the mountains on her broom.'
'If she had one, it probably wouldn't work right anyway,' Kelemvor said and started for the woods.
As the heroes got closer to the woods, something moved in the trees, something the size of a horse, with eight spindly legs and icy blue eyes.
As Midnight and Kelemvor stared at the glowing eyes in the woods, Cyric turned to get one last look at the Shadow Gap. Emerging from the mist were a group of riders. 'The riders from Tilverton!' the thief cried. Cyric wheeled his horse around and drew his bow.
Kelemvor drew his sword and rode up next to Cyric. Midnight looked for a way out. The shapes in the woods were moving quicker now, patrolling the shadowy perimeter of Spiderhaunt Woods.
Midnight dismounted and stood in the path of the advancing riders. Despite her exhaustion, she drew her dagger and prepared to fight. The unearthly glow from the road illuminated the scene, and the heroes could see the riders clearly as they got close. Midnight recognized the bald-headed man in the lead.
Dragon Eyes.
'Thurbrand,' Kelemvor and Midnight said together, their mouths hanging open.
The bald-headed man stopped and dismounted. 'Well met,' he said to Kelemvor and Cyric. Then the fighter turned to Midnight. 'We meet again, fair daffodil.'
'How did you get through Shadow Gap?' Kelemvor said as he sheathed his sword.
'The same way you did. I've seen worse disasters,' the bald man said. 'The mountains had pretty much stopped moving by the time we got to them anyway. It wasn't so tough.'
One of Thurbrand's men cleared his throat noisily. 'We did lose one man in there,' Thurbrand added. 'He was crushed by a boulder.'
'The people of Tilverton,' Midnight said with concern. 'The ones who were chasing us.'
'They needed a bit of persuading to turn back. We lost two of our men doing so, but they lost a dozen of theirs,' Thurbrand said. 'That persuaded them.'
Cyric shook his head. The fools, he thought. Dying for a god who doesn't care about them.
'By the way,' Thurbrand said. 'Along the road we learned that a squad of assassins is on the way from Zhentil Keep to dispatch the lot of you. They are Bane's elite force, trained practically from birth.'
Cyric drew a sharp breath. 'They wear bone-white armors, and their skin is bleached. The symbol of Bane is painted in black upon their faces.' The thief shuddered. 'I was almost sold into their order as a child. If they find us, we'll all be corpses soon.'
'So now what?' Midnight said.
Thurbrand surveyed the travelers. 'You have wounded. He should be taken care of first. And I imagine you haven't eaten or slept for quite some time.'
'But what about the assassins?' Kelemvor asked, anxiously cutting glances back to the gap.
'We might as well wait for them,' Thurbrand said as he turned and signaled his men to approach. 'No use in running away if they are that highly trained. It'll be best to fight them on our own terms right here.'
Midnight touched the bald man on the arm. 'Why did you follow us?'
Thurbrand turned, but didn't say anything.
'Why are you here?' Midnight said quietly.
'My men will tend to the cleric, then we can talk,' Thurbrand said.
'Damn you!' Kelemvor yelled. 'What do you want with us?' Thurbrand's men all drew their swords.
Thurbrand frowned. 'Did I forget to mention? You're all wanted for questioning in Arabel. The charge is treason. Technically, you're all under arrest.'
The bald man motioned for his men to sheathe their weapons and walked away.
Bane was alone in the throne room with Blackthorne, who stood beside the room's huge doors. An amber cloud filled the center of the room, and the image of a huge, mottled skull hung in the mist.
'I am intrigued, Myrkul,' the Black Lord said as he paced back and forth. 'As you have delighted in reminding me, our last collaboration was hardly a crashing success. Still, after my battle with Mystra, when I asked for your assistance, you all but laughed. I, on the other hand, am polite enough to answer your summons in the middle of the night.'
'What is time to you or me?' Myrkul said. 'Will you listen to my proposal?'
'Yes, yes. Get on with it!' Bane shouted impatiently, curling his hands into fists.
Myrkul cleared his throat. 'I believe we should unite once again. Your plan of bringing together the power of the gods has merit that I am only now able to fully appreciate.'
'And why is that?' Bane asked wearily as he dragged himself to his throne and sat down, a yawn escaping from him. The amber cloud followed him. 'Have you grown as tired as I have of spending your time in these hated bonds of flesh?'
'That is one consideration,' Myrkul said. 'I also know where you can find another Celestial Stairway. You need it to gain access to the Planes, do you not?'
'Go on,' the Black Lord said, drumming his fingers on the arm of his throne.
'You've told me of plans to invade the Dales. Did you know that a stairway lies just outside of the Temple of Lanthander in Shadowdale?'
'Yes, Myrkul, I knew of the stairway,' Bane said. 'But I appreciate your effort.'
The Black Lord smiled. Though Myrkul's news of the stairway's presence in Shadowdale wasn't new to Bane, its exact location in the town was. Of course, Bane never even considered letting the Lord of Bones know that he had uncovered information of some value.
The ghostly skull closed its eyes. 'How can I make up for my failings as an ally, Bane? I wish to help you in any way I can.'
Bane raised one eyebrow and stood up. 'You still refuse to take part in battle directly, so what help can you be?'
'I still have some control over the dead. I can… draw off the power of a human's soul when he dies.'
Bane walked closer to the floating skull. 'And could you give me that power?'
The skull nodded slowly.
Bane thought it over. Finally he spoke. 'These are my conditions. You will collect the souls of all who die in battle and funnel their energies through me.'
'And then?' Myrkul said.
'You will stand ready to join me in the assault on the Planes. When the time comes to climb the stairway, you will be at my side. We will first send my followers who survive the battle to attack the God of Guardians. When Helm slays the humans, he will only feed my power, weaken himself, and hasten his own destruction.'
The skull in the mist was expressionless. Finally Myrkul nodded. 'Aye. Together we shall retake the Planes, and then, perhaps, usurp mighty Ao's throne.'
Bane raised his fist. 'Not perhaps, Myrkul. We will destroy Lord Ao!'
Then the amber cloud dissipated and Lord Myrkul was gone. Bane walked to the spot where last the skull had hovered. 'As for you, Myrkul, we will be allies for as long as it.'
Bane laughed. The ceremonies Myrkul would have to perform to invest Bane with the power he had requested would exhaust the Lord of Bones and most of his high priests. When the time came to climb the stairway, Myrkul would be relying on Bane's strength. He would not be expecting the betrayal Bane had planned.
'Blackthorne!' Bane said. 'Prepare my chambers.'
The emissary hurried past the Black Lord.
'I believe I'll sleep quite well tonight.'
XII
'Kindly remove your foot from my face,' Thurbrand said and reached for his sword.
