, devil. Ye have it all, now. Elminster in thy head.

I–I-

See her, devil Such magnificence, as she throws back her head and glares fearlessly around Hell, seeking us. See her as I do. How can one break or bend such a bright blade? She could be everything to ye! She could be thy warrior-scourge of Hell, smiting all who stand against tbee, loving thee as fiercely and hungrily as she now slays…

Tongue of asmodeus, human! You almost make me want to-

Remember her lips, her silver hair lashing and then caressing…

Yes. Ohhh, yes.

Recall her embrace, her murmured promises, her-

Yes. Yes! This is the one for me!

Aye, see that memory again, as we-

Are hurled back again, Hell crashing and quaking around us, as the scepters that the Simbul had plunged into her own flesh like daggers boil away with the last of their power exhausted and are gone. She shudders, going to her knees amid the flames of strewn devil-corpses and shattered stone citadels, and we want to reach out to her, to draw her close and comfort her, to heal…

Eyes look up and catch flame once more. 'Your Her growl rises into a scream that spits raw, snarling power out of her. Nergal knows pain.

Aarghh! Nessus twist you, bitch! I–I-

Love thee. Love thee more than all the fires of Hell.

Yes! [slaying bolt hurled wide] Ye.-no! Fangs, human, what are you doing to me? Get out of my head.'

The Simbul's next spell rains bright knives of flame down in a hissing cascade of death upon rippling diabolic thews. She spins like a dancer to send the same fury down the throats of the devils now converging on her across the broken rocks of Avernus.